souls for himself For the first Sinners despair because they cannot be perswaded of mercy only viewing the severity of God and poring upon that Alas I have offended God and am afflicted in conscience I have deserv'd to be a fire-brand of Hell but yet consider the sweet goodness of God he is just to damn stubborn sinners but to such as humble themselves and with penitent hearts beg for mercy he is a gracious God witness Manasses Magdalen Paul c. For the latter Satan will tell thee thou may'st take thy liberty follow thy pleasures needest not be so precise for God is merciful The remedy is to consider not only the mercy but the severity of God also Remember how severely he hath dealt with the Jews for their Rebellion against Christ and his Gospel with David for the matter of Vriah with Moses for striking the Rock when he should only have spoken to it c. For as the act of seeing is hindered both by no light and by too much so the light and comfort of conscience is hindered either by not seeing of mercy or by seeing nothing else but mercy which causeth presumption Here is to be refuted the wicked opinion of the Manichees and Marcionites who held that there were two Beginnings or to speak plainly two Gods one good full of gentleness and mercy the other severe and cruel this they made the Author of the Old Testament and the other of the New But the answer is 1. That Scripture maketh one and the same God both bountiful and full of goodness and the same also severe 2. And though severity and mercy seem to be contrary yet that is not in respect of the Subject for the Divine Nature is not capable of contrary and repugnant qualities But in regard of the contrary effects which are produced in contrary Subjects Like as the Magistrate is not contrary to himself if he shew mercy unto those that are willing to be reformed and be severe in punishing obstinate offenders Or as the Sun by the same heat worketh contrary effects in subjects of a diverse and contrary disposition and quality To conclude then Who have goodness and who have severity If thou repentest and obeyest the Gospel thou art an happy man the sweetness of God and his goodness is to thee But if thou beest a profane unbelieving impenitent wretch and dyest in this estate the most just God will in his great severity cast thee into Hell 1 Sam. 25.29 as out of the middle of a sling The Lord God Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third Ezra 8.22 Psal 18.25 26. and to the fourth generation The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him With the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful Psal 34.15 16. And with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry The face of the Lord is against them that do evil Psal 101.1 to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth I will sing of mercy and judgment unto thee O Lord Rom. 11.22 will I sing Behold the goodness and severity of God Of the Mercy of God Mercy as it is referred to God Movet enim pium judicem fragilitas considerata peccantium Cassied Exod. 34. is the Divine Essence inclining it self to pity and relieve the miseries of all his Creatures but more peculiarly of his Elect Children without respect of merit God is most glorious in mercy Shew me thy Glory saith Moses It follows what it was The Lord God merciful and gracious c. In this he is superlative and outstrips Mercy is 1. General 1. In helping his Elect and comforting 2. In scattering and confounding their Enemies 2. More particular 1. In promising 2. In performing And these are the Flagons of wine to comfort distressed souls Mercy is an Attribute in the manifestation of which as all our happiness consists so God takes greatest complacency and delights in it above all his other works He punishes to the third and fourth Generation but shewes mercy unto thousands Exod. 20.5 6. Therefore the Jewes have a saying That Michael flies with one wing and Gabriel with two meaning that the pacifying Angel the Minister of Mercy flies swift but the exterminating Angel the Messenger of wrath is slow The more mercy we receive the more humble we ought to be 1. Because we are thereby more indebted 2. In danger to be more sinful worms crawle after Rain 3. We have more to account for But alas even as the glorious Sun darting out his illustrious beams shines upon the stinking Carrion but still it remains a Carrion when the beams are gone so the mercy of God shines as I may say upon the wicked but still he remains wicked For the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting The Lord is good to all Psal 100.5 Psal 145.9 Micah 7.18 and his tender mercies are over all his works He delighteth in mercy I proceed no further in these only add That for a Creature to believe the infinite Attributes of God he is never able to do it thoroughly without supernatural grace Of the Sacred Trinity De Trinitate THat God should be Three in one and One in three this is a Divine Truth Impossibile est per rationem naturalem ad Trinitat is Divinarum pâ—rsonarum cognitionem pervenice Aquin. Du Bartas ex Lombard Sens. lib. 1. dist 2. more certainly to be received by Faith than to be conceived by Reason for it is the most mysterious of all the Mysteries contained in the Bible which our Divine Poet sings thus In Sacred Sheets of either Testament 'T is hard to find an higher Argument More deep to sound more busie to discuss More useful known unknown more dangerous Some damnable Hereticks especially the Jewes at this day hold an indistinct Essence in the Deity without distinction of persons We assert a real distinction there is but there can be no separation If any stumble at the word Trinity and say it cannot be found in the Scriptures I answer yet the Doctrine is if not according to the letter yet according to the sense Besides there is expresly the word Three 1 John 5.7 from whence Trinity comes The Hebrews of old Siâ—rectè dicuntur tres Elohâ—m etiam recté dici possit tres Dii nam Elobim Latinè sonat Dii vel Deus Drus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.1 were no strangers to this Mystery though their posterity understood it not Moses Gen. 1.1 Dii creavit Elihu Job 35.10 God my Makers Solomon Eccl.
tam grave pendet onus Of this great wonder the Philosophers after much study can give no good reason because ignorant of this that God hath appointed it so to be Psal 104.5 Heb. 1.3 The Poets fable that Atlas beareth up heaven with his shoulders the Lord our God by his Word alone beareth up heaven and earth Non fundamentis suis nixa subsistit terra nec fulchris suis stabilis perseverat Ambros l. 1. Exam. c. 16. sed Dominus statuit terram fundamento voluntatis suae continet The earth hath no pillar God hath not hanged it upon any thing but himself who is indeed infinitely more than all things The greatness of this work of God saith Merlin appeareth hereby that men cannot spread aloft the thinnest curtain absque fulchris without some solid thing to uphold it and therefore this must needs be the finger of God and an Argument of his Almightiness That was an odd conceit of Plato's that the earth was a kind of living creature having stones for bones rivers for veins trees for hairs c. But that was worse of Aristotle teaching the worlds eternity The earth is the element which is so much beneath man that he treadeth it under his feet is called terra à terendo from breaking and wearing And yet this which is so trampled upon abideth when man passeth away Eccl. 1.4 The earth as a Stage whereon the several generations act their parts and go off as the center of the world and seat of living creatures it stands firm and unmoveable The earth standeth saith Hugo de sanct vict Vt venientes mittat In Eccl. Hom. 1. pertranseuntes portet discedentes recipiat To send away those people that come to bear those that are passing away and to receive those that are gone And God said Gen. 1.9 10. Job 26.7 Psal 104.5 Eccl. 1.4 Hebr. 1.3 Let the dry land appear and it was so And God called the dry land Earth He hangeth the earth upon nothing He hath laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed for ever The earth abideth for ever that is untill the end Vpholding all things by the Word of his power Earth-quakes These subterraneous thunders are caused say some when sulphureous and nitrous veins being fired upon rarefaction do force their way through bodies that resist them Where if the kindled matter be plentiful and the mine close and firm about it subversion of hills and towns doth sometimes follow if scanty weak and the earth hollow or porous there only ensueth some faint concussion or tremulous and quaking motion Others tell us for Philosophers dispute much about it this is the reason in nature When there is a strong vapour included or imprisoned in the bowels of the earth that vapour seeking vent maketh a combustion there and so the earth shakes Histories are full and many mens experience can give instances of such terrible shakings of the earth In the dayes of Vzziah King of Judah Antiq l. 9 c. 11. Amos 1.1 Zech. 14.5 so terrible was that earth-quake that the people fled from it Of the horror of it Josephus relateth and telleth us That half a great Hill was removed by it out of its place and carried four furlongs another way so that the High-way was obstructed and the Kings Gardens utterly marred At Bern Folan Syntag. 841. Anno 1584. near unto which City a certain Hill carried violently beyond and over other Hills is reported by Polanus who lived in those parts to have covered a whole village that had 90. families in it one half house only excepted wherein the Master of the Family with his Wife and Children were earnestly calling upon God At Plevres in Rhetia Alst Chronol Anno 1618. Aug. 25. the whole town was overcovered with a Mountain which with its most swift motion oppressed 1500 people In Herefordshire Camd. Brit. Anno 1571. A great hill lifted up it self with a huge noise carrying along with it trees flocks of cattel sheep-coats c. God by such extraordinary works of his sheweth his justice and displeasure against sin as also his special mercy to his praying people I will shake the heavens Isa 13.13 Psal 18.7 and the earth shall remove out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hosts and in the day of his fierce anger Then the earth shook and trembled the foundations of the hills moved and were shaken because he was wroth Stones A stone is nothing but hardned earth and hath the properties of the earth out of which it is generated Viz. 1. Siâ—city Citiùs è Pumice aquam Prov. or dryness Hence it was a miracle to bring water out of the Rock 2. Frigidity or coldness As cold as a stone we say 3. Gravity or heaviness As it is nothing but a product of the earth so it hath an inclination to descend to fall downwards Stones are naturally scattered upon the face of the earth hindring Travellers One part of Arabia was called Arabia Petrâ—a because it was full of stones and so uneasie either for tillage or travel Lopis à ladeâ—do pede 〈◊〉 haber They lie naturally hidden in the bowels of the earth or under the earth and are a trouble to the husbandman in tilling the ground And they are so dangerous that the Latine word is derived from hurting the foot They sank into the bottom as a stone Exod. 15.5 Minerals Many precious things are digged out of the earth as Gold Silver Brass Effodiuntur oyes c. Iron c. which God hath there hid and men have found out Though the vein lie low and far out of sight yet Mortals are quickly become Metallaries Some of the Ancients have wished that we had never found out these metals Et Plutonem brevi ad superos adducturos because of the great abuse of them Strabo saith that Phaletius feared lest in digging for Gold and silver men would dig themselves a new way to Hell and bring up the Devil amongst them Some sâ—y that he haunteth the richest mines and will not suffer them to be searched sure it is that by the inordinate love of these metals he drowneth many a soul in perdition and destruction Remember we that these things though never so much admired are but that which the basest element yields the guts and garbage of the earth It is observable that God appointed the Snuffers and Snuff-dishes of the Sanctuary to be made of pure Gold to teach us to make no account of that that he put to so base offices and is frequently given to so bad men Yet there is no hurt in having these metals so they have not us and get within us so we make not our gold our God saying to the fine gold Thou art my confidence Crates the Theban Philosopher is said to have cast his gold into the Sea to avoid as he pretended the hurt it doth man-kind saying Ep. ad Julian
