Church and children in the dissipation of all adversary powers victorious be he in the subjugation and conquest of his enemies glorious be he in the conversion of sinners in the multiplication and increase of his holy and loyall subjects beautifull and amiable be he in the eyes of all persons Let his Gospell shine like the Sun from the one end of heaven unto the other Let his name be as an oyntment powred out casting a sweet smell throughout this great house of the world to him let all the Kings and kingdomes of the earth vaile and stoop become truly obedient and subject This is the prayer desire and endeavour of all that rejoyce in Christ aright teaching us That It is the duty of all people unfainedly to desire and earnestly to endeavour the welfare promotion and advancement of Christ his spirituall kingdome and Gospell David and all the house of Israel joyned together in erecting and setting up the Arke in the Tabernacle Kings and Subjects Masters and servants parents and children the people of every calling and condition should unite their forces their hearts and hands their counsels and tongues their affections and endeavours to set up Christ to advance his Gospell to honour and enlarge his kingdome This was shadowed in the building of the Temple to the building thereof concurred Solomon and his servants Hyram of Tyrus and the Sydonians who did hew the timber for it to the building of the Church of Christ to the setting up of Christ and his Gospell there should be an universall unanimous full and sweet concurrence of men of all nations of Kings and subjects of Lords and servants of Ministers and people every man in the place and calling wherein God hath set him according to the gift and endowment which God hath bestowed on him must concurre in his prayers and endeavours to advance the honour and kingdome of Christ Jesus This was also figured in the neighbouring Kings payment of tribute unto Solomon desiring his friendship and by variety of gifts and presents making their peace with him All people comming from all the Kings of the earth to heare his wisedome the whole as in a shadow presignifying mens payment of the spirituall tribute of feare and reverence faith and obedience love and thankfulnesse unto Christ their entring into a Covenant of peace with Christ their seeking of the love and friendship of Christ their attendance upon the Gospell to heare and learne Christs wisedome their dedication of themselves and their substance to the service of Christ their spirituall subjection unto Christ and their holy and gracious endeavours to make the name of Christ glorious This was foretold by the Psalmist they that dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him and his enemies shall licke the dust they shall humble themselves under the mighty hand of Christ they shall acknowledge and receive him as their Lord they shall feare and reverence him as their King they shall vaile and bow to his scepter they shall put themselves and all that is theirs under Christ they shall give themselves to the exaltation and setting up of Christ The Kings of Tharsis and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts they shall consecrate their abilities to Christs service they shall communicate of their substance to the maintenanne of Christs Church and Ministers to the preservation and increase of Christs kingdome All Kings shall fall downe before him all nations shall serve him All shall adore and serve him as their King all shall exalt and honour him as loyall subjects their heavenly Soveraigne all persons from the highest to the lowest must serve the Lord Jesus and study to make him glorious grace works obedience in the hearts of Princes as well as in the hearts of beggars The Sun as well as the stars did obeysance unto Joseph in his vision Kings as well as inferiour persons doe obâ—â—â—ance unto Christ under his kingdome and Gospell The foure and twenty Elders in Saint Johns vision fell downe before him that sate on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crownes before the throne Godly Kings and Governours cast their crownes their dominion dignity power honour and jurisdiction and all that they have before Christ they make all serviceable to the exaltation of Christ and his kingdome This was like prophecyed by the Prophet Esay the abundance of the sea multitudes of men dwelling in Islands shall be converted unto thee shall be gathered unto the Church and kingdome of Christ and the forces great troupes and companies of the Gentiles shall come to thee shall be joyned to the people of God embrace their Religion and enter into a sweet and gracious fellowship with them They shall bring gold and incense they shall contribute liberally to the maintenance of the Gospell and Christs poore members they shall dedicate their earthly abundance to Christs service and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord they shall be very industrious and studious to make the name of the Lord Jesus glorious The sonnes of strangers shall build up thy wals become members in thy house and fellow-helpers in thy worke and their Kings shall minister unto thee shall serve Christ and labour the welfare of his Church and kingdome The glory of Lebanon shall come to thee there is nothing so excellent which shall not put it selfe under Christ and be made serviceable to his Gospell and kingdome and thus our Saviour taught his Disciples to pray that Gods kingdome might come that the Gospell might be preached and men filled with the light thereof As the aire is filled with light upon the comming of the Sunne that the Holy-Ghost might be powred out and the hearts of men inspired with the knowledge love and obedience of the truth that all the lusts of men the impediments of Gods gracious kingdome in the soule of man might be crucified and utterly extinct and that God might universally spiritually and fully reigne in the hearts of men all the weapons of their rebellion laid aside and their soules brought into a gracious subjection and it is the Apostles charge pray that the word of the Lord may run have a free and a speedie passage running as the Sun shining to all the corners of the world and running as the rivers to water the earth and be glorified by the pure and powerfull preaching of it by the holy and gracious working of it by the ready and cheerfull entertainment of it and by the holy and humble subjection of the soules of men under it Mans obedience makes the word very glorious and the free and speedy passage and powerfull working of the Gospell should be earnestly prayed for by the Lords people this is the charet on which Christ rideth in spirituall triumph this is the scepter by which he swayeth in the soules of his chosen and the welfare of this doe all the
Father and God is knowne in Christ as a father is knowne in his sonnes face The soule of man is full of hellish darknesse that is not taught of Christ Jesus For as the Apostle saith the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is given in the face of Iesus Christ The knowledge of the glory of Gods wisedome in the mystery of mans redemption the knowledge of the glory of Gods power in dissolving the works of Satan the knowledge of the glory of Gods justice in satisfying himselfe for mans sinne by Christs suffering the knowledge of the glory of Gods mercy in forgiving mans transgression the knowledge of the glory of Gods holinesse in sanctifying mans soule and the knowledge of the glory of Gods love in reconciling man unto himselfe all this knowledge of the glory of God is given in the face of Jesus Christ it is all manifested and made knowne in and through Christ of all Christian schollers he is the choisest that knowes most of God in Christ and because this knowledge is given in the face of Christ we should receive Christ comming in the Gospell with very great rejoycing for as the light is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sunne so this wisedome when it entreth into the heart and this knowledge is pleasant to the soule in regard of spirituall liberty and freedome brought to the soule of man by the comming of Christ in his Gospell and spirituall kingdome Christ is the worker and the Gospell the instrument of mans freedome Christ comming in the Gospell brings liberty from ignorance as the Sunne brings liberty from darknesse Christ comming into Capernaum the Evangelist saith the people that sate in darknesse saw a great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up By this Christ brings liberty from death in sinne as by his voice he raised Lazarus and set him free from the grave so the dead in sinne heare the voice of the Sonne of God in the Gospell and live by this Christ brings liberty from Satan as David by his staffe and stone overthrew the great Goliah and brought liberty to Israel so doth Christ by his Gospell cast downe the strong holds of sinne and make Satan fall like lightening from heaven and frees the soules of Gods chosen Hereby Christ brings liberty from uncleannesse As Iordan freed Naaman from his leprosie so doth Christ by his word sanctifie and cleanse the soules of all beleevers Hereby Christ brings liberty from the Wrath of God and curse of the Law as a surety paying the debt brings liberty to the principall from the prison the arrest and sentence of the Judge Christ preached in the Gospell is the end of the law for righteousnesse to all that beleeve in him As we therefore rejoyce in the light which frees us from darknesse in the Physitian which frees us from diseases in the ransomer which frees us from bondage in the surety which frees us from the Serjeants that they doe not arrest us from the prison that it doth not hold us so should wee rejoyce in the comming of Christ bringing manifold sweet and comfortable freedome to us The Prophet having declared how God had given Christ for