us not shrink nor saint nor grow weary under our greatest sufferings for Christ when sufferings multiply when they are sharp when they are more bitter than Gall or Wormwood yea more bitter than death it self then Remember the Covenant of Redemption and how punctually Christ made good all the Articles of it on his side and then saint and give out if you can Well may I be afraid but I do not therefore despair for I think Austin upon and remember the wounds of the Lord saith one Nolo vivere sine vulnere cum te video vulneratum Ob my God as long as I see thy wounds I will never live without wound saith another Crux Christi clavis Paradisi The Damasâ—â—n Cross of Christ is the Golden Key that opens Paradise to us saith one I had rather with the Martyrs and Consessors have my Saviour's Cross than with their Persecutors the worlds Crown the harder we are put to it the greater shall be our reward in heaven saith another Gardius the Martyr hit the nail when he said it is to my loss if you Chrysostâ—m abâ—â—e me any thing in my sufferings If you suffer not for Religion you will suffer for a worse thing saith one Vâ—nâ—â—miâ—s Never did any man serve me better than you serve me said another to his Persecutors Adversus gentes gratias agimus quod à molestis dominis liberemur We thank you for delivering us from hard Task-masters that we may enjoy more sweetly the bosom of our Lord Jesus said the Martyrs 'T was a notable saying of â—â—â—her Ecclesia totum mundum convertit sanguine oratione the Church converteth the whole world by blood and prayers They may kill me said Socrates of his enemies but they cannot hurt me so may the redeemed of the Lord say they may take away my head but they cannot take away my Crown of life of righteousness of glory of immortality The Lacedemonians Rev. 2. 10. 2 lim 4. 8. 1 Peâ— 5. 4. 5. were wont to say it is a shame for any man to fly in time of danger but for a Lacedemonian it is a shame for him to deliberate Oh what a shame is it for Christians when they look upon the Covenant of Redemption so much as to deliberate whether they were best suffer for Christ or no. Petrus Blesensis has long since observed that the Courtiers of his time suffered as great trouble and as many vexations for vanity as good Christians did for the truth the Courtiers suffered weariness and painfulness hunger and thirst with all the Catalogue of Paul's afflictions and what can the best Saints suffer more Now shall men that are strangers to the Covenant of Redemption suffer such hard and great things for their lusts for very vanity and will not you who are acquainted with the Covenant of Redemption and who are interested in the Covenant of Redemption be ready and willing to suffer any thing for that Jesus who according to the Covenant of Redemption has suffered such dreadful things for you and merited such glorious things for you But Thirdly From this Covenant of Redemption as we have opened it you may see what infinite cause we have to be swallowed up in the admiration of the Father's love in entring into this Covenant and in making good all the Articles of this Covenant on his side When man was fallen from his primitive purity and glory from his holiness God so loved his Son that he gave him all the world for his possession Psal 2. 8. But he so loved the world that he gave Son and all for its Redemption Bernard and happiness from his freedom and liberty into a most woful gulf of sin and misery when Angels and men were all at a loss and knew no way or means whereby fallen man might be raised restored and saved that then God should firstly and freely propose this Covenant and enter into this Covenant that miserable man might be saved from wrath to come and raised and settled in a more safe high and happy estate than that was from which he was fallen in Adam Oh what wonderful what amazing love is this Abraham manifested a great deal of love to God in offering up of his only Isaac but God Gen. 22. 12. has shewed far greater love to poor sinners in making his only Son an offering for their sins for 1. God loved Christ with a more transcendent love than Abraham could Joh. 10. 18. Heb. 10. 10 12. love Isaac 2. God was not bound by the commandment of a superiour to do it as Abraham was 3. God freely and voluntarily did it which Abraham would never have done without a commandment 4. Isaac was to be offered after the manner of holy Sacrifices but Christ suffered an ignominious death after the manner of Thieves 5. Isaac was all along in the hands of a tender Father but Christ was all along in the hands of barbarous enemies 6. Isaac was offered but in shew but Christ was offered indeed and in very good earnest Is not this an excess yea a miracle of love 'T is good to be always a musing upon this love and delighting our selves in this love But Fourthly From this Covenant of Redemption as we have opened it you may see what signal cause we have to be deeply affected with the love of Jesus Christ who roundly and readily falls in with this Covenant and who has faithfully performed all the Articles of this Covenant had not Jesus Christ kept touch with his Father as to every Article of the Covenant of Redemption he could never have saved us nor have satisfied Divine Justice nor have been admitted into heaven That Jesus Christ might make full satisfaction for all our sins He was made a curse Gal. 3 13. for us whereby he hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law All his sufferings were for us All that can be desired of God by man is mercy and truth mercy in regard of our misery truth in reference to God's promises That which moved Christ to engage himself as a Surety for us was his respect to God and man To God for the honour of his Name neither the mercy nor the truth nor the justice of God had been so conspicuously manifested if Jesus Christ had not been our Surety To man and that to help us in our succourless and desperate estate No creature either would or could discharge that debt wherein man stood obliged to the justice of God This is a mighty evidence of the endless love of Christ this is an evidence of the endless and matchless love of Christ We count it a great evidence of love for a friend to be surety for us when we intend no damage to him thereupon but if a man be surety for that which he knoweth the principal debtor is not able to pay and thereupon purposeth to pay it himself this we look upon as an extraordinary evidence of love
