can make the Churches affliction a means of her Augmentation Exod. 1.12 The more they afflicted them the more they multiplied The Church of God is like that Plant Gregory Nazianzen speaks of which lives by dying and grows by cutting Persecution propagates the Church the scattering of the Apostles up and down was like scattering of seed it did tend much to the spreading of the Gospel Acts 8.1.4 6. If the Lord of Hosts be on our side he can alter the scene and turn the ballance of affairs when he pleaseth Dan. 1.21 He changeth times and seasons God can remove Mountains which lye in the way or leap over them His Power is uncontrollable he can bring Harmony out of discord He who brought Isaac out of a dead Womb and the Messiah out of a Virgins Womb what cannot he do The Lord of Hosts can in an instant alter the face of things There are no Impossibles with God if means fail he can Create 'T is therefore high prudence to get this Lord of Hosts on our side Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who can be against us And if we would engage God to be on our side 1. Let us be earnest suitors to him exercise Eyes of Faith and Knees of prayer Jer. 14.9 And in prayer let us use Joshua's argument Josh. 7.9 What wilt thou do unto thy great name Lord if the cause of Religion lose ground how will thy name suffer Popish Enemies never prevail but they Blaspheme 2. Let us put away iniquity out of our Tabernacles Iob 11.14 Sin is not worth keeping who would keep a Plague-sore Let us discard and abjure our sins And then the Lord of Hosts will be on our side and as a Pledge of his favourable presence he will entail the Gospel that Crowning blessing upon us and our posterity So much for the Person speaking the Lord of Hosts CHAP. XVII The first Part of the Saints reward Gods owning them 2. I Come now to the reward it self the first part whereof is Gods owning them they shall be mine Expositors here vary I take the sence of it to be they shall be mine in Covenant Ezek. 16.8 I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine This is no small favour to be in Covenant with God therefore when God told Abraham that he would enter into Covenant with him Abraham fell on his face Gen. 17.2 as being amazed that the great God should bestow such a signal favour upon him God never entred into Covenant with the Angels when they fell but he proclaims himself God in Covenant with Believers they shall be mine This Covenant enriched with Free-grace is a better Covenant than that which was made with Adam in Innocency For 1. The least failing would have made the first Covenant null and void but many failings do not invalidate the Covenant of Grace I grant the least sin makes a trespass upon the Covenant but doth not rescind it Every failing in the Conjugal Relation breaks not the Marriage bond 2. The first Covenant being violated allowed the sinner no remedy all doors of hope were shut but the new Covenant allows of a Remedy it provides a surety Heb. 12.24 Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant See the amazing goodness of God to his People to enter into Covenant with them and say Ye are mine 2 Sam. 23.5 He hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure The first Covenant stood upon the ticklish Foundation of Works Adam had no sooner a stock of Original Righteousness to Trade with but he broke but this Covenant of Grace is confirmed with Gods Decree and rests upon two mighty Pillars the Oath of God and the Blood of God That ye may see how great a priviledge this is to be owned by the Lord federally that he should be our God and we his people consider 1. If we are in Covenant with God and he saith to us Ye are mine then all that is in God is ours A person falling to decay marrying to a King hath an interest in all the Crown-revenues God having entred into a near Relation with us and saying ye are mine we have a share in his Rich revenues The Lord saith to every Believer as the King of Israel said to the King of Syria 1 Kin. 20.4 I am thine and all that I have My Wisdom shall be thine to teach thee my Holiness shall be thine to Sanctifie thee my Mercy shall be thine to save thee What richer dowry than Deity God is a whole Ocean of blessedness If there is enough in him to fill the Angels then sure he hath enough to fill us 2. If God saith to us ye are mine then he will have a tender care of us 1 Pet. 5.7 He careth for you God to shew his tender anxiousness towards Israel bare them as upon Eagles wings Exod. 19.4 The Eagle carries her young ones upon her wing to defend them the Arrow must first shoot through the Old Eagle before it can touch her Young ones A Mothers care is seen in leading the Child that it may not fall such is Gods care Hos. 11.3 I taught Ephraim to go leading them by their Arms. We may argue a minori ad majus if God take care of the meanest Infects and Animals that creep upon the earth much more will he take care of his Covenant-Saints He is still consulting and projecting for their good if they wander out of the way he guides them if they stumble he holds them by the hand if they fall he raiseth them if they be dull he quickens them by his Spirit