Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
death_n bring_v die_v sin_n 9,905 5 5.1845 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A55567 A sanctuary for the tempted: being a discourse on Christ's friendly admonition to Peter Wherein the fall and rising of Peter, is at large considered: the craft, potency, and malice of Satan (that arch-enemy of our salvation) discovered: his various wiles. stratagems and machinations invalidated: several choice and excellent Gospel-truths handled, and cleared (from the calumnies and objections of gainsayers.) ... Delivered in sundry sermons, at first; and now, published for the benefit of God's church in general. To which is added, four sermons, preach'd upon sacramental occasions. By Thomas Powel, preacher of the Gospel, and one, whom Satan hath winnowed. Powell, Thomas. 1679 (1679) Wing P3075; ESTC R30536 152,491 435

There are 9 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

Life that is Sealed and turn thee to thy Name or who shall bring thee a Certificate that it is Written there Behold it is nigh thee even in thine Heart The Work of Grace there the Law Written on the Tables of thine Heart by the Finger of the Spirit is the Exemplification and Counterpane of that Decree The safest Way the best Way the only Way to make sure of Election is first to make sure of thy Vocation SECT VI. Fourthly Satan Tempts to Despair by causing the Soul to pore too much upon its own Unworthiness You are Unworthy saith Satan of the least Crumb of Bread or of the least Drop of Water and how canst thou therefore think of expecting any Good from the Hands of God Remedy The only way to stop Satan's Mouth in this Respect is by Assenting thus far That I am Unworthy it is true and that I do not deserve a Crumb of Bread or Drop of Water it is alike true And yet I do not erre if I say I am Unworthy and yet Worthy I deserve Nothing and yet Merit what I Have Unworthy and yet Worthy like the Spouse in the Canticles Black and yet Comely Black in Her Self and yet Comely in Her Beloved SECT VII Fifthly Satan Tempts to Despair by suggesting to the Soul that no Man's Faith is so Weak as his Behold how Weak Imperfect Staggering and Trembling it is Remedy What of all that may the Soul Reply A little Faith is ‖ Faith as a Sparkle of Fire is Fire Faith though weak yet it will Entitle us unto Christ. A Child's Hand can receive a Pearl as well as the Hand of a Gyant Out of this little Grain of Mustard-Seed Heaven will grow In this Smoking Flax there 's a Divine Spark Though the Smoke of Doubts and Temptations muffle it up in Obscurity it will break out at last into Flames of Love and Ioy. Our Imperfect Faith will entitle us unto a Perfect Righteousness SECT VIII Sixthly Satan Tempts to Despair by making the Soul to infer Evil from Adversity Thou art Poor and Indigent Beggarly and Despicable saith Satan In Answer unto which I would refer the Reader unto Pag. 66 67. where this is Answered fully SECT IX Seventhly Satan Tempts to Despair by causing the Soul to think much on the Sharpness of Death Thou Gloriest now saith Satan but ere long thy Condition shall be changed Thou Rejoycest but yet know that still thou art a Dying Creature It is not thy Faith Love and Hope that can shroud thee from Death which is the King of Terrors That Universal Monarch which hath made even the Strongest and Stoutest to stoop unto him Remedy What though Death may the Believing Soul say is stiled The King of Terrors yet if I am a Child of God it can do me no hurt 'T is an Enemy I know to the Mortal Part but a Friend to the Spiritual The Bee by Stinging looseth its Sting so Death while it Stung Christ on the Cross hath quite lost its Sting to a Believer Death is the Gate of Life It puts off our Rags and gives us Change of Rayment All the Hurt it can do us is to put us into a better Condition The Devil therefore is a Liar in saying That it is not our Faith Love and Hope that will Exempt us from Death Whereas we know well enough that though we shall not be freed from Death yet by having Faith in Iesus Christ we shall be freed from that which renders Death so Formidable viz. its Sting Death's Pale Face looks Ruddy in the Blood of Sprinkling Death will free us from all Corporal and Spiritual Maladies It is our Best and Last Physician It will Cure the Aching Head and the Unbelieving Heart Sin was the Mid-wife that brought Death into the World and Death shall be the Grave to Bury Sin Why then should we be unwilling to Die seeing Death gives us a Receipt of Ease from Infirmities and Weaknesses from all Aches and Pains Griefs and Gripings Distempers and Diseases both of Body and Soul Here Sin will keep House whether we will or no Evil Thoughts are continually arising out of our Hearts as Sparks out of a Furnace When we would Pray the Heart is as a Viol out of Tune When we would like a Bird flie up to Heaven upon the Wing of Meditation our Corruption like a String tied to the Leg pulls us down again But after Death we shall be Proud no more grieve the Spirit no more Come hither therefore Oh ye Trembling Souls who through the Fears of Death have all your Life-time been subject to Bondage Set your Feet upon the Neck of this King of Terrors Assume that Triumphant Challenge of the Apostle Oh Death where is thy Sting Oh Grave where is thy Victory 1 Cor. 15. 25. The Glimmering Presence of God with a Believer here below may Conquer the Fear of Death But how much more methinks should the Consideration of the full Enjoyment of him after Death Faith gives us a Propriety in Heaven and Death gives us a Possession in Heaven Death is only a Dirty Lane saith one through which the Saint passeth to a Kingdom to a great Kingdom to a glorious Kingdom to a quiet Kingdom to an unshaken Kingdom to a durable Kingdom to a lasting Kingdom yea to an Everlasting Kingdom Death is a dark short Way through which the Saints pass to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb. Ever with the Lord saith an Eminent Divine This puts Lillies and Roses into the Gastly Face of Death and makes the King of Terrors to out-shine Solomon in all his Glory A few Lines that Comforted me once in the same Case I will adventure here to Transcribe out of that Little Useful Treatise of Reverend Mr. Wadsworth my Spiritual Father viz. Oh! when Death draws near do not startle Cry not out as one undone as if when thou Diest thou must needs totally Perish But rather then lift up thy Head and Triumphantly proclaim to the Standers by Now doth the Day the Hour the Moment of thy Redemption draw nigh Now art thou drawing near thy Home Heaven is within Sight and its Melody almost within Hearing Thy Lord hath the Curtain in his Hand ready to draw it to shew thee all that Glory that hitherto he hath been but telling thee of and give thee a Possession of all that which hitherto thou hast enjoyed only in Hopes and Title What dost thou fear and shrug and tremble at my Soul Thou peevish froward Creature Shall thy Father tell thee thou must go Sleep and lay his Commands upon thee to lie down in Peace Shall thy dear Lord and Saviour stand by perswading thee so to do and by the Sweet and Glorious Promises of Eternal Life and Living with him in the Heavens allure thee quietly to obey thy Father and Himself to go to Rest Shall he sing thee a Lullaby of his own falling Asleep and
