and discern but in the Hive doth the several Honeys of the Creatures meet and dwel that is the House thereof So there is a sweet tast of the several Attributes of God in al the Creatures but in Christ doth his fulness dwel bodily and in his suffering you may see the Wisdom Power Justice and Mercy of God in Conjunction and so know God indeed which knowledg was more worth to Paul than al other Knowledges for saith he I desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified Hereby also I mean by the consideration of this great and sore Travel you wil prize and value Christ more and have your hearts drawn out with Love to him for shal I not prize him that suffered the Wrath of God and the torments of Hel for me The more you see his Love to you the more wil your hearts be inflamed with Love to him Now the greater his sufferings for you do appear to you the more you see his Love to you When I am lift up saith he I will draw all men after me that is when I am lift up on the Cross he doth not say when I am transfigured at Mount Tabor I wil draw al to me yet there was a drawing glory which made Peter say It is good for us to be here But his Love is the most drawing Object and that was glorious in suffering Thereby you wil learn to prize al your enjoyments for thus you wil see what they cost what rate they are at in the Kings Book there is no blessing or mercy which ye do enjoy but was bought in by Christ he laid down his Life for you and in him are you blessed with al Spiritual Blessings But did Christ suffer such hard things for my enjoyments O! what infinite cause have I then to prize them al Hereby also you wil be made willing to suffer any thing for Christ to become low and mean for him to endure the reproach anger and wrath of men for him For shal Christ suffer so hard a Labor for me in his Body in his Soul and shal not I suffer in my Estate and Name for him Shal he suffer the Wrath of God for me and shal not I be willing to suffer the wrath of man for him Shal he endure the very torments of Hel for me and shal not I be willing to suffer a little on Earth for him Thereby you wil be made unwilling to put him to a new Suffering for you those that fal away and decline do crucifie the Lord afresh saith the Apostle and put him to an open shame when Professors walk scandalously they put Christ to an open shame to a new Suffering But is this true That Christ hath suffered so great things for me and shal he now suffer by me what hath he not suffered enough already He hath suffered in his Body in his Soul the Wrath of God the very Torments of Hel and is not this enough God forbid that ever I should so walk that Christ should yet suffer by me who hath suffered such things for me Hereby also you shal be able to overcome your Temptations Corruptions and to be more fruitful and profitable and gracious in your lives here is the Shop of Vertues Officina virtutum whatever Grace or Vertue you want you may have in this Shop if you wil come for it Dost thou want hatred of sin here you may see it in its own colors and the reward thereof for if God spared not his own Son but he endured the Wrath of God and the very Torments of Hel when sin was but imputed to him O! what an Hel and flaming Fire shal those endure who have sin of their own and must bear it themselves And saies Gerard would you see the Torments of Hel the true punishment of sin Ito ad Montem Calvariae Go to Mount Calvary Or dost thou want Patience in thine Afflictions behold the Travel of Christ as a Lamb he opened not his mouth before the Shearer Or dost thou want a tender broken heart truly his heart is hard indeed which the sight of these breakings of Christ wil not break Hereby also you wil be engaged unto his Commandements and Ordinances For what are the Ordinances which now we enjoy but the Representation of a Suffering Christ whereby we hold forth the Lords Death til he come What is al our Preaching and your Hearing but of Christ crucified What is Baptism Lords Supper or any other Ordinances but that Bed wherein we have communion with a suffering Christ and shal Christ suffer such bitter things for us in his Soul and Body and shal we throw up those Ordinances whereby we are to have Communion with him in these Sufferings God forbid And hereby also you that are of a fearful heart may fully conclude the willingness of God to save Sinners For if God the Father had not been very willing he would never have put his own only Son to so great a Suffering for their Salvation What can be more abhorrent from the heart of a tender Father than to put his own only and obedient Son unto Death it goes to the heart of a tender Father to see his Child die I will not see the death of the Child said Hagar and she sate down over against him and lift up her voyce Gen. 21.16 and wept but to lay his own hands upon him in reference to his Death this is a grief beyond al expression yet this did God the Father do for he bruised his Son he put him to grief he smote him and he laid on him the iniquities of us al. Surely if God the Father had not been infinitely willing to save Sinners he would never have done a thing so contrary to him and if Christ himself were not willing he would never have suffered such hard things for their Salvation What is not a Woman willing to do for that Child whom she hath had a sore Travel for Now Christs Travel was a sore Travel surely therefore he is infinitely willing to save sinners and if God the Father be willing and Christ be willing then why should not every poor doubting drooping Soul say Lord I beleeve help thou mine unbelief I once doubted of thy Love because I doubted of thy willingness to save such as I am yea often have I put an If upon thy willingness saying with the Leper Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean But now I see thou art willing to save sinners why should I then doubt again And upon this account al poor sinners may be encouraged to come to Christ for if Christ did come down from Heaven for you wil he refuse you when you come to him If he have suffered such hard and bitter things for sinners do ye think he wil cast them away that do come to him surely he wil not O! what great encouragement doth this Doctrine proclaim unto al poor and great sinners for to come to Christ And hereby also your
Though there be much evil in this Sin Christ will not cast you off for it For It is an honor to a man to pass by infirmities saith Solomon much more is it for the honor of Christ to pass by the infirmities of his People The Saints and People of God are in Covenant with God by Jesus Christ Hos 2. and that Covenant is a Conjugal Covenant but what Husband will put away his Wife for her infirmities That Covenant is a Paternal Covenant and what Father wil thrust his Child out of doors for his infirmities A Child though deformed is more pleasing to the Father because the Child is his own than another beautiful Child that is not his own Yea that Covenant is a Covenant of Grace now in the Covenant of Works the least sin breaks the Covenant but in the Covenant of Grace the greatest sin doth not break the Covenant between God and the soul in the Covenant of Works the least sin provokes God to hatred in the Covenant of Grace the greatest sin provokes and moves God to pity If a Master should turn away his Servant for every failing and weakness who would serve him But God hath many Servants in the world who do serve him with cheerfulness surely therefore he doth not and he will not cast men off for their Infirmities The Saints and People of God are the Body of Christ and every one a Membâ—r of that mystical Body whereof our Lord Christ is the Head Now saith Luther What man will cut off his Nose because there is filth in it Nemo nasum ideo abjicit quod impuro phlegmate abundat et quasi cloaca cerebri ita etiam iâ—firmi temporis infirmitatis sunt paâ—s Regni Christi qui non ideo abjiciâ—ndi sed so vendi sanandi et erigendi sunt Luther yea though the Nose be the sink of the Brain yet because it is a Member a man wil not cut it off And wil Christ cut off one of his Members because there is filth in him or some weakness and infirmity in him No surely What Woman wil cast away the Morter because it favors of the Onions or Garlick which hath beâ—n beaten in iâ— What Father wil knock his Child on the Head bâ—cauâ—e a Wart grows on his Forehead These Infirmitiâ—s in the Saints and People of God are their Waâ—ts Ego non possum excusare Patres ut multi faciunt nec volo imo libenter audio lapsus et infirmitates sanctorum non quod laudem c. sicut non excuso Apostolos fugientes à Christo Petrum negantem et alias eorum infirmitates stultitias et ineptias nec scribuntur ista propter duros superbos et obstinatos