a Covenant of the people for a mediator of the people to establish the earth the elect living on the earth to cause to inherit the desolate heritages to restore them to that heavenly inheritance out of which they were cast by their sinne and Satan and to say to the prisoners goe forth to loose them that were bound with the fetters of their corruption and captivated by Satan addeth this as a duty of the people and a fruit of that freedome which Christ hath brought unto them Sing O Heaven and be joyfull Oh Earth breake forth into singing O Mountaine for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted And thus Philip preaching Christ in Samaria and the devils departing out of many that were possessed by them it is said there was great ioy in that City spirituall freedome from the power of Satan and our owne corruption ministers matter of much and very sweet rejoycing In regard of that heavenly and blessed victory which we obtaine by the comming of Christ in the Gospell the Priests sounding the rammes-hornes the wals of Jericho fell and the Israelites obtained the victory Gods Ministers crying aloud and lifting up their voyces like a trumpet in the preaching of the Gospell the holds of sin are w cast downe and the soules of men are made victorious according to that of the Apostle the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall and mighty through God to the casting downe of strong holds When the Arke was erected Dagon fell When Christ is erected exalted and set up among the people in the ministery of the Gospell then the Devill fals from his possession then sinne fals from its dominion and then the world fals from the roome and sway it had in the hearts of the people the souldier is made victorious by his weapon the Christian by the Gospell the word being the sword of the Spirit that instrument by which the Spirit shewes his power in making the soule of man a glorious conquerour Why doth the Prophet speaking in the person of Christ say the Lord had made his mouth a sharp sword and a polished shaft but to shew the energy and working of his doctrine in piercing the heart in wounding sinne as a sword and shaft doth the body of the enemy in the day of battell The right use of this weapon ever gives man victory over his corruption What is the white-horse mentioned by Saint Iohn but the Primitive Church being white and bright for the purity and perfection of doctrine and discipline the Apostles like a horse swiftly running propagated the faith of Christ through the world Who is the rider there spoken of but Christ who is exalted and carried in spirituall triumph by the Ministery of his Word What is his bow but his Word the Law and Gospell with which hee wounds the hearts of his elect that he may heale and enliven them The hearts of the reprobate to terrifie and destroy them according to that of the Psalmist Thine arrowes are sharp in the hearts of the Kings enemies whereby the people fall under thee And how went Christ forth conquering and to conquer he went forth conquering overcomming sinne by his death and passion and overcomming death hell Satan and the world by his Resurrection and hee goeth forth to conquer converting his chosen and convincing his enemies by the preaching of the Gospell and in this victory there is matter of great joy It is greater joy to a Christian to see the Devill and his owne lust overcome and cast downe then to Israel to see Pharaoh and the Egyptians lye drowned before
and women came and offered freely to the building of the Tabernacle so let us both men and women all that have a willing and a loving heart to Christ come and offer our selves and all that we have to Christ for the building up of the Church and Kingdome of Christ for the advancement of the Gospell of Christ And to excite and move our selves hereunto doe but consider how the exaltation of Christ his Gospell and Kingdome is the honour and glory of a Christian what is the glory of a servant but the enrichment of his Master by his industry what is the honour of a Subject but his loyalty to his King his exalting the name crowne kingdome and jurisdiction of his Prince what is the honour of a wife but her fidelity to her husband her cleaving close to her husband her bringing forth of many children to her husband and what is the crowne and dignity of all Christians but their serviceablenesse to Christ their exaltation of the name of Christ their cleaving close to Christ their bringing forth of much fruit to Christ their enlarging the territories of Christs kingdome Alphonsus had written on his Symboll as a character of his greatest honour these words Pro Lege pro Grege for the Law and for the people and this is the most honourable character of a Christian to make his heart and tongue his thoughts within and his works without to carry this inscription for Christ and for his Kingdome for his Church and for his Gospell He is every way of all persons the most honourable and glorious who is every way most for Christ Jesus 2. The argument and evidence of our love to Christ Where is our love to Christ as to our Lord and Master as to our King and Captaine as to our head and husband if we seeke not Christs honour if we doe not endeavour the exaltation of Christs kingdome Ionathan loved David as his owne soule and he stript himselfe of the roabe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments even to his sword He that loves Christ will keep backe nothing from Christ he will disroabe himselfe to honour Christ to exalt his kingdome and beautifie his Gospell Jacob loved Rachel and he served for her twice seven yeares He that loves Christ will put himselfe upon any hardnesse for Christ Christian love reputes the honouring and exaltation of Christ Jesus a sufficient recompence to its greatest losses and hardest service Love will make a man even holily prodigall in his layings out for the exaltation of Christs Gospell and kingdome 3. Observe the perill of not endeavouring the welfare of Christs Church and Gospell He that is not a friend of Christ is an enemy against Christ he that doth not help to set up Christs kingdome is by interpretation and in Gods construction an overthrower of Christs kingdome He that is not with me is against me saith Christ and he that doth not gather doth scatter He that is not a labourer is a scatterer in Christs vineyard He that fights not under Christs ensigne is a souldier under Satans banner He that is slothfull in his worke is brother saith Solomon to a great waster Thus he who doth not labour for Christ is a brother to them that are great wasters of the kingdome of Christ and fearefull is the curse pronounced on them that stand still and put not their helping hand to Christs Kingdome Cause and Gospell Curse ye Meros said the Angell of the Lord Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty 4. Looke upon Christs sparing and withholding of nothing for our exaltation Christ humbled himselfe to the lowest degree of humiliation and abasement for our elevation and advancement He emptied himselfe to fill us he abased himselfe to honour us he stript himselfe to apparell us he made himselfe a man of sorrowes to fill us with spirituall and soule-refreshing consolations Ye know saith Saint Paul the grace the love the bounty the rich liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ that though be was rich rich in the glory of his divine Essence in his absolute dominion over all creatures in his plenary possession of heaven and earth Yet for your sakes he became poore vailing his Diety Majesty and glory under the poore and unworthy garment of humane flesh being borne of poore parents and appearing in the forme of a servant humbling and abasing himselfe to the death the shamefull death of the crosse that ye through his poverty might be rich rich in the participation of the divine nature rich in the fruition of the fulnesse of Christ Christs humiliation is the meritorious cause spring and fountaine of mans exaltation Christ was very free and full in his exinaition and abasement for our honour and advancement The condition of man was so extreamely base and shamefull that nothing but the humiliation of the Sonne of God was able to restore honour to him And how ready should we be to put all under the feet of Christ to imploy all to the honour of Christ who hath done so much to honour us We should saith Chrysostome preferre nothing above Christ because he preferred nothing above us As he vailed and bowed downe himselfe and all that was his for our salvation so should we vaile and bow our selves and all that is ours for the exaltation of his Gospell and kingdome The meditation of Christs abasing himselfe for us should make us studious and inquisitive how to honour Christ Thou hast been carefull for us with all this care said the Prophet to the woman of Shunem what is to be done for thee Thus should we say to Christ thou hast been humbled and abased thou hast suffered a great suffering for us what is now to be done for thee what shall we doe to honour thee to exalt and magnifie thy name who hast undergone so great disgrace and shame for us The more Christ humbled himselfe for us the more he should be exalted by us Christ made himselfe a sacrifice for us and we should sacrifice our selves and all that is ours to him and his service Christ gave himselfe for our salvation and we should give our selves to him and the exaltation of his kingdome Christ was contented to be made low and as a very nothing as a worme and no man that we might be made the fulnesse of him who filleth all in all and we should be content to abase our selves and to be reputed vile and as nothing in the eyes of men to set up Christ to make him and his Gospell glorious in the eyes of the people He doth neither wisely nor graciously consider Christs humiliation that doth not give himselfe to the exaltation of Christs name and kingdome 5. Meditate the sweet the great and wonderfull blessing that commeth unto men by the
