not 5. Armies that can save us 'T is not 6. Carnal policy nor sinfull shifts that can save us 1. Idolls cannot help us They are vanities teachers of lies Hab. 2.18 Ionah 2.8 Nothing in respect of any divine power or vertue 1 Cor. 8.4 though it be something in respect of mens vain Imaginations who honour it as their God yet 't is nothing in respect of vertue or value for it can neither help nor hurt Ier. 10.5 They cannot save themselves from fire and plunder Micah's Gods were stollen Iudg. 18.18 24. They are cursed that worship them Psal. 97.7 they shall have sorrow that follow them Psal. 16.4 and be greatly ashamed that trust in them Isay 42.17 great then is the folly of the Papists who fly to S. Loy for their horses S. Anthony for their pigs Saint George for their warres S. Apollonia for their teeth S. Steven for the night S. Iohn for the day according to the manner of their necessities so are their Gods 2. If God be against us Riches cannot help us They oft hurt us in a time of trouble The finger many times is cut off for the gold Ring and the souldier enquires not for the poor but for the rich man Riches avail not in a day of wrath Prov. 11.4 Ezek. 7.19 Zeph. 1. ult they flye from us when we are dying or in trouble and have most need of help Prov. 23.5 Hence they are called uncertain riches they are like a broken reed that not onely faileth but wounds him that trusts in them Isay 36.6 he that trusteth in them shall fall Prov. 11.28 and be reproached for his folly with a Lo this is the man that took not God for his strength but trusted in his riches Psal. 52.7 Luke 12.20 3. Friends cannont help be they never so many or mighty the greater they be the worse and the sooner we are deceived by them because we are apt to trust in them men of low degree are vanity but men of high degree are worse they are not onely lyars but a lye in the abstract Psal. 62.9 Hence we are forbidden to trust in them be they never so great Psal. 146.3 4 5. Trust not in Princes yet if any men can help us 't is they why so for in them is no help they dye or change their minds and then all thy plots perish 4. Strong holds cannot save us if God be against us They shall all drop as ripe figs which with a shake or summons come down Nahum 3.12.14 though wicked men build walls as high as heaven and make ditches as deep as hell yea and make their nest in the starres yet sin will bring them down Ier. 49.16 Obad. 4. if sin raign within all the fortifications without are but vain Lam. 4.12.17 Isay 22.8 to 14. 5. 'T is not Armies Charrets Horses c. that can help A King is not saved by a great host Psal. 33.16 17 they fall that trust in them Psal. 20.7 8. many trust in their long sword and think that it should save them but God tells those that work wickednesse yet stand upon their Sword that the sword shall destroy them Ezek. 33.25 26 27. 6. 'T is not carnal policy nor sinful shifts that can help us Achitophels policy ended in folly And so did Pharaohs working wisely Exod. 1.10 become his bane Hence Henry the third of France forsaking the truth turned Papist thinking thereby to get the Monks on his side he was killed by a Monk yea he became contemptible to his people Paris and his great Townes revolting from him There is no power or policy can prevaile against God Prov. 21.30 many turne with the times forsake the truth make lies their refuge and under falshood do they hide themselves Isay 28.15 this is the basest refuge of all others Sin never did good to any it 's an ill refuge which makes God our enemy Isay 47 10. thou hast trusted in thy wickedness What followes Verse 11. therefore evill shall come â—pon thee 2. Affirmatively and inclusively all our help is onely in the Lord. He is the salvation of his Israel Ier. 3.23 the creatures answer in this case as they did concerning wisdome Iob 18.12.14.20 where shall wisdom be found the depth sayes 't is not in me and the Sea sayes 't is not in me So where shall help in trouble be had Parliaments say 't is not in us and Armies say 't is not in us and Riches say 't is not in us c. But 't is God onely who is El-shaddai All-mighty All-sufficient Gen. 17.1 who is a strong Tower Prov. 18.10 and a present help in trouble Psal. 46.1 when trouble is present then God is auxilium praesentissimum most present by his Wisdom to direct us by his Power to protect us and by his Spirit to comfort us Quest. How doth the Lord deliver his people when we oft see them lye under sad afflictions Answ. Deliverance is two-fold 1. When the Lord doth actually deliver his people as he did the three young men from the fiery furnace Dan. 3. Daniel from the Lions den and Peter from prison 2. Sometimes he lets the trouble continue but upholds the Spirit under it Thus Ioseph was in prison but the Lord was with him Paul had not the tentation removed but he had strength given him to bear it 3. If God do suffer the wicked to take away their temporal life yet he gives them eternal life for it change we say is no robbery but this change is a great advantage so that sometimes the Lord removes the Crosse sometimes he mitigates it but he alwayes works patience in the hearts of his people and gives a happy issue and event if not by life yet by death which is best of all Philip. 1.23 neither can any Tyrants take away their lives from them till they have run their race and finisht the work which God hath given them to do Luke 13.32 Iohn 17.4 5. David was oft pursued by Saul yet dieth not till he served Gods will in his generation Acts 13.36 Peter died not till he was ripe for Martyrdome 2 Pet. 1.14 Paul escapes abundance of dangers both by Sea and Land till his time was come that he was beheaded at Rome by Nero. 2 Tim. 4.6 Queen Elizabeth was cursed by many Popes yet she out-lived nine or ten of them and when she had finisht her course she died in her bed in Peace God hath numbred our dayes which we cannot passe nor our enemies abridge us of Iob 7.3 our times are in Gods hands and not in the hands of our enemies Psal. 31.15 Quest. But why doth not the Lord deliver his people out of trouble Answ. 'T is not either because he cannot or will not but for good Ends. 1. To draw out the Graces of Gods people that their Faith Love Patience and Constancy may be made more perspicuous to the world we had never heard of the Chastity of Ioseph the Patience of Iob the Zeale
consider that these persecutions and trials come not upon us by chance or fortune or according to the pleasure of men or devils but by Gods Decree and fore-appointment and special providence There is no evil in this kinde but it comes from God Amos 3.6 Deuteronomy 32.39 2 Samuel 16.10 11. Psalm 39.9 Iob 1.21 Isay 45.7 Hosea 6.1 I create evil not the evil of sinne but the evil of punishment which to our apprehension and feeling is evil Sin is simply per se evil but these sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in our apprehension onely whatever the Instruments of our troubles are yet God is the Orderer and disposer of them Iosephs Brethren sell him into Egypt I but God disposed it unto good Gen. 50.20 the Assyrian is but Gods rod which can do nothing without the hand that moves it Isay 10.5 they have onely a dispensative power from God As our Saviour told Pilate so we may say to all the wicked they have no power to take a hair from our heads unlesse it be given them from above Iohn 19. Herod Iudas Pilate and the Iewes and the Devil had all ends of their own in persecuting Christ yet did they nothing but what God had fore-ordained and decreed should be done Acts 4.28 God hath fore-ordained the Beginning End Quantity and Quality of our Sufferings Romans 8.18 1 Thessalonians 3.3 God deals with us as a father doth with his children turning all to their good Romans 8.28 There is nothing will still the Soul like this viz. that 't is the Lord who in wisedom and love is pleased thus to try us we shall never be dumb and silent till we see 't is the Lord that doth it 2. We must not onely beare these Trials Patiently so as a Heathen may doe but Ioyfully When we suffer for Righteousnesse sake we must be exceeding glad and even leap for joy Luke 6.22 23. Though the flesh repine yet God would have us to mount it Joy all Joy when we fall not into one or two but into Varietie of Tentations viz. banishment imprisonment losse of goods Friends c. Iam. 1.2 We must glory in Tribulation Romans 5.3 Rejoyce even to Gloriation The Apostles went from the Council rejoycing that they were counted worthy of that Honour to be dishonoured for Christ Acts 5.41 45. Paul oft glories that he was a prisoner for Christ and that he bare in his body the mark of the Lord Jesus Galathians 6.17 He had been whipt and stoned and stocked and he carried the marks of these as so many badges of honour Yea he chose rather to glory in tribulation and sufferings then in his Revelations and raptures into the third Heavens 2 Corinthians 11.23.24 30. His Glorying was in the Crosse of Christ Colossians 1.24 2 Corinthians 7.4 Ephesians 3.13 Philippians 2.17 Iohn did not boast that he was an Evangelist or of his Revelations but that he was a brother in Tribulation Revelations 1.9 'T is said of the Primitive Christians that they rejoyced in loosing their goods for Christ Hebrewes 10.34 and the Thessalonians received the word in much affliction and joy 1 Thessalonian 1.6 and Paul exceedingly desired to be made conformable to Christ even in his sufferings Philippians 3.10 Ignatius cryed Let sire crosse breaking of my bones come quartering of my members crushing my body and all the torments that Man and Devil can invent so I may but enjoy my Lord Jesus Christ. When the Emperour threatned Saint Basil with death He boldly answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O that I might die for the Truth When Eudoxa the Empresse threatned Chrysostom He sent her word that he had learned to fear nothing but sinne A noble spirit knows not what discouragement means but like the valiant horse he breaks through dangers Iob 3.22 23. He triumphs in the midst of Trials and in an holy securitie he laughs at troubles Iob 5.22 Psalm 46. Romans 8.37 38. They onely are the Men that in a Spirituall sense doe tread on the Lion the Aspe and Adder Psalm 91.13 The water in Wether-glasses riseth highest when the Wether is foulest So Gods People when at worst then are they best when they have nothing in the creature they have most of God Habakkuk 3.17 18. Sense can say if we want Figges yet we have Wine to cheer us and if the Vine should fail yet the Olive may help for a time or if these should fail yet