Jesus the great Purchaser 5. The faith of this would give a check to that humore whereby some are ready to sacrifice to their own net and to burn incense to their own drag that is to be puffed up and vainly proud of their carriage when they have been helped to carry honestly in a day of trial as if they by their wit and courage had done it or as if it had not been given them in that houre what would such have to be proud of who beleeved that this grace was freely given to them and that in the behalfe of Christ And who saw that if it had not been so they had never been able to have endured the storme Would not they see cause to say Not unto us not unto us but unto God be Glory Secondly From these Truthes we may be informed of several things the knowledge of which may be useful in an evil day As 1. We may hence be convinced of the difficulty of Suffering Christianly for the Cause of Christ It is not Natural Courage Stoutness or Fear of Shame or the like that will be able to carry thorow No no A Divine purchased Grace and Gift must be had or there will be no standing Many in a calme day may think it no great matter to suffer upon Christ's account and may seem very resolute willing and ready to suffer but when the storme beginneth to blow to purpose and they are put to it they finde it some other thing than they imagined And what wonder It is not a thing that Nature can command nor Natural Strength and Courage can enable for but Divine Help is required thereunto It must be given and given in Christ and this saith there is no small difficulty in it 2. We may hence see a fundamental Reason why some are honoured with suffering for the Cause of Christ and others not It is the free gift of God and purchased by Christ and so is bestowed onely on those for whom it is purchased and on whom free grace will bestow it As also whence it cometh to passe that of two who are both called to witness to the truth by suffering one is honourably helped thorow the other fainteth The one hath gote the free gift the other not It is true other provoking causes may come here into consideration as bringing this on but yet this is principally to be considered our sins may provoke the Lord to withold this gift and when it is not given there will be no suffering for the sake of Christ in a Christian manner 3. We may hence be informed concerning the ground of this honour being bestowed upon any It is not for their eminency of parts or worth or any such thing in them but purely of free grace and on the behalfe of Christ. Thirdly Upon the ground of these Truthes we may read several Duties called for at our hands in a day of Suffering As 1. In such a day when stormes are at hand we should not be troubled with perplexity and anxiety of Spirit nor disquiet or discourage ourselves with feares and apprehensions that we shall fainte in the day of Adversity and shall not be in case to stand stedfast in the storme For our strength and standing is not in our own hands It is in Gods Hand His gift must make us staâ—… and nothing else 2. We should be looking off ourselves and all that is within us and not think that any thing of that kind will be able to carry us thorow But fix our eye upon the gracious Giver and lay hold on Christ by faith and expect the thorow-bearing Gift and Grace in and through Him In such a day we would do well to renounce all within us that we may not lean to it and so betake ourselves alone to the fountaine of free grace and expect what is necessary in that day from Him who giveth freely and upbraideth not 3. And in order to this seing this gift is bestowed only in and through Christ we should study before hand to get our Interest in Christ made up that so we may have ground to expect a grant of this gift for His sake for none else can expect this but such as are reconciled to God through Christ. 3. We would also labour to be in good termes with God and to be keeping our Conscience void of offence both before God and Man lest He be provoked to with-hold this gift from us When we have been walking neer God and keeping carefully Communion with Him we may go to Him with the greater Confidence and Boldness and ask this gift through Christ. Fourthly We may hence see what Duties we are especially called to in the day when we are actually and particularly called to bear witness to the Truth and to suffer upon the account thereof As 1. We should make the Cross of Christ welcome because it is Gods send all that God sendeth should be welcome This is a special Gift and a purchased Gift and therefore it should be heartily embraced both because of the Giver and because of the Purchaser It is true flesh and bloud have no will of Suffering nature is averse from it yet Spiritual Reason and Grace should say God will give me nothing on the behalfe of Christ but what is good and necessary for me and seing Suffering for Christs sake is of that nature and is so excellent a Gift beyond faith it self in so many respects why should I storme Why should I quarrel upon that account Why should I not rather embrace it with love and give it an heartsome welcome 2. Not only upon this account should we accept of that favour heartily and cheerfully but also we should accept thereof with Joy and Gladness rejoicing that free grace would put that singular honour upon us As we had cause to rejoice when He was pleased to single us