sed ut ratio Regni Christi ostendatur qui in grege suo pusillo habet pauperes et infirmas conscientias est Rex fortium pariter et infirmorum c. in Gen. 26. Scio ego me saepe multa stulte et temere admodum egisse adeo ut cogitatem cur Deus vocavit me ad predicandum c. in Cap. 27. Gen. Luth. which grow in the Face of their Conversation the blessed Martyrs themselves had these Warts Hierom of Prague had a great Wart upon him Cranmer another Jewel another yea if ye look into that little Book of Chronicles I mean the 11. Chapter of the Hebrews what Saint is there mentioned upon Record but had one Wart or another Had not Abraham his Wart in saying that Sarah was his Sister Had not Sarah hers in laughing Had not Jacob Isaac and Joseph theirs Moses Rahab Sampson Jepthah and David theirs Luther had his and our Reformers theirs yet God owned used and honored them Surely therefore though there be much evil in a Sin of Infirmity especially if a man fal into it again and again yet Christ wil not leave a man or cast him off for it Object But Solomon tels us that the back-slider in heart shal be satisfied with his own waies Answ True But there is much difference between the back-sliding of an Hypocrite and the Relapses of Gods own Children into their Infirmities a back-slider loseth that power which once he had but a good man relapsing into his Infirmities doth stil keep that power of Godliness which he had before a back-sliders Judgment and Principles crack and alter in so much as he doth bless himself in his Apostacy but the good man relapsing into his Infirmities stil doth retain his Judgment keep his Principles and doth groan under his Relapses Possibly a man may fal into the same sin again and again yet he may be no back-slider nor called a back-slider in Scripture Language But in the Second place A man may be said to be satisfied with his own waies either because he is given up to his sins so as to be glutted with them finding all delight and contentment in them or he is said to be satisfied with his own waies in regard of that sorrow and affliction which he doth reap by them in this sense a good man may have enough of his sin and be said to be satisfied with his own waies Thus it was with Jacob he deceived his Brother Esau and he deceived his Father Isaac afteâ—wards he was deceived by Laban and by his Children as he dâ—ceived his own Father so was he deceived by his Father in Law and as he deceived his Brother so was he deceived by his Children in the reports of Joseph's death here was he satisfied in a way of sorrow with his own waies he deceived others and was deceived by others he had enough of it But though a good man may be thus satisfied with his own waies yet he is never satisfied with them so as to be given up to them Possibly he may fall into them again and again yet saith the Lord Esai 57.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid my face and was wroth What then And he went on frowardly turning aside again so the Hebrew in the way of his heart But saith the Lord I have seen his waies and will heal him and wil lead him also and restore comforts to him and his mourners So that though a good man may have enough of his sin in regard of sorrow that may come thereby yet he shal never be satisfied with his own waies or sins so as to be given up to them Christ wil not cast him off if he sleep Christ wil waken him and if he sleep again Christ wil wake him again Christ wil not leave him in it nor cast him off for it Applicat If these things be true then what necessity is upon us and what great cause have we to examine our selves and to consider seriously what sort of sins those sins are which we labor under We do al sin that is most certâ—in but there is a great difference between sin and sin There is a sin unto death and there is a sin not unto
Faith may be established and your Hearts comforted and setled when you have come to Christ for the more fully the suffering of Christ which is the Object of your Faith is spread before your Eyes the more wil your Faith be raised and established and if Christ have suffered such great things for you even the very Wrath of God and torments of Hel then you may be assured that he wil never forget you Can a Woman forget her Child No Why but because she hath travelled for it But behold here is a Travel beyond al Travels Christ travelling in the greatness of his Love for poor sinners travelling under the Wrath of God his Father and wil he forget you that are his Seed Though a Woman forget her Child yet will not I saith the Lord. O! what Comfort is this for all the Seed of Christ Christ hath had a sore travel for you therefore assure your selves he wil never forget you And thus I have done with the First Argument of this Doctrine Christ in Travel CHRIST IN TRAVEL AND His Assurance of Issue Sermon II. ISAIAH 53.11 He shall see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied HAving spoken to the first Argument Christ in Travel we are now to proceed to the Seccond His Assurance of Issue though he had an hard Labor of it in the day of his Sufferings yet he was sure and certain that he should not miscarry many Women do miscarry in travel few or none have Assurance that they shal not miscarry but before our Savior Christ fel in Travel the Father did assure him that he should see his Seed and be satisfied accordingly he hath seen the Travel of his Soul for saith he Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the Children whom God hath given me and he shal yet see his Seed he did not lay down his Life at uncertainties neither was it left in suspense whether he should have Issue or not but was assured of it and so he died for sinners For the opening and cleering whereof we must enquire 1. What this Issue is which Christ did travel for 2. What Assurance he had of it First As for the Issue of Christs Travel which he travelled for it is al that fruit and effect of his Sufferings which he did travel for There are some immediate next effects and fruits of Christs Death and Sufferings which I may cal the first Birth of the Death of Christ There are other effects which are more remote and I may cal them the latter Birth of the Death and Sufferings of Christ But look whatever fruit or effect that is which Christ did travel for that he was assured of The first he did see presently and the latter he doth and shal see dayly Quest What are those first next and immediate effects and fruits of the Death of Christ which he presently saw Answ Those are many and because there are so many Opinions of Men about them I shal answer to this Question both Negatively and Affirmatively 1. Negatively First Some think that the first and immediate effect of Christs Death was to make God reconcilable to Man-kind for God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself but the world was not actually reconciled at his Death and therefore say they the first effect of Christs Death was to make God reconcilable But this cannot be the next and immediate effect of the Death of Christ for God was reconcilable before Christ died and had not only a velleity but a ful wil to shew mercy to us for John 3. God so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son Now if the Love of God to Man-kind were the cause of Christs coming into the World then he was reconcilable before the Death of Christ Secondly Others think that our actual Reconciliation is the next and immediate effect of the Death of Christ But this cannot be for our Savior tels us That he which beleeveth not abideth under wrath The Wrath of God doth abide on him Now if the Wrath of God do abide upon a man so long as he abideth under Unbelief then is he not reconciled to God actually til he beleeveth 2. When a man is actually reconciled to God then he is justified but we are justified by Faith Rom. 5.1 and therefore a man is not actually reconciled til he doth beleeve actually 3. Those that are without Christ being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the World cannot be actually reconciled to God but so were the converted Ephesians before their Convertion Ephes 2.12 4. The Apostle Paul saith expresly that whilst the Corinthians were unrighteous and wicked they were not justified 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Theeves nor Covetous nor Drunkards c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you but ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. therefore they were not justified and so not actually reconciled unto God before their Conversion 5. As Glorification follows our Justification so our Justification follows our Vocation Rom. 8.30 actual Reconciliation therefore and Justification is not the next effect of Christs Death Object But