can read without a Commentary Time will not be long when God shall pull off thy Paint unmask thee and put thee in thy Proper Dress Though thou goest among Men for an Eminent Saint yet at the Day of Iudgement God shall show what a Devil Incarnate thou art what a Gilded Hypocrite thou hast been SECT VIII The Fifth thing that the Devil Tempts unto is a False Faith If thou art so much for Jesus Chrisi believe that he is able to save thee and so thou hast this Lively Faith which will justify thee live as thou wilt Reply Tell the Devil That Presumption is not Faith and that the Faith which will enable thee to lay hold on Christ will also enable thee to walk in Him And though Faith Justifies us not yet Works there must be to Justify our Faith SECT IX Thirdly Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in the Methods of Tempting As First He paints his Temptations with pleasing Colours and Plausible Pretences If Satan's Temptations were to appear like themselves the Heart of Man would not consent so soon as many times it doth but rather flee from the same Hence therefore it is that Satan very frequently Transforms himself into an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. The Devil knows very well that unless he is Disguised he cannot prevail and have what he designes upon the Souls of Men and Women Many Vices there are that the Devil Tempts us unto and this he doth by giving them pretty Names and Titles As for Instance When he Tempts to Pride he presents it to the Soul under the Name and Notion of Neatness and Comliness Covetousness he calls Good Husbandry Drunkenness Good Fellowship Riotness Liberality and Wantonness a Trick of Youth Secondly He is Gradual in his Temptations a little now and a little then The Devil won't Tempt too much at first lest Suspicion gets ground He creeps into the Soul by degrees and that Step by Step until such times the Soul becomes his own Satan will first draw thee to Sit with the Drunkard and then to Sip with the Drunkard and at last to be Drunk with the Drunkard Thirdly He is in his Temptations full of Politick Retreats The Devil many times makes the Soul believe that he flies when it is only under a Pretence and with a Designe to over-come Pray take notice of this Satan is not alwayes over-come when he flies from you He sometimes draws back that the Christian by following him and going out of the Trenches may suddenly on the Plains be foyl'd Fourthly He doth in his Temptations reserve still fresh On-sets as occasion shall require Satan Commander-like hath more Assaults to bring on as others do decay When one Temptation is beat back he can soon come on with another Therefore Soul cry not Vici Vici when thou over-comest one Temptation or so but let this Rule be observed by thee scil When one Temptation is over-come expect another CHAP. V. I Have treated of Satan's Subtilty in Tempting unto a Sinful Licentiousness I shall now consider it in his Tempting Believers unto a Sinful Despair And Satan's Subtilty as in the former so in this it shews it self in Two things 1. In the Seasons of Temptations 2. In the Temptations themselves SECT I. First Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in choosing those Seasons for Tempting unto Despair that may proue most Advantageous unto him being such as followeth First Satan Tempts to Despair after great Manifestations of God's Favour and Love to the Soul When God smiles and opens himself a little Familiarly unto us we grow Wanton and thereupon God with-draws we sink in our Faith and Satan eyes us on to Despair by making of us to conclude That because God is withdrawn he will never come again There is not a larger and more pregnant Proof for this than Peter Had ever any a greater Testimony from Heaven than Peter Who making an Excellent Confession of his Faith Matth. 16. 17. Christ immediately pronounceth him Blessed puts a singular Honour upon him and makes him the Representative for all the Saints Now without doubt this Favour to Peter stirred up the Envious Spirit the sooner to Assail him No marvel it was that Satan did shew his Spite even when and where Christ loved most dearly Therefore soon after we find the Devil at Peter's Elbow making him his Instrument to Tempt Christ who soon espyed his Cloven Foot and therefore Rebukes Peter with a Get thee behind me Satan He that seem'd a Rock but just now is through Satan's Policy become a Stone of Offence for Christ to stumble at Secondly Satan Tempts to Despair at the Hour of Death and indeed his Assaults are usually sharpest then And the Reason why he is so busy with Christians when they come to Die is because he knows his time is then very short As our Extremity is God's Opportunity to help us so likewise it is the Devil's Opportunity in what he can to destroy us When Death approacheth we are Weak and our Strength beginning to decay Satan thereupon furiously Assails us yea he doth reserve his firiest Darts his deadliest Poyson and his sharpest Sting till he meets us on our Death-Bed SECT II. Secondly Satan shews his exceeding great Subtilty in the Temptations themselves which he works from the Consideration 1. Of our Sins 2. Of God's Anger 3. Of Eternal Election 4. Of our Unworthiness 5. Of the Weakness of our Faith 6. Of great Adversity 7. Of the Sharpness of Death And here I shall shew you how Satan from these things makes many to Despair with proper Remedies against the same Prescribed and that in these following Sections SECT III. First Satan Tempts to Despair by making Sin very Great and drawing up a Black Charge against the Soul Thy Sins saith Satan are very many and very great nay they are Infinite for as much as they have been against an Infinite God Thou knowest very well that thy Sins are of no Ordinary Dye and that the Wages of the least Sin is Death Sin Indefinitely whether great or small And therefore how canst thou saith Satan expect Mercy who art a Sinner Mercy from God whom thou hast offended and provoked to Wrath Surely if ever any shall be Damn'd thou shalt Thou especially because thou hast been more than an Ordinary Sinner Remedy Truly when Satan doth Assail us in this kind I know no other way to Foil him than by Answering him as the Sick Man who when he was Dying the Devil appeared and shew'd him a Parchment that was very long wherein was written on every side the Sins of the poor Sick Man Seest thou Behold thy Vertues saith Satan Unto which he Replyed It 's true Satan but thou hast not sâ—…t down all for thou should'st have added The Blood of Iesus Christ Cleanseth us from all Sins When Satan tells thee of thy Sins do thou tell him of Christ's Blood whose Blood is of a
Life that is Sealed and turn thee to thy Name or who shall bring thee a Certificate that it is Written there Behold it is nigh thee even in thine Heart The Work of Grace there the Law Written on the Tables of thine Heart by the Finger of the Spirit is the Exemplification and Counterpane of that Decree The safest Way the best Way the only Way to make sure of Election is first to make sure of thy Vocation SECT VI. Fourthly Satan Tempts to Despair by causing the Soul to pore too much upon its own Unworthiness You are Unworthy saith Satan of the least Crumb of Bread or of the least Drop of Water and how canst thou therefore think of expecting any Good from the Hands of God Remedy The only way to stop Satan's Mouth in this Respect is by Assenting thus far That I am Unworthy it is true and that I do not deserve a Crumb of Bread or Drop of Water it is alike true And yet I do not erre if I say I am Unworthy and yet Worthy I deserve Nothing and yet Merit what I Have Unworthy and yet Worthy like the Spouse in the Canticles Black and yet Comely Black in Her Self and yet Comely in Her Beloved SECT VII Fifthly Satan Tempts to Despair by suggesting to the Soul that no Man's Faith is so Weak as his Behold how Weak Imperfect Staggering and Trembling it is Remedy What of all that may the Soul Reply A little Faith is ‖ Faith as a Sparkle of Fire is Fire Faith though weak yet it will Entitle us unto Christ. A