to our recreations these bee no holy things sports are inferiour to our lawful Callings which are to be laid aside farr from holy things and unsutable to the Lords Holy-day The like if not more may be said against pampering a mans self and others by feeding or feasting and of drinking or any such wicked passing away the Sabbath The same also is to be spoken of a day of Feasting of publick Thanksgiving which have the reason of a Sabbath Of these and all other Gods holy Ordinances wee may say as the voyce said to Peter What God hath sanctified pollute thou not Doct. 2. A place is no longer holy than God and his Worship is present Was Jerusalem a holy City how then is the beautiful City become an Harlot how is it that this City which was the seat of Gods worship and the habitation and collection of the Saints is now an harbour of Turks and Infidels over-run with Turcisme or Idolatry Surely because the cause of this holiness ceased the worship of God was corrupted the Son of God despighted the Gospel of God rejected the Saints of God murthered the day of Visitation neglected And therefore they being infinitely departed from God and his pure worship God departs from them and God being gone the place ceaseth to be holy Bethel while the vision of the Ladder lasted there was an holy place and so long as Gods Worship continued there but when it admâ—tted the pollution of Idolatry it must be called Bethel no more but Beth-aven When the Congregation of Israel brought the Ark from Gilgal and set it up in Shilo then was Shilo the standing house of God the seat of religion and justice which God had chosen Josh 18.1 but for the sins of this place the Lord rejected it as Jer. 7.12 Goe now to Shilo into my place where I set my name in the beginning and behold what I did unto it for the wickedness of Israel if we will know what look 1 Sam. 4.4 when by the villany of Elies Sons and outrage of the people the Lord was provoked hee gave Israel into the hands of the Philistims there were thirty thousand Foot-men slain the Ark was taken Hophni and Phineas slain Eli the High Priest brake his neck then did the glory depart from Israel and the Ark never came at Shilo more So the Temple at Jerusalem was holy the City holy so long as they continued in the true Worship of God but after they crucified the Lord of life both City and Temple as prophane were destroyed so as Jerusalem although the holy City of God if her filthiness be found in her skirts she shall be had in derision Lam. 1. the most beautiful rod if held out against God shall bee broken yea the Temple of God if it become a denne of Theeves God will depart from it For what is it that can tye God to any place but his own worship to which he hath tied himself by promise Vse 1. Let not the vain Romanist boast of the pretended chair of Peter from which God cannot possibly depart Can God depart from Shilo for the sins of Priest and people where first he put his Name and can he not depart from Rome Can he depart from the holy City where he promised hee would rest and can he not be driven from the great City of the Whore to which hee never made any such promise Can he depart in displeasure from her whose foundations were layed among the holy Mountains Psal 87.1 and can hee not depart from the Whore Revel 11.8 that sitteth upon seven Hills Shall Bethlehem where Christ was born be forsaken and cannot Babylon where Christ is daily Crucified Nay the Lord is long since departed from her and her final confusion is at the door Vse 2. And if Jerusalem once the holy City but now a Cage and Nest of unclean Saracens and Turks bee left of God what a superstitious error prevailed in former times wherein such bloudy Battels were fought for the recovery of the holy Land most superstitiously putting religion and holiness even in the place it self after all the holy things were prophaned and God himself departed The evil success of such Battels ever shewed how God was offended with such superstitious warres and another mischief by them oppressed the Christian world to keep it in blindness For the Pope making his advantage of this blinde devotion if any King or Prince in Christendom stood between him and his proceedings one way or other he would send him out of his own Country in expedition for the Holy Warre and there hold him till he had effected his own designs in that Princes Country and so strengthned himself in all Lands as Histories manifest Use 3. Let us not bear our selves as though we had God so sure as the Papist thinks he hath him in a Box or pretend any vain priviledge that we have to exempt us from danger True it is we have the word with peace liberty and protection but the fear is that our security and deadness of heart with dissoluteness and prophaneness in behaviour will forfeit all God sendeth Jerusalem to Shilo saying Trust not in lying words saying Jer. 7.4 12 The Temple of the Lord but amend your wayes and I will let you dwell in this place but if you will not goe to Shilo and see what I did to it and look for the like So now God sends us to Jerusalem that we may consider what he did to it being once the praise of the earth and if the same sins be found in us as were in Jerusalem the Lord will doe no other with us than he did with it even as he threatned 2 King 21.13 he will stretch over us the line of Samaria that is bring the enemy in our necks and the plummet of the house of Ahab an Idolater take away his holy things and exchange them with filthy Idolatry and wipe us as a man wipeth a dish even turn us upside down What were the sins of Jerusalem but pride idleness fulness of bread and contempt of the poor In all which England doth equal if not goe beyond Jerusalem and yet wee charge our selves as little with our sins as Jerusalem did And if wee look to the immediate causes and fore-runners of Jerusalems over-throw and compare them with our Land wee shall see it high time to look about us for I. In general Jerusalem had grievously sinned and therefore was had in derision Lam. 1.8 Her sins were great many of long continuance with treasured wrath and all this in a place of such means and light Now no place in the world hath more means than wee wee are farre beyond Jerusalem in means and therefore farre beyond her in sins II. More specially 1 They did not hear the words of Gods servants the Prophets nor obey them therefore the Lord made that house like to Shilo Jerem. 26.6 and hence Jerusalem afterward had time enough but too late to charge her self
ground under the milstone of Gods heavie displeasure and Levit. 19.13 Thou shalt not robb thy neighbour the Work-mans hire shall not abide with thee till the morning The reason is in Deut. 24.15 Lest thy Servant cry against thee to the Lord surely it shall be sin unto thee Obj. 2. But thou mayest make the best of thine own commodities by hoysing the prices and diminishing or corrupting the quantity or quality No man can force thee to sell thy own in dear times unlesse thou wilt and much lesse to give it away to the poor and needy then shut up thy heart live to thy self let others shift for themselves as thou doest for one Ans It is written that covetousness is the root of all evil and that it is Idolatry and the Lord hath sworn by a great oath even by his own excellency Amos 8.4 that he will never forget any of their works that swallow up the poor and make the needy of the Land to fail that were weary of the Sabbath because it hindred their setting of Wheat to sale that made the Epha small and the shekel great and falsified their weights and sold corrupt corn that is took all courses for gain Besides the fearful fruits of covetousness in Achan Gehezi Ahab Judas Object 3 But thou lendest thy money too freely ten in the hundred thou maiest take by Law but if by cunning tricks and devices thou canst get twenty in the hundred thou shalt grow rich the sooner Answ It is written Luke 6.35 Lend freely looking for nothing again and Deut. 23.19 Thou shalt not give to usury to thy brother and Exod. 22.25 If thou lend mony to my people thou shalt not bee an Usurer and Levit. 25.36 Thou shalt take no usury nor advantage neither lend him money nor victuals to increase and What shall it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul Object 4. But thou art a poor man and defraudest thy self of profit thou mayest by an oath or a lye or a little cunning and sleight get good gains and why needest thou be so nice Answ It is written Prov. 22.2 The rich and the poor meet together and the Lord is the maker of them both that is in their persons and in their estates and Levit. 19.11 12. Yee shall not swear by my name falsly neither defile the name of the Lord thy God and That the curse entereth into the house of the swearer and thief and Yee shall not steal nor deal falsly nor lye one to another and that all that love abomination and lyes shall bee kept without the gates of the holy City with dogs Rev. 22.15 and that I must not lye for Gods glory much less for my own profit Object 5 But thou maiest revenge thy self upon thy enemy and make him know whom hee hath in hand broach some untruth or other upon him and thou shalt at least disgrace him and if thou leâ—st him go with this every one will scorn thee Answ It is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord and Thou shalt not bear false witnesse and Matth. 7.12 Whatsoever you would that men should do to you the same do you to them and It is the glory of a man to pass by offences Object 6. But the cause is good the Catholike cause it is but a title of rebellion or treason indeed it is a meritorious work and thou shalt bee Canonized a Romish Martyr if thou shalt kill a King or Queen or Prince that is an Heretick but above all if thou canst by one terrible blow not only kill the King Queen and Prince but also the whole Council all the Lords all the Judges all the Laws all the Law-makers yea and blow up the whole Parliament-house and with that three heretical Kingdomes together Answ Here wee can hold no longer but in such a temptation as is so direct a worship of the Devil with our Lord say Avoid Satan bee packing foul Devil for It is written Rom. 13.1 Let every soul be subject to the higher powers and 1 Pet. 2.14 Submit your selves to all manner ordinance of man and the fearful judgement of Corah Dathan and Abiram with their complices betide such Catholike rebels as dare lift up their hands against the Lords annointed not to cut off his lap but his life which is the life and breath of all his people Use 2. The scripture the hammer of heresies Instance in justification by works The like use hath the Scripture in the right use of it against all errors and heresies as wee may see in these instances 1 If the Papists would teach us justification by workes Answ It is written Rom. 3.20 By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified and the like in Gal. 3.3 4 5. And Paul had as many merits as any yet he would not bee found in his own righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 and our righteousness is but as filthinesse or filthy clouts and after our best indeavours wee are but unprofitable Servants 2 If they urge us with transubstantiation and real presence Answ It is written that after Christ had given the Sacrament In transubstantiation hee went into the garden and suffered which hee could not if hee had been eaten before and not being glorified and 2 remembrance is of things absent 3 He continues in heaven till his comming to judgement Act. 3.21 4 The Fathers are the same Sacramental bread 1 Cor. 10.3 and yet Christ was not then in the flesh 5 There is no alteration in the sign of Baptism and there is the same use of the sign of the Lords Supper In the seven Sacraments 3 If they object unto us seven Sacraments Wee reply against their five bastard ones as in that of Matrimony for the rest thus 1 It hath no sign instituted by God when he brought Eve to Adam here is matrimony but no sign the ring which they make a sign is not 2 It is not proper to the Church as Sacraments are but common to Jews Turkes and Infidels 3 Every Sacrament belongs to every Member of the Church but matrimony belongs not to their Priests and Votaries 4 All Sacraments serve to confirm faith so doth not matrimony Adam in innocency had no need of saith but hee had need of matrimony In orig nal sin after baptism 4 If they tell us that by Baptism Original sin is quite washed away Wee Answer No true Baptism takes away the guilt but not the being of sin and it is written of David Psal 51.5 that hee confessed hee was still in Original sin see also Rom. 7.7 and Jam. 1.13 In absolute necessity of Baptism 5 If they would thrust upon us the absolute necessity of Baptism Answ It is written that Circumcision being the same in signification and use with Baptism was omitted in the wildernesse forty years and that David doubted not of his uncircumcised childs salvation and that children are holy through their beleeving
4 Do wee know that God himself is the chief good and should not wee cast our eyes beyond our selves sinful lumps and heaps of dust that all the springs of our affections might run into this main Shall wee bestow the pitch of our affections upon lower things as earthly-minded men do when wee may satiate them with God himself and the things of his glory 5 There is no loss in neglecting our selves for God but great advantage for his eye is upon us to bee a speedy faithful and royal rewarder of us The preferring of our Lords cause above our selves is the preferment of our selves in the end Hee that loseth his life for my sake saith Christ shall find it And therefore as Caesars eye made his Souldiers prodigal of their blood so Gods eye upon us should make our selves small in our own eyes that his glory may bee maintained and reserved wholly to himself Moses preferred Gods honour before his own for hee looked for the recompence of reward Vse 1. The Use hereof belongs to such as are specially set forth to set up Gods causes The Magistrate is not now a private man to seek himself or to set forward his own designs or to shew his heat in his own private causes but to prefer Gods causes before all mens his own or others David a King how calm was hee in his own case when Shimei trayterously railed upon him and Abishai would have fetched his head Oh no said hee God hath bid him rail c But when Gods cause was in hand Oh then away from not yee wicked and I will have no wicked person in my house I will timely destroy the wicked from the house of God Good Nehemiah neglecteth his own allowance and departed from his own right for the peoples sake chap. 5. but cha 13. how zealous is hee for God hee will not let God lose his right not one whit of the Sabbath must bee allowed to any use but Sabbath-duties Such a courage for God and the Truth ought the Magistrate to have as neither for fear of men nor any mans favour or affection hee neglect any thing which God would have him do especially for the house of God and the Offices of it Alas how many Magistrates are of Gallios minde to think religion but a matter of words as if God made them governours of men only but not of Christians keepers of the second Table to preserve Peace and Justice and not of the first to preserve Piety and Religion and if they bee so why are not Blasphemies and horrible Oaths and innumerable prophanations of the Sabbath severely punished why are not Popish and prophane persons compelled to come into the house of God Shall a pilferer of a trifle of a mans goods know that the Magistrate bears not the Sword in vain and shall not hee that robs God of his Glory by Cursing Swearing contemptuous breaking of the Sabbath know the contrary The calling of a Minister is more specially to promote the causes of God which therefore must affect him above all his own respects How earnest was Christ in his Fathers work when his Parents came to seek him at twelve years old hee rebuked them for interrupting him whereas in all private converse hee gave them reverence Luk. 2. When his Disciples brought him meat hee neglected that also saying It is my meat and drink to do the wilt of my Father And if preferring Gods causes will not suffer us to respect our selves much less will wee bee hindered by others wee cannot tune our songs to mens ears but must deal faithfully and plainly though wee displease men How zealous was Christ against the Hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 23. though it created him much envy and malice When hee saw the invincible hardnesse of Heart in his hearers how did hee mourn in his spirit and looked angerly about him Mark 3.5 Surely if wee go about to please men or set up our selves in the World Gods causes will affect us slenderly Therefore it shall bee our happy portion to set the top of our ambition the glory of God and in our judgements and practice prefer the winning of souls before the winning of the World Vse 2. Let every man learn to consider what businesse God hath put in his hand to do and not bee hindered in that for that is Gods work Gods cause upon which depends some part of Gods glory And whatsoever he may glorify God in for which hee can warrant his calling let him set that forward and let no respect hinder him let him not suffer God to bee dishonoured in his family nor where hee can hinder it let the spirit of patience swallow a number of private and personal wrongs but when God comes to be wronged let him stir up the spirit of zeal and courage Vse 3. Here many are reproved who fail against this Doctrin as 1 Men that follow nature abandoning religion hot and fiery in their own quarrels not a word can bee sooner uttered against them but they are ready to draw and to stab Their own names may not be mentioned without all due respect But for Gods causes and quarrels let others look to that How hâ—t was Cain in own cause but so much the cooler in Gods causes and service Haman how busy in his own private quarrel to bring Mordecai to death yea to destroy the whole Church had not his gallows caught himself Oh beware by these examples of more zeal in thine own cause than in Gods in thy own name than in God 2 Such Ostriches as can digest any high contempt of God without indignation or reproof and can suffer men to swear and curse by God and Christ his blood wounds and tear him to small peeces It would bee thought disloyalty to hear the Kings Majesties name or title contumeliously spoken of and not bring the party to condign punishment It was an old Law among the Romans that if any man did swear by their God Janus it should bee death unless the Senate approved it or it were made before a Priest why that it might bee either punished or reproved It were well if wee had such a Law amongst us 3 When care of our own houses eat up the care of Gods house Things shall be neat and convenient at home no care how Gods house lies When base trifles are preferred before Gods Word and the good setling of it as stage-plaies and enterludes When Gods Sabbaths and time must give place to our callings or recreations or are passed away in Gods Worship more heavily than holy daies or work-work-daies Here is a man affected more with his own sin than the highest causes of Gods glory III. The reason of our Saviours denial For it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Our Saviour had sharply reproved Satans impudence in his bold onset this third time but yet because it is not sufficient to thrust off an adversary with heat
AN EXPOSITION OF Christ's Temptations OR CHRISTS COMBATE AND CONQUEST BEING The LYON of the Tribe of JUDAH vanquishing the Roaring Lyon assaulting him in three most fierce and Hellish TEMPTATIONS BY Thomas Taylor D. D. Preacher of Gods VVord at Aldermanbury London HEBR. 2.18 For in that hee suffered and was tempted hee is able to succour them that are tempted Tentatus est Christus ne vincatur à Tentatore Christianus August LONDON Printed for A. K. and R. I. and are to be sold by Elisha Wallis at the Golden Horse-shooe in the Old-Bayley 1659. To the Right Worthy and Noble Knight Sir Francis Knollis and the vertuous Lady Lettice his Wife All blessings of this Life and a better SIR WHEN that great Prophet Moses was to bee confirmed in the certainty of his vocation for the delivery of Gods people out of Egypt a Act. 7.30 There appeared unto him in the wildernesse of Mount Sinai b Christ himselâ— so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Matt. an Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in the bush c Exod. 3.1 and hee looked and behold the bush burnt with fire and the bush was not consumed A sight at which Moses d Act. 7.31 wondred and so may we But if you please with Moses e Exod. 3.4 to turn aside to see this great sight that is f Act 7.31 draw a little nearer to consider it This it is I. The bush which at that time betokened the people of Israel g Exod. 3.7 9. under the oppressions of Egypt signifieth the Church of God for 1. As a bryar-bush is a base and despicable thing made for nothing but the fire or to stop a gap or some other base use so seems the Church and members to be in the eyes of men in so much as not the most eminent members the blessed Apostles themselves are h 1 Cor. 4.10 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despised and accounted the filth of the World and the off-scowring or out-sweepings of all things but the Head of it our Lord himself was in the eies of men without form i Isa 55.2 3 or beauty despised and rejected of men who hid their eies from him and esteemed him not 2 As a bush pricketh and vexeth him that deals roughly with it so shall the Church of God bee as a stiff and prickly bramble to vex and wound at length all the proud enemies of it so as all that k Zach. 12 3 lift at it shal be torn though all the people of the earth should be gathered against it 3 As the creatures for their own safety make their nests and muses in a bush so the mighty Creator not for his but the bushes safety vouchsafeth l Deut. 33. â—â— to dwell in this bush of the Church The bush was in Mount m Exod. 3.1 Famous for sâ—â— memorable things in Mosâ—â— done there 1 This visioâ— 2 Fasting theâ—â— forty daies anâ— nights 3 Receiving the 〈◊〉 there 4 Scriking the rock for water 5 Lifting his hands against Amâ—â—â—ck 6 Breaking tâ—â—â—ables of 〈◊〉 Horeb and God was in the bush even so the Church is in the mountain of the Lord lifted up as a mountain above the vallies in holinesse and priviledges above all the earth besides for of this mountain the Lord hath said n Psa 68.16 there will I dwell for ever II. The bush burns with fire In this resemblance is shadowed the oppressed estate of the Israelites in the Egyptian furnace and by fire here is meant the most painful and pittiful afflictions and miseries which seiz upon the Church and Members as a raging and devouring fire upon a dry bush for 1 Fire is a diffusive and spreading element catching whatsoever combustible matter is neer it even so not a sprig of this bush of the Church shall escape the flame of affliction but whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus o 2 Tim. 3.12 shall suffer persecution for either the fiery darts of Satan shall scorch them within or they shall be sindged with the fiery p 1 Pet. 4.12 tryals of the worlds hatred or at least they must look to bee be-smeared and blacked in their names with the colly and smoak of odious false and scandalous imputations and what are q Quid aâ—â—â— suâ—â—s quam flemma 〈…〉 Gods people saith one but the fewel of the wicked worlds fiery indignation 2 Fire shineth and inlighteneth so the afflictions of the Church as fire inlighten the mind r Psal 119.71 teach the statutes The rod and correction saith Solomon Å¿ Prov. 29.15 give wisdome and the Lord t Job 33.16 36.9 openeth by correction saith Elihu the ears of man which hee had sealed in which use this fire of affliction becomes as another u Exod. 13.21 pillar of fire to inlighten and guide the Israel of God in the night of their wandring through the wilderness of this world towards their land of promise that heavenly Canaan 3 Fire giveth heat and warm'th so the heat of this fire of affliction melteth and thaweth our frozen hearts condensed and congealed by the pinching air of cold security this fire kindleth our devotion enflameth our zeal x Isa 26.16 Hos 5.15 warmeth our prayers and makes us hot suters for releef 4 Fire softneth and smodreth metals y Exod. 9.27 Pharaohs steely heart will melt and soften while it is in this hot furnace yea in the same man it separateth dross from pure metal and like that fire which burnt only the z Dâ—n 3.27 Igâ—is non perdiâ— sed purgâ—s bands of them that were cast in but not their bodies so it only consumeth the corruptions but preserveth alive the children of God who only walk at more liberty and further inlargement in the fire than they did out of it and as gold come forth more purified more glorious 5 Fire is a climbing and ascending element so the fire of affliction maketh the heart to ascend and raiseth the thoughts to heaven-ward Luk. 15.17 Misery maketh the Prodigal bethink himself of his Fathers house when he is a great way from it and this is the fire which Moses saw seizing upon the bush Stabilitatem populi ex veritate promissionum dei adâ—â—ravit Junius in analys III. The bush burning is not consumed signifying the preservation of the Church and Members as Israel in Egypt in the hottest furnace of their afflictions Well may wee wonder that so flaming and terrible a fire falling upon so contemptible a bush and so dry and despicable a shrub should not presently turn it into ashes for why is the fire too weak or is the bush so strong as to defend it self or is it not disposed or apt to be burnt consumed by so fierce a fire Certainly it is not from the impotency of the fire nor from the strength or constitution of the bush which is in the matter of it as combustible
