apart to their several offices by laying on of mens hands upon them even so God laid his hands on these that is Christ immediately by his own voyce called these to be witnesses unto him which was one of the priviledges of the Apostles 2 The Apostle in the words expresseth himself by limiting them to themselves to us namely Apostles who ate and drunk with him not only who before his death lived as it were at bed and board with him but after hee rose from the dead that we might not be deceived in our witnesse of him 3 To us whom be commanded to preach and testifie namely to the whole world these things together with his coming again to judgement Now for the further clearing of this publick witnesse of the Apostles wee will consider three things 1 That these twelve were appointed by Christ himself to this witnesse which the Apostle Peter plainly concludeth Act. 1.22 where speaking of one to be elected into Judas his room he saith he must be chosen of one of them which have companied wâ—th us all the time that the Lord Jesus was conversant among us beginning at the Baptism of John unto the day that he was taken up implying that whosoever was not thus qualified he was not fit to be made such a publick witnesse with them of his resurrection because to the making of an Apostle was necessary either an ordinary converse with Christ upon earth or else an extraordinary sight of him in Heaven by which latter Paul who made an honourable accesse to that number proved himself an Apostle Tâ—e second thing is how they were furnished to this witnesse By what means the Apostles were furnished to their witness and this was suâ—â—y ways 1 By their senses they ate and drunk with him that is were in a familiar sort conversant with him after he rose again 2 By word of mouth he gave them charge and commandement to doe it of both which wee are to speak in the text 3 By a Sacrament or sign of breathing upon them he confirmed them to their vocation saying As my Father sent me so I send you 4 By adding thereunto the thing signified for he opened their understandings and made thâ—m able to conceive the Scriptures and unfold all the Mysteries therein so farre as was behoveful for the Church 5 By bestowing sundry other great gifts upon them sending the Holy Ghost upon them in the likeness of fiery Tongues whereby they received the gift of Tongues he gift of Miracles of casting out Devils of healing the Sick by imposition of hands of preserving from poyson and deadly things of the Apostolical rod whereby death it self was at the command of their word either to take place as in Ananias and Saphira both struck dead with the word of the Apostle or to give place as in Dorcas who by a word of the Apostle was raised to life being dead By these means the Lord put into the hands of the Apostles great power to give witnesse of the resurrection of Christ Act. 4.33 The third thing is By what means they witnessed or gave testimony to Christ Ans Because they were to bee authentical and faithful witnesses to all the world and that both in the age wherein they lived as also in all the succeeding ages to the end of the world therefore was it necessary that they should give witnesse two wayes 1 By zealous and painful preaching by voyce while they lived 2 Even after their death by the holy Doctrin left behind them in their Works and Writings and thus doe they still remain publick witnesses to us on whom the ends of the world are come Doct. Hence observe that the office of the Apostles was to give testimony unto Christ after a peculiar manner Acts 1.8 When the Holy Ghost shall come upon you yee shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem Judea Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth I say they were to bee witnesses after a peculiar manner for these reasons The Apostles were to bee peculiar witnesses to Christ and why 1 To distinguish their witness from ours who are ordinary Ministers for every Minister is called of God to give witness to Christ but properly to speak they are rather Preachers and Publishers of things witnessed than witnesses or if witnesses yet herein they differ from the Apostles that they are not oculate or ear-witnesses nor such sensible witnesses as they were for this is an Apostolical speech and manner of preaching not derived to ordinary Pastors and Teachers to say That which wee have heard and seen and our hands have handled that we testify unto you 1 Joh. 1.1 2 They were all faithful witnesses and faithful men endued with faith and full beleef of the things they wrote and testified as all ordinary Ministers are not Whence the Evangelist John professeth of them all that they knew the testimony to bee true Joh. 21.24 True for the matter for they delivered the whole Counsel of God and kept nothing back that was fit to be known and true for the manner they all speaking as they were moved by the Spirit of God 2 Pet. 1.21 and therefore exempted from all error in their witness as we are not 3 And hence followeth that their witness is to bee beleeved as infallible being the witness of such as with their eyes saw his Maâ—esty vers 16. who did not at any time deliver any thing which they either heard not of Christ or saw him not doing or suffering but all other ordinary Ministers are so far to bee beleeved as they consent with these and so far as they testify no other thing than what these oculate witnesses have left in writing Object But Christ needeth not the witness of any man hee hath a greater witnesse than John or than any Apostle therefore there is no use of the Apostles witness Answ Christ hath indeed three greater witnesses than the witness of his Apostles namely 1 His Father that sent him beareth witnesse of him 2 The Scriptures if they bee searched testify of him 3 His works that hee did bear witnesse of him Joh. 8.18 5.39 5.36 but yet howsoever in regard of himself hee need no other testimony of man that wee might beleeve and bee saved hee useth the witness of men 〈◊〉 John and the Apostles and of this Divine Testimony in the mouth of the Apostles may bee said as Christ did of the voice from heaven Joh. 12.30 This voice came not because of mee but for your sakes In divine things we must lean upon a sure word Vse 1. From this Doctrin wee learn how necessary a thing it is in causes of Faith to lean upon true and certain things and not upon tottring traditions or unwritten verities which are the main pillars of Popish Doctrin Oh how good hath our God been to this Church and Land of ours in giving us a surer word of the Prophets and Apostles to become a light unto us in
sheep but the most are goat some are in communion with him as the sâ—iâ—ns set and growing in the root but the most are out of fellowship with him and are no otherwise knit unto him than a sciens tyed to a tree by a thred I mean by the slender thred of outward profession Now as the Head onely imparteth of the life sence motion protection light and comfort which it hath to the members of its own body and no other even so the Head of this Mystical body quickneth moveth protecteth inlightneth graceth saveth onely such as are in true communion with him for these sheep onely hee giveth his life for these he rose again for these hee spoiled principalities and powers for these he slew hatred yea not for these onely but in these also and in these onely As for all the rest hee prayeth not for the world namely the wicked of the world hee dyed much lesse for them his death killed none of their sins but they are left in their sins and unto the reign and damnation of their sins without all benefit either of the death of Christ or of his resurrection When wee lay then that Christ killed sin wee must bee understood according to the Scriptures onely for and in true Beleevers who only can receive of his fulnesse The latter distinction concerneth sin wherein wee must consider two things 1 the guilt 2 The corruption of it In beleevers the whole guilt of sin is abolished by Christ though not the whole corruption The whole guilt of sin is wholly and at once abolished to all beleevers by means of Christ his Death and Resurrection but not the whole corruption which while they dwel in the body will dwell with them yet so as they neithâ—r live in it not it scarcely live in them For the former the Apostle asketh this Question Rom 6.2 How can wee that are dead to sin live in it and hence it is that such as are in communion with Christ are not onely said to bee dead but buried also with Christ and consequently they leave their sins in his grave even as Christ himself left them there where if they bee left there will bee a â—â—tting and consuming of them away that they will bee every day less than other even as it is with the body that lyeth in the grave and those which remain yet unmortified they will bee even as dead caâ—kases All the motions of sin in the â—â—ct 〈◊〉 only in letting the life of it go loathsome and stinking which above all things the godly desire to bee covered Now how impossible is it that these should be the practices of such as live in sin Nay I say more that all the corruption of sin left in the godly can scarcely bee said to live in them I grant indeed some moving and stirring of it in them but it is such a motion as is in a beast which hath the throat cut it strugleth and striveth in letting life go but the beast is killed and the unclean issues of sin in the godly which indeed are many are like such issues which come from a dead man and are a very parting from them rather than any argument of the life of sin or of any delight in them This is that which the Apostle aimeth at Rom. 6.7 Hee that is dead is freed from sin as the Theef once hanged stealeth no more so sin once dead and executed in Christ liveth no more in state or strength the sinews of this gyant are cut and what strength of motion can bee in it In a word it is in Beleevers but dying sin sin destroyed the whole Host of sin is discomfited though some straglers of the Army wander here and there as Rebels in another mans dominions The second Enemy is Death which entered into the World by sin The second enemy is death and went over all men in that all men had sinned and standeth in full force and state by sin wheresoever it reigneth Now Christ by removing the cause hath also removed the effect for sin being slain death is also swallowed up in victory he hath made his word good O death I will be thy death who although he bee the last enemy that shall bee fully destroyed yet hath hee disarmed him taken away his dart and sting from him and so spoiled him as hee hath left him nothing to harm the elect withall The third Enemy is Hell the gates of which was set wide open by sin for The third Hell In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye the death namely the second death as well as the former But Jesus Christ by descending into Hell and suffering the sorrows of the second death loosed the same from himself and all such as shall beleeve in his name unto the worlds end Rev. 1.18 I was dead but am alive for evermore Amen and I have the keys of Hell and Death which phrase seemeth to bee borrowed from great Commanders and Conquerours who having won and entered any City presently have the keyes delivered unto them in token of that regiment and authority which now of right belongeth unto them and plainly importeth that howsoever Christ was once dead yet by his death hee hath vanquished Hell and Death and so hath obtained full power and command over them both The fourth Enemy is Satan the arch enemy of mankinde most malitious The fourth Satan being a man-slayer from the beginning and most powerful being the Prince yea the God of this world yet hath the victorious Lyon of the tribe of Judah put to flight this roaring Lyon whose rage and malice made him bold to set upon the Son of God himself that so hee might work his own ruine and overthrow How Christ avoided his sundry fierce assaults and temptations in the wilderness broke his power and forces by his powerful dis-possessing and casting him out of men and women trod upon his neck by the power of his death and resurrection wee might at large out of the Evangelists shew but that wee have spent some time already in this argument so as now the gates of Hell can never prevail against the Faith of the godly the seed of the Woman hath broken the Serpents head the strong man is cast out by a stronger than hee the spoiler is spoyled and lead in triumph by him that appeared for this end to destroy the works of the Devil who hath this Tyrant also in chains reserved for the blacknesse of darkness for ever The last enemy but not the least in strength is the World The fifth the world Satans servant and armour-bearer which by all the power and policy it could use could not keep Christ down in the grave but hee rose again notwithstanding all the opposition of it this is that our Saviour professeth of himself a little before his death Bee of good comfort for I have overcome the world Joh. 16.33 As if hee had said trouble not your hearts although