Child's Hand can receive a Pearl as well as the Hand of a Gyant Out of this little Grain of Mustard-Seed Heaven will grow In this Smoking Flax there 's a Divine Spark Though the Smoke of Doubts and Temptations muffle it up in Obscurity it will break out at last into Flames of Love and Ioy. Our Imperfect Faith will entitle us unto a Perfect Righteousness SECT VIII Sixthly Satan Tempts to Despair by making the Soul to infer Evil from Adversity Thou art Poor and Indigent Beggarly and Despicable saith Satan In Answer unto which I would refer the Reader unto Pag. 66 67. where this is Answered fully SECT IX Seventhly Satan Tempts to Despair by causing the Soul to think much on the Sharpness of Death Thou Gloriest now saith Satan but ere long thy Condition shall be changed Thou Rejoycest but yet know that still thou art a Dying Creature It is not thy Faith Love and Hope that can shroud thee from Death which is the King of Terrors That Universal Monarch which hath made even the Strongest and Stoutest to stoop unto him Remedy What though Death may the Believing Soul say is stiled The King of Terrors yet if I am a Child of God it can do me no hurt 'T is an Enemy I know to the Mortal Part but a Friend to the Spiritual The Bee by Stinging looseth its Sting so Death while it Stung Christ on the Cross hath quite lost its Sting to a Believer Death is the Gate of Life It puts off our Rags and gives us Change of Rayment All the Hurt it can do us is to put us into a better Condition The Devil therefore is a Liar in saying That it is not our Faith Love and Hope that will Exempt us from Death Whereas we know well enough that though we shall not be freed from Death yet by having Faith in Iesus Christ we shall be freed from that which renders Death so Formidable viz. its Sting Death's Pale Face looks Ruddy in the Blood of Sprinkling Death will free us from all Corporal and Spiritual Maladies It is our Best and Last Physician It will Cure the Aching Head and the Unbelieving Heart Sin was the Mid-wife that brought Death into the World and Death shall be the Grave to Bury Sin Why then should we be unwilling to Die seeing Death gives us a Receipt of Ease from Infirmities and Weaknesses from all Aches and Pains Griefs and Gripings Distempers and Diseases both of Body and Soul Here Sin will keep House whether we will or no Evil Thoughts are continually arising out of our Hearts as Sparks out of a Furnace When we would Pray the Heart is as a Viol out of Tune When we would like a Bird flie up to Heaven upon the Wing of Meditation our Corruption like a String tied to the Leg pulls us down again But after Death we shall be Proud no more grieve the Spirit no more Come hither therefore Oh ye Trembling Souls who through the Fears of Death have all your Life-time been subject to Bondage Set your Feet upon the Neck of this King of Terrors Assume that Triumphant Challenge of the Apostle Oh Death where is thy Sting Oh Grave where is thy Victory 1 Cor. 15. 25. The Glimmering Presence of God with a Believer here below may Conquer the Fear of Death But how much more methinks should the Consideration of the full Enjoyment of him after Death Faith gives us a Propriety in Heaven and Death gives us a Possession in Heaven Death is only a Dirty Lane saith one through which the Saint passeth to a Kingdom to a great Kingdom to a glorious Kingdom to a quiet Kingdom to an unshaken Kingdom to a durable Kingdom to a lasting Kingdom yea to an Everlasting Kingdom Death is a dark short Way through which the Saints pass to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb. Ever with the Lord saith an Eminent Divine This puts Lillies and Roses into the Gastly Face of Death and makes the King of Terrors to out-shine Solomon in all his Glory A few Lines that Comforted me once in the same Case I will adventure here to Transcribe out of that Little Useful Treatise of Reverend Mr. Wadsworth my Spiritual Father viz. Oh! when Death draws near do not startle Cry not out as one undone as if when thou Diest thou must needs totally Perish But rather then lift up thy Head and Triumphantly proclaim to the Standers by Now doth the Day the Hour the Moment of thy Redemption draw nigh Now art thou drawing near thy Home Heaven is within Sight and its Melody almost within Hearing Thy Lord hath the Curtain in his Hand ready to draw it to shew thee all that Glory that hitherto he hath been but telling thee of and give thee a Possession of all that which hitherto thou hast enjoyed only in Hopes and Title What dost thou fear and shrug and tremble at my Soul Thou peevish froward Creature Shall thy Father tell thee thou must go Sleep and lay his Commands upon thee to lie down in Peace Shall thy dear Lord and Saviour stand by perswading thee so to do and by the Sweet and Glorious Promises of Eternal Life and Living with him in the Heavens allure thee quietly to obey thy Father and Himself to go to Rest Shall he sing thee a Lullaby of his own falling Asleep and
〈◊〉 2. Iesus Christ did Bleed in the Garden Clodders of Blood came then from him Luke 22. 44. 3. Iesus Christ did Bleed when he was Fastned and Nailed to the Cross Then Streams of Blood came from him Luke 23. Iohn the Beloved Disciple was an Eye-witness of the Streaming out of Christ's Blood as he stood by Christ's Cross uttering these Words O Gates of Heaven O Windows of Paradise O Palace of Refuge O Tower of Strength O Sanctuary of the Just O Flourishing Bed of the Spouse of Solomon Methinks I see Water and Blood running out of his Side more Freshly than these Golden Streams which ran out of the Garden of Eden and Watered the whole World Thirdly For whose Sake viz. For us Now this For us must be understood Exclusively Not the World Inclusively That Part of the World which are Elected and that in time are Effectually Called For us i. e. We that were Dead in Trespass and Sin as well as others Secondly Proof of the Point That Iesus Christ was Baptized in Blood Willingly and Desirously much has been spoken of this in the Fore-going SERMON I would not therefore swell when there is no need Vide Page 384. APPLICATION Use 1. Of Information Branch 1. HEnce learn the Love of our Lord Iesus What a Transcendant Love it is For it has brought him through a Sea of Wrath a Sea of Sin and a Sea of Blood to make us a Peculiar People unto himself Our Saviour's Baptism of Blood Evidenceth the Greatness of his Love towards us That shews how Pure and how Excellent it is O the Heights Depths Breadths and Lengths of the Love of God in Christ My Line is too Short to found this Bottom Finally This Love is a Surpassing Love that which Excelleth all Loves whatsoever Branch 2. Hence learn the Believers Duty Was Iesus Christ Baptized in Blood for You Then be you willing to be Baptized for him He did not Fear Men but Endured the Cross and Despised the Shame He bear'd the Wrath of God for us let us therefore be willing to bear the Wrath of Men for him This is but Lex talionis Branch 3. Hence learn the Believers Priviledges VVas Iesus Christ Baptized in Blood for you Three great Priviledges Result there-from First The Dominion of Sin is taken away Rom. 6. 