can read without a Commentary Time will not be long when God shall pull off thy Paint unmask thee and put thee in thy Proper Dress Though thou goest among Men for an Eminent Saint yet at the Day of Iudgement God shall show what a Devil Incarnate thou art what a Gilded Hypocrite thou hast been SECT VIII The Fifth thing that the Devil Tempts unto is a False Faith If thou art so much for Jesus Chrisi believe that he is able to save thee and so thou hast this Lively Faith which will justify thee live as thou wilt Reply Tell the Devil That Presumption is not Faith and that the Faith which will enable thee to lay hold on Christ will also enable thee to walk in Him And though Faith Justifies us not yet Works there must be to Justify our Faith SECT IX Thirdly Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in the Methods of Tempting As First He paints his Temptations with pleasing Colours and Plausible Pretences If Satan's Temptations were to appear like themselves the Heart of Man would not consent so soon as many times it doth but rather flee from the same Hence therefore it is that Satan very frequently Transforms himself into an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. The Devil knows very well that unless he is Disguised he cannot prevail and have what he designes upon the Souls of Men and Women Many Vices there are that the Devil Tempts us unto and this he doth by giving them pretty Names and Titles As for Instance When he Tempts to Pride he presents it to the Soul under the Name and Notion of Neatness and Comliness Covetousness he calls Good Husbandry Drunkenness Good Fellowship Riotness Liberality and Wantonness a Trick of Youth Secondly He is Gradual in his Temptations a little now and a little then The Devil won't Tempt too much at first lest Suspicion gets ground He creeps into the Soul by degrees and that Step by Step until such times the Soul becomes his own Satan will first draw thee to Sit with the Drunkard and then to Sip with the Drunkard and at last to be Drunk with the Drunkard Thirdly He is in his Temptations full of Politick Retreats The Devil many times makes the Soul believe that he flies when it is only under a Pretence and with a Designe to over-come Pray take notice of this Satan is not alwayes over-come when he flies from you He sometimes draws back that the Christian by following him and going out of the Trenches may suddenly on the Plains be foyl'd Fourthly He doth in his Temptations reserve still fresh On-sets as occasion shall require Satan Commander-like hath more Assaults to bring on as others do decay When one Temptation is beat back he can soon come on with another Therefore Soul cry not Vici Vici when thou over-comest one Temptation or so but let this Rule be observed by thee scil When one Temptation is over-come expect another CHAP. V. I Have treated of Satan's Subtilty in Tempting unto a Sinful Licentiousness I shall now consider it in his Tempting Believers unto a Sinful Despair And Satan's Subtilty as in the former so in this it shews it self in Two things 1. In the Seasons of Temptations 2. In the Temptations themselves SECT I. First Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in choosing those Seasons for Tempting unto Despair that may proue most Advantageous unto him being such as followeth First Satan Tempts to Despair after great Manifestations of God's Favour and Love to the Soul When God smiles and opens himself a little Familiarly unto us we grow Wanton and thereupon God with-draws we sink in our Faith and Satan eyes us on to Despair by making of us to conclude That because God is withdrawn he will never come again There is not a larger and more pregnant Proof for this than Peter Had ever any a greater Testimony from Heaven than Peter Who making an Excellent Confession of his Faith Matth. 16. 17. Christ immediately pronounceth him Blessed puts a singular Honour upon him and makes him the Representative for all the Saints Now without doubt this Favour to Peter stirred up the Envious Spirit the sooner to Assail him No marvel it was that Satan did shew his Spite even when and where Christ loved most dearly Therefore soon after we find the Devil at Peter's Elbow making him his Instrument to Tempt Christ who soon espyed his Cloven Foot and therefore Rebukes Peter with a Get thee behind me Satan He that seem'd a Rock but just now is through Satan's Policy become a Stone of Offence for Christ to stumble at Secondly Satan Tempts to Despair at the Hour of Death and indeed his Assaults are usually sharpest then And the Reason why he is so busy with Christians when they come to Die is because he knows his time is then very short As our Extremity is God's Opportunity to help us so likewise it is the Devil's Opportunity in what he can to destroy us When Death approacheth we are Weak and our Strength beginning to decay Satan thereupon furiously Assails us yea he doth reserve his firiest Darts his deadliest Poyson and his sharpest Sting till he meets us on our Death-Bed SECT II. Secondly Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in the Temptations themselves which he works from the Consideration 1. Of our Sins 2. Of God's Anger 3. Of Eternal Election 4. Of our Unworthiness 5. Of the Weakness of our Faith 6. Of great Adversity 7. Of the Sharpness of Death And here I shall shew you how Satan from these things makes many to Despair with proper Remedies against the same Prescribed and that in these following Sections SECT III. First Satan Tempts to Despair by making Sin very Great and drawing up a Black Charge against the Soul Thy Sins saith Satan are very many and very great nay they are Infinite for as much as they have been against an Infinite God Thou knowest very well that thy Sins are of no Ordinary Dye and that the Wages of the least Sin is Death Sin Indefinitely whether great or small And therefore how canst thou saith Satan expect Mercy who art a Sinner Mercy from God whom thou hast offended and provoked to Wrath Surely if ever any shall be Damn'd thou shalt Thou especially because thou hast been more than an Ordinary Sinner Remedy Truly when Satan doth Assail us in this kind I know no other way to Foil him than by Answering him as the Sick Man who when he was Dying the Devil appeared and shew'd him a Parchment that was very long wherein was written on every side the Sins of the poor Sick Man Seest thou Behold thy Vertues saith Satan Unto which he Replyed It 's true Satan but thou hast not s●…t down all for thou should'st have added The Blood of Iesus Christ Cleanseth us from all Sins When Satan tells thee of thy Sins do thou tell him of Christ's Blood whose Blood is of a
his entring Paradise that Day he Died with the Soul of his Converted Prodigal and of his Rising again in Body the Third Day being a certain Pledge of the Resurrection of thine hereafter and all this while gently rock thee in his tender Arms Shall his Angels stand waiting to convey thy departed Soul home with Songs of Tryumph And shall nothing of all this abate thy Fears silence thy Complaints and bring thee to a Chearful Submission Art thou still amazed and so affrighted as if so Gracious a Father and so Tender-hearted a Redeemer were but commanding thee to thy Hurt and treacherously alluring thee to thy Undoing as if he were about to Butcher thee and make thy Bed and Chamber the Sharnbles O wretched Unthankful Soul either mend this Behaviour or I will doubt whether thou ever hadst any Saving Knowledge of God or Iesus Christ For how canst thou be said either to know or love them when thou darest not trust them Fear not then my Soul but boldly throw thy self into his Arms who will certainly keep that safe which thou committest unto him I cannot omit also two or three Pregnant Lines which you may find in a Treatise of Famous Dre●…incourt that French Protestant Divine There are certain Pictures with two Faces the one Represents most ugly Features and the other Beautiful and Pleasant things This is the True Emblem of Death for it may be Painted with a fearful Face a Lean Body and Iron Hands that snatch from us our Goods and our Honours and that divide our Persons dragging our Bodies into a loathsom Sepulchre If we look upon Death in this manner we can do nothing less but Tremble and Fear But on the other Hand we may look upon it as a Powerful Deliverer that unlooseth all our Fetters breaks our Chains to pieces lifts up our Souls to the highest Glory and Happiness And if we consider this there is nothing more Lovely than Death and nothing more to be desired CHAP. VI. THus far touching Satan's Subtilty I shall now speak a little touching Satan's Malice As he is a Subtil Spirit so he is a Malicious Envious Spirit The several Names that Satan hath do declare how maliciously he is affected towards the Children of Men. 1. Satan because he Mortally hates Men. 2. Devil because he Slanderously accuseth them to God and Man Iob 1. ●…1 and 2. 