over us to be honourably entertained by us Saint Luke as of a Physitian sent to heale us as of a ransomer sent to free us and to restore spirituall liberty to us And Saint Paul saith plainly When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his sonne made of a woman made under the Law to redeeme them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons and in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and he filleth all in all And the authority calling preparation and fulnesse of Christs abilities to save us is very manifest 1. In regard of the power communicated unto Christ as Mediator All power both in heaven and in earth is given unto him power of vivification he quickneth whom he will as he raised Lazarus out of the grave power of illumination he openeth and no man shutteth as he opened the eyes of him that was borne blind power of sanctification he purgeth away all sinne as he cleansed the leprosie from the uncleane power of remission as Lord and King he forgiveth sinne he blotteth out sinne as the Sun the cloud power of pacification as he appeased the winds and waters power of administration as the high Steward of Gods family the supreme Pilot over the ship which is the Church of God as the great Centurion over the Lords army and chiefe Justice in Gods Kingdome power of subiugation casting downe and breaking in pieces all opposing forces as the stone out of the mountaines burst Nebuchadnezzars Image power of protection and sustentation in all troubles as Noahs Arke sustained him in the deluge and Christ safe guarded the three children in the fiery furnace The miraculous and mighty acts of Christs power are cleare and manifest declarations of his calling and commission and of his ability to minister salvation 2. In regard of Christs exaltationâ— He is exalted above all principalities he is exalted above all the common creatures as the Creator and workman above the worke as the Lord above his lowest servants he is exalted above all Angels as the Prince above the Nobles as the son above the attendants he is exalted above all devils as the Conquerour above the captives he is exalted above all the Saints of God as the head above the members as the King above the subjects as the bridegroome above the bride He is set at the right hand of God an exaltation whereof no meere creature is capable Christs Majesty dignity glory and exaltation doth even infinitely surpasse the dignity and honour of man and Angell He is made higher then the heavens others ascend into heaven have their dwelling in heaven but Christ is made higher then the heavens being God and man in one person having an exaltation above all Saints and Angels the inhabitants of heaven all that is in heaven and in the earth being put under him Christs sitting in his Fathers throne Christs exaltation above all creatures fully declared his ability to save his chosen from all evils 3. In regard of Christs impletion and filling of all He ascended farre above all heavens that he might fill all things Christ filleth all things with his power and common and generall operation as the Sunne fils all the earth with his influence with his absolute authority and dominion as a King fils his kingdome with his common gifts and mercies as the Master of the house fils all the persons of the house Christ filleth the Devils and damned men with his justice wrath vengeance but he filleth his Church and children with his ordinances as a teacher fils his schoole with books and rules of instruction as a nurse fils the childe with her breasts and the Master of the feast his guests with food these he filleth with knowledge as the Sun the aire with light with spirituall life sence and motion and all heavenly graces as the head the members as the root the branches as the Sun the starres sweet and comfortable excellent and gracious is that fulnesse which Christ ministers to his members and by his filling of his faithfull servants he verefies his Fathers mission and preparation of him to accomplish mans salvation 4. In regard of his proposing of his Fathers glory and referring all to his Fathers praise as the supreme and ultimate end of all his service and undertakings an ingenuous son preferres his fathers honour above his owne honour a good servant his Masters profit above his owne profit a loyall Embassador the Kings will message advantage and renowne above his owne will errant benefit or credit Christ as Mediator was both a sonne a servant and Gods great Embassador preferring his fathers will pleasure and praise above his owne I seeke not mine owne will faith Christ but the will of him that sent me and againe he sought not his owne glory but the glory of him that sent him and to the father Christ thus speakes of himselfe I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the worke which thou gavest me He glorified his father on earth by declaring his fathers will and counsell by making his father appeare glorious in the eyes of the people by ascribing all his miraculous and mighty works to his fathers power by fulfilling his Law by his obedience by satisfying his fathers justice by his sufferings by gathering home the soules of men to God his Father to know his Fathers will to adore his Fathers name to obey his Fathers precepts to beleeve his Fathers promises to love his Fathers truth to glorifie his â—athers name and every way to conforme themselves and their doings to his Fathers testimonies and by his full intendment and glorious accomplishment of his Fathers honour he compleatly demonstrated his ordination and preparation his comming in the name of his Father to be mans Saviour CHAP. XIII IN this with open face may all men behold and see Gods dispensation of salvation unto man by Christ his Sonne Christ is come in his Fathers name ordained prepared most absolutely and compleatly furnished to communicate salvation to the Lords chosen others come in the name of the Lord to procure and promote the salvation of man instrumentally ministerially subordinately dependantly but Christ is come in his fathers name to give salvation unto man absolutely and independantly by his owne power meritoriously by his owne worth and merit efficiently by the efficacions and mighty worke of his owne Spirit fully and everlastingly being able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him the Lord Jesus is the efficient and meritorious cause spring and fountaine of mans salvation There is no other name given under heaven wher by man can be saved but onely the name of Christ The name of the creature is a name of weaknesse emptinesse unworthinesse the name of mans righteousnesse is a name of many pollutions the name of mans worke and services is a name of debt and manifold
of old was upon Mount Gerazim the blessing is now upon the Gospell He that savingly entertaines the Gospell enjoyes a most blessed condition a condition of divine and heavenly wisedome Gods Ministers feed him with knowledge and understanding and make him wise unto salvation a condition of holinesse and sanctification the ministery of the word doth wash him like water and purifie him like fire a condition of liberty and freedome Moses freed Israel from Pharaohs bondage Gods Minister frees the soules of his children from the servitude of Satan the world and their owne corruption the word makes them free from ignorance in their understandings from perversenesse in their wils from vanity in their thoughts from infidelity servile feare worldly love and carnall joy in their affections the word makes them free to know God as the cleare eye is free to see the Sunne to receive Christ as the strong and open hand is free to receive a gift to love Christ as the bride hath an open and enlarged heart to love the bridegroome to attend Gods Ordinances to run the way of Gods Commandements as he whose feet and ankle-bones received strength by the ministery of Peter was free to stand and leap and walke and enter into the Temple and free to move and come to God by faith and love and joy as the rivers are free to move and flow unto the sea a condition of honour and exaltation the Gospell making them Sonnes of God by regeneration the friends of God by love the members of Christ by faith and heires annexed with Christ for their present title to and future participation of the same inheritance with Christ Jesus a condition of fulnesse and satisfaction they are satisfied with the goodnesse of Gods house the Gospell leads them unto Christ the Sunne in whom is all light the tree on whom growes all fruit the fountaine from whom flowes all refreshment the rocke in whom is all strength the pearle in whom is all worth and the Paradise in whom is all pleasure and peace very sweet and wonderfull gracious and overflowing are the comforts and contentments derived from Christ to Gods children under their enjoyment of the Gospell Lastly a condition of permanency and duration though the grasse wither and the flower fade yet the word of the Lord abideth for ever Though worldly fulnesse change like the Moone and vanish like a vapor and wither like the flower and the grasse yet the estate of grace into which men are called by Gods Ministers is an estate of firme and sure continuance they are sonnes abiding alway in their fathers house they are trees planted by the water side never withering they are houses built upon the rocke never sinking their graces like the light shine more and more to the day of their perfection the excellency of their estate who enjoy and make best use of the Gospell abundantly declares Gods dispensation of very great sweet and heavenly blessings by the labours of his Ministers CHAP. XV THe Lords dispensing of sweet and heavenly blessings unto man by the labours of his holy