the Dead by the Glory of the Father and that the Father raised him It is easily answered This was not by way of supplement to make up any defect of power in Christ but only by way of consent to Christs own Power and Action that so men might Honour the Son and the Father John 5.19,26 Or else by the Glory of the Father we may understand that Glorious Power which the Father gave unto the Son in the Flesh to have life from himself because that holy Spirit which immediatly quickned him was both his and the Fathers and so the Action was common to both Thus like the Pâ—…enix he goeth out of the Sâ—pulcher in the day of his Triumphs al lighted and environ'd with Flames of Triumphant Glory 3. Assuring others by his lights and sâ—…en or that they shall rise again 1. Cor. 6.14 He is called the first Fruits of them that Sleep The Triumphant Resurrection of our Lord is the Root and Hope of ours with this he sweetens the acerbities of our present life and replenisheth Hearts with the Antipast of their Immortality for he arose not barely in a Personal but Publick Capacity and though it were a Damnable Heresy of Hymeneus to say That the Resurrection was past already Yet it is a truth to say that it is begun He first and we at his coming 1 Cor. 15.25 By what is past in the head we are assured of what is expected in his Members for his Resurrection is a Pledge and Earnest of theirs He having paid our Debt Death cannot detain us in Prison for it Yea it is a beginning of ours as before is noted he being raised who is the Head the Body must also follow If the Elder Brother be sprung out of the Dust the Younger Brethren shall not stay there The Vine-Plant being in Heaven there the Branches must receive their Eternal Flourish Object 1. Is it not said 1. Cor. 15.2 By man came the Resurrection of the Dead A. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a man as is God also from whose Will this large Soul of Nature had its motion and who therein commandeth so universally as he seems to hold the Heaven and Elements under here to be instruments of his Wonders it is he that lighted Stars at his Birth and Eclipsed the Ancient Sun at his Death and walked on the waters as on a Pavement of Marble It is he that causeth the Earth to cast out her Dead Object 2. Have not men done it Answer 1. Stories of Men Raised by Men are either Lies and Illusions as the Pythonist of Endor raised the Devil in Samuels Shape and the Church of Rome maintain many Idle Stories of Dead men Raised to Walk and Live after Death Otherwayes Dead Men neither walk nor appear in Body or Soul after Death Or if there are any such They are extraordinary Permissions for Secret Ends only known to him that Permits them 2. The Prophets and Apostles have done it but in the Quality of Ministers So Elisha raised the Shunamites Son 2. Kings 4.34 And Peter raised Dorcas Acts 9.40 But not by their own Power It only belongs to Christ to do this work with an Original Power which hath its Fountain in his Bosom with an Absolute Command which receives no Modification in all Nature with a Simple Will which needs no other Instrument It was by Divine Influence and Assistance in those Prophets and Apostles to confirm their Doctrine and to draw the Church sooner to believe 3. It is the Divine Nature that is the Fountain of Life he gives takes restores to whom when and how he pleaseth As it is with the Sea for water and the Sun for light in the former all the waters are gathered together into an Ocean where they grow into swelling heaps and are the source of all the Streams that refresh the Earth and in the latter that great Luminarie is the Vessel wherein the Lord hath gathered all light which before was sattered in the Heavens but is now united in that bright Lamp which running like a fiery Chariot might rule the day and illustrate the earth making it fruitful Thus it is with the Deity for life John 6.63 The Spirit quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The words that I speak unto you are Spirit and Life And by this power he quickneth the Dead So that it 's clear the work is his who is Lord of nature and holds the Keys of life and death in his own hands His light only can dispel the darkness and his voice only can break the silence of the Grave The second Doctrine comes now to hand viz. Doct. 2. That this Divine Priviledge should be to us a ground of Faith Gen. 17.1 I am God all-sufficient walk before me c. Walk before me who am all-sufficient self-sufficient Original Universal Good the Pillar of Abrahams Faith And the Apostle speaks by way of wonder that any should not believe it Acts. 26.8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you That God should raise the Dead Therefore it is that the Sacred Scripture doth frequently mind us of his power to help our incredulitie Numb 23.19 God is not as man that he should lie nor the Son of man that he should repent hath he said it and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good