5. Rev. 12. 8 9 10. 3. The Old Serpent for his Subtil Temptations 4. The Great Dragon for his Destroying of many Rev. 12. 8 9. Further-more The Malice of Satan appears by those Evil Offices which he performeth in Common against the Godly and the Wicked And they are either such as respect the Body and the things belonging thereunto or such as respect the Soul SECT I. Now the Devil many times for Man's Sin is permitted First To ●…urt the Creature that should serve ●…or our Comfort as the Air Sea ●…rees c. Rev. 7. 1 3. Secondly To ●…buse the Bodies both of Men and ●…easts for the effecting of his wick●…d Purposes Thirdly to delude the ●…enses making Men to believe things ●…o be such as they are not as he ●…id by Iannes and Iambres in Egypt ●…nd by the Witch of Endor Fourthly To Inflict Sickness and Evils upon the Bodies of Men and to Torment and Pain them as in Iob and the Egyp●…ians Fifthly To strike some Dumb. Sixthly To Enter-into and really to Possess the Bodies of Men using them ●…n most fearful sort as Matth. 8. 16. and 12. 28. Seventhly To Inflict Death upon the Bodies both of Men and Beasts SECT II. The Devil many times for Man's Sin is permitted to hurt the Soul First By depriving some of the Use of their Reason by Frensie and Madness Secondly By troubling and tormenting some with Grief and Vexation of Soul Thirdly By Abusing some with Passions and Melancholy Fits as Saul 1 Sam. 16. 14. Fourthly By Seducing others 1 King 22. 21 22. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Fifthly By manifold and fearful Temptations to Si●… and Wickedness Sixthly By Prevailing in such Temptations Seventhly By Accusing before God those with whom they have so prevailed Eightly By Hind'ring Men from doing Good things CHAP. VII IN the Third place Satan is a Potent Enemy which appears from 1. His Names 2. His Nature 3. His Number 4. His Order and Unity 5. The Mighty Works that are Attributed to him SECT I. First Satan by reason of his Power Might and Strength hath Names which denotes the same unto us Hence it is that he is called The Strong Man Luk. 11. 21. The Prince of the Air Ephes. 2. 2. The God of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. All which Titles do shew that the Devil is a Potent Spirit and an Enemy not to be Contemned either by Godly or Ungodly Whence it is that we are all Commanded to Watch 1 Pet. 5. 8. SECT II. Secondly The Devil's Nature shews his Power 'T is Angelical Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in Strength Psal. 103. 20 Strength is put for Angels Psal. 78. 25. They did eat Angels Food Hebr. The Food of the Mighty In two things the Power of Angelical Nature will appear In its Superiority and in its Spirituality First Its Superiority Angels are the Top of the Creation Man himself made a little lower than the Angels Now in the Works of Creation the Superiour hath a Power over the Inferiour the Beasts over the Grass and Herb Man over the Beasts and Angels over Man Secondly The Spirituality of their Nature The Weakness of Man is from his Flesh His Soul made for great Enterprizes but weighed down with a Lump of Flesh is forced to Row with a Strength suitable to its weak Partner But now the Devils being Angels have no such Incumbrances no Fumes from a Fleshly Part to cloud their Understanding which is Clear and Piercing no Clog at their Heel to retard their Motion which for Swiftness is set out by the Wind and Flame of Fire Yea being Spiritual they cannot be Resisted with Carnal Force Fire and Sword hurt not them The Angel which appear'd to Manoah went up in the Fire that consumed the Sacrifice though such hath been the Dotage and is at this Day of Superstitious Ones that they think to Charm the Devil with their Carnal Exorcisms Hence the Romish Reliques Cross Holy-Water yea and among the Iews themselves in Corrupter Times who thought by their Philacteries and Circumcision to scare away the Devil which made some of them Expound that Cant. 3. 8. of Circumcision Every Man hath his Sword on his Thigh because of Fear in the Night By Sword on the Thigh they expound Circumcision which they will vainly have given as a Charm against Evil Spirits that affright them in the Night But Alas the Devil cares for none of these no not for an Ordinance of God when by Fleshly Confidence we make it a Spell He hath been often bound with these Fetters and Chains as it is
Affections and Predominant they are nothing else but so many Fire-Brands of Confusion Land-Floods exceeding all Reason yea Deluges to bear down our Graces What Euripides spake of Sorrows is as true of all Inordinate Affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in a sudden Fray many a Man is wounded so by Tumultuous Affections many a Sin is increased and the Devil like Thieves in Uproares is most diligent about us when our Affections are Distempered within us He can Master us most easily when we can most difficultly Master our selves But if the Affections be rightly set and composed they are then the sweetest Spring of Duty the gentlest Hand-Maids of Grace our best Sails for a Course of Piety the Activest Weapons against Iniquity our Flames in Prayer and Wings to Heaven Therefore Watch these Affections They are a Cole quickly Kindled but not so quickly Extinguished Your Safety lies much in this How they are Set and how they Work The same Strings may make Pleasant Musick or a Jarring Discord All is as they are Set and Fingred Your Affections may be either your Pleasant Garden or your Turbulent Ocean Therefore Watch them for Rectitude of Motion for Measure of Motion and for Order of Motion If your Love which is the General of the Affections should be set not on God but the World or Sin If your Hatred should be directed not against Sin but Good Men or which is worse against Goodness it self If your Zeal should not be pure Flames for Divine Glory but a burning Rage against his Truth If your Fear should not be a Flight from Evil but an Apostasie from Christ If your Anger should be a Displeasure at another's Eminencies and not at your own Exorbitances If your Hope should not be a well-ballanced Expectation of Happiness but a blind and venturous Presumption of Mercy And if your Grief should be Trouble that you cannot be and do more Evil Ah! how Vile how Irregular how Dangerous are Affections thus Routed and Dis-ordered But if Love and Hatred be lookt unto to Keep their Right Centers to Move towards their Proper Objects to Love nothing but Good to