incurable by self-conceit and confidence My digression shall be no longer The reason of mentioning the first Adam here was for the sake of the second that as it may appeare not only possible but reasonable the way of conveyance of sin and death from him upon his seed so no lesse the probability of receiving sins death and deaths plague from the second Adam may be apparent For suppose this man also as wee must to be a Root-man a fountain of Nature â—umâ—ne spirituall heavenlâ— to give out to his seed no more difficulty can there be of conceiving the way of communicating what is communicable from him to his seed than of the first to his nay more easie to be convine doâ— influence coming from the second if we take up but these additions This is the quickning-spirit man that by spirit can mightily work upon his members to conforme them to himself and every piece of himself death resurrection c. This is the Lord-man that hath all dominion and soveraignty committed to him by God to work what hee will to work upon his own for the perfecting of his Kingdome yea this is the heavenly-man set against and above the sin and corruption of creatures to destroy them in his seed Sermon Embalming of dead Saints of which I more largely dealt elsewhere All which considered facilitates the way of our conceiving verâ—ue flowing from Christ to his 2. This truth is next to be suggested As Christ in whole and intirely considered carryeth in himself the compleat work of our salvation to give out unto his seed so the severall states and conditions of Christ have some speciall and proper pieces of that salvation depending on them Rom. 6.5 Col. 3.1 Joh 14.19 as death of sin upon his death resurrection to grace upon his resurrection and life of God on us upon his life these necessary dependances of our graces on his severall works the Scriptures fully declare which revelation may help on to conceive the speciall vertue of the death of Christ in the present case 3. More neerly to the point in hand this is a main truth The death of Christ as it was intended of God so indeed it carryeth in it a direct contrariety to all that withstands his seed in the way of their salvation and not only that it weakens but a soveraign contrariety able to quell and over-power every thing that opposeth the salvation of his people These opposites are sin in the first place by the guilt and poyson of it then the Law with it's dreadfull curse wherunto are joyned the Devill that hath the power of death the bitternes of death it self and the terrors of hel with all the powers of darknesse all these conspire to destroy poore soules and against all these hath the death of Christ a verâ—ue opposite and predominant as hot medicines to overcome cold diseases and cold to quel the hot therefore very reasonable that it should eate out the very heart of sin the sting of our afflictions Rom. 6.2 3. Ephes 2.16 The frequent oppositions of the death blood and crosse of Christ against sin curse enmity in flesh toward God c. and the victory of that averred over all these adversaries are evidence without exception sufficient to conclude this truth 4. Adde wee this The death of Christ is not only contrary unto sin but in the mysterie hath actually killed and destroyed the enmity which is in the flesh of his members against him as well as all other adversaries of our life without us Col. 2.14 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 2.14 The Act past is plainly recorded He blotted out the hand-writing which was contrary to us not only that of Ordinances which peculiarly concerned the Jews but that of his Law that was against every man and tooke it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse and spoyled Principalities and Powers c. that is those of hell that constantly opposed the salvation of Christs seed which elsewhere is thus expressed By death heed'd destroy him that had the power of death which is the Devill The world also a grand enemy is crucified to believers by Christs Crosse Gal. 6.14 Here are blotting out taking quite out of sight and nayling to the Crosse for dead law and curse that were against Christs people to note their utter abolition so is there a destroying or making void and uselesse all the power of the Devill to kill so againe crucifying the world making it as a thing hang'd out of the way which every one abhorreth and no lesse by the same death or crosse a killing of all enmity in the creatures against God not only by pardoning but by abolishing it in the flesh insomuch Rom. 6.2 that the Apostle concludes for himselfe and fellow-believers an impossibility of their abiding under the life of sin being actually dead to sin by the death of Christ Now all this as is said was done by Christ in the mysterie and that expression teacheth us that what-Christ so doth is done by him as head of his body and therefore in reference to it and with influence of all those secret mysticall acts on it the plain effect of this Mysterie is most fitly and pithily expressed in those termes of conjunction which couple the soules with Christ as being together within all his works and travells for their salvation So we reade that his members are crucified together with him Gal. 2 20. and their old man crucified with him and they again buried with him and risen with him So the mysterie is discovered to the Gentiles Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise all which are expressed by wit hs cons and together and knitting particles which can import no lesse but the sharing of these joyned soules with Christ in all the vertue of those works sufferings or priviledges wherein by God himselfe they are joyned with him so that if they be planted together with him in his dying Ephes 3.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though they cannot die for sin as he did yet a likenesse to that death they must have in effect even a death to sin in themselves therefore they are joyned with him in that suffering of his Rom. 6.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they do hold out a sutable effect to that his death issuing from it in their own flesh and the same reason is of their conjunction with him in his other works tending to their salvation sutable effects are wrought in them from all This is actually done by Christ as for the time of the actuall manifestation of this sin in his united members more wil be declared in the application of this vertue of Christ hereafter but for present some help is given from hence to conceive of the efficacie and necessity of sins fall by the death of Christ 5. Yet the difficulty is
