espouse the common prevailing opinions others adhere to them with much false zeal and superstition These are those who are given up to believe a lie Vses 1. Information 1. To shew us the reason why so many learned men are Captivated by Antichrist and live yet in the Popish Religion for this is a great scruple to many The answer is ready The Lord hath suffered them to be deluded by him whose coming is after the working of Sathan in all power c. Rev. 17.2 The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the Wine of her Fornication It is an intoxication the errors of that State are plausibly defended and supported by Worldly Interests There is the Witchery of Worldly allurements and the intoxicating Wine of errors defended and owned within their bounds and places of their education and abode So that men have seemed to lose their understandings and not have that advisedness which well becomes a man possibly they may have doubts and checks of Conscience but the name of the Church charmeth them and Worldly magnificence strangely inveagleth them They may know that the Religion professed by Protestants is sincere holy and saving but being allured by Licentiousness or intangled by Covetousness or puffed up with Pride are loth to change or are vanquished and astonished with fear of death and other inconveniencies or it may be do not use that advised and serious deliberation which a matter of Salvation requireth Four causes may be given 1. Self-Confidence God will shew the folly of those that depend on the strength of their own wit Pro. 3. 5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understandings In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths And therefore will bring to nought the wisdom of the wise and destroy the understanding of the prudent when it is lifted up against the Interests of Christs Kingdom 1 Cor. 1.19 2. Prejudice The Priests and Scribes could readily tell that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem when Herod sent to consult them Matth. 2.4 5 6. yet who more obstinate against him that was born there They expected a temporal Messias and therefore could not see what they saw What was apparent to Children was a riddle to the Rabbies So they expect some open Enemy of the Church to attacque it by power and force little dreaming of a Bishop c. 3. Pride many of the Jewish Church believed in Christ but they did not profess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue Ioh. 11.42 43. They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God They loved not an hated opinion Many may fear the Pope to be Antichrist but Pride and Interest will not let them submit to a change 4. The Judgment of God is the great cause that men do not or will not know Antichrist God hath not given them eyes to see as Christ was not received in Ierusalem the things of their peace were hid from their Eyes Luk. 19.42 He beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes 2. It sheweth us that the prevalency of this wicked one should be no blemish to providence for the permission of him is one of Gods dreadful providentiaâ— dispensations That it should have such success it raiseth Atheistical thoughts in weak spirits yea it is an offence to the Godly as it is a prejudice to the Truth but God hereby will shew us 1. That there are deceits and errors as well as truth in the World much of choice not chance and lest we should think this an antiquated dispensation to try the professors of the Gospel who lived in the midst of Pagans it cometh nearer to us But he that condemneth all Religion on this account judgeth one â—an for anothers crime which is unjust doth as foolishly as he that thinketh there is no trâ—e money because there are some counterfeit pieces 2. That God in concomitancy with the Gospel will discover his dreadful Justice as well as his wonderful mercy by it that we may tremble whilst we admire grace 3. That it is a great evil to be deceivers or active promoters of delusions and it will not wholly excuse us that we are deceived Matth. 15.14 4. What need all serious Christians have to pray to God not to be led into temptation Alas what would become of us if left to our selves in an hour of temptation 5. Let us fear to sleight the grace offered Among other threatnings God threatneth to smite his people with blindness Deut. 18.28 The Lord shall smite thee with madness and blindness and astonishment of heart 6. What a ready way to destruction it is to measure Religion by Worldly Interests This bred Antichrist kept him up in the World and blindeth hiâ— seduced Proselytes to this day 2. Vse Is caution to take heed of spiritual blindness and infatuation that this Judgment fall not upon us That God leave us not to our own lusts hearts and Counsels without check and restraint It may in part befal Gods people what shall we do to avoid it 1. Take heed of sinning against light either by sins of omission or commission Jam. 4.17 To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin They will find it to be sin in the sad effects 2. Take heed of Hypocrisie in the profession of the truth God oweth the Hypocrites an ill turn and seemeth to be ingaged to discover him before the Congregation Pro. 26.26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole Congregation and usually it is by giving him up to some licentious practice or strong delusion by which he breaketh the neck of his profession 3. Take heed of Pride and carnal Self-sufficiency God may leave his people to dangerous falls when they make their bosom their Oracle and think to carry all by the strength of their own understanding 2 Chro. 32.31 God left him to try him that hâ— might know all that was in his heart It is good to consult with God continually 4. Take heed of following the rabble Joh. 4.20 Our father 's worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship c. But learn to see by your own eyes That you may have sure evidence you are in Gods way Pro. 24.13 14. SERMON X. 2 Thess. 