of the mouth of Jesus Christ his word it hath a double yea a contrary operation being both a killing and a qâ—ickning word Both these doth the Lord in a literal sense The Lord killeth and maketh alive saith Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2. 6. And both these doth the Lord Jesus in a Spiritual sense and that by his word So the Apostle setteth forth the two-fold property of it 2 Cor. 3. 6. The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life The letter The letter of the Law which is litera occidens a killing letter in as much as it requireth part from man which in his now corrupted estate he is no wayes able to perform and so is a sword at his heart giving him a deadly wound Whence it is that is called in the verses following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministerie or Ministration of death vers 7. and in the 9 th verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministration of condemnation Because it layeth men under the sentence of eternal condemnation Such is the Ministery of the Law But now the Spirit and the Ministery thereof in the preaching of the Gospel that giveth life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it quickneth maketh alive First putting a new life into a dead soul raising it up from the death of sin to the life of holinesse to the life of grace here and glory hereafter Whence it is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of life Phil. 2. 16. And then reviving and chearing it with the sweet promises thereof Thy word hath quickned me saith David Psal. 119. 50. Thus hath the Word like a two edged sword a double and contrary operation upon the soul. And so it hath to prosecute this point yet a a little further both upon different subjects and upon the same First In different subjects or persons it hath a different opperation So it hath upon beleevers and unbeleevers Elect ones and Reprobates Working upon both but in different yea contrary waies This the same Apostle setteth forth most clearly in the chapter there foregoing 2 Cor. 2. 15 16 For we saith he speaking of himself and other Gospel Ministers are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish Their service in preaching of the word is acceptable unto God through Christ though it do not produce the same effect in those that hear them but have a contrary work according as it needeth with different subjects So it followeth To the one we are a savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life Such contrary smels and savours there are in nature as Grotius notes upon it some poysonous and deadly as of those Lakes Avernus and Asphalties others again so recreating and refreshing that being put to the nose they will revive the spirits of a fainting person And of such a contrary operation is the sword in the preaching of it Meeting with persons of different dispositions it is to the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the one a sweet savour a savour of life So is it to Gods Elect to whom believing it it is made the power of God to their salvation as the same Apostle elsewhere saith of it Rom. 1. 16. A savour of life unto life quickening them up as I said before to the life of grace here and glory hereafter But on the other hand to unbelivers it becometh a savour of death unto death A deadly savour Not that the Gospel is so of it self being in its own nature as I said even now the word of life but accidentally it becometh so to them through their rejecting of it Now it is to them not onely an occasion but a cause of their just and greater condemnation Even as it is with the Proclamation of a Prince which he maketh to his rebellious subjects wherein he maketh offer not onely of pardon but of grace and favour to those that will lay down their armes and forthwith come in shewing themselves loyal and obedient but on the other hand threatneth extremity of punishment to those that shall yet stand out This Proclamation with the same breath breatheth both life and death Life to those which will hearken to it which is the proper end and intent of proclaiming it but death to those that oppose themselves against it Even so it is with the Evangelicall Proclamation the Doctrine of the Gospel it preacheth life and death after the same manner Life to penitent believers who readily accept the offers of grace and mercy there tendered Death to obstinate and rebellious sinners who reject them Thus is Iesus Christ who is the proper subject of the Gospel according to Simeons Prophesie at his Birth Luk. 2. 34. Behold saith he this childe is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel Even as the same Star as our new Annotators glosseth upon it is at the same time both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both morning Star and evening Star To some the morning Star bringing the light and day to them To others the evening Star bringing darknesse and night Thus is the Lord Iesus that Star of Jacob being held forth in the Gospell to some those that believe on him he is what he calls himsel Rev. 22. 16. The bright morning Star bringing to them the light and day of Grace here and Glorie hereafter But to others such as reject him will not receive him as their Saviour and Lord as the evening Star bringing to them a night of everlasting darknesse Such is the different and contrary operation of the word upon different persons 2. And in the second place such is the operation of it in and upon the same Persons A different nay a contrary operation So it hath in and upon Gods Elect upon all true believers of whom it may be said not onely that they were dead and are alive This my sonne was dead and is alive again saith the Father of his Prodigall sonne being returned home Luke 15. 24. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins saith Paul of his believing Ephesians Eph. 2. 1. But also that they are dead and alive both at the same time So that the Apostle tels his Romanes Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God And both these they are the effects of the word Which first killeth them which it may be said to do two wayes First by showing them their naturall state which is a state of death Such effect it had in and upon the Apostle as he sets it forth Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the â—ommandment came sin revived I died Whil'st he was a Pharisee he thought well and highly of himself that he was in a happy condition he apprehended himself to be in perfect health as
to the estate of his soul. But the commandment coming the Law being brought home to his conscience now he died he felt this word as a sword wounding him to the heart giving a deadly wound to that his fals perswasion and making him to see himself a dead man in a state of sinne and death And such operation the Word hath upon all those whom God intendeth to manifest his grace upon They are in this sense first killed And then again the Body of sin is killed in them So as whilest they are dead as to themselves so they are also dead unto sinne as both Paul and Peter say of all regenerate persons Rom. 6. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 24. the Body of sinne having received a deadly wound in them which is also done by the Word which Iesus Christ maketh use of as his Sword to slay this old man with as his instrument in the mortifying of sinfull corruption And so again in quickning them in making them alive unto God and unto righteousnesse This is the able work of Jesus Christ who is the principall efficient in it The Sonne quickneth whom he will saith he of himself John 5. 21 But how doth he doe it why by his Voyce his Word So he explaineth himself verse 25. Verily I say unto you the houre is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that hear it shall live Thus did Christ quicken Lazarus body by his Voyce by his Word He cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth Iohn 11. 43 And thus shall he quicken the dead bodies of all men at the last day The houre is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his Voyce and shall come forth Iohn 5 28 His voice not the voyce of Christ himself immediately but of his Angel sounding the Trumpet at his command so the Apostle explains it 1 Thes 4 16 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of an Arch-angel and the Trumpe of God The Archangel having received the watch word from Christ so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grotius observes upon it is there rendred by Tertullian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in jussu he soundeth the Trumpet whereby they dead shall be raised from their graves And by alike means it is that dead souls are raised from the grave of sin by the voyce of Christ the trumpet of his word at his command sounded by the Angels of the Churches the Ministers of the Gospel Thus hath the word different and contrary operations as upon different so in and upon the same persons And upon this account it may fitly be represented as here it is by a two edged sword Thus you have seen the three first particulars moralized and opened unto you There is yet one behind which is no lesse considerable then any of the former And that is the sheathe from whence this sword is drawn which is here said to be the mouth of this Son of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword And so doth the word out of the mouth of Iesus Christ And that both Law and Gospel which are as I told you â—like the two edges of this sword Both these we shall find going out of the same mouth the mouth of Iesus Christ. So did the Law at Mount Sina He it was who there spake if not immediately by himself yet by his Angel This is he saith Stephen speaking of Moses who was with the Angel which spake to him in Mount Sina Act. 7 38. What Angel Why as it commonly looked upon the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Christ. This is he who then spake on earth as the Apostle hath it Heb. 12. 25. Whose voyce then shoke the earth as it followeth viz. at the giving of the Law Thus the Law came out of the mouth of Christ. And so doth the Gospel He it was that spake and by his Prophets under the Old Testament As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began saith Zacharias in his song Luk. 1. 70. It was not so much they as the Spirit of Christ in them which signified to them and by them what they foresaw and foretold as Saint Peter hath it 1 Pet. l. 11. And he it was that spake to and in and by his Apostles under the New Testament Paul blameth his Corinthians some of them for questioning seeking a proof of Christ speaking in him 2 Cor. 13. 3. And so he still speaketh in and by his Ministers who speaking in his name and delivering his mind are as it were his mouth Thou shalt be as my mouth saith the Lord to the Prophet Ieremy Jer. 15. 19. And thereupon it was that what the Prophets promised or threatned from God they tell the people the mouth of the Lord had spoken it Isai. 1. 26. 40. 5. c. viz. by them And as the Ministers of Christ are his mouth so the word spoken by them is his word the word of Christ. Let the word of Christ dwell in you saith the Apostle to his Collossians Col. 3. 