received more in the second Adam than we lost in the first Where sin abounded grace did much more abound Rom 5.20 In Adam we lost our native innocency in Christ we receive absolute perfection and integrity in Adam we lost Paradise on earth in Christ we receive the Kingdom of heaven the true Paradise of God at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore How then can that infinite mercy repel us from him when we come unto him being now made partakers of his nature much rather being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5.10 And this is called the glory of his grace whereby we are made accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Eph. 1.6 7. Gods goodness appears in his justice worthy of admiration for the God of mercy as he was inclined so was he content to pardon sinners if it might stand with the unblemisht reputation of his exactest justice That therefore his justice might not suffer his mercy brought to passe the incarnation of his Son thereby to satisfy his justice and appease his wrath Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past hence he is said to dy for us that is in our stead which taketh away condemnation Cap. 8.34 and bringeth peace to undoubted salvation Cap 5.10 Here is plenary satisfaction to God for us and a peaceful reconciliation betwixt God and us Hence 't is said that he was made sin for us that is a sinner 2 Cor. 5.21 which cannot be but either interna pollutione by an inward infection which was impossible to him vel externâ reputatione by an outward repute and estimate which was no otherwise than by undergoing the punishment due to us which he hath done as was meet by which Gods justice is everlastingly immutably and fully satisfied and we perfectly saved Hence he is said to bear our iniquities Isa 53.4 which is not tollerantia patientiae the bearing of patience though he did bear them patiently but by bearing them he took them away behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world neither is it sola poestas auferendi peccata 1 Pet. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely an authentick power or authority of taking away our sins but which is far more he actually bare our sins in his one body on the tree that is submitting himself to divine censure and justice did suffer the punishments of our offences by which we passe from death to life for by his stripes we are healed by his death we are saved Hence he is said to have paid for us the price of our Redemption we are bought with a price faith the Apostle whereby is intimated our captivity and subjection unto the just vengeance of the Almighty We were debters unto him and were broke like bankrupts upon the matter despoil'd of all good we had and disenabled to pay the price of our redemption which the Son of God undertaking saith of himself Mat. 20 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.6 that he came to give his life a ransome for many whereof the Apostle making use saith that Christ our Mediatour gave himself a ransome for all The Apostles All are those Many mentioned by the Evangelist Hence he is said to be an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Ephes 5.2 Such a one as hath wrought a perfect reconciliation and an eternal peace betwixt God and us his justice satisfied our sins pardoned our souls saved Such a one as all sacrifices before him were but his shadows and for any to be after him is but needless and most unlawful for he after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God and by that one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Thus to satisfie the justice of God and secure us Heb. 10.12.14 the Sonne of God is sent from God into the world and went stitch-through with the work of our redemption So that it is compleat and cannot admit the least exception nothing in it being defective nothing superfluous To close up this point admire the wonderful temper of Gods mercy and justice which no creature could find out before God did manifest it and none now it is made manifest can fully apprehend it In sending us a Saviour God was merciful that he might be just and just that he might be merciful For in his mercy he sent him he gave him to us in his justice he made him a curse he punished him with death for us which he triumphantly overcame he made him sin for us that knew no sinne to the end that through his mercy again we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Cor. 5.22 Wherefore with holy David unto thee O God do we give thanks unto thee do we give thanks for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare Psal 75.1 The works of thy mercy the works of thy justice are exceeding wonderful in our reparation Thy Name thy nature is near unto us in thy Son Nomen i.c. Numâ—n who being the true IMMANVEL God with us hath wrought and accomplished our deliverance Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name give the glory Tibi gloria nobis lucrum let the glory be thine now the gain is ours Glory be to God on high Thus much concerning the first thing imported in this Glory which is a pious admiration of Gods infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness The second thing imported in this Glory is a religious honour due to God which is evermore the necessary consequent of pious admiration We honour our Benefactors the best we may as the benefit bestowed and the love of the Benefactor doth require and the greater the benefit the greater is the Benefactors love and the greater his love the greater honour is due to him from the receiver Great out of doubt is the Gift God sent to us freely confer'd upon us it is a Gift of an heavenly nature of the highest vaine his own only begotten Son him hath God given that aâ— many as believe in hiâ— should not perish but have everlasting life Seeing then that he graciously vouchsafed to honour us so highly so lovingly we cannot in modesty in honesty in piety but highly honour him again who is the highest Being then upon the point of honour I must fixe upon those two points wherein this honour doth consist which are 1. Obedience not fained but real 2. Divine worship or adoration of him First then because God hath sent a Saviour into the world to visit us his people from on high and to redeem us from below the nethermost hell we are to render all sincere obedience to him
short of an invention how to scape his sury and obtain his favour how to satisfy his justice and redeem our lives from hell and death Behold before the foundation of the world was laid he resolved to send his own only Son begotten by an eternal generation who should quell the power of our afflicting enemies stop the mouth of the roaring lyon overcome the world sin death the grave and hell and lay open a plain passage into the Kingdom of heaven Which eternal resolution was in the fulness of time perfectly effected for God then sent forth his Son into the world to assume our nature that we might assume his grace to suffer for our sins what we should of merit suffer to be obedient to the cursed death of the crosse that we might escape the curse of God and not be subject to the second death And albeit hereby he made himself of no reputation who thought it no robbery to be equall with God yet by this meanes he did make way to be highly exalted to get a name which is above every name and to be glorified with the glory which he had with the Father Ne Jesum quidem aâ—ias gloriosum nisi videris crucisixum Luther to Melanchton before the world was This he himself in a conference with some of his Disciples after his resurrection wherein doubtless he did recapitulate his several sufferings certified to the world Ought not Christ to have suffered those things and to enter into his glory Luk. 24.26 This Scripture points at Christ considered in part of his twofold state 1. His state of humiliation quoad mortem as touching his death Christ's suffering or passion 2. His state of exaltation quoad resurrectionem as touching his resurrection In his humiliation we find him ignominiously crucified and made a curse for us In his exaltation gloriously raised that he might be supereminently glorified and our selves blest in him for ever In this he shall judge as in the former he was judged My pen is now conversant about the first part Wherefore assistance O my souls Saviour and Soveraign I intreat thee that in all humility of soul I may declare what for our salvation thy Majesty didst suffer in all humility And first of my Saviours humiliation in general Of all the works of God done for and to the children of men Some are Opera potentiae works of power Some opera pietatis works of mercy Some opera justitiae works of justice all righteous works Yet if we seriously fix our thoughts upon the humiliation of our alsufficient-Redeemer we shall find it to be a work of 1. Power 2. Mercy 3. Justice All these that otherwise are disperst in his several works are compacted and meet together in this one First then it is a work of power 1. In it self 2. Towards us In it self 't is a work of power God was made man but not sinful man which none could bring to passe but God that first made man without sin The Creator of all made himself a creature which none could do but the Creator of all Whereupon it was that at the conception of the Son of God in the Virgins womb Luk. 1.35 the holy Ghost came upon her and the power of the most high did overshadow her Hence saith one after God had made man he left nothing but to make himself man A dignity to which the Angels are not call'd wherewith our nature above all is blest Tom. 10. Pag. 595. It is Austins speech In creatione mundi homo factus est ad imaginem Dei in nativitate Christi ipse factus est ad imvginem hominis when the world was created man was made in the image of God when Christ was born God was made in the image of man Both which are to be refer'd to divine Omnipotencie For that God and man might be one in Covenant Lib. 2. Institut Ood used his power to make himself and man both one in person Non communicatione gratiae fed naturae veritate non consusione substantiae sed unitate personae saith Trelcatius not by communication of grace Epiphanius but by reality of nature not by an undistinct confusion of substance but by a personal unity So that as Epiphanius speaks Christ was homo in veritate natus Isa 7.14 Deus in veritate existens true God and true man in one and the same person which is implied by the Prophet calling him Immanuel that is God with us or God in our nature Luk. 1.35 Exprest by the Angel calling him the Son of God that should be born of the Virgin Mary And manifested by the Apostle averring him to come of the Fathers as concerning the flesh Rom. 9.5 and yet to be over all God blessed for ever This might seem exceeding strange yet it proves not more strange then true God and man who stood at an infinite distance are now everlastingly linkt together in one person according to the mighty working of his power Thus Christ's humiliation in being incarnate is a work of power in it self It is likewise a work of power towards us Since Adams rebellion we were all captives unto sin and Satan untill God incarnate did vindicate our liberty We were extremely weakened our spirits fail'd us until the Lords anointed the mighty God of Jacob did infuse into our hearts the strength of his Spirit His Incarnation made way for our salvation and his taking unto him our humanity makes us by faith to partake of his Divinity Anselme moves three questions Anselm Meditat c. 8. to which he gives one solid resolution the questions are these 1. What offence could man commit which the Son of God made man could not exprate 2. Who could be so much swell'd up with that uncharitable vice of pride which so great humility could not pull down 3 What dominion could death have over us which the death of the Son of God could not destroy for us The answer 's this Certainly if the iniquity of sinful man and the grace of my unspotted Lord were wigh'd in an even ballance the East is not so much distant from the West nor the lowest hell from the highest heaven as my Redeemers goodnesse in his humility doth exceed the wickednesse of a sinner To this I adde he hath shewn greater power in this act for our redemption than the malice of all the Devils in hell could put in practice for our confusion Thus Christ's humiliation is a work of power towards us And so much the rather he being after this sort humbled was once offered to bear the sins of many Again it is a work of mercy Deus propter hominem sactus est homo ut esset redemptor qui est Creator ut de suo ridimeretur homo saith Austin Aug. Manual c. 26. God for mans sake was made man that he might be our Redeemer who is our Creator and so we have of our own wherewith to be redeemed