out from many others no worse than we were and bestow faith upon us so have we cause to rejoice in His pitching upon us and going by many others better than we are in the matter of Suffering Should we not count it all Joy when for Christs sake we fall into manifold temptations because the Lord is thereby honouring and enriching us with this rare and precious Gift Should we not upon this account Glory in Tribulations as in so many enriching gifts freely bestowed on us of God and purchased by Christ 3. Hereby should we learne to beware of fretting or repineing at the trouble that the Crosse and Testimony of Jesus bringeth with it and choose rather to be thankful for such an honourable gift as this Suffering for the sake of Christ is Nay the more our trouble and harassing be let us look upon ourselves as the more honoured of God and therefore called to be thankful and to bless seing we should blesse Him for all His Benefites and this is among the chiefe of His benefites 4. We should then be wholly dead to ourselves and to any stock of strength
2 10. Holding fast Christ's name and not denying his faith Vers. 13. Keeping Christs works unto the end Vers. 26. Keeping of Christs word and not denying his name Revel 3. v. 8. Keeping the word of Christs patience V. 10. Keeping fast and not casting away our Confidence Heb. 10 35. and the like All which say there is a time for suffering and witnessing to the truth by suffering 3. â—…he many motives and encouragments given to bear up the hearts of sufferers say that the people of God have such a lot to look for and must lay their account to meet with Trials and Tribulations for adhering to truth 4 The many Instances and examples of valiant and stedfast Sufferers before us recorded for our Instruction and Information say there is such a season wherein such as would stand fast in the faith can look for nothing but sharp trials for the Name of Jesus 5. The forewarnings given to such as will follow Christ to take up withall their cross Mat. 16 24. And that through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14 22. And that all who will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. vers 12. That we should not think strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try us as though some strange thing hapned unto us 1 Pet. 4. vers 12 These and the like confirme this matter 6 Christ the Captaine of our Salvation was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2 10. He himself hath told us Mat. 10 24 25 That the Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord that it is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master the Servant as his Lord that if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold And we are bidden look unto Iesus the Author and finisher of faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despising the shame And to consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest we be wearied and fainte in our mindes Hebr. 12 2 3. And we are told 1 Petr. 2 21. That even hereunto we are called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps And againe Chap. 4 1. For asmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh we should arme our selves likewise with the same mind All which and the like say that a Suffering lot is abiding the followers of Jesus and that it is the will of God they should prepare for it 7. Some special works there are which God hath upon the wheels to perfect and these call for a suffering season such as the trial and discovery of the sincerity of His grace in His own as also the exercise and promoving thereof for tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hop Rom. 5 3 4. So the trying of saith worketh patience Iam. 1 3. See also 1 Pet. 1. vers 7. and 4 12. As also the discovery of the rottenness and hypocrisie of a Professing generation who want root and so must wither when the scorching sun of persecution ariseth Mat. 13 5 21. For this is as a small sieve So also the discovery of the Maliciousness and wickedness of Enemies which lay hid and latent before it gote a seasonable vent when their hour and power of darkness cometh Luk. 22 53. 8. This may be confirmed by express Testimonies of Scripture such as 1 Pet. 2. vers 19 20 21. For this is thank worthy or grace if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffering wrongfully But if when ye do well suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable or grace or favour with God For even hereunto were ye called It must then be a commanded duty and obedience to a command that rendereth a man gracious and acceptable with God So 1 Pet. 4 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God c. this is according to his will of command So Heb. 10 39. The will of God there mentioned is as we explained it his will of command which was done by enduring patiently for the Profession of the truth a whole fight of afflictions their patient suffering being noble service to their Lord and Master By all which we see that there are some times and seasons wherein the people of God are called to suffer If it be enquired When is that Time and Season wherein the people of the Lord are called to suffer The answere is easie to wit when the red horse spoken of Revel 6 4. is sent forth and power is given to him that sitteth thereon to take peace from the earth and for that end hath