14. For Sin shall not have Dominion over you For ye are not under the Law but under Grace Though Iesus Christ as yet has not Freed Believers from the Presence of Sin yet he has Freed Believers from the Dominion of Sin and the Reigning Power of it in their Souls And ere long he will quite Free them also from the Presence of Sin Secondly The Sting of Death is taken away 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Death where is thy Sting Christ by Dying has Over-come Death And therefore Believers need not fear it though it has a Grim Visage and a Ghastly Looks Iesus Christ has Knock'd out the Teeth of this Lion Finally Christ's Baptism of Blood makes the Pale Face of Death look Ruddy and Pleasant Thirdly The Door of Heaven is opened Christ's Bloody Baptism is the Key that Unlocks it Sin has shut up the Open Way to Heaven but Christ's Blood has Unlocked it Use 2. Of Exhortation SEcondly Let Unbelievers get into Christ that his Baptism of Blood may avail them For if they have not Union with Christ what-ever then Christ has done or suffered signifies not any thing to them SERMON IV. MATH 10. Vers. 16. Be ye therefore VVise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves THE Words are an Inference from what Immediately goes before Behold I send you forth as Sheep in the mid'st of Wolves Be ye therefore Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves Be Wise lest ye be Circumvented by others and Harmless lest ye Hurt others is the Sense of all Expositors on the Place Christian Religion is a Compound of these two viz. The Serpent's Wisdom and the Dove's Simplicity The Serpent without the Dove is too Mischievous and the Dove without the Serpent is too Silly Christ sends us here to the School of Nature that we may Learn Be ye therefore Wise as Serpents c. The Text consisteth of two Parts 1. A Precept which is double 2. A Pattern which is double 1. A Precept which is double and that is We must be Wise and Innocent 2. A Pattern which is double i. e. The Serpent and the Dove The Serpent for Wisdom and the Dove for Simplicity Be ye therefore Wise as Serpents c. From the Words resulteth two Points of Doctrine Doctrine 1. That we must not disdain to be Taught of the most Despicable and Contemptible of Creatures What more Contemptible than a Serpent VVhat more Despicable than a Dove Yet we are admonished to Learn of them Doctrine 2. That Wisdom and Simplicity must go together 'T is the First that I shall at this time handle viz. That we must not disdain to be Taught of the most Contemptible and Despicable of Creatures VVhat more Contemptible than a Serpent What more Despicable than a Dove Yet we are Admonished to Learn of them These Creatures viz. the Serpent and the Dove have Wisdom and Simplicity not for Themselves but for Us. The Iews must borrow Bracelets and Ear-rings even of the Egyptians So we may Receive some Good from wicked Men. Elias Refuseth not Meat though brought by a Raven The Herbalist looks not out of what Garden his Simples comes but what Saladine Power it hath Be ye therefore Wise as Serpents c. Let us therefore see what there is in the Serpent and Dove that is imitable First We will begin with the Serpent Now there is in the Serpent that which is imitable and not imitable But from both we may learn much Good The Wisdom of the Serpent shews it self in these Properties worthy of our imitation First The Serpent is a very quick-sighted Creature Whence it is that he is not so soon Entangled as other Creatures are viz. the Dove and the Sheep Herein should Christians answer the Serpent They should be quick-sighted and apprehensive of those Perils and Snares that attend them here below For while Believers are Pilgrims Satan can assail them The World below is a Place in which Nets every where is spread to catch the Souls of Men as so many Birds for Prey The Best of Christians had need be Quick-sighted like the Serpent because of Dangers and when they go they need to go on Tip-toe because of Nets spread abroad by that Fowler the Devil Secondly The Serpent will cast his Skin and so loseth his Deformity and Reneweth his Age. In this the Serpent also is very imitable unto us We must cast our Skin i. e. our Sins we must Abhor Leave and Eschew them For they do Deform us and make God and us at Variance Ezek. 18. 31. Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have Transgressed Sin doth run Parallel with a Disease
things â—…ither with Means without Means or â—…ontrary to Means and against all Opâ—…osition what-so-ever And do you think there is any Existing so Almighty Why is it then that the Interest of God which you call it is so opposed in the World as it is Answ. To which the Soul may Answer That God is Almighty I do firmly Believe and that he can do Things either with Means without or contrary to Means is a Verity that 〈◊〉 do not at all question And thaâ—… God's Interest in the World is oftentimes opposed is not but that he caâ—… Advance his own Interest withoâ—… Opposition but he permits it to be opposed that the Glory of his Omnipotency and Wisdom in effecting such and such things notwithstanding Opposition may shine forth more Perspicuously And thus I have giveâ—… you a Sight of the Wiles of Satan especially those that he makes use oâ—… in Tempting to Atheism abusing 1. The Invisibility of God 2. The Trinity of Persons in One Diuine Essence 3. Several of his Incommunicable Attributes SECT V. I have already shew'd something of Satan's Subtilty in Tempting unto Atheism I now come to speak of Satan's Subtilty in his Temptations unâ—…o Security being such as follow Temptation I. One way that Satan hath to make â—…oor Souls Secure is by presenting God unto them as a God only of Mercy O! saith the Devil why â—…rt thou so concern'd about thy Salvaâ—…ion Dost thou think God that Made â—…hee will be so Cruel to Damn thee â—…nd He who Form'd thee will not Save â—…hee Alas God is more ready to Pardon than to Punish Mercy is his â—…areling Attribute but Judgement is his Strange Work And thus Satan doth to make Souls Careless and Fearless Careless of their Salvation and Fearless of their Damnation Reply To Repel this Temptation must be by considering that as God is Merciful so he is Just Just in himself and so will Punish all Sin Merciful in the Face of Christ and so will Punish no Sin he having in our stead born the Punishment A Just God towards an hard-Hearted Sinner a Merciful God towards an Humble Sinner God is not all Mercy and no Justice nor all Justice and no Mercy Submit to him his Mercy embraceth thee Resist him his Justice pursues thee Do not the Devils themselves and all the Howling Reprobates in Hell shew that God is ‖ Just Is not Hell and Sodom a Monument of God's Iustice And are not all the Crosses Losses Sicknesses and Diseases that be in the World Tokens of God's Displeasures Besides Doth not the pouring-out of his Wrath upon Iesus Christ his dearly Beloved Son shew that our God is a Just Iudge More-over to argue from Grace to Sin from Love to Lust from Mercy to Iniquity from Immunity to Impiety is the Dialect of Hell and the Sophistry of the Prince of Darkness To sin I say because Grace abounds is the Devil's Logick and who-so-ever useth such kind of Language you may write THIS SOUL IS LOST In fine The Apostle Rom. 12. 1. and the Saints all a-long have made God's Mercy the greatest Motive to Repentance Temptation II. Another way that the Devil maketh use of to make poor Souls Secure is by telling them That all the World are Sinners as well as them and they may make as good a Shift as the rest What if you do go to Hell You shall not go alone you shall have others with you Reply Here is Audacity and Absurdity One would think that the Devil should be ashamed to argue thus considering what a Scholar he is in Logick Philosophy and School-Divinity and yet by Raciocination of this kind doth he prevail upon dark Souls Such kind of Reason if it may be called Reason in effect is thus much Some have Cut their Throats I must do it also because in it I shall do no more than what others have done before me A great Multitude of People are resolv'd to run into the River of Thames to see how they can tread Water and Dance upon it therefore I must do the like because with me I shall have Company though in the Close I shall lose my Life I 'le leave you to apply it Temptation III. The next thing that Satan doth to make poor Souls secure is by telling them That Christ is a Saviour and what though they do sin Christ has Dy'd and is Risen again for their Justification Reply It is true Christ is a Saviour but if He is not My Saviour may the Soul say what doth this argue for me Christ hath Dyed but if I cannot believe his Death and Sufferings will be of little Advantage unto me He is Offered but if I do not Receive Him I shall not be Sav'd There may be Vertue enough in a Plaister to Heal a Sore but if it be not Applyed it will not Heal my Sore So there is Vertue enough in Christ to Wash and Cleanse but if it be