nor in that which is to come therefore some sins are forgiven in the world to come Answ Mark expounds it that such a one hath never forgiveness Mark 3.29 Matthew to aggravate the sin against the holy Ghost uses a Periphrasis as if we should speak of a sick man he can sleep neither day nor night that is never or as if we should say the grace of faith can never be bought with mony neither in this life nor in the life to come that is never For that place 1 Pet. 3.18 19 20. Being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit by which also he went to preach to the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah therefore say some the Gospel was preached in the world to come for forgiveness there is a misunderstanding of three things in this text 1 the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which they understood the soul of Christ as by flesh his body the body they held to dye but the soul to remain alive in which soul say they he went and preached but by the flesh of Christ is meant his humanity according to this he is said to be put to death but by his spirit is meant his divinity Joh. 4.23 By the power of this spirit and divinity he was raised from the dead 2 Cor. 13.4 A second word misunderstood is this to the Spirits in prison Where the Word are is to be understood or the word being they understood were or had been which words are referred to those men that in the time of Noah were unbelievers and were then in the world now in Peters time their souls were in Hell for by the prison is meant Hell Rev. 20.7 There they are kept to the day of judgement The third word which almost deceived all was the word Going or went which they understood of his going out of the world into Hell when it was meant of his going out of Heaven into the world and speaking then by his spirit in the ministry of Noah to these rebells that were now in Hell in Saint Peters time Now that no sins are forgiven in the world to come appears 1 Because in this life onely are tenders of grace 2 Cor. 6.2 Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation When the master of the house hath shut to the door of this life and ye stand without and knock and say Lord Lord Christ will say Depart from me I know you not Luk. 13.25 The gate of grace was wholly shut unto the foolish Virgins Matth. 25.11 2 The time betwixt this and death is the time for repentance patience and constancy and after death is the present receiving of the crown Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life The godly lamented Stephen at his death but never prayed for him Col. 1.14 9 The grievousness of that prison whereinto unpardoned sins will cast us 1 We are afraid to be cast into a stinking prison for debt yet may there be hope one way or other to get out by satisfaction or compounding or the creditours pity but none of these can befall thee if thou dyest in thy sins and be cast into that prison thou canst not come out by satisfaction because that is of force onely by Christ his satisfaction in this life Act. 13.39 40. Col. 1.13 14. nor yet by composition for thou must lye there till thou hast paid the utmost farthing Luk. 12.59 nor by the creditours mercy because after death the wicked shall have judgement without mercy Jam. 2.13 2 There will be no running away from this prison because the prisoner is bound hand and foot Matth. 22.13 Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness Kept in everlasting chains Jude 6. Psal 49. Like sheep that are driven into the fold so are they driven into Hell ver 14. Luk. 16.26 3 In other prisons we have friends come to visit us but here not onely friends 2 Thess 1.9 but also all other comforts shall be removed yea the damned shall be deprived of the presence of God If the deprivement of the sight of God by faith be so grievous how grievous will the deprivation of the beatifical sight in glory be 4 The perpetuity of it to be condemn'd to perpetual imprisonment and that in some loathsom dungeon is terrible yet death may set us free thence but from the prison of Hell there 's no getting out The worm never dyes nor the fire never goes out Mark 9.44 45 46 47 48. It s five times set down the fire that never shall be quenched which are not idle repetitions but to ascertain us of the perpetuity of the torment If the damned had hope after some millions of years to have their torments ended it were something but the burnings are everlasting Isai 33.14 Isai 30.33 the Worm everlasting Isai 66.24 the Fire everlasting Revel 20.10 the contempt everlasting Dan. 12.2 Object But by what right will God punish temporary faults with eternal punishments Answ 1. Sin is committed against an infinite Majesty and so deserves infinite punishment now because man is a finite creature and cannot suffer for it at once therefore he must suffer for it successively to all eternity 2 Because in unpardoned sinners so dying there 's a wicked habit that should they live ever they would sin ever the sinner sins in his eternity and God punishes in his eternity 3 Punishment is to be measured not by length of time the offence is in committing but by the greatness of the offence Murder and Adultery are soon committed shall the Offender be no longer punished than the offence is committing 4 As we are to look upon the perpetuity of this Prison so upon the darkness of it Jude 6. the rebellious Angels are reserved under darkness chains of darkness 2 Peter 2.4 to the wicked the mist of darkness is reserved for ever 2 Peter 2.17 Light is most comfortable but in Hell there 's fire without light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the damned see not 10 Together with pardon come all other blessings Ezek. 36.25 26 27. I will sprinkle clean water what more the cleansing from filthiness a new heart the putting of the Spirit within us writing the Law in the heart Power over sin follows pardon of sin Rom. 7.15.8.2 yea all good things here Rom. 8.32 and glorification in Heaven hereafter Whom he justified them he gloried Rom. 8.30 11 True happiness consists in forgiveness of sins the World counts them happy that have great Estates that have the Princes ear but the Lord tells us those are happy that have sins pardoned Psalm 32.1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered I am covered under the shadow of the wings of Christ and live secure under the most broad heaven of
James 1.10 3 Rest content in thy condition so Christ here and Paul 1 Cor. 4.11 Phil. 4.13 If at any time we are taken by poverty let us rest contentedly therein living in abundance take heed ye fall not by proud boasting and living in want take heed ye be not supplanted with sorrow of heart one and the same countenance appearing Just Mart. ad Zenam p. 391. V. 21. And another of his disciples said unto him Lord suffer me first to go and bury my Father V. 22. But Jesus said unto him follow me and let the dead bury their dead Suffer me first Here is another of Christ his Disciples who would follow Christ but it must be when his father was dead Christ here shows that nothing should be put before the observation of his commands as being a matter of eternal concernment nor must we use delay herein See Exod. 22.29 Psal 119.60 Nor must we preferre service to relations as probably this man might pretend to serve his Father while he lived or to bury him now dead for some think his Father was now dead and Christ comes to him at this time to comfort him in the want of that relation However Christ called him to follow him Luke 9.59 and he makes this excuse some think his father was old and it would not be long first before he were dead It was a moderate request to go and perform the last office of love but Christ knew others could do it and then matters of salvation are to be preferred before matters of comliness and decency But Jesus said unto him Follow me That is let thy love be so to thy relations that if Christ call thee thou mayest leave all for him Matth. 4.22 Matth 10.37 The end why he followed Christ was â—o preach the Gospel Luk. 9.60 And let the dead bury their dead By dead in the former place he means those who are dead in sins Eph. 2.1 5. Eph. 5.14 1 Tim. 5.6 Bury their dead Christ doth not condemn burying their dead friends who if godly are buried in hope of a comfortable resurrection but hereby tells us that whatsoever hinders us from a right course savours nothing but death and that the unbelieving Jews who were dead in sins might serve to bury this man when he was dead he had some brethren or kindred who might do it also Obs When God calls us to do duty we must not use delayes Gen. 22.2 3. Many sinners are like him that cryed a little more slumber Prov. 6.6 7 8 9 10. To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 8 13. Prov. 27.1 2 Service to relations is not to be preferred before service to Christ 3 Every unbelieving man is no other then a dead man Joh. 5.24 Rom. 5.6 Not like the man that fell among the thieves dangerously wounded but quite dead dead we are by the sin of our first parents not onely temporally Rom. 5.12 but spiritually as unable to do spiritual actions as dead men are to do the actions of living men Col. 2.13 As in natural death there is a separation of the soul from the body so in spiritual death there is a separation of God from the soul For the seat of this spiritual death It is in the understanding John 1.4 5. Eph. 5.14 It is in the will Rom. 6.13 It 's in the conscience Heb. 9.14 It 's in the affections Obj. But if men be naturally dead why do you preach to them Answ 1 The word spoken is a mean to bring them to life Joh. 5.24 When the Spirit of Christ accompanies it the ministry of the word is appointed to turn persons from darkness to light Acts 26.18 2 Though men be naturally dead yet 1 Are they not without reason to consider what is spoken and upon what grounds 2 Though they be dead yet they may offer themselves to the means Obj. But there are some inward workings in the hearts of natural men as sence of sin fear of punishment thoughts of deliverance wishes for heaven therefore they are not dead Answ These and much more may be in natural men yet are they dead As in the generation of man there are many fore-going dispositions which go before the induction of the form so there are many fore-going actions preceding spiritual regeneration as we see in those converts Acts 2.36 37 38. Obj. Man hath some reliques of knowledge how then is he dead Answ Every knowledge doth not suppose life but that onely which affects the heart with affiance and love John 17.3 The devils know much remaining devils still Besides mans natural knowledge makes him inexcusable not salvable Obj. Natural men have many excellent virtues in them therefore they are not dead Answ As the evil actions of good men redound not to their persons to make their persons evil so the good actions of evil men redound not to their persons to make them righteous Good works do not make a good man but a good man makes or does good works evil works do not make an evil man but an evil man makes evil works So that it behoves the person always to be good before all good works and good works come from a good person Luth. Tom. 1 Cat. fol. 469. Their vertues are like pictures without life There are many natural men fine Schollers and Gentlemen too good to go to hell yet not good enough to go to heaven for they being in the flesh cannot please God because they are not good trees they cannot bring forth good fruit all their virtues are like flowers upon a dead mans carkasse that may adorn it and keep off the stink thereof but cannot give life thereto As in the flesh of a beast some part of it is sold at a great price other of it is cast away or little regarded yet all is flesh so some works of the natural man are abhominable and some are commendable but all are but flesh There are several sorts of madnesse some light and foolish some more sober and solemn yet all is but madness so in spiritual madness the lives of some natural men are sober grave serious the lives of others are wilde and ranting yet all are dead and mad Obj. Natural men are not dead because they have some signes of Gods image in them Answ There 's a twofold image 1 Natural standing in immortality immateriality mentioned Gen. 9.6 He that sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he him 2 A supernatural image consisting in righteousness and holiness Col. 3.10 You have put on the new man which is created in knowledge after the image of him that created him The former image may be in natural men not the latter Use Try two things 1 Whether thou art dead 2 Whether thou art alive Tryalls of a man dead 1 When he lives in sin Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein 1 Joh. 3.6 He that abides in
