is in Prophetical account ten years reckoning each day for a year Numb 14. 34. It was not long the saddest afflictions will have an end All which sheweth how God bridleth and moderateth the rage of Satan and his evil influence 2. For his instruments God saith Zech. 1. 15. I am very sorely displeased with the Heathen that were at ease for I was but a little displeased and they helped forward the affliction The instruments of Gods chastisements lay on without mercy and being of cruel minds and destructive intentions which are heightned in them by Satan are severe executioners of Gods wrath and if God did not restrain them by the invisible chains of his Providence we should never see good day more Well then you see the reasons why the Children of God though they have many troubles and conflicts yet they are not everlasting troubles Use of Instruction to the People of God It teacheth them three Lessons Comfort Patience Obedience 1. Comfort and encouragement to them that are under a gloomy day this will not alwayes last he may try you for a while and you may be under great conflicts and wants and difficulties as he tryed the Woman of Canaan with discouraging answers but at last Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Matth. 15. 28. He tryed his Disciples when he meant to feed the multitude Iohn 6. 5 6. Whence shall we buy bread that all these may eat This he said to prove them for he himself knew what he would do A poor Believer is tryed Children increase Trading grows dead in hard times how shall so many mouths be filled He promiseth Abraham a numerous posterity but for a great while he goeth childless He promiseth David a Kingdom yet for a while he is fain to shift for his Life and skulk up and down in the Wilderness He intended to turn water into Wine but first all the store must be spent He meaneth to revive the hearts of his contrite ones but for a while they lye under great doubts and fears Moses his hand must be made leprous before it wrought miracles Jesus loved Lazarus and meant to recover him but he must be dead first But I must not run too far There will be tedious conflicts and tryals but yet there is hope of deliverance God is willing and God is able He is willing because he is sufficiently inclined to it by the grace and favour that he beareth his people Psal. 149. 4. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation The Lord loveth their persons and he loveth their Prosperity and Happiness Psal. 35. 27. He hath pleasure in the prosperity of his Servants He is able either as to wisdom or power Wisdom 2 Pet. 2. 7. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation Many times we know not which way but God knoweth he is never at a loss Then for his Power power hath a twofold notion of Authority and Might He hath Authority enough the soveraign Dominion of God is a great prop to our Faith all things in the World are at his disposal to use them for his own Glory Psal. 44. 4. Command deliverances for Iacob Angels Devils Men the Hearts of the greatest men are all at his command He hath might and strength Dan. 3. 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us and what then can let 2. Patience we must be contented with the Son of God to tarry his leisure and undergo our course of tryal as Christ patiently continued till enough was done to instruct the Church Isaiah 28. 16. He that believeth will not make hast The people of God miscarry in their hast Psal. 31. 22. I said in my hast I am cut off but thou heardest the voice of my supplication Psalm 116. 11. I said in my hast all men are lyers even Samuel and all the Prophets who had assured him of the Kingdom It will come in the best time when it cometh in God's time neither too soon nor too late it will come sooner then your Enemies would have it sooner than second causes seem to promise sooner than you deserve soon enough to discover the Glory of God to you Psal. 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord and he enclined unto me and heard my cry God will not fail a waiting soul his delay is no denyal nor a sign of want of love to you Iohn 11. 5. Iesus loved Lazarus and yet verse 6. When he had heard that he was sick he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was It may come sooner than you expect Psal. 94. 18. When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up David was apt to think all was gone help would never come more to him and in that very season God delivered him 3. Obedience the Son of God submitted to the Holy Spirit while the impure Spirit tempted him If you would look for a ceasing of the conflict do as he did carry it humbly fruitfully faithfully to God 1. Humble carriage will become you under your conflicts 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time The stubborness of the Child maketh his correction double to what it otherwise would be The more submissive you are the more the cross hath its effect whether you will or no you must passively submit to God 2. Carry it fruitfully otherwise you obstruct the kindness of the Lord. He proveth us that we may be fruitful Iohn 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit The Rod hath done its work when it maketh us more holy then the comfortable dayes come Heb. 12. 11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Righteousness brings peace along with it inward and outward This maketh amends for the trouble Then God beginneth to take it off 3. Carry it faithfully to God still opposing sin and satan for the more you give way to satan the more you are troubled with him and your misery is increased not lessened But if you repel his temptations he is discouraged Eph. 4. 27. Neither give place to the Devil The devil watcheth for a door to enter and takes possession of your hearts that he may exercise his former Tyranny If he gaineth any ground he makes fearful havock in the soul and weakneth not only our comfort but our Grace Therefore imitate Christs resolution and resistance here But this will deserve a point by it self Therefore II. Doctrine When the Devil is thoroughly and resolutely resisted he departeth As here when the adversary was put to the foil he went his way Therefore this is often pressed upon us in Scripture Iames 4. 7.
