Christ what would become of a poor humbled sinner What terrour would compasse him about This powerfull effect of Christs death for death overcometh death is notably spoken of Heb. 2. 14. That through death he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage A learned man Cocceius understands this of the Jewes especially who because of those many Ceremonial Lawes they were in bondage to were in continual fear of death because the transgressing of many of those Lawes God made capital they were to die for it hence they could not be but in constant fear of death But it seemeth more genuine to interpret more largely as an effect of Christs death to believing Gentiles as well as to the Jewes It is from Christ only that the terrible thoughts of death can be mitigated otherwise to a man not in Christ it is the beginning of hell But in the fourth place Though to the godly thus death is changed in its Nature The Serpent hath its sting taken out Moses need not runne from it it is only turned into a rod of a fatherly chastisement yet Nature cannot but tremble at the approaches of it The heart of that man who is most heavenly though he would gladly be in Canaan yet he is not willing to passe through this wildernesse to it he would be cloathed with immortality but is unwilling to put off this garment of the body We would be happy but we would not die As children cry for a new garment to have it on and yet cry while it is putting on so greatly is the love of life and the fear of death engraffed in the very heart of a man And so farre as this fear of death is only natural not immoderate it is of great use For First Hereby men do more patiently abide under their afflictions As long as it is not death they do the more willingly bear it Lament 3. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain If a man be greatly punished for his sinnes yet if God keep him alive he hath cause to be more patient Thus Satan thought Job 2. 4. Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will give for life Therefore he would have Job tryed in that Fear then of death is a mercy because hereby men may the more readily sit down under other afflictions that are not so bad as death When therefore men come to such high discontents as Ahitophel because his counsel was neglected or such despairing terrours of conscience as Judas did that they choose to die yea to make away them selves This as it is an heavy temptation and desertion from God so it argueth that by the fear of death men do patiently abide under their distresses but when they care not for this they voluntarily throw themselves into the flame of hell Secondly The natural fear of death is of great use in this respect That it doth keep men from the committing of many sinnes which otherwise they would securely offend in Hence God appointed in the Law the punishment of death for many sinnes And Rom. 13. the Apostle biddeth him that doth evil be afraid of the powers Because they bear not the sword in vain It is therefore the fear of death that maketh men keep within bounds of righteousnesse and honesty It is not the fear of God nor the fear of hell nor the fear of sinne it self but a bodily corporal death that restraineth men from sinne So that if men come to that height of obstinacy as not to fear death they are prepared for any impiety Vitam qui contempsit suam tuae Dominus est When the Devil would perswade Eve to sinne he telleth her She shall not die he giveth her hopes of life Thirdly The natural fear of death is thus farre advantagious That it maketh a man more thankefull for the mercies of his life for his food and raiment which go to the preservation of his life Therefore a godly man doth make advantage of this fear of death to stirre up himself to all thankfulnesse to look up unto God as knowing That in him onely we live move and have our being It is also from this fear of death that the godly are more quickned to improve the day of grace to be working while it is called to day Those that had made a Couenant with death they grew desperate Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die whereas rather to have concluded Let us pray mourn rnd repent lest to morrow we die If therefore the godly are at any time greatly dejected with the fear of death the thoughts of it are a great temptation they sadly complain that they cannot conquer those slavish thoughts the memory of death is bitter to them they cannot take any joy when they think of it Let them among other things remember to turne this water into wine by faith Let them make an advantage of this natural infirmity Doest thou fear to die Then be more thankfull to God for the dayes and years he hath given thee in this world Doest thou fear to die Oh then be fruitfull live holily make a good use of thy health that so when death shall come it may be only death thou shalt grapple with not death and sin also death and the anger of God with it Death enough is terrible do not thou make it fuller of horrour Fifthly This natural fear of death is very difficultly kept from being a sinfull fear It is very hard to regulate and order it aright so that in some respect or other it doth not go beyond its bounds It 's hard so to fear and not to over-fear Even the most godly have found this fear of death to be a great snare to them They have not done the good they should have done because of this fear They have gone against conscience wounded their spirits because of fear Abraham though he was the Father of the faithfull yet did use sinfull equivocation with Abimelech about Sarah from which many sad evils might have been committed and all was this sinfull fear of death Though a godly man be allowed to have a natural fear of death yet he must take heed of a sinfull fear This hath brought many into such grievous sinnes that the fear of their consciences about Gods anger about hell and damnation have quite swallowed up the fears of death at last the greater fear hath devoured the lesse To whom are woes and wounds of conscience by apostasie and forsaking of Christ but to those who have too excessively been afraid of death As we see in Peter and many others Our next work therefore is to shew when the natural fear of death goeth beyond its bounds and becometh sinfull SERM. LXV Of the natural and sinfull fear of Death How to discern between them and from whence the sinfulness of that fear proceedeth 2 COâ— 1. 8. So that we despaired even of life THis last aggravating
to the course of the world not according to the lusts of men but as Christ hath commanded so we live and then partly because by Christs blood we do obtain this life he hath redeemed us from our former evil wayes he hath purchased a liberty for us and then partly because our life is terminated in Christ and we doe objectively propound him in all our wayes as Paul saith Galat. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Christ is the principle or authour Christ is the means and way Christ is the finisher and end of this life In the next place let us consider What goeth to make a mans conversation godly that we may say it is not some sudden motions or transitory workings but his conversation that is according to the Gospel For if some particular good actions at some times were enough to make a man godly then the way to Heaven would be no longer a narrow but a broad way Now in this description you must not expect a metaphysical or punctual decision of how many actions goe to make a mans conversation So that if he come up to such a number yet if he want one more then it cannot be called his conversation but we must understand it morally and in a large sense Briefly therefore to a mans conversation there is required as the foundation of all First A principle of regeneration to be made a new creature There must be spiritual life before there can be spiritual motions and actions So that if men are brought sometimes to what is holy by external motives because they have godly parents godly Magistrates godly Governonrs as Joash all the while Jehoiada the Priest and his Uncle lived This cannot be called a mans conversation there is not a new nature within but outward motives prevail with him and thereupon as they ebb or flow so is there a variation and change in his practices Secondly There must be a predominancy in his heart and affections to what is holy Christ must be his treasure he must love him more than any thing in the world then father or mother or life it self For if the soul be not thus principally fixed on him when that which is dearer and more loved doth suggest it self then they leave Christ This is plainly seene Matth. 