in making of it and assists the weak Soul so that he concludes with strong Confidence he is sincere or loves God in truth and not only secretly assists but seconds him and saith the same thing to Man that his own Spirit doth Rom. 8 16 The Spirit beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God If the Premises be corrupt which the Understanding makes for the Heart makes Propositions suitable to the Light that is in the intellectual Part then the Devil that lying Spirit strikes in and seconds the Soul in that corrupt Conclusion which he collects from corrupt Principles concerning himself thereby to ruin and undo the Soul in Ignorance and Unbelief Thirdly This Faculty or natural Power called Conscience only appertaineth to Men and not to any irrational Creatures Brutes want Reason and therefore are not capable Subjects of Conscience yet against Reason and Conscience Men oftentimes do worse than a Beast Fourthly Conscience is a natural Power in Man which compares his Ways and Thoughts by some Rule and according as his Ways agree or disagree with that Rule so answerably doth it bear witness with or against him If the Understanding be enlightned with Truth to wit the Word of God then Conscience compares the Ways of a Man by a perfect Rule But if the Understanding be enlightned with natural or moral Principles only then Conscience compares a Man's Ways according to those Principles only and so by an imperfect Rule So far Mr. Lockier and others as to what Conscience is Metaphor Parallel A Witness gives in Testimony according to his Light or that Knowledg he hath of things and if he hath a perfect Knowledg of this or that he speaks and testifies his Testimony is good and ought to be received SO Conscience gives in Testimony according to that Light and Knowledg that is in the Understanding for it only speaks and makes Propositions according to its Light if it be misguided by Satan or corrupt Nature or false Principles his Testimony is not good nor to be regarded but deceives and abuses the Soul as a false Witness doth who appears to speak in the behalf of a guilty Person And on the other hand he may for want of a clear Light and Understanding condemn such as he should clear And hence many that are very wicked and vile both in Practice and Principle are very confident that their State and Condition is good and their poor deluded Souls are peremptory many times and wiser in their own Conceit than seven Men that can give a Reason In them is fulfilled that of the Apostle Their Minds and Consciences are corrupt And on the other hand for want of a little Light some good Men by the Testimony of their Consciences are ready to condemn themselves and give up all their Hope notwithstanding their being justified and accepted by Jesus Christ II. A Witness therefore must be throughly examined to find out how or by what means he comes to know this or that he gives Testimony of II. So must a Man strictly examine his own Conscience how it comes to have knowledg of things of which it either accuseth or excuseth for this ought always to be received as an undoubted Truth That the Word of God is the very Rule and Guide by which Conscience should be steered and by the clear Light of which it ought at all times to give in its Testimony either for or against a Man Saul thought he ought to have done many things against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth his Heart did not witness against him when he contented to Stephen's Death because his Conscience wanted Light it had not perfect knowledg of things And hence he saith that what he did he did it ignorantly in Vnbelief But should another Man 1 Tim. 1.13 who knew that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God and those persecuted People were the People of God have done so Conscience would have been Witness against him and have flown in his Face yea condemned him for it without Repentance to the lowest Pit of Hell III. A good Witness one that hath perfect knowledg of all things laid to a Man's Charge if he can make it out that he is wronged how is such a Witness to be valued III. So a good Conscience I mean a Conscience rightly enlightned by the Word of God if it gives in Testimony for a Man that his Heart is sincere and his Life holy and that he truly loveth and feareth God notwithstanding the false Charge of the Enemy how is the Testimony of such a Witness to be valued by a Christian Hence Paul saith 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the Testimony of our Conscience IV. A good and faithful Witness will speak the whole Truth and clear the Matter so far as he knoweth or can speak to it upon all occasions IV. So a good and well-guided Conscience will speak all the Truth and clear the Matter between God and the Soul so far as he hath Light and will deceive no Man or Woman if they do but hearken to him V. A good and faithful Witness will not be bribed or daunted but speak in behalf of a Man who is falsly accused and to the utter Shame and Conviction of the guilty Person V. So Conscience rightly guided by God's Word will speak Peace to a godly and sincere Person let who will condemn him and will speak Terror to the wicked and impenitent Sinner let who will speak Peace and Comfort to him Conscience will deal plainly if it may be heard and be not stifled or put out of a capacity of bringing in its Testimony VI. A just and impartial Witness is greatly dreaded by a wicked and guilty Person VI. So Conscience who is an impartial Witness is greatly dreaded by some ungodly Souls O how fain would they fly from those terrible Accusations of their own Consciences if they knew how Some from the Horror that ariseth from hence have hanged themselves and others cut their own Throats and some have several other ways laid violent hands upon themselves So poor Conscience who is known and daily found to be a true and faithful Witness one that will not be bribed or corrupted by Frowns or Flatteries who knoweth all the secret Lusts Pride Malice Treasons Thefts Adulteries that lie in the Heart and all manner of Wickedness that vile Sinners are guilty of and layeth it daily to their Charge is hated and much struck at nay such is the Wickedness of Men they endeavour to stifle it and fear its Tongue with hot Irons nay and put out his Eyes nay so far as they can they endeavour to murther it that it may not be able to witness against them any more but that they may sin without controul Of these the Apostle speaks Eph. 4.19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto all manner of Lasciviousness to work all Vncleanness with Greediness Having their Consciences seared with a hot
pure Psal 119. therefore thy Servant loveth it 5. He hath a good Conscience whose Conviction and Trouble for Sin is universal when it is deep when the Spirit searcheth into the bottom Come saith the Woman of Samaria Joh. 4 29 39. see a Man that hath told me all that ever I did And they were pricked in their Hearts 6. He hath an evangelical good Conscience who is troubled for Sin not simply because of Shame or because of inward Guilt or fear of Punishment but because God is and hath been offended his Spirit grieved and his Soul defiled and made unlike God his Trouble riseth from the sence of the hainous Nature of Sin 7. When Conscience findeth that no Conviction either of Sin or Duty is slighted by the Soul Psal 119.80 but tenderly nourished 8. When a Man will suffer any Punishment or Loss before he will offer violence to his Conscience and sin against God 9. When Conscience cannot find any Sin hid spared born with or connived at in the Soul no sweet Morsel under the Tongue 10. When Conscience finds a Man the same in private that he is in publick and that he is not of a Pharisaical Spirit doth nothing to be seen of Men or for vain Glory's sake 11. When Conscience cannot find any Duty or Ordinance which the Soul is convinced of to be neglected tho he is exposed to Reproach thereby To obey God in Baptism is called the Answer of a good Conscience Conscience calls for obedience to this and to all other Ordinances of the Gospel when convinced of them 12. And lastly When Conscience beareth Testimony to a Soul that it loveth God and Jesus Christ above all things in this World c. He that hateth not Father and Mother c. cannot be my Disciple That is if he hath not a lesser Love to them for the lesser Love in Scripture is called a Hatred which our Saviour openeth in another place He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Phil. 3 9 10. c. Yea doubtless I account all things but Loss c. Quest How shall a Man get and keep a good Conscience Answ 1. He must get his Heart sprinkled with the Blood of Christ Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience c. See that you experience that the Blood of Christ hath as effectually purged your Consciences from dead Works Heb. 9.14 as the Blood of Bulls and Goats sanctified to the purifying of the Flesh 2. He must take heed of all such things as offend his Conscience Conscience is a very tender thing the smallest thing will make it bleed 3. He must take heed of evil aad corrupt Principles an erring Conscience is not a good Conscience 4. Labour to fit under a Soul-searching Ministry 5. Take heed of vain Glory and all secret Evil Conscience prieth into thy most inward Thoughts beware of speculative Sin 6. Labour to keep thy Tongue Whoso keepeth his Mouth and his Tongue keepeth his Soul from Trouble 7. Labour to bring thy Heart into every Duty beware of Hypocrisy 8. Do not grieve or offend thy Conscience in any thing tho the Matter may be in it self lawful yet thou must not do it if thou hast a doubt in thy Spirit about it Rom. 14.23 He that doubteth is damned that is condemned in his own Conscience But much more take heed of doing that which is by all owned to be utterly unlawful 9. Labour in all Acts to be sincere Conscience hath power to give in Testimony concerning thy Integrity if thy Heart be unsound and not upright Conscience will soon discover it and reproach thee for it and thou wilt not be able to hold out to the end and sad will it be to have thy own Conscience witness against thee when thou comest to lie on a sick Bed an evil Conscience will be a bad Death-Bed Companion O how doth this reprove those that sin and regard not the Checks and Rebukes of their own Hearts Conscience in the great Day will be more than ten thousand Witnesses against them THE Seventh HEAD OF Metaphors Allegories and Similes WITH Other Borrowed TERMS Relating to the Church of GOD. The Church called the City of God Psal 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God Selah Psal 46.4 There is a River the Streams whereof shall make glad the City of God the holy Place of the Tabernacle of the Most High Isa 26.1 We have a strong City c. Isa 33.20 Look upon Zion the City of our Solemnity c. Isa 62.12 And they shall call them the holy People c. And thou shalt be called a City sought out not forsaken Mat. 5.14 Ye are a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid IN these places of the Holy Scripture Sion or the Church of God is called a City Sion was a Fort or Mount in Jerusalem and the Temple was built upon it hence the Church of the Jews was called as some conceive by this Name Zion because there they assembled but after it was a Name or Title given to the Church whether Jews or Gentiles Heb. 12.12 Ye are come to Mount Sion to the City of the Living God the heavenly Jerusalem God's People may be called by the Name of Sion or Jerusalem 1. Because we were naturally like Jerusalem the Forts of the Jebusites viz. Sinners and Enemies to God 2. Because by Grace we are overcome and conquered like as Jerusalem was by the true David 3. Because the Church is fortified by the Almighty for his own use and chief Place and Residence in this nether Creation 4. In respect of her Renown and Glory As Jerusalem was renowned above all Cities so God's Church is now above all People and Societies in the World 5. Because it is viewed and gazed upon by all Strangers she may well be compared to a Looking-glass as Zion signifies 6. In respect of her Laws for as the Law and publick Worship were at Jerusalem so Christ's Laws and publick Worship are maintained in the Church Hence God is said to love the Gates of Zion more than all the Dwelling-Places of Jacob. Psal 87.2 Observ The Saints or Church of God is the City of God or may fitly be compared to a City In opening of this Metaphor we shall shew the Nature Trade Government Privileges and Glory of the City of God Metaphor Parallel A City is a Place built by Men for a People to inhabit or dwell in THe Church is built by Christ for a Habitation for God Mat. 16.18 Vpon this Rock will I build my Church c. In whom ye are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.22 II. A City is usually compassed about with Walls that it may thereby become
Iron 1 Tim. 4.2 VII A great and faithful Witness who hath perfect Knowledg of things and will not be bribed who can and will as it is believed and found by experience speak fully to a Cause tho it be to the utter Shame and Ruin of all guilty Persons is many times grievously abused by malicious Men who hate that their abominable Deeds should be brought to Light or laid at their Doors nay not only so but some have been stifled strangled and traiterously murdered as the ever renowned Sir Edmond-Bury Godfrey was by bloody Papists the 12th of October 1678. whom they knew could witness many things against them to detect their cursed and never to be forgotten Hellish Plot. VIII It is a very great Wickedness to lay violent hands or treacherously to abuse and stifle the King 's faithful Witnesses especially when called to give in their Evidence in Matters of great Moment wherein the Honour and Sovereignty of the King is greatly concerned VIII So it is a great and horrible Wickedness for any Soul or Sinner to go about to stop the Mouth of or treacherously to abuse poor Conscience who is the great Witness of the King of Heaven and Earth in this lower Court and that in Matters wherein his Honour and glorious Right and Sovereignty is much concerned nay not only his Witness but Judg to sit upon the Bench to hear and determine all Causes if rightly informed according to the great Law-Book of the Gospel and to pass Sentence of Life and Death or to acquit and discharge IX A Witness is required to speak the Truth when he comes before a Court of Judicature the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth and he that is a true Witness will do it And hereby many times most horrid Evils are brought to light and publickly detected yea secret things are discovered that the guilty Person thought would never have been known which makes him ashamed and confounded for ever IX So Conscience in the Day of Judgment will speak the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth Tho now oft-times he is blinded and at a great Loss for want of Light or by being mis-guided he gives in false Testimony and quits the guilty and condemns the innocent but in that day it will recover such perfect Light and Knowledg that it will decide the Cause clearly the right way and will by this means bring to light all the hidden things of Darkness 1 Cor. 4 5. even all those cursed Abominations of the Heart all secret things that it and God Almighty were only privy to and will lay open all the horrid Evils that have been done in the dark Then Men shall be forced to confess their secret Adulteries Murthers Treacheries Theft Self-Revenge together with all their bloody and black Combinations ConspiracieS and Hellish Plots carried on in secret Cabals managed by ungodly Papists or others notwithstanding all their Oaths of Secrecy Conscience if it comes not to light before will in that day lay all open before the Eyes of Men and Angels to the Shame and eternal Confusion of all ungodly Ones X. A just and impartial Witness that clearly and very fully giveth in Testimony against a Person in a fair Trial finally stops his own Mouth and the Mouths of all others and leaves the Cause clear for the Judg to pass Sentence against him X. So the Consciences of wicked Men in the great Day will give in such clear and full Evidence against them touching all the Evils they shall then be charged with by the just Judg of Heaven and Earth that all Flesh shall for ever be silenced and God shall be clear when he judgeth Rom. 2.15 16. Which shew the Works of the Law written in their Hearts their Consciences also bearing Witness and their Thoughts in the mean while accusing or else excusing one another in that Day when God shall judg the Secrets of all Men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel And hereby all the Mouths of Unbelievers will be stopp'd and they all be found guilty before Christ Inferences THese things being considered it may stir up all Persons to take heed how they carry it at home and abroad when they go out and when they come in when they lie down or rise up because Conscience observes all that is said or done nay is privy to all the thoughts of our Hearts and one day will witness for us or against us II. Let Christians whatever they do labour to keep a good Conscience A good Conscience is better than a good Name it is better than a good Trade 't is better than a good Estate And for further Motives to this needful Duty 1 Consider Conscience keeps a Register of all thy Thoughts Words and Actions what you forget and is quite gone out of your Memories is set down in the Book of Conscience 2. Consider Conscience is a Witness an impartial Witness an Accuser of Evil and tho he lies still a great while he will rouse up at last and with his cruel Charges and Accusations accuse the Soul as in the Case of Joseph's Brethren And they said one to another Gen. 42.21 Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the Anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us 3. Conscience is not only a Witness but a Judg and hath power to condemn the wicked and the guilty Soul it sits upon the Throne as God's Attorney-General to award Life or Death as the States and Conditons of Men are If thy Heart condemn the 1 Joh 3.20 21. God is greater c. 4. Conscience doth often the Work and Office of a Tormentor wo to them that fall into his enraged hands here but much more sad will it be with them whom he shall torment in Hell 'T is he that is the gnawing Worm that never dies Mark 9.44 where the Fire shall never be quenched But 5. There is no bearing in this World the Pain and Torment of an accusing Conscience Tiberius the Emperor was so followed with Grief and Horror by his own Conscience that he confessed in the Senate-House he suffered Death daily and Charles the Ninth of France that Monster of Mortals after the dreadful Massacre could never endure to be awaked in the Night without Musick such was the dreadful Anguish and Horror he found in his own Conscience Francis Spira also may be here recited among the rest whose Conscience terrified him at that rate that the Account of his fearful Case is left to Posterity It was Conscience that put Judas into such an Amaze and forced him to hang himself after he had betrayed our Blessed Saviour And many other Examples both ancient and modern we meet with both of Men and Women that have destroyed themselves as not being able to bear the cruel Torments of an accusing Conscience and others from hence have confessed their Guilt and so
