a Cross for a Scepter and for a Royal-Robe the onely Crimson of a Bloody Passion lined with the Ermine of white Innocency Heb. 1.3 but spotted with the Contradiction of Sinners That the Ancient of dayes should become an Infant The thundring God a Crying Babe Heb. 1.2 Matth. 2.13 The Heir of All things be born to Banishment as soon as Born and He that fills heaven to be as it were a Fugitive in the Earth at his first coming into it That God Our Refuge should be forc't to Flee John 22.46 yea to Run for his Life before he could Go and to hide his Head in AEGYPT John 6.41 Psalm 49.12 who was the Light of the World That the Bread of Heaven should be laid amongst Oats and Hay for the food of Man that was now become by his Sin like the Beasts that perish Acts 3.15 Luke 21.24 That the Prince of Life should begin to Die from his very beginning to Live and the early shedding of his Precious Blood from the first weeks sucking of his Mothers Milk That He should be reputed the Carpenters Son John 1.3 by whom all things were made That He before whom the Devils tremble Matth. 4.1 should be lead into the Wilderness to be Tempted of the Devil That the Living Bread should suffer hunger Verse 2. and the Fountain thirst That He that gives Rest to our Souls should Himself suffer weariness John 19.28 John 4.6 Luke 9.58 Isaiah 53.12 and He that gives us all things richly to enjoy not have a hole himself where to lay his head That He that Justifies the ungodly should himself be Numbred among the Transgressors That God the Judge of All should be tryed for his Life at Mans Bar And He that did All things well should himself suffer among Malefactors John 14.6 Mat. 26.56 Luke 22.22 That the WAY should be Forsaken aâ— He was by his Friends and Followers That the TRUTH should be Betrayed as He was by Judas That the LIFE should be Killed as He was by the Jews That the Great God should be Sould to Redeem Man Acts 3.15 And the Living God die that dead Man might Live And be shut up in the grave to set Man at Liberty In a word That the most high God should humble himself to so sad a Life and the Lord of glory to so base a death Luke 22.28 spending and ending his Doleful days betwixt Perils and Pains Hebrew 4.7 Luke 22.44 and Temptations and Persecutions and Wants and Weariness and Fears and Tears and Sweat and Blood till at length his tender body was extended to the utmost torture that a cruel Cross could stretch it and his meek and Innocent Soul stretched to the utmost extremity of sorrow that it could possibly be extended to and all for poor Man that never deserved it that never desired it that never once Thought of it before he heard of it ready rather to cry out with Nicodemus How can these things be so slow of heart to believe it John 3.9 Luke 24.25 Chap. 6.58 having heard of it crying out with the Jews How can this Man give us his Flesh to eat But oh the Folly of mans wit and the unreasonableness of their reasonings that have not Faith 2 Thes 3.2 for why should it be thought an incredible thing that the Condescention of Divine Grace should surmount all Humane Comprehension Phil. 4.7 1 Tim. 3.16 the Effect of which Grace is peace that passeth all Understanding that the Mystery of Godliness should be GREAT The first Principle whereof is GOD manifest in the FLESH Isaiah 9.6 or that He should be an object of our admiring thoughts in all his Story Rom. 3.3 the very first letter of whose Name is WONDERFUL But thanks be to God that the unbelief of man cannot make the Faith of God without Effect Sect. XXXVII ANd Oh how Joyful as well as Awful Delightful thoughts of Christ Numb 24.17 and truly Amiable as well as highly Admirable a Thought it is that it was TRUE MAN as well as very GOD that was engaged in all this 'T was the Star proceeding out of Jacob that was ushered into the World by that Star in the East Matth. 2.2 't was the Seed of Abraham that was waited upon by the Multitude of the heavenly best Hebr. 2.16 Rom. 8.5 and to whom it was said at his bringing into the world Let all the Angels of God worship him for of the Fathers concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amon. For since man had Fallen by aspiring to be like God there was no way for his rising again but by Gods Condescending to become like one of Us. O comfortable thought to poor Man that it was MAN that fulfilled all Righteousness Math. 3.15 John 16.33 that wrought Miracles that overcame the world that satisfied Justice that appeased wrath that subdued Sin that destroyed Death and him that had the power of it Hebr. 2.14 that is the Devil And having spoiled Principalities and Powers triumphed over them and having risen from the dead in that very Body wherein he suffered Colos 3.15 Acts 31.2 and shewed himself alive after his Passion by many infallible proofs being seen on Earth for the space of 40 dayes He afterwards in open sight ascended into Heaven Hebr. 1.2 and sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high from thenceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool Chap. 10.13 Cant. 5.16 Zech. 13.7 O this is Bone of our Bone and Flesh of our Flesh this is our beloved and this is our friend This is the Man that is Gods fellow the Man whom God hath appointed to judge the world and happy We whose Surâ—ty is to be Our Judge Acts 17.31 Hebrews 5.1 this is the High Priest taken from among Men to bring us to God the Ladder reaching Heaven and touching Earth that he might gather together in one All things that are in Heaven Ephes 1.10 Hebrews 6.20 and that are on Earth This is Our Fore-Runner that is for us entered and hath taken possession in that very Nature wherein He paid the Price and made the Purchase Math. 25.3 who entered first into our Sorrows and acquainted himself with our Griefs that We might enter into the â—oy of our Lord John 17.24 and be where he is that we might behold his Gloâ—y And Oh methinks the Divine Thought of this Immanuel the Incarnate GOD notwithstanding All the Magick that the World can use to betwitch our affections or to Charm our Thoughts to the things below Exod. 7.12 should be like the Rod of Aaron among the Rods of the Magitians even a Thought swallowing up every other thought A Thought so great and so good so admirable and so acceptable even worthy of acceptation A Thought so dearly engaging us and so nearly concerning us a Thought without
