the inward Man both to do for God and to suffer for his sake they go from Strength to Strength in Zion David was too strong for Goliah and overcame him he coming against him in the Name of the Lord. Also they are not so easily corrupted by the Pollution of the Sins of the Times and evil Example of the Wicked as others are they having a glorious Principle of Life in them that preserves them from Soul-Putrefaction He that is born of God cannot commit Sin 1 John 3. IV. The Cedar is a very profitable Tree 't is excellent to build an House withal 1 Kings 6.15 16. Solomon therefore made use of it in building the Temple which we have shewed was a Type of the Gospel-Church IV. The Saints are fit Trees to build God's spiritual House The Beams of the Church are said to be of Cedar Cant. 1.17 which notes the Excellency and Duration of her principal Members V. The Cedar is a Tree full of Sap it also bears a sort of Fruit And it shall bring forth Boughs Ezek. 17.23 and bear Fruit and become a goodly Cedar and under it shall dwell all Fowls of every Wing The Shadow of this Tree it appears is very refreshing V. The Trees of the Lord are said to be full of Sap the Cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted Christ is their precious Root who supplies them with abundance of Grace and inward Vertue Of his Fulness all we receive Joh. 1.14 16. and Grace for Grace And by this means also they are made very fruitful abounding in Holiness and good Works And as they are fruitful to God so likewise they are profitable to Men. How happy is that People or Nation that sit under the Shadow or Protection of a righteous Government when Righteousness and Judgment shall be administred by the Saints All will seek for Shelter under them Which is promised and shall certainly be accomplished in the latter Days Inferences THis may put us upon the Search If the Saints are like goodly Cedars excellent above others well rooted strong durable and useful to God and Men we may hereby try our selves Do we excell do we grow up high Heaven-ward do we grow in Humility Are our Hearts lowest when our Estates are highest When we are most honoured in the Eyes of Men are we most humble in the Sight of God 2. It may also afford Comfort to the Godly What Decays soever they seem now to be under yet they shall return again grow and send forth their Roots as the Cedars in Lebanon Hos 14.6 3. Remember that that Tree which takes the deepest Root spreads its Branches furthest out and brings forth most Fruit. 4. Let it also be remembred that the more the Saints grow like the Cedar and put forth their Roots as Lebanon the more they manifest and clearly shew their being rooted in Christ whose Countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars Cant. 5. 5. How wonderfully are they mistaken that think to tear up by the Roots or throw down God's tall and strong Cedars for notwithstanding the many terrible Blasts and violent Winds that hath most fiercely blown upon them yet they have stood do and will stand The Highest himself shall establish her Saints compared to Myrtle-Trees Isa 41.19 I will plant in the Wilderness the Cedar the Shittah and the Myrtle-Tree c. Isa 55.13 In the stead of the Thorn shall come up the Fir-Tree and in stead of the Bryar shall come up the Myrtle-Tree c. Zech. 1.8 11. I saw by Night and behold a Man riding upon a red Horse and he stood among the Myrtle-Trees that were in the Bottom THe wise God who best knows the Nature and Properties of all Things that his Hands hath made compares the Ungodly oftentimes in holy Scripture to Trees and other Things that are of a hurtful and evil quality or are of such a Nature that He sees will sutably set them forth They are compared to Bryars Thorns Nettles c. And also the Godly are set forth by and compared to several Sorts of Trees as to the Palm-Tree the Cedar the Willow c. and in these Places as many understand to the Myrtle-Tree the Nature of which together with an useful Parallel take as followeth Metaphor Parallel THe Myrtle-Tree is a rare and most excellent Tree a Tree of very great account hardly any one Tree was more accounted of amongst the Romans as Pliny observes the Jews highly esteemed of it THe Saints are a choice People God esteems highly of them As the Myrtle-Tree excells the Thorn and the Bryar so do the Godly excell the Wicked Isa 41.19 Isa 55.13 Isa 43.4 Since thou hast been precious in my Sight thou hast been honourahle c. II. There are divers Sorts of Myrtle-Trees some white and some black Plin. lib. 15. p. 451. some tame and others wild as Historians have noted II. So there are divers Sorts of Christians some more shining in Grace and Holiness than others some by reason of an evil and crooked Nature Grace hardly appears in them c. We read of Fathers young Men and Children III. The best Sorts of Myrtle-Trees were used to be planted in Gardens and were a great Ornament to them their Branches being very green and amiable to look upon III. The Godly those spiritual Trees which God plants in his Church which is his Garden and the most holy and mortified Ones of them such whose Conversation and Profession is amiable whose Branches and spiritual Leaves wither not are a great Ornament to God's Garden IV. The Myrtle-Tree yields most choice and excellent Fruit nay more may be said of it than of any other Tree for it yields two Sorts of Fruit both Oil and Wine Nature saith Pliny sheweth her wonderful Power touching this Tree especially in the Juice considering that of all Fruits it alone doth yield two Sorts both Oil and Wine IV. The Saints of God are a People that yield two Sorts of Fruit to the Honour of God and the Profit of their Neighbour answering to the two Tables In this they excell all other People There are some that are morally righteous they make Conscience of their Duties to Men but do not bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit in answering a good Conscience towards God Herein do I exercise my self c. Acts 24.16 V. The Myrtle-Trees are said to stand in the Bottom Zech. 1.8 11. V. The Saints of God are a People of a lowly and humble Spirit and hence they are compared to the low Vallies whereas the Wicked are compared to lofty Mountains Also the Myrtle-Tree in the Bottom may signify the low and persecuted State of God's People and in that the Angels are said to be amongst them it holds forth the gracious Presence of God with his Saints whilst they are in a low dark and persecuted Condition Yea Psal 23 4. tho I walk saith David through the Valley of the Shadow
Thess 1.3 3. It is called the Faith of God's Elect Tit. 1.1 4. It is called unfeigned Faith 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.5 5. It is called Faith that works by Love Gal. 5.6 6. It is called Faith of the Operation of God Col. 2.12 7. It is called precious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 8. It is called holy Faith 9. It is called the Faith of the Son of God It s excellent Names set forth its transcendent Nature 2. Faith is precious in respect of the Means of its procurement or the Price that was laid down for the obtaining of it viz. the precious Blood of Christ for had not Christ died we should never have had one dram of it it is given to us as the Fruit and Effect of his glorious Undertaking 3. Faith is precious in respect of the Fountain from whence it proceeds 4. Faith is precious in respect of the Means by which it is wrought in the Soul viz. by the Word and Spirit of God in a wonderful manner Eph 1.19 20. even like as God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead 5. Faith is precious in respect of the Object it takes hold of or fasteneth upon viz. God the Father the Holy Spirit but more immediatly Christ crucified Ye believe in God believe also in me 6. Faith is precious in that it joins or unites the Soul to Christ it makes us one with him as it were Flesh of his Flesh Bone of his Bone a lively Member of that Body whereof he is the Head 'T is that which ties the Conjugal Knot between him and every Believer 7. It is the Eye of rhe Soul no Man without it can behold Jesus Christ nor the fulfillings of future Promises Abraham by Faith saw the Day of Christ 8. Hereby a Christian is made a Child of God To as many as received him Joh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believed on his Name Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus 9. It is the only way or means God is pleased to take to deliver the Souls of Men from Sin Wrath and eternal Death 10. It is that which interests the Soul into all the sweet and precious Promises of the Covenant of Grace See Light 11. It is the Instrument of Salvation Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved 12. Faith is a most excellent and precious thing upon the account of the Fruits of it viz. Life Light Peace Purging Boldness at the Throne of Grace Joy in the Holy-Ghost Hope and good Assurance of eternal Life 13. Faith is precious in respect of that glorious Power and Virtue that is in it 'T is medicinable and the most Sovereign Antidote and Cordial in the World 1. It will expell Poyson 2. 'T will perfectly as it applies the Blood of Christ cure a wounded Conscience 3. It will bear up and revive a fainting Spirit Mat. 8.23 I had fainted unless I had believed 4. It is good against the Feebleness of the Knees and Weakness of the hands 5. It is a most excellent thing against Fear and Tremblings of the Heart But when he saw the Wind boysterous he was afraid and beginning to sink Luk. 8.23 Mat. 14.30 he cried saying Lord save me And immediatly Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him O thou of little Faith 6. Ezek. 36.26 It is a precious Remedy against the Stone of a hard Heart it will dissolve it break it in pieces and cure the Soul perfectly of it 7. It cures all manner of inward Deadness it may well be called lively Faith or Faith of the Operation of God 8. Col. 2.12 It is good against the Dimness of the Eyes it helps them that cannot see afar off 9. It is a most Sovereign Thing against evil Spirits it will resist the Devil and make him flie 10. It is excellent good to purge and work out all those noxious and evil Humors of the inward Man cleansing and purifying the Heart 11. It is good against the Falling-Sickness Believers stand by Faith but if through a Temptation they should fall Faith will help them up again David and Peter had not so much Faith as to keep them from from falling yet they had enough to raise them up again when they were fallen It is an universal Remedy it cures all the Diseases of the Soul so that we may say with the Woman let the Distemper be what it will If I can but touch the Hem of his Garment I shall be healed 14. Faith is precious because it shields and gloriously preserves the whole Soul from all Dangers it is that which works with and tends to the perfecting of all other Graces in us 15. It was by Faith that Saints in every Age of the Church Heb. 11. were enabled to undergo and suffer all those hard and bitter Tortures and Torments they met with for Christ's sake 16. It is that which helps the Godly to overcome the World 1 Joh. 5.4 He that is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory which overcometh the World even our Faith VI. Gold is often tried and refined in the Fire we read of Gold seven times refined The Refining-Pot is for Silver Prov. 17.3 and the Furnace for Gold VI. Faith is often tried in the Fire or Furnace of Affliction 1 Pet. 3.12 Think it not strange concerning the fiery Trial which is to try you c. He shall sit as a Refiner's Fire Mal. 3.2 3 and as a Purifier of Silver c. and purge them as Gold and Silver c. God this way tried Abraham's Faith together with the Faith of many others of whom we read I will bring the third part through the Fire and I will try them as Gold is tried Zech. 13.9 VII Tried Gold is much better than that which is not tried nor refined in the Fire VII Faith that is tried is of wonderful value much more to be prized than that which was never brought under Exercise How excellently did Abraham's and Job's Faith shine when tried The Trial of your Faith is much more precious than Gold tho it be tried in the Fire c. VII Gold tried in the Fire is of an enriching Nature if a Man has much of it it enriches him greatly We esteem him a very rich Man that hath great Store of tried Gold in his own Possession VIII So Faith that is tried in the Furnace is of a Soul-enriching Nature he that hath much of this Faith is a very rich Man a rich Saint James 1 5 God hath chosen the Poor of this World rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom See more of the Nature of Gold in the Metaphor Gold where the Word of God is compared to it Metaphor Disparity GOld is naturally an earthy Sort of Metal 't is from beneath and therefore corruptible Not with
Fire Exod. 3.2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a Flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush and he looked and behold the Bush burned and was not consumed c. ACcording to Ainsworth and divers other Expositors by the Bush is meant the Church of God in great Affliction the severe Trials of God's People being often set forth in the holy Scriptures by Fire by a Flame of Fire and sometimes by a smoaking Furnace as in Abraham's Vision Gen. 15.17 And behold a smoaking Furnace and a burning Lamp that passed between the Pieces Gen. 15.17 By the smoaking Furnace was signified to Abraham Israel's great Affliction in Egypt and by the Lamp the Law of God that afterwards was given or as some understand it the Lamp of Deliverance or that Salvation God would work for them c. for that the Salvation of God is like to a Lamp that burneth Isa 52.1 Quest Why is the Church of God compared to a Bush to a burning Bush The Scripture usually sets out the Church by things whose Natures or Qualities are excellent things that are of great Worth c. And why should she be compared to a Bush to a Bramble-Bush for so Ainsworth and others read it Answ Some of the Reasons of it according to our weak Judgment are hinted in the following Parallels Metaphor Parallel A Bush is a thing of small worth and value few esteem or regard a Bramble-Bush stately Trees are viewed and prized and some of them valued highly but so is not a Bush SO likewise the Church of God was then and is now a thing of small value of little or no esteem in the eyes of wicked Men it was no more regarded by proud Pharaoh and many of the Egyptians than a sorry Bramble-Bush Hence the Apostle speaketh of the Church as being very contemptible in the sight of Men. We are made as the Filth of the World 1 Cor. 4.13 and are the Off-scouring of all things unto this day II. A Bramble-Bush as it is a thing of no Worth or Value so it is a thing that hath no Beauty in it in comparison of other Trees it is in no wise taking to the eye Some things that are of no great worth seem very glorious and beautiful but there is none of this in a Bramble II. So the true Church of God is not cloathed with outward Beauty not arrayed in Purple and Scarlet deck'd with Gold precious Stones and Pearls like the Mother of Harlots but seemeth low Rev. 17.4 base and contemptible to a carnal Eye her Beauty being all hidden The King's Daughter is glorious within Psal 45.13 And 't is from hence the World values her no more As Christ made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.7 so the Church for a while remaineth among Men in a like State no carnal Eye that seeth her doth at all desire her III. A Bush is not only a thing of little worth in the esteem of Men but it is in it felf really of small value What is a Bramble worth what is it good for but to be cut down and cast into the Fire III. So the People of God considered abstractively as they are in themselves what are they what Worth or Excellency is in them All the Beauty and Glory of the Church is from Christ They are naturally vile Sinners Mich. 7.4 and are called Thorns Bryars and pricking Brambles and tho converted and changed by the Power of God's Grace yet there remaineth something still of the Old Man and evil Nature in them And God in other Places of Scripture where he compareth them to a Vine to Lillies to a Garden to Golden Candlesticks c. speaks of them with respect to what they are by his special Grace in Christ Jesus But here in comparing them to a Bush he hath respect as we conceive to what they are in themselves and by Nature to set forth their own Unworthiness that so he might thereby raise Moses his Wonder to see the mighty Condescension of the Blessed God in having regard to such a poor and undeserving People to dwell in them and in keeping and preserving them in the midst of such fierce and cruel Enemies when a small Spark might easily consume and destroy them in an instant but that he stretcheth forth his glorious Arms of Grace and Divine Power for their Succour and Relief IV. There is one thing more touching a Bush which for Illustration sake I shall here mention not that the Spirit of God had respect to it in this Vision viz. A Bush is a common Receptacle for Birds 't is the Place where they lodg make their Nests in and are secured from many Dangers that do attend them IV. The Church of God is the chief Place for the Saints of God to dwell or make their Abode in who in the Song of Songs are called Birds The time of the singing of Birds is come c. Cant. 2 12 Which saith Reverend Mr. Ainsworth signifies the Saints who feeling the Comforts of God's Word and Spirit do sing the Praises of God with Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs Isa 24.16 They shall lift up their Voice they shall sing for the Majesty of the Lord and from the uttermost Parts of the Earth we have heard Songs even Glory to the Righteous And indeed in our Judgment the Godly are compared to Birds principally upon this Consideration i. e. in respect to their Singing which is laid down in several places of Scripture as an undoubted Duty I wish that Christians who are not in the practice thereof would consider of it But to proceed How safe is the Bird when she getteth into the Bush so are the Saints when they are got into the Church God being a Wall of Fire round about her Zeâ—h 2.5 and her Defence and Glory on every side V. It is a strange and marvellous thing to see a Bramble-Bush on fire and not consumed this made Moses to turn aside I will turn aside to see this great Sight V. So it is a strange Sight a Prodigy a Mercy to a Wonder enough to astonish all true thinking Christians to see the Church of God the unworthy frail polluted weak and declining Church as set on fire yea all on a Flame as it were many Fires being kindled on her by wicked Adversaries and yet she is not consumed How many Plots and Hellish Contrivances were there on foot against poor Israel in Egypt First They made a Law that the Midwives should kill all their Men-Children when they did their Office Secondly When that would not take because the Midwives feared God and saved the Men-Children alive Eâ—od 1.17 They feared God 't is said and did not as the King of Egypt commanded c. then they thought of another way another Plot was set on foot a new Fire as it were was kindled which was to cast all the Men-Children into the River And Pharaoh charged
