us to repentance to Dan. 4. 27. break off our sins by repentance that our tranquillity may be lengthned and that there may be a healing of our errors The use we are to make is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 6. Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Let us not pass uncharitable censures upon others as greater sinners for greater sufferings but remember that except we Luke 13. 5. repent we shall likewise perish Seventhly and lastly Let us consider how the Spirit of God 7 The Spirit strives by personal judgements strives by personal Judgements inslicted on our selves There is a Judgement of chastisement and a Judgement of revenge God sends Judgements by way of revenge upon the wicked of the World but by way of chastisement unto his own children When God takes away thy riches and other outward comforts as a childe a wife c. by these the Spirit of God strives with thee and sends thee to God to inquire into the cause and walk more closely and humbly with God and thy duty is to pray to God to teach thee what thou understandest not If God send thee a sore disease a grievous pain suppose the Stone Strangury Collick c. by all these the Spirit strives with thee and reads thee a Lecture of thy Mortality and warneth thee to make a serious and speedy preparation for death Afflictions are sent by God as Scullions to scour away the rust and canker of Gods children They are the Shepheards Dogs to bring home the straying Sheep Luther saith Afflictions teach us to understand Scripture Where God teacheth with the rod there he bestoweth a choice blessing Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law God sends affliction on an errand Go affliction take down such a mans pride goe awaken another from his security Affliction is Gods Ordinance and with the same hand he gives Jesus Christ that he gives correction to his own children Thus the Spirit strives by personal judgements and afflictions The use we must continually make is Heb. 12. 5 6. My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Hence saith the Apoâ—â—le Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience and Jamâ—s 1. 2. My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations The rod hath a voice and we are call'd upon Mich. 6. 9. Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Thus you have heard how Gods Spirit strives by its motions by the Ministery of the Word the checks of Conscience tenders of Mercy exercise of patience and long-suffering inslicting of exemplary and signal Judgements upon others and personal Judgements upon our selves Now the Lord give us his Grace and teach us to make much of and cherish the strivings of his holy Spirit and let us all deprecate the fearful judgement in the Text My spirit shall no longer strive with you Iudgement and Mercy Set forth from Gen. 6. 3. HAving dispatcht those two Particulars according to my Serm. 3. at St. Mary's Oxon Jan. 19. 1651. Three Reasons of the Doctrine Reas 1. From the Text because man is flesh method propounded in the unfolding of this Text In the third place I am to enquire into the Grounds and â—easons for the further confirmation of the Point Amongst many that may be given I shall reduce the Reasons of the Text into three Heads The first shall be drawn from the very reason in the Text for that he also is flesh Man is corrupted by reason of sin Man was created statu integro in integrity and innocency resembling the Image of God in righteousness and holiness but now statu corrupto by reason of Adams prevarication he became depraved in the faculties of his soul and all the members of his body and they are become instruments unto wickedness The Holy Ghost sets forth sinful man in a full Character Psal 14. 1 2 3. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doeth good The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men to see whether there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are become altogether filthy there is none that doth good no not one Suppose we heard the Lord thus expostulating the case Is this man Is this he that I advanced to the highest rank of visible Creatures whom I created after mine own Image whom I endowed with noble faculties an understanding the bright luminary of the soul to know his Maker and a will to obey him Is he now become flesh fleshly in his imagination fleshly minded Doth he walk after the flesh minding the things of the flesh Hath he thus turn'd Apostate rebell'd against his Lord and Maker This charge being all very true wherefore should I have any more to do with him wherefore should my Spirit strive with vile sinful flesh Thus God might plead and in judgement withdraw the strivings of his holy Spirit Betwixt the spirit and the flesh what agreement can there be The Spirit will not thus be unequally yoaked since man is become thus fleshly thus depraved such a degenerate Plant so corrupt its just with Gods spirit to strive no longer with man By flesh in Scripture is comprehended a Mass of corruption Apostoli verba docent haec duo affectuum genera esse opposita Quae ut intelligamus constitutuÌ„ fit affectum carnis nihil aliud esse quam usum virium humanaruâ— semotâ gratiâ Affectus autem spiritus est impulsus divini afflatus usus gratiae Christi Pet. Mart. in Loc. man in his worst estate Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh doe minde the things of the flesh What is predicated of it v. 6 7 8 9. To be carnally minded is death because the carnal minde is enmity against God So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God And what an Antithesis is there between flesh and spirit v. 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The same disproportion there is as between death and life heaven and hell salvation and damnation That God strives with any is a great mercy that the Spirit waits knocking at our doors when as he might knock us down dead O great mercy But when the Spirit strives and flesh resists its motions the Spirit spends his sacred breath wooing us and inviting us to do good unto our own souls and the carnal minde bids defiance unto the Spirit of grace when notwithstanding all the beseechings wooings and sollicitations of the Spirit the flesh rebels carnal
the City of God which St Peter cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5. 4. an immarcessible crowne of glory then thou would'st be transform'd into another manner of man thy tongue will be toucht with a coale from the altar Thy language wouâ—d bewray thee to be a denizon of Canaan thy love joy and hope would be alienated from the world and wholy center upon God who is the love joy and hope of thy soule Were there no future reward of godlinesse the beauty that is in it selfe is more amiable and desiderable then all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them What Cleopatra said Cleopatra to Marcus Antonius It 's not for you to be a fishing for small fish but for townes forts and castles And so for those who have the beames of Gods reconcil'd countenance darted into their soules who have a spirituall acquaintance and a sacred communion with the great â—â— God of Heaven and Earth It 's not for them to be trading for meane things for the trash and pelfe of this miserable world but their spirits must aspire unto great things eternall life v. Fox Martyr de Edvardo primo glory and immortality even the price of the high calling that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It 's story'd of Edward the first that he had a vehement desire to goe to Jerusalem but being prevented by death he gave in charge on his death-bed that his sonne should convey his heart thither and for that purpose he left a great Masse of mony so the Saints though their bodies are not in Heaven yet their hearts are there and their conversation is above though their bodies are here below O that my words might make a firme impression upon your consciences that you would put the highest price upon godlinesse and account it your honour and preferment whilst others labour for corne and oyle and joyne house to house for the perpetuating of their memories let me perswade you to labour for the riches of faith and the riches of Christ that you may be rich in holinesse and may be truly noble by the divine image stamp't upon your soules you that are cald to be Gods Embassadours his mouth to his people how dare ye chuse rather to be schollars to Pythagoras then to Christ by affecting a stupendious silence you that have tooke upon you the charge of soules doe not O doe not maintaine your bravery by the price of blood The time will come when it will be said sheapheard give accompt of the flock committed to thy charge When Andrew shall come in with Achaia by him converted to the saving knowledg of the faith John with Asia Thomas with India Peter with the Jewes and Paul with the Gentiles where then shall the idol shepheard appeare will such an Apology hold I could not brooke the rusticity of the people it would be a crushing of my hopes of preferment if I should spend my spirits upon such illiterate men But how darest thou deny thy breath to those poore soules for whom Christ powred out his pretious blood out of his veines My hearts desire is that all men in place of quality would herein anticipate authority and feed their flocks themselves and labour to approve themselves workemen not to be ashamed not handling the word of God deceitfully Happy were it for us if we could keep a Parliament within our selves and save them a labour by setting upon the worke of reformation every man in his own soule and conscience Hee 's the best Critick who makes a Critica Sacra upon his own heart who labours to understand the Errata of his own life and to wipe them out with the spunge of Godly sorrow Whilst we have an heart and a heart a heart for God and a heart for Mammon whilst worldly pompe and high place come in competition with the glory of God so that we would gladly carry a faire correspondence on both sides if these be our humours we can never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walke with a right foote in the waies of godlinesse When thou flatterest thy heart on this wise O if I shone in an higher sphere if I had such and such a place of dignity I should then labour to bring more glory to God thou colludest with thy conscience and art not acquainted with thy selfe-deceiving-spirit how higher places might cause greater precipices If thou art not qualifi'd for the present condition I feare thou wilt be more unfit to manage another This is an hard lesson which I inculcate what shall the wise man deny his wisdome the honourable man his honours the rich man his riches we say t is a strong stomack that can digest much honey so it 's a strong spirit that is not overcome with the sweetnesse of much prosperity It 's a true signe that the Eunuchs were on Jehues side when they cast down Jezebell who had painted her face in pompe and glory so when the world comes in its harlots dresse and inticeth us to all manner of impurity if we can lend a deafe eare unto its syrenicall inchantments if we can bid defiance unto its bewitching allurements this is an argument that we set our faces towards Heaven that we seek a citty which is above whose maker is the Lord of Hosts In the second place I le adde a few directions how we should Use 2 1. For Direction doe to slacken our pursuit after great things and get our hearts estrang'd from them 1. For direction amongst many I shall only advise you to these foure things 1. Labour for a contented mind 2. Learne to deny your selves 3. Study the vanitie of the creature 4. Be acquainted with the fulnesse that is in Christ 1. You must labour for contentation of spirit It 's a lesson worth Dâ—rect 1. Labour for acontented mind the learning Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in what state soever I am therewith to be content what 's the reason that the ambitious never ceaseth climbing the covetous never ceaseth scraping the Epicure never ceaseth swallowing but because he is not contented with his present condition No life to a contented mind it accounts its poore cottage a kingdome it accounts its gleanings a granary its russet beyond all the rufflings in silk and sattin satis est divitiarum nihil amplius velle So Quintilian This is reckned by Seneca Quintil. Orat. 13. Seneca de vita beatâ Solum certe Beatum Cortina Aglium judicavit qui in angustissmo Arcadiae pauperis soli Dominus nunquam egâ—essus paterni Cespitis Teâ—minos invenitur Jul Sol. Polyhist amongst his beatitudes beatus est praesentibus qualiacunque sunt contentus amicusque rebus suis He indeed is a happy man who is contented with his present condition whatsoever it be Imagine thy present condition to be that which is allotted unto thee by God and that best which he in wisdome sees most convenient for thee this was Agars prayer Prov. 30. 8.