we are then discharged from our Sins when they are charged on Christ and they were charged on Christ when he died for them Answ True when Christ died then were our sins charged on him but it doth not follow that we were then discharged For there is a great difference between a mans paying of his Debt himself and the payment of the Surety If a man be arrested for a Debt of his own and do pay it himself he is then discharged from the Debt but if the Debt be charged on the Surety and he pay it the Debtor is not presently discharged from the Debt in regard of the Surety but to be discharged when the Surety pleaseth Now our sins were charged on Christ as our Surety and he did pay our Debt look therefore when he pleases we are discharged from them and that saith he is upon your beleeving not before being justified by Faith ye have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 Thirdly Some think that Christ died to reconcile Man to God so far as that Salva Justitia Christum merito mortis suae Deum Patrem universo generi humano hactenus reconciliavit ut Pater propter ipsius meritum Salva justitia et veritate sua novum gratiae saedus cum peccatoribus inire et sancire potuerit ac voluerit Sententia Remonstrantium circa secundum Articul Act. Synod 280. Armin. Perkins oper Arm. pag. 675. or noti obstante Justitia Divina God might have a power to shew mercy to the Children of Men which he was willing to do but was bound from it by his Justice and that by the Death of Christ he was free to
give unto man what Law he pleased which Liberty or Power of God say they was the next effect of Christs Death But this cannot be for then Christ died to redeem the Power of God out of the hand of his Justice for that which is delivered by the Death of Christ is redeemed but where do we find in Scripture that Christ is said to redeem God or any thing of Gods 2. This doth suppose that God was willing to shew mercy to man and to do that for man which he could not do but that cannot be with God man may be willing to do that which in Justice he cannot do because his wil may be unjust but Gods wil cannot be unjust and therefore he cannot wil that which he cannot do in Justice 3. This makes void the death of Christ Si potestas et jus salvandi in Deo consideretur absolute Deus si voluisset potuisset nos salvare citra satisfactionem Christi sed non voluit id facere Cornivus contra Molin p. 436. Deus potest de suo jure quantum vult dimittere instar Regis creditoris Matth. 18. nisi velimus Deo minus quam nobis licere Sorex Vorstianus pag. 4 5. according to the Maintainers of this Opinion for they say That God could pardon the sin of man without the death of Christ and therefore if Christ died to procure such a power and liberty to God then he died for nothing for according to themselves he had this power before 4. This Opinion doth suppose that there is a velleity and voluntas in God an half and a ful Wil and if Gods Wil may be imperfect and perfect then his Knowledg also may be Plena et Semiplena Perfect and Imperfect and so Imperfection wil be charged upon God 5. The Apostle Paul tels us Heb. 9. That Christ died as Mediator of the New Covenant therefore not to set God free to make what Covenant he pleased with the Children of Men. Mirabilis ille status in quem homines restitui dicunt per Christum neque est status gratiae Evangelicae quae non fluit ex faedere gratiae neque potest esse status legis neque ullus alius status in quo homines stare solent Ames Antisynodal de morte Christi Cap. 4. p. 149. 6. What state shal redeemed man be in presently upon this account not under the Gospel for God is left free by the Death of Christ they say to appoint what Covenant he pleases and not under the Law for he was by Christ redeemed from the Law 7. If the Confirmation of the New Covenant were the next Effect of Christs death as appears by Heb. 9.14 15. then Christ did not die to procure such a power and liberty to God that he might appoint what Covenant he pleased Surely therefore this power or liberty in God is not an effect of Christs Death much less the next effect of it Fourthly Some think that the next and immediate effect of the death of Christ Remonstrantes sic declaratio sent circa 2. Artic. Acta Synod 286. Sociniani sic Crellius contra Grotium p. 304. is the forgiveness of original sin unto al the World none say they are damned only for original sin this by the death of Christ was immediately forgiven to al the Children of Men. But this cannot be for then al the World should be actually reconciled unto God and justified for according to their own Opinion Justification and forgiveness of sin are one and the same thing but the Apostle tels us that whom God justifies them he also glorifies Rom. 8. 2. Then also there should not only be an impetration of Redemption and Grace for al but an application unto al which they deny 3. Then the Children of Heathens and Pagans should be in a better state and condition than the Godly who live under the Gospel for according to their Opinion the Godly living under the Gospel may fal away and be damned and so though they be Godly they have no assurance of their Salvation but if a Pagans Child die he is sure to go to Heaven because his sin is pardoned and he is justified 4. The Apostle Paul tels us 2 Cor. 7. That the Children of Beleevers are clean and holy and upon the account of the Parents Faith but if original Sin be pardoned to al the World then the Children of Infidels and Unbeleevers also are holy and if so why doth the Apostle tel us that our Children are holy upon the account of the Parents Faith 5. The Apostle Jude tels us That the Sodomites endured the Vengeance of Hel surely there were some Children in the Town and place The Wages of sin is Death saith the Apostle Paul and Death reigned from Adam to Moses even upon them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams Transgression And if the Wrath of God do abide upon al til they do beleeve then surely original sin is not forgiven unto al the World by the Death of Christ Fiftly Others think that the obtainment of this Decree viz. Whoever beleeves shall be saved and whoever beleeveth not shal be damned is the next and great effect of the Death of Christ Answ But this cannot be the Effect of Christs Death For 1. We read of no such general Decree of God in the Scripture We read of this Gospel Truth Whoever beleeves shall be saved and whoever beleeves not shall be damned but every Gospel Truth is not a Decree of God Christ is the Son of God is a Gospel Truth The Lord wil write his Law in your hearts is a Gospel Truth and Promise but this is not called Gods Decree Electio est alicujus particularis cum rejectione alterius hoc sitâ—ante jacta mundi Fundamenta ergo datur aliquid plusquam Decretum generale Ames Antisin 2. Such a General Decree doth exclude and deny Election of particular Persons The Scripture tels us plainly of the Election of particular Persons Ephes 1. Who hath chosen us Rom. 8. Whom he hath predestinated them he hath also called the Foundation of God standeth sure he knoweth who are his but now if there were such a General Decree as this Whoever beleeves shal be saved and whoever beleeves not shal be damned there would need no Election of particular Persons but only an Execution of that general Decree Decreto isto generall Deus nihil magis velit uni quam alteri sed Rom. 9. magis vult uni quam alteri Ames Antisyn 3. By that general Decree God doth wil no more to one than to another but Rom. 9. God doth wil 〈◊〉 more to one than to another for Jacob beloved and Esau be hated 4. If there were such a general Decree Totum et integrum predestinationis decretum Act. Synod pag. 48. none else as some say then the wil of God should be undetermined as to the Salvation of this or that particular Man until he beleeved and so should