we have Corn in our Fields to support us or if a Famine should come yet if the Pastures abound with Flockes that will be some help or if the Flocks abroad should fail yet the Herds of the stall at home may support us Thus far Sense may goe But when all these fail and no outward comfort can be seen yet then can a Beleever rejoyce in his God This is the Happynesse of Gods People let things goe how they will or can yet he either doth or may comfort himselfe in his God When nothing but darkenesse is upon the Creature then Habbakuk hath an Yet and David a But wherewith to comfort and encourage themselves 1 Samuel 30.6 It may shame us who are cast downe by every light Affliction when we consider Davids condition at that time he comes to Ziglag which was given him for a Refuge He findeth the Citty burnt the Inhabitants taken Captive and amongst the rest his Wives and his Souldiers which should have ayded him they speake of stoning him yet in the midst of all these difficulties David corroborates himself in the Lord his God We use to rejoyce in gifts especially if one should give us a whole kingdom but 't is a greater Honour to be a Martyr for Christ then to be a Monarh of the world Heb. 11.26 'T is a great priviledge and a high Prerogative to suffer for the Gospel 't is no common gift but 't is a gift of free-grace and speciall love All the elect are called to be believers but not to be publick sufferers Suffering for the Gospel is in some respect a priviledge above believing the Gospel Phil. 1.29 such are the house and habitation of Gods Spirit there he rests and desires to dwell 1 Pet. 4.14 the Spirit of God will bring them to glory or the glorious Spirit of God will dwell in them in a glorious manner aud fill them full of Joy and Peace in believing This made the Saints so forward in the Primitive times to suffer for Christ that the bloudy Emperours were fain to make Decrees to hinder their Martyrdome I have read of a woman that in the time of Valens the Emperour ran with her haire loose about her eares and her child in her armes to the place where the Martyrs were slain and being askt whither she ran she answered Crownes are given to day and I will be partakers with them Thus in the reign of Charles the ninth when the Duke of Subaudia misused aud persecuted the men of the Valleyes burnt
conviction 'T is infinite patience that the earth doth not open her mouth and swallow them up alive and if the rocks rent the fonndations of the earth were moved and the Sun hid its self when Christ was crucified and blasphemed by many that knew him not Oh how doth the whole Creation groan under the burden of such as crucify the Lord afresh and wittingly and maliciously put him to an open shame 4. It doth exceedingly debase a man and makes him viler then the vilest creature that we tread under our feet for they in their kind praise God and shew forth the Wisdome Power and Goodnesse of their Creator But the Blasphemer dishonours him in all his Attributes 5. 'T is a most unprofitable sin other sins have some seeming pleasure and profit to allure but what pleasure or profit can it be to rage against the Just and Great God 6. Such are guilty of a most pestilent scandal they grieve the godly harden the wicked offend the weak who are quickly turned out of the way and become an ill example to their children who like soft wax are ready to be framed to any thing like Spunges which suck up any water that comes near them Now Woe unto them by whom Scandalls especially Blasphemous Scandalls come Matth. 18.6 7. 7. 'T is a sin which makes men most like to the damned in Hell As the Saints in Heaven being filled with joy shall Vocally sing the Praises of their Redeemer so the damned in hell being filled with the wrath of God shall Vocally blaspheme him Hell is full of blasphemy 'T is the very work of the damned to lye under the intolerable wrath of God continually blaspheming him He that accustomes himself to such language here let him take heed that he be not put for ever to sing it there and if the wicked that in this world do but taste of the cup of Gods wrath yet blaspheme him for their torments Revel 16.9 how will they be filled with blasphemies when they shall be filled with the wrath of God for ever Lastly as 't is the greatest sin so it makes men obnoxious to the saddest judgements of God and severest punishments of the Magistrate when a man shall directly and purposely speak reproachfully of God denying him in his Attributes or attributing that to him which is inconsistent with his Nature this is called direct and immediate blasphemy and if it be acted not out of Infirmity of nature the person not being distempered with sicknesse melancholy or madnesse but out of Malice Deliberation and Obstinacy then the party is to dye without mercy Lev. 24.13 14 15 16. this was no judicial Law peculiar only to the Jews but it being of the Law of Nature is an Universall Law for all Nations He who ever he be that shall directly and obstinately blaspheme the Name of the Lord shall surely dye Hence wicked Iesabel that she might stone Naboth to death proclaimes him a blasphemer 1 Kings 21.11.14 this stoning endured till Christs time as appears by their stoning of Steven Acts 7. now if every direct and obstinate blasphemers should be stoned to death in England what showres of stones would there be in all parts of the Land and if Nebuchadnezzar a Heathen by the Light of Nature could make a Decree That who ever blasphemed the God of Heaven or spake any thing amisse concerning him should be cut in pieces and his house be made a Dung-hill Dan. 3 29. how much more ought Christian Magistrates to make severe Lawes for the punishing of such high offenders lest as their light and charge is greater so they suffer double punishment We see how carefull Magistrates are to punish Thieves and Murderers of men and shall Spirituall Theeves who rob God of his Honour deny his Being and since they cannot kill him yet will smite him with their Tongue be suffered to go unpunished We see how tender great men are of their own Names Honours Priviledges and Lives if any oppose them he must dye for it and shall he that abuseth and blasphemeth the King of Kings not dye the death Surely as this is the greatest sin so it should be punisht with some eminent and remarkable punishment This Hellish sin defiles the land and cannot bâ— purged away but by the death of the Blasphemers Impunity breeds Blasphemy and all manner of sin Eccles. 8.11 Paul must excommunicate such 1 Tim. 1.1.20 and the Magistrate must cut them off Levit. 24.6.16 Dan. 3.29 and when men cannot or will not punish them God takes the sword into his own hand He cut off blasphemous Sennacherâ—b with one hundred fourscore and and five thousand men 2 Kings 19.35 Blasphemous Arrius voyded his bowells and so died The Syrians blaspheming the God of Israel and calling him the God of the Mountains and not of the vallies many thousands of them fell by the sword 1 Kings 20.29 30. and if the Lord be thus terrible in the Camp of the Assyrians for blasphemy where will blasphemous Christians appear who sin against greater Light and greater Love Caution Yet every unadvised speech or act against God doth not presently denominate a man a Blasphemer There be may blasphemy in what is spoken and yet the person speaking not to be a blasphemer Iob and Ieremy spake many things unadvisedly when under a tentation yet blasphemed not Blasphemy properly taken is ever joyned with an intent to cast reproach upon God As every one is not a lyar that telleth what is not true but he that telleth an untruth knowing it to be an untruth with an intent to deceive and wrong others so he that thinks or speaks a thing unbecoming God with an intent to reproach or slander God and his wayes This is Blasphemy directly against God 6. Disobedient to Parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parentibus non obedientes Next unto God our Parents are to be loved and obeyed he that dares blaspheme the one will never fear to abuse the other he that dares revile his Heavenly Father will not stick to rebell against an earthly one Hence Haters of God and disobedient to Parents are yoakt together in the same Predicament Rom. 1.30 This is a branch of pride 't is that which makes men so refractory and rebellious that no perswasions of their superiours can work upon them nor any intreaties winne them to obedience The words are indefinite and equivalent to an Universall In the last dayes men shall be disobedient to Parents in the Plurall number viz. To Parents Naturall Politicall Spirituall Domesticall 1. In the last dayes men shall be disobedient to their naturall Parents of both sexes Father and Mother Thefe especially are here implyed in the word Parents though I shall not exclude the latter since the Character in its fullest Latitude suits so fully with our times 1. Was there ever more contempt of Naturall Parents is not the complaint generall that the youth of our age is
