come upon them partly by the Pride abominable Lust and Extravagancy of their Parents and partly by their own Idleness Lust and Prodigality Even so the spiritual Want and Poverty of Men was in part brought upon them by the Sins of our first Parents and partly by their own actual Sins This is the State of unregenerate Persons they are all even thus poor and miserable And happy are they who see this to be their Condition Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Those who see their own Wants Poverty and Misery shall out of the Fulness of Jesus Christ be supplied with whatsoever they need for tho Man naturally be so poor that he hath nothing can do nothing and hath no earthly Friend or Brother that can do any thing for him and besides he owes ten thousand Talents and is worth no regard nor pity yet the eternal God hath found out a Way for the manifestation of his own glorious Grace and Bounty to enrich him and make him happy for ever 2 Cor. 8.9 He that was rich became poor that we through his Poverty might be made rich Disparity POor Men are full of Complaints they commonly bewail their Poverty and would gladly have all their Wants supplied and be made rich if they knew but which way it might be done But wicked Men tho they are poor so poor and miserable as hath been shewn yet they are contented being wofully blinded by the Devil c. So that tho they are daily told how they may be made rich yet they slight all Advice and Counsel and stubbornly refuse the Riches of Grace and Glory The Heart of a wicked Man compared to a Rock Jer. 23.29 And like a Hammer that breaks the Rock in pieces Ezek. 11.19 And I will take away the stony Heart c. Luke 8.6 And some fell upon a Rock c. Zech. 7.12 They made their Hearts as an Adamant-Stone NOte The Hearts of Sinners are like Rocks or wicked Men have stony and rocky Hearts Parallels A Rock is a barren and fruitless Place what will grow upon a Rock So the Hearts of wicked Men are barren and unfruitful to God they bring forth no spiritual Fruit to him II. Rain cannot enter nor soak into a Rock but as it falls so it glides off and runs away So the spiritual Rain of Heaven viz. God's Word tho it falls never so powerfully upon ungodly Men it will not enter into their Hearts My Word hath no place in you saith Christ c. Good Doctrine and heavenly Counsel glides off of these spiritual Rocks like Rain from a Rock or high Mountain III. Rocks and Stones are naturally rough and unfit for use until they are hewed and squared c. So the Hearts of wicked Men are naturally rough and unfit for any spiritual use until they are hewed by the Ax and Hammer of the Word Hos 6.5 I have hewed them by the Prophets IV. A little thing will not break a hard Stone or a flinty Rock c. So a little Matter will not break a stony or rocky-hearted Sinner God strikes often and strikes hard gives many a Blow upon their Hearts by his Word and by his Spirit and sometimes by Afflictions before their Hearts will yield or break in pieces V. He that will break a Rock in pieces or hew Stones to make them fit for use must have a meet and convenient Instrument So God makes use of a right and fit Instrument to break in pieces the hard and rocky Hearts of ungodly Men viz. his blessed Word in the hand of the Spirit Is not my Word like a Hammer Jer. 23.29 that breaks the Rock in pieces VI. A Man many times employs Workmen to break a Rock and hew Stones So God employs his Ministers as Work-men in his hand to break these spiritual Rocks and hew these rough and ragged Stones to make them fit to lay in his spiritual Building I have hewed them by the Prophets Hos 6.5 VII Seed that falls upon a Rock or stony Place tho it doth spring up it soon withereth away if the Fowls of Heaven do not pick it up So the Word of God if it be sown upon stony and rocky-hearted Sinners tho it may seem to spring up yet it soon withers for want of Root They believe for a while Luk. 8.13 but in time of Temptation fall away Inferences NO marvel Ministers Work is so hard and laborious they are God's Stone-cutters or Rock-hewers nay and it fares worse with them than with other Work-men that work in Stone-Pits or hew Stones they labour all Day and go home at Night and come again in the Morning and find their Work as they left it But God's Workmen hew and take pains and leave their People and come again and find them worse than before their Hearts many times growing more hard and obdurate c. II. Let not Ministers notwithstanding all this be discouraged for they know not but at last God may set a Word home that may do the Business and make the hard-hearted Sinner tremble and cry out as they did Acts 2.36 Men and Brethren what shall we do Quest But some may say From whence doth it arise or what is the Cause of this spiritual Hardness that is in the Hearts of Men. Answ 1. Naturally the Sinner's Heart is hard and like a Rock we all brought a flinty and churlish Nature into the World with us such is the Effect of original Sin 2. There is also an acquired Hardness Pharaoh hardned his own Heart and the Prophet saith Zech. 7.12 They have made their Hearts as an Adamant-Stone 3. There is a judiciary Hardness of Heart which is inflicted by God as a Judg. Men harden their own Hearts against God and God at length resolves they shall be hard indeed and therefore he withdraws the common Influences of his Grace from them and deprives them of all gracious means of softning And when all these three meet together in a Man Isa 48.4 he is irrecovâ—rably hard and sinful His Neck is an Iron Sinew and his Brow brass 4. A Man is hardned in his Sin gradually and as he grows harder and harder so nearer and nearer to eternal Ruine 1. He takes leave to meditate on Sin he rolls it up and down in his Thoughts as it were a hard Heart lets vain Thoughts dwell in it 2. He takes some Tastes of the Pleasure and Delight of Sin it seems to him as a sweet Morsel under his Tongue and this is a Sign of a further degree of Hardness 3. The third Step is Custom in sinning it argues great Boldness to venture often 4. And then in the next place he defends and maintains his Sin he has got some Plea or Argument for it he is an Advocate for Sin 5. He is angry with them and secretly hates them in his Heart that reprove him for his Sin or advise him against such
or Characters which are subjectively left in the Scripture and upon it by the Holy-Ghost its Author of all the divine Excellencies or Properties of the Divine Nature are the first Means evidencing that Testimony of the Spirit which our Faith rests upon or they give the first Evidence of its divine Original whereon we do believe it The way whereby we learn the eternal Power and Deity of God from the Works of Creation is no otherwise but by those Marks Tokens and Impressions of his Divine Power VVisdom and Goodness that are upon them for from the consideration of their Subsistence Greatness Order and Use Reason doth necessarily conclude an infinite subsisting Being of whose Power and VVisdom these Things are the manifest Effects These are clearly seen and understood by the Things that are made so that we need no other Arguments to prove that God made the World but it self (b) Psal 104. c. Now there are greater and more evident Impressions of Divine Excellencies left on the written VVord from the infinite VVisdom of the Author of it than any that are communicated unto the VVorks of God in the Creation of the VVorld Hence David comparing the VVorks and VVord of God as to their instructive Efficacy doth prefer the VVord incomparably before them (c) Psal 19.1 to 10. Psal 146.8 9. 19 20. And these do manifest the VVord to our Faith to be his more clearly than the other do the VVorks to be his to our Reason c. God as the immediate Author of the Scriptures hath left in the very Word it self evident Tokens and Impressions of his Wisdom Prescience Omniscience Power Goodness Holiness Truth and other divine infinite Excellencies sufficiently evidenced unto the enlightned Minds of Believers c. This is that whereon we believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God with a Faith divine and supernatural And this Evidence is manifest unto the meanest and most unlearned no less than unto the wisest Philosophers And the truth is if rational Arguments and external Motives were the sole Ground of receiving the Scripture to be the Word of God it could not be but the Learned Men and Philosophers would always have been the forwardest and most ready to admit it and most firmly to adhere unto it because such Arguments do prevail on the Minds of Men according as they are able aright to discern their Force and judg of them But how apparent the contrary is is evident 1 Câ—r 1.26 You see your Calling Brethren Not many wise Men after the Flesh c. 2. The Spirit of God evidenceth the divine Original and Authority of the Scripture by the Power and Authority which he puts forth in it and by it over the Minds and Consciences of Men with its Operation of divine Effects thereon This the Apostle expresly affirms to be the Reason and Cause of Faith 1 Cor. 14.24 25. And thus are the Secrets of his Heart made manifest c. It was not the Force of external Arguments it was not the Testimony of this or that Church nor was it the Use of Miracles that wrought upon them v. 23 24. Wherefore the only Evidence whereon they received the Word and acknowledged it to be of God was that divine Power and Efficacy in themselves He is convinced of all and thus the Secrets of his Heart are made manifest c. He cannot deny but there is a Divine Efficacy in it or accompanying of it And thus the Woman of Samaria was convinced of the Truth of Christ's Words and believed in him i. e. because he told her all things that ever she did (d) Joh. 4.29 1 Joh. 5.10 The Word of God is as all sincere Souls find quick and powerful c. so that he that believeth hath the Witness in himself John 7.16 17. Jesus answered them and said My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me If any Man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self In a word let it be granted that all who are really converted unto God by the Power of the Word have that infallible Evidence and Testimony of its divine original Authority and Power in their own Souls and Consciences that they thereon believe it with Faith divine and supernatural in conjunction with the other Evidences before-mentioned and largely demonstrated as parts of the same divine Testimony and it is all I aim at herein This Testimony tho it is not common unto all nor can it convince another yet is it very forceable to those who experience the Virtue and Efficacy thereof which we having in another place more largely opened we shall conclude this last Argument entreating all to labour after a taste of its divine powerful and Soul-changing Operations and then they will need no further Arguments to prove 't is of God We shall therefore conclude this brief Discourse on this Subject with those excellent Words of a Learned Man upon the some occasion Let this remain and be received as an establish'd Truth That those whom the Spirit hath inwardly taught do solidly acquiesce in the Scripture And that the same is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Self-credible or for its own sake worthy of belief and that it obtains that Certainty which it justly deserves with us by the Testimony of the Spirit For tho its own Majesty does of itself conciliate a Reverence yet then only does it seriously affect us when by the Spirit it is sealed in upon our hearts With whose Truth being enlightned we no longer believe that the Scripture is from God by our own Judgment or that of other Men but most certainly above all humane Judgment we are assured thereof no otherwise than as if there we beheld the very Voice of God by the Ministry of Men flowing from the Mouth of God to us No longer do we then seek for Arguments and probable Proofs whereon our Judgment may rely but subject our Judgment and Understanding thereunto as to a Matter already out of all doubt or debate yet not so as wretched Men are wont to addict their captive Minds to Superstitions but because we find and feel the undoubted Power of God there to breath and flourish To obey which we are drawn and inflamed knowingly and willingly but more livelily and efficaciously than either humane Will or Knowledg could affect us 'T is therefore such a Persuasion as does not require Reasons and yet it does not want them neither such a Knowledg to which the best Reason appears and agrees as being such as therein the Mind can acquiesce more securely and constantly than in any Reasons 'T is in fine such a Sense such a Taste as can proceed from nothing but a Revelation Divine Nor do I speak any thing but what every true Believer can bear witness to from his own Experience save only that Words are too short and unable to express a just Explication of the thing Calv.