Hate nothing but Evil Now there is Rectitude and now there will be Peace and Comfort But stay not here Watch likewise your Aff●…ctions for their Order and Measure it is difficult to keep and observe these O! How much Holiness of Heart and how large an Influence of Spiritual Wisdom is required to Guide the Affections with an even and befitting Pulse to keep those Mettals in an Expedient Heat That I should utterly Hate and Abhor the Sin and yet Mercifully Pity and Love the Person Be at the same time throughly Zealous and yet abundantly Meek Contend earnestly for the Faith yet all this Contending to be carried without any Contentiousness Beat down Errors and yet not Revile Persons Patiently bear Afflictions and Injuries with Silence and yet not Slight any Suffering with Unsensibleness That when I do Behold much Mercy yet I should Fear And when I Feel much Sin yet I should Hope Not Presume nor yet Despair But temper Faith and Fear Grief and Hope together This is the Orderly Composure of our Affections and the Exercise of it is very Difficult though very Necessary And therefore Watch The last Bull-Wark or Fort which you must keep Watch on is Conscience Solomon calls it the Heart which must be kept with all Diligence There is much to be said why it is to be Watched that I will say but little Is it not God's Vicegerent in Man The Spy up on us Our Great Counsellour Our Best Friend or Worst Enemy Our Heaven of Peace or Hell of Torment Our Wall of Brass or Prison of Iron Know ye not the Vigorous Supports of its Excusing Testimony What Confidence it gave to the Martyrs at the Bar and what Rejoycing even in the Flames Have ye not heard the Terrible Affrightments and Amazements of its Condemning Power How when it hath been awaken'd and stir'd it hath so Imprinted on the Proud Sinner the Wrath of the Great God that he hath been driven to Great Consternation Well! be Advised in time Great Sins will make Great Wounds in Conscience yea and Little Sins Committed against the Light of Conscience will occasion great Stirs and Troubles Speak no more against Conscience Write no more against Conscience Flatter no more against Conscience Live not in any Sin do nothing against Conscience Remember what befel Francis Spira who adventured against the strong Dictates of his Conscience he could not Recover Peace to his Dying-Day Remember what besel Origen who consented to Sacrifice But Lord What Horrors what Confusions what Lamentations what Despairs what Extream Exigencies in Conscience did attend him for Sinning thus Remember Iudas also who Sold his Master to the High-Priest He Sold his Master indeed but Sold his Peace too Instantly is he Arrested and Charged by Conscience and the Guilt of his Sin Crucified Him before the Rage of the Souldiers could Crucify his Master No Rest no Hope He chose Death rather than Life and hastened to Hell it self for some Ease O therefore Watch to Conscience Get it Renewed and Purged from Dead Works Obey it when it brings Light from Heaven to Command Wound it not by Corrupt Errors and Practio●…s Keep it Undefiled and Resolute Farewel Peace farewel Comfort Hope God Heaven Happiness if you Sell your Consciences But if you would Live in Life Enjoy your Selves Live in Death Enjoy your Hopes Live after Death Enjoy God and Christ As you desire Comfort from God from the Creatures from your Selves Watch keep Conscience Right and Sound No not for all the World make Shipwrack of Conscience Thy Ark is Lost if Conscience be Split Secondly The Ports or Gates to be Watched and Guarded by which We Go out and an Enemy may Come in These Ports are our Outward Senses by which the Soul Goes out and Objects Come in I cannot so distinctly Prescribe for these as for the rest only this we know That Sensible Objects have great Force to actuate and excite Peculiar Corruptions and Vile Temptations usually slip in and Co-operate with Outward Representations Satan by the Goodly Fruit deceived the Eye of Eve and Corrupted her to Transgression David's wandring Eye occasioned two Horrid Sins one of Adultery the other of Murder Therefore set a Strict Watch upon this Port or Sense of Seeing Iob did so He made a Covenant with his Eyes And Solomon Advises the Iunker not to Look on the Wine when it gives its Colour in the Glass And also not to Come near the Doors or Presence of the Strumpet Epiphanius saith That in the Old Law when any Dead Body was carryed by any House they were enjoyned to shut their Doors and Windows And in a Moral Sense the same Counsel were good for us When any Objects are apt to come in at the Windows of our Eyes Entising Alluring us to Sin shut the Windows presently lest Death should Enter by
Faith unto Salvation Satan designes the Destruction of All and that All are not Destroyed is not for want of Good Will in him but by Virtue of God's Power and Special Grace SECT VI. Secondly From hence learn That God is to be Eyed Observed and taken Notice of by Believers in their Conflicts as well as Satan When we have Combats we eye Satan he being the Instrumental Cause as if we were to be Instructed by him or as if we should do well enough if we could but make up the Quarrel with him Not minding God all this while or Praying to him who only can Restrain the Tempter For is it not God that permits us to be Tempted and that gives the Tempter leave to Buffet us SECT V. Thirdly From hence we may learn That the Way to be freed from Sore Conflicts Temptations and Combats is by Appeasing the Angry God And if he doth but call-in his Commission Satan must be forced to stop For it is God that gives Leave to Satan to do what he doth and therefore if this God be thy Friend Satan can do you no Harm no Hurt no Mischief Maintain then intimate and close Communion with thy God who shall for thee bruise Satan and tread him under thy Feet Acquaint now thy self with God and thereby Good shall come unto thee CHAP. XII Containing divers other Uses IF it be so as we have already proved viz. That Satan cannot meddle with a Child of God except he hath Commission or at least Permission from God Then SECT I. First Let not Believers be overmuch dejected or cast down because Satan cannot meddle with them except their Father gives them Leave There are Things that should exceedingly comfort Believers in their Conflicts First The Cause is Good it is called The Good Fight of Faith 'T is about Heavenly Things this Dispute is Ephes. 6. 12. 'T is to Defend your own Rights and Liberties Secondly The Battle is the Lord's The Lord is on our Side and he will Fight for us This Day saith David to Goliah will the Lord deliver thee into my Hands for the Battle is the Lord's 1 Sam. 17. 46 47. And If the Lord be with us it matters not then who be against us Thirdly Iesus Christ is the Captain of your Salvation and under him you Fight And Iesus Christ is such a Captain as never turn'd his back was neuer Foil'd but went alwayes on Conquering and to Conquer Nil desperandum Christo duce auspice Christo Look to Iesus who is the Leader and Bringer-up the Author and will be the Finisher of your Faith And now What a better Encouragement would you have than to Fight under the Conduct of such a Successful General Fourthly You are to Fight with a Conquered Enemy One that hath been Conquered by Iesus Christ and by many of your Brethren The Devil is not so Dreadful as he was before Christ Dyed The Prince of Peace hath Conquered the King of Terrors and many of your Brethren have Confuted and Defeated him many times Fifthly You are provided with Armour of Proof Armour of God's Making as well as of God's Appointing and there is None like it You have the same Sword that Iesus Christ and your Brethren have Conquered the Devil by And the same Shield of Faith to quench his Fiery Darts with This Armour is Mighty through God 2 Cor. 10. 