Issue never so foul Mat 9.20 and 14.36 Mat. 5.25 Verse 17. Zach. 9 1â— Mar. 9.27 so shameful so inveterate If thy desires be creeping towards him while that Issue of thine continues Running Break then O prisoner of hope through the throng of all thy contradicting Thoughts and steal 〈◊〉 â—he least one blessed touch till thou find virtue going one of him Come Come Chap. 9.30 The Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come and lâ—t him that heareth say Come And let him that is athiâ—st come and whosoever will let him take of the water of Life freely Rev. 22.17 Heb. 12.27 Now see that thou refuse not him that speaks from Heaven But alas thinks my Soul after all this I sadly fear that if Christ would indeed accept me I should never be able to accept Christ I find now 't is a hard thing to be a Christian Acts 26.38 Numb 13 28 31 33. I thought I had been almost perswaded but O the sons of Anak The walled Towns in the way the Cross the Yoke not a Lust not a Thought not a Word not a Look in all the remainder of my life but by Law Alas who can beaâ— it I dread to begin to draw least I should draw back and better then I had never known the way of truth Heb 10.38 Isaiah 38.14 I know thy Soul hath no pleasure in such O Lord I am now oppressed undertake for one I would believe my God but cannot help thou my unbelief I would take thy yoke upon me Mark 9.24 but I dare not for I have been a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke But turn thou me and I shall be turned Jer. 31.18 and thou shalt be the Lord my God I see O Lord I must have my yoke which way soever I turn my self Sins and Satans I have too long born And should I die under thine I cannot bear the thought of going back to theirs For I am sure to die under theirs I am indeed in a great straight 2 Sam. 24.14 let me now fall into the hand of the Lord for with the Lord there are mercies but as for Satan and Sin the mercies of these are cruel Prov. 12.10 Sect. IX CAst out then the Shete Anchor of thy hope O thou afflicted Isaiah 54.11 tossed with tempest and not comforted and cast it O my soul as near as thou canst into that within the Vail Heb. 11.19 If thou venture not on Jesus Christ thou perishest And if thou dost thou canst but perish 2 King 7 4. If he save thee alive thou shalt live And if he kill thee thou canst but die There hath been high and hainous and in their own eyes the very chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 1 Cor. 6.11 washed â—ustified sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God yea that hath been set forth even for a PATTERN to all that should afterward believe of him 1 Tim. 1.16 Isaiah 26.12 who not onely ORDAINETH peace for us but also worketh all our Works in us Wherefore O thou blessed Jesus with fear and with trembling I cast and â—oul my self upon thee Hester 4.16 And if I perish I will perish at those feet that were therefore pâ—â—â—ced that whilst I put my fingers into the print of the Nailes John 20.27 the weak hand of my Faith may have the better hold Sect. X. LO here the Restless Mind of Man toucht with the Load-stone of Divine Grace tremblingly wavering Numb 24.17 seeking rest but finding none till the thoughts fix upon the Star out of Jacob the Lord Jesus Christ Lo here the Heavenly conduct of Divine light newly arisen in the mind of man bringing his Thoughts from a far Country Matthew 2. Verse 5. and never leaving them till it leave them in the very place where the Holy Child lies The sweet bosom of the Fathers love Lo here the Celestial Call Isaiah 41.2 raising up the Righteous man from the East his Native Countrey or if you will natural condition Acts 11.23 Heb. 11.15 And bringing him to Gods foot with full purpose and fixed Thought of Heart should opportunity of returning into the old Countrey The old state The other Gods on the other side of the Flood serve never so fair yet never by the Grace of God to return unto them more cleaving to Christ for fear of leaving of him or being left by him Leaning on its beloved that it may not be lost any more in the old Wilderness Cant. 8.5 the perplexing maze of its old unbelieving thoughts fastening it self upon him that it may by no means be shaken off by him with such mental speakings as these Intreat me not to leave thee Ruth 2.14 or to return from following after thee neither say thou to me let me go Ah my Jesus I will let all go rather then let thee go for I should let infinitely more than the Worlds All go in letting thee go I should loose my self in loosing thee and be cast away Luke 9.25 and that too in the very sight of Harbour No mo my heart is fixed O Christ my heart is fixed whither thou goest I will go be it to thy Crown or to thy Cross and where thou lodgest I will lodge Ruth 2.16 17. be it a Paradise or a Prison Thy people shall be my