How suitable to the holy Nature of God! What superlative Piety and Vertue without any spot of Vice What punctual and perpetual Truth and Honesty is here required yet without the least Taint of base Means or unworthy sordid Ends No Vain-Glory no Esteem of Men no corrupt Advantages But on the contrary what Charity is here required What repeated Commands not to offend weak Ones What mutual Forgivenesses What Provocations to Love With what Patience and Meekness Justice and Modesty are we taught to behave our selves In a word 'T is such a Doctrine as makes a Man perfect throughly furnished to every good Work which brings Men to the best Way of Living the noblest Way of Suffering and the comfortablest Way of Dying Now must not such pure Streams needs flow from the Fountain of all Perfection Does such a serious and effectual Advancement of Holiness in the World look like an Intrigue of polluted Man or any unclean Spirit How can we better judg of a Law that declares it proceeds from God and is of Divine Obligation than by its Nature Tendency and Influence on humane Life Whether it be suitable to those Pretensions and such an adorable and unspotted Original And when we find so holy and excellent a Design as appears throughout this whole Book for the Honour of God and compleating the Happiness of Men by Methods so agreeable and yet above the reach of Humane Invention what can we judg unless we will be obstinately perverse but that such a Book 's Testimony of it self is true and that it is indeed of God and not of Men V. The sweet and admirable Agreement Consent Dependence and Harmony 5. The Harmony of the Scriptures that we find in all and every part of Scripture tho there are so many Books thereof written by so many different Persons of various Conditions many Ages remov'd in several Places and in different Languages yet all agreeing with each other and every part with the whole which could not be foreseen or contriv'd by any humane Wisdom or Cunning in the writing of any one Part For all the Histories Prophecies Promises Types and Doctrines in an orderly Connection tend to promote the same Thing and every Age proves a fresh Interpreter and reveals to us more and more of this admirable Concord which could not be the Effect of humane Artifice nor of any other Cause but an infinite Comprehension and Fore-sight and that the several Writers of this Book were in all Times guided in what they wrote by the Supreme Wisdom of that one God who is always constant to himself and the same yesterday to day and for ever VI. This further appears from the Credit and Sincerity of those that were the Pen-men 6. The Credit of the Pen-men If the Scriptures were not what they pretend to be viz. the Word of God and dictated to the Writers thereof by his holy Spirit it would be the greatest Affront to the Divine Majesty and the grossest Cheat towards Mankind that ever was put upon the World But if we consider the Pen-men thereof we shall find them all of undoubted Credit generally esteemed holy and good Men in the Ages they liv'd in so no way to be suspected of Imposture Some of them were Kings and of the deepest Learning not likely to be guilty of such a mean-spirited Baseness as Lying and Forgery Many of the Prophets and most of the Apostles were Men illiterate of Parts and Education so mean that of themselves they seem no way capable to write so profoundly or lay so deep a Contrivance for deluding the World And as 't is incredible that so many Men of such distant Times Qualities and Abilities should all agree in the same Imposture and so harmonize in promoting it so neither could any Interest or Ambition prompt them thereunto For as the main Tendency of this Book is to mortify Mens Ambitions and Lusts so most of them exposed themselves by publishing these Writings to great Hazards and Persecutions Nor have several of them been shie to record the great Failings and Imperfections of themselves or their Brethren Thus Moses (a) Exod. 3 4 chapters relates his own Infidelity and Averseness to submit to the extraordinary Call of God In another place (b) Numb 11.21 he records the Shame of his Distrustfulness or at least the Carnality of his Conceit or Apprehension of the Power of God Again (c) Numb 20.12 he inserts God's heavy Sentence and the Ground thereof against him The same Moses did not set up any of his own Posterity to succeed him in the Guidance of Israel but left Joshua to succeed him c. and placed the Kingly Superiority over that People in another Tribe from his own viz. the Tribe of Judah Indeed throughout the whole Book there is a visible Antipathy to all self-seeking Flattery or Compliance God alone is exalted and all Mens Persons Actions and Reputations are laid in the Dust in respect of his Honour and the Truths therein delivered Besides these very Writers appear themselves to be under a subjection to the Doctrine they taught and no way Masters of it as their own All which plainly shews that they were inspired from above and wrote not their own Words or for their own Honour but as inspired and for the Honour of God 8. Scripture-prophecies and their Accomplishments prove 't is divine VII Another Demonstration or Proof that the Scriptures are from God is the exact and punctual fulfilling of the Prophecies therein contained To foretell Events is the Prerogative of God (d) Isa 41.22 Let them bring forth saith God the Lord expostulating with his People about the Vanity of Idols and shew us What shall happen Shew us the Things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods Now the Body of the Scriptures is enlivened with the Spirit of Prophecy almost throughout That of Jacob recorded by Moses (e) Gen. 49.10 That the Scepter should not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his Feet untill Shiloh come and to him shall the gathering of the People be was not compleatly fulfilled till well near two thousand Years after tho made good during a great part of that Time viz. from the Entrance of the Tribe of Judah upon the Government in King David until the going of it out again in the Person of Hircanus whom Herod slew as Josephus testifies But when the Time appointed was expired the Prophecy it self was compleatly fulfilled For when Herod a Stranger and of another Nation had cut off the House and Line of Judah from the Government of Jewry then and at that Time Shiloh the long-expected Messiah our Lord Christ punctually came into the World for that by Shiloh is meant the Messiah the Jewish Rabbies do not deny Now at the Time of Jacob's uttering these Words there was little probability that any of his Posterity should have a Scepter or any Kingly Power being poor
due Preparation which doth consist in these four or five Particulars 1. A sincere Confession of those Sins which we find out upon diligent Search and Examination 2. Godly Sorrow for the same manifested by putting away the Filth of the Flesh We must come with clean hands and a pure Heart 3. We oughtt to forgive those who have offended us Christ commands us to be reconciled to our Brother The Apostle exhorteth us to lay aside all Malice We must not eat with the â—â—leavened Bread of Malice and Wickedness 1 Cor. 5.8 4. Faith in the Death and Blood-shedding of Jesus Christ 5. We ought to do it in remembrance of his Death 1. With an affectionate Remembrance The Sight of our Eyes ought to affect our Hearts 2 A sorrowful Remembrance in contemplaton of what our Sins brought upon our dear Saviour They were the Thorns as I may say that crowned him and the Nails that fastened him to the Cross 3. With a Sin-loathing and self-abhorring Remembrance 4. With a thankful Remembrance Tho we have cause of Sorrow considering the Nature of our Sin and horrid Evil thereof yet there is great cause of Joy and Thanksgiving to behold a Saviour who in Bowels of Love died to redeem and save us from them Quest How may a Christian with much comfort upon examination receive the Lord's Supper Answ 1. If there is no Sin in thy Heart or Life which thou regardest or doest allow thy self in bearest with or connivest at 2. If thou dost loath Sin as well as leave it when 't is not only out of thy Conversation but out of thy Affection also To hate and loath Sin is more than to leave it Persons never willingly leave or forsake that they love 3. If thou canst say in truth that thou wouldest be made holy and doest labour after it as well as to be made happy to be throughly sanctified as well as to be saved live to God here as well as live with God hereafter to have Sin mortified as well as pardoned 4. If Christ is most precious to thee and hath the chiefest Room in thy Heart If upon Trial thou findest these things are in very deed wrought in thee thon mayest with much comfort come to the Sacrament Quest Of what Vse is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to us Answ 1. It shews the horrid Nature and Evil of Sin in that nothing could expiate it nor satisfy the Justice of God or make a Compensation for it but the Blood of Jesus Christ 2. It shews the wonderful Love of God to poor Sinners in giving up his own dear Son to die the cursed Death of the Cross for us 3. It shews the wonderful Love of Jesus Christ who freely laid down his Life for our sakes Greater Love hath no Man than this Joh. 15.13 Rom. 5.8 10. that a Man lay down his Life