quiet enough till God set him apart to deliver his Brethren and after that hee was never at quiet The like may bee said of David an eminent type of Christ while hee kept his fathers sheep hee was at rest but if hee will set upon Goliah and bee annointed King by Samuel let him look to himself Saul will hunt him like a Partridge and so narrowly espy his haunts that himself will say hee must surely one day fall by the hand of Saul Zech. 3.1 when Jehoshuah the High Priest another type of Christ commeth to stand before the Lord in his service the Devil commeth and standeth at his right hand to resist him The Apostle Paul so long as hee was of the strict sect of the Pharisees hee was highly esteemed and lived quiet enough but when hee became an elect vessel to carry the Gospel among the Gentiles then hee was tryed and buffeted now hee knows that bonds and imprisonment abide him every where 2 Cor. 7.5 6.5 1 Satans hostility against God and his glory and the means of it Reasons forceth him to hinder whatsoever may further Gods Kingdome and hinder his own While the Prisoner is in fetters under bars and bolts the Jailor sleeps quietly and while the strong man keeps the hold all is in peace but disturb him a little and you shall hear of him Hence it is that the more weighty any calling is and the more conscionably a man sets himself to discharge it which wee see in Christ himself the more vigilantly doth Satan watch to hinder it Reach once at Satans head and hee will surely reach as high as hee may at thine 2 This is not without the good providence of God who hereby will prove his servants to whom hee will commit some special work whether they will shrink or no hee will have them also to have good proof and trial of his strength and faithfulnesse in supporting them that they may the better commit themselves unto him in time to come who hath upheld them formerly and go on undaunted in constant walking with him through the experience of his goodness 3 God seeth though Satans malice blindeth him that his children without such strong trials should not bee so fitted for his service It is a training of them to great employments and makes them not onely more expert in themselves but also far more able to help others in any kinde God would not exempt his natural and only Son from temptations that hee might know how to help others that are tempted Heb. 2.18 nor the Apostles for the same end 2 Cor. 1.4 6. Use 1 All sorts of men the more they set themselves to glorify God in their places the more they should expect trialls A Christian can no sooner give his name unto Christ nor the Spirit descend upon him but Satan with all his malice will assault him Christ was no sooner baptised but hee must go forth to bee exercised with Satan and his Members also who not onely by outward profession but inward sincerity also make a league with God to renounce Satan sin and this evil world shall not want all the molestation that Satan can create them Rev. 12. the red Dragon watcheth for the Child to bee born to devour it and such is his malice Whom Satâ—â— cannot 〈◊〉 in the endâ— which is salâ—â—tion bee wâ— trouble theâ— in the wayâ— that whom hee cannot hinder of Salvation hee will hinder of their peace and joy as much as hee can if hee cannot chase vertue out of the world hee can disgrace it and if he cannot quite hinder all good proceedings hee will by molestation delay them as long as hee may Hee is subtile if hee cannot do the greatest evil that hee would hee will do the lesser that hee may as by Sanballat hee did hinder the re-edifying of the Temple The condition of the child of God is military in this life Hee hath Satan and all his Army of wicked ones mortal foes against him Many deceive themselves who mean to profess Religion so long onely as they may injoy peace and credit and the applause of the world so long as they may see Christ with a golden crown and scepter and follow him into Jerusalem with Hosanna But they have not cast their accounts right nor weighed the difficulties of sound profession of Christ and therefore like the foundation of the foolish builder when winds and floods rise they fall down right with shame they forsake Christ and religion and all they look back and run back to the filthinesse of the world they embrace a course which standeth with their own ease but never shall they have the honor of honouring God or of effecting any thing which shall bring God true praise and themselves true peace It will bee the wisdome therefore of every Christian undertaking any commendable action so to look and begin with God that ever hee have another eye upon Satan and his malice both to expect it and resolve not to bee beaten off for it Shall the Israelites being set out of Egypt run back again because Pharaoh pursues them no but hye them more hastily away Shall I give â—â—er my profession because the greatest part of men hate and reproach it no I must see Satans old malice renewed who casts a flood of poysoned water against Christ himself who should not avoid the same measure of obloquie and reproach if hee lived again upon earth Was it thus with the green tree it is no marvail then if it bee so with a dry Shall I neglect my duty to which God and good conscience ties mee A wise Christian may stop the mouth of Satan but never his malice because I would not displease men and bee thought no medler then farewel Gods glory if I go about to stop the Devils mouth which if I could yet I shall never stop his malice Use 2 The more publike a mans calling is the more doth Satan aim at him to cast him down who doth conscionably intend it as for example 1 The Magistrate Satans chief aim is against Chiefâ—â—inâ— in Church and Common-wealth Satan stirs up David to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 2 The Minister being the Lords standerd-bearer the Devil seeks to winnoâ— him especially and begges leave to bee a lying spirit in the mouths of four hundred false Prophets at once And both these because God hath specially instituted these callings for the beating down of Satans Kingdome and lifting up the Scepter of Christ and again if Satan can foil the Leaders the bands are soon overcome smite the Shepheard and the sheep will bee scattered cast down Cedars and they will crush many shrubs with their fall Hence must both these bee more careful of themselves than ordinary men as being in greater danger as men set upon steep and slippery hills beset with enemies to cast them down And the less that men see these oppositions the less service do they to God or his
our own justification out of the deep with David yea out of the Whales belly with Jonah and in darkness with Job to see light 2 To see things invisible to make things absent present yea God absent present and to set him continually at the right hand Moses feared not the wrath of the King because he saw him that was invisible Heb. 11.17 Elisha being in Dothan feared nothing when his servant cryed out because his eyes were open to see the Angels as fiery Chariots protecting him 3 Faith is never so working as in perillous times because then there is most need most use of it then it sets it self a work and mingles it self with the promises of God by which it quickens and puts life unto a man when he is half dead as Psal 119.49 Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused me to trust it is my comfort in trouble for thy promise hath quickned me Now it bestirres it self to make Gods faithfulness and truth his shield and buckler Notable is that example of the three Children Dan. 3.16 17. who were in present danger of their lives and cast into an hot Furnace In this danger now their faith bestirres it to provide for their safety not by any yeelding or blanching or buckling to the unjust command but by furnishing their mouthes with a resolute answer Be it known unto thee O King that wee will not worship this Image and by preparing their hearts through their confidence in God who was able to deliver them rather to yeeld themselves to the fire and raging flames than to any part of that commandement And were faith and Gods fear working in the heart it would destroy false fears and infidelity which Satan prevaileth in mightily causing men to seek help by unlawful means if the lawful bee never so little set out of sight Command these stones to be made bread Here is an inference upon the former words If thou be the Son of God upon a true ground Satan raiseth a dangerous consequence Christ was the Son of God true Must he therefore needs make stones bread Satan inferteth mischievous conclusions upon true premises Doct. It is an ordinary temptation of the Devil to inferre mischievous conclusions upon true premises God had no respect to Cains Sacrifice as to Abels Whereas now Cain should have offered of the best as Abel did and have brought faith with his offering by which Abel offered a better Sacrifice Heb. 11.4 Satan inferres upon it Therefore kill thy brother Saul received no answer of God that was true but that therefore he should goe to the Witch of Endor was Satans inference both against the Law of God and Sauls own law God is a merciful God a true premise and the scope of all the Scripture but that Jonah should therefore fly to Tarshish and not goe to preach the destruction of Ninivie was a Satanical inference A man must pity himself and doe what he can to repel evil from him and avoyd danger but that Christ should therefore not goe up to Jerusalem to suffer was a dangerous consequence of Satan in Peters mouth whom therefore Christ calleth Satan Reasons 1 Satan is cunning and seeketh by mingling good and evil truth and falshood to justifie that which is false and to draw it on with the truth If hee should never speak truth he could never deceive half so much therefore hee speaks many truthes to give credit to his lyes and the same hee hath taught all his agents Do we think that a false teacher or heretick could doe any great hurt if he should not lay his leaven in a lump of truth would not every man at first reject him if he should bring never a true doctrin but therefore that his heresie may spread like a gangrene he comes with a fair pretence of many truthes which cannot be denied Doe wee think that the Church of Rome should have so prevailed in the world or that Antichristian state should have been endured or could any Papist bee suffered in ours or any well-ordered Country if they did not colour all their abominations and false religion with some general truths if they should not in word and shew hold and recite the Articles of faith and principles of our religion concerning God in unity of essence and trinity of persons concerning Christ the Church c. were it possible that any Christian state could bear them while indeed and in truth they reverse the whole foundation of religion and are limbs of Antichrist No their deceit is a mystery and walks in darkness and the mask and vizards of truth with pretence of holiness hath held the Swords of Princes from them which else had long since been sanctified in their overthrow 2 Satan can doe no other who cannot speak truth for truths sake for being a Lyar from the beginning he loves not truth and therefore if hee speak truth it is to corrupt the truth or to stablish some lye Lying is the Devils mother tongue Joh. 8. 1 Sam. 28.17 18. Lying the Devils mother tongue Satan in the habit of Samuel spake many truths as that the Lord had rent the Kingdom from him and given it to David because he had so spoken hee would doe it and because Saul obeyed not the voyce of the Lord nor executed his fierce wrath against the Amalekites and that the Lord would deliver him and the Israelites into the hand of the Philistims the next day c. But all this was to feed Saul in his delusion and hold him in his sin as though he were Samuel as vers 17. the Lord hath done it even as he spake by mine hand and vers 19. to morrow shalt thou be with me c. So in the New Testament we have the Devils confessing Christ to be the Son of God the Holy One the sum of the Gospel and Paul and Silas to be the servants of the high God Act. 16. but both Christ and his servants put them to silence and would not have them to speak the truth because it was to deprave and slander the whole truth as though Christ and his servants had been in league and agreement with the Devils and so their doctrin had been not Divine but Diabolical Thus Satan like a Bargeman looks one way but â—owes another 3 Satan sees how our nature is easily carried away through a general shew of good or truth to take in with it error and falshood hand over head without trial or discerning For though our blessed Saviour would not confound stones and bread yet we easily take stones with bread and Serpents with Fishes The whole Masse-book is but an heap of Idolatrous prayers and Ceremonies but yet because there is some shew of good in it many Scriptures and some tolerable and good prayers with many devotions it is wholly received without trial of millions given over to delusion 4 Satan the Prince of darkness can transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 and
and thou art good no longer But thou that art so impatient and thus betrayest thy meekness towards thy brother what wouldest thou do if thou hadst the Devil in hand as Christ had here Also this makes against railers and scoffers of others for Christ railed not on the Devil himself nor would overcome him otherwise than by humility Christs answer most modest Thirdly This Answer of Christ was a most modest answer Satan would have him confess himself the Son of God this hee denyeth not nor yet affirmeth but modestly acknowledgeth himself a man Man liveth not by bread onely The like wee may note elsewhere being called to his confession before the Governours If hee were the King of the Jews Matth. 27.11 If hee were the Christ Luke 22.67 If hee were the Son of God hee did not directly affirm it but either Thou sayest it or yee say that I am not denying but modestly assenting and ordinarily hee called himself the son of man not the Son of God teaching us by his example when wee speak of our selves Note to speak modestly Paul being to speak of great things of himself speaketh all in anothers person 2 Cor. 12.2 I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago c. taken into Paradise c. and John speaking of himself saith And when Jesus saw his mother and the Disciple whom hee loved and who leaned on Jesus at supper chap. 19.26 Alas how far are wee degenerate from this our pattern who if wee bee but the sons of mean men we will stand upon it much more than Christ did upon being the Son of God we will pride it out and ruffle and brag and bear our selves upon our ancestors if they bee stept but one step above the lowest Christ when hee had good occasion would not scarce profess himself the Son of God being of another manner of spirit than that which breathed out that brag in the temptation afterward All these will I give thee II. Now to come to the second point in the answer namely the affection But Jesus answered and said The conjunction discretive sheweth our Saviours disagreement from Satan and that his Answer is negative to the temptation for although Christ both might by that miracle of turning stones into bread have shewed himself the Son of God and now needed bread being hungry yet hee would not yeeld to Satan Quest But seeing Christ who as God could have turned stones into sons of Abraham could much more turn stones into bread so easily by his word for if hee had spoken to the stones as Satan desired certainly they would have had ears to hear him why would hee not do it what hurt had it been Why Christ who could turn stones into bread would not five reasons Answ 1 Miracles must confirm faith in Beleevers unto salvation John 2.11 but Christ knew the Devil could not beleeve if hee had all the miracles in the World Besides hee had even now heard the Fathers voice testifying Jesus his beloved Son and Christ knew if hee would not beleeve the Fathers voice he would not beleeve for the Sons miracles 2 Christ would not by this miracle give the least suspition that either he distrusted his fathers seasonable providence or that he would depend for his preservation upon the means but upon his Fathers word hee was in his fathers work and lead by the Spirit into the wilderness and therefore knew he should not want necessaries 3 It was an unseasonable motion it was now a time of humiliation of temptation of affliction wherein it was fit to avoid all shew of ostentation which was the scope of the temptation for Satan would onely have him to shew what hee could do for a need for a vaunt of his power Now in a time of serious humiliation to advance himself by a miracle had been as seasonable as Snow in harvest 4 Christ would not give the least credit to Satan nor do any thing at his desire were it good and profitable which hee suggesteth for his end and issue is ever wicked and devillish yea hee would shew how he contemned the will of the Tempter for hee is not overcome unlesse hee bee contemned 5 Christ Jesus being the wisdome of his Father well knew that Satan grossy dissembled with him for hee spake as if hee wished well unto him and would have his hunger satisfied but could hee indeed respect the releef of Christ did hee desire Christs preservation and welfare knew hee not that hee was the promised seed that must break his head and destroy his works and therefore seeing Christ knew that Satan must needs seek his destruction in all his attempts hee had just cause to yeeld to none of them all though they seemed never so beneficial In that Christ here would not make his Divinity known to Satan neither by word nor miracle wee may note that Doct. Christ will not purposely make himself known to such as hee knows will make no right use of him Luke 23.8 When Herod saw Jesus Christ revealeth himself only to such as make right use of him hee was exceeding glad for hee had heard many things of him and hoped to have seen some miracle But Christ would not work any sign in his presence because hee had wrought workes enough already to prove him the Son of God neither was it fit to prostitute the power of God to the pleasure of a vain man who would have made no right use of it Matth. 12.39 This evil and wicked Generation seeketh a sign and none shall bee given them save the sign of the Prophet Jonah Why had they not infinite signes and miracles both then and afterwards Yes but they had none such as they would have for they would have some extraordinary sign as Mat. 16.1 Master shew us a sign from heaven as if they had said Either cause the Sun to stand still or go back as in Joshuahs and Hezekiahs daies or the Moon to stand as in Ajelon or call for an extraordinary tempest of thunder and rain as Samuel did which made all the people to fear the Lord and Samuel exceedingly 1 Sam. 12.18 or call for fire from heaven as Elijah did These and the like they thought beseeming men of God as for turning water into wine restoring of sight and legs c. those they saw little power in But why would not our Saviour give them such a sign as they desired Surely hee had just reason the same in this our doctrin for they did not desire it for a good end but as Luke saith expresly to tempt him not to help their infirmity but to feed their curiosity neither to increase and strengthen faith but to nourish their infidelity For had that been their end had they not beside the doctrin of the Prophets and the fulfilling of the promises the blessed Doctrin of the son of God of whom some of themselves said Never man spake like him and for the confirmation of that
many and mighty powerful miracles which were signs from heaven shewing that hee was from heaven And yet for all this they beleeved not So Matth. 27.42 the High Priests Scribes and Pharisees said If hee bee the King of the Jews let him come down from the Cross and woe will beleeve him No doubt Christ could but bee would not not onely because it was an hour of darknesse but because hee know they would never have beleeved him Psal 22 2â— 23. I will declare thy name to my brethren to the seed of Jacob to Israel Reasons 1 This practice of Christ is answerable to his precept Matth. 7.6 Cast not holy things to doggs nor pearls before swine By holy things and pearls are meant the things of Gods Kingdom Christ and his merits c. so called both to shew the excellency of them in themselves being above all pearls Prov. 3.14 as also our duty to prize and lock them up in our hearts and keep them as we doe our pearls safely in our memories By Doggs and Hoggs are meant malicious and obstinate enemies convicted of enmity against Gods Word of whose amendment there is little hope every man naturally is an enemy to God and his Word and so a dogg and a swine as Christ called the Heathens and Gentiles It is not lawful to take the children bread and cast it to doggs Now to such as these we must preach and offer the Sacraments yea Christ offered himself and came to call sinnets but when his Word and Miracles were rejected and himself evil intreated as among the Pharisees then saith Christ Let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind 2 Christ shews himself unto none but such as he loveth and love him Joh. 14.11 and this was the ground of Judas his speech Lord what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy self to us and not to the world the world sees him not for none seeth him but to whom he sheweth himself and he sheweth himself to none but such as love him and none love him but such as love his word and keep it vers 23. 3 This was one cause why Christ spake so many things in Parables that such as would be blind might not see and such as would not make a right use of his holy doctrin might not understand Matth. 13.13 For many that heard them let them goe without further question in a careless manner whereas the Disciples of Christ inquired of him his meaning and one learned of another and so that which for the difficulty drave others away became in this manner of teaching much more easie and familiar yea much more perspicuous and clear than any other 4 Never could extraordinary means convert such as beleeved not the word the ordinary means and therefore Christ never or seldome gratified the Scribes and Pharisees with Miracles or extraordinary means because they resisted his Doctrin Person and Works or if any wicked men saw any of his mighty VVorks and Miracles they saw not himself in them as Pharaoh what a number of Miracles saw he yet he was never the better he would not acknowledge God nor his servants and in the Wilderness they who saw Miracles every day and moment yet not beleeving the VVord of God in them were never the better the arm of the Lord was not made bare unto them Vse 1 Ignorant persons that know not Christ nor desire to know him are in a woful estate being such as Christ counts unworthy to reveal himself unto and therefore he either keeps the means from them or leaves them without grace to make an holy use of them Numbers of men to whom Christ never revealeth himself Vse 2. In worse case are they that have the means and yet no tast of them no reformation by them their covetousness their pride their drunkenness and uncleaneness will not be left as many that come to Church to hear the VVord and receive the Sacraments and yet are no better than Doggs and Swine and altogether unreformed in their lives and courses Some draw the VVord of God into question and would be taught by Angels or Miracles as Satan here but Christ will not make himself known to them no more than to him so saith Abraham to Dives in Hell when he denied his request They have Moses and the Prophets if they will not beleeve them neither would they beleeve if one should rise from the dead Some are resolved to live as they list let the Preachers say what they can whereas he that is in Christ to whom he reveals himself is a new Creature for Christ speaks to the heart not to the ear only Others say they are decreed to life or death and therefore doe what they can they cannot change Gods mind and hence never goe about to change themselves But had Christ shewed himself to these he would have directed them to the means of saving knowledge namely to the Scriptures which testifie of him Joh. 5.29 and to faith which unites to him and to the fruits of faith which testifie the truth of it to his glory and their comfort Others will be saved by saith alone and by a profession of the Gospel and so neglect the works which justifie it and the power of godliness whereas if Christ in the Ministry had revealed himself to such he had quickned their faith and not left it as a Carkass for faith without works is dead Others poor simple people will be saved by mercy alone and never labour for knowledge faith or true feeling of their own estate and care not how sin abound that mercy may abound much more But had Christ met with them hee would let them see their misery in the causes and effects and teach them to hunger after mercy in the means and having obtained it to goe and sin no more lest a worse thing follow Others disclaiming the doctrin of mortification and self-denial therefore dislike the VVord as too straight a Doctrin stripping them of their pleasures and profits and hence some hold on in their lusts some return with the Swine to their wallowing in the mire they cannot dye to sin they cannot live without laughter mirth and sports Whereas had Christ revealed himself unto them he would have taught them that his yoke is an easier yoke than the yoke of sin Three properties of such as to whom Christ will make himself known and that there is no sound comfort but in mortified affections and actions Vse 3. VVhosoever would have Christ reveal himself fully unto him must labour to be thus qualified 1 He must be humble for he teacheth the humble in his ways Psal 25.9 but the proud hee sends empty away as rain makes vallies fruitful but falls off the mountains which are therefore barren 2 He must long and desire to meet Christ in his Ordinances for Christ is the scope of the VVord and Sacraments therefore desire to know nothing but Christ Crucified goe to the tents of Shepheards where