this nothing for the worshipping the reliques of Saints for it was not the touching the garment of Christ but her faith that made her whole V. 22. But Jesus turned him about and when he saw her he said Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole and the woman was whole from that hour Luke adds some body hath touched me for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me as if a man perceived when blood goes out of his veins Quest Why would not Christ have this miracle kept secret Answ 1 To free the woman from scruple who was troubled in her conscience as if she had stole her health 2 To propound her faith for imitation 3 To prove his God-head by his omniscience 4 To strengthen Jairus his faith whose daughter he was about to raise from death 5 That she might know that she was healed not from the touching of his garment but from Christ himself who knowingly and wittingly healed her hence Christ saith virtue is not gone out of my garment but out of me Christ doth not give his Spirit to old raggs and clouts had the virtue been in the garment it would have had the same effect on others that touched it Christ was touched by her Faith Many follow Christ that onely press him but they onely touch him that lay hold on him by Faith and know that Christ doth not as Princes cast their alms they know not to whom 6 That the woman might come forth as a witness Probably they would not have believed Christs testimony of himself but her confession must needs prevail with them Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole Christ helps the weakness of her Faith Unless her trembling had been faulty Christ would not have raised her up She comes to Christ trembling Mark 5.33 Luk. 8.47 knowing what was done in her and tells him all the truth Persons that do things privily are wont to tremble fearing least they be found out so this woman Now Christ encourages her signifying withall that it was not her touching his garment but her perswasion of his divine power that conduced to her healing Yet doth not every faith touch Christ but that onely which is saving Now as she got healing so we remission of sins by such a faith in Christ and as she went away in peace hereby so by faith in Christ we have peace Rom. 5.1.15.13 Thy Faith hath made thee whole My power hath done it efficiently I perceive virtue is gone out of me thy Faith hath done it instrumentally not by way of merit nor as if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere or the act of believing did it but by way of apprehension receiving my grace and favour Poor believers though they come trembling to Christ yet they go from him comforted and supported so true is that promise Joh. 6.37 he calls her daughter as being by him begotten to a new life so when Christ forgave the Palsey-man he called him Son Matth. 9.2 V. 23. And when Jesus came into the Rulers house and saw the minstrels and people making a noise V. 24. He said unto them Give place for the maid is not dead but sleepeth Jesus came into the Rulers house Christ goes from healing the woman with the bloody issue into the Rulers house where is seen both his wisdom in deferring to help the Rulers daughter till his daughter was dead and also his goodness in helping the Rulers Faith by this miracle on the woman 2 In raysing up his Faith Fear not onely believe so Mark. He saw the minstrels and people making a noise Who were hired at the Funeral to sing some sorrowful song containing the virtues of the deceased and to stir up mourning and tears from friends and neighbours there were both men mourners Eccles 12. and women mourners Jer. 9.17 The heathens thought this a mean to appease the infernal Spirits Ambros in Luc. 8. also Marcellinus lib. 19. writes they mourned seven dayes the Men and Women singing sad funeral songs but for piping at funerals it was more late Not as if mourning for the dead were unlawful for Abraham mourned for Sarah Gen. 23.3 also Gen. 50.10 Josephs house mourned for Jacob with a great and fore lamentation and himself made a mourning for his Father seven dayes the Egyptians mourned for Jacob threescore and ten dayes ver 3. Israel mourned thirty dayes for Aaron There were great lamentations made for Josiah Zach. 12.13 Bos bovem requirit non ego te frater Amb. One ox lows for another and shall not we bewail one another We are bid to go to the house of mourning Eccles 7.1 Bewail the burning the Lord hath kindled Levit. 10.6 Stephen was mourned for Act. 8.2 but mourning becomes sinful 1 When it is excessive Matth. 2.15 Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted 2 When it is hopeless 1 Thess 4.13 Sorrow not as others that have no hope 3 When it is feigned As in these hired mourners The mourners go about the streets Eccles 12. Many pretend to mourn for those of whose death they are glad 4 When it is heathenish Levit. 19.28 Deut. 14.1 the heathens thought these to be funeral dues to the dead He said unto them give place 1 Because of the troublesome noyse they made 2 Because they were no fit witnesses of the miracle The maid is not dead but sleepeth 1 Because death to the Godly is as a sleep for after sleep we arise refreshed so in the resurrection 2 Because in respect of God dead men are as if they were asleep so Lazarus is said to sleep Joh. 11.11 All godly souls live to him 3 She was not absolutely dead as the multitude thought as if she could not be brought back again to life but onely for a while 4 Though death and sleep are distinguished yet are they near one to another for death seems a continual sleep and sleep seems a short death Let us not fear death for God can as easily raise up men from death as men that are asleep from their sleep 4 She is not dead in respect of her soul which is the better part Eccles 12.7 the Spirit returns to God 5 In respect of Christ his omnipotent power death it self was to him but as a sleep because he knew he could as easily raise her to life as any man could awaken a person asleep yea more easily for sometimes we call three or four times to a man in sleep though yet she might be dead to others Hence he saith Talitha Cumi i.e. Damosel arise But sleepeth The death of the godly is as a sleep Steven fell asleep Act. 7.60 Sundry of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.30 Lazarus Joh. 11.11 David fell asleep and saw corruption Act. 13.36 Christ is the first fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 Death is resembled to a sleep 1 Because of refreshment we have thereby as the body is refreshed after sleep so shall we be in the
resurrection after we have slept the sleep of death 2 In sleep there is such a binding of the sences that the body seems to be liveless so that it neither moves nor regards any object that is before it nor any relation that is next unto it Quest But seeing Christ saith that the maid slept whether do the souls sleep in the bodies till the resurrection or are they annihilated till that time Answ They are not annihilated being they act intellectually and the souls being absent from the body are present with the Lord 2 Cor 5.1 2. They that dye in the Lord are pronounced blessed from henceforth the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the moment of their departure Rev. 14.13 Now all blessedness consists in action which is contrary to annihilation 2 They do not sleep if so why would Paul have desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 why doth Paul say we would not be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.4 As the souls of the wicked are at present tormented so the souls of the godly are at present in bliss Jude 7. The souls of the Sodomites in Judes time were suffering the vengeance of eternal fire So the rich man Luke 16.24 saith I am tormented in this flame Not I may be or shall be but am at present Besides the souls under the Altar cry How long Lord Rev. 6.9 Therefore though Saints have not a personal blessedness before the day of judgement yet have they a blessedness of soul the receiving whereof doth not exclude ful personal blessedness at the coming of Christ but is an earnest peny thereof as we see in the thief who was admitted the same day he suffered not into an earthly paradise which by the flood was dissolved but into a Paradise of glory whereinto Paul was taken up 2 Cor. 12.2 compared with v. 4. That which ver 2. he calls the third heaven ver 4. he calls Paradise And they laughed him to scorn Being carnal and not considering the power of Christ they laughed him to scorne as thinking it absurd and impossible that Christ should restore her to life Christ rejecting them takes three Disciples to witness this miracle Luk. 8.51 for they were not worthy to see that they did not believe V. 25. But when the people were put forth he went in and took her by the hand and the maid arose Mark hath it Talitha cumi Damosel I say to thee Arise Talitha cumi Christ did not use these Syriack words to be used by way of inchantment as some have done supposing by the repetition of these and such like they could do wonders but that the power of Christs words in raising up the dead might be made manifest In that he uses the words I say to thee Mark 5.41 He puts a difference bewixt those who raised up others to life by his power as Peter did Dorcas and himself who raised this Damosel up by his own word and power q.d. I the Lord of life and death command thee who though thou art dead as to nature yet thou sleeps as to me I command thee that thou arise and stand up The learned say Cumi is a Syriack word which signifies to stand which is the posture of men in health in opposition to lying which is the posture of sick men Took her by the hand Luke adds he said Maid arise such a voice after to Lazarus Lazarus come forth The voyce was from his humane nature the power from his divinity It was the omnipotent Word of God and of the man Christ Luke adds that her Spirit came again and she arose cap. 8.55 straightway the immortal soul of man is separable from the body so Eliah stretched himself upon the child and said I pray thee O Lord let this childs soul come into him again 1 King 17.21 in death the body returns to dust and the Spirit to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 now when God permits a soul to return to its body it 's quickned and rises again as we see in Ezekiels dry bones cap. 37.7 Mark cap. 5.42 adds that her Parents were astonished with a great astonishment as such suddain sights are wont to do Luke cap. 8.56 adds He charged them that they should tell no man what was done not that he would hinder persons from believing on him through the fame thereof but to stop the rage of the Pharisees against him who were sorely provoked by his miracles 2 To teach us from his example to shun all desire of vain glory seeing he would have so great a work concealed 3 That the ruler and his wife might not be proud of this priviledge And the maid arose Mark adds Christ commanded to set meat before her cap. 5.53 to shew not onely that she was alive but also was well and in health V. 26. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that Land Lest any man should think the Miracle was feigned Christ adds The fame hereof went abroad into all that Land The whole Countrey were witnesses and doubtless praised the work as a new unheard of thing and consequently acknowledged Christ as the Messias There were three Christ raised from death this Maid the Widows so n of Naim and Lazarus V. 27. And when Jesus departed thence two blinde men followed him crying and saying Thou Son of David have mercy on us In this History three-things 1 The Petition of two blinde men set down 1 From their following Christ and crying unto him in the way v. 27. 2 From their following him to the house v. 28. 2 We have Christ his grant amplified 1 From the antecedent Question Believe ye that I am able to do this together with the blinde mens Answer They said unto him Yea Lord. 2 From the present cure v. 29. Then touched he their eys saying According to your faith be it unto you 3 From the following effect v. 30. Their eys were opened 4 From the Injunction Christ lays on them v. 30. Jesus straitly charged them saying See that no man know it 3 The unthankfulness and disobedience of the blinde men They when they were departed spread abroad his fame in all that Countrey Two blinde men These whether from the reports of his Miracles or whether from the Prophesie of the Messiah Isai 35.5 The eys of the blinde shall be opened desire Christ to restore their sight The loss of sight is a great loss 1 Sight is the largest of senses whereas the ear onely takes in sounds the smelling takes in odours but the eye takes in not onely quantities and motions but colour and figure The eye is not satisfied with seeing Eccles 1.8 2 Sight is the most comfortable sense There are many glorious objects in Heaven and Earth but little content should we have had we not sight to behold them Hence to behold the glorious objects of Heaven the eys shall be raised up so that we shall see our Redeemer
be exposed in case they preacht what he bade them v. 26 27 28. To this are three consolations 1 They are able onely to kill their bodies not their souls 2 There is a providence of God vvhich reaches to the smallest creatures even to the sparrows and the hairs of their head much more to their lives v. 29 30 31. 3 From the promise made to them who confess Christ notwithstanding threats of death and the threatnings made to them that deny Christ upon hope of saving their lives v 32 33. 6 The sixth danger is divisions and variance betwixt near relations for the sake of Christ v. 34 35 36. The consolation is that those who think Christ better then their relations and will take up other crosses for him Christ vvill think such vvorthy of him and vvhat they lose for his sake they shall save eternally v. 37 38 39. 7 The seventh danger is fear of not receiving that no man vvould receive Christians to house or harbour being persons exposed to so many dangers To this Christ gives three comforts 1 That in receiving Christians the persons so receiving receive him and his father v. 40. 2 That whosoever shall receive Prophet or righteous man because they are such shall receive a suitable reward v. 41. 3 That the smallest favour done to a Disciple of Christ shall not be forgotten if it were but a cup of cold vvater vvhere a man is able to do no more v. 42. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves No creature less able to defend it self then a sheep Such are Christians Wolves are subtle and cruel so among the Jews were Pharisees among the Gentiles Philosophers and Tyrants among the Christians Hereticks if one vvolf vvere enough to destroy a vvhole flock how much danger vvhere there are many herds of Wolves Christ sends not forth his Disciples as lions but as sheep that his power may be seen in overcoming and in turning wolves into sheep Behold I send you forth As of old I sent Eliah and Elisha to Jezebel and Ahab Isaias to Manasses and was present with them to defend them so will I be with you As Absalom said to his servants 2 Sam. 13.28 so saith Christ Remember you are in my service As sheep in the midst of Wolves 1 As sheep for innocency Isa 53.7 8. 2 As sheep for gentleness and meekness handle a sheep never so roughly yet it will be gentle 3 For patience a sheep is ready to suffer all wrongs Act. 8.32 4 As sheep for profitableness nothing in a sheep but is useful so should Christians be profitable in their conversings in their examples c. 5 For nakedness and inability to defend themselves In the midst of Wolves That is liable to innumerable dangers If any man would paint out the Church let him pourtray a deformed and poor maid sitting in a wood in the midst of Lions and Wolves Luth. in Psal 129. So that a Christian must still carry his life in his hand Shall Merchants hazard their lives for a little gain venturing through many storms and shall not we hazard our lives for Christ Now Christ exposes his sheep to so many dangers 1 To try their patience and obedience Psal 44.22 2 To crown their conquests Rev. 2.17 Rev. 3.11 3 To conforme the members to the head John 15.19 20. 