Gods chastening Again there is besides this another life and strength of sin in the flesh where it lives naturally As a man is said to be living in or by the Law when it acquits him and condemnes him not to take away his life yet he is naturally alive also by the principles of life within him so sin is alive by the Law when it is made strong thereby to condemne and kill the man yet it 's naturall rooted life whence all the motions and stirrings come are in the flesh Rom. 7.23 24 of which no lesse is the Apostles complaint in bemoaning that Law that wars in his members and counting himself a wretched man untill he be freed from that body wherein raigne only sin and death Now this double strength of sin must be spoyled to kill the sin and the sting must be pulled out to give the soule ease to labour in the midst of the fires But how then may this be done Quest The great charmer of this Serpents sting is Christ Answ 1 Cor. 15.57 it is so acknowledged in that doxologie Thanks be to God who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Yet this victory over the sting of afflictions and death is gained from some speciall piece of Christ and that his death the only powerfull Antidote against sin to take away all the life and strength of it effectuall for justification and so to kill sin in the Law and no lesse for mortification and so to kill sin in the flesh This is Gospel doctrine in plain assertions Rom. 9.5 Hebr. 9.14 Wee are justified by his blood and again The blood of Christ shall purge our consciences from dead works which is nothing else but his death and the vertue of it both wayes asserted The true vertue of this remedy against this sting and it's strength and the right application of it are two things needfull to be known by them who desire to finde this help by it in the day of their affliction to be so quieted as then to sit close to their appointed exercise 1. The death of Christ hath a force predominant over the Law to take away all the strength it gives to sin that it can no longer accuse nor make guilty nor terrifie the conscience nor lay on the tormenting curse which shakes the soule out of all abilities of performing duty to God this power is seen in these effects 1. In that it is the full payment of mans debt to the law beyond which nothing more could be desired for satisfaction which the second Adam that heavenly one hath paid for all his seed hence is the mouth of Law stopt from laying any thing to their charge for the Law being just can demand nothing but that which is right and due all that is here discharged 2. In that it purchaseth forgivenesse or the gift of righteousnesse from the Law-giver to his seed so that now sin is no sin debts are no debts all hand-writings being cancell'd by this purchased pardon neither is the Law in this respect a Law or in force to burthen the soule with feares and drive it from it's work 2. The same death of Christ hath an over-ruling power quelling the motions weakning the strength and wasting the life of sin in the flesh for from thence is the heart of man no lesse indisposed to duty than from the Law sin by the Law frights a man from his work by scaring feares but in the flesh by a direct opposition to the Will of God warring against all light and power that should help one to this exercise it doth so hinder put back and thrust off from the work that a man cannot set to it unlesse the force be quelled now admirably efficacious for this is the death of Christ To give a right understanding of this how the death of Christ wounds and weakens and kils sin in our flesh is a work of great skill such a Mysterie that I almost despair of a fit and compleat expression to make it plain and easie for every minde to conceive yet because it is a thing so profitable and so desirable by Christians to be acquainted with that one only way of baining of killing their corruptions trusting on the guidance of the Spirit of truth I shall indeavour to give some help for this To present therefore this singular way of sins mortifying by Christs death conceiveable to a believer I shall labour in these propositions to set down the state of it 1. As the fundamentall ground for framing our thoughts aright about the precedent Mysterie we must lay this truth That the Lord Christ in this as in all other instances of giving out and communicating grace is to be considered as the second Adam Thus is he set forth as the Truth Rom. 5.14 or Autiâ—ype of the first Adam who should have conveyed life but indeed gave out nothing but death to his poore seed 1 Cor. 15.45.47 and so is he expresly stiled the last Adam and the second man with his characterising excellencies to specifie him to the Church Now the true significaâ—e of this notion first or second Adam is a Man by way of eminency in some notable and speciall respect a Root-man one made as a Fountain of Nature to convey it with it's advantages or disadvantages to the