2.12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2. THeir punishment in the other World Where first the terribleness of it 2. The righteousness and Justice of it 1. The terribleness that they all might be damned That is filling up the measure of their obduration they may at length fall into just condemnation 2. The Justice and Equity of it which is two ways expressed 1.
that we shall be welcome if we do so and because we cannot find any thing in our selves that he will admit us we are troubled But all this while we are but seeking the Sun with a Candle What greater evidence of God's willingness to receive you than the Death of Christ than the Institutions of the Gospel This is above all Evidences that he sent his Son to die for us This is like the Iews who when they had seen many Wonders wrought by Christ would still have a new Sign the greatest Sign is given already Christ dying for a sinful World Men and Angels cannot find out a Sign Pledg and Confirmation of the Love of God above that Yet if that be not enough we have another Sign the Promises and Invitations of the Gospel which show his willingness to welcome Sinners Salvation is offered but not to named but described Persons Therefore if we are willing to come under these hopes upon God's Terms this may satisfy our scrupulous Minds there is no Bar put to us but what we put to our selves by our refusing the Grace as God offereth it Certainly God's Love and Mercy to lost Mankind is our first motive and his willingness to impart good things to them upon his own Terms and surely he is well pleased with our acceptance of them 2. There is Special Love where this Grace is applied to us Ephes. 2.4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us hath quickned us when we were dead in Trespasses and Sins He did not begin to love us when we were converted that is of a more ancient and eternal Rise but when he did begin to apply his Love to us and this is no ordinary but great Love when God was angry with us and pronounced Wrath on us in the Sentence of the Law and appeared as an Enemy in the course of his Providence and the apprehensions of our guilty Fears then to be Reconciled and surely this is a great advantage to draw nigh to God as a Reconciled Father This is the Object of our everlasting Love and Joy Rom. 5.11 And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement And this is a prop of confidence in Prayer Could we once believe that he dearly loves us and is reconciled to us and taketh us for his Children that he delighteth in our Prosperity Oh how chearfully could we come into his Presence John 16.27 The Father himself loveth you because you have loved me and believe that I came out from God They have not only his Intercession but the Father 's especial Love which is the ground and hope of Audience Now this particular Interest dependeth on something wrought in our Souls by the holy Spirit our Lord mentioneth two things their Faith in Christ and Love to God 1. Faith in Christ or a thankful acceptance of him as our Lord and Saviour therefore called receiving Christ and entitleth us to the Privileges of Christ's Children John 2.12 To as many as received him to them gave he liberty to become the Children of God even to as many as believe in his Name 2. Love to God John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and be that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him And Vers. 23. If any Man love me he will keep my Words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him We cannot perceive our Interest in the special Love of God but by our Sincerity Faith in Christ and Love to God When we see God's Love taken in our Hearts we may know that he loveth us especially the latter for by the latter the former is manifested also Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by Love Now the evidences of sincere Love to God are seeking after God and delighting in him if you cannot find the latter the former will evidence it to you Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me The desiderium unionis the desiring seeking Love if it be serious and earnest it is sincere though you find not such delightful apprehensions of his Grace to you Clear that once and when you come to Prayer you may know God loveth you and the dearest Friend we have in the World hath not the thousandth part so much as he yea the highest Angel doth not love God so much as he loveth the lowest Saint God loveth like himself becoming the Greatness and Infiniteness of his own Beeing and with this persuasion pray to him Secondly The second ground of Audience is from the fruit of his Love as demonstrated in the New Covenant wherein we have the matter of