if they be froward he draws them with cords of Love if they be sad he Comforts them with his promises 3. If God saith to us ye are mine then he will intirely love us Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an Everlasting love The Lord may give a man riches and not love him his prosperity may be as Israels Quails sawced with Gods wrath Num. 11.32 33. But when God saith ye are mine he cannot but love every one loves his own If God hath any love better than other his Covenant-People shall have it he will distil the Spirits of his love for them he loves them as he loves Christ John 17.24 4. If God saith to us ye are mine then he will not suffer us to want Believers are not only of Gods family but of Christs body and will the head let the body starve Psalm 37.3 Verily thou shalt be fed God hath not promised dainties he will not satisfie his Peoples lusts but he will supply their wants if the Bill of Fare grows low what they lack in chear they shall have in blessing Exod. 23.25 He will bless thy bread and thy water God will rather work a miracle than any of his Children shall famish The Raven that is so unnatural she will hardly feed her young yet did turn Caterer and brought food to the Prophet Elijah 5. If
the Cup of Affliction and God will shortly say Transeat Calix Let this Cup pass away from them Isa. 35.10 Sorrow and sighing shall fly away As Affliction hath a Sting to torment so it hath a Wing to fly 15. When God puts his Children to the School of the Cross he deals well with them because these Afflictions are Manuductions to lead them to Heaven Per crucem ad coelum 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light Affliction worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory Upon the dark Colour of Affliction God layes the Golden Colour of Glory O thou weeping Saint what a blessed change shalt thou shortly have Thou shalt change thy Pilgrimage for Paradise Thou shalt have thy wish Are riches desirable thou shalt have Gates of Pearl Is Honour desireable thou shalt have white Robes Is Pleasure desireable thou shalt enter into the Joy of thy Lord. O think what it will be to be sweetly immersed in the River of Life and Bathe in the Hony-streams of Gods Love for ever think what the Beatifical Vision will be what it will be to wear a Garland made of the Flowers of Paradise think what it will be to have the Soul thicker set with Jewels of Glory than the Firmament is bespangled with Stars O what a Compensation will this be for all a Christians Tryals A sight of this bliss will make him forget his Sufferings One Sun-beam of Glory will dry up the Water of his Tears If God dealswell with us when he chastiseth us then it becomes us to Cherish good Thoughts of God We are apt in Adversity to think hardly of God this ariseth from Pride Such commonly as are of high Spirits are of high Passions they think themselves better than others and that they have deserved better at Gods hands and now Pride vents it self in murmuring O let us take heed of having hard Thoughts of God The Patient hath no cause to think ill of the Physician when he prescribes him a bitter Potion seeing it is in order to a Cure Gods afflictive Providences are the strokes of a Father not the Wounds of an Enemy God smites that he may save Out of the bitterest Drug God distils his Glory and our Happiness Let us Think well of God nay in all adverse Providences let us learn to bless God 1 Thes. 5.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In every thing give thanks if in every thing then in Affliction And good reason because God deals well with us Iob blessed God in Affliction cap. 1.21 The smiting of Jobs Body was like the striking upon a musical Instrument he sounded forth Thankfulness A gracious Soul should bless God that he will take so much Notice of him as to Visit him with the Rod and is so kind as rather to Afflict him than lose him This shews an high degree of Grace not only to Iustifie God in Affliction but Magnifie him Believers are Gods Temples and where should his Praises be sounded forth but in his Temples FINIS * Eccles. 12.12 * 2 Cor. 1.1 †Mundi facundiam non venditavit Vorstius * Dan. 10.21 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Drusius * Nihil erat integrum neque in sacerdotibus neque in vulgo laxis quasi habenis in omni genere scelerum grassati fuerunt Calvin Doct. * Iste vir totius orbis impetum sustinuit Quest. Answ. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bias. * Non quâ eundum sed qua itur Sen. * Fox Acts Mon. Quest. Answ. * Quid iste faceret in igne qui Christum rubuit in nube Hierom * Chrysost. Quest. Answ. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Rhet. lib. 2. c. 6. * Pessimus in dubijs timor augur * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Nehem. 1.11 Doct. * Mat. 25.25 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. rhet * In gehenna nec qui torquet fatigatur â— nec qui torquetur moritur Bern. flor Object Answ. * Quem metuunt oderunt 1 Vse Confutation * Ephes. 1.13 2 Vse Information Use 3. Lamentation Quest. * Omne peccatum fundatur in ignorantia Answ. Vse 4. Reproof 1 Branch * Cantabat moestis tibia funeribus Ovid. * 1 Tim. 6.9 2. Br. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 26.26 3. Branch Use 5. Exhortation * Homo Time Deum minantem mundum ridebis * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sophocles * Corona sapientiae Timor Domini Aug. Tom. 9 Quest. Answ. * Arcana Evangelii per internam spiritus illuminationem enunciat Deus Piscator * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Cur scelere mortem acceleras Eccles. 7.17 Mercer †AEterna Vita verae vita Aug. * Dan. 1.12 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. †Si vis esse securus semper time †Eccles. 8.12 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. ad pop Antioch Hom. 18. * Quid timet homo in sinu Dei positus Aug. †Vitia hominum sunt epulae daemonum * Stulti est compedes licet aureas amare Seneca †Numquid Deus stultis daturus est regnum coelorum Aug. * Radiis justitiae suae pâ—rsundens animum Tremel * Custos animae timor Aug. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vse 6. Trial. Quest. Answ. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. Object Answ. * An liceat an deceat an expediat †Cui nihil satis est eidem nihil turpe Tacitus * Princeps imperio magnus exemplo major Paterculus †Multitudo errantium non parit errori patrocinium Hierom * Psalm 102.1 †Antonini blandimenta magis timebantur quam iracundia * Virg. AEn 2. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Multae sunt in animo latebrae Cicero * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristor Quest. Answ. †Gen. 49.30 * Si amor Dei te non teneat timor Iudicis te terreat Hugo * Veniet veniet dies Iudicii ubi plus valebunt pura Corda quam astuta verba Bernard Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. * Descendamus in infernum viventes ne descendamus morientes Bern. Quest. Answ. †Prov. 22.14 * Prov. 9.17 †Magis intuentur quid fecerit Jupiter quam quid docuit Plato Aug. * Durum est quod non cedit tactui †Ephes. 4.19 * Jer. 44.16 17. †1 Thes. 1.10 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Num. 23.1 2. Quest. Answ. 1. Special Character Doct. * Acts 4.20 1 Vse Inform. 2 Vse Reproof 1 Br. * Pro. 23.5 †1 Cor. 7.3 2 Branch * Foliis leviora caducis verba Ovid. 3 Branch * Magnoque irarum fluctuat aestu Virgil. * Majora sunt linguae Vulnera quam gladii Aug. †1 Tim. 3.11 3 Vse Exhortation * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Verba sunt speculum mentis Bernard * Acts and Mon. 1 Caution Second Caution 2 Special Character Quest. Answ. * Cogitationes sunt rerum imagines Moller Doct. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest. Answ.
Sodomites that he might preserve his Angel-guests who were come into his house Gen. 19.8 Did not Satan instigate him to this Necessity will not excuse impiety 3 d. Snare is to Colour over sin with the Pretence of Vertue Alcibiades hung a Curtain curiously embroidered over a foul Picture full of Owls and Satyrs Satan puts Good names on sin as Physitians call that Film in the eye which hinders the sight a Pearl in the eye Satan Colour'd over Jehu's Ambition with the Name of Zeal 2 Kin. 10.16 He makes men believe Revenge is Valour Covetousness Frugality as if one should write balm-water upon a glass of Poyson 4 th Snare of Satan is to carry on his mischievous designs under a pretence of Friendship He puts off his Lions Skin and comes in Sheeps Clothing Thus Satan came to Christ Command that these Stones be made bread Mat. 4.3 As if he had said I see thou art Hungry I therefore out of Pity Counsel thee to get something to eat turn stones to bread that thy hunger may be satisfied but Christ spied the Serpent in the Temptation and repulsed him Thus Satan came to Eve under the Notion of a Friend Eat saith he of the Tree in the midst of the Garden Ye shall not dye ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.4 5. As if he had said I perswade you only to that which will put you into a better condition than now ye are eat of the Tree of knowledge and it will make you Omniscient What a kind Devil was here but Eve found a Worm in the Apple Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes 5 th Snare if Satan cannot take a Christian off from duty he will put him on too far in duty Humiliation is a duty but Satan suggests that the Soul is not humbled enough and indeed he never thinks it humbled enough till it despairs Satan comes thus to a man Thy sins have bin great and thy Sorrow should be proportionable But is it so canst thou say thou hast bin as great a Mourner as thou hast bin a Sinner what is a drop of Sorrow to a Sea of Sin This is laid only as a Snare the subtil enemy would have a Christian weep himself blind and in a desperate humour throw away the Anchor of Hope And if Satan hath such fallacies and as a Decoy draws so many Millions into his snares is there not cause of jealous fear lest we should be trappan'd The fear of God will make us Fear Hells stratagems Satans snares are worse than his darts 2. The Fear of God will make a man afraid of his own Heart Luther used to say he feared his Heart more than the Pope or Cardinals Ier. 17.9 The Heart is deceitful above all things 1. It is deceitful