thee Isa 41.14 c. Why should Worms seek to destroy one another 6. Lastly What cause is there these things considered to admire that the glorious God of Heaven and Earth should be mindful of a Worm Job 7.17 nay to set his Heart upon him and give his Son to die for him and to take such a poor and contemptible thing as Man into Union and Communion with himself Man compared to a Flower Job 14. He cometh up like a Flower and is cut down Isa 40.6 All Flesh is Grass and all the Goodness thereof as the Flower of the Field A Man in his best Estate and in every Estate is altogether Vanity Caryl so he is in his best Days and in all his Days but a Flower or may be compared to a Flower Metaphor Parallel A Flower hath a Root from whence it grows and springs up SO all Men have one common Root from whence they spring up viz. the first Adam II. A Flower springs up out of the Earth suddenly and at first is but a tender Bud fresh and flourishing II. So Man springs up like a Flower and at first is like a tender Bud fresh and flourishing III. A Flower hath but a little time of continuance tho some abide longer than others yet most Flowers last not long III. So Man that is born of a Woman is but of few Days Job 14.1 his Time is but short upon the Earth tho some continue longer than others yet generally their Days on the Earth are but few in a comparative Sence IV. There are divers Sorts of Flowers some fair to look upon very lovely to the Eye but of an ill Savour IV. So there are divers Sorts of Men and Women some very fair and amiable to the outward Sight but of an ill and stinking Savour in their Lives and Conversations in the Nostrils of God and all good Men having no Grace and are besides of a perverse and crooked Nature V. There are some other Flowers that are not beautiful to the Sight whose Nature and Virtue is most excellent V. So there are some Men and Women who tho they are not lovely and beautiful to carnal Eyes yet are of most sweet and gracious Dispositions and whose Worth and Excellency is exceeding great Psal 45. VI. Great Care is taken of some choice and rare Flowers they are prized at a high rate by such as own them and know their Worth VI. So the Saints who are choice Flowers in God's Esteem are greatly cared for He esteems them above what Men esteem of their choicest Flowers they are his Jewels and prized by him as his chiefest Treasure of them he hath said the World was not worthy Heb. 11. VII Some Flowers greatly magnify the Wisdom of their Creator there being many great Rarities to be seen in them VII So the Wisdom of God appears in the Creation of Man He is a curious Piece of God's Workmanship in his first Make in respect of his Body but more especially touching his Soul But the greatest Rarity that appears in this Flower shines forth in his second Creation in his being new made or transplanted into Christ Jesus whereby he is adorned with all those most transcendent and incomparable Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit VIII The rarest Flowers grow in Gardens what is a Field-Flower to some of these VIII So the best and most choice spiritual Flowers grow in God's Garden the Church What are those sinful Ones who grow in the Field of the World to some of these IX A Flower is most beautiful when it is fully ripe IX So Christ's choice Flowers his precious Saints are most lovely and amiable when they are fully ripe for Heaven X. The Owner of Flowers knows the best Time to crop them and who shall be offended at him when he takes to himself this or that Flower out of his Garden He may do what he pleaseth with his own X. So God knows the best Time to crop off or take away by Death this and that precious Flower Sometimes he cuts them down before others think they are half ripe but God knows better than we He never pulls nor takes any of his Saints unto himself till he seeth they are fit to die And who shall be offended at him in what he doth tho he take such out of the Garden that we would fain have grow still there because they are such a sweet Ornament to it but may not God do what he pleaseth with his own XI Some Flowers are gone on a sudden Naturalists tell us of a Flower that lasteth but one Day and I have read of others that fade in the very Budding XI So some die as soon almost as they are born they are taken away and fade in the very Bud. Also some Christians God crops off and receives to himself as soon as they are born again they come up and are presently cut down c. XII Some Flowers have Seed in them which if sown will produce a Flower again the next Spring XII So Man tho he wither away and die yet his Body is laid but like a Seed in the Earth at Spring viz. in the Resurrection-day he shall arise again Every Seed shall have his own Body it shall not be another but the same Body shall arise from the Dead My dead Body shall arise c. 1 Cor. 15.38 Isa 26.19 Act. 24.5 There shall be a Resurrection both of the Just and Vnjust Inferences WHat a fading thing is Man Let every one from hence learn to make ready to die Happy are they who are fit and prepared for it for Man in his Beauty and chief Flourishing is near unto withering 2. How fading and transient is all our Glory 3. What Fools are Mortals to value themselves so high 4. How vain a thing is it also to set our Hearts inordinately upon our dearest Friends There is mention made of the coming up of this Flower and of its cutting down but nothing of its growing Alas its standing is so small a time it is not taken notice of we are born to die and we die as soon as we are born Saints compared to Babes 11 Pet. 2.1 2. As new-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Simile Parallel A Babe is begotten Abraham begat Isaac Hearken to thy Father that begat thee A Babe in Christ is begotten by the Word and Spirit of God Jam. 1.18 Of his own Will begat he us by the Word of Truth not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever II. A Babe hath not only a Father but also a Mother II. A Saint hath not only God for his Father but the Church for his Mother Jerusalem that is above Gal. 4.26 is the Mother of us all III. A Babe partakes of the same Nature of its Parents That which is born of the Flesh John 3.6 is Flesh III. A Babe
't is Sincerity that imboldens a Christian and makes him valiant Saints compared to Gold Job 23.10 When he hath tried me I shall come forth as Gold Isa 13.12 I will make a Man more precious than fine Gold c. Simile Parallel GOld is a precious Metal it is esteemed as one of the rarest Things on Earth hence Things of great Value are in the holy Scriptures set forth by Gold THe Saints are a choice and precious People the excellent Ones in all the Earth Psal 16.2 Prov. 12.26 Isa 44.4 Lam. 4.2 Deut. 32.9 Since thou hast been precious in my Sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee They are called precious Sons of Zion comparable to fine Gold God esteems them as his Portion The Lord's Portion is his People Jacob is the Lot of his Inheritance II. Gold tho it is a pure Sort of Metal yet there is some Dross in it tho as Naturalists observe there is not any Metal that is more free from Dross and Rust than Gold is II. The Saints of God tho holy very precious and gracious Ones yet are they not without Sin there is some Dross of Corruption in the very best Eccl. 7.20 1 Joh. 1.8 There is not a just Man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us III. Gold is refined in the Fire and thereby is made more pure than it was before III. So the Saints are put into the Fire I mean into the Furnace of Affliction to purge and refine them from all the Dross of their Corruption Job 23.10 When he hath tried me I shall come forth as Gold I will make a Man more precious than fine Gold I will bring the third Part through the Fire and will refine them as Silver is refined Zech. 13.9 and will try them as Gold is tried They shall call upon my Name and I will hear them I will say It is my People and they shall say The Lord is my God IV. Gold is very pliant you may bow and work it as you please and the Fire makes it more pliable and yielding c. IV. So the Saints are of a soft and pliable Nature God having infused his precious Grace into their Hearts they are of a yielding Temper they have Hearts of Flesh and God by putting them into the Fire makes them more pliant and flexible they presently yield to the Will of God when others will not cannot be brought to it V. Gold will endure the Fire tho it be often put into the Furnace yet it loseth nothing but the drossy Part. The Fire doth it much Good it cannot destroy the precious Nature of it Gold retains its Excellency in despite of the envious Rage of fiery Flames V. So the Saints of God or all sincere Ones endure the fiery Trial they are not burned up not consumed in the Furnace of Affliction tho heated seven-fold tho it burn their Bodies into Ashes and reduce their Flesh as one observes into the first Atoms yet the Saint the Gold is not hurt nor doth he receive the least Damage thereby Sincere Christians are compared to Gold and Hypocrites to Wood Hay and Stubble which the Fire will burn up VI. Gold is often formed into Vessels rarely wrought for the Pleasure Honour and Use of Princes and great Men. VI. See Vessel God frames some of his Saints for most excellent Use he makes of them Vessels of Honour to hold the glorious Treasure of the Gospel and to let it out to others These are fitly compared to fine Gold Lam. 4.2 altho accounted as earthen Pitchers VII Gold is carefully kept Men set highly by it and often hide it lest Thieves should steal it away VII So God sets highly by his Saints He keeps them carefully Day and Night They are called his hidden Ones He covers them under his Wings from the Pride of Men. VIII Men suffer great Pains for Gold run great Losses and Hazards to obtain it and make it sure to themselves VIII So Jesus Christ suffered great Pain and Loss for his poor Saints he laid down his Life for them We were not redeemed with Silver and Gold 1 Pet. 1.18 19. from our vain Conversations but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish Simile Disparity GOld is earthly and of a perishing Nature it weareth away by little and little the more it is put to use the more it wasteth THe Saints tho their Bodies are earthly and die yet they shall never perish and their better Part is spiritual and shall never see Corruption The more Service they do the more glorious they shall be Saints are not the worse for wearing II. Gold hath its Glory from Art were it not moulded shaped and furbished by the Wit of Man it would not be so glorious nor of that esteem as now it is II. But the Saints have all their Glory from Grace it is not the Work of Mens Hands but the Work of God's Hands that makes them to shine they are curiously wrought and fashioned by the Spirit from whence they become glorious III. Gold is Gold naturally as it is dug out of the Earth tho not so pure as it is made afterwards by the Art and Industry of Man III. But the Saints were meer Lumps of Filth Earth and not Gold naturally 'T is Grace that makes them excellent as Gold 't is Grace that makes them differ from others Inferences THis shews forth the great Worth of God's peculiar Ones they are esteemed by him far more excellent than Gold is by Men. 2. It speaks forth much Comfort to the Godly God so prizeth them that he keeps them as carefully as we do the choicest and rarest Gold 3. It shews the Excellency of Grace Grace is of a transforming Nature it is like the Philosopher's Stone it turns every Man and Woman be they never so vile and base Metal into Gold i. e. it makes them holy precious and gracious Ones in God's Sight Saints compared to Doves Mat. 10.16 Be ye harmless as Doves DOves are 1. Meek 2. Harmless 3. Chast 4. They make their Nests in a Rock 5. They feed upon pure Grain not on Cartion as Fowls of Prey do 6. Have a lovely Eye and always fixed upon their Mates 7. They love to keep Company together 8. Mourn when they have lost the Sight of their Mates 9. They are often molested by Fowls of Prey 10. They are very fruitful 11. They love to be by sweet Springs and Rivers of Water 12. They were appointed under the Law for Sacrifices 13. They have no Defence but by Flight Upon all these Considerations Saints may be compared to Doves which is largely opened under the Eighth Head of Metaphors concerning the Church to which we refer you Saints compared to Lambs in a large Place Hosea 4.16 Now the Lord will feed them as a Lamb in a large
so eminent so visible and lasted so long for they continued in the Church two or three hundred Years and the Account of them has descended down to us by such a constant uninterrupted written and unwritten Tradition that scarce any Man has assumed Impudence enough to gainsay them Irenaeus who lived about the Year of our Lord 200 affirmeth that in his Time the working of Miracles the raising of the Dead the casting out of Devils healing the Sick by meer laying on of Hands and Prophesying were still in force and that some that were so raised from the Dead remained alive amongst them long after And Cyprian and Tertullian mention the ordinary casting out of Devils and challenge the Heathen to come and see it Remarkable are those Words of the latter (h) Tertullian Apol. Ca. 23. Let any one be brought before your Tribunals who is apparently possessed with a Devil that Spirit being commanded by any Christian shall confess of truth himself to be a Devil as at other Times he boasts himself a God And in his Book to Scapula the Procurator of Africk Cap. 4. he repeats several miraculous Cures done by Christians Quanti honesti viri c. How many Persons of good Quality and Esteem says he for we speak not of the Vulgar Sort have been remedied either from Devils or Diseases Severus himself the Father of Antoninus was recovered by Christians c. So that here we have the best Doctrine under the highest Attestation God himself setting thereunto his supernatural Seals to convince us of the Truth thereof And this was the great Argument whereby Christ all along convinced the World for upon his beginning of Miracles at Cana in Galilee he manifested his Glory and his Disciples believed in him (i) Joh. 1.48 The Jews therefore enquired for Signs as that which must confirm any new Revelation to be of God (k) Joh. 2.18 And tho Christ blames them for their unreasonable unsatisfied Expectations herein and would not humor them in each Particular yet he continued to give them Miracles as great as they desired They that saw the Miracles of the Loaves said This is of a truth the Prophet that should come into the World (l) Joh. 6 14. Many believed when they saw the Miracles which he did (m) Joh. 10 4â— Acts 4.16 Heb. 2.4 If I had not done the Works that no Man else could do ye had not had Sin in not believing (n) Joh. 15.24 And the Way of bringing Men to believe in these Days is expressed Heb. 2.3 4. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those that heard him There is the Evidence of Sense to the first Reâ—eivers and their Tradition to the next God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles Let us conclude this Argument with that smart Interrogation of that blind Man (o) Joh. 19.16 Can a Man that is a Sinner do such Miracles Natural Reason shewing us that God being the true and merciful Governor of the World the Course of Nature cannot be altered but by his special Appointment and that he will never set the Seal of his Omnipotency to a Lie nor suffer the last and greatest Inducement to Belief to be used to draw Men to embrace Falshood and Forgeries 9. The wonderful Preservation of the Scriptures IX To these astonishing Miracles we may fitly add the Preservation of these holy Writings for so many Ages being it self little less than miraculous and such as is a great Argument that they belong to God as the Author and Parent of them It being reasonable to derive that from God as a Book of his own Dictates about which he has exercised a peculiar Care Were not the Bible what it pretends to be there had been nothing more suitable to the Nature of God and more becoming Divine Providence than long since to have blotted it out of the World For why should he suffer a Book to continue from the beginning of Times falsly pretending his Name and Authority How do learned Men accuse Time of Injuries for swallowing up the Works of many excellent Authors and bewail the Loss of divers of Livy's Decades and other choice Books which are now no where to be found Nay tho the Romans were so careful for the preservation of the Books of the Sybils that they lock'd them up in Places of greatest Safety and appointed special Officers to look after them yet many Ages since they are gone and perished and only some few Fragments do now remain Whereas on the contrary the Bible notwithstanding part of it was the first Book in the World as we proved in the second Argument and tho the Craft of Satan and the Rage of Mankind have from time to time combin'd utterly to suppress it yet it has born up its Head and remains not only extant but whole and entire without the least Mutilation or Corruption Antiochus Epiphanes when he set up the Abomination of Desolation in the Jewish Temple in the Days of the Machabees with utmost diligence made search after their Law and wheresoever he found it immediatly burnt or destroy'd it and threatned Death with exquisite Tortures to any that should conceal or retain it In like manner since Christ the Tyrant Dioclesian about the Year 300 with a full purpose to root out Christianity for ever out of the World publishes an Edict That the Scriptures should every where be burnt and destroyed and whosoever should presume to keep them should be most severely tormented Yet God permitted them not to quench the Light of these Divine Laws But the Old Testament above two hundred Years before the Incarnation of Christ was translated into Greek the most flourishing and spreading Language at that time in the World and about thirty Years before Christ it was paraphras'd into Caldee and at this Day both Old and New Testaments are extant not only in their Original Languages but in most other Tongues and Languages that are spoken upon the Face of the Earth which no other Book can pretend to So that all Endeavours that have from the very first been bent against it have been vanquished and remarkable Judgments and Vengeance shew'd on all such as have been the most violent Opposers of it And further whereas even those to whom it was outwardly committed as the Jews first and the Antichristian Church of Apostatiz'd Rome afterwards not only fell into Opinions and Practices absolutely inconsiltent with it but also built all their present and future Interests on those Opinions and Practices yet none of them could ever obliterate one Line in it not even of those Places which make most against their obstinate Errors and Defections But for their own Plea they both are forced to pretend additional Traditions for the Mishua Talmud and Cabala of the Jews and the Oral Traditions of the Papists all