for his Friend but Christ hath laid down his Life for us when we were Enemies to him by wicked Works 4. It tends to encrease our Love to Christ and our Faith in him 5. It shews us that Christ is our Life and how and by what means we come to be saved 6. It seals the Covenant of Grace to us giveth us in the right use of it much assurance that Christ is ours 7. There is a mystical Conveyance or Communication of all Christ's blessed Merits to our Souls through Faith held forth hereby and in a glorious manner received in the right participation of it 8. It may animate and encourage us to suffer Martyrdom when called to it for his sake Christ our Passeover 1 Cor. 5.7 For Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us THe Passeover or Paschal Lamb being a most eminent Type of the Messiah of which see our Sacred Philology in the Chapter of Sacred Rites where you have the Reason of its Typical and Metaphorical Representation we shall here run an apt Parallel betwixt that illustrious Type and the most holy Anti-type Type Parallel THe Paschal Lamb must be without blemish entire whole sound not blind nor broken not sick nor bruised SHadowing forth the Perfection and Innocency of Christ in whose Lips were found no Guile As a Lamb without blemish and without spot II. He was to be a Year old II. Signifying the Experience Christ should have of our Miseries whereof even a Day 's continuance yields sufficient proof as also that Perfection of Christ in like sort And that in fulness of time he should come and suffer a Year being a perfect Revolution of the Sun's Course Guild III. It was to be taken out of the Flock III. Christ was taken from amongst Mankind Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood He also himself likewise took part of the same c. IV. It was to be separated from the Flock IV. Christ was separate from Sinners V. It was to be slain and that in the Evening V. So Christ died saith Mr. Ainsworth in that season viz. in the Evening of the Day also in the Evening of Time in the latter Age of the World VI. The Blood was to be sprinkled on the Lintel Exod. 12.7 and Door-Posts that the Angel seeing the same might pass by VI. Signifying that Christ's Blood must be applied by us and where Christ is received 1 Cor. 1.30 and the Soul sprinkled by Faith Sanctification outwardly will appear in the Practice of the Life VII The Lamb was to be roasted with Fire Vers 8. VII Moses unvailed p. 62. Signifying saith Mr. Guild the Agony of Christ in the Garden and the Wrath of his Father which he did endure both in Soul and Body It was a Sign either of the Spirit of God which is compared to Fire through which Christ offered himself or of the Fire of God's Wrath Heb. 9.14 which he suffered when he was made a Curse for us VIII It was to be roasted with Head and Legs and the Appurtenances thereof that is it must be roasted all and whole not cut in pieces VIII This signifies our full Communion with Christ whole and undivided Ainsworth 1 Cor. 13. Gal. 2.20 IX No Bone of the Lamb was to be broken IX Os nullum illius Agni frangi voluit Deus c It signifies that not a Bone of Christ should be broken as it was prophesied of him X. The Lamb was to be eaten X. Christ is spiritually to be received and fed upon Joh. 6.55 My Flesh is Meat indeed c. Verse 9. XI It was not to be eaten raw XI Noting that we should be well prepared when we come to the Sacrament Guild XII It was to be eaten all and with unleavened Bread XII Signifying that in Christ nothing is unprofitable or to be rejected and that we ought to eat with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth XIII It was to be eaten with bitter Herbs XIII Which typified forth the bitter Sorrows and Sufferings of Christ and that we should eat
that Star of the first Magnitude drive away That blessed Light which he afforded the World hath shone so gloriously that the Devil the Pope and all their Adherents notwithstanding all their Skill have not been able to put out to this Day IV. When the Light of the Candle is put out which is to give Light to the whole House how do Men stumble and grope in Darkness IV. So when the Saints shine not in Grace and Holiness or fall into Sin and wickedly comply with the Evils of the Times in which they live how do the ungodly World stumble and fall the which made our Saviour to say Mat. 18.7 Wo to the World because of Offences c. 'T is a great Judgment to the Wicked to have those who should be as Lights in the World darkened or give occasion of Stumbling Inferences THis shews what a great Blessing the World receives by means of the Godly They are set up as Lights in a dark Night to direct Men in the right Way that they may not stumble and fall upon the dark Mountains II. Let this teach Believers their Duties let them remember to have their Conversations honest among the Gentiles Let your Light shine forth to others not that you may be praised but that the Praise may be given to God c. In all your holy Walking propose this as your ultimate End not that you may be magnified and lifted up but that God by you and through your good Works may be magnified and his glorious Name advanced on high III. It may be an Use of Caution to them to take heed of Sin If they comply with Satan and yield to Temptations and thereby let their Light go out no wonder if the World stumble Sometimes Professors instead of being Lights prove dark Stumbling-Blocks As to instance in two or three things 1. When Professors fail in their Morals i. e. are not just in their Dealings between Man and Man they give just cause of Offence 2. When they are like the World and none can discern any great difference between them and others in respect of their Conversation how can they then be said to be the Light of the World 3. When they are overcome with scandalous Sins viz. are proud covetous Backbiters Tattlers Drunkards c. 4. When they want Love and Bowels of Compassion to their Brethren they cease to be the Lights of the World They are no more a Blessing to the World who thus degenerate from what they should be but rather the contrary Therefore if you want Motives to stir you up to take heed how you walk and live among Men that you may not give occasion of Offence or Stumbling to them but contrary-wise be as Lights to them take these following 1. Your good Works and holy Conversation will greatly tend to glorify God but the contrary will greatly dishonour him 2. Your good Works and godly Life will greatly tend to the Profit of the World but the contrary will prove to their great Hurt 3. Your holy Life will make your Profession shine and also further the Promulgation of the Gospel but the contrary will bring a Stink or ill Savour upon your Profession and hinder the Promulgation of the Gospel 4. An evil Life hinders poor Souls from enquiring after the Truth and stumbles them in the way of their Obedience to it 5. It stumbles weak Christians that are in the Ways of God 6. It weakens the Hands and grieves the Hearts of strong and sincere Ones Phil 3.18 7. A holy Life will free thee from Blood-guiltiness I mean thou wilt not have the Blood of other Mens Souls to answer for but the contrary may make thee culpable Saints compared to Cedars Psal 92.12 He shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon the Trees of the Lord are full of Sap. Psal 104.16 The Cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted c. Hos 14.5 And cast forth his Root as Lebanon GOd's People their Growth and Rooting are in these Scriptures compared to the Cedar-Tree the Cedar in Lebanon in Greek Libanos which was a Mountain in the North Part of the Land of Canaan possessed of old Time by the Hivites Judg. 3.3 afterwards by the Israelites on it grew many stately Cedars c. In what respect the Saints may be compared to the Cedars will appear by the following Parallels Simile Parallel THe Cedar is a very noble and stately Tree it grows very high 2 King 19.23 Ezek. 17.22 hence they are called tall Cedars also its Branches are called Branches of the high Cedar It mounts high towards Heaven Pliny tells of one Cedar that grew in Cyprus Plin. lib. 16. p. 490. which was one hundred and thirty Foot high and three Fathom thick THe Godly are a renowned People Tho they seem in the Eyes of the World but meer Shrubs yet they are as it was said of Saul higher by the Head and Shoulders than all others who dwell upon the Earth They grow high in Grace and spiritual Experiences They are said to dwell on high Isa 33.10 they dwell in God in Communion with Him they soar aloft and mount towards Heaven Isa 40. ult Col. 3.1 2. Their Affections are set upon Things above They may in this Sence be said to grow like the Cedar they overtop the Wicked in Renown and Dignity Prov. 12.26 The Righteous are more excellent than their Neighbours II. The Cedar is a Tree that takes deep Root its Roots spread this way and that way and go far into the Ground Naturalists say that as Trees grow high so proportionably they take Root downward because otherwise they would be top-heavy and overturn a Blast of Wind taking advantage of their Talness being weak at Root would soon blow them down therefore proportionable to their spreading above there must be a rooting in the Ground II. The Godly are said to take Root downward they are well-rooted they cast forth their Roots as the Cedars in Lebanon Saints are well rooted in Christ rooted in the Covenant 2 Sam. 23.5 which is firm ordered in all things and sure well rooted in Grace in Faith Love and Humility And indeed those Saints that grow high in Knowledg who in Gifts and Parts overtop their Brethren had need to grow downwards in Humility proportionable to their Growth upwards or else a strong Blast of Temptation may soon puff them up with Pride and Self-conceitedness and so thereby quite blow them down In Adam we had no sure Rooting but in Christ by partaking of his Fulness our standing is firm III. The Cedar is a very strong Tree Naturalists also tell us that it is not subject to Putrefaction as many other Trees are III. Eph. 6.10 11. The Saints are strong in the Lord. 'T is Sin that causeth Men to be spiritually weak unstable as Water as Jacob spake of his Son Reuben but the Godly are delivered from the Guilt and Dominion of it and thereby become strong in