help the truth in necessity and to clear men's innocency O sirs God doth Exod. 22. 11. not only make his Covenant but swears his Covenant My covenant saith the Psalmist will I not break nor alter Psal 89. 34 35. the thing that is gone out of my lips once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David This is as great and deep an Oath as God could take for his holiness is himself who is most holy and the foundation of all holiness See my Treatise of Holiness pag. 585. to pag. 595. God is essentially holy unmixedly holy universally holy transcendently holy originally holy independently holy constantly holy and exemplarily holy Now for so holy a God to swear once for all by his holiness that he will keep covenant that he will keep touch with his people how abundantly should it settle and satisfie them Ah my friends hath God said it and will he not do it Yea hath he sworn it and will he not bring it to pass Dare we trust an honest man upon his bare word much more upon his Oath and shall we not much more trust a holy wise and faithful God upon his word upon his Covenant when confirmed by an oath The Covenant of Grace is sure in it self it is a firm Covenant an unalterable Covenant an everlasting Covenant a ratified Covenant so that heaven and earth may sooner pass away than the least branch or word of his Mat. 5. 18. Covenant should pass away unfulfilled Let us but cast our eyes upon the several springs from whence the Covenant of Grace flows and then we cannot but strongly conclude that the Covenant of Grace is a sure Covenant Now if you cast your eye aright you shall see that the Covenant of Grace flows from these three springs First From the free grace and favour of God There was nothing in fallen man to invite God to enter into Covenant with him yea there was every thing in fallen man that might justly provoke God to abandon man to abhor man to revenge himself upon man It was mere grace that made the Covenant and it is mere grace that makes good the Covenant Now that which springs from mere grace must needs be inexceptionably sure The Love of God is unchangeable whom he loves he Joâ— 13. 3. Mal. 3. 6. James 1. 17. loves to the end whom God loves once he loves for ever he is not as man soon on and soon off again soon in and as soon out as Joab's dagger was Oh no! his love is like himself lasting yea everlasting I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. Though we 2 Tim. 2. 13. break off with him yet he abides faithful Now what can be more sure than that which springs from free love Rom. 4. 16. from everlasting love Hence the Covenant must be sure The former Covenant was not sure because it was of Works but this Covenant is sure because it is of Grace and rests not on any sufficiency in us but only on Grace Secondly The Covenant of Grace springs from the immutable counsel of God Heb. 6. 17. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath Times are mutable and all sorts of men are mutable and the love and Isa 40. 6. Psal 146. 3 4. Jer. 33. 14. favour of the creature is mutable but the counsel of God from which the Covenant of Grace flows is immutable and therefore it must needs be sure The manifestation of the immutability of God's counsel is here brought in as one end of God's Oath God swears that it might evidently appear that what he had purposed counselled determined and promised to Abraham and his seed should assuredly be accomplished there should be there could be no alteration thereof His counsel was more firm than Dan. 6. 13. the Laws of the Medes and Persians which altereth not certainly God's counsel is inviolable My counsel shall stand Isa 46. 10. Psal 33. 11. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations Prov. 19. 21. Nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand The immutability of God's counsel springs from the unchangeableness of his essence the perfection of his wisdom the infiniteness of his goodness the absoluteness of his sovereignty the omnipotency of his power God in his essence being unchangeable his counsel also must needs be so can darkness flow out of light or fulness out of emptiness or heaven out of hell No no more can changeable counsels flow from an immutable nature Now the Covenant of Grace flows from the immutable counsel of God which is most firm and inviolable and therefore it must needs be a sure Covenant But. Thirdly The Covenant of Grace springs from the purpose of God resolving and intending everlasting good unto us Now this purpose of God is sure so the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure Our graces are imperfect our comforts ebb and flow but God's foundation stands sure That foundation of God is his election which is compared to a foundation because it is that upon which all our good and happiness is built and because as a foundation it abides firm and sure The gracious purpose of God is the fountain-head of all our spiritual blessings It is the impulsive cause of our vocation justification glorification it is the highest link in the Golden chain of salvation what is the reason that God has entred into a Covenant with fallen man it is from his eternal purpose What is the reason that one man is brought under the bond of the Covenant and not another it is from the Eâ—ek 20. 37. eternal purpose of God In all the great concerns of the Covenant of Grace the purpose of God gives the casting voice The purpose of God is the sovereign cause of all that good that is in man and of all that external internal and eternal good that comes to man Not works past for men are chosen from everlasting not works present for Jacob was loved and chosen before he was born nor works fore seen for men were all corrupt in Adam All a believer's present happiness and all his future happiness springs from the eternal purpose of God as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together This Rom. 8. 28. cap. 9. 11. Eph. 1. 11. cap. 3. 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. purpose of God speaks our stability and certainty of salvation by Christ God's eternal purpose never changes never alters Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass and as I have purposed saith God so shall it stand God's purposes are immutable so is his Covenant God's purposes are sure very sure so is his Covenant The Covenant of Grace that flows from the eternal purpose of God is as sure as God is sure for God can neither deceive nor