people though the world hate them And thy God shall be my God notwithstanding all the ungodliness that is in the world and the world of ungodliness that is in my heart where thou dyest I will die Rom. 6.4 Verse 6. and there will I be buryed thy death shall mortifie my members that are upon earth My Lusts shall thy Cross kill and thy Grave bury Nay God forbid that death should part Col. 3.3 but more closely yea unseperably eternally unite thee and me And so shall I ever be with the Lord. And thus have you seen the returning Shulamite Cant. 6.16 and what will you see in the Shulamite but as it were the company of two Armies On the one hand the struglings of unbelief on the other the work of Faith with power till at length the house of Dav d grows stronger and stronger 2 Thes 1.1 Isaiah 23.33 Gen. 32.25 28. Isaiah 40.1 2. and the house of Saul grows weaker and weaker Old thoughts pass away and new prevail the lame divides the spoil the halting Jacob becomes a Prince with God the mourner is comforted the warfare accomplished the sin pardoned the bruised Reed lifts up its hanging head Chapter 42.3 the smoaking slax breaks out into a flame In one word â—n the multitude of the thoughts within Psalm 94.19 Gods comforts they delight the Soul And thus the soul falling into a place where all this while Acts 27.41 Psalm 143.10 two contrary Seas have met runs at length a ground on the and of uprightness where the sore-part the Thought
set their Hearts aright have a marvailous advantage in point of consistency and as to the stability of their good thoughts even from their Natural temper whereas some others in Constitution sanguine and more symbolizing with the Air their minds seem commonly volatile and so their thoughts more fluid and less fixed be the habit of their Minds Difference of natural constitution may appear as in conversion or Objects of their Thoughts good or evil Now this difference of Natural constitution occasions many mistakes in the spiritual judging of Mens Estates A man may be very serious yet not Religious though John Baptist was naturally 't is probable very austere John came saith Christ neither eating nor drinking Mar. 11.28 and another man may be very pleasant and yet not vain and it would seem our Saviours Natural bodily temper was differing from the Baptists and disposed him to a complaisant conversation Verse 29. The Son of Man came eating and drinking for even in that sence his delights were with the Sons of Men Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth The Hebrew word signifies sporting Prov. 8.5 and so the Margin reads it and yet he was the pattern of all Perfection And as in Conversation So in thoughts so in thoughts the Natural temper may if not attended occasion dangerous mistakes in judging the spiritual state Take an instance in two whom I take to be Eminent Saints King Solomon and the Apostle Paul Instance in King Solomon and St. Paul concerning the later none doubt nor dare I of the former who was Gods Iedidiah from whom God saith he will never take his mercy A Pen-man of Holy Writ and so numbred by the Apostle among the Holy men of God a grand Type of Christ and one of those Prophets of whom Christ saith expresly that all the Prophets are in the Kingdom of God Luke 15 2â— yet I suppose a vast difference in the Natural temper of these two excellent men Paul no doubt was of great natural resolution Acts 26 9â— and fixation I verily thought saith he of himself before his Conversion that I ought to do many things against the Name of Jesus Verse 10 11. which thing also I did in every Synagogue He never alters his mind as we say never changeth his thoughts never turns nor ever would had not God overturned him but then when God called him by his Grace and set the Watch right Oh! this Natural temper of His was an Excellent Ballance and kept the motion admirably What do you mean saith he to weep and break mine heart Acts 21.17 I am ready not onely to be bound but to Die for the Name of Jesus And when he would not be perswaded say they we ceased c. You see He was fixed before Conversion and fixed after for Grace rather useth then altereth Nature though it cures its corruption But now Solomon He was naturally I question not of a more Airy Constitution and so of a more doubtful mind as our Saviours Phrase is which He borrowes from the Aiery Meteors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12.30 which are now here and now there and you can hardly find them fixed any where and so His thoughts more fluid and volatile flying up and down from one thing to a contrary thing from Wisdom Eccles 2.2 to Wine to Women to Madness to Folly yea from one thing to a thousand things Even from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hyssop upon the Wall and being naturally like Reuben unstable as water his Wives turned away his heart 1 Kings 11.4 and the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twice and yet there was a well of Water after all this springing up in Him to Everlasting Life for you may see what was in the bottom of his heart what his deepest thoughts were by what you find in the bottom of his Book of Penitence and Recantation Let us hear saith He the CONCLUSION of the matter FEAR GOD Eccles 12.15 and keep his Commandments c. Now All is well We say that ends well Sect. IV. THis then to shut up this scrutiny is that which we are most accurately to observe amongst all that variety not only of Temptations Conclusion of the Rule but of Tempers and consequently of Thoughts Purposes and Resolutions Psal 94.14 Several instances of good