13. in those hearers who believed for a while and brought forth some fruit but then when persecutions did arise they fell off then these seeming vines became thorns Thirdly There must be an actual improvement of those habitual principles of grace that are within For though a man have never so much grace within yet if it be not improved by outward exercise we cannot call it a godly conversation and therefore it is a vain thing for men to appeale to the goodnesse of their heart and their good meanings for the conversation is more to be believed than all these There must then be these streames as well as the fountain we must shew our faith as you heard by a godly conversation so that this relateth most to the exercise of grace though it presuppose the fountain and root within Lastly To our conversation There are required pure and heavenly motives that we do holy duties for holinesse sake That we follow Christ for Christs sake not for loaves The old Rule is A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia He that doth a godly duty because godly will do all godly duties As the fire because it burneth naturally it burneth in one countrey as well as another Thus a Christian because carried out purely and naturally as it were to the things of God doth own them every where in all places in all companies That which is godlinesse at one place and in one company is godlinesse in another Onely we must necessarily take along one Caution lest we condemn all the generation of the godly for hypocrites A mans conversation is godly though in many things he faileth by common infirmities though in all things he cometh short of that perfection which is required of him Yea though for a season through prevailing temptations he fall into and lie in some grievous sinnes David's conversation may be called godly he was a man after Gods own heart And Peter's conversation may be godly though he had such a foul fall So that infirmities yea sometimes grosse sinnes fallen into through urging temptations cannot be said to make a mans conversation wicked when the general inclination of the soul is set for that which is good It is true he that doth customarily and habitually sinne he is not borne of God neither can a regenerate man sinne so as the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Every swoon or fainting is not death yet such having the seed of grace within will as Trees that seemed to be dead all winter because there is life in the root at last revive and flourish when the spring of Gods grace shall draw it forth This is necessary lest the Doctrine of a godly conversation seem onely an Idaea like Tullies Oratour and that it cannot be found any where in the world In the last place let us see what profitable Uses may be drawn from this truth And First Of Instruction who are to informe themselves their conversation is not holy notwithstanding some good things may sometimes be found in their lives And 1. Such who in fear of death onely and in times of sad dangers doe call upon the Lord and cry out of their sinnes Is this your conversation Doe ye ever thus but in some times of exigency It is greatly disputed Whether a death-bed repentance can ever be sincere The Socinians are too rigid denying the salvation of such persons because they have no time to shew forth good works in their conversation But as this may be too rigid so on the other side Austin and others put it greatly to the doubt Non dico damnabitur sed nec dico salvabitur then is the conversation holy when in all conditions rich or poor sick or well living or dying thou doest diligently seek the face of God 2. Such cannot plead for an holy conversation in the world Who are onely such in some companies and in some places Many of the Nations became Iewes for fear of them Thus if thou because the company thou art with is religious or in the place where thou livest godlinesse is owned with credit then thou wilt also doe as they doe talke as they talk This is not thy conversation Paul was godly in all the places of the world even at Rome and where he was in the greatest danger Lot was righteous in wicked Sodome It is not with a godly man as they say of some Trees in one Countrey they bring pleasant and wholsome fruit but if transplanted into another soil poisonous and destructive So he in some places speaketh for godlinesse and in other places to laugh and deride it This is not thy conversation 3. Neither
3. Flesh saith our afflictions will never end 4. Flesh would put us upon any means to get out of trouble 5. Flesh only attends to what is troublesome and grievous in afflictions Why a man should so much study to discern betwixt the flesh and spirit within him 1. Because otherwise he will be apt to passe a false sentence upon himself 2. Hereby he may prevent the Devils end in troubling us It is not the natural strength of any man that can carry him through all afflictions 1. No man can bear all afflictions aright in his own strength 2. All opinion's that hold the contrary are injurious to the glory of God 3. There is a great difference betwixt a natural and spiritual bearing of troubles 4. There is a difference likewise betwixt moral and spiritual bearing of afflictions No grace removeth the natural fear of death The difference betwixt a natural and an elicite desire Propositions clearing the truth 1. Man was not made mortal 2. T is sin that maketh death so terrible 3. Christ came into the world to remove this sting of death sinne 4. Yet howsoever nature cannot but tremble at the thoughts of it Of what use the natural fear of death is 1. Hence men do more patiently endure afflictions 2. It keeps men out of many sins 3. It makes a man more thankfull for the mercies of life 4. The natural fear of death is very hardly kept from being sinfull There is a natural fear of death in all but in some more in some lesse When the fear of death is sinfull 1 When it becomes a snare 2. When it is immoderate and disquieting 3. When it excludeth much profitable and seasonable fear 4. When it proceeds from a sinfull cause as from 1. An inordinate love of life 2. The want of love to God 3. A sinfull life 4. Want of faith in Christ The godly are sometimes deceived about Gods dispensations towards them 1. A godly man may sometimes be deceived in his advise to others which he may think is of God when it is not 2. They are deceived when they thinâ— Gods dispensations are to abet some errours which they may be fallen into 3. When they judge of God after outward appearance 4. When they give too much credit to their zeal and affections 5. They may be deceived in the frame of their own hearts Gods people are deceived when they judge according to sense not saith Reasons 1. Because the godly are too hasty in their judgings 2. Because of their feare and anger wherewith they are too passionately transported 3. From the want of spirituall wisdome Rules for the preventing of false judgements concerning Gods dealings with us Two sorts of trust humane and divine Selfe-confidence a great sinne Propositions clearing the nature of self-confidence 1. All Creatures necessitated to trust in something 2. Our trust is corrupted by originall sin 3. Hence our trust is placed upon many false objects 1. Some trust in their wickednesse 2. Humane power and strength 3. Wealth What are those inward things which a man is apt to trust in 1. In his own heart 2. Self-righteousnesse 3. Church-priviledges How even a godly man may be guilty of self-confidence by trusting 1. In his spiritual gifts 2. In his graces Whether Paul speaketh these words in his own person Of the sinfulness of self-confidence which appears 1. From Gods chastising his children so much to prevent it 2. It is a secret sinne 3. 'T is a sinne soon committed 4. 'T is a making the creature a God 5. 