composed of several Nations between whom there are great antipathies yet march in rank and order and with equal courage fight for the safety of a Kingdom we presently conclude there is a wise General who thus united them And is there not greater reason to believe that a Soveraign Spirit governs the Host of heaven and earth and unites them to maintain the peace of the World To assert that irrational creatures act for a general and unknown good without the motion of a higher cause is equally unreasonable as to say a curious Picture is drawn by a Pensil without the hand of the Painter which guided it in every line according to the Idea of his minde We must then of necessity infer that those particular causes which cannot conduct themselves are directed by an universal cause which cannot erre and thus we see the whole World is an entire and continual Argument of Gods Being and Attributes Secondly The second Argument is drawn from natural conscience which is a subordinate God and acts all things with respect to a higher Tribunal as Saint Paul speaking of those visible Testimonies which God hath exprest to men in the Creation saith Acts 14.17 that he left not himself without a witnesse giving them rain and fruitful seasons by the same proportion we may say God hath not left himself without an internal witnesse having planted in every man a conscience whereby he is dignified above the lower order of beings and made sensible of the supreme Judge to whose Tribunal he is subject now conscience in its double work as it accuses or excuses by turns upon good or bad Actions proves there is a God 1. Natural conscience being clear and innocent is the life-guard which secures from fears vertuous persons who have not offered violence to the light of conscience in times of danger as in a fierce storme at Sea or fearful Thunder at Land when guilty spirits are surprized with horrour they are not liable to those fears being wrapt up in their own innocency Parcus Deorum cultor infrequens insanientis dum sapientiae consultus erro nunc retrorsum vela dare atque iterare cursus cogor relictos Namque Diespiter igni corusco nubila dividens fâ—etumque per purum tonanteis egit equos volucremque currum Horat. ad 34. l. 31. the reason of their security proceeds from a belief that those terrible works of nature are ordered by an intelligent and righteous providence which is God 2. It gives courage and support to an innocent person when opprest and injured by the unrighteous the natural conscience so long as it is true to its self by adhering to honest principles it is victorious against all attempts whatsoever si fractus illabatur orbis if the weight of all the miseries in the world should come rushing upon him at once it would bear up under them all and stand unbroken in the midst of those ruines the spirit of a man is of strength enough to sustain all his infirmities as a Ship lives in the rough Seas and floats above them the waters being without it so a vertuous person rides out all storms and is preserved from sinking because the fury of worldly troubles cannot reach beyond his outward man the conscience which is the mans strength remains firme and unshaken yea as those Roses are usually sweetest which grow near stinking weeds so the peace joy and glory of a good conscience is then most sensible when a man is otherwise in the most afflicted and oppressed state now from whence proceeds this calmnesse and serenity this vigor and constancy of spirit but from the apprehension of a supreme Judge who at the last will vindicate their cause 2. We may clearly evidence there is a God from the accusations of a guilty conscience this is that never dying worme which if a sinner treads on it will turn again this is a temporal hell a spiritual Tophet what torments are there in the Regions of darknesse which an accusing conscience doth not inflict on a sinner in this life so intolerable are the stings of it that many have took Sanctuary in a Grave and run upon the first death to prevent the miseries of the second Now the shame horror despair and that black train of affections which lash an offender for his vicious acts discovers there is a principle within which threatens vengeance from a righteous and angry God This Argument will be more pressing if we consider that conscience attaches a sinner First for secret crimes which are above the cognizance of men conscience is Gods spy in our bosomes which mixes it self with all our thoughts and actions let a man therefore take what course he will to hide his offence let him sin in the closest retirement that humane policy can contrive where there is no possibility of legal conviction yet his Accuser his Judge his Hel is in his own bosome when the sin is most secret conscience brings in the evidence produces the Law urges the penalty passes the sentence begins the punishment so that the sinner is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned for those sins which are not punishable by man yea sometimes a discovery of concealed sins though certainly bringing temporal death hath been extorted by the horror and anguish of an accusing conscience the reason of all is because in secret sins conscience appeals to Gods Omnisciency who is greater than our consciences and knows all things 1 John 3.20 And upon this account it is praejudicium judicii a kinde of antedated day of judgement a domestical dooms-day and brings upon a sinner the beginning of his sorrows 2. It stings with remorse for those sins which are above the power of man to revenge those who command Armies and by their greatnesse are secured from the penalties of the Law yet conscience sets their sins in order before their eyes and these as so many armed men charge them thorow and overwhelme them many instances there are Belshazzar in the midst of his cups and bravery how was he invaded by fear and horrour when he saw the hand-writing on the Wall the whole Army of the Persians could not discourage his spirit but when conscience revived his guilt and the apprehensions of Gods justice he sunk under the burden the hand-writing from without was terrible because conscience opened a hand-writing within Tiberius the Emperour who was doubly dy'd in unnatural lusts and cruelties could neither evade nor dissemble the horrors of his mind Nero after the barbarous murdering of his mother was always pursued by imaginary Divels his distracted fancy representing to him furies and flames ready to torment him How many Tyrants have trembled on the Throne when the condemned innocents have rejoyced in their sufferings from hence we may infallibly conclude the conscience of the most powerful sinner is under the feeling of a Deity for if there were no punishments to be feared but those the Magistrate inflicts in his own Dominions why are Soveraign
13 34. so the mercies of it are the best mercies for they are the sure mercies of David 2 Sam. 23.5 Corol. 7. Blesse the Lord that ye are under the best dispensation and clearest discovery of the Covenant of grace better than Adams after the promise was made to him upon his fall better than Noahs after the flood better than Israels in the Wildernesse yea better than the Patriarchs and Prophets who had much legality and obscurity in their administrations in comparison of us who behold with open face the glory of God 2 Cor. 3.18 That it is the lot of us Gentiles to be brought into the knowledge and participation of the Gospel in the last and best time I mean after Christs appearance in the flesh The Apostle compares the Church to a Tree Rom. 11.16 17. which hath the same root Christ but several branches now that the natural branches should be cut off to make way for the ingrafting of us wildings Pet. Mart. is matter of praise to the High God for his rich grace to us Gentiles Ephes 3.8 Corol. 8. Labour for a spirit of self-denial and debasement for as the Old Covenant spirit is a spirit of pride and boasting to advance natural abilities Rom. 3.27 Rom. 10.3 to glory in our own personal endowments and performances so a New Covenant spirit is contrary to that and is a spirit of faith self-denial and debasement Corol. 9. Watch against Satan as soon as ever God and man were in Covenant he set himself to break that Covenant and prevailed for he beguiled their simplicity by his subtilty 2 Cor. 11.3 Gen. 3. Now albeit the New Covenant stands on a surer foundation yet he will very much weaken our comforts and increase our sorrows by drawing us under Gods displeasure by sin forfeiting Covenant mercies by Covenant breaches which mercies though they are not lost finally to Gods Elect yet are they often to be recovered renewed and secured to our souls by a clear evidence Besides Satan will perswade men to slight and renounce their Baptisme as when he makes Witches and turns Christians to be Mahumetans because thereby he knows they renounce their Covenant with God to make one with himself there are that upon fairer pretences neglect or deny the Seals of the Covenant Satan had a fair pretence also to draw away our first Parents and make them break with God which they little thought would have cost so dear but the sad event shewed the sinfulnesse of that sinne wherefore Wa ch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Be not ignorant of Satans Devices in these back-sliding and fedifragous times Remember from whence ye are fallen and walk stedfast in Gods Covenant you that stand 1 Cor. 10.12 learn by others falls to take heed THE FALL OF MAN Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned THis doctrine of Original sin is not more difficult to understand than necessary to be known more full of knots than uses if we consider 1. The several batteries that are planted against this truth by Rabbins Pelagians Socinians Flaccians Arminians Anabaptists batteries raised by Pelagius his pride Philosophers ignorance Papists policy and Hereticks idolized reason Or 2. if we consider the dependances of other doctrines upon this truth Augustine writing against Pelagius thought the summe of Religion consisted in the right knowledge of Original sin As we know the pleasantnesse of a garden by the noysomnesse of a dunghill the gratefulnesse of a day from the darknesse of a night so we cannot know the benefits of Christ so well as from the knowledge of our Original guilt and sin By a strict survey of Original sin we may better understand the honour of justification the power of grace and sanctification the sweetnesse of a Christ the necessity of a Gospel the preciousnesse of a Ministry and therefore it was a futilous and malicious assertion of Celestius of old to call the doctrine of Original sin rem questionis non fidei a matter of debate not faith and the Hereticks of late to reproach it with the stile of Austins figment 3. If we consider the influence of this truth upon our practice The knowledge of Original sin it is the curb of pride the foyl to set off grace the glass of man the spurre of industry it is that which makes the best of Saints to weep in the best of duties and the worst of sinners to look pale in their greatest prosperities so that you see the doctrine is most useful let it therefore be most grateful Now this Original sin Divines usually distinguish in peccatum Originali Originans in peccatum Originali Originatum into Original sin Originating and into Original sin Originated into the Cause and into the Subject of this sin the fountains and its streames one man infecting and all men infected the first is my task the second is referred to a more worthy hand In the latter part of this chapter where the Text is the Apostle carries on a double design 1. To shew the excellency of Christ and grace by Christ 2. The necessity of faith in Christ and both these he demonstrates by a full and large comparison between the first and the second Adam the losse by the first the gain by the second the sin of the first the grace of the second the condemnation we are obliged in by the first and the pardon we are enriched with by the second the first is a poysonous spring the second is a cleansing fountain The Text if you look at the design of it it points at the postern where sin and death first entered the world and that was by Adams eating the forbidden fruit the prohibited Apple was the first Apple of contention between God and man-kind If we look at the parts of the Text they are three 1. We have an unhappy Parent viz. Adam not only by his offence undoing himself but making a bankrupt world By him sin entered the world 2. In the Text we have an unhappy posterity not only to be linkt to the loynes but the sins of the first Parent The whole world had sin entered into it and all have sinned saith the Text viz. in him 3. We have an unhappy portion sin and death the inseparable twins of misery so saith the Text sin enters and death by sin sin came by Adam and death came by sin the one fell in pell mell into the world with the other and both are the unhappy inheritance of every child of Adam indeed the Saints are exempted from the second but not the first death sin and death were married in Adam and they shall not be divorced in any of the sons of Adam believers dye temporally though not eternally they feel the stroak though not the sting of death Now for the further clearing of my way it will not be a digression to