with sound comfort when all outward means doe fail if the heart can say to it self What if God doe not give me my desire by this means or that Faith in this word strengthneth the heart many ways I know God hath more words than one more blessings than one and man liveth by every word And faith strengthens the heart 1 By setting before the eye Gods power in this word how that one word of his mouth is enough to help us one word is able to create innumerable armies of Angels and Creatures one fiat is enough to make all Creatures and all this to come or goe or stand still as most dutiful servants to their Master Matth. 8. the Centurion coming to Christ for the health of his Servant desires him not to come within his roof for he was not worthy of that favour nor to send him any receit or physick to doe him good but only to speak the word and he was sure his servant should be healed A strong faith in a strong word It is but a word with God then how easily how presently how certainly will God doe me good if he see it good for me 2 By assuring the heart that his will is as ready to doe us good as his word is able and it sets the promise before us that nothing shall be wanting to them that fear God The former in the example of the Leper Matth. 8. Lord if thou wilt thou caâ—st make me clean and in the next words to shew he is as willing as able he saith I will be thou clean by which word proceeding out of the mouth of God his Leprosie was instantly cured his will was his word and his word was his work The latter in the example of Abraham whose faith set before his eyes Gods promise that in Isaac his seed should be called and that by Isaac he should be a Father of many Nations and therefore when at Gods word he went out to offer Isaac and Isaac asked him where was the Sacrifice he answered God will provide One eye was on Gods word commanding him to slay his Son another upon this other word that God was able to raise him up from the dead whence after a sort hee received him and that hee also would doe so before his promise should bee frustrate 3 By setting before the Christian heart the blessed issue and success of unwavering confidence in the word of God The Israelites going out of Aegypt and wandring in the Wilderness so many years by the appointment of Gods word he did supply all their wants by his Word and it became all things unto them which their hearts could desire 1 He paved them a way in the Sea and suddainly made the waters a wall unto them 2 He gave them bread from Heaven even Angels food and that in our text was by his word 3 He gave them water out of a rock and that by his word he bade Moses speak to the rock 4 Having no means for clothes his word kept their garments for forty years from waxing old But what need we goe out of our text in which the example of our Head and Lord may best confirm us for wanting bread in the Wilderness hee would not turn stones into bread but waited on the word of his Father till the Angels came and ministred unto him even so the adopted Sons of God treading in the steps of our Lord shall by vertue of the same word always find relief one way or other Who would have thought that ever Job should have swum out of that misery having lost all his Cattel substance and Children but because when the Lord was a killing him in his own sence hee trusted in him the Lord raised him and doubled the wealth and prosperity he had before Who would have thought that ever Daniel should have escaped the Lions denne and teeth being cast in amongst them or that Peter should have escaped Herods sword being bound in Chains and watched of Souldiers to be brought out to death next day But trusting in the Lord this word shut the mouthes of the Lions and opened the Prisons iron doors and brake in sunder the chains and so both of them were wonderfully delivered Surely this Doctrin well digested is full of comfort and quietness and would set the heart at rest and make all outward troubles easie If a man could once get his heart to trust in the word as David did Psal 119.42 it would sustain the soul in many troubles and bring in so sweet a contentment as the world is a stranger unto On the contrary whence is it that mens hearts fail them and they sink in their troubles but because they trust to the means and not to the Word of God at least not to every word of God If God crosse them one way they think hee hath no other way to doe them good Vse 3. If man live by every word of God then take heed of making that a means of living which God hath never warranted but see that what thou livest by proceed out of the mouth of God How doth hee live by every word of God that gets his living either in whole or in part contrary to Gods word Obj. But we see such as use no good means but maintain themselves in good estate by robbing stealing oppressing usury gaming false wares or weights it seems that even these creatures have a word of God to sanctifie them and put vertue in them to such persons or else they could not live by them Ans We must distinguish between the things themselves that are gotten and the unjust manner of getting them The creatures themselves are by a general word of God sanctified and set apart by God to feed and maintain good and bad as well the wicked as honest getters of them even as the Sun and Rain shines and falls upon the just and unjust And the unrighteousness of particular persons cannot alter Gods general decree But if wee consider the special manner of getting such goods that is not sanctified but condemned by the word of God 1 Because the person is not in Christ who restores our right unto us and then he is but an usurper and a bankrupt who builds his houses goes fine in apparel decks up himself and his and spends most liberally but it is all with other mens money He that knows not this thinks him a rich man but he that doth knoweth that he is not either thrifty or wealthy the Creditor comes and casts him into prison and makes his bones and body pay the debt 2 As his person so his course is accursed for the only way to get a blessing from God on the means is to use his own means who hath commanded first to seek the Kingdom of God and then other things and hath accursed all that wealth and maintenance of the body for which a man doth hazard or lose his soul 3 When a man doth live by bread against the word that
was the Sanctum Sanctorum and in it the Oracle called the inner house of God into which only the High Priest went alone once a year and that in the Feast of expiation wherein all the Jews must fast and afflict themselves A most notable type of Christ for as it was called an Oracle because God thence gave answer in doubtful cases so who is the Fathers Oracle but his Son who is the word of his Father by whom he speaks to us by whom we speak to him and through whom the Father heareth us In this Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant and in this holy place stayed the Ark almost four hundred and thirty years signifying Christ the author of the Covenant between God and us In which Ark or Chest were kept three things 1 The Tables of the Covenant written with the finger of God signifying Christ who is the fulfilling of the Law 2 The Rod of Aaron which had budded a type of the Priesthood of Christ who in the world seemed a dead branch and dry but after his Death and Resurrection began again to flourish and bring fruits of life to Jewes and Gentiles 3 The Pot having Manna a holy type of Christ the bread of life and that Manna that came down from heaven Joh. 6.35 In this Holy of Holies over the Ark was the holy cover called the Propitiatory prefiguring the Lord Jesus whom the Father hath made our Propitiatory by faith in his bloud Rom. 3.25 Here also were the two glorious Cherubims set like Angels on either side the Ark looking upon the Ark figuring the holy Angels ministring to Christ and earnestly desiring to look into the mystery of our salvation 1 Pet. 1.12 These were the chief holy things established in the Temple at Jerusalem but not all for there were besides these the observation of all holy Rites appointed by God the Chair of Moses and in it the Law read and expounded there were the holy persons the High Priest with all his holy garments with Urim and Thummim and on his fore-head Holiness to the Lord there were other the holy Ministers of the Lord who had the Lords holy Oyl upon them of Gods own composition with straight charge that no other should make or use it out of this use Yea here had lived the ancient Kings and Prophets David Salomon Josiah Hezekiah who were special types of Christ In which regard Ierusalem the seat of God and Gods worship is called the City of perfect beauty the joy of the whole earth 3 It is called an holy City by comparison unto other great Cities of the neighbour Countries wherein Idols and Devils were worshipped in stead of God as Babylon or whose worship was the devise of mans brain and no institution of God as Samaria Cesarea and others 2 King 17.33 4 It is called holy in type two waies 1 As it was a type of the Church militant of which the members are holy in part at least in profession For the whole Church of God was gathered together three times every year before the Lord at the feasts of Passeover Pentecost and Tabernacles Psal 122.4 Thither the Tribes of the Lord go up and appear before the Lord. 2 As it was a type of the Church triumphant even that Celestial Jerusalem which is above that new Jerusalem into which no unholy thing can enter but is the eternal habitation of the holy God the Holy Angels and Saints 5 It was called holy or the holy City because it was the fountain of Gods holy Religion which being first seated there by God must be derived thence and sent out to all other Nations Micah 4.2 The Law shall go out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Therefore was it the Metropola and mother City the heart of the earth placed in the midst of Nations by Gods own confession Ezek. 5.5 Nay there must the pretious blood of the holy Son of God be shed which must stream and run out to the salvation of all Nations and himself Preached the King of the Jews upon the Cross as upon the theater in Hebrew Greek and Latine and that in the time of the Passeover when there was a concourse of all the people of Jews and other Nations There the Apostles must give their first witnesse of Christ and thence must carry it into Judea Samaria and all nations to the utmost parts of the earth Act. 1.8 And 8.1 the Church of the New Testament was first gathered at Jerusalem and thence by persecution scattered into all Nations In this regard it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy City for all the holinesse of all other Cities was derived thence Doct. 1 Wee learn out of this title what it is that makes places and persons holy even the presence of God of his word and worship Thus the ground was called holy Exod. 3.5 and the place where Joshua stood when the captain of the Lords Host appeared unto him chap. 5.15 1 Whatsoever was in the Law separated to God and his service was called holy the Sabbath was holy the Priests Garments holy Exod. 28. Thou shalt make holy Garments for Aaron thy brother Holy both because they were peculiar to the holy Priesthood for none else might put them on and because they were to bee used in the holy place for when they came forth of the Tabernacle they must put them off and thirdly consecrate to holy uses and to bee an holy type of Christs righteousnesse a precious robe wherein all our Sacrifices are offered The flesh was holy which was offered to the Lord in sacrifice Hag. 2.13 For places Bethel was an holy place when Jacob saw the vision of the Ladder there and the Temple was holy For people the Jews were called an holy Nation and Christians an holy Priesthood and Saints by calling 1 Pet. 2.9 For persons some are sanctified in the wombe to some special service as Jeremy chap. 1.5 and John Baptist Yea every faithful mans heart is as it were an Ark of God in which are kept the Tables of the Law yea the Tabernacle of God and the Temple of the Holy Ghost where hee pleaseth to dwell And thus was Jerusalem an holy City so long as it continued in the true worship of God 2 This appears by the contrary seeing his holinesse was no further annexed to this place than God tyed his presence to it for when as the Jews had crucified the Lord of glory both the Temple and City as prophane were destroyed and delivered into the hand of the Romans and are now in the hands of the Turks a nest of unclean and Idolatrous beasts most savage enemies of Christ and Christian profession 3 That place must needs bee holy where the Lord dwelleth as a master in his house teaching ordering and supplying all necessaries where Christ the Holy Son of God walketh in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks being conversant among the flocks of Shepheards where the Holy
evening solemnly on our knees making confessions of sins and requests to God together with thanksgiving Psalm 55.17 Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and make a noise Daniel three times a day prayed and praised God in his house as hee was wont chap. 6. v. 10. The excellent use of which is the opening of the door of Gods treasury to the family by which it is inriched with the best blessings of God Besides the Lord shall hereby have some honour that is due to his mercy upon the family 5 In edifying the family with Psalms and melody to the Lord as it is Col. 3.16 In these daily duties doth the sanctification of a family consist Whereunto wee may bee perswaded by these motives 1 In that they are the practises of men fearing God such as Joshua and his house Cornelius and his houshold 2 In that by these exercises the family shall not only be sanctified but also blessed as Obed Edom and his house for the presence of the Ark. 3 What madness is it to reject and banish Gods word and worship out of doors and yet think God is there Nay where found grace comes there is the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication in every family apart Zach. 12.14 and where the worship of God is not set up in families there is nothing but a conspiracy of Atheists and a wicked brood bringing Gods judgements on themselves and the business passing through their hands Use 3. Jerusalem is called holy being once sanctified to the Lords use which teacheth us that wee should reverently both conceive and speak of all such things as are set apart to the Lords use 1 Some persons are consecrate to the Lord as the Tribe of Levi of whom the commandement was Thou shalt not forsake the Levite all thy daies And the Prophets Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harm So in the New-Testament The Minister that rules well is worthy of double honour Yea if the widows which were set apart to inferiour offices about the poor must be honoured 1 Tim. 5.3 much more the Minister that standeth in Gods place and stead Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the oversight of you Thus Cornelius reverenced Peter and the Eunuch Philip. Nay not onely the Minister but every beleever is separate to God and sanctified to carry the Covenant and hath the annointing of the Spirit which the Lord acknowledgeth on them and speaketh reverently and lovingly of them calling them his holy ones yea the apple of his eye They see not this who can persecute and revile them for hypocrites and count them as the Apostles whose doctrin they profess the scum of the world 2 Some places are for their use to bee accounted holy because God is there present in his worship as the places of our meetings not that any inherent holiness is annexed to the place or cleaveth to it out of the action of Gods worship but while God is present in his Worship wee must account it holy ground and the house of God When God appeared in Bethel to Jacob hee said How fearful is this place surely it is no other than the house of God Wee must therefore put off our shooes with Moses that is our base and vile our sinful and sensual affections yea our lawful if earthly thoughts when wee come to this holy place Look wee bring no thoughts with us unbeseeming the place where God is separated from other common places to holy uses Look that in this place wee use no gesture or behaviour unbeseeming a man that hath business with God being present To sit talking or sleeping or laughing or gazing sutes not with this place And further if God please to account the very places holy for the use and presence of God in this use what shall wee think of them that conceive so basely of them as they would love a Parish better in which is no Church Others prophane them with base practices and unconscionably suffer them to fall or decay and will bee at no charge to make or keep them handsome sweet and beautiful Styes were fit for such swine As their affection is so is their devotion 3 The holy Ordinances of God must not bee touched but with holy respect and reverence of which it is said It is not safe to play with holy things 1 The word must bee received read heard spoken as the holy word of God To make jests of Scripture is a wicked practice God looks graciously on him that trembles at his word Isa 66.2 as good Josiah whose heart melted hearing the words of the Law So the names and attributes of God are never to bee used in frivolous admirations but every knee must bow unto him Phil. 2.10 Neither ought wee to laugh at Gods judgements on others 2 An Oath is one of the holy Ordinances of God and to swear in common talk vainly is not to shew reverence to this holy Ordinance Swear not at all that is uncalled Mat. 5.34 35. neither being called but in truth justice and judgement for an Oath is appointed to decide controversies which other means cannot How few consider whether the matter bee worth an Oath or whether they bee called to it or whether it might not have been better passed by Yea or Nay or by a bare asseveration A wicked man is described by being a Swearer Eccl. 9.3 but a godly man not only not swears from which a man by education or civility may abstain but also fears an oath in what company soever hee is or what occasion soever hee hath 3 A Lot is another special Ordinance of God to decide a controversy from heaven by God himself when all means on earth fail Therefore Lots must not be used without great reverence and prayer because the disposition of them commeth immediately from the Lord Pro. 16.33 and not but in great matters not for recreation for it is said to cause contentious to cease among the mighty Prov. 18.18 neither do wee read that it was ever used but in very great things as the dividing of the land of Canaan the election of High Priests and Kings and the surrogation of Matthias into the place of Judas Hence it follows if dice and cards bee Lots as I think they bee that all play by them is unlawful 4 Some times are sanctified above other as the Sabbath day all which must bee passed holily with much reverence and respect both remembring it before it come yea rejoycing in the approach of it and when it is come to sanctify it 1 In our hearts for external observation of the Sabbath without inward holiness and affection to the duties of Gods service is hypocrisy 2 We must not meddle with any part of the duties of our ordinary calling for that is no holy thing 3 Much less travel to Markets or Fairs but every man must stay in his own place Exod. 16.29 Neb. 13.15 to 19. 4 Least of all must wee set any part of it apart
man know a rank Theef were not hee worthy to bee robbed that will open his doors and give him entertainment Oh let not us extenuate our sin or lay the blame on the Devil who cannot hurt us without our own weapons Hee cannot make us swear or curse or drink or kill or break the Sabbath All that hee can do is to stir up our corruption present objects stir up passion to trouble the judgement and perswade or sollicite Hee can suggest hee cannot force And therefore do as David taking all the blame of our sins upon our selves when the Devil stirred him up to number the people and hee came to see his folly hee thought not his sin less because Satan moved him but said I have done very foolishly Alas these silly sheep what have they done Vse 4. Take heed of Satans voice which is ever to cast thy self down every temptation to sin hath this voice in it Cast thy self down and too too many hear and yield to the same Some cast themselves down by casting themselves back from God and his truth forsaking the right way Thus every Apostate hath cast himself down and hath need of that counsel Remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first works Others cast themselves down by falling into a puddle of base uncleanenesse as covetousnesse drunkenness swearing lying c. unbeseeming the place name and honour of Christians Were it not too too base a dejecting of himself if a Noble man should sort himself to lye in a Barn among beggars or any man to lye in a stye among swine So for a Christian to demean himself like a worldling or Epicure or Atheist is as great a debasement Others cast themselves down into the pit of despair when any sorrow or trouble extraordinary presseth or pincheth them If God cast them down a little they cast themselves down immeasuredly as Cain Judas nay Gods servants think sometimes that God hath forgotten them and will not remember seasonable mercy But do thou in all temptations answer Satan thus No Satan I know thou canst not cast mee down God to whom the honour of it is due be praised for it and I will not cast my self down if God cast mee down I shall rise again who onely can and will turn his humiliation of mee to my exaltation Psal 119.71 From hence So Luke addeth that is from the Battlement which God had straightly injoyned as a means to keep men from falling and to prevent danger Deut. 22.8 When thou buildest a new house thou shalt make a battlement on thy roof that thou lay not blood upon thy house if any man fall thence And this was the manner of the Jews buildings to build their houses not ridged as ours but with a flat roof as most of our Churches bee and battlements about and their roofs thus made served them to many good purposes as Josh 2.6 Rahab brought the spies up to the roof of the house and hid them with the stacks of flax which shee had spread upon the roof Act. 10.9 Peter being in Joppa in Simons house a Tanner went up upon the house to pray Of this kind seemed that house of the Philistims which Sampson at his death pulled down upon the roof of which stood three thousand persons to behold while Sampson was mocked Doct. 3 Satan seeketh especially to draw such to sin who have most means against it As Christ was not set on a pinacle which had no stairs to go down by but where were stairs and hee must notwithstanding them cast himself down head-long So dealt hee with Adam in his innocency who having all perfections his soul and body were capable of yet must he needs reach at the bettering of his estate had Adam known any misery yet his sin had been so much the less if he had been enticed unwarrantably to mend his estate but he did as the Parable speaks set an old patch upon a new garment which was both idle and disgraceful And the means of his sin was as idle as the end for had he not all the Trees of the Garden and fruits of Paradise to eat upon and were not all else means enough to keep him from one forbidden fruit If God had restrained all but one he had not wronged him hee had furnished him with all strength against temptation if he would have used it he had no manner of discontent in his estate yet if he had been overcome in that supposal to have enlarged without God his own allowance his sin had not been in that degree and so out of measure sinful as the having of all these means made it Who must deny our Saviour Christ but one of his Disciples who must betray him but another both of them abounding with means to the contrary having been advanced by Christ into the high Offices of Apostleship to be next attendants of Christ who heard his Doctrin saw his Miracles and were eye-witnesses of the integrity of his life yea both specially warned by Christ of those particular sins and Peter had professed to dye rather than doe it 1 The malice of Satan is such as he is not content that men sin Reasons unless he can bring them to aggravate their sin and doe it as sinfully as may bee and therefore he is industrious to get men to sin against the means For this addeth weight to the sin and provoketh Gods anger much more than another sin Examples we have in Exod. 32.31 when Israel had made a Call Oh saith Moses this people have sinned a great sin It was a great 1 In the kind Idolatry 2 In the manner being against such means it was not many days before that that Moses had received the Ten Commandements which themselves heard delivered in such Thunder Lightning and terrible Voyce as made them profess what ever the Lord should command them by Moses they would doe and besides the Ten Commandements thus uttered and delivered Exod. 20. in the two and twentieth verse a special addition was annexed Yee shall make you no gods of silver or gold c. They had immediately before received an extraordinary food by Manna which then they enjoyed Moses was in the Mount with God to receive more Laws for their good Aaron was with them to advise them But against all these and many more means they worship a Calf and so highly provoke God as after a great slaughter of men three thousand in number 2 Sam 12. â— Moses hardly obtained pardon for the residue Davids sin was so much the more heinous in that hee had many Wives of his own as Nathan in the parable sheweth and maketh himself to confess A rich man had many Sheep and Oxen and the poor man had but one Lamb which ate his morsels with him and slept in his bosom which was Bathsheba in Uriahs bosom and the rich man refused to dress any of his own Sheep and slew and dressed the poor mans Sheep David himself hearing it