thoughts at bottom working out evil thoughts Isaiah 8.13 if as David saith in another respect In the multitude of our thoughts within us We can find Divine and gracious Thoughts to be deepest in our Soul As to add to the instance forementioned when our slight Thoughts of God and slavish fear of Man and thoughts of sinful security as to our selves are wrought out by our sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts and making him our FEAR as the Prophet speaks When ones high thoughts of himself who is ready to say in his heart Deut. 8.17 My power and the might of my hand hath â—otten me this wealth are removed by remembrance of the Lord God Verse 18. and that it is he that gives power to get wealth When our self-justifying self-exalting thoughts are taken down and let fall as Job's plumes were by his thoughts of his black feet behold I am vile Job 40.4 what shall I answer thee c. When over-eager thoughts of the world are worn out by thinking on what He saith who hath charged us to take no thought for to morrow Luke 12.22 Matth. 6.34 Prov. 11.4 and over-valuing thoughts of the World by thinking that the world was not Crucified for Us cannot deliver or profit in the day of wrath that labouring for the World is but labouring for the Wind Eccles 5.16 whereof the more a man gâ—asps for the most part the greater are the gripes that their end is Destruction that mind earthly things but especially by Thinking that the Lord hath said Love not the World nor the things of the World for if any man love the World 1 John 2.15 the love of the Father is not in him When Flesh-pleasing thoughts are supplanted by thinking that to be carnally minded is death Romans 8. â— James 5.5 that living in pleasures upon the Earth and being wanton is but the nourishing of the heart as in the day of slaughter that a St. Paul himself must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9.27 beat down his body and bring it in subjection least he himself should be cast away Phil. 3.8 or when thoughts of the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ come to make a man think other things to be but dogs meat or dung that he may win Christ when the thoughts of the Rivers of pleasures that are at Gods Right hand for evermore do challenge the Heart Jerm 2.18 What hast thou to do in the way of Aegypt to drink
Lord that thou in Faithfulness hast afflicted me Tokens of his Love as many as I love I chasten Payments of our Legacy left us by Our crucified Lord a little before his Death in the World you shall have tribulation and confirmed thereby For if they did so in the green Tree If such things befal the Master 't is sufficient for the Servant to be as his Master and as his Lord And all to make Man more humble in himself more awful of God more careful to please him more fearful to offend him more conformable to Christs sufferings more contemplative of his sufferings more compassionate and fellow-feeling as to others Sin more bitter Christ more sweet the World more contemptible Death more desirable Heaven more delightful and glorious Grace more admirable in the Saints 2 Cor. 4.8 9. thus troubled on everyside yet not distressed cast down but not destroyed a burning Bush yet not consumed in a fiery Furnace yet receiving no hurt nay more that the very fiery Chariot of affliction should be prest for the service of carrying them to Heaven their very tribulations made the door for their entring into the Kingdom of God Acts 14.22 Iames 5.11 and 1.2 And therefore the Scripture counts them hapyy which endure and teacheth us to count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations Sect. IX IN thinking of TEMPTATIONS Of Temptations 1 Pet. 4.12 1 Cor. 10.13 Heb. 11.37 Best tempted Heb. 3.18 Chap. 4.15 Christ himself in all points Lust of the eye Mat. 4.2 3. Verse 9. Pride of life Verse 3. Verse 6. not as strange or as though some strange thing had happened but as common to men yea the best of men They were tempted saith the Apostle yea the worst of them to him that was more then MAN who himself suffered being tempted and that in all points as we are that he might know how to succour them that are tempted In all points To the Lusts of the Flesh Thou art Hungry Make these stones Bread To the lust of the Eyes thou art poor Thou hast not a hole where to lay thy head All these will I give thee To the Pride of Life Thou pretendest high prove what thou pretendest shew thine Authority Command Stones to be made Bread If thou be a King let us see thy Court thy Heavenly Guard and that the Angels are indeed but thy Ministers If thou be the Son of God do something or other that ordinary men either cannot or at least dare not do never fear to die like a man Cast thy self down and let us see whether Angels will bear thee up Now All that is in the World 1 John 2.16 is the Lust of the Flesh and of the Eye and pride of Life And as the wind of Temptation thus blew all the points of the Worlds Compass Christ tempted with temptations base and forbid Bloody and unnatural Hellish and blasphemous so also all the points of highest and most hideous aggravations most base and sorbid transgress for a morsel of Bread sell thy Birth-right for a meals meat break thy Faith with God that thou mayest break thy Fast with the Devil Most bloody and unnatural if thou wilt not break thy Fast break thy Neck Cast thy self down Most Hellish and Horrid If thou wilt not or canst not prove thy self to be the Son of God disown God and own me for thy God Fall down and Worship me Math. 4.9 and is the Nature of Man capable of any thought more hideous