'T is a foolish and unprofitable sin God alone is the proper object of our trust Propositions concerning our trusting in God 1. It is wrought by the Spirit of God 2. None but the regenerate can act this grace 3. It is an act of faith 4. It is not God as absolutely but relatively considered that is the object of our trust 1. As he is an infinite true and everlasting God 2. As immutable in his promises 3. As he is omnipotent 2. The matter for which we trust in God is the good thing we want either spiritual or temporal What is required to our trusting in the Lord. 1. A powerfull apprehension of our own and the creatures inability to help us 2. A practicall consideration of Gods greatness and goodness 3. A particular appropriation of God as our God 4. An experimentall knowledge of Gods promises and providences 5. An use of meanes 6. A sound judgement Of the excellency of this grace of trusting in God 1. It is many times put for the whole worship of God 2. The Lord delighteth to put us upon the daily practice of it 3. It indeareth God to us and engageth him for us 4. T is difficult to flesh and blood 5. One of Gods ends in afflicting us is to work this grace 6. It giveth all glory to God 7. It calmes and quiets the spirit God both can and will help his people in their extremitics 1. God raiseth up the naturally dead 2. God raiseth the metaphorically dead and such who are in any trouble either externall or internall Of Gods raising from internall extremities What is implyed in the expression God raiseth from the dead 1. That Gods own Children may be brought into helpless and hopeless conditions 2. That God hath power over all estates whatsoever 3. That our extremities are Gods opportunities The children of God do not only take notice of Gods mercies but their aggravations likewise 1. From their own low condition 2. From their own sinfulness 3. From the times and seasons of Gods mercies 4. Fromothers miseries We should account of privative and preventing mercies as of positive 1. Some mercies suppose evil inflicted others do not 2. Two sorts of evils spiritual and temporal which the mercy of God prevents 3. The godly are oâ—â— forgetfull about these preventing mercies 4. It is therefore their duty to go further in praise and thankfulness for these mercies then usually they do 1 Whatsoever evil is not inflicted that we have deserved is to be acknowledged a preventing mercy 2. Whatsoever evil fals upon others and not upon us 't is a preventing mercy 3. Whatsoever evil God justly may and yet doth not inflict 't is a preventing mercy 4. What evils God brings upon others in a providential way and not upon thee it is of his preventing mercy 5. Whatsoever mans own weakness would cast him into and yet God keeps it off is a preventing mercy Gods continuing his mercies is as necessary to us as his first bestowing them What deliverances God workes for us 1. Temporall 2. Spirituall 1. From wrath to come 2. From the power of sin and Satan 3. From temptations to sin and apostacy Why 't is necessary God should continue his mercies as well as give them to us 1. Because we cannot continue them our selves 2. Because of our unworthiness 3. Because our dangers and temptations continue The experience of former mercies should encourage us to trust in God
from Christ and that having begun in the Spirit they would end in the flesh We might instance also in several other Churches But as the Father said elegantly We need not drink up the whole Sea to know whether the water be saltish a drop or two will suffice Secondly This may be demonstrated from the relation and comparison the Church is adorned with in reference to Christ It 's often compared to Christs wife now the wife continueth a true wife and is not to be deserted unless for Adultery which breaketh the conjugal knot otherwise though she have many sad infirmities which may make the relation bitter and uncomfortable yet it doth not unwise her The Church is also Christs body now a body is not forsaken by the soul though it be a sore body a leprous body a leper is a man though a leper It 's Christs â—arden now this may have many weeds in it and many things defile it yet it is not presently made a waste wilderness Thus it is with the Church of God she may have many failings in Doctrine and manners yet not be quite unchurched Thirdly From a godly man A true child of God may have sad falls as we see in Peter and David yet for all this not be quite excluded out of the Covenant of grace they did not lose their sonship even in those sad transgressions and will God be more severe to a whole Church than to one person Use of Instruction what a deal of prudence and wisdome is required in every godly man under Church-pollutions To know what to do to understand how to deport himself for this he must be guided by the Word and the advise of those that are faithfull on the one hand not to be stupid or careless much less complying and communicating with the Church defilements and on the other side not to be so transported with misguided zeal and impatiency against evil as there by to rend the Church causlesly and to sin our selves because others sin SERM XVIII The Preheminence of the Church of God above all Civil Societies As likewise concerning Paul's writing this second Epistle to the Corinthians how hard a thing it is for Churches to keep within their proper bounds and what great care Ministers ought to have to use all means lawfull to promote the Churches which they have relation to 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth THis clause hath been fruitfull for much spiritual and edifying matter I shall conclude it at this time There are three things more which are to be deduced from this subject And First Whereas you see that the Epistle is not directed to the Magiâ—â—â— or Civil Governours of the City neither is the least notice taken of their wealth oâ— external pomp We may observe That the Church of God as it is a Church doth farre surpass all Civil Societies and temporal Dignities The Apostle owneth nothing in this famous City but their faith their profession of Christ and subjection to him A Church is a supernatural Society for supernatural and spiritual ends where God is in a more special manner present and therefore though the civil Magistrate be also of God and civil Societies they are of him yet not in that peculiar relation as a Church is Thus the Psalmist saith Psal 87. 2. The Lord loveth the 〈◊〉 of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jerusalem that is the Assemblies of his people met together in holy Ordinances above all other their civil meetings though never so pompouâ— and magnificent Therefore it 's good to consider that in all the inscriptions which the Apostle 〈◊〉 to any Churches he doth not at all speak of any civil or temporal Dignities that the places where the Churches were had but only â—…on of their spiritual titles as a Church Saints Believers Beloved of God And certainly if we do truly consider things these Titles do as farre transâ—â—nd all civil glory as the Heavens do the Earth The Apostle writing to the 〈◊〉 in all that Epistle takes no notice of the glory of that City which was the Orbis Domina and which they usually called aeterna Urbs he mentioneth their faith which was known to the whole world Rom. 1. 