never so righteous as the surety except in this sense he is aequè but not aequaliter he is righteous as the surety who has payed the sum for him in regard that the Creditor can no more in Law charge him with the sum then he can in Law charge the surety who hath compleatly paid it so are we in Christ freed from the guilt of eternall wrath in that the Lord can no more in Law charge sin to actuall condemnation on the Believer then he can put Christ to death again or give a new ransom for us but this is but formally a righteousnesse in regard of freedom from the punishment of sin But as I have said the surety is more righteous simply in regard the Surety never broke faith to the Creditor the broken debtor hath broken to him 2. The Surety never injured the Creditor by unjustice done against the eighth Commandement but the broken man hath failed in this But I would be resolved what truth can be in those Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart clean Job 14.5 Who can bring a clean thing out of an un clean No not one Eccl. 7.20 There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Joh. 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us If we be compleatly as righteous as Christ and if as Crispe divines all the Idolatry Thefts murthers of the Redeemed Become actually the transgressions of Christ◠and so cease to be the transgressions of the sinners from that time they were laid upon Christ to the hour of their death Can he determine the time when persecuting Sauls blasphemies and bloody outrages to the Saints were laid upon Christ I conceive he will say from Eternity they were laid upon Christ and ere he believed certainly this was an untruth then Saul made havock of the Church even when he did make havock of the Church and ere he believed for if Saul persecuting and all the Elect unconverted yet disobedient and boiling in their lusts be as righteous as Christ all their life It is most false that ever they were dead in sin or some times disobedient If it be said The Elect considered in themselves and in nature are sinners but considered as men in Christ they are as righteous as Christ it helpeth not for we must not dream of and fancy considerations that hath no reality and truth in them for all now born since our Lord died I am perswaded by the Doctrine of Antinomians were never nor can they be reall and true objects of this consideration For from that time that their sins were laid upon Christ to the last hour of their life they are as righteous as Christ and so washed and justified Now their sins were laid upon Christ as some Libertines say from eternity as others from that day that he died on the Crosse 2. Sins taken away by Christs blood saith Dr. Crispe are no sins of the Saints Christ did take them away and bear their weight even in the fault and sin it self and not the guilt only and not by supposition or meer imputation only and that from eternity But when Antinomians confesse that Christ acted no sin so that in respect of the Act the sinfull act against the Law of God must be here understood not one sin of the Believers is Christs but only in respect of passing accounts from one head to another This is all the truth we here plead for because the Act or somewhat answerable to that done against the Spirituall Law of God is sin it self and essentially sin if this was never upon Christ then sin it self was never upon Christ now there is no other thing remaining in sin but the debt guilt or obligation of sin that can be laid on Christ and the truth is the Scripture expoundeth the laying our sins upon Christ to be nothing but God punishing Christ for our sins as Isa. 5 3.4 The cause and formall reason why Christ did bear our griefs and carry our sorrowes is ver 6. Because the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all and is so expounded 1 Pet. 2. Whereas it is said ver 21. that Christ suffered for us and an objection is removed vers 22. Why should he suffer Did he sin the Apostle answereth by concession of the Antecedent and by denying the consequence vers 22. He did no sin personally neither was guile found in his mouth But it followeth not that he should not suffer legally and for others the punishment due to them so his sufferings is expounded v. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree Now how did Christ bear our sins On the Tree that is by suffering and Gal. 3. Paul evidently distinguisheth between two sorts of persons that are cursed the sinners that abide not in all that is written in the Law to do them v. 10. These are intrinsecally and in their person cursed as being sinners in their person and so the intrinsecall objects of divine hatred and a curse and abominable to God Yea but Christ was also cursed But how Not intrinsecally God is never said to hate his Son Christ nor to abhor him as he doth sin which personally resideth in the man who acteth sin in his own person Therefore the Lords forsaking of Christ his Son is not an intrinsecall detesting or a morall abhorring of Christ but an extrinsecall a penall or a judiciall suspending of the beams and rayes as Cyrill saith or the overclouding of his favour in the comfortable shining on the soul of his own sin and it is not said that Christ was cursed but only vers 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was made a curse for us that is the fruits and effects of Gods curse the punishment due to sinners even that satisfactory and penall curse and punishment which infinit Justice requireth was laid upon Christ while as he died upon the Crosse and suffered the effects of Gods wrath upon his soul for our sins Then he must be the sinner only by