Death Secondly the Grave Thirdly Coals and Flames of Fire Which shew forth the vehement Power and Force of Divine Love to Jesus Christ Which cannot be quenched First Love is compared to Death and the Grave Metaphor Parallel DEath and the Grave overcome the strongest Men it prevails over the most powerful wise and learned in the World neither can the most mighty Monarch encounter Death or stand before it there is no discharge in that War SO Love that is in the Heart of a sincere Christian prevails against all Difficulties and Oppositions Temptations Afflictions and most cruel Sufferings and Torments that can be exercised upon them as appeared by the blessed Martyrs Nothing is too hard for Love it cannot be subdued it overcomes all Sin and Suffering whatsoever II. Death and the Grave seize upon every part of the corporal or mortal Body II. So Love when shed abroad in the Heart seizeth upon all the Faculties of the Soul Hence it is that true Christians are said to love Christ with all their Hearts and with all their Souls Metaphor Disparity DEath and the Grave put an end to natural Life and so cause all Motions or Actions from thence to cease BUt Love hath that Virtue as it is a Grace of the Spirit that it sets all the Faculties of the Soul upon Acts of a spiritual Life None are so lively as those that truly love Jesus Christ II. Death overcomes and destroys that which we would if possible keep viz. our Lives that are most dear to us II. Love only overcomes that which is offensive and contrary to us or that stands in opposition to the Soul's Union with Christ making that which would be injurious to Flesh and Blood to become profitable and advantagious yea tho it be to the Loss of Life yet Love takes away the Fear of Death and makes the Soul willing to part with Life for Christ's sake Love is also compared to Coals and Flames of Fire Metaphor Parallel COals and Flames of Fire are of a burning and consuming Quality THe Grace of Love kindled in the Soul of a Believer burns up and consumes that inordinate Desire which is naturally in the Heart after the Things and Vanities of this World it eats up and consumes all carnal and sensual Lusts whatsoever all fleshly and combustible Stuff or Things that stand in the way are burnt up and destroyed by it II. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a purging and purifying quality II. So the Grace of Love purgeth cleanseth and purifieth the Soul the Dross and Filth of the Heart and Life being wasted away a Christian is made holy sanctified and heavenly thereby III. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a melting and softning Nature they make things tender and pliable meet to receive the Impression of a Seal c. III. So the Grace of Love softens the Heart and melts it making it pliable and very fit and capable to receive the Impression and Divine Image of God IV. Some Fire is so vehement that Water thrown upon it will not quench it but rather cause it to burn more fierce and vehemently IV. The Grace of Love is of such a strong and vehement Nature thâ—t it is impossible utterly to quench or extinguish it in the Soul tho the Devil daily useth all his Strength and Skill to do it Many ways he continually assaults Believers when Temptations of one sort fail he trieth others he offers worldly Pleasures Honours Riches yea all the Goods as I may say of his House but all is in vain nothing will quench this Divine Flame the true Christian utterly contemns him with all he hath The grand Design of Satan's courting a Man with all his Offers All this will I give thee c. is to gain his Love or draw off his Affections from Jesus Christ If this Way will not do he tries another and brings Afflictions and Crosses upon the Soul but over these likewise is a Saint a Conqueror Which makes the Apostle break forth into this holy Triumph Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distress Rom. 8.35 36 37 38. or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword No none of these things can For I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. V. Fire hath Light with it V. So the Grace of Love is attended with the Knowledg of Christ who is the Object of Love Ignoti enim nulla cupido VI. Coals and Flames of Fire afford Heat they are of a warming and reviving Nature VI. So the Grace of Love heats our cold and frozen Hearts it warms and revives them with sweet and blessed Love and Zeal for God and his Glory VII Flames of Fire ascend or tend continually upwards See more of the Nature and Quality of Fire where the Word of God is compared to it VII So the Grace of Love darts the Desires of the Soul Heavenwards Such have their Affections set on Things above Col. 3.1 2. Metaphor Disparity FIre is from beneath it is earthy and one of the four Elements THe Grace of Love is from above it is a supernatural Grace it grows not in Natures Garden But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love c. II. A violent Fire may be quenched and all natural and elementary Fire shall be put out Mount Aetna shall not burn always II. But the Grace of Love this Divine Fire can never be quenched it shall burn to Eternity Charity never faileth c. Inference BY these Things Works and Operations we may try whether we have true Love to Jesus Christ or no. And for a further Help therein see the following Metaphor Christ's Love compared to Wine Cant. 1.2 For his Love is better than Wine WHereas Christ's Love is preferred to Wine it is to be understood Synecdochically so Ainsworth Wine here is put for the most pleasant joyful refreshing and cordial Things as Bread by the same Figure is frequently put for such things as strengthen c. The Love of Jesus Christ is better than Wine or whatsoever Men esteem to be good or to excell in Nature and Virtue Metaphor Parallel VVIne is the Fruit of a good Tree a choice and precious Plant and 't is the best of natural Liquors THe Love of Christ is the Fruit of the choicest Plant that ever was planted Men and Angels are not to be compared to him See Vine And his Love is the best and choicest of Love Wine is natural but his Love is Divine and supernatural None ever loved as Christ loved II. Wine is pleasant delectable and sweet to the Taste II. There is nothing so pleasant and delectable to a believing Soul as the Manifestation of Christ's Love it excells all things for sweetness III. Wine is to be
due Preparation which doth consist in these four or five Particulars 1. A sincere Confession of those Sins which we find out upon diligent Search and Examination 2. Godly Sorrow for the same manifested by putting away the Filth of the Flesh We must come with clean hands and a pure Heart 3. We oughtt to forgive those who have offended us Christ commands us to be reconciled to our Brother The Apostle exhorteth us to lay aside all Malice We must not eat with the â—â—leavened Bread of Malice and Wickedness 1 Cor. 5.8 4. Faith in the Death and Blood-shedding of Jesus Christ 5. We ought to do it in remembrance of his Death 1. With an affectionate Remembrance The Sight of our Eyes ought to affect our Hearts 2 A sorrowful Remembrance in contemplaton of what our Sins brought upon our dear Saviour They were the Thorns as I may say that crowned him and the Nails that fastened him to the Cross 3. With a Sin-loathing and self-abhorring Remembrance 4. With a thankful Remembrance Tho we have cause of Sorrow considering the Nature of our Sin and horrid Evil thereof yet there is great cause of Joy and Thanksgiving to behold a Saviour who in Bowels of Love died to redeem and save us from them Quest How may a Christian with much comfort upon examination receive the Lord's Supper Answ 1. If there is no Sin in thy Heart or Life which thou regardest or doest allow thy self in bearest with or connivest at 2. If thou dost loath Sin as well as leave it when 't is not only out of thy Conversation but out of thy Affection also To hate and loath Sin is more than to leave it Persons never willingly leave or forsake that they love 3. If thou canst say in truth that thou wouldest be made holy and doest labour after it as well as to be made happy to be throughly sanctified as well as to be saved live to God here as well as live with God hereafter to have Sin mortified as well as pardoned 4. If Christ is most precious to thee and hath the chiefest Room in thy Heart If upon Trial thou findest these things are in very deed wrought in thee thon mayest with much comfort come to the Sacrament Quest Of what Vse is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to us Answ 1. It shews the horrid Nature and Evil of Sin in that nothing could expiate it nor satisfy the Justice of God or make a Compensation for it but the Blood of Jesus Christ 2. It shews the wonderful Love of God to poor Sinners in giving up his own dear Son to die the cursed Death of the Cross for us 3. It shews the wonderful Love of Jesus Christ who freely laid down his Life for our sakes Greater Love hath no Man than this Joh. 15.13 Rom. 5.8 10. that a Man lay down his Life for his Friend but Christ hath laid down his Life for us when we were Enemies to him by wicked Works 4. It tends to encrease our Love to Christ and our Faith in him 5. It shews us that Christ is our Life and how and by what means we come to be saved 6. It seals the Covenant of Grace to us giveth us in the right use of it much assurance that Christ is ours 7. There is a mystical Conveyance or Communication of all Christ's blessed Merits to our Souls through Faith held forth hereby and in a glorious manner received in the right participation of it 8. It may animate and encourage us to suffer Martyrdom when called to it for his sake Christ our Passeover 1 Cor. 5.7 For Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us THe Passeover or Paschal Lamb being a most eminent Type of the Messiah of which see our Sacred Philology in the Chapter of Sacred Rites where you have the Reason of its Typical and Metaphorical Representation we shall here run an apt Parallel betwixt that illustrious Type and the most holy Anti-type Type Parallel THe Paschal Lamb must be without blemish entire whole sound not blind nor broken not sick nor bruised SHadowing forth the Perfection and Innocency of Christ in whose Lips were found no Guile As a Lamb without blemish and without spot II. He was to be a Year old II. Signifying the Experience Christ should have of our Miseries whereof even a Day 's continuance yields sufficient proof as also that Perfection of Christ in like sort And that in fulness of time he should come and suffer a Year being a perfect Revolution of the Sun's Course Guild III. It was to be taken out of the Flock III. Christ was taken from amongst Mankind Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood He also himself likewise took part of the same c. IV. It was to be separated from the Flock IV. Christ was separate from Sinners V. It was to be slain and that in the Evening V. So Christ died saith Mr. Ainsworth in that season viz. in the Evening of the Day also in the Evening of Time in the latter Age of the World VI. The Blood was to be sprinkled on the Lintel Exod. 12.7 and Door-Posts that the Angel seeing the same might pass by VI. Signifying that Christ's Blood must be applied by us and where Christ is received 1 Cor. 1.30 and the Soul sprinkled by Faith Sanctification outwardly will appear in the Practice of the Life VII The Lamb was to be roasted with Fire Vers 8. VII Moses unvailed p. 62. Signifying saith Mr. Guild the Agony of Christ in the Garden and the Wrath of his Father which he did endure both in Soul and Body It was a Sign either of the Spirit of God which is compared to Fire through which Christ offered himself or of the Fire of God's Wrath Heb. 9.14 which he suffered when he was made a Curse for us VIII It was to be roasted with Head and Legs and the Appurtenances thereof that is it must be roasted all and whole not cut in pieces VIII This signifies our full Communion with Christ whole and undivided Ainsworth 1 Cor. 13. Gal. 2.20 IX No Bone of the Lamb was to be broken IX Os nullum illius Agni frangi voluit Deus c It signifies that not a Bone of Christ should be broken as it was prophesied of him X. The Lamb was to be eaten X. Christ is spiritually to be received and fed upon Joh. 6.55 My Flesh is Meat indeed c. Verse 9. XI It was not to be eaten raw XI Noting that we should be well prepared when we come to the Sacrament Guild XII It was to be eaten all and with unleavened Bread XII Signifying that in Christ nothing is unprofitable or to be rejected and that we ought to eat with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth XIII It was to be eaten with bitter Herbs XIII Which typified forth the bitter Sorrows and Sufferings of Christ and that we should eat
never fell from their first Estate Christ is not to them a Redeemer for their Restoration but only a Head for their Confirmation But why Angels are called Sons of God will appear in the following Parallel Metaphor Parallel A Son is the Off-spring of the Father ANgels are the Off-spring of God Adam was called the Son of God by Creation so may the Angels because created by God II. A Son is greatly beloved by the Father II. Angels are greatly beloved of the Almighty III. Sons attend honour and wait upon their Father they are about his Table and at his Command III. Angels wait upon God they stand about his Throne and are always ready to obey his Command and seek his Glory IV. Sons are greatly dignified they are near to their Father and have great Power and Authority in the Family IV. Angels are greatly dignified they are very near to God Mat. 18.10 always beholding his Face and are mighty in power Mr. Caryl saith They are called Sons of God because of Power being called Principalities and Powers c. V. Sons serve their Father cheerfully willingly and readily they obey not as Slaves or Servants V. Angels serve God with abundance of Cheerfulness and Willingness they go about their Work with a Filial or Son-like Cheerfulness and Delight VI. Sons are like their Father they have some Resemblance of him in Nature and Qualifications VI. Angels have some essential Likeness to God God is a Spirit and incorporeal the Angels are Spirits in their Nature and incorporeal Tho the difference between God and them is as great as can be conceived in this respect God is the creating Spirit and they are created Spirits God is an infinite Spirit they finite Spirits Yet the Angels bear as the Learned observe some resemblance to God in their Essence as well as in their Qualification and may in this respect be called the Sons of God likewise VII And lastly Sons imitate their Father Do good to them that hate you saith Christ that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven That is Imitate God as some Children do their Fathers carry it towards evil Men as God doth and this will be an Evidence that you are the Sons of God and he will honour you with the Title of his Sons VII Angels imitate God in Mercy in Love and Compassion as also in their good Works their Ways being all holy just and good pure and righteous and shewing much Kindness and Tenderness to the Children of Men. They doubtless are patient towards the froward and undeserving Mortals they are of most excellent Natures and Dispositions No Creatures do imitate God so plainly or fully as they do and from hence they may be called the Sons of God Inferences THis may teach us how to carry our selves towards God our Father We should labour to be like the Angels Our Saviour hath taught us to pray That the Will of God may be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven Mat. 6.10 We who are God's Sons on Earth should imitate the Sons of God in Heaven We should serve God as cheerfully and with the like Alacrity of Heart as the holy Angels and labour not only to imitate the Angels and be like them but also to imitate God himself for He hath set himself before us for our direct and immediate Example Mat. 5.44 And hereby God will not be ashamed to be called our God He will not grudg us the Honour and Title of Sons which as it appears by this is a most glorious Dignity and Privilege even such a one that is conferred upon the holy Angels of Heaven c. The Holy Angels compared to an Host or Army Gen. 32.1 Jacob went on his way and the Angels of God met him Verse 2. And when Jacob saw them he said This is God's Host And he called the Name of that Place Mahanaim that is two Hosts or Camps Luke 2.13 And suddenly there was with the Angel a Multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God c. ANgels so named of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angelos in Hebrew Maleac Messenger or Legate one sent or employed in any Work are in these Scriptures called God's Host or Army not that he needeth them to protect himself or suppress his Enemies being infinitely stronger than all the Armies he himself hath and then what is the Strength and Force of all the Armies of his Enemies Therefore when God is said to have Armies it is either to signify First That he hath all things at his Command and is full of Power Or secondly That altho he can do all things by himself yet he will use the Agency of his Creatures to effect his Purpose Metaphor Parallel AN Host or Army have a Prince or General who is the Head of them THe Lord's Host or Army of Angels have a Prince or General who is their Head and Leader viz. the Lord Jesus Christ who is câ—lled the Head of Principalities and Powers II. An Host or Army consists of many Companies amongst which there are divers Ranks and Orders and yet all in Subjection to their Prince and chief Leader II. Angels the Lord's Host consist of many Companies or Legions Mat. 26.53 Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father and he shall send me more than twelve Legions of Angels Christ spake in the Roman Phrase who reckoned their Armies by Legions as we by Regiments Six thousand six hundred sixty six was the Number of a Legion then the Number of twelve Legions was Seventy nine thousand nine hundred ninety two a great Army But how many more no Man can say Christ pitched upon a great certain Number to shew saith Mr. Caryl he could have what Number he pleased if he did but call for them We are come saith the Apostle to an innumerable Company of Angels The Lord's Camp is very great The Chariots of the Lord are twenty thousand even many thousands of Angels Psal 68.17 We read of many Degrees or Orders of Angels which some account to be nine 1. Cherubims that is Angels of Knowledg as St. Hierom interprets the Word but others from Cherub a Figure or Image Others from Chi a Note of Similitude and a Chaldee Word which signifies Puerum Juvenem a Youth And so as a learned Writer observes they were usually represented in the shape of a young Man to shew them to be intellectual Creatures of a young Man to express their Vigor and Strength with Wings to declare their Agility and Swiftness These we read were placed at the East End of the Garden of Eden with a flaming Sword Gen. 3.24 Exod. 25. 1 Kings 1.6 Ezek 10. Psal 104.4 and their Figures were appointed to be placed over the Mercy-Seat in the Tabernacle and Temple 2. Seraphims the Angels or Zeal Their Name is from an Hebrew Word which signifies to burn or burning according to that of the Psalms He maketh his Ministers a Flame of