delivered themselves into the hands of Justice 6. That Man can never have good Days that keeps an evil Conscience 7. On the other hand he that hath a good Conscience needs never be sad nor can he be without good Days for as Trouble and Horror of Conscience is the greatest Trouble so Peace of Conscience is the greatest Joy That Man can never want Musick saith Mr. Caryl that speaks in Consort and is harmonious with himself A good Conscience is the poor Man's Riches and the rich Man's chiefest Jewel a Jewel worth keeping It is saith one the best Pillow to sleep on and the best Dish to feed on A good Conscience is a continual Feast so the Geneva-Translation Prov. 15.15 Dan. 5.5 A good Conscience with a Dinner of Herbs is all Varieties but a bad Conscience makes all Feasts and Pleasures like the Hand-writing on Belshazzar's Wall 8. Labour to get and keep a good Conscience because an evil one spoils all the good and best Actions of thy Life it renders thy Prayers to be sinful 9. Consider Conscience is privy to all thou thinkest knoweth what Evil hath been done by thee in private seeth all the Evil thou hast committed and all the Good thou hast omitted the doing of and one day if evil Rom. 2.15 it will lay all open before the Eyes of God Angels and Men and come in as a Witness to charge and condemn thee for ever O therefore get a good Conscience 10. Take heed how thou carriest thy self towards Conscience because it hath a Regal Power in thy Soul a Commission either to accuse or excuse and if he condemns thee as an Unbeliever or as a false Hypocrite by the Light and Authority of God's Word 1 John 3.20 God will also assuredly condemn thee unless thou dost repent in the great Day 11. Consider what a glorious Mercy it will be to have such a Friend as Conscience witness for thee when thou art wrongfully accused and condemned by Men. This was that which bore up Job and holy Paul in their Troubles Job 27.6 2 Cor. 1.12 My Heart shall not reproach me c. This is our rejoycing the Testimony of our Conscience Quest Some possibly may enquire here How a good Conscience may be known or what Characters may be given of it Answ I shall give you some Rules to judg of a good Conscience both Negatively and Positively First Negatively 1. A blind ignorant and misguided Conscience is not a good Conscience Some think that God concerns not himself with their Actions takes no notice of their Hearts Words or Lives Others think that God is made up wholly of Mercy and tremble not at his Justice and so conclude it is an easy thing to get to Heaven One that I have heard of said That if it were as easy to get the Riches of this World as it was to get Heaven he would not care or to that effect not remembring that it is as hard to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven especially for rich Men as it is for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle Mat. 19.23 1 Pet. 4.18 and that the Righteous shall scarcely be saved Others think that those Men are Fools that make such a Stir and Ado about Religion thinking that is the best Religion that is easiest to the Flesh and is most free from outward Trouble whereas the Scripture saith 1 Tim. 2.12 that whoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution Some think the Laws of Men must be their Rule in all Matters of Faith and Religion and whatever Magistrates command must be done c. 2. A drouzy and sleepy Conscience is not a good Conscience A Conscience that is not throughly awakened will let a Man alone in Sin such can sleep upon the Brink of the greatest Danger tho they are just falling into the Gulph of Eternity yea can sleep under the most awakening Ministry tho Hell-Fire be thrown as it were in their very Faces yet Conscience giveth them not one Jog 3. A guilty Conscience is not a good Conscience when Conscience flies into a Man's Face for this or that Sin Tit. 1.15 some horrid Pollution or other loved and lived in 4. A seared Conscience a Conscience that hath no feeling in it is not a good Conscience 5. A despairing Conscience is not a good Conscience Such as think their Sins are greater than God can or will forgive Mat. 12.31 notwithstanding Christ hath said All Sins and Blasphemies against the Father and the Son shall be forgiven unto Men and those that believe not there is Life for them in Christ make God a Liar Secondly Positively 1. That Man hath a good Conscience that walks uprightly and faithfully to his Light according to what he knoweth If he hath only a natural Light and walks up faithfully to that then he hath only a natural good Conscience there is Moral Sincerity spoken of in the holy Scriptures Joh. 20.4 as well as Godly Sincerity Abimelech in this respect had a good Conscience In the Sincerity of my Heart and Innocency of my Hands Gen. 20.5 have I done this Here I might shew how a natural good Conscience may be known from a Conscience evangelically and spiritually good take two or three Hints 1. He whose Conscience is only naturally good is usually a proud Man Lord I thank thee Luk. 18 11. I am not as other Men c. Such seek their own Glory they sacrifice to their own Net and burn Incense to their own Drag all centers in Self the Principle of their Action is Self A Saint when his Gifts are highest his Heart is lowest when his Spirit is most raised his Heart is most humble 2. A Man that hath only a natural good Conscience his great endeavour is to still the Noise and stop the Mouth of it but never looks to have the Guilt removed and Filth washed away by Christ's Blood he seeth no need of a Saviour I was alive once without the Law Rom. 7.11 c. He is like a Child that hath got a Thorn in his Flesh who wipeth away the Blood but taketh no notice or thought how to get out the Thorn If bare Performance of Duties whether natural or divine will still or quiet the Conscience the Conscience is but naturally good 2. When Conscience compares a Man's Ways by the perfect Rule of God's Word by which he walks and finds it agreeable thereto 3. An evangelical good Conscience findeth a Man as careful of his Duty towards God as he is of his Duty towards Man and as careful of his Duty towards Man as of his Duty towards God Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Man 4. An evangelical good Conscience always stirs up to Obedience and Conformity to God's Word from the sight of the Excellency of it and Purity that is in it Thy Word is very
like this or that Thing we are not to understand that it is so in all its Parts or in every Respect but only in such Things as are declared in the Similitude So Christ is compared to a Thief only in this respect because he comes in a Time when unlook'd for or when unexpected Luk. 12.39 9. All Parables do not conclude in the same but in a different Manner Some from Likeness a simili as the seven Parables Mat. 13. Some from Things unlike as that of the unjust Judge Him that desired three Loaves and the unjust Steward c. FINIS AN Alphabetical Table OF THE FOURTH BOOK A. Afflictions AFflictions compared to Fire in five respects Page 378 When Afflictions may be said to be very grievous Page 388 389 The Nature Kind and Cause of Afflictions largely opened Page 377 to 390 Ambassadors Ministers of Christ are his Ambassadors Page 282 Angels Angels why so called Page 49 They are compared to Watchers the Reason why shewed in five Things Page 50 Their Work and Office Page 50 51 52 Why they are called God's Host opened Page 53 54 Why they are compared to the Face of a Man c. opened Page 57 Why to a Flame of Fire opened Page 62 Why compared to Horses white red c. Page 63 64 Anchor Hope a sure Anchor shewed at large in eleven Particulars Page 26 27 28 Arrows Afflictions God's Arrows Page 389 What more particularly are God's Arrows Page 390 B. Babylon THe Church of Rome proved to be Mystery Babylon Page 297 First Negatively 1. By Whore of Babylon is not meant Jerusalem 2. Not the Turkish Empire 3. Not Rome Heathen 4. Not Protestants of any Denomination Page 300 to 303 Secondly In the Affirmative That by the Whore or Mystery Babylon is meant the present State and Church of Rome clearly evinced Page 322 to 326 Baptism Baptism how taken Page 36 37 Called a Burial Page 35 Babes Saints called Babes wherefore shewed in eighteen Particulars Page 140 141 Blind Wicked Men blind shewed in five Partic. Page 230 Bitter How a Saint may be sustained under bitter Afflictions Page 389 Breast-plate Why Righteousness is so called Page 10 11 Builders Why Ministers of the Gospel are called Builders opened in ten Particulars Page 277 278 Bulls Wicked Men why called Bulls Page 235 236 Burthen Sin a Burthen shewed in three things What a Burthen Sin is opened Page 344 The least Sin a Burthen to a tender Heart Page 344 Bush The Church compared to a Bush on Fire shewed in six things Page 106 107 108 C. Captives Wicked Men Captives with the Nature of their Captive-State opened Page 201 to 204 Clouds Christ 's Ministers why compared to Clouds Page 269 False Teachers compared to Clouds without Rain Page 294 Captain What kind of Captain Christ is shewed Page 158 Cedars Saints compared to Cedars opened in five Particulars Page 181 182 Children Saints called Children of God opened Page 142 143 Conscience What Conscience is opened Page 69 Conscience a Witness shewed in ten Particulars Page 70 71 72 The Excellency of a good Conscience Page 73 How a good Conscience may be known Page 74 City of God The Church called the City of God shewed in twenty Particulars Page 76 to 83 What a City Sion is Page 84 Church Church the Anti-type of Solomon's Temple Page 87 Church the Anti-type of the second Temple Page 89 Courage Saints like a Lion for Courage wherein their Courage ought to be shewed opened in eight Particulars Page 188 D. Day of Grace WHy so called Page 367 How to know when the Day of Grace draws towards an end shewed in five things Page 368 Darkness Divers Metaphorical Notations of Darkness Page 383 Hell a Place of utter Darkness Page 411 Affliction called Darkness Page 383 Death Death a Sleep why so called opened in three things Page 399 Dead Wicked Men dead in Sin what meant thereby opened in seven Particulars Page 227 228 Debt Debtors Sin a Debt why so called opened Page 332 334 How our Debts are satisfied for and yet freely forgiven largely opened Page 236 to 238 Wicked Men why called Debtors Page 200 Devil Wicked Men compared to the Devil Page 254 Devil why called a Lion and a Serpent Page 363 Dignity The great Dignity of Ministers Page 286 Dogs Wicked Men compared to Dogs in sixteen Particulars Page 232 c. Doves The Property of Doves and why the Saints are compared to them opened in 13 things Page 192 Deceivers Their many Ways to deceive laid open Page 295 Door What the Door is into the true Church Page 278 279 E. Eagles SAints compared to Eagles in ten things Page 141 Why wicked Men are compared to Eagles Page 253 F. Faith FAith why called a Shield Page 16 How you may know true Faith Page 15 16 17 The Necessity of Faith Page 19 20 The Difference between a weak and strong Faith Page 20 21 The Excellency of Faith Page 15 16 Family The Church called a Family Page 128 129 The Nature and Excellency of the Government thereof Page 128 129 Foxes Wicked Men why compared to Foxes Page 241 242 Forgiveness of Sin What it is we ask of God in that Petition Forgive us our Debts Page 340 341 No Forgiveness without Christ's Blood or Reconciliation made by him Page 342 Fowler Satan why called a Fowler and what a subtil Fowler he is opened in 5 Things Page 362 363 Floods Afflictions compared to Floods in 9 Things Page 386 In what respect God may be said to sit upon the Floods ibid Field This World why called a Field Page 392 Furnace Afflictions why compared to a Furnace Page 381 Fools Wicked Men Fools or Idiots opened Page 111 112 G. Garden THe Church why called a Garden opened in many Particulars Page 112 113 Girdle Truth why called a Girdle opened in 10 Partic. Page 4 to 8 Government The Nature of Church Order and Government opened in 12 Partic. Page 129 The Excellency of a Family or Church consists in its good and orderly Government Page 130 Gold The Nature of Gold and why Faith is compared to it opened in seven Partie Page 15 16 17 The Excellency of tryed Faith above Gold Page 18 The Godly why compared to Gold Page 190 191 Goats Why wicked Men as Hypocrites c. are compared to Goats Page 243 244 Why the Devil is call'd the God of this World Page 359 Godliness Godliness a great Mystery proved by nine Arguments Page 371 372 Gray-Hairs Sin and Judgments upon a People why called Gray-Hairs in six Things Page 357 England at this time gray-headed Page 359 H. Hardness CHrist's Souldiers must endure Hardness opened in seven Particulars Page 154 155 Harvest Day of Grace why called Harvest in 8 Things Page 370 Heirs Saints why called Heirs Heirs of God in six Things Page 145 Heart Heart of Flesh why so called and how such a Heart may be known in four things Page 194 Heaven Heaven why called Paradise Page 407 Heaven called
Sacrifice of the Bullock and He-Goat a Type of Christ opened in nine Things Page 432 The Scape Goat a Type of Christ ibid The red Heifer a Type of Christ Page 433 Circumcision what it was a Type of ibid The Rock that was smitten a Type of Christ Page 434 Pillar of Cloud and Fire a Type of Christ ibid Passeover a Type of Christ Page 435 PHILOLOGIA SACRA The Second Part. The Schemes or Figures in Scripture opened OF the Figures of a Word Page 1 Of a Paranomasia Page 3 Of Antanaclasis Page 4 Of the Figures of a Sentence in Logism Page 5 to 11 Of an Erotesis or Interrogation Page 12 Of Figures of a Sentence in Dialogism Page 14 Of other Schemes of Sentences and Amplifications Page 15 to 25 A Learned Discourse of TYPES PARABLES c. wherein you have 1. The Definition of a Type Page 25 to 28 2. The Division of Types Page 28 3. Prophetical Types and typical and symbolical actions ibid. 4. Prophetical and Typical Visions Page 29 5. An Historical Type and its first Division Page 31 6. Other Divisions of an Historical Type Page 41 7. Nine Canons or Rules expounding Types Page 41 to 45 Of PARABLES Wherein shall be given 1. The Definition of the Word and Thing 2. It s Division 3. Canons respecting it Page 46 c. ERRATA PAge 25. line 35. for Faith read Hope P. 27. l. 29. for he undertook read he hath undertaken P. 269. l. 2. dele for P. 336. l. 27. dele viz. Tropes and Figures OR A TREATISE of the METAPHORS ALLEGORIES TYPES c. contained in the Holy Bible of the Old and New Testament The Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures asserted and vindicated and the groundless Cavils against the same detected and confuted THE main Scope of this Work being to offer some Assistance towards the explaining and finding out the true Sense and Meaning of the Holy Scriptures it will be convenient according to our Promise in our Specimen of this Undertaking to premise something touching the Divine Authority of that blessed Book For tho it be commonly own'd by Christians to be the Word of God yet since on the one Hand there are especially in this Atheistical Age too many amongst us whose Love of Sin and Resolutions to continue therein tempt them to seek for shelter in bold Contempt of or subtile Cavils against those Heavenly Oracles and on the other hand not a few poor Souls are sometimes shaken with Temptations and know not how to discharge themselves from the ensnaring Questions that they are often attaqued with touching the Divine Original and Authority of those Sacred Records Not so much for want of Assent thereunto as of a right Understanding or Consideration of the Grounds of that Assent and the true formal Reason thereof Therefore that with a perfect Security to our present and future Wellfare we may rely on that Book as the infallible Store-house of Heavenly Verities that great and only Revelation whereby God does Inform Rule and will Judg the World we shall set forth some Considerations evincing this most important Truth But finding that divers able and worthy Men have of late wrote most learnedly and excellently upon this Subject we shall upon that account be the more concise and tho we have said but little yet we hope enough to satisfy any rational considering Man and confute the vain Cavils of the Adversary for all along in this Essay we strive to join Perspicuity with Brevity and to speak so plainly and familiarly that the weakest Capacity may with ease gather it up the neglect hereof having rendred the Labours of some others on the same Subject less serviceable to the vulgar unlearned Reader It being our great Design to endeavour the Help and Establishment of the Unskilful and to assist weak Christians knowing that if Satan can once bring them into a diffidence of the Truth and Authority of God's Word he at the same Instant shakes the very Foundation of all their Hope and Religion And if the Foundations fail what shall the Righteous do Psal 11.3 That the Scripture or Book called the Bible is of Divine Original Inspired by the Spirit of God and therefore of infallible Truth and Authority Appears 1. The sublime Matter of the Scriptures shew them to be Divine I. By the Contents or Matters therein discovered and treated of which are so transcendently sublime and mysterious that they could never be the product of Human Invention or Discovery and therefore tho written by Men as Instruments must needs be revealed from above for what Human Brain could ever have imagined a * Ma◠28.19 1 Joh. 5.7 Trinity in the Deity or such an Existence of one simple Essence as this Book acquaints us withal It describes the Person of Christ so plainly fitly and excellently that if the Mind of Man consider it attentively of necessity it must needs acknowledg it doth far exceed the reach of a finite Understanding It discovers unto us the Misery and Corruption of Man by Nature together with that general defect of the whole Creation which tho some of the Heathen had some glimpse of yet could never find out the Cause nor how it came to pass No finite Intellect could ever have travell'd into such Heights and Depths touching the Nature of God and his Eternal Counsels that stupendious Contrivement for the Salvation of Man that the second Person should descend from Heaven and assume Human Nature into a Conjunction with the Divine take upon him in his own Person the Sin of Mankind and die for the World thereby making a satisfaction proportionate to infinite Justice so that God may show the utmost Act of Mercy in a Conjunction with the highest Exercise of Justice Nothing less than an Infinite Understanding could have found out Expedients to reconcile those two infinite Attributes in his dealings with an Apostate Creature It unfolds the Covenant of Grace which God made after the Fall all which can be drawn from no other Fountain but Divine * 1 Cor. 2.7 Eph. 3 4 5. Revelation it contains the Law of God which is wise and just the Gentiles themselves being †Dan 4 5 6 7. Judges In its Precepts shines forth its Divinity 1. The surpassing Excellency of the Act requiring that we should deny our selves in all those things which the corrupt Nature of Man cleaveth to and hateth to forego 2. The wonderful Equity that doth appear in every Command 3. The admirable strangeness of some Acts which a natural Man would account Foolishness and yet prescribed as absolutely necessary ‖ Joh. 3 36. 8.24 shews its Divine Original 4. The manner how Obedience is required viz. that it proceed from a pure Heart a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned * Deut. 6.5 1 Cor. 13.1 1 Tim. 1.4 5. Take a view of the Ten Commandments are they not plain brief perfect just extending to all binding the Conscience and reaching to the very