the Most High they found more pleasure than pain more joy than sorrow more comfort than torment in their Bonds the consolations of the spirit rose so high in their souls that their prison was turned into a Palace yea into a Paradise Paul was a man that took a great deal of pleasure in his sufferings for Christ 2 Cor. 12. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake He did not only bear his sufferings patiently but chearfully also he often sings it sweetly out I Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ Coâ—â—s 4. 3 10. Rom. 16. 7. Eph. 6. 20. 2 Tim. 1. 16. c. not I Paul an Apostle nor I Paul wrapped up into the third heaven nor I Paul that have more Gifts Parts and Learning than others but I Paul a prisoner to shew how much he rejoyced in his bonds and sufferings for Christ Chrysostom did not hold Paul so happy for his rappture into Paradise as he did for his imprisonment for Christ Oh the sweet looks the sweet words the sweet hints the sweet in-comes the sweet joggings the sweet embraces the sweet influences the sweet discoveries the sweet love-letters the sweet love-tokens and the sweet comforts that Christians experience in their sufferings for Christ in all their troubles and persecutions they may truly say we have sweet meats to eat and waters of life to drink and heavenly honey-combs to suck that the world knows not of And indeed when should the torch be lighted but in a dark night and when should the fire be made but when the weather is cold and when should the Cordial be given but when the Patient is weak and when should the God 2 Cor. 1. 3 4 5. of comfort the God of all kinds of comfort and the God of all degrees of comfort comfort his people but under their troubleâ— and persecutions for then comfort is most proper necessary seasonable and sutable and then God will be sure to pour in the oyl of joy into their hearts But It is not Paena but Causa that commends the sufferer Sixthly consider that there is a great truth in that old Maxim Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem 'T is not the punishment but the cause that makes a Martyr Let every man look that his cause be good it s not the blood but the cause that makes a Martyr It 's no ways meet that I should engage to suffer in every cause every cause will no more bear a man out in suffering than every shoulder will bear every burthen or than every little River will bear every Ship that is of the greatest burthen one man suffers as a Murtherer another suffers as a Thief another suffers as an Evil-doer and another suffers as a busie body in other men's matters but all such Sufferers are rather Malefactors than Christ's Martyrs Let none of you suffer 1 Pet. 4. 15. as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busiâ— body in other men's matters It is but one word in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Bishops in another's Diocess as priers into other men's matters as pragmatical persons that meddle with other men's concernments without cause or call It is not suffering for evil doing but suffering 2 Tim. 2. 12. for well doing that carries the Crown It is not just but unjust suffering that hath the recompence of reward annexed to it It is not 1 Pet. 3. 14. cap. 4. 14. sufferers for the evil of sin nor sufferers of the evil of sin but sufferers of the evil of punishment for the avoiding of the evil of sin whose Mr. Bradford to all that profess the Gospel in Lancashire cause is good When I consider the cause of my condemnation said Mr. Bradford I cannot but lament that I do no more rejoyce than I do for it is for God's verity and truth So that the Condemnation is not a Condemnation of Bradford simply but rather a condemnation of Christ of his Truth Bradford is nothing but an instrument in which Christ and his Doctrine is condemned Christ the Thieves were in the same Condemnation Sampson and the Philistines in the same destruction by the downfall of the house Similis pâ—na dissimilis causa saith Augustine Martyrdom is a Crown as old Age if it be found in a way of righteousness Though life be a poor little thing to lay down for that Christ that has done such great things for us and Isa 53. Joh. 14. that has suffered such grievous things that has prepared such glorious things for us yet it is too precious to lay down in any cause but what is honourable just good Luther professed to Spalatine that he rejoyced with all his heart that God called him to suffer for so Ep. ad Spalat Fol 287. good a cause acknowledging himself unworthy of such a favour It is the goodness of a man's cause that makes him divinely merry with the Martyrs to sing in a prison with Paul Silas When a man's cause is good he may call his sufferings the sufferings of Christ and Colos 2. 24. Gal. 6. 17. his skars and marks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brands and marks of the Lord Jesus The Jews have been hated persecuted for many Ages first by the Romans and since by all other nations but not for any just or righteous cause but for their impiety obstinacy and contempt of Christ his Mat 22. 2 to 8. cap. 23. 30 34 37 38. Gospel for killing the Prophets stoning them that were sent amongst them But gracious persons are endued not only with reason but also with spiritual understanding divine wisdom which makes them well weigh what they do what they suffer Sincere Christians advisedly endure what they endure for the faith's sake so fight I 1 Cor. 9. â—6 not as one that beateth the air that is not as a mad man that fighteth with a shadow not weighing what he doth but as a man of understanding that doth very well know that I have good cause to do what I do Persecutors commonly judge suffering Saints to be no better than Sots Idiots Franticks mad c. not knowing the goodness of the cause for which they suffer nor the noble ends which they aim at in suffering nor the blessed fruits that attend their sufferings But when may a man safely and groundedly conclude that his cause is good or that he suffers for well doing or for a good cause as a Christian Now to this question I shall give these following answers First When a man suffers for doing that which Christ commands then he suffers for well doing then he suffers as a Christian then 1 Pet. 4. 15 16. his cause is good You know there is nothing in all the Scripture that God stands more upon than purity of religion than purity of worship