Communion with God II. The Palm-Tree grows in the purest Soil it will not grow in filthy Places it loves to spread forth its Roots by a River it loves not dungy Soil as other Trees do II. The Righteous flourish best in a pure Soil in a Land where the Gospel is preached in its purity They are planted in a choice Garden Christ's blessed Vineyard in the Courts of the Lord's House as it follows in the Psalm Psal 92.13 14. 1 Joh. 5.19 They are transplanted out of and love not the polluted and idolatrous World that lies in Wickedness which smells like a Dunghill but in the Garden of God III. The Palm is an even and very strait Tree and grows upright Hence 't is said of Idols that they are upright like the Palm-Tree III. The Saints of God are a People sincere of an upright Heart and of an upright Conversation for tho naturally they are rough knotty and crooked like others yet Grace works out or cuts off that Crookedness Uncomeliness or Unevenness that naturally was in them IV. The Palm-Tree when young is a very weak Plant it is so feeble that it can hardly stand of it self And therefore Pliny says they usually plant three or four of them together and by that means they strengthen one another and stand the faster IV. The Saints of God when first converted are usually weak and feeble and hardly able to stand of themselves without the help and support of their Brethren but when planted together in God's Vineyard they thrive greatly confirming and strengthning one another which shews the Excellency of Christian Communion and Fellowship Isa 35.3 Strengthen ye the weak Hands and confirm the feeble Knees Support the Weak V. The Palm-Trees Naturalists tell us by growing together do join clasp and grow one to the other and by that means grow very strong and flourish exceedingly V. The Saints and People of God by being planted together in Gospel-Fellowship and Communion do or ought so to join clasp and cleave in Love and Affection one to another as to become as it were all but one Tree and hereby they are made very strong and flourish exceedingly VI. The Palm-Tree is one of those Trees that are always green green in Winter as well as in Summer it doth not cast its Leaves nor fade as the expression in Psal 1.3 VI. The Godly are compared to Trees that are always green Greenness is caused from the abundance of Sap that flows from the Root Luk 23.31 Christ is called a green Tree Greenness as applied to the Godly notes their abounding in inward Grace and Holiness from the Root Christ Psal 52.14 I am saith David as a green Olive-Tree in the House of the Lord. Saints are said to be fed in green Pastures that is such Pastures as afford precious and pleasant Food as also Plenty Sincere Christians continually abide green and flourishing they are like Trees planted by the River-side that bring forth Fruit in their Season their Leaf shall not wither They hold up their Profession not only in the Summer of Prosperity but in the very Winter of Adversity and maintain their Vertue and Beauty in the hardest Time Psal 92.14 They shall saith David still bring Fruit in old Age they shall be fat and flourishing VII The Palm-Tree doth not only keep up its Greenness and the Beauty of its Leaves but it is a Tree that is full of Fruit and that good Fruit pleasant Fruit sweet Fruit Fruit that is excellent Cordial which you know Dates are Surely saith Pliny new Dates as they come from the Tree are so exceeding pleasant and delicious that a Man can hardly forbear and make an end in good time VII The Righteous are a People that have not only the Greenness of Profession and the Greenness of Grace and inward Vertue in their Hearts but also the Fruit of a good Life Their Conversation is full of good Fruit the Fruit of Righteousness is pleasant Fruit choice and precious Fruit no Fruit is like the Fruit of the Spirit which is Love Joy Peace Gal 5.22 Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith c. Saints are very fruitful Trees they may fitly in this respect be compared to the Palm-Tree VIII The Palm-Tree will thrive under heavy Pressures or Weights that are hanged upon it The Palm-Tree saith Mr. Caryl doth grow up when it is most prest down When there are the heaviest Weights hung upon it then it grows highest when it is as it were kept down the Burthens that are upon it cannot make it bow nor grow crooked This Tree saith Ainsworth tho pressed yet it endureth and prospereth It is a Tree of an excellent Nature VIII Psâ—l 92.12 Thus the Righteous flourish like the Palm-Tree they grow and encrease in Grace and Holiness tho under great Burthens and Pressures The Devil strives to press them down Sin endeavours to press them down wicked Men endeavour to press them down and yet they thrive and grow exceedingly The Righteous shall hold on his Way and he that hath clean Hands shall grow stronger and stronger 'T is said of the People of Israel Exod. 1.11 12. when Pharaoh put heavy Weights upon them when he set Task-Masters to afflict them with their Burthens the more he afflicted them the more they multiplied Persecution never does godly Christians any harm they grow the more not only in Number but in Goodness It refines and purifies them it purges and makes them white they grow in Faith in Patience Tribulation worketh Patience Rom. 5.4 5. and Patience Experience and Experience Hope Here is a growing and flourishing like the Palm-Tree under heavy Pressures and Afflictions They get more Knowledg also of their own Hearts and more Acquaintance and Communion with God the Spirit of Grace and Glory resteth upon such And thus the Righteous flourish like the Palm-Tree under Weights and heavy Pressures of Afflictions IX The Branches of the Palm-Tree were used as Signs of Victory and Rejoycing when the People would express their great Joy When they beheld Christ riding triumphantly to Jerusalem Joh. 12. they cut down Palm-Branches c. Also the Hundred Forty Four Thousand Rev. 7.9 who were redeemed from the Earth that were cloathed in white are said to have Palms in their hands IX Saints are as Palm-Branches in Christ's hand as a Sign of that glorious Victory he hath obtained over Sin Satan the World Death Hell and Wrath and all other Enemies whatsoever Also as one observes their being compared to the Palm-Tree may signify that victorious and triumphant State and eternal Joy which they shall obtain after the heavy Pressures Sorrows and Afflictions that attend them in this World are ended Inferences THis shews forth the Excellency of true Grace such is its rare Nature that it causeth the Soul that receives it to grow like a Palm-Tree 2. God hereby outwits the Mighty There is no Counsel against the Lord. The Ungodly hang their Weights
that the Saints are so subject to be overtaken with spiritual Drouziness Answ 1. From the Weakness and Dulness of the Flesh The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak 2. By being slothful negligent and out of Employment when we grow indifferent and careless and neglect our Work neglect Prayer Reading and Hearing God's Word Prov. 19.15 no marvel if we soon fall asleep Slothfulness casteth into a deep Sleep 3. By being amongst sleepy Folks This is apt to make a wakeful Person in a little time drowsy and subject to nod too a sleepy Family a sleepy Church a sleepy Ministry usually hath bad effects upon this account upon a Spiritual Christian therefore prize a Soul-awakening Ministry 4. By means of long watching Whilst the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept 5. A black dark and gloomy Day is subject to cause one to grow drowsy as most men can experience 6. By an Apprehension 't is a long while to day time enough saith the Sluggard to arise Men think of living long and that it will be a great while before the Lord comes c. Wicked Men Fools Psal 14.1 The Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God Eccles 10.3 Yea also when he that is a Fool walketh by the way his Wisdom faileth him and he saith to every one that he is a Fool. Job 5.2 3. For Wrath killeth the foolish Man and Envy slayeth the silly One Job 30.8 They were Children of Fools yea Children of base Men they were viler than the Earth Luke 12. Thou Fool this Night thy Soul shall be required of thee SIN is Folly great Folly and Sinners are Fools how often in the Proverbs are ungodly Men tho accounted very worldly-wise called Fools simple Ones Men of no Vnderstanding Simile Parallel A Fool is one that knows not what is good what is best for him he is a Man of no Understanding SO wicked Men know not what is good and right in it self they know not what is good for themselves they are Men of no Understanding they cry Who will shew us any Good That is Psal 4.6 saith Mr. Caryl any good Cheer Plenty of Corn and Wine They esteem Gold and Silver and other outward good Things before Pardon Peace of Conscience and the Favour of God and are therefore Fools II. A Fool or Idiot will hurt wrong or abuse himself Perhaps you have heard of the Gentleman's Fool who happened to be in Company with a Carpenter and the Carpenter making himself merry with him hid his Hat But it so fell out as the Matter is related the Carpenter some time after chanced to fall asleep with his Head upon a Block which the Fool observing he took an Ax and chopp'd off his Head and hid it amongst the Chips and then went laughing away but being asked wherefore he laughed O saith he I have cut off the Carpenter's Head and have hid it amongst the Chips and I wonder how he will do to find it when he awakes But for this he was committed to Prison and when he was brought to his Trial the Judg was informed that he was a natural Fool but that he might be convinced it was true he ordered a Knife to be given to him and accordingly it was then said the Judg to the poor Idiot Cut your self with that Knife and he poor Soul did so immediately by which the Judg knew he was indeed a Fool and so acquitted him II. Wicked Men hurt themselves Nothing wrongs or wounds a Man more than Sin hence called a Dart Sting c. Yet so void are all ungodly Men of Understanding that they consent to Sin yield to Sin run as it were this Spear into their own Bowels wound themselves to the very Heart and yet say Are not we in Sport Can there be any greater Folly or a more palpable Sign of a Fool than for a Man to whip lash scourge and do thus unto himself When Satan tempts Men to sin he doth as it were put a Knife into their hands and then bids them cut and slash themselves with it and yet no sooner doth Satan thus tempt and entice them but they presently consent to him until they have wounded themselves from the Crown of their Heads to the Soles of their Feet What Man but a Fool would run into the Hornets Nests or after this lamentable manner wound himself Sinners are such Fools that they play with the Asp and delight to be at the Mouth of the Cockatrice-Den Sin in the holy Scriptures is compared to both these cruel Serpents and hence the Poyson of Asps is said to be under their Tongues Who but Fools or mad Men Psal 140.3 Rom. 3.13 will sport and play with such venemous Serpents or drink down deadly Poyson when told again and again what it is and what the Effects of it will be and yet they will do it Prov. 23.31 32. Look not upon the Wine when it is red when it giveth its Colour in the Cup when it moveth it self aright That is whatever Allurements there are to Sin take heed of it At last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder III. Is not that Man a Fool who will harbor a Thief in his House and tho he be told of it and that he is in danger of losing all his Goods and having his Throat cut by him he being a bloody Murtherer yet laughs at it and loves his Enemy and hugs him in his Bosom and resolves to eat and drink with him and lodg him in his chiefest Room and yet is informed this Thief never spared any Man that shewed him Favour III. Wicked Men harbor Sin and deceitful Lusts in their Souls which is the bloodiest Thief and Murtherer that ever was that spares none nor ever did who entertained it or took delight therein It hath slain and utterly undone Thousands and Ten Thousands yea many Millions yet they hug this cursed Traitor and let him lodg in their Hearts and lie in their Bosoms and shew him all the Favour and Kindness imaginable and do they not from hence appear to be the greatest Fools in Nature IV. Is not that Man a Fool that striveth with one that is infinitely stronger than himself or thinks a Thorn Hedg can stand before a consuming Fire or supposes a Potsheard can prevail against the Potter IV. Wicked Men strive with the great God and do they not in this shew themselves to be Fools Have they an Arm like God Job 40.9 can they thunder with a Voice like him yet they continually resist him and fight against him They that go on in their evil Ways make War with the Almighty and Dread-Sovereign of Heaven and Earth Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the Potsheard strive with the Potshards of the Earth Isa 45.9 Do you not see this day how Man sorry Man sets himself against God! they are resolved to see what they can do they will not yet lay
any should take it away from him VII So a covetous Man doth not enjoy what he hath without fear he is afraid of every one lest they should rob him or lest by one means or another his worldly Pelf should be wasted or taken away VIII The Hog tho he should be washed yet in a little time he will turn again to his wallowing in the Mire and become as filthy as ever he was VIII So if an unregenerate Man should by the Light of Nature or other Helps that God is pleased to afford escape many great Pollutions and reform in many things and seem to be a true Convert and to be clean washed from his Filthiness yet for want of a thorough Work of Grace upon his Heart he will at last turn again to his former Course and be as vile and wicked as ever he was nay oftentimes much worse Mat. 12.43 Luk. 11.25 as our Saviour intimates by the unclean Spirit 's going out of a Man c. And in him is that Word made good The Sow that was washed is turned to her wallowing in the Mire again IX A Swine cries out exceedingly or makes a great Noise when he is took hold of and had away to be killed IX So wicked Men when God takes hold of them by Sickness and they come to have Apprehensions of Death upon them they cry out unless their Consciences are asleep or seared being afraid of Death and Hell X. The Wild-Boar is of a more stubborn and mischievous Nature and commonly doth more hurt being very strong than any other Swine Naturalists tell us that the Wild-Boar is almost as strong and cruel as a Lion and that he will often whet and sharpen his Teeth and run upon the Huntsman X. So Antichrist who may fitly be compared to a Wild-Boar I mean his Un-holiness that First-born of Satan is and hath been more mischievous than any other of the Herd he having got a great degree of Power which he hath from time to time exercised against God's People to the wasting and spoiling of his spiritual Vine and Vineyard Psal 80 1â— The Boar out of the Wood doth waste it and the wild Beast out of the Field doth devour it XI The Swine under the Tree in a greedy manner eat up the Acorns but never look up to the Tree or Oak from whence they fall XI So wicked and graceless Men tho they enjoy all this World 's Good never look up in a due manner to God who is the Tree of Life and is the Author and Giver of it XII Swine will refuse Pearl for Pease if ye cast Pearls before them they will tread them under their Feet XII So wicked Men will refuse Grace for Gold give them but this World and let who will take the Pearl of great Price the Love and Favour of God Give them Counsel to leave their Sins or cast the Pearl of good Instruction before them and they will tread it under their Feet they will cast that at their Heels which they should apply to their Hearts Mat. 7.6 and revile you if they do not tear and rend you into the Bargain Metaphor Disparity SWine were created such they were Swine from the beginning MAn was created holy and upright at first this swinish and brutish Nature came in by the Fall II. Swine retain their own Nature and it is impossible for them to cease being Swine II. But wicked Men may be changed and become gracious it is possible for them to become Sheep and Lambs of Jesus Christ so as to hate that which they once loved Grace when infused into the Soul makes a real and wonderful Change Inferences THis shews the brutish and base Nature of sinful Man what is more contemptible in our Eyes than a Swine 2. It shews what a vast difference there is between a true converted Soul and a brutish Sinner God esteems of the one as of his choicest Treasure but ungodly Men are meer Swine and brutish Creatures in his Sight Wicked Men Debtors Mat. 5.25 26. Agree with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him lest any time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judg and the Judg deliver the to thee Officer and thou be cast into Prison Vers 26. Verily I say unto thee Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost Farthing Mat. 18.24 And when he had begun to reckon one was brought unto him which ought him ten thousand Talents IN both these Places Sin is called a Debt and the Sinner a Debtor The Reason of which is shewed under the Head of Metaphors concerning Sin where Sin is compared to a Debt unto which we refer you Metaphor Parallel A Debtor is one that oweth Money Duty c. to his Neighbour also one that is a Trespasser an Offender or guilty Person A Man may be a Debtor by Office Gal. 5.3 by Duty Rom. 8.12 by the Law of Charity Rom. 15.27 by trespassing or offending whether God or Man Mat. 6.12 MAn oweth all that he is hath or can do unto God he having received his very Being and all other good Things that he enjoys from God as so many Talents lent him which he must be accountable to God for in the great Day c. Man is a Trespasser Mat. 25.19 an Offender or a guilty Person having broken the Law the Penalty of which is eternal Death so that as a Traitor or flagitious Person by his hainous Crimes he is become a Debtor to everlasting Punishment II. An evil Debtor is unwilling to be called to an Accompt nothing is worse to him than to hear the News Give an account of thy Stewardship Mat. 18.24 Hence 't is said One was brought that owed ten thousand Talents as if it were by Force he was haled before his Master to reckon with him II. So wicked Men do not love to think upon the Day of Judgment care not to hear of those large Bills and Hand-writings that are against them How grievous will that Voice from Heaven be to ungodly Men Luk. 16.2 Give an Account of your Stewardship Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment Give an Account of all the Oaths you have sworn the Lies you have told the Times you have been drunk the Days of Grace you have neglected give an Account of all the hard and reproachful Words you have spoken against your godly Neighbours and of all the Wrongs and Injuries you have done them give an Account of all those Talents that were lent you what Improvement have you made of your Knowledg and Parts your Seasons and Sabbaths and of those many Years you have had in the World This I say is grievous to wicked Men to think upon They shall be brought forth in the Day of Wrath they will not come willingly Job 21.30 but shall therefore be as it were haled before the Judg of Heaven and Earth III. Ill Debtors are attended with Shame Ambrose speaketh
Hearts from God and his Ways Hence as Satan is called a Deceiver and a Serpent so are some of his Children VII The Devil 's great design is to encourage Vice and all Prophaneness and by one means or another to suppress real Godliness So this is the great Design and Endeavour of some wicked Men. VIII The Devil is so vile that God seeth it necessary to lay a restraint upon him and put him into Chains or else the World would not have a Moment's time of Peace and Quiet So ungodly Men are so much like the Devil in this that God also sees the like need to restrain them for as the Devil is boundless in his Wrath Rage and Malice against Mankind so are his cursed Emissaries against their Fellow-Creatures Hence God puts a Hook into their Jaws and sets Bars to these swelling Seas IX The Devil trembles at the thoughts of God's Wrath and dreads the Day that is coming So do wicked Men fear him not because they love him but because they are his Enemies and as such they fear he will one day reckon with them X. The Devil tempts to Sin he is not contented to be vile himself but he would fain have others be vile and ungodly as well as he So wicked Men tempt entice and draw others to Sin they are not content to be ungodly themselves but strive to defile and corrupt others also XI The Devil is a Murtherer a great Murtherer and takes delight in shedding of Blood 1 Pet. 5.8 and making Desolation in the Earth hence called a Lion and a Dragon So wicked Persecutors are in this the very Picture of the Devil viz. great Murtherers their Feet run swift to shed Blood How many thousands of innocent Souls have the bloody Roman Devils destroyed within these twelve hundred Years They delight in spoiling and making desolate the Inhabitants of the Earth who oppose their Pride Psal 37.4 Psal 44.19 or stand in the way of their Exaltation and thence they are called Lions and Dragons likewise XII The Devil would fain make those who fear God miserable in this World he envies their Happiness and if he was but let loose upon them he would utterly deprive them of their Goods of their Children of their Health c. and bring them into a forlorn and miserable Condition as he dealt with holy Job So some wicked Men in this are like the Devil they envy the Peace and Prosperity of God's People and if God did not restrain them were it in their Power they would rob them of all their Goods as some have attempted of late nay and destroy their Off-spring How many innocent Babes did the Papists destroy in the Massacre in Ireland crying out Spare them not Nits will become Lice They grutch them their Liberty and therefore saith God The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison c. Rev. 2 10. Is the Devil come to be a Pursevant or an Officer or to give Warrants to cast into Prison No but it is spoken of wicked Persecutors that the Devil sets on work XIII The Devil is an Accuser one that vilifies and reproaches all sincere Christians he is called the Accuser of the Brethren Wicked Men are in this also like the Devil they love to accuse and vilify the Godly in the Land as Tertullus served Paul Acts 24.3 5. We have found this Man a pestilent Fellow a Mover of Sedition c. They continually labour to render them odious that so they might be hated and exposed to the Severity of the Law and merciless Rage of the rude Rabble XIV The Devil is utterly cast off and forsaken of God and shall have his Portion in the Lake there is no hope left him for an Escape he knows it will for ever be his Portion So some wicked Men are utterly rejected of God and given up to a reprobate Mind and there is no Hope left for them of escaping the Damnation of Hell they shall as surely be damned and tormented for ever and ever as 't is certain the Devils shall So that in these and many other things that I shall pass by it appears wicked Men bear a resemblance of the Devil they are like unto him they have the Image of the Devil upon them Sin turns a Man into a Devil Joh. 6.70 Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil Disparity THe Devil is a Spirit a created Spirit wicked Men are Flesh as well as Spirit Now the Nature of a Spirit in very many things differs from an humane Body so that in divers respects there is a great Difference between the Devil and the Ungodly Inferences NO marvel wicked Men and the Saints agree no better II. O what a fearful thing is it to be left and forsaken of God! III. No marvel wicked Men strive so much to set up and establish the Devil's Kingdom seeing they are acted by like Principles and are alike Enemies of God IV. The Godly may wonder they are not long ago destroyed considering the cursed and devillish Disposition of wicked Men amongst whom they live 't is God only that hath restrained them THE Ninth HEAD OF Metaphors Allegories and Similes WITH Other Borrowed TERMS That respect I. The true Ministers of the Gospel II. False Ministers III. False Churches Ministers compared to Angels Rev. 1.2 The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches c. Rev. 2.1 Vnto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus c. MInisters are called Angels Angels Parallel ANgels are endued with most eminent Power and Dignity they excel in Strength SO hath God endued his Ministers with great Power and Dignity they are his Substitutes on Earth they represent Christ himself and Paul saith Phil. 4.13 He could do all things through Christ that strengthned him II. Angels are God's Messengers and are often sent to bring good News to Men the Angels brought the first tidings of Christ's Nativity II. So the Ministers of the Gospel are Christ's Messengers they are called the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8.23 they bring the glad Tidings of Peace and Salvation by Christ III. Angels are very wise David was said to be wise according to the Wisdom of an Angel of God 2 Sam. 14.22 III. Ministers of Christ are or ought to be wise Men they understand the Misteries of Christ and open them to others The Secrets of the Lord are with them Eph. 3 10. the Angels themselves understand the manifold Wisdom of God by his Saints and Ministers of the Gospel IV. Angels desire to pry into the Mysteries of Grace and Mercy by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.12 IV. Christ's true Ministers make it their great Business to study Christ to dig and dive into the hidden Mysteries 1 Cor. 2.1 2. I determined to know nothing among you but Christ and him crucified V. Angels are lively beautiful and shining When Angels appeared to divers Persons of whom