son honours his father Thus doe all they that are subtile to pervert the straight ways of God as Elymas therefore called by Paul the child of the Devil Acts 13.10 because he sought to hinder the word and work of God Thus doe all those tares the children of that wicked one Matth. 13.38 which grow up in Gods field to the molesting and anoyance of the Lords wheat Thus doe all they who when they should spend the Lords Sabbaths in his worship they worship and serve the world in buying and selling or the Devil in play and gaming in their own houses falling down to the worship of the Devil when true worshippers are in Gods house performing their homage and service to him Conclus 4. Satan prevails against numbers by drawing the affections of their hearts from the true God to something besides him to love trust and follow it more than God as the voluptuous person that makes his belly his god and so is a lover of pleasure more than of God and the covetous person making his wealth his god whom Paul therefore calls an Idolater All these and many more are worshippers of the Devil and fallen down to him and cannot possibly worship the true God II. How and by what means Satan doth thus prevail And the means are these 1 He hath often the Secular arm and Human authority 2 Chron. 11.15 Rehoboam ordained Priests for the high places for the Devils and for the Calves that he had made Thus Antichrist the Beast of Rome Revel 13.16 by power made all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive his mark in their hands and fore-heads So he did in our Country by fire and faggot in Queen Maries days 2 Sometimes he draws men to his own worship by policy for he can transform himself into an Angel of Light he can preach Christ for a need to overthrow the preaching of Christ Mark 1.34 he can be a lying spirit in the mouthes of four hundred false Prophets 1 King 21. at once and can put on the shape of Samuel being still a Satan 3 Sometimes by fair promises as in our text he will give a whole world to bring Christ to one sin Thou shalt have case pleasure wealth credit in a word thy hearts desire if thou wilt fall down and worship me 4 By perswasion that it is a vain thing to serve God Mal. 3.14 no joy for the present no recompence hereafter thus he carries with him innumerable companies with things present not considering the time to come 5 By threatning of crosses losses disfavour as Balac said to Balaam Thy God hath kept thee from preferment By violent persecutions Revel 12.13.15 the red dragon persecuted the woman which had brought forth the Man-child the Serpent cast out of his mouth waters like a floud to cause the woman to be carried away 6 By effectual delusion by means of Signs Wonders false Miracles and slights which Satan putteth forth to give credit to false worship as it is spoken of the great Antichrist 2 Thess 2.9 10. that he shall come by the working of Satan with power signs and lying wonders and in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness among them that perish and thus shall the beast deceive all those whose names are not written in the Book of life Thus many are deceived in Popery by the jugling and crafty conveyances of the Priests and often by Magick making their Images appear to sweat to nodde to roll their eyes to pass voyces through them and make bloud appear in the Host which they would have their people beleeve and thus Satan mightily draws them to the worship of himself Vse 1. Here let us learn to bewail the misery of men seduced by the Devil and thrust from their God whether more openly or more secretly as 1 Such as joyn to Popery renouncing the worship of the true God and fall down to the Devil to worship him Revel 13.4 and they worshipped the Dragon and the Beast noting that the worship of the Beast is the worship of the Dragon Now they worship the Beast that give him power over the Scripture over the Consciences of men to make laws to bind them to pardon sins to open Heaven Hell Purgatory and receive his Bulls and Canons before the Canonical Scripture A lamentable thing that Satan gets such great ones daily to fall down and worship him 2 Such as get livings by bribery symony chopping and changing and such indirect courses here the Chaplain hath fallen down to the Devil and worshipped him and he hath bestowed the benefice 3 Such as seek to Witches for help or cunning men and women a plain and open service of the Devil by vertue of a league and compact at least secret Should not a people seek to their God or can all the Devils in Hell remove the hand of God 4 Such as by flattery dissembling injustice lying swearng or breaking the Sabbath obtain wealth or profit All this the Devil hath given thee because thou hast fallen down and worshipped him Whatsoever a man doth against the Word against his Oath or Conscience is a falling down to the Devil and a worshipping of him Vse 2. Take heed of coming under the power and service of the Devil and to that end observe these rules 1 Hold thee to Gods Word and Will in all duties of piety and justice both for matter and manner For wee must not only doe our Masters will but also according to his will 2 Hear and foster the motions of Gods Spirit which are ever according to the Word It is a note of a man given up to Satan to have continual disobedience breathing in him Ephes 2.2 The foul spirit savours nothing but the flesh 3 Renounce the world daily be not a servant to any lust neither take pleasure in it For when Satan findes a man serving pleasures he halters him with them and clogs him with cares of riches and voluptuous living Luk. 8.14 4 Walk in the light love it and such as walk in it It is a sign of a man in Satans snare to despise them that are good 2 Tim. 3.3 to make a shew of godliness denying the power thereof ver 5. Satan himself pretends light but walks in darkness and leads such as he rules in the same path 5 Contend for the faith Jud. 3. and Gods pure worship stand for God be at warre with thy sin keep an inward conflict and combate for not to be tempted of Satan is to be possessed by him Luk. 11.21 When the strong man keeps the hold all is at peace Vers 10. But Jesus answered and said Avoid Satan For it is written Thou shall worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve NOw wee come by Gods assistance to the answer of our Lord to the D vâ—â— third daâ—â— In which consider three things 1 The deniall and resistance But Jesus answered and said 2 The manner of it Avoid Satan 3 The râ—ason For it
resisted but flye 4 The battel which wee fight is the Lords wherein hee will not bee overcome the strength is the Lords who is mighty in battel What was the strength of David to Goliah but when hee comes against him in the name of the Lord a small and weak resistance overthrows him Our armour is the Lords Put on the armour of God And it is armour of proof It were a disgrace to his workmanship if it should ever bee found slight or insufficient Our cause is the Lords a contention for the faith Fight the good fight of faith which shall prevail against all the gates of Hell Our Captain was never overcome nor can bee nor any one of his fellows for they are all members of that body whereof hee is the head and can a Head able to save the Body suffer it self to bee dis-membred of any one member Our Aiders and Assistance that come in to help us while wee resist are the Angels who have a charge to keep us in our waies and give us strength and victory they bee too strong for Satan and all his powers and they bee more that be with us than they against us Object But are not many of Gods Children not onely sore thrust at but even overcome in temptation Nay and doth not experience shew that the more the child of God resisteth the more Satan assaulteth him And doth not another experience teach us that the lesse hee is resisted the sooner hee flies and is less troublesome Answ God in great wisdome suffers Satan to molest his dear Children and infest them with long and strong temptations and many times to foil them and to renew his temptations and the battel day by day 1 For their humbling and exercise the Lord destroyed not all the Canaanites before Israel but left some people to hold them battel lest they should grow secure Judg. 3.1 and to teach them battel And Paul must bee buffeted by Satan lest hee should bee exalted by the multitude of Revelations 2 To make them more watchful of their Graces and keep close their Faith Hope Love Patience c. as when Robbers and Pilferers are abroad men shut up and lock their goods within so here 3 To magnify his own glory who manifesteth such power in such weakness and seasonably sets in for their safety and victory when in their sense they are utterly lost But 1 Satan never overcomes him that resisteth hee may foil him and beat his weapon to his head Neâ—â—l iâ— non vinâ—â— n si qui vinceâ—e noâ—uâ—t Erasmus yea hee may send him halting away with Jacob so long as he lives yet at length hee shall overcome if hee hold on his resistance 2 Satan indeed often assaulteth where hee is much resisted for hee will still renew the battel Sometimes in strong Christians whom the Lord presseth forth as the Leaders in his battel for strength is for the war Job resisted but was still assaulted because his measure of strength was such as was to bee a pattern to all ordinary men Our Lord had resisted Satan once and again but till now hee flies not because hee was to bee the General of the field on whom all must look as an example and for direction But the issue is that Satan shall flye at length and the longer and stronger his temptations are the more God glorifieth himself both in the victory of his servants and confusion of the Devil as wee see in both the former examples Sometimes hee fiercely assaileth weaker Christians who are easilier pulled from their holds for want of knowledge judgement or resolution these hee thinks will bee tyred out with importunity and hee hopes to force them to yeeld at length And surely many weaker ones invite Satans temptations unawares which toil them worse than death because they are so flexible Satan sometimes hears them speak in his own Language Thou art an Hypocrite a great sinner above all men sometimes hee sees them use his weapons against themselves and so give way to the Adversary in stead of resisting whereas stout and manful resistance would speedily procure their peace sometimes for want of judgement they are not able to distinguish of Satans sins from their own but carry themselves as they would take upon themselves the Devils reckoning Alass All this invites him and makes him welcome But here let the weakest Beleever know that if hee resist lawfully hee shall carry away the victory let his resistance bee never so weak and this shall make for Gods greater glory and Satans greater confusion that hee is not able to stand out the field against the weakest of them whom hee may seem to scorn It was a great confusion that Satan was not able to stand against Christ himself but that hee shall not be able to stand against a sinner a worm which turns again in the name of Christ is greater confusion than the former 3 Whereas Satan seems quiet where hee is least resisted it is no marvel his Kingdome is not divided against himself What need a Captain bend his Forces against a Town which hath delivered up it self into his hand What need hee set bul-warks and Canon-shot against those Walls and gates which are willingly set open When the strong man keeps the hold all things are at peace But a miserable peace it is to run from under the colours of the Prince of peace to go so peaceably and gently to the dungeon of eternal darkness Vse 1. This may comfort the child of God that hee shall out-stand all his temptations it is not onely possible for him to overcome the Devil and put him to flight but also certain For The just man falleth seven times a day but riseth again Prov. 24.16 And why 1 Because Gods election is eternal and unchangeable and his foundation sure 2 Because of Christs prayer that our faith might not fail 3 Because the godly man hath built his house on a rock against which the windes may blow and the floods beat but it shall stand and hee is set into that head who overcame the Tempter that hee might overcome him also 4 Because of the promise that God will not forsake his Child overlong but supply strength for the combate and give a gracious issue And temptation prevails only when God addes not a second grace but standeth afar off Object But was not David overcome with temptation Answ Yes justly when hee remitted of his watch and resistance but this was neither totally nor finally The reason is because God puts a man into the hands of the Devil two waies 1 Absolutely 2 With limitation Absolutely 2 Tim. 1.16 as when his justice gives up a wicked man to bee wholly ruled at his will and carried head-long to destruction With limitation when a man is put into his hand to prevail over him to a certain measure as Job and our Saviour to be in these temptations carried and molested to a certain measure of time and vexation Thus
liberty than hee affords if thy affections be rough and stirring against Gods children thou hast not yet subjected thy self to Christ 4 A mighty work of power in Christ was that he was able to soyl temptations and stand out against all hellish powers so that the Devil found nothing in him Now findest thou the power and strength of Christ in the spiritual combate Doest thou chase Satan afore thee and the whole band of his temptations Wouldest thou refuse a whole world rather than sin against God or gratifie Satan and thy self with the least displeasure of him All the power of Christ was set against sin and Satans Kingdom And if thou hast part in this power of Christ it abolisheth sin in thee and strengthneth thee with full resolution against all sin 5 A mighty work of Christs power is to enrich his children with all necessary graces tending to salvation and to lead them into the fruition of their eternal inheritance It cost Joshua some labour before he could bring Israel into the good Land that abounded with good things it cost our JOSHUA more Findest thou this fruit of Christs power that thy face is set towards Heaven and is it with thee as with those that entred into that good Land who tasted of the fruits aforehand Hast thou received the first fruits of the Spirit Doest thou grow in grace Doest thou with patience expect the promises and begin the heavenly life already Hast thou hope joy love of God zeal for God constancy in the truth for these are purchased by this power of Christ Then here is a creating vertue put forth a fruit of Christs mighty power magnifie this grace of God and hope for the accomplishment and finishing of the same work by the same power the which shall preserve thee to salvation 6 A mighty work of Christs power was the perfect fulfilling of the Law Whether doest thou partake in this power art thou perfect in the way sincerely obeying God in all his Commandements Doest thou subject thy self to the Law as the rule of thy Law Doest thou aym at the perfection thereof Christ loved his Father with all his heart and his Neighbour as himself yea above himself and if this power of Christ prevail with thee this will bee the scope and aym of all thy actions For though the obedience of the Law bee not necessary to Justification yet it is requisite to Sanctification 7 Another work of Christs power was that it set him free from all corruption and infirmities which hee undertook for us without sin Labour to finde this power of Christ in thy soul daily freeing thee from the corruption of thy sin and daily infirmities If the Son set you free you are free indeed not only the reign of sin is thrust down but the corruption of sin is lessned David desired the Lord to give him again his free Spirit Psal 51.10 11. he well knew that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty that is not only a redemption from Damnation by our justification but from corruption and vain conversation by our sanctification 8 Christs power was mighty in ruling and ordering his own powers and faculties his understanding was able to see God perfectly his will only just right and wise never bowing from the will of his Father Not my will but thy will be done His memory could never forget any good thing but he retained his whole duty ever before him His affections were ordered according to right judgement His appetite never exceeded the bounds of sobriety and moderation His speech was gracious his actions all exemplary no spot in him from top to toe And this same power of Christ is in some measure manifest in all his members this power enlightneth the minds of beleevers formerly blind to see God in part and perswadeth the will and boweth it to obey Gods will which before was captivated to the will of the Devil it inspireth godly desires and gracious resolutions and strengthens the memory to retain good things being before as rimy as a five it guideth and altereth the affections making the beleever to love good things and good men and whatsoever sets forward Gods glory and to hate zealously the contrary Christs power in the soul orders the appetite to sobriety in the seasonable and thankful use of outward mercies makes a man speak the language of Canaan and his whole course savour of Christ Whence it is plainly concluded that ignorant persons malicious persons Libertines intemperate Drunkards Gluttons filthy talkers Swearers loose in their behaviour open enemies to this power of Jesus Christ not submitting themselves to the rod of his mouth shall bee laid under his rod of iron Use 4. This teacheth us to goe on fearlesly in good duties seeing this power of Christ is with us and for us He is of power to protect us against enemies and dangers Of power to strengthen us in our duties when we are weak and feeble he will perfect his power in our weakness 2 Cor. 12.8 Of power to make us invincible in our sufferings Phil. 4.13 I can doe all things through him that inableth me Of power to reward our least labour of love undertaken for him Of power to answer our prayers and to doe abundantly above all we ask or think Of power to perform all his gracious promises which shall be made good to us in due time Of power to supply us with all good means in his service hee can give wealth and make the latter end better as he did to Job the Divine power giveth all things pertaining to life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 Of power in death it self to keep that which wee commit unto him till the last day Of power to rebuke Diseases and command Death and after death to raise our bodies to eternal life being cloathed with corruption and wrapped with deaths garments 1 Cor. 6.14 God hath raised up the Lord Jesus and shall raise us also by his power Vse 5. Lastly this doctrin assureth us of our perseverance in grace begun Christ by his power lays such fast hold on us no seducer is able to deceive the elect nor pluck them out of his hands for the weakness of God is stronger than men 1 Cor. 1.25 and when we cannot comprehend him so fast as wee would he comprehends us and preserves us by his power to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Neither doth this Doctrin maintain any security but the security of faith which is ever attended with the fear of God and fear to sinne The Second thing in the victory of our Saviour is the manner of Satans leaving him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Matthew St. Luke more plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implies a bodily departure and sensible as we have formerly shewed his presence to be Quest What kind of departure was this it seems to be a willing and voluntary subjection to Christ he bids him depart and he is gone Ans Indeed it seems obedience
the Church as it was in the Ark so was it like the Ark of Noah against which the waters had a time to increase and a time also of decreasing What a night of trouble was the Church in all the while it was in Aegypt a stranger for four hundred years especially when they were oppressed with burdens and had their infants drowned in the river but a change came God sent and saved a Moses by whom hee will deliver his people but so as they must be acquainted with this continual enterchange in their estate they must be no sooner delivered out of Aegyps but be chased into the bottom of the Sea but there God makes them a way and no sooner out of the Sea but into the Wilderness and from thence the good Land takes them and in that good Land they never rested in one estate but sometimes had the better of their enemies and sometime for sin their enemies had the better of them as all the History of the Judges witnesseth In the time of the Kings how was the Church troubled and wasted in the time of Ahab and Jezabel when all Gods Prophets were slain and true religion was quite troden down But what a sudden change was there even when things were at the worst did the Lord bring a strange alteration by Elijah who slew all the Prophets of Baal and restored true religion How great misery suffered the Church in the time of Manasseh and Ammon but how happily was it changed by the piety of good Josiah in whom God made his people more happy than formerly miserable But who would have thought but that the Church had been utterly wasted in the seventy years captivity wherein it sate in the shadow of death Yet it was happily restored by Cyrus But when his godly Decrees concerning the building of the Temple were hindered by Cambyses his Son God stirred up Darius who favoured the Church and commanded the continuance and perfection of the work but not without many vicissitudes of stormes and calmes even after their return as appeareth in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah What a raging storm was that wherein our Lord and Head of the Church was put to death now the whole Church lay bleeding and dead with him But what a change was there the third day by his glorious resurrection In the Apostles daies how was the Church wasted when Saul had letters from the High Priests to carry bound to Jerusalem whosoever called on the Lord but when hee that breathed out nothing but slaughter and threatning was once converted then the Church had for a whilâ— rest and peace Act. 9.31 After the Apostles what a continual storm arosâ— against Christians which lasted three hundred years under the ten monsters of men those bloody men Nero Domitian Trajan Antoninus Severus Maxâ—minus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus and Dioclesianus whose rage was such as a man could not set his foot in Rome but tread upon the graves of Martyrs But after this night a fair Sun rose up in the East Constantine the Great who chased before him that horrible darknesse and brought a blessed calm But this lasted not long but his second Son Constantius far short of his Fathers piety with all his strength set up and maintained that Arrian heresy which his good Father had condemned in the Nicen Council by which as bloody persecution sprung up in the Church as ever was before which lasted almost eighty years until Constance the youngest Son of Constantine for up again the Nicen faith in the Western part of the World as Italy Greece Africk Illiricum and banished the former poyson After this what a black darknesse of Mahometisme possessed the Eastern part of the World under which it lies sunk at this day And as pitchy and palpable darkness of Antichrist and Popery occupied the Western part of the World But what a light did the Lord raise up in the midst of Popery his zealous servant Luther since whom the light hath mightily prevailed to the blasting of Anti-Christ and the consuming of him upon his nest Yet not this without a cloud for To speak of our own Church After the long darknesse like that of Egypt had prevailed and covered for many hundred years the face of our Countrey it pleased God that the light of the Gospel should peep into our Land in the daies of King Henry the eighth but yet much clouded and opposed almost all his daies In his Son Edward the sixt Englands Josiah it began to shine more brightly and a more thorough reformation was undertaken But this Sun-shine lasted not long but in Queen Maries daies the truth was again cast into the fire and the bodies of Gods Saints pitilesly destroyed God in mercy for his Elecâ—s sake shortened those daies and raised up our late Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory in all posterities who was semper cadem in the maintenance of the faith and left Christ sitting in his Kingdome and the truth triumphing over Popery and Anti-Christian falshood which by Gods mercy wee enjoy under our gracious King This hath been the changeable estate of the Church from the beginning and cadem est ratio totius ac partium the same truth discovers it self in the particular members As for example Abraham now a poor man in Egypt presently enriched and made heir of the Land of Promise now rejoycing in his Isaac and a while after stretching out his hand to kill his only Son who also herein was a notable type of the Church now bound and presently loosed and raised up after a sort from the dead Jacob was now afraid of Esau when he came in warlike manner to meet him with four hundred men at his heels but in a little season God lets him see a suddain change who had inclined his Brothers heart to do him no harm against his often former purposes to slay him Joseph is now hated of his brethren after a season honoured of them now sold as a slave to the Ismaelites afterward made a governour of Potiphar a Princes house now accused by his Mistresse and cast into Prison but after fetched out by Pharaoh and made ruler of all his Princes and the whole land of Egypt David sometimes cast down and God hath forgotten him a while after so confident in God that hee will not fear to walk in the vale of the shadow of death sometimes pursued by Saul as a traytor and rebel sometimes by Saul acknowledged his good Son and more righteous than himself and when Saul is dead and ceaseth his persecution his own son Absolons shall rise against him to depose him from his Kingdome And Jobs messengers of evil tydings still overtook one another And to spare further examples our own experience can teach us that for the most part wee have not rid our selves out of one temptation but another insueth such are our changes in this present estate And why 1 Satan goeth for a while from Christ himself Reasons his holy flesh in
late years to bring in woful changes to remove the Gospel and give away our Kingdom Liberties Freeholds and lives to strangers Remember that admirable year of eighty eight and that no less admirable threatning and deliverance in one thousand six hundred and five forget not the raging and devouring plague in which there was no peace or safety to him that went in and out Remember the furious fire in many great places of the Land burning up whole Towns and Villages the general diseases and distempers in mens bodies which have been as universal as our provocation hath been the change of our seasons the breaking out of waters drowning the earth the infection of the air many barbarous Conspiracies against the life of so innocent and merciful a King and the hot contentions of many brethren in our own Church All which are remarkable signs of Gods displeasure if not fore-runners of a lamentable change But he that considereth how all these things are forgotten and worn away unprofitably without all wholsome use or reformation cannot but think that the Lord if timely repentance hinder not will take some other course and so speak as hee will be heard for the truth never fayls which you have heard at large one Judgement is ever a fore runner of another unless repentance cuts them off O that God would put it in the hearts of high and low to seek the continuance of our happy peace in our seasonable seeking of God by repentance and not seeking still to provoke him by wilful impenitency Vse 2. Let us not expect an end of temptation and trial while we are here below seeing Satan goes away in respect of temptation and molestation but for a season If Satan be gone he will return yea although he cannot prevail he will not cease to be an enemy and the longer our peace hath been let us think our change the nearer None of Gods children but the Devil is sometimes departed from them but the experience of them all shews that he never stayed long away from any of them and therefore let us be wise although Godâ— goodness have kept him a great while from us not thereby to grow secure but as fore-casting his coming again aim our selves for him 1 Nâ—t mistaking our present estate which is a pilgrimage and not a paradise of ease and pleasure 2 Considering that evils fore-seen lose a great part of their bitterness and they are so much the weaker against us as we are stronger by our providence and fore-sight of them 3 Neither may we think much that after one or two or three assaults Satan hath not done with us but comes again as he did against our Lord for wee servants are not better than our Master nor better than our fellow-servants who have been often assaulted as David first to Adultery and after that to Murder and after that to pride in numbring the people and after that Satan came again and again And Paul was often bulleted by Satan yea after hee had prayed thrice he got no release but a promise of sufficient grace 4 Neither may we conceive it strange that after some sleighter temptations we should be urged with fouler for Satan commonly keeps his strongest till the last as hee did to our Lord. Many say never were any so foulely tempted not so often as they their flesh trembles and their hair stands an end to think what foul temptations Satan suggesteth with great instance But can there bee a fouler temptation than to worship the Devil himself yet the Son of God was tempted to it Therefore resist as he did and the sin is not thine but Satans who shall bee damned but thou shalt be saved in the day of the Lord. Satan still cometh with more malice and worst at last contrary unto God who is best at last Vse 3. In that Christian life is mixed with peace and trouble learn wee not to fix both our eyes upon any present prosperity nor use it as a perpetuity but hold it as a moveable which passeth and moveth from one to another We have now a sweet sense of God but this may be over-cast he may hide himself and we be troubled we may now have the joy of our faith and presently our souls be clouded with unbelief distrust and dreggs of infidelity All Gods graces are still in sight often soyled by their contraries And for temporal things our health is conflicted with sickness our good name wounded with disgraces and defamations our friends mortal and were they not so yet mutable often becoming our greatest enemies our wealth winged and leaves us when we have most need of comfort our life it self commutable with death which is the turning of us out of all that wee loved dearest excepting God himself Let us therefore fix our eyes upon those eternal good things and that eternal peace and that Kingdom which cannot bee shaken For the things which are seen are temporal but the things not seen are eternal And then whatsoever I lose it is but a moveable my inheritance is sale and sure Vse 4. Hence wee may see how like wicked men are unto their father the Devil in their courses Satan seems to goe from them but it is but for a season and so do their sins but for a season by a counterfeit repentance As we may see in two or three instances 1 Some upon some good motions and exhortations by Gods Word and Spirit are struâ—k with some sense of their estate their conscience is checked and they resolve to take a new course and perhaps enter upon it as the Devil were quite gone But he comes again he went but for a season and sets them as deep in their usury deceit gaming and wicked fellowship as ever before the dogge returns to his vomit and the sow to her wallowing in the mire the evil spâ—rit that seemed to be gone is returned and hath brought with him seven worse Devils because he found his house fit for him 2 Some about the time of receiving the Communion are very devout will make a shew of religion of prayer of repentance of charity and love they will not swear much that day perhaps not play but read and it may bee sing Psalmes A man would think for so doe they that the Devil is quite gone But it is but for a season their righteousness is but as a morning dew their unrighteousness returns and they become as disordered in their courses as malicious in their lives the next day as ever they were before A fearful case that with Judas they receive the sop and the Devil withall 3 Others in the time of sickness are very penitent will confess all promise amendment plead for pardon crave good prayers and vow to God if hee restore them to become new men and women and now the Devil they hope is quite gone But no sooner their sickness breaks but the Devil comes again and brings all their former sins back again and they are well contented