amongst the greatest outward curses which can befall the sons of men Sometimes God takes away a mans tast so that he can rellish no more sweetnesse in these things then in the white of an egge Otherwhile God takes away a mans rest so that he lies all night tossing to and fro and can take no rest his sleep falls from him and his eyelids can take no slumber divitias invenisti requiâ—m perdidisti thou hast got riches and lost thy rest Stobaeus hath a story of one Anacreon who when Polycrates had give â—im five talents he could not sleep two nights together he immediatly restor'd them saying * Reddidit ea inquiens non tanta esse quauta ipsorum nomine curâ laboraret Stob. cap. 39. they were not so much worth as to countervaile that care which was undertooke to keepe them But admit thou art not yet blasted in thy estate though usually the great ones of the world feel this by wofull experience yet there 's a fierce lyon which a long time slept at thy dore which now being awakened flies upon thee this is thy conscience wâ—â—h presents unto thee the history of thy life in all its ugly deformities it paints thee out in thy proper colours and this mappe discovers a mare mortuum a dead sea even a sea of blood destruction and misery thy fatall period Quis tanti emet paenitentiam So Diogenes said concerning Lais the strumpet who then of any understanding would purchase thâ—sâ— worlds goods at so deare a rate to be thus in a restlesse condition never at quiet distracted with thoughts perplexed with cares and wounded in conscience Honour proves a torment To be degraded is the height of infelicity No disgrace parallel to that as to be advanc'd high and immediatly pul'd down in the dust It was Wolseyes complaint Had I been as carefull to serve the God of Heaven as I have been to serve my Lord and master on earth he would never have left me in my gray haires Riches prove the greatest crosse when God blowes upon them To be as Job one while the richest of all the sons of the East and then ere long become a proverb of poverty this is an exceeding misery Pleasures are vexations laughter is madnesse Eccl. 2. 2. Wouldst thou then have that which might quiet thy spirit thou must seeke it else where if thou seek'st it amongst the great things of this world thou seek'st all this while for the living among the dead No earthly thing can quiet the soule There 's much vexation in the greatest things of this world here below and therefore seeke them not But admit they have wearied us in vexatious suites tossing us from court to court and so by many delayes and troubles hath impoverish'd us yet if at the last they afforded any satisfaction this would make amends for all but no earthly thing can satisfie the soule This is my second consideration They bring us into suites 2 Consid Earthly things cannot satisfie the Soule weary us in them and at last cast us The world brings us into a lottery where we come with heads full of hopes but at the last return away with hearts full of blankes the Teraphim is a lye All the creatures may be compar'd to bags full of holes and deceitfull weights The Lord denounceth this as a fearfull judgment thou shalt eat but not be satisfy'd The world is an errand hypocrite like the painted Mich. 6. v. 11. 14. sepulchers gaudy without full of dead mens bones within or like the Egyptian temples where there were a stately Frontispice and a magnificent structure but naught within but an ugly Ape the ridiculous Idol of the people They are emptinesse it selfe and can emptinesse fill the soule The things of this world are wells without water and can these quench our thirst they are broken reeds and can they stay us from falling when you can hoard up grace in your coffers when you can replenish your bags with divine wisdome then and not till then can an immortall soule rest satisfyed in the fruition of the transitory things of this present life As Homer fancyed that the Gods sed upon Nectar and Ambrosia and not Hom. Iliad 1. upon such food as men doe so the soule of man being divinae particulâ—aurae having an heavenly borne beeing cannot be satisfied with any terrene things spirits and bodies heaven and earth admit no correspondence Had'st thou a Monopoly of the choicest delights under the sun these could not satisfy thee because they are but finite and thy desires are infinite and you know between finite and infinite there 's no proportion Solomon tells us Prov. 14. 14. A good man shall be satisfied from himselfe Inward peace and tranquility of conscience affords us true contentment and satisfaction unto the soule The light of Gods reconcil'd countenance reviv'd Davids spirit this was his onely desiderable good Lord list thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and wine encreas'd Psal 4. 6 7. Moses the man of God cries for mercy to satisfy him O satisfy us with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all the daies of our life Psal 90. 14. Only Christ and his comforts can fill up the soule The waters which he gives will never make us thirst againe whereas the well-springs of the world will the more inrage our thirst 3. Great things here below cannot helpe thee in the evill day 3 Consider Earthly things cannot helpe in the evill day An evill day will come a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse and for this day Solomon requires a memento Ecol 11. 8. But if a man live many yeares and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the daies of darknesse for they shall be many When sicknesses and diseases render thy life disconsolate and when death the King of terrours is approaching thy house and ready to lay his mace upon thee to arrest thee to appeare before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth Now can thy riches and friends bribe this serjeant and adde one moment unto thy life Aske thy joviall Comrades and boone Companions whether they can helpe thee the very sight of them brings thy sins to remembrance and makes thee sensible of the very flashings of hell-fier Aske thy bags whether they can helpe thee alas they are full of holes and let out all comfort Aske thy dignities and high places whether they can doe thee any good these all come and give evidence against thee on this manner Thou hast been a corrupt and carelesse Magistrate feare of men hath justled out the feare of God Thou hast bin a lazy and debaucht Minister thou hast sought thine owâ— things and not Christ Thus one day high places and promotions if abus'd will come in and witnesse against thee O how nearly doth this concerne all those whom God
God did beseech 2 Cor. 5. 20. you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God Oâ—r commission may be out of date to morrow Christ now waites till his locks be wet with dew now he calls sinners to repentance He hath sent me on an errand this day to invite thirsty soules to come unto him and he will give them drink to invite those that are heavy laden and he will give them rest It 's my businesse this day to tender Jesus Christ the Fountain opened to presse home the Exhortation of the Holy Ghost Let the wicked forsake his way and Isa 55. 7. the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Now what answer shall I return unto him that sent me Suffer I beseech you Fathers and Brethren the word of exhortation not to suffer the holy Spirit to spend his sacred breath in vain You have many prizes put into your hands improve them in your several capacities to the glory of God and mutual edification one of another Let Rulers rule with diligence let Governours Tutours Masters of Families all unite their endeavours to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ and put Joshua's resolution into practise but as for me I and my house we will serve the Lord. O that Josh 24. 15. we could be spirituall Fathers to those that are committed to our charge Governours and Tutours should look upon themselves as Pro-parents and upon the Scholars under them as children and therefore ought to have special care over them and principally to enquire how it fares with their soules what knowledge they have of Jesus Christ What a comfort will it be another day when we can say Behold Lord here we are and the children which thou hast given us Thou â—ord hast made us spiritual Fathers unto these young Pupiss Now whilst the Spirit stayes waiting upon us whilst we have time talents and opportunities vouchsafed unto us whilest we live under the sound of the Gospel and hear admonitions reproofs and many Exhortations to repentance let us not put off the Spirit with any more delatory answers but resolve with the full purpose of our hearts to cleave unto the Lord. I have two or three plain moving considerations to adde for the better setting home of my Exhortation Consider the brevity of our lives What 's our life but a bubble Consid 1. The brevity of our lives John 4. a flower a vapor a shadow By these resemblances the Holy Ghost sets forth the shortness of our lives We had need be a working while day lasteth I must work the works of him that sent me while day lasteth the night cometh when no man can work A night of death is coming wherein no man can work and we must always remember that the Spirit strives not always not during the whole course of our lives It moves when it pleaseth and on a suddain ceaseth yet at the most it moveth no longer nor striveth no longer but this little moment of time whilst we are on this side the grave After death there will be no more warnings no more admonitions no place left for repentance no Purgatory that 's a Popish dream He that dieth filthy will so remain unto all Eternity Now then my Brethren considering you have but a little time and upon this moment depends Eternity and after death there will be no further tenders of Grace and Mercy let us husband this time to the best advantage Let us prize Sermons Sabbaths and all those Evangelical Dispensations vouchsafed to us more then ever we did Let us redeem the time as we are exhorted Eph. 5. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5. 16. buying out or making a good market of the season Every thing is beautiful in its season there 's a season acceptable and there 's a season perilous Let 's come when God calls that 's the accepted time let 's not prescribe a time of our own that 's the perillous season let 's not account time a slight matter for each minute ought to be valued A second consideration shal be drawn from the uncertainty of the Consid 2. The uncertainty of the spirits striving Nil pretiosius tempore heu nil hodie vilius invenitur Bern. Veniet tempus quo vel unam horam ad resiâ—iscendum redimere mirum quantum optabimus Otho Casmannus spirits strivings If the holy Spirit be rejected its uncertain whether ever he will come again The Spirit will not always bear reproaches indignities If we refuse to give God the glory of his mercy he will shew upon us the glory of his Justice and Power If we will not open when God knocks at our doors he will not open when we knock at his door Unkindness will drive away a friend from our houses When the Spirit invites himself unto us if we will open he will come and dine and sup with us if we refuse this Heavenly guest how shall we escape our destruction will be inevitable This Spirit is often compared to fire nothing more comforting nothing more consuming than fire If thou wilt not suffer the Spirit to purge and refine thee it will consume thee Nothing more comfortable then light warmth and witness of the Spirit Nothing more terrible then the bondage conviction and condemnation of the Spirit Therefore beware of resisting any good motions that the Spirit of God puts into thy heart this day lest if the spirit have a repulse he may go away and never return any more 3. Thirdly Consider the certainty of the day of Judgement 2 Cor. 5. 10. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Consid 3. The day of Iudgement Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Then there will be an account to be given for all the Sermons which we have heard for all the Sabbaths we have enjoyed for all the motions of the Spirit for all the admonitions reproofs Gospel opportunities and advantages that we have received we should therefore hear a Sermon now as for ought we know we may be presently summon'd by death to appear before the Judgement-seat of Jesus Christ Let us imagine that now we hear this day as if it might be our last day We hear for Eternity Preachers and Hearers shall be called to an account at the great Assise The Lord grant that we may all give up our accounts with joy The third Use shall be for reprehension of those who resist or Use 3. For reprehension stifle the strivings and the sweet motions of the holy Spirit To come to particulars 1. How sad is their condition who are contemners of the sweet motions of Gods Spirit Let them read Rom. 8. 9. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Such