8. not the Roman and warlike power whereby they were so terrible to all Nations It is good to consider this for how few Churches do esteem of or judge themselves by their Church consideration but by their civil respects As they are such a City such a Corporation glorying in their Liberties and Charters whereas the consideration of themselves as a Church should far more possess their hearts Briefly to understand this consider First That the Church and Commonwealth or any civil Society are two distinct things the Church is one thing and the State another thing In the times of Heathen Magistrates and while there was outward persecution by the civil Powers which then ruled it 's plain for the City of Rome and the Church of Rome in Paul's time were wholly different So at Corinth the civil Magistracy of the Town did not seem to be Christians the Corporation of the Town was not as I may say made a Church The Christian Religion was not at this time established in Corinth by the City-Laws and Government only many in Corinth were become believers So that it 's plain The same Corinthians as they were a Church lived by other Laws and by different principles then as members of the City of Corinth As he was a Citizen so he met in their civil Judicatories so he acted according to the Laws of the City provided nothing was against Gods command but as a member of the Church there so they meet with others in spiritual communion for holy and spiritual ends Thus it is in a State while they are generally Heathenish But some have doubted Whether if a Commonwealth become Christian then there is any difference there between the Church and such a Christian State Whether then they are not all one But certainly by the first Institution and plantation of Churches by Christ and the Apostles Churches were founded and imbodied their Officers imploiment and the end of their Society appointed without any relation to the civil State and Government where they lived And therefore a Christian State doth not civilly govern nor bear the Sword punishing with death neither are there supream Governours Lords or Noblemen in it as a Church for then these should be Church-officers and instituted by Christ a Justice of Peace is not of Christ as a Pastor in the Church Neither on the other side are the preaching of the Word the administration of Sacraments the exercising of Church-censures the effects of a Christian State but as a Church So that it 's necessary by Scripture to acknowledge these two a Church and the State as two distinct Societies though the same men may be members of the same Secondly It 's a most blessed thing when the civil State and Church are
of Indulgences which was the occasion of that Reformation wherein Luther was so greatly instrumental For the Text it self you have Paul professing his rejoycing in his sufferings though so afflicted so reproached being made a spectacle to men and Angels Accounted the off-scouring of the world yet in all this he did rejoyce For God loveth a cheerfull sufferer as well as a cheerfull giver Si quid boni tristis feeris per te fit magis quam tu facis It is done in thee rather than by thee the good thou doest with grudging and reluctancy Yea admire the publick affection of Paul this was not so much because he should hereby have a greater crown of glory that he should hereby be more honoured but principally he rejoyced because he suffered for others that by his persecutions many others may be imboldened to profess the Gospel Now he sheweth in what manner he did suffer for them viz. By filling up that which is behind of the affliction of Christ in his flesh for the bodies sake which is the Church This seemeth strange how could Paul fill up the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things behind of Christs sufferings Were Christs sufferings imperfect Could Paul make up that which was deficient in Christ This would be to make Paul copartner with Christ in the work of the mediation and then Paul might truly have said that which once by interrogation he so vehemently denied Paul was crucified for them Therefore you must know the sufferings of Christ are of two sorts 1. Those which he suffered in his own Person as Mediator and head of his Church And thus by once offering up of himself he for ever made perfect those that do believe in him and thus there are no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no remainders behind to be done 2. There are the sufferings of the members of Christ united to him their Head and these are called his sufferings because of that mystical conjunction between Christ and his members as also that sympathy that is in him with them in their sufferings Now as Christ was appointed to sufferings so is every member of his by way of conformity to their Head set apart also for their sufferings and these are the afflictions of Christ that are still behind All the members of Christ have not yet fully suffered In every age there are some still to be afflicted for his sake and as long as any one believer is to suffer so long something of Christs afflictions remaineth still behind Therefore the Apostle addeth He was to fulfill these afflictions in his flesh and the end is for the good of the Church They suffer for the Church but not as Christ suffereth as will appear by some Propositions to clear the Doctrine First therefore when we say That the afflictions of the godly especially of eminent officers in the Church are for the good of the Church you must still distinguish them from the sufferings of Christ for the Church also The Martyrs they died to witness the truth and hereby occasionally to procure salvation for others but Christs â—…ng for others was in a far more transcendent and efficacious way For 1. Christs death was not only a martyrdom but a propitiation and an atonement also Christ we grant did suffer as a Martyr he came into the world to bear witnesse to the truth And he is said 1 Tim. 6. 13. To have witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate But those wretched Socinians are therefore to be abhorred because they make this the only end of his death That he died by way of example not by way of propitiation for our sins Thus with them the sufferings of Christ and of Paul for the Church differ only gradually not in kind Christ died as a more eminent Martyr than Paul but both only by way of witness to the truth Take we heed then that we do not split our souls at this rock of blasphemy denying the atonement of Christs sufferings 2. They differ in the efficacy also For Paul's sufferings and so all the sufferings of the godly do only objectively or by way of example turn to the good of others They comfort convert or save others only ministerially but Christs sufferings did meritoriously and efficiently also procure all the benefits which the Church standeth in need of Hence remission of sinne justification renovation and glorification are attributed unto his blood which cannot be to the blood of the Martyrs So that Christs death did by way of merit and causality procure all the priviledges the Church enjoyeth Hence in the second place All the sufferings which any undergo for the Churches good they are not meritorious or satisfactory either for our selves or others As the Papists do most derogatively to the honour of Christ maintain for their Doctrine about the sufferings of Martyrs for Christs cause is very proud and pharisaical They dogmatize that by these he may merit and satisfie God yet through the merits of Christ Tincta sanguine Christi yea not only thus satisfie for his own sins but may supererogate So that they exceed the wise Virgins they will part with some of their oil because they have more than enough So that from the overplus of all their sufferings the Church hath a great stock and treasure to relieve those that have no merits of their own Now this is a meer political engine in Popery to make the Pope have indeed a great treasury for he communicateth and dispenseth out of this stock for money Insomuch that Albertus Magnus saith plainly That a rich man is in a farre better condition to be saved than a poor man because he hath money to buy his pardon and to redeem himself which the poor hath not Thus these like Judas make a sale and bargain of Christ but though the godly suffer yet their sufferings are not for that end as Christs was even as when they obey the Law of God they do it not for that end which Christ did For both in suffering and doing Christ was only meritorious because he was without sin and did more than he was bound to which cannot be said of any Martyr Thirdly When we say the sufferings of the godly turn to the good of others This is not to be understood as if of themselves they did so but by the mighty power and grace of God working by them For Paul cannot of himself cause comfort and courage in others for he acknowledgeth God only to be the fountain of all comfort and therefore he prayeth to God that God would do good by such afflictions And as Paul cannot of himself thus do good to others by his sufferings For it is with him as in his preaching He doth but plant and water it is God that giveth the increase So neither do these sufferings work good of themselves by any intrinsecal virtue and efficacy they have For how many by these persecutions are the rather terrified So that as