James 1. 27. Phil. 3. 3. Joh. 4. 23 24. than purity of ordinances in opposition to all mixtures and corruptions whatsoever O sirs the great God stands upon nothing more in all the world than upon purity in his worship There is nothing that does Mat. 21. 12 13. Joh. 2. 15 16 17. so provoke and exasperate God against a people as mixtures in his worship and service and no wonder for mixtures in his worship are expresly-cross to his commands and pollutions in worship do sadly reflect upon the name of God the honour of God the truth of God and therefore his heart rises against them defilements in worship do sorely reflect upon the wisdom of Christ the faithfulness of Christ as if he were not faithful enough nor wise enough nor prudent nor Heb. 3. 4 5 6. understanding enough to order direct and guide his people in the matters of his worship but must be beholding to the wisdom prudence and care of man of vain man of sinful man of vile and unworthy man to compleat perfect and make up something that was wanting in his worship and service c. Now if a man suffers for owning pure worship and ordinances for standing for pure worship and ordinances and for being found in the practice of pure worship and ordinances his cause is good and he suffers as a Christian But Secondly When a man suffers for refusing or for not doing that which Christ condemns in his word then his cause is good and he suffers as a Christian for well doing Now in matters of Divine Worship God condemns all mixtures all inventions and devices of men The very spirit life and soul of the Second Commandment lies in these words Thou shalt not make to thy self any Graven Image God abhors that men should mix their Water with his Wine Levit. 10. 1 2. Ezek. 5. 11 12. cap. 23. 38 39. Jer 7. 29 30. Ezek. 8. 17 18. Rev. 2. 22 23. Deut. 4. 2. cap. 12 32. c. their Dross with his Gold their Chaff with his Wheat c. When men will venture to be so hardy and bold with God as to defile his Worship with their mixtures then God is fully resolved to be a swift and terrible witness against them as you may clearly see by comparing those notable places of Scripture together in the Margin there is no sin that does so greatly incense and provoke God to Jealousie and Wrath against a People as mixtures in his Worship God can bear with defilements any where rather than in Worship and Service God did bear much and bear long with the Jews bâ— when they had defiled and corrupted his worship then God gave them a Bill of Divorce and scattered them as Dung among the Nations Now when a man suffers for refusing to worship God with a mixt worship or with an invented or devised worship which Christ in his word doth every where condemn then his cause is good and he suffers as a Christian But Thirdly they that stoutly and resolutely assert that the blessed Luk. 10. 25 26. Scriptures are a sufficient rule to order guide and direct them in all matters of worship they have a good cause and they that suffer upon this account suffer as Christians for well doing Such vain men greatly detract from the sufficiency of the Scripture who mingle their own or other men's inventions with Ezek 43 8. Divine Institutions and who set their Posts by God's Posts and their Thresholds by God's Thresholds The Precepts and Traditions It is very remarkable that of old they were to be cut off that made any thing like the Institutions and Appointments of God Exod. 30. 32 33 37 38. And if some were so served would not the world be in more love peace and quietness than now it is of men with their Inventions and Additions to the worship of God are stiled Posts and Thresholds because the Authors of them do lean and stand so much upon them and set them in the way to hinder others from the enjoyment of Temple-privileges unless they will own and comply with them in their way and mode of worship but upon all such posts and thresholds that are of men's setting up in the worship of God you may run and read folly weakness rottenness and madness 't is only God's Posts God's Thresholds God's Institutions God's Appointments that have Wisdom and Holiness Beauty and Glory written upon them For men to set up their Posts by God's Posts and to give their Posts equal Honour and Authority with God's Posts this is a defiling of the Worship of God and a prophaning of the name of God which he will certainly avenge for he will admit no rival or Proprietary in the things of his Worship O sirs the blessed Adero plenitudinâ—â— Sâ—ripâ—uâ—arum Tertul. La 〈…〉 〈◊〉 fulness of the Scriptures Scriptures are sufficient to direct us fully in every thing that belongs to the Worship and Service of God so as that we need not depend upon the wisdom prudence care and authority of any men under heaven to direct us in matters of Worship 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works The Scriptures are sufficient to inform the ignorant to confute the erronious to reform the vitious and to guide and direct support and comfort those that are gracious Here a Lamb may wade and an Elephant may swim here is milk for babes and meat for strong men here is comfort for the afflicted and succour for the tempted and ease for the troubled and light for the clouded and enlargement for the straitned c. Oh how full of light how full of life how full of love how full of sweetness how full of goodness how full of righteousness and holiness c. is every Chapter and every Verse in every Chapter yea and every Line in every Verse The Rabbins say that a mountain of matter hangs upon every word of Scripture yea upon every tittle of Scripture When the people of God have been in any outward or inward distresses or troubles God never sends them to the shâ—p of men's Traditions and No Histories are compâ—rable to the Histories oâ— the Scripture 1. For Antiquity 2. Rarity 3. Variety 4. Brevity 5. Perspicuity 6. Harmony 7. Verity all which should greatly encourage Christians to a serious perusal of them inventions but he still sends them to the blessed Scriptures Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no morning in them cap. 34. 1â— Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read â—â— one of thâ—se shall 〈◊〉 none shall want her maâ—e for my mouth it hath commanded and my spirit it hath
