gave thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles Isa. 49.8 I will preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people Christ God and man is all the Covenant 1. Because he is given to fulfill the Covenant on both sides 2. He is the Covenant In abstracto he is very Peace and Reconciliation it self Mic. 5. 5. And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come unto our Land As fire is hot for it self and all things hot for it and by participation so thou art in so far in Covenant with Christ as thou hast any thing of Christ want Christ and want Peace and the Covenant 2. Mal. 3.1 The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger or Angel of the Covenant whom ye delight in Christ travelleth with tidings between the parties 1. He reporteth of God to us that its his fathers will that we be saved Joh. 6.39 2. Christ reporteth of himself for it setteth Christ to be a Broker for Christ and wisdom to cry in the streets who will have me Prov 1.21 22. Prov. 9.1 2 3 4 5. It became the Lord Jesus to praise himself Joh. 6.48 Joh. 8.12 I am that bread of life I am the light of the world Joh. 10.9 I am the door v. 11. I am the good Shepherd 3. He praiseth his Father Joh. 15. My Father is the good Husband-man 4. He suiteth us in marriage and commendeth his Father and our father in law You marry me dear souls O but my Father is a great person Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many dwelling places 2. He commendeth us to the Father a Messenger making peace will do all this Joh. 17.8 They have received thy words and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didst send me 25. O Righteous Father the world have not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me Ministers cannot speak of Christ and his father as he can do himself O come hear Christ speak of Christ and of his Father and of heaven for for he saw all O sweet beleever Christ giveth thee a good report in heaven the Father and the Son are speaking of thee behinde-backs A good report in Heaven is of much esteem Christ spake more good of thee then thou art all worth He telleth over again Ephraims prayers behinde his back Jer. 30.18 O woe to thee Christ is telling black tidings of thee in Heaven Such a man will not beleeve in me he hateth me and my cause and my people Christ cannot lye of any man 3. Christ is an Eye-witnesse of the Covenant and heard and saw all the whole Covenant was a bloudy act acted upon his person Isa. 55.4 Behold I have given him for a witnesse to the people Rev. 1. 5. The faithfull witnesse Rev. 3.14 The Amen the faithfull and true witnesse The Covenant saith 1. The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost Luke 19.10 Amen saith Christ I can witnesse that to be true 2. Christ dyed and rose again for sinners Amen saith the witnesse Joh. 1.18 I was dead and behold I live for evermore Amen Christ putteth his Seal to that This is a true and faithfull saying That Christ Jesus came into the world to die for sinners I can swear that is true saith Christ. 3. The world shall have an end saith the Covenant and time shal be no more By him that liveth for ever and ever who created heaven and earth saith this Angel-witnesse Rev. 10.6 that is most true Time shall be no more It s a controversie to the world if Eternity be comming Christ endeth the controversie with an oath 4. Christ shall judge the world and all shall bow to me This Amen of God saith that's true Rom. 14.11 For as it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me The Covenant of Works had a promise but because it was 1. Conditionall 2. To be broken and done away it had no oath of God as this hath O doubting soul thou sayest that thy salvation is not sure Why And it s a sworn Article of the Covenant thou hast Christs great Oath on it Alas God loveth not me hast thou the Son thou hast a true Testimony it s not so and Pro. 14.5 A faithfull Witnesse will not lie Christ has cause to remember that thou art saved he beareth the marks of it in his body Athiest thou sayest who knoweth there 's a heaven and hell Why the Witnesse of the Covenant saith I was in both and saw both 4. Heb. 7.22 Christ is the surety of the better Covenant And in this the Father is surety for Christ if he undertake for David and Hezekiah Psal. 119.122 Isa. 38.14 Far more for his own Son God hath given his word for Christ he shall do the work Isa. 52.13 Behold my righteous servant shall deal prudently Isa. 50.9 Behold the Lord God will help me and again the Son is Surety to the Father And the great undertaker that God shall fulfill his part of the Covenant that the Father shall give a Kingdom to his flock Luke 12.32 Joh. 6.37 38 39. 1. Christ as a Surety for us hath payed a ransome for us 2. Giveth a new heart to his fellow-confederats 3. And is ingaged to lose none of them Ioh. 17.12 But raise them up at the last day Joh. 6.39 If we could surrender ouâ— selves to Christs undertaking and get once â— word that he is become good to the Father for us all were well woe to him who is that loose man as he has not Christ under an Act and band of Surety that he shall keep him to the day of God we make loose bargains in the behalf of our souls 5. As Christ standeth between the two Parties he is the great Lord Mediator of the new Covenant Heb. 12.24 1. Substantially our Text calleth him Lord the Son of David by condition of nature he hath something of God as being true God and something of man as sharing with us hence is he Mediator by Office and layeth his hands on both parties As a days man doth Job 9.33 In which he hath a threefold relation 1. Of a friend to both he hath Gods heart for man to be gracious and satisfie mercy and a mans heart for God to satisfie justice 2. Of a reconciler to make two one to bring down God to a Treaty of Peace to take him off Law and high demands of Law which sought personall satisfaction of us and in his body to bring us up to God by a ransome payed and by giving us faith to draw near to his Father so he may say Sister and Spouse come up now to my Father and your Father to my God and your God and Father come down to my Brethren my kindred and flesh 3. He is a
Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus It shall not be well while the Father and Christ the prime Heire and all the weeping children be under one roofe in the Palace-Royall it is a sort of mysticall lameness and that the head wanteth an Arme or a finger and it is a violent and forced conditon for Arme and finger to be separated from the head The Saints are little pieces of mysticall Christ sick of love for union the wife of youth that wants her husband some years and expects he shall return to her from over-sea lands is often on the shoare every ship coming near shoar is her new joy her heart loves the wind that shall bring him home she askes at every passenger news O saw you my husband what is he doing when shall he come Is he shipped for a return Every Ship that carrieth not her husband is the breaking of her heart What desires hath the Spirit and Bride to hear when the Husband Christ shal say to the mighty Angels Make you ready for the journey let us go down and divide the skies and bow the heaven I 'le gather my prisoners of hope into me I can want my Rachael and her weeping children no longer Behold I come quickly to judge the Nations The Bride the Lambs wife blesseth the feet of the Messengers that preacheth such tiding Rejoice O Zion put on thy beautifull garments thy King is coming yea she loveth that quarter of the Skie that being rent asunder and cloven shall yield to her husband when he shall put through his glorious hand and shall come riding on the Raine bow and clouds to receive her to himself The condition of the people of God in the three Kingdoms calleth for this that we now wisely consider what the Lord is doing there is a Language of the Lords fire in Zion and His furnace in Jerusalem If we could understand the voice of the crying Rod The Arrowes of God flee beyond us and beside us but wee see little of God in them We