to a second Use which is for abundant Caution Vse 2. For Caution Beware of men saith the Apostle Beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees saith Christ Beware of the leaven of Popish Doctrines I will not now make a Catalogue of the Murthers Adulteries Soâ—omies Witchâ—rafts of Hildebrand Boniface Silvester and other Popes neither wil I at the present rake into the Dunghil of the lewd abhominâ—ble lives of many â—riests and Jesuits c. To â—â—nsack this â—age of unclean birds this den of Theeves to rake into this Augaeum stabulum being so filthy and loathsome as it is will require a large volume I referre you to what 's recorded in the Acts and Monuments there you will find their Murtheâ—s Treasons Persecutions Bonner Gardiner Story and other Popish blood-â—ounds are recorded in that Marian Quinqâ—unrium who hungred after the v. â—ox Act. Monum Maryes reign flesh and thirsted after the blood of Protestants and persecuted them with fire and faggot I referre you likewise to Platina who writes of the lives of the Popes like wise you may see more of the Papists Lives and Tenets in the Romish Bee-hive and in a Book called the Genealogie of Monks and Friers there are many more that Lewis Owen might be named but I forbear quotations of other Authors besides those I have by me have had occasion more or lesse to peruse What shall I say further beware of Popery beware of Idolatry save your selves from this wicked Generation Enter not into the way of these wicked men avoyd them passe not by them turn from them and passe away But it will be said There is no fear of Papists now adaies I would there were not For hee 's a meere stranger in Israel that knows not what broyls disorders Jesuites have made and are still a somenting in this Nation Sir Edward Coke that learned Lawyer profest in his Speech at the Araignment of the Gunpowder Traytors That there was never any Treason committed See Sir Edw. Cokes speech in England but a Popish Priest had a hand therein Do not Jesuites set people together by the ears Doe not the Heresies and damnable opinions of these licentious times gratifie the Jesuites These are meat and drink to them Doe not they love to fish in troubled waters hoping to catch a prize for the Popes coffers Do not Jesuites go up and down like the Devil encompassing the earth acting in Courts Cities Countries Universities Will they not become Church-members as one Ramsey was lately detected at Newcastle that so they might promote the Catholike cause I will repeat to you the words of a dying man upon the Scaffold not an hour before he was to give up his account to God his words are these The Pope saith he had never such an harvest in England since the Reformation W Lawd A. B. of Cant. as â—ow for by reason of the errors and opinions of the times the Kingdome is like an Oak cleft in pieces with wedges made of its own body But of the increase of Papists Ile give you a late and questionlesse a true information in a Speech spoken by a great Personage these are the words even totidâ—m verba We know very well that Emissaries of the Jesuits never came in those swarms as they L Prot. speech Sept. 4. 1654. have done since these things were set on foot and I tell you that divers Gentlemen here can bear witnesse with me how that they have had a Consistory abroad that rules all the affairs of things in England from an Arch-bishop with other dependants upon him and they had in England of which wee are able to produce the particular instruménts in most of the limits of the Cathedrals an Episcopal power with Archdeacons c. and had persons authorized to exercise and distribute those things which pervert and deceive the people These things being so attested wee had need look about us we had need be circumspect and not associate our selves with Papists we had need take heed lest we bite at the devils bait le ts not be so Fool-hardy as to venture into their companies lest as Peter ventured into Caiaphas his hall we return with a wound upon our consciences That you may detest Popery have but a little patience and I will tell you the opinions of some of their Champions One is that the Pope is Christs vicar head of the Church not only in spiritualls but sometimes in temporall things one of the Popes threw his keyes into Tybur and took his sword and said If Peters keyes would not keep him Peters sword should Another opinion is that the Pope hath power of binding and loosing of forgiveing of sinnes 3ly That the â—ope may depose Princes at his pleasure for Heresie and Protestantisme is Heresie in the Popes accompt 4ly That Hereticall Princes and so are Protestants in his accompt may be excommunicated 5ly That Princes that are Protestants excommunicated by the Bellarm. c. 5 Officio Principis Pope may be murther'd by their subjects Simanca Creswell and Mariana hold this opinion And Bellarmine tells us Princeps subditus esse debet suo Episcopâ— non Episcopus Principi 6ly That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks John Husse that holy Martyr by experience found this to be their doctrine for he notwithstanding a safe conduct promised at Constance was burnt to death 7ly That Equivocation is lawfull and indeed Equivocation is one great pillar to support Poâ—ery their principle is Jura perjura secretum prodere noli If you ask a Jesuite is such a one at his house Though he knowes him to be there he 'll say no and keep a mentall reservation no that is not that he meanes to tell you of Arrius Diaboli Primogenâ—tus who was ancienter then the Jesuites taught v Mason of Equivocation them this art of Equivocation And we may say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he profest that he acknowledged the Orthodox faith and laid his hand upon his bosome and there were written papers hid containing his Arrian Heresies which he accounted for the Orthodox faith I heâ—rily wish that there were not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the spirits of Jesuties into many of these times who account themselves Protestants and yet are Interpendent hanging between Ignatius Loyala and Machiavell their words are so amphibologicall such Legerdemain is in their actions as a man knowes not where to have them nor what to make of them whether they be for you or against you you know whence that Oracle came Ibis redibis nunquam per bella peribis And what was the event of that Amphiboly without a comma but to put a period to King Edward his life Edvardum occidere nolite timere bonum est Let all vizards be plukt off let men appear in their colours le ts not come too near the Camp of our adversaries let 's not act the Jesuites part nor plâ—y their game for them What
It 's Arg. 5. Dâ—awn from the generall Resurrection of the Saints derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caput 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videri it signifieth the looking for something with the lifting up of the head or strerching out of the neck with earnest intention and observation Thus doe the Saints long for the appearance of Christ Heb 9. 28. it 's not an ordinary looking for it 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Saints cry Rev. 22. 20. Come Lord Jesus The Saints looke for a better life 2 Cor. 15. 10. a howse not made with hands Their desire is to be dissolved and to be with Christ and when their bodies are in the grave their souls are in heaven They wait for a glorious resurrection and at the day of judgement it will be known who are Saints who are not Many that the world accounts hypocrites will prove reall Saints then Many that the world accounâ—eâ—h Saints will then appear to be painted hypocrites Those whom the world hath falsly condemned shal then be acquitted and those whom the world hath unjustly acquitted shal then be condemned That Tribunal is impartial and just no false judgement can be given there no unjust sentence no wrong Verdict shall be given by that Judge wherefore the Saints long for that day they earnestly desire the appearance of Jesus Christ And these breathings and longings are not invain for the elects sake Christ hath promised to shorten these dayes of sin and misery The 6 and last argument shall be drawn from Gods glory To Arg. 6. Drawn from Gods glory this purpose was man created to glorify his maker unto all eternity Now God will be glorified either in our salvation or damnation God hath ordained mankind to an eternal condition either of happyness or misery Now God will glorify himself in the fight of men and Angels in an eminent manner at the day of judgement when Christ shall passe a sentence of eternal absolution and say Come ye blessed of my Father c. Then will be glorified the mercy of God when he shall say go yee cursed then will be glorified Gods justice Thus you have heard the Doctrinal part of the Text proved by Scripture and reason It now remains that I should improve all unto our consciences by some useful Application A 3 fold Use I shall now make of this Doctrine for reproof Instruction and consolation 1 Use For Reproof 1. For Reproof This brings heavy tidings to all ungodly persons who live as if there were neither death nor judgement heaven nor hell Because this great day is not yet come they put it far from them How soon a particular judgement may befal them as it did Korah Dathan and Abiram Sennacherib Herod and others none can tell And how soon the general judgement may come is a secret locked up in Gods Cabinet As for Prognosticators and Wizards who determine the time when we are not to put the least confidence in such presumptuous persons who are no better then the Devils Chaplains But here 's the great wickedness that people consider not how soon they may be surprized They have not this day in their thoughts drunkards swearers adulterers oppressours voluptuous persons they run on in their mad careere and think not of this day Flagitious profligate sinners adde iniquity unto iniquity and treasure unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the righteous judgement of God against them What shall we say of hereticks and blasphemers who like that horne which was Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 8. 12. which cast the truth to the ground Desperate hereticks are broke loose Socinians Familists Enthusiasts swarm like those flyes of Egypt and make the whole land to stinke But there will be a day of visitation a day of recompence all their varnishes pretexts and dissimulations willâ—ly open to the sight of men and Angels Manes Arrius and others met with dreadful particular judgements in this life However at the general judgement Macedonians that deny the Diviny of the Holy Ghost Arrians that deny the Divinity of Christ Circumcellians whose apes the Quakers are now adays and tread their steps all these shall appear before that judgement seat which they now dread not that God whom they now vilify shall judge them What shall we say of loose Libertines Jovialists Epicures dissolute livers who are mighty to powre in strong drink game and carouse away many pretious hours what shall we say of hypocrites who dawb juggle dissemble whose words are smoother then butter but within are sharp swords What shall we say of Apostates that desert their profession and relinquish their Principles and fly from Christs colours and fight under the banners of Arrius Macedonius Donatus or some of the same bran What shall we say of abominable livers Antinomians Athists and who overthrow Laws Rule Government and live as they list who run into all sorts of lasciviousness and follow sin with greediness Let me tell all such that they are already dead dead to God and goodness they are dead in sins and follow Satan their chief commander they dance after his pipe go when he bids go come when he bids come But a day of judgement will come then thou wilt be called to account for those cups which thou hast been mighty to poure down thy own throat and for those which thou hast forced on thy brother Then thou wilt be called to an account for thy secret whoredomes and abominations committed in the darke Then thou wilt be called to an account for those Sermons which thou hast scoffed at and gave no heed unto for those Sabboths which thou hast profaned and for all thy mispent time for all those precious seasons which thou hast squandred away All the creatures will bring in their Indictments against thee Imprimis For gluttony and drunkennesse thou hast eaten not for health but gluttony drunken not for strength but drunkenness The cloaths thou wearest will come against thee Thou spendest more for superfluities then would cloath many poor servants of Jesus Christ Thou followest thy fansy the Garbe and fashion of the time these thou art curious to observe and thou harkenest after all the new fashions but in the mean time considerest not how many of Gods children want cloaths for their nakedness All thy books in thy study shall come and witness against thee such great helps thou hadst such prices were put into thy hands but they were prices put into the hands of a fool for want of a heart to improve them All thy parts and gifts shall witness against thee thou hast hidden all thy talents in a napkin thou hast let thy gifts lye rusty for want of using All the Sermons Sabboths exhortations admonitions waytings treaties and striveings of the Holy Spirit will come and preferre a black bill of Indictment against thee who notwithstanding these pretious means yet didst not regard thy