thine He that could immediately be avenged on them he that could command legions of Devils to drag them to hell presently yet with much patience suffereth them God is so patient that as Tertullian Ipsa sibi detrahit â—â—de pat His patience detracteth from him he seemeth to be a loser by it For people sinne the more obstinately and wilfully because they meet with impunity Because vengeance is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the wicked is encouraged to evil Eccles 8. 11. It is true indeed if we speak properly we cannot attribute the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God as if that were an attribute in him The Scripture useth other words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God being most absolutely blessed and happy in himself he cannot be under any misery So as to be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be patient under it neither can God be said to pati to suffer in a passive sense yet his goodness his forbearance these are called patience And from the patience of God we may be encouraged to a conformity thereunto Should God be as impatient of thee should he as little endure thy failings as thou canst his dispensations thou hadst been with Dives calling for a drop of water long before this time and not able to partake of it Christ also is a wonderfull examplar cause of patience for him to lay aside the manifestation of his glory to be born of a Virgin to be exposed to such an ignominious death in all which he did seem as Tertullian expresseth it Contumeliosus sibiipsi Injurious and reproachfull to himself which made the Marcionites say He had only a phantastical body thinking it a reproachfull and dishonourable thing to him to have a true real body of the Virgin Mary But this exinanition and emptying of himself doth the more commend and make his patience illustrious Hence 1 Pet. 2. 23. and in other places Christ is commended as a patern to us of patience in all our sufferings and certain never may we more shame and abhorre our selves for all our repining and impatient workings of soul then when we set Christ before our eyes he was as a sheep in the hands of the shearer that opened not his mouth Yet how much did he suffer both from God and man and that without any cause in respect of himself though justly in respect of Gods Covenant with him as our Surety Now though all this was for us enemies to him such who would contemn his love and be ready to crucifie him over and over again yet in these great agonies and unspeakable sufferings he is not impatient Thus we have heard of a patience greater than that of Job even of Christ himself and let his patience shame thee out of thy impatience SERM LIV. Motives exciting us to a patient Submission unto God under all the Afflictions he layes upon us 2 COR. 1. 6. Which is effectual in enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer WE are yet treating on the manner How the Salvation of believers is promoted by their sufferings which is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In enduring or in patience in a patient enduring It is not my purpose I told you to enlarge my self according as this Subject of patience might require Some things have been spoken to declare the nature of it I shall adde at this time some motives and encouragements to be patient under the most extream sufferings we are put upon And First This consideration may greatly calm and compose our spirits If we sensibly affect our selves with what we have deserved All-impatiency and turbulency of heart ariseth because we are not throughly humbled under our own guilt and unworthinesse for if this were taken notice of we would wonder why dogs should have childrens bread why we should have the least drop of mercy who deserve the deluge of Gods wrath Doest thou at any time find repinings and frettings of heart within thee Do thou presently possesse thy soul with thy wretchednesse and unworthinesse Say Who am I Lord that it is no worse This is not hell nor everlasting damnation that I am in and yet I have a thousand times over deserved that It was this that quieted David's heart under that sour affliction he conflicted with when Absolom had made such a strong conspiracy against him 2 Sam. 16. 11. when Shimei cursed him with such a grievous curse that Abishai had no patience to bear it Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the King saith he let me go and take off his head Who but a David would have been avenged But what tameth Davids heart Let him alone let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him David knew that it was for his sins that Absolom rebelled Shimei cursed and therefore he dare not grudge nor mutter So 2 Sam. 15. 26. while David is compassed about with the same difficulties see how soft his heart is ready to receive any impression But if he say I have no delight in him behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth good to him Thus David's heart is like the vessel cast into the fire it may be put into any form or fashion and what is the reason of it A true humbled spirit under all its unworthinesse Thus the Church Lament 3. 22. though she be in such desolations that she cals to all the passengers who come by to see if there were ever any affliction like hers yet saith she It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed As wretched as we are we might be worse It is the Lords mercy that we do but taste of his cup of wrath that we do not drink up the dregs Here is a good patern to write after Let thy troubles and exercises be like Nebuchadnezzars furnace heated seven times hotter then ordinary yet thou wilt have cause to say if thou regard thy own guilt It is of the Lords mercy that it is no worse And vers 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Art thou a living man not a damned man and doest thou complain Think what if thy condition were like those that are chained up in everlasting darkness gnashing their teeth and roaring out for the endlesse torments that are upon them Wouldst thou not then judge this condition thou art in though afflicted and troublesome to be a mercy Certainly if the damned in hell are bound to acknowledge the justice of God and to give him the glory thereof though it be in their confusion How much rather art thou bound to give God the glory of all his Attributes in these dispensations to thee though bitter to flesh and blood Take heed then of being like Jonah of saying Thou doest well to be angry It is an ease to pour forth thy complaints For what doth God do thee any wrong Doth not the
it was with Paul this trouble though so exceedingly presting though for the present above his strength yet see how much strength he feeleth at the latter end This trouble did not overcome him but he overcame by the trouble by the grace of God For by this he was brought not to trust in himself but in God who did deliver him and thereupon he concludeth he doth and will deliver him So that God never suffereth any trouble though it be for the present never so heavy and burdensom totally and finally to overcome a man but at last he proveth even more than a conquerour These things thus explained Observe That it 's not the natural strength of any man no not of Paul that is able to carry a man through such afflictions that God may exercise him with Paul saith here It was above his strength not to complain not to accuse God as if he were too severe but thereby to debase himself and to give all glory to God Thus Isai 40. 