not Dispair looks on things through black Spectacles and gives all for lost Hope doth the contrary Q How is it possible to hope against Hope Answ 1. Because of the Power of Christ upon which the Soul doth in great Straits rowl it self Whatever Lets and Impediments do arise between the Promise and the fulfilling of it though they be as high as Mountains and as the Gates of Hell yet the Believer can by Faith look upon them all but as Difficulties which cannot check the Power of Christ but only Magnifie it For as jealous Thoughts of the Divine Arm or fear that it may be encountred with some insuperable opposition makes the Hope of Promised Good to be weak and uncertain so the faithful and serious consideration of Gods Power a resting upon it produceth Hope against Hope it turns every Valley of Achor into a door of Hope administers Manna in the Wilderness and draws water out of the Rock brings light out of darkness comfort out of every Tryal Thus Miconius wrote to Calvin upon view of the Churches Enemies reflecting upon the Power of Christ Gaudeo quod Christus Dominus est alioquin totus Desperassem I am Glad that Christ Reigns otherwise I should utterly despair So the Believer in the midst of Straits rejoyceth in the Power of Christ who lives and Reigns for ever and ever 2. The Spirit of Christ inwardly works and nourisheth some Sparks of Hope always in the Hearts of his people Thus it was with Job David Paul and a vast number of other faithful Souls who sparkling with the lightning Rays of Hope have lift up their Palms in the midst of Hazzards and Gain'd Heaven by Violence still laying the degrees of their Honour in the depth of suffering This like an Anchor holds the Ship of the Soul in her greatest Storms and like an Helmet keeps off the Blows of the Sword or Arrows from entring 1 Thessal 5.8 Let us who are of the day be sober putting on the Breast-Plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation In time of publick Calamities the Righteous have Hope Joel 3.16 The Lord will roar out of Zion the Heaven and Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the Hope of his People So that if all outward hope be taken away their hope in God is not taken away Upon this account it was that the Jews being Prisoners in Babylon are called Prisoners of Hope Zech. 9.10 If Heaven and Earth be ready to come together yet through the strength of the Divine Spirit working in their Hearts Believers have Hope which as a Bow in the Heavens all furnished with Emeralds never loseth it force 3. Their former Experiences are a Foundation of Hope against Hope Rom. 5.4 And Experience Hope Hos 2.5 I will give the Valley of Achor for a door of Hope This Valley of Achor so called from Achans Sacriledge to deter men from Sin some think to be the same with Engeddi mentioned so often in the Canticles however both are neer to Jericho and in it they tasted the first Fruits of Canaan as an earnest of the rest in it they saw abundance of Plenty and were Delighted and Refreshed therewith all that the Lord did then for his People and now saith he will give it to the Church for a door of Hope A Believer brings in a Catalogue of Experiences Psal 119.65 Thou hast dealt well with thy Servant In how many Cases hath he had Experience of God when Sin and Temptation have been strong he hath come in with Auxiliary Forces and his Grace hath proved sufficient When the poor Soul hath been even sinking under Fear God hath recovered him out of the Quick-Sands and lifted his head above the deep Water Psal 33. O Lord thou art my Glory and the lifter up of my Head When David was in the Mouth of Danger the Lord delivered him I was pluckt out of the Mouth of the Lyon so Saint Paul The Believer hath many Experiences and these beget Hope Thou hast and wilt Deliver saith Experimental David 4. By looking on things not as they are at present or in their own power but as they shall be by the Lords promise Surely saith the poor Believer He is faithful that hath promised As he is able to fulfil the least Iota of whatever he hath spoken so he is infallible in what he promiseth As no impediment can arise to hinder his Power so no contingency can fall out to alter his Will all his Promises being in Christ Jesus yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 These and such like Meditations serve to uphold and keep Believers from being injurious to God or themselves and to believe in Hope against Hope Vse 2. This Doctrine administers incomparable Comfort whosoever is Christs is enabled to believe in Hope against Hope When Comfort can neither be seen felt nor apprehended when Fears and Distresses are on every side and all hope of safety is taken away when nature affords no ground of Hope or encouragement to expect the fulfilling of a Promise but suggesting many posing arguments to impede and gainsay the Truths of it and to make Faith as feeble as their Bodies when old and Crazy then to hope against Hope 1. That the Church shall be raised and preserved from so many Enemies is against Hope 2 Chron. 