And again Is there any thing too hard for God So Math. 19.27 With God all things are possible A main prop to an humble Suppliant That seeing his own vileness and the Divine Excellencies which are warming and enlightning cryeth out Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean as it is recorded Math. 8. â— 2. This is the Rock on which the weak Anchor of a Christians Faith may firmly fix You know Sampsons Riddle Out of the Eater cometh forth Sweet The reason why Christians should consider the power of God out of this strong comes forth sweetness In the application hereof may be found Vse 1. Matter of Correction and that of two sorts First of such that make it too hard denying the Resurrection in opinion As Pearls are dissolved in Vinegar so is Truth in hearts made bitter with Corruption Thus we find many wicked and irregular Spirits who having renounced the blessings of the other life against the voice of nature in the order of the World wherein we have the New Birth of Stars days Seasons Plants and Birds who make a perpetual Image of the Resurrection in the World nay against the touch of God and impressions of verity on the very Gentiles who have professed the happiness of the Soul in the other life and the Resurrection even on their Tombs to deny the Resurrection So the Saduces of old Acts 23.8 Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 18. which you may easily perceive is not only to crack the eye of a reasonable judgment but also to pull out the eye of Faith all pure and caelestial as it is Or in practice Let us eat
Christs Divine Property to be aâ— many places at once neither inclusively nor exclusively If it be said That the Omnipotency of God may extend the Dimensions of Christs Body that it may at the same time fill Heaven and Earth it may be easily replied This is to make Christ a Monster and to contradict the very Nature of a Created Body Yet Papists most confidently obtrude this Principle upon the Word and by this their Catholick Power make a Body to be at two places at once as the Body of Christ in Heaven and upon a popish Altar at once Which is a contradiction and therefore a lye Let God be true and every man a Lyar. Heaven is said to to receive Christs Body Acts 3.21 In Practice As they First who live as if they were Omnipotent Such there be in the World who endeavour to make their Will a Law and cause all to fall down before them Like Jezebel and Sennacharib confounding Elements and raising Stars with the Dust of the Earth whereby to come to the end of their exhorbitant pretensions Threatning to hew down Mountains and Thunder-strike Mortals supposing all the ample house of Nature to be Created for them Swallowing the World by Avarice and wasting it by Riot And not only so but according to the improvement of their Cruel Pride cry not with the Old Tyrant for another World to plunder but attempt the Invasion of the Intelligible World and commit Rapine upon Souls making havock of the Church of God to which Angels refer but as Ministring Spirits and Lording it over Gods Heritage which the Apostles besought to be Reconciled to God and never Commanded them any thing in their own name and only such things for which they could shew unquestionable Commission Such as these set themselves down in the Throne of God as Maximilian that good Emperour used to say this being one of those three things the Divine Power hath reserved to himself as his Prerogative viz. To Create to Foretel things to come and to Rule over Consciences Secondly Living as if they cared not for him that is Omnipotent indeed despising his Threatnings slighting his Promises as if he were able to perform neither Whence they dare to lift an Arm against the Omnipotent When as all power in Heaven and in Earth yea all Judgment is committed to Christ He hath Authority to relieve his Saints to Sentence all his Enemies unto Eternal Flames and Torments and will make some as bright as Stars and others like Burning Coals in Hell O Hear Consider Tremble 2. This Doctrine casteth a sharp Dart of reproof against all such that deny or doubt of it as those Israelites who said Can the Lord provide Flesh also And that Court-Favourite 2 Kings 7.2 Who when the Prophet Elisha by the Command of God foretold the great Plenty of Samaria dared to say If the Lord open the Windows of Heaven can these things be Such unbelieving hearts are among us to this day Can the Lord do this or that Is he able to accomplish what he hath promised can he Heal my Backslidings pardon my Sins and save my Soul As if the Lord Jehovah lived after the rate of Creatures This is to reproach the Holy One of Israel 3. Against such as rely altogether on the Power of God without the use of Means As the former sort Reproach God so these Tempt God The Lord could indeed Enlighten us without the Sun and afford us Fruit without the Earth but he will have the Creature Operate The very Heathen could say Admota manu Invocanda est Minerva and the