would never have sent him into the World And if it had been only to make Christ a Pattern of Humility and of Patience under Suffering that God laid these things upon him which he endured it might have left some room for Men so to speak in that others might as indeed many of the Godly have been made Examples upon that account Object If God cannot pardon Sin without Satisfaction he is more weak and imperfect than Man Answ 1. God cannot do many Things that Man can do not that he is more imperfect than they but he cannot do them upon the account of his Perfection He cannot lie he cannot change cannot deny himself which Men can and do daily 2. To pardon Sin without Satisfaction in him who is absolutely holy righteous true and faithful the absolute necessary Supreme Governor of all Sinners the Author of the Law and Sanction of it wherein Punishment is threatned and declared is to deny himself and to do what one infinitely perfect cannot do 3. Why doth not God pardon Sins freely without requiring Faith Repentance and Obedience in them that are pardoned yea as the Conditions on which they may be pardoned For seeing he is so infinitely good and gracious cannot he pardon Men without prescribing such Terms and Conditions unto them as he knows that Men and that incomparably the greatest Number of them will never come up unto and so must of necessity perish for ever Yea but our Adversaries say this cannot be neither doth this impeach the Freedom of Pardon For it is certain that God doth prescribe these things and yet he pardoneth freely and it would altogether unbecome the holy God to pardon Sinners that continue impenitent and so live and die But doth not the Socinian see that he hath hereby given away his Cause which he contendeth for For if a Prescription of sundry things to the Sinner himself without which he shall not be pardoned doth not at all impeach as they say the Freedom of Pardon but God may be said freely to pardon Sin notwithstanding it how shall the receiving of Satisfaction by another nothing at all being required of the Sinner have the least appearance of any such thing If the Freedom of Forgiveness consists in such a boundless Notion as these Men imagine it is certain that the prescribing Faith and Repentance unto Sinners antecedently to their participation of it is much more evidently contrary unto it than the receiving Satisfaction from another who is not to be pardoned can to any appear to be Secondly If it be contrary to the Holiness of God to pardon any without requiring Faith Repentance and Obedience in them as it is indeed let not these Persons be offended if we believe him when he so frequently declares it that it was so to remit Sin without the fulfilling his Law and satisfying of his Justice Dr. Owen IV. Oft-times nay most commonly Men as soon as some Debts are paid or Satisfaction made by the Debtor or his Surety the Debtor may demand a Discharge or Acquittance immediatly from the said Debts c. IV. But it is not so here in reference to this Debt for tho Christ as our Surety hath made a full Compensation to the Law and Justice of God yet Sinners are not immediately acquitted neither doth it follow saith the Doctor that on the supposition of Satisfaction pleaded for the Freedom Pardon and Acquitment of Persons originally guilty and liable to Punishment must immediatly and ipso facto ensue it is not of the Nature of every Solution or Satisfaction that Deliverance must ipso facto follow And the reason of it is because this Satisfaction by succedaneous Substitution of one to undergo Punishment for another must be founded in a voluntary Compact and Agreement for there is required unto it a Relaxation of the Law tho not as unto Punishment to be inflicted yet as unto the Person to be punished And it is otherwise in personal Guilt than in pecuniary Debts In these the Debt it self is fully intended and the Person obliged with reference thereunto in the other the Person is firstly and principally under the Obligation And therefore when the pecuniary Debt is paid by whomsoever it be paid the Obligation of the Person himself unto Payment ceaseth ipso facto But in Things criminal the guilty Person himself being firstly immediatly and intentionally under the Obligation unto Punishment when there is introduced by Compact a vicarious Solution in substitution of another to suffer tho he suffer the same absolutely which the Person should have done for whom he suffers yet because of the acâ—eptation of his Person to suffer which might have been refused and could not be admitted without some Relaxation of the Law Deliverance of the guilty Person cannot answer ipso facto but by the Intervention of the Terms fixed in the Covenant or Agreement for an admittance of the Substitution It appears from what hath been said that in this matter of Sin being called a Debt and of Satisfaction Sin is not to be considered as such a Debt and God a Creditor and the Law as an Obligation to the Payment of that Debt as some Men seem to run it But Sin is a Transgression of the Law and thereby obnoxious and liable to the Punishment constituted in it and by it answerable unto the Justice and Holiness of another and God as the infinitely holy and righteous Author of that Law and Supreme Governor of all Mankind according to the Sanction and Tenor of it The Substitution of Christ was meerly voluntary on the part of God and of himself undertaking to be Sponsor to answer for the Sins of Men by undergoing the Punishment due unto them That to this end there was a Relaxation of the Law as to the Persons that were to suffer tho not as to what was to be suffered Without the former the Substitution mentioned could not have been admitted and on supposition of the latter the Sufferings of Christ could not have had the Nature of Punishment properly so called for Punishment relates to the Justice and Righteousness in Government of him that inflicts it and this the Justice of God doth not but by Law Nor could the Law be any way satisfied or fulfilled by the Suffering of Christ if antecedently thereunto its Obligation or Power of obliging unto the Penalty constituted in its Sanction unto Sin was relaxed dissolved or dispensed withal Nor was it agreeable to Juâ—tice nor would the Nature of the Things themselves admit of it See Surety â—â—t first Volume that another Punishment should be inflicted on Christ than what we had deserved nor could our Sin be the impulsive Cause of his Death nor could we have had any Benefit thereby Dr. Owen Inferences THis shews what the Nature of Sin is together with the woful and miserable Condition of Man thereby How few know or are sensible how far they are in Debt and what fearful Danger they are in hereby every
corrupted the whole Lump of Mankind Adam had no sooner sinned against God but the spiritual Poyson and Venom thereof struck to his Heart corrupting every Faculty of his Soul and not only so but also the Souls of all his Posterity See Wounds IV. 'T is noted by Plutarch that when an Asp stings a Man it doth first tickle him and makes him laugh till the Poyson by little and little gets to the Heart and then it pains and torments him more than ever it delighted him before So doth Sin it may please a little at first Though Wickedness be sweet in his Mouth Job 20 12 tho he hide it under his Tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keepeth it still within his Mouth Yet his Meat in his Bowels is turned it is the Gall of Asps within him Forbidden Profits and Pleasures are very delightful to carnal Men and many love to be medling with these poysoning Morsels of Sin Many eat that on Earth which they digest in Hell Men must not think to dine and dance with the Devil and then to sup with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in God's Kingdom V. Poyson in a Toad or Serpent suits and agrees well with their Nature but Poyson in a Man's Stomach makes fearful Work it being of a contrary Nature So Sin in a wicked Man one that hath no spark of true Grace in him seems to be suitable and agree well with him his whole Nature being so grievously corrupted and changed into the evil Nature thereof he having used himself so long in sinful Ways that Sin viz. open Prophaneness Superstition and Error is habitual and become natural to him as Poyson to a Toad Naturalists say That if a Man take a little quantity of Poyson at a time and so