very necessary Matth. 10.17 Beware of men in a sort as of any wild beast or the very Devils themselves This is a glimpse of that wrath which the Lord draweth forth against natural men in this life before the sons of men 2. There are further degrees of this wrath that rush in at the end of this life Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death The bodies of the very heirs of glory and which are Temples of the holy Ghost lie trampled upon under rottennesse and suffer losse of their appointed glory till the last day The Lord batters them till the house tumble about their eares He layes on load till the heart-strings crack and to whom Hell is remitted death is not remitted those must dye that shall not be damned for their sins and death shall have dominion over them till the morning of the resurrection There is a progress in Gods wrath which will not stop in the midway but goes on till it shall be accomplished Ezek. 5.13 3. The full vials and very dregs of this wrath Psal 78.38 shall be poured out in the world to come which now God reins in and lets not get loose and break over the banks or if it do calls it back and turneth it away but then all his wrath shall be stirred up and let forth to the full 1. There shall be the general judgement of the great day in which the Lord himself shall descend from heaven in a shout 1 Thes 4.16 with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and shall be revealed 2 Thes 1.7 with his mighty Angels in flaming fire terribly to execute the curses of that Law which was so terrible in the promulgation Then shall the sinner be forced from his grave dragged to the barre arraigned the books opened all the secrets of darknesse and of the heart made manifest and the Goats put on the left hand and have that dismal sentence Go ye cursed c. Mat. 25.41 2. There shall be dreadful and final execution and this stands in two things 1. In losse expulsion from the Lords face and presence and glory As incurable lepers from the Camp and fellowship of the Saints For the good things which they never cared for and from the good things of the world which they grasped and were their portion from all hopes of grace all preachings of peace all strivings of the Spirit never a friend to comfort a sun to shine a drop of water to cool the tongue or any blessing to come near them any more for ever 2. In sense which is sometimes termed suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Jude ver 7. Wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 where there shall be with the damned Angels subjection to the eternal wrath of God the worm of a guilty conscience that never dies where the Lord will beare up the creature with one hand that it continue in being and beat it with the other that it shall be ever dying in death alwayes and never dead Use 1. Inform. We may clearly gather divers Corollaries hence 1. This may inform us of the vast and woful change that sin hath made Men could not come possibly such out of the hands of God Gen. 1.31 God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good and therefore blessed but sin hath taken him from Mount Gerizim Deut. 27.12 13 and set him upon Ebal and the misery now is such that if the Lord should open the same to the conscience fully the very view would drive men out of their wits and men could not tarry in their beds or rellish a morsel of bread till delivered and blessed with some evidence of deliverance out of that condition This may infome us of the causlessnesse of the offence taken at Ministers for preaching this point Now consider seriously 1. Is there a parallel to the offence taken here in any other case in the whole earth Who is angry with a watchman for giving notice that the house is beset and ready to be broken up or on fire though all be disturbed some half-frighted out of their wits or wholly with the tydings and very great pudder follows till the house be secured and the fire quenched men mighâ— otherwise have been undone and destroyed in their beds Who flies out against a Centinel that gives a true Alarme and rowzeth the Souldiers at the deadest time of the night he prevents their surprizal or throats being cut in their beds and the Town from being sacked Who storms at a passenger that sticks up a bough in a Quagmire that other Travellers going securely on may not be laid fast ere they think of any danger Who takes it ill of a friend that seeing a bearded arrow coming that would strike the stander next him mortally puls him aside with that force possibly as to draw his arme out of joint and the arrow goes not through his heart Who thinks amisse of a Lawyer that opens the badnesse of his Clients cause to him that he may not insist on a wrong point in which necessarily he must be cast 2. Should we to avoide your displâ—asure not give you warning and so draw Gods displeasure Ezek. 3.18 19. Videsis Greenhil in loc and the blood of you perishing upon our heads is this good for you or us 3. Do you well to provoke poor Ministers to bauke that part of their office which flesh and blood makes us too willing to have our edge taken off in Desire we to be messengers of sad tydings or rather to come in the abundance of the comforts of the Gospel A pettish Patient makes the Chyrurgion search the wound lesse than is necessary to a through cure Ye tempt us to stop from speaking needfully of your danger by your lothnesse to hear on that ear and by your rage and regret against the teller Those which have most need of faithful intelligâ—â—ce of the Lords wrath have least upon this very score Job 21.31 Who shall declare his way to his face viz. that is respited and prospers and tramples the doctrine under foot and turns again and tears the Preacher 4. This is no other than what the Scripture speaks and conscience upon retirements will speak and Satan will lay in your dish and the Lord will pay into your bosome Will those flye in the Lords face and of conscience telling this story to them and pronouncing the sentence against them Oh profane partial spirits that cannot endure such Preachers as themselves shall be unto themselves that cannot bear the hearing of those terrours that themselves shall be relators and inflicters of upon themselves Ye had better have the commodity at the first hand conscience will preach in another note and loudnesse than we do and the more because your ears have been stopped against our words 5. There cannot be a greater madnesse than not to be able to live under the noise and news of this wrath and yet stick under the wrath
Gospel from being Preached if possible he would blow out the light and hinder men from hearing but chiefly from understanding if our Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that perish the eyes of whose minde the god of this world hath blinded lest the light of the gl rious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 And when God brings to repentance he breaks these barres of ignorance he pulls off these scales of blindnesse and begins with the understanding true grace begins alwayes at the renewing of the mind the transforming of the mind to know the good and acceptable Will of God is the formality of the Gospel-grace true repentance Rom. 12.2 And the knowledge of God being the princâ—ple of it is put for repentance They shall know God Hos 2.20 and God will be known by the Egyptians Isa 19.21 are the promises of repentance There can be no conviction of a contrariety to God where there is not a right conception of God and affection must follow apprehension ignoti nulla cupido how can we fear God or his goodness if we do not know him what reason of return to God when men know not his holinesse offended justice provoked power irresistible mercy in pardoning iniquity It is a seeming faire Apology for Pharaohs obduracy Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go The work of the Gospel is to open the blinde eyes in turning from Satan unto God the enquiry of Saul is first Lord who art thou Act. 9. then What wouldest thou have me to do Did men know who it is they sin against they never durst be so bold Study therefore the nature of God acquaint your selves with his Attributes his Holinesse Power Justice Mercy and the like Your soules will never be drawn from sin or driven into a course of true repentance untill God become your dread 3. Help to repentance Thirdly Sit close to the work of self-scrutiny be serious in self-examination no man sits so fast in impiety as the stranger at home none so soon run upon their ruine as the regardlesse of their accounts This is a remedy of Gods immediate prescription Commune with your hearts is on your beds Psal 4.4 Search and try your wayes and turn unto the Lord Lam. 3.40 Judge your selves Mat. 7.1 When we approach his Table where we are eminently to act repentance the whole work of preparation is resolved into self-examination 1 Cor. 11.28 Nay this is a receipt transmitted to us with a probatum est thus by David Psal 119.59 I examined my wayes and turned my feet into thy Testimonies And when the Prodigals wits returned to consider his wickednesse he would home to be a servant where he had been and might have been a son Gods rod is but a calling us to reckon with our own souls he never reasons with any by correction that read their own estate in his instructions You have heard before that conviction must go before conversion mans conscience is a Register which will bring to remembrance and Judge that will clearly determine of mans wayes the worst of men by a short conference with their own soul would soon see a necessity of repentance censure others lesse and your selves more enquire not into other mens condition so much as your own Conversation let no day return without accounts be serious in self-examination Fourthly Sit loose to the world 4. Help to repentance the world is the great pull-back to heaven and hinderance of repentance you may observe the reason the Rebellion and impenitency of Ezekiels hearers was their hearts went after their covetousnesse Ezek 33.31 otherwise they took delight to hear That sad sentence A Camel may sooner go through the eye of a Needle than a rich man enter into the Kingdome of heaven was occasioned by a rich mans refusal of Christ his call to repentance Matth. 19.20 Riches choak the work and lift up the heart too high great men in the world think they live above all reproof for Tyrus-like they set their hearts as the heart of God Ezek. 28.6 and think to live without controle he that loves the world finds when called to repentance he is loth to leave pleasures it is hard to renounce riches it cuts deep to despise Wife Children Father Mother Friends and deare Relations he cannot but be dismayed at reproach and sufferings sin is the common property of the world the things of this world is the recompence of impiety they that sin highest ordinarily succeed most yet this is the great stumbling stone of the godly the world makes David almost repent his repentance Psal 73. They that will follow God must be strangers to the world true Penitentiaries must be pilgrims in the earth Fifthly See the shortnesse of life 5. Help to repentance and limitaton of the day of grace Hopes of long life and thoughts of repentance at pleasure help many a soul to hell our life we must consider is but a bubble a blast a shadow gone before it well appeare in which there is no certainty our time is in Gods hand he hath numbred our dayes but to which of us hath he declared the number hath he given any man a legible Lease of his life have the youngest strongest most healthful among us an assurance of to morrow and doth not eternity depend on the well-husbanding of this uncertain time is there any remembrance of God in the grave or repentance among the dead doth not death determine the eternal estate of men Dives eyes cannot distiâ—l one tear in hell though he call to Abraham for mitigation of torments never so much as begs the pardon of sin no that is too late see we not men pensive and sad at the thoughts of death Chrysostome hath told us the cause of the fear of death is because we live not in the austerity befitting Christianity but lead dâ—licate and voluptuous lives Could we make every day our dying day it would quicken us to repentance Hilarion never had a to morrow and when he comes to die he hath the comfort of it Oh my soul get thee out of this house of clay what dost thou fear Septuaginta pr pe annis servivisti Christo mortem tim s Hast thou served Christ almost seventy yeares and dost thou now feare death If we will live for ever we must die dayly if we will not defer repentance we must not determine to our selves any other time than the present Again if we know our time in nature who knoweth the date of the day of grace It is a limited day but the bounds thereof are not pub ished that to day whilst it is called to day we may hearken to his voice Heb. 4.4 7. lest he sweare in his wrath we shall not enter into his rest A season of salvation is allotted to the sons of men the old world had its day Jerusalem had her day every of us have our day