28 29. when the Church began even to despair under her long calamities saying Her way was hid from God he took no notice of her condition With what incouragement doth God speak and that from this property in him The Creator of the earth fainteth not neither is weary God sinketh not under the government of the world nor the preservation of the Church For if the Sunne that hath runne its course so many years is not weary but can perform it as swiftly as ever Do we think God will be weary But this is not all the comfort As he hath this power so he communicateth it to his weak people To them that have no might he increaseth strength So that the more sensible we are of our own impotency the more ready is God to put forth his power To explain this Let us consider First That the sense of the Doctrine is That no man can bear any burden of affliction in a gracious manner without divine assistance from Christ Men may be naturally patient under great troubles yea they may have that fortitude as to be able to despise death it self but all this is not done in a godly way There is not the least temptation or affliction that cometh upon thee but if God should leave thee to thy self thou wouldst be broken under it nothing but sinne and corruption would manifest it self therein Peters case is abundantly known a temptation did befall him that was more than he could bear for the present though he had a good issue out of it Now this was a very little one in it self Peter had not yet resisted to blood It was but a Damsel and some others that told him he was of Christs company Here was no arraigning of him no impleading of him Here is no sentence of death pronounced against him and yet for all that he falls under it and in a most dreadfull manner denieth Christ What will any one say here Peter was pressed above measure No but from hence we may gather That there is not the least or most inconsiderable trouble that is but falling upon thee in thy own strength as Sampson with his hair cut off but it is able to overwhelme thee Therefore in all thy exercises consider thy infirmity Know that to bear the least burden as a Christian thou canst not do it unlesse it be given thee from above For if Iohn 15. We are not able to do any good separated from Christ if we cannot performe any holy action without the help of grace then much lesse are we able to bear any affliction graciously Conclude then on this That so great is thy sinfull infirmity and impotency that thou canst no more in a godly manner bear thy burden then the lame Cripple could rise up and take his bed and walke till Christ bid him and gave him power to do it Hence in the second place All those opinions which hold That a man is able to resist the tentations of sinne whether by prosperity or adversity so that they be not very extream and grievous without grace and strength from Christ are very injurious to the glory of God though never so much coloured with specious distinctions A man cannot do the least good or beare the least evil without Gods power in an holy manner And besides many Texts in Scripture the reason is plain Because the power of man and supernatural objects have no proportion or habitude between them Ordo Naturae and Ordo Gratiae differ as much as Heaven and Earth For this reason the people of God are so earnestly to pray to God that they be not lead into temptation For let what temptation soever arise if God leaveth thee to thy self it will be to thy ruine Therefore in the third place Experience doth confirm it That many men through the natural strength they have are able to beare up themselves under extream troubles Therefore we must acknowledge a vast difference between a Natural bearing and a Spiritual bearing of troubles And it is the duty for every one to examine whether Nature or Grace doth support Rom. 4. 18. it is there said of Abraham That against hope he believed in hope against natural hope he believed in divine and supernatural hope Thus the godly they do above strength with strength endure afflictions above natural strength with divine But because many men naturally have patient dispositions others stout and strong stomacks it is good to know whether Nature or Grace support thee When Solomon saith Prov. 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can bear He doth by that give us a distinction of two sorts of troubles The former External such as fall upon our Body Estate or good Name And now under these many a man hath so much natural courage and boldnesse that he will not shrink under them But then The second sort is Internal because of the guilt of sinnes when the wrath of God falleth upon the conscience being now awakened and made tender this he calleth a wounded spirit and concerning this he saith None can bear it So that although for outward troubles many men do with their natural power and strength go through them yet a troubled conscience no humane power is able to bear if God withdraw his helping hand Cain cried out It was greater than he could bear Iudas was so overwhelmed with it that he destroyed his own self Oh then take heed of bringing a burden upon thy conscience that is heavier than any weight Poverty may be borne misery and streights may be borne but a wounded conscience who can beare In the fourth place There is not only a great difference between the natural spirit of a man to bear infirmities and a gracious but also that moral vertue called Fortitude by Philosophers which is so commended by them They make Fortitude as a vertue to lie in attempting difficult things or bearing great evils for vertues
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is spoken oppositely to the willing of things according to the Principles of Godliness revealed in the Word or as in other places to the Spirit for to walk in the flesh and to walk in the Spirit Rom. 8. are made immediately opposite to one another Now this Phrase According to the flesh hath a Threefold signification in Scripture First it signifyeth That which is done according to the meer humane nature without any corruption Thus Christ is said Rom. 1. 3. to be born of the seed of David according to the flesh That Opposition doth evidently demonstrate against Socinians that there is another nature in him which is his Godhead so 1 Pet. 3. 18. he is said to be put to death in the flesh 2. This Expression doth sometimes singnifie The External Priviledges whether civil or Ecclesiastical and the glorious Respects that may accompany them Thus the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 16. We know no man after the flesh no not Christ himself That is We do not attend to any External or sensible Considerations that may be had from Christ but our hearts are wholly carryed out in a way of believing on him even as our Saviour saith Luke 8. 21. My Mother and my brethren are they which hear the word of God and do it Thus some are said to glory and to have confidence in the flesh which Paul renounceth Phil. 3. 4. and that was in the Priviledges of the Church of Israel So that any external thing in Religion though it be vouchsafed as a Priviledg by God yet it is but flesh in respect of the gracious works of Gods Spirit Thus there is a Jew and Circumcision in the flesh and a Jew and Circumcision in the Spirit which is good to be observed for of too many mens Religion may you apply that which is spoken in another case it is flesh and not spirit This we are to press much upon you that in prayer in Ordinances in all approaches to God you be a spiritual people not carnal resting upon Externals only 3. This Expression according to the flesh is most frequently for a corrupt Principle within us according to which we direct and order our course Thus flesh in the Scripture signifieth the whole man as it is corrupt comprehending in it not onely the Sensitive and inferior part of a man but his Rational also hence Col. 2. 18. We have a fleshly minde and Gal 5. Idolatries Heresies which are in the minde are said to be the fruit of the flesh It is true Ephes 2. 