Imputation except Antinomians show to us how a person is made sin or accounted the sinner And yet is neither a sinner by inherent and personall acting of sin nor yet by Law-imputation And truely its bad Divinity for Dr. Crispe to say as we are actuall and reall sinners in Adam so here God passeth really sin over upon Christ for we sinned intrinsecally in Adam as parts as members as being in his loynes and we are thence by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2. But it is blasphemy to say that our blessed Saviour sinned intrinsecally in us as part or member of the Redeemed or that he is a son of Gods wrath for sin intrinsecally inherent in him as it is in us Farther Christs bearing of our iniquities is an obvious Hebraisme and all one with the bearing not of the intrinsecall and fundamentall guilt of sin but of the extrinsecall guilt or
Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus It shall not be well while the Father and Christ the prime Heire and all the weeping children be under one roofe in the Palace-Royall it is a sort of mysticall lameness and that the head wanteth an Arme or a finger and it is a violent and forced conditon for Arme and finger to be separated from the head The Saints are little pieces of mysticall Christ sick of love for union the wife of youth that wants her husband some years and expects he shall return to her from over-sea lands is often on the shoare every ship coming near shoar is her new joy her heart loves the wind that shall bring him home she askes at every passenger news O saw you my husband what is he doing when shall he come Is he shipped for a return Every Ship that carrieth not her husband is the breaking of her heart What desires hath the Spirit and Bride to hear when the Husband Christ shal say to the mighty Angels Make you ready for the journey let us go down and divide the skies and bow the heaven I 'le gather my prisoners of hope into me I can want my Rachael and her weeping children no longer Behold I come quickly to judge the Nations The Bride the Lambs wife blesseth the feet of the Messengers that preacheth such tiding Rejoice O Zion put on thy beautifull garments thy King is coming yea she loveth that quarter of the Skie that being rent asunder and cloven shall yield to her husband when he shall put through his glorious hand and shall come riding on the Raine bow and clouds to receive her to himself The condition of the people of God in the three Kingdoms calleth for this that we now wisely consider what the Lord is doing there is a Language of the Lords fire in Zion and His furnace in Jerusalem If we could understand the voice of the crying Rod The Arrowes of God flee beyond us and beside us but wee see little of God in them We Saile but we see not shoar we fight but we have no Victory the efficacy of second causes is the whole burden of the businesse and this burden we lay upon creatures and it s more then they can bear and not upon the Lord God is crying lamenesse on creatures and multitude that his eminency of working may be more seen 2. Many are friends to the successe of Reformation not to Reformation Mens Faith go along with the promises untill Providence seem to them to belie the promise through light at a key-hole many see God in these confusions in the three Kingdoms but they fall away because their joyning with the Cause was violent kindenesse to Christ it is not a friends visite to be driven to a friends house to be dry in a showre and then occasionally to visite wife and children Christ hath too many occasionall friends but the ground of all is this I love Jesus Christ but I have not the gift of burning-quick for Christ O how securely should Faith land us out of the Gun-shot of the prevailing power of a black hour of darknesse Faith can make us able to be willing for Christ to go thorow a quarter of Hells pain Lord give us not leave to be mad with worldly wisedome 3. When the Temptation sleepeth the mad man is wise the harlot is Chaste But when the vessell is peirced out cometh that which is within either Wine or Water Yet if we should attentively lay our ears to hypocrites wee should hear that their Lute-strings do miserably jar for Hycrisie is intelligible and may bee found out Would Parliaments begin at Christ we should not fear that which certainly we have cause to fear One wo is past and another wo cometh The Prophets in the three Kingdoms have not repented of the Superstition will-worship Idolatry Persecution Prophanity Formality which made them vile before the people and the Judges and Princes who turned judgement into gall and wormwood are not humbled because they were a snare on Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor No man repenteth and turneth from his evil way no man smitteth on his thigh saying what have I done It s but black Popery the name being changed not the thing to think the by-past sins of the Land are by-past and a sort of Reformation for time to come is satisfactory to GOD Ex opere operato By the deed done Yea the divisions in the Church are a heavier plague then the raging sword These same sins against the first and second Table the reconciling of us and Babylon Pride Bribing Extortion Filthiness and intemperance unpunished blood touching blood and not revenged vanity of apparell the professed way of salvation by all kinde of Religions whatsoever are now acted in another stage by other persons but they are these same sins if that head-ship that flattering Prelates took from Jesus Christ and gave to the King be yet taken from Christ and given to men if Christs Crown be pulled off his head no matter whose head it warme it s taken from