Instit lib. 2. BOOK IV. THE Fifth HEAD OF Metaphors Allegories and Similes With other borrowed Terms Respecting the Graces of the Holy-Spirit AND THE Blessed Ordinances of the Gospel Grace compared to Salt Mark 9.50 Have Salt in your selves c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. TOuching the several Metaphorical Notations of this Term Salt we shall refer you unto the Eleventh Chapter of Philologia Sacra By Salt in this place is meant the blessed and most precious Grace of the Spirit Metaphor Parallel SAlt is of a searching quality if it be laid or rubb'd upon Meat it will pierce and search it to the very Bone TRue Grace or the spiritual Operation of the Spirit is of a searching nature it will when received in Truth infuse it self into every Faculty of the Soul The Spirit searcheth all things yea 2 Cor. 2. the deep things of God If there be any Sin hid it will search and find it out Simile Parallel II. Salt is of a purging cleansing and purifying nature it will work out Blood Filth c. as common Experience shews II. Grace is of a purging and purifying virtue it will not only search Corruption out whether it be in the Heart or Life but also in a blessed manner purge and work it forth He that hath this Hope 1 Joh. 2.3 purifieth himself even as he is pure III. Salt hath a preserving quality it will not only purge Corruption out of Meat but also preserve Meat and other things from Corruption and Putrefaction III. Grace preserves the Soul from all manner of Sin and Defilements it will not suffer a Saint to run with others to the same excess of Riot 1 Pet. 4.4 but teacheth us to deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and to live righteously soberly Tit. 2.12 and godly in this present World How shall I do this thing and sin against God IV. Salt seasons things causing that to taste savoury which otherwise would be no way pleasant wholsom or good for the Body Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without Salt Job 6.6 IV. Grace seasons a Christian it makes him savoury to God and to all good Men savoury in his Words savoury in his Dealings and Commerce savoury in all his whole Conversation not only savoury himself but seasoning others also hence called the Salt of the Earth Let your Speech be alway with Grace Col. 4 6 seasoned with Salt That ye may know how to answer every Man V. Salt is of universal use throughout the World it is the one thing needful among Men it is said to season all things we receive great Advantage by it It is known to be exceeding necessary both by Sea and Land V. Grace is also absolutely necessary 't is the one thing needful to Salvation without which there is no getting to Heaven The Advantages all Believers receive thereby are wonderful All Men of what rank or quality soever stand in need of Grace they were better be without Gold than without Grace It is good in every Place and Condition Men need it as well at Sea as at Land in Sickness and Health VI. Salt as Pliny and other Naturalists say is exceeding good against the Sting of Serpents and will destroy Worms that breed in the Body and hath many other medicinable Virtues in it VI. Grace is a most Sovereign Remedy against Sin that Sting of the old Serpent and there is nothing like it to kill the Worm of Conscience that is bred by means of the Corruption of the inward Man and there gnaws and greatly torments the Soul and many other Soul-medicinable Virtues it hath VII Salt was made use of under the Law in Sacrifices And every Oblation of thy Meat-Offering shalt thou season with Salt â—â—v 2 13. With all thy Offerings thou shalt use Salt VII Grace must be made use of in all our spiritual Sacrifices and Offerings unto God We must pray with Grace and sing with Grace and do all in God's Worship with Grace in our Hearts nothing we do will be accepted without it Mark 9.4 Every one shall be salted with Fire or seasoned with Affliction and every Sacrifice shall be salted with Salt viz. Grace Metaphor Disparity SAlt is natural or else made by Art of salt Water Ashes Fire Plin. lib. 3â— p. 41â— 41â— c. Pliny says that in India they have Salt out of Quarries of Stone GRace is supernatural No Man hath the Divine Influence and Operation of the Spirit of God naturally nor can he get it by any humane Contrivance or Art whatsoever Joh. 1.14 it is the Gift of God II. If Meat be quite corrupted putrified stink and is loathsom Salt cannot recover it nor make it savoury II. But if the Soul be wholly or in every Faculty thereof corrupted stinks and is loathsom in the Nostrils of God yet Grace can quickly recover it and make it very savoury and sweet to God and good Men. III. Salt may lose its Saltness or Savour and become good for nothing but to be trodden under the foot of Men. III. Grace cannot lose the excellent Savour thereof Christians may lose much of their Salt or decay in Grace but Grace be it little or much will never lose its own precious Virtue IV. Things may be over-salted or seasoned so that they may be spoiled and become unwholsom to human Bodies IV. But no Man can be over-much seasoned with Grace never had any Christian too much of this spiritual Salt in him The more you receive and take in of this the better you will be seasoned thereby Inferences FRom hence we infer That Grace is the principal Thing 2. How unsavoury are all graceless Persons The whole World lieth in Wickedness They are like putrified or stinking Carrion in a Common-Shore as the Greek Word there signifieth 3. This may stir up all ungodly Ones to look out and cry mightily for Grace the excellent Nature of which is set forth under the Metaphor Light Vol. 1. 4. Let all who profess themselves Christians examine themselves throughly whether they are salted with Grace or not Are you savoury Men and Women What is your Communication your Speech your Conversation c. 5. Take heed you lose none of this Divine Salt you will soon become unsavoury if you have not Salt in your selves 6. You that should season others should have much Salt in your own Hearts and Lives Ye are the Salt of the Earth The Girdle of Truth Ephes 6.14 And having your Loins girl about with Truth c. A Girdle properly is a Belt or Girdle used to be worn by Souldiers to preserve the Breast and Belly Truth hath various Acceptations in the holy Scriptures some of which according to Wilson and others you may take as follows 1. The most perfect Divine Essence which is Truth it self and the Author of all Truth in his Creatures Thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth Psal 31.5 2. Jesus Christ I am the
by the powerful Operations of the Holy-Ghost whereby he is made holy and enabled to approve himself to God and Men in all purity of Life and Conversation By the Breastplate of Righteousness in the Text we understand the Righteousness of Sanctification is principall◠intended for otherwise this piece of Christian Armor would interfere with the Shield of Faith which comprehends the Righteousness of Justification See Shield It is we say a Principle of new Life which the Spirit works in the Heart of a Believer hence the several Graces of Holiness are called the Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Man by the Fall had a double Loss first the Love of God secondly the Image or Likeness of God Christ restores both to his Children the first by his Righteousness imputed the second by his Spirit imparting the lost Image of God to them which consists in Righteousness and true Holiness Who but a Man can impart his own Nature and beget a Child like himself So who but the Spirit of God can make a Creature like God by causing him to partake of the Divine Nature 1. This is that Principle of new Life viz. an inward Disposition and Divine Quality sweetly powerfully and constantly stirring up and inclining to that which is holy and spiritually good 2. The Work of the Spirit in this respect was not to recover what was dying Garnal but to work Life de novo in a Soul quite dead hence called a creating quickning forming and renewing Work 3. It is a supernatural Principle by which we distinguish it from Adam's Righteousness which was co-natural to him as Sin is to us Holiness was as natural to him as Health was to his Body they both resulted ex Principiis rectè constitutis from Principles pure and rightly disposed Why Righteousness is called a Breast-plate will appear by the following Parallel Metaphor Parallel A Breast-plate is a main and principal Piece of Armor that belongs to a Souldier RIghteousness in like manner is a principal thing belonging to all Christians who are called Souldiers of Christ 2 Tim 3 3. Endure Hardness as a good Souldier c. II. A Breast-plate is a piece of Armor that every Souldier ought to have on when he engages his Enemy he must not come into the Field without it II. Righteousness is so necessary for every Believer that he ought not cannot be without it there is no engaging any Enemy of the Soul without a Principle of Holiness be wrought in him III. A Breast-plate preserves the principal part of the Body viz. the Breast where the very Vitals of a Man are closely couched together and where a Shot or a Stab is more deadly than in other parts that are more remote from the Fountain of Life A Man may out-live many Wounds received in the Arms or Legs but a Stab in the Heart is a certain Messenger of Death III. Righteousness and Holiness preserves the principal part of a Christian viz. his Soul Satan aims to hit him there where he may dispatch him soonest A Wound in a Man's Credit Estate Relations c. hazard not the Life of his Soul but Sin exposes it to imminent Danger This is that Dart Prov. 7 23 that struck the young Man through the Liver as a Bird hasteth to the Snare that knoweth not 't is for his Life And this is that which Satan strives to tempt entice and draw a Saint to yield unto Hence he should be careful to put on his Breastplate of Righteousness which whilst he has on he is safe from the deadly Stab of the Enemy IV. A Breast-plate is made and prepared for a Souldier before he puts it on It is not his own Work but the Work of a skilful Artist IV. Righteousness which is the Saints Breast-plate is wrought in him by the Holy Spirit who is a most wise and skilful Workman Our own Righteousness is good for nothing hence called dead Works because they are Works from one dead in Sin and spring not from a Principle of inward spiritual Life V. A Breast-plate much emboldens a Souldier and makes him fearless that as he cannot be easily killed so hereby he cannot be soon cowed When a Souldier sees himsel unarmed he begins to tremble but when he hath on a good Helmet and a Plate of Proof on his Breast he is not quickly dismay'd but adventures upon the Point of the Sword V. Thus Righteousness defends and animates the Soul and Conscience when a Man in the midst of the greatest Danger can lift up his hands without spot Holiness fills a Soul with Courage so that he can look in the very face of grim Death whereas Guilt which is the Nakedness of the Soul puts the stoutest Sinner into a shaking Fit of Fear The Wicked flee when no Man pursueth Prov. 28.1 but the Righteous are as bold as a Lion No sooner did Adam see his Breast-plate was off and that he was naked but he was afraid and ran away to hide himself from God VI. The Breast-plate and Girdle were both joined or buckled together VI. So Righteousness and Truth must meet and be joined together in every Christian which is held forth by the Copulative And Stand therefore having your Loins girt about with Truth and having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness Which is taken twofold as hath been shewed First for the Truth of Doctrine or a good and Orthodox Judgment all the Principles of true Religion that are essential to Salvation Secondly Grace or Sincerity of Heart In both these respects Truth must be clasped to or joined with Righteousness and a holy Life Solomon saith Two are better than one So may I say here a good Doctrine with a good Conversation is better than a good Doctrine without a good Conversation or a good Conversation without a good Doctrine as a Man must have the one so he must not be without the other Wo to him that is alone for the Spirit will not be his Strength An evil and corrupt Doctrine may be of as dangerous a Nature as an evil and debauched Life See 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Who privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift Destruction c. In vain is a Man's outward Holiness or moral Sincerity if he be tainted with heretical and damnable Principles and as vain is it for a Man to hold the true Doctrine of the Christian Religion if he be not sincere and live a holy Life Inferences THis may inform us what need there is for every Christian to get and keep on the Breast-plate of Righteousness not only to get a renewed Principle of Grace in his Heart but also to maintain the Power of Godliness in his Life and Conversation This he ought strenuously to labour after and that for several Reasons First In regard of God whose main Design in giving Grace and implanting a Divine Principle in his People is to make them holy to this end he hath put
and abstain from it from right Principles and not only to leave it but to loath it Again it consisteth in keeping up all holy and religious Duties viz. Reading Hearing Praying Distributing to the Poor Conforming to all moral and positive Precepts to be holy at home in the Family in the Church in the World to exercise a good Conscience towards God Acts 24.16 and towards Men. This is to put on the Breast-plate of Righteousness I might give many Directions about putting it on and also shew some of Satan's cunning Stratagems in endeavouring to make useless this blessed Piece of the Christian's Armor in laying Discouragements in the way of true Piety or by persuading Persons they have this Breast-plate on when 't is a counterfeit one He persuades Men that Moral Righteousness will serve their turn and sufficiently preserve them from eternal Death But this shall suffice in this place The Shield of Faith Ephes 6.16 Above all take the Shield of Faith c. FAith is a Grace a most precious and excellent Grace of the Spirit of God whereby the Soul is enabled to believe or go out of it self and wholly to rely and rest upon Christ crucified or on his active and passive Obedience upon the Warrant of the Promise for Justification and eternal Life Metaphor Parallel A Shield is a Piece of Armor that Souldiers were wont to carry with them into the Field when they were to engage their Enemies FAith is a part of a Christian's spiritual Armor All Christ's Souldiers ought to carry this Weapon into the Field with them when they engage the Enemy of their Souls Above all take the Shield of Faith II. A Shield is a Piece of Armor made for Defence II. Faith is of excellent use to defend the Soul from all spiritual Dangers of Sin and Satan and other Enemies III. A Shield is not for the Defence of any particular part of the Body as almost all other Pieces are The Helmet is fitted for the Head the Breast-plate is designed for the Breast so others have their several Parts which they are fastened to But a Shield is a Piece that is intended for the Defence of the whole Body It was wont to be made very large for its broadness called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gurnal a Door because so long and large as in a manner to cover the whole Body to which that place alludes Psal 4.12 Thou Lord wilt bless the Righteous with Favour thou wilt compass him about as with a Shield III. So the Grace of Faith defends the whole Man every part of a Christian 1. Sometimes Satan's â—emptations are levell'd against his Head and if he can hit him there he wounds sorely He will be disputing against this Truth and that Truth and make a Christian doubt concerning them if possible because his own Reason cannot comprehend them As perhaps it may be about the Deity of Christ or the Holy Trinity how they can be three and yet but one or about Satisfaction How the Debt is paid and yet the Sinner freely pardoned c. Now Faith is as a Shield to a Saint at this time and interposeth between a Christian and this Arrow of Satan it comes in to the relief of the Saints weak Understanding as seasonable as Zerviah did to David when the Giant Ishbibenob thought to have slain him I 'le trust the Word of God saith the Soul rather than my own purblind Reason what I cannot comprehend I will believe Thus Abraham not being weak in Faith Rom. 4.19 considered not his own Body now dead c. Sense and Reason would have made sad work at such a dead Lift but Faith brought him off victoriously Secondly Sometimes Satan strives to hit the Conscience all his Assaults and fiery Darts are at another season aimed at that to wound that to cause