that they wear out their frail Bodies and bring themselves quickly to the Grave III. So some of Christ's faithful and laborious Servants labour so hard in their Studies in Watching Praying and Preaching that they spend themselves or bring utter Weakness upon their frail Tabernacles I am willing saith Paul to spend and be spent c. 2 Cor. 12.15 IV. Labourers are often hindred and obstructed in their Work like as the Jews were in building the Temple IV. So Christ's spiritual Labourers are often hindred in their Work Satan strives to hinder them and false Teachers strive to hinder them and wicked Persecutors endeavour to hinder them and many times forbid them to preach any more in the Name of Christ V. Labourers observe the fittest Time to do Business in they work hard by Day and whilst they have good Weather V. So Christ's Labourers observe the fittest Time to do their Work like as Christ saith John 9.4 I must do the Work of him that sent me whilst it is Day the Night comes when no Man can work VI. A Labourer is worthy of his Meat and ought not to be denied it VI. So the Ministers of Christ ought to have all things necessary provided for them and their Families 1 Cor. 9 9 Thou shalt not muzzle the Ox that treadeth out the Corn. So God hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel And since this Duty is much neglected among some Christian Churches I shall here transcribe a Page or two being part of a Sermon preached by Mr. N. C. at the Ordination of an Elder in the City of London 1681. These Words call not only for a Maintenance of Ministers but for such a plentiful Contribution as may make them Partakers with you in all good things If God bless the Congregation with a plentiful Portion of this World's Goods it is their Duty to make their Minister a Party with them in their flourishing Condition And considering the Place and Employment he is in and the Service he attends it would be extremely unworthy to think you have done enough if his pressing Necessities be answered while you abound in Superfluities If the Congregation be poor their Minister must be content to be poor with them yea rejoyce to approve himself a Minister of Christ by Hunger and Nakedness if the Providence of God call him thereto But whilst it is in the power of your Hand to provide better for him God expects it from you and be not deceived God is not mocked neither will he suffer his Commands to be slighted and evaded without rendring a just Rebuke to the Offender For whatsoever a Man soweth that shall he also reap Now that you may the better understand how far you are concerned in this Duty before I proceed to the further pressing of it let me put you in remembrance 1. That a Minister is bound to attend wholly and only upon his Calling in the Ministry and not to entangle himself in the Affairs of this Life that he may please him by whom he is called to this spiritual Warfare and nothing but real Necessity may dispense with the contrary His whole Time and Strength is little enough to be employed in the Work and Service he is called to He must give himself to the Ministry of the Word and Prayer and continue in Reading Meditation c. as a Man wholly devoted unto Gospel-Service and is therefore by his Call to the Ministry secluded from those ways and means of providing for his own Subsistence as the Trades and secular Employments of others furnish them with that his Mind by the Cares of worldly Business may not be diverted from that Study of God's Word and Care of Souls which the Duty of his Station engageth him to And if he may not expose himself to the careful Thoughts that accompany worldly Business tho tending to his Profit certainly it is no way meet that he should be left to conflict with the thorny Cares of a necessitous Condition whilst those he ministers to have means to prevent it 2. It is no less the Duty of a Minister than of other Men to provide for his Family 1 Tim. 5.8 and what lies in him to take care of his Wife and Children that they may not be exposed to a thousand Miseries and Temptations when he is gone I confess of all Men in the World a covetous raking Temper worst becomes a Minister But we greatly mistake if we think he must devest himself of the due Affection of an Husband towards his Wife or of a Father towards his Children or that those Fruits thereof which are justly esteemed commendable in others should be a Fault in him 3. An Elder or Bishop is under a special Charge to use Hospitality and to set in himself a Pattern of Charity and compassionate Bounty to poor Souls and if it be his Duty to be hospitable and charitable in an eminent degree then without controversy the People are concerned to endeavour that he may be capable of giving proof of this Grace in him by the Exercise of it as there is occasion These things being premised I shall shew you that you lie under the strongest Obligation imaginable to this Duty ' 1. By the Law of Nature ' 2. By the express Command and Appointment of Christ 3. On the account of the great and manifest Evil and Inconvenience that follows the Neglect thereof First The Law and Light of Nature obligeth you to it as to the matter of Equity and Justice And from hence our Apostle takes his first Plea in 1 Cor. 9.7 c. Who goeth a Warfare any time at his own Charges Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the Fruit thereof Or who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock The Ministry is a Warfare undertaken at the Command of Christ for the Service of your Souls and it is as reasonable that the Minister should receive a Supply of outward Things from you as that a faithful Souldier should receive his Pay from his Captain at the Charge of the Commonwealth for whose Good he militates Shall a Man feed a Flock as a Pastor does and be denied to eat of the Milk of that Flock which it is his Work to keep and feed Or is it consistent with common Justice to deprive a Man of the Fruit of that Vineyard which is planted and manured by his own Labour Such is the Case in respect of Maintenance between a Minister and the People It is not your Charity that I ask for him but Justice and Debt that I plead for He is employed in your Service and of Right should live upon your Charge Nay you have called him off from other Business and therefore his Maintenance is due from you as is the Wages of your Servant tho I fear some give more to the meanest Servant in their House than they are willing to do to their Minister Certainly if you chuse
Severity and Mildness to all studying the Nature and Disposition of every Member VIII Fathers ought to walk wisely before their Children in all Holiness and Sobriety setting themselves as Patterns to all that are in the Family of Grace and Vertue VIII So 't is the Duty of Pastors and Ministers of Churches to lead an holy and godly Life and be as Examples of true Vertue and Piety to all they converse with Be thou an Example of the Believers 1 Tim. 4.12 in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity IX It is a great Sorrow and Grief to a good and godly Father to see his Children froward and fall out one with another violating the Bonds of Nature IX So 't is an Heart-breaking Sorrow to a godly and faithful Minister to see the Saints and Members of the Church walk loosely and live in Strife and Vain-Glory wronging and abusing each other and thereby violate the sacred Bonds of brotherly Love Tenderness and Forbearance For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are Enemies of the Cross of Christ Phil. 3.18 X. It is the Property of a godly Father to pray for his Children and also for the whole Family committed to his Charge X. So Christ's faithful Ministers do not cease to pray for those whom they have been instrumental to beget by the Word of Truth unto Christ nay not only for them but for all committed to their Charge nay for all the Children of God Eph. 3.17 That Christ might dwell in their Hearts by Faith and that they may be rooted and grounded in Love c. Inferences WE may infer from hence that the Office of a Minister is an honourable Employment 2. It may in many things teach Pastors their Duties to their Members and Members their respective Duties towards their Pastors 3. It also serves to inform us who are faithful wise and discreet Ministers of Christ 4. We may further learn what a great Concern it is for a Church to chuse wise and sober Persons to be their Pastors Ministers compared to Stewards Luke 12.42 Who is a faithful Steward c. 1 Cor. 4.1 Let Men so account of us as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Verse 2. Moreover it is required in Stewards that a Man be found faithful Liegh's Crit. Sacr. STeward Stewardship the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred in 1 Cor. 9.17 Dispensation properly signifieth the Administration of Houshold-Business whereof one taketh such and such Care and doth so dispose thereof as that he appointeth every one what they are to do Note True Gospel-Ministers are Stewards spiritual Stewards Stewards of God Metaphor Parallel A Steward is an Officer that principally belongs to great Men few besides rich and noble Persons have Stewards of their Houses SO true Gospel-Ministers or Pastors are Officers that belong to Christ's House who is a great Prince nay King of Heaven and Earth II. A Steward is a Person that hath a great Trust and Charge reposed in him many rich and excellent Things are committed to his Care and Oversight sometimes all the Goods of the House and Charge of the Family II. So faithful Ministers have a mighty Trust reposed in them the Lord Jesus hath committed to their Care and Charge Things of very great worth and value even all the Goods of his House 1. They are entrusted with the Truth and every Branch and Part of it called the Mysteries of God which is of inestimable Value 2. The whole Church they have the Care and Charge of the whole Family or Houshold of God 3. They have the Care and Charge of Mens Souls committed to them See Watchmen III. It behoveth a Steward to be faithful in all things seeking the Honour of his Lord They ought to be much in their Business not leaving it to others that are not experienced in it nor careful to look after it nor leave their Master's Business to mind and look after their own III. So ought every Minister of Christ to be faithful in all things wholly studying the Profit Honour and Interest of the Lord Jesus They ought continually to be about his Affairs not leave the Management of the Church and Concerns of the Ministry like some self-seeking Priests of our Days to others who are unexperienced negligent and worse to follow their own Concerns and living in Ease and Pleasure pursuing after the Riches and Vanities of the World mattering not whether Christ be honoured or no or whether his Interest sink or swim so that things go well with them and they thrive in the World There are too many such in this Day so that we may well say with the Apostle All seek their own and none the Things that are Jesus Christ's IV. Stewards give direction to all inferior Officers and others in the Family about their respective Work and Business IV. So Ministers give directions to the Deacons and other Members of Christ's Church how to discharge their Duties in their respective places c. V. Stewards must expect to be called to an account and if unfaithful are frequently put out of their Stewardship Luk. 16.2 Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward V. So all the Ministers of Christ must expect to be called to an Account The Time is coming when Christ will reckon with them and happy will they be that have their Accounts to give up with Joy to whom the Lord Jesus will say Well done good and faithful Servant c. Ministers compared to Planters 1 Cor. 3.6 I have planted and Apollo watered c. Verse 8. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one GOD is the chief spiritual Planter Isa 5.7 60.21 61.3 Mat. 15.13 None but he can implant a Principle of Grace in the Sinner's Heart 't is his proper Work to take us out of the old Stock and Root and plant us into the new But forasmuch as these Things are asserted by the Preaching of the Word Ministers are called Planters I have planted c. 1 Cor. 3.6 They are but under or subordinate Planters and Waterers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that gives the Increase viz. Jehovah Metaphor Parallel A Skilful Planter is a curious Artist one that knows the Nature of Trees Plants and Seeds He is skilled in Setting Ingrafting Innoculation or Grafting with the Scucheon as they call it c. SO an experienced and able Minister of the Gospel is a very skilful Person one that hath knowledg of great Mysteries both of Nature and Grace He knows the State of Man in the first Adam that old Stock and also the Nature of Planting or Grafting into Jesus Christ how and which way it is and must be done II. A Planter hath fit Tools or Instruments to do his Work withal viz. a Spade a Knife c. without which he can do nothing II. So Ministers of Christ
the Word reflects back upon himself as it were Physician heal thy self Paul could say in the truth of his Heart to the Saints It is not yours but you I seek This was the beastly Sin which God so loathed in the Prophets and Rulers of Israel You are greedy Dogs which can never have enough that cannot understand they all look to their own Way every one for his Gain from his Quarter Compared with that of Micah 3.11 The Heads thereof speaking of Zion judg for Reward and the Priests teach for Hire and the Prophets divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us VI. Faithful Rulers are a great Blessing to a People and ought to be cheerfully obeyed reverenced and submitted to 'T is a great Sin to speak evil of Dignities or despise Dominions Râ—m 13 1. Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers c. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake 1 Pet 2.13 14. whether it be to the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Foundation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the People the Foundation of a People as Supreme or unto Governors c. VI. So Ministers faithful and able Ministers are no small Blessing and Sign of God's Favour to a People yea great Benefit we receive by them in many respects as might be shewn They feed guide counsel and pray for us as well as rule and govern us and therefore they ought to be with all readiness obeyed Obey them that have the Rule over you Heb. 13.17 and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give an Account c. And to speak evil of Ministers is to despise their high and holy Function 't is a God-provoking Evil. There were some in the Apostle's Times who were crept into the Church who like Corah spake against the Dignity and Power of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who in a sence are said to be the Foundation of God's People whom the Apostle characterized and shews what their End is like to be Who were presumptuous self-willed and were not afraid to speak evil of Dignities Their Hearts rose against the Servants of God for exercising Authority in Christ's Name which is given to them What said Korah All the Lord's People are holy c. as if he should have said Is this Moses more than others But we see what became of him Numb 16. VII Some Rulers or chief Magistrates do not cannot pass any Act or Law such is the Nature and Constitution of the Government where they live without the People No Law can be made but with the Assent and Consent of the People in their Representatives in Parliament as it is here in the English Nation VII So Christ's Ministers or Pastors of Churches cannot by virtue of any Authority given by the Lord Jesus pass any Act either for the receiving in or casting out of Members c. without their Brethren c. They must have the Assent and Consent of the Church Many Reasons might be given for it which I shall omit If he neglect to hear the Church Mat. 18.17 let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man or Publican VIII Rulers should rule their People in Love shewing all Tenderness and Bowels to the Disobedient like tender-hearted Fathers unless it be towards those that are notorious Criminals VIII So should Ministers labour to act in their places towards the Saints in Love and to shew all Tenderness and Meekness with Compassion to such who through weakness transgress See Fathers and not to be severe to any unless obstinate and capital Offenders on such Justice ought to be executed IX Rulers that rule well are worthy of double Honour IX So faithful and laborious Ministers that rule God's House well ought to be greatly respected 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double Honour X. Rulers are very needful there is a great Necessity in all Societies and Communities of Men of Government and Rulers What is a Nation City or Family without Rule Rulers or Government but Disorder and Confusion X. The Need there is of Rulers in God's Church is very great God being a God of Order and not of Confusion in all the Churches of the Saints The Necessity of them appears by considering the Nature of divers of the Metaphors we have opened concerning them What would become of a Flock of Sheep if they had no Shepherd c. Rulers Disparity RUlers or earthly Governors are commonly Noble-men Men of great Name cloathed with outward Glory and Grandure CHrist's true Ministers are of little or no esteem in the eyes of the Men of the World they are commonly accounted base low and contemptible c. Ye see your Calling Brethren 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. how that not many wise Men after the Flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish Things of the World to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak Things of the World to confound the Things that are mighty and base Things of the World and Things which are despised hath God chosen yea and Things that are not to bring to nought Things that are that no Flesh should glory in his Presence II. Many earthly Rulers are Lords and lord it over their Brethren II. But Christ's Ministers are contented to be Servants Even as their Lord and Master came not to be ministred unto but to minister and was on Earth as him that served So his Ministers must not assume the Title of Lords nor must they lord it over God's People Neither as being Lords over God's Heritage but being Ensamples to the Flock 1 Tit. 5 3. Inferences ANd now to conclude with this Head from the Whole we may infer these Particulars following 1. That a true Minister of Christ is one that is truly converted a gracious holy and sincere Person one that hath the experience of the real Work of God upon his own Heart 2. A Member of a true constituted Church i. e. a Community of godly Christians that have given up themselves in a solemn Covenant in the Fear of God to walk in Fellowship and Communion together according to the Rule of the Gospel amongst whom the Word of God is truly preached and the Ordinances duly and in a right manner administred 3. That he ought to be chosen by the Church according to the Direction left by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.1 to 6. Tit. 1.5 to 9. 4. That he ought to be a discreet Person endued with considerable Gifts and Abilities by the Holy-Ghost 5. If called to be a Pastor or Elder he ought to be ordained by the laying on of hands of the Presbytery or Eldership 1 Tim. 4.14 1 Tim. 4.14 6. That he ought to be very laborious and give himself wholly to the Work of the Ministry making the Word of