derived seed such was the first man made after Gods Image which had he kept he should have propagated to his succeeding issue but having given it to the spoil nought else could he derive to his Posterity but the miserable effects of his own wilfull ruine sin and shame so he begat a Son in his own likenesse Gen. 5.3 and such like must be all the generations of men that arise from him Rom. 5.12 It is the plain assertion of Gods spirit in this matter By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin yea and death passed upon all men for that all have sinned That one being the fountain of humane nature and having in the fountain corrupted it by sin could not convey this nature any further but with the deadly attendants of it guilt imputed enmity against God and an universall depravation insued upon with those bitter consequents of death and hell following after it This is the line of our misery which Godâ— spirit hath drawne It is not my purpose to stay upon the proud cavils which flesh and blood make against this that charge God foolishly for so ordering and curse such parents for their natures thus derived I shall only suggest this thought to such a Disputer Hadst thou been the first Root-man to have raised mans seed that nature which was so treacherous in him would have been no better in thee and thou wouldst have transgressed even as hee in the very same particular Let not pride vain man deceive thee humbly seek by the second Adam to be healed and be not foolish to deny or cover the wound which otherwise will prove
of Christ before his adversaries is too too evident 3. Base feare of men and crearture terrors proper to this flesh do prompt to halting with God Mens homin's omni metu superier tantum quod Deo probeâ—ur reputaâ— timor ad quaerenda divertiâ—â—â—s ingeâ—iâ—â—us est plus satis Calv. in text when danger appeares and smart drawes neer the flesh this wounded Abraham with a lie as well as Isaac and Peter by a sad backsliding from Chirst This hath been the laming and almost the baining of many Saints in severall ageâ— when Gods hand hath been gone out in triall against his Church Feare is subtile to finde digressions from God and make the soule walk unevenly and full of danger yet this the universall affection of sinfull flesh 4. Foolish hope to ease the smart by complying with Gods enemies and so halting between both This however it is not allowed in Gods children yet are they subject to such motions from their flesh helpt on by the power of Satan whereby their hearts may be dampt 1 Sam. 27.10 their limbs lamed their pace may faulter towards God See something of this in Davids carriage before Christ Thus then the Saints have been and may be in danger in their afflictions to be lamed and brought to halting therefore but need by reviving and reforming to prevent this very lamenesse yet if this be neither prevented nor healed greater danger than this is at hand that may more orderly perswade to the former duties SECT IX To the second part of the first motive TO the second haltters in affliction are very apt to become Apostates if comfort may stop and reformation prevent this mischiese all reason will perswade the lame soule to make earnestly after these But why should such an argument as this be used to Gods children lest that which is lame be turned out of the way Quest when it is certain they cannot fall off from God unto perdition It is not irrationall to use such motives for duty to the most stable and unshaken soules in the Church here Militant Answ and therefore not unusefull with the Spirit of God to presse them upon the best of men to keep them close to their obedience These considerations may evince the necessity of such arguing toward these First they are rationall creatures grace hath not swallowed up reason nor destroyed the man though it over-power and innoble it for heaven Now to all such all reason-foreing and convincing arguments are sutable now prevention from finall Apostasie to perdition is a forcible consideration to every rationall creature to take heed of the halting evill that leads unto it and make use of all preservatives comforts counsels for rectifying and establishing that will certainly keep the soules from it therefore meet for the best as well as for the worst of men Secondly they are even the best in great part carnall and sold under sin as the Apostle was and every one is in the first great bill of sale by mans transgression however in Christ redeemed and set above the power of corruption yet even in this state of grace sin is in them as thornes in their sides and pricks in their eyes and therefore strongly inclining them to fall from God however they be kept by the power of God unto salvation This did so terrifie that holy man that he cried out Who shall deliver me from this body of death Where then diseases are though not predominant it is not unreasonable to presse for care to prevent death Thirdly consider the ground of their establishment That they cannot fall away from God is not from any strength or ability in themselves to stand nor indeed from any creature Consideration for mutability and change is the creatures adjunct but it is meerly grounded upon the Covenant of God to Christ and to his seed wherein his power wisdome justice truth and immutability are freely ingaged to keep these soules from perdition unto eternall life Now that wisdome that hath contrived the perseverance of these to glory who are so fraile and unstable in themselves hath also cast the way whereby he will accomplish this promised end and deals with them as well rationally as powerfully to effect this purpose It pleaseth therefore this God-wisdome to sute arguments to the state of his creatures he seeth the remainders of pride in their flesh