not Applyed to my Soul by Faith it won't Wash or Cleanse me Temptation IV. Surely saith Satan God loves thee or else he would not Bless thee in thy Outward Estate as in thy Corn Children Calling and Friends Reply Seriously consider O Soul that God's Love is Two-fold Common and Special God's Common Love I reckon is that which all partake of viz. Good Men and Bad Men. Now for any to have a great Estate and to Prosper therein together with his Wife and Children is that which is common to all some only excepted Now it is not Common Favour but Special Favour that must save thee and a Token or Evidence of it will Comfort thee but this thy Prosperity in the World is not being that which is more ordinary to those who go to Hell than such who go to Heaven And therefore let not the Children of God grudge and repine at the Wicked Man's Prosperity because all the Wicked shall have Misery enough Hereafter for the little present Pleasure that they enjoy Here. They that have their Heaven Here are in danger to lose it Here-after God seldom gives his Children Heaven and Earth too Nihil infelicius felicitate peccantium saith St. Augustine The Wicked Man's Felicity is great Infelicity Doubtless hence it was that David prayed Deliver me from the Wicked who have their Portion in this Life only Psal. 17. 14. Nothing is so great a Signe of God's Curse as the Prosperity of the Wicked The Lord will proportion Torment to all the Pleasure the Wicked have had Revel 18. 7. How much She hath lived Deliciously so much Torment and Sorrow give Her That Story of the Roman who was by the Court-Marshal Condemned to Dye for breaking his Rank to steal a Bunch of Grapes is pregnant to our purpose For as he was going to Execution some of the Souldiers envyed him that he had Grapes and they had none Saith he Do you envy me for my Grapes I must pay dear for them So Wicked Men
may kâ—…ow his Election by his Effectual Calling * It is altogether Irregular Anomalous for the Soul to pry into Election 'T is dangerous to tread on the highest Round first †Vocation Comments upon Election God's Decrees that were set from Everlasting do bud and blossom bring forth Fruit in time The Book was written before the Foundation of the World were laid but it was not Publisht till God himself gave it an Imprimatur The Letter was Dated from Eternity the Superscription was Writ in time in Vocation Now you know though the Letter be Writ first yet the Superscription is Read first by him that receives the Letter 'T was decreed from Eternity that Decrees should be known in time And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fulness of Time is the Time when God's Decrees are fulfilled When the Decrees of God are Ripe then he lets the Soul tast them and then they are Sweetest Then thou perceivest that thou art a Vessel of Honour when God puts thee upon an Honourable Employment That Fountain of Love which ran under-ground from Everlasting bubbles and flows to thee in time That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was in Election becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Vocation †We deserve nothing but Hell so that what we have and enjoy is through a Precious Redeemer †Cruciger on his Death-Bed prayed thus Invoco te Domine languidâ imbecillâ fide sed fide tamen Lord I call upon thee with a weak and languishing Faith but yet with a Faith * What is said of the Natural Serpent may be said of Satan that Old Spiritual Serpent Nunquam nisi moriens producitur in longum He is never seen at his full Length till Dying ‖ Death is like the Pillar of Cloud It hath a dark Side to a Sinner but it hath a Light Side to a Believer * Death like a Snake may Hiss and Wind about the Body but the Sting is pulled out †Death is not Mors Hominis but Mors Peccati not the Death of Man but the Death of his Sin * Filia devorabit Matrem ‖ Ultimus morborum medicus Mors. †Nemo ante funera felix Solon * St. Chrysostom admires the Bravery of the Apostle's Spirit ‖ Mr. Cases Mount-Pisgah * Faith's Triumph over the Fears of Death pag. 71. †The Christians Defence against the Fears of Death pag. 375. cap. 20. ‖ The Devil if permitted can hurt both Soul and Body * The Devil hurts the Body how and after what manner †The Devil hurts the Soul how and after what manner ‖ The Devil is a Potent Enemy * Est autem horum i. e. malorum Angelorum quoque numerus magnus sed in Scriptura non definitus Piscat in Calvin Institut pag. 20. ‖ In summa triplicitur possunt nocere supra nos intra nos circa nos Supra nos tempestates procellas ciendo fulgura tonitrua ejamlaudo fragores horrendos edendo nubes cogendo Intra nos sensus internos externos voluntemque movendo impellendo sive id fiat ex parte organi sive ex parte objecti turbando humores loco motivam impellendo vitio rum somites subministrando Circa nos loco movendo bono nostra edes concutere convellere fluviorum cursus alveos mutare pascua noxiis succis imbuere fructus mutare excutere pecudes morbis afficere Alsted Syst. Theolog. Deduct 2. †Though I should Dye with thee yet will I not Deny thee Matth. 26. 34. * Fox Act. and Mon. †Si vis esse securus semper time ‖ Blessed Bilney tried his Finger by himself in the Candle before his whole Body in the Flames at the Stake * Pre-apprehension is the Mother of Prevention †Selâ—…-Examination is a Root which bears Self-Knowledge and at the Top of it grows Assurance which is Apex Fidei The Highest Nature of Faith ‖ Quid est diu vivere nisi diu torqueri Aug. †Life is interlarded with Trouble Watson * Believers should alwayes keep their Recumbence upon the Goodness and Mercy of God †Mundus turbatur amatur * Mittamus preces cordis legatos Cypr. Matth. 6. 13. 2 Cor. 12. 8. Deduct 3. Heb. 2. 18. Deduct 4. ‖ This is Jacob's Staff in the Hand of Faith with which we may Walk cheerfully to the Mount of God What will satisfy or give content if this will not Watson in Loc. †Temptations stir up the Paternal Compassions in God to them who are Tempted Idem Deduct 5. * Pride was the first Sin that ever Reigned Deduct 6. †Venit Diabolus subvenit Christus ‖ God is above the Devil should be every Tempted Soul ' s Motto Deduct 7. * We are kept by the Power of God thro Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. Deduct 8. †Nullae ibi insidiae Daemonum Bern. Deduct 9. Quest. Answ. Vide Sedgwick's Military Discipline pag. 27 c. * Doubtless as that Systole and Dyastole of which the Anatomists speak are to the Heart so the Affections are to the Will the Openings the Contractings of it †Oculus meus depraedatus est animam meam ‖ Do as Mariners when they know of a Rock that will split them they go not near it * One Traitor within the Castle may do more Hurt than a Multitude of Enemies without Holy Policarp in the time of the Fourth Persecution when he was Commanded but to Swear One Oath made this Answer Four-score six Years have I served God all this while he never hurt me How then can I speak Evil of so good a Lord and Master who hath thus long preserved me I am a Christian and cannot Swear Let Heathens and Infidels Swear if they will I cannot do it were it to the Saving of my Life Not able also is that Instance of Marcus Arethusius †Haeret mihi semper in animo tua Lex ne unquam ab illa declinem qua in re te offendam Simeon de Muis. ‖ Gladius dicitur Sermo Divinus quia sicut gladius carnes praecidit sic Sermo Divinus concupiscentias carnales Chrysoft hom 8. in Matth. * Vide Capel on Tentation pag. 97 98 99 100 101 102 103. * Believers when they are Tempted should plead as Christ their Saviour Scriptum est It is Written †Mitttamus preces cordis Legatos Cypr. ‖ Dei sacrificium Diaboli flagellum Christiani subsidium ‖ What the Key is to the Watch that Prayer is to Religion It winds it up and sets it going †Prayer is the Guard to secure the Fort Royal of the Heart Prayer is the Porter to keep the Door of the Lips And Prayer is the Strong Hilt which defendeth the Hands ‖ Prayer is like the Ring which Queen Elizabeth gave to the Earl of Essex bidding him If he were in any Distress send that Ring to her she would Help him †Mr.