16. And thus is this two edged sword said to go forth of the mouth of Iesus Christ. That which now remains is Application Which let it still be directed as the former first to Ministers then to People For the former Ministers Let them here see what sword it is that they are to make use of First But one sword It is looked upon as an impertinent Reply which some of the Apostles returned to their Lord and Master when notwithstanding what wars and weapons he had spoke to them of they tell him Ecce duo gladii Lord behold here are two swords Luk. 22. 38. And so much their masters reply imports who said unto them It is enough Thereby giving them to take notice that it was not bodily arms which he meant for so considering the enemies which they should have to encounter with many thousand swords had been too few But it was a wider Inference which that Bishop of Rome made from hence who laid this as a ground of that change which he made a double sword the Secular and Spiritual both to be welded by his hand This Son of man whose vicar that man of sin stiles himself shewing himself to Saint Iohn as the great Protector of the Churches appears but with one single sword Though a two edged sword yet but one sword Giving the Angels of the Churches his Ministers to take notice that they are to lay claime to no more But one sword And Secondly Let that be Gladius oris the sword of the mouth not of the hand not the secular sword leave that to the Magistrate into whose hand God hath put it But Spiritual Such are the weapons of their warfare as the Apostle will tell them 2 Cor. 10. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Thus approving themselves unto Christ let them then Commit themselves unto him commending themselves into this hand of his So did their Master dying he commended his Spirit into his Fathers hand Into thy hand I commend my Spirit Luk. 23. 46 And so let his servants do both living and dying commend themselves their lives their liberties their labours their all into the hand of this their Lord and Master by faith putting themselves into the hollow of that hand and lying down under the shadow of it Commit thy way unto the Lord saith David unto all Psal. 37. 5. And this let the Ministers of Christ do in a special manner Fourthly And thus committing themselves to him let them also submit unto him Taking notice that they are in his hand let them yeeld up themselves unto him to be disposed of by him according to his good will and pleasure So did the blessed Apostle St. Paul So long as his Lord and Master Christ might be glorified in him and by him he did not much weigh in what way it was whether by life or by death as he tells his Philippians Phil. 1. 20. And let their be the like minde in all the Ministers of Jesus Christ. In all things let them comply with his mind and will Being willing to go whether he calls or sends them like the Centurions souldiers and servants Mat. 8. 9. I say to one go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh c. And to do what he will have them Peter though he had fished all night and caught nothing yet neverthelesse at his Masters command he will let down the net Luk. 5. 5. And as doing so suffering for him I am ready not onely to be bound but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus saith Paul to the Disciples Act. 21. 13. And thus committing and submitting themselves to him let them now incourage themselves in him So did David in that great distresse of his when he knew not what to do he then Encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. And this let all the faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ do Remembring that they are in his hand yea in his right hand which may serve as a grand Encouragement to bear up their hearts and spirits First Against the contempt of the world that mean estimation which the men of this world have of them and of their calling Let the world judge and think and speak of them as it will It is not this judgement which they are much to regard with me saith the Apostle It is a very small thing to be judged of you or of mans judgement 1 Cor. 4. 3. Whose judgement then was it that he regarded Why the judgement of his Lord and Master Christ so it followeth in the next verse He that judgeth me is the Lord. What then though the world have a low a meane base estimation of the Persons and calling of the Ministers of Christ So it had of Paul and the rest of the Apostles as he setteth it forth in the sequel of that Chapter We are made a spectacle unto the world and unto Angels and unto Men verse 9. We are made the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things v 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very sweepage and dross the off all and shreds of the world Such a mean and base esteem had many in those times of Paul and his Collegues the blessed Apostles and other Primitive Ministers And it is but too apparent that such and no better is the esteem which many even among our selves have of them at this day whose tongues and pens speak what their thoughts are But let not this be regarded by the faithfull Mininisters of Christ. It is enough that their Lord and Master Christ thinks otherwise of them Let the world as it doth set them upon the left hand He hath taken them into his right hand and there he holdeth them thereby declaring both how near and dear they are to him near in Relation dear in Affection Euen as the Signet upon his right hand as the Lord saith of Eliakim Ier. 22. 