Horror and Terror within by setting the Evil of Sin and of his own Heart and the Infirmities of his Life before him Satan sets our Sins before us not to humble us but to wound us he shews our Sins to us but hides a Saviour from us Satan hath sometimes tempted gracious Persons to lay violent hands upon themselves when the heinous Nature of their Sin hath appeared to them and the Danger they are in thereby as it was with the poor Jailor Acts 16. Acts 16. But now Faith prevents and keeps off all the Danger and quencheth this fiery Dart. Christ died for Sinners for the chiefest of Sinners and tho thou art a Sinner a great Sinner the worst of Sinners yet saith Faith Thou art but a Sinner and there is Mercy for such Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved if thou canst believe and throw thy self on Christ thy Sins shall not be thy Ruin Thirdly He labours to ensnare the Affections of the Soul or deaden its fervent Love to Jesus Christ by presenting the Pleasures and Profits of this World to it Thus he served our Saviour himself But now Faith shields off this Dart also by shewing the Excellency of the Lord Jesus to the Soul and that all things without him and in comparison of him are nothing nay less than nothing and also by setting the World to come and the Glory thereof before the Eyes of the Soul Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen IV. A Shield tho heavy and somewhat unwieldy to such as have not skill and strength to use it yet it is a moveable Piece of Armor which an expert Souldier with a watchful eye can turn this way and that way to stop a Dart or Blow from lighting on any part that they were directed to by the Enemy IV. Faith is a piece of Christian Armor which unskilful Professors are not ready to use but an experienced Soul can turn it any way to keep off the Arrow and fiery Darts of Satan from hurting or wounding him He observes what part the Enemy aims to hit or how the Temptation is laid It is a great point of Christian Wisdom rightly to exercise the Shield of Faith A Man must be sure to have a watchful Eye upon his Adversary or else for all his Shield he may soon be wounded V. A Shield doth not only defend the whole Body but it is a Defence to other parts of a Souldier's Armor also it keeps off the Dart from the Helmet and Breast-plate likewise V. Faith doth not only defend the whole Soul but also 't is a Safeguard to all the other parts of a Christian's Armor it is that which secures Hope the Helmet of Salvation for without Faith Hope would soon be broken in pieces Also it secures the Breast-plate of Righteousness for neither Christ's Righteousness nor any inherent Holiness in the Soul will avail any thing without Faith VI. A Shield hath been of wonderful advantage to Souldiers in former Times when it was in use it hath preserved them in the
this saith Mr. Pool If a Man being sought after should hide himself in some Corner or Hole of the House and Pursuers should ask for him could any with a good Conscience say he is not here because he is invisible none sure but a Papist who is so well skilled in Equivocation would give such an Answer Our Saviour every where makes these two Opposites his being in the World and going to Heaven John 13.1 the Hour was come that he should depart out of this World unto the Father It seems they could have taught him the Art of going thither and remaining here at the same instant They have an excellent Faculty as he had who said Since he could not give content in going nor staying he would not go nor stay For they know how a Man may both go from a place and stay in it at the same time I know not what can be more plain if they did not wilfully shut their Eyes Christ saith expresly Me you have not always with you That is his bodily Presence for as touching his Divine Presence so he is always with his People unto the end of the World Mat. 28. ult Besides their Doctrine destroys the Truth of Christ's human Nature We read of Christ He was in all points like unto us Sin only excepted His Body was like ours and therefore impossible it should be in a thousand places at once which according to their Doctrine it is This turns Christ's Body into a Spirit nay indeed they make his Body more spiritual than a Spirit for a Spirit cannot be in several Places divided from it self The Soul of Man if it be entire both in the whole and in every part of the Body yet it is not divided from it self nor from its Body nor can it be in two Bodies at the same time as all confess muâ—h less can it be in Ten Thousand Bodies at once When ever any Angel comes to Earth he leaves Heaven So that this quite destroys the Truth of Christ's human Body Object Much of what we say here the Papists say was true of Christ's Body in the days of his Infirmity but when he was risen from the Dead then he received a spiritual Body as it is said ours shall be at the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. Answ This is but a Fig-leaf for they ascribe these monstrous Properties to Christ's Body before its Resurrection for they say the Flesh and Blood of Christ were really in the Sacrament which the Disciples received whilst Christ lived Secondly Christ's Resurrection tho it heightned the Perfection yet it did not alter the Nature and Properties of his Body nor gave it the being of a Spirit for after he was risen he proves that he was no Spirit by this Argument Handle me and see for a Spirit hath not Flesh and Blood as you see me have Luke 24.39 By this it appears that their Doctrine destroyeth the Truth of Christ's human Body at least it destroys the main Evidence of it against those who affirmed that Christ had only a phantastical Body namely that he was seen and felt and heard for the Papists say that Sense is not to be believed Again this Doctrine of theirs destroyeth the Truth of Christ's Ascension into Heaven for he is not ascended if he hath not left this World but is here in the Sacrament Nothing can be more clear than that Christ did visibly and locally leave this World when he went up into Heaven Acts 1.9 10. That being once there the Heavens must receive or contain him until the Time of the Restitution of all things Acts 3.21 And that at the last Day he shall come visibly and locally from Heaven 2 Thess 1.7 But that he should come down a thousand times in a day at the command of every Mass-Priest or that he should have such power to make the Body of his Saviour is such a Dream as the Scripture speaketh not one syllable of nor can any rational Man believe it Besides their Doctrine destroyeth the very Essence of a Sacrament which consists of two parts an outward Element or Sign and the inward Grace signified by it These things being well considered it is evident these Words This is my Body are to be taken figuratively i. e. This is a Sign of my Body or this is the Sacrament of my Body so that from the manner of the Words spoken by Christ there is no necessity to take them as the Papists do seeing it is so frequent with the Holy-Ghost to use Metaphors in this kind I need not name them considering it is the Subject of our present Work The seven Kine are seven Years the seven Ears of Corn are seven Years the Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches the seven Heads are seven Mountains c. Christ is called a Rock a Lamb a Lion a Door together with many other things which we have spoken unto See the Second Head of Metaphors Similies c. The Saints are called Sheep Branches c. ' The meaning of all this is saith Dr. Preston They are like such and such things But yet it is the manner of the Scripture-Speech Dr. Preston of the Saints Qualifications p. 487 and therefore saith he it is not necessary that those Words should be taken in a proper Sence as they are by the Papists Object But saith the worthy Doctor you will object Yea but in matter of this moment as a Sacrament the Lord speaks distinctly and expresly there he useth no Metaphor tho in other Cases he doth Answ 'To this saith he I answer briefly It is so far from being true that he useth them not in the Sacrament that there are none of all the Sacraments but it is used viz. in the Sacrament of Circumcision This is the Covenant c. In the Sacrament of the Passeover which were the Sacraments of the Old Law the Lamb is called the Passeover In this very Sacrament to go no further for instance take but the second part of it This is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood Here are not one but divers Figures The Cup is taken for the Liquor in it the Wine in the Cup is taken for Christ's Blood This is the new Testament c. that is the Seal of the New Testament Here is Figure upon Figure saith Mr. Pool and yet the Papists have the Impudence to reproach us for putting in but one Figure which they confess the Holy-Ghost frequently maketh use of Wonder O Heavens and judg O Earth whether these Men do not strain at Gnats and swallow Camels c. This openeth a Way for us to our next Work which is to run the Parallel concerning those figurative and metaphorical Expressions of the Lord Jesus Christ used at the Institution of the holy Eucharist Mat. 26.26 Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave to his Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body Metaphor Parallel CHrist took Bread after he had supped c. THis in
ill and loose Professors bring a great Reproach upon the Church of God but there is a Day coming when the Church shall be freed of them Zech. 14.21 There shall be no Canaanite in the House or City of God XVII The Citizens of a great and glorious City are much affected with and highly esteem and love the City where they dwell XVII So the Citizens of Zion have an honourable respect and high esteem for God's Church as appears particularly in David If I forget thee O Jerusalem Psal 137.56 let my right-hand forget her Cunning if I do not remember thee let my Tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chiefest Joy Many Reasons may be given why the Godly are so much taken with Zion 1. Because it is the place of their Birth they were born or rather born again in her And of Zion it shall be said This and that Man was born in her Psal 87.5 6. and the Highest himself shall establish her Vers 6. The Lord shall count when he writeth up his People that this and that Man was born there 2. Because 't is the City of their Father and so their blessed Inheritance all the glorious Immunities thereof are theirs 3. It is a City redeemed or purchased by Christ's most precious Blood Acts 20 27. 1 Cor. 6. Psal 87.2 he gave himself for it Ye are bought with a Price 4. 'T is built by God and for God it is the Place that he hath chosen he esteems highly of it He is said to rejoyce in Zion he loves the very Gates thereof more than all the Dwelling places of Jacob. 5. It is a splendid and most glorious City her Foundation is laid with precious Stones yea the choicest Saphires her Streets are paved with that which is more rare than the purest Gold XVIII Some Citizens who are industrious grow very rich and attain to great Honour among their Neighbours and those are quickly known and taken notice of they may be discovered in divers respects XVIII So some of the Citizens of Sion who are diligent and industrious in the Improvement of Grace and the Means of Godliness grow very rich in Faith and good Works rich in spiritual and divine Knowledg rich in heavenly Experience Prov. 10.22 The diligent Hand maketh rich with the Blessing of God And these rich Saints are also soon discovered and taken notice of 1. Rich Men wealthy Merchants can trust or stay a great while for their own when poor Men must have all presently paid down The clearest Promise or firmest Covenant will not serve their Turn without some considerable part presently paid 1. So those who are spiritually rich Jam. 2 5. rich in Faith rich Merchants of Mount Zion the City of God can trust they cand stay patiently in expectation of the Good of the Promise as Abraham Rom. 4 20 who was strong or rich in Faith when others cannot rely upon a bare Promise or take God's single Word for the accomplishment of this or that 2. Rich Citizens have a great Stock lying by them 2. So those who are rich Citizens of Sion rich in Grace have a Stock of blessed Experience as David had They have a Stock of Faith much Faith when others have but a little a Stock of good Works having done much for God and for his Church c. 3. Rich Citizens have abundance of precious Things rare Merchandizes to delight in as Gold Silver and many other rich Commodities 3. So rich Citizens of Sion have abundance of rare and precious things in their Ware houses viz. their Hearts as Love Peace and Joy in the Holy-Ghost Gal. 5 22. 4. Rich Men do not live upon their Labour as poor Men do Some rich Men work and take as much pains as the poorest Man in the City but their Work is pleasant and more delightful to them than the Labour of one that is very poor 4. So rich Citizens of Sion tho they work hard for God 1 Coâ— 15.10 I laboured more abundantly than they all Yet their Work is sweet and pleasant to them because they work not for Life or for a Livelihood Gal. 2.20 they rest not upon doing but live by Faith but poor Saints live more upon doing than believing they have but little of that or any other Grace 5. Rich Men go finer or are generally more richly adorned than the Poor you may know a rich Citizen by his costly Ornaments by his rich Robes and Chains of Gold about his Neck 5. So rich Saints are more adorned with the Garment of Humility 1 Pet. 3.1 2.3 with the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great Price They can deny themselves are patient under Sufferings endure all things contentedly for Christ's sake they have much Wisdom Prov. 1 9. as an O nament of Grace upon their Head and Chains of Gold about their Neck 6. Rich Citizens do usually bring up their Children more nobly and give them more Learning and better Education than the Poor generally do or can 6. So rich Saints such as have much Grace who are great Dealers and have got much by Trading in spiritual Things bring up their Children more vertuously Gen. 18.19 Eph. 6.4 and give them better Education they give them better Counsel better Examples than others they train them up in the Fear and Admonition of the Lord taking God for a Patern herein Psal 94.11 12. who maketh the Word and Rod a Blessing to his Children 7. Rich Citizens live high keep a good Table in comparison of what the Poor do or are able 7. So those who are spiritually rich have many precious Morsels yea blessed Variety of choice things they are often feasted by Christ and are with him in the House of Wine Cant. 2.4 and delight themselves in Fatness their good Conscience is to them a continual Feast Prov. 15.15 8. Rich Citizens can bear Burthens Taxations and Losses better than the Poor 8. So those who are spiritually rich can best bear up under cross Providences Persecution and Losses for Christ's sake 9. Rich Men can do for others poor Men can do but little for their poor Friends or Neighbours when the Rich can do much 9. So those that are rich in spiritual Experience in Faith and good Works can do much for weak Christians by Prayer by Advice and good Counsel Exod. 17.11 Jam 5.16 Moses did mighty Things by Prayer for Israel The fervent Prayer of a righteous Man availeth much 10. Rich Men can best strive with Difficulties and live in Years of Scarcity when others who have but just from hand to mouth are in such times in danger of starving or to be reduced to great Extremities 10. So those who are strong and very rich in Faith and all other Graces are help'd to bear up and pass through a Difficulty in Time of Want and
Satan knows that if he cannot prevail then he never can 'T is the last Onset and therefore he resolves to try his Skill If he cannot break his Head so as to keep him out of Heaven yet he will if possible bruise his Heel and send him limping thither I mean fill a Saint full of Fears and Doubts about his eternal State Secondly He hath many other Stratagems to deceive by Temptations 1. He hangs out false Colours and comes to a Saint in the disguise of a Friend he transforms himself into an Angel of Light Master pity thy self 2. He strives to get Intelligence of a Saint's Affairs This saith my Author is one great Wheel in this Politician's Clock to have Spies in all Places by whom they are acquainted with the Counsels of their Enemies He labours to find out what Sin it is that most easily besets a Person or that he is most prone to Heb. 12.1 3. In his gradual Approaches to the Soul When he first comes to tempt he is modest and asks but little knowing he may get that at many times which he should be denied if he should ask it all at once A few Men are let into a City when an Army coming in a Body would be shut out Remember he draws to Sin by little and little First it may be the Thought of this or that Evil is darted into the Mind and after a while lodged quietly there and then a little after further Proceed is made in Sin c. 4. Satan like a cunning Warrier hath his Reserves like a wise Captain he hath some fresh Troops at hand if need be So that if one Temptation will not prevail he hath a second nay a third and fourth nay Multitudes What fresh and new Attempts did he use when he set upon our Saviour 5. Another Stratagem of his is this He will in a politick way retreat as sometimes you shall have an Enemy flie as overcome when it is on a design of overcoming We read not only of Satan's being cast out but of the unclean Spirit 's going out voluntarily yet be sure it was with a purpose to return more strong than before 6. He will strive to make use of fit Instruments to carry on his Temptations to the Ruine of the Soul I might proceed but by this all may see That it is needful for the Christian Souldier to be well instructed in the Stratagems of War XIV A Souldier ought to know the distinct Beats of the Drum and Sound of the Trumpet an Alarm a Call a March a Battel c. XIV So a Saint must understand the distinct and dâ—fferent Sounds of the Word of God daily ministred by his Servants for a Preacher is a spiritual Trumpeter Lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet Isa 58.1 And as it greatly behoves a Trumpeter to be well skill'd how to blow his Trumpet for if it give an uncertain Sound who shall prepare himself to the Battel so it doth a Minister rightly and distinctly to preach the Word of God that a Christian like a Souldier may have an Alarm sounded in his Ears when Danger is near or an Enemy coming upon him as also a Call to Duty to Prayer to Fasting Mourning and Sackloth when the Day requires it c. Isa 22. A good Souldier of Christ will observe the distinct Sound of the spiritual Trumpet sometimes it sounds out Reproof sometimes Counsel sometimes Comfort all is carefully observed by a sincere and wise Christian XV. A Souldier ought to be a Man of Courage bold and resolute not soon daunted nor dismayed by the Threats Malice or Strength of an Enemy He ought as God bid Joshua to be strong and very couragious XV. So a Saint ought to be of a couragious Spirit not timerous faint-hearted or soon dismayed but a Man of an undaunted Heart not fearing the worst that Men can do unto him Tho I walk saith David through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no Evil. Psal 23.4 The Wicked flee when none pursue Prov. 28.1 but the Righteous are as bold as a Lion There are three or four things which tend to embolden and encrease Courage in a spiritual Souldier in the midst of the greatest Danger when nothing but Death and Misery seems to stare him in the Face 1. The Goodness of his Cause Nothing administreth more Life and Zeal to a Saint than the Consideration of that holy Cause which in the Strength of Christ he stands up for and is sâ—t to defend 2. The Consideration of the Power and Strength of that God who hath engaged to stand by him help and aid him in all his Conflicts with the worst of his Enemies Fear not Worm Jacob and ye Men of Israel I will help thee saith the Lord. Isa 41.10 14. 