Christ both wayes I shall pray that the fatnesse of the flesh of Jacob for this do not wax leane and that the warefare of Britaine be accomplished But if the faithfull watchmen know what hour of the night it is now there be but small appearance that it is near to the dawning of Britains deliverance or that our sky shall clear in hast would God the yeare 1645. were with childe to bring forth the salvation of Britain It was once as incredible that the enemy should have entred within the gates of Jerusalem as it is now that they can enter within the Ports of London Edinburgh Dublin I speak not this to incourage Cavaliers for certainly God watcheth over them for vengeance but that we go not on farther to break with Christ the weaknesse of new heads devising new Religions and multiplying Gods for two sundry and contrary Religions argue interpretatively two sundry Gods According to the number of our Cities must come from rottennesse of our hearts O if we could be instructed before the decree that is with childe of Plagues to the sinners in Zion bring forth a man childe and before the long shadows of the evening be stretched out on us But of this Theame no more Grace is the Proposition of this following Treatise when either Grace is turned into painted but rotten nature as Arminians do or into wantonnesse as others do The error to me is of a far other and higher elevation then opinions touching Church-Government Tenacious adhering to Antinomian errors with an obstinate and finall persistance in them both as touching Faith to and suitable practise of them I shall think cannot be fathered upon any of the regenerated For it is an opinion not in the Margin and borders but in the page and body and too near the Center and vitall parts of the Gospel if any offend that I desire to anger them with good-will to
place the Father his place Faith its place the sinner his place 1. Vse· All without this covenant are miserable Christ undertaketh not for them The Lord dealeth with them by Law read Deut. 28. Lev. 26. Job 20. chap. 18. and 27. They have bread but it s not sure not so the beleever Isa. 33.16 His bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure The beleever has all by the free holding of Grace his bread by covenant his sleep by promise safety from the sword to lie down and no man shall make them afraid by covenant his land is tilled by the Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.34 The man not in this covenant hath all by tenour of the condemning Law the weapon of Steel shall go through bones and liver by vertue of the curses of the Law 2. Men never try their standing whether they be under the first husband of the Law or if they be married to the better husband Christ and under Grace where art thou O sinner in Christ or no They live at random and by chance not knowing that the two covenants hath influence on eternity a man is judged according to his state rather then his actions 3. No state so stable and sure as the covenant of Grace Christ is surety for the believer that he fall not away Christ honour is ingaged he shall not have shame of his Tutory Isa. 50.7 I know I shall not be ashamed saith Christ It s his honour to raise me when I fall 4. We may use arguments of Faith challenging God Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned why For thou art the Lord my God The Covenant is Faiths Magna Charta the grand mother-promise all prayers must be bottomed on this Jer. 14.21 Do not abhor us Why vers 22. Art not thou he the Lord God Isaiah 64.9 Remember not our iniquity for ever behold see we beseech thee Why we are all thy people every one doth for its own the Prince for his own People the Father for his own children yea the damme for her own young ones the Shepherd for his own sheep and God for his own in covenant with him an offensive and defensive covenant of Peace and War taketh in the believer and all that serveth him the stones of the field Job 5.23 and in covenant with the horse thou ridest on that it shall not cast thee and crush thee in covenant with the sword with the Canon and Musket with the Spear and Bow yea with Death as a Boat to carry thee over the water to thy fathers Land So the Covenant I 'le blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee Isa. 54.16 I have created the water to destroy Creation is a work of omnipotency only no creature can do it Then fire cannot consume water cannot drown the Saints except by a dispensation of the Lord. 5. Christ is not fastned as a loose nail or as one broken or rotten wedge in the covenant He is there as a nail in a sure place Zach. 10.4 Isa. 22 23. Hang all the vessells of the Fathers house on Christ He cannot break O sweet we are given to the Surety of the covenant Ioh. 17.3 Son answer for him thy life for his life thy glory for his glory and render account of him when the Kingdom shall be given up to the Father Adam was surety in the first covenant and so it fell out free-will holdeth all sure in the Arminian Covenant 6. In desertion to swim upon the covenant keepeth from sinking so Christ in his sad and black hour My God my God why hast thou forsaken me SERMON IX O Lord thou Son of David The one word O Lord holdeth forth Christs Godhead the other Son of David holdeth forth his Man-hood Here 's the perfection of our Mediator in that he is the substantiall Covenant and Emanuel God with us or God us in a personall union the substantiall marriage and aliance between the two houses of Heaven and Earth God and clay 2. He is not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 And why would he take part of flesh and blood but because he would be a child of our house vers 14. 