raised 480. to be believed 581. reasons of it 586 587 588 589. Resurrection the effect of the New Covenant and union with Christ 388. Resurrection after what manner and with what difference 591. how effected p. 593. it is to be believed 595. a ground of comfort ib. 596 597 598 599. a ground of terror 560. how made happy to our selves 603 604. Revenge accompanieth repentance 545. S Sacraments in the Old Testament were various and many 122. Tree of life a Sacrament in Paradise ibid. Sacraments prove corruption of nature 153. Saints are good company 3. Salvation by Christ an Argument of original pravity 153. Salvation the end of Faith 473. Salvation difficult 482. Sanctification Covenant priviledge 14. Satisfaction of Christ explained 337 339 340 341. its Matter 408 Form 412. Terms 417. Satisfaction not made by man himself 407. but by Christ 408 409 410. and how done 402. Satisfaction of Christ the only plea to procure justification at Gods bar ib. Scripture the Word explained 86. Scripture proves a God 48. Scripture similitudes shew the union between Christ and Believers 384. Scripture only discovers mans natural pravity 151. Sea its course and confinement proved a God 35 36. Secret sins discovered by natural conscience 44. Sense of Scriptures power on the soul prove them Divine 98. Sense of sin and sorrow for it are precursive parts of true Repentance 492. Sense of a short life helps to Repentance 349. Self sinful to be studied 168. Self examination an help to Repentance 548. Severity of Gods justice 295. Sense its pain in hell 626. Constituted by Real presence of all evil Impression of justice Personal Feeling 627 628. Sentence of last day 614. Sight of things invisible an effect of Faith 471. Sin to be feared and fled from 643 644. Sin a defect nothing positive 112 113. it is most unreasonable p. 114. subjects man to an impotency of saving himself 115. justifieth God in punishing man 116 117. should rather be gotten out than inquired how it came into the world 113. Sins evil seen in Christ his death 294. Sin better discovered by the New than Old Covenant 250. Sin abolished by Christ his death 302 303. Sin is imputed inherent extensive diffusive 165. Sin may exist and prevaile in a true Saint 505. Sin mortified by the Spirit 389. Sinner elect and called the subjects of Faith 460. Shame was in Christs death 206. Sensible sinner subject of true repentance 489. Society in heaven what 658 659. Sons of God partakers of the whole essence of the Father is the same numerical nature 66. 67. Sonship to God is by Creation 435. Generation 435. Marriage 435. Adoption 435. Sonship by Adoption Honourable 437 440. Free 437 440. Permanent 437 440. Sonship to God marks of it p. 453 454. Sorrow and humility usher faith 476. Soul of Christ suffered 410. Souls in heaven subject to Jesus Christ 324 325. Spirit of God in man a signe of union with Christ 389. Spirit of God justifieth how 422. Spirits evil shall be chained when Saints go to heaven 652. Speed facilitates repentance 452. Sting of conscience a note of Deity 45. Sting in Christ his death 286 287. Study of Scriptures a duty 99 100. Suns scituation and motion proveth a God 33 34. Sullen repentance what 518. Systems of Religion profitable for Ministers and people 5. they instruct in the faith antidote error 7 12. Adorn the truth 16. help the understanding 17. the memory 18. affections 19. such are found in Scripture 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. to be studied by young Divines 21. T Temptation of Satan did not necessitate man to sin p. 112. Things in heaven subject to Christ what 323 324. Things on earth subject to Christ what they are 325. Things under the earth 326. Every Tongue what it means 329. Terms of Covenant between God the Father and his Son 225. Torments of Hell Exquisite Intolerable Easelesse Remediless Universal and various 629 630 631. Tryal of last day shall be 1. Universal 2. Formal 3. Impartial 4. Exact 5. Perspicuous 6. Supreme 610 611 612. its consequence 613. Trinity proved by Old Testament text 72. New Testament 74 75. Turning from all sin to God is the formality of true repentance 50. U Union of two natures in Christ without confusion or transmutation 270. Union of believers and Christ necessary p. 377. what kind it is not 379. what kind it is 381 382. its causes 383. grounds 385. its marks 389 390 391 392. it is to be sought by sinners and improved by Saints 396 397 398 399 400. Unbelievers miserable 48. not Gods sons 447. Vocation its twofold estate 437. Vocation a Resurrection a new Creation 361. W Will of God signified in a rule of rectitude 107. Witness from heaven differs in six particulars from witnesse on earth 67 68. we have both to prove Christ the Son of God 66. Word of God declareth his wrath 181 182 183. World visible its being and parts 31 32. World an enemy to faith 481. to be slighted by â—aints 549. Works their use in point of Covenant 126 127. how they justifie 422. Wrath of God what and how aggravated 177 178 179 180. falleth on man here 184. fully at the day of judgement ibid. sheweth his justice and wisdome p. 193 194 195 196. it is to be avoided 197 198. Y Yoak of the Law borne by Jesus Christ 280 281. Z Zeal Negative p. 2. Affirmative p. 2. Zeal accompanieth true Repentance 544. FINIS
one entire Fabrick and Creation God saw every thing that he had made Gen. 1.31 and behold it was VERY GOOD Such a rare piece are Gospel-truths in their variety and uniformity not lesse glorious a d admirable than heaven and earth Sunne Moon Starres Elements in all their order and ornament Secondly 2. Help to knowledge Such types and Exemplars of divine truths are of great help to the understanding As the Collection of many beams and luminaries makes the greater light so it is in tne judgement A constellation of Gospel-principles shining together into the understanding fills it with distinct and excellent knowledge 2 Cor. 4.6 It gives us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. One truth doth irradiate and expound another The truths of the Gospel in their method and series are interpretative one to the other while the understanding by means hereof hath the advantage of dwelling upon them the object and comparing spiritual things with spiritual things as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2.13 The truth is he knows but little of the truth that knows it only within it self he understands it aright that knows it in its connexion and correspondence with other truths of the Gospel That Christ dyed to save sinners is a most precious truth 1 Tim. 1.15 but he knoweth TOO LITTLE of it that knows it alone as most of ignorant Christians do who perish with their knowledge he knoweth this truth to purpose that knows it in its connexion with a lost estate that knows it in its references to the fall the wounds and bruises and death contracted by it he knows Redemption by Jesus Christ aright that knoweth it in order to the GUILT and POWER of sin and mans total impotency to save himself from either He knows salvation aright that knows it in the extent and vertue of all Christs OFFICES King Priest and Prophet that understands salvation to be a saving of the poor creature from the REIGN of sin by the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ a saving of a man from IGNORANCE ERROR and those false rotten principles which are naturally radicated in the understanding by the Prophetical Office of Jesus Christ as well as a saving him from HELL and WRATH TO COME by the Priestly Office of Jesus Christ He knows aright the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ not that knows it singly and nakedly only in the story and notion of it but that knoweth it in the effectual application of it by the Spirit for mortification and vivification that knoweth it in its connexion with and influence into justification and sanctification c. He that thus knoweth Christ and him crucified knoweth him as the truth is in Jesus His understanding is full of light Alas the ignorance and misery of our times is not that people are totally destitute of the principles of Christian Religion but that they know them singly only and apart and so they know them but by halfes yea not so much for I dare be bold to say the better half of every truth consists in its method and necessary coherence with other truths without which therefore the knowledge men have of them must needs be but dark and lifelesse Thirdly Such Patterns and Platforms whether of larger or of lesser compasse Advantage help to memoâ—y are a great help to memory In all Arts and Sciences order and method is of singular advantage unto memory We do easily retain things in our mind when we have once digested them into order It is not so much multitude of objects as their variousnesse and independency which is burdensome to memory when once the understanding apprehends them in their natural union and fellowship one upon another the memory comprehends them with much more sweetnesse and facility Hence it is that NUMBER and PLACE are of such rare use in the art of memory The reason why people generally remember no more of the Sermons they hear is for want of Catechizing whereby they might come to know the principles of Religion in their order and methodical contexture Usually in Sermons truths are delivered single and apart and the ignorant hearer knows not where the Minister is nor what place the doctrine delivered obtains in the body of divinity nor how they are knit together and so the memory leaks them out as fast as they are dropt in order is the very glue of memory Method in a single Sermon when the hearer is acquainted with it gratifieth the memory as well as the understanding while it doth not only lodge things in their own place but locks the door upon them that they may not be lost When things are knit and linckt in one with another as in a chaine pull up one link and that will pull up another so that the whole chaine is preserved But we may have occasion to speak again of this point And therefore Fourthly such Modules serve to quicken affection 4. Advantage to quicken affection Sympathy and Harmony have a notable influence upon the affections The sounding of a single string makes but little musick let a skilfull hand touch them in their musical consent and symphonie and it affects the hearer to a kinde of ravishment So it is with evangelical truths place them in their proper rooms that a man may behold them in their mutual correspondencies and apt couplings together and truly the Seraphims themselves answering one to another and ecchoing to another make not a sweeter harmony in their celestial Hallelujahs Fifthly It is a marvelous Antidote against errour and seduction Gospel truths in their series and dependance are a chain of gold to tie the truth and the soul close together People would not be so easily trapand into heresie if they were acquainted with the concatenation of Gospel-doctrines within themselves As for instance men would not certainly be so easily complemented to worship that Idol of free-will and the power of nature were they well principled in the doctrine of the fall The design of God in permitting of it held out in Scripture in such large and legible Characters that he which runs may read Psal 51.4 1 Cor. 1.29 30 31 c. If they did with sobriety of Spirit observe what the Scripture prâ—claimes concerning the impotency of the lapst and ruined creature mans helplesse condition in himself Rom. 5.6 Ephes 2.1 Of the absolute necessity of the quickening helping and stablishing influence of the Spirit of Christ c. When a chaine of pearls is broken a single jewel is easily lost divine truths are mutually preservative in their social embraces and coherence Sixthly 6. Advantage growth in grace Growth in grace is one blessed fruit of such systems and tables of divine truths When â—oundations are well laid the superstructures are prosperously carried on want of distinct knowledge in the mysteries of Religion is a great obstruction to the growth of grace The great cause of the believing Hebrews non proficiency was
face and with twain his feet and with twain did he flee and one cryed to another Holy holy holy Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory The Angels are pure and innocent Creatures they fear not his angry justice but they adore his excellencies and perfections his is a dread when a most Serene Majesty Penal fear is inconsistent with the joys of heaven but the fear of admiration is perfected there and in this sense the fear of God continues for ever Psal 19.9 In all our addresses to him we should compose our spirits by the awful apprehension of that infinite distance which is between God and us Eccles 5.2 Let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth the greatest distance in nature is but an imperfect discovery how much we are beneath God 't is the effect of grace to represent the Divine being and glory so to the soul that in the most social duties it may have impressions of fear Psal 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling We should fear his greatnesse and power in whose hands our life and breath and all our wayes are the fear of God having its actual force upon the soul is operative and instrumental to holy walking from whence the fear of God is taken in Scripture for the whole duty of man it being an introduction to it The fear of God and keeping his Commandments are joined together Eccles 12.13 This is the Prepositus which governs our actions according to Gods will this is a watchful Centinel against the most pleasant temptations it kills delight in sin by which the integrity of most men is lost for delight cannot dwell with fear this is the guard and security of the soul in the days of trouble the fear of God countermines the fear of men this cuts off base and unworthy complyings therefore the Lord brings this as an antidote against the base fear of men Isa 51.12 13. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye and of the son of man that shall be made as grass And forgettest the Lord thy Maker that stretcheth forth the Heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth This exalts a Christian above humane frailty and makes him despise the threatnings of the world whereby many are terrified from their constancy It is the most unreasonable thing to be Cowards to men and fearless of God Men have but a finite power and so they cannot do that hurt they would and they are under the Divine Providence and therefore are disabled from doing that hurt which otherwise they could do but the power of God is absolute and unconfined therefore our Saviour presses with vehemency upon his Disciples Matth. 