accustom himself to it ☜ it will at length become so natural to him that he may take it as Food Even so wicked Men by a continual Course and evil Custom in Sin drink it down as pleasant Liquor like as the Fish drinks Water But now Sin to a true Christian is like much Poyson in a Man's Stomach 't is contrary to that new Nature and divine Principle which is wrought in him by the Spirit of God he cannot bear nor endure it he hates every false Way Rom. 7. That which I hate that do I. VI. Poyson is deadly in its own Nature and of a killing and destroying Quality if not timely vomited up by taking some fit and proper Antidote c. So Sin whether fleshly or spiritual viz. sensual Debauchery or Heresy will kill and destroy all where-ever it is both Body and Soul eternally except by true Repentance it be vomited up Tho Men take it down as sweet Wine Prov. 23.31 and are not presently sensible of any harm yet at last it will bite like a Serpent and sting like an Adder VII Oil will expel Poyson and it is often given to Persons who have taken it to cause them to vomit it up So the Oil of Gladness viz. the Spirit of God is the best Antidote in the World to expel and work out the Poyson of Sin in the Soul See Oil of Gladness in the First Volume Book 2. Inferences WHat do Sinners mean will they poyson themselves are they void of Understanding to take down the Poyson of Dragons Will they wilfully murther themselves What Blindness and Folly is in their Hearts II. O how should this stir up the Godly to pity wicked Men and to strive as much as lieth in their Power to prevent their sinning and endeavour to turn away their Wrath III. It may also caution Believers to take heed of Sin and of the Venom of an evil Tongue as also of the Poyson of Heresy and Error IV. Let Sinners also learn from hence timely to look out for Help O get a fit Antidote to save you from this Poyson Ah! what is Sin 't is Poyson in a Cup That 's gilt without and Men do drink it up Most earnestly with joy and much delight Being pleasant to the carnal Appetite Sin 's sweet to him whose Soul is out of taste But long alas its Sweetness will not last Sin 's sweet to th' Flesh that does it dearly love But to the Soul it doth rank Poyson prove Hast thou suck'd this most deadly Venome in And dost not see thy vital Parts begin To swell Art poyson'd Soul Look look about To get an Antidote to work it out Before it be too late the Poyson 's strong Don't stay a Week twelve Hours is too long One drachm of Grace mix'd with repenting Tears The Grace of perfect Love that casts out Fears Mix'd with that Faith which kills all Unbelief Took down with speed will ease thee of thy Grief 'T will purge the Soul and work by Vomit well And all vile Dregs of Venome 't will expell Unless thou vomit up each Dreg be sure No hope of Life one Sin will Death procure Eternal Death Repentance is not right 'Till Sin nay every Sin 's forsaken quite Not only left but as a poysonous Cup Thou must it loath 't is hateful spue it up Sin a Sickness Isa 1.5 The whole Head is sick and the whole Heart faint c. Mat. 9.12 The whole need not a Physician but they that are sick SPiritual Sickness is twofold 1. To be sick with Sin 2. To be sick of Sin as Sin wounds the Soul so it makes sick and this is Man's Misery but to be sick of Sin viz. to be sensible of the Evil and cursed Nature thereof this is a Mercy Parallels THE Causes of Natural Sickness are divers sometimes it arises from some inward and sometimes from some outward Cause to know from whence the Distemper grew or did arise is very necessary whether it be Chronical or Acute i. e. that which hath seized on the Patient on a sudden by Heats Cold or from the Corruption of the Blood by an infectious Air c. which an able Physician is diligent to pry and search into Now as touching the Sickness of the Soul 't is evident the Original Cause thereof was by eating of the forbidden Fruit which surfeited the whole Lump of Mankind or if you please it was occasioned by Poyson by the Poyson of the old Serpent Deadly Poyson makes a Man very sick and corrupts the whole Mass of Blood And as 't is needful to find out if possible the Cause of Sickness so 't is as necessary to find out the Cause of Spiritual Sickness the Cause being discovered the Cure is easy If a Man doth not see what his state is as considered in the first Adam nor the evil and damning Nature of Sin in general nor the particular Plague of his own Heart he is in no hopeful way of help and healing II. Some Sicknesses or Diseases are Epidemical Sin is a Sickness or Disease so universal and a Contagion so catching that none have escaped nor are totally free from it III. Some are so sick that they have
long they are but for a season a Thaw will come So the afflicted State of a godly Man tho it be unpleasant yet 't is not lasting to be sure not everlasting Tho some Frosts hold longer than others yet none hold always Summer will come And usually where Winter is fiercest Summer for a Recompence is pleasantest Our Modern Geographer having described the Sharpness of Winter in Muscovia Heylin 's Geography concludes thus Such is their Winter c. Neither is their Summer less miraculous for the huge Seas of Ice which in a manner covered the whole Surface of the Country are at first approach of the Sun suddenly dissolved the Waters dried up and the Earth dressed in her Holy-day Apparel such a mature Growth of Fruits such flourishing of Herbs such chirping of Birds as if it were a perpetual Spring Even thus after a cold Winter of Affliction shall the Church or a particular Soul be relieved by a sweet and comfortable Summer of Prosperity Inferences THis may help the Godly to bear up under Afflictions and Sufferings in this World What tho they be pinching and troublesom whilst they last yet they have a very good Effect Like as Frost mellows the Earth and after it the Clods crumble easily whereas if there was no Winter no Frost they would be more stiff and not fit for the Husbandman So thy Heart is hereby made mellow and more meet and fit to receive the good Seed Frost dries up the ill Humors of the Earth so do Afflictions those of the Soul c. The Winter-Frosts kill the Weeds and Worms which eat the Roots and hinder the Growth of Herbs and Corn So Afflictions tend to kill our Lusts those Weeds and Worms that breed and grow in our Hearts always hindering our Fruitfulness in Grace and true Godliness II. You know Fire does well in Winter to warm the Blood c. So the Fire of the Spirit will warm and heat thy Soul in and under Afflictions and Temptations get therefore near it and labour to experience its powerful Operations See The Word and Spirit compared to Fire in the First Volume III. It may reprove such who are discontented under Afflictions they would not be in such and such a troubled Condition c. Alas Soul will a wise Man be angry and offended with the Winter Wouldest thou have all Summer and no Winter all Peace and Prosperity and no Adversity Consider how necessary Winter is Affliction compared to Darkness Isa 8.22 Behold Trouble and Darkness c. Lam. 3.2 And brought me into Darkness c. Joel 2.2 A Day of Darkness c. DArkness is taken properly or metaphorically 1. Properly Darkness is nothing else but a Privation of Light Caryl 't is no positive Creature it hath no Cause in Nature but is the Consequent of the Sun's Absence 2. Metaphorically or improperly it signifies divers Things 1. The State of Nature or Unregeneracy or deep Alienation from the Life of God Ye that were sometimes Darkness c. 2. Several Sins wherein wicked Men live 3. Desertion 4. The Grave Eph. 5.8 Eph. 5.11 5. Hell 6. Afflictions Note Afflictions Calamities and spiritual Desertions may be compared to Darkness Parallels DArkness is a Judgment thick Darkness was one of the Plagues of Egypt So some Calamities and severe Afflictions are brought upon a People or Nation as a just and dreadful Judgment of God II. Natural Darkness is occasioned by the Absence of the Sun and Obscurity of the other Luminaries of Heaven So some Afflictions and Calamities are occasioned by the absence of the Light of God's Word and hiding of his Face When the Gospel is taken away from a People that People are presently involved in thick Darkness which is a most sore and fearful Judgment III. Darkness is very uncomfortable 't is a dolesom thing to have no Light So to be under some Afflictions especially Desertion is the most uncomfortable State in the World IV. Darkness causeth a Man to lose his Way and wander about and exposeth him to many Dangers So spiritual Darkness causes a Man to stumble Walk whilst you have the Light lest Darkness come upon you for he that walketh in Darkness John 12.35 knoweth not whither he goeth Give Glory to the Lord your God Jer. 13.16 before he cause your Feet to stumble upon the dark Mountains and whilst you look for Light he turn it into the Shadow of Death V. There are Degrees of Darkness Darkness and thick Darkness and the Blackness of Darkness c. One degree of Darkness may attend the Day a Day may be dark but not like the Darkness of the Night and some Nights are darker than others as Experience shews And hence we read of Darkness and of the Shadow of Death Psal 23.4 Tho I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no Evil c. That is the greatest Darkness and Evil that can befall