given unto him a great sword that is when Truth and the Profession thereof is persecuted when Tribulation or Persecution ariseth because of the Word as it is Mat. 13 26. When men must be slain for the Word of God and for the Testimonie which they hold Revel 6 9. When the Truth and the open Profession thereof is questioned and opposed then are the followers of Christ called to suffer rather than to sin and upon all hazards to hold fast the Profession of their faith without wavering not forsaking even the assembling of themselves together Heb. 10 23 25. Then are they to make Moses's choise that is chuse rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Heb. 11 25. When any of the revealed Truthes of God are opposed and such as owne the same are maligned hated and persecuted that is the Season wherein the Lord calleth all His to embrace any suffering rather than deny His Truth and the word of His Patience It is spoken to the commendation of the Church of Pergamos Revel 2. vers 13. That though dwelling where Satans seat was yet she held fast Christ's â—…ame and did not deny His faith even in these daies wherein Antipas Christ's faithful Martyr was slaine So that it is Christ's will and command that all his followers should abide stedfast faithful and unmovable in owning of his Truth and Cause his Word and Interest on all hazards But some will possibly enquire How shall I know whether or not I in particular be called to suffer Answer We are not to expect any extraordinary Revelation or Declaration of God's mind in this particular though I grant the Lord may condescend in love and pity to some weak persons to give some more than ordinary intimation of his will whether by some secret and forcible impulse upon their Spirits or by some influence of comfort and encouragment whereby they are enabled to despise the shame and to endure the cross as seeing the joy set before them and are strengthened against the feares of men even of the greatest and most terrible as seeing Him who is Invisible But these outflowings of his Love
faith be acting on God through Christ and resting upon the promises of outgate and of an everlasting recompence and of throw-bearing and the other objects of faith necessary to be eyed in such a day for if this be not even the beleever may fainte and fall backward as we see in Peter Now this present acting of faith being the gift of God through His grace and influences it is manifest that Christian suffering unto which this is requisite must be also His gift 3. Hope is also requisite unto a Christian suffering for hereby must the sufferers head be born-up when he is swimeing thorow the sea of Persecution it is the Souls anchor which must not be wanting in a storme it is his helmet and must not be a missing in the day of battel Now this hope being the special gift of God and his work 1 Pet. 1 3. 2 Thes. 2. vers 13. it is manifest that Christian suffering unto which this hope is so necessary must be His special gift 4. Patience is likewise hereunto requisite for without it there will be nothing but wearying fainting fretting repineing and sinful longing to be from under the Crosse hence there is so great need of patience Heb. 10. vers 36. Luk. 21. vers 19. Iam. 1. vers 4. 2 Pet. 1. vers 6. And it is so much pressed Iam. 5. v. 10 11. 1 Tim. 6 11. And commended 1 Thes. 1. vers 3. 2 Thes. 1. vers 4. Revel 2 2 9. Now this patience is not the work of nature but His work who is the God of all patience Rom. 15. vers 5. And therefore Christian suffering must be His work and gift also 5. Humble submission and calmness of spirit is also requisite unto a right way of suffering for a proud haughty unquiet and undaunted spirit will never take a right lift of the crosse and this must also be wrought by the free and powerful grace of God and must be of Him from whom every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down even of the Father of lights Iam. 1 17. And therefore Christian suffering unto which this is so requisite must be of Him also 6. Such as will suffer Christianly for Christ must have Courage Boldness and Christian Resolution as accounting it their glory and honour to suffer for His sake and as remembering that as on the one hand their cheerful couragious and valiant suffering for the Interest of Jesus is no small encouragment to others to adhere to Him and to His cause so upon the other hand to suffer discouragedly and with a fainting heart is no small disadvantage to the cause Enemies being thereby more hardened and friends discouraged And this Courage and fixed Resolution must only be had from God Nature will not fournish this They must be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might Ephes. 