3. Sixthly God will take care of your Pay you shall not War at your own Charges 1 Cor. 9. 7. Seventhly God hath promised you Success and Victory He will tread Satan under your Feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. He shall be cast out and you shall Over-come him Rev. 12. 9 10 11. SECT II. Secondly Let Believers be content with what is allotted unto them in such a way For no Temptation is their Lot but what God is the Allotter of Not so much as one Temptation shall pursue a Believer above and beyond what is allotted unto him God has measured out thy Sufferings O believing Man and not so much as one Tryal shalt thou have beyond the Divine Decree So many and no less so many and no more SECT III. Thirdly Let Believers take heed and have a care how they occasion God to give Satan a Commission against them There are several Things which we would do well to take heed of that make God to set Satan upon us Probably these may be some Indulging one known Sin or Omitting one known Duty or being Secure when we should be Watchful Drowsie when we should be Vigilant Lasie when we should be Diligent or Asleep when we should be Praying God permits Satan to run upon us for divers Reasons Some respect himself others us The Chiefest that respect Himself is the Glory of Himself those that respect us may be these First That we may be Humbled 2 Cor. 12. 7. And least I should be Exalted above Measure through the Abundance of the Revelations there was given to me a Thorne in the Flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be Exalted above Measure The Thorn in the Flesh was to prick the Bladder of Pride Better is that Temptation which Humbled me than that Duty which makes me Proud Pride is apt to swell like a Bladder even in the Best Saints and therefore the Messenger of Satan is very useful as God Orders and Disposes it Notwithstanding our being Vile in Progress Egress and Ingress before we were brought forth we were as stinking Seed and our Life but as a Sack of Dung and after Death Meat for Worms Yet I say How incident is Pride unto us And How would it play King in the Heart but now Temptations cure this No Gold that comes out of the Fire is more Refined than God's Saints that have been in the Furnace of Temptations because Humiliation is the Product thereof Temptations Humble us in this Life that we might be Exalted in the Life to come If thou desirest to Ascend where God the Father sitteth thou must put on Humility which Christ the Son Teacheth The truly Humble Soul is a Delectable Seat and Bed saith St. Austin Secondly That we may be Proved and Tryed Fire proves Gold and so Temptations prove our Graces Faith shaken by Adversity is confirm'd more strongly in the Rock of Salvation When the Whirling-Winds the Stormy Weaves did beat upon the Ship then it appeared of how little Faith some of the Disciples were In the Dayes of Queen Mary her Sister Elizabeth was Lockt up close in Prison At first she was much daunted but afterward she breaks forth into this Speech The Skill of a Pilot is unknown but in a Tempest The Valour of a Captain is unseen but in a * Battle And the Worth of a Christian does not appear but in a Time of Tryal and Temptation Strong Windes Storms and Tempests try what our Foundation is whether we be Built upon the Rock or the Sands Men do not
that thou shouldst do for others as God has done for thee Methinks if Unmerciful Men did but consider this they would not do as they do Such Extortion and Oppression would not be as is Families would not be Ruined Kingdoms would not be Depopulated as they are One Màn would not be a Devil to another as now it is with a Witness You that are Cruel and Unmerciful bear with me if I put a few Questions to you Have you Received such Unkindness at the Hands of God that you deal so Unkindly with others Has God dealt so Severely with you that you can deal no more Mildly with others Has God fell upon you with Stroke after Stroke that you lay so much upon others Did God ever punish thee without giving Warning that thou art so Rigid with others and takest so much Advantage of them Speak if thou canst Art thou Speechless Blush then for Shame and Repent of Unreasonable Madness Suppose now it should fare as ill with thee as it hath done with others Suppose what thou hast wished to and brought upon others should come on thy self What would'st thou say then Lord be Merciful to me a Sinner Will not thy Conscience say or suggest 'T is Just with God it should be so Hence learn then Do by others as thou would'st have God do by thee Motive 2. Secondly Consider To do much for others is but what your Brethren that are gone before you have done I could give you a Cloud of Witnesses for this See first Scriptural Examples Christians Acts 2. 45. 4. 34. Women Luk. 8. 23. The Poor Widdow Mark 12. 2. Dorcas Acts 9. 36. Paul Acts 24. 17. Cornelius Acts 10. 2. Iob Chap. 31. 16. 21. Barnabas Acts 4. 36 37. Zacheus Luk. 19. 8. Phebe Rom. 16. 2. Hebrews Chap. 6. 10. Philemon Verse 5. 7. The Vertuous Woman Prov. 31. 20. Obadiah 1 King 18. 13. Onesiphorus 2 Tim. 1. 18. Examples that we find in Ecclesiastick Histories may also be produced Holy Master Bradford in a Hard Time Sold his Chains Rings and Iewels to Relieve those that were in Want And 't is further Reported of him That he counted that Hour lost wherein he did not some Good by his Tongue Pen or Purse Trajan the Emperor did Rend off a Piece of his own Robe to wrap his Souldiers Wounds The Iews also are noted in this kind I could tell you also of Heathens Titus Vespasian was so inured to Works of Mercy that remembring he had Given nothing that Day cried out Diem perdidi I have lost a Day Modern Testimonies might be also here instanc'd viz. Mr. Bolton Mr. Whately of Banbury Mr. Bruen in the County Palatine of Chester Mr. Thomas Gataker Mr. Iohn Dod Dr. William Gouge Dr. Harris Mr. Richard Greenham Cum multis aliis I might also here-unto add those in our own Age lately Deceased But I shall only mention that never to be forgotten Man I am sure by me Mr. Thomas Wadsworth who had Christ Iesus Pourtrayed in his Life as much as any Man in respect of all Things what-so-ever One that never knew what a Temptation to Pride did mean which I believe scarce any one besides himself could say Eminent especially for Sincerity Integrity and Charity That would go up and down his Parish doing Good buying Cloaths for the Poor that they might have no Excuses for their Absence from the Church Newington Southwark and Theobalds will tell you what a Man he was Motive 3. Thirdly Consider God's End in doing Good to thee is that thou might'st be Capable of doing Good to others Abilities are not for thy Self only but for Others And if a Man doth not Improve what God has Given him for the Benefit of Others even that which he hath God may justly take away Has God Given thee Wit Learning and Understanding be then Thankful to God for the same and use them well for thine own Good and the Good of others Has God Given thee the Inward Graces of his Spirit Give God the Glory thereof and Imply them for the Benefit of others Instruct the Ignorant Confirm the Weak Comfort the Distressed Reduce the Wandring and Bind up the Broken-hearted Has God Given thee Riches Be Rich then in Good Works and lay up Treasure in Heaven Motive 4. Fourthly Consider What you do for any Poor Member of Christ Christ will take as done to Himself What Good you do to any of Christ's he will take it as done to Himself and what you do not to His he will take as not done to Himself Matth. 