gathered them And in the New Testament Christ sends his hearers to the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred search signifies a strict narrow curious diligent search we must search the Scripture as we would search for Gold or for some Precious Stones which we would fâ—in find we must search the Scriptures as Hunters seek and search out their Game The Scripture is so perfect a Rule that the most specious observances the most glorious performances the most exact worship is no way acceptable unto God if not directed in his word They may have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Colos 2. 23. A shew of Wisdom in Will-worship to the pleasing of men not to the honour of God God gave Moses a pattern for Exod. 25. 9. the making of the Tabernacle and David for the Temple and all Heb. 8 5. things were to be ordered and regulated according to this pattern God hath set us a perfect Rule of Worship in his Word and no Service pleaseth him but what is according to this Rule As our Joh. 4. 20 21. 22. Saviour told the woman of Samaria concerning the Samaritan Worship at Mount Gerazim and the Jewish Worship at Jerusalem That the Samaritans worshipped they know not what the Jews knew what they worshipped for Salvation was of the Jews Why so because the Jews had God's special direction and appointment of God's Word for their Worship and Service which the Samaritans had not All our Worship must be regulated by God's Will not our own Non ex arbitrio Deo serviâ—ndum sed ex imperio Not according to our own fancy but God's Command and Prescription I say of all humane invented Will-worship of God as Tertullian of the Heathen Worship Ex religione super sâ—itio compingitur eo irreligiosior quanto Ethnicus paratior Men in this are no better than laboriously superstitious taking pains to be irreligious And so the Apostle sends his hearers to the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1. 19 20 â—â— as to a surer word than that of the Revelation all which speaks out the sufficiency of the Scripture to direct us in all matters of Divine Worship and in what ever else may help on the internal and eternal welfare of our precious and immortal souls That which bred the Popish Religion Superstition Idolatry and Pompous Worship was men's departing from the word and not cleaving to the word as a sufficient rule to direct them in all matters of worship and what woful mischiefs and miseries have been brought upon the people of the Lord in this Land and else where by men that make not the word the rule of their worship but cry up an outward pompous worship I have no mind to enumerate at this time But how will these vain men that accuse the holy Scriptures of insufficiency blush be ashamed and confounded when in the great day the Lord shall plead the excellency and vindicate the Sufficiency and Authority of his blessed Book in opposition to all the mixtures of men's Traditions with Divine Institutions Now they that suffer for asserting the holy Scriptures to be a sufficient rule to order guide and direct them in all matters of worship they have a good Cause and they suffer as Christians for well doing But They that are Assertors of the true God in opposition to the Idols of the Nations have a good Cause and they that suffer upon this account suffer as Christians for well doing Upon this foot the Christians under the Heathen Emperours in the primitive times suffered great things and are there none that suffer this day upon this account by the Romish Powers But Fifthly They who assert that God will not bear with mixtures in his worship and service but revenge himself upon the corrupters of his worship they have a good cause and they that suffer upon that account suffer as Christians for well doing All mixtures Isa 29. 13 14. Mat. 15. 3 6 8 9. debase the worship and service of God and makes the worship a vain worship as the mixing of water with wine is the debasing of the wine and the mixing of Tin with Silver or Brass with Gold is debasing of the Silver and Gold so for men to mix and mingle their Traditions and Inventions with God's Institutions is to debase the worship and service of God and to detract from the excellency and glory of it You know that the Kings and Princes of the world have most severely punished such who by their base mixtures have imbased their Coyn. And assuredly there is a day a coming when the King of Kings will most severely punish all such who have imbased his worship and service by mixing Humane Inventions and Romish Traditions with his holy Institutions Rev. 22. 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophecie of this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in There will come a day when Jews Turks Papists shall pay dear for adding to the Scriptures this book And no wonder for what horrible pride presumption stoutness and baseness is it in foolish man to be so bold with the great God as to dare to mix any thing of his own with his worship and service which according to Divine Institution is so perfect and compleat God will never bear it to see men lay their Dirt upon his Gold and to put their Rags upon his Royal Robes Ah Christians 't is best to stand up for holy Ordinances and pure worship in opposition to all mixtures whatsoever Oh do not touch a polluted worship do not plead and contend for a polluted worship but let Baal plead for Baal and though all 1 King 18. 21. Rev. 13. 3 4. 6 17. cap. 14 9 11. the world should wander after the Beast yet do not you wander after the Beast and though every forehead should have the mark of the Beast upon it yet do you abhor his mark and whatever else it be that does but smell and savour of the Beast 'T is a very dangerous thing for any Mortals to be adding to God's worship and word there is a horrible curse that hangs over the heads of all such that add or detract from the blessed Scriptures If falsifiers of Coin are liable unto the Civil Curse of the Law how much more shall the Anathema of Eternal Damnation be inflicted upon the corrupters of God's word and worship To them that add thereto God will add all the Plagues of this book to wit the seven last Plagues and cast them into the lake of sire and brimsionâ— Rev. 19. with the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet Now they that suffer for asserting that God will not bear with mixtures in his Worship and Service but revenge himself upon