be determined by some act of Man Ego autem stultus à scientia Dei et vanus c. postea vero videbar mihi videre à longe gratia Dei omnia bona precedentem tempore et natura sicut anima in omnibus motibus primus motor Bradward de causa Dei Lib. 1. cap. 35. pag. 308. But the wil of God as Bradwardin demonstrates is the first Agent Primum liberum primum agens et primum determinans first free the first Mover and the first Determiner the serious consideration whereof was as he professeth the first beginning of his Conversion to the Grace of God from the error of Pelagianism and Manicheism Neither can the Death of Christ be the cause of any such Decree for the Decrees of God are eternal The death of Christ was in time and that which is in time cannot be the cause of that which was from al Eternity Surely therefore this general Decree is none of that Issue wheâ—ewith our Lord and Savior Christ was in Travel Sixtly Some think again That the next and great Effect of Christs Death was to bring al the World into the Covenant of Grace that whereas before they had broken the Covenant of Works by the first Adam now al are brought into a Covenant of Grace by the Second Adam Answ 1 But this cannot be for as the Covenant of Works was made with the first Adam and his Seed only so the Covenant of Grace is made with the Second Adam and his seed only But the whol World are not the Seed of Christ for the Lord promising him to see his Seed doth not promise him to see al the World 2. The Apostle Paul tels us That the Ephesians before their Conversion were Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenants of Promise being without hope and without God in the World Ephes 2.12 which could not be if al the World were taken into the Covenant of Grace by the Death of Christ 3. If God deal with al Man-kind in a Covenant of Grace then al Man-kind should certainly be saved for if whatever God requires on mans part God doth by that Covenant undertake that man shal perform then al must needs be saved if the Covenant be made with al but whatever by this Covenant God requires on mans part he undertakes to perform Doth God require that we should act from an inward Principle of Grace I will write my Law in your hearts saith he Doth he require of us to know him this he undertakes for us by this Covenant Ye shall all know me from the greatest to the least Heb. 8. Doth he require us to fear him I will put my fear into your hearts Doth he require Faith and Repentance at our hands I wil take away saith he the heart of stone and give you an heart of flesh and I wil circumcize thine heart Deut. 30.6 Doth he require Obedience at our hands he undertakes for us also that we shal perform the same Ezek. 36.27 I wil put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my waies So that if God should deal with al the World of Man-kind according to the Covenant of Grace then al the World should be saved but al the World are not saved surely therefore this is none of those effects which our Lord and Savior Christ travelled for Seventhly Some think that Christ by his Death hath obtained a sufficiency of Grace for al men so that al men may or may not beleeve if they wil and this obtainment of this sufficiency of Grace for al they think is the great and next Effect of the Death of Christ But this cannot be for the thing is not true viz. That al men have a sufficiency of Grace by Christ to beleeve on him for if al the men of the World have such a Power from Christ to beleeve on him then 1. The Jews had a Power to abstain from their Unbelief in putting Christ to death and yet they had this Power from the Death of Christ and if so then it was possible that Christ should not have died by the hand of their Unbelief and yet possible by vertue of Christs Death for them to abstain from the putting him to death which is a Contradiction Neither can it be said that they had this Power given them upon the fore-sight of Christs Death for the same fore-sight did fore-see that Christ should be put to death by the hand of their Unbelief 2. If al men have such a Power to beleeve in Christ then either they must have an inward Principle of Grace and Faith or they can act without an inward Principle but they have no inward Principle of Faith and Grace for then they should be Beleevers for it is the inward habit and principle which denominates the man and not this or that act for a man is a Beleever though he be asleep Nor can any Creature put forth an act without an inward Principle suitable to the Act the Eye cannot act in seeing without an inward Principle of sight nor the Ear hear without an inward principle of hearing the Herb cannot grow without an inward principle of growth nor the Beast move without an inward principle of motion nor any Creature act without a precedent inward principle But al the men of the World have not an inward principle of Faith and Grace and therefore al the men of the World have not a power to beleeve 3. The Apostle Paul tels us plainly that a Natural man receiveth not the things of God neither can he 1. Cor. 3 1â— but if he have a power to beleeve then he can receive them for receiving is our beleeving 1 John 12. Neither can it be said that by the Natural man we are to understand the weak Christian for if the weak Christian cannot receive the things of God much less the wicked and the pure Natural man nor doth the Apostle speak of a Natural Man as he is meerly considered in the state of Nature abstracted from al Gospel Grace and the means of Grace for then he should speak to no particular case in the World for according to our Adversaries there is no man in the World but hath some Gospel Grace or means of Grace 4. Our Savior Christ tels the Jews John 10.26 Ye beleeve not because ye are not of my Sheep it seems then that al the world are not the Sheep of Christ for saith he ye are not of my Sheep and the reason why some do beleeve is because they are of Christs Sheep and why others beleeve not is because they are not of his Sheep Now if the reason why some beleeve and others not is because some are of his Sheep and others not then al the world have not a power to beleeve for if al the world have a power to beleeve then those that are not of the Sheep may beleeve and if those that are not of the Sheep can beleeve why doth our
for them for whatever God gives in time he gives upon the account of Christs Merit but in time he doth give Grace and Holiness for he doth bless us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Now Grace and Holiness are Spiritual blessings and therefore God doth bless us therewith in Christ 2. Look what the Father promiseth that he doth give out upon the account of Christ for all the Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ Grace and Truth comes by Christ the fulfilling of the Promise is truth but God the Father hath promised Grace as wel as Glory I will write my Law in your heart I will take away the heart of stone and give you an heart of flesh I will give you a new heart saith God 3. Whaâ—ever Grace is derived from Christ and communicated by him to us he merited for us But of his Fulness we do al receive even Grace for Grace 4. We pray to God for the Conversion and Regeneration of sinners and we beg this in the Name of Christ thereâ—ore Christ hath merited not only Glory but Grace and Holine s. And 5. The Apostle tels us expresly in 2 Tim. 1.9 That we are called with an holy Calling in aâ—d by Jesus Christ Wâ—o hath saved us and called us with an holy Caâ—ling not according to our Workâ— but according to his own purpo e and Gâ—ace whiâ—â— he hath given us in Christ Jeâ—us before the Woâ—ld began As God doth work al Naâ—ural things by Second Cauâ—es so he doth work al Supernatural things by Christ By Câ—rist â—e dâ—d make the old Creation as he was the Eteâ—nâ—l Son of God and by Christ he makes the new Creation as our Mediator Now look what the Father worketh by him that did he merit for us but our new Creation is wrought by him and theretore he did not only merit Heaven and happiness but al our Grace and Holiness for us 2. He did not only merit the impetration of our Redemption but the application of it also the application of the means of Grace and the application of his own Merit for his Death is made the Reason of this application Meritum Christi sufficienter operatur ut causa universalis salutis humanae sed oportet hanc causam applicari per scripturam et per fidem formatum et ideo requiritur aliquid aliud ad salutem nostram praeter meritum Christi cujus tamen meritum Christi est causa Tho. Aquin. quest 29. de gratia Christi art 7. Esai 53.11 By his knowledg shal my righteous Servant justifie many for he shal bear their iniquities so again Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered up himself purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God and for this cause is he the Mediator of the new Covenant Now if Christ shal therfore justifie many because he did bear their sins then he did merit this application for al those whom he died for 2. If Christ did not merit this application then there is some Grace which is not from Christ Haec applicatio est maximum Dei donuÌ„ et maxime necessaria ad salutem sed Christus meruit nobis omnia Dei dona et omnia media necessaria ad salutem ergo haec applicatio est ex meritis Christi Suarez disput 41. sect 2. Nemo propter solum peccatum originis damnatur Armin. contr Perk. Arnold Corvinus contra Tilen p. 391. or this application is no Grace but the application of Grace and of Christs Merits and Redemption is Grace and there is no Grace which we have but is al from Christ 