it is but an infirmity what need a man bee so precise and scrupulous as to stand upon such small trifles all which is but to plead for Satan against our own safety He was afterwards an hungry In these words is set down the effect of Christs fast After he had fasted forty days and forty nights he began to be hungry all the while before he was not hungry neither did he want power to have fasted longer and by his Divine power upheld his human nature if hee pleased but now the miraculous fast being finished he begun to hunger Quest How could Christ be hungry seeing he was able to feed so many thousands with seven Leaves and two Fishes Besides Joh. 4.34 he saith My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Or if he could be hungry why would he Ans Some have thought that Christ needed not to eat sleep c. as wee need when our bodily strength is exhaust by labour by fasting and watching And some of the Fathers as Ambrose and Theophylact upon Mar. 11.12 hold that Christ only by dispensation gave his body leave to be hungry when he pleased as though he neither was wont nor could nor ought to bee ordinarily hungry as other men nor necessarily forced to eat But wee must know that Christ took upon him a true human body and the form of a Servant in which he was obnoxious to all our infirmities only sin excepted And the infirmities which he undetook not are these What infirmities our Saviour took and took not in three propositions 1 He was not to take any which might hinder the perfection of his soul or body Of his soul as vices sins proneness to evil heaviness to goodness Christ took miserable infirmities in his soul as Augustine saith such as are natural negative ignorance as of the day of Judgement and the time of figges fructifying but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Damascene saith damnable and detestable Of his body because it was extraordinarily conceived and created of the Holy Ghost who being of infinite wisdome and power could not eâ—re or not bring his body to perfection Therefore he was not to bee blind lame deaf c. which are infirmities in many other men 2 Christ was not to take all infirmities in general Christ took not all infirmities of every particular man for three causes for 1 Some arise of particular causes which could not be in Christ as namely some hereditary infirmities and diseases as the Leprosie Falling-sickness Stone c. some from redundance of matter in generation have some monstrous or superfluous part some from defect want some part or have some part withered or scanted None of this can agree to Christs most perfect conception of the Holy Ghost 2 Some infirmities are acquisite as by Surfeits Feavers and Gouts by fulness These could not befall Christ who never exceeded the mean his whole life being a continual exercise of sobriety neither had hee ever any acquisite infirmity but voluntarily undertaken 3 Some defects and infirmities are the fruit of some special judgement of God as Uzziah his Leprosie was a special stroke of Gods hand for a special sin so some are born fools and simple Neither could these belong to Christ who had no sin nor cause of judgement in him 3 Christ was to take upon him all natural and indetractable infirmities as the School-men call them and only them Natural that is such as follow common nature infirmities common to all men And indetractable or inculpable which detract not from the perfection of his person nor of his grace nor of the work of our redemption Of this kinde are hunger thirst labour weariness sleep sorrow sweat and death it self all these are common to all men Now hunger being a common infirmity incident to all men yea to Adam in innocency who was hungry and did eat as Gen. 1.39 every tree bearing fruit shall be to you for meat and slept chap. 2. vers 21. a heavie sleep fell on the man yet without molestation therefore Christ did necessarily hunger as other men do not by an absolute necessity for 1 he needed not have taken our nature or been incarnate 2 As he was God he could have exempted himself from all the abasement and miseries that he suffered neither by a coacted necessity for he willingly submitted himself to this necessity But by a necessity ex hypothesi or conditionate having taken our nature to redeem it he was necessarily to take on him all our weaknesses sin only excepted for these reasons Reasons why Christ took on him our infirmities five Mans nature is known by defects Gods by perfection 1 He was not only to be like a man and in the shape of a man but also a very true man like unto his brethren in all things except sin therefore it is said Heb. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to assure the truth of his incarnation against all Anthropomorphites and such like Hereticks 2 This was a part of his obedience and consequently of our redemption that he suffered the same thing as we do both in body and in mind Vere pertulit langâ—ores nostros he hath truly born our infirmities Isa 53.4 3 That he might sanctifie unto us these infirmities and take away the sting of them lest we should be wearied and faint in our mindes Heb. 12.3 and that we might have an example in suffering 1 Pet. 2.21 4 That he might be a compassionate High Priest Heb. 2.17 18. touched with infirmity yea cloathed with our frail nature that we should not doubt of his grace who vouchsafed to be so abased for us 5 Himself confirmeth the same in that he took not on him such a body of ours as Adam had before sin but such a one as he retained after his fall so far as it was obnoxious to all incriminal pains of sin namely such as was subject to weariness Joh. 4.6 to sorrow tears and weeping as over Jerusalem Luke 19.41 and at the raising of Lazarus Joh. 11.35.38 and in his Agony when he shed tears and used strong cries Heb. 5.7 to sweating water and bloud in the garden yea to death it self from all which Adams body was free before the fall And by these his body was by a true necessity overcome as ours are and this not for a short time or space at his pleasure but all the time of his life till he breathed out his holy spirit yea thirsting upon the cross it self John 19.28 Neither was this onely to confirm the truth of his humane nature but to fulfill all righteousnesse and carry away all the punishment of our sinnes and so work a perfect salvation for us Therefore Christ truely and necessarily was hungry as wee use to be Obj. Christs meat was to do the will of his father As for that place in Joh. 4.34 I answer 1 It must bee meant comparatively in that the execution of his
proceedeth out of the mouth of God it is rather a death than a life his bread becomes poyson and as Rats-bane in his bowels because he hath it without a promise and without blessing Obj. I see no such thing Ans Many poysons are long a working but the end of such is death and the more slowly they work the more slily and certainly they kill And if the Lord doe not invert the order he hath set in nature by cursing the particular creatures be sure he hath in his justice reserved a curse for the unjust person and he shall not avoyd it This doctrin specially applied laies hold upon sundry sorts of men who live contrary to the word They are these I. Such as live out of lawful callings which are one part of the word of God that we should get our living in the sweat of our browes and so long as we are in our way we have his word we shall bee provided for And the word proceeding out of the mouth of God is that he that will not labour must not eat because he eats not his own and such as will not live after this word by Gods word they ought not to live because they are idle and unprofitable burdens of the earth who 1 abuse Gods providence who ties the ends and means together 2 infringe that good order which God hath established for the avoiding of confusion in Church or Common-wealth namely that every man should serve God in the service of man in some warrantable and profitable civil calling 3 As hee is no better than an Infidel that depends only on means seeing man lives by every word of God so he that in a lawful course of life provides not for his family is worse than an infidel Of this sort are our knots of companions of drinking and gaming company and wandring rouges and beggers I knit them together because they are all of a strain and either are Beggers or shall be These commonly come not to Church to hear their duties and therefore they must bee taught by correction and discipline of those that are the executioners of justice II. Such as think they live well enough and yet it is by deceiving others by stealing oppression extortion lying swearing and falshood in buying and selling and why say they may not a man help and shift for himself But consider 1 What a poor help it is when a man will use unlawful means and to shift out of one evil by another Hee doth as the Prophet speaks avoid a Lyon and a Bear meets him Pilate would keep his place by unlawful means the delivering of Christ to bee crucified but besides that hee brought innocent blood upon himself hee lost his place and flew himself 2 Consider That if Gods Word of blessing go not with the means his word of curse doth and so the Prophet Zachary saith that the curse entereth into the house of the swearer and of the theef chap. 5. v. 4. and this curse shall remain in the midst of his house and consume the very timber and stones This curse often scatters ill-gotten goods as fast as they were ever hastily gathered if not in his own daies yet in some unthrifty heir after him 3 Consider how God crosseth the vain conceit of unjust persons they think all that is any way gotten to bee gain and profit but the word is Prov. 10.2 that treasures of wickednesse profit nothing they cannot help a man from the hand of God nay when the evil day comes they are gone and leave a man alone to grapple with death and judgement and turn a man naked to the sentence of condemnation for his wicked getting and holding of them III. Another sort of men who live not by the Word of God Vel minimuâ— fructus ex pecunia peâ—cipâ— non potest sine Dei offensione proximi injuâ— 2. Calv. Epist 226. but against it are Usurers who pull themselves out of all lawful callings and set up a trade for the publike evil and their own private good which were there nothing else against it proves it not to bee of Gods devising for every calling of Gods devising is helpful to men in general but the Spirit of God hath given this a name from biting and hurting But wee have the Scripture most expresly against it whether it bee manifest as is a contract for gain as for ten pound to pay eleven at the years end or covert whereby men find devices which they call mysteries to defeat the laws and seem to contract and either not to lend or not for gain The word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God saith Exod. 22. v. 25. If thou lend money to my people with thee thou shalt not be an Usurer thou shalt not oppress him Mark how usury and oppression is all one And Deut. 23.19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother the usury of money meat or any thing that may bee lent But the Usurer that will live by his money and not by Gods word saith Yea but of the Gentiles they might though not of a brother To which I say that now the partition wall is taken away and neither Jew nor Gentile remains all are our brethren in Christ and therefore of no man must usury bee expected unless thou beest worse than a Jew Let the Usurer answer this if he can Again those Gentiles were of those nations of the Canaanites Ab hoc usuram eâ—igâ— quem non sit crimen occultic Amb. which they were commanded to destroy and usury was as teeth given them and allowed by God to eat them up withall Seest thou a man whom thou mayest lawfully kill take use of him but not of thy brother Object I will not take usury of the poor but of the rich Answ But the text is Thou shalt not take usury of thy brother bee he poor or rich though the rich bee better able to suffer wrong yet thou art not by any word enabled to offer it The word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God saith Psal 15.5 Hee that giveth not his mony to usury shall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle and rest on his holy hill and Ezek. 18.17 Hee that hath not received usury and increase c. wherein it is plain without all tricks that either to give out or take in usury excludes out of heaven Object Hee means to oppresse a man with usury Answ Every usury is oppression and every Usurer fears not God Levit. 25.36 Thou shalt not take usury but fear the Lord. Object But that Law was judicial not moral Answ That is false for our Saviour renewed in it the Gospel Luke 6.35 Lend freely looking for nothing again Therefore it is moral Besides that usury is condemned amongst the great transgressions of the Moral law Ezek. 18.13 Object Wee may do as we would bee dealt by and it is charity so to lend as another may benefit himself Answ No man in need would borrow but freely