This fire of the Spirit must be fetcht from heaven Lumen de lumine from the Father of lights who giveth his Spirit to them that ask it By water because of its clensing cooling 2. Ezek. 36.25 Joh. 3.5 refreshing and fructifying vertue and quality Indeed many are washed with the water of baptism that are not washed with this water Simon Magus of whom it is said Fonte quidem lotus sed non in pectore mundus Let us ever say with the woman of Samaria But with more sensibleness than she did Lord ever give us of this water then shall we be clean and fit for the holy Jerusalem He is said to proceed from the Father and the Son Joh. 15.26 to shew the Essence and Nature that he is of for as the spirit of man must needs be truly of mans nature and is the most formal and essential part of man So and much more it must be thought of the Spirit of God upon whom no composition falleth And this in effect is the Apostles Argument What man knoweth the things of a man 2 Cor. 2.11 save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God That is none knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God who is in him and of his own Essence and Nature That was a sweet promise I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 The best thing upon the basest What can God do more for his people This is to give them all good things in one so many are the benefits we receive by the Spirit Eph. 5.9 Delicata res est Spiritus Dei therefore we must observe and obey his motions We should lay our selves as instruments open to the Spirits touch submitting to his discipline as Paul did who said I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Which requires a great deal of self-denial Serpents they say can do no hurt in water no more can that old Serpent where the holy Spirit dwells This is the Instructer which teacheth us the Spirit of life which quickens us the Advocate which speaks in us the Comforter which relieves us and the everlasting Fountain and Spirit of truth from whom all truth and celestial riches do flow unto us Your Father which is in heaven Mat. 7.11 Luke 11.13 Eph. 4 â—â— will give good things to them that ask him Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption De Sacrâ Scripturâ I Will not stand to search how ancient Writing is Exod. 24. wherein some have lost time and labour I know that many do make God the first immediate Author of it and do affirm that the first Scripture that ever was was Gods writing of the Law in two Tables But because we find that Moses wrote all the Word of the Lord and Josephus doth report a tradition of the Hebrews for writing and graving before the flood I hold it probable that both Scripture and Sculpture are as ancient as the Old World However we see the care that God hath taken for the publishing of his Will to the Church which he hath done both sufficiently that we need no more knowledge for eternal life than what is contained in Scripture and so clearly that the Word giveth understanding to the simple Scripture is twofold 1. Inward called Scriptura Cordis 2. Outward called Scriptura Testimonij The inward Scripture of the heart is that which the Spirit of God immediately writeth in the fleshly tables of the hearts of all the Sons of God and by this all that are to be saved are taught of God Jer. 31.33 Hebr. 8.10 2 Cor. 3.3 The outward Scripture of the Testimony is that which was inspired by the Holy Ghost and committed to writing by the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists to preserve and transmit sound and saving doctrine by their pens to all Posterity Of this latter Moses was the first writer in the world as may be proved by the Evangelist Luke 24.27 Hence we conclude that our Religion grounded in these writings is the old Religion even as old as the day of mans creation and fall whereas all other Religions are but of yesterday nay the gods themselves worshipped by Heathens and Turks were long after the time of Abraham There is no Question more worthy satisfaction in Divinity Appâ—llatur ab Arminio Instrumentum Religio tis than that which enquireth into the Authority of Scripture 1. For all Religion depends upon it and wavering in this principle openeth a wide door to beastly Epicurism Devilish Atheism and all contempt of Religion and Justice 2. If the heart be not perswaded that the Scriptures be of God it will easily reject hearing reading practise and all the means of salvation 3. The doubting of this cutteth off all faith Rom. 14.23 and the comfort and strength of faith for a man must first believe Gods Word to be true Titubabit sides si Scripturarum vacillat authoritas Aug. before he can believe it to be true to him and what comfort in temptation without the Sword of the Spirit or what peace in terrour of Conscience without the Word which is the Well of salvation 4. The doubting of this cuts off all self-denial mortification and sound repentance for who will abandon his carnal delights and pleasures and undertake the strict course of godliness that doth doubt whether the Scriptures be the Word of God or not But it is clear that the Scriptures are the Word of God 1. The Lord professeth them to be his own words Isa 55.11 Mic. 2.7.2 The Prophets begin with the Word of the Lord and the Apostles 1 Cor. 11.23.3 The matter of the Scriptures they treat of the great works of the eternal God as Creation Providence justice and mercy both temporal and eternal c. Speaking of great mysteries above the reach of humane wisdom yea of things contrary to natural wisdom Searching the heart and discovering the thoughts Hebr. 4.12 And containing most ample and large promises of a blessed and eternal happiness by faith in the Messiah Amongst us Stephen Langton Arch-bishop of Canterbury first divided the Bible into Chapters in such sort as we now account them Robert Stephens into Verses Goodw. Catal. pag. 109. But not much commended by Scultetus who saith Imperitissimè plerunque dissecans which Covenant none could make or can make good but only God himself blessed for ever 4. Concerning the Instruments and pen-men of Scripture Their extraordinary calling infallible assistance 1 Pet. 1.11 unblameable conversation 2 Pet. 2.21 sincerity and uprightness in writing sparing neither others nor themselves their stile together with their joint-consent
a sweet savour behind it Wheresoever it comes it will procure favour of God and men When the name that the wicked have gotten shall rot the faithful shall be had in everlasting remembrance Therefore let us be all Zealous this way so shall we be renowned in this world Quà m magnus mirantium tam magnus invidentium populus est Senec. and eternally famous in the world to come Plato was once in such esteem that it was an ancient Proverb Jovem grecè loqui si vellet non aliter loquuturum quà m Platonem But the common people are apt to praise and dispraise with one breath Fame followes desert as the sweet sent doth the rose A man shall be sure to have both the comfort and credit of his worthy parts and practises In the Olympick games those that overcame Dignum laude virum Musa vetat moriâ— Hòâ—at did not put the garlands on their own heads but stayed till others did it for them That which had been much to a mans commendation if out of another mans mouth sounds very slenderly out of his own It is an hard thing to recover a mans good name if once lost It happened Lauâ— proâ—rlo sordescit in â—re that upon a time Fire Water and Fame went to travel together but before they set forth they consulted that if they lost one another how they might meet again Fire said where you see smoke there you shall finde me Water said where you see marsh or moorish low grounds there you shall find me But Fame said take heed how you lose me for if you do you will ran a great hazard never to meet me again Still the Euge of a good Conscience and Gods approbation is principally to be sought after Whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. â— 29 Merâ—t Caelum gratis non accipiam said the Jesuite before grace I had free will to it and when I had grace I deserved glory Satan had perswaded the Scottish Knox he had merited by his Ministery but that God brought to his mind those scriptures What hast thou that thou didst not receive And yet not I but the grace of God which was in me The Jewes of old did seek to be justifyed by their own works and these latter Jewes being asked whether they beleeve to be saved by Christs righteousness or not Answer that every Foxe must pay his own skin to the flear The Church of Rome seekes to be justified by her own righteousness and the righteousness of Christ They hold that Christs righteousness merits that our works should merit And Bellarmine saith De Iustif Opera sanctorum tincta sanguine Christi merentur that is the works of the Saints dipped in the blood of Christ do merit And truely that 's a slie and nice distinction of the Jesuites which they invented of late to make us beleeve that by the doctrine of merits they derogate nothing from the glory of Christ Indeed they say that we make satisfaction for sin and merit heaven yet it is not we that do it but Christ by us not our works simply in themselves but as dyed in the blood of Christ Our Merits are Christs merits and therefore they may deserve heaven I but Christ hath purged our sins by himself not by our selves he hath done it by his own blood immediately not mediately by our works dyed in his blood Therefore that is a meer delusion to mock the world withall Upon those word Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love The Jesuites say It is a world to see what wrything and wringing the Protestants make to shift off this place whereby it is cleer that good works are meritorious and causes of salvation If it be an unrighteous thing with God not to give heaven to our works then we have it not on meer mercy but of justice But we say It is just with God so to do not in regard of our merit Justum est ut reddat qui debet debet autem qui promisit but of his own promise They that came into the vineyard at the last hour had as much as the first yet not of merit but of Covenant It is an unrighteous thing for one to break his promise God hath promised to reward our works with eternal life therefore he should be unrighteous if he did it not yet we must not depend on our merits but on Gods promise ratified by an oath as he sheweth in the following words And for Opus operatum it is not sufficient so much as to acceptance with God because it is not enough to do a good work which God requireth at our hands but we must perform it in such a manner as the Lord requireth We must not only do bonum but bene Besides Merit is a meer fiction sith there can be no proportion betwixt the work and the wages It is well observed Coâ—â—on on Cant. Certum est nos facere quod faimus sed ille â—acit ut faciasmut Aug. Like as Roma is become Amor inversus that the Church in the Canticles is no where described by the beauty of her hands or fingers Christ concealeth the mention of her hands that is of her works 1. Because he had rather his Church should a bound in good works in silence than boast of them especially when they are wanting as Rome doth 2. Because it s he alone that worketh all our works in us and for us We do what we do but it is he that causeth us so to do St Paul is so directly against Popish justification by works that one saith both wittily and well The Epistle of Paul to the Romans is become the Epistle of Paul against the Romans Certainly those misled and muzled soules did worse than lose their labour Act. Mon. fol. 1077. that built religious houses Pro remissione redemptione peccatorum pro remedio liberatione animae pro salute requie animarum patrum matrum fratrum sororum c. These were the ends that they aimed at as appears in stories The Papists think that as he that standeth on two firm branches of a tree is surer than he that standeth upon one onely so he that trusteth to Christ and works too is in the safest condition But 1. They are fallen from Christ that trust to works 2. He that hath one foot on a firm branch and another on a rotten one stands not so sure as if he stood wholly on that which is sound But let them be Moses disciples let us be Christs set not up a candle to this sun of righteousness mix not thy puddle with his purple blood thy rags with his raiment but detest all mock-stayes And account accursed for ever that blasphemous direction of Papists to dying people Conjunge Domine obsequium meum cum omnibus quae Christ us passus est pro me Join Lord mine obedience with all that Christ hath