25. 35 36 37 38 39 40. If a Cup of cold Water given to a Disciple of Christ hath a Reward attending it surely then Things of a far greater Moment Christ will take notice of Motive 5. Fifthly Would you not Resemble your Redeemer Christ Iesus Imitate him and Write after so fair a Copy as He is that has neither Blot nor Blur in it Christ Iesus now is a Great Exemplar herein As he is full of Merit so he is full of Bounty When he was upon the Earth he went up and down doing Good CHAP. XXV Containing more Motives SECT I. Motive 1. COnsider Would you be willing that Persons in Miseries Respecting either Body or Soul or both should be laid at your Doors in your not Succouring and Administring Help unto them When you can do Good and will not know that you neglect Duty and that God may justly deprive you of what you have and make you as Desolate as others Having therefore an Opportunity make use of it for you know not how soon the Ballance of Providence may be turned as to thy self Thou that art Rich to Day may'st be Poor to Morrow Nebuchadnezzar a Mighty Conqueror was turned a Grazing among the Oxen. A Great Haman is Feasted with the King one Day and made a Feast for the Crows the next Adonibezek a Mighty Prince was made a Fellow-Commoner with Dogs So Herod Belisarius a most Famous General under Iustinian the Emperor after all his Noble Atchievements had his Eyes put out in his Old Age by the Empress Theodora And at the Temple of Saint Sophy fain to Beg Date panem Belisario c. Give a Crust to Old Belisarius whom Vertue Advanced but Envy hath brought into Misery Pythias Pined to Death for want of Bread who once was Able to Entertain and Maintain Xerxes his vast Army Great Pompey had not so much as Room to be Buried in And William the Conqueror's Corps lay Three Dayes unburied his ●…nterrement being hindred by one that claimed the Ground to be his Cum multis aliis It is Wisdom in this Sense saith a Worthy Divine to consider others Remember how soon the Scene may alter We may be put in the Poor's Dress and then it will be no small Comfort to us to think that we Relieved others when we were in Capacity to do it Verily my Friends this is not considered For
〈◊〉 2. Iesus Christ did Bleed in the Garden Clodders of Blood came then from him Luke 22. 44. 3. Iesus Christ did Bleed when he was Fastned and Nailed to the Cross Then Streams of Blood came from him Luke 23. Iohn the Beloved Disciple was an Eye-witness of the Streaming out of Christ's Blood as he stood by Christ's Cross uttering these Words O Gates of Heaven O Windows of Paradise O Palace of Refuge O Tower of Strength O Sanctuary of the Just O Flourishing Bed of the Spouse of Solomon Methinks I see Water and Blood running out of his Side more Freshly than these Golden Streams which ran out of the Garden of Eden and Watered the whole World Thirdly For whose Sake viz. For us Now this For us must be understood Exclusively Not the World Inclusively That Part of the World which are Elected and that in time are Effectually Called For us i. e. We that were Dead in Trespass and Sin as well as others Secondly Proof of the Point That Iesus Christ was Baptized in Blood Willingly and Desirously much has been spoken of this in the Fore-going SERMON I would not therefore swell when there is no need Vide Page 384. APPLICATION Use 1. Of Information Branch 1. HEnce learn the Love of our Lord Iesus What a Transcendant Love it is For it has brought him through a Sea of Wrath a Sea of Sin and a Sea of Blood to make us a Peculiar People unto himself Our Saviour's Baptism of Blood Evidenceth the Greatness of his Love towards us That shews how Pure and how Excellent it is O the Heights Depths Breadths and Lengths of the Love of God in Christ My Line is too Short to found this Bottom Finally This Love is a Surpassing Love that which Excelleth all Loves whatsoever Branch 2. Hence learn the Believers Duty Was Iesus Christ Baptized in Blood for You Then be you willing to be Baptized for him He did not Fear Men but Endured the Cross and Despised the Shame He bear'd the Wrath of God for us let us therefore be willing to bear the Wrath of Men for him This is but Lex talionis Branch 3. Hence learn the Believers Priviledges VVas Iesus Christ Baptized in Blood for you Three great Priviledges Result there-from First The Dominion of Sin is taken away Rom. 6. 14. For Sin shall not have Dominion over you For ye are not under the Law but under Grace Though Iesus Christ as yet has not Freed Believers from the Presence of Sin yet he has Freed Believers from the Dominion of Sin and the Reigning Power of it in their Souls And ere long he will quite Free them also from the Presence of Sin Secondly The Sting of Death is taken away 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Death where is thy Sting Christ by Dying has Over-come Death And therefore Believers need not fear it though it has a Grim Visage and a Ghastly Looks Iesus Christ has Knock'd out the Teeth of this Lion Finally Christ's Baptism of Blood makes the Pale Face of Death look Ruddy and Pleasant Thirdly The Door of Heaven is opened Christ's Bloody Baptism is the Key that Unlocks it Sin has shut up the Open Way to Heaven but Christ's Blood has Unlocked it Use 2. Of Exhortation SEcondly Let Unbelievers get into Christ that his Baptism of Blood may avail them For if they have not Union with Christ what-ever then Christ has done or suffered signifies not any thing to them SERMON IV. MATH 10. Vers. 16. Be ye therefore VVise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves THE Words are an Inference from what Immediately goes before Behold I send you forth as Sheep in the mid'st of Wolves Be ye therefore Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves Be Wise lest ye be Circumvented by others and Harmless lest ye Hurt others is the Sense of all Expositors on the Place Christian Religion is a Compound of these two viz. The Serpent's Wisdom and the Dove's Simplicity The Serpent without the Dove is too Mischievous and the Dove without the Serpent is too Silly Christ sends us here to the School of Nature that we may Learn Be ye therefore Wise as Serpents c. The Text consisteth of two Parts 1. A Precept which is double 2. A Pattern which is double 1. A Precept which is double and that is We must be Wise and Innocent 2. A Pattern which is double i. e. The Serpent and the Dove The Serpent for Wisdom and the Dove for Simplicity Be ye therefore Wise as Serpents c. From the Words resulteth two Points of Doctrine Doctrine 1. That we must not disdain to be Taught of the most Despicable and Contemptible of Creatures What more Contemptible than a Serpent VVhat more Despicable than a Dove Yet we are admonished to Learn of them Doctrine 2. That Wisdom and Simplicity must go together 'T is the First that I shall at this time handle viz. That we must not disdain to be Taught of the most Contemptible and Despicable of Creatures VVhat more Contemptible than a Serpent What more Despicable than a Dove Yet we are Admonished to Learn of them These Creatures viz. the Serpent and the Dove have Wisdom and Simplicity not for Themselves but for Us. The Iews must borrow Bracelets and Ear-rings even of the Egyptians So we may Receive some Good from wicked Men. Elias Refuseth not Meat though brought by a Raven The Herbalist looks not out of what Garden his Simples comes but what Saladine Power it hath Be ye