Saile but we see not shoar we fight but we have no Victory the efficacy of second causes is the whole burden of the businesse and this burden we lay upon creatures and it s more then they can bear and not upon the Lord God is crying lamenesse on creatures and multitude that his eminency of working may be more seen 2. Many are friends to the successe of Reformation not to Reformation Mens Faith go along with the promises untill Providence seem to them to belie the promise through light at a key-hole many see God in these confusions in the three Kingdoms but they fall away because their joyning with the Cause was violent kindenesse to Christ it is not a friends visite to be driven to a friends house to be dry in a showre and then occasionally to visite wife and children Christ hath too many occasionall friends but the ground of all is this I love Jesus Christ but I have not the gift of burning-quick for Christ O how securely should Faith land us out of the Gun-shot of the prevailing power of a black hour of darknesse Faith can make us able to be willing for Christ to go thorow a quarter of Hells pain Lord give us not leave to be mad with worldly wisedome 3. When the Temptation sleepeth the mad man is wise the harlot is Chaste But when the vessell is peirced out cometh that which is within either Wine or Water Yet if we should attentively lay our ears to hypocrites wee should hear that their Lute-strings do miserably jar for Hycrisie is intelligible and may bee found out Would Parliaments begin at Christ we should not fear that which certainly we have cause to fear One wo is past and another wo cometh The Prophets in the three Kingdoms have not repented of the Superstition will-worship Idolatry Persecution Prophanity Formality which made them vile before the people and the Judges and Princes who turned judgement into gall and wormwood are not humbled because they were a snare on Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor No man repenteth and turneth from his evil way no man smitteth on his thigh saying what have I done It s but black Popery the name being changed not the thing to think the by-past sins of the Land are by-past and a sort of Reformation for time to come is satisfactory to GOD Ex opere operato By the deed done Yea the divisions in the Church are a heavier plague then the raging sword These same sins against the first and second Table the reconciling of us and Babylon Pride Bribing Extortion Filthiness and intemperance unpunished blood touching blood and not revenged vanity of apparell the professed way of salvation by all kinde of Religions whatsoever are now acted in another stage by other persons but they are these same sins if that head-ship that flattering Prelates took from Jesus Christ and gave to the King be yet taken from Christ and given to men if Christs Crown be pulled off his head no matter whose head it warme it s taken from Christ both wayes I shall pray that the fatnesse of the flesh of Jacob for this do not wax leane and that the warefare of Britaine be accomplished But if the faithfull watchmen know what hour of the night it is now there be but small appearance that it is near to the dawning of Britains deliverance or that our sky shall clear in hast would God the yeare 1645. were with childe to bring forth the salvation of Britain It was once as incredible that the enemy should have entred within the gates of Jerusalem as it is now that they can enter within the Ports of London Edinburgh Dublin I speak not this to incourage Cavaliers for certainly God watcheth over them for vengeance but that we go not on farther to break with Christ the weaknesse of new heads devising new Religions and multiplying Gods for two sundry and contrary Religions argue interpretatively two sundry Gods According to the number of our Cities must come from rottennesse of our hearts O if we could be instructed before the decree that is with childe of Plagues to the sinners in Zion bring forth a man childe and before the long shadows of the evening be stretched out on us But of this Theame no more Grace is the Proposition of this following Treatise when either Grace is turned into painted but rotten nature as Arminians do or into wantonnesse as others do The error to me is of a far other and higher elevation then opinions touching Church-Government Tenacious adhering to Antinomian errors with an obstinate and finall persistance in them both as touching Faith to and suitable practise of them I shall think cannot be fathered upon any of the regenerated For it is an opinion not in the Margin and borders but in the page and body and too near the Center and vitall parts of the Gospel if any offend that I desire to anger them with good-will to
changed before God p. 407. To be justified by Faith is not barely to come to the knowledge that we are justified before we beleeve p. 410. Justification not Eternall p. 411 Faith is not only given for our joy and consolation but also for our justification both in our own soul before God 415 There 's no warrant in Scripture for two reconciliations one of mans reconciliation to God and another of Gods reconciliation to man p. 419. Christs merits no cause but an effect of Gods eternall love ibid. What reconciliation is ibid. Joy without all sorrow for sin no fruit of the Kingdome of God p. 420 The seeing of God Heb. 12.14 and the Kingdom 1 Cor. 6. Joh. 3.3 Not the Kingdom of Grace but of Glory p. 421. All acts of blood and rough dealing in God to his own acts of mercy ibid. SERM. XXV Omnipotency hath influence on 1. Satan 2. Diseases 3. Stark death 4. Mother-nothing 5. On all creatures 6. On sin to speak to them p. 424. Obedientiall power in the creation what it is p. 425. Omnipotency is as it were a servant to Faith p. 428. We worship a dependent God p. 429. We have need of the devil and other temptations for our humiliation p. 432. Immediate mercies are the sweetest mercies cleared 1. In Christ. 2. Grace 3. Glory 4· Comfort 5. The rarest of Gods works p. 433. The deceitfulnesse of our confidence when God and the creature are joyned in one work p. 442. SERM. XXVI Christ in four relations hath dominion over Devils p. 446. Satan goeth no where without a Passe p. 448. We often sign Satans conditionall Passe ibid. A renewed will is a renewed man p. 451. Eight positions concerning the will and affections ibid. A civill will is not a sanctified will ibid. The yeelding of the soul to God and to his light a special note of a renewed will ibid. Affections sanctified especially desires p. 453. The lesse mixture in the affections the stronger are their operations ibid. Minde and affections do reciprocally vitiate one another p. 454. Spirituall desires seek naturall things spiritually Carnall desires seek spirituall things naturally p. 455. God submitteth his liberality of Grace to the measure of a sanctified will in four considerations ibid. Our affections in their acts and comprehension are far below spirituall objects Christ and Heaven p. 456. More in Christ and Heaven then our faith can reach in this life p. 457. SERM. XXVII Satan not cast out of a land or a person but by violence both to Satan and the party amplified in four considerations p. 460. False peace known p. 462. A roaring and a raging Devil is better then a calm and a sleeping Devil ibid. Gods way of hardning as it is mysterious so it is silent and invisible p. 465. The Triall and Triumph of Faith SERMON I. Mar. 7.24 And from thence he arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon and went into an house and would that no man should know it but he could not be hid Matth. 15.21 Then Jesus went thence and came into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon V. 22. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David for my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Mar. 7.25 For a certain woman whose young little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell at his feet V. 26. The woman was a Greek a Syrophoenician by Nation and she besought him that hee would cast forth the Devil out of her daughter THis Text being with childe of Free-Grace holdeth forth to us a Miracle of note and because Christ is in the work in an eminent manner and there is here also much of Christs new creation and a floor planted and watered by Christs own hand a strong faith in a tryed woman it requireth the bending of our heart to attention for to any seeking Iesus Christ this Text cryeth Come and see The words for their scope drive at the wakening of beleevers in Praying when an answer is not given at the first to a fixed and resolved lying and dying at Christs door by continuing in Prayer while the King come out and open and answer the desire of the hungry and poor 2. For the subject they are a History of a rare Miracle wrought by Christ in casting forth a Devil out of the Daughter of a Woman of Canaan and for Christ to throw the Devill out of a Canaanite was very like the white Banner of Christs Love displayed to the Nations and the Kings Royall Standard set up to gather in the Heathen under his colours The parts of the Miracle are 1. The place where it was wrought Math. 15.21 2. The parties on whom the Mother and the possessed Daughter she is described by her Nation 3. The impulsive cause she hearing came and prayed to Iesus for her little Daughter In which there is a Dialogue between Christ and the Woman containing Christs trying of her 1. With no answer 2. With a refusal 3. With the reproach of a dog 4. Her instancy of Faith 1. In crying till the Disciples interposed themselves 2. Her going on in adoring 3. Praying 4. Arguing by Faith with Christ that she had some interest in Christ though amongst the dogs yet withall as Grace hath no evil eye not envying because the morning market of Christ and the high Table was the Jews due as the Kings Children so she might be amongst the dogs to eat the crumbs under Christs Table knowing that the very refuse of Christ is more excellent then ten worlds 4. The Miracle it self wrought by the womans faith in which we have Christs heightning of her Faith 2. The granting of her desire 3. The measure of Christs bounty as thou wilt 4. The healing of her Daughter Mark saith that the woman came to Christ in a house Matthew seemeth to say that she came to him in the way as these words do make good send her away for she cryeth after us Augustine thinketh that the woman first came to Christ while he was in the house and desired to be hid either because he did not for offending the Jews openly offer himself to the Gentiles having forbidden his Disciples to go to the Samaritans or because he would have his glory hid for a time or rather of purpose he did hide himself from the woman that her faith might finde him out and then refusing to answer the woman in the house she still followeth him in the way and cryeth after him as Matthew saith For Christs Love is 1. Liberal but yet it must be suited and Christ though he sell not his Love for the penny worth of our sweating and paines yet must we dig low for such a gold-mine as Christ. 2. Christs Love is wise he holdeth us knocking while our desire be love-sick for him and knoweth that delayes raiseth and heighteth the market and
that God bringeth out of his work lyeth under ground Dispensation is as a woman travelling in birth and crying out for pain but she shall be delivered of two men Children Mercy to the people of God Justice to Babylon wait on while the woman bring forth though you see not the Children 2. We trust possession in our part more then Law and the fidelity of the promise on Gods part feeling is of more credit to us then Faith sense is surer to us then the word of Faith many weak ones beleeve not life Eternall because they feel it not Heaven is a thing unseen and they finde no Consolation and Comfort and so are disquieted If we knew that beleeving is a bargaining and a buying we should see the weaknesse of many should any buy a field of Land refuse to tell down the money except the party should lay all the Ridges Acres Medows and Mountains on the buyers shoulders that he might carry them home to his house he should be incredulously unjust If any should buy a Ship and think it no bargain at all except he might carry away the Ship on his back should not this make him a ridiculous Merchant Gods Law of Faith Christs concluded atonement is better and surer then your feeling all that sense and comfort saith is not Canonick Scripture it is Adultery to seek a signe because we cannot rest on our Husbands word SERMON III. Quest. BVt cannot Christ be hid Ans. Not of himself It s hard to hide a great fire or to cast a covering upon sweet odours that they smell not Christs Name is as a sweet oyntment powred out he is a Mountain of spices and hee 's a strong savour of Heaven and of the higher Paradice You may hide the man that he shal not see the Sun but you cannot cast a garment over the body of the Sun and hide day-light From which it appeareth that Christ cannot be hid 1. In his Cause and Truth the Gospell is scourged and imprisoned when the Apostles are so served yet it cometh to light and filleth Jerusalem and filleth all the world What was done to hide Christ when he and his Gospel is buryed under a great stone yet his fame goeth abroad Death is no covering to Christ Papists burn all the Books of Protestants they kill and slay the Witnesses Antiochus and the persecuting Emperours throw all the Bibles in the fire but this Truth cannot be hid it Triumpheth As soon pull down Jesus from his Royall seat at the right hand of God as Babylon Prelats Papists Malignants in these three Kingdoms can extinguish the People and Truth of Christ. 2. Beleevers cannot hide and dissemble a good or an ill condition in the soul The welbeloved is away and the Churches bed cannot keep her All the Watchmen all the streets all the Daughters of Jerusalem yea Heaven and Christ must hear of it Cant. 3.1 2 3. Cant. 5.6 7 8. Mary Magdalens bed and a mornings sleep and the Company of Angels and Apostles cannot dry her cheeks Woman what ayles thee saith the Angel O she weepeth O what ayleth me They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him O Apostles Where is he O Sir Angell tell me if you saw him O Grave O Death Shew me is my Lord with you The Love of Christ is no Hypocrite I grant some can for a time put a fair face on it when Christ is absent but most of the Saints look as a Bird fallen from the Raven as a Lamb fallen out of the Lions mouth as one too soon out of bed in the morning O sick of Love O shew him I charge you tell him Watchmen Daughters of Jerusalem that I am sick of Love Love is a paining feavorous tormenting sicknesse Grace cannot put on a laughing mask when sweet Jesus is hidden Love hath no art to conceal sorrow the countenance of David Psal. 42.5 is sick There 's death in his face when God is not the light of his countenance 3. The joy of his presence cannot be hid she cannot but tell and cry out O Fair O White Day He is come again Cant. 3.4 It was but a little that I passed from him but I found him whom my soul loved She numbred all the miles she Travelled while her Lord was absent Joy will speak it s not dumb Cant. 7.9 The roofe of thy mouth is like the best wine for my beloved that goeth down sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak Mat. 9.15 Can the Children of the Bedchamber mourne as long as the Bridegroom is with them i. e. they cannot choose but rejoyce 4. Grace in a sincere Professor and CHRIST cannot be hid there came a good fair breath with a blast of a sweet west-wind of Heaven on Joseph of Arimathea the time was ill Christ was dead and he can dissemble no longer Mar. 15.43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much daring and boldnesse he went into Pilat with a Petition I beseech you my Lord Governour let me but have this Jesus his dead body There was some fire of Heaven in this bold profession What would this be thought of to see a Noble and Honourable Lord-Judge with a dead and Crucified mans Body in his armes But Faith knoweth no blushing Grace cannot be ashamed