pravitate versamur Damnatus home antequam natus As soon as ever we are born we are forthwith in all wickedness And Austin man is condemned as soon as conceived Our great Grandmother Eve did not bring forth before she had sinned therefore corruption is conveyed by the impurity of the seed being in it incoativè as fire is in the flint Therefore man is at his birth overspread with sin as with a filthy morphew In ancient times and the custome in some places remains to this day great men and Princes kept the memory of their birth-dayes with feasting and triumph Gen. 40.20 And Herods birth-day was kept Origen in his fragments upon Matthew affirms that the Scripture gives no testimony of any one good man celebrating his birth-day I say an ancient and commendable custome if in honour of God for his mercy in our creation education preservation c. But indeed Our sospitator while we reflect upon our birth-sin we have little cause to rejoyce in our birth-day The birth-day of Nature should be mourned over every day the birth-day of Grace is our joy and glory and is worthy to be rejoyced in Eternity which is the day of glory is one continued triumph for our birth-day in grace Behold I was shapen in iniquity Psal 51.5 and in sinne did my mother conceive me Bastard The Greeks call such children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are subject to contumelies The Hebrews call them brambles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a one as Abimelech Judg. 9.14 as growing in the base hedge-row of a concubine Nothus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spurius quasi ignotus Judg. 11.1 It is an ignominious thing to be a bastard Bastards are despised by all many brands of infamy are set on them by the Law 1. A bastard properly is not a son Qui nati sant ex prostibulo planè incerto patre sed certissimâ infamiâ Abraham was Pater when he had Ishmael but not filii Pater till he had Isaac so that he cannot inherit his fathers lands unlesse he be made legitimate by Act of Parliament 2. A bastard may be advanced to no office in Church or Common-wealth without special licence favour and dispensation A bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord Deut. 23.2 even to his tenth generation Children Children if good are a great blessing what can more rejoyce our hearts than to see our children It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blessed misery saith he the work of Gods hands framed and fitted for Gods building But if otherwise to be childlesse is a mercy saith Euripedes and Aristotle concludeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no blessing unlesse it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to have a numerous issue unlesse they be vertuous It is said that Pasiphaes issue were ever a shame to the Parent None are so ready to drink in false Principles and corrupt practices as young ones Plato reporteth of one Protagoras that he gloried of this that whereas he had lived sixty years in all he had spent forty of them in corrupting of young people What a wretched childe was that who when his father complained that never father had so undutifull a childe as he had Fâ—l Holy state answered yes my gâ—ardfather had That regenerate men may have unregenerate children Regeneratus non regenerat â—ilios â—arnis sed generat ut Oleae semina non Oleas generant sed Oleastros Idem Mat. 19.13 Austin illustrates thus 1. As corn that is never so well winnowed brings forth corn with chaffe about it 2. And the circumcised Jew begat uncircumcised children so holy parents do beget unholy children begetting their children not according to Grace but according to Nature for grace is personal but corruption is natural It is our duty to present our little ones to Christ as well as we can 1. By praying for them before at and after their birth 2. By timely bringing them to the Ordinance of Baptisme with faith and much joy in such a priviledge 3. By training them up in Gods holy fear A populous posterity is the blessing of God Let us not take too much thought for providing for them God hath filled two bottles of milk against they come into the world He that feedeth the young ravens will feed our children if we depend on him Lo Psal 127.3 children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward Boy Girle Si puellam viderimus moribus lepidam atque dicaculam laudabimus exosculabimus Haec in matronâ damnabimus persequemur Puerilitas est periculorum pelagus childhood and youth are vanity Eccles 11.10 Education Erasm de vitá c. Origenis pag. 1. Refert nonnihil ubi nascaris sed magis refert à quibus nascaris plurimùm verò à quibus a teneris instituaris Education consisteth in three things viz. 1. Religion 2. Learning 3. Manners Touching the former David and Bathsheba joyned together to season the tender years of Solomon with sweet liquor of celestial Piety Chrys Hom. 2. By the meanes of Hanna Samuel came presently from the corporal to the spiritual Dugge Evince taught Timothy the holy Scriptures from his childhood Hierom would have Lâ—ta to teach her daughter Paula the Canonical Scriptures Ad Letam beginning with the Psalmes and ending with the Canticles the Psalmes as the easiest and sweetest the Canticles as the hardest To this end catechizing is very requisite For education in learning Pharaoh's daughter trained up her adopted son in all the learning of the Egyptians Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel Aristippus that famous Philosopher was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by his mother The eloquent tongue of Cornelia was a great means of the eloquence of the Gracchi her two sons Philip procured two Schoolmasters for his son Alexander Plu. Aristotle for his Teacher and Leonides for Directer and Informer And Constantine procured three several Tutors for his three several sons One for Divinity Euseb the other for the Civil Law the third for Military Discipline Concerning behaviour we must bring up our children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in instruction and information that may formare mores frame their manners and put a good mind into them as the word imports Let not these things be delayed Thou mayest be taken from thy children or they from thee who then shall teach them after thy departure Moreover Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit adorem Testa diu great trees will not easily bend and a bad habit is not easily left Besides dye cloth in the wooll not in the webb and the colour will be the better the more durable Train up a childe in the way he should go and when he is old Prov. 22.6 he will not depart from it Espousals Contracts or espousals before marriage were a very ancient and laudable custome both amongst
the hearts of all that should read those stories Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Now if any Anabaptistical Humorist who hath a company of Phanatique toyes whiffling about his understanding should censure me for inforcing Bowing and Kneeling I have no more to say to him than this Being that God is the Creator and Redeemer of soul and body that therefore as well with the body as the soul we are to worship him by kneeling bowing and that especially when the act of our Redemption is presented unto us by visible signs as it is in the Lords Supper I conclude this with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King eternal immortal invisible and onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen I follow still the Angels strain and pitch my thoughts on the second part the words are these And on earth peace From the time of Mans capital apostasie effected by the cunning project of the subtile Serpent all the creatures of God were at odds with Man affected with reciprocal enmity The fiery Dragon had set the world on fire Combustion and Confusion the two extremities of distempered Passion came on after Hence by reason of the perpetual opposition of the creatures Iniquity did abound and the love of many waxed cold The burden of these disturbances was so ponderous that all things did groan under it So many blustering storms did succeed one upon the neck of another as that the world seemed to despair of peace Mans wicked disobedience was taken so ill at Gods hands as well he might as that he was incensed against him and his posterity and for their sake cursed the earth Here then we find Man in hostility with God with himself with his brethren with all Gods creatures both in heaven and in earth So that he is excluded felicity whereof he was before possessed inviron'd with that deplorable misery which he then could not and we now cannot without Christ Jesus avoid His rebellion against God caused the creatures to rebell against him He neglecting his Creator is both by the Creator and creature neglected His falling from the Lord made the Lord and the servants fall out with him Because the sons of Adam had such aspiring minds as to seek after that which is proper unto God Peace is therefore departed from the sons of Adam Now there was no peace within none without until the Prince of peace Jesus Christ by grace put a period to the mutinous disposition of ill-affected humors until he had so salved the matter betwixt God and us as that all things might work together for the good of us that are the elect of God Wherefore as the Dove after the â—sswaging of the waters of the Deluge brought an Olive branch into the Ark of Noah so Christ as innocent as a Dove came unto the world and brought Peace and Reconciliation with him into the Ark of God which is his Church floating in a restless Ocean of intestine troubles Who was no sooner come but the Heavenly Courtiers invite us men on earth to give glory unto God in Heaven because that the God of Heaven did by his own Son send peace on earth to men For when he came he brought peace to us when he departed Zanch. he left his peace with us Qui pacem dicit dicit uno verbo omnia bona saith Zanchius Who names but peace comprehends in one word all that 's good And indeed all that 's good did in and through Christ descend to us from the Infinite Good out of the inexhaustible treasures of whose uncomprehended fulness we have all received Since then O my God that my soul and discursive faculty must now be fixt upon all that 's good refine I beseâ—ch thee my diviner thoughts and let not all that 's good be in any wise tainted by any unhallowed imperfections of mine Assist with thy Divine power in setting out this Olive-branch of Peace fetcht from Heaven that may in time spring up unto eternal life Our Saviour the Everlasting Son of the Father and blessed Peace-maker of Heaven and Earth wrought for believing men such as shall receive him by faith for whose sake he came into the world a foursold inviolable Peace Viz. 1. Peace with our God 2. Peace with our selves 3. Peace with one another 4. Peace with all the creatures First he wrought our peace with God What befell Adam for his insolent behaviour and disobedience against the Author of his life no son of Adam that hath but the least sense of misery can be ignorant of Upon the apprehension of the transgression he found himself and we since our selves miserably plung'd in a depth of inselicity for by the offence of that one man that first man all became enemies to God and God an enemy to all Thus God and man stood off at a distance never to come together but by a mediation Whereupon the God of mercy that delights not in the death of a sinner unwilling to see so noble a creature perish everlastingly provides and sends a Mediator that Son of his who was in his own bosom to reconcile us unto himself to bring us unto the bosom of his Father ratisying such a league as may if it were possible outlast Eternity Hence it was he took our flesh upon him whereby being God and Man he might bring man to God Oh the hardness of my stony heart saith Bernard in a heavenly extasie Bern. Vtinam Domine sicut Verbum caro factum est ita cor meum carnem fiat I would to God my God and Lord that as the Word was made flesh so were my heart hereby to be seelingly apprehensive of thine infinite mercy in granting pardon to my sin and peace unto my soul through the Lord Jesus It is the Apostles speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is Christ is our Peace Eph. 2.14 our Peace in the very abstract By him our eternal quiet is procured Gods consuming wrath appeâ—sed and by his light are our feet guided into the way of peace A Jesuite spake it and to speak truth 't is Gods received truth Ex inimicis amicos ex servis filios ex filiis irae haredes regni fecit nos per Christum Deus God the God of peace hath made us through Christ that of being his enemies his friends of being his servants his sons of being sons of wrath heirs of a Kingdom not subject to mortality Buâ—lest an headstrong credulity arising out of a flattering misconceit should draw some into a precipitate presumption of concluding themselves to be reconciled to God and restored to favour though they persist in sin and infidelity Learn this Orthodox truth grounded on that of the Apostle That they only who are justified by faith and sanctified by his Spirit have peace with God Rom. 5.1 through our Lord Jesus Christ Happy is that soul alone that hath faith it hath Christ Happy