3. Our other Adversaries tel us that no Child perisheth or is damned only for Original sin but that sin is taken off from al by the Death of Christ therefore the death of Christ and his Merits are applied unto al Infants and if so then he hath merited the application of Redemption for al or else he did not die equally for al as they say 4. Look what God hath promised that Christ hath merited but he hath promised the application of Christs death Merits for saith he My Servant shal deal prudently he shal be exalted so shal he sprinkle many Nations Alias non perfectius meritum Christi esset causa salutis pâ—aedestinatorum quam non pâ—aedestinatoruÌ„ quia quod attinet ad sufficientiam meriti aequaliter respicit omnes homines sed differentia est in hoâ— quod quibusdam applicatur illud meritum quibusdam non ergo si haec applicatio non cadit sub merito Christi meritum Christi â— qualiter râ—spiceâ—et praedestinatos et non p aedestinatos Zumel quest 23. art 5 Isa 52.15 And 5. If he did not merit the application as wel as the impetration of our Redemption then he merited no more for those that are in Heaven than for those that are in Hel no more for those that are saved than for those that are damned For he merited the impetration of Redemption for al the particular men of the World say they But he did merit more for the saved than for the damned else those in Heaven have no more cau e to praise God and to be thankful unto Christ than those that are in Hel. Surely therefore our Lord and Savior Christ when he died did not only merit the Impetration but the Application also of our Redemption 3. He did not only merit a sufficiency of Grace for us but the efficacy of Grace also Hoc etiam salubriter profitemur et credimus quod in omni opere bono nos non incipimus et postea per Dei miserecordiam adjuvamur sed ipse nobis nullis praecedentibus meritis et fidem et amorem sui inspirat Concil Araufican 2. can 25. For look what Grace the Father gives in time that the Son merited for he blesses with al spiritual blessings in him but the Father doth not only give forth a sufficiency of Grace but the efficacy of it for saith the Apostle he worketh in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wil and the deed 2. Look what Grace the Father promiseth us that Christ merited for us but the Father promiseth not only a sufficiency but the efficacy of Grace I wil put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my waies saith God 3. Christ is the Mediator of the new Covenant upon the account of his Death Heb. 9.14 15. therefore whatever Grace is promised in the New Covenant his Death is the meritorious cause of but the efficacy of Grace is promised in the new Covenant I wil write my Law in your hearts Heb. 8. 4. The Death and Obedience of Christ is more meritorious for us than the Sin and Disobedience of the first Adam was against us Rom. 5. But the Sin and Disobedience of the first Adam did not only merit a sufficiency of evil but the efficacy of evil upon our Nature and therefore the Death
onely so far discouraged as to refuse comfort for soul and body but my soul refuseth Duty and casts off Duty too for the present Answ 3 Thirdly therefore It is possible that a good and gracious mans discouragments may extend thus far too You wil think it strange that I find an instance for this in that holy man Jeremiah yet if you look into Jer. 20.7.8 and 9. verses you find it made good Indeed saith he The word was as fire in my bones and I could not forbear But for the time he did resolve to forbear preaching in the name of God which was his duty which he had commission to do for saies he I wil not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name This Holy Gracious man was under temptation he was much discouraged and thereupon he said so Yet verse 13. he saith Sing to the Lord praise the Lord for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evil doers But then mark the next words Cursed be the day wherein I was born let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my Father saying A man child is born to thee What a sudden change was here even in the best of the Saints from incouragments to discouragements O! but I have not only cursed the day of my birth as Jeremie and wished that I had never been born But I am weary of my life and have sought after mine own death and was there ever any Godly Gracious man that was thus discouraged and cast down Answ 4 Yes What think you of Job I was weary of my life Job 10.1 And in the 3. Job pouring out his complaint in regard of himself he saith vers 20. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery and life to the bitter in soul vers 21. Which long for death but it cometh not and dig for it more than for hid treasures Now ye know that those which dig for Gold and Silver dig industriously and earnestly Thus it is with me saies Job I am so afflicted and distressed and in such bitterness of soul that I long for death and dig for it as for hid treasures O! what a mighty deep of discouragments may the Saints and people of God fal into and yet be Godly Gracious Quest 2 But why doth God suffer his own people and dearest children to be thus discouraged and their peace to be interrupted I know wil some say that al our present joy and comfort is but a creature and so may be ecclipsed and that Satan is near unto the best of Gods children thrusting and pushing them forward into these discouragments that they may be like unto himself who is a discouraged Spirit Answ Sic verus justitiae Sol nonnunquam oritur ad nos accedit a liquando rursus a nostro climaâ—e aberrat utrumque tamen benesicium nostrum est Frumentum in Terram jactum eget aliquo tempore ut congelatur induretur aliquo etiam ut molliatur neutrum illi obest utrumque nâ—cessarium est unum ut crescat alterum ut Radices agat Granat but why will God suffer it to be so In General It is for their good for their good they have and for their good they do want their Peace and Comfort The Star which led the wise men to Christ did not alwaies go before them but somtimes it appeared somtimes it was hidden from them but both appearance and hiding was for their benefit its first appearance invited them to Christ and its withdrawance made them more diligent in seeking after him So when Christ hid himself from his Mother Mary she sought him the more and when she found him she rejoyced the more but both his absence and his presence her fear and her comfort was for her good for his absence did encrease and draw out her desires and his presence did encrease and draw out her joyes When God is absent from us then we have testimonies of our Love to God by our desires after him and when he is present then we have testimonies of his Love to us by the shines of his Countenance so that whether God shines or not whether we have comfort or not both is for our good Thus in the General but yet more Particularly First Ye know it is Gods way and manner to deal with the Children of men according to their own dispositions to stoop and condescend unto their infirmities Therefore saies the Prophet Hosea Hos 11.4 He draws us with the Cords of a man Now it is mans disposition to come to God at the second hand So long as man can find a fulness in any Creature he comes not to God but first he sees an emptiness in the Creature Duty and Ordinance and then he saies O what a fulness is in God himself in Christ himself 1 Tim. 5.5 The Widdow that is desolate trusteth in God though a Widdow yet if not desolate somtimes she would not trust and therefore God suffers a desolation to come upon her Widdowhood When Davids men took up stones to have stoned him then the Text saies He encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 So long as man hath encouragement els-where he doth not encourage himself in the Lord his God This being mans Nature and God having a design of Love upon his own Children he suffers a damp and discouragement to pass upon all their Comforts their Peace to be interrupted their hearts disquieted and their souls discouraged that so they may encourage themselves in God alone Secondly This inward Peace and quietness of soul is so great a Commodity that God would have the price to be inhanced and raised Common and ordinary blessings once lost and found again are extraordinary It is a common and ordinary mercy that a man sits in his Shop and walks up and down in his Trade but if he be sick a while lose his health and not able for five or six weeks to look into his Shop if then he can get down but one day O saies he what an extraordinary mercy and blessing is it that I should go down again Thus the interruption of an ordinary blessing does raise it to an extraordinary So long as a man hath his health and strength though he be able to travel forty fifty three-score miles a day he is not much affected therewith but if he be sick a little and at deaths door and then begins to recover though he can but put forth his Hand or stir his Leg he blesses God and saies O Friends I can stir my self in my bed I can move my Hand or my Leg what an extraordinary mercy and blessing is this So in this caie So long as a man hath inward Peace and quietness of soul without interruption he looks upon it as a common mercy and blessing but if his Peace be a little interrupted and his soul buffeted by Satan