admits of no revocation Arrow out of a Bow we cannot call back the least minute of time Deeds of Lands are made oftentimes in this world with power of revocation But mans eternal condition admits of no revocation When once death hath dissolved and put a period to our life in this world then we are lanched into the ocean of Eternity and there 's no possibility of returning to the shore of this world no new life to re-act in this world After this life ends we shall be in a never-ending condition The Saints shall no more returne to the world for the world was their prison Death is their Goal-delivery Multitudes of sorrows and sufferings they have met with in the world now in Eternity they are freed from all and shall never returne to re-act all those Tragedies and sufferings which they brake through in this life Neither can the damned 〈◊〉 any relaxation or revocation for they are in a hopelesse and Christlesse condition They sinned against an infinite God and in Justice he proportions infinite punishments for sinning against so infinite a Majesty Thus you have heard what Eternity cannot admit of by way of negation I have shaddowed it forth in those Propositions Now what Eternity is I shall positively thus define unto you Definition of Eternity Eternal life is the perfection of happynesse given by Christ unto the Saints in glory whereby they have an everlasting fruition of God and communion with him To open this Definition 1. I call it the perfection of happynesse It 's the aggregation of 1. Eternity is the perfection of happinesse all good things the comprehension of all blessednesses Many Stars make a Constellation many waters make a sea All good things put together make up this happyness There 's no imperfection no decay no alteration Eternal life takes in perfection of joy perfection of glory perfection of degrees 2. This is given by Christ unto the Saints Joh. 10. 28. I saith 2. Eternity is Christs gift Christ give unto them eternall life God the Father gives eternall life by the Sonne and the Sonne by the Spirit God the Father the fountain and author of all life gives this life God the Sonne laid down his blood a price abundantly sufficient to pay to the uttermost farthing for the purchase And God the holy Ghost seals and gives assurance and applyes the love of God the Father and the love of God the Sonne with all his meritorious sufferings unto the Saints 3. I said by this eternall life the Saints in glory enjoy fruition 3. The Saints enjoy fruition of and communion with God and communion with God Here they enjoy some glimpses and parcels of this communion they have tasted how good God is But in Heaven in Eternity in the fruition of and communion with God there will be these singularities 1. They shall enjoy God immediately They shall enjoy the 1. They enjoy God immediately blessed presence of God communion with the holy Trinity not as here by ordinances and means but immediately 1 Joh. 3. 2. they shall see him as he is If it be so sweet to enjoy a Sabboth and communion with God in Ordinances and communion with his children here on earth Oh! how ravishing must that sweetness be to enjoy God in heaven Si adeo dulcis quaerenti saith Bernard quid erit invenienti If wee meet with sweetness in our way what shall we doe at our jouâ—â—â—ys end in our country 2. They shall enjoy God fully In thy presence is fulnesse of joy Ps 2. They enjoy God fully 16. 11. God will never hide his face he will never withdraw his comforts There wil be no low ebbe but it shall be full tide alwaies Every vessâ—l shall be as full as it can hold even brim full of glory 3. They shall enjoy God everlastingly At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 16. 11. Eternity admits no period 3. They shall enjoy God everlastingly of time no conclusion A Ring which is an emblem of Eternity may be broken to pieces and will wear away The Vestall fires are quenched Methuselah that long-liv'd Patriarch dyed But Eternity admits no conclusion As long as God and Christ is so long shall the Saints be happy and that 's to all Eternity Non beatitudo esset si certum Sancti non haberent se ibi semper futuros Aug. de Civit Dei Having now given you some glimpses of Eternity and having though but darkly represented to you that which is indeed inconceivable and inexpressible but by those who are partakers of it I come now in the next place to prove my assertion That this ought to be our inquiry grand business the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work of works to examine what shal become of our souls bodies to all eternity I shall give attestations to the truth delivered 1. From Scripture Examples 2. From Scripture Precepts 3. From Scripture Reasons 1. From Scripture Examples This was the maine Question of 1. From Scripture examples those that were touched at Peters Sermon Men and Brethren what shall we doe Act. 2. 37. And of the convert Goaler Sirs what shall I doe to be saved Act. 16. 30. Eternity was in the eyes of Enoch Gen. 5. 24. And in the eye of Moses Heb. 11. 26. This was in the meditations of David Ps 17. 15. When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse This was that Country which those renowned Patriarchs sought after Heb. 11. 16. This was in the heart of Paul Phil. 1. 23. and he speaks in the name of all the Saints Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation is in heaven whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ The worthy Martyrs of whom the world was not worthy laid down willingly this temporal life for an eternal Heb. 11. 35. And what 's the great ground of consolation 1 Cor. 5. 1. but a house eternall in the heavens It were easie to give a Catalogue of many rare precious servants of Jesus Christ who have made this their designe and businesse to enquire concerning their everlasting condition But this that hath been said may suffice 2. For Scripture Precepts To this purpose tends the weighty 2. From Scripture precepts exhortation of Christ to lay up treasure in heaven Mat. 6. 19. 20. to seek first the kingdome of God Mat. 6. 33. Joh. 6. 27. to labour for that which endureth unto eternal life And those of the Apostle Phil. 2. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 12. v. 19. the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not a bare taking but a laying hold with both hands Wee must make it our businesse to get assurance of our eternal condition 3. I will lay down some Scripture Reasons and they shall bee 3. From Scripture Reasons considered under two heads either privatively what we are freed from by our interest in this eternal life or positively what wee gaine by the
from our bodies Yet a little while and grisly death the King of terrours will seize on us Here then must we be inquisitive what will become on our souls afterwards We see God writing vanity on all sublunary things and they are full of vexation The greatest riches are uncertain and perishing All the honours and riches in their greatest estate and confluence cannot helpe a man in the evil day nor satisfy an immortal soul nor bring a man to eternity Wherefore our great care and wisdome should be to get an endureing substance to get assurance of the love of God in Christ and his love isan eternal love We should be exhorted in the language of the Apostle Col. 3. 2 3. Set your affections on things above and not on things below For ye are dead c. Let me in a few words to press upon you the study of eternity adde these Moving considerations 1. This study of eternity is an honourable study It 's a most sublime noble study suitable to the soul The understanding of 1. Consid This is an honourable study man is a noble faculty of the soul and what more suitable for such a noble faculty to contemplate then the thoughts of eternity God and Christ and Glory the blessed vision communion with the Father and the Son these are objects fittest for the contemplations of an immortal soul What a degenerate sordid thing is it for Princes children to converse with base persons All Gods children are children of the great King of Heaven and Earth and for such to have their thoughts stuffed with trash and pelfe of the world O how unsuitable and unworthy is it The Lapwing is accounted an embleme of infelicity because she feeds on dung though she weares a Coronet upon her head Shall then our heavenly-born-being soules be prostituted to Mammon shall our thoughts be low and creeping Our thoughts and negotiations ought to be on life and immortality even the great things of eternity Our studyes and meditations should be on the things above heavenly treasures an inheritance that 's immortall undefiled that fadeth not away This is that noble that honourable study wherein we ought to be imployed 2. This study of Eternity is a most sweet delightsome soul-ravishing 2. Consid This study is sweet and delightsome study Job on the dunghill was comforted with the consideration of a better life and a glorious resurrection Job 19. 25 26 27. For I know that my redeemer liveth and this comforted Stephen when by the eye of faith he saw Christ even when the Acts 7. 55. stones were about his eares his temporall life was then a going away and he was hastening to a better That life was transient this permanent Oh! how sweet is the meditation of a God reconciled of a crowne of glory the price of our high calling This makes the Saints desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ The consideration of heavenly consolations sweeten the bitterest pills of afflictions For one moment in heaven will abundantly make amends for all our sufferings and sorrows on earth This serious consideration of Eternity will be a cordiall in all troubles I have read that Q. Eleanor suck'd the poyson out of the wound of the King her-husband I am sure the meditation of our everlasting estate will suck the poyson out of those wounds which affliction bring Oh! how delightfull is the thought of a haven to such as are tost up and down with stormes and tempests This world is a tempestuous sea rough and troublesome how delightfull is this meditation to a child of God to think I am passing through the rough sea of the world to an eternall Harbour 3. This is a most profitable study We read of treasures crowns 3. Consid This is a most profitable study high places inheritances layd up for the saints In this world riches fail in heaven is an induring substance In this world honours lie in the dust many are degraded in Heaven no degradation That honour is permanent Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. Wherefore then should we carke and care and turmoile for the pelfe of this world and in the mean time neglect eternal riches What a doe What a hurry What sollicitous turmoyling is here to get estates in this world What projecting torturing of mens braines complying with men and times to get honours and riches in this world Whereas all these things are not bread they are not the true treasure nor abideing substance But in the mean time how few are there that labour for spiritual riches and lay up their treasures in heaven No treasure like this this onely inricheth the owners 4. And lastly this is a seasonable study What are our life 's but Consid 4. This is a most seasonable study a blast Our breaths soon depart and then all our thoughts vanish every affliction every disease puts us in minde that here is not our rest here we have not an abideing citty Revolutions of Providence read Lectures to us of the changeable condition of the world What then more proper and more seasonable then to have our hearts took off these transient things and fixed upon permanent things There is no certainty here but there is in another world The world with all it's bravery passeth away And there shall be a dissolution of this frame visible to our eyes How nearly doth it concerne us and how seasonable a duty is it to minde heavenly things to fix our thoughts meditations totum hominem totumque hominis upon those excellent things of eternity Let 's study this subject more then ever and let us make more diligent inquiry after our eternal condition THE MALE IN THE FLOCK OR The best must he offered to God Unfolded from Mal. 1. 14. But Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his Flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadfull among the Heathen THe first word But imports a Connexion on what went before Serm. 9. at S. Mary's Oxon Octob. 21. 1657 1 Gods love 2 The peoples ingratitude 1. Wherefore I hope it will be time well spent to premise a brief Analysis upon the whole chapter before I fall upon the words of the Text The whole chapter may be divided into two parts The former whereof containes a Protestation of Gods abundant love unto the people of the Jewes The latter containes a sad complaint and charge against them for their stupendious ingratitude Then here 's abundantly declared Gods singular love unto them and to their father Jacob v. 2. I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say Wherein hast thou loved us was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord Yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau Jacob was elected and Esau was reprobated Neither the election of the one nor the reprobation of the other