4 That they may see his shepherdly care of them Whence are the sheep safe amidst Wolves Is it from the kind disposition of the Wolfe Nay but from the shepherds eye so from Gods shepherdly care we are safe among multitudes of wicked men Psal 23.4 Be wise as serpents That is wisdome in taking heed of the vvolves of the vvorld must be mingled with innocency that we be not afraid to do our duty in vvitnessing the truth For now and then many prudent men become treacherous to Christ and his truth As serpents when they see any danger carefully decline it so must not believers rashly expose themselves to danger Now the doves though exposed to dangers offer themselves securely to the snares of men so Christ would not have Christians through fear to be hindered in their course So that Christians must be wise as serpents 1 In shunning snares 2 In defending their head though all their body be wounded so should we defend our head Christ and resist unto blood 3 As a serpent is very quick of sight so should a Christian be to spy dangers 4 As a serpent stops her ears against the voice of charmers Psal 58.4 5. whether with her tail or something else so should Christians stop their ears against the charms of mens favours earthly greatness worldly wealth and the temptations of the devil and flesh and heretical spirits Let our vvisdome be seen 1 In suspicion of snares as the Wise men Matth. 2.12 2 In shunning of them as Joseph vvho vvas afraid of Herods snares and carried the young babe into Egypt Matth. 2.20 21 22. 3 In a bold profession of truth Luk. 13.31 32. Some bade Christ depart for Herod vvould kill him saith he Go tell that fox I do cures to day and to morrow Joseph of Arimathea did vvisely assert his profession of Christ and went boldly to beg the body of Jesus Matth. 27.58 Simple as doves That is take heed of fleshly wisedome and Jesuitical equivocations that in no vvise to shun dangers ye violate the peace of your consciences Rom. 16.19 I would have you wise unto that which is good but simple concerning evil Phil. 2.15 Blameless and harmless as the sons of God without rebuke Eph. 5.14 15. Though it be in your power to do harm to your persecutors yet do it not do not revenge your selves Simplicity without wisedome may easily be deceived and wisedome is dangerous if it be not tempered with simplicity therefore they are to be conjoyned according to that Distich If they be serpents for to circumvent us We must be serpents too or else repent us But with our wisedome joyn we innocence Like harmless doves not trusting each pretence The word simple is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a horn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privative that is without horns or revenge Others derive it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mingle and fo privative and so it signifies to be without mixture of deceit This is seen 1 In sincere and plain-hearted confessions without any deceitful equivocations Joh. 9.29 We see it in the blinde man when his parents cunningly evaded he plainly stood to Christ 2 In a meek carriage If men revile us and render us odious let us not think to quench wrath by wrath Rom. 12.20 Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good V. 17. But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Councils and they will scourge you in the Synagogues Here 's a second danger Beware of men 1 Of insnaring men who by subtle and perplexed questions shall lay snares for you to
at present believe and it seems to be covered yet shall it be known to the World in a little time But I see no absurdity why both these may not be meant so that the words are a consolation to them both under their reproaches and revilings of Beelzebub c. and under the small beginnings of the Gospel that what was now hid should be revealed and though their Doctrine were at present reproached yet time should discover it to be Gods truth V. 27. What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house tops The meaning is whatsoever Doctrine ye have heard of me either in this Sermon preached unto you or whatsoever Doctrine at any other time I have or shall declare unto you in secret do you publish the same openly for that Christ means by house tops having respect to the Jewish buildings which were flat upon the house tops with battlements Deut. 22.8 Gods truth is not to ly smothering in our own breasts but we are to declare it to others Rom. 10.10 Psal 40.9 10. With the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation The World will not endure to have their deeds reproved hence they come not to the light Joh. 3.21 They say to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not prophesie unto us smooth things Isai 30.10 Get ye out of the way turn aside out of the path v. 11. yet must the Preachers and Disciples of Christ speak and not hold their peace Isai 58.1 Hosea 4.1 Hosea 8.1 yea the whole counsel of God which is plain unto Teachers they are bound upon pain of avoiding guilt of soul bloud to declare unto the people Acts 20.26 27. so far as it shall be absolutely needfull to their salvation We may also see the excellency of the Gospel that when preached it will abide the Light which no other Doctrine is able to do As these Disciples were commanded to publish the Mysteries Christ declared to them viz. the calling of the Gentiles the end of the Jewish Ceremonies the fulness of Redemption in Christ the new Covenant c. so are other Preachers bound in like manner to publish what the Lord shall reveal to them out of his Word as to take up Christs Cross daily to repent of their sins V. 28. And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell Here is the fifth danger whereto they should be exposed if they preached what he bad them to wit that they would be in danger to be put to death To this Christ answers Fear not them which kill the body In the words two parts 1 A forbidding of false fear Fear not them which kill the body backt with a Reason because they are not able to kill the soul 2 An Exhortation to true fear of God but rather fear him which is backt with a Motive because he is able to destroy soul and body in Hell Fear not them which kill the body The sum of Christs speech is that we should not fear the loss of this perishing Life in respect of an everlasting Life and that they have no true fear of God in them who for fear of Tyrants do suffer themselves to be brought from the Confession of the Faith As if that Christ should say You have immortal souls which are not at the will of Tyrants but of God 1 Sam. 2.6 The Lord killeth and the Lord healeth he woundeth and maketh alive Whence is it that we are affrighted with terrours of men and deny the Faith or blushingly confess it or dissemble it but because our bodies are preferred before our eternal souls and whereas we think to escape death hereby shall we not incur a sorer death hereby even an everlasting death Is 66.24 Christ herein speaks to Christians that they should not thus fear Lu. 12.4 5. I say unto you my friends be not affraid of them which kill the body and though men may think this is no point of Friendship to let Christians suffer yet is it an high privilege to be called to suffer Phil. 1.29 To you it is given not onely to believe but to suffer So that experienced Christians have rejoyced herein Acts 5.41.16.25 Learn we to contemn our Lives in the cause of God so did Queen Hester cap. 4.16 If I perish I perish The three children Dan. 3.28 yielded their bodies that they might not worship nor serve any other God except their own God so Paul in sundry places Acts 20.24.21.13 2 Cor. 4.10 11. Phil. 1.20 2 Tim. 4.6 Rev. 12.11 17. It must needs be grievous for two such dear friends as soul and body to part but when we consider it is for the Lord why do we fear when for fear of being killed we shall not preach and witness Christ his truth we may look for every such denial to be cast into hell We may observe 1 That after this perishing life is past there remains another 2 The truth of God cannot be fully witnessed without peril of life 3 The disposing of that life to come is onely in the power of God not in the power of Pope Obj. But must we not fear Magistrates parents c Answ Yes but not when God and they come in competition Acts 5.29 The cruelty of Magistrates and parents can onely extend unto the body But are not able to kill the soul Whence see 1 That the soul and body are separable one from another 2 That the soul dies not with the body But rather fear him which is able to destroy soul and body in hell Here is a remedy against slavish fear even to have Gods fear in us We more feared the Pope with his Purgatory then God with his hell and we more trusted in the absolution of the Pope from Purgatory then in the true absolution of God from hell Luth. Tom. 4.334 This word rather is not a comparative but an adversative we should not fear man at all when he comes in competition with God So Victorian the Pro-Consul of Carthage being sollicited to Arrianism by the Embassadors of King Hunnerick answered thus Being assured of God and my Lord Christ I tell you what you may tell the King let him burn me let him drive me to the beasts let him torment me with all kinde of torments If I consent in vain am I baptized in the Catholick Church whom the tyrant afterward tortured with exceeding great tortures Victor Uticens l. 3. Wandal Persecut So the Prophet Isai 51.12 Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye and the son of man which shall be made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy maker Moreover you know how afraid you are to offend a man which can hang you so that you fear the wrath of a King as you do the roaring of
18. We see it in Devils who believe and tremble Matth. 8.29 Contrarily filial fear hath quiet of heart joyned with it The heart is never in so good a temper as when it is most fearfull of sin Acts 9.31 The Churches walking in the fear of the Lord walked also in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Mal. 4.2 Unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness appear 4 Those that have slavish fear would fain be rid of it 1 Kings 22.26 Zedekiah goes from chamber to chamber to hide himself the wicked in fear of Gods judgment call to mountains and hills to hide themselves Revel 6.16 Contrarily Saints would still have the fear of God continue upon them nay if they finde it decaying they complain Isai 63.17 Lord why hast thou hardened my heart from thy fear 5 Slavish fear is from 1 The sting of a guilty conscience Deut. 28.65 66. The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and thou shalt fear day and night Saul 1 Sam. 13.7 when he was near the battle all the people followed him trembling Hypocrites in Sion looking on God as devouring fire fearfulness surprized them Isai 33.15 Paul preaching to Faelix of righteousness temperance and judgement to come he living an unrighteous and an intemperate life trembled to think of the judgement to come and was so stung with it that he was driven to make Paul leave off his preaching 2 From the expectation of future wrath Heb. 10.27 they have a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation Contrarily filial fear 1 Ariseth from faith Heb. 11.7 By faith Noah was moved with fear Isai 50.10 Or 2 From godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 Fear was one effect that godly sorrow wrought in the repenting Corinthians the soul having felt much inward sorrow for the evils it hath done is affraid to do the like evils again 3 From love to God we are affraid to offend those whom we love an husband fears to offend his wife a good childe fears to offend his father so the soul that loves God fears to offend him Motives to this Godly fear 1 Gods fear is a perpetual duty Some duties are but for a time and then at an end but this is perpetual Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Yea We are to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear 1 Pet 1.17 Psal 19.9 The fear of the Lord endureth for ever Hence this duty is practised by glorified Saints who in heaven know evil as well as good but by the fear of God in them their wills are eternally determined to the choice of good 2 It 's a principal duty lying upon Saints above all people in the world Psal 34 11. Fear the Lord ye his Saints for God is wont to punish them more sorely then other men in this world when they sin against him Exod. 23.21 Provoke him not for he will not pardon your iniquities Deut. 32.19 Amos 3.2 As men that have more to lose then others are affraid to offend Princes so the Saints that have more to lose then the rest of the world should be affraid to offend the King of heaven they may in case they sin lose Gods face Isai 50.10 the peace of their consciences and be smitten with temporal strokes 1 Cor. 11.32 3 It 's an honourable Character to be a man fearing God 1 Kings 18.12 It 's said of Obadiah That he feared the Lord from his youth Job 1.1 Job was a man fearing God and eschewing evil Hananiah Neh. 7.2 Cornelius feared God and all his house feared God Yea a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Prov. 31.30 4 The children of God have found much comfort in this grace Neh. 1.11 Let thine ear be attentive to thy servants that desire to fear thy Name Yea when they finde no other grace in their hearts but this grace yet are they commanded to stay their hearts herein Isai 50 10. Contrarily they have been much troubled if they have found either a want or a decay of this grace 5 Gods fear as at other times so especially in evil times is a principal treasure to good men Isai 33.6 The fear of the Lord is his treasure The meaning of the place is from Gods fear arises all prosperity to supply us as out of a treasure arises money to supply our needs 6 Gods fear is the most watchfull affection as being conversant about danger How often would temptations captivate us were it not for this in-dwelling grace in Saints Jer. 32.40 This grace doth as it were stand Centry for the soul Psal 119.11 7 The attributes wherein God stands related to us 1 His power and justice Job 37.23 24. He is excellent in power and judgement and plenty of justice men do therefore fear him 2 The pitifull affection or disposition God bears to them that fear him Psal 103.13 As a father pities his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in what ever Nation such Saints be God being no respecter of persons they are accepted of God with a favourable respect Acts 10.35 8 The relations wherein we stand ingaged to the Lord 1 Of servants If earthly servants must have a fear of their masters according to the flesh Eph. 6.5 ought not we to the Lord Hence the Lord expostulates Mal. 1.6 If I be a master where is my fear 2 Of children What dutifull child stands not in fear of offending his father Heb. 12.9 We gave earthly parents reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live 9 Gods fear sweetens a low condition Prov. 15.16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great revenues and trouble therewith that is then great revenues got with a wounded and troubled conscience Psal 37.16 10 Such men as fear God are blessed Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes They are often blessed in this world especially when a delight in Gods law is joyned therewith Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord his seed shall be mighty upon earth wealth and riches shall be in his house c. Also in the world to come they are blessed Rev. 11.19 When the time comes that the dead shall be judged there is a reward to be given to all that fear Gods Name both small and great Come we to the second thing viz. The true fear of God where it is eats out the fear of men we see it in Moses parents Moses himself in the Mid-wives Exod. 1.19 in Shadrach Meshech and Abednego Psal 27.1 3 The third point is God is able to destroy soul and body in hell This is called the second death Rev. 20.6 called a double destruction Jer. 17.18 The bodies of all that are in the graves shall come forth John 5.28 They that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation death and grave gives them