a fool in Israel 2 Sam. 13.12 13 4. It destroyes the body It consumes the radicall moysture and so shortens the life It impaires the strength Prov. 31.3 and wastes the flesh Prov. 5.11 and makes men lyable to the sword of the Magistrate who ought to punish adulterers with death Levit. 20.10 Gen. 38.24 Deut. 22.22 yea the Pharises though they dispenc't with other sins yet judged Adulterers worthy of death Iohn 8.5 The Anabaptists alledge this Text for liberty of conscience and to destroy the coercive power of the Magistrate I shall therefore take a little paines to vindicate it 1. Our Saviour doth not plead for the woman in favour of adultery for he condemnes even adulterous aspects Matth. 5.28 and chargeth her to go and sin no more in this or any other kind viz. willingly and deliberately 2. Our Saviour doth not say absolutely that the sin deserved not condemnation or no man ought to punish it but he only tells her Neither do I condemne thee q. d. Though the sin deserve punishment yet that is the Magistrates duty I have no commission to take his sword into my hand The end of my comming into the world is not to destroy but to save not to punish as a Magistrate but to forgive not to take away Temporall life but to purchase eternall 3. The Pharises came to ensnare Christ but he snares them q. d. The fact is evident but who are ye that demand Justice against her Look into the book of your consciences O ye Hypocrites and see if you be not guilty of the like crime your selves 4. Christ teacheth us to be compassionate to poor penitent sinners who are confounded with shame and cannot speak a word in their own defence We should send such away with some comfort and godly admonition as Christ did this woman The Magistrate is to do his duty and pro re nata as occasion requires to cut off the workers of iniquity This kept Geneva so pure even their sharp punishing of Adulterers 5. It destroyes the soule it besots a man it robs him of his Gifts yea of his heart Hos. 4.11 It blinds the judgement drawes away the will from goodnesse and makes the Affections so bruitish that they mind nothing and delight in nothing but beastly sensuality Hence such impure persons are compared to unclean dogges Deut. 23.18 2 Sam. 3.8 and to unruly Stallions Ier. 5.8 How sottish did this sin make wise Solomon and those great Philosophers Rom. 1.21.26 It hardens the heart so that such seldom Repent Hence the guests of the Harlot are said to be in the depth of hell Prov. 9. ult and 7.26 27. The Whore is a pit that he which falls into hardly ever comes out again Prov. 2.18 19. her house inclines to death and her paths unto the dead none that go unto her return again neither take they hold of the paths of life My heart trembles when I read this Text. None return again i. e. none return ordinarily they are very few in comparison of the multitude that are delivered from this pit Prov. 23.27 like a winter Plague some do escape but very few and that hardly 'T is peccatum maximae adherentiae a sin that sticks close to the soules of such as it hath once possest Such must be cast out of Church-communion here the people of God must have no fellowship with such here 2 Cor. 5.9 Ephes. 5.11 and God barres them out of heaven hereafter 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Ephes. 5.5 6. Revel 21.8 and 23.15 Never any gave themselves to such sensuall lusts but they paid full dearly for them their end is bitter as wormwood Prov. 5.4 as such sins are committed with more sensuall delight and wilfulnesse so they bring more guilt and horror with them insomuch as many have despaired under the burden have murdered themselves We should therefore carefully fly these fleshly lusts because they warre against the soule 1 Pet. 2.11 the other lusts warre against us yet none warre against the Peace and purity of the soule like this Let no man then think this sin small as did the Heathen who numbred fornication amongst things indifferent Acts 15.20 when scarce any sin is more expressely forbidden or more severely punisht in the Scripture Exod. 20.14 Deut. 23.17 let no man deceive you with vain words Ephes. 5.5 6. or make you think this a sleight sin but get your judgements rightly informed by the word of God and see how contrary it speaks to the corrupt opinions of the world God calls it a great wickednesse Gen. 39.9 and an heinous crime Iob 37.11 12. and that which hath been the bane of thousands Gen. 34.25 Iudg. 20.35 1 Cor. 20.8.11 it 's called an abomination Ezek. 22.11 and a sin that ought to be severely punisht by the Magistrate Iob 31.11 Numb 25.11 12. and though such sinners may escape the hands of men yet they cannot escape the hands of a just God Heb. 13.4 who will punish his servants who repent for this sin with Temporal Judgements as we see in David and Solomon Prov. 11. ult 1 Cor. 11.32 or if they be impenitent profane violators and contemners of that Order which God hath planted amongst men he 'l punish them eternally Rev. 22.15 Object Sir What shall I do I am the man that have fallen once yea and again into this foul sin my conscience accuseth me and God who is greater then my conscience and knoweth more by me then I do by my self hath seen my beastly abominations in this kind so that I am become a Terror to my self and am even swallowed up with totall desperation c. Answ. Since you have sinned in dayes of so great Light and Love and against such wooings and warnings to the contrary your sin is so much the greater and therefore your sorrow and humiliation for it must be proportionable and this let me tell thee if thou canst unfeignedly humble thy self sincerely confessing and forsaking thy former lewd wayes God hath promised thee mercy Prov. 28.13 There is yet hope in Israel even for this thing There is a fountain not a cistern opened for repentant sinners to wash away their Vncleannesse Zech. 23.1 and that vvhether it hath been acted before Conversion as Rahab was an Harlot before her Conversion Iames 2.25 yet upon her repentance she was saved Heb. 11.31 Poor self-condemned Harlots that have no Apology for themselves yet go to heaven before proud and self-conceited Pharisees Yea though you have been as vile sinners as the Sodomites yet upon unfeigned humiliation God hath promised pardon even to such Isay 1.10 compared with verse 18. God will wash and sanctify such 1 Cor. 6.11 2. If you have fallen after conversion so did David yet upon his Repentance he was pardoned and that God which pardoned such sins as we committed before conversion when we sinned with full consent will much more pardon our sins which with reluctancy and unwillingnesse by the strength
of David the constancy and piety of Daniel nor of the Faith of those Martyrs Heb. 11. if they had not been tryed 2. 'T is but to purge us and try us not to destroy us Isay 27.9 Iames 1.2 3. 1 Pet. 4.12 3. To wean us from the world the Lord layes wormwood upon its breasts Luther for a time found some reluctaucy in him to that Petition Thy Kingdome come but after that God had tossed him up and down with the waves and tempests which he met with from the world Then no Petition was more welcome to him 4. For the fuller discovery of the cruelty and malice of wicked men that all the world may see and say The Lord is righteous in their ruine Vse 1. If God be the help and deliverer of his people then woe to those who hurt them if he be the preserver of men Iob 7.20 then woe to those who are like their father the Devill who is Abaddon and Apollyon the destroyer and devourer of men Revel 9.11 2. Hath God delivered thee kisse not thine own hand do not sacrifice to thine own net but give all the praise to the God of thy salvation Ionah 2.9 say with the Church not unto us c. Psal. 115.1 3. As we must praise him for deliverances past so pray to him for deliverance out of trouble Whither should we go for water but to the Sea or for light but to the Sun or for help but to the God of all help If he but speak the word he can command deliverance for us Psal. 44.4 for 1. He 's an Omnipotent Helper ther 's nothing too high or too hard for him The sons of Zervial may be too strong for us but not for him He beholds all nations as a drop c. Isay 40.15 17. 2. He 's an Omnipresent Help the eyes of his providence run to and fro through the whole earth in defence of his people 3. He 's an Omniscient Help though we know not how to help our selves yet he knowes how to deliver his 2 Pet. 2.9 he knowes the fittest manner time and season for our deliverance when 't will be most for his glory and our good Rules 1. If we expect help and deliverance from God we must be such as Trust in him Psal. 37. ult he 's the Saviour of all men by a common providence but his special providence extends onely to such as believe 1 Tim. 4.10 such need not fear what man can do unto them Isay 12.2 Iehosaphat that trusted in the Lord when a great Army came against him was delivered from them 2. We must be sincere and righteous men Prov. 18.10 2 Pet. 2.9 when a mans heart is upright and his conversation pure God hath a special eye on such 1 Pet. 3.11 12. God will be a terrour to the wicked but a strong Tower to the Righteous Deut. 4.3 4. Zeph. 2.3 3. We must be poor in spirit and sensible of our own wants that we may go out of our selves and rest solely on God He gives power to the faint Isay 40.29 and saves such as have no power Iob 26.2 and when we are children without a father then Christ will be a Father to us Iohn 14.18 he will not leave us Orphans or fatherlesse to such the promise runs Hos. 14.3 Iob 3.15 Zeph. 3.12 4. We must be such as mourn for the sins of the times God marks such in mercy Ezek. 9.4 he hath a Zoar for Lot whose soule was vexed with wicked Sodomites a grave for mourning Iosiah to hide him in from evills to come Iob 14.13 VERSE 12. Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution THe Apostle proceeds ab Hypothesi ad Thesin having mentioned his own persecutions he now comes to application Every man can say in Thesi he must expect persecutions afflictions c. and 't is good for us but when we descend ad Hypothesin from Generalls to particulars and tell men that even they must undergoe persecutions this sounds harsh and is a hard saying The Apostle therefore the better to animate Timothy and all the faithful against persecutions he tells them 't is no new thing but the common lot of all the godly and therefore he speaks emphatically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeterea omnes q. d. 't is not onely my lot to be persecuted but all the Saints that have gone before me yea and all that shall come after me must certainly expect persecution The way to heaven is not strawed with roses and carnal delights but 't is beset with many dangerous tentations and difficulties Matth. 7.14 He that will be Christs must take up his Crosse Christ and the Crosse are inseparable We must have fellowship with him in tribulation if we expect to raign with him in glory Rev. 1.9 I shall explicate the words in the opening of the Doctrine Hence observe All those that shew forth the power of Religion in a holy conversation must certainly look for persecution 1. I say All without exception be they high or low learned or unlearned qui conatur excipere conatur decipere if they walk in the power of Religion must expect persecution Isay a learned holy man and of the blood-royall yet was sawen asunder David a man after Gods own heart a King a man of rare accomplishments a man of men an expert souldier a sweet Musitian an amiable mercifull upright man yet how was he pursued by Saul reviled by Shemei molested by Absolom c. seldome at rest The better the man the sooner persecuted the Devill shoots his arrowes at the whitest marks 'T is the innocent upright man he and his Agents ayme at Psalm 10.8 and 37.14 Revel 7.9.14 innocent Abel is persecuted by wicked Cain 1 Iohn 3.12 Isaack by Ismael Gal 4.29 Paul by Jewes and Gentiles and Christ himself by Scribes and Pharises who sought sometimes to catch him Iohn 7.30.44 and anon to kill him Iohn 5.16.18 and 8.59 Luke 4.29 and 13.31 This is a part of that Crosse which every disciple of Christ must carry Matthew 16.24 1. He must take it up viz. cheerfully God loves a cheerfull sufferer as well as a cheerfull doer It must not be thrown upon us against our wills but it must be willingly taken up 2. His Crosse i. e. that Crosse whatever it be which God hath allotted us it must not be a Cross of our own making but of Gods allotting 3. His Crosse i. e. the greatest trialls he must not onely undergoe lesser trialls for Christ but if he call him to the death of the Crosse which was the most bitter and accursed death he must not refuse it This is that badge and cognizance by which the Church is distinguisht from all other societies Isay 54.11 Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempests God feeds his people with the bread of Teares they are the Saints diet Psal. 80.5 this is that cup which all believers must drink off and that Baptisme