24. or as the men of his right hand as the Psalmist saith of David Psalm 80. 17. his Benjamins the sons of his right hand as that word signiefith And secondly as against the contempt so against the Opposition which they meet withall in and from the world which oft time is not little Paul met with affronts more then a few Being to preach to the Deputie Sergius Paulus Elimas the Sorcerer withstood him Acts 13. 8. And elsewhere he tells us of his fighting with beasts at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15. 32. which some and not a few understand of bruitish bestiall savage and cruel bloody minded adversaries And such he sometimes conflicted with as appeareth from that request of his which he maketh to his Thessalonians 2 Thes. 3. 2. Where he desireth them to pray for him that among other things he might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men And such conflicts the rest of the Apostles had frequent experience of finding that to be true which their Lord and Master had foretold them Matth. 10. that they were sent forth as sheep among Wolves verse 16. and that they should be hated of all men for his Names sake verse 22. because they were his servants his Ministers imployed in his service And what if the Ministers of Christ shall meet with the like at this day Which at not a few hands they already doe There being many who are desperately ingaged not onely against their Persons but against their Profession their Calling crying that down as useless and unnecessarie nay destructive and pernicious seeking by all wayes they can to extirpate and root it out But let not all this discourage the faithfull Ministers of Jesus Christ knowing that they are in his hand not in the hand of man If so there were just cause to fear their standing But in the hand of Iesus Christ and that in his Right hand which is both a gracious and a powerfull a sure and safe Custodie and Protection And who is it then that shall take them out of his hand Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand saith our Saviour concerning his sheep John 18. 20. And if not the sheep surely then not the shepherds He that hath such a vigilant eye over the one will not be regardlesse of the other Pan curatoves oviumque Magistros Yea then let men and devils do their worst yet let not them fear That was Davids resolution which he took up upon this very ground Psalme 56. 6 4. In God have I put my trust I will not fear what flesh can doe unto me Such is the Arme of man how long how strong how potent soever it be yet it is but an Arm of flesh as the Prophet tells it Jer. 17. 5. Flesh not Spirit as the Prophet Isaiah saith of
earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked which Calvin and divers others understand of the Word of Christ. Virga or is tantundem valet ac sceptrum verbale The rod of his mouth is the scepter of his word the breath of his life which a word is Herewith doth Jesus Christ not onely smite hut also slay his enemies doing Spiritual executions upon them In this way and by this means it is foretold that Christ shall destroy that Arch enemy of his the great Antichrist 2 Thes. 2. 8. And then shall that wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawlesse one a terme fitly agreeing to that Antichrist of Rome who by himself and his party is voted to be solutus omni lege humana not subject to any humane law daring also to dispence with the divine Law be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth that is by his word the pure and powerful preaching of the Gospel thereby giving him a deadly and incurable wound Such use doth Jesus make of his word he useth it as his sword to destroy his enemies with With this sword it is that he goeth forth against those grand enemies of his Kingdome Sin and Satan as also against all other his adversaries This is the Bow wherewith he that sate upon the white horse went forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6. 2. even the powerful preaching of the Gospel which is elsewhere called his Arrows Psal. 45. 5. as both those places are by many expounded And this is the axe and sword wherewith he heweth and slayeth obstinate sinners as the Prophet Hosea hath it Hos. 6. 5. Therefore have I hewed them by my Prophets and slain them by the word of my mouth Hewed them by sharpe reprehensions which are as the stroakes of the Axe to a crookd or knotty peece of timber And slain them by terrible denountiations of judgement and vengeance threatning them with death Temporal and Eternal Thus doth Jesus Christ slay his enemies first by the sword of his mouth before he do it by the sword of his hand first threatning and denouncing judgement before he execute it Thus is the word a sword And secondly a sharpe sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such are those Arrowes before spoken of by the Psalmist Thine arrows are sharpe in the heart of the Kings enemies His word penetrating and percing into the souls and consciences of men And such is this sword a sharpe sword So the ProPhet Esay describeth it Isai. 49. 2. where speaking in the person of Christ and of his being sent by his Father he saith He hath made my mouth like a sharpe sword i. e. By the powerful operation of his Spirit he hath made my word effectual And such is the efficacy of the word when it is thus accompanied now it is like a sharpe sword That is the Apostles comparison Heb. 4. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then a two edged sword And wherein so The next words explain it Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow c. This doth the Word of God not onely Christ himself who is sometimes so called Ioh. 1. 1. his essential word to whom that properly agreeth which there followeth in the next verses Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do But also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word written and preached This is also of such a penetrating nature like a sharpe sword it goeth thorow a man pierceth the heart entreth into the soul discovering a man to himself shewing him what before lay hid So the Apostle saith of it in that known place 1 Cor. 14. 25. where speaking of prophecying preaching and the efficacy thereof he saith that thereby the unbeleever cometh to be convinced judged so as the secrets of his heart are made manifest Those wicked lusts and false perswasions which before lodged and lurked in the secrets of his heart unespyed of others and undiscerned of himself by this means they come to be discovered Thus doth this sword likewise as the souldiers speare did to our Saviour it enters the pericardium the Call of the heart nay the heart it self piercing it thorow As Simon told the blessed Virgin in another sense that a sword should pierce thorow her soul meaning that sharpe sorrow and heart grief which she should suffer for her Sons sufferings Luk. 2. 35. Even so may it be said of this sword the word being accompanied by the Spirit now it pierceth thorow the soul working compunction and contrition in the hearts of poor penitent sinners Such effect it had upon those converts of whom the story tels that at Peters Sermon they were Pricked at their hearts Act. 2. 37. This doth the word Which also it doth with great facility and ease Even as a sharpe sword though there be but a weak hand to manage it it enters with ease So doth this word though it be dispenced by the hands of weak instruments which are the Ministers of the Gospel yet through the power of the Spirit it setting an edge upon it it now becometh mighty through God as the Apostle saith of it 2 Cor. 10. 4. mighty to do great and wonderful executions Thus it is a sharpe sword And thirdly A sharpe two edged sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a sword is looked upon as the sharpest sword penetrating more easily then a Back-sword will And in this respect the word is fitly represented by it So the Apostle formeth the comparison in the place even now named Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is sharper then a two edged sword But besides there may be conceived yet to be a further Mystery in the frame and fashion of this sword First A two edged sword Such is the Word which consisteth of Law and Gospel being as the two edges of this sword and both going out of the mouth of Christ as I shall shew you anon Secondly A two edged sword in regard of the double execution which it doth Not onely upon the Bodies but also upon the Souls of men Therein doth the Spiritual differ from the Secular Temporal sword The one reacheth onely to the Body Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the soul saith our Saviour speaking of tyrants Matth. 10. 28. But the other as the Prophet Ieremy in a borrowed sense saith of the sword of war Ier 4. 10. it reacheth unto the soul denouncing judgement against both both body and soul. Both which are as it were slain by this sword Thirdly A two edged sword as our juditious Perkins goeth before me in regard of the two-fold operation of it A two edged sword cutteth two wayes yea two contrary wayes And so doth this sword going forth
what ever fire which of what ever materials it be made yet is it not so kindly so chearly so comfortable as that warmth which cometh from the Sun Nor yet is it so durable The warmth which a man receiveth from the fire in the winter season it is presently gone so as he returnes to his former temper againe nay is the colder after it and for it Truly so is it with the Consolations of this world they are fading vanishing though the heart may thereby be cheared for a time yet they afterwards leave it sad yea sadder then before especially where there hath beene any inordinacie in the use of them A truth which needeth no other proofe but the experience of those who solace and drown themselves in carnall pleasures when they have spent the day in them their hearts are often sad and melancolie in the evening the cause whereof is because they finde themselves gulled and deceived by them not meeting with what they expected finding onely a shadow where they looked for a substance But it is otherwise with the warmth of the Sun That as it is a kindly and comfortable so it is a lasting and durable warmth And such is that Consolation which a Christian hath in and from Iesus Christ. It is a sweete a substantiall a durable lasting everlasting Consolation That is Pauls Epithite 2 Thes. 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Everlasting Consolation O let every of us seeke after this Consolation that we may but see the face of Iesus Christ shining upon us through the promises of the Gospell so as we may have assurance of our interest in him and his love to us being able upon good grounds to say with the blessed Apostle that We live by the faith of the Son of God who hath loved us and given himself for us Gal. 2. 20. this will be to us a spring of Consolation a comfort both in life and death I pass to the fourth and fifth particulars of which breifly 4. The Sun maketh plants and trees to fructifie And this benefit also seeke we from this Sun the Lord Iesus that by and through his spirit we may be made fruitfull in every good worke as the Apostle prayeth for his Colossians Col. 1. 