everlasting Consolation Surely this Clause respects not the effect and sense in our own Hearts but respects the Matter and Object of our Comfort for he prayeth for the Application of it afterwards Comfort your Hearts c. And besides nothing is more fleeting and oftner interrupted than our Comfort in this Life It would contradict plain sense to call that Comfort which Christians feel and actually enjoy everlasting Comfort Therefore I understand it of the Matter and observe this Doctrine That God hath given all true Believers solid ground of perpetual and endless Comfort I will prove it by three Arguments 1. The Comforts propounded are of an everlasting Tendency and Benefit Pardon and Life to free us from everlasting Death and to bring us into the possession of everlasting Happiness when our Souls and Bodies shall be for ever glorified in Heaven Now the Consolation grounded on the promise of Eternal Life whatever it be in our feeling is in its causes and foundation Eternal The Scripture often insists upon this 1 John 2. 25. And this is the Promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life Heb. 5.9 And being made Perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him We have by Christ deliverance from Sin and and all the Consequents of it not only for a time but for ever Eternal Peace and Felicity is our Portion So it is said Psal. 119.111 Thy Testimonies have I taken for an Heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my Heart It is not an Heritage to lean upon for a while as all our Worldly Comforts are but for ever So Psal. 73.26 God is my Portion for ever That is when all other things fail have spent their allowance can afford us no more relief then we begin to enjoy our true and proper Portion It were endless to heap up places Man for his Sin was cast out of Paradise but surely in the other World there is no change of Estate for Men are past their Trial and must be what they are for ever If you could imagin as some have had the large charity to conceit it
which was confirmed by Miracles their Wonders are lying wonders and how plausible soever they seem are lying wonders and not to be believed Surely Miracles must needs be false and pretended which are brought to confirm a Doctrine contrary to that which is already confirmed by Miracles For God is faithful and cannot deny himself and therefore he cannot be the Author of Miracles whereby things contrary to â—â—ch other may be confirmed if the Faith onâ—e be established by other Miracles we are to believe the latter Miracles to be a meer Imposture for Christ is not yea and nay but yea and Amen 1 Cor. 1.19 20. The Appariâ—ion of an Angel is a great Miracle but if an Angel preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 It is a supposition of an impossible Case necessary to forewarn the people of God against the delusions of the Devil changing himself into an Angel of Light Sâ—rely God will never contradict himself 5. The Miracles wrought by Antichrist and his Adherents are mira but not miracula some wonderful things but no true and proper Miracles else as Austin faith figmenta mendacium hominum portenta fallacium spirituum either the fictions of lying men or the illusions of deceiving Spirits many times the matter of fact is not true at other times the thing done is but some illusion of the senses by the Devil or something taken for a Miracle which doth not exceed the power of nature either way it is an Imposture and indeed the Miracles of the Legends are so false so ridiculous so light and trivial that they expose Christianity to contempt or else if there â—e any thing in it it giveth suspicions of magical illusion and converse with the Devil which among their Votaries and Recluses is no unusual thing 6. There are seven points in Popery which they seek to confirm by Miracles and which being senseless in themselves do most scandalize Protestants 1. Pilgrimages they show the Shrine and also the Chamber of the House of the Blessed Virgin how the Virgin at Loretto was transported out of Galilee into Dalmatia and by Angels in the Air to the remote parts of Italy and setled there after some removes The Story is ridiculous and I am serious yet this draweth an infinite Company of Pilgrims there where new Miracles are pretended to be wrought continually 2. Prayers for the dead Bellarmine alledgeth out of Gregory the miraculous Apparition of Paschal his Ghost besâ—eching S t Germanus to pray for him 3. Purgatory all their Miracles are framed especially for the establishing of this point which is of such gain to them as that a dead mans skull spake to Mercarias praying When thou dost offer Prayer for the deaâ— then do we feel a little Consolation 4. The Invocation of Saintsâ— Alypius a Grammarian being forsaken of his Physicians S t Tiola appeared to him by night demanding what he ailed or what he would have He answered to shew a touch of his Art in Achilles his Speech to his Mother Thetis in Homer c. Thou knowest why should I tell thee that knowest all whereupon she conveyed a round stone to him with the touch of which he was presently healed 5. The Adoration of Images but especially of the Cross Crucifix and Image of Christ Malvenda saith that at Meliapore in the East Indies where S t Thomas was killed by those barbarous people digging to lay a foundation they found a square