down their houses cut down their Trees took away their cattle and armes c. They fled to the top of a mountain covered with snow with their wives and children yet not one of them no not one of the women once wept or were dismayed but praised God who counted them worthy to suffer for his name and had turned their houses into Ashes to throw in the eyes of Antichrist Object This joy and comfort was peculiar to the Saints of those times but we cannot expect the like Answ. As it was so it is Gods people still find it true when ever they are afflicted from God or for God then they are comforted by God When they are most weak in themselves then are they most strong in God when they are without comfort from the world they are not without comfort from God When the worlds breasts are dryed up then the Heavens and promises breast is full and running over with consolation When they cannot rejoyce in the Crosse yet they can in the benefit of the Crosse. We are glad of a foul day in drought for the benefit it brings to the earth Quest. Whence comes it that the Saints are so full of joy in their sufferings Answ. 1. Negatively it proceeds not from any stupidity or sinfull insensibility of Gods hand in the triall 2. It proceeds not from any naturall or moral courage and stoutnesse of spirit which may make a man to beare some trials with an Heroick mind as some of the Heathens did But Affirmatively a Saints joy proceeds from three things 1. From an enlightened understanding there is first spiritual light in the Head and then spiritual joy in the Heart 1. They know what God is to them 2. They know what the promises are 3. They know the benefit of these tentations and what need they have of them And this is the fouudation of their joy Iames 1.2 3. out of judgement they really account it joy all joy when they fall into variety of tentations Knowing that the triall of faith worketh patience Did men but know what God is and what it is to have a God to live on and a Saviour to trust in and the promises to go to and fill our empty Vessels they would not whine under their sufferings as they do 2. It proceeds from an Active and Vigorous faith Faith is a fruitful and cheerfull Grace therefore it is called the joy of faith Phil. 1.25 because it brings abundance of joy in every condition 1 Pet. 1.8 Faith is the mouth to draw comfort Now the child never drawes the breast so well as when 't is very hungry The fire never burns so hot as in winter and faith is never stronger then in affliction It goes to God and goes to the promises of God and to the providences of God ad draws them all and so fills the soul with comfort 3. This joy proceeds from the wisdom and goodnesse of God who is pleased to give out most of himself when we have least of the creature Iacob when he was going out of his own country was brought to much hardship and had nothing but a heap of stones for his Pillar yet then had he the Visions of God God is pleased to reserve the sweetest manifestations from the bitterest afflictions The fountain runs most sweetly when the Cistern is broken When comforts are most needed they will be most prized The Traveller in Summer when the Sunne shines cast's off his cloak but in winter or when the wind blowes hard he wraps it closer to him So when we bathe our selves in creature comforts we value not the promises of God but when we are stript of all then we look after God When the salt waters are dryed up then there are fresh springs in God Quest. But do all Gods servants attain a like measure of joy under the Crosse Answ. No for 1. Some are dejected and have little comfort without and lesse within The creature is bitter and God is not sweet Many can speak of Gods Supporting presence but not of Gods Ioying presence Now this proceeds either from Gods soveraignty who may do with his own what he pleases to this we must submit or form our non-acting of faith of which we must be ashamed 2. All have not this joy in the same measure some can say I am joyfull but Paul sayes I am exceeding joyfull 2 Cor. 7.4 There is a measure for comfort as well as for Grace 3. Those that have the highest comforts in God yet sometimes under this or that crosse their comforts may faile them as we see in Elijah who fled for fear And David who had sometimes the heart of a Lion yet cryes out in a tentation I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul So he lookt on Absoloms death as a misery and over-mourns for it when 't was a mercy 4. The Saints have usually more comfort in their afflictions for God then in their afflictions from God When a man suffers for God in wayes of well-doing these are for Gods glory and 't is a Christians glory and so brings joy But afflictions from God are a Christians shame they cannot so much joy in them it takes off the comfort when we suffer immediately by Gods hand for sin and so loose our estates friends health c. 'T is my sin that hath brought those crosses and losses on me I abused them and therefore I am deprived of them this damps our joy By this we see that the evill of sin is worse then the evill of suffering for the one is the bane of comfort and the other is the Inlet of comfort There is a great deal of difference between the Poyson of a Toad and the bitternesse of wormwood the one is not pleasant but bitter yet wholesome but Poyson though pleasant is deadly Sin like the Poyson of a Toade is mortall Crosses are but the bitternesse of wormwood though it be bitter in the mouth it is sweet in the belly Therefore fear sin more then suffering 2. See the happinesse of a child of God Take him at worst and he 's better then a wicked man at best The one in prosperity hath no joy the other in adversity is full of joy A wicked man at best is but sad or if he sing 't is like a bird in a Cage he 's the Devills prisoner still if he have not all that he desires all that he hath is nothing Ahab is not well unlesse he have Naboths Vine-yard Haman with all his honour is not pleased if Mordecai bow not the knee to him But a good man if he have nothing yet he hath all because he hath the God of all and in him alone he can be chearfull And if Gods servants have so much sweetnesse in their sufferings oh how sweet will heaven be and what joy in God will the Saints have in glory If their bitter be so sweet what will their sweet be if their night be so light what will their day
they would stirre up the Magistrate since they have more especial influence on him and are more nearly related to him that he may no longer bear the sword in vain but as God hath made him the Drunkards terror the swearers terror and the profane mans terror so he may be the blaspheamers terror and the Quakers terrour making them Quake in a better kind c. That some of these are Witches accumulative compounded seducing blasphemous witches in the highest degree there is none that hath read their books or known their Practices but is or may be fully satisfied That such should be put to death is clear Exod. 22.18 Levit. 24.16 Dan. 3.29 Deut. 13.6 to 10. Some judicial precepts are Iuris communis of common equity such as are agreeable to the instinct and law of nature common to all men and these for substance bind all persons both Jews and Gentiles as being Moral and so agreeing with the Moral Law These judicial precepts which were Iuris particularis of particular equity such as pertained especially to the Jews common-wealth and were sitted for them and their time are now abolished E. g. that a man should marry with none but his own stock That the brother should raise up seed to his Brother and that a Thief should restore four-fold this was peculiar to their Common-wealth and not to ours For 1. They were a wealthy people had abundance and could better bear a losse then we can To steal an Oxe from him that hath a thousand is nothing in comparison of stealing an Oxe from him that hath but two or four 2. Violence is oft added to Theft and the publick peace of the Nation is oft broken thereby Now more regard is to be had of the publick peace then of a private mans life Melius est ut pereat unus quà m unitas The Question then will be whether it be lawfull to put a man to death for Theft Answ. We must distinguish of Theft 1. There is a single simple Theft and this admits of discreet pitty especially when 't is committed by reason of extream poverty and necessity 2. There is compounded Theft when Violence Assaults Frights in the night time especially by breaking of a mans dwelling house whereby the life of him and his are endangered and in such cases where the offence is multiplyed and increased there the Magistrate may increase the punishment and inflict death upon the party as appeares 2 Sam. 12.1 2 3 4 c. Exod. 22.2 Prov. 6.31 So then those judicial and civil Precepts which are agreeable to the Moral Law and do confirm and uphold it they bind for ever E. g. 