Affections and Predominant they are nothing else but so many Fire-Brands of Confusion Land-Floods exceeding all Reason yea Deluges to bear down our Graces What Euripides spake of Sorrows is as true of all Inordinate Affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in a sudden Fray many a Man is wounded so by Tumultuous Affections many a Sin is increased and the Devil like Thieves in Uproares is most diligent about us when our Affections are Distempered within us He can Master us most easily when we can most difficultly Master our selves But if the Affections be rightly set and composed they are then the sweetest Spring of Duty the gentlest Hand-Maids of Grace our best Sails for a Course of Piety the Activest Weapons against Iniquity our Flames in Prayer and Wings to Heaven Therefore Watch these Affections They are a Cole quickly Kindled but not so quickly Extinguished Your Safety lies much in this How they are Set and how they Work The same Strings may make Pleasant Musick or a Jarring Discord All is as they are Set and Fingred Your Affections may be either your Pleasant Garden or your Turbulent Ocean Therefore Watch them for Rectitude of Motion for Measure of Motion and for Order of Motion If your Love which is the General of the Affections should be set not on God but the World or Sin If your Hatred should be directed not against Sin but Good Men or which is worse against Goodness it self If your Zeal should not be pure Flames for Divine Glory but a burning Rage against his Truth If your Fear should not be a Flight from Evil but an Apostasie from Christ If your Anger should be a Displeasure at another's Eminencies and not at your own Exorbitances If your Hope should not be a well-ballanced Expectation of Happiness but a blind and venturous Presumption of Mercy And if your Grief should be Trouble that you cannot be and do more Evil Ah! how Vile how Irregular how Dangerous are Affections thus Routed and Dis-ordered But if Love and Hatred be lookt unto to Keep their Right Centers to Move towards their Proper Objects to Love nothing but Good to Hate nothing but Evil Now there is Rectitude and now there will be Peace and Comfort But stay not here Watch likewise your Affâ—…ctions for their Order and Measure it is difficult to keep and observe these O! How much Holiness of Heart and how large an Influence of Spiritual Wisdom is required to Guide the Affections with an even and befitting Pulse to keep those Mettals in an Expedient Heat That I should utterly Hate and Abhor the Sin and yet Mercifully Pity and Love the Person Be at the same time throughly Zealous and yet abundantly Meek Contend earnestly for the Faith yet all this Contending to be carried without any Contentiousness Beat down Errors and yet not Revile Persons Patiently bear Afflictions and Injuries with Silence and yet not Slight any Suffering with Unsensibleness That when I do Behold much Mercy yet I should Fear And when I Feel much Sin yet I should Hope Not Presume nor yet Despair But temper Faith and Fear Grief and Hope together This is the Orderly Composure of our Affections and the Exercise of it is very Difficult though very Necessary And therefore Watch The last Bull-Wark or Fort which you must keep Watch on is Conscience Solomon calls it the Heart which must be kept with all Diligence There is much to be said why it is to be Watched that I will say but little Is it not God's Vicegerent in Man The Spy up on us Our Great Counsellour Our Best Friend or Worst Enemy Our Heaven of Peace or Hell of Torment Our Wall of Brass or Prison of Iron Know ye not the Vigorous Supports of its Excusing Testimony What Confidence it gave to the Martyrs at the Bar and what Rejoycing even in the Flames Have ye not heard the Terrible Affrightments and Amazements of its Condemning Power How when it hath been awaken'd and stir'd it hath so Imprinted on the Proud Sinner the Wrath of the Great God that he hath been driven to Great Consternation Well! be Advised in time Great Sins will make Great Wounds in Conscience yea and Little Sins Committed against the Light of Conscience will occasion great Stirs and Troubles Speak no more against Conscience Write no more against Conscience Flatter no more against Conscience Live not in any Sin do nothing against Conscience Remember what befel Francis Spira who adventured against the strong Dictates of his Conscience he could not Recover Peace to his Dying-Day Remember what besel Origen who consented to Sacrifice But Lord What Horrors what Confusions what Lamentations what Despairs what Extream Exigencies in Conscience did attend him for Sinning thus Remember Iudas also who Sold his Master to the High-Priest He Sold his Master indeed but Sold his Peace too Instantly is he Arrested and Charged by Conscience and the Guilt of his Sin Crucified Him before the Rage of the Souldiers could Crucify his Master No Rest no Hope He chose Death rather than Life and hastened to Hell it self for some Ease O therefore Watch to Conscience Get it Renewed and Purged from Dead Works Obey it when it brings Light from Heaven to Command Wound it not by Corrupt Errors and Practioâ—…s Keep it Undefiled and Resolute Farewel Peace farewel Comfort Hope God Heaven Happiness if you Sell your Consciences But if you would Live in Life Enjoy your Selves Live in Death Enjoy your Hopes Live after Death Enjoy God and Christ As you desire Comfort from God from the Creatures from your Selves Watch keep Conscience Right and Sound No not for all the World make Shipwrack of Conscience Thy Ark is Lost if Conscience be Split Secondly The Ports or Gates to be Watched and Guarded by which We Go out and an Enemy may Come in These Ports are our Outward Senses by which the Soul Goes out and Objects Come in I cannot so distinctly Prescribe for these as for the rest only this we know That Sensible Objects have great Force to actuate and excite Peculiar Corruptions and Vile Temptations usually slip in and Co-operate with Outward Representations Satan by the Goodly Fruit deceived the Eye of Eve and Corrupted her to Transgression David's wandring Eye occasioned two Horrid Sins one of Adultery the other of Murder Therefore set a Strict Watch upon this Port or Sense of Seeing Iob did so He made a Covenant with his Eyes And Solomon Advises the Iunker not to Look on the Wine when it gives its Colour in the Glass And also not to Come near the Doors or Presence of the Strumpet Epiphanius saith That in the Old Law when any Dead Body was carryed by any House they were enjoyned to shut their Doors and Windows And in a Moral Sense the same Counsel were good for us When any Objects are apt to come in at the Windows of our Eyes Entising Alluring us to Sin shut the Windows presently lest Death should Enter by
joined to Christ if you would have what Christ hath He who has the Son has Life and he who hath not the Son hath not Life So that it is Union with Christ that gives us a Right to what-ever he hath Purchased Object But can Christ make me a Sheep that has been such a Wolf Answ. Yea take Christ and he will quickly Change you and make you to differ from what you were As for instance What a Wolf was Paul How fiercely did he go out against the Church at Damascus But Christ by the Power of Grace quickly turned the Fierceness of the Lion into the Meekness of the Lamb. Object But my Heart is Hard and my Mind is Blind Answ. Why sayes Christ take me and I can Soften your Heart and turn the Flint into Flesh. Object But I have not a Hand to Receive Christ. Answ. Be willing to Receive Christ and he will find a Hand for you As Christ has Promised to Save us by Believing so likewise he has Promised to Help us to Believe SERMON III. LUKE 16. Vers. 50. But I have a Baptism to be Baptized with and How am I Straitned till it he Accomplished THAT these Words have a Coherence easily appears by the Illative Particle BUT by which they are tack'd to some-what said afore viz. Vers. 49. I come to send Fire on the Earth and what will I if it be already Kindled Cyril by Fire here understands the Holy Ghost But others more probably by Fire do understand the Fiery Trials of Persecutions and Afflictions Our Saviour speaks this as the