alledge Scripture hee saith nothing against it but was silent he replies not and much less rails on him as a phantastical or precise person But reprove the Swearer the Drunkard the Gamester the unjust courses of men in their trades Sabbath-breaking in Masters or Servants and do it out of the Scripture as Christ did wee shall have the same measure that hee had returned from the Scribes and Pharisees who railed out-right on him He is too precise and severe wee can do nothing for him or What hath hee to do with our Government or Trades or He might finde other things to speak of Thus if Paul speak against Diana or whatsoever the craft-masters live by all the City is in an uproar against him It seems men are loath in their callings to meddle with the word of God or the directions of it else wee should have to deal with them It were too much to sit down silent and go on in sinne against the Word but to resist the word in termes or to rail upon the Preachers thereof goes one step beyond the Devil Vse 4. Take knowledge of the secret working of the Devil against the light and truth in such as spurn against it They cannot abide that truth and innocency should acquit it self but though they see nothing but meekness patience and innocency yet will side against it as though they had the greatest advantage and occasion What is the cause that men will take part with most abject and base persons and bring the curse on themselves in condemning the innocent and justifying the wicked in their horrible riots and misbehaviour but the hatred they carry against goodnesse Why did the Jews band themselves for Barrabas and seek to acquit him Was it because there was any cause of love in him knew they him not to bee a murtherer and a Rebel Yes It was hatred of Christ that made them stick to him and why hated they Christ but because he was the light Some there bee of that Jewish generation lest to whom if Christ be weighed with Barrabas he will seem too light Barrabas shall carry the credit and defence from him Not him but Barrabas Into the holy City We come to the second circumstance in the preparation to this second assault which is the place that Satan chuseth set down 1 In general the holy City 2 In special a pinacle of the Temple What holy City this was Luke expresseth chap. 4.9 He brought him to Jerusalem here called the holy City Jerusalem is called the holy City not because of any holiness in the place for no place as a place is more holy than other It is true that wee read in Scripture of holy ground as Exod. 3.5 Mount Horeb where Moses stood is called holy ground and Moses must put off his shooes But this was no inherent holiness in the place only for the present the presence of God appearing after a special manner makes a special holiness to bee ascribed unto it Neither is it called holy in respect of the people and Inhabitants for the faithful City was long before this become an Harlot Isa 1.21 and Christ not long after this Combate cryeth out against Jerusalem That shee had killed the Prophets and slain such as were sent unto her and proclaimeth a speedy desolation against her But it was so called 1 Because God had made choyce of this City to put his name there 2 Chron. 7.12 I have chosen this place for my self Hence was it called the City of God and Gods holy Mountain Dan. 9.16 and the holy Hill of Sion because God had chosen it and sanctified it for himself wherein himself kept residence and made it eminent above all the places of the earth 2 Because of the holy things which were there established even all the holy worship of God it was not lawful for the Jewes to sacrifice or eat the Passeover any where but in Jerusalem There was the Temple built on mount Moriah wherein I. There was the Sanctum seculare the utter Court of the Jews and Salomons porch which did rise up by fourteen stairs wherein Christ preached often and Peter healed the lame man Acts 3.3 and probably where Peter converted three thousand souls at one Sermon In this porch was the great brazen Altar for whole Burnt-offerings on which Altar the fire which at Aarons first offering in the Wilderness fell from Heaven Levit 9 2â— 24. was to be kept perpetually before the Lord the which when Aarons sons neglected and offered with strange fire they were burnt with fire before the Lord. In this Court was the great brasen Sea wherein the Priests washed themselves and the Beasts to be offered on that Altar especially their feet because they were to minister bare-foot before the Lord. Both of them holy representations of Christ the former of his Sacrifice who gave himself for a whole Burnt-offering the latter the fruit of it he being the Laver of the Church by whose bloud we are washed from the guilt and power of sin II. There was the inner Court which was called the Sanctum or the Sanctuary or the Court of the Priests whence the Jewes were barred There was here 1 The Altar of Incense for sweet perfume wherein the Priests were evening and morning to burn the holy Incense before the Lord as a sweet-smelling savour unto God and no strange incense might be offered thereon Exod. 30.9 While Zachary stood at the right side of this Altar offering incense to God the Angel Gabriel stood and fore-told the birth of John Baptist This was an holy type of Christ who offered himself on the altar of the Cross a sacrifice of sweet smell to God his Father and through whom God savoureth a sweet smell from all our duties 2 In this Court was the golden Candlestick with seven Lamps and seven Lights which were â—ed with most pure holy oyl night and day to lighten the whole inner Court And this was an holy type of Christ the light of the world enlightening all his elect with spiritual and heavenly light 3 In this Court was that golden Table on which the holy Shew-bread was ever to stand even twelve Loaves which were to be made of the purest flower of Wheat and were to bee renewed every Sabbath the old Loaves converted to the Priests use a holy type of Christ in whom alone the Church and every member setting themselves continually before God are nourished and preserved unto eternal life 4 In this Court was that costly and precious Veil of blew silk and purple and scarlet and fine twined Linnen made of broydered work with Cherubims the use of which was to separate the Sanctum from the Holy of Holies this veil at the death of Christ was rent from the top to the bottom A notable representation of the flesh of Christ which hid his Divinity but being rent asunder by his passion on the Cross the way to Heaven was laid open unto us III. There in the Temple
more plain and sharp than they as appeareth 1 In the title he gives him Satan 2 In the commandement Avoyd First he calls him Satan which is the third name given him in this History for he had before been called a Devil that is a false accuser and a Tempter and now he is called a Satan signifying an adversary or enemy 1 To God directly 2 To man both in his person whom he often possesseth and vexeth Mat. 4.24 and also in his estate which hee doth often endamage and impoverish as we see in Job And Christ doth now so tearm him 1 To shew him that he takes better notice of him than before for he called him by no name before though he was called by the two former tearms by the Evangelist 2 That we should see further into his nature the more to beware of and detest him 3 To shew us how we may detect an adversary and smell a Devil namely when he sets against and opposeth the grounds of religion 4 To teach us that hee is no friend that offering us wealth and honour would draw us from God and religion The greatest kindness here is the greatest cruelty Avoyd 1 This is a word of indignation as we say to a Dogg avant for Christ was much offended and angry against this temptation when he saw and heard Satan so impudent and blasphemous So Christ gives this as a reason of the same speech to Peter Avoid Satan for thou art an offence unto mee Christ shews indignation because Satan shews his blackness 2 It is a word of rebuke and castigation of Satans importunity and impudency who would not bee satisfied at the first and second assault but still renews more hellish and horrible temptations Thus Luke expresseth it Hence behinde mee as one not worthy any longer to behold his face 3 It is a word of dismission or sending him packing and carries in it the force of a Commandement An Heretick saith the Apostle after once or twice admonition avoid Tit. 3.10 Thus deals our Saviour with Satan here who is Haereticorum haereticissimus An Arch-Heretick as a great man talking with a wrangling fellow whom no reason will perswade commands him away hee will hear him no longer Quest Why was our Saviour so angry at this temptation above the former wherein he exercised Meekness and Patience Answ 1 His Wisdome knew how far hee was to bear Satan at this time and how much to suffer from him and then how his mouth must bee stopped which Meekness and Lenity would never do there is no hope to win or overcome a Devil with kindnesse nor to shake him off that way nay rather this will more invite on his malice he will go so far as hee is suffered 2 Christ thirsted after mans salvation and his love to us and our redemption made him so angry with the Devil who sought by all means to hinder it for had hee been defiled with sin the work of redemption had availed us nothing 3 To note the hatefulness and detestation of that sin of Idolatry whether it bee covert or open that if our dearest friends should solicite unto it even the Wife of the bosome wee should pursue them to death and so shew our deadly hatred against it Deut. 13.1.6 4 The two former more concerned himself but this concerned his Fathers Glory directly hee hears him claiming all to bee his quartering the Armes and Royalties of God making himself a God and challenging worship due to God this hee could not bear his tenderness and zeal to his Fathers glory would not endure so vile a creature to carry away no not to challenge any part of his worship Doct. Gods causes must ever more affect us than our own How full of lowliness and meekness was our Lord and Saviour in all his own causes Hee did not strive nor cry neither was his voice heard in the streets Hee would not break a bruised reed nor quench a smoaking flax Isa 42.3 Matth. 12.20 When hee was reviled hee reviled not again When hee was called Glutton Drunkard a friend of Publicans and sinners Matth. 11.19 28. in stead of returning rough Language hee calleth saying Come unto mee all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will case you Hee was led as a sheep to the slaughter and opened not his mouth when they accused him of capital things knowing that his answers would not bee taken hee answered not a word Now hee was in his own cause But when hee takes his Fathers cause in hand how doth hee cloath himself with zeal which even consumes him Joh. 2.15 in purging his Fathers house hee laies about him and whips out the abusers of that holy place Moses in his own private cause was the meekest man upon the earth being contumeliously worded by Miriam and Aaron hee presently pardons it and prayeth for Miriam and gets her cured of her leprosy In Exod. 32. that froward people was ready to stone him yet when God begins to bee angry with them hee forgets all and praies God rather to put his name out of his book than not to pardon their sins But seeing the calf his calm spirit is vanished and hee breaks the Tables of stone that were in his hand The Apostle Paul every where provokes Christians to meekness patience and laying aside of revenge and stirringness of spirit in private causes yet Act. 17.16 when hee saw the idolatry of the Athenians his spirit was stirred up in him 1 The Religion which wee profess Reasons should bind us unto God most straightly therefore Augustine noteth the word either à religando or à relinquendo that where religion is it will leave all for God And hence is self-denial enjoyned as a necessary preparation to him that will profess Religion 2 Gods Glory is preferred by himself above all his Creatures as being the end of them all and therefore must so bee of us even above our selves for of him and through him and for him are all things Wee see in the Common-wealth how the instruments of publike Justice if any service bee commanded from the King must lay aside their own business and ease and execute the Kings pleasure before their own Such a good servant for his Lord was Paul saying My life is not dear unto me so I may finish my course with joy 3 Our Lord Jesus hath more affected our cause than his own what an infinite love shewed hee in descending from his glory to work the great and painful work of our redemption what infinite misery did hee sustain to help us out of it what an happinesse forsook he to recover us to that which wee had forsaken what a dear price did hee pay for our ransome when we were lost Is it not fit now that wee should bee earnest in the cause of such a friend May not hee well disdain that any thing in the World never so much concerning us should bee preferred before him yea or equalled with or loved without him
could ever do and therefore was to bee indued with such power as no other creature could bee capable of Hence hee proveth himself to bee from God Joh. 15.24 If I do not such workes as no other man ever did beleeve mee not Where hee speaks of his Miracles which in respect of the manner and multitude never man did the like in his own name nor so many To which adde those great works of raising himself by his own power from the dead Rom. 1.4 Of satisfying Gods justice for mans sin a work above the reach of men and Angels Of meriting eternal life for all the elect which must bee an action of him that is more than a Creature Of applying his merit to which end hee must rise from death ascend and make intercession Of sending his Spirit Of begetting faith and preserving his people in grace received Of leading them through Death and the Dust into his own Glory These are such things as all power of meer creatures is too weak for All the Angels in Heaven cannot do the least of them All the Devils in Hell cannot hinder them And hence Christ is stiled the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Michael the mighty God King of glory c. Vse 1. This may bee a terror to all Christ enemies for such is his power as shall make them all his footstool Do wee provoke him are wee stronger than hee 1 Cor. 10.21 Psal 2.9 those that will not bee subject to the rod of his mouth shall bee crushed with a rod of Iron Therefore take heed of being an enemy to Christ or his Word or Servants else thou shalt bee revenged even in that wherein thou sinnest with the breath of his lips hee shall slay the wicked one word of Christ one lie shall turn them all into Hell Is the power of Jesus Christ such in his base and low estate as all the Devils in Hell are not able to resist it but if hee speak the word they give place how desperately do wicked men go on in sin as if they were able to make their part good against him Joh. 18 6. when Christ but said I am he presently his apprehenders fell to the ground Rev. 17.14 they shall fight against the Lamb but the Lamb shall overcome Vse 2. This is comfort also to the godly in that Christ as Mediatour in our flesh is armed with power above all our enemies so as nothing shall hinder our salvation Not Satan for the Prince of this World is cast out hee may have us in the Mountain or on the Pinacle but hee cannot cast us down Not sin Christ hath powerfully triumphed against it on the Cross hath fully satisfied for it and perfectly applied that satisfaction to the forgivenesse of