20.12 O our God wilt thou not judg us for we have no Might against this great Company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2. That a Wound shall be Healed It is against Hope Prov. 18.14 A Wounded Spirit who can bear 3. That many and strong Lusts shall be vanquished and subdued Rom. 7.24 O Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death 4. That an impure Soul shall be prepared for and received into Heaven it is against hope yet see Isa 1.18 Come let us reason together saith the Lord though your Sins be as Red as Crimson I will make them white as Snow To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Oh strive for this Heavenly Hope Q. How may it be Attained A. As other Graces are wrought so is this It is the work of God wherefore he is called The God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5.10 He is the first Planter the Promoter and Finisher of Grace God is called the Father of Lights and he must light up this Candle in your Souls More particularly it is obtained 1. By Experience Rom. 5.4 as David argued 1 Sam. 17.37 And Holy Paul 2 Cor. 1.20 Experience breeds Confidence Thou hast thou shalt is the ordinary argument used by the Psalmist And so the Church comforted her self and Nourisheth her Hope Lament 3.21,24 This I Recalled to mind therefore I hope in thee And The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul therefore will I Hope in him The observation of Gods Merciful Acts of Providence to his Church in general as to any of his People in
or think It is a tried Case Psal 3.6 I will not be afraid of ten Thousands of People that have set themselves against me round about O say Fie upon Despair and minds Affliction Learn in all things that appertain to you speedily and Effectually to fix your selves on the Will of the Omnipotent Continually say God seeth this Affair since nothing escapeth the Quickness of his Eye Expect but a while the Trouble is but a Flying Cloud and God will do all for the best Thus did Abraham in the Text Above Hope he believed in Hope because God quickneth the Dead and calleth things that are not as though they were Vers 18. Who against Hope Believed in Hope THese words Contain a lively Description of Abrahams Faith drawn from the Internal Form it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Phrase Difficult to be understood but most aptly serves to shew the Difficulty of believing Some turn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Praeter besides hope others by Supra above Hope a third sort by Absque without All may be true but not reach so fully Home neither to the Word nor Scope of the Apostle Our last Translation therefore following many both Antient and Modern Divines Reads it Against and so I find some Refering it 1. To the time of Abrahams Faith in the beginning of his Age he had hope but this was against that In the middle of his Age he complain'd as if there were no hope Gen. 15.2 Lord what wilt thou give me since I go childless But this was after that 2. Others refer it to the kinds of hope or degrees of one and the same hope whom I rather choose to follow First understand it was spoken of two Kinds of Hope one natural when Reason apprehends Grounds why such a thing may be and this is proportionably common to men with Beasts Another Divine when a man waits for that he can see no ground in himself nor reason for Abraham was against the first and in the second Secondly Others take it for one and the sâ—me hope but in different degrees It was weak and doubtful in the beginning but strong and firm in the end Faith and Hope two individual companions Hope springing from Faith as the Stream from the Fountain or the Daughter from the Mother meet with many oppositions but prove victorious in the end Yeilding us three things Right Worthy of Observation viz. 1. The Connexion of these two Theological Graces Believing in Hope Rom. 5.2 By whom also we have Access by Faith into this â—race wherein we stand and rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God 1 Pet. 1.21 By whom we do believe in God that raised him from the Dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope might be in God The Sun and the Beams go together and so do Faith and Hâ—pe The Reasons are 1. They are infused at once when the Spirit is given to the Elect as they are capable of it before in or after Baptism What they say of the Cardinal Vertues Suâ—t inter se connâ—xae they are chain'd together may be also sâ—id of the Graces of Gods Spirit who plâ—nts an habit of all the Graces in the Heart The New Creature hath â—ll the Parts and Lineaments a mixture of all the Humours 2. From the order and maner of Working oâ— begette h stirreth up and manifest 〈◊〉 it self by anoâ—her Rom. 5 3,4 And not only so but we Glory in Tribulations also knowing that Tribulâ—…ion workâ—th Patience and Patience Experience and Exeperience