Effect which the Preaching of the Gospel should produce not of it self but by reason of Men's Corruption and Abuse of it And so he comes in with But I have a Baptism to be Baptized with c. i. e. Before this Fire on Earth viz. Persecutions that the Gospel shall occasion for Discovery of Men's Impure Lusts can be Accomplished I have a Baptism to be Baptized with That is sayes Piscator on the Place I must Suffer many Things nay be Dip'd Plung'd and Baptiz'd in Blood So the Learned and Reverend Assembly of Divines in their Notes upon the Place I have a Baptism to be Baptized with c. Meaning That his Self must first Suffer This in the Saints is called the Baptism of Martyrdom And how am I Straitned till it be Accomplished As if he had said I much desire it were Accomplished and the Redemption of Man thereby The Words without any Stretching hard would afford us Two Points of Doctrine But because I â—…ntend only a SERMON from them I shall therefore endeavour to sum up the Substance of the Words in one Point of Doctrine Doctrine That Jesus Christ was Baptiz'd with a Baptism of Blood for us the Accomplishment whereof he very much desired In the Opening and Prosecuting of this Doctrine we must take notice 1. By way of Explication of the Person Baptized viz. Iesus Christ. 2. What kind of Baptism viz. A Bloody Baptism or a Baptism of Blood 3. For whose Sakes viz. For us First Of the Person Baptiz'd and that is Iesus Christ. Quest. What is this Jesus Christ say you Answ. A Christian and ask What Jesus Christ is Yea and many such Ones I believe there are that is Titularly not Really that know not the Lord Iesus Therefore I will tell you as well as Man can tell you who Iesus Christ is Iesus Christ is One that is Related to God and unto us 1. Iesus Christ is Related to God By God we commonly understand the First Person of the Trinity and by Iesus Christ the Second Person of the Trinity Why now God the First Person of the Trinity is Father to Iesus Christ the Second Person of the Trinity So that Iesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God two manner of wayes By Eternal Generation according to his Godhead and by Grace of Personal Union according to his Manhood Psal. 2. 7. Luke 1. 35. 2. Iesus Christ is Related unto Us also First Iesus Christ is our Saviour Phil. 3. 20. From whence also we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. And well may he be so Stiled for he Saves us from the Roaring Lion viz. the Devil that is so called 1 Pet. 5. 8. We were once in his Paw but Christ our Saviour Rescued us 2. Iesus our Saviour Saves us from Raging Lusts also that would Devour our Souls But he over-powers them and so prevents them Our Lusts as so many Thieves would steal away our Souls and the Dog Conscience doth not so much as give one Bark But now Christ who is our Saviour awakens Conscience that has been asleep so long and bids it do its Office 3. Iesus Christ Saves us from the King of Terrors that is he takes away all that renders Death Formidable The Bee by stinging loseth its Sting so Death while it Stung Christ on the Cross hath lost its Sting to a Believer Secondly Iesus Christ is our Husband Revel 22. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come Now the Spouse is in Sable it being a Time of Absence from her Husband But still Christ continues in the Relation both of a Saviour and a Husband to the Believing Soul And What Thoughts can afford more Comfort than the Thoughts of a Spiritual Real Union between Christ and my Soul Than the Thoughts of this That Christ and I am One that there is an Intimous Indissoluble Union between Christ and my Soul which is the Well-head of all those Streams of Comfort that I Enjoy by which I can lay Claim to all Gospel-Rights and Priviledges whatsoever Thirdly Iesus Christ is our Head As a Body is either Natural or Politick so a Head And Christ is held forth in Scripture under both these Capacities He is unto his Church a Natural Head in regard of Influence and a Politick Head in regard of Government Ephes. 4. 15 16. Col. 2. 19. Fourthly Iesus Christ is our Life for so he is expressed in Scripture Col. 3. 4. When Christ who is our Life shall appear what the Soul is to the Body that is Christ to the Soul Gal. 2. 20. Not I but Christ that Liveth in me Fifthly and Lastly Christ is our Advocate 1 Joh. 1. 2. And if any Man Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous All these manner of wayes Christ is Related to Us. Secondly What kind of Baptism Iesus Christ was Baptized with viz. A Bloody Baptism or a Baptism of Blood Divines do tell us of a Threefold Baptism A Baptism of Water of the Spirit and of Martyrdom All these were Fulfilled in Christ. But the Baptism in the Text is the Baptism of Blood in his Saints call'd the Baptism of Martyrdom And I may truly say That Christ was Baptiz'd in Blood Three Times or which you will he Bled Three Times 1. Iesus Christ did Bleed at his Circumcision Luke 2. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
in many Things and not the least in this Viz. As the Disease of the Body Deforms it so doth Sin as a Disease Deform the Soul The Souls of Men that were Whiter than Snow Ruddier than Rubies more Polisht than Saphirs in their First Original are by Sin become as Black as the Coal The Soul of Man that had the Image of God stampt on it in Legible Charâ—… is now by Sin scarce Discerna Thirdly The Serpent will stop his Ears against the Charmers Just so must we against Sin and Satan's Baits of Pleasure and Profit Satan will sometimes say O Soul Here is a great deal of Pleasure and Profit if thou wilt but Commit this Sin Nay he will further argue by telling the Soul That it is but a little Sin c. Although a Small Sin will Offend an Infinite God and Exclude us out of a Great Heaven A Small Mote may put out our Eyes as well as a Great Beam A Drop of Water helps to Drown the Ship as well as a Great Flood Again This also which belongs unto the same Head is very observable in the Serpent He will stop one Ear with his Tail and the other with the Earth Just so must we stop our Ears against Satan's Charms One of our Ears must be stopt with the Tail that is by the Consideration of what the End of Sinning will be The other of our Ears must be stopt with the Earth that is by Contemplating our Frailty and Mortality The Thoughts Consideration of our Being Dust and ere long Returning unto Dust will keep us from Sinful Compliance Shall we go on in Sin when God may say this Night Give an Account of thy Stewardship The way to give Sin a Death's Wound is to set up a Death's Head Shall I be Sinning when To Morrow I may be Dying This is Stopping of our Ears against Satan's Charms with the Earth Fourthly The Serpent Rowles himself in the Dust and Creeps through a narrow Hole and so gets Rid of his Skin Would to God SIRS that we could but make such a Shift to leave Sin as the Serpent doth to leave its Skin We can find Shifts for Sinning but none for being Holy and What a sad thing is this Let us then for the Future Sin no more but with the Serpent Rowl our selves in the Dust of Repentance Iob. 42. 