the corrupters of his Worship and Service they have a good cause and they suffer as Christians for well doing But Sixthly They who are hated scorned despised reproached opposed persecuted imprisoned ruined for their non-compliance 1 Pet. 4. 4 5. Jâ—de 15. Rev. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 7 23. Gal. 1. 10. with the times and with the wills and lasts of men and with the worship of the world and the ways of the world they have a good cause and they suffer as Christians for well doing And is not this the very case of the people of God this day for would they or durst they comply with the times and with the wills and lusts of men and with the worship of the world and the ways of the world they should be white boys and in lead of prisons might stand in Princes Palaces as well as others and might eat the fat and drink the sweet and live at ease and grow rich as well as others But some do not love that we should either harp hard or long upon this string and therefore Seventhly They that are assertors of Christ of the true Messia and his glorious Gospel and Gospel-ordinances in opposition to all such as either deny him or his Gospel or that make head against him or Gospel-ordinances Gospel-administrations they have a good cause and if they suffer upon that account they suffer as Christians for well doing The sufferings of the people of God for the first three hundred years were clearly stated for Christ and the Gospel in common 'T was the administration of the Gospel in the whole and in every part of it and Gentilism advanced instead thereof that brought on a warm Persecution Seeing serious Christians are for pure Ordinances and pure Administrations and what they have suffered and do daily suffer upon that account all that do not wilfully shut their eyes may easily discern 'T is sad when such men's mouths must be stopped who are qualified gifted graced and called both by God and 2 Cor. 4 4. Rev. 14. 6. men to preach the glorious the everlasting Gospel But when the Devil and his Factors have done their worst the Gospel will get ground by all the opposition that is made against it Among many other Visions that John had He saw an Angel fly in the Rev. 14. 7 8 c. midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every Nation and Rindred and Tongue and People saying with a loud voice fear God and give glory to him c. Now mark what next follows Another Angel saying Babylan is fallen is fallen Babylon the Great is fallen Now behold the efficacy and power of Gospel-preaching let but the Gospel be sincerely preached and Babylon must down The Devil and Dagon must fall before the Ark of God's Presence The more wicked men rage the more the Gospel spreads as you may see Act. 5. 40 41 42. cap. 8. 1 3 4 5 6 12. Act. 11. 19 20 21 26. cap. 12. 1 2 3 4 23 24. Heb. 11. 34 35 36 Rev. 2. 10. Act. 16. 23 24 25 whatsoever the purposes projects pretences policies conspiracies combinations and confederacies of lewd superstitious Atheistical wicked wretches be yet they shall never be able to stop the stream of God's Word dam up the Wells of Salvation or hinder the free passage of the Gospel no more than they are able to bind up the Wind in their sists or stop the Sun from running its race or hinder the Clouds from watering the earth It is true that the faithful Ministers of the Gospel may by the instruments of Satan be stocked stoned sawn asunder burned with fire slain with the sword clap'd up in prison fettered in chains plundered c yet the Gospel may be nay is in lively operation a light that cannot be put out a heat that cannot be smothered a power that cannot be broken for even then the couragious and constant sufferings of God's faithful Ministers and their chearful and patient bearing of the Cross doth as by a lively Pâ—il 1. 7 12 13 14 17. voice publish and proclaim the truth of the Gospel for which they suffer and serves to win many to the Faith of Christ Paul's bonds fell out to the furtherance of the Gospel Paul's Iron chain was more famous and glorious all the world over than all the Golden chains in Nâ—ro's Palace Whatsoever persecuting Popes and persecuting Emperours have attempted against the Gospel Sculiet Annal. Christ has turned it all to the furtherance of the Gospel The Popes Bulls and the Emperour's Thunderbolts did not amaze and discourage men but did exceedingly animate and encourage them to own the Gospel to embrace the Gospel and to stand up in the defence of the Gospel Caesar sending the Protestants Confession Sculâ—eâ— Annal. 274. abroad to other Christian Princes as desiring their advice about it dispersed and spread it more in all parts than all the Lutheran Preachers could have done for which cause Lâ—â—ther laughs not a little at the foolish wisdom of the Papists in a certain Epistle of his to the Elector of Saxony Julian observing that the more Ministers and Christians were persecuted the more they encreased he gave over Persecution and spared those whom he could have wished out of the world And would it not be the wisdom and the interest of the Persecutors in our days to write after Julian's Copy and if they will not then let them remember that it is the most effectual way under heaven to propagate those truths opinions ways principles and practices which their hearts rise and swell against by laying them in bonds which stand up most eminently in the defence of those truths opinions ways principles and practices The nature of Man is very curious and inquisitive Men as men are led by common compassion to desire to understand the grounds of men's sufferings By this means the sufferings especially the imprisonment of the Apostles carried the Doctrine of the Gospel to many places where the Apostles themselves never came nor perhaps could come no doubt but the fame of their suffering went faster and farther too than they could go But Eighthly They that are Assertors of any one fundamental Act. 24. 14. 1 Cor. 11. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Gal. 5. 20. truth in opposition to error and heresie truly so called have a good cause and if they suffer upon that account they suffer as Christians for well doing Such were those Christians that suffered under the Arian Emperours Constantius Valens and others who suffered for maintaining that Christ was coessential coequal and coeternal with the Father And such were Wickliff John Hus and Jerome of Prague c. Are there none this day among us that suffer in their names in their estates in their persons in their liberties for asserting and maintaining the great truths of the Gospel in opposition to Socinianism Arianism Popery Will-worship c. Are there