bring light out of darkness as once hee did in the Creation Rom. 8.28 we know that all things are turned to the best to them that love God His wisdom and power turns things not only good into good nor only afflictions and trials but even their sins and infirmities like a good Physician that tempers poyson to a remedy and of the Vipers skin makes a remedy to heal the Vipers sting 2 This is the godly mans priviledge above wicked ones to find God sweet to their souls either in afflictions or in the ending of them 1 Because their persons whatsoever their estate is are accepted with God whereas the other are rejected 2 They are sealed with the earnest of Gods Spirit and can goe unto God in fervent prayer whereas the other want the Spirit and cannot pray to be heard Psal 18.41 They cried but there was none to save them even to the Lord but he answered them not 3 They have the grace of repentance which removeth sin the cause of affliction and are come out of Babylon though they live in Babylon being as so many Lots in Sodome Whereas the other are impenitent and never removing the cause the effect lies ever upon them and grows every day heavier than other 4 They have peace of conscience and can sing the new song to God and the Lamb having a set of sweet Musick in their souls and with peace they have patience supporting them unto Gods seasonable deliverance Whereas the wicked are as the raging sea and hath no peace nor patience but a sensless unfeelingness of his estate their hearts being either ignorant ascribing all their smart to Fortune or Constellations or fatal necessity or secundary causes being not able to ascend so high as God the Auhor or descend so low as their own sins the just meritorious causes of their evils or hardned and feared or sensless as Nabals whose heart was as a stone dead within him 3 It is one end of Gods extream humbling and afflicting his children not to sink or forsake them but that at the last the powerful work of God may bee shewed on them both for his glory and for theirs The poor blind man Joh. 9.3 carried his misery a great while from his birth to his mans estate and yet our Saviour witnesseth that it was neither for his sin nor his parents but that the work of God might be shewed upon him in the miraculous cure of him when all the power of Nature and Art could doe him no good Lazarus was extremely humbled dead buried lying in the grave stinking who would have thoughr beyond Mary that he should ever have been raised till the last day and yet our Saviour saith that even that death of his was not unto death but for the glory of God Yea the Lord never bringeth any evil upon his children wherein he intendeth not in the end to shew them some great good as Deut. 8.16 The Lord tryed humbled and proved his people in the Wilderness that he might doe them good at the latter end Job 23.10 Hee knoweth my way and trieth me and what was the issue I shall come forth like the gold And the Apostle affirmeth that the trial of our faith which is much more precious than gold shall be sound to our praise and honour and glory as tâ— appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 4 God hereby manifests his care and faithfulness in his promises for hee hath promised how ever he suspend his comfort for a time to return in due season neither can his mercies come to an end nor himself leave his mansion finally Therefore it is that sometimes he fore-tells his children of evils to come that they should not come suddenly on them neither distrust his care in them nor be ignorant of a good issue out of them Sometimes he numbers them out and tells how many and how long they shall be Dan. 9.25 There shall be seven weeks that is thirty nine years and there shall bee sixty two weeks that is four hundred thirty four years and then the Messiah shall come c. And always he that setteth the setting of the Starrs and the bounds of the Sea setteth much more the period of our troubles and the furthest limits of his childrens trials which suppose they reach even to death it self they can follow them no further but then is a rest from their labour a reaping of the fruits of their sufferings a joyful harvest of a sorrowful seed-time wherein the Lord meets them with a full and final deliverance and putteth them in full possession of all his most glorious promises Vse 1. Let the godly consider of their priviledge to provoke their patience and constancy in their greatest trials which cannot make them unhappy For 1 The godly mans present estate is the best for him bee it what it can be the Furnace is the fittest place for gold 2 His trial shall bee turned to good because God hath the disposing tempering and moderating of it 3 His trial shall be but light and momentany not in respect of the present sense but because the time of temptation shall be swallowed up by the time of victory 4 The end of it shall be happy and all is well that ends well here shall be a most blessed issue And therefore let drossie Christians fear the fire who are sure to be wasted in it whilst the godly rejoyce in tribulation and with David walk fearlesly in the valley of the shadow of death because God who led him in was with him to lead him out Vse 2. Let the godly judge of themselves not always according to their present estate or feeling which may occasion their feet almost to step but look to the happy end of their trials And though the smart continue long yet let them be assured that the Lord keeps all their bones so that not one of them shall be broken Neither let us be weary and faint in our mindes for although God seemeth not to hear us yet he hears us well enough And though he seem to stand afarre off us it is but a delay no denial of our request And though he seem to neglect us let us not neglect him but hold on in the prayer of faith Vâ—e 3. Let this serve as a ground of comfort and encouragement to us that when with Israel we stand as it were on the Sea-brink beset with dangers then we may be still and expect the salvation of the Lord. For as the Prophet speaketh Hab. 2.3 The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speak and not lye if it tarry wais for it shall surely come and shall not stay Let us not make haste nor limit the Lord in prescribing him a time and means but leave all that to his wisdome lean upon his arm relye upon his word he hath a mind to doe us good and that when it shall be most for his glory and our salvation We are not yet perhaps
in the deep nor at the mountain not so destitute but we find some supports But were the case with us as it was here with our Lord if we were in the world as in a wilderness our food nothing but stones our company wild beasts ready to devour us no friend near us but the Devil tossing and tumbling us with his temptations wee should assuredly see the Lord extraordinarily providing for us and working out for us unexpected comfort our extremity would be Gods opportunity God sent not Moses to deliver Israel from under Pharaoh till their burdens were at the heaviest and their oppressions intollerable God might have sent his Angel to preserve the three Children from being cast into the fire but he did not till they were in the flames this was Gods time wherein he was more glorified his children more gloriously delivered and his enemies more mightily confounded than if the Angels had come before Even so when this Land was like that fiery Furnace made seven times hotter than ever before to consume the bodies of Gods Saints in Queen Maries days in the midst of those flames God sent that happy Queen now a blessed Saint to quench those fires and deliver our whole Church from that tyrannical and Papal oppression Thus the Lord himself waits and stays for the fittest time of our deliverance and so must we Never shall the faithful soul fail of a day of refreshing And ministred unto him We have spoken of the Angels coming Now the last thing considerable in this History is their ministery unto Christ wherein are two things 1 How they minister to him 2 Why they minister I. 1 They ministred in adoring the Son of God the only conquerour of the Devil and honouring him as the victorious destroyer of the Prince and Commander of all hellish powers For the Angels rejoyced in Christs victory in the Devils overthrow and the salvation of the Church of God The goodness of their nature carries them wholly to the glory of God in all their actions and motions and the good of the Church as at the birth of Christ they sung Glory to God on high on earth peace and good will to men And there is no doubt but now upon this victory they did much more honour him and congratulate his glorious triumph 2 They ministred to him in comforting him being in his soul extreamly afflicted and molested with Satans temptations for how could the Son of God but utterly abhorr and with fiery zeal detest such blasphemous temptations as that hee should not only distrust his Fathers providence but even fall down and worship the Devil himself with which temptations a sinful man yet in his corrupt nature would be exceedingly distracted and disturbed It is no doubt therefore but as in his Agony before his Passion the Angels came to comfort him so likewise in this conflict and perturbation so soon as they might they came in to the same purpose 3 They ministred to him in releeving his body which was now broken with hunger and watchings having already fasted forty days and forty nights and brought him food to allay his hunger spreading as it were a table for him in the wilderness For if they neglected not the servant of God Elias in the wilderness being ready to starve for food but provided him a meal in strength whereof he went forty days and forty nights 1 King 19.5 much less would they neglect the Son of God who was now in the same necessity 4 They ministred to him standing about him and giving attendance waiting as it were at his table and ready to be employed in any further service hee had to command them Psal 103.20 Yee Angels ready to execute his will Whence in Ezek. 1.11 the Angels are described with wings stretched upward noting their propensity and readiness to the Commandements of Christ II. Why the Angels do thus minister to Christ Ans Not for any necessity of his for 1 He was able to have sustained himself and held out for ever against the Devil 2 He was able to have confounded the Devil 3 He was able to have created food in the wilderness without them which they could not do for although they could fetch food elsewhere provided yet could they not create any but 1 It was their duty to attend him as their Lord called the Lord of the holy Angels 2 Christ would now use their ministery and did not help himself by Miracle as he might if he had pleased But we read not that he used his power for himself or his Disciples Himself being hungry and weary at Jacobs Well he created not food but sent his Disciples into the City to buy bread And when his Disciples were faint and hungry they were fain to pluck ears of Corn and eat it But yet he used not his miraculous power For Miracles were wrought for the edification of others and commonly done in the presence of many whose faith was to be strengthned as the Disciples was in part already 3 This was so for our instruction and consolation that we also in our wants standing in the Lords battels may expect the presence and comfort of the Angels Doct. The priviledge of Christ whereby hee is exalted above all creatures hence appeareth in that the Angels minister unto him Heb. 1.6 the Apostle proves Christs divinity and eminency above all things out of that testimony of the Psalm And let all the Angels of God worship him For he must needs be greater than all who must bee honoured of all Job 1.51 Christ himself proves himself the Son of God because notwithstanding he is the Son of man which plainly notes him to be 1 A true man and 2 A weak man yet they should see the Heavens opened and the Angels ascending and descending upon him as was figured in Jacobs Ladder Gen. 28.12 For Christ is the Ladder and only way by which we ascend into Heaven It reached from earth to heaven signifying his two Natures God of his Father in Heaven man of Jacobs loyns in earth Angels ascending and descending are the ministring spirits attending him for in that phrase is meant their sending out their emission and commission to their office descending to their work and ascending to give account of it Now according to this Prophecie of Christ two of his Disciples saw the heavens open upon him in his transfiguration Matth. 17.1 2. In his resurrection those keepers of the Sepulcher saw the Angel of the Lord that descended from heaven and had rolled away the stone from the door and sate upon it so as they were afraid and as dead men Matth. 28.4 The women also saw the Angel and talked with him that had attended him in his Resurrection vers 5. And in his Ascension all his Disciples saw the Heavens opened unto him and two Angels standing by them who attended him Acts 1. Reasons 1 The more honourable the attendants and ministers the greater is the Personage so attended But our Lord hath
hath so neerly conjoyned Now for the right manner of working righteousness it appeareth in these rules 1 It setteth all the rule before it and endeavoureth in all if it were possible The right manner of working righteousness in four things to fulfil all righteousness for seeing all the Commandements of God are Truth and Righteousness they are all without exception to bee observed And this although it bee necessarily implied in the Text yet is it else-where expressed Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were in them such an heart as to fear mee and keep all my Commandements 2 A second thing required is diligence which must needs attend fear How diligent a vertue fear is appeareth in Jacob who being to meet his Brother whom hee feared could not sleep all night and in Abraham who having a most difficult Commandement to slay his Son yet rose early and went three daies journey without reasoning the matter But what moved him hereto surely the Lord himself sheweth the true cause Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not spared thine only Son 3 Delight in the works of righteousness which also attendeth the fear of the Lord Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord hee delighteth greatly in his Commandements both to think of them to speak of them and to do them Whereas the worldlings heart speech and affection is taken up with his Gain Commodity Rents and income For as the fear of God it self is not a servile and slavish fear for punishment no more is that obedience which proceedeth from it forced or wrung out but as it is such a fear as delighteth greatly in Gods Commandements so the obedience is such as is offered from a willing people like a free-will offering which they must only offer whose heart encourageth them and whose spirit maketh them willing 4 Continuance in working for this is another property of the true fear of God that it respecteth not only all the Commandements but always Deut. 5.19 and seeing Gods fear is to keep the heart continually and that man is blessed that feareth always Prov. 23.17 this inseparable fruit of it working of righteousnesse Prov. 28.24 must never wither or fail in the godly who are exhorted to passe the whole time of their dwelling here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 to walk with God as Henoch did and to have their conversation in Heaven Philip. 3.20 that is their whole practice and course and not a part of it only Motives to the practise of righteousness Hence therefore is afforded another ground of exhortation namely that howsoever this is not such a righteousness as wherein we can stand before Gods Judgement Seat not being every way answerable to the Laws perfection yet we want not good reason to take up the practice of it in the manner prescribed Seeing 1 It is commanded by God Psal 4.6 Offer to God the sacrifice of righteousnesse 2 It pleaseth him and makes us also pleasing unto him for the former Psal 11.7 The righteous Lord loveth righteousness the latter is the latter words of the verse in hand 3 It maketh us like him 1 Joh. 3.7 Little children he that doth righteousness is righteous as he is righteous 4 It is a mark of our regeneration and a fruit of faith easier discerned than it self 1 Joh. 3.10 In this are the children of God known and the children of the Devil He that doth not righteousnesse is not of God 5 Much blessing is upon the head of the righteous saith Salomon The blessing of God comes down upon him and descends to his posterity God hath blessed him and he shall be blessed in his person in his estate in his name in his goods in this life and in the life to come The blessing of men also comes upon him the loyns of the poor blesse him the Church of God blesseth him yea turn him what way hee will the blessing of goodnesse meeteth him every way God giveth him according to the work of his hands often even here in this life and if that should fail hee being marked for a member of the Church Militant he shall be in due time removed into the holy mountain of Heaven where he shall dwell who worketh righteousnesse Psal 15.2 Thus much of the description of a religious person now of his priviledge Secondly the priviledge of a religious man is that a beleever of any Nation under Heaven of any calling sex or condition of life is accepted of God Where it may be asked Whether God whose grace is most free be bound by any thing which any man can doe to accept of him I answer a man is to be considered two ways 1 As in the state of his corrupt nature before his calling and conversion and thus he hath nothing worthy love and nothing which provoketh not further hatred here are no works which are not wicked and stained such a filthy puddle cannot send out one drop of sweet water How the person and work of a beleever can be accepted of God not any cleane thing can be brought out of such filthinesse all this while can be no acceptance of the person or of the work no sight of any present object in such a party nor any fore-sight of any future faith or work whereby the Lord can be moved to accept him for then the freedome of his grace should be hindered 2 As he is converted and now reconciled unto God called by the Word regenerated by the Spirit and having his heart purified by faith Now the Lord looking upon him sees him not as he was before all naked and lying in his bloud and filthiness but beholding him in the face of his Christ hee espieth his own image upon him yea and his own workmanship upon him and thus cometh the person to be first accepted And then in the second place the work of such a person cannot but be also pleasing unto God not for any worthiness or perfection in it self for even the best work of the best man from imperfect faith and imperfect knowledge is so farre from meriting as that it needeth pardon but 1 Because it cometh from an accepted person 2 Is a fruit of faith 3 A testimony of obedience unto Gods Commandement 4 The imperfection and stain of it is covered and wiped away with Christs most absolute obedience And thus both the person fearing God and his working of righteousnesse is accepted of God Vse 1. To comfort the godly poor Comfort the godly in that God is the God of the â—bject who find but strange entertainment in the world where they are strangers who hence learn That as the world loveth her own so God loveth and accepteth his own in what Country or condition soever they be the which comfort if they had not to sustain their hearts withall they could not but think themselves the most miserable of all men so many sins they see which God may see in them so many temptations with
Why stand yee gazing on us as if wee by our own power or godlinesse had made this man go The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob hath glorified his Son Jesus and his name hath made this man sound vers 16. Yea in the working they shew themselves instruments As Moses commandeth the Sea but he is bidden take his staffe Elizeus divideth Jordan but hee must use his cloak 2 King 12.13 Joshuah divideth Jordan but by means of the Ark Josh 3.13 but when Christ commeth to still the Sea hee doth it by his very word and command which is so powerful as the very senceless creatures obey it So also the Apostles in working miracles alwaies change their stile from Christs Act. 3.6 In the name of Jesus Christ I say to thee rise and walk Act. 9.34 Peter to Aeneas Jesus Christ maketh thee whole arise But Christ comming to a sick person saith Mar. 5.41 Maid I say to thee arise yea to a dead man as to Lazarus I say to thee arise So the Apostles in casting our Devils commanded them in the name of Jesus Christ to come out Act. 16.12 But Christ saith Come out of the man thou unclean spirit charging them in his own name 2 The Prophets and Apostles had not that habitual power to work miricles when they would nor could not at any time but even then when they were commanded by the Spirit But Christ could when hee pleased not being at the command of any other but having ever that power with him which could command whole nature so as Christ onely went about doing good by his own power and word and no Prophâ—â— or Apostle could so do it and this power was habitual in him which in them was present onely in some extraordinary motion Quest But was not the holy Doctrin of Christ sufficient and powerful enough of it self without miracles Ans His Doctrin was such as ought to have been received for it self if there had been no addition of miracles which onely serve to help our weakness whose incredulity is such as except wee see signes and wonders wee will not beleeve Joh. 4.48 whereas wee must strive to say with the Samaritans that wee beleeve not now for the Miracle but because our selves have heard him ver 42. Object But how can those Miracles infallibly confirm his Dostrin or person seeing it is granted to wicked men also to work Miracles as Pharaohs inchanters Simon Magus the Man of Sin yea one may remove Mountains who wanteth love and many shall say in the day of judgement Lord wee have cast out Devils in thy name and done many great things to whom hee shall answer Depart from mee I never knew you Difference of the miracles of the Apostles and wondeâ—s wrought by the help of Satan Ans There is main difference besides the former between the true Miracles of Christ himself and his Apostles and all those wonders and strange things which God justly permitteth to bee effected by Satan and his instruments First in their substance or being for in a true Miracle the thing is the same that it appeareth to bee and hath true and real and not onely seeming effects Moses produced a true Serpent and very blood whose effects were the eating up of the Enchanters rods and the killing of the fish but the other are lies and not the things which they seem to bee called by the Apostle lying Wonders â— Thess 2. meer Sorceries Juglings Sleights deluding the sences in stead of Samuel himself offering but a shape or appearance of him to Saul Thus Pharaohs Inchanters by jugling made no Serpent nor blood but the appearance of both for the Text saith expresly it was done by Sorcery Exod. 7.22 8.7 Such lying wonders are the Popish Miracles the sweating of their Images the bleeding of some of their hosts the motions of their Images their speech their weeping most of them effected by sleight and knavery and many other by sorcery and jugling Object But was not that a true and real effect of the Devil when hee stirred up winds and blow down Jobs house and slew his children Ans Yes but no true Miracle because it was done mediately by the natural causes for hee knoweth well the matter of windes and the manner of generating them and by Gods permission can gather much matter together and joyn himself with it to make it far more violent raging and fitting to his purpose than ordinary but all this while exceedeth hee not the compass of nature which all true Miracles do The like must bee said of the fire which he brought down from Heaven upon the Cattel and servants of Job hee created it not for creation is the sole and proper action of God but added combustible matter together Vel ludificatio sensus vel occultatum naturalium causarum conjunctio and brought fire to it by his power and agility And thus also he infected the air corrupted Jobs humors and smote him with sore boyles from top to toe In one word all the work of Satan and his instruments in such strange events is nothing else but either the deceiving of the senses or conjunction of natural causes to deceive by And by the way let the Romane Church consider what kind of Miracle their transubstantiation is seeing in every true miracle every thing is as it appeareth to be and there is no appearance but of bread Secondly In the end and use true Miracles alwaies confirm true doctrin alwaies tend to the glory of God and salvation of men but all these false Miracles as they bee lies so they tend to lies to confirm false Doctrin to impair Gods Glory to hinder the Salvation of men yea to further and hasten their Damnation The Miracles of Moses tended to the dis-missing of Gods People according to Gods Commandement that himself might bee served his people eased and Pharaoh himself if it might bee freed from destruction but the lying wonders of Jannes and Jambres for they were the Sorcerers that resisted Moses tended to hold them in Egypt still against the express Commandement of God to harden the heart of Pharaoh and resisted the power and glory of God and the good of his people yea of Pharaoh himself and his land By which rule if wee shall examine Popish Miracles wee shall ever finde them brought to confirm some untruth which hath no ground in the word to stand upon as to prove Image-worship prayers to the Virgin Mary Saints Angels and dead men Pilgrimages Monastical life with sundry other orders Christs real and bodily presence in the consecrated Host the verity of their most Idolatrous Masse To which or the like purposes let them bring in their whole legend we are to adjudge their Miracle-mongers no better than Pharaohs Inchanters nor the Miracles themselves no other than the lying Wonders of Antichrist which cause men to beleeve lyes who have not received the love of the truth Thirdly they differ in the manner of confirming