are reconciled to God St. Chrys on those words in Colos Chrysost in Cap. 1. Epist ad Cosos it pleased the Father by him that is by Christ to reconcile all things unto himself whether they be things in earth or things in heaven understandeth by things in heaven the holy Angels of God who saith he became enemies to all men by reason of their universal rebellion against the Lord their God But now beare good will to us after we are reconciled to God by Christ and are of the houshold of faith Hereupon it is as our Saviour saith that the Angels in heaven rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner unto God Heb. 1 14. and the Apostle writing to the Hebrews saith they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation They guard such as their proper charge saith devout Perkins that be in Gods favour and carry them as a nurse doth a child in her armes that they dash not their foot against a stone Perkins on Revel 1. Psal 91.11 Wherefore some Christian Philosophers out of Act. 12.15 where speech being made of St. Peter it is said it is not he it is his Angel collect that every elect man of God hath his good Angel to protect him to guide him in all his wayes and upon occasion when it seemes good to God many as Elijah had Thus we are at peace with good Angels as for the bad we must have no peace with them Origen onâ— Rom. 5. for then we shall have no peace with God Origen on the 5. of the Romanes tells us that Ipse supra omnes cateros pacem habet apuà Deum qui impugnatur à diabolo c. he above all others hath peace with God who is ever combating with Satan Warre against Satan procures peace with God Wherefore being he will do us no good the Lord so works as that he shall do us no hurt As for the other creatures all of them are in league with a good man their lesive facultie is restrained by the supreme power from doing violence to the Lords redeemed whereas the wicked are still exposed to the danger of their power The starres in their courses fought for Israel against Sisera Judg. 5.20 The fire did not hurt the three children in the fierie surnace The hungry lyon preyed not upon Daniel in the den Isa 11.6 8 9. lying at the mercy of that ravenous beast A little child saith the Prophet Isaiah shall lead the young lyon the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand on the Cocokatrices den neither these nor any of the rest shall hurt or destroy in his holy mountaine in his holy Church It was a most comfortable promise which God made to Judah and Israel and in them to his peculiar people that he would make a covenant for them with all creatures Hos 2.18 the beasts of the field the fowles of the aire the creeping things of the ground heaven earth corn oyle and all Yea the child of God shall tread upon the lyon and the serpent and they shall not hurt him Thou shalt be in league saith Eliphaz the Temanite to Job with the stones of the field Psal 91.13 Job 5.23 and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Thus Gods Children in Christ Jesus shall receive no detriment by any thing that God made but by his blessed providence they shall find assistance and comfort from all his creatures Now the God of peace that sent his Son with the Gospel of peace and his messengers with the glad tidings of good things grant that we may live in peace and depart in peace according to his word to leade an everlasting Sabboth of rest in the highest heavens Great mens births are commonly celebrated with the joyful acclamation of their dependants every one being in a readiness to noise abroad the newes that includes happinesse whereby others might be partakers of their joys and excited to do the like in imitation Thus the glorious and blessed Angels the inhabitants of heaven and the immediate attendants of the most high do the birth of the Son of God the King of Kings like wel-bred Courtiers in significant terms divulge the birth of so great a Prince and melodiously express what good what great benefits come by the birth of so good so great a person Which ought to be a forcible incentive unto us after their example to render due honour unto God and â—o worship that day-star which from on high hath visited us with everlasting comforts All the holy Angels of God are obliged to praise him but we much more he restored not them to any felicity for they lost none we lost the primitive goodness of our unblemished creation and yet restored he us He redeemed not them they needed it not nor the wicked Angels that needed it but wrought our redemption when we were enemies worthy condemnation O then let us praise the Lord for his peace and merce for both endure for ever What the Angels sung will serve our turn Glory be to God on high c. The parts of our discourse are 1. The glory we owe to God 2. The peace God sent on earth 3. Gods good will towards men Concerning the two first I have no more to say than what I have already but proceed unto that last and maine point whereupon depend all our future hopes of eternal blisse which is Gods good will and mercy I confesse that the very name of peace is a sweet word and sweeter the work but sweetest that of mercy which is the cause of it Being then that mercy must be the subject of my present meditations first I betake my self to thee O God of mercy and eternal Spirit of truth humbly beseeching thee to enable me by thy gracious illumination and to rectifie the retired cogitations of my soule that whilest I display thy mercy thy goodness thy salvation and when all is done there may be in mens hearts a deep impression of true joy and a perfect sense may be obtained of thy loving kindness and good-will toward them To behold God sitting in his throne of justice is to a sinner most full of dismal horrour but to view him seated in his throne of mercy is to a distressed soule most full of heavenly consolation If there be any that obstinately forget God and carelesly cast behind their backs his sacred ordinances let them expect to be torn in picees of him and none to deliver them let them look to be consumed of that God whose Jealousie burns like fire If there be any that are heartily submissive and sincerely penitent in the sight of our all-seeing God for their enormities let them joy up in abundance for in him there is mercy and plenty of redemption although all of us have highly offended him and multiplyed our transgressions above measure yet if we can
should have been taken from him but left all other thoughts and did cleave to his masters side with an inseparable resolution As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I will not leave thee So must we be to Christ in whom God hath manifested his good will to us and say as Peter did To whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Gods Mercy is like Daniels goodly tree Dan. 4. whose height reacheth unto the heavens and the sight thereof to all the earth whose pleasant fruit all mortal men do taste and eat and under the shadow of whose fair leaves they take rest and comfort To the defence and succour of this tree must we run in storms and extremity and not then only but at all times lest with ungrateful Popelings we go about in the fairest sunshine to lop the branches Of pions memory is that last speech uttered with the fierce zeal of a dying Martyr burnt in a Tun in Smithfield in the presence of Henry the Fourth King of England Mercy Lord Jesus Christ mercy And of him that with lifted-up hands and singers flaming with fire cried to the people None but Christ none but Christ for ever Cry then ye braving Merit-mongers and say not with the Laodicean Church We are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing when as your consciences tell you as theirs did Ye are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Learn with the Prophet Jeremy to say It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not Make it the height of your ambition with the Apostle to be found in Christ Lam. 3.22 not having your own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith And since the bowels of Gods compassion and good will to us do yearn upon us and the merits of our blessed Saviour are so effectual as to justifie in his sight let all the world conclude with David Thy loving kindness is better than life Psal 63.3 And with the Angels here acknowledge our salvation to proceed from Gods good will Our Justification thus effected a main work of Gods goodness towards man there follows upon the very neck of it our Sanctification And here we find the Well of Gods Mercy to be like Jacob's deep to which whosoever cometh with a thirsting soul may freely drink of the water of life Since then O God thy Mercy and thy Goodness is of that depth that no Mortal is able to found it and it able to satiate all with thy good Spirit that as by thy Son we are justified in thy sight so by thy Spirit we may be sanctified for Holiness becometh that house wherein thou dwellest O Lord. Know then that by an eternal constitution of Gods predestinating will some were ordained to be vessels of dishonor some of honor Those of dishonor are Reprobates and câ—st-aways who spend their days in prophaneness and end in never-ending pains But those of honor are the Elect who being made to be perpetually glorified among the blessed Angels that kept their first station have here their conversation tanquam in coelo as in heaven and following the conduct of that sanctisying Spirit that makes them holy and acceptable to the most Holy end in never-ending happiness The first are passed in silence our speech must be of the latter whom God by special grace vouchsafes to grace with such endowments as fit them for glory There are none begotten by a natural generation exempted from the contagion of sin neither can any in truth glory of a pious conformity of their wills Papists presume upon a natural ability to gain acceptation at the hands of God and Pelagians have given that goodness to remain in our wills which doth not both which whilst the wheel is turning and the sum of all their misfortunes is cast up sleep supinely in carelesness and boast vainly in security Divine truth hath discovered our nakedness and shame so that the naked truth without all contradiction is that what characters of goodness were imprinted in our nature by the hand of our Creator were by the hand of man that catcht hold of the forbidden fruit quite obliterated and blotted out insomuch that unless the same power take us in hand again and put upon us the stamp of a new creation we shall never alter those crooked and wry dispositions which by our offending disobedience we have contracted The life of a Christian doth challenge an higher parentage than from earth when the beauty thereof is marred and the emoluments departed And here the Lords good will hath not been deficient but superabundant above what we are able to ask or think for out of the plentiful treasures of his grace hath he supplied our defects First he sent his Son and behold now he sends his Spirit His Son to free us from condemnation from which otherwise we cannot be free his Spirit for our regeneration which is an act of Divine power whereby being born of God we are reduced to the obedience of his Name Isa 63.18 1 Pet. 2.9 and made like unto him Holy as he is holy hereby becoming the people of his holiness as saith the Prophet and as that Saint of God the Apostle Peter speaks A chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people What was written upon the plate of the holy Crown of pure gold belonging to the Priest in the Levitical law is by the singer of God engraven in Capital letters in the hearts of his Saints HOLINESS TO THE LORD Exod. 99.30 Which inward holiness makes them zealous of good works that are like to Pearls as one saith found here below but carry a resemblance of Heaven in their brightness and orient colours To which end our Saviour gave this precept Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Those sacred actions of obedience that have their original dependencie upon the Divine operation of Gods Spirit in the heart please God wonderfully He is glorified by them and in them his soul takes great pleasure Cui prius non beneplacitum erat in hominibus Theophil nunc pro beneficiis refocillationibus hominum habet opera in quibus quietem habet faith Theophilact on these words God who at first was highly offended with men for their apostacy accepts the good deeds of men though himself be the Author of their good for favours and refreshings wherein he is well pleased As I breathe Christians I cannot but admire the good will of God who dwelling in that light unto which there can be no access would vouchsafe to shine upon us who are darkness in the very abstract or would lift up the light of his countenance upon us whom sin had made so contemptible In good earnest I am transported much more