6. vers 10. And as this is from the Lord alone so must the grace of Suffering Christianly be 7. He who would suffer as a Christian must have his Conscience sprinkled God must be pacified all quarrels must be taken out of the way for the sense and apprehension of an angrie God and sin and guilt looking the man in the face will much dash discourage and fainte him in his sufferings Now it is unquestionable that God's manifesting himself satisfied and well pleased with the man is His own free gift it is His proper work to sprinkle consciences from dead works and so must this Christian suffering be from Him which dependeth hereupon 8. When one is questioned for the Cause of Christ before learned and able States-men and Politicians or before learned Church-men he will have need of something wherewith to answere his Accusers and so be in case to give a glorious Testimony to the Truth and the cause of Christ otherwise the adversaries will think they have cause to triumph when he is made speachless though that Christian Martyr-woman who said she could not disput for Christ but she could burn for Him did sufficiently refell all the Arguments of her Adversaries which were but meer Sophismes especially if the maine crime be coloured-over with some alleiged personal fault In this or the like cases it is necessary that the accused have pertinent clear and pungent reasons of his actions in readiness whether to refell what is falsely alleiged or to defend what is just and righteous Now whence shall this be had or from whom is it to be expected but from Him who hath promised that it shall be given them in that hour Mat. 10. vers 19. But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same houre what ye shall speak And therefore Christian suffering unto which this is so necessary must be given of God also 9. Such as are suffering for Christ's sake had need to be very fixed stayed and stedfast in adhereing to their Principles as unshaken with any winde of temptation for cedeing and yeelding in matters of a Testimony dishonoureth the Lord whose truth is questioned encourageth and confirmeth Enemies and stumbleth and marreth the confidence of others therefore such as would suffer aright must stand to the truth and not yeeld in an hoofe nor sell or give away the least point of truth And this fixed and stedfast adhereing to the truth is of God alone He who stablisheth us in Christ is God 2 Cor. 1 vers 21. And when Paul is pressing the Thessalonians to stand fast 2 Thes. 2. vers 15. He addeth Vers. 16 17. Now our Lord Iesus Christ himself and God even our father Comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work And therefore so must the Christian suffering be of Him alone 10. A Christian sufferer for Christ must have a Christian love to Christ for it is this that maketh the sufferers not count their life dear to the death for Christ and maketh them hazard all for Him they love him better than they love Father or Mother or any thing else in a world and therefore are content to lose all for Him and His sake Now love is of God who is love 1 Ioh. 4. vers 7 8. And it is one of the fruites of the Spirit Gal. 5. vers 22. And must be from the God of all grace for we love Him because He first loved us 1 Ioh. 4. vers 19. And therefore so must this right suffering be from Him 11. Before one can suffer aright for Christ and His cause he must be dead and mortified to this world and to all the Riches Honours and Pleasurs to the lust of the eye to the lust of the flesh and to the pride of life as Iohn speaketh 1 Ioh. 2 16. Yea he must be dead to himself and to his own life otherwayes these will hang as weights upon him and hinder his swimeing through the sea of affliction and persecution Now this self denial being the singular gift of God suffering unto
print of the nails and thrust his hand in his side Ioh. 20 25. And what unbeleefe these Disciples vented who were going to Emmaus unto the Lord himself whom they knew not we may see Luk. 24 21. and may gather from Christ's sharpe rebuke vers 25 26. O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entered into his Glory 2. Fainting of heart So long as the shipe saileth faire before the winde a raw sea-man will have courage enough Men at Christ's back who have not yet had a storme blowing in their face will be as stout as Peter who nothing doubted but he would lay down his life for his Master who yet when the Lord is out of sight and his cause seemeth to be upon the declineing hand will shrink and turn back at a very small temptation As Peter did deny his Master and that with cursing and swearing at the very word of a Damsel 3 Self love is another evil that such a day as this will discover Many will appear very self denied and willing to hazard all for Christ and His Cause in a faire day who when a storme cometh will be unwilling enough to cast their goods over board to save the shipe In a day when the Lord is hiding himself many will seek to save skin and life by such indirect courses as sometime they would have been ashamed of 4. Impatience How doth the heart of many too often say little less than that graceless King said This evil is of the Lord why should I waite any longer for the Lord 2 King 6 vers 33. Such expressions as that good man had in that dark day do evince this sufficiently Psal. 77 v. 7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever And will He be favourable no more Is His mercy clean gone for ever Doth His promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies 2. The Lord followeth this way and methode that he may put his people to the trial and exercise of the graces of His Spirit such as these 1. Their Faith in Him and in His Word and Promise It is no great art or difficulty to beleeve that God will make good His promise when he is in the sight of all beholders most manifestly accomplishing whatever he said and promised But for Abraham to beleeve that in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed and that his Seed should be multiplied as the Stars