therefore Wise as Serpents c. Let us therefore see what there is in the Serpent and Dove that is imitable First We will begin with the Serpent Now there is in the Serpent that which is imitable and not imitable But from both we may learn much Good The Wisdom of the Serpent shews it self in these Properties worthy of our imitation First The Serpent is a very quick-sighted Creature Whence it is that he is not so soon Entangled as other Creatures are viz. the Dove and the Sheep Herein should Christians answer the Serpent They should be quick-sighted and apprehensive of those Perils and Snares that attend them here below For while Believers are Pilgrims Satan can assail them The World below is a Place in which Nets every where is spread to catch the Souls of Men as so many Birds for Prey The Best of Christians had need be Quick-sighted like the Serpent because of Dangers and when they go they need to go on Tip-toe because of Nets spread abroad by that Fowler the Devil Secondly The Serpent will cast his Skin and so loseth his Deformity and Reneweth his Age. In this the Serpent also is very imitable unto us We must cast our Skin i. e. our Sins we must Abhor Leave and Eschew them For they do Deform us and make God and us at Variance Ezek. 18. 31. Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have Transgressed Sin doth run Parallel with a Disease
may k●…ow his Election by his Effectual Calling * It is altogether Irregular Anomalous for the Soul to pry into Election 'T is dangerous to tread on the highest Round first † Vocation Comments upon Election God's Decrees that were set from Everlasting do bud and blossom bring forth Fruit in time The Book was written before the Foundation of the World were laid but it was not Publisht till God himself gave it an Imprimatur The Letter was Dated from Eternity the Superscription was Writ in time in Vocation Now you know though the Letter be Writ first yet the Superscription is Read first by him that receives the Letter 'T was decreed from Eternity that Decrees should be known in time And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fulness of Time is the Time when God's Decrees are fulfilled When the Decrees of God are Ripe then he lets the Soul tast them and then they are Sweetest Then thou perceivest that thou art a Vessel of Honour when God puts thee upon an Honourable Employment That Fountain of Love which ran under-ground from Everlasting bubbles and flows to thee in time That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was in Election becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Vocation † We deserve nothing but Hell so that what we have and enjoy is through a Precious Redeemer † Cruciger on his Death-Bed prayed thus Invoco te Domine languidâ imbecillâ fide sed fide tamen Lord I call upon thee with a weak and languishing Faith but yet with a Faith * What is said of the Natural Serpent may be said of Satan that Old Spiritual Serpent Nunquam nisi moriens producitur in longum He is never seen at his full Length till Dying ‖ Death is like the Pillar of Cloud It hath a dark Side to a Sinner but it hath a Light Side to a Believer * Death like a Snake may Hiss and Wind about the Body but the Sting is pulled out † Death is not Mors Hominis but Mors Peccati not the Death of Man but the Death of his Sin * Filia devorabit Matrem ‖ Ultimus morborum medicus Mors. † Nemo ante funera felix Solon * St. Chrysostom admires the Bravery of the Apostle's Spirit ‖ Mr. Cases Mount-Pisgah * Faith's Triumph over the Fears of Death pag. 71. † The Christians Defence against the Fears of Death pag. 375. cap. 20. ‖ The Devil if permitted can hurt both Soul and Body * The Devil hurts the Body how and after what manner † The Devil hurts the Soul how and after what manner ‖ The Devil is a Potent Enemy * Est autem horum i. e. malorum Angelorum quoque numerus magnus sed in Scriptura non definitus Piscat in Calvin Institut pag. 20. ‖ In summa triplicitur possunt nocere supra nos intra nos circa nos Supra nos tempestates procellas ciendo fulgura tonitrua ejamlaudo fragores horrendos edendo nubes cogendo Intra nos sensus internos externos voluntemque movendo impellendo sive id fiat ex parte organi sive ex parte objecti turbando humores loco motivam impellendo vitio rum somites subministrando Circa nos loco movendo bono nostra edes concutere convellere fluviorum cursus alveos mutare pascua noxiis succis imbuere fructus mutare excutere pecudes morbis afficere Alsted Syst. Theolog. Deduct 2. † Though I should Dye with thee yet will I not Deny thee Matth. 26. 34. * Fox Act. and Mon. † Si vis esse securus semper time ‖ Blessed Bilney tried his Finger by himself in the Candle before his whole Body in the Flames at the Stake * Pre-apprehension is the Mother of Prevention † Sel●…-Examination is a Root which bears Self-Knowledge and at the Top of it grows Assurance which is Apex Fidei The Highest Nature of Faith ‖ Quid est diu vivere nisi diu torqueri Aug. † Life is interlarded with Trouble Watson * Believers should alwayes keep their Recumbence upon the Goodness and Mercy of God † Mundus turbatur amatur * Mittamus preces cordis legatos Cypr. Matth. 6. 13. 2 Cor. 12. 8. Deduct 3. Heb. 2. 18. Deduct 4. ‖ This is Jacob's Staff in the Hand of Faith with which we may Walk cheerfully to the Mount of God What will satisfy or give content if this will not Watson in Loc. † Temptations stir up the Paternal Compassions in God to them who are Tempted Idem Deduct 5. * Pride was the first Sin that ever Reigned Deduct 6. † Venit Diabolus subvenit Christus ‖ God is above the Devil should be every Tempted Soul ' s Motto Deduct 7. * We are kept by the Power of God thro Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. Deduct 8. † Nullae ibi insidiae Daemonum Bern. Deduct 9. Quest. Answ. Vide Sedgwick's Military Discipline pag. 27 c. * Doubtless as that Systole and Dyastole of which the Anatomists speak are to the Heart so the Affections are to the Will the Openings the Contractings of it † Oculus meus depraedatus est animam meam ‖ Do as Mariners when they know of a Rock that will split them they go not near it * One Traitor within the Castle may do more Hurt than a Multitude of Enemies without Holy Policarp in the time of the Fourth Persecution when he was Commanded but to Swear One Oath made this Answer Four-score six Years have I served God all this while he never hurt me How then can I speak Evil of so good a Lord and Master who hath thus long preserved me I am a Christian and cannot Swear Let Heathens and Infidels Swear if they will I cannot do it were it to the Saving of my Life Not able also is that Instance of Marcus Arethusius † Haeret mihi semper in animo tua Lex ne unquam ab illa declinem qua in re te offendam Simeon de Muis. ‖ Gladius dicitur Sermo Divinus quia sicut gladius carnes praecidit sic Sermo Divinus concupiscentias carnales Chrysoft hom 8. in Matth. * Vide Capel on Tentation pag. 97 98 99 100 101 102 103. * Believers when they are Tempted should plead as Christ their Saviour Scriptum est It is Written † Mitttamus preces cordis Legatos Cypr. ‖ Dei sacrificium Diaboli flagellum Christiani subsidium ‖ What the Key is to the Watch that Prayer is to Religion It winds it up and sets it going † Prayer is the Guard to secure the Fort Royal of the Heart Prayer is the Porter to keep the Door of the Lips And Prayer is the Strong Hilt which defendeth the Hands ‖ Prayer is like the Ring which Queen Elizabeth gave to the Earl of Essex bidding him If he were in any Distress send that Ring to her she would Help him † Mr.