this bloudshed and Death of Christ did not onely ransom us from wrath Rom. 5.9 and purchase forgiveness of sins for us Rom. 3.25 but also the same Death purchases Heaven for us Heb. 9.15 He is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by the means of Death they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Heb. 10.19 Having Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the Bloud of Jesus that is into Heaven it self Contrary to those mistaken dictates to wit that Christ his obedience to the Law purchased Heaven for us and that his Death and Sufferings onely ransomed us from Hell 2 The Apostle saith There can be no forgiveness without shedding of Bloud Heb. 9.22 Things figuratively holy were cleansed with the bloud of beasts then things truly holy must be cleansed with better bloud Again Heb. 9.25 26. Once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Also Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many When he came to dy he took on him the sins of many that is of all the elect See also Heb. 10.5 A body hast thou prepared me v. 10. By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all Also v. 12. This man after he had offered one sacrifice both in kinde and number for sin sat down on the right hand of God Also v. 14. the Apostle gives a Reason why he hath no more offering to make nor no more suffering to endure nor needs no repetition of what is done because with one offering he hath perfected for ever sanctified persons Also v. 19. he shews the price of this purchase to be the Bloud of Jesus having boldness to enter into the holiest by the Bloud of Jesus called also the veil of his flesh v. 20. Also Heb. 13.20 Through the Bloud of the eternal Covenant we are made perfect Christ hath redeemed us that have been baptized from the most grievous sins which we have done by his being crucified upon the Cross and by the purification of water Justin cont Triph. 246. he names this purifying as the outward sign for pag. 177. he saith out of Esaias Wash ye c. He doth not send us into a Bath to wash away our sins which all the water of the Sea cannot but he shews this wholesom washing will follow them that repent that they shall not be washed in the bloud of Goats and Sheep but by faith by the Bloud of Christ and his Death Gal. â— 13 The Apostle shews the manner how we are delivered from the curse of the Law Even by Christs hanging on a Tree and being made a curse for us Ephes 2.16 Christ reconciles Jews and Gentiles unto God in one body by the Cross 1 Peter 1.18 We are not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious Bloud of Christ as of a Lamb without spot 1 Peter 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 John 1.7 The Bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin Revel 1.5 Hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Bloud Revel 5.9 Speaking of Christ he saith Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Bloud out of every kindred and tongue Revel 7.14 John shewing how the Martyrs came to be arrayed in white Robes tells us it was by washing their Robes and making them white in the Bloud of the Lamb. One drop of whose Bloud was more precious than the whole creature Luth. Tom. 4. What means then that new opinion that part of the satisfaction is given by the obedience of Christ in fulfilling the Law Object Rom. 5.18 By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Answ The Apostle means not the obedience of Christ to the Law but the suffering of Christ whereby he became obedient to the death of the cross Phil. 2.9 Obj. Christ is made unto us righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 and we are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Answ The Scripture places our righteousness in the death of Christ for the righteousness a Christian hath is forgiveness and covering of sins Rom. 4.7 8. Quest But what use is there of the active obedience of Christ to our redemption Answ Had he not been holy harmless and undefiled he could not have been a fitting Mediator Heb. 7.25 2 To be a patern for us how to walk 1 Joh. 2.6 we must walk as he walked with an as of similitude though not of equality 3 The humane nature of Christ is a creature for Christ is perfect man hence as he was man he owed perfect obedience to the Law Gal. 4.4 Quest If the death of Christ be the material cause of our justification why is it called by the name of righteousness Answ Because it is equivalent to righteousness for it 's all one to the Law-giver if his Law be observed or the penalty for the breach of it suffered now the penalty was death by the consent of the Law-giver either eternal death of us or temporal death of our surety now our sin being condemned in the flesh of Christ Rom. 8.3 the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us v. 4 5. 2 Where the nature of a thing is there the name of it may well be but in Christs satisfactory death there is the nature of righteousness to wit a taking away of guilt and filth For herein believers iniquities are forgiven and sin covered Rom. 4.7 8. therefore the name of righteousness may be well given hereto To conclude there is an infinite righteousness in Christ of which we are not capable and there is an inherent personal righteousness to qualifie him for a fit Mediator Heb. 7.25 and there is a righteousness of satisfaction this righteousness consists in forgiveness of sins Col. 1.14 Obj. But Christ suffered many other sufferings besides death inward in his soul as desertion sence of wrath outward in his body as nailing whipping mocking therefore the death of Christ alone was not the sole price Answ I suppose the death of Christ doth comprehend the sufferings of Christ which were in and about his death which in regard of pain and anguish and propinquity unto his death were as parts of the whole Such was Christs heaviness Matth. 26.37 his agony and drops of sweat like blood Luk. 22.44 For those other sufferings Christ endured in the course of his life as hunger thirst flight fasting c. these were not satisfactions to Gods justice for mans sin but onely paterns of patience 1 Because the Scripture affixes our justification and reconciliation not to his sufferings in general but to his suffering of death in special Heb. 2.9 never mentioning his fore-going sufferings of hunger thirst c. in point of justification If the other sufferings of Christ be part of the satisfaction why doth the Apostle still insist on the price of his death and on no other
Josephs knowing her so to be but Joseph was slow in believing her till the Angel appeared to him Qu. Is there no use to be made of dreams now Answ 1 There are d vers sorts of dreams as 1 Natural so the things which the sense on the day time carries over to the understanding being more deeply setled there are sent back again to the fancy or common sense and this not only in men but in bruits A dream cometh through multitude of business Eccles 5.3 2 Moral which arises from wise discourses and reading books 3 Diabolical which come from Satan such are filthy dreams of which Jude 8 against these the ancient Church prayed Hâ—stemque nostrum comprime ne polluantur corpora Bridle our enemy that our bodies be not defiled 4 Divine so God appeared to Solomon 2 Chron. 7.12 13. Sometimes God hath appeared thus twice Job 33.14 15. twice he appeared thus to Paul Acts 16.9.18.9 and so he appeared to Pilates wife Matth. 27.19 2 There may be use made of dreams as the Urine or Pulse are signes of sickness or health so dreams may shew us what our natural complexion is and what humour is predominant where yellow Choler abounds there we dream of fire strife and fightings where black Choler abounds men dream of smoke darkness funerals where Phlegme abounds men dream of showers of rain wells of water rivers and such things as have a cold moisture where Bloud abounds men dream of things beautifull clear and sweet Martyr out of Galen tells of a man that dream'd he had a thigh of stone and in a few days after he fell into a palsey and of another that dream'd he fell into a cistern of bloud which signified aboundance of bloud and that he stood in need of bloud letting Sometimes in sleep men seem to have such a burthen they cannot bear it sometimes to be so light that they do as it were flye which is nothing else but the excess and defect of humours To conclude dreams of preferment do too much point out ambition in us unclean dreams do too much point out wandring imaginations on the day time or excess of gluttony at night terrible dreams may put us in minde what we might look for if God were not more merciful favorable and successful dreams may put us in minde what we might expect if our sins did not stand in the way But for Divine dreams when they are it s like the understanding on the day time hath been well employed in Divine things and the frequenter they are they denote perhaps a better frame of spirit aspiring after Divine things Yet as we are not to expect direction from them God having spoken cleerly by his Son so are we not altogether to slight them seeing God hath formerly manifested himself by them besides God hath not lost any of his prerogative but that he can manifest himself by them yet The third part is the ground of Josephs consolation which is For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost because fear will not be cast out by words but by reasons the Angel gives a reason why Joseph should not fear viz. because that which Joseph feared was an act of adultery was of the Holy Ghost and therefore he had cause rather to rejoyce then to grieve because of his spouse Mary the long lookt-for Messias was now to be born Such a message Joseph had at another time when he was in his fear Luk. 2.10 the Angel said Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy for unto you is born in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And therefore thou Joseph mayest take her from her friends or kindred to be thy wife and thou mayest with a quiet conscience live with her Moreover the Angel calls him the Son of David to raise up Josephs heart to consider that he as well as his wife was of that family to descend from whom the Messias was promised to all the believers of the Old Testament and so he the said Joseph should have the honour to be the civil father of this Messias as the Virgin his wife had the honour to be his natural mother And therefore vers 16. it s said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which in the feminine gender Christ was begotten not of whom to prove that Joseph was onely a civil father provided to take care of the Virgin and the Messias she went with V. 21. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Here is a second ground to quiet Josephs heart taken from the quality or excellency of this son whom the Virgin should bring forth he should be a Saviour to save his people Bring forth a son Not as the Valentinians who taught that Christ brought a heavenly body from heaven and passed through the Virgin as a channel but as the Virgin truly conceived Christ so she brought him forth according to Esa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and shall bring forth a son and therefore thy spouse is not an adultress but a most pure Virgin This the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.31 That she should bring forth a son and call his name Jesus and here the Angel tells the same in effect to Joseph And thou shalt call his name Jesus Fathers usually gave names to their children Jacob called his son Benjamin though his mother called him Benoni Gen. 35.18 Zacharias named his son John Luk. 1.63 yet sometimes the mother as Hanna called her son Samuel 1 Sam. 1.20 His name Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his saving Christ is the name of his Office Jesus of his Nature and Person the name in the Old Testament is Jehoscua ascribed unto Joshua the Captain and to Joshua the Priest in the Type but to Christ in the truth because he is the alone Saviour of his People Acts 4.12 Heb. 7.25 He is able to save them that come unto God by him for though Baptism is said to save 1 Peter 3.21 and Preachers 1 Tim. 4.16 Baptism doth save by way of signification Preachers as Instruments by way of publication For he shall save his People from their sins three things are considerable 1. Whom Christ saves Resp All Believers because by faith alone this salvation is received all his Body for he is called the Saviour of the body Ephes 5.23 2. From what Christ saves Resp From their sins which would bring them to Hell as a Physician brings a Potion to his Patient not to kill Death but to kill the Disease that would bring the Patient unto Death so Christ came not to quench the Flames of Hell but to save his People from their sins which would bring them to Hell Now Jesus saveth us 1. From the power of sin Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under