1 Joh. 4.3 Fear not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee c. Ye are of God little Children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in us than he that is in the World 3. A good Call Every Christian in all his Enterprizes must see to his Call let him see that whatsoever he doth in Religion both in matter and manner it is what God hath enjoined him He that undertakes any Work or Cause that is not warranted by God's Word hath cause to tremble And also let him see he is the Man that God approves of and hath employed in and about that Work and Duty whatsoever it be and when he sees that his Call is undeniably good this will add Courage to him 4. A good Conscience This made Paul so bold in the presence of his incensed Adversaries Men and Brethren Acts 23.1 I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day A Souldier who hath much Guilt upon him cannot if his Conscience be at all awakened engage an Enemy with that Courage as another Man may in the high Place of the Field when he knows not but the next moment he may be sent into another World 'T is Innocency and Uprightness that puts Life and Magnanimity into a Christian Having a good Conscience that whereas they speak Evil of you 1 Pet. 3.16 as Evil-doers they may be ashamed who falsely accuse your good Conversation in Christ 5. Lastly The Assurance he hath of Victory A Saint knoweth he shall have the Day and come off a Conqueror Before he enters upon the Conflict his Captain hath told him He shall overcome at last and have the Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 XVI A Souldier must expect to endure Hardness and therefore prepares himself for it It is a Life attended with many Hardships and Difficulties they often lie in the Field and fare hard when others know the want of nothing XVI So the Saints of God must expect to endure Hardness A Christian's Life is attended with many Difficulties and Afflictions which they must endure as good Souldiers of Jesus
the inward Man both to do for God and to suffer for his sake they go from Strength to Strength in Zion David was too strong for Goliah and overcame him he coming against him in the Name of the Lord. Also they are not so easily corrupted by the Pollution of the Sins of the Times and evil Example of the Wicked as others are they having a glorious Principle of Life in them that preserves them from Soul-Putrefaction He that is born of God cannot commit Sin 1 John 3. IV. The Cedar is a very profitable Tree 't is excellent to build an House withal 1 Kings 6.15 16. Solomon therefore made use of it in building the Temple which we have shewed was a Type of the Gospel-Church IV. The Saints are fit Trees to build God's spiritual House The Beams of the Church are said to be of Cedar Cant. 1.17 which notes the Excellency and Duration of her principal Members V. The Cedar is a Tree full of Sap it also bears a sort of Fruit And it shall bring forth Boughs Ezek. 17.23 and bear Fruit and become a goodly Cedar and under it shall dwell all Fowls of every Wing The Shadow of this Tree it appears is very refreshing V. The Trees of the Lord are said to be full of Sap the Cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted Christ is their precious Root who supplies them with abundance of Grace and inward Vertue Of his Fulness all we receive Joh. 1.14 16. and Grace for Grace And by this means also they are made very fruitful abounding in Holiness and good Works And as they are fruitful to God so likewise they are profitable to Men. How happy is that People or Nation that sit under the Shadow or Protection of a righteous Government when Righteousness and Judgment shall be administred by the Saints All will seek for Shelter under them Which is promised and shall certainly be accomplished in the latter Days Inferences THis may put us upon the Search If the Saints are like goodly Cedars excellent above others well rooted strong durable and useful to God and Men we may hereby try our selves Do we excell do we grow up high Heaven-ward do we grow in Humility Are our Hearts lowest when our Estates are highest When we are most honoured in the Eyes of Men are we most humble in the Sight of God 2. It may also afford Comfort to the Godly What Decays soever they seem now to be under yet they shall return again grow and send forth their Roots as the Cedars in Lebanon Hos 14.6 3. Remember that that Tree which takes the deepest Root spreads its Branches furthest out and brings forth most Fruit. 4. Let it also be remembred that the more the Saints grow like the Cedar and put forth their Roots as Lebanon the more they manifest and clearly shew their being rooted in Christ whose Countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars Cant. 5. 5. How wonderfully are they mistaken that think to tear up by the Roots or throw down God's tall and strong Cedars for notwithstanding the many terrible Blasts and violent Winds that hath most fiercely blown upon them yet they have stood do and will stand The Highest himself shall establish her Saints compared to Myrtle-Trees Isa 41.19 I will plant in the Wilderness the Cedar the Shittah and the Myrtle-Tree c. Isa 55.13 In the stead of the Thorn shall come up the Fir-Tree and in stead of the Bryar shall come up the Myrtle-Tree c. Zech. 1.8 11. I saw by Night and behold a Man riding upon a red Horse and he stood among the Myrtle-Trees that were in the Bottom THe wise God who best knows the Nature and Properties of all Things that his Hands hath made compares the Ungodly oftentimes in holy Scripture to Trees and other Things that are of a hurtful and evil quality or are of such a Nature that He sees will sutably set them forth They are compared to Bryars Thorns Nettles c. And also the Godly are set forth by and compared to several Sorts of Trees as to the Palm-Tree the Cedar the Willow c. and in these Places as many understand to the Myrtle-Tree the Nature of which together with an useful Parallel take as followeth Metaphor Parallel THe Myrtle-Tree is a rare and most excellent Tree a Tree of very great account hardly any one Tree was more accounted of amongst the Romans as Pliny observes the Jews highly esteemed of it THe Saints are a choice People God esteems highly of them As the Myrtle-Tree excells the Thorn and the Bryar so do the Godly excell the Wicked Isa 41.19 Isa 55.13 Isa 43.4 Since thou hast been precious in my Sight thou hast been honourahle c. II. There are divers Sorts of Myrtle-Trees some white and some black Plin. lib. 15. p. 451. some tame and others wild as Historians have noted II. So there are divers Sorts of Christians some more shining in Grace and Holiness than others some by reason of an evil and crooked Nature Grace hardly appears in them c. We read of Fathers young Men and Children III. The best Sorts of Myrtle-Trees were used to be planted in Gardens and were a great Ornament to them their Branches being very green and amiable to look upon III. The Godly those spiritual Trees which God plants in his Church which is his Garden and the most holy and mortified Ones of them such whose Conversation and Profession is amiable whose Branches and spiritual Leaves wither not are a great Ornament to God's Garden IV. The Myrtle-Tree yields most choice and excellent Fruit nay more may be said of it than of any other Tree for it yields two Sorts of Fruit both Oil and Wine Nature saith Pliny sheweth her wonderful Power touching this Tree especially in the Juice considering that of all Fruits it alone doth yield two Sorts both Oil and Wine IV. The Saints of God are a People that yield two Sorts of Fruit to the Honour of God and the Profit of their Neighbour answering to the two Tables In this they excell all other People There are some that are morally righteous they make Conscience of their Duties to Men but do not bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit in answering a good Conscience towards God Herein do I exercise my self c. Acts 24.16 V. The Myrtle-Trees are said to stand in the Bottom Zech. 1.8 11. V. The Saints of God are a People of a lowly and humble Spirit and hence they are compared to the low Vallies whereas the Wicked are compared to lofty Mountains Also the Myrtle-Tree in the Bottom may signify the low and persecuted State of God's People and in that the Angels are said to be amongst them it holds forth the gracious Presence of God with his Saints whilst they are in a low dark and persecuted Condition Yea Psal 23 4. tho I walk saith David through the Valley of the Shadow
by it or by force of Argument to maintain it Paul upon this account saith 1 Cor. 15.32 he fought with Beasts at Ephesus i. e. Men like Beasts who acted like Beasts in opposing the Truth 4. In their visible professing and publick owning of the Truth They are not afraid nor ashamed to confess Christ and his Ways before Men. Some for fear of the Jews did not publickly own Jesus Christ in the Days of his Flesh but such who are sincere will go forth bearing his Reproach Tho Men forbid them Heb. 13.13 nay threaten them c. yet they will preach Jesus Christ and profess his Name and maintain his Ordinances and blessed Institutions The Apostles cried out Acts 4 20. 5.29 We cannot but speak the Things which we have seen and heard c. 5. They shew their Courage in suffering for the Truth when called so to do 1. They will suffer Reproach for the Truth 2. They will suffer Blows for the Truth 3. Imprisonment for the Truth 4. Loss of their Goods 5. Banishment 6. Yea Death it self when called to it rather than deny Christ and the Truth 6. They will stand by the Truth when others turn their Backs upon it Thus did Paul 7. They will maintain every Truth but more especially that Truth which is most opposed in the Day in which they live It may be no demonstration of Courage to stand up for or maintain a Truth in one Age which was a great Proof of Valour in another when it was chiefly opposed Would it be any Sign of spiritual Courage now to affirm God is God and Baal is not yet that was in Elijah's Days 1 Kings 18 Or would it be any Demonstration of Courage now to affirm Jesus of Nazareth to be the true Saviour yet it was in the Apostle's Time because it was the great Truth then opposed Christian Courage is now shewed by owning and maintaining those Truths of Christ now opposed and which in standing by do expose the Professors thereof Now that which doth animate and embolden the Saints in the Day of Trial in standing up for Christ and his Ways is 1. The Satisfaction they have touching the Truth of that which they profess 'T is God's Truth 2. The Consideration of the Excellency of God's Truth Psal 119. The Word of God is pure c. 3. The Consideration of the Goodness and Justness of their Call to suffer in behalf of Truth for that is one thing which must always be considered 4. The Goodness of their Consciences or the Evidences of their own Sincerity A Hypocrite may suffer some things but at last his Courage will fail him I have heard of a Captain that principally would make choice of two Sorts of Men for his Souldiers viz. either sincere and godly Christians or downright Atheists because neither of them he concluded would be afraid to die The true Christian would not be afraid of Death because he knew he should go to Christ and the Atheist would not be afraid of Death because he thought or rather hoped he should die as a Beast and there would be an end of him 5. The Consideration of his having so good a Second A couragious and undaunted Second oftentimes puts much Courage into a Person that is singled out to fight a Duel Now a Christian has the Almighty and Terrible God to take his part c. Fear not Worm Jacob I will help thee c. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Isa 41.14 Heb. 13.5 6. So that we may boldly say The Lord is my Helper I will not fear what Man can do unto me 6. The Certainty of getting the Victory or overcoming at last As it is said of Gad it may be said of a Christian tho a Troop may overcome him yet he shall overcome at last Hence Saints are said to be more than Conquerors Rom. 8.37 for no Conqueror is certain whilst he is in the Conflict that he shall at last obtain the Conquest 7. The Consideration of that exceeding great Reward which they shall receive when they have overcome wonderfully adds Courage and Boldness unto them Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 II. Lions are great Conquerors Many other Beasts tho they are much bigger than they yet they are not able to stand before them II. Saints are great Conquerors through Christ they conquer Sin Satan the World Death and Hell they are said to be more than Conquerors Rom. 8. III. A Lion is a Creature that other Beasts are afraid of III. So the Saints are Men that the Wicked oft times fear they dread the Effects of their Prayers 'T is said that Mary Queen of Scots was more afraid of the Prayer of John Knox than of an Army of Twenty Thousand Men. Herod was afraid of John Baptist It hath been observed that some wicked Persons have been afraid to swear or carry it unseemly in the presence of a godly Man IV. A Lion is a very strong Creature IV. The Saints are so strong in the Lord and the Power of his Might that none either in Earth or Hell are a Match for them V. A Lion treadeth down and maketh a Prey of his Enemies V. So the Godly shall in the latter Days make a Prey of all their Adversaries be as terrible as an Army with Banners when God brings them forth against Babylon God will raise up the Sons of Zion against the Sons of Greece and make them as the Sword of a mighty Man Cant. 6.10 Zech. 9.13 Mich. 5.8 The Remnant of Jacob shall be amongst the Gentiles in the midst of many People as a Lion amongst the Beasts of the Forrest amongst a Flock of Sheep who if he go through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces and none can deliver Disparity IN many things the Righteous are not like to a Lion A Lion hath many evil devouring and hurtful Qualities and it is upon that account wicked Men and the Devils are compared to Lions Inferences IN vain are the Saints by Men and Devils assaulted he that prevails against them must also prevail against and overcome the mighty God and who is a Match for Him 2. This reproves and may tend to shame the timorous Christian What! afraid to own Christ to stand up for and stand by the Truth when thou hast God to stand up for thee and stand by thee c. 3. Let Saints shew themselves bold and couragious in the Cause and Interest of God and their Souls A fearful timerous Spirit becomes not a Christian Have you a good Cause have you a good Call have you a good Conscience have you a good Captain What then do you fear In the Strength of the Lord be as bold as a Lion and in order thereunto get the Truth into your Affections see that you have received the Truth in the Love of it And be sure you approve your selves to be sincere for
Snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his Will IV. Some by Allurements are enticed by an Adversary and that way overcome and brought into Bondage Pirates oft-times put out false Colours and pretend themselves to be Friends that so they may the better trapan and take poor unwary Persons IV. Prov. 7.21 So wicked Men are by the Allurements and Enticements of Sin and Satan overcome and brought into Bondage These spiritual Enemies by Policy deceive and trapan the Souls of Men. Satan like a cursed Pirate puts out false Colours pretends himself a Friend he presents the Pleasures and Profits of the World to them 1 Cor. 11.14 and thereby overcomes them and carries them away captive V. Some Persons when they are taken captive by an Enemy are stript naked their own Robes being taken away they have instead of them nothing but filthy Rags to hide their Nakedness withal V. Adam The sad and miserable Condition of Satan's Captives when Satan overcame him by his Treachery and subtil Wiles was stript naked He lost all his precious Robes viz. his spotless and perfect Righteousness and ever since his natural Off-spring while they remain unconverted have nothing but their own Righteousness to cover them which is by the Holy-Ghost compared to filthy Rags Some conceive by filthy Rags Isa 64 6. the Spirit of God alludes to those Rags that Chirurgeons take off of corrupt and filthy Sores which we know are very loathsom this shews that the State of Sinners is very deplorable VI. Some Persons who are taken captive are put into a Prison nay into a Dungeon and remain under the power of a cruel Keeper VI. Sinners whilst they remain in a State of Nature Captives of Sin and Satan are in a Prison in a deep Prison or Dungeon of Darkness Col. 1.13 called the Power of Darkness This Prison is strong there is no Man can break through and make an escape 'T is called a Pit yea Psal 40.2 an horrible Pit or Pit of Noise Some understand David means the Depth of Afflictions others the horrible State of Unregeneracy or deep Alienation from the Life of God wherein is heard nothing but the fearful and hideous Noise of an accusing Conscience and Wrath of an angry God 'T is a Pit wherein is no Water Zech. 9.11 viz. no Soul-Comfort nor Refreshment c. being under the Power and Tyranny of Satan VII Some Persons when they are taken captive and put into Prison and also bound with Iron Chains or Fetters of Brass their Eyes also have been put out Thus the King of Babylon served Zedekiah King of Judah 2 King 25.7 when Jerusalem was taken And they slew the Sons of Zedekiah before his Eyes and put out the Eyes of Zedekiah and bound him with Fetters of Brass and carried him to Babylon VII Wicked Men are not only Captives and put into a bottomless Prison but they are also bound I perceive thou art in the Gall of Bitterness Acts 8. and in the Bond of Iniquity Hence the Prophet speaking of Christ saith Isa 61.1 He hath sent me to bind up the Broken-hearted to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound Every ungodly Man whilst he remains in Satan's Kingdom is bound with strong Bonds First the Bond of a hard Heart Jer. 5.3 Act. 26.18 secondly the Bond of Ignorance thirdly the Bond of Unbelief Which they are no way able to break asunder or get out of And by this means they are fit for any Drudgery the Devil hath for them to do the Eyes of their Understanding being darkned or put out Eph. 5.8 Ye that were sometimes in Darkness c. VIII Some Persons that have been in Captivity have been almost starved to Death having had little more than Bread and Water afforded them nay have been forced to eat such things as were not fit for Food VIII Wicked Men who are the Captives of Sin and Satan are kept at hard Commons they never yet had the least Taste of that which is really good but they spend their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which satisfieth not And therefore saith God Isa 55.1 2 Hearken diligently unto me and eat that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness Pray observe what the Holy-Ghost compares the Food of ungodly Sinners to First They are said to feed on the Wind secondly to feed on Ashes and thirdly on Gravel and fourthly on Husks Isa 44.20 Hos 12.1 Prov. 20.17 The Prodigal would fain have filled his Belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat Should a poor Captive have nothing allowed him to eat but Husks Gravel or Ashes all would conclude his Condition to be very miserable so miserable are all ungodly Sinners Alas all the Pleasures Riches and Honours of this World or whatsoever it is that they feed upon or let their Hearts run out after are in comparison of Christ the Bread of Life and those other good Things which Believers daily feed and feast upon but as feeding on Husks and Gravel If Men naturally have no Food to eat they will pine away and soon die So were it not for those earthly Comforts that the Ungodly have to feed upon and support their Spirits with tho you see what the Nature of them is they would soon pine away Do but dispossess them of any of these earthly Enjoyments Psal 34.8 and their Hearts like the Heart of Nabal would presently die in them for they never tasted how good the Lord is how sweet Promises are what it is to have the Love and Favour of God never tasted of the Feast of a good Conscience nor of the Comforts of the Holy-Ghost IX Some Persons that have been taken captive have been grievously wounded they have not only been stript put into Prison and almost starved to Death but also have lain there in a sad bloody and mangled Condition and their Wounds let alone to fester stink and be very loathsom IX The Wicked are not only Captives of the Devil stript of all their first Righteousness in Prison in Iron Chains almost starved to Death spiritually but also they are wounded from the Sole of the Foot to the Head there is no soundness in it Isa 1.6 but Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores Some conclude that the Prophet speaks of the Body Politick or National Church of the Jews which was under great Affliction and so was that way sorely wounded But doubtless the Wounds and Sickness spoken of here were those Sins and abominable Evils that People were guilty of which appears from what is said by the Lord in the first Verse Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more And as a Proof of it he saith The whole Head is sick and the whole Heart faint Sin was the Sickness and the Wounds and those Afflictions
that the Saints are so subject to be overtaken with spiritual Drouziness Answ 1. From the Weakness and Dulness of the Flesh The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak 2. By being slothful negligent and out of Employment when we grow indifferent and careless and neglect our Work neglect Prayer Reading and Hearing God's Word Prov. 19.15 no marvel if we soon fall asleep Slothfulness casteth into a deep Sleep 3. By being amongst sleepy Folks This is apt to make a wakeful Person in a little time drowsy and subject to nod too a sleepy Family a sleepy Church a sleepy Ministry usually hath bad effects upon this account upon a Spiritual Christian therefore prize a Soul-awakening Ministry 4. By means of long watching Whilst the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept 5. A black dark and gloomy Day is subject to cause one to grow drowsy as most men can experience 6. By an Apprehension 't is a long while to day time enough saith the Sluggard to arise Men think of living long and that it will be a great while before the Lord comes c. Wicked Men Fools Psal 14.1 The Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God Eccles 10.3 Yea also when he that is a Fool walketh by the way his Wisdom faileth him and he saith to every one that he is a Fool. Job 5.2 3. For Wrath killeth the foolish Man and Envy slayeth the silly One Job 30.8 They were Children of Fools yea Children of base Men they were viler than the Earth Luke 12. Thou Fool this Night thy Soul shall be required of thee SIN is Folly great Folly and Sinners are Fools how often in the Proverbs are ungodly Men tho accounted very worldly-wise called Fools simple Ones Men of no Vnderstanding Simile Parallel A Fool is one that knows not what is good what is best for him he is a Man of no Understanding SO wicked Men know not what is good and right in it self they know not what is good for themselves they are Men of no Understanding they cry Who will shew us any Good That is Psal 4.6 saith Mr. Caryl any good Cheer Plenty of Corn and Wine They esteem Gold and Silver and other outward good Things before Pardon Peace of Conscience and the Favour of God and are therefore Fools II. A Fool or Idiot will hurt wrong or abuse himself Perhaps you have heard of the Gentleman's Fool who happened to be in Company with a Carpenter and the Carpenter making himself merry with him hid his Hat But it so fell out as the Matter is related the Carpenter some time after chanced to fall asleep with his Head upon a Block which the Fool observing he took an Ax and chopp'd off his Head and hid it amongst the Chips and then went laughing away but being asked wherefore he laughed O saith he I have cut off the Carpenter's Head and have hid it amongst the Chips and I wonder how he will do to find it when he awakes But for this he was committed to Prison and when he was brought to his Trial the Judg was informed that he was a natural Fool but that he might be convinced it was true he ordered a Knife to be given to him and accordingly it was then said the Judg to the poor Idiot Cut your self with that Knife and he poor Soul did so immediately by which the Judg knew he was indeed a Fool and so acquitted him II. Wicked Men hurt themselves Nothing wrongs or wounds a Man more than Sin hence called a Dart Sting c. Yet so void are all ungodly Men of Understanding that they consent to Sin yield to Sin run as it were this Spear into their own Bowels wound themselves to the very Heart and yet say Are not we in Sport Can there be any greater Folly or a more palpable Sign of a Fool than for a Man to whip lash scourge and do thus unto himself When Satan tempts Men to sin he doth as it were put a Knife into their hands and then bids them cut and slash themselves with it and yet no sooner doth Satan thus tempt and entice them but they presently consent to him until they have wounded themselves from the Crown of their Heads to the Soles of their Feet What Man but a Fool would run into the Hornets Nests or after this lamentable manner wound himself Sinners are such Fools that they play with the Asp and delight to be at the Mouth of the Cockatrice-Den Sin in the holy Scriptures is compared to both these cruel Serpents and hence the Poyson of Asps is said to be under their Tongues Who but Fools or mad Men Psal 140.3 Rom. 3.13 will sport and play with such venemous Serpents or drink down deadly Poyson when told again and again what it is and what the Effects of it will be and yet they will do it Prov. 23.31 32. Look not upon the Wine when it is red when it giveth its Colour in the Cup when it moveth it self aright That is whatever Allurements there are to Sin take heed of it At last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder III. Is not that Man a Fool who will harbor a Thief in his House and tho he be told of it and that he is in danger of losing all his Goods and having his Throat cut by him he being a bloody Murtherer yet laughs at it and loves his Enemy and hugs him in his Bosom and resolves to eat and drink with him and lodg him in his chiefest Room and yet is informed this Thief never spared any Man that shewed him Favour III. Wicked Men harbor Sin and deceitful Lusts in their Souls which is the bloodiest Thief and Murtherer that ever was that spares none nor ever did who entertained it or took delight therein It hath slain and utterly undone Thousands and Ten Thousands yea many Millions yet they hug this cursed Traitor and let him lodg in their Hearts and lie in their Bosoms and shew him all the Favour and Kindness imaginable and do they not from hence appear to be the greatest Fools in Nature IV. Is not that Man a Fool that striveth with one that is infinitely stronger than himself or thinks a Thorn Hedg can stand before a consuming Fire or supposes a Potsheard can prevail against the Potter IV. Wicked Men strive with the great God and do they not in this shew themselves to be Fools Have they an Arm like God Job 40.9 can they thunder with a Voice like him yet they continually resist him and fight against him They that go on in their evil Ways make War with the Almighty and Dread-Sovereign of Heaven and Earth Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the Potsheard strive with the Potshards of the Earth Isa 45.9 Do you not see this day how Man sorry Man sets himself against God! they are resolved to see what they can do they will not yet lay
their Hearts lest instead of good Wheat they should at last prove evil Tares 2. It also reproves those Magistrates who in a blind Zeal persecute Men for Religion and Conscience sake pretending they do it to destroy the Tares viz. Hereticks c. whereas they know not but that those they persecute may be good and faithful Christians Besides 't is a Work that belongs not to them God would have both tho one Sort may be very vile and impudent Hereticks Schismaticks c. to live together to the end of the World Wicked Men compared to Chaff Psal 1.4 The Vngodly are not so but are like the Chaff which the Wind driveth away Mat. 3.12 But he will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire Wicked Men are compared to Chaff Simile Parallel CHaff before it is separated from the Wheat cleaves close to it and the Wheat must be trod or threshed before the one can be separated from the other SO some wicked Men I mean Hypocrites seem to cleave close to the Saints and to be in perfect Union or Oneness with them And the Godly must be trod upon or threshed with the Flail of Persecution before they as sacred Wheat can be separated from the Chaff viz. counterfeit Christians II. Chaff is of little worth or value to the Wheat Jer. 23.28 What is the Chaff to the Wheat 'T is a low mean and contemptible thing one Bushel of Wheat is worth many Bushels of Chaff II. So wicked Men and Hypocrites are of little worth and value in the sight of God he esteems one true Christian worth thousands and ten thousands of Hypocrites I give Egypt for thy Ransom Isa 43.3 Ethiopia and Seba for thee Since thou wert precious in my sight thou hast been honourable c. III. Chaff is light and airy 't is no ponderous Thing and therefore the Wind carries it away with a Blast III. So the Wicked whatever shew they make of Religion and Piety they are light as Chaff they are not weighty nor ponderous their Lightness and Levity is discovered by their Words and Behavior and when the Blast and Tempest of Persecution comes it drives them away from the seeming Zeal and Religion they pretend to and at last the Wind of God's Wrath will drive them into the lowest Hell there to be burned with unquenchable Fire Inferences THis shews what a great difference there is between the Godly and the Ungodly also what the woful Condition of Hypocrites is and what will be in the End Wicked Men compared to Thorns Numb 33.55 They shall be Pricks in your Eyes and Thorns in your Sides c. Josh 23.13 But they shall be as Snares and Traps unto you and Scourges in your Sides and Thorns in your Eyes c. Cant. 2.2 As a Lilly among Thorns Nah. 1.10 For whilst they are folden together as Thorns c. THorns as Glassius and others observe in these Places of holy Sripture signify wicked mischievous Men. Numb 33.55 Simile Parallel THorns came in with the Curse Cursed is the Ground for thy sake Gen. 3.18 Thorns also and Thistles shall it bring forth unto thee c. Had not Adam sinned we should not have been troubled with Thorns SO wicked Men came in with the Fall and as the Fruit of the Curse Had not Adam sinned the World had never been troubled with these Briars and Thorns but ever since the Curse for Adam's Sin the World hath been full of these Thorns II. A Thorn is no tender Tree but contrary-wise sturdy hard knotty and full of Knobs and Pricks dangerous to meddle or have to do with II. Clopham So the Wicked these Sons of Belial Belegnol without Yoke that is such as will not come under the Yoke of Obedience or Beli Gnalah not ascending because their Males prospered not These Thorns wicked Men 2 Sam. 23.6 are hard-hearted knotty-conditioned full of pricking and stinging Words and Works What can he expect that meddles with a Thorn or Briar but to be scratch'd prick'd and wounded in his so doing So that Man that has to do with some wicked Men shall be scratch'd or prick'd in his good Name and Estate one way or other III. Thorns are Trees of little worth low and base Things hurtful to Fields Gardens and Vineyards c. III. So wicked Men are of little worth and value in God's sight they are of a base Spirit and Principle Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God preferring Earth above Heaven Prov. 10.20 The Heart of the Wicked is little worth And as they are unprofitable and little worth in themselves so they are offensive and prejudicial to God's Garden they hinder the Growth of the Saints as much as in them lies wounding the Lilly that groweth among them See Lilly among Thorns IV. Thorns nevertheless do serve sometimes to make a Hedg to keep out wild Beasts from breaking into a Field or Vineyard IV. So some of these wicked Ones God now and then makes use of to be a Hedg to his People to keep out a more bloody and cruel Adversary Rev. 12 The Earth helped the Woman that is Wicked Men Men of the Earth stood up for and sided in with the Church and People of God and so proved as a Wall of Defence or Hedg to them Besides God makes use of them sometimes as a Hedg to stop his People in their evil Courses by suffering these Sons of Belial to afflict them I will hedg up her Way with Thorns Hos 2.6 V. Thorns and Briars when they are grown to any height are oft-times by the Owner cut down and cast into the Fire V. So the Wicked and Ungodly when they are grown to a great height of Wickedness provoking God against themselves are cut down and cast into Hell That which beareth Briars and Thorns is near unto Cursing whose end is to be burnt He 8.6.8 VI. Thorns and Briars are not able to stand before a devouring and consuming Fire VI. So the Wicked are not able to stand before the dreadful and angry God For while they be folden together as Thorns Nah. 1.10 and whilst they are drunken as Drunkards they shall be destroyed as Stubble fully dry Isa 27.4 Who would saith God set the Briars and Thorns against me in Battel I would go through them I would burn them together Inferences IS it not a strange and marvellous thing that God's People are no more scratch'd and prick'd with these troublesom Thorns considering what a Multitude of them are amongst us 2. It may caution all true Christians how they meddle with these pricking Thorns 3. It shews the Folly of the Wicked who strive with the Almighty and set themselves in Battel against Him who is a consuming Fire and they but Thorns and Briars or like Stubble fully dry Wicked Men compared to Mountains Isa 41.15 Thou shalt thresh the Mountains and beat thm small c. Isa 2.14 Vpon all high Mountains that are lifted up