and faithfull Ministers shewes what the estate and condition of man is without the Lords Ministers even an estate of woes of myseries and curses Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very wretched and miserable an estate of death without spirituall life the earth without the Sunne is but a dead and fruitlesse lump the soule without the Sunne of Righteousnesse shining in the Gospell is dead in sinnes and trespasses a tree twice dead oncce by originall corruption and secondly by actuall transgression and plucked up by the roots wholly separate from all the meanes of life he that hath not the Sonne externally in the Gospell internally in his heart ministerially in his word and efficiently in his worke of grace he hath not life Such are farre from the life of grace and sanctification as are strangers to Christ in his Gospell The woman of Shunems sonne remained dead according to the body till the Prophet came and raised him the soule of man continues dead in respect of the inward man untill the Minister of the Lord comes to quicken him 2. An estate of darknesse Man without the ministery of the word is in darknesse and the shadow of death a darke body without an eye a darke house without a Lamp The soules clearest light is nothing else but darknesse as long as the Gospell doth not shine into it to irradiate and enlighten it There was once no light in all the land of Egypt onely the children of Israel had light in their dwellings there is no spirituall and heavenly light in all the world but among Gods Israel there is light only in their dwellings who enjoy the Gospell In Judah is God knowne and his name is great in Israel God is truly and savingly knowne only by that people who enjoy the light of the Gospell 3. An estate of servitude and bondage Israel continued under hard bondage untill Moses and Aaron came to deliver them untill the Lord raised a fiery pillar to conduct them out of Egypt unto Canaan Man abides under the hard bondage of Satan and his owne corruption untill the Lord sends his Minister to free him and sets up the fiery pillar of his word to lead him out of this servile and slavish condition Man without the Gospell is in prison and hath no key to open it he is taken captive and hath no weapon to resist his enemy to procure his freedome he is manacled with many fetters and hath no hammer to dissolve and loose them Mans condition without the ministery of the Gospell is very base and servile When and where the Gospell shineth then and there as the Prophet speaketh The eyes of the blind are opened the prisoners are brought out from the prison and they that sit in darknesse out of the prison-house 4. An estate of emptinesse and barrennesse The field without the dew is unfruitfull the soule without the dew of divine and heavenly doctrine distilling thereupon beares no good fruit there is no lawfull conception without an husband all the fruit of the soule not espoused to Christ by the Gospell is illegitimate and a very abomination there is no reaping where is no sowing The soule which is not sowne with the seed of the word yeelds no harvest of grace they are barren ground nigh to burning who are strangers to the Gospell 5. An estate of pollution and uncleanesse The house without the besome is overspread with slime and cobwebs Naaman continued leprous untill he went seven times into Jordan and washed the Temple was a den of theeves till Christ came with his whip and drove them out the heart of man is an unclean house without the besome of the word sweeping it the soule of man is oversread with the lothsome leprosie of sin untill he bathe himselfe in the Jordan of
to a full and through denyall of our selves to a hearty free and effectuall subjection of our selves to Christ as Abraham left his kindred habitation countrey and all and followed the Lord going whither the Lord commanded him so let us leave all that is most neare and deare most pleasant and profitable and follow the Lord Jesus doing whatsoever he should enjoyne us As Moses left the Court of Pharaoh refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to endure affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Thus let us leave the world refuse to be called the sonnes and daughters friends and favourites of the earth and of the prophane men thereof and let us chuse rather to endure affliction reproach disgrace and any thing with Christ in the service of Christ in the enjoyment of Christ rather then enjoy all the pleasures riches honours and comforts of the world without Christ Let us take heed with Paul that we be not brought under the power of any creature or of any lust whatsoever Let us see that our denyall be not 1. a naturall morall or superstitious denyall as some heathen have and many Papists doe in many things deny themselves but let our denyall be a spirituall denyall arising from a principle of grace within inabling us to reigne and rule over our affections to forsake and renounce the motions of our owne corrupt will and reason putting all in subjection under Christ that Christ alone may raigne in our soules 2. Let not our denyall be a forced and constrained denyall as a Mariner in a storme casts away his goods which yet he loves very well but let it be a voluntary and free denyall arising from the hatred and detestation of what doth oppose Christs kingdome in our soules as Amnon hated Thamar and thrust her from him and also from unfained love to Christ as the bride in love to the bridegroome leaves her fathers house to live with and enjoy the bridegroome 3. Let not our denyall be partiall and halting as Saul slew some of the cattell and spared others but let it be universall he that doth not deny all truly denyes none as Joshuah put downe all the Kings of Canaan so depose all leave nothing in the soule to exalt it selfe against Christ to lift up it selfe above Christ 4. Let not our denyall be temporary and vanishing as a bulrush that bowes downe the head for a day as a sicke man denyes himselfe many dainties during his sicknesse and no longer but let it be continuall and constant grow in it a man once dead lives no more but daily rots and consumes away in his grave Thus the world and sinne being once denied once crucified must live no more but daily decay and dye within us And let us not only deny our selves but to our self-denyall joyne subjection unto Christ prostrate all under Christ and to him let us subject our selves holily with obedience out of a pure heart being holy in all manner of conversation as he that hath called us is holy 2. Cordially obeying from the heart root the forme of doctrine delivered us able to say with the Psalmist thy Law O Lord is in my heart I delight to doe thy will 3. Fully let us not indent with Christ as Pharaoh did with Joseph reserving chiefly the Throne unto himselfe but let us put all under Christ let Christ reigne over all in our understandings as a Prophet enlightening us in our wils as a King commanding us in our affections as a Priest mortifying us in our love as a husband marrying us let the whole man be subject unto whole Christ And 4. Perpetually let there be no end of Christs kingdome let his kingdome in our soules like the house of David in Israel grow stronger and stronger And the better to induce us thus to deny our selves and to put all under Christ Looke upon 1. The interest which Christ hath in a Christian as a workman in his workmanship for we are the workmanship of God in Christ created unto good works as a ransomer in the redeemed he hath bought us with a price as a dweller in his house he dwelleth in our hearts by faith as a doner in his gift we are given unto him of God by eternall election and by effectuall vocation Christs interest in us doth challenge full obedience from us none hath such claime and title to us none should have such service and subjection from us 2. The relation between us and Christ a relation of King and people husband and wise shepheard and flocke head and members in all which we may reade as in lively characters the duty of selfe-denyall and obedience 3. The subjection and putting of all things under Christ He hath all power both in heaven and earth he is made the head over all things to the Church all is Christs servant It is a great wrong to the Master of the house to draw away the service and obedience of his servant from him to exalt his servant above him The withholding of any thing from the service of Christ the setting up of any thing in the roome of Christ is a great dishonour to Christ 4. The abuse of all things which are here made subiect and serviceable unto Christ. There is in every thing a power and a disposition to doe some service to Christ to worke to the exaltation of Christ they are all made for this end and use they have an energy and inclination hereunto there is in all the implements of a house an artificiall aptitude to doe some service to the Master of the house there is in all the things of the little house of man and in this great house of the world a virtuall aptitude to doe some service to Christ the Master of this house all things saith the Apostle are of him by creation through him by preservation and to him in their service use and application and whatsoever man hath which he doth not put under Christ which he doth not use as an instrument of Christs glory he doth abuse it the gold and silver lands and livings art and learning friends and acquaintance understanding will memory affections speech or whatsoever else man hath he doth abuse and prophane it he doth divert and turne it from its true and proper inclination end and appointment when he doth not glorifie Christ with it Know you not saith the Apostle that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Thus know we not that that all the faculties of our soules all the members of our bodies and all things else are the gifts and creatures of Christ shall we then take the gifts and creatures of Christ and use them against and not for Christ God forbid 5. The sweet