grace 2. From the punishment of sin 1 Thess 1.10 Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come 3. From the guilt of sin Rom. 8.1 There 's no condemnation to them that are in Jesus 4. From the weariness and burden of sin Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden I will give you rest 5. From the remainders of sin this will be in another World Rom. 7.24 25. Who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 3. The means whereby Christ sayes viz. his Death and Intercession If when we were Enemies we were reconciled by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 1. By his living to make Intercession for us as it is expounded Heb. 7.25 wherefore he is able to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them This is one Argument of Christ his Godhead to save his People from sin for it 's applied to Jehova Psalm 130.8 He shall redeem his People from all their iniquities If there were a Physician in the World that could save a man from all Diseases multitudes of Patients would come to him how should Believers then come to Christ who saves his People from all their sins Psalm 103.1 2. As the Woman that had the Bloudy Issue touching Christ was healed so we touching Christ by the hand of faith the bleeding wounds of our sins are stanched This is true tidings of joy to all believing souls that such a Saviour is born Luke 2.10 11. V. 22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying The Evangelist sets down a third ground to stablish Joseph's heart and together with him the hearts of all other Believers viz. that this Prediction of a Virgins bringing forth was foretold seven or eight hundred years ago in the Reign of King Ahaz Isai 7.14 Joseph at first was ready to be startled at these strange News the Angel told him but when he heard that all that the Angel told him was confirmed by the Scriptures this brought full satisfaction The sum of the Promise was that not onely that God would save the House of David Isai 7.13 from the Syrians and Men of Israel their Enemies v. 8 9. but that also he would save the believers among them from their spiritual Enemies and because the matter seems hard to believe the Lord gives them a sign to confirm it viz. Behold a Virgin remaining a Virgin still shall be with childeâ— so that as in Painting or Building there are first rude Lines or Draughts made by the Painters who after by degrees perfect that which they had conceived in their mindes according to the Idaea therein so as the Lord had prophesied of a Virgins conceiving so now he perfects and fulfils it so that as the calling of the Israelites out of Egypt Hosea 11.1 was a Shadow of the Deliverance of the Sons of God out of the spiritual Egypt of Hell so these things told then by Isai did shadow out what was now fulfilled V. 23. Bernard thinks the Devil fell out of envy envying men that Dignity that God should become Man Behold a Virgin shall be with childe and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call his Name Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us The Evangelist sets forth not onely the sum of the Prophesie but the wonderfulness of it Behold this Adverb still points out attention and admiration Behold as if he should say Men and Angels wonder at this strange unheard of thing that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth Emmanuel that is God-Man Jer. 31.22 The Lord hath created a new thing upon earth A Womam shall compass a man Some men will not wonder at any thing to conceal their own ignorance but here is a providence to admire all And they shall call his Name Emmanuel that is being interpreted God with us that is not onely spiritually that is reconciled to us 2 Cor. 5.19 but because the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us John 1.14 They shall call all the saithfull and many others shall so call him God with us for this Pronoun Relative they hath respect unto a plurality See Luke 12.20 Luke 16.9 Quest How can Jesus be called Emmanuel Resp Not in sound but in sense Christ was called Emmanuel from the Dignity of his Person and he was called Jesus from his Office and effects of it and in all this it sell out that the Prophesie of Esaias was fulfilled Shut your eys without Christ and say that you know no other God but he that was in the bosom of Mary and suckt her Breasts Where that God Christ Jesus is there is whole God or the whole Divinity found the Father and the Spirit Luth. in Ps 130. I shall also add what a late Writer adds to interpret this Prophesie viz. that within a space of time wherein a Virgin might marry and conceive and bring forth and the Childe come to the distinguishing of good and evil Isai 7.14 15. Rezin and Pekah Ahaz his two Enemies should be brought low and from this he calls an high improved sense over and above the vulgar sense which belonged to the words that from this place the Spirit should gather that a Virgin should bring forth a Son V. 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his Wife Here we have Joseph's obedience to the Angel seen first in taking unto him his Wife as the Angel bad him When we are convinced of Gods Commands we must neither dispute them nor delay them Psalm 119.60 now Joseph takes both Mother and Childe into his tuition V. 25. And knew her not untill she brought forth her first-born Son and called his Name Jesus Here is the second thing wherein Joseph's obedience to the Angel was seen viz. in not knowing his Wife he means in a matrimonial way as it is taken Gen. 4.1 to make it appear that Christ was not conceived of Joseph but of the Holy Ghost So the phrase is taken Num. 31.35 1 Sam. 1.19 No doubt the Angel had given Joseph command herein not to know her because he did as the Angel commanded this was done as for the stablishing of our Faith on Jesus Christ as being conceived in such a wonderfull manner so for to verifie the Promise that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Untill she brought forth her first-born Son It is not for us to contend to finde whether the Virgin Mary were a Virgin ever after she brought forth her first-begotten Son it is curious to seek and more curious directly to define that son is said to be the first-born before whom there was none though he were the onely begotten This word untill oft signifies an
if there be any long absence of these accustomed meltings 8 Earnest longings after the Lord are wont to accompany saving meltings Mine eye mine eye runneth down with water because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me Lam. 1.16 9 Saving meltings flow from love to God How came Mary to weep in such abundance that she washed Christ's feet why at the same time she loved much Luke 7.38 compared with v. 47. 10 When saving meltings come there is an holy chearfulness wrought in the heart and sadness removed from the countenance as in Hanna her countenance was no more sad why she prayed and wept sore v. 10. compared with v. 18. As God did sometimes accept sacrifices without sending fire from Heaven to burn them up so sometimes he shewed his acceptation by sending fire to consume them 1 Kings 18.38 2 Chron. 7.1 Fire came from Heaven and consumed Solomon's burnt offering and so David's Prayer for the ceasing the Pestilence 1 Chron. 21.26 was answered by fire So though God do sometimes answer his people without meltings yet in holy persons these meltings usually are crowning answers and tokens of acceptation 11 We may know our meltings flow from a saving principle by comparing the meltings we had when we forsook some great enjoyment for God and got victory over some strong lust with those meltings at present when we forsook some great enjoyment as country liberty estate friends and relations how did God come in at those times so that we found an hundred fold with persecutions Mar. 10.29 30. mightily softning the heart and filling the soul with joy and with the holy Ghost Act. 13.51 as Paul was when persecuted so when we overcome some strong lust God gave us hidden Manna white stone new name Rev. 2.17 which were the incomes of God into the soul by softning of it and powring in joy in prayer after the conquest now we finding the meltings and softnings of our hearts at other times sutable to those we found then know them to come from the Spirit or from a saving principle and not from natural passion and softness 12 The meltings that come from God may be something discerned by the time when given as 1 When afflictions are sanctified then the soul powres out it self amain Esther 4.3 when the kings decree came to put the Jews to death there were great weepings and wailings ordinarily wicked men cry not when God binds them their spirits are bound up Job 36.13 2 Upon the remove of some sad desertion and after some foregoing straitnings or some very close walking with God or the bringing home of some word of promise to the heart these meltings use to be given Psal 51.8 12. Make me to hear the voice of joy and gladness restore unto me the joy of thy salvation 3 By the putting forth the strength of the soul in duty Hos 12.3 Jacob wept and made supplication and found the Lord in Bethel how came that why by his strength he prevailed with God that is he put forth all his strength in the duty 4 Fom the time it s oft given even after an holy preparation of heart by meditation Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear Psal 10.17 8 Pray with perseverance not to give over Eph. 6.18 Many use prayer as a medicine which after two or three usings finding no success they leave off God puts off his children with delayes 1 Because souls are not fit for such a mercy as the Physician puts off the patient from such a thing as he desires The ten tribes Judg. â—0 26 cryed for victory against Benjamin but God saw them not fit for it they yet trusted in their multitude being four hundred thousand and their enemies about seven and twenty thousand also they were not humbled enough 2 For trial of our faith whether we will yet depend on God so Christ put off the Woman of Cana Matth. 15.28 and Paul 2 Cor. 12.8 3 That his mercies may be more sweet when we get them things hardly got are prized 4 That we may see our sin in delaying God he called and thou wouldest not hear therefore it 's just that thou shouldest call and he delay thee 5 To inflame our desires the more God purposed not to destroy Israel Exod. 32. yet when Moses prayed he seemed not to regard his Prayers but this was onely to make Moses more earnest for the people 6 For the trial of our Patience David was in an horrible pit in great danger and God let him lye for the tryal of his patience and in the end brought him out Ps 40.1 2. Many are like that king 2 King 6.33 who said Saul 1 Sam. â— 28.15 because he had not present help why should I wait on the Lord any longer Yea Saints have been impatient because their prayers have not been answered at first Lam. 3.8 44. We must not onely have a dependance on God for his promise but for the time when he will fulfill it As the husbandman waâ—s long after seed time for a harvest the corn hath many a sharp blast and nipping frost before he reaps so ought we to wait for our prayers though things seem worse afrer then before Long did the Church wait for Peter before they got him out of prison Act. 12.5 in the end he was given to them neither must we limit God to such means Psal 78.41 7 That we may seek him more importunately so did Christ with-hold himself from the Church for this end Song 3.1 4. As a Beggar when a passenger comes by begs of him the passenger goes on as if he took no notice but the Beggar goes on and followes him till at last he gets his desire 8 For to humble the soul suppose thy servant wrong thee thou sayest thou wilt pardon him but first thou wilt make him humble himself to thee he shall and must know that he hath wrong'd a good master so God is willing to pardon thee and to heal thee but he will make thee know thou hast sin'd against a good God Obj. But God calls me to other duties of my calling how am I then to continue in prayer till God hear me Ans We may give over the words of prayer but we may not give over the suit of prayer A poor Beggar comes to a house-keepers door but none hears him he falls to other employments as mending his clothes c. then anon he begs again though he do not always continue begging yet he always continues his sute Oh that some within would give me an alms so should the soul at the throne of grace Persevering prayer is the building of the soul towards heaven Holy men should pray as builders build first they lay the foundation next day make the walls the next day he sets up timber-work and so goes on till the house be finished so a godly soul reaches higher and higher till at