that upon conceit of priviledge may puffe up and make secure and thence thinks fit to presse some terrible considerations to suppresse such swellings and keep the soule in an humble and believing feare whereby it is inabled to steer it's course directly unto God and to reach home unto him however indeed the argument of it selfe cannot prevaile but the power of God in it drawes over the heart to yeeld obedience no unreasonablenesse then to presse the fixed ones of God with such shaking reason for this way God doth fasten them in his Kingdome This rub removed two things must be declared to open the force of this motive first that halting doth incline to Apostasie secondly that there is a death-preventing vertue in the former duties to keep from this fall For discovery of the first the demonstration will be cleer in their properties of halting which are inseparable from it however vincible by grace 1. Claudicatio partim declarat tarditate partim etiam inconstantiam in doctrina Beza in Text. Rob Steph. The slownesse or backwardnesse the indisposition of the lame feet to walk loth they are to put forward in motion now such retarding of an halting heart in the way of God doth not only increase the indisposition to move but gives occasion to all the enemies of salvation the world and devill as well as their owne flesh more mightily to withstand them and beat them backe againe or turne them quite out of Gods even track delay or slacknesse is no where so dangerous as in the way of God so many lusts and temptations there be that upon the least stand do overtake us every step in Gods race is a step backward in event Now with this evill the halting Saints are infected â— King 18. and therefore in danger of backsliding themselves though graciously prevented by God How slacke these halters were in Elijahs time and how neer thereby to be driven off from God the Story makes very cleer they were halfe inclining unto Baal 2. The crookednesse or uneven treading of the lame walking feet must needs incline to greater wandrings perversnesse in tends directly to aversenes from the wayes of God A member disjoynted and set in a posture sutable to its misplacing must needs grow distorted and ugly in processe of time So doth the uneven pace of the halting heart incline to a desperate defection in the progresse unless forbidden by the great God The Lord therefore chideth his Disciples out of their crooked and perverse disposition Matt. 17.17 O perverse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall
chastenings of the Lord This is an extreame of patience in excesse to hardnesse obstinacy overlooking slighting and contempt of Gods scourge And againe Faint not when thou art rebuked of him This is an extream in defect to fainting languishing and hopelesse drawing out of spirit under Gods rebuke Gods Soveraignty and power in chastening forbids the first and his grace and tendernesse in rebuking should heale the other Other positive notes of duty are also added for the chastened soule as Patience in feeling bearing and waiting for the blessing of the rod and Filiall subjection unto the Father of spirits by reverencing his power and submission unto his will in this matter but the consideration of these will fall in other places therefore no other duty shall be touched here but that which Gods allowance in the present truth discovered put 's into our hands when God smites or scourgeth griefe not joy is now our duty It is the match which God hath made betweene his chastening and our sorrow laughing and lightnesse at this season may argue dispising of the rod but yet to perswade smoothly to this duty the rubs in the way must bee removed 1. Objection Apostolicall practise and counsaile seeme to crosse this direction of their practise thus we reade e Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulations and this is the height of joy in the worst condition of their counfail it is thus written f Iam. 1.2 My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations If these be true smart and joy are the fittest couple To take this block out of the way Solution let us remember all afflictions in the world fall under the threefold notion forementioned and accordingly varietie of affections are suted to them 1 Judgements are the terriblest of evills that God inflcts killing evills therefore paraphrased by tempests whirlewinds thunderings from heaven and roaring of lyons whereunto trembling in the creature is the duty suted g Amos 3.8 The lyon hath roared who will not feare when evills issue from Almighty wrath creature hearts must feare and knees will tremble 2. Trialls are probation-evills for matter or paine of them it may be the same with the former but in their formall consideration inflicted for proofe of graces and of spirits gold indures the hottest fire and comes out of the furnace purer where drosse perisheth and is consumed so grace and gracious spirits indure and thrive under fiery tortures when drossy formality and guilded grace vanish and die away in such scorching tryalls Iust and due to this kinde of troubles is the practise and advise of those heavenly Ministers the highest joy and not least of griefs is now the meetest and most honours Christ when for his sake by cruell mockings scourgings bonds imprisonments by stoning sawing wandring and killing the faith and holinesse of Saints shall be tried not to give place for a moment so much as by a teare or secret melting is now proper to Christian magnanimity and it were unworthy of God of Christ of the Gospel to yeeld the least to these by mourning h 1 Pet. 4.14 the spirit of glory which mounts up the soule above all these terrors and makes it sit and sing aloft is most honnorable and sutable for this state and of this onely it is certaine the Apostles speak 3. Chastenings are loving yet angry stroakes of God marking out the sin and unevennesse of his childrens walking all which naturally and properly teach griefe unto the chastened soule for grieving its father and no lesse is godly sorrow due in this case than glory in the former this is all we strive for in former evidences and no way weakned by the objection pretended 2. Objection Speciall charges which God laieth upon his servants not to grieve in this case seeme to crosse the foregoing truth So upon the death of Nadab and Abihu he commands Aaron and the rest i Levit. 