foolish devil who will appear in his own colours and ugly shape but with a devout devil who for his own turn can pretend to be Godly II. That he citeth such a Scripture which exceedingly conduceth to commend the happyness of the godly for God will not only be the Keeper and Guardian of them that fear him but hath also appointed the Ministry of Angels and the Argument of the tempter seemeth to be taken from the less to the greater for if it be true of every one that trusts in God and dwelleth in the shadow of the Almighty that God will have such a care of him much more will he have a care of his beloved son in whom he is well pleased Therefore you that are declared to be so from Heaven and having such an occasion to shew your self to be the son of God with so much honour and profit Why should you scruple to cast your self down But wherein was the devil faulty in citing the Scripture some say in leaving out those words in all thy wayes This was Bernards gloss in viis non in praecipitiis will keep you in your wayes or duties not in your headlong actions these were none of his wayes to throw himself down from the battlements of the Temple This is not to be altogether rejected because it reaches the sense yet this omission was not the devils fault in citing this Scripture for all thy ways signifyeth no more but in all thy actions and businesses and that is sufficiently implyed in the words cited by Satan But the devils errour was in application He applyeth the Word of God not to instruct but deceive rather to breed a contempt disdain and hatred of Scriptures then a reverend esteem of them to make the Word of God seem uncertain or if a reverence of them to turn this reverence into an occasion of deceit more particularly to tempt God to a needless proof of his power We are not to cast our selves into danger that Providence may fetch us off God will protect us in the evils we suffer not in the evils we commit not in dangers we seek but such as befal us besides our intention Thirdly The sorenesse of this temptation which appeareth in several things 1. The change of place for a new temptation he maketh choice of a new place he could do no good on him in the wilderness therefore he taketh him and carryeth him into the Holy City here was a publick place where Christ might discover himself with profit and the edification of many if he would but submit to the devils methods In the Temple the Messiah was as in his own House where 't was fit the Messiah should exhibit himself to his people There was an old Prophesie Mal. 3. 1. The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his Temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in And he was to send forth his rod out of Sion even the Law of his Kingdom Psal. 110. 2. If he would yield to this advice and vain glorious ostentation of his power before that numerous multitude which continually resorted to the Holy things performed in the Temple how soon should he be manifested to be the Son of God or the power of the great God The Devil doth not perswade him to cast himself from a Rock or top of a Tree in the Desart that had been temerity and rashness but from a pinnacle of the Temple an Holy place and a place of much resort But the Son of God was not to be discovered to the world by the Devils methods That had been such a piece of ostentation and vain glory as did not become the Son of God who came to teach the World humility But however the temptation is grievous in so good a design in such an Holy place there could no ill happen to the Son of God nor a better occasion be offered of shewing himself to many so to confirm the Jews in the Truth of the Oracle they had of late heard from Heaven 2. The change of temptations since he will trust the devil will put him upon trusting he shall trust as much as he will There he tempted him to the use of unlawful means to preserve his life here to the neglect of things lawful There that God would fail him if he were still obedient to the spirit and did not take another course then divine Providence had as yet offered to him here that God would not forsake him though he threw himself into danger There that he would fail though he had promised here that he would help though he had not promised That Faith which sustained him in his hunger would preserve him in this precipice if he expected his preservation from God why not now He had hitherto tempted him to diffidence now to prefidence or an over-confident presumption that God would needlesly shew his power It is usual with the tempter to tempt man on both sides sometimes to weaken his Faith at other times to neglect his duty He was cast out of Heaven himself and he is all for casting down 3. The temptation was the more strong being vailed under a pretence of Scripture and so Christs weapons seem to be beaten back upon himself The devil tempted him to nothing but what he might be confident to do upon the promise of God Now it is grievous to Gods Children when the rule of their lives and the Charter of their hopes is abused to countenance a temptation Secondly The Observations 1. Observe That the first temptation being rejected by Christ Satan maketh a new assault Though he get the foil he will set on us again like a troublesome fly that is often beaten off yet will return to the same place Thus the devil when he could do no good upon his first Patent against Iobs Goods and Children cometh and sueth for a new Commission that he might touch his flesh and bones Iob 2. 4 5. Skin for skin ye all that a man hath will he give for his Life But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face Satan is uncessant in his attempts against the Saints and is ready to assault afresh upon every occasion Now this cometh to pass by Satans unwearied malice who is a sworn enemy to our peace and wellfare he still seeketh to devour us 1 Pet. 5. 8. Also from Gods Providence who permitteth this that we may not be careless and secure after temptation though we have gotten the victory For our Life is a continual warfare Iob 7. 1. Is there not an appointed time for man upon earth The same word signifieth also a warfare Mans Life is a perpetual toil and a condition of manifold temptations and hazards such as a Soldier is exposed to therefore we must perpetuperpetually watch We get not an absolute victory till death Now this should the more prevail with us because many of Gods Peoplehave fail'd after some eminent