sins Not death Christ hath powerfully foiled him in his own Den and trampled on him saying O death I will bee thy death Not Temptation Christ sits in Heaven as a merciful High Priest tempted once as wee are that hee might bee able to succour them that are tempted Not corporal enemies Hee by his power ruleth in the midst of his enemies Laban shall not speak a rough word nor Esau hurt Jacob nor Saul hit David for hee orders the thing otherwise Not the grave for wee have the assurance of a glorious resurrection by the working of his mighty power whereby hee is able to subdue all things Phil. 3.21 Not hell it self Rev. 1.18 I have the keys of Hell and of Death In one word not any thing present nor to come nothing shall separate between Christ and us none shall pluck us out of his hands for hee hath purchased for us and maintaineth a mighty salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Vse 3. This teacheth us to submit our selves to this power of Christ or else wee are worse than sensless Creatures who all obey him yea than the Devils themselves who did obey him And then is a man submitted to it when is eyes are opened to see what is the exceeding greatness of his power in himself beleeving as the Apostle prayeth Eph. 1.19 Therefore labour to find Christs saving power in thy soul Quest How may I find it in my self Answ 1 If thou canst finde the work of faith in thee a work of great power a supernatural work beyond yea against the strength of nature What a work of omnipotence is it to raise the dead yet greater power is here to bring in this life of God into him that is dead in trespasses and sins resisting his own raising for so the Apostle implyeth in that place Col. 2.12 2 If thou canst finde in thee the work of sanctification which is a work of great power 2 Pet. 1.3 according to his Divine power he worketh grace and glory This second creation of a man goes far beyond his first in power There was nothing to begin with no more is here no life of God till God call the things that are not as though they were but there was a bare privation here is a resistance and rebellion stiff necks and hearts of adamant Hence regeneration is called a creation and the regenerate new creatures But a difficult work which God works not alone but God and man made one person and not of nothing for nothing as the former but of worse than nothing and for a price even the precious blood of the Son of God Labour to find this change in thy self by faith and holiness Christ did never more manifest his power than by raising himself from the dead and thou canst not have a surer argument of Christs power prevailing in thy soul than by getting daily out of the grave of sin and moving according to the life of God So soon as Christ had called Lazarus out of his grave hee bad loose him and let him go and if thou findest the bands of death thine own sins loosed forsaking thy own evil waies it is a sign that Christ by a powerful word hath quickened thee Therefore put on S. Pauls minde Phil. 3.10 who counted all things dung to know the vertue of Christ his death 3 A mighty work of power in Christ is to gather his Church out of all peoples and nations and to bring them within one roof though they were never so dispersed and alienated from one another and to knit them by faith to himself the head by love one to another and by his own discipline to conform them to his own government It never cost all the Monarchs in the World so much strength and power to settle their Kingdomes and people in peace under them Doest thou then finde thy self brought into the number of Gods people Doest thou love them entirely for Gods image and goodness Art thou serviceable to every member and that in the Head Here is a power put forth that hath reconciled the Woolf and the Lamb Isa 11.6 7 the Child and the Cockatrice But it thou carest not for Christs Ordinances and discipline his Laws are too strict thou must have more
the Church as it was in the Ark so was it like the Ark of Noah against which the waters had a time to increase and a time also of decreasing What a night of trouble was the Church in all the while it was in Aegypt a stranger for four hundred years especially when they were oppressed with burdens and had their infants drowned in the river but a change came God sent and saved a Moses by whom hee will deliver his people but so as they must be acquainted with this continual enterchange in their estate they must be no sooner delivered out of Aegyps but be chased into the bottom of the Sea but there God makes them a way and no sooner out of the Sea but into the Wilderness and from thence the good Land takes them and in that good Land they never rested in one estate but sometimes had the better of their enemies and sometime for sin their enemies had the better of them as all the History of the Judges witnesseth In the time of the Kings how was the Church troubled and wasted in the time of Ahab and Jezabel when all Gods Prophets were slain and true religion was quite troden down But what a sudden change was there even when things were at the worst did the Lord bring a strange alteration by Elijah who slew all the Prophets of Baal and restored true religion How great misery suffered the Church in the time of Manasseh and Ammon but how happily was it changed by the piety of good Josiah in whom God made his people more happy than formerly miserable But who would have thought but that the Church had been utterly wasted in the seventy years captivity wherein it sate in the shadow of death Yet it was happily restored by Cyrus But when his godly Decrees concerning the building of the Temple were hindered by Cambyses his Son God stirred up Darius who favoured the Church and commanded the continuance and perfection of the work but not without many vicissitudes of stormes and calmes even after their return as appeareth in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah What a raging storm was that wherein our Lord and Head of the Church was put to death now the whole Church lay bleeding and dead with him But what a change was there the third day by his glorious resurrection In the Apostles daies how was the Church wasted when Saul had letters from the High Priests to carry bound to Jerusalem whosoever called on the Lord but when hee that breathed out nothing but slaughter and threatning was once converted then the Church had for a whilâ— rest and peace Act. 9.31 After the Apostles what a continual storm arosâ— against Christians which lasted three hundred years under the ten monsters of men those bloody men Nero Domitian Trajan Antoninus Severus Maxâ—minus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus and Dioclesianus whose rage was such as a man could not set his foot in Rome but tread upon the graves of Martyrs But after this night a fair Sun rose up in the East Constantine the Great who chased before him that horrible darknesse and brought a blessed calm But this lasted not long but his second Son Constantius far short of his Fathers piety with all his strength set up and maintained that Arrian heresy which his good Father had condemned in the Nicen Council by which as bloody persecution sprung up in the Church as ever was before which lasted almost eighty years until Constance the youngest Son of Constantine for up again the Nicen faith in the Western part of the World as Italy Greece Africk Illiricum and banished the former poyson After this what a black darknesse of Mahometisme possessed the Eastern part of the World under which it lies sunk at this day And as pitchy and palpable darkness of Antichrist and Popery occupied the Western part of the World But what a light did the Lord raise up in the midst of Popery his zealous servant Luther since whom the light hath mightily prevailed to the blasting of Anti-Christ and the consuming of him upon his nest Yet not this without a cloud for To speak of our own Church After the long darknesse like that of Egypt had prevailed and covered for many hundred years the face of our Countrey it pleased God that the light of the Gospel should peep into our Land in the daies of King Henry the eighth but yet much clouded and opposed almost all his daies In his Son Edward the sixt Englands Josiah it began to shine more brightly and a more thorough reformation was undertaken But this Sun-shine lasted not long but in Queen Maries daies the truth was again cast into the fire and the bodies of Gods Saints pitilesly destroyed God in mercy for his Elecâ—s sake shortened those daies and raised up our late Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory in all posterities who was semper cadem in the maintenance of the faith and left Christ sitting in his Kingdome and the truth triumphing over Popery and Anti-Christian falshood which by Gods mercy wee enjoy under our gracious King This hath been the changeable estate of the Church from the beginning and cadem est ratio totius ac partium the same truth discovers it self in the particular members As for example Abraham now a poor man in Egypt presently enriched and made heir of the Land of Promise now rejoycing in his Isaac and a while after stretching out his hand to kill his only Son who also herein was a notable type of the Church now bound and presently loosed and raised up after a sort from the dead Jacob was now afraid of Esau when he came in warlike manner to meet him with four hundred men at his heels but in a little season God lets him see a suddain change who had inclined his Brothers heart to do him no harm against his often former purposes to slay him Joseph is now hated of his brethren after a season honoured of them now sold as a slave to the Ismaelites afterward made a governour of Potiphar a Princes house now accused by his Mistresse and cast into Prison but after fetched out by Pharaoh and made ruler of all his Princes and the whole land of Egypt David sometimes cast down and God hath forgotten him a while after so confident in God that hee will not fear to walk in the vale of the shadow of death sometimes pursued by Saul as a traytor and rebel sometimes by Saul acknowledged his good Son and more righteous than himself and when Saul is dead and ceaseth his persecution his own son Absolons shall rise against him to depose him from his Kingdome And Jobs messengers of evil tydings still overtook one another And to spare further examples our own experience can teach us that for the most part wee have not rid our selves out of one temptation but another insueth such are our changes in this present estate And why 1 Satan goeth for a while from Christ himself Reasons his holy flesh in
not a guard of men about him as the great Princes of the earth but a guard of Princes and not of Princes only but of principalities and powers rules thrones and dominations and therefore hee must deeds bee a mighty God advanced above all Creatures 2 The Angels are in Scripture every where spoken of as the excellency of the Creatures so as when the highest praise of any thing is to be given it is taken from the excellency of Angels Manna is called Angels food Psal 78.25 that is if Angels should need food they could not wish more excellent 1 Cor. 13.1 If I should speak with the tongues of Angels c. that is excellently Yea the most happy and glorious estate that our selves look for after the resurrection is hence extolled that we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Angels Now all this advancement of them is not so much in respect of themselves with whom we have no commerce but for the advancement of Christ the Lord of the holy Angels and that in their glory we may behold the glory of Christ to whom they are servants 3 The truth hereof was shadowed in the Ceremonial Law Exod. 25.20 The Cherubims signifying the Angels must lift their wings on high as attending upon God and their faces must be to the Mercy-seat which lively resembled Christ on whom their eyes must bee still cast as the eye of the hand-maid to the hand of her Mistris And chap. 26.31 the vail of the Tabernacle which covered the most holy expresly signifying the flesh of Christ which hiding his Divinity made way for us to Heaven must bee made of broydered work with Cherubims not without Cherubims for these noted the multitude of Angels serving Christ even as man for being in his lowest estate and apprehended to the death he gives this as a reason to Peter to put up his sword because if he would he might pray to his Father and have twelve legions of Angels to rescue him Obj. But this seems not Christs priviledge to have the Angels his ministers seeing all the godly have them ministring spirits for their good Heb 1.14 as Abraham Lot Elias Daniel Ans True they had but this impeacheth not Christs honour because they serve not us after the same manner they serve him for 1 Their service is due to Christ as their Creator and Lord of duty to us as Creatures of charge 2 Their service to him is immediate as the Head of the Church to us mediate only as members of the Head 3 Their service is proper to him and invested in him as his own right to us given by vertue of our communion with him 4 To him as the author and preserver of all the gifts and graces they have and equal it is that whatsoever is excellent in any kind be wholly ascribed to the author and giver of it to us only so farre as the owner hath put them in trust to employ those gifts for our good Faith in Christ interests us in this Ministery of the Angels who love the members because of the head They are his Angels and so called by special propriety Matth. 