no Socinian Atheists among us who deny with open face the God-head of Christ and of the Holy Ghost as if Christ were a constituted God and not of the same substance with the Father from all Eternity not a God by Nature but by Donation in time And though God hath raised up several Champions in this his Israel to disarm them of all their Subtilties and to beat them out of all their Trenches though they were dug as low as hell yet how have they put on Prov. 27. 22. a brow of brass and do all they can to bring on a warm Persecution upon their opposers But Ninthly They that plead for the reduction of all Ordinances Worship Church Government and Discipline to the primitive pattern and institution in opposition to all Humane and Antichristian Inventions Traditions and Innovations in the Worship of God they have a good Cause and they that suffer upon that account suffer as Christians for well doing Surely this is a truth we must live and die by viz. That no Ordinance Worship Government or Discipline is to be held up or maintained in the Church but what has the stamp of a Divine Institution upon it The worshipping of God in Spirit and in Truth is that Worship Joh. 4. 23 24. Rom 1. 9. Phil. 3. 3. which God commands commends accepts and rewards And therefore let us make it our business our work our heaven to keep close to this kind of Worship Christ will shortly come in 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9 10. flames of fire and vindicate this kind of Worship against all opposers Hold out Faith and Patience a little and Christ will call all the troublers of his Church and People into the Valley of Decision Joel 3. 14. Isa 40. 10. Jer. 21. 5. Ezek. 32. 2. and there with a strong hand and with an out-stretched arm he will plead with them and with all such as have muddied the Waters of his Sanctuary and polluted those Silver Streams and then it will appear whether the outward ceremonious worshiping of God or the worshiping him in Spirit and in Truth be the true Worship Judicious Hooker determines that in God's Service to do that which we are not to do is a greater fault than not to do that which we are commanded Amongst other reasons he gives this to our purpose because in the one we seem to charge the Law of God with hardness only and in the other with foolishness and insufficiency which God gave us as a perfect Rule of his Worship and Service But Tenthly and lastly They that are Assertors of those precious 10. Privileges that are the purchase of the blood of Christ they have Eph. 1. 22 23. Colos 1. 18. Phil. 2. 6 7 8 9 10. a good cause and if they suffer upon that account they suffer as Christians for well doing As for instance First Christ as Mediator hath purchased for himself a Headship and Supremacy over his Church Now such as stand up for the Headship of the Lamb against all those that would rob him of his Headship either at Rome or elsewhere they have a righteous Cause and if they suffer upon that account they suffer as Christians for well doing Secondly He has purchased for his People aâ— Liberty to serve and worship him without fear in holiness and righteousness all Luk. 1. 69 70 74 75. Gal. 5. 1. the days of their life He has purchased for his People a Liberty from the Ceremonies of Moses's Law which were originally the Commands of God himself how much more then from all Paganish and Antichristian Ceremonies The imposition of traditional Observances and Ceremonies is to reduce us under the Jewish Yoke which neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear Act. 15. 10. or to impose them as equally obligatory to Conscience as Divine Commands or to impose them as the immediate Worship of God or as Duties essentially necessary in order to Salvation Christians justly abhor as the Tyranny of Rome as the infringment of Christian Liberty and as a Violation and making void â— the Commandment of God as our Saviour told the Pharisees of Mat. 15. 6. old That they made the Commandment of God of none effect The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to deprive of all Rule and Authority They had such a superstitious esteem of their Traditions Ceremonies c. that they sought to shoulder God out of his Throne to devest and spoil him of his Rule and Authority to ungod him as it were by making his Commandment void and invalid Christ reprehends three things in the Jewish Traditions Châ—mnâ—t 1. That they obtruded outward Cleanness on God instead of the Purity of the heart 2. That by their Humane Traditions they made void the Worship of God 3. That they preferred Humane Traditions before the Divine Precepts and were so taken with their Traditions that they neglected the Divine Precepts yea made them altogether vain as the Papists and others that are Popishly affected do this day They that are the most zealous Dr. Fuller Sâ—m for the introducing of useless Ceremonies in the Church are usually the most negligent to preach the Cautions in using them and simple people like Children in eating of Fish swallow bones and all to the danger of choaking Besides what is observed of horse-hairs that lying nine days in water they turn to Snakes So some Ceremonies though dead at first in continuance of time quicken get stings and may do much mischief especially in such an Age wherein the meddling of some have justly awakened the Jealousie of all Now whoever shall suffer for asserting of any of the precious Privileges that are the Purchase of Christ's Blood they suffer in a Righteous Cause they suffer as Christians for well doing And thus you see how a man may know when his Cause is good just and righteous and when he suffers as a Christian for well doing But Seventhly Consider That it is not enough for a man to have a good cause but he must have a clear call else he may be a sufferer but no Martyr Some may have a good Cause and yet want a clear Call Some may suffer for the cause of God and yet sin in suffering for want of a Call Christ calls not all to suffer Phil. 1. 29. A Priest might enter into a Leper's house without danger because he had a calling from God so to do And we may follow God dry-shod through the Red Sea when God gives a Call to some it is given to others it is not given When a man's Call is clear his Peace will be sweet his courage will be high and his comforts will be strong though his sufferings be never so great nor never so long Though it be a high honour to suffer for the Gospel yet no man ought to take this honour upon himself but he that is called of God Christians must take as much heed how they