and Blasphemy Surely it doth Have ye any reason then to be discouraged under the power of this Objection Object But suppose that a man have sinned greatly against his conscience or against his light against his knowledg hath he not just cause or reason then to be cast down and to be quite discouraged Answ No For if there be a Sacrifice for such a sin as this is then a man hath no reason to be quite discouraged cause to be humbled as you shal hear afterward but no reason to be discouraged Now in the times of the old Testament in the times of the Law among the Jews there was a Sacrifice not only for sin committed ignorantly but also for sin coâ—itted against light and against consc ence and I appeal to you who ever you are that make this objection do you not think that Peter when he denyed his Lord and Master sinned against his conscieâ—ce against his light and against his knowledg surely then there is no reason that a man should be quite discouraged no not in this respect Object But suppose that a mans sins be exceeding great gross and hainous for I do confess that possibly a Godly man may sin some sin against his light and against his conscience somtimes but as for me my sin is exceeding great gross and hainous and have I not just cause and reason now to be discouraged Answ No not yet For though your sin be great is not Gods mercy great exceeding great is not the Satisfaction of Christ great are the merits of Christs blood smal is not God the great God of Heaven and Earth able to do great things you grant that God is almighty in providing for you and is he not almighty also in pardoning wil ye spoil God of his almightiness in pardoning You say your sin is great but is it infiniteâ— is there any more infinites than one and that is God is your sin as big as God as big as Christ Is Jesus Christ only a mediator for smal sins wil you bring down the satisfaction of Christ and the â—ercy of God to your own model Hath not the Lord said concerning pardoning mercy That his thoughts are not as our thoughts but as the heavens are greater than the earth so are his thoughts in this respect beyond our thoughts Hath not the Lord said in Isa 43. unto the people of the Jews at vers 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel Vers 23. Thou hast not brought me the smal cattel of thy burnt offering neither hast thou honored me with thy Sacrifices Vers 24. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with mony neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy Sacrifice but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thy iniquity yet vers 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgression for my own sake and wil not remember thy sins Here are sins and great sins and if the Lord wil therefore pardon sin because it is great unto his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoniam grandis est Hierom. then surely they have no reason to be quite discouraged in this respect Now look what David saith in Psal 25. vers 11. For thy name sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great mark his argument pardon mine iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaldee Par. for it is great if David use this reason then may you also and if this be a reason why God should pardon sin because it is great then this cannot be a reason a just reason why you should be discouraged Object But suppose that a mans sin be the sin of revolting declining for this is my case wil some say I have striven and striven against my sin a long while and I return unto it again times were heretofore that I have been exceeding forward and ready unto what is good but now I am much declined abated and even gone backward with revolting and deep revolting and I have layn long so even for many years have I not reason and just reason now to be discouraged and cast down within my self Answ No not yet For though this be a sufficient cause of great humiliation for backsliding in scripture phrase is called rebellion and rebellion as the sin of witch-craft yet a good man hath no reason to be discouraged in this regard for thus saith the Lord Jer. 3.1 They say if a man put away his wife and she go from him and become another mans shal he return unto her again shal not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers yet return again unto me saith the Lord. And vers 12. return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I wil not cause mine anger to fal upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I wil not keep anger for ever again vers 14. Turn O back-sliding Children for I am marryed unto you if ever the Lord Jesus Christ did betroth himself unto any soul he wil never put that soul away again I hate putting away saith God Men put away their wives among the Jewes but saith the Lord I hate putting away And Isae 50. vers 1. Thus saith the Lord where is the Bil of your mothers divorcement whom I have puâ— away or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you Among the Jews the husband did put away his wife upon smal occasions As for adultery you know that was death he did not put away his wife upon adultery she was to dy for it but the husbands put away their wives upon other occasions and when they put away their wives they gave the wife a bil of divorce that so upon al occasions the woman might shew thereby that she was free from such a man Now saith the Lord you that charge me and complain that I have put you away come and shew me the bil of divorce Thus saith the Lord where is the bil c. Poor soul thou complainest that I have put thee away come then and shew me the bil of divorce let any one who complains that I have put him away and cast him off come and bring out his bil of divorce This ye cannot do men indeed put away but if ever the Lord Christ doth match himself unto thee he wil never put thee away again And whereas you say That you are declined and have much revolted and so have continued even many yeers Consider whether you be not mistaken Every abatement in affection is not a declining in grace possibly we may not grieve for sin afterward so much as at our first conversion yet we may hate it more at first you may pray more against it yet afterward watch more against it we never see the face of sin so ugly as in the glass of Gods free love do you not see the
a fault and a man takes the one and correct him and let the other go it argues rather that he is his Father than not So though Chastisements do not alwaies argue God to be our Father yet it doth rather argue his Fatherly Love than not Answ 2 And is there any thing in God that is not a friend to all the Saints When a man is a friend to another not only his Purse is his Friend his Estate is his Friend his Staff is his Friend but his Sword is his Friend So if God be a Friend to a man then not only his Love is his Friend and his Mercy his Friend but his Sword is his Friend his Anger is his Friend Now God is a Friend to all the Saints and therefore his very Anger and Justice is a Friend too But Answ 3 In the third place What are those visible Characters of Love which are engraven upon an Affliction First If Affliction be a blessing to one then it doth come from Love and if a man can bless God under Affliction then it is a blessing to him Jobs Affliction was a blessing to him Why Because he blessed God under it The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be his Name c. Secondly If an Affliction do end in our Love to God then it comes from Gods Love to us for our Love is but a reflection of Gods Love and it doth flow from his and if I can say I love God never the worser for this Affliction then I may say God loves me never the lesser notwithstanding this Affliction Thirdly If an Affliction teacheth the mind of God then it doth come from Love As many as he loveth he chastiseth And blessed is the man whom thou chastiseth and teachest out of thy Law So that if Affliction be a teaching Affliction then it doth come from Love Fourthly If it be laid on in measure and imposed in due and seasonable time so as a man may grow thereby then it doth come from Love When a man intendeth to kill and