Hâ—p c. Faith there is a Mother â—…cended with her Daughters Rom. 15 13. The God of Hope fill you w th â—ll Joy and Peace in believing that you may abound in Hope 1 Cor. 13.7 Charity believeth all things Hopeth all things c. Heb. 12.1 Faith is the Substance of things not seen Faith lights the Lamp to hope as the Fire of the Altar lighted the Lamps of the Sanctuary 2. We are hence to observe the Difficulty of believing it is against Hope Math. 19.13 a Rich man can hardly Enter into the Kingdom of God This appears divers wayes viz. 1. From the Efficient necessarily required to work Faith in the Heart Ephes 1.19 It is called the exceeding greatness of his Power to us-ward who believe A Difficult Work requires a great Power to accomplish it Man as Clem. Alexandrinus observes is Gods Harp the Harp cannot sound unless it be touched with the finger neither can the Heart of man sound forth any Gracious Harmony till it be touched by the Finger of Gods Spirit Sin having disorder'd the Strings of that Harmonious Instrument put it out of Tune and mar'd its Musick and there is nothing but Jarring and so it continues till that great Musician who tunes the whole World and makes all things keep time and measure set this Instrument in Tune again 2. From the Paucity of Believers Isa 58.1 Who hath believed our Report c. Luke 18.8 When the Son of man cometh shall he find Faith on the Earth Among the Millions at Rome there were but few Senators and among the swarms of People in the World there are but few Beleivers In themselves indeed Considered they are many as the Stars which adorn the Azure Firmament as the Sands on the Sea shore for Multitude but Comparatively they are very few As in the Field there are more Weeds than sweet Flowers and in the Earth more Dross than Gold Thus it is here The Trees of Righteousness are thinly Planted in the Worlds Orchard There are but few Birds of Paradise to the Birds of Prey Notwithstanding all the Means of Grace Preaching Exhorting Reading c. few Believers 3. From the many Enemies of Faith and other Impediments There is Satan Luke 22.31 Satan hath desired to winâ—ow you as Wheat but I have prayed that thy Faith fail not This is the main thing he aims at This he Assaults endeavouring to blind-fold the Eye of Judgment to allure the Will and Affections after Toys Pleasure Profits and worldly Honours perswading sometime to presume other-while driving to Despair Thus he sifts and Winnows poor Souls to keep them in Unbelief or Misbeleif There is the World of Vnregenerate men as the Scribes and Pharisees watching to catch our Saviour that they might accuse him Concluding if any man did Confess Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue John 9.22 Yea for a time Paul a Chosen Vessel was used as an Instrument that way Acts 28.23 Concerning this Sect it is spoken against every where A great Discouragement Yea our own Natural Abilities which are Antipodes to Grace Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves wise they became Fools 1 Cor. 1.22 The Jews Require a Sign the Greeks seek after Wisdom not that which cometh from above by Wisdom they could not come to the Knowledg of God but proved most Vain and Corrupt when they endeavoured to be most Exact So that we may Conclude with the Apostle Ephes 6.10,11 c. Finally my
Soveraign Omnipotency The SAINT's SECURITY IN Evil Days Discoursed and Concluded From Rom. IV. xvii xviii By WILLIAM CROMPTON Exod. 14.13 Stand still and see the salvation of God 2 Chron. 20.12 O our God wilt Thou not judge them for we have no might against this great Company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our Eyes are upon thee London Printed for Benj. Alsop at the Angel and Bible in the Poultrey and are to be sold by James Cowsey Bookseller in Exeter 1682. Dignissimo Amicissimoque Affini nostro GEORGIO YONG Creditonensium In Agro Devoniensi Armigero Nec-non GEORGIO LAPTHORN Plymidensium Mercatori Celeberrimo Nomine Virtutis non mihi solum noto Vtrisque Sacrarum Literarum Patronis Candidissimis Conciones sequentes tum Potentiae Divinae summe efficacis aeque ac Justitiae illius omnimodo incontaminabilis Doctrinans Dilucidantes D. D. D. Faustaque iisdem omnia non minus calido voto quam ipsimet in hoc scripto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprecatur Guliel Crompton Soveraign Omnipotency THE SAINTS SECURITY In Evil Days ROM iv 17 18. Even God who quickneth the dead and calleth those things that are not as though they were THis part of the Chapter contains an Illustrious Commendation of Renowned Abraham and that Faith whereby he received the Promise to be the Father of many Nations and is described three ways viz. 1. By the nature of it which he discovers to be sincere not only outwardly profest though that was necessary but inwardly rooted It was Faith before God and found Access into the Divine Presence 2. By the extent of the Relation between Abraham and the Faithful and so it is