of the Heaven for multitude when he had not one Child and himself was stricken in years his body now as good as dead he being about an hundered Yeers old and when Sarahs Womb was also dead that was faith then his faith appeared while he against hope beleeved in hope when he staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleefe but was strong in the faith giving Glory to God for he was fully perswaded that what God had promised He was able also to perform Rom 4 vers 18 19 20 21. Againe It was no great matter for Abraham to beleeve that it would be as the Lord had said when Sarah was with Childe had brought forth her Son and he was healthy and thriving but to beleeve the accomplishment of the promise when God said unto Him Go offer up thy Son thy only Son Isaac there was faith accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead Heb. 11 vers 19. Thus faith is both tried and exercised 2. Patience is also tried and exercised when the Lord is out of sight seemeth to say He will not yet come the time is not yet come We oft cry out How long will the Lord hide his face not so much out of an earnest love and desire to see his face againe as out of impatience Psal 6 vers 2. and 13 v. 1. and 35 17. and 90 13. Iob. 7 v. 19. Hab. 1. v. 2. The Lord will thus teach his people to stand upon their watch and upon the watch towr till the Vision that is yet for an appointed time and tarrieth shall speak Hab. 2 vers 1 3. 3. To try and exercise their hope for that is the fit time for the exercise of this grace when humane appearance and probability faileth and when the Lord hideth himself and delayeth his coming Rom. 8 v. 24 25. for usually then people are ready to say there is no hope Esa. 57 10. our hope is lost Ezek. 37 11. What is my strength said holy Iob Ch. 6 11. that I should hope It is good in such a case to say with the Church Lam. 3 24. The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in Him 4. To try and exercise their Submission to and Dependance upon Him That they may learne to carry as humble Children that they may say with David Psal. 131. Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofâ—…y neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a Childe that is weaned of his Mother my soul is as a weaned Childe And so hope in the Lord not arrogantly set limites unto the holy One of Israel nor prescribe a way that he must follow but leave him to follow His own way and method with due Submission and Dependance laying the hand upon the mouth when He is pleased to hide himself and to take another way then we would possibly wish or desire 5. To try exercise their Diligence and Constancy in Prayer and Watchfulness As when the Master delayeth his coming so when he hideth himself as if he were not coming or would not come many are ready to fall from duty and fall a beating their fellow servants and to eating and drinking c. Mat. 24 48 94. Therefore the Lord will have all His People set a watching as not knowing what houre or after what manner He will come and to exercise them in this duty of Watchfulness and Diligence he will come and not let them know of His coming nor tell them when or after what manner He will come The Consideration of this should in general teach all His people as upon the one hand to guard against and bewar of these evils mentioned which Satan and Corruption upon occasion of the Lords hiding of His Way and keeping Himself under clouds after the manner mentioned doth provoke stirre up the soul unto so upon the other hand to minde faithfully set about the Duties mentioned which are especially called for at such a time But more particularly we may mentione some duties and recommend them to the practice of His People in such a day as this As 1. This Dispensation calleth upon all Gods People to be observing the Lord in all His wayes and actions and to mark His footsteps even when they can not be seen to observe His stately goings in Majestie
assert an Vniversal Subjective Grace that is Grace and Power granted to every One to hearken to the voice of God calling in Nature and in the Gospel to convert and turne themselves to believe and repent if and whensoever they will because they see not how it is consistent with Gods Wisdom and Goodness to require any duty of man but what he giveth him full ability to performe not regairding the stock of strength that was once given to man and was dilapidat by Adam But as to this how crooked so ever we suppose it to be we must rest here that the Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8 vers 7. And that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2 v. 14. and that Faith is the gift of God Ephes. 2 v. 8. And that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure Phil. 2. vers 13. And that Christ is a Prince exalted to give Repentance Act. 5 v. 30 And that God is a free Dispenser of His grace as being obliged to none and shewing mercy to whom he will 4. That work of the Lord 's covenanting with Adam as the Head in the name of all mankinde and his imputing his sin unto his posterity who were in his loines so that all become borne and conceived in sin and obnoxious to the wrath of God because of that transgression of Adam according as the Apostle speaketh Rom 5 vers 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entrâ—…d into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And againe Vers. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression And Vers. 18. Therefore as by one mans offence or by one offence judgment came upon all men to condemnation This Dispensation I say seemeth so crooked to some such as Pelagians Socinians Arminians and Quakers that they must absolutely deny it and say there is no such thing as original sin though Paul saâ—…eth Ephes. 2 vers 3. that we were by nature including himself the Children of wrath And David telleth us in his humble Confession of sinnes to God Psal. 51 ver 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me And Iob sayeth Chap. 14 v. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one And to the same purpose Bildad Iob. 25 v. 4. How can he be clean that is borne of a Women 5. For further setting even what otherwayes men think crooked in the way of the Lord they imagine assert and defend an Universal Redemption saying that Christ hath died for all equally say some with some difference say others because it seemeth a crooked thing with them and inconsistent with the Nature and Goodness of God not to seek the Salvation of all and not to prepare meanes of life for all so not to send Christ to die for all and every mothers son though we be plainly enough and expresly told in Scripture that the Father gave not all to the Son to redeem but some and that Christ laid down His life a ransome for those alone who were given to him to save and of whom he must give an account to the Father as having undertaken to redeem them from Hell Wrath Satan and all their Enemies and by His Power and Grace to bring them saife home at length as being their Head their Husband their Shepherd their Cautioner their Lord Ransomer their Intercessour and Advocat with the Father and that these are an all and called the â—…orld to point out their natural Original that Grace may the more appear to be grace and to pointe out their being scattered through thâ—… world and taken out of all Kindreds Tongues Nations People Languages especially now under the Gospel in distinction from the dayes of the Old Testament when the Iawes were only the peculiar people of the Lord and in Iudah only was God known and his name great in Israel 6 Further to make God's supposed crooked wayes straight the Enemies of the free Gâ—…ace of God imagine that the will of Man must be left Free to be Lord of all and absolute disposer of the decrees and purposes of God of Redemption and of Salvation so that the Lord must not by an Irresistible Power draw any home to Christ contrary to Ioh. 6 44. Nor create in any a new heart and take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh contrare to Ezech. 11. 19. and 36 26 27. Because they cannot see how it can consist with Gods Love to mankinde to preferre one to another they imagine that God layeth the matter alike to all mens door standing equally and knocking at every mans door and so leaving it to them alike to choose or refuse to become happy or miserable as they please and so they say that when God hath done all He can or will do to save people their will is at perfect freedome to accept or reject the Grace of God and that there is no special saving work of grace upon the heart of one more then of another O what real crooked work do foolish men make here How do they darken deforme and make crooked the glorious straight work of the free grace of God wherein absolute Soveraignity glorious Grace and the free Mercy of God shineth forth with such a Soveraigne Lustre Beauty and Glory Paul had other thoughts of the matter when he said Ephes. 1 vers 3 4 5 6 7. Blessed be the God and Father of ouâ—… Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Celestials in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of His will To the praise of the Glory of his grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved c. 7. To salve this same Diana of Free will the same Persons do deny the Free and Absolute Decrees of God touching any thing to be done by Man whether good or evil because they cannot see how God's Absolute Decrees concerning this or that can consist with the free Actings of mans will not impose an absolute necessity on man to do or not to do according to what is decrâ—…ed as the stone must absolutely and naturally move down-ward and the Sun shine and all Natural causes act and work therefore to make this supposed crook straight they see no other way but to deny all such Decrees and Purposes in God not knowing that as God's decrees determine the event
so they determine the manner of the events â—…alling out that Natural Causes shall produce such an event naturally and necessarily and Free and Contingent Causes shall inâ—…vitably produce such an effect but freely and contingently according to their Nature as that the Iewes should kill Christ and do what they did against him but yet through no necessity of nature but freely and of their owne accord out of malice and enmity as also that the souldiers should pierce Christ's side and not break a bone of Him and all that most freely without any compulsion or constraint upon their wils Whereby we might â—…ee if we were compliant with the holy Will Workings of God that the decrees of God are so far from everting destroying the Liberty of the will of man that on the contrary they establish confirme the same But let men imagine it to be never so crooked we must hold by this That God did from all eternity freely unchangably ordaine whatsoever comes to passe even the most contingent things Act. 2 23. 