3. He would be of blood to us not only come to the sick and to our bed side but would lie down and be sick taking on him sick clay and be in that condition of clay a worm and not a man that he might pay our debts and would borrow a mans heart and bowels to sigh for us mans eyes to weep for us his Spouses body legs and arms to be pierced for us our earth our breath our life and soul that he might breath out his life for us a mans tongue and soul to pray for us and yet he would remain God that he might perfume the obedience of a High Priest with heaven and give to justice blood that chambered in the veins and body of God in whom God had a personall lodging 1. Vse O what love Christ would not intrust our redemption to Angels to millions of Angels but he would come himself and in person suffer he would not give a low and a base price for us clay he would buy us with a great ransom so as he might over-buy us and none could over-bid him in his market for souls if there had been millions of moe believers and many heavens without any new bargain his blood should have bought them all and all these many heavens should have smelled one Rose of Life Christ should have been one and the same Tree of Life in them all O we under-bid and under-value that Prince of love who did over-value us we will not sell all we have to buy him he sold all he had and himself too to buy us 2. Vse What an incomparable thing must the Mediator God-man be There 's no fair creature no excellent one but there 's a peece of nothing and creature-basenesse and creature-vanity in it even a thing of blood to the mother-nothing of the creation of God there is no Rose but it hath a Brier growing out of it except the Rose of Sharon that flower of the field not planted with hands the Son without a Father and who shall declare his generation A Rose that should smell and cast out odours for a mile of earth or for ten miles could draw to it many beholders but if it should smell for the bounds of the half of the earth it should be more admirable the flower that sprang out of the root of Jesse spreads his beauty and the odours of his myrhe through heaven and earth could the darknesse of hell stand and look on the face of the Sun blacknesse of darknesse should be better seen but convene all the little pieces of the Creation summon before Christ faire Angels all the Troops of the sin-lesse glorified spirits the broad skies fair heavens lightsome stars all the
all Ephraims prayer over again behinde his back 3. No answer from Christ is Hell to a Believer but to kisse and embrace hell because its Christs Hell is a work of much acceptance when you say He pray and die praying though I be never heard because praying is my dutie and Gods glory let me die in a dutie that glorifieth him 4. Wrestling addeth strength to armes and body praying and praying again strengthneth Faith customary running lengthneth the breath By much praying faith is well breathed Iacob is stronger in the morning when he hath prayed a whole night then at bed-time Gen. 32.26 The Angel said Let me go for the day breaketh And he said I will not let thee go till thou blesse me Then in the dawning he hath prayed harder and used his arms with greater violence then before by this hunger groweth fatter sense stronger it s here Eat and be hungry pray and desire more strongly to pray 3. Reasons of Gods not hearing prayer are 1. Superstitious and false worship Isa. 16.12 Moab wearied of his high places comes to his Sanctuary to pray but prevaileth not Wildfire cannot rost raw flesh 2. God hears not sinners Joh. 9.31 Let his prayer be sin Psal. 109.7 Yea the prayers of Britain are not heard nor their Solemn Fasts accepted for iniquity hath separated between God and us Es. 59.2 3. God heareth not whâ—n there 's a heart-love to vanity Psal. 66.18 Iob 35.15 4. God heareth not Malignants nor us when many are heart-enemies to the Cause Psal. 18.41 5. He heareth not bloudy men Es. 1.15 Now for the Saints sense maketh non answering a mercifull judgement it s here as in riches he is rich who thinketh himself rich and desireth no more So not to be answered is a plague but to find you are not answered and be sad for it hath much of Christ The Saints are heavier because God answereth not then because the mercy is denyed Quest. How shall we know we are answered Answ Hannah knew it by peace after prayer 2. Paul knew it by receiving new supply to bear the want of that he sought in prayer he is answered that is more heavenly after prayer 3. Liberty and boldnesse of Faith is a sign of an answered prayer The intercessor at the right hand of God cannot lose his own work his spirit groaneth in the Saints doth not my head accept what I set my heart on work to do Rom. 8.23 26 27. compared with Rev. 8.3 4. We are heard and answered of God when we are not heard and answered of God I pray for a temporall favour victory to Gods people in this battle they lose the day Yet I am heard and answered because I prayed for that victory not under the notion of victory but as linked with mercy to the Church and the honour of Christ So the formall object of my prayers was a spirituall mercy to the Church and the honour of Jesus Christ. Now the Lord by the losse of the day hath shewen mercy on his people in humbling them and glorifieth his Son in preserving a fallen people So he heareth that which is spirituall in my prayers he is not to hear the errors of them Christ putteth not drosse in his Censure of Gold 5. We are heard when ever we ask in Faith but let Faith reach no further then Gods will when we make Gods will our rule he will do his own will if he do not my wil it s to be noted That the creatures will divided from Gods will in things not necessary for Salvation and Gods glory is no part of Gods will and no asking of Faith Therefore Faith frequently in the Psalms prayeth and answereth Psal. 6. v. 4. compared with v. 9. Ps. 55.2 Attend unto me hear me v. 19. God shall hear and afflict them Ps. 57.1 Be mercifull unto me O God c. v. 3. He shall send from Heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up Psal. 59. 