10.28 Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell He lives for ever and can punish for ever therefore when duty and life cannot stand together he that flies the danger by delivering up his soul exchanges the pain of a moment for the torments of Eternity Timent Carcerem non timent Gehennam timent Cruciatum Temporalem non poenas ignis aeterni timent modicum mori non aeternum mori Austin upbraids the folly of such They fear the Prison but they fear not Hell they fear temporal torment but they fear not the pains of unquenchable fire they fear the first but not the second death 3. Dependance in respect of his al-sufficiency to supply our wants and Omnipotency to secure us from dangers First his al-sufficiency can supply our wants he is the Sun Fountain and Mine of all that is good from hence the Prophet glories in God Habbakkuk 3.17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olives shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the Flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will râ—joyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation He expresses not only things for delight as the fruit of the Vine and fig-tree but things for necessity as the meat of the field and the flocks of the stall and the utter failing of these together for otherwise the want of one might be supplied by the enjoyment of another Now in the absolute losse of these supports and comforts of life the Prophet saw all things in God want of all outward things is infinitely recompenc't in the presence of God The Sun needs not the glimmering light of the Stars to make day God without the assistance of the Creatures can make us really happy in the enjoying of him we have all things and that to the greatest advantage The things of this world deceive our expectations and draw forth our corruptions but in God we enjoy them more refinedly and more satisfyingly the dregs of sin and sorrow being removed by possessing God there is no burden which we are not able to bear but he takes it aâ—ay our wants weaknesse and sufferings and there is no excellency of his which we are able to enjoy but he conveys to us his grace his glory There is true riches in his favour true honour in his approbation true pleasure in his peace He is the treasure and triumph of the soul Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him He is such a portion that all temporal crosses cannot hinder its influence on us and his influxive presence makes heaven he is a portion that cannot be lost he inseparably abides with the soul The real belief and application of this will keep a Saint in an holy independency on earthly things Cum mundus exarserit cogitat se nihil habere de tanta mole perdendum the flames which shall burn the World cannot touch his portion he may stand upon its ruines and say I have lost nothing Moreover this will keep the soul upright in the course of obedience for all the exorbitancies and swervings from the Rule proceeds from the apprehensions of some particular good in the Creature which draws men aside Those who want the light of faith which discovers Gods al-sufficiency only admire present and sensible things and to obtain these they depart from God but the more eagerly they seek after these temporal good things the further they run from the Fountain of goodnesse which alone can sweeten the best things we enjoy and counterbalance their absence the Creatures are but of a limited benignity the necessity of their number proves the meanness of their value but one God answers all he is an infinite and indefective good he is for all the powers of soul and body to hold them in their pleasant exercise and to give them rest he is alone able to impart happinesse and to preserve that happinesse he imparts
that do inflict rather than sin within for which the same is inflicted The Lord scourges sin by that which is the inflicters sin too They have no Warrant to do and yet we justly suffer from them as Organs of wrath in Gods hand 2. Upon God himself Prov. 19.3 The foolishnesse of man perverteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord. The Malefactour blames the Judge when it was himself that delivered himself over into the Judges power and Armed the Law with power of doing all that is done against him 5. This may informe us of the grâ—unds and advantages the Lord hath given us to humility and self-abasement Wipe the sweat off from thy brows and say This is the fruit of sin See the cloaths on thy back and these are the coverings of that shame which came in by sin look into thy body soul estatâ— relations person whatsoever is crooked and afflictive pertains to this account and is to be set at the foot of sin When beaten consider the fault that thou art beaten for and accept of the punishment of thy iniquity Lev. 26.41 Thy eye cannot turn but there are remembrances of sin and provocations to lay thy self in the dust before the Lord. 6. This may informe us of their folly that kindle this wrath yet more The Princes spake well to the two Tribes and a half Josh 22.17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed untill this day c. So are those wrath-provoking pollutions of nature too little for us by which we are so far defiled and troubled unto this day that by increases of sin we should augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord Num. 32.14 while abiding in this estate ye do this more and more continually Use 2. Exhort and this is double 1. To carnal and unregenerate persons Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest Micah 2.10 This is not an estate to be quietly abode one moment in Motive 1. Who can dwell with this wrath which God describes to be 1. Burning wrath Job 19.11 He hath kindled his wrath against me 2. Tearing wrath this set the Bears awork 2 Kings 2.23 Consider this yet that forget God lest he tear you in pieces Psal 50.22 3. Piercing wrath that goeth down into the very inwards of the conscience when all visible blessings stand intire round about and not a haire of the head is ruffled This curse often works in the middle of blessings and ripens by them insensibly for hell it self 4. Abiding wrath the prisoners of which are bound hand and foot and there is no starting Zach. 5.4 5. Surprising wrath Job 20.23 When he is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall raine it upon him while he is eating and so of all other times is most chearful 6. Reserved wrath Job 21.30 2 Pet. 2.9 which like a woman with childe will travel till it have brought forth judgment against all the enemies of the Lord though upon Thrones and having Nations under their feet Psal 78.30 31. Was Sodom a City fit to be dwelt in especially for Lot when the Lord had given him notice of the cloud of fire and brimstone hovering and ready to come down upon the same This Climate is too hot for any that have spiritual senses to dwell a minute in 2. Shall all our warnings be lost that tell you of the storme meerly to drive you under covert and that ye may understand and favour that glorious name 1 Thes 1.10 Jesus that delivers from wrath to come The Avenger of blood is in your necks to quicken your haste into this City of Refuge Why should ye make the Furnace-hotter and to the Fathers wrath which is quenchable in the blood of Christ superadde the wrath of the Lambe which is absolutely unquenchable Shall we only stand forth to clear the justice of the Lord against you in the last day 3. The great and swaying care of all Gods people assoon as ever they saw themselves in the glasse of the Law of liberty Jam. 1.15 was to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 This was Pauls prevailing care when sought for and to be set to Gods bar to be found cloathed with Christs righteousnesse and to have his Image legibly ingraven upon him the like care should be ours Directions 1. Stir up shame and sorrow and fear and indignation against your selves no sins are heavier than those we count light of Ezek. 8.17 Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here Take this oppositely to a double evil 1. Men pare and lessen their sins and make a very small matter of them and consider not that lessening their own indignation they increase Gods Prov. 14.9 Fools make a mock at sin chap. 10.23 It is a sport to a fool to do mischief So those Isa 57.4 Against whom do you sport your selves Against whom do ye make a wide mouth and draw out the tongue They fell to other gods and laughed the Prophet to scorne that made such a businesse of it so when Christ and grace and life were offered Mat. 22.5 they made light of it and went their ways that is made light of grace and of the sin of contempt of grace 2. Men stick in vile practises and think their sacrifices and prayers will salve all up again which the Lord so earnestly declares against Isa 1.14 But stir ye up sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 shame displeasure repentance hath these adjuncts and proceeds to and deals with and chiefly with this first bottome-sinne 2. Lie down meekly at the Lords feet this follows upon the practice of the first direction 1. In submission to any the sharpest dispensations As passions stir up passions and one Coale kindles another so our frettings the Lords wrath There are tangs of this sin in the godly themselves 2 Sam. 6.8 Jonah 4.5 but grace takes it by the throat Psal 51.4 2. In supplication Jer. 10.24 Psal 6.1 The Lords servants have humbly and earnestly deprecated wrath 3. Embrace the Lord Jesus in the force of all his blessed offices and then go flie to and lift up thy face without spot before the Father in him Know 1. That it is a dreadful thing to have a settled Warre and plague in a Nation much more to be in the Jews case that rejected and would not be under the blessing of Christ and are under the curse of God and wrath is come upon them to the uttermost and hath rested already these One thousand six hundred years 1 Thes 2.16 2. That there is no other remedy propounded to remove this wrath which we came into the world children and heires of but only Christ. He hath the keyes of hell and death Acts 4.12 Rev. 1.18 to let the soul out of the body and into hell when he will to inferre and remove wrath If
save Justice was to have its penni-worths out of our Surety and nothing could be abated of blood God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that he might be just Rom. 3.25 26. 5. That he that hath the power of death might be destroyed Hebr. 2.14 through death he destroyed him that hath the power of death that is the Divel Satan hath the power of death not as a Judge but as an Executioner and Christs death hath destroyed him not taken away his being or undivel'd him but shatter'd his Forces broken and subdued him The crucifying of Christ was the Divels plot he put Judas upon betraying him the Jews upon accusing him Pilate upon condemning him the Souldiers upon executing him but our Lord out-shot him in his own Bowe and cut off Goliah's head with Goliah's Sword It fared with Satan as it is storied of a certain Souldier who being cu iously inquisitive after the time of his death went to an Astrologer who of a long time would make him no answer till at the length overcome by his importunity he told him that he should dye within three dayes whereat the Souldier being angry draws his Sword and kills the Astrologer for which murder within three dayes compasse he was executed And thus Satan plotting the death of Christ to put by his own ruine promoted and procured it Our Saviours death gave him such a deaths wound as he will never claw off The Lyon is terrible saith Chrysostom not only awake but sleeping And so Christ not only living but dying came off a Conqueror Judg. 16.30 as Sampson at his death pulled down the pillars of the house and made a greater rout among the Philistines than in all his life and therefore it is very observable when the death of Christ approached and being in view Satan perceived how great disadvantage was like thereby to accrue to him and his Kingdome how he laid about and bestirred himself by all means possible to hinder it he put Petâ—r upon disswading him Master favour thy self and let not this be unto thee and Christ presently smelt him out in that advice as appears by his rebuke Get thee behinde me Satan Matth. 16.23 Matth. 27 19. he buzz'd dreams into the head of Pila es wife and thereby endeavoured to take him off and divert him from pronouncing the sentence upon him 6. To take away the meritorious cause of death viz. sinne And verily had all the Divels in hell been routed and sin that Divel in the bosome remain'd undisturbed it had been an inconsiderable victory God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh for sin Rom. 8.3 thaâ— is by a sacrifice for sin we have such another Ellipsis Hebr. 10.6 condemned sin in the flesh Christ by his blood wrote aâ— ill of Inditement and Condemnation against sin he sued it to an out-lary and undermiâ—ed it as to its dominion and damnation Rom. 6.10 in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once The Saints dye unto sin namely by Mortification Verse 11. Reckon ye your selves also to be dead indeed unto sin but thus there was never any alive in Christ but he dyed unto sin namely the utter ruine and undoing of sin The Messiah shall be cut off to finish transgression and make an â—nd of sins Dan. 9.24 There is a double finishing of sin by consummation and by consumption the meaning is not as though Christ compleated that which sinners had left imperfect or varnisht over those sins which came out of their hands rude and unpolished no he could neither put an hand nor set a tool to such work as this but to make an end of sin to eat into the heart and tear out the bowels of it such is Christs hatred of sin that rather than it shall live himself will dye APPLICATION Three Uses may be made of this Doctrine for 1. Information 2. Exhortation 3. Comfort Use 1 1. For Information in foure particulars 1. This lets us see the transcendent and inexpressible love of Christ to poor sinners Let such as can entertain hard thoughts of Christ look upon him as nailed to the Crosse and shedding his blood and then tell me if they do not think him in good earnest in the businesse of saving souls Oh how was his heart set upon sinners that would thus shed his heart-blood for sinners The Rabbins have a saying that upon every apex or tittle of the Law there hangs a Mountain of sense and doctrine In every drop of Christs blood there is an Ocean of love Who loved me Gal. 2.20 and gave himseâ—f for m The death of Christ was such a demonstration of love as the world never saw When God made the wordl he intended the evidence of his power he ordained hell digg'd Tophet and fill'd it with fire and brimstone and thereby manifested the severity of his jâ—stice he humbled himself to death and therein his purpose was to demonstrate the transcendency of his love this made the love of Christ of such efficacy and constraining influence upon the Apostle Paul Be ause we thus judge that if one dyed for all than were all dead 2. Cor. 5.14 When Christ once wept at Lazarus his grave by-standers made this inference upon it Behold how he loved him John 11.36 but if weeping at the grave for his death argued such love what love was it then to dye and go down into the grave for Lazarus It were an easie thing to lose our selves in this delightful Maze and Labyrinth of love the righteous Judge of all the world unrighteously accused and condemned the Lord of life was dying the eternal and ver blessed Son of God strugling with his Fathers wrath he that had said I and my Father are one crying out in his bitter agony My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He that hath the keys of hell and death lay sealed up in anothers grave Blessed and dear Saviour whither hath thy love to sinners carried thee Well might the Apostle in an holy rapture and extasie expresse himself in an elegant contradiction when he desired the Ephesians might know the love of Christ which passes knowledge Ephes 3.19 2. Hence learn the horrible and cursed evil of sin there is sure an abominable filthinesse in that which nothing but the blood of God could purge and expiate We may guesse at the depth and breadth of the sore by the plaister that is prepared and applied It s a desperate disease that requires such a desperate cure sin is an infinitely mischievous evil which nothing could remove but infinitely precious blood You that view sin in its right features and proportions take a prospect from Mount Calvary look through the perspective of Christs blood and seriously ponder the bitter and dreadful agonies of the Son of God when he sweat and bled and groaned and dyed under