10.6 uncover not your heads there must be no sign of mourning with them And to Ezekiel upon the taking away of the desire of his eyes his charge is k Ezek. 24.16 Thou shalt not mourne and weepe And to the lamenting mother weeping to excesse over her lost children this word is given l Ierem 31.16 Refraine thy voyce from weeping and thine eyes from teares All this was under chastenings and yet here griefe prohibited It were enough for satisfaction to returne to all these extraordinary cases and excesse in sorrow do not prejudice ordinary and measured rules of God yet I shall reply to the severall instances 1 To Aarons case it was extraordinary therefore not exemplary in ordinary scourges Two great reasons are evident of griefs prohibition here 1 Its opposition to Gods glory which hee had now by a dreadfull judgement gotten to himselfe upon vile creatures that did profane his Holinesse In such cases the Churches joy commends Gods Acts their griefe condemnes them so m Revel 18.20 Heaven is invited to rejoyce over the ruines of Antichrist 2 Its inconsistency with Gods service which lay upon the hands of his ministers at that time therefore upon no lesse then the paine of death was mourning now forbidden There may be a time when the dead must bee left to bury their dead but Christs servants must attend on him and preach the Gospell 2. To Ezâ—kiels case it was extraordinary also but in another kinde and to another end for neither is it discovered to be an act of wrath upon his wife nor that he was to refraine for glorifying God in his worke of justice but herein it was Gods pleasure that the prophet should bee an extraordinary signe of the Lords indignation against the Iewes that as his wife died and he must not mourne so they should be taken away utterly with a stroke and God would not once be grieved for them It is very sad to die unlamented by men none to say Alas my friend but unexpressibly dolefull for God to laugh at a peoples destruction To teach man this God forbids his servant griefe which otherwise were due but this is not every chastened soules case 3. To Rachels case it is cleare she is called off from excesse in grief she refused to be comforted neither was any excesse allowed in Gods grant grieve we must when we are smitten but not exceede future hopes of reliefe were to lay bounds to her lamentation and so to ours These then satisfied if the regulating of this duty be desired I shall proceede to that as the Spirit drawes the lines in the present Scripture The materiall part of chastening which is the evill bitternesse and smart of the rod requires grief as its yoke fellow but yet this leaves it at large neither regulated nor limited The right ordering then of this affection wil be by rules issuing from the Author Form End and Duration of these kind of afflictions whereunto it must be good to listen 1. Chastening is a displeased Fathers
as Judgement also a right stroke upon the creatures default to require the abuse of so right a covenant The rod then doth speake though it be a word in a blow for God who sends it therefore is the chastened soules duty to heare that is to listen to study out and understand and to beleeve what the Lord speakes in his chastenings But what cryeth the rod more distinctly These three words plainely are uttered in every scourge and must be so heard by the wise soule that would be fruitfull under the rod. 1. The stroke cries aloud unto the soule Thou hast sinned thou hast sinned affliction could never fall upon a creature where sinne had not made entrance for it and however God seeth not iniquity in Jacob so as to lay to Iudgement to the rule to cast away his people for ever and forget his covenant of grace to them yet in every rod hee notes their corruptions to convince of them to lay strokes of death upon them and keepe from them for time to come It was the cry of Israels fall before Ai to Joshua Jos 7.11 Israel hath sinned and no lesse Davids family troubles and Kingdom shakings sound in his eare did the matter of Vriah every chastening speakes the same to Gods Sonnes 2. Another note the whip sounds out God is displeased God is displeased though in love God take up the rod to keepe his children from the worlds condemnation yet every stroake shews a frown upon their sin Though David be Gods deare and Solomon his beloved one and Ephraim his joy yet his displeasure is against their sin God loves his Saints Num. 12.14 but not their sins and were he not displeased he would not smile God sparing Miriam shewed that hee loved her but spitting in her face argues his indignation against her folly Notably doth this appeare Psal 44.24 when the cry of Gods afflicted returnes Why hidest thou thy face from us 3. The plaine voyce of the rod to the chastened soule is Returne Returne because you strayed abroad God sent out his appointed scourge after you to call you home and to set you right in the way of life againe when Ephraim was unruly in this kinde the scourge pursues him and whips and cries Come backe Ephraim come backe and at last he heares it Jer. 31.18 replies Turne me my God and I shall be turned Thus every rod cryes repentance to the chastened child and his worke it is to heare to understand to be convinced and beleeve all this revelation by the rod if ever that excellent fruit of righteousnes appeare 2. Bearing-worke There is bearing worke also for Christians in reference to the rod The necessity of this patience is urged by one and the perfection of it advised by another Apostle Heb. 10.36 James 1.4 to give men possession of the promise and render them intire wanting nothing The Church commends it to her children It is good for a man to beare the yoake in his youth good to beare Lam. 3.27 and to beare betimes and she resolves to do it in conscience of her owne guilt deserving it Mich. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of God because J have sinned against him this is the way to that desired gaine He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse see the successe of bearing smart But how must we beare to be sure of this Quest Three words will direct safely Answ 1. We must beare feelingly that is feele and beare or else what patience here little hope of whipping a dry post into greene alas there is neither life nor sense in it the Anvile-bearing may make worse and harder never soft nor better It is stupidity not patience where there is want of sense no thanke for bearing Job 1.20.21.22 where no paine is felt poore Iob feeles and beares and takes all kindly from the hand of God in this hee did not sinne 2. Wee must beare freely and willingly forced suffering against our wills is not worth the name of patience over-powered strength may beare in policie when it must yeeld of necessity but little thanks for such a bearing in respect of God to choose to beare rather than not when God chastiseth and his will is so to take up the crosse when flesh might finde the way to shift it Christ calling thereunto this is action and truth of duty not dull passion or patience perforce Correct me O Lord and that in judgement Ier. 10.24 measur'd by the rule of thy saving truth was the desire of a gratious soule rather then bee left unrebuk't and hated 3. We must beare waitingly also if we expect the fruit to grow weary after some strokes born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in text 26.8.9 is but to forfeit all former paines to losse to hold out and indure bearing to the utmost point of the wil of God is the onely way to get the crowne It is therefore a true paraphrase of the condition in the text by an Antient to bee exercised is to beare and to hold out The practise of that good Prophet and people of truths sutes sweetly with this rule yea in the way of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee that is in all the journey round or circuit of Gods scourges though he take rod after rod and leade them from fire to fire and from water to water they keepe him company throughout the way and waite unweariedly till the fruit do come that they may be exactly skil'd or learn'd in righteousnesse No hope of healing the wound if the plaister lye not long enough nor expectation of harvest by the husbandman till winter bee past and the season come thus beare the rod and the rod shall beare his pretious fruit 3. Doing-work There is yet more doing worke about the rod to compleate this exercise and helpe on the desired gaine to heare and beare the rod will prove but idle worke without doing or bestirring our selves in action sutable to its demands these three Acts I shall commend for compleating your exercise about the rod and inlarging the intailed fruit 1. Kisse the rod in your Fathers hand no storming no snatching nor biting at it if you consult your peace Aske ye what I meane by kissing the rod I shall shortly tell you Honour it as the Scepter of God set up above you Feare it as the sword of God sent to require all failings against his Covenant Love it as Gods medicine appointed for healing your sores and preventing death and condemnation the kisse is but the token of love and homage due 2 Chron 33.12 Manasseh did thus under the iron rod in Babylon and prospered 2. Cast away the sinne that hath provoked God say unto it what ever it be Get thee hence and within your selves parly What have we any more to doe with evill Isa 30.22 Hos 14 8. Iob 34.31.32.2 Sam.
Spirit to bring in the severall vertues of Christ for perfecting our salvation in these speciall wayes 1. In answering the Spirit to his worke of union for as that from Christ takes hold of us so faith in us moved by the Spirit takes hold of him whereby the soule is actually united to him and by this union made partaker of all saving vertue in him therfore of the power of his death Rom. 11.20 Hence it is said that we are ingrafted into Christ by faith and no lesse that Christ dwels in our be arts by faith Ephes 3.17 Now the work whereunto faith moves us in this matter is to yeeld to the Spirits offer and to close with Christ as members whom he reveales as sent of God to be our head and so with him to become one Christ mysticall thus our minds by faith are moved to close with him by apprehending knowing and acknowledging him to be our head our wills by choosing him and yeelding to him as head and our hearts by faith also cleaving to him as head in loving fearing and delighting in him thus by consent of faith are we brought to union with Christ and thereby to communion in all his fulnesse whence we draw from his death that fruit which his death doth yeeld and from his resurrection that good which it carrieth for us and in a word from him thus we have grace for grace as the graft sucks out the juice and fatnesse of the good Olive 2. In answering to the Spirits worke of revelation faith is serviceable which faith doth and indeed onely can doe by making evident and reall to the soule what the Spirit by the word reveals Now