injections more black and blasphemous then such as these And yet for all this Highly subtil and deceiptful Profit and pleasure Verse 8. Wrested Scripture Verse 6. Gods ends pretended All points too of highest subtilty and hellish deceipt that spiritual wickedness could possibly hatch or imagine This Hell of Temptations must not only be covered over with a Paradise of Pleasures the World and all the Glory of it but also with an Heaven of Scripture-warranty Cast thy self down for It is written c. and so thou mayst shew thy Faith without hazard of thy Life nay of most High Glorious Good ends the Manifestation of his Divinity the Credit of his Ministry the Glory of God in having such a Son the Glory of Christ in having such a Father And all this in a seasonable point of time when all this was challenged and called boldly in question by the great Goliah that at the very first word Verse 3. defyeth the Living God If thou be the Son of God c. which is as much as prove it if thou canst Thus was Christ Tempted in all points therefore well may the Tempted think thus of his sorest Temptations 2 Cor. 12.7 These are thornes in my Flesh but no other then what were platted together by Satan and worn as a Crown by my head and Saviour Saints tempted only if need be 1 Pet. 1.6 1 Cor. 12.7 1 Pet. 1.7 Revel 3.10 Rom. 5.4 1 Pet. 5.8 â— Cor. 12.8 Gal. 6.1 And for excellent ende And now ordered by his hand that they cannot touch me sooner or longer then need is for the Pricking of my puffing Pride the tryal of my Faith the exercising of my Patience and experiencing of me by it the exciting of my watchfulness the spirit of Prayer in my self and the Spirit of meekness in the restoring of others when they are overtaken in a fault considering my self least I also be tempted The teaching of me to know more throughly both my self and my Saviour both where my weakness and where my strength lyeth That I am but a Reed shaken with the wind that Christ is the Rock higher then I yea higher then the highest that when the proudest Temptations dash against it Shall be carried through all they are broken by it that is Grace is only sufficient for me and that his strength shall be made perfect in my weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 1 Cor. 10.13 and that God is faithful who will not suffer me to be tempted above what I am able but with the temptation will make a way to escape 1 Pet. 2.9 May triumph over all For the Lord knowes how to deliver our of Temptations And therefore though now in my mâ—nority I may think of the day when I shall be at Age the time appointed of the Father Gal. 4.2 Though now in my Apprentiship that I shall be one day made Free from mine infirmities and Temptations 2 Cor. 1â— 9 and therefore I will even now Glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me for when I am weak then am I strong nay in these things I am more then Conqueror Verse 10. through Christ strengthening me Sect. X. IN thinking of PERSECUTIONS for Christ Of Persecution our Patrimony Mark 10.30 Honour Acts 5.41 Phil. 1.29 Gods gift therefore cannot merit Loss gain Heb. 10.34 Disgrace riches Heb. 11.26 Verse 24. Persecuted happy Verse 25. Mal. 3.15 Prosperous miserable
very Death of Death but the believers Life So that their dying is but an entring into peace Isa 57.2 a resting in their beds and from their labours of Sins Sorrows Cares Fears Temptations Afflictions Persecutions Sicknesses Pains Wants Weaknesses Wearinesses Doubts Difficulties nay of Duties of Fastings Watchings Tears which shall then be wiped away and done away Revel 14.13 as to the Labour not the Reward for so their Works follow them Sect. XIV Of judgment Psal 49.14 Mat. 25.19 IN thinking of JUDGMENT As that glorious morning wherein the upright shall have Dominion shall sit with Christ on Thrones judging the World being openly justified themselves and set as Sheep on the right hand of God 1 Cor. 6.2 and Proclaimed by Christ the Blessed of his Father As that glorious meeting of that spiritualized body with its blessed Soul and so with Christ Mat. 25.34 To the sheep and with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Saints to be dissolved divorced divided dissipated dispersed no more 1 Cor. 15.44 Math. 8.11 Mat. 25.33 and 41. To the Goats Psal 1.5 Mean while those Goats on the left hand that burned with Lust shall burn with horrour inwardly shall be accused accursed sentenced and condemned openly And as they would not indure the Sheep to live by them in the World they shall go by themselves shall not come into the Congregation of the just and as they loved Cursing It shall now come into their Souls and like Oyl in their Bones And so their miserable bodies made vessels of wrath fitted to Destruction â—ide to receive it without spilling Rom. 9.22 strong to hold it without breaking being re-united to their tormented Souls shall together be partakers of Misery as they formerly had been of Sin unto all Eternity Sect. XV. IN thinking of ETERNITY Of Eternity Right thoughts of it as that which is so shortly approaching and nearly concerning every one that he thinks it strange that any one should almost think of any thing else for thinking of Eternity But that he thinks again of that World of Atheisme that is in the World never fully to be confuted But by Death and Judgment and oh thinks he Atheists in this world what a sad thing it is that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we read without God in the World but the word is Atheists in the World Eph. 2.12 No Atheists to Eternity yea but as soon as ever they go out of