stone in it a bloody Cross and an Inscription implying the Saint was slain in the very act of adoring and kissing the Cross hereupon on went the building and the Chappel being finished in the beginning of the Gospel in sight of the whole multitude the Cross did sweat abundantly the sweat wiped off drops of blood appeared in the Linnen with which they wiped it till at length it returned to its own colour 6. The Adoration of the Host is made good by such a number of Miracles as fill whole Volumes Bellarmine himself telleth us of an hungry Mare kept three days wihout meat yet when Provender was poured to her in the presence of the Host she forgetting her meat with bowed head and bended knees adored the Sacrament 7. The Primacy of the Pope hath been the beginning and is the end of all Popish Legends A Bishop being excommunicated by Pope Hildebrand and inveighing against his Pride was smitten with a Thunder Clap. Baronius That while Pope Eugenius the Third was Celebrating the Mass a beam of the sun shone upon his head in which were seen two Doves ascending and descending which an Eastern Legate seeing submitted instantly to the Primacy Vse Another note of Antichrist These Impostures are not only countenanced and encouraged in that Church but made a mark of it the Power of Miracles When Antichrist first appeared ridiculous Miracles of all sorts began to be cryed up and established Yea and to this day these are pleaded challenging us for the want of them what they cannot prove by the Oracles of God they endeavour to prove by Miracles of Sathan SERMON VIII 2 Thess. 2.10 With all deceivableness of unrighteousness in tâ—â—m that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved WE have described unto you the head of the Antichristian State we come now to the Subjects especially the zealous Abettors and Promoters of this Kingdom They are described 1. By the means how they are drawn into this Apostasie and defection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly By their doom or misery they are in a state of perdition in them that perish Thirdly By their sin which is the cause and reason of â—his doom because they received not theâ—love of the truth that they might be saved 1. The means with all deceivableness of unrighteousness That Antichrist shall be a deceiver and that he deceiveth by lying Miracles we have seen already and is foretold Rev. 13.14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast c. but the deceived are not altogether guiltless for the fraud would soon be discovered by an holy and pure Soul His great engine is either the baits of lust and sin which work on none but those that have pleasure in unrighteousness verse 12. the geneâ—ality of wicked and carnal Christians are easily drawn from Gods pure worship and true Godliness or by Wordly means either by the offers of preferment riches dignities or else terrors of the flesh Now none catch at these wordly baits but whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded 2 Cor. 4.4 Secondly Their misery they are said to be those that perish That beareth three senses 1. That they are worthy to perish because they do not use care and diligence to understand their duty being blinded by their wordly affections That is the mildest seâ—â—e we can put upon it they
temporal Favours and the Comforts of this Life but a renewed Heart is most taken up with spiritual and heavenly Blessings A Man may give thanks carnally as well as pray carnally A carnal Man in Prayer giveth vent to the desires of the Flesh. Iames 4.3 So in Blessing God he may speak from the relish of the Flesh though usually carnal Men seldom give thanks to God Hosea 12.8 I am become rich I have found me out Substance c. Surely Spiritual Blessings should have the preheminence because they concern our well-being and they discriminate us from others which temporal Mercies do not Eccl. 9.1 2. For all this I considered in my Heart even to declare all this that the Righteous and the wise and their works are in the Hand of God no Man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before them All things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the Good so is the Sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an Oaâ—h The wicked have many of these Mercies Psal. 17.14 From Men of the World which have their portion in this Life and whose Belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure they are full of Children and leave the rest of their Substance to their Babes And they may own God in them as pleased and well satisfied with the prosperity of the Flesh or a desirous to have more 3. That the best prospect we have of God's Goodness to us as to those spiritual Mercies is in Election 1. There we see all our Blessings in their rise fountain and bosom-bosom-cause which is the eternal Love and Grace of God Dulcius ex ipso Fonte Waters are sweetest and freshest in their Fountain there we see that antecedent Love which provided a Redeemer for us which should be matter of continual Love and Reverence to us Ioh. 3.16 There we see the rich preparations of Grace in the new Covenant which could never have entred into our Hearts if elective love had not provided them for us 1 Cor. 2.9 There we see what it was that disposed all those Providences that conduced to our good Biâ—th Education Acquaintance Relations alas we knew not the means of all these things but elective Love was at work for us to cast all circumstances that we might be best taken in our Month. Rom. 8.28 There we see what it was that made all the means effectual to draw us unto God Jer. 5.3 He loved uâ— with an everlasting Love 2. It sheweth us the Lord's distinguishing Grace and who it was that made us differ from others who are left to perish in their Sins All are not called and why we Joh. 14.22 Iudas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the World yea many mighty and many noble are not called 1 Cor. 1.26 God taketh not all nor any of the highest in esteem among Men not many wise and prudent Matth. 