Preist for ever after the order Not his Priestly Office not after the order of Levi or Aaron but of Melâ—hisedeck without beginning or end of daies and this also the Lord had sworn unto his Son and could not repent that hee should bee a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 wherein the Priest-hood of Christ is advanced above all the Priests that ever were who having received their Office in time in time also ceased their office with their life but Christ his Priesthood was not limitâ—ed in any time but was every way eternal They were many who succeeded one another because they were not suffered to indure by death Heb. 7.23 But this man because hee endureth for ever hath no successor but an everlasting Priesthood They were made Priests after the Law of the carnal Commandement but hee after the power of the endless life vers 16. that is hee was not made a Priest by the Law namely Ceremonial which established for a time dying and vanishing things signified by the name of flesh but hee was made by the efficacy of the Word and oath of his Father which gave him endless life and perpetual duration so as neither death it self nâ—â— the grave could hold any dominion over him when they seemed to have clasped him fast in their bands which yet were powerfull enough to have held down any or all other men in the world besides himself and the Apostle to the Hebrews giveth a double reason why he must necessarily out-live death it self The former because hee must not onely make a perpetual oblation that need no repetition but also hee must live ever to make intercession Heb. 7.25 and that perpetually without which the Apostle implyeth that he had not perfectly saved his people This is most clearly proved Rom. 8.34 It is Christ who dyed yea or rather which is risen again who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us and Heb. 9.24 Christ is entered into the very Heaven to appear now in the sight of God for us which appearance of his in Heaven with his Merits hath the force of the most effectual prayer that ever was The latter is By dying Christ offereth and by rising hee applyeth his sacrifice to the conscience of beleevers that hee may not onely make one offering for sin as those Priests did many but that hee may alwaies live to apply it as they did not and see that his people have the benefit of it not onely before God for the appeasing of his wrath but also for the purging of their consciences from dead works to serve the living God as the same Apostle noteth Heb. 9.14 and in the last place to bestow upon every beleever the spirit of faith whereby they may apprehend and apply his sacrifice to their own salvation Neither doth it any whit impeach the eternity of Christs Priest-hood because four thousand years almost of the world were passed before hee suffered for howsoever the execution of it was not all those ages after the beginning of the World yet the vertue efficacy and benefit of it reached to the first Beleever that ever was in the World Adam himself whose faith in this seed of the woman saved him Abraham also saw his day and rejoyced and the Holy Ghost feareth not to call him the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13.8 namely 1 In Gods Council and Decree 2 In the vertue and efficacy of his Sacrifice 3 In regard of Gods acceptation of it for Beleevers 4 In the types and shadows of it whereof the Ceremonial Law was full And much less doth that hinder it from being eternal in that after the day of judgement it shall cease when we shall stand no more in need of Priests or Saviours for howsoever the execution of this office shall then cease yet the vertue and efficacy of it shall last for ever and ever 3 Hee must bee also the perpetual Prophet of his Church Nor his Prophetical the unchangeable Doctor of his Church and the Apostle of our profession who must constantly send his Spirit to lead us into all truth raise up Teachers and hold them in his right hand for the gathering of the Saints untill wee all meet in the unity of Faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.13 so as it is cleared that no part of his Offices could admit that hee should abide under death and therefore necessarily in this second respect must rise again Thirdly It was necessary hee should rise again because hee was so to dye as that thereby hee must overcome yea and destroy death which hee had not done if hee had lain conquered of death still in the grave yea more hee must so dye as that hee must give eternal life to his sheep Joh. 10.28 and by his death merit it put and hold them in possession of it for ever all signified in the phrases following they shall never perish neither shall any take them out of my hands which could never have been accomplished it himself had perished and had been left in the hands and house of death But hence hath hee brought his Church strong consolation in that being risen from the dead hee hath fully overcome death satisfied for every sin of every Beleever and risen from under all that weight of sin and death which would have oppressed us for ever yea even himself if hee had left one of our sins that beleeve in his name unsatisfied for Out of this that hath been spoken cometh to bee answered that objection That seeing Christ by his death paid the price of sin unto God what need we more of him we can be but acquitted and discharged Ans The providing of the most soveraign Plaster is not enough to work a Cure but the applyâ—ng of it also Neither was it sufficient for Christ to perform the former part of his Priest-hood namely satisfaction for sin if he had not added the latter thereto which is the application of it This latter maketh the former ours and comfortable unto us And both these the Apostle affirmeth of Christ Rom. 4.25 Christ was delivered to death for our sins and is risen again for our justification where by justification is meant by a Metonimy the application of justice II. The second point propounded to bee considered of in the rising of Christ is the manner of it which will appear in three things the 1 Concerning his Soul the 2 his Body the 3 his whole Humanity standing of both First the Soul of Christ which on the Crosse was separated from the body commended into the hands of his Father and translated that same day into Paradise was by the mighty power of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost brought back into his dead body lying in the grave quickned it and made it a living body moving and sensible in it self and unto others Secondly
death better than the day wherein they were born 2 As the Saints in Heaven being delivered out of the prison of the body have all the bolts and chains of their corruption struck off so the godly who have their parts in the first resurrection have after a sort changed their lives and put on a Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 they have bid farewell to the follies of their former times yea renounce and as farre as frailty will permit loathe their sins saying unto them as Ephraim to his rejected Idols get you hence what have I to doe with you they that were of the Synagogue of Satan are now in the Temple with true beleevers Thus is it said of the hundred forty four thousand that were bought from the earth that were not defiled with women but were virgins that is sanctified in part and washed from their filthiness and will have no more fellowship in the unfruitful works of darkness wherein sometimes they were chief actors 3 The Saints in heaven never joyn with the wicked of the world any more that being verified which Moses spake to the Israelites concerning the Egyptians The enemies whom your eyes have seen this day you shall never see more even to the faithful hate the company of the wicked with whom they can neither do good nor take any whereas before their calling they were mixt with them and ran with them to the same excess of riot Now their fellowship is dissolved they are no more Companions with them the light of the one admitteth no communion with the others darkness and that they are often forced to dwell in Mesech with them it is the woe and grief of their hearts Another part of this agreement What the Saints are called unto in five things standeth in the things to which the Saints are called which are sundry As 1 Look as their chief happiness standeth in the beholding of the face of God and seeing him as he is together with their rejoycing in his blessed communion and that most sweet fellowship they have one with another even so the chief blessednesse of the Saints in earth is their fellowship with God and Christ though it bee not so immediate as the former They see his back parts indeed rather than his face and rejoyce after a sort in his face but afar off and as in a glass of the Word and Sacraments not face to face nor in that brightness wherein they shall behold him when they are at home with him at his right hand but yet what they want in the thing they want not in desire to be where hee is that they may see his glory so as they may be satisfied with the fulnesse of it that they may so see him as they may bee like him that they may drink not of the streams but of the well of life and see light in his light And because loving him that begat they cannot but love him that is begotten the next happiness to the former do the godly justly esteem the communion of Saints placing under God their chief delight in such as excel in vertue Secondly as the heavenly life of the Saints is spent in the perfect praise of God wherein they imploy their eternity keeping in the presence of the Throne of God a perpetual Sabbath and serving him day and night Rev. 11.17 7.15 even so beleevers indeavour in their measure that the same mind bee in them which was in Jesus Christ who thought it as his meat and drink to do the will of his heavenly Father they bring free-will-offerings they esteem one day better in his Courts than a thousand besides and account these persons blessed that may dwell in his house because they ever praise him Not that much rebellion and corruption of nature doth not often dead and dul even the most sanctified but yet something they get forward and delight in the progress they make to the chearful praise and worship of God And this they do not by fits and starts but imitate that heavenly life in the continual indeavour to make the pleasing of God their principal delight and the chief thing that most soliciteth them Thirdly as the Saints in Heaven live according to the Law of perfect righteousness which is the Law and charter of Heaven and have obtained perfect sanctification so Beleevers on earth set the same Law before them to rule and direct every particular action by and begin the self same obedience they begin to weigh all they give out or take in by the weights of the sanctuary which God hath sealed as just they follow the Lamb whither-soever he goeth before them whether by voice or example Fourthly as the Saints in heaven enjoy God for the means of all their lives Rev. 22.3 5. for hee is their Temple their light their Tree of Life their Crystal river c. evenso the Saints in the World though they live by means and must not look to reap without sowing as once it was 2 Kin. 19.29 yet injoy they God above all means and acknowledge that hee is their life and the length of their daies that they live not by bread alone but by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God that it is hee that giveth them power to get substance and blesseth their children with increase that hee which cloatheth the Lillies and feedeth the Sparrows will cloathe and feed them yea and more that before they shall want that which is good for them it all means should fail hee would sustain them without means by Miracle that his Promise cannot fail them when the Indian Mines shall come to nought that his word is means enough which commandeth the Rock and it giveth water and the Winds and they blow Quails before his Host shall perish Fiftly as the Saints in Heaven would not for all the world forgo their Happiness for one day and yet are they not now so fully happy but that they still wait and long for further perfection of their glory saying Lord how long Holy and Just Rev. 6.10 so the godly would not for all the world be separated from their estate in Christ A cloud of Martyrs in all ages manifesâ—ed that all the World the sweet of it nor the sour the flattery of it nor the tyranny could draw the godly from the fruition of their priviledges in Christ And yet dwell they not in these first fruits but wait still for the perfecting of this their redemption Hence the Apostle describeth them by their inseparable property 2 Cor. 5.2 Rom. 8.23 which is to love the appearing of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 These notes laid together Examination of a mans self by the former notes will give witness with or against a man whether his conversation bee heavenly and consequently whether hee partake of all the former benefits of Christs resurrection Examine thy self by them Whether art thou called out of the World in thy affection whether art thou actually separated from the corruptions
be preserved so long seeing Lazarus his body and our bodies in that time enter into many degrees of it Ans Christ was indeed balmed and sweetned with Odours but all this could not have preserved him if his soul and body had not now been â—aced from sin the mother of corruption Obj. But he had sin imputed unto him Ans Yea but he had overcome all that and slain it on the Crosse for had he not destroyed it himself had been destroyed by it and subdued for ever under the corruption of it In all which regards that is verified which himself being risen affirmed Luke 24.46 Thus it is written and thâ—â— it behâ—eveth Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead the third day Other things the Evangelists observe in this circumstance as that it was the first day of the week that is the first day wherein hee had created the Heavens and the Earth and wherein he would create now a new Heaven and a new Earth and as before he had set up a marvellous frame of the world but sinâ—e exceedingly shaken and defaced by sin he would now restore the world again and repair the ruines of it by abolishing sin as formerly he had filled Heaven and earth with the glory of his power in Creation so would he now fill them with the glory of his power in Redemption which is a second creation Hence is it that that day is now converted into the Christian Sabbath and called the Lords Day Revel 1.10 or if you will Sunday but not as the Heathen Christ rose early and what we learn thence in honour of the Sun but as Christians in honour of the Sun of righteousnesse Again the Gospel noteth that this our glorious Son â—â—sâ— about Sun rising early in the morning or a little before it Matth. 28.1 To shew unto us 1 The power of his God-head who could while his body was dead perform the promise which he had made alive even in the instant of which hee had spoken 2 The impotency of his enemies who although they watched him fâ—â—lâ—â—â— him up laid an heavie stone upon him were every way cautelous to keep him dâ—wn till the third day was past and he not stealing away secretly in the dâ—â—d time of the night but â—ose with noyse and warning even in the morning yeâ— could they no more stay him than they could the Sun from rising and running his course 3 The benefit which the world of beleevers obtain by his rising again set down by the Evangelist Luke 1.78 Through the tender mercy of our God the day-spring from an high hath visited us 79. To give light to them that sâ—â— in darknesse and to guide our feet into the way of peace The Chronologers further observe that this was the day wherein Moses led the Israelites through the Sea wherein all the troops of Pharaoh and his Host were drowned Even to our Lord Jesus this third day led all the Israel of God out of the spiritual Aegypt of blindnesse and filthinesse but gloriously triumphed over all the bands of Satan Sin and Death all which were sunk like a stone into the bottomless pit of Hell Other observations concerning this day might be inserted out of Authors which because I see no sound ground for them out of the Scriptures I will omit them that I may now come to the lessons which out of this circumstance we may draw for our further instruction First we learn hence All the promises of God are accomplished in their duâ— season that all the promises of God shall be in due season accomplished whatsoever may seeme to come between them and us For seeing Christ being dead both could and did perform his promise to his Church will not hee much more being alive and in his glory doe it The Israelites had a promise of a good Land they must in the mean time suffer much oppression in Aegypt for the space of four hundred and thirty years together but the self-same night Exod. 12.41 when the term was expired they went out against the heart and yet at the entreaty of Pharaoh and his people In like sort Joseph had a Dream that the Sun and Moon and the twelve Starrs should worship him in the mean time he must be cast into the Pit and Dungeon where hee can see neither Sun Moon nor Starre many days and years passed wherein he saw nothing but the clean contrary and yet in the due season of it this dream was accomplished And the reason is because 1 God is true of his word he cannot lye nor repent and 2 He is able to fulfill whatsoever passeth from his mouth for shall any thing be hard or impossible to God or shall any power or death or the grave it self falsifie it Lean thy self then upon this truth of God hast thou a promise of outward or inward peace health wealth or any other good thing which thy heart can wish hold this promise fast in the midst of thy heart wait for the accomplishment of it it shall not fail thee so farre as thy Father seeth good for thee if it be delayed and deferred even this also shall turn to thy best Hast thou a promise of life everlasting hold it by the faith of thy soul as the aym and end of all thy faith and religion for all the miseries of this present life shall not be able to defeat thee of it Hast thou the promise of the resurrection of the body after death stick to this Article of thy faith also nothing could hinder the rising of thy head no more can let but the members shall be where the head is not the grave not fire not water not the bellies of beasts or fishes but they shall give up their dead and further the accomplishment of the word of their Creator The second observation is The Lâ—â—â— denieth n t to help his children although he delay them till his own due time be come that as the Lord of life raised not his Son as soon as he was dead but he must lye in the grave two days yea and the third also till his case seemed desperate to the Disciples themselves even so may the members of Christ lye long in the graves of their misery yea so long as their case seemeth desperate and all that while the Lord not only deferreth but seemeth to deny their help and utterly to neglect them Abraham had the promise of a Son by Sarah he looked every year for him ten twenty years together nay till the thirtieth year till it was not with Sarah as with childing-women in so much as she laught when she heard it the case in nature was desperate who would have thought but that God had forgotten his promise which Abraham himself in all that time if God had not shoared up his faith might have forgotten but though long first yet at length the Lord found out a time fit enough to bring his word to passe David in like
manner had the promise of the Kingdom but in the mean time he was so traced and hunted by Saul that he said in himself I shall surely one day fall by the hands of Saul but howsoever the Lord still deferred his promise he knew not how to break it the Kingdome was rent from Saul and given to him that was better than he Why God delayeth to answer his children Reasons Now the chief Reasons of this dealing of the Lords with his Children are these 1 In Gods delaies there is a seasonable time for all the graces which he giveth to be set on work such as are faith patience hope prayer all which cease in the accomplishment Secondly hee will have his childrens case often desperate that his own hand may bee acknowledged in giving them unexpected deliverance How could Israel but acknowledge his out-stretched arm in their delivery when they saw nothing but the mountains before them the enemies behind them and the sea as a wall on either side and if the Lord had delivered them before they came into the bottom of the sea as he easily could have done the glory of his work had been obscured which all ages since have admired and extolled till this day How did Jonah and the Ninevites acknowledge the finger of God in calling him to that Ministery when as he seemed utterly cast away being buried in the Whales belly three days and three nights for when by the powerful Word of God the Fish was commanded to cast him on the dry ground what a worthy fruit of conversion it had in them generally the History doth declare What great glory the Lord won to himself by saving Daniel not from the Den but from the Lions teeth in the Den and the three children not from the Furnace but the very fire in the Furnace it appeareth in that the very Heathen Kings themselves made publick Edicts that no God but Daniels and no God but Shadrachs c. should bee worshipped through all their Dominions because no God could deliver their worshippers as hee had done Thirdly the Lord often longer absenteth himself from his own children that when he is returned they might make the more account of him it pleased him to deal herein as a Mother with her child who although she bee tender enough over it will sometimes get her out of sight and behind a door in the mean time the child falleth and getteth some knocks and all this to make the child perceive its own weaknesse and depend upon her so much the more Example hereof we have Cant. 3.4 when the Church had sought her beloved in her bed in the streets among the Watch-men and found him not at last after much seeking and sorrowing after him she findeth him whom her soul loved then she took hold on him and would not let him goe till she had brought him to the house of her mother Vse 1. Tedious and heavie afflictions may not bee an argument of Gods hatred It is a simple opinion of simple people that God loveth not that man who is exercised with any strange crosse especially if it be more lasting and lingring upon him Lingring afflictions no sign of Gods hatred Why dost thou not consider ignorant man that the Lord suffered his own wel-beloved Son to lye in the Grave till the third day before he raised him up What sayest thou to the Israelites in Aegypt did they cease to be the people of God or to be dear to God when the heaviest tasks were laid upon them Whose bloud was it that Manasseh made the streets of Jerusalem run with but the Saints In the Persecutions of the Primitive Church we read of thirty thousand of the dear Saints of God put to death in seventeen days under the Tyrant Maximinian and as many chained under met al 's and mines Who was it that asked if the Lord would absent himself for ever and whether his mercy was clean gone for evermore Was not this the voyce of David a man after Gods own heart Wouldst thou hear the style of Gods children in the Scriptures thou hearest them called worms of Jacob dead men of Israel Isa 41.14 Wouldest thou know their state neither is that unanswerable to that stile read Heb. 11. from verse thirty five to the thirty ninth They wandred in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins and they of whom the world was not worthy were banished the world as unworthy to live in it Impossible therefore it is as Salomon teacheth to know love or hatred by any thing before a man Eccles 9. A man may be a Dives and a Devil or little better another may be a Lazarus and a Saint Fat pastures for most part threaten slaughter when lean ware need not fear the Butcher 2 In tedious and heavy afflictions and graves of misery prescribe not unto God neither the time nor the manner of thy release but leave all to him in whose hand times and seasons and means of deliverance are Wee would not by our good wills lye one day no not one hour under affliction our spirits are as short as Jehorams was what shall I attend any longer upon the Lord is not this evil from him Some crosses more smart and durable why And hence are all those murmurings and complaints Oh never was any in such misery or so long as I am But the Lord knoweth what hee doth and whom hee hath in hand Hee seeth perhaps 1 That thou hast strong hidden corruptions thy hard knots must have hard wedges as hard bodies strong potions 2 It may bee thou wast long in thy sin before thy conversion and thy Cross is the longer to be a means to bring thy old sins into fresh memory that so thou maiest renew thy repentance 3 It may bee thou hast since given some great scandal to the Church and so thy correction abideth till thou hast testified thy repentance 4 Thy heart perhaps can tell thee that some other crosses of some other kinde have been neglected or would not have smarted half so much therefore the Lord will have this to stick by increasing the smart and with-drawing his comforts till thy great heart bee made to stoop 5 Look whether some lust as yet not denyed lendeth not a sting to this cross above all the former whether thy heart bee over-mastered or fretful and peevish for even so wee deal with our Children who when a little smart doth but set them on frowardness wee meeken and overcome with more stripes 6 Or else the Lord in mercy lingringly doth correct as thou are able to bear to bend thee and work thee to good whereas if hee should bring his chastisements roughly and at once it would break thy heart great cause therefore hast thou to subscribe to his wisdome whose waies are all justice and mercy 3 Hence wee fetch our assured comfort The Lord will seasonably remember his children at least the third day That as God delivered his Son the third day so will