1. Deliver me from mine enemies O my God 2. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity v. 10. The God of mercy shall prevent me God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies Psal. 60.1 O God thou hast cast us off thou hast scattered us c. But in the end vers 12. Through God we shall do valiantly The prophecying of Faith is not dead with the Prophets Faith seeth afar off as yet to see things that God shall do either by Himself or by Angels is an act of prophecy and differeth not in nature from the propheticall light of the Prophets now the light of Faith seeth as yet the same to wit that Christ shall raise the dead and send his Angels to gather in his Wheat into his barne especially hope of glory is Propheticall 6. Patience to wait on while the vision speak is an answer 7. Some letters require no answer but are meer expressions of the desires of the friend the generall Prayers of the Saints that the Lord would gather in his elect that Christ would come and marry the Bride and consummate the Nuptials do refer to a reall answer when our Husband the King shall come in person at his second appearance 1. Vse You take it hard that you are not answered and that Christs door is not opened at your first knock David must knock Ps. 22. 2. O my God I cry by day and thou hearest not and in the night season I am not silent The Lords Church Lam. 3.8 And when I cry and shout he shuteth out my prayer Sweet Iesus the Heire of all prayed with teares and strong cries once O my father againe O my father and the third time O my father ere he was heard Wait on dye praying faint not 2. Vse It s good to have the heart stored with sweet principles of Christ when he heareth not at the first It s Christ he will answer It s but Christs out-side that is unkinde SERMON XII And his Disciples came and besought him saying Send her away c. IN the Disciples we see little tendernesse no more but send her away she troubleth us with crying forsooth they were sore slain that their dainty ears were pained with the crying of a poor woman Why they say not Dear master her little daughter is tormented with the Divel and thou her Saviour answerest her not one word she cannot but break her heart we pray thee Master heal her daughter Doct. Naturall men or Christs Disciples in so far as tâ—erâ— is flesh in them understandeth not the mystery of sorrow and fervour of affection in the Saints crying to God in disertion and not heard 1. Naturall men jeer at Christ deserted Psal 22.8 He trusted in the Lord let him deliver him Heavy was the spirit of the weeping Church a captive woman at the rivers of Babylon yet see they mock them Sing us one of the songs of Sion 2. Even the Saints in so far as
this ground that a Pharisee lend eyes and ears to Christ and his miracles The light of the Gospel worketh as a naturall agent for make open windows in a house whether the indweller will or he will not the fun shall dart in day light upon the house Joh. 7.28 Then cryed Jesus in the Temple as he taught saying Ye both know me and ye know whence I am And there is a covering upon the spirituall senses and faculties of the soul of naturall men that though eyes and ears and mind and soul be opened yet it s as unpossible for the naturall spirit or the Preacher to remove that covering as to remove a Mountain it being as heavy as a Mountain And therefore there be three bad signes in a naturall spirit 1. His light which is but literall is a burden to him it but vexeth him to know Christ and if a beam of light fall in on the apple of the eye of a natural conscience it s a throne between the bone and the flesh the man shall not sleep and yet he is not sick I doubt if either Achitophel or Iudas wakened with their light could sleep 2. Though a promise should dispute and argue Christ in at the door of the natural mans soul as the Gospel by way of arguing may doe much Ioh. 7.28 Ioh. 12.37 Heb. 11.1 The word of the Gospel being a rationall convincing Syllogisme as Christ saith Ioh. 15.24 But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father Yet men may see the principles and the conclusion and hate and practically suspend the assent from the conclusion 3. Conversion is feared as a great danger by naturall men lest the promises put them on the pain and the main mill of godlinesse For men do flee nothing but that which they apprehend as evil dangerous and so the true object of fear Now when Faelix and Agrippa were both upon the wheels I cannot say that Conversion formally was begun yet materially it was the one trembled and so was afraid and fled and did put Paul away till another time then he saw the danger of Grace Act. 24. vers 25 26. The other saith he was half a Christian but it was the poorest half and he arose and went aside Act. 26.28.30.31 The naturall spirit may be convinced by the promises and have the pap in his mouth but dare not milk out the sap and sweetnesse of the promises Matth. 