so great in value and the Debtors so poor that they are not able to pay them IV. Sin is so great a Debt that a Man of himself is not able to make satisfaction to the Law and Justice of God for it he owes ten thousand Talents Mat. 18.24 and hath nothing to pay so our Saviour himself plainly intimates V. A Debt exposeth a Man oft-times to an Arrest and fills his Mind full of Trouble especially if it be an Action upon Execution that admits of no Bail V. Sin exposeth a Man to an Arrest by Death a Serjeant that will when he hath received his Warrant take no Bail and this fills wicked Men especially full of Fears Heb. 2. Who through fear of Death are said to be all their Life time subject to Bondage VI. A Debt doth not only expose a Man to the danger of an Arrest but in case he cannot pay the Debt or procure Bail to a Prison also VI. So Sin exposeth a Man not only to an Arrest by Death but also to the Prison of Eternal Darkness out of which there is no Redemption Verily Verily Mat. 5.26 I say unto you he shall not come out from thence until he hath paid the utmost Farthing VII Some Mens Debts have been paid by the Hands of others who out of meer Compassion have undertaken to satisfy for all they have owed and thereby have kept the poor Debtors from perishing VII So this great Debt viz. Jesus Christ the Sinners Friend out of Infinite Bowels by one single Payment on the Cross or by his Active and Passive Obedience hath satisfied for or made a full Compensation to the Law and Justice of God in the behalf of Sinners that so he might thereby deliver them from Eternal Ruine See Surety Metaphor Disparity A Debt among Men only exposeth the Body or Bodies of Men to External Danger Sufferings or Sorrow BUT Sin this Spiritual Debt exposeth not the Body only but the Soul it brings not the Soul by Guilt to Sorrow and Misery here but both the Soul and Body to Sufferings Eternally hereafter II. Debts among Men are oftentimes forgiven without Payment or Satisfaction made for them either by the Debtor or his Surety II. God doth not forgive Sin this spiritual Debt without a fuâ—l Payment or plenary Satisfaction made for it by our Surety it consisteth not with his Justice Honour nor with the Nature and Purity of his Law considering the Nature of Sin it self so to do And therefore what Man is not able to do upon this account Jesus Christ his blessed Surety hath done for him First To make this appear or further to manifest the Truth of it it will not be amiss to consider the Nature of God's Threatnings I mean Legal Threatnings which several Divines have well distinguished from Evangelical Gospel or Evangelical Threatnings are those Fatherly Chastisements which God denounceth to keep us within the Bounds of Child-like Obedience and therefore God hath not only signified but the Nature of the Affair requireth that they should be executed only in case of Need 1 Pet. 1.6 But Legal Threatnings denounce unmixed and unallayed Curse and Wrath. These two widely differ not only in their Nature but End In the first suppose that the Business of the Threatnings be done to God's Hand without the Execution of them it clearly follows that the Obligation of the Believer to them as they have respect to such an End dissolves and ceaseth that which is God's Intent by them being obtained without them the execution of the Threatnings without the least derogation from the Truth of God or Impeachment of his other Properties may be suspended But Legal Threatnings being of another Nature and having another End namely the Vindication of God's Holiness and Justice upon Prisoners and Rebels they are no wise dissolvible but must of necessity be inflicted that the Perfections and Government of God may be vindicated and Sin may be revenged All Sin is a Contempt of God's Authority and Government and casts Dirt upon his Glory and Punishment is the vindicating of God's Honour in revenge of Evil committed Let this be noted that in case of such a proportionable Satisfaction by which the Honour and Equity of his Law is vindicated his Justice Holiness and Hatred of Sin demonstrated the ends of Government attained he may relax and dispense with the Threatning as to the Party offending which is the case here for by executing the Threatnings upon Christ and receiving a valuable consideration of Satisfaction from him he hath given as eminent demonstration of his Righteousness Purity and Hatred of Sin and as fully vindicated his Law from Contempt as if the Offenders themselves had suffered and therefore by an admirable mixture of Grace with Justice hath released us These things being premised I reassume saith he the Argument Fergussâ—n namely That the Truth of God's Threatnings would not allow him to pardon Sin and save Sinners but upon the consideration of a Satisfaction First God having denounced Death and the Curse against Sin Gen. 2.17 Deut. 27.26 The Veracity and Faithfulness of his Nature obliged him to see it inflicted Never any entertained a Notion of God but they included in it that he spake Truth Could ever any Threatning of God be of awe upon the Conscience of a Sinner should the first and great Threatning be made so easily void Should it be granted that notwithstanding God's solemn Denunciation of Wrath in case of Sin that yet he hath taken the Offender into Favour and pardoned the Offence without any Satisfaction or Consideration at all what would Creatures imagine but that God either intended his Threatnings for meer Scare-Crows or that he were subject to Mutabiliâ—y which Apprehension being once received what boldness would Men assume in Sin believing that the Comminations of the Gospel would be no more executed than those of the Law but let God be true and every Man a Lyar. Secondly To suppose that God hath abrogated his Threatning is at once to overthrow the whole Scripture for that expresly tells us that not one jot of the Law was to perish Mat. 5.18 That every Disobedience received a just Recompence of Reward Heb. 2.2 See Heb. 8.28 9.22 23. That without Blood there was to be no Remission Thirdly If the Threatning annexed to the Law be released it is either by virtue of the Law it self or by virtue of the Gospel It is not by virtue of the Law for that was wholly inexorable requiring either perfect and constant Obedience or denouncing unmixed and unallayed Wrath. Gal. 3.10 Nor is it released by the Gospel this the Holy-Ghost clearly informs us Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Beza's Paraphrase here is very good Christi satisfactio quid aliud quà m Legis minas ostendit minimè irritas esse quà m illas luere Christum oportuerit O Christi Justitia quid aliud est quam
shie of and ready at all turns to flie from and avoid any external horrible Uncleanness But Sin is a bewitching and ensnaring Uncleanness All the bodily Beauty in the World did never entice so many as the Deformity and foul Face of Sin hath Beauty and Comeliness are the Attractives the Loadstone of Love Christ was not loved by many because he did not appear beautiful he vail'd his glorious Beauty Lust is loved tho it be altogether unbeautiful Christ is the Mirror of Beauty tho some see no Comeliness in him he is fairer than the Children of Men But there is no Form or Comeliness in Sin nothing indeed why it should be desired yet how is it admired and esteemed by all Sorts of Men They dote upon it and run mad with love to it 't is so bewitching as the choicest Beauty in the World III. Whâ—t Filth Uncleanness or Pollution is of such a murthering killing and destroying Nature as Sin It is true some horrid Pollution is of a corrupting poysonous and destroying Quality but not like Sin This Venom this Uncleanness is worse than any more mortal than any it kills both Body and Soul too it destroys eternally O there is no finding out the cursed Nature of it there is nothing can save from the killing Power of it nor cleanse from its Pollution but Christ's Blood Inferences O What a woful Condition is Man in by Nature how unclean in God's sight Well might Eliphaz say Job 15.16 How abominable and filthy is Man who drinketh in Iniquity like Water The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes that which is most abhorring to the Nature of Man that which is not only so nauseous that the Stomach cannot digest it but so base that the Mind is burthened to think upon it yea the Word imports that which is rejected by all the Senses that which the Eye cannot endure to look upon that which the Ear cannot endure to hear of that which is a Stink in the Nostrils and which the Hand will not touch such a a thing is Man in God's Sight by reason of Sin Filthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word is derived from a Root that signifies Caryl on Job 15.16 corrupt rotten putrified the Scum of a Pot the Rust of Metals the Dung or Excrement of Man and Beasts There are no Words saith Caryl filthy enough to express the Filthiness of Man The Word is found saith he but three times in Scripture in this Construction and in all of them 't is applied to shew the abominable Wickedness of Man The first is this Job 15.16 Psal 14 3. Psal 53.3 as if this were a Word pick'd out on purpose as a Glass to shew Man his Face and natural Complexion in c. Job 7.17 II. O what is Man that God should be mindful of him What Beauty is there in him that the Almighty should set his Heart upon him III. What little reason have wicked Men to be proud And how sadly are they mistaken who think to adorn themselves with Sin How do Sinners pride themselves in their filthy Garments and Cloak of Unrighteousness He is no Gallant now a days unless he can swear and curse and cry Damn-him and Sink-him Lord what an Age is this They shew their Sin as Sodom and hide it not they glory in their Shame IV. Let us learn from hence to be fully sensible of our Birth-Pollution I mean Original Sin Job 25.5 Job 14.4 that which we brought into the World with us Can he be clean that is born of a Woman Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Can the Stream be clean when the Fountain is so unclean All that are born by natural Generation are unclean Adam's particular Act or Breach of the Law of God was ours we being in him he stood as the common Root of all his Posterity 't is also by the Almighty imputed to us The natural Pravity or Corruption which issueth from thence passeth from Generation to Generation V. We may infer from hence that every Man and Woman hath need of washing say not therefore with Peter Thou shalt never wash my Feet when every part is defiled c. VI. Go polluted Soul go to the Fountain 'T is the Blood of Jesus Christ that cleanseth us from all Sin VII Bless God there is a Fountain to wash in a Fountain opened for Sin and Uncleanness See Fountain in the First Volume VIII You that are clean praise the Almighty Ye were as filthy as others Such were some of you c. Saints may be said to be clean four manner of Ways 1. Clean meritoriously by the Blood of the Lord Jesus 2. Efficaciously by the Spirit uniting them to Christ and sanctifying their Hearts 3. Clean instrumentally by the Word Now are you clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you 4. Clean impulsively and attractively by Faith Purifying their Hearts by Faith Sin compared to Gray-Hairs Hos 7.9 Yea gray Hairs are here and there upon him and he knoweth it not HE knoweth it not that is Israel or Ephraim viz. the ten Tribes Hos 1.4 Amos 9.8 Ephraim may be considered as a Kingdom I am against the sinful Kingdom or as a Church They were a People in Covenant with God or in a National Church-State and once youthful and beautiful but now they are become old and gray-headed i. e. they had Symptoms of Decay and Ruine upon them Gray Hairs Some by gray Hairs understand heavy Judgments others some prevailing Evils or Sins which were Signs of Destruction c. There may be Truth in both Note Symptoms of Ruine oft-times appear upon a People before their Ruine comes Parallels GRay Hairs are a Sign that a Man's best Days his youthful Days are gone So some Sins and Judgments upon a People are a Sign that their best Days are past away that their Youth and Glory is departing II. Gray Hairs are a Sign of old Age So some Sins and Judgments upon a People shew forth that they are old in Wickedness III. Gray Hairs come oft-times by great Grief Scaliger tells us of a young Man Burroughs who through the extreme Trouble of his Spirit was turned gray in one Night So the Judgments and Miseries of a People because of their Sins make them gray-headed and thereby look old and withered c. IV. When gray Hairs come upon a Man they bring oftentimes with them feeble Knees and Stiffness of the Limbs So Sin makes feeble the Heat of Zeal and Vigour of Spirit is thereby abated V. Gray Hairs are Symptoms and Fore-runners of Death and Mortality So some Sins and Miseries upon a People are the clear Symptoms of spiritual Death or Night of Darkness VI. Some Men have gray Hairs here and there and they know not of them So a Soul Nation or Church may have sad Symptoms of Ruine upon them and they be ignorant of them He knows it not Quest What were those gray Hairs that
Men into Sin 1. By persuading the Soul it is no great matter 't is saith he but a little one 2. By presenting the Pleasure and Profit of sinful Practices and hiding the Shame thereof and the Wrath and Misery they will certainly bring on the Soul at last 3. He lays before a Man the Sins of good Men O saith he do you not find that such and such Godly Men have done as bad as this was not David overcome with Adultery Ezekiah with Pride and Noah with Drunkenness c. but all the while he strives to hide from them their Vertue and unfeigned Repentance and utter abhorrence of these Sins afterwards 4. He presents God to the Soul as one made up all of Mercy and that Repentance will make all whole again but afterwards it may be when the Soul is defiled by yielding to his Temptation persuades Souls the Sin is so great and God so just that he will not pardon Sin 't is little before committed but great when 't is committed and this way he seeks to ensnare the Sinner 5. Another way he hath to catch his Prey with is by leading the Soul into the way of Sin it may be to the Harlots Door he allures into the Company of Sinners and entices the Soul to contemplate upon Sin to toy a little with Dalilah as it were and a Multitude of other Snares he hath IV. A Hunter that he may the better catch his Prey hath not only his Snares but also his Dogs and them of every sort fit for his Sport and Enterprize he hath his setting-Dogs his scenting Dogs his race-Dogs some to start his Game and others to pursue his Game c. So the Devil the great Hunter of Souls hath besides his subtile Wiles and Snares fit Instruments to effect and accomplish his Design he has his Dogs for so as we have shewed you else where wicked Men are called and them also of every sort some great ones and some small ones some that are like setting-Dogs who watch how they may trapan and prey upon the Godly to draw them into Sin or into Sufferings and others who are like cruel Blood-Hounds who as being void of Mercy endeavour to tear the Saints in pieces V. Some Hunters mind little else save Hunting 't is said of Nimrod Gen. 10 9. he was a mighty Hunter c. So the Devil he is a mighty Hunter he minds nothing more than the hunting of the Souls of Men O the Millions that he hath catched and destroyed he is a most cruel Hunter VI. Some Hunters are very swift and diligent in the pursuit of their Prey they will ride over many Fields in a day they will search and beat about with abundance of diligâ—nce to find out their Game they are it may be here now and a few hours hence many Miles off and hardly allow themselves time to eat their Meat c. So the Devil is a swift Hunter he is like Lightning as it were swift in Motion he is a Spirit and so has the advantage to leap suddenly upon his Spiritual Prey he has his Eyes upon all the ways of Men he is here to tempt this Man and presently in another place to catch unwary and secure Souls VII A Hunter is diligent to observe the Disposition of the Creature he hunts and also the places where it haunts So the Devil he observes the Dispositions and natural Inclinations of Men and Women and also all their haunts that so he may the better prey upon them he knows what Men are prone to Lying and what Men are addicted to Covetousness and who are naturally inclined to the Lusts of Uncleanness and who are subject to Passion c. and according to the various Tempers and Inclinations of Persons he suits his Temptations VIII A Hunter seeks to come sometimes if possible on his Prey unawares when they are secure to steal as it were upon them So the Devil comes upon Christians many times when they are asleep and in a secure state an Enemy hath done this whilst Men slept And hence Solomon's advice is to the Sons of Wisdom not to Give sleep to their Eyes nor slumber to their Eye-lids Pâ—ov 6.4 5. and to deliver themselves from the Hand of the Hunter c. Disparity OTher Hunters generally hunt for their Recreation 't is not out of Envy and Hatred they bear to the Creatures they hunt But the Devil hunts the Souls of Men out of that implacable Hatred he bears to them 't is not his Pleasure but his Malice which stirs him up to kill and destroy poor Sinners he knows he is miserable himself and he would make if he could all the Children of Men as miserable as himself Inferences THis may serve to awaken all Men to take heed and deliver themselves from this mighty Hunter Soul fly to Christ he is able to save thee who hath promised to deliver thee from the Snare of the Hunter c. labour to be like the Roe swift-footed O labour with David for Hinds Feet The Devil a Fowler Prov. 6.5 Deliver thy self as a Roe from the Hand of the Hunter and as a Bird from the Hand of the Fowler AS Satan is likened to a Hunter so he is likewise unto a Fowler they are both Metaphors of a like Import Parallels A Fowler hath his Nets Gins and many Allurements to catch the poor silly Bird So hath Satan to catch the Souls of Men some of which we mentioned before II. A Fowler having taken divers Birds he makes use of them in a crafty manner to bring others to his Net So doth Satan he this very way seeks to allure Sinners he sets before the Eyes of the unwary Soul how many Birds he hath got in his Snares and yet they sing most sweetly and leap about as if they had all Joy and Enlargements in the World he would persuade Gods Children none have so sweet and pleasant a Life as the Ungodly who flourish in Prosperity and are not plagued like other Men and by this means this cunning Fowler oft-times ensnares the Souls of Men. III. A Fowler is very cautious how he spreads his Net in the sight of any Bird So Satan craftily strives to hide his Net and Snare by which he seeks to catch the Souls of Men he presents the Golden Cup but hides the Poyson Thus he deceived Eve he strove to affect her Heart with the choicest and excellent Nature of the Fruit of the Tree Ye shall be as Gods c. This was the Bait but the Net or curled Hook is hidden he seems to court her as a cordial Friend as one that wished her the greatest Happiness imaginable but alas his design was to catch her in the Net of Rebellion against God's Law to destroy and undoe her for ever In vain is the Net spread in the sight of any Bird. Eccl. IV. A Fowler strives to counterfeit the real call of Birds thereby to entice them into the Snares and