'T is a judicial Law that adulterers and adulteresses should dye the death now this being agreeable to common equity and to the Law of Nature as appeares Gen. 38.24 where Iudah before this judicial Law was publish by Moses appoints Tamar his daughter-in-Law to be burnt for this sin and Nebuchadnezzar burnt Ahab and Zedekiah for it Ier. 29.21 22 23. So this judicial Law of putting Witches to death by the Magistrate is agreeable to common equity it helps to preserve all the Moral Prceepts which are broken by the Idolatry Murder and Malice of Wiches It preserves the Peace of the land and therefore is perpetual and must be executed in our dayes on such as practice witchcraft be they high or low white or black As witchcraft is the same for substance now as it was in the dayes of Moses viz. a Covenant with the Devil whereby men can do strange things above the Order of Nature so the punishment ought to be the same and Witches should now be more severely punisht because they sin against greater Light and Love against greater means and mercies Yea though they never hurt any person yet if it can be clearly proved that any person hath made a League with the Devil and is in confederacy with him this renouncing the Lord and contracting with his deadly enemy is a High Treason against God and deserves present and certain death It 's dangerous for Magistrates to suffer such to live whom God hath appointed unto death 1 Kings 20.42 True God is very tender of the life of man and therefore the Magistrate must be very cautious and make diligent inquiry to find out this great Mystery he must not judge by bare reports or doubtful signs but he must lay all the Testimonies Signs Circumstances and strong presumptions of witchcraft together and then judge of the Cause What a heap of words the Lord useth by way of Caution before a man be put to death Deut. 13.14 15. if a man were reported to be a seducer of others to Idolatry he must not presently be stoned though he were a son of Belial But they must enquire and make search and aske diligently and behold if it be truth and the thing be certain that such an abomination is wrought then they must surely die Levit. 20. ult this made Iosiah to destroy the witches of his time 2 King 23.14 yea Saul though a wicked man yet put witches to death 2 Sam. 28.3.9 though his heart was not sincere in what he did for he sought to them in his trouble and if the Magistrate will not cut off such yet God will Balaam the sorcerer fell by the sword Iosh. 13.22 Simon Magus fell and perisht miserably Yea Saul lost his life for seeking to such 1 Chron. 10.13 14. and so did Ahaziah 2 Kings 1.2 3 4. Levit. 20.6 2. Idolaters and enticers to Idolatry must die Exod. 22.20 Deut. 13.6.9 But witches are the grossest Idolaters they sacrifice to the Devil they pray to him trust in him and serve him who is Gods profest enemy 2. They entice others to forsake God Witches beget witches they usually seduce wives sons daughters friends c. and therefore they ought to die 3. Those that doe more especially bring Gods plagues on a Land and Nation ought more especially to be punisht But witches and wizards do more especially bring Gods Plagues on a Nation This brought the curse on the Canaanites and drove them out of their Land Deuteronomy 18.12 14 15. This was that crying sin which made the Lord to forsake his people Isay 2.6 Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people because they are South-sayers like the Philistims Manasses witch-craft and wickednesse brought plagues on the Jewes many years after So 2 Kings 17.17 18. I have insisted the more on this sin because witch-craft grows so rife in the Land Had it been practised in the midnight of Popery it had been no wonder to see such works of darkness in dayes of darkness Revelatiâ—ns 18.23 but now in the glorious Sunshine of the Gospel and day of special grace to practice such abominable works of darknesse makes mens sinnes out of measure sinneful We look for Peace but God may say to us as Iehu did to Ioram what hast thou to doe with Peace since the whoredomes of thy Mother Iesabel and
stead of confessing it he useth all means to hide it and so runs himselfe into five sinnes more 1. He useth unlawful means to father it on Vriah 2. He draweth him into that foul sin of Drunkenness 3. After he had made him Drunke he contriveth how to kill him 4. After he was dead he Fathers his death on God 5. He continued a considerable time in this sinne without Repentance All this David did when he changed his condition and came to be a King Hence we read of Davids first wayes which were his best when he was afflicted and low 2 Chronicles 17.3 Solomons great prosperity proved a snare to him 1 Kings 11.3 Ionah sleeps when in the Ship but Prayes in the Sea we have more cause to fear then to desire prosperity When the Moone is in the full it is nearest an Eclipse When Iesurun waxeth fat he kicks at God Deuteronomy 32.13 to 17. When men are fed to the full then they goe by Troups to Harlots Ieremiah 5.7 When once men are become Lords they care not for God Ieremiah 2.31.32 When Hazael is a King he is not the man he was his condition was changed and he changed with it 2 Kings 8.13 Honores mutant Mores How humble was Saul before he was a King and how insolent and cruel after he came to a Crowne Cataline whilest poore had many seeming vertues but when rich he put off all Modesty and Honesty Many like Ionathan march well till they come to this Honey They are good servants but ill Masters Like Ieroboam before he was a King we do not read of his wickednesse but after he makes the golden Calves 1 Kings 12.18 20. Innopem copia fecit Many had ben rich if they had not been rich they had been rich in Grace if they had not been rich in Goods The temptations accompanying prosperity are more dangerous as being most sutable to our corrupt nature and most subtile to deceive Mark 4.19 1. Then we are most prone to Pride Vzziah when strong then his heart is lifted us 2 Chron. 26.16 yea good Hezekiah had a taint of this 2 Chron. 32.25 So hard it is to have Honour without Tumour 2. Then we are most apt to forget God Hos. 13.6 and ready to say with those prosperous wicked men Depart from us Iob 21.13 14. when men have no changes they fear not God Psal. 55.19 but their Table becomes a snare to them Psal. 69.20 and their prosperity their ruine Prov. 1.32 most are like to Aesops Hen the more she was fed the worse she laid Hence the Lord gives so many cautions to his people that they should take heed of forgetting him in their prosperity Deut. 4.1 to 15. and 8.11 3. Then we are apt to trust in the Creature and so expose our selves to knocks and falls Psal. 30.6 7. and 20. 4. Then we are more prone to cruelty Psal. 73.6 7. Babylon that sits at ease like a Queen murders the Saints of God Revel 18.7 5. Then we are most prone to riot and security Luke 12.19 Prov. 30.9 God may speak to men in their prosperity and they will not hear Ier. 22.21 The Sun-shine of prosperity makes men put off all when the storms of adversity make us wrap our garments about us Hannibal and his army became effeminate by the spoyles of Capua which could not be conquered by their distresses in passing over the almost unpassable Alpes Superfluities in the body breed more dangerous diseases then defects A wicked poor man cannot do that mischief that a wicked rich man may Both extreams are very dangerous Hence Agur prayes Give me neither Poverty nor Riches Prov. 30.8 Great Riches are great Temptations as well as extream poverty As to be very rich and very good is rare so to be very poor and very good is rate When the Devill tempted our aSviour his first temptation was but the hungry Temptation Matth. 4. to turn stones into bread But the Devils last temptation was the sorest when he offered him all the Kingdomes of the world to worship him By the Order of the Devils temptations we may see which is the greatest for the Devill keeps his greatest Temptations till the last Fret not then at the prosperity of wicked men they are to be Pitied rather then Envied The sword of Gods wrath hangs over their heads ready every moment to drop upon them Their prosperity is Transient but their sorrows are permanent Fear not their power and pomp for they shall soon come dowm Psal. 37.1 2 c. and 49.16 their joy is but for a moment Iob 20.5 8. and 21.13 like the crackling of Thorns which make a great blaze but are soon extinct Psal. 58.3 4 5 6. Hence their pomp is compared to a Dream which quickly vanisheth Psal. 37.20.35 36. and 73.20 Isay 29.7 8. and 38.13 Like Ionah's gourd they suddenly rise and as suddenly wither Like Counters now they stand for pounds and anon for pence Neither let any man conclude of Gods favour because he enjoyeth temporal blessings and outward prosperity for all these be blessings and such as God hath promised with condition to the obedient Deut. 28. yet they are but blessings of the left hand and the wicked whom God hates oft-times have them in greatest abundance They prosper many times usque ad invidiam Psal. 73. they that do wickedly oft-times are exalted Mal. 3.15 The great Turk that fat Hog and great Dog of the world yet what rich possessions hath he and if the Lord do thus for his Dogs and be so bountiful to such as hate him oh what will he not do for his children who serve and obey him These outward things are oft given in judgement as God gave Israel a King in his wrath and Saul gave Michol to David for a snare so riches oft fit and fat men for the slaughter Those beasts which the Butcher intends to kill he puts them into fat pastures Iob 21.30 Let us then improve our prosperity to Gods praise let our Health Wealth Peace c. improve our Vertues and our Vices let us not fight against God with his own weapons but the more he exalts us the higher let us exalt his Name 'T was Jehosaphats great honour that when he had riches in abundance his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. 2 Chron. 17.6 He was made thereby more zealous and couragious in Gods cause and went forward with an high and Heroick spirit We should serve him with gladness and singleness of heart in the abundance of all things Deut. 28.47 This is the end why the Lord hath made so many promises of Temporall good things even to make us good Deut. 28.1 to 15. Prov. 3.16 17. and 22.4 Isay 1.19 and 30.23 Ier. 32.39 Hos. 2.21 22. The things are good in themselves and enable us to do good to others but 't is our corruption that turns them into poyson by abusing of