16.27 when the Son of man shall come in the clouds and all his holy Angels with him because by special prerogative they doe him homage and service And our Angels by special commission and direction from him 5 They never ministred to man but for the honour of Christ Rev. 22.9 Worship God Vse 1. Let us imitate the Angels Doe they honour Christ by their ministery and shall we refuse his service especially seeing hee took our Nature and bound us straighter to him than the Angels They are most expedite and ready having wings to fly withall Let their wings speed us in his service They are unweariable in performing obedience and shall wee bee so heavie and shrinking as to account every thing too much that we do for him They are in all things ruled and moved by his Spirit Ezek. 1.20 Whither the Spirit led them they went Let us also give up our selves to the leading of his Spirit not running of our own heads in any business unsent without our warrant They rejoyce in all good things and in Christs victory the benefit of which redounds to us more than to them and that men by the same are set out of the Devils power And why do not we more rejoyce in this victory of Christ why do we rejoyce in evil which is the Devils sin in sinful courses and company Why do we hate and scorn those who most partake in this victory How unlike is this to the Angels Vse 2. If the Angels be servants unto Christ then we see herein both his love to us and our own honour who hath vouchsafed us his own special servants to attend us For he hath not only charged them with the safety of Abraham Jacob Lot Elias Daniel and other extraordinary holy men but their commission is general Psal 91.11 they shall keep thee in all thy ways that is not only Christ himself but every member of Christ for this honour have all the Saints And what a comfort is it that we so weak Creatures and so beset with spiritual and invisible enemies have appointed to us by the Lord so many spiritual invisible and more powerful ayders and assisters What a comfort is it that no temporal enemy can so soon wrong us in our persons estates or names but the Angels of God are ready to turn it off and keep off the peril and then return to God to complain of the wrong-doers What a care should we have not to forfeit our priviledge to keep us in our ways and walk warily because of the Angels not grieving them by sin nor driving them from about us whose protection under Gods is more safe than if we lay under shield and spear Psal 91.4 with 11. And if our Lord himself received comfort from them how great may be our comfort from them Vse 3. Hence we are to ascribe the glory of Power Majesty and Kingdome unto our Lord Jesus who if he be able to command all the Angels in Heaven much more all the Devils in Hell who are farre weaker than they All power is his in heaven and earth And now we are no longer to esteem of him according to his base estate in the Wilderness in the World but according to his surpassing power manifested through all this History in vanquishing the Devil and in receiving the Divine honour from the most glorious Angels To this great Michael who even without his Angels hath in pitcht battel overcome the great red Dragon and all his Angels be ascribed all power might victory and triumph of all men Saints and Angels in earth and in the highest Heavens for all eternity Amen Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AN Alphabetical Index OR TABLE Pointing To the Principal Points in this Exposition A IN Christs lowest Abasement sparkles of Divinity fly out sundry instances page 233 Actions brought forward
them to God his Father so as being now redeemed and bought with a price they are no longer their own but the Lords that bought them 1 Cor. 6.20 3 Because when he hath thus dearly purchased his Church he contracteth himself in spiritual Marriage with her and so becometh her Lord Hos 2.18 I will marry thee for ever unto my self yea I will marry thee unto me in righteousnesse in judgement in mercy and in compassion Ephes 5.23 As the husband is the wives head so is Christ of the Church So as if a man bee a Lord of that which is given him of that which he hath redeemed and ransomed of her whom he had married into his bosome in all these regards by as good right is Jesus Christ the Lord of his Church and every member of it Object But how can Christ be a Lord and a servant too Isa 42.1 Behold my servant I will leaâ—e upon him and hee took upon him the form of a servant Phil. 2.7 Ans Christ considered as Mediator is after a special manner both his Fathers servant and yet the Lord of his Church In all the work of mans Redemption he served and obeyed his Father being sent of his Father for this end he was subject to the death he prayed unto him gave him thanks learned obedience by the things he suffered not as God equal to his Father but as our Mediator and Surety and yet by all these things he became our Lord and the King of his Church And herein the Apostles travel as in their main scope to prove that Jesus Christ whom the Jews put to death hath shewed himself the Lord of glory and the true Messias Acts 2.34 Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that Jesus which they crucified Lord and Christ. Object But how can Christ be the Lord of all seeing many yea the most will not obey him Ans Doth a King cease to be the Lord of all his Country because some which were his subjects are gone out in rebellion against him besides howsoever it standeth with his glory and grace to suffer with patience the vessels of wrath yet at length he shews his power against them in bringing forth his whole displeasure upon them Vse Hence in that Christ is in general Lord of all we learn that all Creatures are his and therefore we must never use any of them without leave from him or without return of praise and thanks unto him none of them are sanctified to our use without the Word and Prayer And if wee have leave from him we ought in sobriety to use them 1 Cor. 10.26 Eat whatsoever is sold in the shambles making no question for conscience sake Hence followeth it also that he having an absolute power over all hee may doe with his own what he will who shall hinder a Potter to frame one vessel to honour another to dishonour which I speak because many cannot endure to hear of a decree of reprobation who must frame their judgement to his will who cannot but be just and good and leave off to reason with God Hence also he may make one rich another poor at his pleasure The rich and poor meet this Lord maketh them both Secondly in that Christ is in special Lord of his Church sundry things are to be noted as first That none can have Christ to be a Jesus that is a Saviour who have him not for their Soveraign and Lord whosoever thou art that challengest him for thy Saviour see thou acknowledge him thy Lord. Quest How may a man have Christ to be his Lord A man hath Christ his Lord by four things Ans By the practice of four duties 1 By preserving in the heart a fear and reverence towards his person Malac. 1.6 If I be a Lord where is my fear Lordship requires subjection Psal 45.11 He is thy Lord and reverence thou or bow unto him Now this fear must proceed from love for if any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be accursed and wheresoever this love is it must needs bee attended with a fear to displease him 2 By professing him to bee thy Lord as servants by their livery or cognisance speak and proclaim to all men to whom they belong so if Christ bee thy Lord thou must not bee ashamed of him but bee ever speaking of him commending his goodness thou must glory of such a service accounting it thy greatest honour that thou art become his servant thou must defend his name where ever thou hearest it called into question thou must suffer with him and take part with him in affliction 1 Pet 4.13 an unfaithful servant is hee that can bee dumb in his Masters dishonour but especially if his Master be assaulted and in danger then to forsake him when hee hath most need of him 3 By acknowledging thy self to bee countable unto him for all thy waies and for all thy receites Make account to be countable of all to this Lord of all The servant not being at his own hand must go about no business but his Masters whatsoever matter of trust hee receiveth from his Master it is not his own hee is faithfully to discharge himself of it by a true and just account Thus therefore must thou reason the case with thine own heart what am I now in my Masters work had I commandement from him did his word or warrant set mee about the business which is now in my hands Again what gifts have I received of body minde wealth authority credit I am to be countable for all all the Talents I have are his If I gain nothing I am unprofitable If I gain I must be profitable unto him By absolute obedience unto his will revealed To this Lord only must be given absolute obedience Thus himself being to give his Law beginneth thus I am the Lord thy God thou shalt do thus and thus other Lords and Kings must bee obeyed in him yea disobeyed for him if they command contrary unto him onely hee must ever by Kings themselves bee obeyed absolutely in all the parts of his will revealed Which may bee considered in three heads 1 It is his will that wee beleeve in him Joh. 6.40 The will of Christ reduced to three â—eads This is the will of him that sent mee that every one that seeth the Son and beleeveth in him not onely beleeving his word to bee true but leaning upon him only for thy salvation If a Master should promise a servant that if hee will but beleeve him and seek to please him hee will provide for him for ever it would adde cheerfulness to such a servant and hee would think none of his Masters commandements burdensome but yet wee having larger and surer promises are slow of heart and hand to beleeve or yield obedience 2 It is his will that wee shew forth this faith of our hearts in the fruits of sanctification 1 Thess 4.3 This is the will of God even
they doe whence have they being so simple and illiterate persons their skill but from the Devil or Diabolical tradition And who made the Devil thy Physician who if he should minister nothing but Natural things thou mightest not accept them from him 3 This remedy is worse and more desperate than the disease because Gods curse followeth it who in his Law hath commanded that whosoever goe a whoring after such should be stoned with stones and if any turn after such he will set his face against them to cut them off Levit. 20.6 And according to this threatning he hath executed visible Judgements against it even against Kings themselves who think themselves most free to doe their pleasure as 1 Chronicles 10.13 14. Saul dyed for his transgression that hee committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord which hee kept not and in that he sought and asked counsel of a familiar spirit therefore the Lord slew him and turned the Kingdome to David Asa never came oft his bed for this sin 2 King 1.16 and more not only Kings but whole Nations were cast out before his people for this sin and not only they but even his own people were cast among the Nations when they followed these waies of theirs Isa 2.6 Better wâ—â—t therefore to dye of a disease in the hand than be recovered by the hand of â—â—e Devil 4 Mark how the Devil hath circumvented such a party 1 He hath robbed him of his faith in God because he maketh haste 2 Of his fealty and subjection to God because he either denieth Gods government or the equity of it 3 He hath got in him what he desired to win from Christ but could not namely to take up another means of safety than God had appointed 4 He having thus set up himself for such a mans God hee maketh him commit execrable Idolatry in ascribing to the Devil himself that which is proper to God and Jesus Christ First a power of healing which the Devil hath not further than God permitteth him to the just blinding of the sinner Secondly a faith and perswasion in that power that it shall be available to him which is nothing else but a secret confederacy and league with the Devil without which nothing can be done This the Lord implyeth in the bounding of his Laws as Lev. 19.31 Ye shall not seek c. for I am your Lord as if he had said you ought to depend upon me and not upon the enemy of Mankind Levit. 