Shunems sonne that was dead He lay upon the childe and his mouth upon the childes mouth and his eyes upon the childes eyes and his hands upon the childes hands he stretched himselfe upon the childe and the flesh of the childe waxed warme the childe neesed and opened his eyes Christ applyeth himselfe and his benefits to the understandings of men to the soules and consciences of men and their cold hearts are warmed their blind eyes are opened their soules are enlivened and Christ lives within them raising them from the death of sinne and restoring them to the life of God from which they are alienated by sinne therefore Saint John saith He that hath not the Sonne hath not life He that hath not the Son graciously possessing him spiritually quickning him powerfully working upon him and causing a holy change in him he hath not life the life of God that holy and gracious life which God through Christ communicates to the soules of his servants but he that hath the Sonne he that beleeveth in the Sonne is united to the Sonne and hath the Sonne living in him he hath life he is spiritually quickened and enlivened And God saith the Apostle hath given us eternall life and this life is in his Sonne God hath placed this and the fulnesse of all divine and heavenly good things in his Sonne he dispenseth all these by the Sonne that no man may live before him without the Sonne living in him and the Sonne is called Life having in himselfe the fulnesse of all life having the power of life and death being the Authour and the root of life in all them that live the life of grace no man comming to the Father receiving life from the Father finding grace and favour with the Father but in and through the Sonne who is to us the Way the Truth and the Life the way by whom we walk the truth by whom we are guided and the life by whom we are quickned called by Saint Paul our life because we live not the life of grace of our selves but by Christ It is a life which ariseth not from our flesh but is derived to us from Christ Christ liveth in us begetteth preserveth and perfecteth this life in all beleevers and for this end Christ came that all the chosen of God might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Ministring not onely an inchoation but a daily increase of the life of grace untill they come to the life of glory and Christ is termed eternall life having life eternall in himselfe working life eternall and living for ever in us we enjoying the true and eternall God in and through Christ And Christ liveth in all them that are the children of God 1. By way of Originall The life of grace is originally from Christ Christ being not only the Author of this life with the Father and the Holy-Ghost but also the root of this life in us living in us as the root liveth in the branches as the parent liveth in the childe therefore Christ is called the vine and we the branches As the life of the branches is originally in the vine so is our life originally in Christ and as the branches live by the vine living in them so we live by Christ living in us And the Apostle termeth the second Adam which is Christ a quickning spirit For as the life of the body of man is originally from the soule the soule quickning and living in the body so the life of grace is originally from Christ Christ spiritually quickening and living in all beleevers and as the body without the spirit is dead so is man without Christ spiritually dead in sins 2. By way of Coniunction Christ liveth in vs by being united to us and made one with us The stocke liveth in the graft by union with the graft we being taken out of the wilde Olive separated from our naturall and corrupt estate called and gathered home to Christ and grafted in the true Olive we live in him and he lives in us If ye abide in me and I in you ye shall bring forth much fruit saith Christ If ye be united unto me and I united unto you then you shall live and be very fruitfull By being built upon Christ the living stone they become lively stones 3. By way of influence infusion and transmission The heavens by an influence into the earth doe quicken and enliven the earth and make all the seeds and roots hidden in the earth to revive and put themselves forth to sprout and flourish there is an influence going forth from the Sun of righteousnesse into the soules of men reviving and quickning them and making them of dead to become living of barren to become fruitfull To you saith the Lord shall the Sun of Righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings and ye shall goe forth and grow up as the calves of the stall There is an influence goeth forth from the skill seated in the mind and strength seated in the hand of the Artificer which passeth upon the worke whereby he moulds and fashions it and sets a stamp upon it according to his pleasure Thus there is a heavenly influence a holy vertue and power comming from Christ and his Spirit that new moulds and fashions that mightily quickens and enlivens the soule of man by which Christ sets his owne Image upon man and this is called the power of Christs Resurrection That I may know him saith Paul and the power of his Resurrection that I may know Christ and be made partakers of the good things which come by Christ that I may know him as a Prophet instructing me as a Priest sanctifying me as a King reigning spiritually within me and that I may know the power of his Resurrection in the vivification of my soule in the abolition of my sinne in the taking away of the guilt of my transgression in the acquisition of righteousnesse and in the restoring of me to the assured hope of future glory and immortality There is a virtue flowes from the Resurrection of Christs body from the grave to the resurrection of the soules of men from the death of sinne As Christ was raised from the death by the glory of the Father even so should we walke in newnesse of life saith the Apostle and this influence of Christ into the soule of man is called the exceeding greatnesse of his power an exceeding great power for the omnipotency of the Agent for the mightinesse of the Devill sinne death and the world who are overcome by it for the greatnesse of the holy and gracious change wrought thereby in the soules of men changing the whole frame of the hearts of men from death to life from darknesse to light from bondage to liberty from uncleannesse to holinesse from earthlinesse to heavenlinesse and by this powerfull and mighty influence doth Christ live in
rare 4. In regard of the sweetnes and pleasantnesse of this life Christ living in the soule of man is the choysest joy of man The light saith Salomon is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to the eye to behold the Sun the light of Christ is sweet to the soule the beholding of the Sun of righteousnesse living in man is very pleasant unto man the heart of old Jacob revived hearing that his son Joseph lived the sence and feeling of Christ living in man is a sweet and powerfull reviving of the heart of man Christ is the Prince of peace and where he lives there is sweet and sure peace Christ is the Paradise of all comforts he that enjoyes Christ hath strong consolation where Christ liveth the wounds of the soule are healed the adversaries of the soule are vanquished the sinnes of the soule are purged the stormy tempest of the conscience is appeased the clouds of sorrow which darkned the soule are dispelled spirituall liberty is restored forgivenesse of sin is sealed sence of Gods love communicated and the soule graciously reconciled unto God all other life is bitter and unsavoury as death in comparison of a holy and gracious life 5. In regard of that estate and condition whereinto this life doth exalt and advance man Christ living in man makes man a childe of God by adoption a spirituall freeman a glorious Conquerour over Satan himselfe and the world a living member of that mysticall body whereof Christ is the head a King and Priest to God and an heyre of an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the Heavens no crowne doth so honour man as his Sanctification man is more to be esteemed for his holy walking then for the highest honour the Earth is able to conferre upon him it is not mans naturall but his new-birth that makes him truly noble though holinesse thorough mens ignorance and profanenesse be of no esteeme with men yet is this the prime advancer of man 6. In regard of that lownesse and basenesse of spirit from which this life doth free man man in his naturall estate is very basely minded very dishonourably disposed like the decreped woman in the Gospell he is altogether bowed down and wholy bent to the things which are here below minding only things earthly wallowing like a Swine in the dirt and mire of the world and fleshly lusts but when Christ lives in man when he puts the life of grace into man he ennobles the heart of man communicates a heavenly disposition to him and puts the whole man into a heavenly frame and sets his heart to seeke the things which are above he rayseth his heart his thoughts his desires to the love meditation and seeking of things spirituall as he raysed the body of Lazarus from the grave hee makes man to looke upon the world as upon a thing of nought to repute all the fullnesse of the Earth as dung and drosse in comparison of Christ to leave all and follow Christ as Elisha left his yoakes of Oxen and followed Elijah having Christ living in him he minds Christ adheres to Christ pursues and followes after Christ makes Christ his crown and portion he hath an excellent Spirit like the Spirit of Christ contemning the glory of the world as Christ contemned it with Moses reputing the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt despising all the profers and perswasions of the Earth not regarding all the cominations of the world hee chooseth rather with the three children to walke with Christ in the fiery fornace then to live without Christ in the choysest earthly pallace He had rather be nayled with Christ to the crosse then set with Herod upon the throne He saith to the men of the world as Abraham in another case to the King of Sodome give me the persons take thou the substance give me Christ take ye the world give me things heavenly and eternall take ye things earthly and temporall He that hath Christ living in him reputes the world as nothing Christ is both his crowne joy and portion 7. In regard of their honourable walking who have Christ living in them they c walke in the Spirit saith the Apostle the Spirit moves and guides them to walke according to that rule which the Spirit hath in the word proposed to them the Spirit makes their hearts within and lives without sutable to that holinesse which the law prescribeth they walk in the power of the Spirit quickning and assisting them in the light of the Spirit directing them in the motion of the Spirit exciting them and in the operation of the Spirit enlarging their hearts with the knowledge of God faith in God love to God and with the sence and feeling of Gods goodnesse towards them and in the testimony and evidence of the Spirit sealing up the forgivenes of their sins unto them as the soule is not idle but operative in the body distributing sence and motion to every member of the body So the Spirit of Christ in them in whom Christ lives is not idle but operative manifesting it selfe in the fruits and effects thereof the soule inables man to humane works and services the Spirit of Christ living in man inables man to spirituall duties and exercises to shine as a light in the midst of the froward generation among whom hee lives to walke as a childe of light with Zachary and Elizabeth to walke in all the Commandements of God and be blamelesse and this is the honour and crowne of a Christians life to walke as beseemeth the Gospell to walk worthy of God and his Christian and holy calling he is most honourable who expresseth most holinesse in his conversation 8. In regard of the terme whereunto they live who have Christ living in them carnall men who are aliens to the life of God and Christ live to a very low ignoble and base terme they live to the world minding and intending the world conforming themselves to the example custome and fashion of the world they serve Mammon and not God to this they live as servants to the Master whom they serve they live unto themselves and their owne lusts walking after their owne imaginations proposing their owne by and base ends doing all things for themselves for their owne profit pleasure and applause they serve their owne belly and not the Lord Jesus they live to Satan not doing the will of God but the lust of the Divell as Christ speakes and this is the shame and dishouour of the life of man to live to live to such low by and base ends as these but they who have Christ living in them doe live unto God intending God making God and his prayse the supreame end of their living as a wife liveth to her husband bringing forth children to her husband a vine liveth to the Master of the vineyard bringing forth his fruite to him and a flocke liveth to him that is the Master
other people have besides them 7. In respect of unity A common-wealth consisting of many particular persons makes but one politicke body All true beleevers are but one mysticall body in Christ therefore the Church is called One. My beloved saith Christ is one and there is one body and one spirit saith the Apostle one Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of us all The Church is of one Lord by one Baptisme into one mysticall body under one head ruled by one spirit bound with one bond of hope and love professing one faith and called with one Calling to one heavenly Kingdome built upon the foundation of one Doctrine As one soule doth quicken the many members of the body so the Spirit doth animate and enliven the whole Church As in one Pomegranate there are many kernels within one rinde so doth one Church containe innumerable people through the unity of faith having one Father regenerating them one spirit enlivening them one light guiding them one spirituall food nourishing them one Law binding them and one Head ruling the in they are most sweetly and entirely one among themselves CHAP. IX Perswading Subiection under one Head Submission to one Law and unity between our selves THe Church and faithfull people of Christ must learne from hence Subjection under one Head Submission under one Law and unity between themselves 1. Subiection under one Head Christ To Christ is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth and to him must all be Subject His dominion is from sea to sea an I from the river to the ends of the earth all Kings must fall downe before him and all Nations must serve him To him the Church must be subject spiritually their obedience must arise from a principle of grace they must worship him in spirit and in truth To him they must be subject heartily not in shew but in truth obeying from the heart root that forme of Doctrine which Christ hath delivered to them To him they must be subject voluntarily without compulsion they must be a willing people his Law must be in their hearts and they must delight to doe his will To him they must subject themselves universally in respect of the rule they must have respect unto all the Commandements as Noah in building the Arke had an eye to the whole patterne which was set before him and in respect of the whole man all the faculties of the soule and all the members of the body must be obedient to him as the Sun Moone and eleven Starres did obeysance to Joseph in his vision Christ must be glorified both in our body and in our spirit To Christ we must be constantly subject our hearts must be inclined to performe his statutes alway even unto the end Christ is the Head and we the members Christ is the shepheard and we the slocke Christ is the husband and we the Spouse and as all the members are fully subject to the head the slocke readily follows the voice of the shepheard and the Spouse is lovingly subject to the Bridegroome so must we be fully freely and lovingly obedient unto Christ 2. This teacheth Submission unto one Law The Church is one mysticall common-wealth and must be subject unto one Law of Christ All that builded the Arke built by one patterne The whole Church of Christ hath one patterne according to which they must build their faith and their love even the whole Fabricke of their worship and service The ship hath one compasse by which it roweth and one Pilate by which it is guided The Church is the ship the Word the Compasse and Christ the Pilate by Christ and his Word must the whole Church of God be ordered and ruled The Word of God is a sure word to which we must give heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place The Law of the Lord is perfect it needs no addition as the Sun needs not the help of any candle to increase his light in shining on them that travell The Scriptures are a compleate and perfect Schoole profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works God gave Moses a perfect patterne for the building of the Tabernacle without addition or dimunution Gods word is a perfect patterne comprising the whole frame of mans conversation It is Gods prerogative to prescribe and mans duty to conforme Ye shall not adde unto the word Which I command you saith the Lord neither shall you diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandements of the Lord your God which I command All other Doctrines are darknesse and not light they cannot guide us they are false plants of mans and not of Gods planting they beare no good fruit to feed us and God the great Husbandman of the vineyard will plucke them up they are sand he that builds upon them sinks they corrupt and adulterate the Doctrine and Religion of Christ as the tares the wheate as the evill herbe the Prophets pot Mans service is no service of Christ if it receive not it's rule from Christ in vaine saith Christ doe ye worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men He that mingles humane devices with his religious duties makes it a humane and no divine service As the Elements once mingled in a compound body doe lose their proper formes so Religions mingled with humane traditions and made compounding parts of a mixed worship and service doe lose their formes and cease to be religious in Gods account As silver mingled with brasse doth lose the nature and name of silver and currant coyne and will not passe with men the touchstone discovers it and the skilfull Goldsmith rejects it Thus the worship of God mixed with the dresse of mans invention loseth both the name and nature of true worship The word discovers it to be counterfeit and God doth not regard it nor the performers of it Of such therefore the Prophet saith reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath reiected them This alienates from Christ it divides the heart and places the feare trust love and joy of the soule upon some forraine thing some Idoll of mans devising A woman that embrace a stranger with her husband in her bosome and mingles strangers with her husband is no more a chaste and loving wife her heart is divided and she is become an adulteresse The mingling of forraine inventions with Christs precepts in his services is in Gods interpretation spirituall fornication their hearts are gone from Christ their husband they are taken up with strange lovers To this purpose is that of the Prophet Esay the faithfull City is become an harlot and what other but this was Judah's whoredome for which the Lord upbraideth her by the Prophet saying thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers thou hast embraced many forreigne doctrines thou hast