4 27 28. Prov 16 23. 8. So to make the wayes of God straight and even which otherwise men imagine would be crooked Some as our Quakers with others imagine that People may be saved that never heard of Christ by yeelding Obedience to the law and light of Nature or by following the guide of the works of Creation and Providence or a Light within them as they speak But what their condition is who are without Christ the Scripture sufficiently sheweth Ephes. 2 12. they are strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world And that the light of Nature can only helpe to make Persons without excuse Rom. 1 20. But passing these and the like which are mater of controversie let us mentione some others of God's works which men suppose to be crooked As 1. When it is as Eccles. 8 14. There be just men to wâ—…om it happeneth according to the work of the wicked and againe there be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the righteous that is when as to the outward things in the world It is just otherwise as we would think should be the wicked prosper and their eyes stand out with fatness they increase in riches and have more then they could wish they are not in trouble nor plagued as other men and there are no bands in their death as it is Psal. 37 3 4 5 12. And upon the other hand the Godly man he is oppressed with Poverty and Affliction plagued all the day chastened every morning This was such a rugged and uneven path that the honest Man of God Asaph could not hold his feet in it but was like to fall and break his neck concluding that it was in vaine to minde piety veriâ—…y said he vers 13 I have cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in Innocency And such a crook was this that he could not get it set straight till he went into the sanctuary of God vers 17 This mistake made Iobs friends go so wilde in their reasonings against him and to conclude him an hypocrite because he met with such hard outward dispensations at the hands of the Lord for they could not see how God should deal with a Godly man as He dealt with Iob that was so crooked a piece of work that they thought God would never have made it But Iob understood the matter otherwise and told them Chap. 9 22. This is one thing therefore I said it He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked So Ch. 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. he enlaâ—…geth upon this theame 2. When it is as Eccles. 4 1. So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the Sun anâ—…â—…ehold the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no comforter and on the side of their oppressours there was power but they had no comforter That is when the innocent are oppressed in their Name Goods Rights and Person and made to cry out bitterly because of their oppression and yet have none to take their part or helpe them or speak comfortably unto them noâ—… power to helpe and relieve themselves but on the contrary their oppressing enemies have power and might enough to bear them more downe oppress them This seemeth a crooked piece of work and yet the Lord hath so ordered matters that it is oft so with the innocent We see what Iob was made to say Chap. 6 14. To him that is Afflicted pity should â—…e sheâ—…ed from his friend but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty 1â—… my Brethren have deaâ—… decâ—…itfully as a brook as the streams of brooks they passe away And How Habbakuk looked upon this Chap. 1 13 14 15 16 17. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he And makest men as the fishes of the sea as the creeping things that have no ruler over them c. This seemeth to many to be a very crooked passage of Providence and they think the judge of the whole earth should order matters otherwise and not a few are stumbled hereat and tempted to think that God hath forsaken the earth 3. When it is as Eccles. 7 15. there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness and there is a wicked mâ—…n that prolongeth his life in his wickedness This seemeth also a crooked passage in the Lord's way Work to many who look upon the Lord and his way and working with eyes of flesh How oft hath it thus fallen out Honest Naboth experienced this 1 King 21. So did Ioh Baptist when he was so basely and unworthily cut off and that in his righteousness So also the Martyres of the Lord in all ages Honest Ier miah thought this a secret that he could not be satisfied in and a ground whereupon he would go plead with God Chap. 12. 4. Yea when it is but as Eccles. 9 v 2 3. it seemeth crooked to many who would have a visible difference in external things alwayes put betwixt the Righteous and the Wicked And yet we see the Wise Mans Observation was that no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them All things saith he come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not As the good so the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath This is an evil among all things that are done under the Sun that there is one event unto all Our carnal Reason would think that God should so rule and governe the world as that all might be in case to observe a palpable difference betwixt the Godly and the Wicked even in external