6. Fifthly The Serpent bends all his Parts to save his Head because his Life is there so Ierom Austin Ambrose c. Why now Christ is a Christian's Head and in that Head is the Christian's Life and we must Deny all rather than that Nay Christ our Life is Preserved though we may loose our own Now as there are Five several Things in the Serpent which we shall do well to observe that we Practise them so there are Three several Things in the Serpent that we shall do well to observe that we may Avoyd them First The Serpent is Smooth in his Skin yet he Stings to Death He has a Flattering Face but a Stinging Tail Now this we must beware of we must not have sweet Words and War in our Hearts c. Secondly The Serpent is a Hostile Creature and will not take VVrong But we must Suffer c. Thirdly The Serpent Lives in Deserts and Solitary Places But now Christians must not alwayes be alone but like Sheep be Sociable that so they may be a Common Good According to that Vir Bonus est Commune Bonum Having done with what we may Learn from the Serpent I come now to the Dove and so shall enquire what may be Learnt from it First We should be like the Dove for Meekness The Dove is a Meek Creature They say It is without Gall. So Christians should be Patient and Meek and of a Forgiving Spirit not troubled with the Overflowing of the Gall forgetting Injuries and writing Kindnesses on Marble Secondly We should be like the Dove for Simplicity Innocency and Harmleness The Dove has nothing of Guile Fraud Deceit or Malignancy So Christians should be Simple and Harmless taking Wrong but doing none Thirdly We should be like the Dove for Chastity The Dove is a Chast Creature and keeps to its own Mate So Christians should be We are Admonished hereby to keep close to our Saviour and not wander from Him by any means Every Believing Soul is Christ's Spouse and Satan doth oft-times Entice him to Spiritual Uncleanness But he having a Dove-like Nature Abominates all Thoughts Words and Actions that are Unchast Fourthly We should be like the Dove for Neatness Purity and Cleanness Fifthly We should be like the Dove for Love and Loveliness Sixthly We should be like the Dove for Sociableness The Doves Flock together to the Window Isa. 60. 85. Seventhly We should be like Doves for Mourning The Dove is a Mournful Creature Oh! that we who have the Poison of the Serpent might have the Tears of the Dove APPLICATION Use 1. Of Information Branch 1. HEnce we infer That such who cannot Learn any thing from the Creatures that God hath made are Carnal and not Spiritual Sâ—…culum est speculum The World Below is a Glass to discover the World Above And although I am not of their Opinion who hold That the Heathens may Spell Christ out of the Sun Moon and Stars Yet this I know That the Irrational and Inanimate as well as Rational Creatures have a Language And though not by Articulate Speech yet in a Metaphorical Sense they Preach unto Man the Wisdom Power and Goodness of God Rom. 1. 20. Branch 2. See what Cause of Humiliation here is That Man who at first was led by the Knowledge of God to the Knowledge of the Creature must now by the Creatures Learn to know God! That the Creatures as one saith like Balaam's Ass should Teach their Master But though this be the Unhappiness of Poor Man in his Collapsed State yet it is now his VVisdom to improve such Helps And whil'st others by the Abuse of Creatures are furthering their Perdition to be by the Spiritual Improvement of them promoting our own Salvation Branch 3. See the Beastliness of such Men that while they should Learn from the Creatures are Abusing oâ—… them VVhen they might be Promoting of their Salvation by a Spiritual Improvement of them they do further their Perdition by an Unwarrantable Abuse of them Surely such are Beasts in the Shape of Men. Use 2. Of Reprehension IT may Reprove such that have not Learnt this Art of Spiritualizing Earthly Objects Use 3. Of Exhortation THat we would more Contemplate for our Profit sake than we do As Man saith an Excellent Divine is Compounded of a Fleshly and Spiritual Substance so God hath Endowed the Creatures with a Spiâ—…tual as well as Fleshly Usefulness They have not only a Natural Use in Alimental and Physical Respects but also a Spiritual Use as they bear the Figures and Similitudes of many Sublime and Heavenly Mysteries Believe me saith Contemplative
more Capable of Resisting Temptation and the more Freed from Inconveniencies that may attend them when they are Singly and Apart by themselves Sixthly The Sheep when once it Strayeth never Returneth again of it self unless the Shepherd himself brings it Home So a Believer is subject to go Astray i. e. Sometimes And when it does thus Stray it never of it self Returns unless the Lord Iesus Christ the Great Shepherd of Souls brings it Home upon his Shoulders Thus Peter he had never of himself Returned were it not for a Look from Christ Iesus A Look from Christ melted his Heart and caused him to think on his Wayes with Shame and Compunction of Heart Luk. 22. 61. Seventhly The Sheep when it is Pursued by the Wolf has nothing where withal to Defend it self Nature sayes one has denyed this Creature any thing where-withal to defend her self that unless the Shepherd steps forth she becometh a Prey both to Man and Beast Just so it is with Believers When they are Pursued by that Wolf the Devil that Nimrod that Mighty Hunter the Devil They have no Strength of their own whereby to Resist him and Defend themselves That unless Iesus Christ the Great Shepherd of Souls appears for them they are undone to all Eternity 'T is Christ that must work in them both to Think and Do Without Christ they can do Nothing whereas through Christ they are Enabled to do All Things Phil. 4. 13. Eighthly A Sheep is the most Profitable of Creatures Living and when Dead Some Creatures are Profitable Living but not Dead as the Horse and the Dog and some Creatures are Profitable Dead and not Living as the Hog c. But the Sheep is Profitable Living and Dead The Sheep when it is Alive is Profitable to us these manner of wayes She giveth Milk bringeth fortâ—… Lambs Her Wool will also make uâ—… Cloath When she is Dead she iâ—… Profitable these manner of wayesâ—… Her Skin will serve as formerly for Garments her Guts will makâ—… our Musick and her Dung will makâ—… the Ground Fertil So Christians they are Profitablâ—… Living and Dying As for instance When they are Alive they wilâ—… make good Parents good Masters good Governours good Neighbours and so is Profitable in every one oâ—… these When Dead their Souls stilâ—… Live their Names still Live theiâ—… Instructions still Live and their Examples still Live And when dead and gone yet they are still Profitable in their Instructions and Examples Ninethly The Sheep were most Profitable under the Law for Sacrifices The Iews Offered more Sheep than any other Creature 'T is Confessed they Offered also Calves Goats Oxen Heifers Kids Turtles and Pidgeons But their Daily Sacrifices consisted chiefly of Sheep for above One Thousand Five Hundred and Eighty Two Years all the while that the Mosaiâ—…l Law was observed Thus Christ and Christians Christ was Sacrifice to Divine Iustice for our Sins and Christians Boâ—…ies are Sacrifices in the Service of â—…od And also when they Die for Christ they bear in their Bodies with â—…he Apostle Paul the Marks of our Lord â—…esus and Seal his Truth with their â—…wn Blood Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore Brethren by 〈◊〉 Mercies of God that ye Present our Bodies a Living Sacrifice Holy â—…cceptable unto God which is your Reasonable Service Thus might I still go along Paralâ—…ling Sheep and Believers one with â—…other might it not be deem'd Superfluous I could shew how that Sheep are â—…ommonly Marked So Christ he â—…arks Believers that are his Sheep and the Marks are Election and Vocation The Sheep is a very Cleanlâ—… Creature and cannot endure likâ—… the Swine to be in Dirty Places So Believers they are Clean buâ—… Wicked Men are Swine never coâ—…tent but when wallowing in thâ—… Mire of Sin Sheep Love the Greeâ—… Meadows and Clear Water So Believers they are for the Purest Ordâ—…nances of the Gospel and the Word 〈◊〉 God Sheep will go Freely of themselves we do not use to bind theâ—… in Chains So Believers they neeâ—… not be pulled or haled to their Duty they serve God with a Free anâ—… Enlarged Heart The Sheep is alsâ—… very subject to Diseases no Creaturâ—… so subject as the Man Horse anâ—… Sheep are unto Diseases So God iâ—… all Ages hath been pleased to Exercise his Church with many Afflictâ—…ons and Calamities Therefore wâ—… find the Church in Scripture compareâ—… to a Sheep that is Fatted for thâ—… Slaughter Lastly When once thâ—… Sheep hath the Scab he is Separateâ—… from the rest of the â—…lock So here as respecting Christians Any one that is a Notorious and Scandalous Sinner is not to have Communion with the Rest in Special Communion and Fellowship For as one Scabby Sheep Infecteth the whole Flock so the Slips and Failings of one Christian is often the Cause of the Fall of many Weak Ones Thus have I Performed the First Thing Proposed The Second Thing is this What kind of Sheep Believers â—…re 1. There are your Straying Sheep Isa. 53. vers 6. All We like Sheep have gone Astray 2. There are Lost Sheep that is such who have wandred so far as that they know not the way Home again Such an one was the Prodigal Son Luk. 15 c. and the Iews in Christ's Time 3. There are your Seeming Sheep but Inwardly are Ravenous Wolves Matth. 