11.25 26. At that time Iesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so Father for so iâ— seemed good in thy sight Yea many others arâ— left to perish by their â—wn delusions The Reprobates are Specula Iudicii Divini Thâ— Judgments of God on the wicked do exceedingly amplify his Mercies towards us It was the meer elective love of God issuing forth by his powerful and differencing Grace that puâ— the distinction between us and others Surely his peculiar Love to our selves doth most affect us 3. There we see that Grace tâ—at doth take off all self-boasting Eph. 2.8 9. For by Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any Man should boast Elective Love prevented all actual or foreseen worth in us And from first to last it is carried on in a way of Grace the Means the Efficacy all is of Grace This was God's great end that Grace might be admired and esteemed by us and be matter of eternal Praise and Thanksgiving Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved The whole Design is to shew us how we are beloved of God and that we may love him again 1. Vse If Election be the great matter of Thanksgiving to God Then surely this Doctrine should be heard in the Church for the Life and Soul of Christian Religion is Gratitude and what feedeth Gratitude is of great use unto us our Gratitude doth not rise high enough till it come to the first cause that stirred and set all the Whâ—â—ls awork in the business of our Salvation Surely this is a very profitable Point 1. To detect the pride of Man for here we see the true and proper cause of difference between us and others 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ The difâ—erencing Grace of God proceeding from his Election is the only true Grace 2. Nothing more extolâ—eth the Glory of God in our Salvation For if Man can assume nothing to himself the Glory alone redoundeth to God The more reason and cause why some are chosen and others past by is God's good Pleasure Matth. 11.26 Even so Father because it pleased thee Christ himself consents to it giveth Thanks for it as an act of free and undeserved Mercy 3. No greater incentive to Holiness For here we see the absolute necessity of it together with the strongest sweetest motive to enforce it 1. The absolute necessity of it because it is a necessary means to bring God's purposes to pass Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen us that we should be holy and without blame before him in love He hath chosen none to enjoy everlasting Glory after this Life but such as he hath chosen to be holy here First they must be sanctified and renewed by the Spirit and then walk in all holy Conversation and Godliness And whatever assurance of Election is pretended unto them who lead an unholy Life it is but a vain presumption or ungrounded Perswasion yea a strong Delusion Secondly Here is the sweetest and strongest Motive to enforce it and that is the singular Love of God which breedeth in us a sincere Love to God again and all serious endeavours to approve our selves to him in purity of Living There is no such constraining force in any thing as there is in Love 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of God constraineth us c. And no such Holiness as that which floweth from it this is thankful and Evangelical Obedience 4. It is the ground of our solid Comfort in the midst of all the Calamities and Temptations of the present Life because our final happiness is appointed to us by God's electing Love Luk. 12.32 Fear not
winnowed An half light maketh us uncertain in our Course For Matter of Practice if we allow our selves in our first Declâ—nings the Evil will grow upon us when the Judgment reasoneth more remisly against Sin than it did before and the Will doth oppose it with less resolution or with greater faintness and indifferency or when Opposition doth more discourage us No there must be a resolved conquest of Temptations that woâ—ld pervert you this will only serve our turn Heb. 12.3 Consider him that endured such Contradictions lest ye be weary and faint in your minds Weariness is a lesser degree of Deficiency Many a Man is weary that is not faint or quite spent So the practice of Godliness when the Heart beginning to be aliâ—nated and estranged from God and the Lifâ— of Duty doth decay when our first Love is gone our first Works will in a great measure cease Rev. 2.4 5. Nevertheless I have something against thee because thou hast left thy first Love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first Works Well then the Degree must be minded for though a Man may be stedfast in the main yet he may be somewhat moved and shaken But a Christian should