a godly Man The Shadow of a Thing in Scripture saith Mr. Caryl denotes the Power of a Thing and to be under the Shadow of a Thing is to be under the Power of it To be under the Shadow of the Almighty is to be under the Power of the Almighty c. To be under the shadow of Death is to be under the power and reach of it Tho I may be so near Death that it may seem to others to be really Death and that it is impossible to escape Death yet I will fear no Evil. Some Afflictions threaten Death upon God's People and upon his Concerns and Interest in the World and Christians may seem to be under the Influence of Death The Influences of Death are those Fears and Doubtings Divisions Distractions and Vexations of Heart and Mind Cries and Confusions which usually accompany or prepare the Way for Death Job 3.5 Let Darkness and the Shadow of Death stain it c. That is such Darkness as dwells with Death such Darkness as fills the House of Death the Grave Such Darkness as this Heman complained of I am accounted with them that go down into the Pit c free among the Dead Psal 88.4 5 6 7. like the slain in the Grave whâ—m thou remembrest no more and they are cut off by thy Hand Thou hast layed me in the lowest Pit in Darkness in the Deep Thy Wrath lieth hard upon me and thou hast afflicted me with all thy Waves Selah He seemed to be under the greatest Darkness so sorely deserted that he saw no Light he sate in the very Shadow of Death Caryl viz deadly Darkness thick Darkness stifling Darkness such as is in deep Pits and Mines under the Earth where Vapors and noisom Damps do many times strike Men with Death in the most deplorable State and Condition imaginable 'T is one thing to have some Afflictions and some Doubtings of Mind and Spirit and another thing to be in these great Deeps of Affliction and Desertion VI. No natural
no resisting of them Who can stand before his Indignation V. A dreadful Storm many times makes sad Desolation blowing down Houses and tearing up Trees by the Roots So the Wrath of God many times makes great Desolation it sweeps away Thousands and Ten Thousands leaving Towns and Cities almost without Inhabitants Come see what Desolation the Lord hath made in the Earth VI. God sometimes suffers the Devil to raise the Wind who thereby does great Mischief as in Job's Case So the Devil and his Instruments Job 1.19 are many times suffered to raise a great Storm of Persecution upon the Lord's People Affliction compared to a Flood Psal 29.10 The Lord sitteth upon the Flood c. Psal 42.7 All thy Floods and Waves are gone over me c. Isa 59.19 For the Enemy shall come in like a Flood c. Psal 93.3 The Floods have lifted up their Heads O Lord c. Mat. 7.27 And the Floods came c. BY Floods some understand ungodly Men others Afflictions and those principally which wicked Men bring upon the Saints Thus Ainsworth and divers others expound it Caryl on Job 27.20 Afflictions and Troubles saith Caryl are often compared to Waters in the Scriptures c. Parallels A Flood is the gathering together of many Waters So the Ungodly oft-times gather themselves together against the Righteous For lo thine Enemies make a Tumult and they that hate thee Psal 83.2 have lifted up the Head The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre c. And as many Enemies combine together against the Saints so oftentimes many Afflictions of divers kinds do beset them Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous II. A Flood or many Waters meeting together roar and make a great Noise So the Wicked combining together against the Interest of Christ roar as it were in belching out cruel Threatnings against the Saints Thus Pharaoh and the Egyptians made a great Noise as if they would in a moment have swallowed up poor Israel The Enemy said I will pursue Exod. 15.9 I will overtake I will divide the Spoil My Lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my Sword my Hand shall destroy them III. A Flood comes many times suddenly So do Afflictions and Troubles come upon God's People IV. A Flood many times rises very high overflowing all Banks and Bounds So the Ungodly rise high in Rage and Malice against the Saints breaking down all Bounds of Law and Justice and Banks of Humanity making fearful Incursions upon the just Rights and Privileges of God's People both Civil and Ecclesiastical V. Floods come violently there is no stopping them So Afflictions come in like manner oftentimes upon the Saints there is no escaping or stopping the dismal Providence of God VI. Floods of Water come successively one Wave following another So do Troubles and Afflictions frequently upon a Believer like Job's Messengers one at the heels of another VII Floods many times drive down Trees and Houses c. So Afflictions and grievous Calamities drive down Mat. 7. and carry away the House and Hope of a foolish Builder or unsound Professor Inferences WHat a Mercy is if God's People have not been drowned in these Floods long before this time 'T is the Lord only that hath set up a Standard against them As the Waters have rose higher and higher so he hath graciously raised the Banks of his Divine Providence and thereby prevented the Danger II. Let not God's People be afraid for the Lord sits upon the Floods c. 1. He sits upon the Floods as an Observer his Eye is upon the Wicked he sees what they are doing in secret their Counsels are not hid from him 2. The Lord sits upon the Floods to direct and order their Course Afflictions are ordered by him both in respect of kind and duration 3. The Lord sits upon the Floods as a Restrainer He can asswage these mighty Waters at his pleasure Surely the Wrath of Man shall praise thee and the Remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain 4. The Lord sits upon the Floods as a Preserver He it is that keeps his Saints from drowning Isa 43.2 When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee c. 5. The Lord sits upon the Floods as a glorious Deliverer Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all Affliction compared to Heat Cant. 1.7 Where thou makest thy Flock to rest at Noon Isa 25.4 A Shadow from the Heat c. Mat. 13.6 And when the Sun was up they were scorched THe Afflictions and Sorrows of the Godly are set forth by Extremes by extreme Cold Frosts c. and then again by extreme Heat Both are grievous to be born and endured Their Effects are such that they aptly illustrate the Miseries of the Lord's People in this World By the Heat or hot and scorching Beams of the Sun in Mat. 13.6 our Saviour himself sheweth is meant Persecution v. 21. Parallels NAtural Heat is from Heaven 't is occasioned by the scorching Beams of the Sun the Earth naturally being cold So Afflictions come not out of the Dust Job 5.6 7. neither doth Trouble spring out of the Ground Tho the meritorious Cause of all our Sufferings is our Sin and so materially they are from our selves yet the Lord is the efficient Cause of them Is there any Evil in the City and I have not done it II. Great Heat or the continual scorching Beams of the Sun are grievous to be born So sore Afflictions and fiery Trials are grievous to God's People I mean their fleshy Part No Affliction for the present seems joyous but grievous c. Heb. 12. III. In a Time of great Heat or in the hottest Time of the Day in very hot Countries great Labour is unpleasant and very hard to be undergone So 't is hard to labour and bear heavy Burthens in God's Vineyard viz. to stand up for and maintain the Truth in a Time of hot Persecution as many faithful Servants of God found by experience in the Marian Days c. IV. Great Heat or the continual scorching Beams of the Sun quickly fade consume and spoil the Beauty of the Body So cruel Sufferings and Persecutions spoil the outward Beauty of the Church making her look very black and deformed in the Eyes of the World which made the Spouse to cry out I am black c. Cant. 1.5 6. Which she attributed to the vehement and scorching Sun-Beams of Persecution The Sun hath looked upon me And as Persecution seems to mar the external Beauty of the Church and People of God rendring them the most miserable People in the World to a carnal Eye So likewise other Afflictions have the like effect upon the Body My Skin saith Job is black upon me Job 30.30 and my Bones are burnt with Heat The Skin and external