The word signifies it is a Jacob or Supplanter As Jacob supplanted his brother and got away the blessing so our Hearts would supplant and beguile us 2. Above all things There is deceit in Weights deceit in Friends but the Heart hath an art of deceiving beyond all In the best hearts there is some fallaciousness David was upright in all things save only in the matter of Vriah 1 King 15.5 A Godly man Knowing there is a spice of this deceit in his Heart Fears himself The flesh is a Bosom-Traitor No man can believe what evil is in his Heart 2 Kin. 8.12 Is thy Servant a Dog Hazael could not believe his Heart had bin big of such Monsters If one had come to Noah and said thou wilt be drunk shortly he would have said Is thy Servant a Dog No man knows what is in his breast or what scandal he may fall into if God leaveth him Christ warns his own Apostles to take heed of surfeiting and drunkenness Luk. 21.34 A Godly man therefore fears his Heart with a Fear of Caution and jealousie The Heart is not only stubborn but subtil Let us a little Trace this Impostor and see if there be not cause to fear it The heart shows it's deceitfulness about 1. Things Sinful 2. Things Sacred 1. The Heart shows it's deceitfulness about things sinful this deceit is 1. In hiding of sin as Rahab hid the spies in the flax Josh. 2.6 So the Heart Hides sin and how doth it hide it Just as Adam hid himself under fig-leaves so the Heart hides sin under the figleaves of excuses It was done against the will or in a Passion or it was long of others Aaron laid his sin in making the Golden calf upon the people Exo. 32.22 The people are set on mischief And Adam tacitly laid his sin upon God himself Gen. 3.12 The Woman thou gavest me she gave me of the tree As to say If thou hadst not given me this tempting woman I had not eat 2. The Hearts deceit is seen in Flattering of us it will make us believe we are not so bad as we are The Physitian deceives the patient when he tells him his disease is not so dangerous yet he is falling into the hands of death The Heart will tell a man he is free from Theft when yet he robs others of their Good Name he is free from Drunkenness when though he will not be drunk with Wine he will be drunk with Passion Thus the Heart is a flattering Glass to make one look fairer than he is and is there not cause to suspect this Impostor 2. The Heart shews it's deceitfulness about things Sacred it will be ready to put us off with Counterfeit Grace Many have bin deceived in taking false Mony and it is to be feared in taking false Grace 1. The Heart is ready to deceive with a false repentance A Sinner is troubled a little for Sin or rather the consequent of it and perhaps sheds a few tears and now his Heart sooths him up that he is a true Penitent But every legal terrour is not Repentance Acts 2.37 They were pricked in their Heart yet after this Peter said unto them Repent ver 38. If every slight Trouble for sin were true Repentance then Iudas and Cain may be listed in the number of penitents Evangelical Repentance works a change of Heart 1 Cor. 6.11 It produceth Sanctity But the false penitentiary though he hath trouble of Spirit yet no Metamorphise or change He hath a weeping Eye but an adulterous Heart Ahab Fasts and puts on sack-cloth but after this he puts the Prophet Micaiah in Prison 1 Kin. 22.27 2. The Heart is apt to deceive with a false Faith it would put the dead child in the room of the living They in the second of Iohn are said to believe But Christ did not believe their faith John 2.24 True Faith as it casts it self into Christs arms to embrace him so it casts it self at Christs feet to serve him But spurious Faith though it be forward to Receive Christs benefits yet it plucks the Government from his shoulders Isa. 9.6 It would have him a Priest but not upon his throne Zach. 6.13 Thus the Heart
Profession to lose Heaven What think you of the Foolish Virgins They are called Virgins because they were not tainted with any gross Sin yet these Virgin-Professors were shut out Mat. 25.10 Balaam a Prophet Iudas an Apostle both cashiered We have seen some Ships have had glorious names given them the Good-speed the Hope the Safe-guard yet cast away at Sea 2. It is possible to come near to Heaven yet fall short of it Mark 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God yet he was not near enough Men may countenance the Ministry of the Word have their Affections moved at an Ordinance and in outward show out-go the Children of God yet not having the Oyl of Sincerity in their Vessels they may be frustrated of happiness And how dismal is that to lose God to lose their Souls to lose their Hopes The Millions of Tears shed in Hell are not sufficient to bewail the loss of Heaven Well may such as have Heaven in them Fear their coming short of it Thus much for the Use of Trial. How shall we arrive at this Blessed Fear 1. Let us set God ever in our eye study his Immensity He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Almighty Gen. 17.1 He gives laws to the Angels binds the Consciences of men cuts off the Spirit of Princes Psalm 76.12 The Thoughts of Gods incomprehensible Greatness