exceeded the capacity of Nicoâ— Cum primum nascimur in omni continuo pravitate versamur Tully though a Master in Israel to become like him did not he mould out hearts anew and fill them with the invaluable riches of his mercy and the treasures of his graces we had been of all creatures the most miserable Sinful was our conception sinful was our birth and striful is all our life Nature makes us sons of wrath being deprived of the life of grace as soone as we are sons of nature Damnatus homo antequam natus Aug. there is none that doth good no not one All are sold under sin whence the Apostile upon his own experience averreth that in him that is in his flesh or natural estate dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. We are born dead as soone as we come into the world alive spiritually dead naturally alive Now in whom no good thing dwelleth by nature they are by nature void of grace and who by nature are void of grace do not by nature participate of spiritual life whereof whosoever is not partaker is by nature spiritually dead and who by nature are spiritually dead are destitute of the Spirit of grace who is the sole Author of life and finisher of our salvation All saving graces and heavenly benedictions flow from him in whom the fulnesse of all graces dwells and all return to him again as rivers come from the sea and to the sea return Uâ—lesse therefore God sends forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to sanctifie 〈◊〉 to cleanse us to put new spirit and life into us which is a work of the highest power to which nature can never actain we shall come short of performing the least act that may be any wayes advantageous for our falvation A dead manâ—s not in action hath no living motion neither is there in his power any possibility of regaining life a so is every one spiritually whose heart is not quickened and moved by the holy Ghost to whom it is alone possible to raise from the death of sinne whose property it is to infuse grace and make the hearts and souls of men beautified with the richest furniture and most precious 〈◊〉 of divine 〈…〉 Tomles for himself to dwell in And thus the passage is clear and open for another observation grounded on these words which is this That the heart of the child of God is the seat or dwelling place of the holy Ghost Of all things in man God desireth the heart of man My son give me thine heart for as naturally evil actions proceed from it so must all good being first set awork by the first mover unto all good the good Spirit of God It is in man by nature according to the dictates of natural Philosophy Primum vivens the first in man that lives and divine Philosophy informs us that it is so in grace too For the convernon of the whole man depends upon the conversion of the heart to God there new life is begun Nature gives it a vital faculty distributing to all parts the vital spirits whereby they are embled to work and so doth grace for in what good soever any part of the body is imployed the power of effecting it is derived from the heart which as it is called Principium vitae in the body of man so it is made by the grace of God the original of a holy life and the first subject of grace without which all our best services are but glittering sins for with the heart we beleeve and with the heart we work out our salvation The Chymicks compare the heart to the Sun call'd by them Cor mundi the Sun is in the midst of the great world this in the midst of the little world man The Sun is the sountain of heat in this wherewith all sublunary creatures are cherished and quickened so from the heart to apply things otherwise than they do wholly taken up with the sanctifying Spirit doth proceed such a heat and fervent zeal as that every part is made nimble in the execution of what God commands us It makes the feet swift in running to the house of prayer the hands pliable to minister to the necessities of the poor the tongue voluble in uttering the praises of Almighty God â— 1. 〈◊〉 the eares ready to hear with joy the Gospel of peace preached the eyes to be busied in looking up to heaven from whence cometh our salvation the whole man to be wholly taken up in heavenly contemplations of God and his works and holy exercises of devotion Hence the heart may challenge a principality over all the members of the body all are at its service and it exerciseth dominion over them all Arist in lib. de gederatione tanquam rex in regno as King in his Kingdom saith the Philosopher and it is ruled by the Spirit say Divines Naturalists raise a large discourse and ample dispute upon this Argument and as yet the controversie lies undetermined but this one principle of Divinity alotting the heart to the holy Ghost for his chief mansion in man doth end the controversie for in what part of man the holy Ghost doth principally reside and on what part of man mans conversion doth principally depend must of necessity be the principal part of man But to return more particularly to the rule hitherto amplified that the heart of man is the seat of the Spirit my discourse shall be limited 1. To the proof here of by Scripture 2. To a declaration of those circumstances whereby the being of the Spirit in our hearts may be discovered and by necessary consequence without all peradventure coucluded It is the general voice of the Scripture which is without exception that the Spirit dwelleth in the elect Rom. 8.9 Ye are not in the flesh but iâ— the spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you And in ver 11. it is thus written That if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in you The Apostle in 1 Cor. 3.16 propounds this question the ignorance whereof is reputed grosse absurdity Know ye not that ye aâ—d the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you It is part of Pauls divine prayer for the Ephesians in Ephes 3.17 that Christ may dwell in their hearts by saith that is that Christ may possesse their hearts and the whole man by his Spirit working saving faith in them This dwelling is an admirable good expression of the being of the Spirit in us which is not in regard of substance which the heaven of heavens cannot contain being infinite much lesse can the body or soul of man bounded within strait limits comprize but in regard of a special operation out of the reach of a created power It carries with it an intimation of the holy Ghost abiding
him as unto our Father we come boldly we may come confidently there is nothing more requisite than to put on a good face and a good courage when we sue to God No denial must be taken at the first entrance for this were too dejected pusillanimity The widow in the Gospel through her importunate sollicitation obtained what by a sleight intreaty she could not compasse O let us therefore saith the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 4. ult come boldly unto the throne of grace that we obtain mercy and find grace in time of need God hath erected a throne of grace where he sits to receive and to hear all suits directed unto him for mercy He hath a Court for mercy as well as for justice where humane merits must not be pleaded but Gods mercy above all advanced if then any child of God who hath been prodigal in mis-spending what God hath given him come but to him in the time of need modestly bold he shall return with a contented mind and shall find rest sufficient for his soul This may be term'd a holy presumption Upon whom should children presume if not upon their parents Upon whom should we be bold if not upon our provident Creator What father of the flesh will give his children a stone for bread or for fish a Serpent If our fleshly parents know how to give good things to their children when they ask of them how much more knoweth our heavenly Father to confer good things to them that rely upon his Providence and cry to him Since therefore we have free accesse to God cry with all boldnesse unto him who will prosper our endeavours and like an indulgent father fill us with good things and will not return us empty away We may come confidently with assured perswasion of his favor and lenity the very name of Father is of force enough to repel out of our minds all diffidence Christ hath obtained this boon for us at the hands of God that we shall have what we ask in his Name What things soever saith our Saviour Christ Mark 11.24 ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them The Lord Qui exprobrat reposcit Tacitus He giveth liberally without upbraiding to them that ask in faith nothing wavering James 1.5 6. The hope of children must rest on the parents care so ours on God And when we come unto him we come not to him as to a severe revenger of sin and rigorous Judge but as unto a most compassionate Father The Spirit teacheth us and maketh us to cry Abba Father Wherefore learn hence upon all occasions Apage terra quod utinam Deus in Caelo jam tecum essem quid enim est in terrâ quod me vel tan tillum retineat Bern. whether in prosperity or adversity to have recourse unto him Whom have we in heaven but thee saith the Psalmist and saith every Christian and whom in earth do we desire beside thee Do we offend he forgives our iniquities are we sick he healeth all our diseases are we in danger of destruction he redeemeth our life and crowneth us with loving kindness and tender mercies are we bitten with hunger he satisfieth our mouth with good things Provoke we him to anger He is merciful and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy he will not alwayes chide neither will he keep his anger for ever he deals not with us after our sins nor rewandeth us according to our iniquiries but as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 103. Then having such free entrance to him and so great hopes of compassing our defires if we come not boldly we come not confidently we are justly worthy to lose our labour and return with shame Let nothing therefore disswade us from calling upon him at all times Remember our Saviours counsel and comfortable promise Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you And if our leisure will not serve us to pour out our souls and to make known our intentions in humble supplications unto the most high in a continued and ample speech we may use a short ejaculation of mind Crebras habere orationes sed brevissimas raptim ejaculatas which is a Prayer short and sweet wherein proceeding from Faith we shall be certainly heard For if we cannot speak we may sob sigh groan and weep unto which God will have a gracious respect The efficacy hereof depends upon the operation of the Spirit in our hearts by whose power we are made to sob to sigh to groan to weep and to cry of whom none are partakers but sons and by whom none but sons cry Abba Father And thus much for the effect of the Spirit in the hearts of the sons of God The last part that remains to be treated of is the ground of the Spirits being in our hearts crying thus Because sons There are sons by nature and so there are no sons of God but one Christ Jesus called the onely begotten Sonne of God and though the regenerate be said to be born of God it is spiritually to be understood of a new creation called regeneration not of any natural descent There are sons of God by creation so Angels and men are called the children of God There are sons of God by Participation Thus Kings and Magistrates are sons to whom he doth communicate some part of his power and Majesty There are sons of God by ageneral Profession of Religion so they who live in the visible Church of Christ professing the true worship of God in Christ Jesus are called sons of God And theâ—e sons of God by adoption or special grace of which sort are all they into whose hearts God sends forth the Spirit of his Son Herein we are to note two things 1. The ground of our Adoption 2. The benefits that redound unto us thereby The ground of our Adoption as of our salvation through the tender mercy of our God is Christ Jesus for for this end came he into the world for this end by his precious blood did he redeem us whereas before we were his enemies and sons of wrath This is exprest in the fourth and fifth verses of this Chapter where it is said that God sent forth his Son made of a woman John 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nonnu to redeem us that so we might receive the adoption of sons As many as received Christ by faith hath he given power or as Nonnus renders it heavenly honour to become the sons of God We must first have spiritual being in Christ which is done by faith ere we can be reputed sons The Apostle tells us Ephes 1.5 6 7. that our sonship was decreed in heaven from all eternity God did predestinnte us saith he unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good