there was a straight charge laid on the Apostles Preach no more in the name of Jesus Act. 4.13 Peter and John with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldly say vers 20. We cannot but speak the things wee have heard and seen Lay as heavy weights as death burning quick sawing asunder on the sincerity of Faith in the Martyrs it must up the Mountain Davids Grace Psal. 39.1 was kept in as with a Mussell put upon the mouths of Beasts it was as coals of fire in his heart and he behoved to speak even before the wicked I beleeved therefore I spake Psal. 116.10 5. When Ieremiah layeth unlawfull bands on himself To speak no more in the Name of the Lord there is a spirit of Prophesie lying on him he is not Lord of his own choice Ier. 20.9 But his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay There 's a Majesty of Grace on the Conscience of the Child of God that must break out in holy duties though temptation should hide Christ in his Grace tempted Ioseph is over-awed with this Gen. 39.9 How can I then do this great wickednesse and sin against God This awsome Majesty of the Grace of Gods fear causeth Ioseph see nothing in Harlotry but pure unmixed guiltinesse against God there 's an over mastering apprehension of Christs love 2 Cor. 5.14 that constraineth Paul to out the Love of Christ in dedicating himself to the service of the Gospell Though Paul would not have preached yet he had a sum to pay Rom. 1.14 I am
to his house Why But thou shouldst go When old Jacob saw the Chariots â—nd Messengers that Prince Joseph his own son yet living had sent to fetch him His heart failed for joy Seest thou the Chariot of Pharaoh paved with love make then for the journey the home we have here is a taking lover Why But thou maist say I cannot stay here the King hath sent for me SERMON XIII OF Israel It was then a priviledged mercy that Christ was senâ— to the Jews 1. The Jew is the elder Brother and the Native heir of Christ Christ of their blood and house Rom. 1.2 3. Rom. 9.3 They were Christs first Bride Alas they killed their husband there 's a born Jew in Heaven in soul and body its sweet to have any relation to Christ. 2. The Catholick Covenant of Grace made with the great Sister the Church Universall was first laid down in pawn in their hand they put their hand first to the contract in subscribing the marriage contract Ier. 2.3 Israel was holy to the Lord and the first fruits of his increase O sweet the fallen race of mankinde was Christs corn-field and his wheat The Jews were the first sheaf of the field Deut. 7.6 They got Christs young love and to speak so the first handsell of Free Grace in a Church way 3. Christ in the Iews flesh yet not excluding Ruth Rahab and other Gentiles of the Blood-Royall acted the whole Gospel a born Iew Redeemed the lost world offered a sacrifice to God for sinners a born Iew is heir of all things is exalted a Prince to guide and rule all and shall judge Men and Angels 4. The Lord Christ in the flesh was first offered to them they had the first Gospel love Matth. 10.5 6. Act. 13.46 5. The Oracles of God was committed to them Rom. 3.1 Rom. 9.4 The Testator Christ his written will was in their keeping 6. God was their first Crowned King He gave Ethiopia and Egypt and Zeba a ransom for them and was their Law-giver 7. Every Male childe amongst the Jews did beaâ— somewhat of Christ in his flesh Col. 2.11 Wheâ— all the world was without Christ 8. Their land was Christs by a speciall typicall right God saith of it It s my land Christ was their Soveraigne Land-lord and they the great Kings Free-holders 9 The Lord never dwelt in a house made with hands in a Temple as amongst them having special respect to the true Temple Iesus Christ Ioh. 2.19 1. Let us pray our Elder sister home to Christ Cant. 8. They said We have a little sister and she hath no breasts what shall we doe for our sister in the day that she shall be spoken for Now we have a greater sister What shal we the Gentiles do for her There 's a day When ten men shall take hold out of all Nations of the skirt of a Jew saying we will goe with you we have heard that God is with you Zach. 8.21 2. It is the happinesse of our Land that we have a three-fold relation to Christ I meane these two Nations that we have avowed the Lord by a Nationall Testimony and the Nations are the publick Martyrs and witnesses of Christ in that they are made a field of blood for no other quarrell but because they desire to stand for Christ Truth against Antichrist sure in the intention of Papists now in Armes against us there is no cause of War but this only 2. That we have sworn that the Lord shal be our God in a Solemn Covenant 3. That we are honoured to build the Temple of the Lord and reform Religion O that we could see our debt and be thankfull 3. The Iewes had the morning market of Christ and they would not pay the rent of the Vineyard to the Lord thereof we have the after noon of Christ and know we what a mercy it is that our beloved feedeth amongst the Lillies till the day break and the shadowes fly away and that the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land God for our abuse of the Gospel hath sent amongst us the bloody Pursevants and Officers of his wrath men skilfull to destroy God is now in three Kingdomes arresting the Carcases of men we are owing much to God he will now have husbands and sons from us and leggs and armes of wounded and slain men from us for that rent we owe to the Lord of the vineyard for our contempt of the Gospell Sheep first a word of Sheep then of lost sheep I take no other reasons why the redeemed of the Lord are called sheep then are obvious in Scripture 1. The sheep are passive creatures and can do little for themselves so can believers in the work of their salvation as 1. They have not of themselves more knowledge of the saving way then sheep and so cannot walk but as they are taught and led Psal. 1â—9 33 Teach me O Lord Psal. 25.5 lead me in thy truth Like a blinde man holding out his hand to his guide so they Psal. 5.8 Lord lead me in thy righteousnesse 2. It s not common leading but the leading of children learning to go by an hold Hos. 11.1 When Ephraim was a childe I loved him 3. I taught Ephraim also to goe taking them by their armes but Ephraim like a childe knew not his leader But they know not saith the Lord that I healed them 3. Leading may suppose some willingnesse but we must be drawn Ioh. 6.44 No man can come to me except tht father draw him Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee 4. There is a word of speciall grace which is more then teaching leading drawing and that is leaning Cant. 8.5 Who is this that cometh up from the wildernesse leaning upon her beloved 5. There is a word yet more and that is bearing Luke 15.5 when the good shepherd hath found the lost sheep He layeth it on his shoulders with joy Esa. 4â— 3 Hearken to me O house of Iacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by me from the belly and carried from the gray haires so also Deut. 32.11 God beareth them on Eagles wings Grace grace is a noble Guide and Tutor 2. The life of sheep is the most dependent life in the world no such dependent Creatures as sheep all their happinesse is the goodnesse care and wisdom of their shepherd Wolves Lyons Leopards need none to watch over them Briers and Thornes grow there alone the Vine Tree the noble Vine is a tender thing and must be supported Esa 40.11 Christ must bear the weak Lambs in his bosome the Shepherds bosome his legs are the legs of the weak Lamb even the habit of Grace is a creature and no independent thing and so in esse in conservâ—ri in its creation in its preservation it dependeth on Christ Grace is as the new-born Bird its life is the heat and warmnesse of the body and wings of the