would strike an Holy awe into our Hearts Elijah wrap'd his face in a Mantle when Gods Glory passed by The reason men Fear not God is because they entertain slight thoughts of him Psalm 40.21 Thou thoughtest I was such an one as thy self 2. Let us pray for this Fear of God which is the Root of all Holiness and the Mother of all Wisdom Psalm 86.11 Vnite my Heart to Fear thy Name the Lord hath Promised to put his Fear in our Heart Ier. 32.40 Let us pray over this Promise while some pray for Riches and others for Children let us pray for an Heart to Fear God To conclude this you who have this Fear planted in your Souls bless God for it Psalm 135.20 Ye that Fear the Lord bless the Lord. God hath done more for you than if he had made you Kings and Queens and caused you to ride upon the High places of the Earth He hath enriched you with that Jewel which he bestows only upon the Elect. O stand upon Mount Gerizim blessing The Fear of God is an Immortal Seed springing up into Glory Psalm 22.23 Ye that fear the Lord praise him Begin the Work of Heaven now be Spiritual Quiristers sound forth Holy Doxologies and Triumphs say as David Psalm 71.8 Let my Mouth be filled with thy Praise and with thy Honour all the day God hath but little praise in the world Who should pay him this Quit-rent if not they that fear him CHAP. V. Shewing the first Character in special of the Godly namely Speaking of God 2. HAving done with the Character of the Godly in General I proceed next to their Special Characters 1 They spake often one to another When the Wicked said It is Vain to serve God then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another The meaning of this word they spake often is they did discourse Religiously together their Tongues were Divinely tuned by the Holy Ghost Christians when they meet together should use holy Conference This is not only an advice but a charge Deu. 6.6 These words shall be in thy Heart and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy House and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Indeed where there is Gratia infusa it will be effusa Grace changeth the Language and makes it Spiritual When the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles they spake with other Tongues Act. 2.4 Grace makes Christians speak with Other Tongues A good Christian hath not only the Law of God in his Heart Psalm 37.31 but in his Tongue vers 30. The body is the Temple of God 1 Cor. 6.19 The Tongue is the Organ in this Temple which sounds in Holy discourse Prov. 10.20 The tongue of the Iust is as Choice Silver He drops Silver sentences enriching others with Knowledge Mat. 12.35 A Good man out of the Good treasure of his Heart bringeth forth good things In his heart is a Treasure of Goodness and this is not like a bag of Mony Sealed but he brings something out of the Treasure within to the enriching of others Grace is of the Nature of fire which will not be pent up like new Wine it will have Vent There is a principle within constrains to holy Conference Job 32.18 The Spirit within me constraineth me CHAP. VI. Containing the Applicatory part IT shews the Genius and temper of true Saints they speak often one to another their Lips drop as an Hony-comb A man is known what country he belongs to by his Language He who belongs to the Jerusalem above speaks the Language of Canaan none of Gods children are dumb their mouth is a well-spring of Wisdom Prov. 18.4 Here I may draw up a bill of Indictment against five sorts of Persons 1. Such as are silent in matters of Religion They would be counted Good but he must have good eyes that can see it I know not whether it be Ignorance or Bashfulness that makes good discourse waved Many are so mute in Religion as if their Tongues did cleave to the roof of their Mouth had they any love to God or had they ever tasted how sweet the Lord is their mouth would talk of his Righteousness Psalm 71.24 Friends what should we mind but Salvation what are the things of this world they are neither Entia nor Manentia Do not we see men heap up Riches and on a sudden death as Gods Serjeant Arrests them What should we talk of but the things Pertaining to the Kingdom of God Let this cause blushing among Christians that their meetings are so unprofitable they leave God out of their discourse Why is there no good conference Have you so much Knowledge that you need not have it encreased Have you so much Faith that you need not have it Strengthened Silence in Religion is a loud sin We read of one who was possessed with a Dumb Devil Mark 9.12 How many are Spiritually possessed with a Dumb Devil It is a rebuke to such as when they meet together instead of speaking of Heaven they have idle frothy discourse They do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch said of Alcibiades Their Lips do not drop as an Honey-comb but run as a Spout their speaking is Just like a Childs scribling Psalm 12.2 They speak Vanity every one with his Neighbour If Christ should ask some as he did the two Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24.17 What manner of Communications have you as you walk they could not say as they did concerning Jesus of