was only guided by an ordinary providence as men now a dayes undertaking journeys stay with their friends at their pleasure guided ordinarily by Gods hand Holy Fear THE FENCE OF THE SOUL GEN. 28.17 And Jacob was afraid AS Esau was coming into the world Jacob had him fast by the heel Rebecca received blows within her by their struglings which that acted ended But here ended not their strife that presaged as a future supplanting so a more inveterate quarrel Esau was first born so he obtained the birthright of nature Jacob came after yet got the birthright of grace The mother was glad to be well rid of both she was much joyed to see them set at liberty who inclosed in the prison of her bowels pain'd her As these agreed not in the womb so not in the world There the division began when together in restraint here it continued and by their enlargement was enlarged The divine Oracle told Rebecca that the elder should serve the younger 't was his love to the one his hate to the other both free This prediction must have been accomplish'd but not without some difficulty First Jacob upon an advantage buyes the Birthright which Esau in a necessity scornfully deem'd unprofitable Grace made Jacob lay about to purchase what Nature denied him It was inevitable the God of Nature determin'd it that way not the other Thus Jacob though a plain man got the start of Esau though a cunning hunter A gracious simplicity ever outstrips worldly craft in the affairs of piety Now having got thus far there wanted nothing to make good his bargain to confirm his interest but his Fathers blessing which he by his Mothers direction hunting after obtained by subtilty whilst Esau hunting after venison came short of through his pleasure The Mother saith Reverend Hall shall rather defeat the Son and beguile the Father than the Father shall beguile the chosen Son of his blessing Jacob must have been blest God decreed it and was Who no sooner went away full of the joy of his new blessing but in comes Esau who sweating for his reward finds nothing but an unexpected repulse Hereat Esau's blood is up and storms he hates Jacob in his heart as Cain did Abel in his hate vows his death nothing hinders it but lack of opportunity Yet Jacob needed not to fear the wrath of an earthly brother whilst sure of the love of his Heavenly Father None needs to be terrified by Man that is in league with God However it behoved the Mother to be as sollicitous in preventing mischief from falling on her beloved Darling as in surreptitiously procuring him a blessing Had he miscarried all her hopes had perish'd Jacob therefore must go one way or other if he stay till his Father die he must die with him and go the way of all flesh 't was Esau's resolution If he go whither his Parents would he is secure this way as well it might is preferr'd To this purpose a new project is set on foot Jacob must have a wife not of the daughters of Heth as Esau these made Rebecca weary of her life but of his own kindred Isaac forthwith calls Jacob to him blesseth him gives him a charge and commands him away to Laban his mothers brother where the Lord did destine him a mate meet for him Away he hyes doubtful and comfortless in the way the earth he made his bed the stone his pillow after this fort he rested his wearied limbs The sun was set his eyes were bound up in the chains of sleep yet there a Vision of Angels is presented to him through the glass of his imagination and Gods promise renewed in a true dream Never was Jacob's heart so light with joy as when his head was heaviest with sleep At length he awakes his thoughts are summon'd up together fear creeps apace on him the place seems dreadful the presence of Divine Majesty whereof he was sensible adds lustre to the place which adds affrightment to his heart The premisses considered his conclusion of the Place is this This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven Hitherto have I followed Jacob in his way and with him here will I rest a while This holy Patriarch upon mature deliberation could not but conceive himself happy that he hapned on this holy place Here the demonstration of Gods joyful presence with him and gracious providence over him together with the free promise of safe conduct to him abated the swoln discontents of his suspitious thoughts it never came into his head he should have here that familiar manifestation of the God of Isaac as was vouchsafed him But Gods goodness ever was ever is beyond mans expectation How easie were it for Jacob to miscarry in his way did not the Supreme Power protect him how open did he lie to infinite dangers lying in the open field did not the Lord secure him 'T was the work of that same Mercy that guided him to that place to preserve him safe there where although he was afraid at the first sight after his sleep was over Musculus Buxtorf Heb. Radix yet was his fear without distraction The clearness of his judgment discerning Gods intention in that mystical vision sentenceth the place venerable So Musculus renders the Hebrew text Quà m venerandus est iste locus and Buxtorf How reverend is this place Here I might treat 1. Of Jacob's Fear 2. Of the Dreadfulness or reverence of the place where he was partaker of the Heavenly vision 3. Of the Titles Jacob assign'd the place All meriting points but the first is only intended The Soul which by nature is disfurnished of grace is exposed to dangers as disposed to evil by reason whereof it is subject to fears within to fears without Perils like a circle compass us about we stand tanquam in centro as in the centre of this world every line drawn from the circumference strikes us to the heart and so affrights us Turn which way we will terror meets us fears encounter us Hereat the naked soul appal'd yields unless informed of a better friend than our own wits which always are not about us But Gods gracious presence apprehended in our deepest agonies of fear brings us off undaunted by the light of whose grace we discover things in their native colours which whilst unknown amaze us disturb us Some things trouble us more than they ought to do some which not at all for the anticipating or avoiding whereof that rule holds infallibly true Rebus est demenda persona pull off the masque of things then we shall not so fear them To be quite rid of this passion while we live is impossible Christianity or regeneration qualifieth its force takes it not away Some impression will be left in the mind yet not so deep as will make us despair of succour For all the variety of Creatures Casualties Changes that appear dreadful there is variety of Aid flowing
him that the Supreme Majesty would hold him in such reputation as so friendly to reveal himself to him or to make such large promises of grace as he did which his best endeavours could never compass to merit I think Jacob thought not the news to be too good to be true God told him but too great for a sinful creature to receive from a spotless Creator However beside the glory and largeness of the Promise the rarity of the Apparition did put him into a religious extasie being unacquainted with the Lords designs or with his manner of working But soft a while Should not Jacob the Almighty thus freely opening his heart unto him rather rejoyce than be afraid Is it fit he should be muffled up in a pitchy cloud of dejecting fear who ought to be clothed with the bright garment of refreshing joy Surely did the dead ashes of this grave Father revive his reply I believe would be to no other purpose Paraeus in lot than that of that famous German Divine whom the best learned honour in the dust Sancti quidem laetantur patefactionibus Dei sed cum timore tremore The Saints indeed rejoyce at the gracious presence of the Lord of glory but 't is with fear with trembling When the Majesty of God who is a consuming fire approacheth neer although his mercy raise up their spirits to an height of joy yet the experience of their unworthiness and the exquisite sense of their manifold infirmities beget in them a shivering fear and that fear humility Cicero Cicero Pagan Rome's chiefest Orator averred as much of that fear Nature did possess him of And by the best Divine France ever bred the fear bred by Religion Calv. in loc is entituled Piae submissionis magister the master of a pious lowliness Neither is it without reason God makes his servants to rejoice as the Prophet speaks with trembling but that in an obedient subjection and denial of themselves Psal 63.3 they might embrace and depend upon his favour better as King David saith than life it self Thus having vindicated good Jacobs credit from the unjust taxe or hard censure of the severest Criticks I may make this Application To the Perverse Malefactor Penitent Delinquent Setled Christian Perverse Malefactors must efther fear or perish Necessity is laid upon them to perform the one or undergo the other If through a careless security they shake off all fear of God I see not how they can decline Divine vengeance Wherefore as the Spirit of God terms them children of disobedience because of their obstinate rebellion so because thereby they make themselves liable to his eternal indignation Ephes 2.3 are they called by the same Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of wrath whereupon the Lord challengeth vengeance unto himself Nemo crimen gerit in pectore qui non idem Nemesin in tergo Nemesis dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quòd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vengeance â—elongeth unto me and I will recompence As sure as he is in heaven if sinners will not filially fear him for his mercies he will for his justice make them slavishly fear him with a vengeance Look then to your tacklings ye that without fear or wit hurry into manifold impieties Ye heap up wrath against the day of wrath when not a glimpse of comfort shall be vouchsafed you Let the loose Epicure glory in his joyous voluptuousness let the licentious Libertine exult in his ungodly courses let the miserable Wordling rejoyce in his Idol-god of Gold let the luxurious Adulterer whose wandring eye sparkles at the sight of a fond Beauty prostrate himself at the shrine of his bewitching goddess let the revelling Drunkard beset his soul with continual exhausting of intemperate Cups let the light-finger'd Pilferer and deceitful Tradesman with sleight of hand in false weights of measures inrich himself to the impoverishing of others let the debaucht Blasphemer who with execrable oaths tears God and the Son of God in a thousand pieces triumph in his unrighteous dealing let the sacrilegious Sabbath-breaker who makes that day the onely day of his repast and unlawful dalliances cheer up his heart the best he may let the irreligious Prophaner of the sacred Temple of the Lord who buyes and fells within the holy limits cheer up himself with his ungodly gain let the griping Officers whose unjust exactions had wont to creep in under the modest cloke of voluntary courtesie or fair consideration of a befriended expedition now come like Eli's sons Nay but thou shalt give it me now and if not I will take it by force Hall in conscion in Act. 2.37 1 Sam. 2.16 In a word I should be infinite should I insist upon particulars Let the legal Thefts of professed Usurers the crafty Compacts of slie Oppressors the conniv'd at Idolatry of superstitious Papists dare throw down the gantlet to Justice and insolent disobediences do so to Authority without the fear of God yet for all this shall these come to judgment when base fear shall so seise upon their confounded souls that they shall in vain cry to the hills to hide them to the mountains to cover them from the presence of the Lord. Jeer not at this ye obdurate sinners Ask not in derision the Disciples question in a worse sense Domine quando fient haec Master when shall these things be Believe Christians the time 's at hand when all impenitent offenders and flie fellows void of Jacob's fear shall receive their doom to be sent as into utter darkness so into unquenchable fire Next Penitent sinners must fear the Almighty hence a token of their conversion but not despair Whose fear albeit it be somewhat servile at first the nature of it is changed into a better condition or abolished They are led saith one by the Spirit from the fear of Slaves through the fear of Penitents Chrysoft to the fear of Sons Hence faith Chrysostom doubtless upon this gradation Geheunae timor Regni nobis adfert coronam The fear of Hell which is servile brings us at length a Diadem of glory Be not ye therefore in a melancholy mood dismaid ye afflicted souls humbled in the sight of God for sin The true fear of God it advanceth you to perfection Doubt not to be encountred by a strong opposition yet fear none but that God that can cast both soul and body into hell A truly Noble spirit reported That who feareth the most High feareth neither flesh nor blood principalities nor powers the rulers of the darkness of this world nor spiritual wickedness in high places Origen gives the reason Origen Non corporis robore sed fidei virtute pugnatur non jaculis ferreis sed orationum telis victoria quaeritur We fight not by the strength of body but of faith we conquer not with darts of steel but of prayer Let not your heart be troubled neither let is be afraid said Christ to his Disciples say I to