salvation this is the condition of the Covenant of Grace without which we have no interest in Christ as is clearly and learnedly proved by a Reverend Divine of ours Oh then make much of this Grace preserve her and she will preserve thee exalt her and she will exalt thee to Honour As David said to Abiather so Faith saith to us abide you with me fear not for he that seeks my life seeks thy life but with me shalt thou be in safety 1 Samuel 22. ult This is the Mother of all our Graces the Fountain from which they flow All Grace is in Faith Originally Radically Fundamentally Virtually 'T is the primum mobile which sets the other wheels agoing 'T is that work of God which contains all other good works in it Iohn 6.28 29 40. All duties all doing and suffering without Faith are displeasing unto God Romans 14. ult we must pray in Faith Iames 1.6 Hear in Faith Heb. 4.2 communicate in Faith by this we feed on Christ and lay hold on him crede manducasti Aug. This makes all we do to prosper 2 Chron. 20.10 'T is a Grace of perpetual use in prosperity and adversity in sickness and health in prosperity it keeps us watchful and humble Iob 3.25 in famine feares wants it keeps us cheerful Heb. 3.17 18. such righteous ones excell their wicked neighbours Prov. 12 26. they are the onely excellent of the earth Psalm 16.3 God accounts them too good to live in such a wicked world Heb. 11.38 This is that golden grace which makes us truly rich a well tried faith is more pretious then gold 1 Pet. 7. Rev. 3.18 This brings plenty and propriety in all All is yours to believers Christ gives his choycest blessings as Justification and Sanctification Peace of Conscience Victory over the world sin and Satan Rom. 3.30 and 5.18 and 9.3 Acts 15.9 and 16.31 Luke 7 50. 1 Cor. 1.3 Gal. 2.16 1 Iohn 5.12 freedom from death Natural in respect of its sting 1 Cor. 15.55 from death spiritual Iohn 5.29 and from death Eternal Iohn 3.16 To a believer Christ is all in all Colos. 3.11 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All comfort and salvation is terminated in him Zach. 9.9 In him doth fulness all fulness dwell Iohn 1.16 Col. 1.19 and 2.3 in Christ is a fulness of wisedom to answer for our folly 1 Cor. 1.30 a fulness of life to deliver all believers from death Iohn 14.6 We are dead till Christ by his Spirit quicken us Ephesians 21. hence he is called a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 a fulness of Liberty to free us from our Spirituall bondage to sin and Satan Iohn 8.36 2 Cor. 3.17 He is that Valiant Ioshua which frees us from the Tyranny of our spiritual enemies going forth conquering and to conquer 1 Cor. 15.37 Rev. 6.2 In Christ is a fulness of Glory a man without Christ is a Tohu Vabohu without form or beauty an Ichabod in whom is no glory like Reuben he can never excell Genesis 49.4 but being clothed with Righteousness we are wholly fair and there is no spot in us Cant. 4.7 Ephes. 5.27 the Church and Spouse of Christ is actually and presently fair 2. She is Universally fair in all parts though considered in her selfe she may erre doctrinaliter in matters of Faith and moraliter in respect of manners yet consider her in Christ whose righteousness is imputed to her for righteousness and so she is wholly fair and albeit the law accuse her of blots and spots yet the Law is answered by the Gospel and the Wife cannot be sued so long as the Husband lives Though in our selves we are black yet in Christ we are comely though poore in our selves yet rich in him though black in the worlds eye and black in her owne eye by reason of sin and misery yet she is fair in Christs eye who is a faithfull friend and soul-solacing Ionathan to comfort his in all their distresses Iohn 15.14 15. A Physitian to heal them of all their maladies Mal. 4.2 a Rock to support them 1 Cor. 10.4 and Mannah to feed them So that now believers with Paul may challenge all their enemies to do their worst Rom. 8.33.34 For the excellency of Faith See D. Reynolds Vanity of the Creature p. 476. Rogers of Dedham of Faith chap. 4. D. Bolton in folio 18. Royalties of Faith on Iohn 3.15 M. Perkins on Heb. 11. Doctor Preston on Faith Doctor Sibbs third Volume on Hebrews 11.13 Dykes Righteous mans Tower p. 32.33 and on Sacrament Chap. 11. Boltons Directions for walking page 52. Barlow on 2 Tim. 1.5 Watsons Charter chapter 20. M. Sam. Ward Sermon 2. p. 43. and 131. Master Ioseph Symonds sight and faith chapter 11. Master Ieremy Burrowes Treatise of Faith Vol. 8. and Saints Treasury page 68. Dan. Dyke on Matthew 4.3 Doctor Holydayes Nature of Faith Smith on the Creed p. 2. and Ambrose his Media page 162. VERSE 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness 17. That the man of God may be pefect throughly furnished unto all good workes THe Apostle the better to incourage Timothy to study the Holy Scriptures goeth on to prove that they are able to make one wise unto salvation and that by an Argument drawn from a full and sufficiâ—nt enumeration of those things which are necessary to salvation Where he commends the Holy Scriptures upon A three-fold account 1. For their Dignitie and Authoritie 2. For their Vtilitie 3. For their Perfection 1. He commends them for their Dignity and Divine Authority as coming more immediately from God Verse 16. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God 2. For their singular Utility which is foure-fold First For Doctrine to teach the Truth Secondly For reproof of Errour and false Doctrine Thirdly For correction of sinne and evill manners Fourthly For Instruction in Righteousnesse and good Workes 3. From their compleat perfection enabling a Minister for his Office verse 17. especially those foure Parts of it before named v. 16. 1. The Apostle commends the Scrpitures in respect of their Divine Authority they have not Angels or men for their Authour the Prophets and Apostles were but the Penmen Secretaries and Instruments of the Holy Ghost to write what he should Dictate to them So the Angels were but Gods Messengers to declare the Law to his people Galathians 3.19 The Scriptures have God himself for their more immediate Authour All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God i. all and every part of Scripture is Divinely inspired or breathed by God both for Matter Order Style and Words Those Holy Men of God did not onely utter their words by the Holy Ghosts immediate Direction but by the same Direction did commit them to Writing that they might be a standing Rule to the Church for ever For the bare memories of men would not have kept them for
or Tittle of Gods word shall perish Mat. 5.18 Hence it 's called a more sure i. e. a most sure word 2 Pet. 1.19 'T is a certain infallible word it hath been often tried yet never failed nor deceived those that trusted in it Psal. 12.6 we love faithfull friends and such as will stick to us in our misery oh then love the faithful and sure word of God which will never leave you nor forsake you but in the very pangs of death will minister strong consolation to you 'T is in the word that we find the everlasting Covenant even the sure mercies of David i. e. of Christ who in respect of the flesh descended from David Isay 55.3 there we find by whom our sins are pardoned our Natures healed our Soules are saved these are called sure mercies 1. In respect of performance they are as sure as if already done 2 Sam. 23.6 2. Sure in respect of continuance they shall never be taken away his mercy endures for ever Once adopted justified fanctisied and for ever so 2 Sam. 7.13 Iohn 13.1 Let us not then sit down content with those low perishing uncertain things but get interest in those sure desireable and soule-satisfying mercies Pray with Saint Auâ—lâ—â— Da mihi nummum nunquam periturum Lord give me those riches which will never perish 4. It maketh the simple wise and that to salvation Many that are sensible of their ignorance and simplicity are discouraged from reading the word when the promise runs to such as being sensible of their own silly bruitish condition and come with humble tractable teachable hearts that they shall be taught wisdom Prov. 1.4 and 19.4 Psal. 119.130 and become wiser then the ancient who by their long experience oft times get much wisdom 2. Wiser then their Teachers who usually excell their Schollers 3. Wiser then their enemies who yet by their continual diving and searching into the wayes of their opposites grow very subtle and cunning Psal. 119.98 99 100. 5. The word of the Lord is right and strait having no crookednesse nor perversenesse in it Wicked men go about and fetch a compasse in wayes of sin but the godly run the way of the plain and out-run them as Ahimaaz did Cushi 2 Sam. 18.23 6. It breeds joy in every soul that orders his life according to it V. 8. the godly find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somewhat of kin to them in the word which makes them delight in it Though the wicked can find no joy there yet an upright-hearted David finds it sweeter then hony and more pretious then gold they are even the joy and rejoycing of their hearts Psalm 119.111 this breeds solid serious substantial spiritual joy in the deepest afflictions and tentation Psal. 119.92 I had perished in my affliction unlesse thy Law had been my delight It was not onely delightfull but even delight in the Abstract yea delights in the Plurall number he found delight upon delight i. e. great and sure delight in Gods word It upholds the heart from sinking under affliction 'T will make a Paul and Silas sing Psalmes in prison when Creature-comforts faile yet faith can feed upon the Promises Habbak 3.17 Hebrews 13.5 The word affords us presidents of greater trialls then ever yet we have undergone and so comforts us in our distresses Do thy children rise against thee so did Davids Do Princes speak against thee and thy famliar friends betray thee so did his Psal. 55. Hast lost all so did Iob. Art cast into some loathsome prison so was Ieremy c. besides the word comforts us by shewing how all things work together for good unto us Rom. 8.28 and that God afflicts us for good ends 7. 'T is pure not onely formaliter in se being free from all the dross and dregs of sin a corruption but effectivè because 't is a special meanes to purify and cleanse us Iohn 17.17 Purity is or at leastwise ought to be the Object of our love God is pure his word is pure his works are pure and therefore do the Saints love them so did David Psalm 119.140 thy word is very pure What followes therefore doth thy servant love it 8. It enlighteneth the eyes V. 8. 't is a light and a lamp to us Psalm 119.105 to have our bodily sight restored is a mercy but to have our dark understandings enlightened to see the deeps of our misery and the riches of Gods mercy this is the mercy of mercies Now the word is the meanes by which the spirit conveighs both sight and light to us by it he calls us out of our dark and doleful condition into marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 The light of the Sun is a pleasant thing but oh how sweet and pleasant is this spiritual light which leads us to eternal happinesse naturally there is a Vaile over all our hearts and therefore before we read we should beseech the Lord to remove the Vaile else we shalll never see the divine and supernatural mysteries of Gods Law Psalm 119.18 9. The fear of the Lord is clean V. 9. The world is called the feare of God effectivè from the effect of it because it both teacheth and worketh in us the true fear of God 'T is clean 1. in se it hath no sin nor approbation of sin in it 2. Quoad nos 't is a meanes to make us clean helping to purge out that froth and filth of sin which makes us loathsome to God and his Saints 10. 