in the Law and makest thy boast of God ver 18. And knowest his Will c. as if he had said I grant it is so but why is thy Conversation so disagreeable to that outward Profession Ver. 20. and the following Verses shew this to be the meaning See also Rom. 9.4 5. Gal. 4.15 16. An Ironical Epitrope is when we seem to grant a thing which is indeed a Prohibition of the contrary Of this Illyricus says Clave Script Part. 2. Col. 302. It is a species of Permission when we grant what is unjust to any not as judging what he says right but as it were giving way to his Obstinacy Malice or Fury As angry Fathers use to say to their dissolute Sons I see you will ruine your self take your Course run on headlong to destruction Examples you may read Jud. 10.14 Prov. 6.32 1 King 22.15 Eccles 11.9 Isa 29.1 Jer. 2.28 7.21 Lam. 4.21 Ezek. 20.39 Amos 4.4 5. Mat. 23.32 26.45 Joh. 2.19 13.27 1 Cor. 15.32 2 Cor. 11.19 Rev. 22.11 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synchoresis Concession Concession is when a certain Saying is granted yet withal declared to be unprofitable or of no advantage James 2.19 Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble See Rom. 11.19 20 c. 1 Cor. 4.8 2 Cor. 10.1 2 11. 12.16 c. CHAP. VII Of other Schemes of Sentences and Amplifications I. Schemes taken from Causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aetiologia Aetiologia according to its Signification is the rendring of a Reason of a Word or Deed as Rom. 1.13 14. Now I would not have you ignorant Brethren that oftentimes I purposed to come to you but was let hitherto that I might have some Fruit among you also even as among other Gentiles I am debter both to the Greeks and the Barbarians c. Ver. 15 16. I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ For it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believe c. See Rom. 3.20 4.14 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Translation Metastasis and is when the Cause or Blame is transferred from one to another as Rom. 7.8 Paul says that the Law augments Sin yet Ver. 14. following shews that it is the fault of our corrupt Nature See Rom. 8.3 1 Cor. 4.6 c. II. Schemes taken from Adjuncts and Circumstances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Topographia that is the Description of a Place is when a Place is accurately described exhibiting it as it were to our view as the Description of Hell Isa 30.33 Luke 16.24 c. the New Heaven and the New Earth in the Elect which shall be eternally glorified Isa 65.17 c. Rev. 21.1 c. of Sin or the Church inviron'd with broad Streams Isa 33.20 c. By which Description its Safety and divine Defence from Enemies is noted Of the New Temple and the Admirable City Ezek. 40. See Psal 42.6 Psal 60.7 c. Psal 89.12 with Ver. 11. Here note That the Climates or distinct parts of the Earth as the East West Observation ☜ North and South when mentioned in Scripture are to be understood with respect to the Situation of Judaea Jerusalem and the Temple where the Prophets lived in the Land which God gave the Jews only we must except some Places in Ezekiel who lived and wrote in Babylon Note also * ☜ Note that the Sea signifies the West viz. The Mediterranean Sea which is on the West of Judaea Numb 2.18 Josh 16.3 Ezek. 42.19 c. Jerom on Ezek. 46. says 'T is a customary way of speaking in Scripture because of the Situation of Judea to call the Sea the West We may except Psal 107. where in the Hebrew Text the Sea signifies the South viz. the Red Sea which was on the South of Judea See Psal 72.8 Exod. 23.31 c. Chronographia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chronographia a Description of Time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pragmatographia a Description of a Thing or Action and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prosopographia a Description of a Person are rather the Circumstances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an historical Speech simply and plainly delivered than Schemes tho by some accounted as such Hâ—potyposis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hypotyposis signifies Representation and is when a thing is so represented to the Eye so as that it may seem not to be told but to be acted as in that Description of the horrible Desolation of the Earth Isa 1.6 c. the whole 34 Chapters Jer. 4.19 20 21 23 24 25 26 31. Of Idols Isa 44.9 46.6 The Humiliation and Passion of Christ Isa 53. Of Famine or Hunger Lam. 4.8 9. Of the Triumph of Christ Col. 2.14 15 c. The Holy Spirit not only exhibits verbal but real Hypotyposes of which see our Treatise of Types Article 3. To this Head some refer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Image or Representation of a thing viz. When the glorious or illustrious Figure Picture or Species of a Thing or Person is produced as when Christ is represented by the Sun Mal. 4.2 also when God is likened to a Gyant or mighty Man scarce sober after drinking hard and quarrelling with all he meets with to denote his Wrath against wicked Men and how severely he will punish them Psal 78.65 66. When Christ is expressed by a Spouse and a Warriour Psal 45. When the prosperous wicked Man is proposed as a green Bay-tree Psal 37.35 36. So that this is only an illustrating Similitude Pathopoaeia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pathopaeia an Expression of Affection is when Affections are clearly expressed by a plain Speech As of God Isa 49.15 Jer. 31.20 Hos 11.7 8. of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 4.14 15. 2 Cor. 2.4 Gal. 4.19 20. See Luke 18.9 10 11 12 13 14. Isa 3.16 17. Jer. 48.3 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syllogismus Syllogism Ratiocinatio Reasoning specially so called which is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emphasis is when the greatness of a thing is manifested by some certain Sign as when the Stature and Strength of Goliah is set forth by his Armour 1 Sam. 17.4 5 6 c. When Rehoboam the Son of Solomon said that his little Finger would be thicker than his Fathers Loins 1 Kings 12.10 The grievousness of the Burden or Yoke laid upon the People is noted when by the Signs of external Peace the greatness of in ward and spiritual Peace is denoted as Isa 2.4 See also Isa 4.1 49.20 Mat. 10.30 24.20 Luke 7.44 c. But speaking more accurately either these things belong to a simple historical Narration or the Tropes and their Affections of which we have treated Volumn 1. Book 1. III. Schemes taken from disparates or different things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parechasis Digression is when
Frâ—edom for a Life attended with manifold Temptations Disparity OTher Crowns I mean earthly Crowns are corruptible This Crown is incorruptible II. Other Crowns are attended with many Sorrows Troubles and Perplexities c. But this Crown is attended with no such thing for the condiâ—ion of the Heirs of this never-fading Crown will be so joyful that look outwardly there is Joy in the Society Heb. 12.22 if inwardly there is Joy in their own Felicity 1 Cor 2.9 Look forward there is Joy in the Eternity of it 1 Pet. 5.10 So that on every side they shall be even swallowed up of Joy Isa 35.10 Oh! the transcendency of that Paradise of Pleasure where is Joy without Heaviness or Interruption Peace without Perturbation Blessedness without Misery Light without Darkness Health without Sickness Beauty without Blemish Abundance without Want Ease without Labour Satiety without Loathing Liberty without Restraint Security without Fear Glory without Ignominy Knowledg withâ—ut Ignorance Eyes without Tears Hearts without Sorrow Souls without Sin Where shall be no Evil heard of to affright them nor Good wanting to chear and comfort them they shall have what Good they desire and desire nothing but what is good their Promises shall end in Performances Faith in Sight and clear Vision Hope in Fruition and Possession Yea Time it self shall be swallowed up in Eternity To sum up all in a few Words there is no Joy here comparable to that in Heaven all our Mirth here to that is but Pensiveness all our Pleasures here to that is but Heaviness all our Sweetness here to that is but Bitterness Even Solomon in all his Glory and Royalty to that was but as a Spark in the Chimny to the Sun in the Firmament yea how little how nothing are the poor and temporary enjoyments of this Life to those that the Heirs of Promise shall enjoy in the Life that is to come III. Other Crowns fade away the Prince is in a moment gone from that or that is gone from him But this Crown abideth It is incorruptible and undefiled and fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you c. 1 Pet. 1.4 IV. Other Crowns are gotten many times by Usurpation But the Saints shall have the Crown in a just and righteous way 't is a Crown of Righteousness of which Saints are true and lawful Heirs this Crown is purchased for them by Christ and given to them by the free Donation of the Father besides they are born Heirs to it by the Spirit If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ c. Rom. 8.17 Inferences WE may infer from hence that God's Children are not such Fools as they are accounted by the Ungodly World they have made a good Choice in preferring Heaven above Earth What 's the Glory of this World to the World to come Yea Paradise or the Garden of Eden was but a Wilderness compared with this Paradise And indeed if the Gates of the City be of Pearl and the Streets of Gold what then are the Inner Rooms and Lodging Chambers of the Great Monarch of Heaven and Earth at whose right Hand are Pleasures for evermore II. Let not the Saints grow weary nor faint in their Minds when Heirs of a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away methinks they may be contented to undergo some Troubles in this Life since by suffering these things for Christ's sake they shall be crowned with Glory Honour and Everlasting Life They shall receive the Crown of Life c. Jam. 1.12 Of Hell Hell a Furnace of Fire the Place of the Damned Mat. 13.42 And shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth WE are now drawing towards a Conclusion it remains only that we speak something concerning Hell which is the Place prepared for the Damned the Torment of whom is set forth by Fire by a Furnace of Fire and by utter Darkness It hath been a long