none can see him and live Exod 33.20 So terrible the other that the Israelites trembled cap. 19.16 His sight so full of Majesty that Woe is me saith Isaiah I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts cap. 6.5 So full of terror his Voice that the Israelites said to Moses Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die Exod. 20.20 Thus would God come unto us his sight would dash us his voice would daunt us His presence is accompanied with lightning when he speaks he thunders Sinai was in a burning sever before God the Earth was troubled with a shaking ague the floods ran back at his presence the heavens dropt at the first sight Psal 68.8 The voice of the Lâ—rd is powerful the voice of the Lord is full of majesty Namper Câ—dros intelligit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicquid est eximium in mundo the voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars the voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh c. Psal 29. So that the Lord considering that Man is but flesh as weak as water he refrains from coming but not from sending to us for us Not Angels though ministring spirits as he did before the Law but having an eye to mans imbecility flesh of our flesh bone of our bone Men. Because himself would not thunder he sends Boanerges sons of thunder He sends not Angels spirits but Men-angels messengers Mat. 2. but little inferior to Angels And this he doth for several reasons besides that of his love and care viz. 1. To shew us in what reputation Man is with him He makes men not mean men but his Embassadors to men Such as do reveal his secrets Privy Councellors such as represent his Person a kind of Kings And this honour all his Saints have Psal 149.9 2. To exercise us in that high grace of humility God exalts man to humble man If the Lion roar who will not fear Amos 3.8 If the Lord speak who will not who cannot but obey No thanks to him then But when Man speaks and men obey hoc opus this is the work of humility Here he shews himself a true subject when he yields obedience to Gods word spoken by man albeit in dignity he be far inferior unto him 3. Because it is the surest bond of Amity If one needed not the instruction of another but every one should think himself sufficient of himself such is the pride of man what division what debate what contempt of one another Now this is the surest True-loves knot between man and man Let therefore a man so account of us saith the Apostle as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 And Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13.17 SCALA JACOBI OR St James his Ladder JAMES â— 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed ANTIQUITY reports that the statute of Merciery was erected where crosse wayes met to point out to passengers and pilgrims the direct paths they desired to travel So I may conceive of this blessed messenger of God the Apostle James made in the likeness of God In this world we are pilgrims and strangers where we have no abiding City but seek for one to come our way to that City which is the heavenly Hierusalem is through many tribulations and crosses where this Apostle being set up doth shew the way to us wherein we must walk if we will possesse the treasure of our hopes and long'd for felicity And because the way is ascendant leading gradually upward I therefore may compare it to a pair of staires or call it Scalam Jacobi St James his ladder wherein are to be observed 1. The bottome or ground 2. The several steps placed in a due proportion 3. The top or upper part which we aime to arrive at As for the bottome it is that good word of God the Gospel of Christ Jesus which the Holy Ghost by this Sainted Penman is pleased to stile a law describ'd by two singular attributes the one of perfection the other of liberty it is a prefect law of liberty As for the steps they are four the first is Speculation Whoso looketh the second is Perseverance and continueth therein the third is Remembrance he being not a forgetful hearer the fourth is Practice but a doer of the work As for the top of these staires it is the end of this Scripture and shall be I trust of my discourse blessedness this man shall be blessed in his deed I must stand a while upon the bottome of the staires the Gospel of salvation term'd a law the law of the spirit the law of faith the law of the spirit as the prime inditer the law of faith as the prime effect the law of the spirit in regard of the spiritual graces of God produced by it the law of faith as the special duty enjoined us in it Rat io nominis primum inquirenda we are now by the lawes of accurate teaching to enquire specially why the Gospel is called a law and that is 1. Because what is delivered therein to be observed of us is obligatory coming by way of command and having in it the regal stamp of supream authority 2. Because it prescribes punishments to the disobedient transgressors thereof sincere obedience and essectual beleeving in Christ being exacted of us upon pain of death 3. Because it containeth large promises of great rewards to the faithful observers of the sacred contents thereof Bernard as Bernard saith in his Meditations Si tormenta non terreant saltem invitent praemia if threatned punishments do not deterr us promised rewards may the more invite us As it is a law so it is a perfect law perfect in the Author Gods Spirit which is infallible not admitting either Popish legends to delude the People or traditional writs to destroy them Integra est doctrina ac proâ—nde animos redintegrat Jun. Psal 19. Perfect in the manner of delivery divine inspiration as proceeding from the will of God not from the will of man Perfect in operation as converting the soul making wise the simple rejoycing the heart in lightning the eyes and making the man of God perfect thorowly furnished unto every good work Perfect in the contents and matter as full and wanting nothing conducing to the bet tering of our knowledge in the wayes of piety our knowledge contemplative in matters of faith our knowledge practical matters of fact And perfect in the end Gods glory the glory of his mercy
blessed consequences of Christ's Life and Death Pag. 41. Why Christ died Pag. 53 Of the Three Persons in the Deity largely Pag. 67 68 forward Inferences from the Spirits dwelling in our hearts Pag. 76 77 Christian society should be delightful Pag. 92 Songs of Degrees Pag. 113 Doctrine what must be preached Pag. 122 forward E. FRults of Christs Exaltation Pag. 15 16 The malignity of Envy Pag. 35 Ecclesiastical peace Pag. 36 Christ Exalted according to both Natures Pag. 57 forward Six Evidences of the Spirits dwelling in our hearts Pag. 73 74 No easie matter to be a Minister of the Gospel Pag. 92 An Emperors duty Pag. 121 F. WE may come confidently to God us to a Father Pag. 80 Not build Faith on a staggering foundation Pag. 92 The Soul naturally subjected to Fear Pag. 95 96 Several Fears Pag. 96 forward Benefis of holy Fear Pag. 98 forward Two causes of Fear Pag. 99 The uses Pag. 100 forward Foundation of the Church who Pag. 147 forward G. GOD the All-wise and gracious Moderator Pag. 5 Grace for grace how Pag. 10 11 Of Gods Glory at large Pag. 19 20 What Glory due to God from man imports Pag. 20 21 Gods Good-will how superabundant Pag. 43 44 In what particular acts expressed Pag. 45 forw Comfortable inferences thence deduced Pag. 46 The Spirits mission into our hearts a great gift Pag. 68 69 God and the Holy Spirit not unequal ibid. Heart governed by the Spirit Pag. 74 God is Christs Head how Pag. 111 God alone to be invocated Pag. 114 Grace inherent and actual Pag. 139 Concerning Grace at large Pag. 150 forward H. HOw Christ is Holy Pag. 11 12. How Harmless ibid. The benefits of Christ made higher than the Heavens Pag. 17 18 Honour to God wherein it consists Pag. 22 23 24 Heart the Metropolis of the Soul Pag. 34 Humiliation of Christ a work of power mercy justice Pag. 48 forward Wherein it consists Pag. 51 forward Holy Ghost called a Spirit why Pag. 63 64 Spirit of the Son why ibid. Heart principally desired in man Pag. 72 It 's the seat of the Spirit proved Pag. 72 73 Head of the Woman is Man in what respects Pag. 107 Hear the word how Pag. 133 134 I. JEsus a reverend Name Pag. 6 Indignities put upon Christ Pag. 7 8. His intercession Pag. 9. Not for all promiscuously ibid. Fruit of it Pag. 10 Justice and Mercy Pag. 21. Both to be admired Pag. 22 Justification Pag. 41 Illumination of the understanding Pag. 73 A Christian least reason to be idle why Pag. 84 forward Satan gets great advantage by it Pag. 85. Idleness reproved Pag. 87 Vse of it Pag. 88 Insufficient Ministery the evil of it Pag. 132 133 James unde Pag. 145 John what it signifies Pag. 146 K. KIngs their duty Pag. 113 116 117 Four Divinity-Lectures for them Pag. 115 Not exempted from afflictions Pag. 117. To be prayed for Pag. 118 L. LOve God how Pag. 23. Gods love to Mankind Pag. 63 64 Livelihood from the Spirit Pag. 75 76 What love should be betwixt Ministers Pag. 89 Ministers must take heed to their lives how Pag. 126 Gospel why called a Law Pag. 129 130 A perfect Law ibid. A Law of liberty Pag. 130 131 In what language Ministers should deliver their message Pag. 132 M. THe first Man was the first order'd Priest Pag. 3 Mans recovery is by a Mediator Pag. 4 Of Gods Mercy Pag. 39 The Mediator must be both God and Man Pag. 50. forward Mission of the Spirit Pag. 70 Plotters of Mischief Pag. 87 Man is the womans head Pag. 106 forward Ministers improvidence fatal to the Church Pag. 120. Ministery an hard task ibid. Must look to themselves how Pag. 121 Neither spare for love nor fear Pag. 123 124 How called and why Pag. 126 forward Merits confuted Pag. 41 42 N. TO Number our days what Pag. 86 O. THe Offence committed must be purged away by the Nature offending Pag. 5 God added an Oath to the Covenant of grace and peace why Pag. 6 7 Oblation of Christ in the Heavens Pag. 9 Obedience to God internal external largely Pag. 22 23. How qualified Pag. 24 25 Excellency of Order Pag. 103 Offices mutually to be performed by man and wife Pag. 109 forward P. DIgnity of Christ's Priesthood Pag. 7 A double comfort from the purity of our High-Priest Pag. 13 Christ a Pattern for our imitation Pag. 14 Peace fourfold wrought by Christ Jesus Pag. 26 27 How made Pag. 27 28. Peace of a good Conscience amply described Pag. 30 31 32. Peace pressed Pag. 33 34 The Spirit of the Son is a Person why Pag. 66 67 And distinct why ibid. And the third and last Person how ibid. Pilgrimage some kind lawful Pag. 8 Papists false Inferences refuted ibid. forward Apostles are Pillars Pag. 91 Perfection absolute not here Pag. 98 Promises strongest Arguments Pag. 116 Ten Persecutions Pag. 124 125 Perseverance Pag. 135 Practice Pag. 136 Saints estate perfect and imperfect how Pag. 140 forward Protestants whence Pag. 141 Peter the signification Pag. 146 Paul what imports Pag. 151 forward Q. OF Quenching the Spirit Pag. 77 R. ROme's Sacriledge Pag. 10 Righteousness of Christ efficacious to us Pag. 13 14 Resurrection of Christ Arguments proving it Pag. 59. Necessity of it Pag. 60 61. Ends of it Pag. 61 62. The Conclusion Pag. 62 63 Regeneration Pag. 73 Religious hearts in a continual awe of God Pag. 96 Reading and Meditation to be joyned Pag. 134 Remembrance Pag. 135 136 Our Religion how founded Pag. 149 S. THe Son of God must be made the Son of Man Pag. 5 Sufferings of Christ the reason Pag. 8 Christ separate from sinners how Pag. 14. Made sin for us how Pag. 21 22 Benefits by Christs sufferings Pag. 29 Sanctification Pag. 43 None by nature excepted from sins contagion Pag. 43 Sufferings of Christ were incessant Pag. 51 Some specialties Pag. 52. Necessity of them Pag. 53 forward And Effects Pag. 55 forward The Application Pag. 56 Sons of God what Pag. 81 Spirit of truth and of lying Pag. 83 States how guided Pag. 116 Religion the soul of them ibid. Scripture to be compared with Scripture Pag. 134 The Spirit to be supplicated for Pag. 135 Saints two sorts Pag. 138 forward Saul what signifies Pag. 151 T. MYstery of the Trinity Pag. 68 Time an account to be kept of Pag. 84 Precious ibid. Will not be stayed Pag. 85 How we must make account of it ibid. Time must be redeemed Pag. 86 V. CHrist undefiled in the whole course of his life and why Pag. 13 Vbiquity refuted Pag. 17 Vnion with Christ Pag. 73 Vniversality of the Church Pag. 105 Voice of God daunting Pag. 127 128 Vnion must be amongst Ministers Pag. 152 W. CHrist born of a Woman why Pag. 5 6 The Word made flesh how Pag. 13 Divine Worship Pag. 25 26. largely God to be worshipped every where Pag. 90 The merciful project of Gods Eternal Wisdom Pag. 47 Bitterness to Wives discovers it self how Pag. 110 forward Word to be looked into accurately Pag. 131 FINIS