'T is eternal and perpetual the Lawes of men are changed and abrogated but the Law of God is like God himself it endures for ever maugre the malice of all opposers The grasse may wither and the flower fade but the word of the Lord abides for ever Psal. 119.89 Isay 40.8 1 Pet. 1.24 25. We use to prize durable things lasting cloaths and long enduring Leases men desire oh set your hearts on Gods word which endures and will make you endure for ever if you obey it 1 Ioh. 2.17 11. 'T is not only true but Truth it self V. 9. Iohn 17.17 the judgements of the Lord are Truth He calls Gods word by the name of judgements either because in it God denounceth judgements against wicked men or else because we must judge of our actions according to this Rule There 's no fraud nor falshood in them therefore they are called by way of Eminency The Scriptures of Truth Dan. 10. ult Colossians 1.1.5 As God is Truth so is his Word He is not like man that he should lye Not a Threatening in the Scripture but shall fall on the wicked and not a blessing promised but shall be fulfilled to the righteous 12. 'T is Righteous altogether as God is just and righteous so is his word Rom. 7.14 the Law is holy just and good three Epithets which can be applied to no Law but Gods only There 's no unrighteousness nor injustice in them Mens Lawes oft times are harsh hard
the Adulter act his lewdness if he thought the jealous husband stood at his back ready to slay him Atheism is the root of all the wickedness amongst us Psal 14.2 50.21 22. 94.5 6 8. Ezek. 9.9 This breeds Hypocrites Iob 13.16 There is a grain at least of Atheism in every sin 4 'T is a Cordial in affliction God is an Omniscient and omnipresent Friend he knows all our losses crosses tentations enemies Rev. 2.2 3 9 13. When the Priest and the Levite pass by us then he comes in to us He was with Ioseph in the prison Ieremy in the dungeon with Israel in Egypt 4. Observat. Christ is the Lord according to his Divine Nature he is Gods Coeternall Coessential Coequal with his Father This Title Lord answereth to the Hebrew word Iehovah which the Septuagint render Lord. In the New Testament this Title is given to Christ about a thousand times He is Lord over our Faith over our Consciences our Lives and Persons The Arrians and Socinians seeing Christs Humiliation and abasement denied his Deity affirming that he was not God Essentially but Nominally Since this Old blasphemous Heresie is revived in our dayes under the Notion of New-Light since it is such an Heresie as overthroweth the very foundation of our Faith the ground of our Worship and salvation by Christ and of all the good wee expect from him I shall therefore give some briefe Arguments against it and so passe on 1. That Christ is very God appeareth by the Titles which are given to him in Scripture 1. He is called Iehovah which is the most Glorious proper and peculiar Name of God Ieremiah 23.6 Malachi 3.1 2. He is stiled Gods equal Zachary 13.7 Philippians 2.6 of the same Essence with the Father he is not Consimilar like the Father but Consubstantial the same with him the one differs from the other Personally but not Essentially 1 Iohn 5.7 these three are One One in Essence one in Propriety one Iehovah Hence God himself calls him God Hebr. 1.8 1 Timothy 4.19 God manifest in the flesh and Immanuel God with us Matthew 1.23 Thomas calleth him My Lord and my God In him dwelleth the fulness of the God-head Colossians 2.6 It is the Fathers Will that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father Iohn 5.23 1 Ioh. 5.20 Grotius the Socinian-Arminian-Papist labors to pervert those texts which hold forth the Deity of Christ as Philippians 2.6.1 1 Timothy 3.16 Hebrewes 1.2 and especially Acts 20.28 Romans 9.5 These two Texts are so clear for the Deity of Christ that the Learned Socinian hath no shift but this that some old Manuscripts which he hath seen read it otherwise But if a thousand Manuscripts should corrupt the Text as Grotius endeavours to maintain an Heresie let them be Anathema 2. It plainly appears that Christ is God by his Attributes 1. He is Eternall Micah 5.2 Proverbs 8.22 Iohn 17.5 Revelations 1.8 2. Immutable Hebrewes 13.8 3. Omniscent Iohn 2.24.25 and 22.17 4. Omnipresent Matthew 28.20 5. Omnipotent the Almighty able to do whatsoever pleaseth him Revelations 1.8 and 11.17 and 19.6 He is the mighty God Isay 6.9 All Power is given to him both in Heaven and in Earth He hath Power to forgive sins which is proper onely unto God Matth. 9.6 He hath Power to Judge to Justifie to Sanctifie condemn and save 3 By his Works if you will not believe him by his Word yet believe him for his Works sake Iohn 14.11 1. The work of Creation shewes plainly his Deity Iohn 1.3 1 Cor. 8.6 Colos. 1.16 Heb. 1.2 3. 2. By the works of Providence by him all things consist and subsist Iohn 5.17 Colos. 1.17 Heb. 1.3 3. By his Miraculous works winds and Seas obey him he cast out Devils and cured all diseases 4. Worship is due onely to God but Christ is worshipped Steven prayes to him We are baptized into his Name We believe in him Kings must serve him Psalm 2. ult and all the Angels worship him Hebrewes 1.6 7. 5. There is an absolute necessity that Christ should be God as well as Man for as an Infinite Justice was offended so an infinite Justice must be satisfied The intollerable weight of Gods wrath the burthen of sin the power of Satan which is to be opposed and the great good which we had lost and must be restored by Christ all conclude Christs Deity Besides he is Judge of all the World which necessarily presupposeth his Deity he must be Omnipotent Omniscient c. who is this Judge If any would see this Controversie more fully cleared he may peruse Perkins CC. l. 2. c. 1. Q. 2. Doctor Owen against Biddle from Chapter 8. to 15. Leighs Body of Divinity l. 2. c. 16. Porters Vindication of 1 Iohn 5.20 Ienkins on Iude 4. p. 162.163 fol. Polyander contra Socin cap. 43. 1. This may discover to us the hainous nature of sin in that nothing could pacifie the wrath of God nor wash out the stain of sin but the blood of God as the Holy Christ stiles it Acts 20.28 Consider but the price that was paid for the least sin it made Christ to groan and sweat non guttas sed grumos clodded blood Luke 22.44 great was the soare that needed such a salve and sad the malady that could be cured by no other medicine In nothing is the horrour of sin seen like as in the Humiliation death and suffering of Christ. This should make us hate sin as the Evil of evils better be in Hell without sin then in Heaven with it Sickness Poverty imprisonment c. These are but outward evils a man may lie under such afflictions and yet be under dear Affections as Iob David Paul It is onely sin that makes us odious to God and therefore sin should be odious to us Psalm 97.10 We should hate it not onely Odio aversationis but also odio inimicitiae Not onely by flying from it but by pnrsuing it with an hatred of enmity Sin fights against the Essence and Being of of God it would kill him and therefore we should kill it See therefore Master Ier. Burroughs Sin the evil of evils Master Robert Bolton Instruction for comfort to afflicted consciences Chapter 4. Page 110. Doctor Samuel Bolton Sermon on 2 Samuel 24.10 folio Dr. Goodwins Aggravation of sin p. 1. c. 2. 'T is matter of singular Consolation Dost thou want wisedom Righteousness Sanctification c. Christ is God therefore infinitely good able to supply all thy wants He 's a rich Magazin in him are Treasures of Wisedom Righteousness c. In him doth fulness all fulness dwell he hath not onely a fulness of sufficiency but a fulness of redundancy an overflowing fulness for me and thee and all believers to the end of the world Iohn 1. 16. Colos. 1.19 and 2.10 2. It may comfort us in respect of the Churches troubles Christ is God and King over his Church though he be a
Saviour what in us lieth to all the world this is to do the work of an Evangelist viz. soundly and sincerely to publish the Gospel True Ministers must preach the Law but then it must be preparatory to the Gospel to convince them of their sin and misery and so fit them for mercy and after their conversion as a Rule for direction c. This work is so that Christ tells us it was the primary end of his coming into the world viz. to preach the glad tidings of the Gospel Isai. 61.2 3. Luke 4.18 'T is true the four Apostles which wrote the Gospel are properly or rather appropriately called Evangelists but in a large sense he 's an Evangelist that teacheth the Gospel Observation 8. Timothy was no Diocesan Bishop He was an Evangelist and so not fixt as Bishops were to any particular Congregation City of Diocess but he was to go up and down pro re natâ as occasion required and to preach the Gospel as other Evangelists did Objection In the Post-script 't is said that Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus Answer These Post-scripts are no part of Canonical Scripture but were added by the Scribes who wrot out the Epistles 2. It contradicts the Text which expresly calls him an Evangelist which was a distinct Officer from a Pastor or Bishop Ephes. 4.11 3. It may help to take up the Cavel of Sectaries who would have us live as Timothy and others did without Tythes or fit Maintenance when the case is not the same For 1. They were not tyed to any particular charge as we are 2. The Magistrate was an Heathen and an Enemy 3. They had all things common and they sold all and brought the money to the Apostles 4. The Apostles had their learning by inspiration and they could work miracles and so could not want maintenance Observation 9. Make full proof of thy Ministry Observe Ministers must fully and faithfully discharge all the duties of their callings They must so behave themselves in their office that they may be charged justly with nothing Thus Barnabas and Saul fulfilled their Ministry Acts 12. ult and 14.26 so did Paul 2 Cor. 4.1 2. Archippus Colos. 