20.6 Yee shall not goe a whoring but be holy as if he had said have nothing to doe with such an impure spirit if you would bee an holy people Why God permitteth a power of curing to them of whom we may not seek cure Quest But if God would not have them to help why doth hee give them such power of curing of fore-telling things to come and revealing hidden things Ans 1. The power of curing is from Satan God justly permitting him to the further deluding of unbeleevers 2 Neither doth the Wizzard fore-tell things to come but the Devil by them such things as he by the quickness of his spiritual nature seeth present in the causes or which God permitteth himself to be the worker of and casie it is for him to discover the Thief which himself tempted to steal 3 The Lord permitteth all this not that we should trust him or use him but to try whether we will depart from our God the case here is the same with that of the false Prophet who must not bee beleeved when hee fore-telleth things that come to pass Why then may some say doth God suffer them to fore-tell such things The text answereth The Lord thy God tempteth thee whether thou wilt cleave unto him or no Deut. 13.3 Let all such persons as have sought to them consider betime how they have broken Covenant with God betaken themselves to Satans help broken prison to their greater punishment and made stones bread let these bewayl the sin and renounce it never was Saul in so fearful a case as when he run unto the Witch by his own confession God was departed from him Let no man lessen this sin or dare to defend such limbs of the Devil under titles of good wise or cunning persons seeing these cursed blessers draw Towns and Countries after them into their own damnation Let none think it a slight matter to counsel others to this sin and remember that by the Law of God they ought to dye that seek to thrust people from their God and drive them to the Devil a farre greater sin is this than that which the Lord maketh capital Fourthly here we have also strong consolation The comfort of the Church is that Christ is stronger than all that Christ is stronger than the Devil 1 Joh. 4.4 stronger is he that is in us than he that is in the world look how strong the Father is so strong is the Son Joh. 10.29 and therefore his strength is as farre above Satans as the Creators is above the Creatures Hence we are sure none can take us out of his hands not the World Be of good comfort I have overcome the world not the Devil The Prince of this world is cast out not sin not death both which are cast into the Lake not temptation nor persecution for by Christ we are more than conquerours All these may molest us but cannot hurt us they may make warre upon us but we may pluck up our hearts seeing we fight against conquered enemies and are through his strength that hath loved us sure of victory before wee strike a blow Let not us forget the consolation in that although our enemies may nible at our heels yet the seed of the Woman hath broken their heads for us Vers 39. And we are witnesses of all things which he did in the Land of Judea and in Jerusalem whom they slew hanging him on a tree THe Apostle having witnessed of such facts of Christ as testified him the great Prophet of his Church affirmeth in these words of himself and the rest of the Apostles that they were witnesses not only of the things formerly uâ—â—â—ed but of all things else not only which Christ did in Judea and Jerusalem but also which hee suffered among them and so descendeth to lay down his Priestly Office in this verse and his Kingly Office in the next That the Apostles were such witnesses of all things which Christ did and suffered in Judea and Jerusalem will appear to him that considereth that it was one of Christs first actions in his Offices after his Baptism to call his Disciples who presently left all and followed him to the end that they might be oculate witnesses of his mighty works of his life of his death and resurrection and that they may be ear-witnesses of all the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth to which purpose he took them after a sort into his Family that by their
domestical and familiar converse with him all the while he lived in the execution of his office they might be furnished to this testimony Hence is it that John saith We saw his glory namely in his Doctrin and Works and the things which we have heard and seen declare wee unto you Many worthy points concerning this witnesse of the Apostles were here to be delivered but that I referre them all to the forty one and forty two verses where we shall as fitly and more fully handle the same And now proceed to the matter witnessed namely the Priestly Office of Christ in these words Whom they slew hanging him upon a tree wherein are to be considered 1 The Person that was put to death whom 2 The persons that put him to death they slew namely of Judea and Jerusalem 3 The kind and manner of his death slew hanging him on a tree 4 The use of Christ his Crucifying First the person that was put to death was Jesus Christ whom wee have heard to be Lord of all anoynted with the Holy Ghost and power to work most powerful Miracles who went about doing good and never harm with whom God so was as he never was with any Creature before nor ever shall bee hereafter who subdued mightily the very Devils themselves with one word for all this he was killed and slain How the Lord of life couâ—d be subdued under death Quest But how could the Lord of life be subdued of death yea hee that did only good and was without all sin which is the mother of death Ans Christ the Mediator must be considered in his two Natures 1 The God-head 2 The Man-hood and in that he dyed it was according to his Man-hood so Peter saith he dyed according unto his flesh 1 Pet. 3.18 for his body was dead being separated from his soul and his soul suffered the sorrows of death But yet we must conceive that he suffered not in such a Man-hood as was a naked and bare flesh such as ours but such as was inseparably united and knit to the God-head and therefore the Apostle saith that God shed his bloud that is not the God-head but such a person as is both God and Man Secondly although he had no personal sin to bring him to death yet had he sin imputed unto him even the sins of his whole Church which he willingly took upon himself so as God reckoned with him not for the sins of one man but of all his Church and esteemed him as a captain sinner till the price was paid and men reckoned him among sinners and esteemed him an arch-malefactor Why wicked men prevail against Christ who had vanquished the Devils themselves Quest But doth not this crosse the power of Christ immediatly before mentioned whereby he controlled the Devils themselves that wicked men should thus farre prevail against him Ans No but it argueth a voluntary laying down of his power for the time of his suffering for at his apprehension hee could have commanded twelve Legions of Angels but that the Scriptures must be fulfilled yea and this laying aside of his power was the most powerful work that ever he wrought by which he more foyled and broke the Devils power and forces in men than ever by any shewing himself the true Sampson who more mightily prevailed against his enemies in his death than in all his life Hence note 1 How Christs righteousness is witnessed hee went â—â—â—ut doing good and yet he is slain and teacheth that Christ himself deserved not death but he endured it for some other that had deserved it and indeed Christ dyed for us and in our stead that we should not dye How it standeth with Gods justice to punish the innocent and let the guilty goe free Object But how could he being innocent suffer for us sinners or how standeth it with equity that God should punish the innocent and let the guilty goe free Ans We must consider Christ in his death not as a Debtor but as a Surety or Pledge between God and us who hath undertaken our whole debt and therefore hee suffereth not as guilty in himself but in the room of us that were guilty now it standeth with the course of Justice to lay the Debtors action upon the Surety being 1 Willing 2 Able to pay the debt as Christ was Secondly we may gather hence the hainousnessâ— and odiousnesse of our sins it was no trifle nor a matter of small desert that the Lord of glory the only Son of God yea God himself must shed his bloud for and yet what a small reckoning is made of soul and open sins Thirdly take notice also of the love of God who to free us would lay the chastisement of our peace upon his doâ—â— Son that so his justice might be satisfied Object But how could his Justice bee satisfied who was infinitely offended with such a finite and short death as Christs was The justice of God doth more appear in Christ his Pâ—ssiâ—n than if all the world had been damned Ans By reason of the dignity of the person who suffered being God as well as Man that suffering was in value eternal though not in duration or continuance Lastly we have here the two Natures of Christ lively set before us the one most powerful and glorious in mighty Miracles which forced Legions of Devils to fly before it the other beaten down with wrongs and injuries even to the death it self and it was meet that the Apostle intending to prove Christ to bee the true Messias should mention both these natures which are absolutely necessary to the Mediatour the Humanity that it might suffer death and so satisfy in the same nature that had sinned and the Deity to overcome in suffering so to apply that satisfaction unto beleevers Secondly The persons that put Christ to death were the Jews they of Judea and Jerusalem Object But the Jews had no power to put him to death How the Jews are said to put Christ to death though they had no power to do it the Scepter was gone from them and if the Scribes and Pharisees had had the power in their hands they would never have suffered him alive so long Besides the Judge who was Pontius Pilate was the Romane Emperours Deputy the Souldiers his Executioners were of the Romane band the manner of Death also not Jewish but Romane why is it then said that the Jews slew him and no mention made of the Romanes by whose authority hee was put to death Answ The Jews are justly charged with it because they were the chief causes and abettors in all that violence which the Romans used against him They made way to this sentence and went as far as they could they apprehended him they mocked him they charged him with blasphemy they raised false witness against him they beat him spate in his face they hood-winkt him and bad him prophecy who smote him finally they delivered him to the Romane
suckest so in temptation to any other sin deny it and say Oh no I see Christ on the Crosse made a curse for my sins already I have done him wrong enough already I will not adde this to the former I see rather an infinite debt due from me towards him and I must rather think of the payment of that than offer to run in further Thus we see both the duty and the means neither of them both are regarded by many some would fain see Christ on the Crosse for the remitting of their sin but not for the crucifying of it their lusts are as strong as ever be-before pride contention hastinesse voluptuousnesse worldlinesse live and thrive in them and yet they say Christ was crucified for them whereas if Christ be crucified for thee the world is crucified unto thee and thou unto the world Others because Christ is come and dead for sinners make a clean contrary argument Christ dyed for sinners and therefore they will live in their sins as though that were the work of Christ upon the Crosse to maintain sin and Libertine courses and not rather to abolish the same what a fearful thing is it that men dare make the death of the Son of God as a common pack-horse to lay all their sins upon while yet hereby they embolden themselves in the multiplication of them Many will not endure to have their lusts pricked in the Ministery and much lesse crucified Others are so farre from crucifying their lusts as they will not endure to have them prickt or touched in the Ministery Oh meddle not with mine eyes I can not endure it or if they endure to crucifie many yet some sweet sins shall be spared they are sweet morsels or fat morsels profitable or pleasurable sins and they must not be let goe but never a one of all these ever tasted in truth the least fruit of the death of Christ The second fruit that must appear in us is the life of Christ 2 Cor. 5.15 He dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again Rom. 6.11 12. Likewise think yee also that yee are dead to sin but are alive to God in Jesus Christ 12. Let not therefore sin reign in your mortal body In which places this life of Christ is opposed to the course of our lives framed of our selves and is nothing else but to depend upon Christ in all things to give up all our thoughts words and actions to be guided by his word and directed to his glory and so to order our whole course as his blessed Spirit may appear to breath lead and live in us Now that this fruit should be added to the former is evident 1 Pet. 2.24 He bare our sins upon the tree that we being dead to sin should live in righteousnesse Thus therefore help thy self by this meditation shall my Lord Jesus so willingly forsake his glory for me and shall not I forsake my sin and shame for him shall he contentedly dye an accursed death for me and shall not I as contentedly dye to an accursed life for him Shall he dye to glorifie me and shall not I live to glorifie him Shall not he think his heart-bloud too dear for me and shall I love any thing better than him Thus to behold Christ on his Crosse will help thee forward in this fruit also To which purposes the Lord in wisdome hath instituted the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments No marvel seeing the Papists shuâ— out the preaching of Christ crucified that they must see him in Crucifixes and such Idolotrous representations that wee might have Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 continually as it were hanging before our eyes which ordinance of preaching Christ crucified were it in request in the Church of Rome they should not need their manuary Bables Crosses Pipes Crucifixes their Agnus Dei and the rest neither would they with religious adoration honour the Wooden Crosse to the dishonour of him that dyed upon it but accursed be all such dead and Idolatrous representations against the word let it bee our happinesse with care and reverence to frequent the Word and Sacraments which are blessed means ordained of God not only to set Christ on the Crosse before our eyes but to bring into possession those happy fruits formerly described Vers 40 Him God raised up the third day and caused that hee was shewed openly THE Apostle having delivered the Doctrin of Christ his death hee orderly descendeth to instruct his hearers also of his resurrection without which his death had never been beneficial unto them And the words in general imply one point not to bee omitted For howsoever the Apostle expresseth nothing between Christ his hanging on a tree and his raising again yet because it cannot bee properly said that hee was raised from the Tree or from the Cross which was a kinde of exaltation and lifting up necessarily must bee included a lower estate than that was namely that condition of the dead under which hee lay for a certain time as it were cast from the face of God his Father and of men yea from the face of the earth Christ submitted to the lowest estate of death why when death and sin seemed to triumph over him all the while of his burial when they had him in the grave the house of death This was the low estate from whence hee rose the which hee willingly submitted himself unto for a time 1 That the faith of his Church might bee confirmed in that hee was truely and certainly dead and not in shew or appearance 2 That his victory and conquest over death might bee more glorious in that hee could not hold him down when hee had him in his own house but like a mighty Sampson hee carried away the gates of his enemies 3 To remove by undergoing for us that fearful state of death and damnation which we had otherwise for ever lain under to sanctify unto us our estate under temporal death which is sweetened by his death to make our graves as soâ—t and perfumed beds of rest by his lying in the grave and that wee also therein by being subdued under corruption might put it off and so bee sitted to immortality and glory 4 To teach us that our head being of power to rise from the power of death when the bands of it wrapped him round about can now much more being in glory draw us his members out of the deepest pits of danger or thraldome spiritual or temporal and will in his time set us free This time wee must wait but not appoint it neither distrust his power and grace when wee are in the deepest of our distress 5 That seeing it was his pleasure to submit himself to the lowest estate of humiliation before his exaltation wee might also with more cheerfulnesse content our selves to suffer even any abasement with him and for him before wee look to reign