the three fundamental Graces Faith Hope and Love so the spiritual Armour is represented 1 Thess. 5. 8. But 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 1. A strong Faith 1 Pet. 5. 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith This is in the general a sound belief of Eternity or a deep sense of the World to come When we believe the Gospel with an assent so strong as constantly to adhere to the duties prescribed and to venture all upon the hopes offered therein 2. A fervent love arising out of the sense of our obligations to God that we do with all readiness of mind set our selves to do his will levelling and directing our actions to his glory Love is strong as death and many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it Cant. 8. 6 7. This love will neither be bribed nor frightned from Christ. 3. A lively Hope that doth so long and wait for glory to come that present things do not greatly move us either delights 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory or the terrors of sense Rom. 8. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us III. Doctrine That those that come out of eminent conflicts are usually delivered by God in a glorious manner Christ was a pattern of this The devil leaveth him and behold Angels came and ministred unto him When God delivered his people after a long captivity he delivered them with glory and some kind of triumph when he turned the Egyptian Captivity they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians so that they lent unto them such things as they required and they spoiled the Egyptians Exod 12. 35 36. So in the Babylonian Captivity Cyrus chargeth his subjects in the place where the Jews remain to furnish them with all things necessary for their journey Ezek. 1. 4. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth let the men of his place help him with silver and with gold and with goods and with beasts besides the free-will-offering for the house of God that is in Ierusalem So in a private instance Iob 42. 10 11. And the Lord turned the captivity of Iob when he prayed for his Friends also the Lord gave Iob twice as much as he had before Then came there unto him all his brethren and all his sisters and all they that had been of his acquaintance before and did eat bread with him in his house and they bemoaned him and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him every man also gave him a piece of mony and every one an ear-ring of gold It is said the Lord turned the captivity of Iob because he had been delivered to Satans power till the Lord set him at Liberty again and then all his Friends had compassion on him even those that had despised him before releived him So Isaiah 61. 7. For your shame you shall have double and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion therefore in their Land they shall possess the double Everlasting joy shall be unto them They should have large and eminent Honour double honour for their shame such a reparation would God make them for all the troubles and dammages they had sustained So in an ordinary Providence God raiseth up comforters to his servants after all the injuries done them by satan's instruments And so also in spirituals the grief and trouble that cometh by Temptation is recompensed with more abundant consolation after the conquest and victory and God delighteth to put special marks of favour upon his people that have been faithful in an hour of Tryal Now God doth this 1. To shew the World the advantage of Godliness and close adhering to him in an hour of temptation Psalm 119. 56. This I had because I kept thy precepts And Psalm 58. 11. So that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth 2. To check our diffidence and murmurings under trouble Within a while and Gods Children will see they have no cause to quarrel with God or repent that they were in trouble For sometimes God giveth not only a comfortable but a glorious issue There is nothing lost by waiting on Providence though we abide the blows of Satan for a while yet abide them God is it may be preparing the greater mercy for you Isaiah 25. 9. And it shall be said in that day lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Afflictions are sharp in their season but the end is glorious USE Do not always reckon upon temporal felicity refer that to God but do as Jesus who in his sharp tryals Heb. 12 2 3. For the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God There is a sure Crown of Life Iames 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him That is enough to content a Christian the eternal reward is sure In this World he shall receive with persecution an hundred fold but in the World to come Eternal Life Mark 10. 29 30. There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands with Persecutions and in the World to come Eternal Life IV. Doctrine That God maketh use of the Ministery of Angels in supporting and comforting his afflicted servants He did so to Christ he doth so to the people of Christ. Partly for the defence and comfort of the Godly Ps. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be the heirs of Salvation Their Ministry is now invisible but yet certain And partly also for the terror of their Enemies When David had said The Lord hath chosen the hill of Sion to dwell in Psalm 68. 16. he adds verse 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels implying that no Kingdom in the World hath such defence and such potent and numerous Armies as the Church hath and the Kingdom of Christ God hath