indeed the greatest works of the Gospel on mens hearts are effected by revelation the Gospels light hath a mighty influence upon all saving effects Nothing of grace is wrought in a soule but by light this works life and all to men To the present case the Spirit reveales Jesus Christ the compleat salvation to his people his death the plague of their sin his resurrection the cause of their life to God and therefore a necessity of dying and living with him this revelation being made evident reall by faith unto a soule becomes not a Platonicall Idea or vaine speculation but an over-powering truth working it selfe into the heart and moulding it into its owne likenesse of death or life The power of such revelation is eminently averred by a mighty Apostle that was once a bitter enemy to the Gospel yet thus he speaketh Gal. 1.15 When it pleased God to reveale his Sonue in me immediately I conferred not with flesh and bloud It was so powerfull being evidenced by faith that it presently takes him from all carnall considerations knits him so fast to Christ that flesh bloud can never take him off somewhat like that fiery charret that separated Elijah from Elisha and took him unto God indeed such fire there is as well as light in these revelations realized by faith And that this is faiths serviceable worke to the Spirit so to evidence is cleare enough when it is styled the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 faith will convince when no light els can move The Spirit of revelation therefore meeting with faith Eph. 1.17.19 leaves great and mighty works upon that soule no lesse than the might of the power of God revealed to them can effect Such is that in the present instance when the Spirit revealing and faith evidencing the death of Christ to be sinnes destruction the soule is hereby lest dead unto sin Let faith therefore worke upon this revelation to evidence it that the minde may discerne it and heart rest upon it the life of sin will surely fall as the hearts of Israel at the sight of Goliah or as the man dyes at the piercing of the Cockatrices eye 3. Faith serves the Spirit to bring in the vertnes of Christ upon the soule in answering its application and direction concerning this matter by receiving one and obeying the other which being fitted for this instrument none but faith can answer It hath been declared before that the maine worke of bringing christ and his excellencies into the soule is upon the hand of Gods mighty Spirit This unites to him and reveales the force of him and by its spirituall energie gives or applies him intirely for life and every piece of him for the severall effects of grace with command so to receive him and expect the revealed force or vertue from him Now nothing but faith can sute the answer this onely receives what the Spirit gives and obeyes what the Spirit commands and so doing makes the soule have actuall experience of all that good of Christ ministred by his Spirit So that the obedientiall act of faith in receiving Christ as he is given in eying of him and depending on him as the onely salvation of his people is the onely way of faith to draw salvation from him So the like work of faith upon his death to evidence it the onely baine of sin in our flesh so to receive it in mind and will and heart and rest on it onely for this effect is the way to find the desired issue even the death of sin in our flesh To them therfore who are puzzeld with that question How faith should draw vertue out of Christ or his death I should onely reply premising that union with him and evidence of him forespoken it is by an obedientiall receiving the truth of him and resting on it to be made good by the Spirit of promise upon which reception all the benefits of person death and life are conferred by the arme of God upon that soule If God send this word to Naaman 2 Kings 5.10 Goe wash in Jordan seven times and be cleane though the water in it selfe had no more vertue to heale his leprosiâ— than anothers yet upon his obedience He that commanded did effect it Or a little more neer the case God commands Moses when the people were bitten with the fiery Serpents Num. 21.8 9. to make a brazen Serpent and set it upon a Pole with expresse word that if any bitten should look up unto it he should be healed and live If any now shall aske how did their looking to the brasse draw vertue for their recovery No satisfaction can be given but this their obedience being therein testified God fell not short of his word he healed while they were looking Our Lord himselfe applieth this to our present case Joh 3 14 15. As Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life As eying the brazen Serpent healed the fiery bite so looking upon Christ lifted up crucified and dying heales the poysonous bite of that old Serpent and the sting of sin that the soule shall not perish by it but live Some difference there is
I suffer you It was but infirmitie in them yet not to be suffered for it tended to greater ruins as it proved with another sort of false Christians 1 Tim. 6.5 from whom Timothy was advised to withdraw 3. The weaknes of the halting feete and thence pronenesse to be driven out by opposition or to fall out of the way of God utterly of themselves for want of strength every weaknesse in the very entrance inclines to more habituated distempers and then to death and no lesse infirmity in the Christians life and walking tends to greater perversenesse and fatall danger The duskish evening leads into the darkest night and the weakest evill brings ever to a worse unlesse in time resisted This made Paul stand up so sternly against those at Antioch which did not walk rightly that is Gal. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they did halt in the way of the Gospel and he did resist their dissembling lest it should proceed to greater wickednesse and so to the ruine of their souls It is evident in these now that halting doth of it self incline to pernicious Apostasie and the souls destruction But why this a motive to comfort and conformity or rectifying wayes to God The reason of this must be the vertue of these duties for prevention of this dismall evill The next consideration To the second The power in the former duties effectuall for cure of this evill is twofold 1 Primitive to turn away those pernicious maladies that breed and bring forth this Apostasie 2 Positive to keep the soul in a true and perfect state with God this more properly is considerable in the second motive for healing the former is the work for present to state that Now these two duties encouragement and amendment are sweetly fitted against two sorts of evils that work this overthrow of poore souls some are weakning evils that disable the soul to stand against it others are perverting evils thrusting the soul out of Gods way into perdition Comfort is the cure of these and Reformation the bane of these whereof something would be discovered more distinctly 1. The consolations of Christ wheresoever they come remove these weakning and dis-inabling evils which lay the soul more open naked and obnoxious to the mischief of all Apostarizing corruptions the stating of those evils with the application of this remedie will be here convenient 1 The fading of light for discoverie of God in Christ reconciled makes the soul very weak apt to be turned aside from the truth having lost God out of the eye for want of light indeed many times a poore soul is turned into an hell of sin and miserie for who can be solicitous to keep close to God who seeth him not or at least not reconciled To this the comforts of Christ do give soveraigne help for which cause it must be that the Apostle in hsi method of bringing the Churches to the abundant knowledge of the mysterie of God in Christ Col. 2.2 he strives first that their hearts might be comforted and thence would he draw them to the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of or insight into the mysterie of God of the Father and of Christ And truly no soul can be so intimately acquainted with the secret of God in Christ the great preservative against Apostasie but that soul that tastes of his sweet and ravishing consolations and hath his heart revived by him reach after Christs comforts then they must that desire fully to see him and seeing to be established by him 2. The fainting of hope and therewith the decay of vitall spirits is a very great weaking and exposeth of it self to death unlesse a remedie be timely and none better than the consolations of God for removing of this dangerous obstruction and reviving the drooping spirit Alas the dying of hope leaves the soul as a livelesse thing turns it into a miserable state of confusion and distraction that it is even readie to curse God sometimes unawares and die and lieth liable hereby to the tempters furie to be hurried into a soul-killing despair Now to give life to this hope the Apostle implores God for his poore Romanes but under what notion hear his words Rom. 15.5.13 once the God of consolation or the comforting God and again the God of hope even that makes to hope fill you with all joy and peace in beleeving that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost It is then the comforting and hope-raising God that can create hope and by hope joy and by joy establishment for his poore creatures Consolation and the comforting power in God bears all this work The Psalmist found this vertue of divine consolation Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me confusion of thoughts were within him what course to take whether to stick to God or leave him thy comforts delight my soul These revive and keep from sinking Who would not catch after these grcedily rather then die 3. The failing of duties and vitall actions are a sad presage of death as well as a great weakning in present to the soul every omission or weak performance is like a gaspe before giving up the ghost Now no way to cure this but by cordials and none like the comforts of Christ When Christ himself was in the conflict buffeted by Satan to make him deny his Father to let us see that our flesh in him needed support Angels are sent to minister to him and support the flesh how much more need hath our poore spiritlesse flesh of this Matth. 4.12 For want of praying and for want of walking the soul may be subverted utterly and for want of comfort it can do neither nothing strengthens the hands more to the work of God than the consolation of Christ and nothing keeps more from Apostasie then to walk circumspectly in the wayes of God and abound in his work In sad distempers Jeremiah resolves to do no more work not to speak again in the name of the Lord but when the fire burnt within him and the comforting spirit inflamed him he could not hold his tongue Never did David fall fouler then when his heart flag'd and fell off from dutie and never was it well with him again untill Gods comforts had raised him to his former communion Psal 51 1. c See how these consolations as well as convictions ministred by Nathan put him upon prayer again Psal 42.5.11 to recover his fall Nay frequently is he forced to beat the comforts of God upon his own heart to keep him from defection and that by reason of weaknesse was growing on him dutie saves from Apostasie and comfort keeps up to duty It is but reasonable then to prevent subversion we labour for strength of action towards God and for support in this we strive to take hold of comfort in our afflictions The Gospels comfort can onely cure suol-killing faintings seek