Saint is able and apt to say Were it not for sin I would not much care for Satan I could defie and bid him do his worst it is the Devil within that makes the Devil without so formidable Now plead but this blood and the guilt of sin is done away Either as 1. Imprinted on the person to condemnation 2. Or reflected by the conscience in accusation 1. Sin is done away by this blood as it binds over to wrath and punishment it 's a spiritual aqua fortis that eates off the souls prison-shakkles Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Sin may remain but it shall not condemn and whence believers have their discharges the Apostle there shews Ver. 3. Suscipiendo poenam non suscipiendo culpam culpam delevit poenam Aug. God sent his own Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh If the channel of Christs blood runs through thy soul thou hast shot the gulfe as to condemnation this Scripture brings thee in not guilty and that 's the verdict of a thousand Juryes 2. The blood of Christ abolishes sin as reflected by the conscience in a way of accusation as it raises tumults and turmoyls in the soul and Armes a man against himself It 's a Malignant and mischievous property of sin that it doth not only put the soul into hell but puts hell into the soul Conscience is to sin what the burning-glasse is to the sun-beame twists all together till it scorches smoaks burns and flames but Christs blood hath that in it which is abundantly sufficient to silence and stop the mouth of an angry accusing conscience it 's a soveraign balsome to cure that cancer in the breast a mollifying oyntment and cooling fomentation for those invenomed sin-rankled ulcers that fester and bleed inwardly The blood of sprinkling speaks better things than that of Abel Heb. 12.24 Abels blood was very clamorous in Cains conscience he carryed an hue and cry within himself conscience as a blood-hound hunted him at every turne and its continual cry and eccho in his ears was Vengeance upon the murderer but the blood of Jesus hath in it a pleasant and peaceable voice and hushes all unquiet and tumultuary janglings Applyed by faith it saith to the soules rowling billows that cast up mire and dirt what Christ once said to the raging Sea Peace be still and there is a great calm 5. And the last enemy whose enmity the blood of Christ hath slain is death Not that death is so destroyed to believers that they shall not dye but unstinged that it shall not wound in the vital parts or at once kill bodies and souls The Apostles triumphant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very remarkable O death 1 Cor. 15.55 57 where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ When a Bee hath fastned its sting in a mans flesh and thereby lost it it ever after they say turnes a drone death once fastned its sting in Christ and hath ever since to them that are in Christ been like a drone that can humme and affright but not sting and hurt them Death now drives a poor trade amongst them it may destroy the body and when it hath play'd that prank it hath done all its fears as a fierce Mastiffe whose teeth are broken out it can bark or rend and tear the tatter'd and thred-bare coate but it cannot bite to the bone How feeble an enemy is death since it travelled and took a walk to the top of Mount Calvary 2. A Believers enemies are not only foyled but through the blood of Christ his person is accepted Eph. 1.6 7. he hath made us accepted in the beloved he hath begraced us in Christ that is the proper importance of the phrase in whom we have Redemption through his blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou art sprinkled with the blood of Christ God will know his own mark upon thee thy person is accepted and services cannot be unacceptable 3. If a believer here is comfort in that thou mayst be assured that Christ is willing to do any thing for thee He is ready in heaven upon all occasions to plead this price and sollicite thy further affaires shew but Christs blood and I dare warrant the golden Scepter held out The Apostles reasoning is unanswerable He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 Saints need never feare putting Christ to too much trouble in any thing they have for him to do for the shedding of his blood and that he hath already done hath been more troublesome and chargeable than any thing they can set him about for the time to come thou needest not fear his denying any thing to thee who hath thus far denyed himself for thee 4. Here is comfort to a believer in that his grace shall be preserved such a soul is too costly a purchase for Christ to lose he paid so dear that he may be trusted to demand and challenge the making good of his bargain if true grace could be totally and finally lost it might be said Christ payes the price and the devil gets the prize Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun a good work in you will performe it untill the day of Jesus Christ And it lies Christ in hand so to do otherwise he will come off a loser Christ is the good Shepherd John 10.11 28 that giveth his life for the Sheep and gives unto them eternal life and they shall never perish Ah how little do they consult Christs honour or the comfort of souls that tell us Believers may perish in sin like rotten sheep in a ditch if so how then shall Christ save his stake that hath been thus much out of purse upon them 5. Here 's yet further comfort to a believer in that by the blood of Christ heaven is opened Heb. 10 19. and we have boldnesse to enter into the holyest by the blood of Jesus Man had no sooner sinned but God sent an Angel to stand Centinel and keep him from Paradise with a flaming sword the blood of Christ hath opened that passage at once blunting the sword and quenching the flame Christ gave up the Ghost at the ninth hour at three in the Afternoon the time of the evening Sacrifice and at the very instant the Veile of the Temple that parted the holy place and holy of holyes was rent asunder so that the Priest who was then Ministring in the holy place had on the sudden a fair and free prospect into the holyest of all which excellently typifies that the death of Christ hath removed and rent away all obstacles and obstructions that might interpose betwixt believers and the blessednesse of glory The Rivers lead to the Sea the
must one day bow the knee 3. Consider That the sinnes of Christians are far greater than of the Jews against Christ They sinned against Christ in the state of his Humiliation but we sin against Christ who is now exalted on the right hand of God The Jews put Christ to death for saying Mat. 26.64 Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven and shall we we Christians put the Lord of glory to open shame who do believe that he is sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on High Acts 3.17 The Jews many of them both Rulers and people knew not that Jesus was the Christ they had a hand in his death but it was through ignorance for had they known it g Cor. 2.8 they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory but it must be horrible wickedness for us to rebell against Christ who do believe his Exaltation Sub pedibus ejus eris aut adoptatus aut victus Aug. 4. And Lastly Consider That Christ at last will be too hard for the most hard-hearted sinner If you will not bow you will be broken O obstinate sinner if thou wilt not kiss the Son thou wilt lick the dust under his feet if thou wilt not bow as a Child thou wilt be made to bow as a Slave if thou wilt not bow to his golden Scepter Mat. 11.29 Psa 110.1 thou wilt be broken with his Iron Rod In a word if thou wilt not bear his Yoke thou shalt become his Foot-stool III. Vse of Comfort to Belâ—evers great is the Consolation which doth arise from the doctrine of Christs Exaltation 1. Is Christ exalted to the right hand of God then we may comfortably believe that he hath perfectly satisfied Gods justice for us John 16.9 we may now rest upon Christs righteousness that he hath accomplished fully all his undertaking because he is gone to the Father Christ by his Death overcame his enemies by his Resurrection he scattered them by his Ascension he triumph't over them by his Death he paid the debt by his Resurrection he came out of Prison and by his Ascension he shews himself openly to God the Creditor and pleads satisfaction The Humiliation of Christ confirmed and ratified the New Testament his Exaltation gives him opportunity to execute his last Will and Testament for he is now exalted as a Conquerour Rev. 1.18 and hath the keys of death and hell delivered to him This comfort the Apostle urgeth upon the Doctrine of Christs Exaltation for if when we were enemies Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Our salvation began in the humiliation but it is compleated in the Exaltation of Christ Heb. 7.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did not undertake what he was not able to finish for he saves his people to the uttermost 2. This is our comfort though Christ be highly exalted yet he is mindful of us He is not only a faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people but he is a merciful high Priest Heb. 2.17 18. to remember the sufferings of his people and to succour those that are temptâ—d The Lord Jesus though he be safely landed upon the shore of eternal glory yet he hath an eye to and a care of his poor Church Heb. 4.15 Heb. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is tossed with tempest and afflicted He is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth pro magnitudine miseriae condolere he bears a share with us in our afflictions and temptations The manner of men is that great preferments makes them forget their former poor acquaintance Honores mutanâ— mores but it is otherwise with Chrâ—st He is exalted above the Heavens and yet he is not unmindful of his Church on earth The dayes of his Passion are ended but not of his compassion as Joseph though he was the Favourite of Egypt yet was not ashamed to own his Brethren who were poor Shepherds Heb. 2 11. Heb. 6.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 20.17 Exod. 28.9 10. no more is Jesus Christ ashamed to call us Brethren Christ is gone into heaven as our Fâ—re-runner and there he is an Advâ—cate for us with the Fa her Just when Christ was going into heaven he sends this comfortable message to his Disciples I ascend to your God and my God to your Fa her and my Fa her Our great High Priest hath all the names and necessities of his people written upon his Breast-plate Believers are engraven upon the palmes of his hands Isa 49.16 Cant. 8.6 yea they are set as a Seal upon his heart Videmus caput nostrum super aquas Greg. 3. And last Consolation is this Christ is exalted to heaven and so shall all believers in due time the Head hath taken possession of heaven for all his Members In all the several parts of the Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ he acted not as a single person but as the Second Adam representatively as a publick person so that all those who are in Christ Jesus have an interest in that Redemption he hath purchased for Believers Gal. 2.20 Rom. 6.8 Christ was crucified and a believer is crucified with Christ Christ dyed and a believer is dead with Christ Col. 3.1 Christ rose from the dead and believers are risen with Christ Christ is ascended up to heaven and believers sit together with Christ in heauenly places Eph. 2.6 1 Cor. 6.2 Christ wil come to judge the world and the Saints as Assessors to Christ shall judge the world Rev. 3.31 Christ is sate down in his Fathers Throne and believers shall sit with Christ in his Throne In a word our Lord Jesus Christ who is now possest of the glory of heaven John 14.3 Joh 16.24 will come again to fetch us to heaven that we may be where he is that we may not only see his glory but partake of it for when he shall appear we shall appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 THE SATISFACTION OF CHRIST DISCUSSED COL 1.20 And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven THE Apostle having congratulated the Colossians their faith and love and other graces and poured forth a prayer for them in the 14. verse he enters upon a Declaration of the Gospel-mystery the Person and Offices and work of Christ His person ver 15 16 17. he is God c. his Office ver 18. he is the Head of the body the Church c. His work in the 20.