excentrick motions Vzzah's meaning and intention was good he put forth his hand to hold the Arke because the Oxen shak't it yet his good meaning and intention could not justifie an irregular practice wherefore a fearfull breach was made and Vzzah struck dead in the place * 2 Sam. 6. 7. for his errour Likewise †2 Chr. 26. 20 21. King Vzziah invaded the Priest's Office and was smote with Leprosy The sudden rising of the Leprosy on his face shewes it was a judgement from the Lord as * A Deo praesentiam suam in altari testante eo lepram aspeâ—tabili signo ejaculante Jun. in loc 3. Ambassadors ought to keep close to their Instructions Junius well observes It was a signall hand of God punishing him for his presumption These are judgments upon record which should serve as so many warning pieces to cause such as usurpe the Minister's function to fear and tremble lest some dreadfull judgement be their portion 3ly Ambassadours ought to keep close to their instructions and punctually observe the very words of their Commission They come not on their own but their Master's errand and may neither adde to nor diminish from the same So the Ministers of the Gospell have a rule to go by prescribed by Christ and they ought †Gal. 6. 16. to walk according to that rule they have a just standard to go by and that is * Isa 8. 20. the Law and Testimony They have a †1 Pet. 1. 19. sure word of prophecie a * 2 Tim. 1. 13. form of sound words They have counsels of God to deliver and they must be as thorough paced as Paul was who appeal'd to his hearers and took them to record †Acts 20. 27. that he declared all the counsells of God What then shall we say of such who withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse who are afraid to be good and are so pusillanimous as not to dare to speak out what in their judgements and consciences they are resolved against even the herefies blasphemies and abhominations of the time I shall give my opinion in the language of * Impius sim avarus adulter imo omnium viâ—iorum reus modo impii silentii non arguar dum Dominus patitur Luth. Luther that valiant Champion of Jesus Christ Let me be wicked covetous an adulterer even guilty of all vices rather then of wicked silence when the Lord suffers But rather let 's look unto the determination of our Lord Christ †Mark 8. 38. In coelis Advocatus est eorum Christus qui ipsum non erubescunt in saeculo isto Carthus Mark 8. 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels And what further shall we say of those who devise waies of their own head as Jeroboam ordained a solemne †1 King 12. 32. festivall and pretend new notions new discoveries new light though it be no better then an Ignis fatuus to lead them into bogs and Quagmires these are exceeding subtle and skill'd in the art of Legerdemain still they keep a reserve or posterne door to convey themselves cunningly away as if they had Gyges his ring that they may escape invisibly yet it 's too too apparent that they in the mean time revive sundry antiquated exploded haeresies condemned by ancient Fathers and Councells for many Centuries past Surely such as these do not act by vertue of a Commission from God For his Commission runs in terminis Ad Legem Testimonia Isai 8. 20. But they act by their own Commission just as that Prophet did who believed the old Prophet of Samaria and paid dear for his disobedience He came and Prophesied against the Altar of Bethel so far he was in the right but after he hearkned to a new light or false revelation of another Prophet there he was in the wrong and was * 1 King 13. 24. slain by a Lyon for his too much credulity to the old Prophet and disobedience to God By this sad example let 's all take heed of delusions and pretended Revelations of such Scepticks as fancy a Platonick Christ and of Familists Quakers and the rest of that leaven whose opinions and Persons both we ought to avoid with as much care as we would avoid a plague sore lest being once infected with them we do not only ruine our selves but multitudes togeather with us 4ly Lastly An Ambassadour ought to have audience respect 4. An Ambassadour ought to have respect and audience where ever he comes and honour where ever he comes If an Ambassadour be wronged according to the Law of Nations revenge ought to be taken in a signal manner an ordinary satisfaction will not serve â—he turne An Ambassadour represents the Prince's Person from whom he comes and receives his Commission and whatever affront or injury is done unto an Ambassadour is put upon the Prince's account who sends him so the Ministers of the Gospell come in the name of the great King of Heaven and Earth and are his Commission-officers wherefore their message requires audience and their Persons ought to be had in honour But if any will be so abhominably wicked as these times afford many sad instances as to injure God's faithfull Ministers Christ will vindicate their quarrell and account the wrongs offered to them all one as done to himselfe Our proof is very clear * Luk. 10. 16. Luk. 10. 16. He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me I proceed to another reason which shall be drawn from the great benefit and happinesse intended even unto all eternity toward Reason 2. Drawn from the great benefit of a reconciled estate all those upon whom this Doctrine of reconciliation works effectually It 's that great nail which the Masters of the Assemblies labour to drive to the head the great end and aime of all their preaching to perswade people to make God their friend to acknowledge their transgressions with all their aggravations and sue out a pardon through the bloud of Jesus Christ Now where this Doctrine takes and proves successefull there God lets all suits fall cancells all bonds quittes all scores and receives the offender into favour This is Argumentum ab utili and a most prevalent Oratour The happinesse of those that are reconciled is thus set down †Rom. 5. 10. Quis non videt quà m nequeant deseri amici reconciliati qui cum inimici essent tantoâ—ere dilecti sunt ut deseri nequiverint Musc in loc For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Likewise we have the whole series of the great Mystery of reconciliation with all those rich
†Gal. 4. 18. zealously affected in a good matter * Praedicare verbum Dei nihil aliud est quam derivare in se furorem totius inferni satanae Luth loc com †In aliis mansuetus ero in blasphemiis in Christum non ita Zuing in Epist ad Servet Luther used to say That to preach the Word of God zealously was a ready way to bring the rage of all the Devills in Hell about our ears But in Gods cause let 's go on couragiously and though we may be vilified by the vilest of men yet let 's resolve with David to be more vile A good God a good cause and a good conscience will carry us through the greatest dangers and difficulties And let us still remember to shew most meeknesse in our own cause and most zeal in the cause of God So * Zuinglius answered Servetus in other things I will be mild but not in blasphemies against God Now I have not yet done with the pressing of this Doctrin◠of union amongst Brethren I shall yet prosecute it farther heartily desiring that my words may leave deep impressions upon your Spirits and obtain some comfortable successe The breaches amongst the Ministers were as an Arrow stuck in the sides of that good man Philip Melancthon Whereupon on his death bed V. Vitam Phil. Melancth per Melct Adamum editam he profest I am very glad I am to leave this World because I shall be with Christ and then shall be freed from the contentions of some Divines which were very great at that time There 's a sad story of two eminent Martyrs for the truth viz. * Epiphan Haeres 68. Meletius and Peter Bishops of Alexandria who when they were put into Prison fell at variance amongst themselves about a petty difference whether the Lapsi were to be received into communion The Schisme was very great insomuch as they drew a partition between each other in Prison and would not hold communion with each other and yet afterward they joyntly suffered Martyrdome And it 's not easily to be imagined what a great Rent their dissention made in the Church of God and gave advantage to the common Enemy And what a dust was raised between two choyce and constant Martyrs Ridley and Hooper one prest conformity too strictly upon his Brother and contended with too much eagernesse for such kind of vaine uselesse Ceremonies which Calvin calls tolerabiles ineptias Yet notwithstanding these two Godly Bishops could not agree in Blacks and Whites they could both agree in Red for they resisted even unto bloud and sealed the truth of their Religion with the effusion of their bloud And now to speak my judgment more plainly as in the presence of God without partiality having no mans person in admiration for advantage I conceive it a word spoken in due season and that there is necessity of speaking of it even to exhort Ministers to study the things that make for peace and especially to agree in a sweet Harmony one with another And I am fully satisfied in my judgment that to effect this much desired union a speciall expedient will be in severall Counties as †London Lancashire Essex Warwick Worcester Norfolke c. some herein have given a good President already to associate into Presbyteries and exercise that Government which by experience is known to be Flagellum Haeresium and ordaine Ministers and to put Church censures into execution When Ministers meet together and sosolemnly seek God by prayer and fasting they strengthen one anothers hands and unite each others hearts The keeping up of Discipline is a speciall means to preserve union amongst Brethren to extirpate Heresies and sweep them away as dung and promote the power of Godlinesse It hath often lain sad upon my Spirit to consider the mischiefe that hath ensued upon want of execution of Church Discipline Hinc illae lachrymae Hence for want hereof a sluce hath been opened to let in an inundation of heresies and blasphemies But it 's much to be hoped that the execution of Discipline will shut up the sluce and stop the inundation Faxit Deus Now having spoken thus farre to Ministers the other part of 2. Part of this use to people my use I will direct to people And the substance of my exhortation is to perswade them with all alacrity of Spirit to embrace the Doctrine of Reconciliation tendred to them It 's the great Doctrine of concernement in an especiall manner to be Preacht and practised The Ambassadours of peace publish these good tidings They come in the name of Jesus Christ offering termes of Reconciliation With what joy with what ardency of love should you embrace such gracious offers O how sweet is the voyce of Christ unto his Church His lips drop as an honey combe If thou be the Spouse of Christ thou wilt delight to heare the voyce of the Bridegroom So the Evangelist tel's us * Joh. 3. 29. Discimus etiam hic quod etsi amicus sponsi i. e. Minister Evangelii non gaudeat gaudium sponsi neque fructum eum percipiat ex Ecclesia qui sponsi proprius est non tamen caret gaudio quodam suo vel ex eo quod stet audiat vocem illam sponsi longe suavissimam quam rursus bona fide tanquam internuncius referet sponsae Rollocus in locum That the Friend of the Bridegroome which stands and hears the Bridegrooms voyce rejoyceth greatly Now consider Christ's messengers are his voyce unto people They come on his errand and deliver what he puts into their mouth O how sweet then will Christs words be to a gracious heart And this is that sweet welcome word which Ministers deliver to pray men to be reconciled and make their peace with God My brethren I beseech you in the bowells of Jesus Christ to set the highest estimate upon this Doctrine of Reconciliation preferre it before your appointed food before thousands of Gold and Silver And have them in honour and account their feet beautifull who do the office of Evangelists and are dispensers of these truths and Trumpetters of Gospell peace Though they be men of like passions yet they are Persons of honour Commission officers authorized by Jesus Christ to Preach the Gospell Private Christians may discourse of these things Charitative but let them keep within the compasse of their own calling and exhort one another to embrace this Doctrine but Ministers exhort Authoritative as Ambassadors and commissioners of Jesus Christ Wherefore Brethren let me be your remembrancer of the great duty incumbent on you all to love and reverence the Persons of your Ministers and have them in honour for their works sake especially I shall put you in mind of a Scripture or two that so my exhortation may leave deeper impression upon your hearts one is * 1 Cor. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the