assurance of thy pardon get more and more earnest of the Spirit Men that deal in great matters love to get as good earnest as they can the fuller earnest the more security Again people keep and esteem an earnest more then other mony because it hath reference to further matters which other mony hath not So should we esteem the Spirits testimony as sealing us up unto the future inheritance in heaven at which day it shall cease to be any further an earnest as earnest mony ceases to be earnest when the whole sum is paid Mean time till we come into that glory the Spirit though it do not always confirm us to present sence yet doth it confirm us to present experience from the former workings thereof which we have felt as the former movings of the infant in the mothers womb confirm the mother that she is with childe though at the present she feel no moving at all thereof Obj. But the heart is deceitful Ans The Spirit in us is too holy to deceive and too wise to be deceived When there is an object to be seen and an eye to see and light to discover the object to the eye sight must needs follow so in a believer there is grace to be seen and an eye of faith to see it so is there a light of the Spirit discovering that grace to the soul Obj. But some as Papists and others think there can be no assurance of remission of sins and of salvation A. That we may be assured herein appears 1 The Word bids us make our pardon and salvation sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Heb. 6.11.10.22 which were in vain if such a thing could not be 2 The Saints have been assured hereof Job saith c. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall stand up with him on the earth at the last day and I shall see him not with other but with the same eys 2 Cor. 5.1 Paul saith We know if our earthly tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God Abraham Rom. 4.21 22. 1 John 3.14 1 John 5.14 15. We know we are translated from death to life we know we have the petitions desired 1 Pet. 5.1 I am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed Peter speaks of himself in this life Obj. But what these Saints had they had by special revelation Answ No. For the Saints Peter writes to had obtained like precious faith with himself 2 Pet. 1.1 And Paul saith I am perswaded that neither life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God See he names other believers as well as himself Rom. 8.38 39. 2 All the Saints have the same Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 though not in the same degree Timothy saith I know whom I have trusted 2 Tim. 1.12 See there is a certainty in knowledge The Hebrews knew in themselves they had a better and enduring substance which was the ground they not only patiently suffered but also joyfully endured the spoyling of their temporal substance Heb. 10.34 They did not onely conjecture it but knew it in themselves Peter when Christ asked him whether or no he loved him he did not answer Lord thou knowest we cannot tell truly whether or no we love thee but appeals unto Christ saying Thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee John 21.15 16 17. Peter mentions it three times shewing the undoubted assurance he had thereof 3 The Scripture bids us prove our selves as concerning our estate to God ward Gal. 6.4 Let a man prove himself that he may have rejoycing in himself alone 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and so let him eat 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith This bidding us search our conscience according to the rule and the declaring that rejoycing followes thereon doth denote unto us that assurance of remission of sins may be had It is ridiculous to think that the Spirit should bid us search for that which cannot be found 4 That certainty and assurance of salvation may be had appears from the many signes and evidences the word of God sets down of our being in Christ of our having the Spirit of our regeneration uprightness confidence to say that he that hath these graces is not sure whether he have them or no is a great mistake for do not I know that I love the Lord better then any thing that I love my brother yea mine enemies that I combate against all sin hunger after righteousnesse that my heart closeth with every command of God that I hate all sin do not I know that I have comfottable answers from God in prayer when I have them Comfortlesse is the assurance of hope arising from humane conjecture allowed by Papists and differs from Theological or divine hope arising from faith 5 The doctrine of doubting of remission of sins or conjectural hoping for salvation is a comfortlesse doctrine for 1 It kills our joy and thankfulness for how can I joy in or be thankfull to him who for ought I know may damn me another day and how can I joy in a thing which I know not whether I shall have or no 2 This doctrine of doubting stuns and hinders our proceeding in a godly course How can a man have a heart to go on when he cannot tell whether all he doth will come to any thing yea or no The Scripture ordinarily exhorts to duty from the knowledge we have that our labour will not be in vain Gal. 6.9 Be not weary in well doing knowing in due season you shall reap if ye faint not 1 Cor. 15.28 Be ye alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know your labour will not be in vain 3 The doctrine of doubting must needs fill the conscience with much anguish and anxiety A man that is condemned and hath no way to escape but by a pardon must needs be in perplexity of mind till he know of his pardon so must the soul needs be that sees its own lost estate and knows nothing of the pardon of his sins 6 From experimental feeling when I trust to a person promising to give or lend me any thing I know I trust to him and rest on him for what he hath promised and shal I by faith rest on Christ and know no such thing 7 From the testimony of the renewed conscience for our spirits regenerate witness our good estate Rom. 8.16 Yea even this is witnessed even in weak Christians though with some fear of the contrary the poor man cryed out Mark 9 2â— Lord I believe help my unbelief How could we say we believe if we could not know it we cannot speak that truly whereof we can have no certainty 8 From the seal of the Spirit witnessing with our spirits Take heed of expecting such inward witness of the spirit as some expect viz. a discovering of your adoption without first discovering the signes of it as if by an
inward voice he should say thy sins are pardoned Rom. 8.16 2 Cor 1.22 Eph. 4.30 It s not enough onely to have a general foundation laid that God and Christ bare good will to all believers but the Spirit comes and saith Christ hath a special good will to me and stirrs up in me a liking to him again and a willingness to take him with the parting with every lust and enjoyment And to this there follows after we have gone on in believing a while a further sense of the Spirit which is sometimes interrupted after sealing thereof through remaining unbelief and practical weakness so far as to question our condition but in some this seal of the Spirit is so clear and strong that the soul questioneth not its estate in grace ever after conscience of unkindness to such a friend should much trouble us Now we may know this voice of the Spirit from delusion because it is given to us when the soul is humbled and melts in prayer or forsakes some dear enjoyment for God and it leaves behind it a holy self abasement in respect of our unthankfulness and our ill requiting the Lord and a lifting up the head to think upon death and judgement as dayes of redemption We see then that besides the acts of faith which is to take Christ and to cast our selves upon the mercy of God there is the fruit of faith to be assured hereof in order thereto the Spirit first gives us those graces and workings which are our evidences then helps us to feel those evidences in our selves and then raises comfort in the soul upon those discoveries Obj. But doth not the doctrine of assurance breed security loosness presumption Answ The favour of God believed breedeth love of God where there is love there is a fear of every thing that may divide betwixt the soul and God Nothing more quickens a soul to chearful obedience then the assurance of Gods love 2 Cor. 5.1 compared with ver 15. He is a graceless child that will venture to offend his father because he knows he neither will nor can disinherit him So graceless should we be if knowing of Gods love to our souls we should presume to sin against him Rom. 6.1 compared with ver 15. Shall we sin because we are under Grace God forbid 2 Those that are sure of salvation though they need not fear damnation yet may they fear to bring upon themselves wrath as sickness trouble of conscience c. Obj. But we cannot be sure of perseverance without which what is assurance Answ Yes from these promises Joh. 10.28 29. None shall pluck them out of my hands Joh. 10.28 29. and from Christ his prayer Luk. 22.31 3â— God will not suffer us to be tempted above the power of grace to unsettle any habit though to the unsettlement of some act Rom. 8.38 39. 4 Use Seeing God forgives sins 1 pray for sensibleness and sight of thy sins Lam. 3.39 For daily we fall into not onely sin but sins 2 For humiliation under them 1 Cor. 11.31 4 For forgiveness of others Eph. 4.32 5 Seeing God forgives sins 1 Take notice of Gods patience that bears with our sins from day to day 2 Pet 3.9 2 Note that humane satisfactions can be of no force 3 That we should not onely have a care of our own salvation but of the salvation of our brethren in asking pardon for them if we see them sin a sin that is not unto death 1 John 5.16 4 That even righteous and justified persons stand need of being justified still Rev. 22.11 5 That our sins being called debts we may see that all sorts of punishments are owing unto us for our sins till God forgive them in Christ and the sin being forgiven the punishment also is forgiven hence that which Luke calls Sins Luke 11.4 Matthew calls Debts 6 Seeing God forgives sins and assures thereof do not you from Satans temptations misdoubt those Evidences which you have seriously examined and found to be true Suppose your Friend give you an Inheritance and good Evidences to assure you of it and a cavilling fellow shall come and tell you your Evidence is naught will you upon his prattle judg your Title nothing So the Lord hath forgiven your sins and you have good Evidences thereof will you then upon Satans cavils judg your Evidences nothing When I die I descend into Hell I am undone what shall I do no help remains besides the Word I believe in God c. We were created of the Word and it behoves us to be returned into the Word Luth. in Gen. 37. 9 If we have not this assurance we shall be in no better condition than Heathens who have no hope 1 Thess 4.13 Ephes 2.12 So Justin Martyr speaks of Socrates these words Now is the hour of going away at hand for me to death for you to a longer life but whether of us go to a better estate is unknown unto all save to God Cohort ad Graecos pag. 26. How much better spoke holy Luther The Devil in the hour of death will shew thee all thy wicked life do not despair which Satan desires but believe and say I know all my life is damnable if it should be judged but God hath commanded me to trust not in my life but in his mercy This wisdom we ought to follow in the hour of death there the flesh trembles that it must go into a new life and doubts of salvation if thou follows these thoughts thou art undone here thine eys are to be shut and say with Stephen Jesus into thine hands I commend my spirit then certainly will Jesus be present with his Angels and be the guide of the way Bernard when sometimes he was sick to death sounded no other thing than this I have lost my time because I have lived wickedly but one thing comforts me thou wilt not despise a broken and a contrite heart Also Lord Jesus thou holds the Kingdom of Heaven by a double right 1 Because thou art the Son of God 2 Because thou hast purchased it by thy Death this thou keepest for thy self by right of nativity that thou givest me not by the law of works but of grace As we forgive our Debtours This is a motive or as some call it a sign because we frankly forgive our Debtours therefore we desire God to forgive us From hence learn 1 That unless we pardon the wrongs done to us we desire Gods vengeance against our selves 2 That wrongs done by others to us make them Debtours to us which though in respect of the sin against us we are bound to forgive yet in respect of the damage we sustain in our Estates we may require satisfaction 3 It 's an evidence that God hath and will forgive us if we do freely without exercising private revenge forgive others Col. 3.13 Forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you In nothing do we more
Jesus knowing their thoughts said Why think ye evil in your hearts Jesus knowing their thoughts Here was one note of his God-head to know the thoughts 1 Cor. 2.11 What man knows the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him He must needs be God which did this 1 Joh. 2.24 25. Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all men and needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man He did not know their hearts by outward gestures as by whispering laughing but he knew their hearts without signes when they sat quiet and still nor did he know them by the revelation of another as the Prophets did 1 King 14.3 4. as the Prophet Ahiah did the wife of Jeroboam but by his own power as being the searcher of hearts which God onely is And needs must he know the thoughts because he created the heart Psal 94.10 11. besides else how should he make manifest the counsels and secrets of the heart Rom. 2.16 1 Cor. 4.5 Why think ye evil in your hearts That is false malitious and blasphemous things as if I were onely a man when I am God These thoughts were evil 1 coming from the devil and their wicked hearts 2 In respect of matter as being derogatory to the majesty of Christ From this two observations 1 The thoughts of men are known to Christ 2 The consideration of this that our thoughts are known to Christ should be a check unto us from thinking evil in our hearts Obs The thoughts of men are known to Christ 1 Because he is God now all thoughts are known to God Gen. 6.5 God saw that every imagination of the heart of man was onely evil continually Job 21.27 I know your thoughts and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me Job 42.2 No thought can be withholden from thee yea God perceives and knows the inward thoughts of the heart Psal 49.11 Their inward thought is their houses shall continue Amos 4.13 he declares unto man his thought Psal 139.23 Try me and know my thoughts Psal 50.22 1 Cor. 3.20 2 Because he is the searcher of the heart Rev. 2.23 All the Churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and the heart now the thoughts being a great part of the heart he must needs know them Luke 9.47 When the Disciples were thinking which of them should be greatest Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart took a little childe and set him before them Matth. 12.24 25. 