understand it of the whole time of his manifestation in the world when he was sent forth as a Prophet to teach them and was declared evidently to be the son of God both by his miracles and ministry Joâ— 1. 14. and by that voice that was heard from heaven This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased Others do understand it of the day of Christ's Resurrection and with them I close for this seems to be chiefly intended partly because it seems to be spoken of some solemn time of Christ's manifestation to be the son of God and he was declared to be the son of God with power according to the Rom. 1. 4. spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead that is by the power and force of the Deity sanctifying and quickening the flesh he was raised from the dead and so declared mightily to be the son of God but mainly because the Apostle doth clearly affirm that this was in Christ's Resurrection He hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my son this Act. 13. 32 33. day have I begotten thee In the day of Christ's Resurrection he seems to tell all the world that though from the beginning he had been hid in the bosom of his father Jâ—h 1. 18. and that though in the Law he had been but darkly shadowed out yet in the day of his Resurrection they might plainly see that he had fully satisfied Divine Justice finished his sâ—fferings and compleated the Redemption of his Elect and that accordingly his father had arrayed him with that glory that was sutable to him Before the Resurrection the Godhead was veiled under the infirmity of the flesh but in the Resurrection and after the Resurrection the Godhead did sparkle and shine forth 2 Cor. 13. 4. very gloriously and wonderfully least the humane nature of Christ upon its assumption should shrink at the approach of sufferings God the father engages himself to give Jesus Christ a full and ample reward And to exalt him far above all principality and power and to put all things Eph. 1. 21 22. â—â—il 2. 9. Name is put for person and bowing of the knee a bodily ceremony to express inward subjection Estius 〈◊〉 under his feet and to make him head over all things to the Church And to give him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and all because to give satisfaction to his father he made himself of no reputation and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross that is to his dying day He went thorough many a little death all his life long and at length underwent that cursed and painful death of the Cross upon which account the father rewards him highly by exalting him to singular glory and transcendent honour Look that as the assumption of the humane nature is the highest instance of free mercy so is the rewarding thereof in its state of exaltation the highest instance of remunerative justice Oh how highly is the humane nature of Christ honoured by being exalted to a personal union with the Godhead though vain men may dishonour Christ yet the father hath conferred honour upon him as Mediator that it may be a Testimony to us that he is infinitely pleased with the Redemption of lost man Although Christ be in himself God all-sufficient God blessed for ever and so is not capable of any access of glory yet it pleased him to condescend so far as to obscure his own glory under the veil of his flesh and state of humiliation till he had perfected the work of Redemption and to account of his office of Mediator and the dignity accompanying it as great honour conferred upon him by the father Jâ—l 8. 54. And it is observable that Christ having finished our Redemption on earth he petitions his father to advance him to the possession of that glory that he enjoyed from all eternity And now O father glorifie thou me Joh. 17. â— with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Now for the clearing up of this Text we are to consider that as Christ was from all Eternity the glorious God the God of glory so we are not to conceive of any real change in this glory of his Jesus Christ is true God and was infinitely glorious from all eternity for he had glory with his father before the world was and therefore he was no upstart God and of a later standing as the Arians and Mahoâ—etans make of him Godhead as if by his estate of humiliation he had suffered any diminution or by his state of exaltation any real accession were made to his glory as God But the meaning is this That Christ having according to the paction past betwixt the father and him obscured the glory of his Godhead for a time under the veil of the form of a servant and our sinless infirmities doth now expect according to the tenour of the same paction that after he hath done his work as Mediator he be highly exalted and glorified in his whole person that his humane nature be exalted to what glory finite nature is capable of and that the glory of his Godhead might shine in the person of Christ God-man and in the man Christ Jesus Thus you see the promises the encouragements and rewards that God the father sets before Jesus Christ And let thus much suffice concerning the Articles of the Covenant on God's part In the last place let us seriously consider of the Articles of the Covenant on Christ's part and let us weigh well the promises that Jesus Christ has made to the father for the bringing about the great work of our Redemption that so we may see what infinite cause we have to love the son as we love the father and to honour the son as we honour the father and to trust in the son as we trust in the father and to glorifie the son as we glorifie the father c. Now there are six observable things on Christ's part on Christ's side that we are to take special notice of c. First Christ having consented and agreed with the father about our Redemption accordingly he applies himself to the discharge of that great and glorious work by taking a body by assuming our nature Heb. 2. 14. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same He who was equal with God did so far abase himself as to take on him the nature of man and subjected himself to all manner of humane frailties so far as they are freed from sin even such as accompany flesh and blood and this is one of the wonders of mercy and love that Christ our head should stoop so low who was himself full of glory as to take part of flesh and blood that he might suffer for flesh