13.15 Their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them So is it Isa. 6.10 In which words conversion is feared as an evil as is clear So one wretch said hee was once in danger to be catched when a Puritan Preacher as he said was Preaching with Divine power evidence of the spirit of God 4 The true believers soul hath influence on the promises to act upon them to draw comfort out of them Ps. 119.92 Vnlesse thy Law had been my delight I should have perished in mine affliction ver 81. My soul fainteth for thy Salvation But I hope in thy word And there 's a reciprocation of Actions here the word acteth upon the soul again Psal. 119.50 This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned mee A dead Faith is like a dead hand a living hand may lay hold on a dead hand but there 's no reciprocation of actions here the dead hand cannot lay hold on the living hand so the living wife may kisse and embrace the dead husband but there can come no reciprocall act of life from the dead husband to her nor can he kisse and embrace her The promise may act upon the naturall spirit to move and affect him but he can put forth no vitall act upon the promise to embrace it or lay hold upon the promise But the promise acteth upon the Believer to quicken him and he again putteth forth an act of life to embrace the promise and putteth forth on it some act of vitall heat to adhere cleave to and with warmnesse of heart to love it and here the case is as when the living hand layeth hold on the living hand they warm one another mutually according to that which Paul saith Phil. 3.12 But I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Here be two living things Christ and believing Paul acting mutually one upon another there 's a heart and a life upon each side 5. Faith under fainting and great straits can so improve the promise as to put an holy and modest challenge upon God so Psal. 119.49 afflicted David saith Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope and the Church Ier. 14.21 Do not abhor us for thy names sake do not disgrace the throne of thy glory remember break not thy Covenant with us and the Lord commandeth that this challenge be put on him Isa. 43.26 Put me in remembrance let us plead together then he giveth faith leave to plead on the contrary with God naturall spirits faint and cannot so far own the promise as to plead with God by their right and just claime to the promise Now the fourth point concerning faith is what grounds and Warrants the sinner hath to believe 4. It s an ordinary challenge made by Satan conscience and the Arminian since Christ died not for all and every one of mankinde and all are not chosen to life eternall but only those on whom the Lord is pleased according to the free decree of Election to confer the grace of believing What warrant can the unworthy sinner have to believe and to own the merits of Christ For he knoweth nothing of the Election or Reprobation that are hidden in Gods eternall minde for Answer 1. It s no presumption in me to believe in Christ before I know whither I be chosen to salvation or not for nothing can hinder me in this case to believe save only presumption as the adversaries say but it is not presumption because presumption is when the soul is lifted up and Towred like an high building as the word is Hab. 2.4 And therefore the lifted up man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnophel is he that hideth himself in a high Castle as every unbelieving presumptuous soul hath his own Castle the unbeliever hath either one Ophel or high Tower or other either the King friends riches or his own wisdome for his God on which he resteth beside the God that the Scripture recommendeth to us as our onely rock and soul confidence All men on earth live and do all morall actions even when they go on in a wicked life as slaves of Hell to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse upon some ground of faith though a most false and counterfeit Faith that they shall prosper by evil doing and that sin shall make
he enter a subject of the Kingdom of Grace Nay not any such condition can go before mans reconciliation to God Propos. 8. Christ can love dearly and tempt â—oughly both at once 1. His love consisteth â—ot in a taking his Church into his bosome and 〈◊〉 continuall and never interrupted laying of her â—etween his breasts yea tempting floweth from the love of God nor is it any act of Justice yea to take vengeance on the inventions of his people satisfying Justice he cannot exerce toward his Elect yet a punishing and correcting Justice he may and doth put forth on them but it hath its rise from love all the wheels of Gods dispensation sweet or sower are rowled upon this Axle ttee of Free-love the bowels of Christ act move and breath all dispensations to the Saints through no other Pipe and Channel but free and tender compassion so as mercy is an immediate Actor when the Lord is wasting his Church with bloody wars And which is wonderful mercy is Christs armour-bearer Mercy immediatly killeth even when death climbeth in at the windows and enters into the house of the believer either in a pestilence known to come from no creature or second cause or in the raging sword when the carcasses of men fal as dung in the open field as the handful after the harvest men and there be none to bury them Jer. 9.21 22. 