3 Because he hath discovered to men their thoughts as here to these Scribes and to Judas before he acted any treason Luke 5.32 Luke 24.38 when the Disciples were affrighted Christ says Why do thoughts arise in your hearts The woman of Samaria John 4.29 He told me all that ever I did Use 1 To confirm unto us the God-head of Christ why because he knows our thoughts 2 Beware 1 Of vain thoughts which is 1 For matter when we shall think on foolish things Prov. 24.9 The thought of foolishness is sin 2 For manner when we shall think of God and good things in an unholy manner either irreverently or idolatrously Psal 50.23 Thou thoughtest I was such an one as thy self 3 For order when we shall think of good things disorderly If a Printer print never so well yet if one word stand where another should it will quite spoil the book 4 For end when we shall be thinking of good things for a bad end as to be thinking of the Scriptures how to colour over some sin to be thinking of God in extremities that he might deliver us out of this or that trouble resolving still to follow our lusts 2 Beware of wicked thoughts Prov. 30.32 If thou hast thought evil in thy heart lay thy hand upon thy mouth Esai 55.6 7. Let the righteous man forsake his thoughts Acts 8.22 Repent of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee 5 Though they think of God they delight not to think of him Rom. 1.28 they think of God but they know not how to shun it Obj. But thoughts are free Answ In Courts of men they are because man cannot make a Law that can reach the thoughts but not in the Court of heaven Jer. 6.19 I will bring upon them the fruit of their thoughts Obj. But we cannot hinder wicked and vain thoughts from arising in the heart Answ We cannot hinder them from being but we may hinder them from lodging in us Jer. 4.14 We cannot hinder persons from coming to our house but we can hinder them from lodging in our house we cannot hinder a Bird from flying over our heads but we may keep it from making a nest in our hair Q. Whence come these wicked thoughts in the heart Answ 1 From Satan who inspires and injects evil motions These sometimes are discerned by the suddenness coming like a flash of Lightning by their violence It 's a sad thing to have the devil Lord of our imagination as in Judas John 13.12 By their strangeness being thrown in as Josephs cup in Benjamins sack By their unnaturalness tending to destroy so to Christ Cast thy self down Thus Satan suggested to David to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 Some think it more sad for the devil to run away with our thoughts then estates 2 From corruption Matth. 15.19 Out of the Heart proceed evil thoughts Jam. 1.14 15. Now whether they come from Satan or corruption they shall not be imputed to us if we disallow them Obj. I disallow them Answ If thou doest they will be burdens to thee and thou wilt complain to God in prayer against them and strive to turn thy imagination from them to God that the thoughts of God may be the possessions of thy heart 3 Try what thy thoughts are whether they be good or bad Trials 1 When they come from a good principle within A good man hath a good treasure in his heart Matth. 12.35 and from thence he brings forth good things hence his purposes are onely good Prov. 11.23.12.5 2 When good thoughts are not onely cast into the soul but we study them Many think because they have some thoughts of death judgement heaven and hell of repentance God and Christ therefore their hearts are good but these thoughts are onely the hauntings of the spirit to leave them more inexcusable Contrarily godly men strive to study good thoughts Psal 119.59 3 Whether are the good thoughts thou hast transient or permanent and abiding Gen. 6.5 The Lord saw all the thoughts of mens hearts were vain Obj. They had some good thoughts how could this be Answ They were vain for want of duration 4 Whether are thy thoughts brought forth into act Godly men act the good they think of Psal 119.59 I thought upon my wayes what then followed I turned my feet into thy testimonies Luke 15.18 The Prodigal thought of his misery what followed
he hath an implicite liking to the sin If inclining to pride in apparel wear plain cloaths if to vain-glory speak not any thing that may redound to your praise if to lying tell no doubtfull stories if to whispering speak sparingly of other mens actions especially of your Enemies 10 When we are affraid of sinning in secret Lev. 19.14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf nor put a stumbling block before the blinde but shalt fear the Lord thy God The deaf man could not hear the curse the blinde man cannot see the block thou layest Oh! but God sees and his fear must keep thee and me from secret iniquities See Job 31.22 23 26 27 29 30. 11 A reverend carriage both outward and inward in the worship of God Psalm 5.7 In thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple Eccles 5.2 God is in Heaven and thou on Earth therefore let thy words be few and as in prayer so in hearing Eccles 5.1 Look to thy foot when thou goest into the house of God Gods fear in Cornelius made him reverend in hearing Peter Acts 10.2 compared with v. 33. We are all here present before God to hear all things commanded us from God Jacob saith Gen. 28.16 17. The Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it how dreadfull is this place Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him as if he should say The fear of the Lord is the best spur to holy service Heb. 12.27 28. Psalm 5.7 3 Exhortation to labour after Gods fear Where wicked men are most fearless Saints are most fearfull to wit in sin and where Saints are most fearless as in calamitous times wicked men are most fearfull Most men are like little children that fear and cry at things not to be feared as at Bull-beggars c. but do not fear things that are to be feared to wit Water Fire Knives c. so most men fear those things which are shadows of grief as Poverty Disgrace but do not fear that which will bring astonishment and endless misery if not repented of Means to Gods fear 1 God must put it into our hearts Jer. 32.40 and man must teach it Psalm 34.11 Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. We are ready to scatter our fear as well as other affections where it ought not to be as on great persons Prov. 29.25 on worldly troubles hence it's Gods work to place our fear on a right object hence David prays Psalm 86.10 Unite my heart to fear thy Name 2 Apprehend Gods love to thy soul and thou wilt be affraid to offend him Hosea 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness Psal 130.3 4. There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared 1 Pet. 1.17 If you call upon the Father that is look upon him as your Father see that you spend the time of your sojourning here in fear 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Touch not the unclean thing and I will be a Father unto you 3 Be perswaded of Gods Omniscience and Omnipresence We would fear to do evil if the eye of a man were upon us much more when Gods eye beholds us Psalm 44.17 18. Though God smote his people into the place of Dragons and covered them with the shadow of death yet they apprehending and believing God to search into the secrets of the heart they durst not lift up their hands to a strange God v. 20 21. What made Job fear to sin See cap. 31.4 Doth not he see all my ways and count all my steps 4 Look upon and believe the greatness of his power Isai 40.12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out Heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a ballance All Nations compared with him are as a drop of a Bucket compared with the Ocean or as the small dust in a ballance compared with the greatest weights put therein all Nations are before him as nothing v. 11 17. Hence the Lord saith Jer. 5.22 Fear ye not me will ye not tremble at my presence who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea c. Psalm 76. v. 5. to v. 10. Thou even thou art to be feared thou didst cause judgment to be heard from Heaven the earth feared and was still Especially behold Gods power in casting the soul into Hell Job 41.10 Leviathan or the Whale is set down to be a terrible creature Job saith Shall not even one be cast down at the sight of him v. 9. also v. 10. None is so fierce that dares stir him up who then can stand before me If thou art notable to stand against one of Gods creatures in thy sins how wilt thou be able to stand before God himself Besides all other he hath one power to convey an invisible Horrour into thy Conscience to make thee a terrour to thy self and others Jer. 20.4 See it in Judas Matth. 27.4 5. if thou wilt venture to go on in sin 5 Believe Gods threatnings against sin Who would venture upon such a sin did he believe the threatnings against it Heb. 11.7 Noah by faith being moved with fear to wit of Gods drowning the World prepared an Ark c. Eve contrarily mincing the threatning Gen. 3.3 when God had said In the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt surely dy Gen. 2.16 17. she changed it thus God hath said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye dy The threatning being thus lessened she was drawn away to ruine her self and posterity There are terrible threats against sinners See Deut. 29.18 19 20 21. Psalm 11.6 Col. 3.6 1 Thes 4.6 2 Thes 1.8 9. 1 Pet. 4.17 These and many more unless they be believed they will not preserve us from sin Quest But seeing there is a filial and son-like fear and a servile or slavish fear of God how shall we know what our fear is Answ 1 Slavish fear drives from God Gen. 3.8 Adam and Eve when they heard the voice of the Lord hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. The reason is rendered v. 10. because they were affraid Is 33.14 The sinners in Sion are affraid they look upon God as devouring fire and as everlasting burnings So the Devils believe and tremble James 2.19 Contrarily filial fear brings us nearer to God Psalm 86.11 2 Slavish fear leaves the nature filthy as in the Devils James 2.19 and wicked men Heb. 2.15 through fear of death they are all their life subject to bondage Contrarily filial fear cleanseth Psalm 19.4 The fear of the Lord is clean 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Holy persons serve without slavish fear in holiness and righteousness all their life Luke 1.74 75. 3 Slavish fear hath torment of heart 1 John 4.17
doth these things shall live by them and live in them Gal. 3.12 Contrarily fail in one point and be under the curse Gal. 3.10 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to do them A sinner is not justified unless he be condemned viz. by the Law he is not quickned unless he be slain he doth not ascend to heaven unless he descend into hell Luth. Tom. 2.57 Thus no man was ever justified save Adam in his state of innocency and Jesus Christ and the Angels By this righteousness no man living is justified Job 9.20 If I justifie myself my own mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Also v. 30.31 If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and my own clothes shall abhor me The meaning is if I were the purest man alive and God should call me to his tribunal I must needs condemn my self and whatsoever is near unto me would condemn me Psalm 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest be exeream to mark what is done a miss who might stand Psalm 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified We are not able to fulfill one branch of any command by reason of indwelling corruption so that I appeal to the conscience of any man whether in the perfectest action that ever he did he durst stand to Gods severe trial thereof much less are we able to fulfill the whole law and therefore cannot hope for righteousness by it as the Prophet saith in another case Esa 28.20 The bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering narrower then that he can wrap himself in it So say I of mans righteousness We cannot fulfill the whole law and therefore cannot hope for righteousness from it The Law requires a two-fold righteousness 1 Habitual in the inherent holiness of a mans whole person 2 Actual in the exercise of all good works enjoyned by the Law and Gospel and forbearance of the contrary evil works both in the thoughts of the heart words of the mouth and actions of the whole life so that every man in the world incurs damnation by his deeds and therefore cannot remain justified by his habits Nay he is more guilty that having an habit of inherent righteousness produces acts of unrighteousness as we see in the fallen Angels and Adam What man is there can perform these two commands to love God with all the heart and not to covet Yea look upon man in a state of regeneration we shall see weakness in his faith Mark 9.24 sinkings in his hope Psalm 43.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul Esa 64.6 The Prophet doubts not to pronounce of all our righteousnesses which were inherent in our persons compared with the righteousness of God and his law they were as filthy rags Obj. If our best performances be stained Esa 64.6 Why should we perform any good work Answ Though they be stained there is some good in them there is gold in the oar There is so much good that God pardons the ill and accepts the good a sick man must eat to strengthen nature though much of what he eats turns to putrifaction This righteousness of works cannot justify us 1 Because it s not so large as the Law of God so that he that hath the greatest measure of it hath much indwelling corruption 2 Saints ascribe all to the mercy of God in Christ Rom. 5.9 Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath See we are not justified by inherent holiness but by his blood Inherent righteousness is not a cause of our son-ship but onely a consequent of it Gal. 4.6 he sayes not ye are received for sons because the spirit hath stampt upon you inherent holiness but because by and in Christ ye are received for sons ye are indued with the spirit and graces thereof 3 No man in pangs of conscience and agony of death can trust to his own righteousness Psalm 130.3 4. 4 Because the law promises life upon an impossible condition Rom. 10.5 and so leaves the conscience doubtfull and trembling 2 The second righteousness whereby persons stand righteous is the righteousness of Christ which is when God declares men who are wicked and sinners by nature but by grace true believers to be freed and absolved from eternal death and to have right to eternal life for the righteousness of Christ Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. 1 Thes 5.9 When that mercifull father did see us to be opprest with the curse of the Law he sent his son into the world and cast upon him all the sins of all he means the elect saying Be thou Peter that denier Paul that persecutor David that adulterer that sinner that are the apple in Paradice that thief on the cross Luth. Tom. 4.94 Let the Law rule over the Flesh and the Promise sweetly reign in the conscience Now concerning Justification consider 1 The efficient cause 1 Generally the whole Trinity Rom. 3.30 It is one God who shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Uncircumcision through Faith Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness In particular the Father justifies us pronunciatively because we have imputative Righteousness and his Justice is thereby satisfied for a sinner is not just before God because he is justified but he is therefore justified because he is some way or other just for upon the creatures righteousness the act of God in Justification proceeds For upon the beholding of a righteousness for us the Father justifies us pronunciatively the Son justifies us meritoriously being made unto us of God righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 Ephes 5.2 The Spirit justifies us by applying unto us Christs satisfaction 1 Cor. 6.11 Ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 2 The material cause of our Justification was the Bloud and Death of Christ Matth. 20.28 He gave his Life a Ransom for many Luke 22.20 This Cup is the New Testament in my Bloud Acts 2.28 The whole Church is said to be purchased with the Bloud of Christ Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be the Propitiation for our sins through Faith in his Bloud When we teach we do no other thing than that we scatter and divide the virtue of Christs Bloud among the People Luth. in Gen. 49. Col. 1.14 20. In whom we have Redemption through his Bloud and having made peace by the Bloud of his Cross Also v. 22. You that were Enemies hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Heb. 9.12 speaking of the Levitical Priests he saith They entered into the holy place by the bloud of goats but Christ entered into Heaven by his own bloud having obtained eternal Redemption for us yea