destroy a Tree or to bring it unto the fire he cuts it at any time so as it shal grow no more but if he cut it in a due time it argueth that he intendeth it for growth So when God pruneth and cuts by Afflictions in such a time as men may grow in Grace it argues his Love Fifthly When God is especially present in Affliction and more present in an Affliction than at another time it argues that the Affliction doth come from Love Now whoever you are that make this Objection and fear the Affliction doth not come from Love are you not able to say Thus I find it indeed though I have been much afflicted yet through Grace I have bâ—en able to bless the Lord under my Affliction and to say The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away c. I love the Lord never the lesser for mine Affliction and the Lord hath taught me much in this mine Affliction I have gained more by my sickness than by many a Sermon yea and he hath cut me in due time for if I had not met with such an Affliction at such a time I did not know what evil I should have fallen into and this I must needs say I have had more of Gods Presence in my Affliction than ever I had before Well then be of good Comfort though your Affliction be very grievous yet it doth come from Love And thus it is with all the Saints and People of God and therefore why should they be discouraged whatever their Affliction be Object 8 But though a Christian have no reason to be discouraged in regard of his own private Affliction yet hath he not reason to be discouraged when it goes ill with the Publick And thus it is now with us we see how it is with this poor Nation Troubles and Calamities from every Part therefore I am thus discouraged and have I not cause to be cast down and to be much disquieted now Answ Indeed this is a sad thing and O! that we could weep day and night and pray too for this poor bleeding Nation If ever Gods People here in England had cause to be afflicted troubled and humbled under the hand of the Lord and to run together in Prayer surely they have reason now yet saith the Scripture Say to the Righteous in evil times it shall go well with him Did ever any Calamity come down like a storm upon a Kingdom but God did provide some hiding for his own Children Did he not provide an Ark for Noah in the time of the Flood and a Mountain for Lot in the time of the fire of Sodom The worst that man can do is but to kill his neighbor Death is the worst that can fall and what is death but an in-let to Eternal Life unto the People of God When the Saints in the Primitive Times came to bear witness by their deaths unto the Truth of Christ then they said Now we begin to be Christians indeed now we begin to be like to Christ There is a Three-fold Death Spiritual Death in sin Eternal Death for sin And Temporal Death which came in by sin If God spare me from the two former Deaths the Spirituâ—l Death and Eternal Death and only inflict the Temporal Death have I any cause to complain Thus it is with the Saints though they die Temporally yet they are free from the Spiritual and Eternal Death and what Godly man may not say I could not live long in Nature and shall I now bear witness unto the Truth with this little spot of time that remains Christ died for us the Just for the Unjust and shal not I that am unjust be willing to die for the just The worst of all is Death the worst of Death is gain When my Body is broken may I not say if Godly now a poor Pitcher is broken and shall go no more to the Well now a poor Prisoner my soul is delivered and I go home unto my Father But if you look into Rev. 7. you shal â—ind what a glorious issue God doth give unto al his People in the times of publick troubles ver 9. After this I beheld and so a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations Kindreds and People stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their hands A Robe is a Garment of Majesty Palms are an Ensign of Victory and saith he I saw them with Robes and Palmâ— The world looks upon my Servants as poor and of low spirits but saith Christ I look upon them as under a royal Princely Garment in Robes and of a Princely spirit And though the world look upon them as discomforted yet saith Christ here they shal overcome for they have Palms in their hands but who are these This Scripture tels ver 14. These are they which come out of great Tribulations and have washed their Robes and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb But why are they in white Robes and their Robes washed Because by their Tribulations they are washed from filth Affliction is Gods Soap before a godly man goes into Afflictions his very Graces are mixed with sin his Faith is mixed and dirtied with Unbelief and doubtings his Humility with Pride his Zeal with Luke-warmness but now by his Tribulation his Garments and Robes are made white and washed and he shall be of a more royal spirit and be cloathed with Robes But though the Lord make use of my Tribulations thus to wash yet I fear that by these publick Calamities I shall be driven from Ordinances the Temple and Worship of God nay saith he therefore at verse 15. They are before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple But what though we have the Ordinances if Christ be not present with them He ads therefore And he that sits on the Throne shall dwell amongst us But though we have the presence of Jesus Christ yet we may suffer much with want true yet verse 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shal the Sun light on them nor any heat for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living Fountains of Water O! but yet we may be brought in the mean while into grievous streits and be in a sad and mournful Condition True but there is a time a coming when all tears shall be wiped away from our Eyes and therefore he ads this at verse 17. And God shall wipe away all tears from their Eyes How should tears be wiped away hereafter if they were not shed for the present Though then you do fear it now and shed many tears yet all shall be wiped away and not one left O! what gracious dealing is here Thus will Christ deal with his People in troubleous times and therefore though our condition in regard of the Publick be exceeding sad and very grievous insomuch as we have all cause to mourn and weep yet if you be in Christ and have made your Peace with God you have no reason to be cast down And thus it is with every godly man surely therefore a godly gracious man hath no reason for his discouragements whatever his Affliction be Quest But what shall we do then that we may not be discouraged whatever our Affliction be whether Publick or Private National or Personal A good man indeed hath no reason to be discouraged under his Affliction but it is a hard thing to bear up against all discouragements under great Affliction what shall we do in this case Answ 1 First Either you have Assurance of Gods Love in Christ or not if not this Affliction shal be a Messenger to bring it to you So look upon your Affliction and if you have Assurance then actuate your Assurance reflect much on your Interest in and your Peace with God through Christ put your selves often upon this Disjunction Either there is enough in God alone or not If there be not enough in God alone how can the Saints and Angels live in Heaven who have no Meat Drink nor Cloaths there but God alone And if there be enough in God alone why should I not be contented with my Condition and comforted under it whatever it be What though man hate me if Christ love me O! labor more and more to see your Interest in Christ and ever hold it to your Eye Answ 2 Secondly If you would not be discouraged under your Afflictions remember much your fellowship with Christ in his Sufferings thus Now by these my Sufferings have I fellowship with Christ in all his Sufferings and therefore as Christ died and did rise again so though my Name dieth Estate dieth Body dieth and all my Comforts die yet they shall rise again The Apostle argueth and proves That the Romans should die no more in their sins Because Christ being risen from the dead died no more and therefore saith he though you fall into sins yet you shal die no more because you are risen with Christ So say I though your Afflictions be great and seem to swallow up all your Comforts yet your Comforts shall not be buried in them for if Godly you are risen with Christ and have fellowship with him and so die no more When therefore Affliction comes rejoyce in that you are made partakers of his Sufferings and say Rejoyce not over me O mine Enemy for though I fall yet I shal rise again for by my Sufferings I have fellowship with Christ in his Sufferings and so in his Resurrection Comforts and Glories