3. there seemeth to be a Distinction because it is said fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde but even there the minde is flesh and the meaning of the Apostle is to distinguish of sinnes some whereof arise from the Sensitive Appetite as Drunkenness Uncleanness others from the Understanding as desire of Vain-glory Idolatry Heresie c. all which are the flesh in a large comprehension Now in this sense the Apostle taketh it here He did not purpose according to the flesh that is according to corrupt and sinfull Principles within him but in all such things was guided by the Spirit of God determining upon those things wherein he might most promote Gods honour and the Churches good We see this Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 3. speaking very affectionately in this point against those Corinthians who accused him as walking according to the flesh which he denyeth saying That though he walk in the flesh yet he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after it he did not use carnal weapons such as humane wisdome exâ—… worth and greatness with carnall Policy to destroy what opposed it self against the Gospel From the Words thus explained Observe That a purposing and walking according to sinfull Carnal Principles must needs make a man very instable and mutable The Apostle in this defence doth plainly suppose that this is an ordinary cause to make men inconstant in all their wayes hope of getting and fear of losing doth cause a continual ebbing and flowing in our affections where 〈◊〉 have not one immoveable Principle fixed and settled to walk by there must be frequent variations for new lusts do beget new actions and the creature being driven up and down with uncertainties so they must be that adhere thereunto A man cannot stand steadfastly upon a round running bowl or upon slippery ice and such are all the Creatures Insomuch that he that would be as is said of Christ The same yesterday and to day and for ever must take the word of God for his Rule which is unchangeable invariable and abideth for ever To discover this Truth more fully let us instance in some particulars of the Principles of flesh which all by nature according to their reipective temptations are prone to follow And first Earthly Profit and Worldy advantages are a sweet bait of the flesh which allure many Insomuch that they resolve and purpose upon no other thing than what is accommodated thereunto and therefore are pro and contra for and against even as this Principle of earthly Profit doth move them These make the world their God Mammon their God and as the Godly submitteth all his Purposes and Resolutions to Gods will this he intendeth if God will this he supposeth to do if God permit so doth a man inflamed to this carnal Principle of Profit order all things with subordination thereunto this he will do if his Profit require it This he will do if his Profit command it the Papacy of Rome may notoriously be charged with this Principle of flesh in all their designes which are only to advance the Popes Crown and to nourish the Moncks bellies The Apostle speaketh of some who accounted gain godliness 2 Tim. 6. 5. Such ought to be so odious to us that the Apostle commands us to turn away from them The same Apostle at another time doth even with weeping speak of others who minde earthly things Phil. 3. 19. Wonder not then if those who walke by this Principle of the flesh they will get profit and wealth though they lose God Heaven and their own soules that they those soules as well as their bodies seem to be of the dust if they are driven away as the dust before every winde having no consistency atall Did not this desire of profit make Judas turn such an Apostate of a Disciple of Christ to be a perfidious Traytor Did not the Love of this present world make Demas to forsake Paul So that you see all those must necessarily be unconstant in Religion who have no better Principle to move them than eartly Respects and Advantages These are like Esau called therefore a prophane Person Heb. 12. 16. because for a morsel of meat he sold his Birthright This argueth a man to be prophane when he hath an higher esteem of Mony of Riches and Wealth than of Religious things Oh say rather Let mony perish than my soul perish let wealth and profit
into nothing Thus it is with the promises recorded in the Scripture they all move and act as it were in him They all live and worke in him were it nor for his merit and his Spirit they would be but as empty words or as a tinkling cymball Therefore In the fourth place The Covenant of Grace which is virtually all the promises of God it is not onely called a Covenant and a Promise but a Testament likewise And that for this end because it doth necessarily relate to the death of the Testatour So that Gods promise is not to be conceived as when one man maketh a promise to another absolutely and without any thing intervening For here we have God indeed promising from his meer absolute goodnesse and mercy but then the execution of this cannot be without the blood of Christ so that all the force of the promise ariseth from the death of Christ The Apostle therefore argueth the validity of this Covenant from that which is amongst men Galat. 3. 15. A mans testament when it is confirmed cannot be disanulled or added unto how much rather then must the testament of Christ be confirmed for ever The Apostle doth excellently consider this Heb. 9. 15. For this cause Christ is a Mediatour of the New Testament that by meanes of death they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a testament is there also must of necessity be the death of the testatour By which it appeareth that the promises of God are established upon a sure and unchangeable foundation even the blood of Christ and therefore as sure as Christ died so sure will those promises of God be made effectual to thee Indeed if Gods promises were Yea and Amen according to thy workes to thy worth and dignity woe would be unto thee Yea though God doth require faith and repentance yet the promises are not setled upon these as a foundation but on Christ and therefore it is that our hopes our comforts can never be shaken The promises then of God have two Pillars to bear them up though one be enough The first is The immutability and verity of Gods Nature he cannot change he cannot lie The other is From the Merit and Efficacy of Christs death whereby the things promised are deserved and that at a dear rate even Christs blood Now then can any godly soule give way to unbeliefe to sinfull dejections seeing that God cannot lie and the blood of Christ cannot but obtaine God cannot deny himselfe neither can he deny his onely Sonne Therefore let the godly soule remember this Gods promise is not onely a bare promise but Christs Testament also Insomuch that all spirituall benefits are the fruit of his death and shall we thinke that blood will be shed in vain Shall we give no more to Christs Testament then we will to a mans But this Doctrine deserveth further enlarging SERM. CXXVII Of the usefulnesse and unchangeablenesse of the Promises of God 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him amen ALl the promises of grace you have heard are established upon two immovable pillars Gods unchangablenesse and the bloud of Christ To proceed from this followeth First That Deus absolutus as Luther was wont to say or Deus in praedicamento substantiae is a consuming fire and we are nothing but stubble before him it must be God as in praedicamento relationis as he is a God promising mercy unto us in Christ that is the ground of all our commerce and fellowship with him We are not to appear before God in confidence of our obedience to his commands but by faith in his promises insomuch that the only foundation we have to build upon in all our approaches unto him is Gods promise alone in Christ The godly soul is to look with as much or more chearfulnesse on that than Rahab could do on the scarlet thread held out as a commemorative signe to preserve her life were it not for this promise in Christ who could who might who dare draw nigh to God the Father So that it is through Christ that the way is opened for us to come unto God We may see this notably prefigured as it were in Gods dispensation with the people of Israel Exo. 33. 2 3. for when they had by their sinnes greatly provoked God the Lord denied his presence to go along with them I will not go up with thee lest I consume thee in the way this sheweth that such was Gods anger against their iniquity that he could not bear it It 's a speech taken from the humour of men otherwise the anger of the Lord is subject to his own power only this is spoken to shew what distastefull objects they were to him But though his anger be thus against them yet see what he promiseth ver 2. I will send my Angel before thee Here God would not go but his Angel now this Angel is Christ as appeareth Exod. 22. 