you have all the strength and malice of the wicked world against you all which shall bee no more able to prejudice your salvation or hinder your glory than mine own who have overcome it so as you fight against a Conquered Enemy By all this that hath been said that of the Apostle appeareth to bee true that hee hath subdued all things unto himself and hath put all his enemies under his feet that none nor all of them can separate us from God or Christ or our salvation purchased and preserved for us by him How all these enemies are not only soyled but after a sort made friendly unto us Now wee are to see in the next place that Christ by his resurrection hath not onely spoyled these enemies for us but that hee hath made them all after a sort friendly unto us that whereas they desire still indeed and seem to wound us they do nothing else but heal us 1 For sin that now serveth to humble Gods Children and keep them low in their own eyes as also provoketh them to walk awfully in regard of God and watchfully over their hearts and lives still groaning to God under their daily infirmities By this means out of the eater commeth meat as was said in Sampsons riddle Judg. 14.14 2 Death is not now to Gods Children as it was to Christ joyned with a sence of Gods anger against it or paying a debt to the Justice of God for it were against the rule of Gods Justice to require the payment of the same debt twice but wherein they have a sweet sense of Gods Fatherly love wherein sin is perfectly to bee abolished whereby way and entrance is made unto life everlasting where wee shall bee with God and Jesus Christ which is best of all The Saints of God in these regards have rather desired than feared it for what man having been tossed a long time upon a dangerous Sea would fear the Haven or who being wearied with the Travels of the day would fear to go to his rest at night 3 Sence of Hell keepeth in us an hatred of sin and a longing after Heaven yea how beneficial the terrors of Conscience are to Gods Children were too long here to discourse The speech is as true as common the way to heaven lyeth by hell gates 4 The Devil maketh us fly to God our help and rely upon his strength yea when men by no other means will bee drawn God setteth the Devil in their necks to drag them to Heaven as a grave Divine speaketh 5 All the evils in the world work to the best to them that love God and hasten them to the fruition of the victory obtained by Christ they wean them from the World and the love of it And whereas they are as prone to pitch their Tabernacles here below as others God useth these as means to keep his from being of the World even while they are in it They conform them to Jesus Christ their head and train them in the imitation of him both in patience and obedience Now how could any of these parcels of Gods curse against the sin of man or mans cursed sin it self bring to any such sweet and profitable fruits but by the over-ruling power of Jesus Christ who bringeth life out of death light out of darkness and who onely can make his own wise out of a rank poyson to suck most sweet and sovereign preservatives which who doth not hee never as yet knew the benefit of Christ his resurrection Christ by his resurrection not only removed evils but procured all our good as appeareth by three instances The second sort of blessings procured to the Church by Christ his resurrection is the fruition of good things which it putteth us in possession of even in this life by giving us our first fruits and a sweet taste but up-heapeth our measure after this life when our Harvest commeth and wee admitted to feed fully at the Supper of the Lamb. The benefits which I will mention are three First We are confirmed hereby in the whole truth of all our Religion the main foundation of which laid by all the Prophets and Apostles is that Jesus Christ the Son of Mary was the Son of God the true Messiah perfect God and perfect man and so indeed hee was such a one as hee was foretold to bee one that was to dye and yet saw no corruption one who must make his soul an offering for sin and yet must survive to see his seed and prolong his daies one that had power to lay down his Life 1 Pet. 3.18 and power to take it up again In a word one that was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit that is by vertue of his Deity raising that flesh up again Let all the Jews and Atheists in the earth despise the indignity of his death we with the Angels will admire the glory of his resurrection II. The second benefit is that hence wee are assured that our 1 Justification 2 Sanctification 3 Perfect salvation is not only obtained but applyed unto us 1 For our Justification before God by means of Christ his resurrection hee brought in to us an everlasting righteousnesse in that hee not only bare our burden upon himself but bare it away from us for what is his resurrection else but his actual absolution from our sins which were imputed unto him and for which hee subjected himself unto the death Whence wee grow up in full assurance that the whole price is not onely paid to the uttermost on Christs part but that the satisfaction is accepted also on his Fathers whose justice would never have absolved him if all the Bills and Writings which were to bee laid against us had not been fastned to the Cross and so cancelled and fully discharged so as now wee may with the Apostle hold out a flagge of defiance and challenge our righteousness for who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who shall condemn it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen again Rom. 8.34 And the same Apostle thirsting after that Righteousnesse which is by Faith in him counteth all things loss and dung save onely to know him and the vertue of his resurrection Phil. 3.10 2 From this Resurrection of Christ issueth our sanctification which is our first resurrection or raising of our souls from the death of sin because in every reconciliation-making must bee two conditions 1 A forgetting upon satisfaction of all old wrongs and injuries 2 A binding from future offences the former Christ effecteth by his death the latter by his resurrection into the which whosoever are grafted they cannot hence-forth serve sin Rom. 6.5 6. but being risen with Christ they seek the things which are above Colos 3.1 where Christ sitteth they cease further by sin to offend as such who are begotten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
judgement and punishment of that sin but that now at this present time hee would bee pleased to appease his great anger so justly conceived and desist from that great judgement of the utter destroying of them threatned v. 12. as may appear both by the arguments used by him as by that hee expresly noteth the manner of this foâ—giveness vers 19. as thou hast forgiven this people even from Egypt till now and forgive them even according as thou hast spoken v. 17. but how the Lord had after they came out of Egypt forgiven them appeareth Exod. 32.35 when they had made a calf and the Lord wished Moses to let him alone that hee might consume them yet by Moses intercession the Lord did not consume them but plagued them with a great plague and destruction and yet the holy man prayeth hee would forgive them as hee had done from Egypt till now And what was it the Lord had said which Moses taketh hold on namely in verse 34. of that 32. of Exod. Go now bring the people unto the place which I commanded thee behold mine Angel shall go before thee but yet in the day of my v sitation I will visit their sin upon them So as this place rightly interpreted yeeldeth no patronage to any such Popish and wicked collection Further for the second objection That death remaineth though the sin be pardone Though death remain after sin is pardoned both the fault and pun shment is removed I Answer it remaineth not as any satisfaction to the justice of God to beleevers nor as a punishment of sin to such as have their sins remitted but it hath lost his sting which is the guilt of sin and is become a remedy rather than a punishment physick rather than poyson an end of their misery and an entrance into a better life So as it still abideth firm against all such detestable devises of Popery that remission of sins carrieth with it the removal of all the guilt and punishment of sinne to such as have their parts in the same And it is lastly to bee observed in this description that I say the guilt and punishment of all sin is taken away for if any bee not remitted they bee either greater sins or lesser to remit the lesser and not the greater what were wee the better how could our salvation bee effected or perfected how could grace bee every way grace or do wee pray for remission of lesser and not of greater also seeing our selves must forgive our Brethren not only lesser offences but even the greatest Aâ—ain to remit the greater and retain the lesser were to say that the Lord is either not sâ— able or so willing to forgive lesser sins as greater Shall a maâ— frankly forgive a debt of thousands of pounds and will he not forgive also to the same party a few pence The Popish Church confidently avouch A bundle of Pâ—p sh blasphemies that many sins need no remission as concupiscence which they say is not prop rly a sin albeit indeed it is the mother sin of all And all the heap of their venial sins which they say are not against but besides the commandement because they are not attended unto or deliberately done with full consent oâ— reason because they cannot hinder the habâ—â— of vertue but the act of it and that a very little nor turn us from our end but hinder so much as it is our progress unto it and because they though themselves displease God yet they make not God displeased with the party committing them for they can stand with grace and have not properly and simply the reason and respect of sin or offence therefore are they not to bee punished with eternal but only temporary punishment These need not the blood of Christ nor Grace nor confession in particular nor absâ—lution nor any new habit of charity but these are easily wiped away with a little holy water or any meritorious work or by the Sacraments received or by general Confession or by a small humiliation as knocking the brest fasting almes the Lords Prayer an ave Maria or by entring into a consecrated Church or by a Bishops blessing or if all these help but a little presently after death they are all consumed in the fire of purgatory Oh horrible blasphemies derogatory to the blood of Christ which purgeth us from all sin and to the truth of the Scriptures which teach us that when wee had nothing to pay our Master forgave us our whole debt Matth. 18.32 But I have followed them too far were it not that the discovery of their impieties may bring some profit to suâ—h as are not so well acquainted or exerâ—ised in their writings Thus much of the description of this Grace The second thing propounded is what it is to receive remission of sinnes which because it implyeth a gift or oblation therefore we must know that pardon of sin is offered generally to all in the word of grace publikely preached and conferred unto beleevers not onely in the beginning of their conversion but through their whole life Now to receive this remission How remission of sin is received is when a capable that is a contrite heart by Faith which is an hand taking in receiveth Christ and all his benefits among which remission of sins is the chief Preached and published in the Gospel And this it doth on this manner 1 Upon a touch of sin and sence that without this gracious pardon there is nothing bâ—◠〈◊〉 pâ—rdition the heart beaten down beginneth seriously to meditate of the promise of m rcy in Christ and of the means of deliverance from this woful estate 2 It desireth to beleeve and wisheth that mercy to belong to it self it sendeth groans to God it hopeth for pardon and weakly applyeth the general promises of grace 3 After such desires and groans of the heart the Lord most gratiously answereth by his Spirit and by little and little settleth and quieteth the heart perswading it that Christ himself and consequently reconciliation with God doth indeed belong unto him so as he resteth in that assurance Thus the Lord will not only give us mercy but letteth us know that he doth so that our joy and peace and boldness in him might be more full Thirdly the persons receiving this remission are all beleevers Whosoever beleeve in his name whose faith intitles them to the main promise of life and all other depending thereupon Beleeve in the name of Christ why they must beleeve in his name For 1 There is no other name to be saved by In him alone is the matter of our salvation seeing remission is obtained by his bloud Ephes 1.7 2 Hee alone is God and man both which natures are necessary to our Surety by the former he hath power by the latter a right to us not only more general of propriety as the Father and Holy Ghost also have but more special of propinquity being our brother and first-born of our