Answ 3 Thirdly If you would not be discouraged under your Afflictions Labor more and more to be strangers to the world and to be acquainted with the waies of God under Affliction The Dog doth not bite or tear or hurt those that dwell in the House if a stranger comes he flies upon him and tears him because he is not acquainted with him And what reason is there that mens Afflictions fly upon them and tear them so much as they do but because they are strangers to and know not the way of God under them Labor therefore to live by Faith above the World to be a stranger to the world and be more acquainted with the way of Affliction Answ 4 Fourthly Consider what Christ hath born and left you to bear There are but two things to bear Sin and Sufferings Christ hath born all your sins wil not ye bear his Sufferings He hath born and carried the heavy end of the staff you have not one sin to bear and will you not then bear the Sufferings Answ 5 Fiftly Consider also and that frequently and seriously what abundance of good you and others get or may get by your Afflictions God by Afflictions le ts out nothing but corrupt blood Be of good comfort man said one now in Heaven to another complaining under his Afflictions Christ wil do thee no hurt in the latter end God never whips his Children but for their good and doth teach both them and others by them I was converted said one telling the story of his Conversion by seeing a man executed for thought I if a man be thus punished with death for breaking one of the Laws of men what do I then deserve who have broken all the Laws of God Affliction somtimes teacheth the by-stander much but especially it is teaching to your self thereby you see and read the fulness of God the emptiness of the Creature and the vileness of sin it recals sin past and prevents sin to come it quickens prayer and enlarges thankfulness and it may be thou mayest owe thy Conversion to some Affliction as a means thereof and if so much good do come by it will you be discouraged under it Think and think much of the good thereof Answ 6 Sixtly Whenever any Affliction comes do not stand poring on the evil
Extraordinary or Ordinary If Extraordinary then he is either a Prophâ—t who doth foretel things to come and they do come to pass or he is an Evangelist whose Office was to accompany and minister unto the Apostles When the Apostles â—herefore ceased then the Evangelists ceased for sublato subjecto tollitur adjunctum Or he is an Apostle who hath seen the Lord and is immediately sent by him whose Commission extendeth unto all the World who is infallible in regard of Doctrine delivered having the Gifts of Tongues given him not by Industry but by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost and doth work Miracles And therefore if any man say that he is an Apostle and yet hath not seen the Lord Christ nor hath these Gifts of Tongues nor can work Miracles then he is a false Apostle and a false Teacher in that kind But if a man be called to an Ordinary Office then 1. He must be apparently Godly not only free from Vice and Scandal but Holy and blameless shining with positive Vertues as wel as free from Scandalous sins 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 2. He must be qualified and gifted for the work of preaching being apt to teach anointed with the Unction of the Holy One not that he must necessarily have the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost for when the Apostle Paul sets down the due qualifications of a Minister 1 Tim. 3. there is not one word of that 3. Being gifted and duely qualified he must be chosen or desired by the Church Acts 14.23 4. Then having consented he must be separated to the Work of the Ministry And therefore if any man say that he is a Teacher in Office ordinarily called and yet be prophane scandalous or vicious or ignorant being not fitly qualified or is not desired or chosen by the Church and separated to the Work of the Ministry he is a false Teacher in this kind But whether a mans Cal be Ordinary or Extraordinary whether he be called ad Opus to a Work or ad Munus to an Office he must make out his Cal to others 't is not enough to say I am sent of God I tel thee I am sent of God The Apostles themselves made out their Cal to others Do ye require a proof of my Ministry or Apostleship saies the Apostle Paul then thus and thus So that though a man do pretend that he is sent of God and that he hath seen the Lord yet if he be not able to give an account thereof unto others he is surely a False Apostle and a False Teacher Thus may you try and discover men by their Cal. Secondly As for Doctrine Teachers may and must be tried by their Doctrine 1 John 4.1 Particular Doctrines whereby men may be tried are many I wil name some briefly because I intend this Work no further than to this one Exercise First therefore The true Apostles never did decry the Scriptures but under God and Christ did exalt the Scriptures They called them the Word of God Rom. 9.6 2 Cor. 4.2 They told us that the Scriptures are a sufficient Rule and able to make us wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.14.16 17. That they are the only Rule and Judg of al Doctrines whereby we are to try the same according to that of the Prophet Esai To the Law and to the Testimony if any one walk not according to this Rule there is no Light in him Chap. 8. That these Scriptures may be expounded 2 Pet. 1.20 The Apostles never did deny the Original saying I deny the Hebrew or I deny the Greek but ofâ—en cited the Original Hebrew yea the Septuagintal Greek This was the true Apostles Doctrine in regard of the Scripture As for Christ The true Apostles never did deny the Deity of Christ whilst he lived here on Earth nor the Humanity of Christ in Heaven But for his Deity the Apostle tel us that he is very God and the only wise God 1 John 5.20 And for the Body of Christ The true Apostles tel us That he did not only rise from the dead but his Body ascended and that he is man stil 2 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator the man Jesus Christ As for the Ordinances The Apostles never did deny the Ordinances but have told us that the Ministration of the Gospel is more glorious than that of Moses because this was to continue 2 Cor. 3. they did not destroy but erect these Ordinances by Commission from Christ As I have ordained in all the Churches saith Paul And more particularly 1. They did not deny the Ministry not the Being of a setled Ministry Rom. 12.7 though by the hand of Man Tit. 1. For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou should'st ordain Elders in every City nor the maintenance the setled maintenance of Ministers 1 Cor. 9.14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that those that preach the Gospel should live on the Gospel 2. As they did not deny the Ministry so they did not deny Water Baptism but they rather called for Water Baptism because Cornelius had received the Spirit Acts 10.47 They did not lay a necessity upon the Disciples to be plunged into the River or Water for the Jaylor and Cornelius were baptized in their Houses Nor did they ever forbid Infant Baptism but tel us that Children of Beleevers are Holy 2 Cor. 7. 3. As the true Apostles did not deny Water Baptism so they did not cry down the Lords Supper but tel us plainly That thereby we hold forth the Lords Death til he come 4. As they did contend for the Supper so they commanded singing First That the whol Church should sing for the whol Church of Ephesus and the whol Church of Colosse are commanded to sing Ephes 5. 18. Collos 3.16 Secondly That the whol Church should sing the Psalms of David for by those Titles Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs the Pâ—alms of David are distinguished Thirdly That this singing should be performed with an audible voyce and not in the heart only for faith the Apostle in the same Scriptures Speaking and singing with Grace in your hearts Affirmabant autem hâ—nc fuâ—â—se summam vel culpae suae vel erroris quod essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo quasi Deo dicâ—re secum invicem Plin. Epist ad Trajan Vel communi voce dicere Magdeâ—urgens Hist Cant. 2 C. 6. Fourthly That these Psalms or Hymns or Spiritual Songs should be sung by many together not by one alone but by the whol Church for the Evangelist tels us that Christ and his Disciples sung an Hymn and so went out after Supper If only one sang and the rest consented then that one was Christ or some one of the Disciples Christ it was not for if he had sung an Hymn it would have been said that he sung and the Hymn would have been set down as it 's said he prayed and his Prayer recorded John 17. Nor was it one of the Disciples for