his Angells with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the foure windes from one end of heaven to the other The fourth question is whether every Saint hath a peculiar Angell to be his keeper and Protectour That every Saint hath a peculiar Angell to keep him is the opinion of Fathers School-men and many Protestants but although I am farre from a hasty censure yet I cannot assent unto their opinion because here in the text it 's laid down universally All. There are two Scriptures specially urged in behalfe of this opinion The one is Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that yee despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that their Angells do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heaven The other is Act. 12. 15. They said unto her thou art mad but she constantly Act. 12. 15. affirmed that it was even so then said they it is his Angell To the former place I answer the meaning is that men ought Ans not to contemne poore believers seeing God hath so farre honoured them as to give them his own Angells to be their Guardians and Ministers And though they are called their Angells it followes not hence that each Saint hath a peculiar Angell appropriated to himselfe but their Angells are appointed over aâ—l Gods children and are as serviceable unto them as if every one Angell had charge over one particular Saint Individuum So that one Angell may protect many as The Angell of Psal 34. 7. the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them One Angell may protect many and many Angells may protect one The meaning of this Scripture Calvin makes to be this That they are not to be contemned whose Angells are neere and ready Non impunè contemni eos quorum Angeli propinqui sunt familiares ut vindictam exigant Calv. to take revenge The Angells will take revenge upon those who afflict the children of God But there is more matter of doubt from Act. 12. 15. Then said Quest they it is his Angell For answâ—r 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred a Messenger Ans and so some rather render it It 's his Messenger 2. It 's spoken according to a vulgar opinion There is an antient opinion that there is a good and a bad Genius Empedocles the Philosopher taught that every man had two Angells one good another bad And Grecians used to say that every man hath his own Angell to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all his life And Plutarch records when Brutus was â—laine the night before one appeared unto him and said I am thine evill Angell oh Brutus But among the Jewes themselves there were frequent apparitions of dead persons and phantasmes which questionlesse were diabolicall and they were thought by the vulgar sort to be the spirits of the persons whom they represented and they had a conjecture that there was some good or some bad according to the diversitie of the persons and their forepassed life Now it should seem that these people amazed as it were at an unlooked for chance followed the popular opinion and would thereby inferre that Peters death was inevitable seeing his spirit did already begin to appeare 3. This may be understood It is his Angell that is some Angell that God had sent for his deliverance which was fully effected For the Angell of the Lord took away Peters chayne and delivered Acts. 12. 17. him out of Prison The fifth question is what is the knowledge of Angells Q. 5. What is the knowledg of Angells 1. We must premise that they are not omniscient Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells of Heaven but my Father Mat. 24. 14. only They increase in knowledge saith the Apostle Paul Mat. 13. 32. Eph. 3. 10. To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God And likewise the Apostle Peter concurres Vnto whom it was 1 Pet. 1. 12. revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did Minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospell unto you with the holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the Angells desire to look into 2. The knowledge Angells have is by intuition and not discourse as men have 3. Their wisdome and knowledge is excellent So said the woman of Tekoah My Lord is wise according to the wisdome of an Angell 2 Sam. 14. 20. of God to know all things that are in earth 4. They are Creatures of great experience Even bad Angells have great knowledge They have had long experience and have made many observations of the Actions of men 5. God oftimes communicates unto good Angells the affaires of men I cannot neither will I say that the Angells know mens thoughts for That 's Gods sole Prerogative Neither can I say that the Angells know all our actions But they know very much because God communicates them unto them and they rejoyce in Luk. 15. 7 10 the conversion of a sinner and bad Angells know much of a mans waies The Devill observes and takes notice of our failings and though he knows not our thoughts yet he 'l guesse neer the matter and by circumstances and carriages put together he will easily find out which is the bosome and constitution sinne and so forme his temptation accordingly Q. 6. Whether Christ died for Angells Ans 1. Heb. 2. 16. The sixt and last question is whether Christ died for Angells I answer Negatively For first he took not upon him their Nature Verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angells but the seed of Abraham 2. God left the Apostate Angells without recovery What their sinne was whether pride or any other sinne though most are of opinion that pride was the chiefest sinne of them we will not curiously inquire But that they were Apostates from God and so became eternally miserable is evident from Scripture And Jude 6. the Angells which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse unto the judgment of the great day They it seems fell from their primitive condition once and irrecoverably 3. We affirme that Christs death is of great benefit unto the elect Angells For thereby they are confirmed in their happy estate Christs death established the holy Angells in their state of blessednesse The Apostle plainly proves our Assertion That in the dispensation Eph. 1. 10. of the fulnesse of times he might gather together into one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on earth even in him Far above all Principality Power Might and Dominion vers 21. and every name that is named not only in this world but that which is to come And hath put all things
seale of their Apostleship and make their Ministry instrumentall to convert and build up soules unto Jesus Christ And we must likewise be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Advocates and Patrons of their maintenance It was the saying of an eminent Gentleman in Sr. Benjamin Rudiard the long Parliament that a scandalous maintenance would cause a scandalous Ministry It 's to be observed that Dioclesian did not do so much mischiefe to the Ministry it selfe as Julian did Dioclesian put many to death which was an horrid wickednesse But the Devill put another designe into Julians head to take away all the maintenance of Ministers and put downe Schooles of Learning and Ecclesiasticall Histories will informe us that by consequent Julian did the greater mischiefe For though some particular persons were took out of the way through Dioclesian's persecution yet there arose up others in their stead But the taking away of all their lands and revenues did hinder a succession of Ministers And the robbing of Schooles of learning discouraged many from the study of learned Arts and Sciences 3. Let us all pray for the continuance of Gospell Ordinances 3. Pray for the Continuance of the Gospell in their Liberty and purity This is that which made Israel praise-worthy in the eyes of the Nations Deut. 46. 7. Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdome and your understanding in the sight of the Nations which shall heare all these statutes and say surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people For what Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for â—he Gospell of Christ the Word and Sacraments administred in their purity the Sabbath kept strictly all these will be the praise and glory of our Nation 4. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem both for Civill and Ecclesiasticall peace Pray for Civill peace It 's to me a great wonder that 4. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem amidst all the concussions and revolutions of these times we in joy peace that we â—it under our own Vines and Fig-trees that meum tuum are in some measure preserved that publick Courts of Justice are opened and that the sword is not put to the decision of all controversies We should pray that peace may be continued that all our Officers may be peace and exactors righteousnesse I know none that hath his eyes in his head or grace in his heart that is willing to imbroyl Isai 60. 17. the Nation in another civill war We know by sad experiâ—nâ—e the Calamities of War how thankfull ought we to be for the peace we yet in joy and how ought we to pray for the continuance of it that Peace may be extended as a river and righteousnesse like a mighty streame For Ecclesiasticall peace we must pray there are two great Prophecies Zeph. 3. 9. Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent And Zach. 13. 9. I will bring the third part through the fire Isai 66. 12. and will râ—fâ—ne them as Sylver is refined and trye them as Gold is tryed they shall call upon my name and I will heare them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God There is an Unity of the spirit which we must endeavour to keep and there are seaven Ones mentioned Eph. 4. 4 5 6. One body one spirit one hope one God one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all c. I remember a patheticall speech which Luther useth to the Pastors of the Church of Strusburg Vobis oro perswadeatis c. i. e. I pray you sath he be perswaded that I shall alwaies be as desirous to embrace unity and concord as I am desirous to have the Lord Jesus to be propitious to me Martin Bucer writes to a Godly Minister Quis non vitâ etiam sua redimat submorum isthuc infinitum dissidii scandalum Bucer very high expressions Who would not saith he purchase with his life the removing of that infinite scandall that comes by dissention Wherefore let us study the things that make for peace and edification Let dividing names be laid aside amongst sound Christian Quirites once named Cesars souldiers were pacified O that Christian being named union and reconciliation might be obtained Let us all labour to approve our selves members of the Church of Jesus Christ as living stones in that building The Apostle blames the Corinthians for siding and making partyes 1 Cor. 1. 11 12. It hath been declared to me of you my brethren by them which are of the House of Cloe that there are contentions among you Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul and I am of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ The name of Christian should swallow up names of division Now for Motives the second thing propounded here I shall 1 Motive God will make Jerusalem a praise adde two only 1. That God will make Jerusalem a praise in the earth For first Believe it God will not faile one tittle of his word All the promises made unto Jerusalem shall every one be fulfilled 1. Because he promiseth in their season Psal 48. 1 2. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God in the mountain of his Holynesse beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the North the City of the great King And Psal 50. 2. Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined For Instance Greater shall be the light of knowledge of the Church in the Gospell Isai 11. 9. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Isai 60. 1 19. Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Vers 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory These great Promises referre unto the Gospell 2. The Church shall be enlarged Isai 51. 1 2 3. Hearken unto me ye that follow after righteousnesse ye that seek the Lord look to the rockes whence ye are hewen c. Look unto Abraham your Father and Sarah that bare you for I called him alone and blessed and increased him For the Lord will comfort Zion he will make her wildernesse like Eden and her desert like the garden of God c. 3. Holynesse shall be improved Deut. 26. 18 19. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people c. To make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise in name and in honour that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God as he hath