4.17 must not do his duty to halves but he must perform it in every respect as it ought to be done and accomplish all the parts of his Ministry strengthning the weak comforting the afflicted raising the lapsed reproving the wicked convincing the erronious and confirming the strong adorning our pure doctrine with a pure conversation This is to fulfil our Ministry Verse 6. OBSERVATIONS 1. When God takes away faithful and laborious Ministers those that survive them must stand up in their stead supply their loss and be so much the more active careful and vigilant in the discharge of their office When Paul dyes then Timothy must double his diligence If Eliah be taken away Elisha must pray for a double portion of his spirit to carry on the work Eleazer succeeds Aaron Haggai and Zachary supply thâ— loss of Daniel and Christ ariseth in Iohn Baptists stead Observation 2. 2. The godly by a spiritual instinct and sagacity foresee their ends so did Iacob Gen. 48.21 and Ioshua 23.14 and Christ Iohn 17.2 and Peter 2.14 They alwayes watch and wait for their Masters coming Their acts diseases and disquietments which they meet withall from the world are as so many petty deaths unto them A man that dwells in an old crazy house where the walls fall down the foundation sinks the pillars bend and the whole building craks concludes such a house cannot long stand As for the wicked they are insensible and secure and though gray hairs which are signes of old age and death approaching be here and there upon them yet they know it not Hos. 7.9 Observation 3. 3. Death is not dreadful to good men The Apostle speaks of it here not by way of Lamentation but of Exultation and in an holy triumph tells us that he had fought a good fight and finisht his course and now the time of his departure was at hand when he should receive a crown of glory Death to him was but a departing from one room to another from a lower room to an higher from earth to Heaven from troubles to rest from mortality to immortality They are long since dead to the world and so can part with it more easily Paul died daily he was sending more and more of his heart out of the world so that by that time he came to dye he was fully weaned from the world and desirous to be gone Phil. 1.23 When Moses had finisht his course God bids him go up and dye that 's all Deut. 32.49 50. Death which to wicked men is the King of terrours and makes them fear and tremble Iob 18.14 That to a good man is the King of comforts and like the Valley of Achor a door of hope In an holy security at death and destruction they can laugh Iob 5.21 22. The wicked look on death as a dreadful dismal thing but Gods people looking on it through the Spectacles of the Gospel sâ—e it to be a conquered enemy having its sting taken out Hos. 13.15 so that what Agag said vainly and vauntingly Christian may speak truly and seriously The bitterness of death is past 1 Sam. 15.32 As Christ said of Lazarus this sickness is not to death but unto life so may we now say this death is not unto death but unto life So that now the Saints can embrace it go forth to meet it and bid it welcome They know 't is but winking and they are presently in Heaven This made the Martyrs go as cheerfully to their Stakes as others do to a Feast or Marriage when Basils enemies threatned to kill him if he would not turn he boldy answered Oh that I might dye for the truth Hilarion chides himself for his backwardness why dost thou fear Oh my Soul to dye thou hast served thy God these seventy years and art thou now afraid to dye Egredere anima egredere Even Seneca makes it the property of a wise man to desire death We must not judge of death or of any other thing as Sin Riches Afflictions c. as the world judgeth of them but as Scripture speaks Now the Spirit of God in Scripture cloaths death with very lovely and pleasing expressions 1. It calls it a going to our Fathers Gen. 15.15 A going to the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. A going to God to Christ and to the blessed Angels Phil. 1.23 2. It is called an Exaltation or lifting up Iohn 3.14 3. A sowing which will rise in glory 1 Cor. 15.43 4. An undressing and uncloathing of our selves a putting off our rags that we may put on immortal Robes 2 Cor. 5.2 2 Peter 1.14 5. A going to sleep when men are wearied with labour they desire their beds The grave is a bed of rest Isay 57.2 Iob 3.13 Dan. 12.2 Rev. 14.13
kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed Their Peace may be interrupted and clouded for a time but it shall never be totally taken away for their seed abideth within them even the spirit of Peace and comfort Though the good mans beginning may be troublesome and sorrowful yet his end is Peace Psal. 37.37 3. This Feast is an excelling Feast all other Feasts compared to this are meere hunger and empty things This excelleth all other Feasts in three particulars especially 1. In respect of the Founders of it viz. the Lord of Heaven and Earth the God of all comfort and consolation He onely that made the conscience can remove the guilt of it and by his Spirit infuse comfort and make peace there Other Feasts have men for their Founders 2. In respect of the nature of it This is a Spiritual Feast full of Spiritual delights and comforts other Feasts are but carnal corporal sensual ones that feed and delight the carcass and outward man onely 3. In respect of Duration 't is not for a day or twelve dayes but for ever 't is a continual Feast 't is a Feast in prosperity and a Feast in adversity a Feast at home and a Feast abroad a Feast in publick and a Feast in private a Feast by day and a Feast by night a Feast in a prison and a Feast in a Pallace this is the happiness of such as get and keep good Consciences they keep holy day every day be it clear or cloudy He enjoyes a perpetual serenity and sitteth at a continual Feast As it is the misery of the wicked that their worm never dies so 't is the happiness of the Saints that their joyes which are begun here shall never end This is the beginning of Heaven here Romans 14.17 't is Heaven upon Earth 't is praeludium caeli a taste of the joyes of Heaven This is the Heaven of Heavens as in ill conscience is the hell of hells without this heaven would not be heaven to us When all other Feasts can yield us to comfort yet this will and that in three times especially 1. In the times of common calamity when sword plague and famine are abroad then shall such be secure and safe Iob 5.19 20. and 22.29 Psalm 91. In troublous times this will be a Noahs Arke to save us from perishing with the world A Zoar to shelter us from wrath to come This will be a Simon that will help us to bear our Crosses when the Spirit of a man is once assured of Gods favour it can cheerfully endure all losses crosses and calamities Proverbs 18.14 His Motto is Miser sit qui miser esse potest Let who will be miserable he cannot 2. At the houre of death when mirth and musick can doe us no good then a good conscience like a faithful Ionathan will speak comfort to us and be a Davids harp to refresh us even in the pangs of death as we see Nehemiah 13.22 Isay 38.3 This inward Peace made the Martyrs goe as cheerfully to their stakes as many do to their weddings 3. At the day of judgement a good conscience will stand us in more steed then all the riches or priviledges of the world such shall then be received with an Euge well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a little I will make thee Ruler over much enter now with thy Lord into that place where he hath his joy and glory Matth. 25.22 4. Observation 4. Every faithful Christian is a spiritual Souldier for Paul speaketh not of himself onely as he was a Minister of Christ but as he was a faithfull Christian he fought the good fight in his general and particular calling he kept under his body and subdued those carnal lusts and affections which warred against the peace of his soul he did not make a flourish like a Fencer which beats the Aire but he fought in earnest and beat the enemies of his salvation 1 Cor. 9.27 28. This he enjoynes Timothy 1 Tim. 6.12 to fight the good fight of Faith and to defend it against all the temptations of the Devil oppositions of the world and lusts of the flesh For this reason he calleth Achippus his fellow-souldier Philemon 2. All the saints in their several generations have been fighters in this spiritual sense for in this war all is spiritual our weapons are spiritual our enemies spiritual our warfare spiritual and our victories Spiritual 2 Cor. 10.3 4. Noah by his righteousness warred and witnessed against the unrighteousness of the old world Lot against the Sodomites Moses against the sinnes of Egypt and Israel Daniel and the three Chaldaean worthies fought against the Idolatry of their times Elijah Isay Ieremy and all the Prophets and Apostles fought this good fight against the sinners of the several Ages which they lived in All these agonies and combates are but the same which the Saints did formerly pass through Philippians 1. ult here the Church is Militant in Heaven she is Triumphant here she is said to be terrible like an Army with banners Canticles 6.4 and to have an Armory whereon there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Cant. 4.4 No man can get one foot of ground against sinne and Satan nor keep it without fighting Let Nehemiah but once begin to build the walls of Ierusalem Tobiah and Samballat with his confederates will presently oppose him Let Zerubbabel begin the worke of Reformation and Mountains of opposition will suddenly arise Zach. 4.7 If Christ set but his face towards Ierusalem and Samaritans will hate him Let Saul become a Paul and what persecutions abide him in every place Acts 21.23 When the woman the Church is in travel of the Man-child of Reformation then expect from the Dragon floods of Persecution Revelations 12. Let a man be once inlightned and converted to the Faith he must presently looke to endure a great fight of afflictions Heb. 10.32 Satan will be wrastling with him and try to give him a fall Hence it is that Iob 7.1 and 14.14 calleth the life of man a warfare Is there not an appointed time to man or as the margin of your Bibles Is there not a warfare because war of all other actions hath its appointed times We are all Way-fairing and war-fairing men our life is nothing else but a continual bickering with a world of tentations corruptions and dangerous assaults We are beset round and therefore we must fight round Especially Gods faithful Ministers who are the Captains and Leaders of the Lords people and are placed in the Front of the battle must expect the most furious assaults The Devil hateth every good man but he makes his fiercest onsets on the Ministers of Christ which makes Christ hold his Stars in his right hand as we are subject to greater opposition so we are under Christs special protection People therefore had need to be much