defined to be Vniversal as God is Father of all Jews and Gentiles without distinction of Nation Sex and Condition Spiritual before him whom he believed not Carnal nor apprehended by men without a Revelation 1 Cor. 2.14 The Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them for they are Spiritually discern'd 3. From the ground of both which is the Soveraignty and Almighty power of God set forth by two things viz. Quickning the Dead and callâ—ng things that are not as though they were This supported Ahrahams Faith against all seeming Impossibilities and iâ— the inâ—ended subject of this Discourse In the Prosecution of which I shâ—ll labour first to break the Shell by explâ—ining the words as they sh ll fall under consideration and then offer you the Kernel contained in it First I shall endeavour to unlock the Cabinet and then shew you the rich Jewels laid up in it which you will find to be of great worth and use in these Cloudy days wherein the Divine Providence hath cast us For the former Branch 1. Gods quickning the Dead A Short Sentence and diversly understood by divers Divines I conceive the Resurrection is hereby meant present in Soul future of Body with some special Limitation to Abraham As 1. A raising of such a Seed out of his dead Body Rom. 4.19 And being not weak in Faith he considered not his own Body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarahs Womb. i. e. Destitute of all natural power to conceive and quicken Yet Abraham could set his Seal to it by Faith as being within the Limits of Gods power 2. A recovering of that Seed alive from the dead Heb. 11.19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the Dead from whence also he received him in a Figure which to nature and humane apprehension was impossible Yet this Abraham believed because of the Lords All-sufficiency 3. A reviving of the Body out of the Dust at the last Day which Abraham believed the Lord was able and would certainly do it The whole commends two things to our Learning First To quicken the Dead is the Lords priviledge an effect of his Almighty Power Secondly That this Divine Priviledge should be to us a Ground of Fai h. For the former See it promised Isa chap. 26. ver 19. Thy Dead Men shall Live together with my Dead Body shall they Arise To be understood either in a Physical or Moral Sense with the Concurrent Consent of the Ancient and Learned Modern Expositors who observe that there is nothing more usual for the Church and Holy Men therein to Support their Hearts above all Incumbent Afflictions and to Secure themselves of the Comfort of promised Deliverance notwithstanding all the seeming Improbability thereof by the General Doctrine of the Resurrection And so John 5,21,28 The Father raiseth up the Dead and Quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will On which Acâ—ount Christ is declared to be the Son of God by the Resurrection from the Dead R m. 1.4 First Raising others as he did the Rulers Daughter to the Astonishment of all Beholders present at her Funeral and the Widow's Son of Naim who was carried without the City to his Grave Christ stops the sad Train and Restoreth Life to the Young Man and somewhat more Dear than Life to his Mother And the more Signally to Triumph over Death he Pursued it to its Fort the Obscurity of the Grave Lazarus was buried for four Daies his Carkass was Corrupt but Christ called him from the Bottom of his Tomb with that Powerful Voice that Created the World The Dead Answers and comes forth to the Amazement of all that saw the Glory of God so Clearly Manifested In all he Testified his Godhead and the Truth of his Calling and Doctrine Thus he raised Moses and Elias and made them known to his Disciples by extraordinary Revelation to Evince his Doctrine not to be new but the same in Substance with that Recorded in the Law and the Prophets both being represented by Moses and Elias who though they were raised before him yet it was not without him but by the Fellowship of his Resurrection As though Light Riseth before the Sun yet it Riseth not but by the Sun and the Mace goeth before the Magistrate but it doth so only to attend upon him Secondly Raising himself John 10,18 I have laid down my Life that I might take it again no Man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have Power to lay it down and I have Power to Raise it up again Here is a glorious Manifestation of his Power that the Tomb could not Confine him nor the Grave-Stone stay him But throwing off those Clogs as Sampson did his Wit hs he shewed himself a while to his Beloved Ones and so took his Joyous Ascent to the Right hand of the Father As Love â—id Christ in the Grave so Power Raised him from the Grave Love Rockt him a Sleep and Power Awaked him again He broke through all Bars Beat down all Opposition and Sprang forth of his yeilding Dust as a Triumphant Conqueror over Death and Devils If it be objected That Christ rose from