7. Take heed of them 4. There are your Spotted Sheep such as Iacob's were Gen. 30. 5. There are your Sheep without Spot or Blemish In a Strict Sense Christ only is such a Sheep He is that Immaculate Lamb of God that Lamb without Spot and Blemish 1 Pet. 1. 19. Next to Christ Believers themselves are those Spotless Sheep because no Sin is imputed to them Thirdly I am to prove That Christ did Die for Believers his Sheep That Christ Died nothing is more Evident in Scripture And that he Died not for Himself but for Others is as Evident And that those whom he did Die for were his Sheep that is to say a Number Elected out of the World is as Plain also Let two or three Places of Scripture suffice Iohn 15. 13. Greater Love hath no Man than this that a Man lay down his Life for his Friends Rom. 5. 8. But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ Died for us Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that Condemneth It is Christ that Died. Fourthly I am to shew how Iesus Christ Died for Sinners First Though Iesus Died in the Place Room and Stead of Sinners yet he himself was all this while Innocent Blameless he had neither Original Blemish nor Actual Blot No Sin in his Heart no Sin in his Life He was no Sinner Actually or Inherently but our Iniquities were laid upon him So that Christ Died Innocently 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Christ also hath once Suffered for Sins the Just for the Unjust Christ Died for Sins yet not for his own but for ours And therefore in
that Respect he Died Innocently Secondly Iesus Christ Died willingly Matth. 26. 39. Nevertheless not as I will but as Thou wilt Christ's Death was a Free and Voluntary Death not Constrained or Forced Austin saith That Christ Died quia voluit and quando voluit and quomodo voluit Because he would when he would and how he would There was no Law to Enjoyn him no Force to Compel him Nothing could have fastened Christ to the Cross but the Golden Link of Love Christ was big of Love Therefore he freely Opens all the Pores of his Body that his Blood may flow out from every Part as a Precious Balsom to Cure our Wounds The Bowels of Christ was so Big with Tender Compassions that they Travelled again till they did break forth into a Bloody Sweat But now it may be Objected from the Scripture a-fore quoted The former Part whereof are these Words Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me Therefore say they Christ did not Die so Willingly as you think he did Answ. Read the whole Text and so you will find in it 1. Vox Natarae the Voice of Nature Let this Cup pass from me 2. Vox Officii the Voice of his Mediatory Office Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt The First Voice Let this Cup pass is a great Argument of our Saviour's Humanity That he was Man as well as God in that he dreads a Dissolution Christ owed it to Himself as a Creature to desire the Conservation of his Being And on this Score he would have become Unnatural to Himself had he not Fear'd Death The Latter Voice Nevertheless not as I will but as Thou wilt Expresseth the Full and Free Consent of his Will Complying with the Will of his Father in that grand Everlasting Designe of bringing Man's Soul unto Glory Here he Died Freely and Willingly Thirdly Iesus Christ Died Patiently he never Resisted never Rebelled never Opposed He was Led as a Sheep to the Slaughter and as a Lamb Dumb before the Shearer he Opened not his Mouth Acts 8. 32. Isa. 53. 7. And when he was Reviled he Reviled not again when he Suffered he Threatned not Lastly We are to Apply this Doctrine And the Uses that it affords are these 1. Of Information 2. Of Reprehension 3. Of Examination 4. Of Exhortation The First is a Use of Information consisting of Branches Branch 1. First Are Believers Christ's Sheep Hence learn then That Christ is the Believers Shepherd If we are Christ's Sheep then Christ is our Shepherd and he Performs the Office of a Good Shepherd to us Nine Ways 1. He Marks us and that with the Marks of Election and Vocation 2. He goes before us and Shepherd-like Leads the way 1. In Doctrine 2. In Life 3. In Love 4. In Suffering 3. He Feeds us as Shepherds do their Sheep 1. In the Valleys of the Scriptures 2. In the Hills of Vertue 3. In the Pleasant Fields of his Grace 4. He bears us up with the Strong Water or Wine of Consolation 5. He Washes us his Sheep 1. In the Laver of his own Blood 2. In the Laver of Repentant Tears 6. He Heals us Psal. 103. vers 3. 7. He Seeks us as the Shepherds do his Sheep Psal. 119. 175. Luk. 15 c. 8. He Carries us upon his Shoulders Luc. 15. 5. 9. He brings us Home Ier. 17. 24. Branch 2. Secondly Is it so that Believers are Christ's Sheep Then hence we may learn that Unbelievers are not Christ's Sheep They are only the Cruel Beasts of the Forrest such as Bears Lions Wolves and Tigers So the Scripture calls them Branch 3. Thirdly Is it so that Christ Died also for Believers his Sheep Hence learn then the Condescension and Love of Christ. The Condescension of Christ that he should Die and how was he fain to Humble himself before he could become Capable of Dying He was forced to become Man And Oh great Condescension That he who was the Son of God Heir of Heaven Prince of Peace should be inclosed in a Womb and come into this World Oh Infinite Humility That a Saviour should become a Servant That the Lord of Glory should lay aside his Robe and become a Shepherd nay a Dying Shepherd too 'T is just as if a King should leave his Throne and wait at Table The Love of Christ in that he should Die for his Sheep lay down his Life What a Shepherd is this and What a kind of Love is this Love Here is a Pattern without a Parallel Oh the Hights Depths Breadths and Lengths of the Love of God in Christ That Christ should Die and that for Sheep Silly Sheep Lost as we all were before the Great Shepherd sought us Use 2. Of Reprehension Here is Reproof unto such that Persecute Believers because God will look upon them as so many Wolves that Pursue his precious Sheep And do you hear this Oh ye Ungodly of the World Those whom you so Violently Persecute are the Sheep of Christ And therefore you Incurr the Displeasure of Christ that is their Shepherd Use 3. Of Examination Let us Examine our selves Whether we are Believers and the Sheep of Christ Have we taken Christ for our Shepherd And do we Act Faith upon him under all our Exigencies and Indigencies Knowing that because he is our Shepherd therefore we shall want no Good thing If we are Christ's Sheep we are Innocent Meek Simple and very Profitable c. Use 4. Of Exhortation This Use of Exhortation has a double Aspect 1. It looks to Believers that are Christ's Sheep 2. It looks to Unbelievers that are not Christ's Sheep First It looks to Believers that are Christ's Sheep Is it so That Christ has Died for you his Sheep Then you his Sheep be willing to Die for Him your Shepherd Christ did not Fear Men for you don't you then Fear Men for Him He Endured the Cross and Despised the Shame he went through a Sea of Wrath and a Sea of Blood to Save you And what Will you do nothing for him He Loved you with a Love stronger than Death Love him therefore with a Love stronger than Life We know not how soon an Hour of Temptation may come This we may be assured of Christ's Love has been Tried for us Why then should not our Love be Ttied for Christ His Life was laid down for us his Blood was shed for us and we have no such Blood to shed for him as he had to shed for us Is our Love grown to such a High Stature that we could Lay down Ten Thousand Lives had we them for the Cause and Interest of Christ Secondly It looks to Unbelievers You that are not Christ's Sheep Do you this Day become Believers that ye may be the Sheep of Christ. Would you be Invested with Glorious Priviledges would you have your Souls Saved would you have an Interest in all the Benefits of Christ Come over to him then You must be