left saith the Lord thou shalt multiply abundantly and be very fruitfull a mother of many spirituall children there is the fruitfulnesse of the Church for thy maker is thy husband there is Gods Covenant the soules wedlock with the Lord Jesus is ever attended with spirituall fruitfullnesse but the strangers to this Covenant continue barren like a Woman without a Husband 3. Hee is without the Lords gracious and sure protection God is a Sunne and a Shield to them that are within his Covenant that walke uprightly as the Psalmist speakes to these he is a wall of fire round about them these he keepeth as the apple of his eye these he watereth like a Vineyard every moment and keepeth them day and night least any hurt them but them that are without his covenant he leaveth them as a Vinyard without an hedg as a flock without a Shepheard a City without a Watch-man these the Lord leaveth to their sins as a sick-man to his disease to Satan as a wandring Sheepe to the Lyon as a barren field to the wilde Boare and Beast of the Forrest these he leaveth to their enemies to spoyle them these have no hiding place under the shadow of Gods wings when dangers doe assault them The men of the old world which were without the Arke were left to the waters to swallow them they that are without the Covenant of God in Christ are lyable to a deluge of woes and miseries to surprize them 4. He is without all spirituall claime and title to any blessing The woman which is not in matrimoniall covenant with the Master of the house hath no title to the things of the House Christ is the heire of all things he that is not in covenant with Christ not married to Christ though he hath a civill right in respect of men yet hee hath noe spirituall right in respect of Christ to any thing God as a bountifull Master feeds him as a servant but he possesseth noâ—hing as a Son he can claime nothing he enjoyes nothing as a Son an Heyre and Co-heyre with Jesus Christ 5. He is without the blessing of God Gods blessing goes with his Covenant They saith St. Paul which are of the Faith true beleevers partakers of the Covenant they are blessed with faithfull Abraham they are blessed as in the Justification of their soules so in their persons in their possessions in their civill and religious performances and in all their sufferings and severall changes but such as are without the Covenant are farre from blessing The wrath of God saith St. John abideth on them on their persons on their possessions on their undertakings the Lord sets his face against them for evill and not for good that which is good in it selfe turnes for evill unto them their very blessings turne to a curse as the meat of diseased bodies turnes to evill humours their very Table becomes their snare yea the word of life becomes to them the savour of death unto death and Christ himselfe who is the way the truth and the life becomes a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence 6. He is without peace there is no peace saith the Prophet to the wicked no spirituall no true peace to them that are not within the Covenant of peace they are as the tossed Sea which hath no rest but is in continuall agitation casting up mire and dirt there is gravell in their bread which makes it bread of sorrowes to them there is a thorne in their bed which causeth their sleepe to depart from them with Belshazar they have a hand-writing appeares in the wall of their Banquetting-house which turnes their merry feasting into dismall feare and trembling and in the midst of their sufficiency they are in straights there is a worme within them continually biting and gnawing them causing their hearts to meditate terrour the thought of God is terrible to them as the thought of a severe Judge to a guilty malefactor the thought of the Word affrights them as the light a theefe having stolne goods about him and by this you may in part at least discerne the uncomfortablenesse of their estate who are without the Covenant CHAP. XVII Proposing certaine markes and characters of mans being within the Covenant CArnall mans estrangement from the Covenant of grace and misery in being without it should occasion every man to examine his owne estate in this behalfe and strive to find in himself sound and cleare evidence of his interest in this Covenant which may be discerned 1. By Gods being all in all to man this is a prime parcell of the Covenant I will be their God the husband is to the woman joyned in matrimoniall covenant with him instead of all and more then all other men God is to him that is in covenant with him instead of al other things as Elkana said to Hannah Am not J to thee better then ten sons thus is God to the soule espoused to him better then all things to such a one God is a Father regenerating a Sun enlightning a dweller possessing a King commanding a Guide leading a Treasure enriching a Friend comforting and a Fountaine filling he is such a soules summum bonum his shield for defence his rocke for supportment his Counsellour for advice his Paradise for comforts his Bridegroome for love his Friend for communion and his Portion for satisfaction he is able to say Whom have J in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever God his making himselfe ours in the way of sanctification satisfaction and spirituall comfort is a sweet assurance of our being within his Covenant 2. By mans full application of himselfe to God this is another branch of the Covenant they shall be my people Schollars in my Schoole learning my will servants in my house doing my worke Souldiers in my army fighting my battels Subiects in my Kingdome receiving my Lawes and studying the exaltation of my name Children in my Family abiding in my house delighting in my presence and rejoycing in their communion with me and trees of Righteousnesse in my Orchard bringing forth all their fruit to me they shall be all that they are unto me as a wife is what she is unto her husband bringing forth children unto her husband and caring how to please her husband thus they who are in covenant with God strive to be all that they are unto God doe all for God their full and constant care is how to please God they are not their own they live not after their own fancy they intend not themselves in what they do but they are the Lords in their understandings to know him in their wils to intend him in their imaginations to think upon him in their affections to feare and trust
ground of all Religion Satan labours much to undermine and shake it and the Atheisme of mans heart is very prone to suspect and doubt it and mens weake and feeble lame and halting apprehension of this truth is one maine cause of the great abundance of Atheisme and prophanenesse For the effectuall and invincible perswasion resolution and through setling of your hearts therefore in this truth that God is looke 1. into the booke of Scripture and 2. into the booke of Nature 1. Looke into the booke of the Scripture and there fasten your eyes 1. upon the plaine and apparant Testimonies which it gives of God By the mouth of Job aske now saith he the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowles of the aire and they shall tell thee or speake to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this in whose hand is the soule of every living thing and the breath of all mankinde By the mouth of David The Heavens saith he declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-worke By the mouth of Paul God saith he who in times past suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes neverthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that he did good and gave us raine from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse And againe As I passed by saith he to the men of Athens and behold your devotions I found an Altar with this Inscription To the unknowne God whom therefore ye ignorantly worship him declare I unto you God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Neither is worshipped with mens hands seeing he giveth life and breath and every thing And most evidently writing to the Romanes he saith That which may be knowne of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them for the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and God-head so that they are without excuse 2. Fasten your eyes upon the miraculous and mighty workes recorded in Scripture as the dividing of the waters of the red Sea and making the children of Israel to passe through them the giving of waters out of a stony rocke the raining of Manna from Heaven the sending of Quailes in the wildernesse the restraining of the fire in Nebuchadnezzars furnace that though it burned yet it hurt not the three children cast into it the shutting of the mouthes of the Lyons that they hurt not Daniel cast in among them the curing of diseases which no Physitian could heale the raising of the dead which no created power could doe the feeding of many thousands with a few loaves and fishes and many such like evidently declaring that there is an Almighty hand doing such great and mighty works 3. Meditate upon the prophecies and predictions there receiving their full and sure and certaine accomplishment in many ages after according as it was foretold arguing an eternall and All-seeing Spirit by whom they were inspired 4. Observe the punishments there miraculously inflicted upon the old world the Sodomites the Israelites in the wildernesse Pharaoh and many others and you shall reade the Justice of an Almighty God punishing the wickednesse of man 5. Consider well a way revealed to life and salvation above the capacity of man and Angell God appearing to the Patriarckes entring into a Covenant of life and peace with them sending his Prophets with