Soveraignty of Christ comes next to be Considered viz. Calling things that are not as though they were An Effect or peculiar Property of the Deity whereby God with special Reference to Christ the Son who appeared to Abraham and in whâ—m he believing was justified is described The words are few the Sentence short and hard to be understood not how it is a ground of Faith that easily follows but how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be in the Divine Understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how the God of Truth should Congruously and truely call things that are not as though they were this is difficult to conceive For the Clearing and Opening of it to the weak Capacity of man some have and may provided it be done with Reverence Sobriety and Reference to the Scripture chiefly for we cannot speak of God but as he hath spoken of himself take Occasion to discourse 1. Of the Infinite Essence Comprehending and Representing all that ever should have being to the Divine Understanding 2. Of the Infinite Presence and drawing together the whole Succession of time as if present not Imaginarily but really and Coexisting with all time I am that I am i. e. The Absolute Being the Independent and first Original of all Essences Jehovah the Alpha and Omega But while they have gone about in their own words to bring this Infinite Mystery under mans finite Capacity they have left it more Obscure I conceive it safer to be Contented with Scripture Phrases not as Moulded this or that way by humane Reason but as they lye in the Text viz. in Vniversalibus Large and General Expressions and not descend to curious Particulars rather falling under an awful Adoration and Beleif than an exact Extrance on any such Subject beyond what we may be assured is Revealed This is to be wise to Sobriety Especially Considering First Our great Apostles Admiration Rom. 11.33 O the Depth of the Riches of the Wisdom of God! where observe a Difference between Wisdom and Knowledg Knowledg is of things to come though Inconvenient and Disallowed Wisdom of things convenient and approved As the excellent Dr. Twiss Contr. Jackson hath noted And also his Imposed Silence 2 Cor. 12.4 His unspeakable words not Lawful for any to utter It is not for you to know Acts 1. Secondly The rash and presumptuous Adventure of some School-Divines who affecting Novelty and Obscurity deliver things hard to be understood if not Impossible to be so about the Divine Attributes those scorching and Peircing Beams that others may fear to hear or read Such curious Pries there have been into this Ark and Cabinet of Gods Secrets not measurable by the line of Humane Reason or fashionable by the Plummet of any Created Understanding And therefore we should still cry out with that great Doctor of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly Considering how difficult a Passage it is Nature helps little and God hath spoken little of himself How dangerous is it to Err Homo sum non Intelligo secreta Dei Investigare non Audeo hoc ipsum Temeritatis genus est saith Salvian Lib. 3. de Guber Dei And it was a grave and serious Speech of Seneca worthy the Consideration of the greatest Divines Nunquam nos Verecundiores esse debemus quam de Deo Agitur It should not seem strange if strucken with those Rayes which dazle the Eyes of Seraphins we yeild to his Greatness and discourse in the Secret Mysteries of the Scripture with great Moderation and take heed that neither our Thoughts nor Tongues proceed any further than the Bounds of Gods word do extend We should be willing to be Ignorant where our great Master would not let us know And Nescire velle quae Magister maximus nos scire non vult Erudita Inscitia est as Scaliger hath expressed it To all which I shall add that weighty Consideration of Renowned Calvin who Lib. 1. Instit cap. 13. Sect. 21. Speaks to this Effect How may the Mind define the Immeasurable Essence of God unseen and therefore with Moulin Haec Perobscura sunt et iimide et Religiose Tranctanda I shall therefore in handling this Text before us do as Men use to do in great Rivers or deep Waters keep close to the shoar and Labour to have firm ground to walk by both in Explaining and after in concluding those plain Truths thence arising most useful for us For Explication we may take Notice of three things 1. The Subject implyed He the Messiah the Mediator Christ was he that appeared to Abraham Christ it was in whom he believed He gave being to things that had no beings in the Creation He blew the Universe into an Existency by the Breath of his Mouth and by his Fiat reared the Heaven and Earth with all therein and he preserveth them in being and Restoreth them in and by the Resurrection An Invincible Argument of Christs Divinity against the Arrians and Servetians with other Enemies who will not that Christ should Reign over them and will not Honour him with any personal Existence till he was born into the world of the Virgin-Mary they