2. Tempting mercy is wise mercy it were not atempting mercy if we saw all the secrets of love the reasons why the Lord buildeth Zion with blood even the Elect and beloved of God though they be in Christs court they are not always upon his counsel Joh. 13.7 Many are within the walls of the Palace that are not in the Kings Parlour and taken into his house of wine The love of Christ hath its own mysteries and unknown secrets as why one Saint is led to heaven and to mens eye The Candlestick of the Almighty shineth on his Tabernacle and he washeth his steps in oyl he is rich holy prosperous and another no lesse dear to Christ never laugheth while he be within the gates of heaven but eateth the bread of sorrow all his dayes his face never dryeth while he be in glory is a secret of heaven The love of Christ is often vailed and covered and we know not what he meaneth but he hasteth to shew mercy Vse This should make us very charitable of Christ when he frowneth and covereth himself with a cloud and very inclinable to pardon if I may so speak rough and bloody dispensations in Christ He loveth and he bloodeth scourgeth and giveth his own child a cup of gall and wormwood Could we in silence believe its Christ with two garments on him at once Christ clothed with love wrapped in the unseen mystery of tendernes of compassion and yet his upper garment is vengeance and rowled in blood we should kisse the edge of Christs bloody sword so we are to believe for Isa. 63.1 Christ at one time travelleth in the greatnesse of his strength and speaketh in rigteousnesse and is mighty to save and at the same time his upper garment is blood It is true it is the blood of his enemies but it is often the blood of the children of his own house and Sanctuary Ezek. 9.6 1 Pet. 4.17 And what more concerneth us then to keep our first love to Christ When he multiplieth our widows in the three Kingdoms as the sand of the sea and bringeth against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noon-day Jer. 15.8 This woman stayed on her watch-tower and now the vision speaketh mercy to her Say they were injuries that Christ inflicteth which is a blasphemous impossibility yet it is Christ it is the Lord let him doe what seemeth good to you The absolute liberty of the Potter closeth the mouth of the clay-vessell if it could speak Rom. 9. That unbelief hath no reason to stomack and dispute against hells fire coming from him who hath absolute dominion over us As Devils and wicked men burn in hell with eternall fretting against God for their pain so if it were possible that the Elect and Regenerate were thrown into hell they are to have eternall charity and love to the holy and just Lord and to beleeve his eternall love SERMON XXV BE it unto thee as thou wilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Itâ— a word of Omnipotency to create Being it s spoken of Satan and to Satan Mark 9 25. Luk. 4.35 2. None can speak to Leprosie buâ— Christ Mat. 8.3 Luk. 4.39 Be thou clean 3â— Christ can speak to stark death Joh. 11.43 anâ— Joh. 5.28 Jesus cryed with a loud voice Lazaâ—rus come forth 4. He can speak to life In abâ—stracto Ezek. 37.9 Come from the four Winds 〈◊〉 breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live 5. God can speak to Mother-nothing as if Nothing had ears and reason could hear Rom. 4.17 He calleth things that are not as though they were He did but nod upon Nothing and out of Nothing there compeared before him The great Hoste of heaven and earth and all things in them Psa. 33.9 6. There is a Language of Providence by which every Being as Being hath a power-obedientiall to hear what God saith and do it Ion. 2.10 The Lord spake to the Fish and it vomited out Ionah on the dry land Mar. 4.39 And he arose and rebuked the wind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and said unto the sea Peace be still and the wind ceased and there was a great calm What wise man can boast the Sea What ears hath the sensless and â—ifelesse waters Yet they hear Christs language they speak Yonder standeth our Creator boaâ—ting us and therefore we will obey Isa. 50.2 Hear himself speak Behold at my rebuke I dry up the Sea Psa. 114. There is a question put upon the creatures that they can well answer ver 5. What aileth thee O thou Sea that thou fleddest Thou Iordan that thou wast driven backward vers 6. What ailed you ye mountains that ye skipâ—ed like Rams and ye little hills like Lambs Good reason saith the Spirit vers 7. Tremble thou â—arth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Iacob This obedientiall power is not any quality created in the creature different from their being for God may use any creature to infinite effects of omnipotency and so there should be infinite created qualities in every finite creature 2. This obedientiall power was in that Mother-nothing out of which God by an omnipotent act of creation extracted all the hosts of creatures that now are and it s in that other Mother-nothing yet objected to omnipotency according to which God may create infinite moe worlds then now are so it please him it s then nothing but a non-repugnancy to hear and obey God in these particulars As 1. Omnipotency of strong grace can speak to sin which none can do but God Ezek.
spiritual capacities but for drops of grace Christ is disposed to give grace as a river it s too little to seek corn wine oyl from God he is more willing to give great things then small things to ask a feather a penny from a mighty Prince when he saith Ask what thou wilt to the half of my Kingdom and it shal be granted to thee is the undervaluing of the greatnesse of his Royal magnificence Ask what ye wil saith Christ of my Father in my name and it shall be granted Mens desires run upon removall of the Sword Peace Protection Plenty Traffiquing peaceable Seas Liberties of Parliament Subjects Peers Cities Little are mens desires improved in seeking Christ to dwel in the land and that the Temple of the Lord be builded all these suits are below both the goodnesse of the Lord and spirituall capacity of sanctified affections And God giveth to Carnall men that which their soul lusteth after but in his wrath SERMON XXVII Mar. 7.30 And when she was come to her house