hee also seasonably deliver us What if wee seem to be dead in our graves despised neglected and forgotten one day yea the second yet the third day commeth Hos 6.2 After two daies hee will revive us and in the third day hee will raise us up and wee shall live in his sight This made Abraham hope above hope In waiting I waited saith David that is I continued waiting on God Job after darknesse hoped for light It may bee the third day is not yet come Thou art not yet come to the Mountain where God will provide nor thou art not yet in that extremity which is Gods opportunity Isaac must not sit at home but take a journey of three daies to bee slain hee must not bee sent back the first of second day but the third day yet not before hee bee bound on the altar and the stroke of death a fetching is hee taken from off the wood Is the Lord a killing thee yet trust in his mercy God seemeth indeed not to know his own Children sometimes but to bee deaf at their prayers to have broken the bottle wherein hee was wont to preserve their tears but hee knows us well enough saith Paul 2 Cor. 6.9 though wee think our selves unknown and therefore wee are sometimes as dying but yet wee live chastened but not killed yea killed but not overcome Hee seemeth now to know none better than the wicked but the third day commeth and putteth as great a difference between them as it did between Pharaohs Baker and Butler Gen. 40.13 19. the third day shall lift up the head of the one and restore him to his office but the same third day shall take the head from the other and shall hang the body on a tree for the birds to eat the flesh from it And caused that he was shewed openly Vers 41 Not to all the people but unto the witnesses chosen before of God even to us which did eat and drink with him after hee rose from the dead NOw wee come to the manifestation of Christ his resurrection Which is described first by the persons to whom hee was so manifested set down 1 Negatively not to all the people 2 Affirmatively but to us who were chosen of God to bee witnesses Secondly by the facts of Christ towards these witnesses which are two the former in this verse in that hee admitted them to eat and drink with him after hee rose from the dead the latter in the next verse in that hee sent out his Disciples with commandement to preach unto the people and especially to acquaint them with the Article of Faith concerning his comming again to judge the quick and the dead In which two actions namely of sending out his Disciples and judging of the world his Kingly office doth notably put forâ—h it self And caused that hee was shewed openly 1 It behoveth Christ to make open shew and manifest knowledge of his resurrection It was necessary that Christ should manifest his resurrection for these reasons 1 Because as hee had been openly put to death and openly buried that none could doubt of the truth of either so this being as main a beam as lyeth in all the frame of our Religion it was meet that it should bee as sufficiently cleared and as litâ—le liable to exception as any of the former which it had not been if it had not been as openly confirmed and therefore he would for the space of forty daies Act. 1.3 by many bodily appearances to many credible persons at once and by many other infallible tokens make it evident that the same body which was crucified having the same hands feet and side which were peirced and wherein the prints yet remained even the same finite and circumscribed body which was to bee seen and handled and no other was now raised from the grave and loosed from all the bands of death 2 Because some things remained to bee done by Jesus Christ between his Resurrection and Ascension which craved his manifest presence As 1 Hee was further to instruct his Disciples in the things which appertained to the Kingdome of God namely in all the Doctrin they were to teach and all the Ordinances they were to observe in the external government of the Christian Churches unto the end of the World and therefore the Evangelist sheweth us how Christ begun at Moses and all the Prophets and opened unto them in all the Scriptures the things that were written of him Luk. 24.27 32. and not onely the Scriptures but their eyes and their hearts to understand and bee warmed and affected with the same 2 Hee was to establish and send out into all the world in his own person the Apostles to Preach the Gospel which hee pleased to defer till this time when by his glorious resurrection they might see that all power was given him in heaven and in earth Mat. 18.19 3 Hee was to confirm this their extraordinary Ministery by an extraordinary Sacrament namely breathing upon them and giving them the Holy Ghost Joh. 20.22 that is some smaller measure of gifts as a pledge for the time but directing them also when and where to expect the plentiful pouring out of the Spirit upon them after his departure as it was most miraculously performed in the day of Pentecost after they had a while waited at Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father Act. 1.4 4 Hee was by Miracle to confirm to his Disciples the truth of his Resurrection that they might bee the better fitted to the testimony of it as hee did by that miraculous draught of fish whereby they knew that hee was the Lord Joh. 21.7 12. 5 In that also hee was according to that which the Scriptures had foreprophecyed of him and himself also often foretold to ascend up bodily and visibly into Heaven whence he descended so to shew himself the Son of God and our High Priest lifted up higher than the Heavens Luk. 14.33 cum 51. to open Heaven for us and carry our flesh before hand thither where in the mean time hee maketh requests for us it was meet in the presence of all the eleven Act. 1.9 and they all beholding that hee should openly and according to his body bee visibly and locally taken up as the Angels witnessed Act. 1.11 Now though in these and other regards it was meet hee should shew himself openly yet would hee not so openly shew himself as to all the people but only to such as his wisdome thought fit to behold him Quest But why did not Christ after his Resurrection ride in an open triumph before all the People In all reason it would have made much to the confusion of his enemies and the comfort of his friends It could not have been but if he had risen in the sight of the Souldiers and had gone into Jerusalem among the Scribes and Pharisees into the Temple among the Doctors into Pilates Palace they would all have been stricken down and confounded in the
1 Seeing a man cannot safely and comfortably pass through any part of the day without the light strength and comfort of the Scriptures it pleased the Lord to set up this publike ministery in his Church that even beleevers themselves by hearing the Scriptures daily explained obscure places opened by those which are clearer and figurative speeches cleared by the proper might attain not onely to a clearer understanding of the Scriptures but also to have them printed in their minds and memories so as they might bee able to draw them into continual use 2 Even the best have nature in them and their daily failings and without daily repair grow weak in faith weary of well-doing and unfruitful in the work of the Lord. And therefore though they should not need to come to increase their knowledge yet have they need to hear their faults controlled to bee provoked unto duty to bee confirmed in their obedience to bee strengthened in their faith reformed in their lives comforted in their troubles and spurred to bring every thing to use and practice and therefore the best may be still Disciples and Learners in the School of Christ 3 The agreement and fellowship of the members of the Church is excellently hereby maintained and preserved not onely by communication of giftâ— and graces while some teach and some learn but also while it is a mean to hold them all of a mind whereas without this publike Ministery if every one were left to hiâ— private sense and reading it could not but brâ—â—d corrupt and private opinionâ— to the dissolving of minds and affections And this special benefit of thiâ— publike ordinance the Apostle aimed at Eph. 4.13 Till wee all meet together in the unity of the Faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man implying that the scope of the Ministry is to bring and preserve all the members of the Church in this unity of faith and knowledge wh ch in this world it cannot do but so soon as it hath done this it self shall ceâ—se namâ—ly in the life to come Hee must needs bee wilfully blind that espieth nâ—t very gr at necessity of the word preached for the strengthening of thâ—se joyâ—â—s and bands whereby beleevers are knit both unto the head as also unto the me◠〈◊〉 From the oppoâ—ition of the Devil and wicâ—ed onâ—â— Thirdly The necessity of this Ordinance appeareth in that the Devil and wicked 〈◊〉 Wâ—â—â—â— have ever resisted it above all other as being the greatest enemy unto his Kingdome which maketh him fall down like lightening in the heart of men Hence is it that hee stirreth up Jannes and Jambres and all the â—able of Egypts Inchanters against Moses and setteth all his power against him to prove him a counterfeit Hence is it that hee will not want a Pashur to sinne Jeremy nor an Amaziah to do as much to Amos. Hence raised hee up many Armies against Paul Elimas and Alexander Hymeneus and Philetus Dâ—otrephes and Demas and from his mouth hee casts out floods of râ—proâ—chful and virulent slanders against him that hee is a pestilent and 〈◊〉 ouâ— fellow that hee speaketh against the Law and against the Temple away with such a fellow it is not fit that hee should live A d hath the Devil grown any whit more calm or can hee digest Pauls preachâ—â— better since Pauls time no sure hee is no changling except because his time is shorter his malice bee stronger and more raging I wish Gods faithful Ministers every where found it otherwise But to omit other proofs 〈◊〉 serve generally the voice of the multitude Where there is no Preacher but some poor creature to serve as they say or starve them rather it is wonderful how well people think themselves with him he shall be commended and defended for a very honest peaceable man or for a very good fellow that will bear his Neighbors company they could not have a better and for all hee cannot preach a worse they f ar will come when hee is gone But whose voice is this and is not the hand of the Devil in all this Well on the contrary where there is by Gods mercy a painful and faithful Minister that Preacheth constantly and conscionably how goeth the cry and common voice of people upon him wee have one that Preacheth indeed often and perhaps is a good Scholar but hee is very unpeaceable a reprover of every man a spy-fault hee hath made such contention in our Parish since hee came that wee wish hee had never come amongst us we were quiet enough and held peace and neighbourhood before he came And thus he is couâ—ted as Jeremy a man that striveth with the whole earth The same proveâ— by experience Fourthly The necessity appeareth by common experience if we compare the people who have had the Ministry planted amongst them with those who have it not In the one what shall a man sooner meet with than woful ignorance Popish opinions superstitious practices heathenish conversation they live as men without God in the world or as if the old Sodomites were alive again But in the other by Gods mercy some seal of the Ministry you shall meet withall some men of knowledge of conscience and out of conscience performing duties in publike and in private in the house of God and in their own houses you shall hear godly and gracious speech in their mouths see good example in their lives holy desires and endeavours to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ And whence is this difference but from the presence or absence of this ordinance and Gods blessing attending or departing from it Vse 1. Ministers must urge themselves to diligence by this necessity The Ministers of Christ must urge upon themselves this self same Commandement to provoke themselves to diligence in pâ—eaching for it layeth necessity upon them and woe unto that Minister that preâ—â—heth not the Gospel A lamentable thing is it to see how little either this commandementâ— or the denunciation of this fearful woe prevaileth with many but some are given up with Demas to imbrace this present world some give up themselves to idleness and voluptuousness of life some to ambition and further preferments some to policy and state matters and very few onely to faithful and painful Preaching Thus this commandement of Christ is generally forgotten the sheep and Lambs of Christ unfed and forsaken the Kingdome of Christ unbuilded and unrepaired and the Kingdome and power of sin generally standeth in the state of it unshaken in the hearts of men 2 Wee see hence what little need wee have of a dumb or blind Ministery unless there hee need of breaking so express a Commandement of Jesus Christ who sealeth no mans Commission but to Preach to his people No need of a duâ—b oâ— blind Ministeâ—y What need is there of wells without water of mouths that speak not of candlesticks without light of stars without shine of salt without
daunt the wicked and ungodly They shall see him whom they have peirced hee is their Judge against whom all their villanies have been committed whose servants they have villanously intreated whose kindness and peaceable conditions they have despised and refused What a fearful sentence awaiteth them when they shall come before him no marvail if they call for the mountains to cover them and the hills to hide them rather than they should appear before the presence of his glory whose wrath is as a consuming fire and no stubble can stand before it Oh consider this yee that put far from you this great day of the Lord speaking peace to your selves whilest every thing wageth war against you in that you still by living in your sins proclaim open war against the Son of God Why should you any longer abuse his patience why will you treasure up wrath for your selves against this day of wrath why will you fit your selves as fewel for the fire of that day when the Lord Jesus shall come from Heaven in flaming fire to render vengeance against all them which know not God nor obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus 2 Thess 1.8 Well if you will not bee warned but you will go on in such impenitent courses know it that the party wronged by your sins is hee who is appointed of God to bee your Judge you will think it will go hard with Pilate seeing hee is to bee his judge who was judged by him to death and with Judas that betrayed him and with the Souldiers that put him to death but change the persons the case is your own Secondly In the execution of this Office two things must bee considered 1 The persons upon whom here said to bee the quick and the dead 2 The manner of it First By the phrase of quick and dead is meant all mankind without exception of what age condition sex or quality soever they bee even all that ever have received life from God from the first man that ever lived upon earth to the last that shall bee found living at the comming of Christ even all these shall bee juged And the dead are mentioned as well as the living because the carnal and unbeleeving heart of man maketh more question how those who have been resolved into dust many thousand years ago can bee quickened and raised to judgement than those that shall bee found alive at that day therefore is the Scripture very express in this particular Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead both great and small stand before God 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee shall all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ In like manner those speeches admit no exception which we every where meet withall as Every eye shall see him every man shall bear his own burden every man shall give account of himself unto God Rom. 14.12 And that wee should not doubt of the certainty hereof the Scripture condescendeth so farre to our weaknesse The means whereby both quick and dead shall be gâ—thered to judgement as to shew us the means how this great work shall be brought about As 1 By the mighty and powerful voyce of Christ which whilest he was in his abasement could call dead Lazarus out of his grave Joh. 5.28 Those that are in the graves shall hear his voyce 2 By the ministery of the Angels who shall all not one excepted come with him and they shall gather the elect from all winds and present and force the wicked to the barre before the Judge of all the earth even then when they shall fly to the hills to cover them if it were possible from his presence 3 By the diligence of all the brute creatures who in their kinds shall hear the voyce of the Son of God The Sea shall give up her dead so shall Death and the Grave give up their dead the very fire shall give up again the bodies it hath wasted In a word all the Creatures shall help forward this work of the great day which although it transcend the shallow reach of man yet is it not above the power of God Object But how can the quick and dead be then presented to Judgement sâ—eing the godly shall not enter into judgement and for the wicked they are judged already for he that beleeveth not is condemned already Ans First for the godly they shall not enter into the judgement of condemnation 2 They are by their particular judgement acquitted already but they must also by the general Judgement receive in their bodies which till that day are not absolved according as they have done in the flesh 3 They must be solemnly and publikely inaugurated and invested into the glory of their head and their blessed estate manifested to all the world both men and Angels and even in the eyes of the wicked themselves therefore although they enjoy God already in part and the beginnings of the life to come and such as are dead in the grave rest with the Lord and enjoy his glory in their soul yet are they not fully happy nor can be till this day breath on them and this their morning awake them to their perfect glory As for the wicked although they are already condemned 1 In Gods Counsel before all worlds 2 By the word wherein their sentence is read Wicked already judged five waies declared and published 3 In their own consciences the judgemenâ— of which fore-runneth the final Judgement 4 By certain degrees of insensible plagues that are upon them as hardnesse of heart blindnesse of mind wilfulnesse in their wickednesse malice against God and good men hatred of the light and means of salvation 5 By the horrible torment of the souls of such as are in Hell with the Devil and damned ones yet doth the full vial of Gods wrath remain to be poured upon them and the final execution and manifestation of their endlesse misery is reserved till this Day of Judgement when the body shall be re-united to the soul and both delivered to the Devil as their head by him to be tormented together as they have been inseparable friends in sinning together Vse Let every man make account of this judgement high and low rich and poor learned and unlearned No man can avoyd this judgement unless his power be above the power of the judge the mightiest Monarch shall not bee able to with-draw or absent himself unlesse his power bee above the power of Christ the judge the poorest soul that ever saw the Sun shall not bee neglected the most rebellions of all Creatures men or Angels must of force appear and that not by a Proctor or Advocate but in his own person for every man must give accounts of himself unto God None can be forgotten no not through the passing of thousands of years Cain dyed many thousand years since Judas many hundreths yet both must appear the one for killing his innocent brother the other for betraying his innocent Master No excuse will serve the turn the
Friers plea we are exempted Lord will doe no good here no not that which all mens Courts must needs excuse absence by that the party is dead for this Judgement Seat is set up for the quick and the dead God must for his glory truth and justice bring every man to this tribunal that if he have been good and faithful hee may have his time of refreshing and be put into the perfeâ—t state of happiness in soul and body And contrarily if hee have been hard-hearted and impenitent hee may know the weight of Gods justice and power and bee in full state of endlesse and easelesse misery both in soul and body Oh then what great cause hath every man to fore-cast this day and expecting it to prepare for it rather than to betake themselves to that Epicurean and profane practice of mockerâ— who put farre from them this evil day saying Where is the promise of his comming we see all things alike since the beginning he makes but small haste And thus because judgement is not speedily executed they resolve themselves on a most wicked course not knowing that as a snare it shall come upon them when they least look for it and that though slowly yet he will come surely and make them know what it is to abuse his patience which should lead them to repentance Now followeth the manner of this Judgement and that is comprehended in three things 1 It shall bee glorious and powerful 2 Just and righteous The glory of the last judgement described 3 Strict and accurate For the first it is said that the Son of man shall come with power and great glory yea in the glory of the Father that is such as belongeth to his Father with himself but to no creature else The clouds and the air shall be as a fiery Chariot to carry him with admirable swiftnesse his train and attendants shall be the Arch-angel making his way by the sound of a trumpet which the very dust and ashes shall hear and follow and all the other Angels of Heaven from whose multitude power and glory this coming shall be wonderfully glorious and yet the Judge himself shall surpasse them all in glory and brightnesse and as the Sun doth darken all the lesser Starres so shall his most admirable glory obscure them all This aâ—pearance may be shadowed by the coming in of earthly Judges to hold Assizes through their Circuit attended with the Honourable Nobles Justicâ—s and Gentlemen of the Country yea with the High Sheriffs power besides all their own followers by which great state and attendance they are both honoured and aided as becometh such publick Ministers of Justice as also are made formidable to daunt and quell malefactors Or rather look as Princes going to their Parliament to make Laws put on their royal robes and shew themselves in their greatest glory even so shall this great King of glory coming to require the obedience of his Laws cloath himself with such a robe of glory as the brightest Sun shall not endure to behold neither the Heavens nor the Earth shall be able to see this glory but shall shrink at it and melt away with a noyse Revel 20.11 John saw a great white Throne and one that sate upon it from whose face fled away both the earth and heaven and their pla e was found no more Thus may we in some dark resemblance something conceive of this glory of the Judge of all the world unto which the consideration of the persons that shall bee judged by him addeth not a little moment for not only small but great must stand before him It is indeed a great honour among men to bee deputed the Lord high Steward under a King whose office is to sit in Judgement upon a noble man what an height of glory then is it for the Son of God to sit in Judgement and call personally before him not nobles only but all the Kings and Monarchs that ever the earth bare If there be such preparation and state amongst men for the trial but of some one noble man what glory may wee conceive must attend the mighty God whilest he bringeth to their trial not only meaner persons but all the most powerful Monarches and Potentates that ever were or shall be to the end of the world This consideration ministreth comfort to the godly seeing hee cometh to Judgement who is able perfectly to free them from all misery able to strike oft their bolts of sin to acquit them from terrours of conscience fears of death the Grave the Devil and Hell it self the cometh from Heaven for their release who hath trodden down all his enemies under his feet and all this glory is for their safety and happinesse who wish and wait for the appearing of this mighty God Tit. 2.13 And on the contrary it serveth to strike the wicked and ungodly with terror and dread seeing the Lord Jesus shall come from Heaven in such power and majesty and all to judge and condemn them whom when they shall see arrayed with vengeance against them no marvail if they be driven to their wits ends yea as it is with guilty Malefactors when they see the Judge coming in so honourably attended so shall it bee here this very glory of Christ shall strike them with fear horror and an azednesse and force them to all miserable and unavaylable shifts and to wish if it were possible that the rocks would fall upon them and crush them to peeces so as they might never come before his presence for the great day of the Lord which is to all the wicked of the world a black day a cloudy day a dismal day this day is come and they cannot abide it Secondly this Judgement shall bee righteous and according to the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.2 We know that the judgement of God is according to truth Heb. 1.8 Thy throne O God is for ever the scepter of thy Kingdom is a righteous scepter The righteousness of the Judge and judgement Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest iniquity Hitherto is to bee referred that of Daniel 7.9 who saith that this Judge shall sit upon a great white throne alluding to the white Ivory throne of Salomon but infinitely more glorious the whitenesse betokenning the purity and righteousness both of the Judge and the judgement for every man shall receive according to his works Here shall be no concealment of things for he will bring every secret into judgement Eccles 12. He will lighten all things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the hearts manifest 1 Cor. 4.5 Here shall bee no daubing or salving up of bad matters in corners no pleading of Lawyers who craftily cloud the truth of Causes for gain no respect of persons no favouring for the sake of any friends nor fear of foes or any displeasure Here shall be no inducement by gifts which blind mens eyes to pervert judgement the purest gold of Ophir