minimum quod sic the lowest measure or grain of saving Grace and its saving Grace a drop of dew is water no lesse then the great Globe and Sphere of the whole element of water is water a glimmering of morn-dawning light is light and of the same nature with the noon-light that is in the great body of the Sun the motion of a childe newly formed in the belly is an act of life no lesse then the walking and breathing of a man of thirty years of age in his flower and highest vigour of life the first stirrings of the new birth are the workings and operations of the holy Ghost and the love of God even now shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost shall remaine the same in nature with us in heaven 1 Cor. 13.8 9 10. 2. Christ doth own the bruised reed and the smoaking flax so far forth as not to crush the one nor to quench the other and can with tender cautelousnesse of compassion stoop and with his arm go between the lambe on the margin and brink of Hell as to save it from falling down headlong over the brow of the Mountain he Ps. 147.3 Healeth the broken in heart and as a Chyrurgion so Vatablus expoundeth it bindeth up their wounds and putteth the broken bones in their native place again and whereas young ones are easily affrighted yea and distracted with fear when sudden cryes and hideous War-shouts surpriseth them Christ affrighteth not weak consciences with shouts to put poor tender souls out of their wits with the shouts of Armies of the terrours of Hell in the conscience yea Isa. 42.2 The meek Lord Jesus shall not cry nor lift up a shout nor cause his voice be heard in the street O what bowels What stirrings and boylings and wrestlings of a pained heart touched with sorrow are in Christ Jesus When he saw the people scattered as sheep having no sheapherd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was bowelled in heart his bowels were moved with compassion for them O how sweet That thy sinfull weaknesse should be sorrow and pain to the bowels heart of Jesus Christ so as infirmity is your sin and Christs pitty and compassion can the Father see the childe sweat wrestle under an over-load while his back be near broken and he cry I am gone and his bowels not be moved to pitty and his hands not stretched out to help Were not the bowels and heart of that Mother made of a piece of the nether Milstone had she not sucked the Milk and breasts of a Tyger and seemed rather to be the Whelp of a Lyon then a woman who should see her young childe drowned and wrestling with the water and crying for her help and yet she should not stir nor be moved in heart nor run to help This is but a shadow of the compassion that is in that heart dwelling in a body personally united to the blessed Godhead in Jesus Christ. We should have tender hearts toward weak ones considering 1. That Christ cannot disinherit a son for weaknesse 2. Love is not broken with a straw or a little infirmity 3. All the vessels of Christs house are not of one size 4. Some mens infirmities are as transparant Christall easily seen through others have infirmities under their garments 5. We shal see many in heaven whom we judged to be cast-awayes while they lived with us on earth 6. Many go to Heaven with you and you hear not the sound of their feet in their journey SERMON XXI Then Iesus answered and said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith c. THis is the last passage of the Text containing a commendation of the Woman given to her by Christ in her face 2. An answer according to her desire 3. The effect of her praying with instancy and pressing importunity of Faith The Devil is cast out of her Daughter Christ acknowledgeth here That Instancy of praying in Faith will overcome God and Satan and all the saddest Temptations that can befall the Childe of God Hence observe what acts of efficacious power instant and earnest praier putteth forth upon God and how the clay-creature doth work upon and prevail with the great Potter and former of all things 1. Prayer is a Messenger and a swift and winged post dispatched up to Court Psal. 5.3 David sent away this post early in the morning with morning wings My voice shalt thou hear in the morning The post is himself for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will addresse my person as in battle array Iob 33.5 Set thy self in order before me and stand up saith Elihu to Iob. Or I will addresse my words Iob 32.14 Now he hath not directed his words against me the Seventy render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and David sent himself to Heaven not only as a post but as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—sappeh soundeth I will look up or espie as one that keepeth watch and ward waiting for an answer from God as the word is Habbak 2.1 and Psal. 18.6 In my distresse I called upon the Lord and my cry came before him even into his ears 2. Prayer putteth a challenge upon God for his Covenants sake and his Promise that is greater boldnesse then to speak to God and wait on Isa. 63.18 Our Adversaries have troden down thy Sanctuary 19. We are thine thou never barest rule over them they were not called by thy Name Lam. 2.20 Behold O Lord and consider to whom thou hast done this Isa. 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes And hardened out heart from thy fear Return for thy servants sake the Tribes of thine inheritance Hence is there an holy chiding with God Psal. 22.2 O my God I â—ry in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night season and am not silent Psal. 13.1 How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me 3. It putteth God to great straights and suffering even to the moving of his soul Jer. 31. When God heareth Ephraim bemoaning himself in Prayer it putteth God to a sort of pinch and condolency ver 20. Is Ephraim my dear son Is he my pleasant Childe For since I â—ake against him I do earnestly remember him â—ill therefore my bowels are troubled for him 〈◊〉 Isaac an earthly Father moved and his heart â—ent and torn with the weeping and tears of Esaâ— his son so as he must confer some blessing upon him far more must the bowels of our father infinite in mercy be turned within him at the weeping and tears of a praying and crying Church 4. When God seemeth to sleep in regard that his work and the wheels of his providence are at a stand prayer awaketh God and putteth him on action Psal. 7.6 Arise O Lord in thine anger lift up thy self because of the rage of mine enemies awake for the judgement thou hast commanded Psal. 44.23 Awake Why sleepest
a resurrection as the seed and hope of harvest is in rotting and dying grains of Wheat sown in the cold earth as is cleer Psal. 16.9 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. Much more the relation of mercy remaineth in Christ toward the wrestling deserted and self dead believer Now this smallest measure of Faith may consist 1. With much ignorance of God as it was with the believing Disciples who continued with Christ in his temptations confessed him believed and adhered to him when many went back and departed from him Luk. 22.28 29. Mat. 16.16 17. Joh. 6.66 67 68 69. And yet were ignorant of great points of Faith as of his death Mat. 16.21.22 Of his resurrection Joh. 20.9 2. So there be great faintings and doubtings when a storm ariseth and the soul is a sinking Mat. 8. v. 25 26 27. Mat. 14.3 Yet a little Faith is Faith As touching a fainting Faith it s not alwayes a weak Faith that fainteth strong and healthy bodies may have fevers and deliquies For the causes of fainting are 1. The want of the influence of mercy and of stirring or exciting Grace causeth fainting 2 Cor. 4.1 As we are mercied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we faint not we degenerate not It is in the bosome of Christ and lieth about the bowels of our mercifull high Priest that keepeth from fainting If our Intercessor pray not we faint Luke 22.32 I have prayed that thy Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may not be ecclipsed The moon is in a certain death and soon in an ecclipse So is Faith under fainting 2. Fear of wrath may cause distraction and hanging of minde and uncertainty where there is strong Faith Ps. 88.14.15 Compared with v. 8 9. As apprehensions report of God so are we affected in believing Yet may it be