the World they continue Atheists no longer Those that would not believe that there was a God and a Christ by his patience and providence by his preserving them and proffering to save them Shall see there is a God and Christ Rev. 1.7 Mal. 3.19 shall then see that there is a God and a Christ too every Eye shall see him and feel that there is a God by his terrours taking hold upon them Then shall they return and discern though they would not see the Lord when his hand was lifted up in his Word and Works in the World they shall see God and be ashamed Isa 26.11 Psal 58.11 So that a man shall say verily there is a GOD. And those that would not believe that there was a Devil by their daily conversing with him and his influencing them by his filling their hearts because they say they never saw him Feel there iâ— a Devil shall then certainly know they are with him as he knows now that he is with them for as he shares stakes with them in sin they have their part and he hath his part In Hell share stakes with him so shall they be forc't to share stakes with them in Hell for they shall have their portion with the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 As he with them here in sin And Oh thinks he how will the dainty Dives and the careless and delicate Daughters do to spend that Eternity That must have so many devices and divertisements Misery of the wicked Playes and Pastimes Ah! wretched word that thinks he and all to wear out the tediousness of a little time To spend that Eternity when the smoak of that bottomless pit Rev. 14.10 11. must be their only Air to breath in Fire their Food Brimstone their Perfume full Viols of Divine wrath their Drink Astonishment their Wine Bitter weeping and flowing Fountains Mat. 22.13 and ever Running Rivers of Tears in stead of their Rich Baths and pleasant Springs Luke 16.28 and artificial Fountains And wailing yelling and howling their only Musick And so other mens torments an accession to their pains As they had taken pleasure in other mens sins which made Dives so loath of his Brethrens Company Rom. 1.32 as we may well think The Books must be opened in stead of their pleasing Play-Books and Romances Gods Book and the Book of their Consciences Rev. 20.12 that they never could endure in all their lives to look into must now be pored upon by them by the Fire of Hell without intermission recreation or other diversion and the wanton Eye that busie and unsatisfied Gazer upon every thing but the Bible must be otherwise imprisoned in utter darkness for ever Mat. 25.30 Psalm 12.4 And the Lordly tongue that must needs be their own shall be their own to torment them as formerly set on Fire of Hell with a world of wickedness James 3.6 so now of woes Red hot then with Rage against God and revilings of his Saints now burning with flames and not receiving so much as one single drop of cold water Luke 16.24 that was wont to swim in Wine and for that bewitching sence of touch its dalliances and delights there shall only succeed those hideous gnashings of teeth and gnawings at Heart in the woe that never ceaseth and by the worm that never dies Josh 8.7 16. And thus Ah thinks he as Joshua taught the men of Succoth with the Thornes and Bryars in the wilderness The Hebrew is He made them to know to know who he was and to know what they had done jn despising his Messengers in rejecting his motions c. so will Jesus teach the Atheistical world with tortures to Eternity 2 Chro. 36.16 Psal 50.17 Prov. 1.3 and make them to know who He is whose Messengers they mocked whose Laws they cast behind their backs whose Councels they hated and would none of his Reproofs But thinks He on the other hand Eternal happiness of the Saints of those in whose Hearts are the wayes of them that are holy Pilgrims the true Travailers that declare plainly that they seek a Countrey viz. an Heavenly that can say of a good Sermon John 6.34 Lord evermore give us of this Bread of a lively stirring Sacrament a Soul-humbling Confession and Prayer an Heart-raising Meditation 't is good to be here that think the present time too short and their Hearts too narrow to hold enough of
John 3.1 to think seriously of this if the Apostle cry out as he doth Beloved what manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed upon us that We should be called The Sons of God O think then what manner of love is this that GOD should be called The Son of Man Nay become Man In Christs Incarnation John 1.1 and Verse 14. for the WORD was with GOD and the WORD was GOD and the WORD was made FLESH For to think that Christ was onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine Man and not GOD-MAN is a thought both beneath a Christ and below a Christian John 5.20 But thanks be to God We know that the Son of Son of God is come and He hath given us understanding Christ true God that We may know him that is True and We are in Him that is True even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the True GOD and the Life Eternal This is He of whom it was said of Old Isaiah 9.6 To us a Child is born and yet his Name shall be called The MIGHTY GOD. By whom saith the Apostle Hebr. 1.2 Chap. 3 3 4. Hebr. 1.10 Verse 3. John 1.10 God made the World and he that built all things is GOD and to him it is expresly said Thou Lord in the beginning hast established the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thine Hands He was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not And that He upholdeth all things by the word of his power who by himself purged our Sins and sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Christ suffering was God satisfying himself Acts 20.28 So that CHRIST Suffering was but GOD Satisfying himself and therefore He cannot chuse but have full payment for the Purchase Blood was the Blood of GOD. Feed the Church of GOD saith the Apostle which he purchased with his Own Blood And God did Suffer though He could not Suffer As GOD the Nature assuming adding infinite value and vertue to the Nature assumed both being one Person 1 Tim. 3 1◠for God manifested in the Flesh must needs be justified in the Spirit or Godhead of Christ Hebr 9.14 through which or upon which as the Altar this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this middle Person as the Apostle calls him betwixt God and Man God-Man as Priest offers up himself Suffering as true Man to Himself 1 Tim. 2.5 as One true God with the Father and the Holy Ghost This is that great Mystery look'd into by the Angels Preached to the Gentiles Believed in the World Lord I believe it help thou mine unbelief Sect. XXXIV 1 Tim. 3.16 Mistake to think one drop of Christ's blood sufficient Acts 20.28 The Death of Christ necessary Heb. 9.15 Verse 16. As Testatour BUt though I dare not but Think with Scripture that the blood of Christ that is the Death of Christ for so the Scripture is to be understood when it speaks of his blood is of Infinite value and vertue being Gods own blood yet dare I not think with those who without Scripture affirm that One drop of Christs blood was sufficient to save the world for the Apostle saith expresly that He is Mediatour of the New Testament through DEATH 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Redemption no Redemption without Death for where a Testament is saith he there Must be the Death of Him that made the Testament And He proves it by the killing of the Sacrifices in the Law Verse 22.23 That without shedding of blood he means dying there is no Remission And that it was Necessary Christ should enter by his own Blood that is for so he explains it by the Sacrifice not of a drop or few drops but of Himself and that no otherwise than by Death Verse 26. Verse 27 28. Surety Gen. 2.17 Heb. 7.22 Rom. 5.21 Christ suffered in our stead Gen. 22.13 Is◠53.5 10. for as it was appointed unto Men once to die So Christ must be Once offered For the Debt that We owe to the Covenant of Works is Death In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt Die This Debt must Our Surety under the New-Covenant pay though a Covenant of Grace for GRACE must reign by Righteousness for Christ was not onely for Our Good but in our stead like the Ram in the stead or room of Isaac for the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him And therefore not one drop of his Blood onely but his Soul must be made the Offering for Sin and he must powre out his Soul to the Death Verse 1◠Verse 4. for He was to bear Our Sorrows which were the sorrows of Death as you have seen which Text Grot. in loc though a learned man who sometimes had written worthily for Christs satisfaction falling afterwards off by Temptation would fain distort by expounding it of the Prophet Jeremiah yet two great Apostles Philip and Peter Acts 8.34 35. 1 Pet. 2.24 do understand and expound it of Christ and no other by whose alone stripes we are healed So Christ himself also who knew what would serve the turn tells his Disciples plainly that there was no way but one he must go away he must depart John 16.7 yet he had long before this even at eight dayes old lost more than a drop of blood for them in his Circumcision Luke 2.21 Mat. 16.21 but still for all that the Son of Man must go to Jerusalem and must suffer many things and be killed and it was his Life Chap. 20.21 and no less that He must give for a Ransom for many 'T is true indeed The preciousness of Christs Death Acts 2.24 2 Sam. 18.3 Christ fully Satisfied was lawfully discharged this One Life of His was worth Thousands of Ours as Davids Men said of David and his Suffering Death though it were not possible he should be held of it gave Infinite Justice that Satisfaction and full Payment because he that Suffered was an Infinite Person that Millions of Damned ones Men and Angels in Hell cannot give or make in Millions of Ages but the subjects of the Suffering being Finite the duration or Term of the Suffering must be in some sort Infinite that is to say without End But now God sends his Angel Mat. 28.2 as a publick Minister to roul away the Stone from Christs Sepulchre not that Christ needed an Angels help to further his Resurrection John 10.18 for He that had power to take up his life again could not want strength like another Sampson Jud. 16.9 12. to shake off those sorry shackles of his Sepulchre but I say the Key must be turned by Gods own Officer and the Prison door set open to declare to All the World that Our Debt by his Death was fully paid in that Our Surety did not Break Prison but was set at Liberty which the damned shall never be because they can