is Almighty and he must do it because he hath promised it This is Pauls Argument to King Agrippa Vers 6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our Fathers c. And this is Christs Argument by which he proveth the Resurrection against the Sadduces Matht 22.32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Objection This Argument of Christ proves onely the Immortality of the Soul but not the Resurrection of the Body Answer It proves also the Resurr ction of the body because God is the God of Abraham Isaa and Jacob not onely the God of one part of Abraham but of whole Abraham not onely the God of his soul but of his body And therefore whole Abraham must live for ever for Gods Covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob is an everlasting Covenant 2. From the justice of God God cannot but raise the dead because he is a just God and must reward every man according to his works Now in this life men are not rewarded the Righteous in this life are oftentimes persecuted and the wicked are in prosperity And therefore there must come a rewarding time and if so then first there must be a Resurrection For dead men cannot be rewarded Objection Is it not enough that our Souls be rewarded Answer No For our bodies are partakers in good and evil actions with the soul and therefore it is just that they should be Partakers also in rewards and punishments Shall God require services of the body and shall he not reward those services Do not the Saints of God beat down their bodies and bring them into subjection Do they not fast often and mortifie their earthly members and suffer Martyrdome with their bodies And therefore God cannot but raise their bodies to the Resurrection of Life and raise the same bodies for it cannot stand with Gods justice that one body should serve him and another be rewarded or that one body should sin and another body be punished A just Judge will not suffer one man to fight and get the victory and another to be crowned The same body that sinneth must dye and the same body that conquers must be crowned What justice can there be for God to cast a body that never sined into Hell and that never was in Adam 3. From the end of Christs coming in the flesh which was to destroy all the Enemies of our Salvation Now the last Enemy which must be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.26 and death cannot be uttetly and totally destroyed unless there be a Resurrection of the dead 4. From the Resurrection of Christ This is Saint Pauls great Argument 1 Cor. 15.12 c. If Christ be risen how â—ay some that there shall be no resurrection of the dead For Christ rose as a Publique Person and as the Head of his Church And if the Head be risen all the members must also rise and therefore he is called the First-fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 and the First-born of every creature And if the First-fruits be lifted up out of the grave the whole lump will certianly follow Hence also it is that Christ is called the Second Adam 1 Cor 15.21.22 and Paul argueth stroâ—gly That as by man came death so by man also came the resurrection of the dead and as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive But now in the first Adam all dye not onely spiritually but corâ—orally and therefore in the second Adam all must be corporally made to live And live again in the same bodies for Christ rose with the same body that he dyed with And therefore he rose with his scars and wounds and he convinced his Disciples that the body he rose with was a tâ—uâ— body and not a Spirit For a Spirit hath not flesh and bones saith Christ as ye see me have Luke 24.39 Objection Doth not the Apostle say in that very Chapter 1 Cor. 15 44. That the bodies of men shall be spiritual bodies at the Resurrection And therefore they cannot be the same bodies 1 Cor. 15.50 Doth not the same Apostle also say That flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Hence the Socinians and divers others gather That the bodies of men shall not have flesh and blood and eyes and heads and feet at the Resurrection but shall be airy and spiritual bodies Answer There is a vast difference between mutation and perdition The same bodies shall be raised for substance but marvellously altered in regard of qualifications and endowments as you shall hear in the next particular Non aliud corpus sed aliter We read Exod. 4.6 7. That M ses put his hand into his bosom and when he took it out it was leprous as snow and again he put his hand in his bosom and pluckt it out and it was turned again as his other flesh Here was the same hand when belepred and when whole A Beggar when he puts off his rags and puts on the apparel of a King is the same man though outwardly altered or changed So shall it be at the Resurrection the bodies shall be the same for sâ—bstance though altered wonderfully as to their Qualifications and Endowments And as for that saying of the Apostle That flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God the meaning is not That the substance of flesh anâ— blood shall never enter into Heaven for Christ in his Humane Nature is now in Heaven but that flesh as it is corrupted and sinful cloathed with infirmities and subject to mortality and death flesh and blood as it is in this transitory estate liable to corruption should not enter into Heaven and therefore it followeth in the Text Neither shall corruption inherit incorruption 1 Cor. 15.50 5. I might argue lastly from the Immortality of the S ul For the soul was made by God to dwell in the body and though it can subsist of it self without the body yet it still retains appetitum unionis a desire of re-union with the body and therefore is in an imperfect estate and not compleatly happy till it be re-united to the body And therefore that the souls of the godly may be compleatly happy and of the wicked compleatly miserable there must of necessity be a Resurrection of the body that so soul and body may be re-united and partake togâ—ther either of compleat happiness or compleat unhappiness Adde to this what is said by Durand that great Schoolman That when a man dyeth not onely the soul of that man continueth alive but some substantial part of that mans body and God also the great Creator and first cause of all things And why should any man think it incredible for God to re-collect the parts of the matter of any mans body which are perished and to re-unite the same body to the same soul again
way upon the hearing of this terrible Text shall say to me as the Devils in the Gergesens said to our Saviour Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Mat. 8.29 I say no but to warn you to flee from the wrath to come and reduce you from the broad into the narrow way 3.17 7.13 14. for all the while you are in a state of nature going on in sin against God you do but wrong your own souls and by hating wisdome love death Prov. 8. ult Rom. 6. ult yea eternal death though you like not to hear of it Let not prejudice take away your judgement and then a Boanerges * Mark 3.17 with Joh. 12.29 a son of thunder to day may fit you to give better entertainment to a Barnabas * Acts 4.36 with Rev. 4.5 a sonne of Consolation to morrow For my part I hope I am not studious neither do I expect to please men Gal. 1.10 1 Cor. 4.3 in treating on this severe point their censure is a small thing to me if I may approve my self the servant of Christ our Judge which I shall endeavour in not erring from the scope of this his last sentence in my Text wherein we have Text divided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The persons sentenced or judged viz. the wicked described by their station on the left hand condition cursed 2. The person sentencing viz. Christ who is Lord Chief Justice of all the world me 3. The punishment or sentence it self pronounced by this Judge who cannot but do right namely Depart from me into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels from God who hath no beginning into Hell which hath no end noting the pain of 1 Tim. 1.7 Ter. à quo ad quem Loss Depart from me Sense into everlasting fire c. Where we have Hell Torments set forth by their quality extremity eternity quantity extremity eternity 1. Extremity aggravated by their inflammation fire the preparation of them prepared the association in them the Divel and â—his Angels 2. Eternity which makes all Hell â—ndeed evalasting fire Take the summe in this Proposition Doctrine The wicked shall depart from Christ into the greatest Torments Or if you will have it shorter take it in Davids words a Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into Hell I shall endeavour to prepare this for Application by Explication and Confirmation I. Explication of the Subject Predicate I. Explicat 1. The Subject the wicked i. e. All ungodly men and women who dye in their sins unclean unsanctified Rev. 21.27 1 Cor. 6.9 10. 2 Thes 1.9 Colos 3.6 who know not God nor obey the Gospel the Goats on Christs left hand at the great day in my Text denominated the cursed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 execratio horrenda abominanda Camerarius Ger. Harm Evang. with a dreadful execration detested of God with abomination and destinated to all misery without remedy 2. The Predicate the greatest punishment or Hell of which I shall say somewhat to First The name Hell answering to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheol and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid nominis quid rei which though the former primarily signifies the grave and the latter the valley of the son â—f Himmon yet they do also signifie extreame and eternal torment especially the latter in the new Testament where Christ speaks b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5.29 30. with v. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole body being cast into Hell the fiery Hell which Mark explains to be inextinguishable c Mark 9.43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Mat. 18.9 Hence our Saviour elsewhere bids fear him who is able to destroy soul and body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hell d Mat. 10.28.23.15.33 Luke 12.5 Men could not cast the soul into the proper Gehinnom but God can cast that into Hell after the body is killed which several of the Ancient Jewish Doctors * Targ. Jonath B. Uz. Hierus Paraph. in Gen. 3. ult Praeparavit Gehennam improbis infuturo seculo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. apprehending they did by Gehinnom Metaphorically describe the infernal fire as the Learned * Targ. Jonath B. Uz. Hierus Paraph. in Gen. 3. ult Praeparavit Gehennam improbis infuturo seculo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. have proved notwithstanding what is said to the contrary in that abominable Treatise of Hell justly sentenc'd to be burnt about two years ago wherein the Jesuited Pen-man * P. Cheitomaeus Beza Scapula Minshaw Usher Fulk Buxtorf Lex Talm. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iderâ— sonant apud Ignatium Epist ad Ephes 4. S. R. Lond. printed 1657. whither out of ignorance or malice or both hath most shamefully wronged our best Authors But could he and any others which they cannot evade the Tropical signification of Gehenna yet all the strength of their Arguments to shake and remove Hell Pillars will be but just enough as it fared with Sampson in a far more lawful undertaking Judg. 1.16 28. when he shook the Pillars of the house in which the Philistines were to pull down the rotten Fabrick of their hellish Tenet upon their own Pates sit'h there are abundantly more of Scripture expressions noting an extreame and eternal misery after this life is ended viz. Destruction by way of eminency e Mat. 7.13 utter darknesse where weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth f 22.13 and the worme dyeth not g Mark 9.43.48 damnation h Mat. 23.33 everlasting punishment i 25.46 eternal fire chains blacknesse and mists of darkness k Jude ep 6 7 13. the Prison where the spirits of the disobedient be l 2 Pet. 2.4 17. with 1 Pet. 3.19 wrath to come m 1 Thes 1.10 5.9 the furnace of fire n Mat. 13 42. the second death bottomless pit place of torment lake of fire and brimstone o Rev. 2.11 9.2 14.10 20.10 19.20 21.8 Secondly The nature of Hell may be thus described 't is no lesse than the eternal and second death in its latitude as opposite to eternal life i.e. The most miserable state of the wicked wherein they are everlastingly separated from the sight of God and all comfortable good The description of Hell lock't up in chains of darknesse under the fresh lively and afflicting sense of the wrath of God justly kindled and â—ontinually flaming against them for their sins and according to the measure of them so that they are filled with never ceasing horrors of conscience and scorched in soul and body with such grievous flames as will for evâ—r torment but never consume them to an annihilation The description explained More particularly this Description suggests two things agreeable to them already noted in the Text further to be explained viz.
but his choice and option if he be plagued with Eternal death 't is no other than that which he prefer'd before Eternal life The Lord sets life and death before us as by Moses the typical so by Christ the true Messiah if we will choose Christ and accept of him we may have Eternal life if not we must be sure of Eternal death he that refuseth the Eternal weight of glory in one end of the scale chooseth Eternal punishment in the other end as our first Parents did choose the curse by their voluntary refusing of the blessing which bad choice of theirs laid obnoxious unto Eternal pain both themselves and their posterity who cannot complain of God for inflicting the death they are by corrupt nature liable to sith besides their choice in their first parents and in their own persons they who live under the Gospel have as great a mercy tendred by the second Adam as Eternal death is a grievous punishment yea the Atheist who as 't was said of Antiochus Epiphanes takes more pains to go to Hell Buntings Itinerarie than some others to go to Heaven must confesse that he deserves his wages of Eternal death as his Pay sith he hath toyled and drudged all his life long in the Devils Service only to fit himself for misery 3. The Schoolmen have observed from the Philosopher Aquia Supl. Q. 99. Art 1. that the punishment ought to be levied according to the dignity of him against whom the offence is committed He is more severely punish't who gives his Soveraign a box on the ear than he that does so to his equal Now wicked men and that without Repentance sin against the Eternal God by the violation of his Honourable Law which he resolves to magnisie Isa 42.21 And as they ought not in their own case so they are unqualified to be competent Judges of their Own offences sit'h they cannot see the thousandth part of that evil there is in the least sin and therefore unfit to apportion the punishment which ought to be levied by the Judge of all the World who knows what is meet Gen. 18.25 and will do nothing but what is right proportionable to the offence committed against the supreme Majesty Peccatum in Deum crimen laesae Majestatis Adsit Regula peccatis quae paenas irroget aequas Horatius for where there is satisfaction required there must be proportion which would not at all be here in this case without some kind of infiniteness and because that cannot be found in any meer creature in value it must necessarily be in duration for if after millions of years it could ever be said the damned had fully satisfied Gods justice it might be said they shall be set free as the prisoner from the Goal having paid the debt Luk. 12 58 59 a thing impossible but because the sufferings of the damned which are all the satisfaction they can give infinite justice in regard of the subject being finite Ex parte subjecti and consequently not of nifinite value they must be so in duration at least à parte post as to the future for the defect of satisfaction in the temporal finite punishment of any meer creature Excep If it be excepted Excep neither by the Eternal punishment of men is Gods justice satisfied for then this punishment would not be Eternal Contradictio in Adjecto which is a contradiction in the very thing it self if ever it could be said of Gods justice now 't is satisfied Repl. I Reply 1. Let it be very well considered Repl. whether Gods iustice being infinite and consequently an essential Attribute in God doth not require from man upon his delinquency that satisfaction which is of infinite value Infiniti valoris he the party offended being essentially of infinite dignity Now such a satisfaction i. e. of infinite value could only be made by Christ who being the Surety of the Covenant and suffered in our stead is God-man in one person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 20.28 and gave plenary satisfaction unto God John 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 Rom. 3.25 2. Though Eternal punishment may not be called a satisfaction made or given to the party offended yet 't is that which the party offending must ever be in making or giving Parti laesae by the order of the Supreme Judge who is to hear the cause and apportion the punishment to the fault because he the delinquent wanting that infinitenesse in dignity of person which doth bear a proportion to the dignity of the party offended must make this up by an infinite duration of punishment which may perhaps in some sort be termed satisfaction performed to the Law it being the payment of the whole in the obligation Satisfactio legi praestita Peysolutio totius quod est in obligatione for upon defailance of paying the debt of duty and obedience what more is required of the debt of penalty and suffering to be paid Debitum officii Debitumsupp li cii than death in its full latitude temporal spiritual and Eternal so that in this respect 't is no error to call it satisfaction but if we speak of a compleat satisfaction made to the party offended Parti offensae it must be granted that none but the only Son of God did or could give it thus for the first great impediment pretended in regard of the Subject Or 2. It is because there is a possibility of freedom from the Prison of Hell and then this must be either by Covenant and Compact which whoever affirms proferat tabulas for 't is fan y not faith which believeth any such thing without the written Word Or by commutation and what place for such a fancy Is any so absurd as to think there are any in Hell who belong to God and in Heaven who belong to the Divel that there should be matter for such a Chimaera such a strange fiction Or by force and what were this but to over-power Omnipotency Or by fraud and what were this but to out-wit Divine Wisdome and to put a trick upon him whose understanding is infinite Or by a price paid and what is it that offending man can lay down as a sufficient compensation or satisfaction to an offended God who is infinite for the injury done unto him which God should accept of 1 Sam. 2.25 Godw. Rom. Antiq. l. 1. Sect. 2. â—â— Ephes 5.6 is hard to fancy and woful experience if nothing else will may convince vain man that 't is impossible to procure Or by manumission now this doth belong only to obedient servants not to châ—ldren of disobedience Or 3. The impediment is because there is an impossibility in regard of the subject as is pretended of undergoing torments of an eternal duration by a finite creature Ex parte subjecti and therefore all the Hell Socinians c. grant Socinus Racov. Cat. Crellius Bidle Richardson c.