collected from Mat. 10.19 In that hour it shall be given you that Christ holdeth the head of a fainting believer 3. The dependence of Faith will faint when Christ withdraweth love though he inflict no anger The ingenuity of Grace gathereth fear from a cloud though there be no storm 3. A soul dead in himself and that cannot put out Faith in acts for want of light and comfort is a weak Faith A tree in winter is a living tree There may be life where there 's little stirring or motion 4. That Faith that seemed smallest to the man himself is sometime in it self greatest 1. In sad desertions there 's most of Faith and least of sense of Faith Psal. 22.1 2. A suffering Faith may be small to the sufferer Many of the Martyrs in their own sense were in a dead and unbelieving condition Yet Christ is more commended for a suffering-faith then any Heb. 12.1 2 3. In that he did run indure the crosse for the glory that was before him He saw heaven And his Faith went through Hell to be at Heaven There is a high commendation put on the suffering Faith of these who were tryed with hands imprisonment sawn asunder mocked slain with the sword Heb. 11.37 38. Of whom the world was not worthy This is not put upon the active and doing Faith which is put upon the passive Faith nor is so much said of these who by Faith pulled down the walls of Jericho of Gideon Baruch Sampson and such as by Faith subdued Kingdoms The reason is suffering is a losse of being and welbeing These who by doing give away their evil being for Christ and crucifie their lusts for him are dear to him but such as die for Christ they give away both being and welbeing Moses Paul who in a manner were content to go to hel with believing that Gods glory in saving the people of God was to be prefered to their eternal being and well-being behoved to have great Faith 3. The Faith that is weak in regard of intension of degrees may be a great faith in regard of extension the Children of God whose life is the walk of Faith 2 Cor. 5.7 May have but a small measure of Faith Yet it s a constant and well breathed Faith good at the long race that carrieth a soul through In 1. His naturall capacity to believe God will feed him And 2. In his civill relations as a father son servant magistrate 3. In his spirituall condition in the duties of the first table in all which capacities we are to walk by Faith Yea to eat drink sleep to laugh to weep as concerning the ordering of all these Heaven-ward by Faith All the Saints that go to Heaven believing and ordering all these conditions by Faith have not alwayes a Faith as great as Abraham as Moses Weak leggs carry some through the earth many thousand miles A sorry and small vessell in comparison of others may sail about the Globe of the whole earth The wings of a Sparrow or a Dove can carry these little birds through as much Sea and Land as the wings of an Eagle doth carry the Eagle But ere I go from this point I crave leave to adde somewhat of the least and smallest measure of Faith 2. Of the condition of the childe of God under it Touching the former I onely say There is a degree of fire and a coal so small that lesse cannot be the thing remaining Fire having the nature essence and properties of fire And when any is in a deliquium or swoun the man hath life but it is kept in narrow bounds there is breathing onely 2. Some vitall heat 3. Some internall motion in the heart and vitall and animall spirits but no more to prove life almost then the man is a dead corps yet somewhat there is to difference him from dead clay For friends will not bury a sounding man willingly and knowingly So at the lowest condition of the weakest Faith that the believer is in some fire and coal of love and Faith there is and some smoaking though little fire and possibly we cannot give it a name Yet if the just live by Faith there must be some measure of Faith 2. Some smoaking of love to Christ. 3. Some discerning of an ill condition No man on earth in a sleep hath a reflect act to know that he sleepeth no dead corps knoweth it self to be dead Never sleeping man could say nay not Adam in his first sleep when God formed the woman out of a rib of his side Now I am sleeping No man naturally dead can say Now am I dead and I lie amongst the worms and corruption Death maketh no report of death but the believer can say at his lowest condition Cant. 5.1 I sleep but my heart waketh and he who saith Psal. 119. Lord quicken me must say Lord I am dead yet to say Lord quicken me and to feel and know deadnesse are acts of the life of Grace A Saint in this condition may love Christ through half a dream and half sleeping half waking retain honourable thoughts of Christ Job 13.15 Job 19.25 26 27. Some have said in hell they should
he enter a subject of the Kingdom of Grace Nay not any such condition can go before mans reconciliation to God Propos. 8. Christ can love dearly and tempt â—oughly both at once 1. His love consisteth â—ot in a taking his Church into his bosome and 〈◊〉 continuall and never interrupted laying of her â—etween his breasts yea tempting floweth from the love of God nor is it any act of Justice yea to take vengeance on the inventions of his people satisfying Justice he cannot exerce toward his Elect yet a punishing and correcting Justice he may and doth put forth on them but it hath its rise from love all the wheels of Gods dispensation sweet or sower are rowled upon this Axle ttee of Free-love the bowels of Christ act move and breath all dispensations to the Saints through no other Pipe and Channel but free and tender compassion so as mercy is an immediate Actor when the Lord is wasting his Church with bloody wars And which is wonderful mercy is Christs armour-bearer Mercy immediatly killeth even when death climbeth in at the windows and enters into the house of the believer either in a pestilence known to come from no creature or second cause or in the raging sword when the carcasses of men fal as dung in the open field as the handful after the harvest men and there be none to bury them Jer. 9.21 22. 2. Tempting mercy is wise mercy it were not atempting mercy if we saw all the secrets of love the reasons why the Lord buildeth Zion with blood even the Elect and beloved of God though they be in Christs court they are not always upon his counsel Joh. 13.7 Many are within the walls of the Palace that are not in the Kings Parlour and taken into his house of wine The love of Christ hath its own mysteries and unknown secrets as why one Saint is led to heaven and to mens eye The Candlestick of the Almighty shineth on his Tabernacle and he washeth his steps in oyl he is rich holy prosperous and another no lesse dear to Christ never laugheth while he be within the gates of heaven but eateth the bread of sorrow all his dayes his face never dryeth while he be in glory is a secret of heaven The love of Christ is often vailed and covered and we know not what he meaneth but he hasteth to shew mercy Vse This should make us very charitable of Christ when he frowneth and covereth himself with a cloud and very inclinable to pardon if I may so speak rough and bloody dispensations in Christ He loveth and he bloodeth scourgeth and giveth his own child a cup of gall and wormwood Could we in silence believe its Christ with two garments on him at once Christ clothed with love wrapped in the unseen mystery of tendernes of compassion and yet his upper garment is vengeance and rowled in blood we should kisse the edge of Christs bloody sword so we are to believe for Isa. 63.1 Christ at one time travelleth in the greatnesse of his strength and speaketh in rigteousnesse and is mighty to save and at the same time his upper garment is blood It is true it is the blood of his enemies but it is often the blood of the children of his own house and Sanctuary Ezek. 9.6 1 Pet. 4.17 And what more concerneth us then to keep our first love to Christ When he multiplieth our widows in the three Kingdoms as the sand of the sea and bringeth against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noon-day