or if they escape an immediate Stroak in the very Act of Sin yet they are pursued by God's just Judgment that followeth them and will overtake them at last VIII Thieves when taken would fain make an escape nay if they are not held by strong Hand 's they will get loose and run away So Wicked Men when God's Hand is upon them how fain would they make an escape when Adam fell in with the Tempter to rob God of his Honour it is said he hid himself among the Trees of the Garden Guilt made him fly and what pitiful Shifts do all old Adam's Children make to exâ—use their Sins Or if they cannot make excuse then they seek out ways to escape if possible Some say their Sins are not so great as others others say they were drawn in and inticed others that God is merciful and they doubt not but he will pardon them others fly to the goodness of their Hearts some to seeming Repentance saying God forgive me c. But what ever way they take till they are truly converted they are holden by the Cords of their own Sins and they shall not escape nor can get out of God's Hand but must answer for all their Wickedness at their utmost peril IX Some Thieves are so impudent that they will adventure to rob in the day time let who will look on being too strong for the Standers-by So some Wicked Men are so impudent that they will adventure to rob their innocent Neighbours of their Goods in a publick manner in the day-time as many of the Papists have served the poor Protestants in former times in divers Nations and pretended they had Law for what they did X. Some are great Thieves and therefore called the Captains of the Thieves under whose Conduct and Direction the lesser Thieves do rob and steal So some Wicked Men are so notorious in Wickedness that they lead the Van as it were and are not only examples to others of inventing new coined Oaths and sinful Fashions and Customs but do command or lay some kind of force upon such who are under their Power to be as Wicked as themselves else they turn them off as not fit to do them Service Pro. 29.12 as it is written If a Ruler hearken to Lies all his Servants are wicked that is he will so discountenance and discourage Truth and honest Dealing that none but Lyers and Wicked Persons can live with him XI Some Thieves are so merciless they steal and carry all away that People have So some Persecutors have been so void of pity and humanity that they have took all away which some Godly People had even their very Beds from under them XII There are some sacrilegious Thieves such as rob Churches and steal away those things that are set a-part for Divine Worship So some Wicked Men are Robbers of the Church of God by taking away his holy Institutions and setting their Inventions in the room thereof such are the Romish Crew c. Christ tells us that such who come not in by the Door but climb up some other way are Thieves and Robbers nay if it were possible the Great Thief the Pope and his Accomplices would have robbed us of the Bible and the true Religion nay of the true Church it self however they with all that adhere to them have robbed many hundreds nay thousands of her true and faithful Members both of their Goods Lives and Liberties for the which they must givâ— an account at the great Day XIII Thieves are so opposite to honest Men that they by all means avoid their Company and Society if possible when they know them So Wicked Men known and discovered to be so are not at all fit Company for the Godly nay the Godly are commanded to avoid them and to have no fellowship with them so far as possible they may however if in Civil Things there be some kind of Necessity to buy and sell with them yet their Sin in that or any other way is to be hated and departed from nay if a Man hath been a Professor of Godliness and turn to be a Wicked Man with such a one the Godly are to have no intimacy 1 Cor. 5. that he may be ashamed XIV Thieves know by-ways and are acquainted with such Places where they may accomplish their Designs not only as to Secrecy but Security So Wicked Men do acquaint themselves with by-ways and therefore called the way of the Wicked Let the Wicked forsake his way Isa 55.5 Psal 1.2 c. Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the way of the Vngodly c. Joseph's Mistress made use of her Skill in the way of the Wicked when she attempted to rob him of his Chastity for there was 1. Privacy none saw 2. Secrecy none knew and 3. Opportunity which he might now without fear of Shame make use of and there is not a Wicked Fornicator in the World but would have owned it as his way and have chosen it too as a fit Opportunity But Blessed Joseph walked not in this way he knew that nothing could be so private nor be kept so secret but the All-seeing Eye of God can see it and will bring it to Light XV. Thieves are sometimes taken and committed to Prison there to be kept safe till the general Assize or time of Trial and then are brought forth tryed and condemned many times to die and soon after executed So Wicked Men are taken by Death and committed to the Grave and there they are held fast till the day of the Resurrection and last Judgment or great Assize where they shall be tryed and give an account of all their Wickedness done in the Body against whom Jesus Christ will proceed in a way of Justice and being arraigned and indicted for all their Wickedness Thefts and Robberies shall be found Guilty by good Evidence by the Law of God Conscience and Nature and being so found Guilty Mat. 25. ult shall receive the just Sentence of Hell Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels with a Go ye Cursed Disparity THieves can but rob and steal such things as are common to Men But Wicked Men rob God and cheat themselves of their own immortal Souls as hath been shewed II. Thieves endeavour to hide themselves and are not willing to be known But Wicked Men commit their Wickedness publickly and matter not who seeth them they declare their Sin as Sodom and hide it not they are not ashamed to commit their Wickedness in the very Face of the Sun III. Thieves oft-times spare the Poor and let them pass but seize upon such as are Rich But Wicked Men regard neither Poor nor Rich if they are Godly nay the Poor of this World tho Rich in Faith are mostly in their Eye to be made a spoil robbed and ruined by them IV. Some Thieves after they have received the just Sentence of Death from which they cannot escape yet do repent of their Wickedness and receive
as you ought your Ministers are not of the lowest of the People but may be allowed to have a Share of Parts common Prudence and Ability for Business with other Men and could manage Trades or fall into other Employments and get Estates as well as you if they were not devoted to a better Service And must they needs be devoted to Necessities and Misery in the same hour that they enter upon the Ministry My Brethren this ought not to be Let your Ministers have as good a Treatment at least as the Law provided for the Ox that treads out the Corn who might not be muzled Neither was this written for the sake of Oxen for doth God take care of Oxen or were there no higher End of this Law than that the brute Creature should not be abused Certainly there was And for our sakes no doubt was this written 1 Cor. 9.8 9 10 11. that he that ploweth should plow in Hope and that he that thresheth in Hope should be Partaker of his Hope For if we have sown unto you spiritual Things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal Things Secondly The Lord hath not left us to argue this only from general Principles of Reason and common Equity but to put the Matter beyond dispute hath superadded his express Command Thus he provided for his Ministers in the Time of the Law which the Apostle urgeth in the next place 1 Cor. 9.13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy Things live of the Things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are Partakers with the Altar God did no sooner separate the Levites to the Service of the Sanctuary but he by Law provided for their Subsistence and tho they were but one Tribe in twelve yet the Tenth of the Increase of the whole Land was given to thâ—m besides the First-fruits and Offerings and divers other Advantages so that their Lot might equal yea exceed that of their Brethren This Law indeed is now abrogated and we pretend to no Right of tithing your Estates but the moral Equity of it can never cease Neither hath Christ left Gospel-Ministers to the wide World but hath made Provision for them also so far as the Interest of his Command will go with them that profess his Name for so it follows v. 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel The Labourer is still worthy of his Hire and not the less worthy because he labours in the Gospel Tho indeed if Men did fully come up to their Dâ—ty yet still the Charge of Gospel-Worship will appear very inconsiderable when compared with that of the Law for were that my Business I think I could demonstrate that the fifth part of their Estates was yearly to be spent in things relating to the Temple-Service And if we are sensible of the great Privilege and Blessing of the Gospel on higher accounts than meerly the Ease of those Burthens we shall never think much to defray the moderate Charge of a Gospel-Ministry in suâ—h a manner as may give Reputation to our Profession Thirdly That you may prevent the Evil and Inconvenience that follows the Neglect of this Duty it concerns you cheerfully to practise it I might have said Evils and Inconveniences as of many for many there are and those of easy observation to an uâ—prejudiced Eye but it is the Discouragement of Study which at present I chiefly aim at That Study must needs be discouraged I intend the Study of Theology by the Peoples Neglect to make a comfortable Provision for their Ministers is too evident to require a Proof Who will apply himself to gather and lay up those Stores of solid Learning which are needful to a Minister when he can expect to purchase nothing to himself but Poverty and Distress thereby Or how shall a Minister be capablâ— to furnish himself with universal Knowledg of Things relating to his Work that hath no means for providing for his own Information or no Time free from Cares and worldly Business And the Disadvantage of this will at last fall to the Share of the People that he ministers unto He that considers that the holy Scriptures were originally written in Hebrew and Greek must have an hard Forehead if he deny the Usefulness of Learning to a Minister besides many other things there are that call for it in reference to the opening of the Scriptures which I cannot now insist upon And it is not without diligent and continued Study that the deep Things of God can be searched out and so proposed to you as to enrich your Minds with the clear and solid Knowledg of them I confess a little Learning and less Study may furnish a Man with such a Discourse as may please some weak Persons that judg of a Sermon by the Loudness of the Voice and affectionate Sentences or can fancy themselves to be fed with the Ashes of jingling Words and Cadency of Terms in a Discourse But alas the seeming Warmth of Affection that is stirred by such Means is as short-liv'd as a Land-flood that hath no Spring to feed it He that will do the Souls of his People good and approve himself a Pastor after God's own Heart must feed them with Knowledg and Understanding and endeavour to maintain a constant Zeal and Affection in them by well informing their Judgments and such an opening of the Mind of God from the Scriptures as may command their Consciences And this is not to be expected but from him that labours in his Study as well as in the Pulpit Mistake me not I know the Success and Fruit of all the Studies and Labours of Men that preach in the Gospel is from the Grace and Power of the Holy-Ghost but the Assistance of the Spirit is to be expected by us in the way of our Duty These things might be yet applied more home to my present purpose but perhaps some will think there is too much said already tho I heartily wish more were not needful and my Time calls me to put a Period to this Exercise and therefore I will only add a Word for the enforcement of this and the other Duties which I have laid before you by accommodating the same Things to you which were before touched for the encouragement and quickning of your Pastor in his Duty First Remember your Pastor is the Minister of Christ one that dispenseth the Mysteries of God to you in his Name and therefore he acting in his Place according to his Duty the Lord Jesus will account that done to himself that is done to his Minister Mat 10.40 with Luke 10.16 He that receiveth you saith he receiveth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me c. If the Name and Authority of Christ will beget an Awe in you or his matchless and unspeakable Love influence you there is no want of Motives to those Duties that have been press'd upon
as a Cart is pressed with Sheaves Amos 2.13 Nothing is more opposite to God than Sin or is more loathsome to him 3. Because it wounds bruises and lays the Soul it self a bleeding 4. Because it brings the Soul under the dreadful Wrath of an angry God yea binds down under everlasting Wrath causing a final Separation from God and Christ for ever Inferences WHat insensible Creatures are unconverted Sinners 2. Moreover what a sore and grievous thing it is to have this Burden laid upon the Soul 3. It may stir up such who feel this Weight to cast it off by Repentance and Faith remember Christ hath born it for thee that thou mightest go free Isa 53. The Lord hath laid on him the Iniquities of us all 4. It shews us what a wonderful Mercy it is to be freed from this Burden Saints are delivered from the Power and Dominion Guilt and Condemnation of it Rom. 6.14 through the Lord Jesus Christ Sin a Sting 1 Cor. 15.56 The Sting of Death is Sin Parallels DEath is like a venemous Serpent that hath a cruel and tormenting Sting and this Sting is Sin II. The Sting of some Serpents in the Flesh is very painful it makes such to cry out exceedingly So such who feel themselves stung with Sin cry out like as those did in Acts 2.36 The pain and torment of a wounded Conscience is intolerable as many can experience and the History of Francis Spira abundantly shews III. The Venom or Sting of some Serpents is mortal it killeth the Body so Sin that Venom of Death and the Devil killeth both Body and Soul IV. If a Serpent biteth or stingeth any one part the Venom and Contagion spreadeth over all the Body and destroyeth the whole Man so the Sting and Poyson of Sin which entered by one Man's Offence Rom. 5 15 18. hath infected and killed all the Lump of Mankind moreover he that harboureth but one Sin in his Bosom it will destroy his whole Soul if this Sting be but in his Tongue 't is like the Poyson of Asps his Life must go for it without speedy help V. No Salve or Medicine could heal the Bodies of those who were stung with those fiery Serpents in the Wilderness till they look'd up to the Brazen Serpent no Physician on Earth could cure them Dioscor l 6. c. 30. so no work of Man can cure the biting of Death and the Devil or Sting of Sin but the Venom thereof rageth and raigneth tormenting the Conscience untill the Soul looks up by a true and lively Faith to Jesus Christ VI. As the Sting of a Serpent must be pulled out before the Person stung can be cured so Sin must be lifted pulled or worked out of the Heart and Life of a Sinner by the Spirit before he can be either healed or saved VII As some Serpents cannot hurt when they have lost their Sting so Death cannot hurt a Soul whose Sin is taken away by Jesus Christ Sin a Wound Psal 38.5 My Wounds stinck and are corrupt c. Prov. 18.14 But a wounded Spirit who can bear Luke 10.34 And bound up his Wounds c. SIN wounds the Soul of a Sinner a Church or Nation When Ephraim saw his Sickness and Judah saw his Wounds c. Hos 5.13 The Word translated Wound in this place is from a Word that signifieth colligavit he hath bound up either because of the corruption of the Body that is gathered together or because of the binding of it up with Cloaths Parallels WOunds are either new which we commonly call green Wounds or else old Wounds Now Sinners have an old Wound upon them which is like a stinking Ulcer which they received above five thousand years ago in the Garden of Eden when Adam was wounded by his Sin in eating of the forbidden Fruit all his Posterity were wounded in him also every Sinner hath many fresh Wounds upon him Rom. 5.12 II. Some Wounds are venemous as the biting or cruel sting of some poysonous Serpent c. Sin is a venemous Wound it is the sting of a Serpent the old Serpent See Sting III. Some Persons have been full of Wounds wounded from the Crown of the Head to the Soles of the Feet they are as it were nothing but Wounds so Sinners are full of Wounds every Sin is like a Wound or makes a Wound in the Soul so many Sins a Man is guilty of so many Wounds he hath in his inward Man Every Faculty of their Soul is wounded 1. Their Judgment is corrupt 2. Their Understanding darkned full of Vanity Blindness Incredulity Enmity and Unteachableness 3. The Will that noble Faculty is wounded and fearfully depraved the Mind of a Man being corrupt the Will must needs be corrupt As to a Man that hath his Pallate possest with a vicious Humour every thing seems bitter according to the Humour so the Understanding reckoning the ways of God both Enmity and Folly the Will acts accordingly The Will of wicked Men acts cross and contrary to God and his Holy Will in all things they resist and fight against him and are not subject to his Law neither indeed can be there is much Pride Inconstancy Rom. 8 7. Stubbornness and Disobedience in the Will Our Tongues are our own and who is Lord over us Psal 12.4 4. Their Affections are wounded and very filthy Men naturally love the Creature more than God nay they love their Lusts horrid Sins and Uncleanness above the Majesty of Heaven The Apostle giving a Character of some Men saith they are Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God 5. The Memory is wounded 1 Tim. 3.4 being forgetful of that which is good and like a leaking Vessel Men are ready to remember what God bids them forget but forget that which he commands them to remember they are too apt to think upon Injuries nay may be one Injury will be thought on more than many Kindnesses and Years of good Service they are subject enough to remember Trifles and vain Stories whenas a profitable Sermon or wholesome Counsel is forgot c. 6. The Conscience of a Sinner is wounded with Sin tho not for it or in a deep and real Sense of the evil of it Vnto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 but their Minds and Consciences are corrupt the Conscience which should like Job's last Messenger bring us Word that all the rest of the Faculties are dead i. e. wounded Preston and corrupted alas is maimed dumb or misguided or grievously distempered that when it should accuse it excuseth it should act the part of a faithful Register to set all our Sins down exactly but it falsifies in this and as saith Dr. Preston when it should set down Hundreds it sets down Fifties when it should restrain from Evil it is almost asleep and lets the Sinner alone whom it should condemn for want of Light it acquits And as a Man is