will put my words into his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him and whosoever will not hearken unto him I will require it of him Which cannot be understood of any other Prophet but Christ the Messiah for it is said Deut. 34. 10 11. There arose not a Prophet in Israel like unto Moses who knew the Lord face to face in all the miracles and wonders which the Lord sent him to do But the Messias doth match and overmatch him he was a Man as Moses was for the Promise was made on that occasion let me hear the Voice of the Lord God no more nor see this great Fire that we dye not saith God they have well spoken I will raise up a Prophet like unto thee from among their Brethren he must be a Law-giver as Moses but of a more perfect Law he must be such an One as should see God face to face he is of a Divine Nature approved to the World by Miracles Signs and Wonders As Moses was so Christ Moses divided the Sea as dry Land Christ walked upon it Moses healed the bitter Waters that were sick Christ raised the dead All the prejudice is that he changed the Law of Moses into the Rites and Institutes of the Christian Religion Answ. That was necessary the substance being once come that the Shadowes and Ceremonies should be abolished and besides these were proper and peculiar to one Nation in the World namely Iudaea the Exercise permitted but in one only place of that Country namely Ierusalem whither they were all to repair three times each year but the Messias Law was to be common to all men serves for all Countries Times Places Persons for he was to be the Light of the Gentiles as well as the Glory of his people Israel how should Nations so far distant from Ierusalem repair thrice every year or a Woman dwelling in England or America repair thither for purification after every Child-birth Lev. 12. When Moses delivered the Law to them Deut. 18. 15. The Lord thy God will raise thee up a Prophet like unto me unto him shalt thou hearken And the Prophets when they prophesie of his Law Isa. 2. 3. The Law shall go forth out of Sion and the word of God from Ierusalem Moses's Law was published from Sinai not from Sion but the preaching of the Gospel begun at Ierusalem and from thence was spread over all the World Again it is said Isa. 42. 4. The Isles shall wait for his Law that is the Maritime Countries I pursue it no farther now 2. To us Christians Our Religion is true Oh let us be true in the profession of it otherwise it will little help us in the day of our Accounts 2 Thes. 1. 8. Taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. You stand upon the Vantage-ground but are not Taller in Stature than Heathens and Iews Disciples in Name not in Deed Ioh. 8. 31. If ye continue in my words then are ye my disciples indeed Christians of Letter not of the Spirit Oh Reverence Christ if Moses and Elias did him Homage When we have found Truth let us look after Life and having owned the true Religion express the Power of it II. The next thing we learn is the Necessity and Value of Christs Death For Moses and Elias insist upon his Decease at Ierusalem which quite contradicteth the Iewish deceit and establisheth the Christian Hope The Death of Christ for our Redemption is the great Article of the Christian Faith the thing foretold and prefigured by Law and Prophets Luk. 24. 44. and the ground of our Comfort and Peace Isa. 53. 4 5. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed Let us Consider 1. The Notions by which Christs Death is set forth 2. The Necessity of it First The Notions by which Christs death is set forth Two solemn ones A Ransom And A Mediatorial Sacrifice 1. A Ransom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 20. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who gave himself a Ransom for all A Ransome is a Price given to a Judge or one that hath power of life and death for to save the life of one capitally Guilty or by Law bound to suffer death or some other evil and punishment This was our Case God was the supream Judge before whose Tribunal Man standeth guilty and liable to death but Christ interposed that we might be spared Iob 33. 24. deliver him from going down to the Pit for I have found a Ransom There is a Price or Recompence given in our stead 2. A Mediatorial Sacrifice Isa. 53. 3 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin Eph. 5. 2. Christ hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour He hath undertook the Expiation of our sins and the propitiating of God Gods provoked Justice would not acquit the Controversie it had against us till it were appeased by a proper Sacrifice 1 Ioh. 2. 2. He is the propitiation for our sins Secondly The Necessity of it 1. The sins and guilty Fears of Mankind needeth such a Remedy we are naturally sensible that the punishment of death is deserved and due to us by the Law of God Rom. 1. 32. They which commit such things are worthy of death Now these Fears are not easily appeased Micah 6. 6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of Oyle Shall I give my first-horn for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my seul Christ came and died to free us from them that we might serve God chearfully Heb. 2. 14 15. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God 2. The Glory of God requires it 1. To declare his Justice Rom. 3. 25 26. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to delare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus If God will pardon sin there must be a fit means to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past 2. No farther price for what they need 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without spot and blemish The repentance of a sinner is pleasing to him there is Joy in Heaven Luke 15. 7. Ioy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that is converted A Feast was made at the return of the Prodigal As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner Our Conversion is more pleasing to God than our Destruction 3. He is pleased with the Execution and Management of it by Christ he carried himself in the office of the Mediator according to what was injoyned him Ioh. 8. 29. I do alwayes the things that please him Ioh. 5. 30. I can of my self do nothing as I hear I judge and my Iudgment is just because I seek not my will but the will of the father which sent me And did finish all that was necessary for the Redemption of the Elect before he died Ioh. 19. 30. When Iesus had received the vinegar he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost Evidences of this are his Resurrection from the dead Act. 5. 30 31. The God of our fathers raised up Iesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins Heb. 13. 20. The God of peace brought again the Lord Iesus from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant As pacified in Christ received into glory 1 Tim. 3. 16. Certainly God is well pleased since he hath given not onely a Discharge but a Reward The gift of the Spirit for renewing the heart of man which is the great pledge of Gods being satisfied Ioh. 7. 39. This he spake of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Iesus was not yet glorified a sure evidence that our ransom is paid Acts 5. 32. And we are his witnesses of these things and so is the holy Ghost which he hath given to them that obey him A Sacrifice of infinite value and esteem 2. That he is well-pleased with us who have an Interest in him In our natural Estate we are all displeasing unto God whatever we are in the purpose of his decree we must look upon our selves as we are in the Sentence of his Law so children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. Enemies by our minds in evil works Col. 1. 21. Estranged from the womb Psal. 58. 3. so that all of us were cut off from the Favour of God obnoxious to his wrath this is our miserable Condition by Nature that we were no way pleasing to him for without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. A sinner as a sinner can do nothing acceptable indeed God having found a Ransom is placabilis but not placatus not actually reconciled to us till we are in Christ and he is placandus antequam placendus to be appeased before he can be pleased he is not actually reconciled till we are in Christ. 2. Awakened sinners are not easily satisfied so as to look upon themselves as pleasing unto God for the Conscience of Sin is not easily laid aside nor is the stain soon got out And though the grant be passed in Heaven yet we have not the sense of it in our own hearts for it is the Blood of Christ can onely do it Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God The Carnal offer thousands of Rams and Rivers of Oyl and the fruit of the body for the sin of their soul Mic. 6. 6 7. They would give any thing for a sufficient sin-offering yea the renewed and pardoned have not so firm a peace as to be able always to look upon themselves in a state of well-pleasing therefore often beg that God would dissipate the Cloudes and cause the Light of his Countenance to break forth upon them Psal. 80. 19. Turn us Oh Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved So that when there is a grant of Pardon and Peace and Access to God we have not alwayes the sense 3. Yet the Ground is laid assoon as we have an Interest in Christ God is well pleased with us if you consent to his Mediation and take him in his three Offices as a Prophet Priest and King As a Prophet hear him the business is put out of all Question that God will love you because he loved Christ. When you depend on him as a Priest you have Reconciliation and Access to God Rom. 5. 1 2. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand When you subject your selves to him as a King Col. 1. 13. He hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son Christ is dear to God and to him all the Subjects of his Kingdom are dear also So that if you will be more explicite in your Duty you may be more explicite in your Comforts if you will receive his Doctrine so as it may have Authority over your Hearts if in the Anguish of your Souls you will depend on the Merit of his Sacrifice and give up your selves to live in a constant Obedience to his Laws You will find him to be a dear Son indeed one very acceptable with God for you also will be accepted with him for his sake II. Concerning the weight and importance of this Truth 1. It is propounded as the Foundation upon which God will build his Church Mat. 16. 16 17 18. And Simon Peter answered and said thou art Christ the Son of the living God And Iesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Barjona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven And I say unto thee That thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 2. It is the question put to those that would enter upon Christianity Acts 8. 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou maist and he answered and said I believe that Iesus is the son of God When they were serious in the Profession that was enough 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God 3. This engaged the hearts of the Disciples to tarry with him when others murmured at his Doctrine He that cleaveth to this Profession carrieth himself accordingly whatever Temptations he hath to the contrary we believe and are sure that thou art