not only be stedfast but unmoveable otherwise we shall be very uncertain in our Motions 2ly How needful it is this is in a great measure shewed already But yet more fully 1. Man at best is but a Creature the New Creation doth carry a great correspondence with the Old and First Creation 'T is not enough that the Creature be but he must be sustained in Being we have our Being in God still Acts 17.28 For in him we live and move and have our Being As Providence is a continual Creation so stablishing Grace is the continuance of the New Creation The same Grace that sets us in the state of the New Creation the same stablisheth us God found no stability in the Angels therefore it is said he trusteth them not Iob 15.15 Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints yea the Heavens are not clean in his sight They stand by the Grace and Favour of God Take the best Creatures even as Creatures they are defective and unstable in themselves for God will have the Creature as a Creature to be a dependent thing on the Creator who only is a Being of himself Man at his best estate was but an unstable Creature for Adam gave out at the first assault and since we are very unstable blown down with the blast of every little Temptation Even in the State of Grace we are like a Glass without a bottom broken as soon as out of hand and therefore God alone is able to make us stand and persevere in this Grace that we â—ave received 2 Cor. 1.21 Now â—e thaâ— stablisheth us with you in Christ is God After we are in Christ our stability is in God alone 2. The Indisposition of our Natures both to every good Word and Work 1. To every good Word The Truths of the Gospel are supernatural Now things that are planted in us contrary to Nature can â—ardly subsist and maintain themselves We have some Seeds of the Law yet left in our Hearts Rom. 2.14 But the Gospel deâ—endeth on sure Revelation therefore are thâ—re so many Heresies against the Gospel but none against the Law Therefore as they depend upon a Divine Revelation they must bâ— setled in our Hearts by a Divine Power and by a Divine Power preserved there that as the Doctrine is supernatural so the Grace may be also by which we do receive it Faith is the Gift of God Ephes. 2.8 For â—y Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your sâ—lves it is the Gift of God both as to its beginning so to its preservation and inâ—rease 2. To every good Work There is not only slowness and backwardness oâ— Heart to the Duties of the Gospel but somewhat of the old enmity and averseness remaineth still Our Hearts are not only inconstant and unsâ—tlâ—d but very wayward Ier. 14.10 Tâ—us â—â—ith the Lord to this Peâ—ple Thus â—ave tâ—ey loved to wander Psal. 95.10 It is a People that do err in their Heart Moses was no sooner gone aside wâ—th God in the Mount but the Israelites after theiâ— solemn Covenant fel to Idolatry Before the Law could be written they brake it Now we that have a warring Principle within how can we â—â—and unless God eâ—tablish us There is a bâ—ck-byass there are the Sâ—eds of Wantonness Anger Revenge Envy Impatience Worldliness Ambition and Sensuality God knoweth how little the flâ—shly Mind and Interest is conquered in us and therefore if he did not establish us we should soon shew our selves 3. In regard of those Oppositions that are made against us after once we be in Christ. It is not enough that we are brought out of the Kingdom of Satan but after we are rescued out of his Hand and Power he pursueth us with continual malice therefore there must be the same power to stablish us still in Grace that first brought us into the â—tate of Grace Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translâ—ted us into the Kingdom of hâ—s dear Son compared with 1 Iohn 4.4 Ye are of God little Children and have overcome them because greateâ— is he that is in you than he thâ—t is in the World The World runneth a quite contrary course thâ—n those do that set their faces Heavenward and therefore malign them and pursue them with Reproaches and Troubles 1 Pet. 4 4 5. Wherâ—in they think it strange thâ—t you run not with them to the samâ— excess of Riot speaking evil of you who shâ—ll give account to him that is ready to judg the quick and the dead And most commonly our Supports are invisible and we have no temporal Intereâ—t to lean to But 2 Tim. 1.17 For the which cause I also suffâ—r thâ—se things neveâ—theless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I am perâ—â—â—dâ—d he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day We bear these Afflictions by the Power of God 4ly We see here the Saints miscarry when God withdraweth his supporting Grace but in part as Peter David Peter was in the state of Grace and Christ prayed that his Faith might not utterly fail yâ—t when God did not estâ—blish him you see what Sins he was guilty of in that combat David was a Man after God's own Heart but how did he fall when God upheld him not Psal. 51. Hezekiah 〈◊〉 Cron. 42.31 Howbeit in the business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon who sent unto him to enquire of the Wonder that was done in the Land God left him to â—ry him that he might know all that was in his Heart Thus is God fain for to humble his Children to teach them Dependâ—nce and to put them in â—ind that thâ—y do not stand by their own strength