10. This it is to walk worthy of the Lord as he there speaketh And hereby shall we evidence our union with Christ and interest in him our being in him and his being in us He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit saith our Saviour Ioh. 15. 5. This God expecteth at the hands of all those upon whome the name of Christ is called specially from those to whom Christ is more clearly revealed upon whome his face shineth in the preaching of the Gospel And that is our condition This Sun standeth over our heads See that our fructification be in some measure answerable to the meanes injoyed 5. Againe the Sun as you have heard purifieth the Ayre O that we may all of us finde and feele the like efficatious operation of this Sun of righteousness the Lord Iesus upon all our souls That his Spirit may be to us a purifing Sanctifing spirit purging and purifing our hearts from these sinfull and inordinate lusts â—mpure and corrupt affections which doe in any kindâ— anoy them This is the proper worke of â—he spirit of Iesus Christ which being a pure and holy spirit maketh the soule where it cometh a 〈◊〉 lodging for it selfe by clensing and purifing 〈◊〉 in measure from all spirituall anoyances O that we may all of us finde this blessed Operation That we may feele Jesus Christ thus coming to us by water Which he doth wherever he cometh by blood This is he that cometh by water and blood saith Saint Iohn 1. Ioh. 5. 6. washing away the filth of sin by his Spirit where he taketh away the guilt of it by his blood Every of us who would be assured of the one labour to finde and feele the other Thus seeke we the face of Iesus Christ that we may not onely see him but feele him feele him to us as the Sun as the Sun shining yea which is yet behind as the Sun shining in his strength Exercising those other Powerfull Operations upon us Of which breifly 1. Dissipating and dispelling of what ever mists of Ignorance or Infidelitie or inordinate feares which lye upon our soules Such mists the best of Gods Saints are here subject to Being somtimes exercised with feares and doubtings touching their spiritual and eternall condition Such a conflict we finde the holy Psalmist David or Asaph uncertaine whether under Psal. 77. Where we may hear him sadly complaining of Gods casting him off verse 7. and of the failing of his promise verse 8. of his forgeting to be gratious unto him and shutting up his tender mercies in anger against him verse 9. And Heman the like Psal. 88. 14. Where we may heare him after the like manner expostulating the matter with God Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from me A good man under a sad desertion And such temptations are the dearest of Gods Saints subject to which lye as mists upon their soules clouding and darkning of them bringing them into and holding them in a disconsolate condition Now for the dissipating and dispelling of these look we up unto Jesus Christ by faith earnestly begging that he would shew us his face causing it to shine forth to us as the Sun in its strength clearing up unto us the evidences of his love and favour towards us Confirming in us our faith This is the boon which the father of that Demoniack beggeth from our Saviour Mark 9. 24 Lord I beleeve helpe mine unbeleife And the Disciples put up the like request Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our faith And thus feeling the infirmitie and weakness of that grace in our selves seeke we the Confirmation and Augmentation of it from Iesus Christ that by the cleare revealing and manifesting himself to us he would dispell all mists of Infidelitie Secondly Thawing and melting our frozen hearts not suffering them to lye under any sinfull obduracie but bringing them to and keepe them in a melting relenting frame and temper making them truly tender as Iosia's heart is sayed to be 2 Chro. 34. 27. So as they may alwayes be ready and willing to yield to what ever impressions the Spirit by the word shall make upon them Thirdly And lastly warming and heating of them with the sense and apprehention of his love so as with Mary we may feele our spirits rejoycing in God our Saviour joying in him in all estates and conditions doing what the prophet Habakkuk resolves upon Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines c. Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation In all conditions when all other comforts faile yet there is matter enough of
and understand with their hearts and bee converted and I should heal them Thus dealt God with that people justly punishing their wilful obstinacie by giving them up unto a reprobate sence to a spiritual blindnesse and obduracie In as much as they had first blinded themselves closing their own eies against the light Their eies they have closed so Saint Matthew hath it Matth 13 5. As also the Apostle Act. 28. 27. therefore God in his just judgment blindeth them They blinded themselves first they would not see therefore God in his justice blindeth them that they should not see So giving them up to spiritual blindnesse which as that Apostle tells us still resteth upon that people untill this day I would not brethren that yee should bee ignorant that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in Rom 11. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blindnesse or Hardnesse for the word signifieth both is happened in part unto the greatest part the generalitie of that Nation insomuch that they do not nay till the time appointed be come they shall not see the things which belong to their peace This is the reason which the same Apostle giveth why those of that Nation did not see what was so clearly held forth unto them in the preaching of the Gospel 2. Cor. 3. 14. Their mindes were blinded there was a veil upon their hearts as the next ver hath it God hath given them up in his just judgment for their contempt of the means of grace to a fearful exceration and obduration blinding their eies and hardning their hearts Thus the Lord is said to have done Pharaohs Exod. 4. 21. And the like is said of Sihon King of Heshbon that refused to let Israel passe by him Deuteronom 2. 30. The Lord thy God hardned his spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might deliver him into thy hand This hee did not onely by with-holding his grace from them but by delivering them up unto the perversnesse of their own spirits and to Satan to bee acted by him unto their ruine and destruction And after the like manner may God bee said to have hardned the hearts of this people the people of the Iewes not onely by with-holding his Spirit from them but also giving them up unto their own hearts lusts as the Psalmist hath it Psal. 81. 11 12. My people would not hearken unto my voice and Israel would none of mee So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts or as the margin readeth it to the hardnesse of their hearts and they walked in their own counsels and to the power of Satan to bee acted by him to bee blinded and hardned by him Yea even giving Commission to his Word to have such an accidental effect upon them even as the Sun hath upon the Clay to harden it So much wee may learn from that Text of the Prophet Isaiah cited by our Saviour Isaiah 6. ver 9 10. Where the Lord giving him his Commission to go unto that people hee bids him or rather foretelleth him what hee should do that hee should make their heart fat Make thou the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavie and shut their eies c. Now how should hee do this Why onely by preaching the Word to them But what then had the Word any such proper Operation of it self Not so neither had the Prophet any such intention in the preaching of it but through their obstinate tempers it become so to them an occasion of their further blinding and hardening God in his just judgment suffering and ordering that his Word should have such a direfull effect upon them as that they should grow worse and worse by it untill they should attain to that height of impenitencie as should bee irrecoverable This it is The Word will have it work one way or other beeing as the Apostle saith the savour of life or of death 2 Corinth 2 16. Where it doth not open and clear the eye it will close and blinde it Where it doth not soften the heart it will harden it And in this way and by this means doth God in his most righteous Judgment hide from the eyes of men the things which belong to their peace which they have refused to see To these I might adde his sending of False Teachers among them such as those the Prophet Ieremie speaketh of who cried unto the people Peace Peace where there was no peace Jeremiah 6 14. So lulling them asleep in carnall securitie that they shall not see what belongs to their peace in truth As also his sending of strong delusions that men should believe a lie because they have not received a love of the truth as the Apostle hath it 2 Thes. 2. 11. Sending a Spirit of Errour a lying spirit to them such as that was which seduced Ahab to his destruction 2 King 2. 22. These and many other wayes God hath to carry on this his most just and righteous design But herein I shall follow him no further That which hath been spoken may be sufficient for doctrinal Confirmation and Illustration What now remaines is Application Where in the first place set me design you to make a stand a little and look upon this Nation wherein we live as our Saviour did here upon this City Ierusalem and see whether there be any just cause to do what he did to weep over it mourn over it upon any such account Touching which let me first declare for my self that not having my Saviours eyes a prophetical eye as he had I dare not pronounce the like sentence upon this that he doth upon that viz. that the things which belong unto Englands peace are now hid from her eyes No as my prayers have been and shall be so my hopes yet are to the contrary that God will yet be merciful to this Nation and I want not some grounds to bottom these hopes upon But yet let me shew you what two just causes of fear may be apprehended that God hath a sad controversie with it In the declaring whereof I shall as far as I may parallel it with this City of Ierusalem which I shall do altogether upon a Religious account not medling at all with the Civil of these sad prognosticks I might reckon up diverse But I shall content my self to single out some of those which are most obvious Among which let the first and principal be our not seeing the thing which belonged to our peace in our day Where I shall not do what happily with too much evidence of truth I might descend to those particular times and seasons wherein mercy hath been held forth and offered unto this Nation in a more signal and remarkable manner Surely such Criticall daies England hath had and some of them within our mememorie seasons and opportunities which had they been laid hold of and improved as they might how happy might she have