Perkins of three things 1. The nature of Man 2. The faculties of Nature 3. And corruption of both Now this distinction must be without seperation of nature from faculties or of corruption from either so as we may say truly that the nature and powers of the soule are corrupted Now this corruption consists 1. In the depravation of Gods image man was created after Gods image but by reason of sin he hath defaced the same 2. In a pronenesse to all wickednesse so that the nature of man is evill continually and the seeds of all rebellion are sowne in the corrupt nature of mankind wherefore the Lord threatens That Gen. 6. 3. his spirit should no longer strive with man for that he is but flesh i. e. he is become corrupted he hath fallen from his Creator and become fleshly and sinfull what this flesh is the Apostle tells Rom. 7. 18. Gal. 6. 8. Eph. 2. 3. 2. In the next place we are to inquire what 's meant by affections Q 2. What 's meant by Affections and lusts and lust's Ans By affections we are to understand inordinate affections which beare sway in carnall men their affections are out of order irregular immoderate and they are set upon the wrong object they love where they should hate and hate where they should love Anger is sometimes an inordinate affection and it bared sway in Cain against Abell Envy is sometime an inordinate affection and it prevailed in Saul against David Sorrow is sometimes immoderate and inordinate in Ahab when he could not get Naboths Vineyard he was heavy and displeased 1 King 21. 4. Love was an inordinate affection in the men of the last times Lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3. 4. 2. By Lusts we are to understand inordinate and insatiable desires after the things of the world as Riches Honours Pleasures of this sort of inordinate affections are coveteousnesse pride gluttony c. 3. In the third place what 's meant by crucifying the flesh with Q. 3. What 's meant by crucifying the flesh c. its affections and lusts Ans For answer hereunto we are to distinguish of crucifying either as the action of Christ or as the action of a Christian 1. Le ts consider Crucifixion as the action of Christ and this 1. Crucifixion as the Action of Christ consists in three particulars 1. Upon the Crosse Christ stood in our Roome and bared the burthen of our sinnes and made an expiation for them in this respect we are said to be crucified with him Gal. 2. 20. 2. The second is in us when Christ conveyes the vertue of his death in us to cause the death of sinne when Christ gives us his spirit to mortify the deeds of the body Rom. 8. 13. 3. The third is in Baptisme whereby Christ sealed the two former to them that believe Rom. 6. 3 6. 2. Le ts consider crucifixon as the Action of a Christian and 2. Crucifixion as the Action of a Christian this consists in the imitation of Christ crucified after this manner Christ was attached apprehended and brought into the presence of Pilate so must we bring our selves into the presence of God Christ was arraigned at the Tribunall of Pilate so must we arraigne our selves at the barre of Christs judgment seate Christ was indited and accused so must we indite and accuse our selves Christ was condemned so must we condemne and judge our selves after sentence past there followed execution Christ was crucified so must we proceed to the execution of our sinnes and corruptions We must labour to be the death of every sinne to give every lust a mortifying blow we must not spare any Ruling sinne that was Sauls sinne in sparing Agag but we must destroy all both great and small we must not only mourne for sin but hate it not only hate it but endeavour the destruction of it But the further Inlargement of these things I shall leave to the use of Examination 4. In the fourth place it remaines that I prove the assertion 4. The Doctrine proved that those that are Christs are such crucified persons St Paul thus professeth of himselfe That he was crucified with Christ But I will prove the point by reason 1. Because the flesh is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. 1. The fleshly mind is enmity against God and naturall men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. 10. Now flesh and blood corrupt nature unregeneracy the old man cannot enter into the Kingdome of God To be carnally minded is death Rom. 8. 6. and such cannâ—t please God Rom. 8. 8. now we may not spare Gods enemies The Children of Babylon were to be dasht in peices Amaleck was to be utterly overthrowne these were Gods enemies Likewise the affections and lusts of the flesh are Gods enemies these must be slaine these must be crucified 2. Because Christians ought to be conformable unto Christs R. 2. Christians ought to be conformable unto Christs death death Phil. 2. 10. Rom. 6. 5 6. As Christ died for our sinnes so we must be a mortifying of sinne sinne must not be suffered to live we are in this world in a dying condition we must never give over fighting till we returne away conquerors though we sinne as long as we be in this world and have flesh as well as spirit yet we must never give over striving for mastery over the flesh 3. God will have us exercised in a continuall warfare and R. 3. God will have us exercised in continuall warfare combat against the flesh it 's an inbred enemy and it hath many lurking holes many Apologies many pretences we must be continually resisting the flesh even unto blood striving against sinne Heb. 12. 4. Here only a deadly Feud is lawfull This must be transmitted from Generation to Generation sinne must be crucified Rom. 6. 6. Sinne must be subdued Mich. 7. 18 19. And above all sinnes we had need fight most violently against fleshly lusts they being grand enemies unto the soule 1 Pet. 2. 11. 'T is true the Canaanite will be in the Land sinne will be in our mortall bodies whilst we be in this world but we must never let it reigne never suffer it to have any peace never give it quarter but be continually resisting of and fighting against it Now to apply what hath been said particularly to every ones Applicat Conscience here are six Uses to be made 1. Information 2. Reprehension 3. Exhortation 4. Examination 5. Direction And 6. Consolation 1. For Information and that in two particulars Vse 1. For Information First Hereby we are informed what a carnall man is namely one that is carried away with some inordinate affections or some inordinate lust Herod did many good things as the Text saith he heard John Baptist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweetly yet he was but a carnall man Joh. 6. 20. for he was possest with
himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation This is love beyond compare The duty that belongs unto us is 1. To admire at this great infinite love to get our hearts raised up in the high contemplation of this love 2. Le ts be thankfull we can never be thankfull enough Eternity will be too little to praise God and blesse him for so great love 3. Let love beget love love must be reciprocall 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us 4. Let this love of God cause us to love one another 1 Joh. 4. 11. Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another 5. Let this ingage us to obedience and holynesse in our conversations Joh. 14. 15. If yee love me keep my Commandments Query 2. Wherein consists this love of Christ Ans In dyeing for us The greatnesse of Christs love in dyeing for us may be inhanced in these singularities 1. In that he died voluntarily 2. If we consider the greatnesse of his sufferings 3. If we consider the persons for whom 1. Christ died voluntarily I gave my back to the smiter and 1. Christ died voluntarily my cheeks to those that pluckt of the haire I hid not my face from shame and spitting Isai 50. 6. And Joh. 10. 17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay downe my life that I may take it againe No man taketh it from me but I â—ay it down of my selfe I have power to lay it downe and power to take it againe This commandment have I received of my Father Christ if he pleased could have defended himselfe from his enemies he could have had legions of Angells in his defence but in obedience to his Father to fulfill the scripture in love to his owne he freely and voluntarily resigned himselfe to his Fathers pleasure and drunk that cup which his Father gave him And question lesse this was great love for Christ freely and willingly to lay down his life 2. Consider the greatness of Christ's sufferings 2. Consider the greatnesse of Christ's sufferings He endured contempt reproach spitting buffetting reviling they called him Samaritan Impostor Devill they scourged him crowned him with thornes wagged their heads at him Insulted over him and at last they put him to suffer that most shamefull painfull cursed death of the Crosse This Crucifixion was a Roman punishment That 's evident from Joh. 18. 31 32. Then said Pilate unto them take ye him and judge him according to your law The Jewes therefore said unto him it is not lawfull for us to put any man to death that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should dye And to set forth the humiliation of Christ you may read Phil. 2. 8. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Implying this was the greatest of Punishments Quid dicam in crucem tollere saith Cicero In this punishment of Crucifixion we are to consider these Aggravations 1. Shame 1. The Shame they were crucified usually stark naked Most writers say Christ was so crucified Believe not your painters who put a cloath before him they are teachers of lyes The common custome was that they who were cruciâ—ied were stript naked as they came into the world and so they suffered ignominy And a further shame and disgrace appeares in this that Christ was crucified without the walls as unworthy to be within the walls Barabbas a theife and murtherer was released and Christ was crucified between two theives as if he had been their Captaine this Circumstance sets forth the ignominy and disgrace put upon Jesus Christ 2. In this punishment of Crucifixion we are to consider a curse 2. A Curse Deut. 21. 23. His body shall not remaine all night upon the tree but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day for he that is hanged is accursed of God that thy land be not defiled which the Lord thy God gives thee for an inheritance There was a legall curse put upon this death Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Now for the Son of God the fountaine of all blessings in whom all Nations of the earth should be blessed to stand upon the Crosse like an accursed man the Sun was ashamed and withdrew his light and the earth trembled 3. In this punishment consider paine extremity of paine a lingring 3. Paine death This was a terrible and dolorous paine His body was extended stretched out like stretching out upon a Rack Of the Passion of Christ we are to understand Psal 22. 14 16. I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joynt my heart is like wax it s melted in the midst of my bowells For dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me they peirced my hands and my feet Where the sinewes met in the palmes of his hands and in the feet where the paine was most acute there they peirced him It was not with Christ as with many who are stupefied and in whom extremity of paine blunteth the sense thereof but Christ was in perfect sense all the while And six houres in extremity of paine he hung upon the Crosse and was sensible as much at the last as at the first Never was any sorrow like unto his sorrow He sweat drops of blood was in an agony was despised rejected reproached and at last was crucified All these Considerations inhance the greatnesse of Christs sufferings and his love towards us 3. Consider for whom Christ died not for friends but enemies 3. For whom Christ died Vers 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Not for righteous and good men but for sinners and bad men not for strong but weak not for faithfull subjects but rebells Christ died Now this love is beyond all compare Now the consideration of Gods love and our unworthynesse should ingage us to love and thankfulnesse as * Tantae dilectionis Dei indignitatis nostrae consideratione demittamus Cristas in Dei judicio ac toto corde eum redamemus ut non totos in â—ivam gratitudinis hostiam vicissim consecremus Pareus in Loc. Pareus observes on the place To lay downe his life for his friends had been great love Joh. 15. 13. greater love hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friend But to lay downe his life for enemies for sinners unworthy persons this love is a none such Christ died for the ungodly He said live when they were in their blood Ezek. 16. 6. And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in