Sage Greek Rebuked the foolish Carter who when his Waggon stuck in the Mud Cryed to God but never put his hand to help himself Meanes must be used Though men live not by Bread alone but by the word of Gods Blessing proceeding out of his Mouth yet that word is Annexed to Bread and not to Stones and that man should not Trust but Tempt God who would have Stones turned into Bread because God hath Power so to do And if God have provided stairs it is not Faith but Fury not Confidence but Madness to go down a Precipice Second Means must be used in Obedience to Gods order though not in Confidence of their help the Creature must be the Object of our Dilligence but God only the Object of our Trust Vse 3. Thirdly This Doctrine as it is sufficient to terrify the Wicked so it is to give occasion of Confidence to the Faithful since it hath an Eternal alliance with him that governs the World Read your matchless Consolation in the following particulars 1. Against Sin Satan and all Enemies of the Church that Christ is Omnipotent 2 Chron. 20.15 In the Words of King Jehosophat to the People of Judah Thus saith the Lord to you Be not afraid or dismayed because of this great Multitude for the Battel is not yours but Gods 2 Chron. 32.7,8 Hezekiah said to the People Be strong and Couragious be not Afraid or Dismayed for the Kings of Assyria nor for the Multitude that is with them for they are more with us than with them Whatever Power or Counsel shall be set up against Heaven shall not succeed against the design of Heaven The vast Numbers of men trouble him no more than those Millions of Waves in the Sea are a trouble to that great Ocean All Nations before him are but as one drop of the Dew He Causeth whole Countries to tremble under the Force of his Word as under Lightning Arrows and is attired with the Conquest and Trophies of Souls O the Wonders of God! He Causeth the Arrows of those that Invade his Kingdom to Return against them that shot them as in Julian's Case was apparent which we only mention Though he thought by the help of his false Gods to Command the Waves of the Sea and to walk upon the Stars yet was he buried in Execration and Horrours And as it is in Temporals so it is in Spirituals He can subdue the strongest Corruptions Break the hardest Heart relieve the most Fainting Graces Let all Christs People learn to look up and then you will 1. Patiently suffer and wait He is Omniscient and Omnipotent He knows all and can relieve all 2. You will learn to rest upon him Psalm 37.3 Trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the Land You will not trust in men and frame to your selves an arm of Straw but confide in him who with the Fingers of his Power sustains the whole Globe of the Earth You will not Adore the Favours of men which are like the Rainbow in Heaven which having made shew of many Splendours and varied Paintings leaves nothing but Water and Morter You will then no more build Fortunes on Foundations of Silver upon a Frail man who beareth all the Fingers of Vanity God is a Wall of Brass about his people Lo I am with you to the end of the World In all Conditions If Daniel be
as the Fire necessarily burneth and the Sun shineth Free to this or that Act as the reasonable Creature is Contingent beyond Expectation producing Effects accordingly but all known to the first Cause before they were as if they were So that there is no Room nor need for any Scientia Media Thirdly we are Informed how this Divine Omniscience is a ground of Faith viz. On a Three-fold account 1. As it is known to be infallible his Priviledge that cannot deceive nor be deceived 2. As it is known to be Immutable subject to no Alteration or Variation Jam. 1.17 he is described to be withâ—ut variableness or Shadow of Change As the Sun he Shines always with the same Rayes of Brightness Eclipses only excepted an Attribute that runs through all the rest his Mercy Council Love are all immutable his Heart is the same to day and for ever We may be Changed in our opinions and Estate but the Divine Nature never Changeth 3. As it is Incommunicable Every Creature is Finite and this is Infinite The Gods of the Gentiles were often herein challenged and found wanting The first Angels would have had it but sunk under the weight of that desire and Adams Candle aspiring to be a Sun hath burnt the dimmer ever since All these laid together will prove a strong Motive to believe In the Second Vse of this point is discovered the folly of men in two things viz. First In endeavouring to prevent Gods Omnisciency by sinning securely because secretly and digging deep to hide their Plots Hear the Language of the Prophet Isa 24.15,16 We to them that digg deep to hide their Counsels from the Lord. They think no eye seeth them not his who can do nothing but see How vain The Eyes of God are like two Flaming Torches more resplendent than the Sun it self none can steal from his Lightning Flashes Screetch-Owls may find Holes and Nights to keep