Jer. 15.8 This woman stayed on her watch-tower and now the vision speaketh mercy to her Say they were injuries that Christ inflicteth which is a blasphemous impossibility yet it is Christ it is the Lord let him doe what seemeth good to you The absolute liberty of the Potter closeth the mouth of the clay-vessell if it could speak Rom. 9. That unbelief hath no reason to stomack and dispute against hells fire coming from him who hath absolute dominion over us As Devils and wicked men burn in hell with eternall fretting against God for their pain so if it were possible that the Elect and Regenerate were thrown into hell they are to have eternall charity and love to the holy and just Lord and to beleeve his eternall love SERMON XXV BE it unto thee as thou wilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Itâ— a word of Omnipotency to create Being it s spoken of Satan and to Satan Mark 9 25. Luk. 4.35 2. None can speak to Leprosie buâ— Christ Mat. 8.3 Luk. 4.39 Be thou clean 3â— Christ can speak to stark death Joh. 11.43 anâ— Joh. 5.28 Jesus cryed with a loud voice Lazaâ—rus come forth 4. He can speak to life In abâ—stracto Ezek. 37.9 Come from the four Winds 〈◊〉 breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live 5. God can speak to Mother-nothing as if Nothing had ears and reason could hear Rom. 4.17 He calleth things that are not as though they were He did but nod upon Nothing and out of Nothing there compeared before him The great Hoste of heaven and earth and all things in them Psa. 33.9 6. There is a Language of Providence by which every Being as Being hath a power-obedientiall to hear what God saith and do it Ion. 2.10 The Lord spake to the Fish and it vomited out Ionah on the dry land Mar. 4.39 And he arose and rebuked the wind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and said unto the sea Peace be still and the wind ceased and there was a great calm What wise man can boast the Sea What ears hath the sensless and â—ifelesse waters Yet they hear Christs language they speak Yonder standeth our Creator boaâ—ting us and therefore we will obey Isa. 50.2 Hear himself speak Behold at my rebuke I dry up the Sea Psa. 114. There is a question put upon the creatures that they can well answer ver 5. What aileth thee O thou Sea that thou fleddest Thou Iordan that thou wast driven backward vers 6. What ailed you ye mountains that ye skipâ—ed like Rams and ye little hills like Lambs Good reason saith the Spirit vers 7. Tremble thou â—arth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Iacob This obedientiall power is not any quality created in the creature different from their being for God may use any creature to infinite effects of omnipotency and so there should be infinite created qualities in every finite creature 2. This obedientiall power was in that Mother-nothing out of which God by an omnipotent act of creation extracted all the hosts of creatures that now are and it s in that other Mother-nothing yet objected to omnipotency according to which God may create infinite moe worlds then now are so it please him it s then nothing but a non-repugnancy to hear and obey God in these particulars As 1. Omnipotency of strong grace can speak to sin which none can do but God Ezek.
thou O Lord Arise cast us not off for ever Both the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnurah and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hakitsa signifieth to awake out of sleep So prayer putteth God on noble acts of omnipotencie as to bow the Heavens and come down Isa. 64.1 To shake put on work all creatures in Heaven and Earth for the saving of one poor man Psal. 18. As when the sick childe cryeth for pain all the sons and servants yea the Father of the house and Mother are set on work and put to business for his health Hence when David prayed Psal 18. vers 6 7. The earth shook the foundations of the Hills were moved for the Lord was wrath smoak and fiery coales went out of his mouth he bowed the Heavens and came down he rode upon a Cherub and did flye upon the wings of the wind So it did put the LORD to divide the Red-Sea to break the Prison doors and Iron chaines to deliver Peter Paul and Silas 5. It acteth so upon God that it putteth the Crown upon Christs head and hightneth the footstool of his throne so much doth that Prayer Thy Kingdom come hold forth and that last prayer of the Church Rev. 22. which the Spirit the Bride uttereth Even so come Lord Jesus is a hastning of that glorious Mariage day when the Bride the Lambs wife shall be married on Jesus Christ a ripening of the glory of God of Christ the King and head Mystical of his body the Church The Glory of infinite Justice and saving Grace in the Redemption of men is like a fair Rose but inclosed within its green leaves in this life But when Christ shall appear this Rose shall be opened and cast out in bredth its fair and beautifull leaves to be seen and smelled openly by men and Angels In very deed this prayer Even so come Lord Jesus is summons for the last Judgment for the full manifestation of the highest glory of Christ in the finall consummate illustration of Free-grace and mercy in the compleat Redemption of all the Prisoners of hope onely for the Declaration of the supream Judges Glory who shall then do execution on Satan his Angels Antichrist and all slaves of hell so that though prayer made not the world yet it may unmake it and set up a new Heaven and a new earth 6. Prayer is a binding of God that he cannot depart and layeth chains on his hands and buildeth a wall or an hedge of thornes in his way that he cannot destroy his people Isa. 64.7 And there is none that calleth upon thy Name and stirreth up himself to take hold of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is none to lay hands on thee Ezec. 22.30 And I sought for a man amongst them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap or in the rupture made by war before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none If a Moses or a Samuel should intercede by prayer that the Lord would spare the Land his prayer should be an hedge or a wall to stand in the way of Justice to hinder the Lord to destroy his people 7. Prayer is a Heavenly violence to God expressed in divers powerfull expressions as 1. Isa. 62.6 7. The faithfull watchmen pray and cry to God so hard that they give the Lord no rest no silence while he establish Jerusalem 2. Praying is a sort of striving with the Lord Rom. 15.30 I beseech you strive with me in prayers to God for me 3. Jacob by prayer wrestled with the Lord and the Lord as if he had been straightned saith Gen. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Send me away dismisse me And Jacob said I will not dismisse thee till thou blesse me Which is well expounded by Hosea chap. 12.4 Jacob had a Princely power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is a Prince or as many render it Rectus fuit cum Deo or Directus fuit vel prosperum successum habuit Which may note either a Princedome in prayer over God which is the true reason of the name Israel or as others think he stood right up and his prayer did not bow nor was broken when a Temptation lay on him as heavy as a Milstone even when the Lord said he would depart from him yet he prevailed under that weight So Exod. 32.10 When Moses was praying for the people The Lord said to Moses Let me alone that I may destroy them The Chalde translate it Leave off thy prayer before me All which tendeth to this That Prayer is a Prince and a mighty wrestling prevailing King that hath strong bones and strong armes to be victorious with God We know the Parable of the Widow Luke 18. Who by importunity obtained of the unjust Judge that he should avenge her of her Adversary The scope of which Parable is that prayers without fainting putteth such a labour and a trouble upon God that he must hear and answer the desires of his Children So doth the Lord resemble himself to a master of a Family gone to bed with his Children who yet being wearied by the knocking of his