and ancient Controversy whether Fire here is to be taken Properly or Figuratively I shall not undertake to determine whether it be real Fire or not Doubtless the Torment of the Wicked will be worse than 't is to be cast into any Furnace of Elementary Fire The Schoolmen affirm that the least Torture in Hell exceeds the greatest that can be devised by all the Men on Earth even as the least Joy of Heaven surpasseth the greatest Comforts of this World c. There is scarce any Pain here on Earth but there is some hope of Ease Mitigation or Intermission but in Hell their Torments are easeless endless remediless and they themselves left hopeless helpless and pittyless However we will run a Parallel between a Furnace of Fire and the Place of the Damned for in some things there is a fit Resemblance Parallels A Furnace of Fire hath been prepared as a place of Torment the King of Babylon caused a Furnace to be heat exceeding hot and that whosoever would not bow down to his Golden Image should be cast unto it Hell is a place of Torment prepared for all Wicked and Ungodly Men Rev 21.8 who live and dye in their Sins II. A Furnace of Fire that is heated exceeding hot is very terrible and amazing to him who for his wicked Deeds is told he must be cast therein So Hell is a very terrible and an amazing thing to think upon how lamentable is the Thoughts of it to a guilty Sinner that is awakened that sees no Remedy but thither he must go III. What Torment can be greater than to be cast into a burning fiery Furnace So what Torments can be greater than the Torments of Hell Disparity A Fiery Furnace tho terrible and painful yet it puts an end to the Lives of those that that are thrown into it and the hotter it is the sooner it dispatcheth them out of their pain But the Torments of Hell put no end to the tortured neither can the Damned die but have an ever-dying Life and an everlasting Death it is a Death which hath no Death The Worm dyeth not II. The Torment of a Fiery Furnace can reach but the outward Man it cannot destroy the Soul But the Torments of Hell reach to the very Soul called the Perdition or Destruction of Ungodly Men both of Soul and Body III. The hottest Furnace in the World may abate its heat for want of Fuel and at length be wholly extinguished however its Terrors and Pains are but short and momentary But the tormenting Fire of Hell never abates its heat nor ever goeth out therefore called everlasting Fire now to add Eternity to Extremity and then you will perceive Hell to be Hell indeed IV. Other Fire may be quenched But the Fire of God's Wrath or Hell Fire shall nevâ—r be quenched Vt supra Inference THat as there is no greater cause of magnifying Christ than for Redemption-Mercy and so of Joy unspeakable and full of Glory So there is no greater cause of Sorrow and intolerable Misery than
to live and dye in Sin and so to be cast both Body and Soul into Hell Fire O! what an alarm may those two Scriptures among many sound in the Ears of Wicked and Ungodly Men Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers not Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Raylers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. But whither then must they go See Rev. 21.8 But the Fearful and Vnbelieving and the Abominable and Murderers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyers shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death Hell utter Darkness Mat. 8.12 Shall be cast into utter Darkness Jude v. 13. To whom is reserved the blackness of Darkness for ever AS the Torment and Misery of the Ungodly is set forth by a Furnace of Fire so 't is also by Darkness utter Darkness and blackness of Darkness as the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Parallels GOD sometimes hath brought Darkness upon a People as a great Judgment for Sin and Rebellion against him So God in just Judgment will cast the Wicked into Darkness into a burning Furnace of Fire but such Fire as shall give no Light therefore called utter Darkness II. Where there is Darkness either by want of Light or want of Sight to see the Light there cannot be any comfortable Enjoyment of any visible Object that might afford them Satisfaction and Content as it doth those that enjoy the Light So to be cast into Darkness nay utter Darkness not only such Darkness that is a deprivation of Light or occasioned by want of Sight but a Darkness of Terror and Torment reserved for Wicked and Ungâ—dly Men called the blackness of Darkness For as the Glory of Heaven shall abound beyond all comparison with glorious Light called the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1. So the Horrors and Terrors of Hell will consist in that abounding Darkness beyond all comparison III. As to be shut up in Spiritual Darkness is a separation from God as to his Presence in a way of Grace So to be shut up in the thickness and blackness of the darkness of Hell is an eternal separation from God and the enjoyment of him for ever when once he shall say Depart from me there is a separation from all Joy and Happiness Ye cursed there is a black and direful Excommunication into Fire there is the Extremity of pain everlasting there is the Perpetuity of the Punishment prepared for the Devil and his Angels there are the Infernal tormenting and tormented Company And to encrease the horror and amazement of the Damned this Fire shall only torment them not give them any Light but they shall be cast out into utter Darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Disparity WHen God brings Darkness upon a Land as he did upon Egypt as an Judgment it hath been but for a while a certain time and after there hath been Light again but those that shall be cast out in the Darkness of the Pit of Hell shall never see Light more neither Spiritual Natural nor Artificial As there will be no need of the Sun nor Stars in Heaven So the Damned shall not have any Benefit thereby whatever their Needs and Necessities are II. Men may be in Darkness spiritually and they may be enlightned and saved through Grace but to be cast out into the dark and dismal Gulf of Hell it totally and everlastingly deprives of any use of Means for enlightning any more for ever Gospel-Light shines not at all in that dark and dismal Region because they hated the Light thereof in this World they must now be cast out into utter Darkness in the World to come III. Men may be in Darkness and yet enjoy many other Comforts tho they be deprived of Light But the Damned in Hell are not only in black and thick Darkness but are also deprived of any other Comfort As they see nothing but Darkness so they hear nothing but dismal Screeches and amazing dreadful Crys and gnashing of Teeth IV. Men may be naturally Blind or shut up in a dark Dungeon and yet may have much of the Presence of God with them But the Damned that are in the blackness of Darkness that is the Darkness of Hell shall utterly be deprived of the comfortable Presence of God As they said to God depart from us So are they separated with a Depart ye from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire or into the blackness of Darkness for ever Inferences HOw might this awaken Sinners and be a means to turn them from Spiritual Darkness to Light and from Satan the Prince of Darkness to God Oh! that these closing direful and amazing Lines might turn many to Righteousness to believe repent and obey the Gospel before the Lord Jesus come in flaming Fire rendring Vengeance upon all that know not God nor obey the Gospel II. How just will the Condemnation of such rebellious Sinners be who will neither be drawn by the tenders of Mercy and Salvation to Jesus Christ and of an enjoyment of Heaven through him nor be deterred from their sinful Course by all the threatned Judgments nay tho it extend to Hell it self to the Fire of Hell to the blackness of Darkness for ever Oh! were there not Eternity written upon the Gate of the broad way that leads to Destruction the Damned might have some hope tho it were not till hundreds of thousands of Millions of Years were expired But O Sinners when once this dark dismal Dungeon hath shut its Mouth upon you and you come with the Devil and his Angels to lie therein you can never come out more never see Light more never have ease from intollerable Torment more no Father Husband Wife c. can come to light so much as a Candle or dip the tip of a Finger in Water to cool your Tongue III. Let the Redeemed of the Lord rejoyce and magnify the God of their Salvation who hath given them good hope through Grace that they are delivered from Wrath to come by being called out of Spiritual Darkness into Christ's marvellous Light and by him have escaped that dreadful Doom of being cast out into utter Darkness Moses's Vail removed OR A TREATISE OF TYPES Adam a Type of Christ Rom. 5.14 Death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's Transgression who is the Figure of him that was to come Parallels ADam had no Father but God So Christ likewise had no Father but God They were both in an especial manner called the Sons of God the one by Creation the other by eternal Generation II. Adam was made Heir of the World Chriâ—â— is Heir of all Things not only of this World but of that which is to come III. Adam was a common or publick Person representing all his Seed or natural Off