is framing a bill of inditement against this day of general assize 2 This consideration must move us to carefulness both of our receits and expences whether they bee gifts of mind or of body Be careful of thy receipts and expenses becâ—use thou fittest in another mans to whom thou must be countable or of our outward estate Hee that spendeth and walleth his own need care the less because none can call him to reckoning why hee doth so but hee that sitteth in another mans or hath a matter of trust in his hands and cannot mis-spend but out of another mans stock had need look about him bâ—cause hee is to bee countable and must make good whatsoever his reckoning commeth short in Ask thy self What have I which I have not received of my Master How came I to bee so rich Is all the Wealth I have of my Masters gift or have I gotten goods into my hands by wronging or injuring some other men Again I remember I received at such and such a time a great summe of my Maâ—ters mony hee betrusted mee with a great pâ—rtion how have I laid it out that I may give him up a just and comfortable reckoning to which I am sure to bee called Thus much I have spent upon sutes in Law Thus much upon my pleasures and sports my dogs have ravend up a part of my revenue my Hawks have flown away with another end Cards and Dice have cost mee no little and a great deal is wasted by compassing my sin uncleanness pride revenge gluttony and the like But O thou unfaithful Servant that hast thus wasted thy Masters goods how much hast thou given to the poor how much to good uses to works of mercy to a settled Ministry to help Joseph out of his affliction oh no here hee can set down little or nothing the Dogs are preferred before Lazarus by many a Dives who if they timely look not better to their reckonings must make the foot of their account to bee this no sooner to bee dead than to be buried in Hell according to the sentence Take that unprofitable servant bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness there shall bee wayling and gnashing of teeth 3 This striâ—t account sheweth that a man cannot bee too strict No man can bee too precise because the judgement shall be thus precise too precise or too careful of his waies Men generally cast the reproach of purity upon men that desire to approve their hearts and lives unto God and count them more nice than wise and say it were hard if every one that were not so preâ—ise and curious should bee damned But what doth not the Scripture â—ay plainly that he Master is an hard man that is a most just God that will straightly stand for justice shall not every idle word every ungodly thought and motion though not attended nor assented unto come unto judgement and if it must is it more than needeth for men to look to the door of their lips yea to keep out if it were possible every vain and wandring thought out of their mindes shall not hee that breaketh the least commandement bee the least in the Kingdome of Heaven that is have no place at all there shall not all omissions and failings in duty bee set upon the heads of sinners seeing the sentence shall run In that yee did not these things depart from mee yee â—â—â—sed or shall wee thiâ—â— that the least carelesnesse of men shall be justified in this judgemâ—nt or the ungodly be taken by the hand far bee it from the Judge of all the world not to judge with righteous judgement howsoever loose persons wrap themselves in the woe of those that call good evil and evil good Now for the general use of this Doctrine of the last judgement To what other end hath the word so expresly discovered this holy Doctrin and enjoyned us to teach it in the Church 1 Cor. 15. but that every man should lay it to heart and benefit himself by it and therefore First The godly are to comfort themselves with these words The godly may lâ—fâ— up their heads in expectation of this day of redemption seeing they hear of this day wherein they shall bee gainers receiving their sentence of absolution and therefore 1 Perfect redemption from all the danger of all spiritual enmities the first fruits whereof they have already attained hence is it called the day of their redemption 2 Perfect security and safety against aâ—â— the molâ—stations of sin death the grave the gates of Hell temptation and tribulation for all these shall be cast into the Lake 3 Perfect glory with the Saints for they shall be from henceforth ever with the Lord and enjoy the sweet â—â—uit of that prayer which the Son of God in the daies of his flesh râ—quested and was heard in Father I will that where I am they may be also that they may behold my glory Joh. 17.24 Why should not wee then lift up our heads in the expâ—ctation and ardent desire of this day which the very dumb creature 〈◊〉 for Rom 8.19 Godly must address them selves to thiâ— judgement two waies Secondly Let every man labour to fit and addresse himself unto this judgemâ—nt that hâ—â— may â—ee able to stand before the Son of Man And that by two thingâ— 1 By making full account and reckoning of it 2 By using the best 〈◊〉 afâ—re-hand to pass through it happily The 〈◊〉 iâ—â—harged upon us by that precept which commandeth us to bee like the Servant that waiteth for his Masters comming and hath every thing iâ— a â—â—adinâ—ss and that at all watches and by that of Peter 2 Pet 3.11 Seeing aâ—â— these terrors of the Lord what manner of men ought wee to bee in all holy conâ—erâ—atâ—on Two thingâ— hinder this câ—re Anâ— for the furthering of this care two things must carefully be 〈…〉 which shut it quite out of the hearts of the most The fiâ—st i◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—ry and deadnesse of heart which is a slumber of spirit and slâ—â—pâ—â—â—ss of the sâ—ul which hath bound up all faculties and powers of the 〈…〉 as â—â—ttle move oâ— stir in the actions and affairs of heavenly 〈◊〉 sâ—iâ—â—tual â—se as a man when he is in a dead sleep can move or bestir himself to 〈…〉 natural a tion The minde till God awaken it never serâ—ously thiâ—keâ—h of God or of his own estate The conscience never or seldome accuseth for 〈◊〉 committed The will inclineth not to any thing truâ—ly good The affeâ—tiâ—ns remain unmoved at Gods word oâ— works The wholâ— man iâ— sâ—nselesse and careless of Gods judgements either present or to come and whence is all this but from a profane delusion of the heart that the Master will not yet come they shall not yet bee called to their reckoning there is time enough behind to repent in they crave but an hour on then Death-beds and that they hope they shall have In the mean time they
it for this being as Queen among the vertues goeth not alone but with all the train of vertues as hand-maids attending upon her The chief of them are these four 1 A true knowledge of the Word of God acknowledging it in part and in whâ—le to bee the truth of God and that himself is straightly bound to believe and embrace the same and that hee hath a special part in the promise of grace and life by Christ in which grace he resteth himself daily growing up in the certainty and assurance of his salvation 2 A sound â—oy of the heart which the Apostle Peter calleth unspeakable and glorious breaking out into thankful praises in that the Lord hath begun 〈◊〉 â—iness by making Christ his Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and 〈◊〉 â—tion The Poor Blind and Lame persons of whom wee read in the 〈◊〉 never leaped more joyfully when they had met with Christ and had 〈◊〉 â—s opened and their limbs restored by him than hee that hath met with him and received him into his heart to enlighten him to quicken him and to heal him of all his infirmities How gladly did Zacheus receive Christ with what joy of heart findeth any man the hidden pearl Mat. 13.44 how did the Eunuch converted go away rejoycing Act. 8. And all this is because they can value such a commodity as this is which they see God hath made their own for if they either knew it not or not to bee theirs they could not thus joy in it 3 Christian Hope is another hand-maid of Faith for so the Apostle teacheth Rom 5.2 Being justified by Faith wee have peace c. wee rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God For this is the special work of hope to wait for and rejoyce in the expectation of the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesu And hence is it that whereas unbeleevers are glewed to the earth and cannot think of Heaven but either with sorrow of a formal and false joy and what marveil is it that those who have no better should set their hearts upon the worse beleevers have preserved in them a willingness to leave this World and to bee with Christ which is best of all yea so sweet is their present tast of Christ through Faith and Hope that they are unquiet till they bee filled with the fruition of his fulness being often in his absence sick of love and pine away till they bee with him whom their soul loveth 4 An assured trust relying upon God beleeving hiâ— word of promise to raise and feed the heart of threatning to shake it and cast it down and submitting it seâ—f to the counsel and good pleasure of God because his faith hath let him see the truth the wisdome the equity and righteousnesse of all these Such a mans heart setteth nothing above God in prosperity it distrusteth not but hath God for his God in adversity it indeavoureth in all things to walk with God it is a sweet usher and disposer of the whole life so as it is most obedient to the word and most full of comfort and sweetness to it self The fourth mark or note or true Faith is taken from the infallible fruits IV. The infallible fruits of it four and effects of it which are many I will onely note four of the principal First it frameth and fitteth the own habitation it purifieth the heart Act. 15. it suffereth not unclean thoughts unlawful lusts or wandring motions to harbour there it guideth the affections of Love Hatred Joy Sorrow and the rest that a man love nothing more or so much as God and his Image hee hateth not mens persons but their sins and no mans sin so much as his own hee rejoyceth in nothing so much as in doing the will of God this is as his meat and drink hee sorroweth for nothing in the world so much as for offending so good and patient a God This pure heart also guideth the words with wisdome and maketh it his chief study how to preserve with faith good conscience in every thing Act. 24.16 Secondly Faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 boâ—h towards God and towards man towards him that begat and him that is begotten yea and him that is yeâ— not begotten This love of God expresseth it self 1 In much thankfulness unto him who hath loved us first Our love of God expressâ—d in three things who hath given so much even his Son and all things with him pertaining to life and godliness who hath forgiven us so much and to whom many sins are forgiven they must love much who hath done so great things for us by becomming our portion our treasure and our chief good 2 In shame for our unkindness unto him both before and even since we knew this his love in Christ and have been acquainted with his waies taking up with shame in our faces sorrow into our hearts for the sins of our youth and of our age against the law the rule of righteousness but especially against the glorious Gospel which of all other are least of served 3 In desire of that blessed fellowship of his when and where wee may never sin against him any more accounting one day within his holy of holies better than a thousand besides and much more to bee ever with the Lord and to injoy the pâ—easures at his right hand for evermore to bee at home with him and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob yea with Jesus Christ himself should make us groan in our souls and say with David Oh when shall I appear in this thy presence The Spirit saith Come and the Spouse saith Come Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly The love of men by which Faith worketh discovereth it self not onely in just dealing with them as wee would bee dealt by which many civil men indued onely with civil righteousnesse have excelled in nor onely in merciful distribution of outward comforts for the releeving of the bodies of our brethren yea and of our enemies which hardlier goeth down with the unconverted than the former but also in shewing most love unto their souls in helping forward their conversion and salvation For so soon as any man is converted hee will strengthen the brethren Faith wheresoever it liveth it loveth and love being an hand giving out moveth men converted to counsel exhort rebuke admonish comfort pray and wait when God will give unto others the grace of Repentance As soon as Andrew was called hee bringeth his brother Simon to Christ No sooner had Christ found Philip but Philip finding Nathaniel hee bringeth him to â—hrist The woman at the well no sooner heareth that Christ was the Messiah but shee bringeth all the City In finding this treasure the Christian cannot hide his joy neither can any mans joy bee so full unlesse hee with others rejoyce together For it is not here as in earthly things which the more they are communicated the more are they diminished and every mans share is the less but heavenly
yeelding to any sin but give apparent tokens of dislike Object Why May wee not by yeelding a little to them draw them to us Answ No but the way to win them is a pure conversation with fear 1 Pet. 3.12 much less may wee flatter them in any evil Micaâ—ah would not flatter with the King though four hundred false Prophets did Fourthly Acknowledge thy self a childe of Wisdome which is justified of all her children Suffer not Gods glory to bee trodden down by thy silence Wisely break off fooleries by savoury Riddles or Questions as Sampson and in a wise and peaceable manner change the matter holding it a settled ground of Religion not to relinquish piety to keep peace with wicked men Heb. 12.14 Follow peace and holiness No corruption of man must drive us from our station Fifthly So soon as wee may depart from them Prov. 14.7 Depart from the foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge And bâ—ware of falling into the like company again Joseph wisely declined the company of his Mistress when shee daily spake unto him Gen. 39.10 and Davâ—â— would not return with Saul when hee perceived his wilfulness against him 1 Sam. 26.25 CHAP. XXXII Rules to carry our selves wisely towards evil men eviâ—â—y affected to us IF men bee not onely evil in themselves but also to us then it is either in evil purposes or in evil practices against us If they purpose evil theâ— our Saviours Rule is Beware of men Matth. Rules how to carry our selves to our enemies 10.17 for they will deliver yâ—â— up to the Councils By men our Saviour means those whom in the former wâ—rds hee calleth Wolves that desire to make a â—â—ey and spoyl of the sheep of Christ and in his Caveat adviseth 1 Wisely to prevent the plots and trains of ungodly men discreetly to prevent our own trouble so near as wee can 1 Wisely prevent their plots How wisely did Jacob prevent the fury of his brother Esau And as they watch to traduce us so must wee watch to cut off occasions of entrapping Luke 6.7 The Scribes and Pharisees watched whether Christ would heal on the Sabbath day or no to finde accusation against him our Saviour for all this omitted not to do good but its doing it by his question unto them cut off so far as hee could the matter of their malice by clearing the lawfulness of it So must wee And yet prepare stoutly to bear whatsoever the Lord measureth out by them 2 Decline their fury 2 Our Saviour would have us wisely decline their fury not without cause provoking them It is no wisdome to provoke an evil man It is no good discretion to stir up a Lion to take a Bear by the tooth or a Dog by the ears For they desire nothing more than matter to stir up their corruption by So Hezekiah commanded his servants not to answer Rabshecah one word 3 Joyn with Serpentine wisdome innocency of Doves 3 Joyn with Serpentine wisdome innocency of Doves Matth. 10.16 Nothing more vexeth and vanquisheth an Adversary than innocency no better brest plate than righteousness But if a man had the innocency of Christ himself the Adversary will watch advantages and play upon a mans simplicity therefore joyn Serpentine wisdome as Paul did Act. 23.6 hee testified his innocency and that with all good conscience hee served God till that day But what tell you Ananias of Doves innocency hee commands to strike him on the mouth the more innocent the less indured hee fared the worse for that and therefore hee joyns in season Serpentine wisdome For perceiving his greatest enemies to bee Pharisees and Sadduces hee professeth himself a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee and that hee was brought in danger for the hope of the Resurrection which the Sadduces denied and so casting a bone between them and letting them by the ears hee escaped between them 4 Out of their evil â—raw some good 4 Out of their malice wee should draw our own good so wâ—rily to carry our selves towards them as that wee may finde that of the Heathen true An enemy often hurteth less and profiteth more than many friends Wee must both in their absence and presence especially take heed wee do not disadvantage our selves It was some disadvantage to Paul when in the Council although hee was provoked and unjustly smitten hee called the High Priest Whited wall hee was glad to excuse it by his ignorance Wee may not bee too bold or too forward to speak in a good matter 5 Having received wrong f om them do three things 5 If evil men have done us harm and wrongfully molested and persecuted us our Rule is 1 In respeâ—t of them to pitty pardon and pray for them If wee do them good wee shall either overcome their evil with goodness or heap coals on their heads 2 In respect of our selves possess our souls with patience and shew meekness and moderation and say as David in Shimes his railing It may bee the Lord will do mee good for his cursing of mee this day 3 In respect of our duty still to shew an undaunted constancy and resolution for the truth and all good wayes 1 Pet. 3.14 15. If yee suffer for righteousness blessed are yee but fear not neither bee troubled but sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and bee ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of your hope Thus far of the Rules of Christian Wisdome of which I may say with Moses Deut. 4.5 6. These are the Rules and Ordinances keep them and do them for this is your wisdome CHAP. XXXIII Containing motives for Circumspect walking BUt because this accurate and Circumspect walking is grown out of request and men generally are too well contented to walk at adventure and as men that shoot at tovers secure themselves in a loose and neglected course and go on carelesly as if there were no danger in wandring from God and declining from the good way Motives to the former Rules wee will use some Motives to provoke every Christian that tenders either Gods glory or his own salvation to undertake this Christian course 1 In regard of God 1 Whose Commandement is That all our wayes bee ordered aright Prov. 4.26 and that the Saints walk worthy of the Lord and please him in all things Col. 1.10 2 Whose Word must bee our Rule to which wee must continually frame our whole course and every part thereof For first The moral Law is a perpetual Rule binding at all times without any intermission 2 The Precepts of it are to make the Word our continual Counsellor to binde it to us not to let it depart but to meditate in it night and day And what is it less than Blasphemy to charge the Saints with folly singularity and a Saintish purity in that wherein they were most acceptable to God As David set the Lord before him continually and when hee
Obj. 1. But it is in vain to serve the Lord and what profit is there in his ways Word cutteth off temptations to presumption the worse the man is the better is his estate and the more godly the more crossed in the world Ans It is written It shall be well with them that fear the Lord not so to the wicked and again that the light of the ungodly shall be put out when the light of the godly shall rise brighter until perfect day and the end of the just is peace Obj. 2. What need so much fear of Condemnation seeing there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Ans It is written that such must walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh and that such must work out their Salvation in fear and trembling Obj. 3. But if thou beest predestinate what needest thou care and if thou beest not all thy care will not avail thee Ans It is written that I must study to make my election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 and that I must beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ and bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Obj. 4. But what needest thou be so strict shall none come to Heaven but such strict persons thinkest thou why God requires no such strictness Ans It is written that the Master is a hard man who will stand strictly for justice and that we must walk precisely Ephes 5.15 Obj. 5. But why shouldest thou respect these Preachers so much doest thou not see how they take upon them to disgrace thee for such and such courses and they are men as well as others no better many of them worse Ans It is written 1 Thess 5.12 Have them in singular love for their works sake and that our Saviour said He that heareth you heareth me and that the least Minister in the New Testament is greater than John Baptist who yet was greater than any Prophet Matth. 11.11 and that God did send two Bears and destroyed forty two of those wanton children that mocked and reviled the Prophet Elisha 2 King 2.23 Obj. 6. But thou art young thou mayest swear and game and swagger and be wanton these are but tricks of youth and sowing the wilde oats c. Ans It is written As a man sowes so shall he reap and remember that for all this thou must come to judgement Obj. 7. Oh but thinkest thou that God sees or takes notice of every thing or if he should hee is merciful and easily entreated and thou hast time enough to repent Ans It is written that all the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and to him day and darkness are alike and that to abuse the patience of God is to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Obj. 8. Oh but thou hast now a fit opportunity and occasion to take thy delight the Husband is gone a farr journey Bathsheba is at hand and now it is twilight why shouldst thou deprive thy self of thy pleasure take thy time thou canst not have it every day Ans It is written Prov. 5.3 8. The end of a strange woman is more bitter than worm-wood and keep thy way farr from her and come not neer the door of her house and that neither fornicators nor adulterers shall enter into heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 and Ephe. 5.3 but fornication and all uncleanenesse and covetousnesse let it not once be named among you as becometh Saints III. The third rank of instances is in motions to pride and self-conceit The word cutteth off temptations to pride wherein sin hath great strength Obj. 1. You are a man rich and high well friended well monied why should you stoop to such a one this were a base thing indeed let him seek to you or doe you crush him Ans It is written God resists the proud 1 Pet. 5.5 and in giving honour goe one before another and pride goes before the fall and that the haughty eye is one of the six things which the Lord abhorrs Prov. 6.17 Obj. 2. But you are a man of knowledge wise and learned what need you be so diligent in hearing Sermons especially of such as are farr your inferiours you can teach them not they you Ans It is written Isa 5.21 Woe be to them that are wise in their own conceits and Christ hath said Hee that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10.16 and that Job despised not the counsel of his maid much less must I of the least Minister and that we know but in part and are to consider not who but what is spoken and that the same Spirit is mighty in one and in another Obj. 3. But you are a man of gifts and authority and these will carry you through all and you may rise and tread such and such under your feet who dare say any thing to you Ans It is written Matth. 18.6 Whosoever offendeth any of these little ones that beleeve in me it were better for him that a Milstone were tied about his neck and he cast into the midst of the Sea and He that doth wrong shall receive according to the wrong that hee hath done and there is no respect of persons Coloss 3.25 Obj. 4. But you may follow the fashions of the world in strange apparel ruffian behaviour monstrous tyres who may else how else should you be known to be a gentleman or a gentlewoman Ans It is written 1 Pet. 3.3 That even womens apparrelling must not bee outward as with broydered hair and gold c. but the hid man of the heart must be uncorrupt for Sarah and other holy women trusting in God did so attire themselves and again Fashion not your selves according to this world but bee renewed in the spirit of your mind Bee ever of the newest fashion there Obj. 5. But it is a small matter and of great credit to swear and curse and speak bigge words it is away to get reputation and bee respected as a man of spirit Ans It is written Levit. 24.16 Hee that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall be put to death all the Congregation shall stone him and Jam. 5.12 Above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven nor earth nor any other oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay IV. The fourth instance is in motions to wrong and injustice The word cutteth off motions to injustice Obj. 1. Thou art a great man thou hast Tenants thou mayest and must live by them they are thy Servants and thou must enrich thy self by them rack their rents bind them to sute and service they cannot resist thee Or thou art a Master keep thy Servants wages from him make thy use of it weary him poor Sneak what can he doe pay him at thy pleasure hee will endure any thing rather than lose thy work Ans It is written Jam. 2.13 Judgement mercilesse belongs to them that shew no mercy and those that grinde the faces of the poor shall one day bee