and nothing that is given him will go down neither Food nor Physick or if he doth take it yet it will not stay with him 't is a very bad sign so when a Sinner refuseth all good Counsel that is given him and instead of vomiting up by true Repentance his Sin he vomiteth up the Physick and Food of his Soul that should do him good and despises all Reproof Prov. 28.1 hardning himself against it he is near to Destruction 6. And Lastly When a Man is wounded and that Balsam Means or Medicine that seldom fails to work a Cure in others yet will do him no good but contrary-wise whilst in Cure and under the best Means he grows worse and worse there is little hopes of him so when a Sinner under a powerful and Soul-saving Ministry and divers sore Afflictions is not at all reformed but grows worse and worse his Condition is bad it may be that Sermon that works no change at all in him hath tended through the Mercy of God to the Conversion of several Souls who were as sorely wounded as he If a Physician gives the best Medicine he has and lays on a most Soveraign Plaister and yet the Patient saith Sir that which you prescribed hath done me no good I wonder saith he it seldom fails me I fear your Condition I must give up I have done what I can for you the Lord pitty your Soul you are no Man for this World 't is an Argument that Wound or Sickness will be unto Death when the best Preaching the best Means that can be made use of will not work upon a Man's Heart he is under Losses and Affliction and divers melting Providences but nothing will do Inferences IS Sin a Wound or doth it wound the Soul wound the State Nation and Church of God We may then infer from hence the Folly of Men and Women who love and hug their Sin Wilt thou O Sinner hug a Serpent in thy Bosom that strives to sting thee to Death what Fools are wicked Men 2. Let us learn from hence to bewail the Condition of our sinful Relations let the Husband mourn over his unbelieving Wife and the Wife mourn over the unbelieving Husband Fathers grieve for their unconverted and wounded Children and Children grieve for their wounded and unconverted Parents c. What are they that thou lovest so dearly and who lye in thy Bosom mortally wounded and wilt thou not be troubled for them what not one Sigh nor Tear come from thee for them be astonished O Heavens what a hard Heart hast thou 3. Seek out for help you that are unconverted delay not and let such who are healed do what they can to get help and Cure for their Friends if a Husband a Wife a Father a Child or Brother be dangerously sick or wounded externally how ready are you to enquire for some skilful Physician or Chyrurgion and what speed will you make and will you not be as tender and as careful of their Souls 4. Take heed you do not draw others into Sin What not only wound thy own Soul but be cruel also to the Souls of others wilt thou murther thy self and murther thy Friend too 5. What blind Wretches are they that make a mock at Sin See Fools 6. Let it be also matter of caution to all to take heed they rest not satisfied with slight healing Jer. 8.11 They have healed the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly c. This may be done many ways 1. Some rest satisfied and lick themselves whole with the thoughts of federal Holiness think they are in Covenant with God through the Faith of their Parents thus the Jews Mat. 3.9 We are Abraham 's Seed we have Abraham to our Father my Parents were Godly and so they might and yet thou a Child of the Devil and be damned for all that 2. Some fly to their Godly Education but that will never heal their Wounds 't is not what a Godly Family thou wast brought up in and what good Instruction thou hadst but what thou art and what a change there is in thee what Faith and Fear of God is there wrought in thy Soul 3. Others apply the Mercy of God when they begin to feel Conscience to terrify them Exod 34.6 and their Wounds appear but never consider his Justice remember God is graciâ—us and merciful c. but will in no wise clear the Guilty 4. Others trust to a partial Reformation of Life they are other Men to what they were once Soul 't is not Reformation or leaving all manner of gross scandalous Sins but a change of Heart and Regeneration thou must seek after 5. Some apply the Promises of God to Sinners before their Wounds were ever lanced or their Sores laid open and the Corruption let out this is but skinning over the Sore and to leave it to fester and rancle inwardly the proud Flesh must with some corroding Plaister be taken down thou wantest through Humiliation for Sin 6. Many satisfy themselves because they are not such great Sinners as some are Remember Luk. 13 3 5. I tell ye nay except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish 7. Some fly to their Duties they sin and are wounded and they think Prayer will make them whole 8. Some boast of their Knowledg and Experiences c. they can discourse and talk well nay and will tell you they are Members of the Church too and this may be and yet they die of their Wounds and go to Hell O take heed you are not slightly healed Quest Well but it may be you will say What should we do to be throughly healed Answ There is but one Physician can heal these Wounds none but the Lord Christ only has the healing Medicine his Blood is the Balsam which thou must apply by Faith And if thou wouldest have a perfect Cure thou must be put to pain He that would be healed must suffer his Wounds to be lanced and searched to the bottom 2. Take the Physician 's Counsel and carefully follow his Directions come to him presently whilst it is to day or thou art a dead Man 3. If it be so that he says thy right Hand must be cut off bear the Pain or thy right Eye must be pulled out submit to him Whatsoever is dear to thee that hinders the Cure thou must deny thy self of 4. A Purge thou must take or thy Wounds cannot be healed the evil Humors or the Filth and Corruption that is in thy Heart must by the Spirit of Grace be purged out John 3.3 5. Thou must become a new Creature Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Sin a Plague 1 Kings 8.38 What Prayer and Supplication soever be made by any Man or by all thy People Israel which shall know every Man the Plague of his own Heart c. Levit. 13.2 3 4 5 6. And it be in the Skin of the Flesh like the Plague of
Beauty cannot hold its own against the ill Effects of a Disease especially if lasting When thou with Rebukes dost correct a Man for his Iniquity Psal 39.11 thou makest his Beauty to consume away like a Moth c. V. The scorching Heat of the Sun is but for a short time in the heat of the Day So the Persecution lasts but for a short time Our Afflictions which are but for a moment c. Sorrow may continue for a Night but Joy shall be in the Morning c. VI. In the Time of Heat and hot scorchings of the Sun Men use to betake themselves to some shadowy Places for Refreshment So in the Day of Affliction and hot Persecution the Church of God and each sincere Christian hath a shadowy Place to retire unto God affords sweet Refreshment to his suffering Saints VII In a Time of great Heat the Fruits of the Earth and many green Things are dried up and wither away and a Famine many times follows So by the means of a hot and cruel Persecution many Christians who seemed zealous for God and to have much Greenness upon them in a Day of Liberty and Prosperity are dried up like the fruitless Fig-Tree and wither away and also sometimes a Famine of the Word follows VIII In a Time of great Heat and Drought those Trees that are planted by rhe Water-Courses flourish sweetly notwithstanding So all faithful and sincere Christians in the hottest Time of Persecution shall flourish and not cease from yielding Fruit Blessed is the Man that trusteth in the Lord. For he shall be as a Tree planted by the Water-side Jer. 17.8 and that spreadeth out her Roots by the River and shall not see when Heat cometh but her Leaf shall be green and she shall not be careful in the Year of Drought neither cease from yielding Fruit. Affliction compared to Wormwood Lam. 3.19 Remembring mine Afflictions and my Misery the Wormwood and the Gall. WOrmwood properly is an Herb well known amongst us upon the account of its exceeding Bitterness hence a common Proverb rises 'T is as bitter as Gall or Wormwood c. Parallels WOrmwood and Gall and other bitter Things are physical very good in divers Distempers So Afflictions are good spiritual Physick the diseased Soul receives much Profit by them many ways 1. They purge out the corrupt and noxious Humors of the Soul 2. They tend to abate and pull down the Tympany of Pride 3. They are good against spiritual Deadness 4. They are good against spiritual Barrenness nothing when sanctified makes a Soul more fruitful 5. They kill Worms as Wormwood naturally doth principally the Worm of an accusing Conscience that breeds out of the Corruption of the Heart and Life c. II. Wormwood Gall or Aloes are not commonly given alone but are mix'd with other Ingredients otherwise 't is hard to take them down So God mixeth Mercy with Affliction in the midst of Judgment he remembers Mercy towards his own People Babylon shall have nothing but Gall and Wormwood it shall be without any Composition of Mercy or Pity hence said to be a Cup without mixture c. III. Wormwood and Gall are exceeding bitter and make such things bitter as are given with them tho sweet in their own Nature So Afflictions especially some sorts of Afflictions are very bitter and irksom to the Flesh they also make bitter all our earthly Sweets Quest Perhaps some may say When are Afflictions so exceeding bitter c. Answ 1. When God strikes us in our best and dearest earthly Enjoyments when he takes away an only Son a Husband a Wife or by a Fire or otherwise takes away all our earthly Substance stripping us quite naked of every thing Then Afflictions may be said to be bitter like Gall and Wormwood 2. When God brings upon us one Affliction after another To day thy Cattel are taken away and then presently upon it thy Children by a severe Judgment and after all thou art struck with a sore and dismal Affliction in thine own Body Thus it was with Job When God deals thus with a Man or Woman Afflictions may be said to be bitter But then again 3. When God strips a People or particular Person not only of all their outward Mercies or earthly good Things but also of all their spiritual good Things too such Things as are dearer to them than their Lives then Afflictions may be said to be bitter Should God at once bring so severe a Stroke upon us as to deprive us of all our Civil Rights and Privileges suffering an Enemy to break in upon us who would not regard our good and wholesom Laws by which every Man's Propriety is secured to him and not only so but deprive us of the Gospel and blessed Ordinances thereof and drive our Ministers into Corners or burn them to Ashes in Smithfield and set up Popery and tyrannize it over our Consciences This Affliction would be bitter like Wormwood and Gall Which God in Mercy prevent 4. When Afflictions are very heavy and sore upon us and we cannot find out the Cause and Ground why God contends with us then they may be said to be very bitter It was this which made holy Job Job 10.2 so much distressed in his Spirit Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me He did not doubt of the Justice and Righteousness of God in them but as suspecting some Evil in himself as yet unseen or not discovered to him 5. When God afflicts his People or a gracious Soul very sorely for Sin for this or that Sin which they know they are or have been guilty of O this goes to their Hearts to think they should provoke their heavenly and dear Father against them to chastize them so severely 6. When we are under great Afflictions and God hides his Face or withdraws himself from us then Afflictions are bitter This is to be outwardly afflicted and inwardly too 7. When Afflictions are lasting or of long continuance then they are very bitter A small Burthen or Weight born long will weary a strong Man but if it be very heavy and abiding it is much more grievous 8. When God afflicts a Man in Indignation when he lets flie his tormenting Arrows against him from the fierceness of his incensed Wrath forcing him to drink off his Cup without mixture it being all bitter and no sweet Thus God deals sometimes in a way of Judgment with wicked Men tho never so with his own People and to such Afflictions are bitter indeed Inferences FRom hence we may perceive what an Evil Sin is that God will not spare his own Children when they offend him Sin is a bitter thing as appears by the Effects of it Afflictions are many times the Fruits and Effects of Sin II. It shews us also that there is a great difference betwixt the Afflictions and Miseries of the Godly and the Wicked Quest But some may say How may a Christian comfort himself or get support
decide the Case who is clean and who unclean who is to be put out and who to be taken into his Church The Tabernacle and what it was the Type of THe Tabernacle in some respect according to the Learned was a Type of Christ's Human Nature 1. It was exceeding glorious within all the inward parts thereof were overlaid with pure Gold This might signify how the Human Nature of the Son of God was covered with the Diety that being the true Tabernacle that God hath pitched and not Man Saint John saith The Word dwelt or tabernacled amongst us speaking of his being in our Flesh or taking upon him our Nature it being conceived by the Holy Ghost and not erected by Man 2. The Tabernacle was the place where God met with his People now God meets with his People in Christ 't is in and through him we come to know or have the true Revelation of his Will and enjoy his gracious Presence c. Those who would be accepted with God and worship him aright must wait at the door of this Spiritual Tabernacle Others understand by the Tabernacle the Church or Mystical Body of Christ wherein God graciously dwells and hath promised also to meet his People 1. It was moveable signifying the troublesome State of God's People whilst they pass through the Wilderness of this World 2. The Tabernacle had three places 1. The outward Court wherein stood the brazen Altar 2. The Holy Place 3. The Holiest of all In the first it typifies forth the visible or outward Form of the Church in respect of the external Exercise of Religion and Worship hither the common People may come The second typified out the Spiritual State or more close and holy Fellowship of the Church which none have admittance into but sincere and sanctified Persons who feed upon the Spiritual and true Shew-Bread Jesus Christ The third typified Heaven it self or the Church of God triumphant where Christ is set down in Glory at the Father's right hand to intercede for us 3. The Entry to the Holiest of all was by the Holy Place and to the Holy place was by the outer Court c. So our Entry into Heaven is by being Members of the visible Church through Faith and a good Conscience He that would enter into the Holiest of all must first be Holy and he that would come into a State of true Holiness and Communion with God and his People must learn to know where the Candlestick and true Shew-Bread stands which is the visible Church 4. You read of the fixed Pillars of the Holy Place they might signify the Holy Apostles of Jesus â—hrist and his faithful Ministers who help to support the Spiritual Structure the Church as Pillars do support a House c. 5. The divers Ornaments and Instruments thereof might signify the diversity of Spiritual Gifts and Graces in the Gospel-Church the Tabernacle was exceeding glorious within and all the inward parts thereof were overlaid with pure Gold Exod. 35. Psal 45. So inwardly the Church of God is very beautiful the King's Daughter is all glorious within 6. The several covâ—rings thereof typified the Lord's sure and safe Protection of his Church by his own immediate Power and gracious ministration of Angels 7. Gold within and Skins without might signify tho the Church is glorious within yet outwardly to the sight and view of carnal Men she hath no Beauty but is look'd upon as contemptible 8. The Tabernacle and all the Instruments thereof yea the very Ash-Pans and Snuffers of the Candlestiâ—k must be made according to the Pattern shewed in the Mount which figured forth Exod. 25.40 that the Church of God and all the exercise of Worship that is therein whether Doctrâ—ne or Discipline must be exactly according to the express written Word nothing must be aâ—ded to nor diminished from no Alterations one way or other must be made 9. The voluntary Oblation of the People to build the Tabernacle signifies how willing Christians should be to contribute of their outward Substance to uphold God's Church and the publick Worship thereof 10. The glorious Door of the Tabernacle might be a Figure of Christ who saith I am the Door Joh. 10.7 't is by him we enter into the Kingdom of Grace and Glory The Veil of the Holiest Exod. 26.31 and what it figured forth IT was glorious of Embroidered Work this saith Guild signified the Body of Christ filled with the fulness of God Heb. 7.26 or beautified with all the most excellent and Heavenly Graces of the Spirit Joh. 1.51 II. It was replenished and wrought full of Cherubims noting thereby that serviceable and ready attendance of the Angels on Christ's Natural and Mystical Body III. It was born up by glorious and costly Pillars overlaid with Gold on Sockets of Silver to shew that the Humanity of Christ especially in his Sufferings should be born up by his Deity which his Manhood overveiled IV. By the Veil only there was entry into the Holiest place of all So by the Veil that is to say the Flâ—sh of Christ wâ—ich was rent as it were upon the Cross a new and living way is made for us to the Father Heb. 10.20 The Ark a Type of Christ THe Ark was an assurance of God's Presence amongst his People So Christ is the Cause and Assurance that God in a gracious way is present with us II. Where the Ark was there it was lawful to offer Sacrifice and no where else which might shew that our acceptance in God's Sight is through Jesus Christ If Christ dwell not in our Hearts by Faith if we have not the Ark with us Christ with us God will not accept of our Prayers nor Service III. In the Ark was the Pot of Manna to shew that in Christ is the Life Comfort and Spiritual Nourishment for our Souls IV. The Ark had a Crown of Gold round about it signifying the Majesty of Christ's Kingdom or his Regal Power V. The two Tables were in the Ark the Ark kept them which might signify Christ's keeping the Law perfectly for us and deliver us thereby from the Curse of it VI. When the Ark was set in the Temple of Dagon Dagon fell down and broke to pieces So when Christ and his Truth are set up in a Man's Heart or a Nation Sin and Idolatry will go down VII Where the Ark was there was the Glory of God and when that departed the Glory of God departed So where Christ's blessed Truth and Gospel is there is the Glory of God but when Christ leaves a People takes away his Gospel the Glory of God goes from that People Some run a Parallel between the Church and the Ark others between the Publick Worship of God and it But in my Judgment it more clearly was a Type of Christ which may comprehend much of what they say in respect of other things The Mercy-Seat Exod. 25.17 a Type of Christ IT was called the Mercy-Seat or as