not being able to bear so Resplendent a Light have endeavour'd to obscure it by the Fumes of their Brains 2. The Work Call Taken especially three wayes in the Holy Scriptures And so 1. For the Knowledge of God Isa 42.6 I the Lord have called them in Righteousness Chap. 43.1 Fear not O Jacob I have Redeemed thee I have called thee by my Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vocavit is used in both Texts And so in the 147 Psal 4. He telleth the Number of the Stars he calleth them all by Name And this either of things in Act that have been or shall be called Scientiam Purae Visionis or of things Possible Called Scientiam pro Simâ—licis Intelligentiae so far as they are knowable 2. It is taken for the Power of God â—alling i. e. Causing not only things â—hat have no actual Existence to apâ—ear as being but giving them beâ—ng in time So in the Creation he â—alled for Light Fiat and there was Light and so of other things he calleth them into being by his Noble and Divine manner of working which the Scripture calleth Creation bringing them from not being to a being producing the matter of which they consist preparing and sitting it as now it is Investing it with all those Forms and Admirable Qualities or which all the Motions of their Nature do depend And else-where it iâ— said he called for Famine and the Sword i. e. he Commanded and Effectuallâ— Caused them Psal 105.16 Jer 25.29 3. It is taken for the Manifestatioâ— of both in dispensing Means and diâ—posing his Creature according to thâ— Right and Dominion he hath oveâ— them as Creatures Rom. 8.30 9. â—… I will call them my People which were â—… my People c. 3. Here is the Effect of this Wor◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Things that are â— as though
Imprisoned in a Cloud shall be set in a Clear Skie The Bright Diamond of your Souls now soiled with Corruption shall be cleansed all the Black Spots now fixt there shall be changed into radiant Lights of Heaven Comfort one another with these words Vse 4. Lastly We are hence instructed in some few Duties viz. 1. To shun inward Sins Hypocrisie Pride Vain-Glory Infidelity as carefully as outward and more visible Sins God is Omniscient and views the sins of the heart as well as the sins of the Life the under Roots as well as the upper Boughs He sees Faults where men see none Nay that which shines to mans eye like a Diamond is in Gods Ballance a Contemptible Worm It was a wise practice therefore of that Arabian we read of who to prevent sin represented to himself over his head an Eye which perpetually enlightned him an Ear which heard him and an Hand which measured out all his Deportments and Demeanours Verily the due consideration of Gods Eye will blunt a thousand and a thousand Arrows shot against the heart of a resolute Christian If the exercise thereof were as familiar to us as it is effectual how powerful a motive would it be to cleanse all the impurities of our Intentions and affections and give us leave to arrive to the top of Perfection 2. To seek to him for Knowledg Ignorance is no Branch of his Image who is Omniscient Let it be the Mother of Popish Devotion suffer it not so much to be with the Profession of Christs Religion He giveth wisdom liberally He descended into the Country of Darkness to scatter Knowledg by his brightness and ceaseth not to give light and kindle in our hearts many Inspirations which are like so many Stars to conduct us to the Fountain of our Happiness Hear him promising All thy Children shall be taught of God It is his Prerogative to teach Hearts The Sun enlightens the World and Christ enlightens Souls Make it your Prayer Lord breathe upon us breathe thy Spirit into thy Word You may read the Bible and hear Sermons over and over but to no purpose till the Spirit of Christ Shine in your Hearts and the more Commerce you have with the Divine Essence the more splendour you shall enjoy And having obtained use all to his Glory from whom you receive all Be faithful Stewards Like as small Rivers which pay their Tribute and acknowledgments to the great Ocean whence they came 3. Prize the Lord Jesus Christ set an high esteem upon him why do we Reverence Learned men among our selves as those eminent Doctors Reynolds both former and latter Perkins Bolton Luther Melancthon Musculus Beza Calvin Zanchis Chamier Camero and others Among our Adversaries Lumbard Aquinas Durand Hales c. Among the Gentiles Aristotle Plutarch Homer c. With other brave Fellows separated from us by many Lands and Seas yea by Death and all for their Knowledg because we have seen a Ray of their wits upon Paper Beams of their Knowledg which was but a drop of his Ocean and a Spark of his Light who Enlightneth every one that cometh into the World this made them admired If Alexander could say That he was more bound to Aristotle his Schoolmaster than to his Natural Parent how much more are we bound unto and should we Prize and Praise our Omniscient Jesus Secondly we have here offer'd to our Consideration The Omnipotency of our God in whom we Believe He calleth i. e. he Causeth things not only to appear but also to be in time as they were willed and seen before time This Power is either Absolute whereof sacred writings say but little and about which we are not to enquire or Actual as Limited by his Will and Ordered by his Wisdom to give being and dispose his Creatures by means to their several ends Of which we are now to discourse giving us two Observations viz. 1. That our God in whom Abraham believed and we should belilve is Omnipotent 2. That the Omnipotency of our God in whom we should believe is a firm ground of Faith For the former Our God is Omnipotent He can do all things that imply not Imperfection as to Sin and deny himself to Sin is against his Supremacy he hath no Superiour against whom he might offend It is against his Natural Sanctity and Omnipotency Or that imply not a Contradiction as to be and not to be at the same time in the same Respect because that is Repugnant to Entity Thiâ— is true of all the Persons 1. Of the Father none ever Acknowledging a God denying it So we have it in the Apostles Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty Where Almighty is applyed to the Father Inclusively as Lord or Dominion is appropriated to the Son not excluding the Father or the Holy Spirit Hence it is that Hereticks have appropriated all the Attributes of Eternity Omnisciency Omnipotency to the Father alone 2. It is true of the Son John 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was nothing made Which latter Clause is added for â—…e more Certainty it being usual with the Hebrews thus by Negation to Confirm what before they have affirmed where they would assure that the thing is so indeed He is therefore stiled The first and the last Revel 1.17 It is a verity that is written with the Rays of a vast number of Divine Witnesses 3. It is true of the Holy Spirit Gen. 1.2 The Spirit moved on the Face of the Waters i. e. he sustained them by the Power of his Sublimity However Interpreters have varied hereabout yet all conclude it to be the Spirit of God nothing distinct from the Deity or Infinite Active Power of God So the Psalmist 95 Psalm which our Apostle takes notice of as spoken not by but of the Holy Spirit Hebr. 3.7 The Grounds whereof are twofold 1. The Unity of Nature doth imply equality of Power we say we believe there are three Subsistences in the Divine Essence and that each of those Persons is truely and properly God and we find such Attributes and works ascribed to the whole Nature of the Deity to the several Persons Subsisting in that Divine Nature as do evince their Power to be the same 2. This Manifestation of power is opus ad extra and therefore common According to that constant Rule of Credit among all Divines Opera Trinitatis ad extrâ— sunt indivisa But especially Attributed to the Second Person here and in most places because that is most beneficial to the Church and is most opPosed by Enemies Gen. 17.1 I am God Almighty Elshaddai signifying either Sufficiency because he is sufficient of himself as Psalm 16.2 My Goodness extendeth not to thee c. He is Infinitely above Creatures Infinite in Essence and Goodness comprehending within himself all good and anticipating it to all Eternity with an incomparable Eminency Or else it signifieth Omnipotency for the word will bear both all things yielding to him both for
Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against all the Wiles of the Devil For we wrestle not with Flesh and Blood c. 2. We observe hence The growth increase and Final Victory of True Grace Against Hope he believed in Hope Math. 13.32 The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Grain and to Leaven that leaveneth the whole Lump Grace is of a spreading nature it swells it self into the whole man and makes the Soul rise as high as Heaven Grace lies not in the Heart as a Stone in the Earth but puts it self forth in vigorous Actings To this refers that exhortation 2 Pet. 3.17 Fall not from your Stedfastness but grow in Grace c. The first appearance of it on the Soul may be but as the Wings of the Morning spreading themselves upon the Mountains yet it is still rising higher and higher upon it Chasing away all filthy Mists and Vapours of Sin till it arrive to its Meridian height such is the strength and force of Divinity in it Though at first when it enters on the Soul it may seem to be sowen in weakness yet it still raiseâ—h it self in Power As Christ was in his Bodily appearance still increasing in Wiâ—dom and Knowledg and Favour with God and Man till he was perfected with Glory so is he also in his Gracious Appearance in his Saints who shall go from strength to strength till they appear before God in Sion The Reasons hereof are taken 1. From the Principle or Fountain whence Grace Floweth And that is Christ and his Spirit of Infinite Value and irresistable