them from the day which they cannot abide but he that flies from the Face of God where can he find darkness enough to hide himself O blind and insensible Fugative from the Sovereign Essence in the Region of Nothing whither wilt thou go not to find the reproaches of thy Crimes Be Confident he that can save from the deadliest extremities can also see in the darkest obscurities Secondly In endeavouring to usurp it and that 1. By manifest falshood not only of the Pope and his adherents defining and concluding things that are not as though they were but others also who daringly call their Sins Gods Temptations The Woman thou gavest me c. And many have laid the Bastards of Heresie to the door of the Sanctuary and called Diabolical Seductions Evangelical Revelations as if the Father of Lights could bring forth the Issues of Death This is to usurp the Royal Prerogative of Heaven and to invade the Lords Incommunicable Property 2. By Flattery and that either of our selves or others Of our selves calling Carnal Contents Pleasure Dissolute Passions true Mirth Covetousness Providence Vain-Glory Curiosity Presumption Hope Fading Creatures true Riches against our Knowledge Solomon calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that are not in comparison of true Riches Contentment and Duration for they make to themselves Wings and flie away as the Eagle towards Heaven Of others especially the Great and the Rich for sooner will an hot May want flies than such want Flatterers calling them to be what they are not Such was that Parasite who endeavoured to puff up King Canutus by telling him that all his Dominions nay the Seas themselves were at his Command And Onuphirus the Popes Biographer praised Hildebrand or Gregory the Seventh for notable Acts and great Vertues whom Cardinal Pembo truely described to have been a Murtherer an Adulterer a Conjurer every way as bad as might be Mark Anthony was a Prince extreamly dissolute yet was by his Flatterers called God Bacchus and he soon came to that shameful impudence as to have that title engraved on his Statute Such servile Souls there are who bind themselves like Fishers Angling Lines seeing their advantages to depend on impertinent Discourse and that the false Altars of Worldly Greatness will be served with such Smoke spare it no more than a man would water in a River No Age but has been pestered with such Cattle Nero's Courtiers would sooth him up for his singing though it were exceeding ill with a Quam pulcher Caesar Apollo Augustus Like the Flatterer in the Fable who accomodating himself to the time gave the Ape many specious praises saying He was a Vermilian Rose and that those that environ'd him his Young Ones were the Leaves that he was the Sun and those about him were the Raies that he was as Valiant as a Lyon all his off-spring were a Race of Young Lyons With a multitude among our selves who call the niggard Bountiful the Voluptuous Chaste the Proud Humble the Civil Man Religious above their Knowledge they are not so we see it neither can we make them so and therefore should not call them so Vse 3. In the third place this Doctrine yeilds singular comfort to all the Faithful Your Saviour 1. Knows all your enemies to prevent them He that sits in Heaven Laughs them to scorn the Lord will have them in Derision be they never so cunning and politick the Divine Providence shut up in a Cloud Roareth over their heads and in a moment will overthrow the Mountains of Wind which the Tyrants of the World raise one upon the other and make their silly wisdom appear like an Owl unfeathered and asham'd at the Raies of Noon-day though their alâ—itudes may be so many Ravishments to dark the Earth As it was once said of Anthony concerning Augustus so it may be of Christ and the Enemies of his people His Geinus goes beyond theirs 2. He knows all our wants to supply them inward outward of Soul Body for Present for Future Cheer up your drooping Spirits in the Consideration of your Saviour In him dwelleth all fulness as he is Mediatour established and destinated for your Salvation so that all Perfection Riches Grace and Excellencies meet there together Divinity and Humanity fill'd with all the Qualities and Properties that pertain to them there concur which Christ hath not for himself but for his People as the Sea hath Water to Convey unto the Earth and the great Luminary hath Brightness to Enlighten the Heavens and the Earth that from it as from a Common source might Stream forth into all things all the Flame and Warmth they want 3. Christ knows all your Sins to Pardon and Subdue them He calleth you now what you are not Cant. 4.7 Thou art all fair my Love and there is no Spot in thee You shall be because he will make you so Your Light shall be without any Shadow your Beauty without the least Spot to disgrace it Those Roses that are now in their Blossom shall be fully blown and those Stars which are now
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