tydings of a Saviour to come and at last sending his owne Sonne conceived by the Holy-Ghost in the wombe of a Virgin the humane nature assumed into the unity of the second person Christ God and Man in one Person a perfect Mediator between God and man a worke so strange and wonderfull that the Angels doe admire it and desire to pry into it a singular demonstration of Gods infinite and unsearchable wisedome 6. Observe also the mighty efficacy of this word of God upon the hearts of men piercing their hearts dividing between the bones and the marrow the joynts and the spirit presents as in a glasse the most close and secret sinnes of man before him filling them with terrour and amazement humbling and abasing them below the dust raising them out of the grave of sinne to a new life fetching them forth of Satans prison as the Angell brought Peter out of Herods prison turning their stony hearts into hearts of flesh making their leprous soules pure and cleane as Naamans flesh in Jordan healing the wounds of their consciences which no worldly balme could cure plainly declaring that an holy and Almighty Spirit did both inspire them and worke by them 7. Observe in the sacred Scriptures a generation of people so changed by the use of the word from what once they were That they are now distinguished from all the world besides as the living from the dead as the light from darkenesse as the Vine from the thorne and the Lambe from the Wolfe men called out of darkenesse into light men hating their former estates wayes and works more then ever they loved them Men chusing to live in any misery rather then in the allowance of the least sinne Men contented to be hated of father mother and all their friends according to the flesh that they may please Christ taking the spoyling of their goods joyfully reputing the reproach of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of the world Men pleasing contenting blessing and applauding themselves in the having of Christ though they have nothing else willing rather to lye in prison and dye a thousand deaths then deny or leave Christ Now whence is all this were they borne soâ— no they were once as others are Is it of themselves no the Leopard cannot change his spots it is indeed no other but the worke of a holy gracious and mighty God it is his worke which makes men to differ Had not this generation of men a cleare understanding and a lively and sweet apprehension of the Majesty power beauty and goodnesse of this God they would never for his sake endure such reproach hatred and trouble from the world Turne from the booke of the Scripture to the booke of Nature and here you shall see a Deity shining as the Sun in the Starres and putting it selfe forth as the root in the branches and appearing as the Artificer in his workmanship And thus looke 1. Vpon the whole universe the great house of the world the Earth as the floore and the Heavens as the roofe and covering plainly demonstrating the eternall power wisedome and Godhead as the Apostle saith When we see a great and stately house builded artificially composed severall peeces of stone timber lime earth and other materials skilfully and strongly joyned
together variety of roomes framed for the entertainment of many guests and other offices belonging to the house and windowes made in fit and convenient places to give light thereunto we all know that some skilfull workman hath been labouring there the house having no power nor wisedome to raise it selfe and thus when we looke upon this great and mighty house of the world and see it composed of severall creatures Heavens Aire Waters Earth c. variety of roomes fitted for men Beasts Birds Fishes and all other guests belonging to this house The Sun Moone and Starres set on high as great lamps and lanthornes to give light thereunto we cannot but acknowledge that some Almighty and All-wise workman hath been the builder thereof none of these being able to create and set themselves in this orderly manner this we must needs acknowledge though we see not the builder When we see the body and branches of a Tree springing we know there is a root though it be hidden in the earth and we see it not When we see as that noble Duplesses observes a river flowing we presently conclude there is some Spring or Fountaine whence it hath Originall though we see not the same and thus from the Creation and the things seen we must of necessity conclude there is a Deity though invisible and not seen otherwise then as we see the cause in the effect 2. Looke upon the order of things moving We discerne many things moving in the world as Sun Moone and Stars in Heaven the Birds in the aire Men and Beasts upon the earth Rivers running Seas ebbing and flowing and every thing that moves must of necessity be moved of some other by the consideration whereof we are necessarily led to acknowledge a first mover which is God giving motion to all himselfe not moved When we see the body moving we know there is a soule within moving it though we see not the soule When we see the wheeles of a watch moving we know there is a spring that sets them all on going Thus the motion of the creature plainly demonstrates a first mover though our eyes behold him not according to the Rule Secunda moventia non movent nisi per hoc quod sunt a primo motu 3. Looke upon the Series and succession of all efficient Causes We see in sensible things there is an order of efficient causes yet among all these there neither is nor can any thing be found which is the cause of it selfe because so it should be before it selfe which is impossible As for instance the Sonne is begotten of the Father the Father of the Grandfather the Grandfather of the great Grandfather and so upward yet amongst men no man ever was or can be the begetter of himselfe the branch commeth from the Tree the Tree from the root the root from the kernell the kernell gives not being to it selfe and thus we must of necessity ascend unto and rest in some first cause which is God all second causes working in the vertue of the first cause 4. Looke upon the Consent and agreement betweene things different and disagreeing betweene themselves Fire and water are one contrary to another one fighting against another destroying one another yet these you shall see concurring and agreeing together in the building of the universe and in the body of man and beast which plainly shews the wisedome and power of some supreame Commander making such a sweet harmony betweene disagreeing creatures as betweene dissonant strings upon a musicall instrument we acknowledge the art of a skilfull Musitian in the latter and can we doe lesse then acknowledge an infinite wisedome and power of some supreame commander in the former 5. Looke upon the degrees of excellency and goodnesse among things Some are more good and more excellent some lesse good and lesse excellent the Sunne hath more light then the Starres the Vine is more excellent then the Bramble man hath more noble endowments then the unreasonable creatures and whence is this but as every creature hath more or lesse good communicated to it as it doth more or lesse approach unto some chiefest good so that there must be some chiefe and most excellent good communicating freely more or lesse good to every kinde of creature as hee pleaseth 6. Looke upon the suiting and the fitting of one thing to another As in a building when we see one peece of timber fitted to another we say there hath beene a skilfull Carpenter When we see a garment made up and suited to every Member of mans body we instantly conceive some artificiall Tailer hath had the ordering of it and that neither timber nor cloath did thus sute themselves together Thus in this great workmanship of the world observe how light is suited to the eye the sound unto the ayre meat to the palate water to the fishes the earth to plants and grasse to beasts and so of the rest and when we see this how can wee but acknowledge a divine finger thus suiting and fitting one to another 7. To be short tooke upon the subordination and dependance of one thing upon another one ministring to another the Heavens to the Earth the Earth to the Corne the Corne to man Consider also the operation and working even of creatures void of reason for a certaine end working constantly after the same manner and accomplishing their ends by due and apt meanes producing effects above their owne abilities as the Ant which gathers her meat in Summer for the Winter they working by a rule which they know not and ayming at an end which they understand not declare that a higher understanding directs them what also doe many strange and unexpected events and issues of things beyond the wisdome power and imagination of man argue but an Almighty hand working and disposing all things at his owne pleasure what shall we thinke of the preservation and ministring of provision for so many ages to this great Family of the world but that there is some most wise and able governour over this house what may we conclude from the preservation and continuance of a Church upon the face of the Earth against the fury of all Divels and against the power and malice even of the whole world but that there is a God that standeth in the burning bush and keepes it that the fire doth not consume it a rider that sits upon the flood and restraines it from drowning his Church a great commander whom the windes and waves obey one setting bounds to to men and Divels as to the Sea and let these and such like considerations perswade you and strengthen in the beliefe of this That God is And be assured that the more your hearts are over-powred wrought upon and warmed with the study and meditation and setled in perswasion and beleefe of this truth That God is an eternall omnipotent most wise holy and omnipresent being one that is ever present with you 1. The more humble and