do living without God in the world As one said either this is not Gospell holding up the Bible in his hands or you are not Christians But this is Gospell that if we believe not we shall dye in our sinnes therefore we that live in our unbeliefe are not Christians 4. Infidelity consists in this when we live by sense and not by 4. Infidelity is a living by sense faith we believe no more then what we see if our sense and our reason failes our faith failes as in the case of Thomas Joh. 20. 27. But we ought to live by faith and not by sense Many will believe nothing but what they can give a reason for though the waies of God are most reasonable and religion is a reasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 1. profession and a reasonable service is commanded yet it s above reason and transcendeth the capacity of a naturall man That person must have his senses exercised and a spirituall eye that will discerne the misteries of God see how the Apostle describes faith Heb. 11. 1. To be the substance of things not seen And the Patriarches saw the promises a farre off Heb. 11. 13. What then though sense faile and reason is nonplussed yet the promises of God never faile This sometimes is the fault of Gods own children under desertions who conclude awry and say they have no faith because they want feeling whereas feeling is an after thing Eph. 1. 13. And faith may be in the Root alive though the fruit appeare not presently to the sense There is truth of faith where there may be want of sense and apprehension In so much as faith and doubting may goe togeather as appeares Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help my unbeliefe This living by sense more then faith is a great peice of Infidelity hence it came to passe that Abraham and Isaac both denied their wifes in them there was sense and fear joyned togeather Sarah laughed at the promise there was sense as appeares by her answer Ge. 18. 12. Sense acted in David and not faith when he said in his heart that he should one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. Wherefore he betook himselfe immediatly unto the Philistines 1 Sam. 27. 1 2. Here 's the Triall Sense saith no Faith saith yea Sense saith its impossible Faith saith all things are possible to the believer Sense saith its incredible and unreasonable Faith saith I believe though incredible and unreasonable Sense saith and reason pleads we can dispute and argue no longer Faith saith leave of disputing and learne to believe Thus did Abraham and he acted upon a principle of faith Ro. 4. 19 20. 5. Infidelity consists in the Non-application of promises upon 5. Infidelity consiâ—ts in the Non application of promises Gal. 2. 20. the termes of the Gospell for to belive Christ is a Saviour and not my Saviour what comfort can I take in it To believe Christ dyed for sinners and to exclude my selfe from any benefit by his death this is a dreadfull condition Paul applied Christ to himselfe Gal. 2. 20. Who loved me and gave himselfe for me And so did Thomas my Lord and my God Now heares a great difference between presumptuous sinners and poore weak believers Presumptuous sinners are too hasty to apply too much and poore weak Christians are too backward and apply too little Every presumptuous sinner would be blessed and happy and will say Christ dyed for him but he is a stranger and grossely ignorant who they are to whom appertaines blessednesse It 's appropriated Matth. 5. to the poore in spirit to the pure in heart to those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse but poore weak believers are afraid to lay hold on promises and question their interest in them Now to speak to weak Christians whose faith is true though but little let them know that their little faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like pretious 2 Pet. 1. 1. faith they would faine have more faith they pray for more and they strive for more it 's their griefe and cause of heavinesse that they have no more do you not then whatever you are stand in your own light O therefore tast and see that God is good stay upon his promises and apply your selves unto Christ the poorer you are in your own spirit and the more sensible of your unworthinesse the more fit you are to receive Jesus Christ and if you dare not apply Christs promises unto you be sure that you apply your selves unto Christ and his promises relye stay and leane upon them let them not goe Faith is both a hand and an eye you must lay hold on Christ and look unto him as they did on the brazen Serpent in the wildernesse This faith acts Q. O but I am afraid I tremble I dare not lay hold on Christ I dare not make this application to my selfe Ans To answer hereunto 1. Know a Paralitick trembling hand may receive a pretious pearle 2. Christ invites thirsty hungry poore naked indigent lost creatures such as are undone in themselves to come unto him Art thou sensible of thy poverty nakednesse undone condition thou art invited why then dost thou not make hast unto Jesus Christ 3. Those that come are accepted such I mean who come in faith so Christ declares Joh. 6. 35 37. And the not coming unto Christ damnes multitudes of soules Joh. 5. 40. But I proceed to the second head propounded the proofe of 2. Vnbeliefe hath severall Aggravations the doctrine from Scripture that this sinne of unbeliefe is such a Grand-damning sinne and this will evidently appeare from those severall Aggravations mentioned in the Word of God 1. Unbeliefe maketh the Word of God unprofitable unto us Heb. 4. 2. The word profited not because not mixt with faith We thrive not under Ordinances because of unbeliefe If in our estates we find out that there 's some wastfull licentious course of living that hinders us from thriving and causeth us to grow behinde hand we should carefully avoide that Infidelity hinders our souls from thriving hence comes a leannesse in our soules notwithstanding a fatnesse of Ordinances and great barrennesse and unfruitfulnesse because we believe not the word 2. This sinne causeth Apostacy Heb. 3. 12. Psal 78. 57. 3. It scapes not unpunished in Gods own Children Luk. 1. 20. Zachary was struck with dumbnesse for not believing the Angell 4. Unbelievers are joyned with the most abominable sinners Rev. 21. 8. 5. The Scripture pronounceth damnation to be the portion of unbelievers in the future tense it s said Mark 16. 16. and Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth not shall be damned but in the present tense Joh. 3. 18. They are as sure to be damned as though the were already in hell It 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath the signification of the present tense as if the unbeliever were actually damned or in a damnable condition 6.
the heart of a man glad and oyle makes him have a chearfull countenance and the field is so pretious as Solomon tells us Eccles 5. 9. The King himselfe is served by the field Moreover flocks in the fold and herds in the stalls are of continuall use and service unto man weigh them together and they will proove too light they will frustrate thy hope and renew thy feares and griefes Let me instruct thee in this truth that Gods owne people may be brought unto such great streights and miseries as all creature comforts may faile them Now it 's the time of their triall for the time of miserie tries the truth and sincerity of their faith when they are almost ready to sinke and to be overwhelmed with sorrowes then most opportunely the Lord reacheth out a Cable to draw them out In the most tempestuous weather hope remaines the Anchor of their soules be their hearts never so much over-clowded with sorrow they are revived by the joy of Gods reconciled countenance It 's God alone who is the supporter of the sinking soule they feele sweetnesse in God surpassing the sweetnesse of the fig-tree they feele refreshings in him incomparably more delightfull then those which the Vine and Olive affords and they feed on food which the world knowes not of even the bread of life which yeilds more nutritive and reall sustenance then all the flocks and herds in the universe The Lord is the Godly mans food comfort rejoycing his only joy God is all in all nay better then all unto him Hee 's a Portion Treasure Rock what not to his Children Whereupon out of the strength of faith he breakes forth with my Prophet into this heroicall resolution yet I will rejoyce c. My Text is the Triumph of a Christian or the sanctuary of an Divis afflicted soule in the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or highest pitch of afflictions The first word in my Text is a redditive particle tamen yet this resembles a prop and a supporter to a house which holds it up against blustering winds and stormess Secondly Here 's the person I i. e. the Prophet Habakkuk Thirdly His resolution expressing strength of affection I will rejoyce I will joy the Septuagint renders them by two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The joy is more then ordinary for here 's an exaltation he leapes for joy and takes much delight and comfort in it Fourthly The object which is described by his names topfull of power comfort and mercy a Lord a God and a God of salvation Each Title is a severall forcible argument to excite and elevate the affection Fifthly and lastly here 's the Propriety hee 's mine The pronoune possessive mine appropriates the divine goodnesse unto a mans selfe in particular and this makes Application of this most comfortable doctrine The version of the septuagint is most Emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Each name hath an Article prefixt to make the Emphasis greater The summe and scope of all comes to this effect the prophet was very sensible of the â—violls of Gods wrath powred down upon the Nations the whole world was in a combustion one misery fell upon the neck of another as one billow in a tempestuous sea followed another how could he think himselfe secure why might not instruments of death be prepared against him and he have his share in these common calamities but this prudent man hath a remedy to apply to these sores amidst these stormes he can find a hiding place for shelter though sorrowes come thick and threefold yet heel 'e have recourse unto his God and fetch down joy and consolation from him in abundance From hence observe this experimentall truth of Doctrine which shall constitute the subject of my ensuing meditations That when all creature comforts faile us and render our outward Doct. condition disconsolate then there appeares sure mercies and comforts superabundant matter of Consolation of joy and rejoycing in the Lord our God Or take the point more briefly thus Amidst all sorrowes losses and crosses joyes supplies and comforts are to be found in the Lord our God Yet saith my Prophet I will rejoyce in the Lord. The verse immediatly following set's out the exuberance of joy pressed by strength of Argument The Lord God is my strength Look for no strength else-where in him it 's most eminent Admit thou art exceeding weake yet God is strong and his strength will be manifested in thy weaknesse The consideration of the divine supportation that it is sufficient for thee should animate thee to trust thy God with all thy comforts he goes on and he will make thy feet like hinds feet and he will make me to walke upon mine high places i. e. he will give me strength and agility to break through all oppositions and therefore the last breath he puts out is Eucharisticall To the chiefe singer on my stringed instruments You see it cleare in my Text the Prophet David professed out of universall experience that Gods rod and his staffe did comfort him and in the multitude of his sorrowes Gods comforts refresht his soule He had fainted but for the goodnesse of the Lord. This holy man was a man of sorrowes and yet a man of comforts the wrath of Saul was inkindled against him and The wrath of a King saith Salomon is like the roaring of a Lion He pursued him like a Partridge on the mountaines and when he was at the brinke of danger then appeares a method of deliverances when he was hemm'd in and compassed round about then the divine providence contrived a way to escape then there came a messenger unto Saul saying Hast thee and come for the Philistines have invaded the land wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Phylistines In this streight an unexpected providence procures his preservation Indeed if we had leisure to inquire into the passages of the divine disposing hand concerning this one man we should conclude them to be as so many continued Acts of the Finger of God When Ziglag was burnt and the people wept till they could weepe no more even then in that lamentable condition David encouraged himselfe 1 Sam. 30. 6. in the Lord his God His God refresht his drooping spirit he was more pretious more sweet unto his soule then a goodly habitation the wife of his bosome a numerous posterity The least glimpse of comfort from the blessed Trinity makes amends for all Not to passe by poore Hagar when her bottle was spent and she cast under a shrub her child expecting ever and anon his death and in the bitternesse of her soule she lift up her voyce and wept then God opened her eyes and she saw a wâ—ll of water and over and above God promiseth to make him a great nation Gen. 21. 18 19. Here 's sorrow turn'd into joy and God himselfe becomes the comforter The three children had the presence of God for their preservation in the flames Daniel