plentiful manner do abound amongst us how do the Saints flourish their Graces flourish O what Beauty and Greenness is there upon all sincere Christians V. He that is slothful and idle in Summer as he brings Shame upon himself 't is a Sign of Folly c. so he suffers wants Bread and is exposed to great Straits in Winter He that gathereth in Summer is a wise Son but he that sleepeth in Harvest Prov. 10.5 is a Son that causeth Shame So he that is idle and negligent in the Time of Gospel-Grace or improves not the Means God affords for the Good of his Soul as 't is a Reproach and Shame to him so he exposeth himself to Ruine thereby What will he do when Death and Judgment comes Then he will want and suffer Hunger c. The Means of Grace compared to Harvest Mat. 9.37 The Harvest is great but the Labourers are few c. NOte The Time of Gospel-Grace wherein Work is to be done and many Souls are prepared and made willing to hear the Word of God is compared to Harvest Parallels HArvest is the Time to work and do business in and it behoveth Men to labour hard then So whilst there is an open Door for the Gospel or God is pleased to continue the Means of Grace Christ's Ministers ought to labour hard II. Harvest greatly tends to the relief of the Poor they in Harvest-time gather in and lay up against a Time of Want and Scarcity So do the Saints whilst the Day of Grace lasts provide and lay up for their Souls III. Sometimes there is bad Weather in Harvest which doth hinder and discourage the painful and laborious Husband-man So Storms arise and very bad Weather as it were often attends Christ's faithful Labourers which greatly hinders them in their Ministry IV. The Harvest is sometimes great and the Labourers but few so that the Work lies very heavy upon some Men So in a spiritual sence the Harvest is great i. e. many People are willing to hear God's Word but there are but few painful Preachers and by this means the Work lies heavy upon them and when it is thus we are enjoined to pray to the Lord of the Harvest Mat. 9 37. to send more Labourers into his Harvest V. The Harvest sometimes proves thin and comes into a little Room or it may seem much in Bulk and yet but a little Grain So 't is sometimes in the spiritual Harvest there are many Multitudes hear the Word attend upon the Means they flock into the Assemblies but alas but few are converted the Corn is little A small Room will hold them were they severed from the Straw and Chaff of the fruitless and unprofitable Multitude VI. When the Harvest is like to be catching or the Husband-man sees Clouds begin to gather and grow black or they hear it thunder mightily they work very hard and hurry in the Corn not knowing when they may have fair Weather again So Christ's Servants when they perceive a dismal Day approaching upon them labour hard and bring in what Souls they can into his Barn VII The Harvest sometimes is very long and sometimes but short So God lengthens or shortens the Day of Grace as he pleases The old World had an hundred and twenty Years others but a short Season O that thou hadst known in this thy Day the Things that belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Christ seems to be quick with them And so it fared with those Acts 13.46 VIII In Harvest the Husbandman will not neglect a fit Opportunity of gathering in his Hay and Corn upon presumption of much fair Weather to come So a wise Christian will not lose the present Season for his Soul upon hopes of much Time to come but rather says Now is the Time c. Observe in Summer's soultry Heat How in the hottest Day The Husband-man doth toil and sweat About his Corn and Hay If then he should not reap and mow And gather in his Store How should he live when for the Snow He can't move out of Door The little Ants and painful Bees by Nature's Instinct led These have their Summer-Granaries For Winter furnished But thou my Soul whose Summer's Day Is almost past and gone What Soul-Provision dost thou lay In Stock to feed upon If Nature teacheth to prepare For temporal Life much rather Grace should provoke to greater Care Soul-Food in time to gather Days of Affliction and Distress Are hasting on apace If now I live in Carelesness How sad will be my Case Vnworthy of the Name of Man Who for that Soul of thine Wilt not do that which others can Do for their very Kine Think frugal Farmers when you see Your Mows of Corn and Hay What a Conviction this will be To you another day Who ne're were up before the Sun Nor broke an Hour's Rest For your poor Souls as you have done So often for a Beast Learn once to see the Difference Betwixt eternal Things And these poor transient Things of Sense That fly with Eagles Wings J. F. Godliness compared to a Trade Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy Brethren Partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession Christ Jesus THe Profession of Godliness is in this and divers other Scriptures compared to a Trade or Calling and 't is a very fruitful and profitable Metaphor Parallels A Trade or Calling properly is that Art Craft or Occupation whereunto one hath been trained or wherein he exerciseth and employeth himself whatever it be whether Handicraft or Merchandizing c. Now Godliness is the Occupation of every true Christian 't is that which he hath been trained up in 't is that which he exerciseth and daily employeth himself about Herein do I exercise my self c. Actt 24.16 Rather exercise thy self unto Godliness c. II. A Man when he first sets up a Trade hath or ought to have a Stock suitable to what it doth require in order to the well-managing of it or otherwise he is not like to do good of it for the Want of a convenient Stock hath ruined and utterly undone many new Beginners So every Christian ought to see when he first begins to profess Godliness what Stock he hath I mean what Grace what Faith what Love to God and to his Neighbour what Experiences of a thorow Change for without a Stock of the Truth of Grace and Work of Regeneration no Man can follow the Trade of Godliness to make any saving Earnings of it III. A Man that sets up a Trade ought to know the Nature Worth and Value of those Goods and Commodities his Calling leads him to trade or deal in or else he may be quickly cheated and run out of all by buying counterfeit Goods or bad Ware So every Christian must know what Goods he is to trade spiritually in as also the Nature and Excellency of them Now the heavenly Commodities are these Faith Love Peace Long-suffering
Gentleness Goodness Meekness Temperance Pardon of Sin Communion with God Joy in the Holy-Ghost c. Now he ought to know all these Things the true from the counterfeit And next unto the Graces of the Spirit and the other excellent and rare Things he deals in there are the Ordinances of the Gospel the Nature and Usefulness of which he ought also to understand and not to be deceived about them lest he take the Traditions of Men for Christ's Institutions IV. A Man who sets up a Trade ought also to know who he is to deal or trade with So ought every Christian and that is God through the Mediator Jesus Christ for without him there is no trading to Heaven 'T is by him we believe in God by him we come to the Father Christ is a Saint's only Correspondent he receives all our Prayers and Duties and makes Returns of Mercies V. A Man who begins a Trade ought to be well instructed and to know every particular Art and Mystery in it Some Trades or Professions are hard to learn they are full of Mystery and very intricate and if they understand them not or are not Crafts-masters therein they will never live comfortably of them as Experience commonly sheweth So every Christian ought to learn the Mystery of Godliness this heavenly Calling is not easily learned there is no Trade that is more mysterious than the Trade or Art of Godliness as we shall fully evince and make appear 1. By plain Texts of Scripture 2. By Arguments and Demonstrations drawn there-from As to the First see these Scriptures 1 Cor. 2.7 But we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom c. Compared with Rom. 16.25 Eph. 1.9 3.3 4. Col. 1.26 1 Tim. 3.16 Without Controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh c. Godliness is twofold 1. The Doctrinal Part. 2. The Practical Part. A Mystery is a Thing hidden hard to find out that which few understand Godliness a Mystery which lies not open to the Sight and Apprehension of Men. Many Arts used amongst Men are full of Mystery If a Man go into a Chymist's Shop possibly he may see there several Extractions of Minerals but he may not know how he extracted those Spirits nor doth he understand the Nature and Operation of them that is a Mystery There are divers other curious Arts and Devices very hard to learn they are so mysterious but all come short of these heavenly Mysteries The Mysteries of Godliness are exceeding great 1. These Things are hidden Things from the Eyes of Men. See Mat. 11.25 The Gospel is read daily every Man hath the History of it in his House but alas very few understand it 't is a Mystery 't is not known but by such only who feel its Power and blessed Effects and Operations of it upon their Hearts 2. The Gospel and great Things of Christianity and Godliness are the rare Contrivance of God's eternal Wisdom 1 Cor. 8.1 and therefore full of Mystery If any Man thinks he knows any thing he knoweth nothing as he ought to know These things are not easily found out 3. The History of the Gospel and Principles of Christianity and Godliness could not be known without Revelation had not God afforded us the written Word what should we John 20.31 Rom. 16.25 26. or could we have known of these Mysteries What do the Heathen know of them that have not the Holy Scripture Doth the Light within discover the Incarnation Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession of Jesus Christ Doth that teach the Mystery of Faith and Regeneration 'T is true some have affirmed that they should have known all Things the Gospel reveals if they had never had the written Word But how false that is appears to all and they themselves have been silenced by putting one Question to them John 20 30. which is this 'T is said in John 20. Many other Signs did Jesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written c. Now let them shew us what those other Signs were But alas they can tell us nothing but what the Scripture relates neither had we or they known them but by the Record thereof That which we have the History of and yet cannot understand or make our own unless the Spirit of God opens and explains it to us is a great Mystery But we cannot understand the Mystery of Religion and Godliness without the Spirit 's Teaching and Explanation Ergo c. As the History must be revealed by the written Word so the Mystery must be revealed by the Spirit For what Man knoweth the Things of a Man save the Spirit of a Man 1 Cor. 2.11 which is in him even so the Things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God 4. That which needs or requires several Gradations and Mediums to open and explain it from time to time is a great Mystery But the Gospel or Mystery of Godliness requires such several Gradations and Mediums to open it unto the Children of Men. 1. God under the Law revealed these Things by divers Sacrifices Washings and other Rites whilst Persons remained in their Non-age 2. It requires the Use of divers earthly Similitudes to open and explain it to the Understanding of Men. God is compared to a Father to an Husband-man to a Judg to a Creditor to a Portion to an Housholder c. Christ to a Lamb to Light to an Husband to a Vine to a Shepherd c. The Spirit is compared to the Wind to Oil to Water and Grace to Seed to Gold tried in the Fire c. The Mysteries of Religion and Godliness are so hard to understand in their own Nature that God condescends to open them to us by earthly Things In this God shews what Children we are and how difficult 't is for us to understand these Things And tho they are thus explained yet how little is it that we are able to understand of them Now that which the Children of Men are not able fully to take in or comprehend tho God makes use of the best Mediums he in his Wisdom sees good to make use of is a great Mystery But the Children of Men are able to take in but little of the Mysteries of the Gospel notwithstanding these gracious Mediums God is pleased to make use of Ergo c. 5. That which the Children of Men are not able to take in or receive the knowledg of at once but when God fees necessary to discover by degrees by little and little notwithstanding all those proper and fit Mediums he condescends to make use of is a great Mystery But the Mysteries of the Gospel and Godliness God sees the Children of Men notwithstanding all those Mediums he is pleased to make use of cannot take in or receive at once but that there is need for him to open and discover them by degrees by little and little Ergo 't is
Paul determined to know nothing so much as Christ and him crucified When we know Christ better we shall understand this Mystery better Christ is the Mystery wrapt up in all the Gospel he is the Scope of all the Scripture the Pearl hid in the Field every Line is drawn to him as the proper Center all the Types and Shadows pointed to him and all the Promises run in him Jesus Christ is really and truly God and yet very Man God and Man in one Person and is not this a Mystery 1. Is it not a Wonder that a Woman should compass a Man 2. That he that made the World should be born of a Woman 3. That the Ancient of Days should become a Child of a Day old 4. That Blessedness it self should be brought under a Curse for Sinners Christ was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree 5. That he that was the Heir of all things Heir of both Worlds should be laid in a Manger 6. That he who was God over all should have no where to lay his Head 7. That he should become poor who was so rich and by his Poverty make others rich is not this a Mystery 8. He by dying destroyed Death and unless he had died we could not live and by Death he brought us to Life 9. And is it not a Mystery that a Person should be capable to die and yet by his own Power raise himself up again from the Dead 10. Is not this a Mystery that the Physician should die to cure his Patient nay and unless he die the Sin-sick Soul could not live and that his Blood should be the Balsam Is it not a great Mystery that the offended Saviour should suffer to free the offending Sinner 11. Is it not a Mystery that the Nature of Man should be so joined to the Divine Nature of God that both should make but one Christ and that our Nature should be exalted above the Nature of the Angels that Man should sit at God's right hand that Man should be very God and God very Man in one Person O how great is â—he Mystery of Godliness Acts 2.23 chap. 4.28 12. Is it not a Mystery that Christ suffered according to the Decree and determined Counsel of God and yet the Jews did wickedly in putting him to Death Secondly The Mystery of Christianity appears to be great 1. in God's casting off the Jews who followed after Righteousness and in calling the Gentiles who followed not after Righteousness That God should not be found of them that sought him and be found of them that sought him not 2. That God should chuse poor and contemptible Ones into his Service and reject the Wise the Noble and the Learned and that by weak Things he overcame the Mighty and by Folly confounded the Wisdom of this World Thirdly There is a great Mystery in Election in Justification in Sanctification in Renovation c. Nay what Branch or Part of the Doctrine of Godliness is not full of Mystery Fourthly There is a Mystery in every Grace 1. In Faith As 1. That a Sinner should believe i. e. go out of himself and be carried above himself to believe Things impossible to Man's Sense and above his Reason that he should seek for Justification by the Righteousness and Obedience of another for a Man as one would think to have a great deal of Holiness and good Works and yet to throw it as it were all away and be dead to it in point of Trust and Dependence is not this a Mystery 2. To believe when every thing is opposite to it To work for Life and to oppose some Sin a natural Man is ready to do but to believe in Christ for Life and Holiness to relie upon his Doings his Works and Merits this the Heart of Map is averse to nay and Satan opposeth it the World mocks at it and accounts it Foolishness 3. That a Man should believe and not see nay believe as Abraham did in hope against hope 2. There is a Mystery in Love that a Man should love him with an endeared Affection with a superlative Love whom the World can see no beauty in nay thus to love him whom their natural Eyes never beheld nay love him who is able to make great and save from all Misery and yet suffers his People and best beloved Ones to lie amongst the Pots and to be hated and persecuted in the World and to appearance to be of all Men the most miserable A Saint knows the Reason of these Things but 't is a Mystery to others The Love of Christ turns the Affections another way it drives as it were Jordan back it makes the Waters ascend and run up hill Is it not a Mystery to see a Saint who hath a Hundred nay it may be Five Hundred a Year a gracious Wife many sweet and lovely Children enjoying much Health and living in all Prosperity yet if he hath lost the Light of God's Countenance or Christ be withdrawn from him he is cast down and greatly distressed and afflicted in his Spirit and crying out Ah! what is all that I possess sith I want the Love of Christ the Presence of Christ what 's an Estate and no Christ Wife and Children and no sight of Christ Christ saith he is all to me and all is nothing without him This is a Mystery to carnal Hearts they wonder at it Nay to see a Man that hath all the Comforts of the World expose himself to cruel Mockings Loss of Goods to Imprisonment and Death it self for Christ's sake is a strange thing to worldly Men they think the Man is mad 't is a Mystery to them c. Fourthly The Effects and Operations of Grace and Godliness are a Mystery 1. That God should make Men wise by teaching them to become Fools 1 Cor. 3.18 2. That the way to become rich very rich eternally rich is to become poor This is a Mystery yet this Mystery is taught us in the Person of Christ David was a King and very rich yet cries out I am poor he was poor in Spirit This poor Man cried There is that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing there is that maketh himself poor Prov. 13.7 and yet hath great Riches 3. That the way to have all is to lose all and that a Man gains most when he loses most Is not this a Mystery 4. That Men must die to live or that the way to live is to die nay that God kills by making Souls alive and yet by that killing and death brings them to life And is not this a Mystery Sin must die and we must die to Sin Sin revived and I died Rom. 7.11 yet by that Death he revived and lived A Man must die to Self or he can never live himself 5. God makes Men blind by giving Sight and turns that Darkness into Light and is not this a Mystery 6. The way