saith the Holy Ghost If the Blood of Bulls and â—oats and the sprinkling them that are unclean Sanctifie as to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ c. purge your Conscience c. And that the Thoughts of the Old Testament-Believers ran so much upon Davids especially his very Dying Thoughts ran of this 2 Sam. 23.1 as appears by his last words Although mine House be not so with God yet God hath made a Covenant with me Ordered in all things and sure this is All my Salvation Verse 5. and All my desire c. Blessed be God what ever is out of Order the Covenant of Grace is Ordered in All things and sure my help and my hope is not in my self or in any thing of my own 't is laid up elsewhere in better keeping One shall say Isaiah 45.24 IN the Lord I have strength and I have Righteousness and IN the Lord the whole House of Israel that is Verse 25. all that ever shall have Peace shall be Justified and shall Glory thus Isaiah So Jeremy speaking of the Church Jer. 33.16 He that shall call her is The Lord Our Righteousness So Daniel Now therefore O our God Dan. 9.17 Ezek. 14.14 hear the Prayer of thy Servant c. and cause thy face to shine c. for the Lords Sake You see Daniel who is reckon'd by the Holy Ghost with Noah and Job one of the best men that ever was hath not a Thought of any Acceptance or Audience from any Righteousness or Works of his Own but onely for Christs sake Lord do it saith he for the Lords sake 2 Cor. 12.12 1 Cor. 15.10 Acts 24.16 Nay S. Paul that came behind no Man and Laboured more abundantly than All that exercised himself alwayes to have a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and towards all Men that Beat down his Body to bring it in Subjection c. 1 Cor. 9.27 2 Cor. 11.22 to the end R m. 4. chap. Rom 5. chap. In a word Wherein-soever any might seem to have any thing to boast He had more yet you find no man more triumphing in an Imputed Righteousness by FAITH GRACE FREE GIFT No man more abasing nay abhorring the very Thought of all self-wrought Righteousness not of Works saith He Eph. 2.9 least any man should boast but sweeping down throughout his writings especially the Epistles to the Romans Rom. chap. 5. and 6. Galatians Ephesians the Spiders Web as the Holy Ghost calls all that Hope and Confidence which Man Spins Gal. chap. 2. and 3. Eph. chap. 2. Job 8.14 as it were out of his own Bowels nay disclaiming all compoundings and blendings in the business of Justification He will have nothing there but a Christ apprehended and received through Faith and that too not of our selves Eph. 2.8 Rom. 11.6 but the Gift of God for saith He If it be of Grace it is no more of Works or else Grace were no more Grace but if it be of Works it is no more of Grace else Work were no more Work And how plain and indeed terrible is that Text What shall We say then Rom. 9.30 that the Gentiles which followed not Righteousness have attained unto Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith Verse 31.32 But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not By Faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they have stumbled at the stumbling stone as it is written Verse 33. Behold I will lay in Sion a stumbling stone and a Rock of Offence And every one that Believeth in Him shall not be ashamed Let Papists then mock on and call this Imputed Righteousness a Putative or an imaginary Righteousness yet what is to them Foolishne's 1 Pet. 2.6 Philip 3.3 and to many a stumbling stone let it be to thee O my Soul a Foundation Rejoyce thou in Jesus and have thou no confidence in the Flesh Sect. XXXVII Pâ—â—l 2.6 7 8. Hâ—â—h thou his of Christ BUt then as God hath Highly exalted Him that was Humbled being equal with God yet in shape of a Man even to the Death of the Cross so think that if ever thou hope for benefit by Him thy Life and thy Lips must exalt Him and thine Heart and thy Thoughts above all not that thou canst add to but must own his Greatness and his Glory nay though thou hadst known Christ after the Flesh 2 Câ—â— 5.16 yet henceforth know him so no more Away with low Thoughts carnal conceptions of Jesus Christ who though He were Crucified through weakness yet is raised in Power 1 Cor. 14.4 Isaiah 62.1 Heb. 11.34 yea in the greatness of his strength became weak that out of weakness thou mightest be made strong for if the Christian can say by believing in Christ when I am weak then am I strong and can Glory in his Infirmities 2 Cor. 12.9 10. that the power of Christ may rest upon him well may he Glory in Christ whose Glory in the very dayes of his infirmity they that saw him beheld as the Glory of the onely begotten Son of God John 1.4 for whilst he dwelt among Men in the body of his Flesh The Fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Colos 2.9 Rom 9 5. And O how awful and stupendious a thought it is that Gods Benjamin should be this Ben-oni Nay the Blessed God himself This man of Sorrows Isaiah 53.3 and 9.6 Gal 4 4. Isaiah 53.8 Gal. 4.4 The Eternal Father the Son of his Hand-maid made of a Woman The Mighty God a Child born so saith Scripture but who shall declare his Generation The Law-Maker made under the Law that He might make satisfaction to the Law and Fulfil all Righteousness both by Doing and by Dying by Serving and Suffering Matth. 3.15 Rev. 19.16 Mat. 20.29 The Lord of Lords came to Minister And He that gives Life to All to give his Life a Ransome for many Stupendious Thought may I well call it that my GOD should become GOEL my near Kinsman by Incarnation and gain Right of Redemption as to those in whom he had a right of Creation for which Cause He is not ashamed to call them Brethren Hebr. 2 11. That the Infinite should be Confined and Content in the Womb though not Contained in the World Pellibus exiguis Ingens arctatur JESUS That a strait low-roof'd Virgin-Cell Should lodge th' Incomprehensible That the Eternal God should be Born Isaiah 9.6 Matth. 28.6 Luke 2.7 and the Immortal God buried after a Life of Sorrow and a Death of Shame That the Majesty of God should take up with a Stable for a Presence Chamber Mat. 2.11 and 27.29 Verse 2. and a Manger for a Throne where Wise-men must come and worship Him a wreath of Thornes for a Crown