she found the Devil gone out and her daughter laid upon the bed BEcause I hast to an end and shall not now refute the dream of Papists from this collecting the lawfulnesse of their bastard confirmation and of confirming children by the unhallowed blessing of the Prelate only observe the case of the child Mark saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cast in a violent manner in a bed for this is not to be a bed of rest and security as some Papists collect but to expresse how violent Satan is in his last farewell as when he is to be cast out Mark 9.20 When the possessed childe is brought to Jesus and when he saw him straightway the spirit tare him and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming The Devil and the unclean spirits are not thrown out of a person or Land but they must rage and foam 1. The Lord saith Zach. 13.2 I will cut off the names of Idols out of the land and they shal be no more remembred and I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirits to passe out of the land But this cannot be done but with great violence vers 3. The father and the mother shall thrust through with a sword the false Prophet even their own son ere he be put out of the land The Devil will not be removed without blood sweating and great violence when the unclean spirits of men given to curious Arts and the Idoll Diana is preached down in Ephesus Acts 19.18 That whole great City was full of wrath and they cry out Great is Diana of the Ephesians 19. And the whole City was filled with confusion When Christ cometh to the Crown and the Throne Jews and Gentiles the Kings and Rulers of the earth Herod and Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel are gathered together Act. 4.25 26 27. The word Psal. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rageshu it is to make a great tumult as a furious multitude gathered together that maketh a noise as the noise of a troubled sea therefore some not without reason say the sons of Zebedeus are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benairegesci Sons of Thunder Luke Acts 2. useth the word after the 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Budeus expoundeth of fierce and wilde horse and certainlie Christ is Crowned upon Mount Zion with garments rowled in blood this is a spoiling of and a triumphing over principalities and powers Christ dyed the black Crosse with red blood when he performed this noble act of Redemption Col. 2.14 15. So when Christ entreth in any soul to dwell there he must first binde the Devil And then spoyle his house Mat 12.29 What wonder is it that multitudes of heresies and sects and many blasphemous and false ways arise now when the Lord is to build up Sion Satan when Christ is to saile and his Kingdom a coming Kingdom as we pray raiseth up storms and winds in the broad Lake of Brimstone to drown the Church of God Christ hath not fair weather when he goeth to Sea Mat. 8.23 24. Yet his journey is lawfull When Christ is upon Acts of his Priesthood and standeth at the great high Altar with his Censer of gold to offer up the prayers of the Saints to God he casteth fire with the same Censer down upon the earth and there be then Thundrings Lightnings and Earthquakes and hence followeth terrible judgements upon the earth as hail fire mingled with blood and a mountain burning with fire and the third part of the Sea becomes blood and a clear burning star like a Lampe called Worm-wood making the third part of the Waters bitter doth fall from Heaven which is as much as when Christ is upon Acts of mercy toward his people pestilent Heresies of the Popish Clergy and others darkneth the third part of the Sun and Moon that is of the light of the Gospel Rev. 8.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Even as when our Lord Jesus standeth to intercede for the people and to pray for fallen Ierusalem which is as a firebrand plukt out of the fire Satan standeth at his right hand his working hand to hinder him Zach. 2.1.2.3 2. This resolveth to many their state Many are free of the Devil I thank God saith one I know not Satan nor any of his works I have peace Satan did never tare me nor cause me to fall to the earth nor doth he torment me But this is a fearful condition 1. It is an Argument of a false peace When the strong man is within the house is in peace not to be tempted of the Devil is the greatest temptation out of Hell and if there be any choise of Devils a raging and a roaring Devil is better then the calme and sleeping Devill when the Devil is within he sleepeth and is silent and the house or soul he is in is silent and there is a Covenant with death and Hell Isa. 28.15 Now Hell keepeth true to a naturall man for a time Cessation of Armes between the soul and Satan is security for a time but it s not peace The Devils warre is better then the Devils peace Carnall hypocrisie is a dumbe and silent thing but its terrible to be carried to Hell without any noise of feet The wheels of Satans chariot are oiled with carnall rest and they go without ratling and noise the Devil carrieth few to hell with shouting and crying suspect dumb holines when the Dog is kept out of doors he howles to be in again the Covenant of Satan to Eve sin and you shall not die standeth with all men by nature till Jesus Christ break peace between us and Satan 2. Contraries meeting such as hot and dry fire and cold and moist water they conflict one with another and where Satan findeth a sanctified heart he tempteth with much importunity as at one time Christ findeth three mighty temptations and he departeth from him onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