Divine * The Affections be the Pedes Animae the Feet of the Soul † Conscience is God's Preacher in the Bosom A thousand Witnesses for or against a Man A Heaven or Hell on Earth A great Friend or a great Enemy ‖ Praecepta docent Exempla movent * Faith Iustifies our Works and our Works Testify our Faith Job 31. 16. 21. Mercy even to the Bruit Creatures shall prolong our Dayes much more then Mercy unto Men. ‖ Prov. 11. 25. The Liberal Soul shall be made Fat † 1 Kings 17. 16. Luk. 6. 36. * Da quod non potes retinere ut accipias quod non potes amittere † Dives denyed Lazarus a Crumb of Bread Dives was denyed a Drop of Water ‖ O that it might not be said of Christians now a-dayes as it was of an Emperor that had a Large Empire but a narrow scamy Heart Augustum imperium angustum animum ‖ There are Two sorts of Sacrifices Expiatory the Sacrifice of Christ's Blood and Gratulatory the Sacrifice of Alms. † Eleemosyna non est divitiarum dispendium sed ditescendi potius compendium quaestusque omnium uberrimus Giving Alms is not the way to Waste our Wealth but the Art of Thriving the most Compendious Course to come unto Riches * Terrena servando amittimus largiendo servamus Isidor Our Earthly Goods are lost by keeping and kept by giving away It is reported of Cyrus that he should say That by doing Good he hoarded up Riches for himself Blessed Mr. Bradford counted that Time lost wherein he did not some Good by his Tongue Pen or Purse ‖ Our Alms-Deeds shall be Rewarded with Permanent Blessings Quae stultitia est illic relinquere unde exiturus es illuc non praemittere quo iturus es Chrysost. in Matth. 6. † One of our Translations have Waters for Wet Faces signifying that Poor Men do oft-times Weep 1 Thess. 5. 14. * Chrstians should be like Christ and Mary the One alwayes Doing Good the Other was alwayes Receiving Good Mr. Hooks Saints Priviledges on Earth beyond those in Heaven Rom 1. 9. Ephes. 1. 16. 1 Thess. 1. 2 3. 2 Tim. 1. 3. Philem. v. 4. Hostis gratiae inimic●…salutis Bern. ‖ It was a Saying of Lycurgus Prodigiosa res esset beneficium non rependere Therefore among all the Laws he made he would not Establish against Ingratitude looking upon it as most Monstrous But this the Sinner is Guilty of † AElian * Ungrateful Sinners like Vultures draw Sickness from the Perfumes of God's Bounties † To be Unthankful where there is great reason to be Thankful is Folly in the Abstract ‖ The Word As notes Similitude not Equality Scriptural Examples Ecclesiastical Examples Act. and Mon. Clark's Examples * Shall we Love the Father not the Child Shall we Love the Head and not the Body Shall we Love the Mediator and not the Members ‖ Witness the Fire of London † God grants no Man a Patent for Riches Durante vita but Durante beneplacito as the Lawyers speak * Mr. Watson on the Beatitudes Pag. 217. † A Good Man once High but now Low told me That the Consideration of his doing Good to others when he was in Capacity was a great Comfort to him in his Poverty ‖ God sees what-ever we do for others What need we therefore care who else see us * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. † That Text which you have 〈◊〉 Heb. 6. 10. is an Excellent Text. The Words divided * As the Hinde or the Hart a Beast Thirsty by Nature and whose Thirst is Increased when she is Hunted The Hinde the Female is here meant as the Word annexed She Brayeth the Greek Article He Elaphos manifest And in Females the Passions are stronger than in Males Ainsworth in Loc. Deus est summum bonum Beatitudo formalis consistit in fruitione Beatitudinis objectivae Beatitudo autem objectiva est Deus quia est bonum perfectum satians appetitum † True Prayer is a Lifting up of the Mind and Soul to God Elevatio mentis ad Deum ‖ Constantine the Great when Hearing a Sermon would ever and anon start out of his Chair of State and Hearing that the Gracious Soul only desires Such an one comes not to Hear for the Sake of Man but for the Sake of God and of his Soul He knows 't is God that Speaks and not Man Such Persons cannot Sleep at a Sermon stand up for a while being Affected it may be Terrifyed with the Word in-so-much that his Courtiers were amazed because such a Posture did not become so High a Place Euseb. de Vit. Constant l. 3. c. 17. * To Feed upon an Ordinance without Christ is as Feeding upon the Dish instead of the Meat * Omnes Creaturae sine Deo non possunt esse sufficiens objectum Humanae beatitudinis Star de Beat Dis. Sect. 1. Solus Deus sine consortio ejus Creaturae est sufficiens objectum beatitudinis Lib. Sect. 2. The Soul that Princely Part of Man is only the Subject of such Noble Desires † Imbred in him as a Christian not Imbred in him as a Creature ‖ When a People do not prize the Word of God by the Worth of it they shall be brought then to prize the same by the Want of it * The Hart by Natural Instinct they say knoweth where the Serpent's Holes are He goeth to the Hole where he seeth and thinketh a Serpent is breatheth upon him until he is forced to come out of his Hole And then he setteth upon him and teareth him to pieces or els Eateth him up Franzius ‖ God can Look sowerly Chide bitterly and Strike heavily even when and where he Loves most ●…early † Heaven is a Place where the Bullets of Temptations shall no●… fly * Christ's Kingdom is not of this World therefore are they of his Kingdom hated because they are not of this VVorld Use of Ex●…mination Signs of our Spiritual Thirst. ‖ Paul was Empty when he said In me there dwells no Good † The Spiritual Infant is not Born without its Pangs ‖ Quamdiu is such a Soul's Motto * There must be Cogent Endeavors as well as Vehement Desires Our Endeavors do Demonstrate the Reality of our Desires † i. e. In Publick Ordinances Brightman in Loc. * Dying is the highest Decree of Love that can be ‖ The Property of the Creature is to Abhor nothing so much as Death and to Desire noth●…ng so much as Life † Life is Short yet Sweet Eurip * It has been the Lot of God's Children in all Ages to have Things Fathered on them that they have been Clear from Surius the Jesuite reported of Luther That he Learned his Divinity of the Devil and that he died Drunk But Melancthon who Wrote his Life tells us That he died Piously and made a very Good Prayer before his Death ‖ Naturalists observe of it Swine and other Creatures are unwilling to be Caught when they are about being Slain they will make such an Hideous Noise as can scarcely be endured † Sheep are often troubled with Weak Infirm Heads having nothing of Craft and Subtilty in them * Temerity is a Grace implanted in the Hearts of God's Children † Sheep commonly are together ‖ Believers are oft-times Wandring Sheep † The Sheep is not so Strong as the Lion so Subtil as the Fox or so Swift as the Deer as that it is the most Unarmed of all Creatures ‖ A Weak Christian and a Strong Christ says one can do Mighty Things * Observe how some Creatures are made to Labour as Horses and Camels some only for Food as Hogs some for both as Oxen some for Safety as Dogs † All Ungodly Men are Bears and Swine though not in Physicks yet in Morals ‖ Christ died Innocently * Christ died Freely Voluntarily † That Eternity should be Born That he who Rules the Stars should Suck the Breasts That he who Thundered in the Clouds should Cry in a Cradle ‖ Who can Draw out Christ's Love to the Life Qui habet Christum habet habentem omnia Oportet me multa pati tandem trucidari ut sanguine meo perfundar † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quomodo coarctor a Metaphor taken from such Narrow Places where by meeting with an Enemy we are put to it by reason of the Enemy and by reason that we cannot find out any other Passage * Our Lives Condemn us but the Name of Jesus will Save us ‖ We are Christians because we have Union with Christ. † The Church is a Mystical Body the Head whereof is Christ. * The Soul is the Life of the Body Christ is the Life of the Soul ‖ Christ will Plead for Believers as the Advocate doth for his Clients † 1. Baptismus Fluminis 2. Flaminis 3. Sanguinis * Christ was Baptiz'd in Water but once yet he was Baptiz'd in Blood divers times Ephes. 2. vers 1. ‖ The Greatest Logician Rhetorician in the World the Greatest Oracle and Orator in the World the Greatest Cicero Demosthenes in the World cannot set out Christ's Love to the Life † If Christ Loved us with a Love stronger than Death we should then Love him with a Love stronger than Life * Sin the Tyrant is Conquered The Text Divided ‖ The Properties of the Wise Serpent † Memento Mortis tuae non peccabis Cypr. ‖ Totum corpus in orbem circum voluit ut caput occultet * Simplex est animal felle caret Bish. Lake † Husbandry Spiritualized ‖ Caryl in Loc.