that they put on Bowels of Mercies Col 3.12 where see they put on 1 Mercies having respect to the several kindes as giving Heb 13.16 where Distribution is called by the name of a Sacrifice Charity is compared to a beautifull upper Garment Col 3.14 2 Mercy in forgiving Mat 18.35 Matth 6 14 15 3 These Mercies flow from Bowels 1 John 3.17 Such Bowels had Christ Matth 9.37 when he saw them as Sheep without a Shepherd his Bowels earned towards them So that mercy is an holy compassion of heart whereby a man is moved to help another in his misery 7 Merciless men are curied with God by the rule of contraries It s an argument that men without pity have never obtained mercy Such are they that rejoyce at the miseries of Gods people Ezek. 25.3 4 5 6. and such as grinde the faces of the poor for to maintain bravery and vanity This merciless cruelty is condemned Deut. 15.7 8. Thou shalt not harden thy heart from thy poor brother but shalt lend unto him Such merciless persons may seek for mercy themselves but they shall not be heard Prov. 21.13 Amos 1.11 8 By mercy we are made Gods Almoners to disperse his goodness among men Psalm 112.9 it 's more then to be Almoners to Princes Rules in shewing Mercy 1 Do not onely draw out your hand or your purse but your soul Esai 58.10 2 What mercy you shew do it from a cheerfull heart not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerfull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 3 Take notice of their misery either from your own sight thereof or from the beholding of others Job 30.25 Did not I weep for him that was in misery and was not my soul grieved for the poor Prov. 24.11 12. Many say they knew not that such a man was in affliction and that such a man was delivered to death well but God searches the heart and knowes that thou knewest it 4 Show all sorts of mercies soul-mercies in teaching the ignorant in comforting the afflicted Esai 50.4 body mercies in feeding the hungry visiting the sick helping the fatherless and widows Jam. 1.27 to deal thy bread to the hungry Esai 58.6 that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him c. 5 According to our ability Where God gives more he looks for more He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 Acts 11.19 Disciples sent relief according to their ability Luke 21.4 6 Let mercy be with sincerity Matth. 6.1 2 3. that your right hand may not know what your left hand doth not as the Scribes Matth. 23.5 that did what they did to be seen of men 7 Let mercy be with simpathy 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is weak and I am not weak who is grieved and I burn not many come to persons in pain and ask how they do but are no more moved then if they were flints Amos 6.6 7. Pharaohs daughter will rise up in judgement against many Exod. 2.6 2 Chron. 36.17 8 Look upon it as a singular mercy that God hath made others objects of your mercy and not you objects of others mercy Acts 20.35 It 's more blessed to give then to receive 9 Look often on the commands of God herein 1 Peter 3.8 Be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another be pitifull Jude 22. of some have compassion Also examples Heb. 10.34 Ye had compassion of me in my bonds Mark 5.19 Luke 10.32 V. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Q. What is meant by purity of heart A. Some think sincerity as Matth. 6.1 opposed to hypocrisie for many are like apples that look well but are rotten at the heart 2 Purity taken legally no man hath it Prov. 20.6 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am clean from my iniquity There is no man righteous on earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7.21 2 Purity of heart is taken Evangelically To be pure is to be full of it self and not to have any other thing mingled with it so purity of heart is that which doth not admit any sin to mingle with the frame and purpose of the heart but the heart still casts it out of it self it resists and rejects it As a thing is said to be pure though it may have some dross cleaving to it as it 's pure gold when it s digged out of the Mineral though there be much dross in it and we say it 's pure ayr though for a time there be many fogs and mists within it and it 's pure water though there may be some mud at the bottome a man may be said to have a pure heart though there be a cleaving of much dross to it Holy men have a fountain of original corruption in them and from this fountain sins arise continually as the scum in the pot but as in wine or honey or water though the scum arise yet still it purifieth it self and casts it out contrarily in men of impure hearts the scum ariseth but it seeths in Ezek. 24 12. She wearied her self with lies c. and her great scum went not out of her q. d. Holy men have their scum arising in their hearts as well as wicked but here is the difference wicked mens scum seeths in and mingles together but men of pure heart have a cleansing and purifying disposition that casts out what ever evil comes though it be continually rising though he be many times mired he still washeth himself again he cannot endure it he doth not as the swine delight in it Matth. 15. That which comes from within defiles the man the meaning is when sin ariseth in a man from day to day if he cherish sin and entertain it and suffer it to dwell and abide in his heart quietly without disturbance if he suffer it as it were to be sodden in now they defile the heart but if sins arise in the heart and he continually resist them and casts them forth and purifieth himself from them such a man is not defiled with them nor is his his mind defiled nor conscience defiled but notwithstanding this boiling out of evil he is a man of a pure heart yet may sin cleave to a man as dross doth to the silver but it mingles not with the regenerate part nor that mingles not with it no more then oyl and water do which though they touch they do not mingle together Reas Now these pure in heart are blessed because they are holy persons in Gods account that is they are persons in whom holiness hath predominance Psal 15.2 Who shall sojourn in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill The Prophet answers He who hath clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24.3 4. Heb. 12.14 Follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Holy persons are freed from the power of the second death 2
Because such persons are believers Acts 15.9 purifying their hearts by faith that is every believer from the blood and spirit of Christ draws power to purifie and purge the heart from that filth which ariseth therein Now to every true believer there is a promise of blessedness 3 Because a purifying of the heart and hope of blessedness are inseparably annext or joyned together 1 John 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him that is to see the Lord to his comfort whereof he had spoken verse 2. purifieth himself as God is pure A man may have other hopes without this as hope to be rich to be honourable but he cannot have this hope without purity Use 1 Exhortation to follow after purity of heart When the heart is pure thy hands will be pure clean hands and a pure heart go together Psalm 24.4 thy prayer will be pure Job 16.7 Mal. 1.11 thy conscience will be pure that it will witness thou lives not in sin 1 Tim. 3.9 Means to purity of heart 1 Get the blood and spirit to purifie thy heart As the blood of Christ purges the soul from guilt Heb. 9.14 so doth the spirit from filth 1 Peter 1.22 Seeing you have purified your hearts through the spirit Psalm 51.7 9 10. 2 Purifie your hearts from double mindedness James 4.8 Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded Now that is double mindedness when a man thinks to grasp grace and sin and holds them in an equal poise as the young man Matth. 19. he would fain have held Christ and the inordinate love of the world together Contrarily Nathaniel John 1.47 3 Content not your selves with outward purity The Pharisees by an outward shew of purity by making clean the out-side of the cup and platter got great authority among men Matth. 23.25 though their hearts were full of rottenness and they that followed after inward purity of heart were contemned but in opposition Christ commends to his Disciples inward purity Many are pure in apparel but few in this 4 Nourish Gods fear in you cleanse your selves from all filthiness 2 Cor. 7.1 how shall we do it Perfecting holiness in the fear of God Gods fear makes a man afraid to let any sin have a quiet abode in him Psal 19.9 The fear of the Lord is clean 5 Believe the promises By the belief of the promises we partake of the divine nature and to escape the corruption of the world 2 Pet. 1.3 4. 2 Cor. 7.1 6 Purity of heart is a preparative for communion with God Psalm 24.3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord Who shall stand in his holy place He that hath a pure heart verse 4. For they shall see God Here 's the reason of their blessedness for they shall see God 1 In this life as a pure glass receives the image proposed to it 2 Cor. 3.18 we beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same glory 2 In the life to come Men of pure heart are not seen in the world or taken notice of but in another world they shall see God Now in the sight of God is fulness of joy Psal 16. ult Matth. 18.10 setting forth the glory of Angels he saith They always behold the face of my Father in heaven For as the sun is not beheld but by sound eyes so God that is a most pure light cannot be seen but by a pure heart For the former of these the beholding God in this life is 1 The beholding of God in the creatures Psal 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showes his handy work Rom. 1.20 The eternal power and God-head of God are cleerly seen by the things that are made God left not himself without witness whiles he gave fruitfull seasons Acts 14.17 Carnal men might oppose many things against Atheisme but they consider not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands Psal 28.5 2 The beholding of God in his word By this was Christ set forth evidently crucified Gal. 3.1 The word enlightens the eys Psal 19.8 In the glass of the word we behold God with open face 2 Cor. 3.18 which sets him forth 1 By removing all imperfections from him 2 By ascribing all perfections to him 3 The beholding of God in the light of his countenance Psal 17.15 I shall behold thy face in righteousness Job 13.16 An hypocrite shall not come before him that is to behold the light of his face Psal 140. ult the upright shall dwell in his presence The beholding of this is the earnest desire of every holy man Psal 4.6 7. If there be so much comfort in this when we behold it here what will there be in future blessedness 2 In the life to come we behold God This beholding is an eternal fulness of joy 1 Its a fulness of joy Psal 16. ult In his presence is fulness of joy If Solomons servants were blessed that stood in the presence of Solomon 1 Kings 10.8 and beheld his wisdom much more they who behold the glorious presence of God in heaven 2 It s eternal If a man were to leave heaven after a thousand years it were not happiness but we shall for ever enjoy this happiness 2 Cor. 4.18 2 Cor. 5.1 1 Thes 4.18 This joy consists 1 in the absence of all evils as 1 freedome from sin both original wherewith now assail'd Rom. 7.15 and actual 1 Cor. 15.55 We shall set our feet on our corruptions as Joshua did his feet on the necks of the Kings 2 Freedome from temptations especially those of Satan which often make the life comfortless 3 From labours Rev. 14.3 The dead in the Lord rest from their labour They have the rest of an eternal sabbath Heb. 4.10 All things rest when they come at their proper place this is a maxime among men but true of glorified persons 4 From society of wicked men The Egyptians whom you have seen you shall see them no more for ever Exod. 15.13 shall then be made true all that do iniquity shall be gathered out Matth. 13.41 and turned into hell Psal 9.17 5 From all necessities of nature We shall need no house to dwel in no fire to warm us no meat to feed us no Physick to cleanse us for our bodies shall be spiritual not needing any of these 1 Cor. 15 43. 6 From all sorrow and mourning Revel 21.4 2 This joy consisteth in the enjoyment of all goods as 1 Light Psal 36.9 In thy light shall we see light darkness is part of the torment in hell 2 Pleasures and that for evermore Psal 16. ult hence heaven is called paradice Luke 23.43 3 Life of this shall mortality be swallowed up as time is swallowed up of eternity 2 Cor. 5.4 mortality shall be swallowed up of life 4 Perfect knowledge of God We shall see him face to face that is plentifully and cleerly as two men that behold one another 1 Cor. 13.12