indure not their lusts to be pricked in the ministery and much less crucified 336 Minister must bee careful to remove what may hinder his Doctrin 284 Ministers must expect Gods calling as Christ did 307 Ministers must urge themselves to diligent preaching why 371 Miracles of Christ had a threefold use 313 Motion of sin in the regenerate is in letting the life of it go 344 Motives to the practise of Righteousnesse 292. N NEcessity of preaching evinced by sundry reasons 369 Necessity of remission of sins in three points ibid. Neither the person nor any of the offices of Christ could suffer him long to abide under the power of death 340 New miracles not needful to confirm old doctrin 316 No less in to sin by others as by our selues 329. No need of a dumb or blind ministery 371 No man can avoid the last â—udgement unless his power be above Christs 377 No man can bee too precise seeing the judgement shall bee so precise and strict 383 None capable of Christs office because none is so annointed as he 309 No peace by Moses 295 O OBjections against preaching answered 374 Objections against special faith answered 409 One way only to salvation 299 Opening the mouth what it meaneth 282 Open the eyes to see the happinesse of the Saints 416 Offences are of sundry sorts 402 Ordinaâ—y Ministers must be beleeved as Apostles while they teach things heard and seen by the Apostles 363 Ordinary Pastors now called by Christ though hee bee now in heaven 368 Outward things cannot bring into Gods acceptance 287 P PAttern of special grace in Peter 284 Peace wha by it usually meant 294 Peace by Christ with God man creatures how ibid. Peace wanting how to obtain it 296 Peace of conscience floweth from remission of sin 407 Person what it meaneth 284 Phrase of quick and dead what is meaneth 377 Plain preaching of Christ wherein it standeth 373 Popery a novelty 298 Popery turneth the doctrin of Christ crucified into crucifixes 336 Popish doctrin teaâ—heth not true faith to this day 392 Popish doctrin assenteth not to the article of free remission of sins 413 Preaching the ordinance of Christ 367 Preaching of Christ wherein it standeth 373 Priviledge of a Godly man what it is 292 Promises of God all accomplished in due season 355 Prophetical office of Christ. 312 Publike persons must give accounts for themselves and others in the judgement day 381 Q QUalities of â—hrists raised body are not divine properties they beautify but not deify it 343 R REasons against seeking to witches 325 Reasons why it was necessary Christ should rise again 340 Reasons why God delayeth to answer his children 356 Reasons why Christ must so manifest his resurrection 358 Reasons why the Apostles were specially commanded to teach the doctrin of the last judgement 374 Reasons to grow up in the strength of faith 401 Religion what and wherein it standeth 288 Remembrance of judgement to come a notable means to further godliness 374 Remission of sins what 402 Remission of sins how received 413 Resurrection of Christ not only removeth evils but procureth all our good as in five instances 346 Right and posâ—ession of eternal life issueth from remission of sins 407 Righteousnesse of the Judge and last judgement described 379 S SAlvation assured beleevers from Christs resurrection 347 Saints in Heaven wholly called from three things and the Saints in earth in part from the same 350 Saints in heaven enjoy five things which the Saints in earth do also in part 351 Satans tyranny over the souls of men more fearful than that hee exerciseth over their bodies 319 Scriptures ascribe that often to the instruments which belongeth to God the principal efficient why 400 Sermons which plainest teach Christ are the best 373 Sin set out in the most ugly visage of it 333 Sins carries never so secretly shall come into a clear light 38â— Sins compared to debts 403 Sorâ—ery of sundry kinds condemned 324 Spiritual possession very common proved at large by sundry instances 321 Strictnesse of the last judgement laid open 380 Sure grounds that God loveth a man 411 T TEmptations of sundry sorts foiled by holding the Article of remission of sins 408 Tender affection to forgive our brethren a good sign that God hath forgiven us 413 The tyranny of Satan over those whom hee bodily possesseth discovered five waies 318 The touchstone of tryal of our words and deeds is the word of God 380 Three actions of faith helping forward the free confession of it 398 Thoughts must be judged of as well as our works 382 To beleeve in the name of Christ what 406 Two things especially hinder the care of the la t judgement 384 Truth of faith as much to bee laboured for as salvation it self 400 V. VErtue of Christs death applyed two waies 334 Unbeleevers damned already how and why 400 Unregenerate men have all the mad properties of mad or possessed persons proved 320 Use of Christs crucifying at large 333 W WHy God suffereth the devil to possesse the bodies of men in all ages four reas 317 Why God suffereth the Devil so to tyrannize abuse and torture them whom he possesseth reas four 319 Why God permitteth a power of curing to them of whom we may not seek cure 326 Why the wicked prevail against Christ who had prevailed against the Devils themselves 328 Why Christ was rather to bee hanged on a tree than to dye by any other kinde of death reas four 331 Why Christ must dye in Jerusalem the theatre of the world 332 Why Christ would still vail his glory after his resurrection 343 Why Christ rose no sooner nor would defer his riâ—ing again no longer than the third day 353 Why Christ would not shew himself to all the people after that he rose agaâ—n 362 Why Christ chose such mean men for his witnesses 363 Why the Apostle inferreth so many testimonies together concerning Christ 387 Whosoever would have his works words abide the tryal of the last day must try them before hand 380 Wicked men shall bee judged by him against whom all their villanies have been committed 376 Wicked men already judged five waies 377 Wisdome of God in every thing to be subscribed unto 360 Witches and all seekers to them condemned 325 Witnesses of Christs resurrection of sundry sorts 360 Witnesse of the Apostles to be beleeved as infallible 359 Word preached what use it hath both to the unconverted and converted 369 Word preached opposed by the Devil and all wicked ones and therefore is from God 370 Working righteousness what and wherein 190 The manner of it in four things 191 CIRCUMSPECT VVALKING DESCRIBING Several Rules As so many STEPS in the vvay of VVISDOM BY Thomas Taylor D. D. Preacher of Gods VVord at Aldermanbury London GALAT. 6 16. As many as walk according to this Rule Peace shall be upon them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God LONDON Printed for A. K. and R. I. and are to
Motives to look to our Tongue 1 BEcause a good man cannot bee an evil speaker Motives to govern the tongue if the speech bee naught the Religion is vain Jam. 1.29 Lying and accusing is the devils work 2 Watching of good speâ—ch keeps out evil words which ingendreth to evil Take up Davids resolution Psalm 39.1 I thought I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth bridled while the wicked is in my sight And this is necessary because the tongue is an unruly member as fire and by this means shall become our glory James 2.6 8. and our brothers shield 3 God hath a time to call to reckoning the words that are thought but wind Psalm 50.20 21 even every idle word Matth. 12.36 CHAP. XVI Rules of Wisdome concerning our actions that in all of them wee may shew forth Chrstian prudence and circumspection and first in general FIrst Every Christian is to examine the work hee is to do whether hee Rules for our actions in general 1 Examine what thou art doing bee about a good work whereof hee may expect comfort Gal. 6.3 Let every man prove his own work and so hee shall have comfort in himself And good reason for his work must bee trâ—â—d afterwards and therefore it is wil some to try it before hand This Trial stands in four thinâ—â— 1 Whether go d in the mattâ—â— Deut. 12.32 〈◊〉 1.12 And the lamâ—â—â—â— of examining it is now and shall bee hereafter This triaâ— stanâ—â— in four things 1 Whethâ—r it bee good in it self and in the matter of it if iâ— beâ— lâ—wful if it bee commanded The rule for the goodness of any action is the word of God What I command thee that do onely Or else it will â—ee aâ—ked Who required those things at your hands And for the matter of our aâ—tions wee have a speâ—ial rule Phil. 4.8 Whatso ver things are true honest just pure Whatsoever things pertain to love and are of good repâ—â—t if there bee any vertue or praise think on these things And Rom. 12.17 and 1 Cor. 8.21 Provâ— as things that are honest noâ— onely before the Lord but a so befâ—re men â— It gâ—â—â— in he manner 2 Examine wh ther it bee good in the doer undâ—rtaken by vertue or a special calling and answâ—rabâ—e to that â—â—â—y which himsâ—lf owâ—â—â— to God or man God upholdeth tâ—e societâ—â—â— of men by order which is when every man kâ—â—p his own standing and every one mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the sâ—vâ—ral â—â—ars but every one in his own sphere nâ—â— troubling the motion of â—â—â—ner S. publick mâ—n should 〈◊〉 the publick offiâ—â— and privatâ— mâ—n 〈◊〉 in private but lâ—t the publick alone For Christ reproved Peters curiosity in asking What John should do Joh. 21.21 And the 〈◊〉 of Scena waâ—ted calling for an action that was good in 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 were 〈◊〉 and wâ—â—â—ded of the Devil Act. 19 15 16. 3 If good in circumstances 3 Examine whether it bee good in the circumstances sâ—asonaâ—â—â— and â—â—nvenient or whether the seasonâ—â—â— not for some better action than that For wisdâ—me will intend of 〈…〉 the most necessary and 〈…〉 most profiâ—able 4 If good in the ends 4 Examine whether the 〈…〉 done bee good in the â—nds 〈◊〉 it which espâ—cially are twâ— 1 Gâ—â— glory 1 Cor. 10.3 Let 〈…〉 the glory of God 2 The good and edâ—fiâ—ation of our brethr n 1 Cor. 14 2â— Let all bee done to edifying yea â—â—king their profit in some 〈…〉 own Then 2 â—inding the action good spoyl it noâ— by ill handling The right manner of doing a good actiâ—n in three things Secondly Iâ— by examination wâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—tions good in themselve 〈◊〉 us in circumstanâ—â—â— and â—â—ds wâ—e must bee carefull 〈…〉 not good â—â—â—ons by ill handling but in 〈…〉 do good actionâ— well aâ—d to 〈◊〉 matter adde a good manner of doing Now the right manner of doing a good aâ—tion well standâ—â—h three things To undertake thâ—m holily To do them sincerely And to finish them humbly The first iâ— when wee begin them with prayer For as in all matterâ— small and great wee are to take counsel at Gods mouth so wee are to beg leaâ—e and blessing at 〈◊〉 secretly to our selves without which nâ—thing is sanctâ—fied unto it Tâ—â— second is when wee do things sincerely as in Gods sight with a good 〈◊〉 and keeping good conscience that a man if hee bâ—â— questioned in any 〈◊〉 may bee able to say with Abimeleâ—h Gen. 2â— 5 With an upright heart aid I this thing And whatsoever may befall him for well-doing hee may appeal to God with Hezekiah Isa 38.3 and say Lord remember that I have walked uâ—rightly before thee The third is when in effecting all our bâ—st action◠〈◊〉 labour to see our defects and wants and mourn that wee â—â—â—ther do that wâ—e should do not in the manner wee should Whâ—râ—of there will bee thâ—â—â— notable fruits 1 This will breed and nourish humiâ—iâ—â— It will drive 〈…〉 Christ to get a covering 3 It will make us ascribe all the glory of our a tions to God of whom wee have not onely all the power but eveâ— the will and purpose Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed according to his good pleasure CHAP. XVII Rules to carry works of Mercy wisely IF our actions concern others then they bee works either of Mercy Rules for works of mercy 1 Mercy must pâ—â—câ—ed from faith and love or of Justice For works of Mercy much wisdome is required and that is shewed in these particulars 1 See thy charity come from a good ground namely from a heart qualified with two graces 1 Faith For whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 Thou must first give thy self to the Lord and then to his Saints 2 Cor. 8.5 Thy mercy must issue from the sense of Gods mercy in Christ to thine own soul apprehended by faith in Jesus Christ Joh. 15.1 Bring forth fruit in this vine 2 It must proceed from love Works of mercy must come from the fountain of a merciful heart Rom. 12.8 Hee that distributeth let him do it of simplicity that is out of meer compassion not out of any by aâ—d sinister respeâ—ts For if I feed the poor with all my goods and want love it profiteth mee nothing 1 Cor. 13. The reason is because the Lord looks more at the affectiâ—n than the action Whence many not giving out of a tender heart sympathizing and fellow-feeling their brethrens misery lose both thâ—ir gift and reward What comfort or help is in that work of mercy which iâ— wrung out by importunity or by strength of law or for shame lest a man should bee noted or by terror of conscience when a man would heal the gripes of a galling and accusing conscience by giving away at his death a little ill-gotten goods to the poor which were none of his to