2 Thess 1.8 9. is Annihilation by reason 't is said The wicked shall be destroyed But to remove this remember 1. The same infinite power of God which preserves Angels and men vessels of mercy to the glorifying of his grace Rom. 9.22 23. can preserve Devils and wicked men vessels of wrath to the glorifying of his justice and God will do so by reason his mercy annot contradict his justice and truth Christ who at the last day will judge others for unmercifulness best knows what it is to be merciful and it concernes us to credit the verity of his sentence in my Text though upon harkening to the shallow reasonings of flesh and blood we may be apt to apprehend severity in it but as Gregory sayes truly He that cannot find out a reason of Gods doings may easily finde in himself a reason why he cannot finde it out 2. The destruction mention'd is rather in a continual fieri than in facto esse in a perpetual doing never finally done the living of the wâ—cked in hell is a dying life and their dying is a living death one arme of Gods power is alwayes bearing up what the other is alwayes beating down 3. They shall be destroyed in a moral not in a natural sense a man that is dead in Law may live a natural life but is deprived of that whâ—ch before was due to him the wicked have their b ings in hell but are deprived of all that which makes to their well-beings sequestred from the fruition of God and all comfort with him who is the Fountain of life instead of which they cannot be freed from all that tends to their ill-beings Christ sayes expresly they must depart into everlasting fire and everlasting punishment therefore certainly not to be annihilated but to abide and remain in torment For 1. He that shall be everlastingly punished must needs remain in being everlastingly his punishment cannot continue when he is not Non entis nulla sunt praedicata Ejus quod falsum est nulla potest esse scientia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ut Philopon in Arist he that hath an end cannot be punished without end after he ceaseth t be so that if the wicked should be annihilated or absolutely destroyed and deprived of being then nothing should be tormented with the never-dying worm if the worm dye not it must live in some subject and nothing should dwell in unquenchable fire as the Scripture affirms there shall Again 2. Men as well as Devils may have their essence and being eternally preserved and yet not inherit eternal life but remain in a moral condition of eternal death for eternal life promis'd and purchas'd in Scripture does not only note our physical or natural being in life but chiefly our moral well-being in bliss and happiness and therefore eternal death does not deny wicked men being naturally alive but their being morally alive they live indeed but miserably in a condition absent from all comfortable good present with all evil there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for ever Mat. 8.12 therefore there shaâ—l some be who shall so weep c. and they are the wicked that shall still remain in these remaining torments beyond expression which are called the Second death not that this death is a consumption of their persons an absolute wasting of their substances as to the continuance of their beings for though they seek to have their beings destroyed yet they shall not finde their desire accomplished yet as 't is said of Roger Bishop of Salisbury Revel 9.6 Vivere noluerit mori nescierit Nulla major aut pejor mors quam ubi non moritur mors Aug. in King Stephens time he would not have lived that life in Prison yet could not dye they would be annihilated and cannot but this which is the worst death is a deprivation of all the comfortable good of life natural spiritual and eternal with an infliction of the greatest evil the wicked are then suâ—ported and capacitated to lie groaning under for ever Thus for the Confirmation of the Point wherein we have had likewise imply'd a confutation of the most considerable Adversaries to this infallible Doctrine of Hell there remains III. A short Application to be enlarged in your meditations learn hence III. Application 1. To feare sin and its sad consequent Hell the clear evidence of an eternity and extremity of hell-tortures should stir up in us an holy affection of fearing God and being affraid by reason we are guilty of eternal vengeance the truth is we should be so afraid of sin and hell as to be afraid of nothing else if we would copy out in our practice the Lesson Christ commands Mat 10.28 viz. Fear not them which can kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather feare him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell yea I say unto you Fear him Christ repeats his precept Luke 12.5 that it may not be forgotten an urgent necessity lies upon us to pass the time of our sojourning here in feare 1 Pet. 1.17 Phil. 2.12 we must work out our own salvation in feare and trembling we may we ought to feare the pain of losing the sight of Jehovahs blessed face and favour for this is a filial affection consistent with the greatest love he that truly loves God Res est soliciti plena timoris Amor. Jeanes Schol. Practic Divin will solicitously fear nothing so much as to displease and lose him Yea and though we may not with an irrationl or selvish uneffectual slavish fear which dishonour-God feare the pain of sense yet because hell-torments are such extream and eternal violations of the Primitive integrity of our nature we may and ought also wâ—th a rational fear to be afraid of the pain of sense but not immoderately and immeasureably more than we are afraid of sin which is a worse evil in its own nature than hell it self for all the evil that is in hell doth arise from sin as the mother of it Oh! if we should but hear the bitter complaints of those suffering in Hell for their sinâ— I need not then I might hope perswade the stoutest to be afraid of sin and hell for our eares would even tingle our hearts tremble our blood curdle and our spirits as it were congeal to yee at the noise of their most horrible lamentations Learn 2. To flee speedily from sin by real Repentance having this warning to fl e from the wrath to come which will inevitably seize upon impenitent sinners Oh! let 's all learn of our Saviour and Judge from this consideration to bring forth fruits meet for Repentance Mat. 3.7 8 12. his reason is in effect the same with this Doctrine viz. Every fruitless Tree is cast into the fire unquenchable fire yet of our selves we can bring forth no acceptable fruit till we be ingraffed into Christ the true Vine
John 15.4 5. Oh! let 's then labour to see and be truly sorrowful for all our sins and pray Lord Turn thou us Jer. 31.18 and we shall be turned from all our sins and accept of a whole Christ for our only Lord and Saviour oh sith we cannot wash our hands in innocency le ts be washing them daily in the tears of true penitency let 's go to the Fountain open'd to wash in for sin Zâ—ch 13.1 Isa 30. ult Rev. 20.10.14 15.21.8 and for uncleanness that we may not be cast into the River and Lake of fire and brimstone Oh! let 's now bathe our souls in the blood of Christ that everlasting burnings may not hereafter seize upon us Hence Learn 3. Not to blame Gospel-Ministers for preaching of terrors hereby they would stave us off from running head-long into Hell and bring us to repentance that we may not be cast into that prison where there is no place for repentance 2 Cor. 5.11 Knowing the terrors of the Lord we perswade men in love to their precious souls we are bound being assured we must give an account to awake our hearers Hebr. 13.17 lest they forget God and be turned into hell we dare not betray your pretious souls to gratifie you at present Psal 9.17 and indulge you in your sins as the Apostle says We must not for meat destroy the work of God Rom. 14.15.20 for preferment favour or respect from you at present we dare not suffer your immortal souls to perish without warning oh friends be not angry with us the Embassadours of Jesus Christ when we see any of you hastning down the broad way which leads to Hell as sure as we are here now if we then cry fire fire to bring you back You have no more reason to think us your enemies for this warning of you and telling you the truth in love Gal. 4.16 than any of your children have to think the most dear and tender Parents amongst you were their enemies when seeing them through carelessnesse ready to fall into fire or water they should cry out oh take heed Children or you are irrecoverably lost Learn 4. Not to grudge sinners their portion in this World Davids advice should be our practice enforced from this very Doctrine viz. Not to fret our selves at evil doers nor to be envious against the workers of iniquity Psal 37.1 2. 9.17 Prov. 24.20 for they shall soon be cut down as the grasse they shall be turned into Hell their foolish prosperity will destroy them their candle shall be put out and that in a snuff which will never cease stinking why then should we be offended at their prosperity here who are reserved to an extremity and eternity of torment hereafter Mal. 3.15 it is a grosse mistake to call the proud happy or to think the godly most miserable 1 Cor. 15.13.19 because they are here sometimes a little under a cloud The Psalmist was tempted to it but the knowledge of this Doctrine in the Sanctuary Ps 73.3.18 19 did soon rectifie his judgement and made him conclude that God had set them in slippery places to be cast down into destruction Job 20.6 7. and utterly consumed with terrors and perish for ever we had more need to pity than repine at our wicked Neighbours Mat. 19.24 with Luke 16.25 having their good things here when we consider how hard a matter 't is to have good things here with Dives and with Lazarus too hereafter in Abrahams bosome Learn 5. Lastly To admire and be greatly affected with the superlative love of Christ in undergoing that punishment in our stead if we will receive him for our Lord and Saviour which will be extream and eternal torment to all that do refuse him And if he be Judge Mat. 10.14.15 39 40. they who receive not his Embassadors in his Name are of that number Oh! who would not then kiss the Son that believe the wrath of God will inflict these eternal torments Oh! Christians such I wish we may a l be in deed and truth let 's bless and kisse this blessed Son of God that bare for us this insupportable wrath Psal 2.12 1 Thes 1.10 Colos 2.15 Hosea 13.14 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Mat. 23.14 Hebr. 2.3 Gal. 3.13 Hebr. 2.9 even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come and triumphed over principalities and over tho Grave and Hell the greatnesse of the damnation we are exposed to by nature doth greaten the salvation purchased by grace Oh! blessed Jesus thou wast cursed here and tasted'st the death that was accursed even this in thy sentence Isa 53.5 7 8. Rom. 8.1 Mark 3.29 with Heb. 6.2 5.9 Acts 2.24 Psal 116 3. John 8.51 thou wast bruised afflicted and broken of God for us but thou was taken from Prison and from judgement and everlasting condemnation for it was not possiâ—le that Thou shouldst be holden of any pains so that though every Believer shall see a Temporal yet shall he never see Eternal Death but inherit Eternal Life OF HEAVEN MATTH 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world THE Description of Heaven is a work fitter for an Aaron the High Priest of the Most High when upon Mount Hor he is stripping himself of the vile body of sin or for a Moses when on the top of Nebo after a Pisgah prospect * Deut. 34.5 as the Jews comment he died at the * Cant. 1.2 kiss of God refunding that * Gen. 2.7 breath of life and expiring his soul into the bosome of God Nay more fit to be described by a pen taken from the Wing of a Cherubim than the stammering tongue of any mortal man For whoever attempts to speak of an heavenly state while himself is on earth his discourses of that must needs be like the dark dreams and imaginations of a child concerning the affaires of this world while it self is yet swadled and cradled in the womb Yet discourses of Heaven were never more seasonable upon earth When * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio. Laer. Anaxagoras was accused as not studying Politicks for his Countryes good he replied I have a very great care of my Country pointing up to heaven if ever Christians had cause to make all honest haste to heaven 't is in a sinful and a perverse generation when the waters cover the earth whether should a Dove-like soul fly but to the Ark of God when Gods judgements and his Avengers of blood threaten us on every hand what City of refuge can we run to but the Sanctuary of God when we know not how soon the members of Christs body in conformity to their Head may be called to sweat drops of blood 't is wisdom for us with our bitter hearbs to keep the Passover and to think on that * Luke 22.12 large upper Roome wherein we may be Feasted