spring hence his Sin is charged upon his whole Posterity By Adam 's Sin were many made Sinners c. Christ the secâ—nd Adam Rom. 5.12 14. is a common or publick Person representing all his true Seed or spiritual Off-spring So that as Adam's in was imputed to all his Children Verse 19. so is Christ's Righteousness imputed to all his Children through Faith The first Adam merited Death for his Seed the second Adam merited Life for his Seed Noah a Type of Christ Parallels NOah was a Saviour nay in a good sence the Saviour of the World for it was through him and by his Means and Righteousness there was a Seed preserved from the Floâ—d c. Christ is a Saviour the great Saviour the only Saviour of the World hence called Jesus II. Noah was a Preacher of Righteousness and invited Sinners to Repentance Christ was a Preacher of Righteousness and came on purpose to call Sinners to Repentance Noah's Ministry was despised by the Ungodly so was the Preaching and Ministry of Jesus Christ by the unbelieving Jews and others Those that refused and rebelled against Noah and his Ministry were destroyed by Water and those that refuse and rebell against Christ shall be destroyed by Fire III. Noah built an Ark So Christ builds his Church 2. Noah built the Ark according to the Commandment of God So Christ in building his Church did every thing according to the Commandment received from his Father 3. Noah took many Trees to build the Ark So Christ takes many Believers called Trees of Righteousness to build his Church IV. Some clean and some unclean Beasts were received into Noah's Ark So some holy and sanctified Persons and some unsanctified Ones are received into Christ's Church tho not by Christ's Appointment V. All that were not received into the Ark perished So all who get not spiritually by Faith into Jesus Christ or are not true Members of the visible or invisible Church shall be damned and perish eternally VI. Noah's Ark was toss'd upen the rough Waves and yet was preserved So the Church of Christ is toss'd upon the rough Waves of a tempestuous World and yet preserved VII Noah was the great Repairer of the World from him descended all the Inhabitants of the Earth Christ is the great and glorious Repairer of the World and from him proceed all the Inhabitants of Heaven VIII Noah sent a Dove out of the Ark to see whether or no the Waters were abated who returned with an Olive-Branch in her Mouth So Christ sends forth the Spirit called a Dove or in the likeness of a Dove who brings Tidings to believing Souls that the Wrath of God is appeased c. Melchisedeck a Type of Christ Heb. 7.3 Made like unto the Son of God c. Parallels THe Notation of his Name Melchisedeck signifieth King of Righteousness Christ Jesus is the only King of Righteousness II. In his Office he was a Type of Christ 1. He was King of Salem King of Peace Isa 9.6 So Christ was called the Prince of Peace not only a peaceable Prince but Prince of Peace one that commands Peace at his Pleasure in the World in the Church and in the Souls of Men. 2. Christ is not only Prince of the World but peculiarly Prince of Salem Prince of Jerusalem viz. the true Church of God 3. Melchisedeck was not only a King but also a Priest yea a Priest of the Most High God So Christ is both King and Priest III. Melchisedeck was a Type of Christ in his Original Without Father without Mother without Descent Heb 7.3 having neither Beginning of Days nor End of Life That is there is no mention of these things concerning him in the holy Scripture we have not his Genealogy or Story of his Life tho none doubt but he had both Father and Mother and Descent c. But God on purpose would have all these concealed that he might be a more express Type of Christ who was truly without Father in respect of his Manhood or human Nature and without Mother Isa 53. in respect of his Godhead And who can declare his Generation c. IV. Melchisedeck blessed Abraham and doubtless the lesser is blessed of the greater he was a most eminent and renowned Person Some do conclude he was the Patriarch Shem who was without beginning of days in respâ—ct of the World after the Flood and without end of days in respect of the World before the Flood but since God hath concealed who he was let us be satisfied But in this doubtless he was a Type of Christ who is greater than all that went before him great in Power Office and Sovereignty and is sent to bless his People 't is he alone that blesseth all the true Seed and Heirs of Promise V. Melchisedeck was a Priest not after the Order of Aaron he was not anointed with material Oil nor received his Priesthood from any other but only so declared by the Mouth of God His Priesthood passed not to other Men for as he received it from none so he passed it not to any other nor did any as we read of succeed him So Christ received his Priesthood from none but God himself and was not anointed with material Oil but with the Oil of Gladness only And as he received his Priesthood from none so he passeth it not to any other He hath none that can succeed him but abideth a Priest for ever in his own Person in Heaven Abraham a Type of Christ Parallels ABram and Abraham signify an high Father and a Father of a Multitude So is Christ an high and heavenly Father called the everlasting Father Father of all the Faithful c. II. To Abraham and to his Seed was the Promise made So to Christ and to his true Seed is the Promise made Guild Heb. 9.13 III. Abraham was King Priest and Prophet in his own Family So is Jesus Christ in his Church IV. Abraham put Hagar and Ishmael out of his House Gal. 4. So Jesus Christ cast out the Legal Covenant and fleshly Seed out of his Church Hagar being a Figure of the one and Ishmael of the other V. Abraham is called the Heir of the World Jesus Christ is so most properly and truly Rom. 4.13 Isaac a Type of Christ Parallels ISaac was the Son of Abraham the Father of the Faithful a promised Seed long before he was born and so strange was his Birth that tho he was born by the Stâ—ength of Nature yâ—t of Sarah's dead Womb Gen. 18.12 when it ceased to be with her as with other Child-bearing Women insomuch that when the Angel foretold it to her she thought it impossible So Jesus Christ is often called the Son of Abraham yet the only begotten Son of God by Nature who is the Father of all that are taught and can say in truth Our Father c. the only true promised Seed who was long prophesied of and expected by all Believers
longer than they appear to walk strictly and holily according to the Principles upon which they first received them and as for their Officers they are soon summed up being no more than Bishops or Elders and Deacons But the Roman Church may be called Babylon or the City of Confusion very reasonably because she so fitly answers literal Babylon of old that was her Type and from whence she derives her Name 1. In setting up another way for Men to go to Heaven by than what God hath ordained and appointed viz. a Tower of their own making 2. In having so many Languages amongst them which is like the Confusion of Babel 3. In bearing the Glory and Sway over the Kingdoms and Countries of the chiefest part of the World therefore called the Lady of Kingdoms which is no way applicable to the poor Dissenters 4. In plucking up or razing out the true Worship of God which was setled at Jerusalem and setting up Idolatry in the room of it 5. In Captivating God's People who were carried away into literal Babylon 6. In their Doctrines Principles and Modes of Worship which is such a jumble mixture and heap of Things that may go for Confusion it self 7. In their Orders Diversity and long Muster-Roll of Officers that are so numerous as well as unscriptural that if Mixture and Confusion may be thought to be any where 't is to be found in this Church where you have Popes Cardinals Arch-Bishops Abbots Provincials Heads of Fraternities Priests Monks Fryers Followers of Dominick St. Francis Jansenius Augustine Caphucins c. and what not All which is many times more like to be Babylon Mixture or Confusion than the Dissenters from the Romish Church Thirdly For Mystery which is in the Description it no where agrees to them whom they call Hereticks but agrees very well to the Church of Rome in four Things 1. In calling themselves the Church of God and yet are the Synagogue of Satan that 's a Mystery 2. In calling themselves the pure Spouse of Christ and yet an abominable Whore that 's a Mystery 3. In pretending to be the Mother of Peace Purity and Charity and yet the Breeder Bringer forth and Cherisher of Division Falshood most bloody Butcheries and barbarous Cruelties this is a Mystery 4. In being Queen Regent riding upon the Beast in State and yet being that good Woman that fled into the Wilderness and abides there in a suffering Condition all the time of the Beast's Reign this is a Mystery See our fourth Argument One Proof of their Church is visibility yet it is evident the true Church for the space of 260 Years was to be in the Wilderness or in an obscure Condition c. Fourthly Mother of Harlots and Abominations better agrees to the Church of Rome than to Protestants 'T is against the Principles of Protestants to allow Fornication or Adultery in Persons of any Rank whatsoever maintaining constantly that Marriage is honourable but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judg whereas Rome gives publick toleration to notorious Whoredoms and the most shameless and unnatural Beastialities as the whole World knows Fifthly For Mother of Harlots in a Spiritual Sense she is owned by all her Children to be the Mother-Church And 1. Therefore Protestants are exhorted to return into the Bosom of their Mother 2. All polluted and National Churches in the European Kingdoms sprang from her as the Churches of France Spain Portugal c. 3. All Corruption in Doctrine and Discipline may call her Mother that is to say the false Titles and Errours following viz. Universal Supream Infallible Head Holy Father the Pope His Holiness in the Abstract Our Lord God the Pope unerring Church Priestly Absolution Selling of Pardons Indulgences Dispensations adoring the Crucifix worshipping of Images foolish Crossings Anointings and Sprinkling with Holy Water the adoration of the Mass and many such things which from the beginning was not so 4. For Personal Vices from whence come horrid Oaths and Blasphemies most astonishing Perjury and subtile Equivocations and Hypocrisies all manner of Uncleannesses Lying and Adulteries Covenant-breaking and Bloody-mindedness is this allowed and practised by the Protestants No No they are the Brats and Off-spring of this lewd and filthy Mother who indulgeth those abominable pernicious Practices for which she is rightly called Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Which we conclude with this Argument Arg. If this Name Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth doth not so fully and fitly agree to the Protestants nor any other People as it doth to Rome Papal or Church of Rome Then Rome Papal or Church of Rome and not the Protestants c. is Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots But this Name Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth doth not so fully and fitly agree to the Protestants c. as it doth to Rome Papal or Church of Rome Ergo Rome Papal and not the Protestants is Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots XIII This Mystery Babylon Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth is very drunken Company for she not only makes others drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and commits Adultery her self but she is a Beastly drunken Whore that makes her self drunk after the worst manner of Drunkenness which is to be drunk with Blood the best Blood the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Christ Rev. 17.6 And I saw a Woman drunk with the Blood of the Saints and the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondred with great Admiration XIII Rome Papal or Church of Rome if she be guilty here it is enough to make not only good Men but even Angels wonder to see a Woman pretending to be nobly descended the Daughter to the great King of Heaven the Spouse of the Lamb the Mother of all Peace Purity Holiness Innocency Charity and Chastity I say to see a Woman by Profession such a drunken beastly Strumpet in Works and Actions and if Rome Papal or Church of Rome be guilty in this point she is the unhappiest Church in the World for she then gives cause to every good Man in the World to abhor her and indeed she hath very good luck if she scape this Charge for if she be Mystery Babylon the Mother of false Churches and Abominations of the Earth there is no avoiding but she must be this drunken Strumpet But because it is never safe judging a Cause before Trial and Examination of Witnesses we will 1. Consider what it is to be drunk 2. What things do necessarily contribute to it 3. The true and proper Signs of it 4. Whether such things can be fixed upon Rome Papal or Church of Rome And then conclude this Head 1. To be Drunk is an excessive taking in of such Things as disorder Nature in its Course and Operations This we take to be a general Definition of it including the
Proper and Metaphorical Notations thereof 2. Such things as necessarily contribute to it are 1. Great and vehement Thirst 2. Plenty of the thing thirsted after 3. The greedy taking their fill of it 3. The Signs of Drunkenness are 1. When the Faculties are so disordered that they will not submit to the best Reason that can be given them 2. When they will abuse those whom they are most obliged to love and respect 3. When they have cast off all consideration of their own and others Good and forbear no Mischief but what they are restrained from by force 4. That these things are evident in the Church of Rome and cannot be so fairly fixed upon her Opposites or supposed Hereticks appears 1. Because she hath shed a Mass a very great Mass of Blood upon the account of Religion all which was unlawfully shed of this the whole Christian World is a Witness 2. To clear her supposed Hereticks from this red and bloody Crime 1. It is against their Principle to kill Men for Religion and this they do avowedly profess pleading for Liberty of Conscience in Matters purely Religious in all places 2. They have wanted Power to do it in case they had been for it in Principle all Power being in the Hands of Papists before the Reformation 3. Where there hath since been a Protestant Seate or Kingdom governed by Laws different from that of the Popish Countries yet they have not made use of their Power and Laws to take away the Lives of Papists meerly for Religion and if it hath happened at any time that some Ecclesiastical Persons have been put to Death by Protestants it has been but very rare and seldom and the Cause not for their Religion but for Sedition Rebellion and Treason otherwise they have lived peaceably under Protestant Governours enjoying their Civil Right in Common with other Men. And for the confirming of this we make a Challenge to all Christendom to come forth and make it appear Where England Scotland and Ireland the Vnited Provinces c. since the Reformation have by Massacres Murders or Martyrdom put one thousand nay one hundred to Death of Men Women and Children only because they professed the Romish Religion or any Religion different from theirs so far have they been from making themselves Drunk with the Blood of Saints and Religious Men. And if this cannot be done then having brought our Character within the Confines of the Christian World we must necessarily charge this Drunkenness by Blood upon the Church of Rome This Head we will conclude with the following Argument If no Sect of People in the Christian World be guilty of so much Blood drunk with Blood innocent Blood Blood of Saints as the Church of Rome is Then the Church of Rome is this Woman that St. John saw to his great astonishment Drunk with the Blood of the Saints and the Martyrs of Jesus But there is no Sect of People c. guilty of so much Blood or Drunk with the Blood of Saints c. Ergo The Church of Rome is this Woman c. XIV Babylon is a Church or Body of People that sits upon a Beast that had seven Heads or seven sorts of Soveraign Governments 1. Kings of whom Romulus was the first Rev. 17.9 10 11. 2. Consuls See Mede Peter du Moulin c. 3. Military Tribunes 4. Decemvirs 5. Dictators 6. Heathen Emperors 7. Christian Emperors Rev. 17.9 10 11. And here is the Mind that hath Wisdom the seven Heads are seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth And there are sâ—ven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come but when he cometh he must continue a short space And the Beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and of the seven and goeth into Perdition XIV Besides all that hath been said we hope to very good Purpose if we find not Rome here we will let her go for ever For 1. This is the place which hath had seven Soveraign Governments five of which were gone off the Stage and the sixth viz. the Heathen Empire was in Being in St. John's time 2. The seventh was to appear and to continue but a short space viz. the Christian Empire for it cannot be the Papal Power because that was not up in St. John's time so not the sixth Head and as the Papal Power for that Reason could not be the sixth Head so for a very good Reason it could not be the seventh Head because that whensoever that did appear it was to continue but a short space which respects not the Papal Power but answers the Christian Empire for the Papal Power has continued longer than any of the other Soveraignties that went before and if the Papal Power be neither the Sixth nor seventh Head then it must needs be the eighth which is of the seventh and goes into Perdition or else it must be no Head or Power at all But a Head and a Power it is a great Head and Power it hath been therefore it is the eighth Head which carries the Whore according to the express Leâ—ter of the Text and shall go into Perdition And that by the Woman City or Whore that sitteth upon the seven Mountains is meant Rome we have no cause to doubt because the great Sons of Rome themselves as Baronius Bellarmine and many others do confess it but would defend their Mother from being a Whore by putting it off to the Power of Rome in its Heathen State to which we have fully answered already And do say that Rome Papal is neither the sixth Head nor the seventh but the very last Beast or eighth Head in which there is a Secular and an Ecclesiastical Power joined together which makes up a Beast a most Blasphemous Beast and a Whore a most Devilish Drunken and Bloody Whore which hath her Seat upon seven Mountains on which this City of Rome was built as before This Paragraph we shall shut up with this Argument Arg. If Rome Papal or Church of Rome be born up by a Secular Power which had seven sovereign Governments seated upon seven Hills Then Rome Papal or Church of Rome is the very Mystery Babylon that the Apostle John saw in his Apocalyptical Vision But Rome Papal or Church of Rome is born up by a Secular Power which had seven Soveraign Governments and seated upon seven Hills Ergo Rome Papal or Church of Rome is the very Mystical Babylon c. This Argument shines so clear that unless our Adversaries can assign any Protestant State by them called Heretical that these Characters do better and more fully agree to it must pass for current Coin and which we shall be ready to receive from them So we proceed XV. Mystery Babylon is not only a Beastly Woman that has made her self Drunk with the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus that sits upon a Beast that had seven Heads or seven sorts of Soveraign Governments and was seated upon