Neighbour cannot choose but rise in the night and lend him bread to strangers come to his house 8. Some also say that prayer commandeth God as Isa. 45.11 Ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the work of my hand command ye me which place though it may well bear another interpretation yet is this not beside the scope of the Text for sure it is that God hath laid a sort of Law on himself in regard of his binding promise to hear the Prayers of his children And that he cometh down from the Throne of his Soveraignty to submit himself to his own promise of hearing Prayers Psal. 34.15 Psal. 65.2 Psal. 145.18.19 Mat. 7.7.8 Joh. 14.13.14 Vse 1. If Prayer prevail over God and Christ even to the overcoming of the Devil then much more will a praying people prevail over Hell and Malignants it were wisdom then for Malignants to yeeld and strike Sail to these who can by Prayer set Omnipotencie on work and ingage the strength of Israel against them Amalek had omnipotency against them and a harder party then spears and bowes and Armed men in that praying Moses was against them The third Psalm was a strong peece against Absalom and Ahitophel and all that conspired against David Christs Prayers for the perfecting of his own Body and gathering in his first-born include i◠them a Curse upon all those that hinder the gathering in of his flock Wo to the enemies then against whom our Intercessor prayeth curses The Prayers of Christ against his enemies shall blast them and their Counsels and all their War undertakings Vse 2. Some are discouraged they can neither fight for Christ nor do any thing to promote this Cause as wanting strength of body and means
Nay but if thou canst pray thou dost set the whole wheels of Omnipotency on work for the building of the Lords house in which regard the Prayer of a sick and poor man shall do more in War for the Cause of God then twenty thousand men It was not Ahasuerus nor the grace that Esther found in the eyes of the King that saved the whole Church of the Iews from destruction but the Prayers of Esther and her maids It s true an Angel broght Peter out of Prison Act. 12. But what stirred that wheel in Heaven vers 5. Here 's the Cause Prayer was made without ceasing to God for Peter by the Church Quod est causa causae est etiam causa causati Prayer Prayer can put a reeling and tottering on King and Court Pope Prelate and Babylon we are to pray the King of the bottomlesse pit the man of sin the graven Images of Apostate Rome out of the world Prayer can yoke all the swords in Europe against the Whore every one who hath the Spirit of Adoption though poor and rejected of men by prayer have powerfull influence on all the Nations of the earth on all Europe on the ends of the earth on the hearts of the Jews on Turkes and Indians Prayer can reach as far as Omnipotency accompanied by the wise decree of our Lord And the poorest Girle or Maid that can pray doth lend a strong lift to heighten the footstool of Christs Royall Throne children and poor Maids by Prayer may put the Crown on Christs head and hold up his Throne and may store and increase heaven by praying Thy Kingdome come and inlarge Hell and fill the pits with the dead bodies of Christs enemies and may by prayer binde Kings in Fetters chaine up and confine Devils subdue Kingdoms Great is thy Faith For the clearing of these words we are to consider three points 1. What Faith is 2. What a great Faith is 3. Why he saith thy Faith appropriating it to the woman Now of Faith I shall speak 1. A word of preparations for Faith 2. Of the grounds and necessary motives to Faith 3. Of the Ingredients of Faith 4. Of the sinners warrants to believe 5. Of divers sorts of false and ill rooted Faiths 1. There be some preparations which go before Faith 1. Faith is a seed of heaven it is not sowen by the good husbandman in unplowed and in Fallow ground Christ soweth not amongst thornes we are builded on the Faith stones are hewen rubbish removed before one stone be laid 2. Every act of Grace in God is an act of Omnipotency and so requireth not time or succession God might have set up the frame of the world in all its fulnesse with lesse then one thought or act of his will put forth by Omnipotency yet did our Lord subject the acts of creating the first world to the rule of time and to a circle of evening and morning nights and dayes so doth the Lord set up a new world of Faith in a soul void of Faith by degrees There 's a time when there 's neither perfect night nor perfect day but the twilight of the morning and God not withstanding created the morning no lesse then the noon day Sun There 's a half Summer and a half Spring in the close of the Spring which God made The Embrio or birth not yet animated is neither seed onely nor a man-child only so is a Convert in his first framing neither perfectly untamed corruption because there 's a crack and a throw in the iron sinew of the neck nor is he a thorow child of light but as we say in the dead-throw in the place of breaking forth of children as Hosea speaketh A child with his head come forth of the womb and no more and so half born only so is the Convert while he is in the making not taken off Christs wheels half in the borders of hell and looking a far off at the Suburbs of Heaven not far from the Kingdom of Heaven But 2. This bridge over the water between the kingdom of darknesse and the state of saving Grace hath no necessary connexion with that Kingdom of the Son of Gods love but such as it hath from the sole and meer decree of the free Election of Grace and therefore many Reprobates may enter the Bridge and never go along to the other Banke of the River God breaketh the Bridge this being the very division and parting of these two unsearchable wayes of Election and Reprobation yet so as the sin in cutting the bridge is the guilt of the Reprobate man As many births die in the breaking forth out of the womb divers Roses in the Bud are blasted and never see harvest through the fault of the seed not of the Sun 3. It s true the new creation and life of God is vertually Seminaliter in these preparations as the seed is a tree in hope the blossome an apple the foundation a Palace in its beginning so half a desire in the Non-converted is love sicknesse for Christ in the seed legall humiliation is in hope Evangelick Repentance and mortification But as the seed and the growing tree differ not gradually only but in nature specifically as a thing without life is not of that same nature and essence with a creature that hath a vegetative life and groweth so the preparatory good affections of desire hunger sorrow humiliation going before conversion differ specifically from those renewed affections which follow after The former being acts of Grace but not of saving grace which goeth along with the decree of Election of Grace and of like Latitude with it the latter being the native and connaturall fruits of the Spirit of which the Apostle speaketh Gal. 5.22.23 In which regard no man is morally and in regard of a divine promise such as this Do this and this and God shall bestow on you the Grace of conversion fitter and in a nearer disposition to conversion then another 1. Because we read not of any such promise in the Gospel 2. Because amongst things void of life all are equally void of life and there 's here no degrees of more or lesse life no intention no remission or flacking of the degrees of life for even as an Ape or an Horse are as equally no men as stones and dead earth are no men though an Ape or an Horse have life common to them with men which stones and earth have not yet they are equally as destitute of reason and an intellectual life which is the only life of a man as a man as stones and earth are So Saul only humbled by the terrours of the Law and sick of half raw desires of Christ is no lesse yet a creature void of the life of God then when he was in the highest pitch of obstinacy spitting out blood and murthers on the face of that Lord Jesus whom he persecuted and in this regard conversion is no lesse pure