Efficacy so that unless Christ be overcome Grace cannot be overcome Grace being a Creature is in its own nature perishing for ours is no better Coin than Adams but in Christs Keeping it can never perish The Saints Graces of themselves like Glass may break but being held in the Hand of Christ they can never be broken 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the Power of God through Faish unto Salvation The small Mustard-Seed shall not be killed the little Spark of Fire shall not be quenched there is an overflowing Power to draw them forth and perfect them Where-ever the frame of Grace is begun it shall be brought forth to a compleatness and Christs Kingdom in that Soul shall be victorious over all opposition of Corruption 2. From the Nature of the Opposers of Grace They are finite and mortally Wounded Our Lord led Captivity Captive Heb. 2.14 And through Death hath Destroyed him who hath the Power of Death So that upon serious Consideration I may say to all the Faithful as Elisha sometime spake 2 Kings 6.16 Fear not for they that are with you are more than they with them Though inward Corruption and outward Enemies be Numerous and strong yet they shall not Finally prosper Where Christ promotes his Kingdom it is so established that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Assaulted it may be but Conquered it can never be As it is said of the old Romans they lost some Battels but never lost a war Christians may have some Foils but they shall be finally Victorious Vse 1. In the Application hereof I shall endeavour a little further to Discover the Nature of this Grace of Hope c. 1. By way of Information the Enquiry will be First What it is Answ It is a Divine Vertue Infused by the Spirit into the Understandings and Wills of Actual Members of the Militant Church whereby they certainly and patiently wait for those good things God hath promised Rom. 8.24,25 We are saved by Hope but Hope that is seen is no Hope for what a man sees why doth he yet hope for but if we hope for that we see not then we do with Patience wait for it In which Description we have exprest or Implyed four things 1. The Principal Author The Spirit of God 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his Abundant mercy hath Begotten us again unto a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead 2. The Subject inclusive partly the Understanding partly the Will the one Informed the other perswaded to expect 3. The Object about which it is Imployed either Formal which is God alone his Power Truth and Help to obtain the promised Good or Material and that is Glory considered three wayes viz. First of the Soul which is Grace and is the Object of Hope either in the Preparatives whilst the Lord is Disposing the Subject for Grace Or in Regard of a Fuller Measure of Degrees thereof it not being with the Trees of Righteousness as it was with the Trees of Paradise made perfect at once Secondly of the Body and so all the good things that a member of the Church Militant is capable of are a Secondary Object of Hope Thirdly the Glory of both which is perfect Beatitude in the Heavenly Kingdom as the end whereunto all other means lead the Elect. 4. The Conditions of this Material Object which Aquinas describes to be Good Hope looks at some good so it differs from Fear whichlooks at Evil. Future Good so that the Saints in Heaven have no need nor use of it their Expectation is drowned in Fruition Difficult Hope looks on and considers upon one side Pearls which yet are in the shell and on the other side Roses which yet it may enjoy with some Labour Such was Abrahams Hope that he should be the Father of such a Posterity being as it were Dead that he should enjoy a Land flowing with Milk and Honey yet he was to suffer Famine and wait for it forty years And Lastly Possible So there is no Hope in the Damned It is in those on this side the Grave quickned by the Living Spirit of God Though the things they hope for are hard to come by yet they are possible and this is like Cork to the Net keeps the heart from sinking into Dispair it being the Balm of all Grief the Coffin of Fear and Cradle of Patience Secondly What are opposites of this Grace Answ Two 1. Presumption the Unbeliever hopes without ground and will be invincibly followed by an ill success of his pretensions The Rayes of Abrahams Hope were grounded on a good Title but men of another Stamp act otherwise their Hope is an Imposture a Golden Dream Like a dying mans Will that hath neither Seal nor Witness to it Therein he bequeaths such and such Lands and Legacies to one and to another but the Will being thus left naked it signifies little Such is the hope of a wicked man it promiseth him great matters that all in the Covenant of Grace is his Christ and Heaven but alas all is a meer Delusion a Presumption of his own Heart 2. Despair not Legal which was in Abraham and others But Evangelical notwithstanding all ground of Hope So Abraham did