1. The term from which this commences viz. the very first receiving of our natures and beings from our Parents from the first original and moment of our being we received with all a liliablenesse to the wrath and curse of God Psalme 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 2. The ground for which this wrath impends and hovers viz. nature not first created for that was upright after God but the corrupted nature which is conveyed and derived with our beings Eccles 7.29 Gen. 1.27 This very nature leads to deserves and will lodge under eternal wrath every mothers child in whom regeneration and transplantation into Christ are not found The Doctrine then comprising the summe of the Text is this Doctr. Every man and woman from their very first conception through a corrupted nature are under the Lords wrath and continuing such not new-born and engraffed into Christ that wrath shall abide upon them for ever We may not mince and extenuate here with the Pelagian as if this only were by imitation Flatterers of nature may lessen the wound but Heires of grace should and will rather magnifie their Physitian Nor may we limit and confine this truth as if it concern'd native Turks Mat. 23.15 canker'd Papists and the Proselytes of the Pharisees only to be children of hell when it knocks at every of our doors Jew and Gentile promiscuously Neither people nor Ministers not Apostles can exempt themselves great and small rich and poor those which the Lord hath not appointed unto wrath but to obtain salvation by their Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 yet by nature are children of wrath even as others This wrath in the Scriptures hath several Names respectively to the Law-giver it is called wrath respectively to the Law it self the curse respectively to the effects of both it is translated vengeance Rom. 3.5 Man by nature is exposed unto all these 1. He is exposed to the wrath of the Law-giver Here 1. Take some Cautions that we may duly conceive of wrath the root of all penal afflictions on Gods part as sin is the meritoriâ—us root on mans part All wars with men begin in wrath Animosities first boyle within and then wars break out James 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings among you Come they not hence from your lusts which war in your memb rs and in special this of wrath so there is somewhat proportionable in God if understood sutably to his glorious Being namely wrath perfectly clean from all dregs of 1. Folly the fool never more peeps out than in passion Prov. 14.29 He that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly that is sets it aloft that every body may discern and take notice of it but the Lord is 1 Sam. 2.3 A God of knowledge by whom actions are weighed 2. Injustice Gods wrath is a clear fire without any smoke of unrighteousnesse Rom. 3.5 Is God unrighteous that inferreth wrath he cannot be We plough with an Oxe and an Asse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingle drosse with our zeal c. 3. Perturbation the wrath of men is the rage of men who disjoint and discompose themselves as well as others but the Lord acts and suffers not in his wrath Prov. 11.17 he strikes wounds destroys from the infinite holinesse and justice of his nature declaring it self against all sin with the exactest serenity and oneness of minde and frame within himself from everlasting to everlasting This is the root of all wars with sinful men Moses saw the plague growing up out of this root Num. 16.46 Wrath is gone out from the Lord and the plague is begun Job 21.17 He distributeth sorrows in his anger 2. Consider what this wrath implies two things 1. That the Lord is highly displeased with men and women in their natural estate though never so goodly a vernish of Religion be above yet if nothing but nature be underneath Isa 10.6 an hypocritical Nation are the people of the Lords wrath No created understanding can conceive exactly what this displeasure is Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thy anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath Take some short ladders that our thoughts may a little climbe up by and consider seriously and deeply 1. What a Kings wrath is Prov. 20.2 The fear of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon who so provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul that is acteth as an enemy to his own life and Prov. 16.14 The wrath of a King is as the Messengers of death but the wise man will pacifie it as that which he cannot resist Eccles 8.4 Where the Word of a King is there is power and who may say to him What do thou that is where not only the name but the reality of a King is he sustains the person of the Common-wealth and hath the strength and power of all put into his hand and hath power to execute his wrath and will not be controlled nor expostulated with And what can a Branch do against the whole Tree The King is wroth and Hamans face is covered Prov. 27.3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty but a fools wrath that is that hath power is heavier than them both to crush a weak person that standeth in his way All these are but toyes to the power and weight of Gods wrath 2. What an incensed brothers wrath is that hath a little more power Rebecca understanding Esau his wrath against Jacob packs him away till that wrath be over Gen. 27.43 44. If a mother dare not venture a childe into an angry sons presence nor a brother himself into an angry brothers presence how insufferable will the angry presence of the Lord be 3. What Gods Fatherly refining wrath is against the drosse that mingleth it self with his Worship and Ordinances and what dreadful Furnaces he hath put the Vessels of mercy into to take away their tin from them Mal. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners fire If men cannot bear Christs coming with a refining fire to purge out drosse much lesse not his coming with flaming fire 2 Thes 1.8 to consume and burn up persons and drosse together We have need of grace to serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God that is related to us in Christ is a consuming fire Hebr. 12.28 29. 4. What afflictions are how very bitter yet separated from wrath they may be born with comfort The mingling of fire with the haile in Egypt made it so very dreadful Exod. 9.24 The fire of the Lords wrath mingled with stormes renders them so grievous to be stood unde Hell it self would not be so dreadful did not the breath of the Lord that is the wrath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone kindle it Isa 30.33 The Prophet submits to any stroaks only deprecates wrath as worse than any stroaks
and more deadly than death it self Jer. 10.24 Correct me O Lord but not in thine anger Apprehensions of wrath were the dregs in Jobs Cup. Job 14.13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave and keep me in sec et till thy wrath be passed over He cannot stand in the face of Gods wrath though he knew it was passing and not abiding wrath and therefore begs a hiding anywhere and in the very grave till that wrath be over who then shall dwell with abiding wrath John 3.36 With eveâ—lasting burnings Isa 33.14 with fire and brimstone and tempest that hath â—atred in it Psa 11.5 6. 5. What the Lords glory is when it is proclaimed and passeth forth in a way of grace only in a little more lustre and brightnesse Moses needs putting in a clift of the Rock and to be covered with the Lords hand while the Lords glory passed by Exodus 33.22 Peter is swallowed up at a glimpse of the power of Christ Luke 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinful man oh Lord what then when he speaketh in his wrath and vexeth in his sore displeasure Psal 2.5 6. What the Lords wrath is passing upon others All the children in the house tremble when the rod is taken down though not with respect to themselves but their fellows only Take a man whose heart is touched with the sense of the Lords greatness and that will be his temper Isa 2.19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the Caves of the earth for feare of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth 7. What the Lords wrath is only hanging in the threatening His rebukes made both the eares of Eli to tingle 1 Sam. 3.11 2 King 21.12 There is a terrour when a Prince convenes and rates his Rebels for their conspiracies and insurrections against him though not yet brought to the barre or block Hab. 3.16 When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entered into my bones c. Josiah his heart was tender 2 King 22.19 When he heard what the Lord spake against Jerusalem and against the inhabitants thereof 8. What Christ himself did under the sense of this wrath to be poured forth Col. 2.9 Heb. 12 2. though supported with all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him and saw the glory beyond and the certainty of his resurrection and the fruits of the travels of his soul that should be yet sweats Luke 22.44 and that clods of blood to the very ground prayes and that with strong cries and teares that if possible Heb. 5.7 Luke 12 50. this cup might passe Though other considerations made him drink it chearfully yet nature droops and cannot bear up under this burden Those pills are very bitter that very health it self doâ—h hardly sweeten You that are yet in the mire of meer nature steep your thoughts in these things that ye may have a little taste what an evil and bitter thing it is that Gods wrath and displeasure is out against you But this is not all God may be displeased and very highly with his own people Isa 47.6 I was wroth and polluted mine inheritance viz. dealt with it as if a polluted and unclean thing 2. God reckons and will deal with men and women found in their natural estate as his enemies Gods tender-hearted servants have not been able to bear the apprehension of this Job 19.11 He hath kindled his wrath against me and counteth me to him as his enemies the plural number encreases the sense as his deadly enemy He that takes the Bible and carefully turns it over and considers the contents thereof and what he hath said of those he reckons his enemies will have a further glimpse of the dreadfulnesse of this condition Nahum 1.2 He reserveth wrath for his enemies that is he hath built and made wide the storehouses of hell that there might be wrath enough in due season to be drawn forth for them Luke 19.27 Those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Isa 1.24 Ah I will ease me of my Adversaries and avenge me of my enemies Heb. 10.27 Judgement and fiery indignation shall devoure the Adversaries And this must be applied to both sorts of enemies 1. Close That go closely on in wayes of sin secretly correspond with the Divel and his temptations and their darling lusts and will not lay the bucklers down though they smile in the Lords face and Isa 58.2 Seek him dayly and dâ—light to know his wayes as a Nation that doth righteousness and forsaketh not the Ordinances of their God Flatter him with their lips and lye to him with their tongues Psal 78.36 2. Open enemies that proclaime and declare warre against heaven that do and will do what they please let the Lord say and do what he will to the contrary As Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice Psal 12.4 Our lips are our own who is Lord ov r us Luk. 19.14 His Citizens hated him and sent a message after him saying We will not have this man reign ver us And understand when the Lord so deals with this sort of sinners he takes a kind of comfort in it Ezek. 5.13 Thus my anger shall be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them and I will be comforted To others the Lord distributes sorrows with sorrow and speaks of himself as grieved when he puts them to grief Judg. 10.16 Lam. 3.33 Isa 63.9 But here he is comforted in making them the resting place of his fury Prov. 1.26 The heat and height of his fury poured forth upon incurable sinners is comfortable and pleasing to him Isa 30.32 In every place where the grounded staff shall passe which the Lord shall cause to rest upon him it shall be with Tabrets and Harps Vengeance on such is musick and delight to the Lord Rev. 18.20 and to his people This is the first and not the meanest part of the misery of faln man that he is under the Lords wrath that is such as God is displeased with and will reckon and deale with as his enemies 2. Every natural man and woman is exposed to and under the Curse of the Law Is this nothing to have the Word against thee Job 13. â—6 and to have the Lord write bitterly against thee in that very Book which is the storehouse of comforts and supports to others Dreadful is that language of Ahab concerning Micaiah 1 King 22.8 There is yet a man by whom we may enquire of the Lord but I hate him for he doth not prophesie good concerning me but evil So that language of a natural mans heart Gods mind is in that book but I cannot abide to read therein or to hear it opened and applied by a lively rowzing Preacher for it only raises stormes and tumults in