20 21 22. where he is described as one in whose power it is to pardon iniquities with this addition for my Name is in him Observe then here a sweet Oeconomy or dispensation of Gods dealing with the people of Israel as a President to inform us about all mankinde God would not look upon mankinde neither would he behold as it were if he did he should immediatly destroy them all but he sends an Angel he sendeth Christ into the world and so in and through him he becomes propitious to us Now how little is this understood by Christians who do go to the promises upon their own obedience they think they beleeve they repent and in the mean while Christ is not all in all as if in our graces in our performances The promises of God were yea and Amen and not in God himself It is a long while ere the ministery of the Law hath any efficacy upon mens hearts ere they are sensible of the weight and the heavinesse of sinne ere they go bowed down because of this burden and when that hath broken them it is many times longer ere they are directed to an Evangelicall life ere they can tell how to make use of the proper remedy which is the promise of God in Christ for all their disputes and doubts arise from this as if the fullfilling of the promises were established upon themselves and not upon Christs bloud Truly if the humbled sinner were well instructed in this principle it would be like the rising of the Sunne to dispell all darknesse for either the promises are made good because of thy faith and of thy repentance or because of Christs bloud and atonement through that if because of the former then no wonder thou art no more quieted in thy minde no wonder thy heart is so full of fears for how weak is thy faith how strong and heavy is thy heart if thou must be justified by their worth thou art undone But then if Christ be
God may forsake gradually that thereby he may not forsake totally and finally Such desertions that are for a season are sometimes mercies and very usefull being a substraction of grace in order to fill us with more grace And the end of such providential administrations is to convince us fully of this truth that we do not settle our selves but it is God that doth it for us Lastly This truth may be demonstrated from the nature of that grace which is habitual and permanent in us For though that there be in us as a principle qualifying of us to work holy things with delight joy and content yet it cannot put us upon working without a further actual efficacious work of grace upon our souls which you heard the Apostle calleth Working in us both to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. So that although there be never so much grace planted in us yet that lieth asleep as it were and worketh not till this efficacious grace actuate it and put it into motion neither ought this to be any wonder to us For we see in natural causes it is not enough to have a principle of life unless God also enable us to move For in him we live and move and have our being much more then must this be in supernatural things where the Actus primus and secundus is of God Not but that in the progresse of grace we act and move but Acti agimus moti movemus It is the grace of God that doth efficaciously incline the sanctified will to spiritual operation then the North-wind and the South doe as it were blow upon the spiccs that they may send forth their fragrant smell It is true at the first work of grace there we are meerly passive but God doth not then force our will he only changeth it as water which naturally descends when made air doth naturally ascend upwards Thus the will of a man which was depressed to earthly things by sinne when sanctified and made heavenly ascendeth up towards God and heavenly objects By these discoveries it is manifest that the best Saint in this world is setled by the grace of God alone Those corruptions within him are treacherous and would betray him into the hands of Satan did not Christ corroborate him And is this any wonder of man fallen seeing Adam fell for want of this confirming grace and the elect Angels do therefore not leave their habitation as the Apostate have because the grace of God doth confirm them So that the good use we are to make of this Doctrine is to be exceeding watchfull and tender about all sinne lest thereby we provoke God to leave us How terrible do such desertions many times prove To whom are woes to whom are wounds and gripes of conscience but many times to those who being left of God have thereby ingaged in sinfull wayes and so having lost an holy frame of heart have thereby deprived themselves likewise of an Evangelical comfortable one Take heed through thy lazinesse negligence pride or some other sinne God forsake thee and thou become worse than Nebuchadnezzar of a godly man made like a beast This will be bitternesse in the latter end As for the second Doctrine I shall not say much to that because it hath been in part already spoken unto it is That in Christ alone we are established That as in the building other stones are strengthened because of the corner stone or the foundation stone or as the branch in the Vine doth therefore live and flourish because in the Vine so it is with us because in Christ we are setled with Christ in Christ we are confirmed with Christ which made Austin say In Christo sumtis Christus extra Christum nihil In Christ we are even like Christ out of Christ we are nothing at all To consider this we are to know First That all the godly through the efficacy of Gods Spirit are united to Christ and so become his mystical and spiritual body By reason of this it is that Christ dwelleth in them and they in Christ Christ actively communicating of his goodnesse and virtue to them and they passively receiving influences of grace from his fulnesse This union is represented in Scripture by many similitudes of a building of a vine and branches of an husband and wife but none so expresly as that in the Sacrament of bread and wine denoting us those elements are naturally turned into our nourishment and made one with us so we are in a spiritual and mystical manner made one with Christ This being laid as a foundation then Secondly From this our establishment and settlement followeth whereby we are sure to persevere and nothing shall be able to dissolve this union whence once made a true member of Christ there cannot be any separation made so as ever such a person should at last be damned in hell for that would redound to the highest dishonour of Christ the Head as could be imagined The reason why Adam fell though without any inherent corruption in him was partly because he was not united to Christ in that manner as the weakest believer is now under the Covenant of Grace And although these things are derided by the Arminian yet this Doctrine of spiritual union with Christ may compell every one to believe the truth thereof so that if we now fall Christ must fall with us we are not to be considered as single persons standing upon our own bottome but as united to Christ Therefore Thirdly Being thus in Christ our stablishment ariseth two wayes from Christ 1. By meritorious impetration Christ as our Mediatour hath deserved this through his propitiatory death that we should alwayes be kept his and therefore when we have a thousand times over deserved that God should leave us yet because Christ hath deserved that God should alwayes love us therefore it is that we stand faster than Mount Zion which yet is said not to be moved The second way is by efficient application for he doth communicate of his power and strength to us whereby when we are ready of our selves to fall yet he doth prevent it So that our being in Christ is the foundation of all strength and all comfort and therefore this discovereth the wretched estate of such who can claim no interest in Christ these are tossed up and down from one lust to another they roll from one iniquity to another the Devil doth what he pleaseth with them he throweth them sometimes in the fire and sometimes in the water and all this is because not in Christ If at any time through the common graces of Gods Spirit they are got up to the pinacle of the Temple they are eminent for gifts and place in the Church of God all the godly have admired them for a while yet at last you find them blasted and cursed in this way you find them like swine wallowing in the mire that were judged to be the sheep of