can depend upon any Minister for then none could have any assured comfort that they have ever received a Sacrament because no man can look to the sanctification of any mans heart and cannot certainly without revelation know who is indeed truely sanctified Object 3 But what say you to a dumb Minister hee is no Minister and therefore hee can perform no ministerial action his Baptism is no Baptisme his Sacraments no Sacraments his prayers no Prayers Ans 1 For themselves I say their Ministry is unlawful to themselves and without repentance a certain matter of destruction 2 I cannot blame those who with their own peace and the Churches avoyd them 3 Wee must distinguish between such a man and a meer private man for although they be no good and lawful Ministers of God yet because they come in the room of Ministers by the election of the Church to whom God hath given power to ordain they are now publick persons and Ministers though no good ones 4. Being thus enabled by the Church to give what they can and bound by being in the place of a Pastor though he come never so inordinately to administer Sacraments we may receive from him what hee can give 5 Wee must distinguish between a calling and the execution of it for it proves not he hath no calling of a Minister because hee executeth it not A Magistrate ceaseth not to be a Magistrate or to want Office because he doth not duely execute it Obj. But the Magistrate is an able Magistrate so is not this Minister Ans A Magistrate is a Magistrate who for the ignorance of his place may be called an Idol-Magistrate the substance of a lawful and good Magistrate is to be able to judge of Causes but not of a Magistrate simply who is chosen by election of people or by course so it is of the substance of a good and lawful Minister of God to be able to preach but not of a Minister simply And as a Magistrate not able to weild martial affairs and so defective in a special part of his Office yet no man refuseth the good that he can doe for peace even so endeavouring in the mean time for a sufficient Ministery and groaning under this burthen which private men cannot cast off I take it the good things which they can give may bee taken at their hands Obj. But by communicating with them we communicate in their sin Ans He that receiveth the Sacrament at the hands of a Minister who is an Adulterer neither makes him an adulterer nor partakes of his adultery If wee either made him Minister or communicated with his insufficiency which our souls groan under some part of the guilt would stick to our fingers But we communicate only in the Lords Ordinances so farr as hee is able to administer and justifie not the lawfulness of his calling but that he only is in the room and place of a Minister whom wee cannot avoyd unless wee will put away the Lord in refusing his Sacraments Obj. Hos 4.6 Because thou hast refused knowledge thou shalt be no Priest to me therefore ignorant Ministers are no Ministers Ans 1. True no lawful no good ones approved of God to me 2 The Prophet rather gives a rule in election and deposition of such then shews how farr they may be used while they stand So we deny not but such ought not to be chosen Ministers nor that such ought not to be deposed but that nothing ought to be received of them while they stand we deny especially seeing we well know that in ancient Churches there were Deacons who were assistants to Pastors and Presbyters in reading administring Sacraments Baptism and the Eucharist yea and in Catechising who had not the office of Pastors All which I speak not to maintain this foame of the Church which she hath been too long in scumming off but to remove causless scruples of weak consciences who are ready to deem all their actions nullities and utterly reject Sacraments at the hands of such unpreaching Ministers Obj. 4. But how may I partake where open sinners are tolerated to receive the Sacrament doe not I partake of their sins Ans Christ entred into the same Temple with wicked persons and ate the same Passeover with Judas and was undefiled the Prophets lived in the midst of a polluted people and joyned in the publike exercises of religion and those few of the Church of Sardi defiled not their garments among a multitude of wicked persons Obj. Isa 52.11 and Revel 18.3 Come out of her my people touch no uncleane thing c. Ans If we compare the Prophets precept with his practise we shall easily see he means not of any Schismatical separation he calls Gods people out of that wicked multitude but where read we that himself did bodily separate and therefore this must be a coming out and departing from their evil not local but moral q. d. 1 Have no fellowship with their unfruitful works 2 Doe not countenance them in their evil 3 Reprove them 4 Touch no unclean thing that is consent not to any wickedness among them But 1 It is one thing to touch the holy things of God another the uncleaneness of men 2 Separation from the wicked in body is impossible except we wil go out of the world The Disciples could not bee rid of Judas unless they would depart from Christ himself 3 Unless they can prove an established Idolatry among us ripe to the plague as in Babylon they cannot prove a separation in body and mind 4 Of this separation a reason is given not because they cannot partake in any holy thing while the wicked are in presence but least yee be partakers of her plagues Qbj. 1 Cor. 5.11 If any be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one eat not A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Ans 1 The place is meant of private familiarity and amity so farr as a man is not bound or tendeth to the countenancing of his sin 2 It implieth that he ought to be excommunicate if he hear not the Churches admonition as the whole context will shew and so cut off from Christian communion for the time 3 If a man were excommunicate some were bound to eat privately with him as his Wife Children and Servants for these are necessarily bound and doe not countenance him 4 A man may and must eat sometimes with notorious wicked persons as suppose a man in the same ship or prison or army and can have no meat but among vile wicked persons here a man may not refuse it lest he famish himself So at the Lords Table such as admit wicked persons having power to repel them communicate with their sin and countenance them therein but a private person whose soul is vexed with their sin and doth what he can to redress it but cannot is not polluted by them hee is forced to eat with them he may not starve
alledge Scripture hee saith nothing against it but was silent he replies not and much less rails on him as a phantastical or precise person But reprove the Swearer the Drunkard the Gamester the unjust courses of men in their trades Sabbath-breaking in Masters or Servants and do it out of the Scripture as Christ did wee shall have the same measure that hee had returned from the Scribes and Pharisees who railed out-right on him He is too precise and severe wee can do nothing for him or What hath hee to do with our Government or Trades or He might finde other things to speak of Thus if Paul speak against Diana or whatsoever the craft-masters live by all the City is in an uproar against him It seems men are loath in their callings to meddle with the word of God or the directions of it else wee should have to deal with them It were too much to sit down silent and go on in sinne against the Word but to resist the word in termes or to rail upon the Preachers thereof goes one step beyond the Devil Vse 4. Take knowledge of the secret working of the Devil against the light and truth in such as spurn against it They cannot abide that truth and innocency should acquit it self but though they see nothing but meekness patience and innocency yet will side against it as though they had the greatest advantage and occasion What is the cause that men will take part with most abject and base persons and bring the curse on themselves in condemning the innocent and justifying the wicked in their horrible riots and misbehaviour but the hatred they carry against goodnesse Why did the Jews band themselves for Barrabas and seek to acquit him Was it because there was any cause of love in him knew they him not to bee a murtherer and a Rebel Yes It was hatred of Christ that made them stick to him and why hated they Christ but because he was the light Some there bee of that Jewish generation lest to whom if Christ be weighed with Barrabas he will seem too light Barrabas shall carry the credit and defence from him Not him but Barrabas Into the holy City We come to the second circumstance in the preparation to this second assault which is the place that Satan chuseth set down 1 In general the holy City 2 In special a pinacle of the Temple What holy City this was Luke expresseth chap. 4.9 He brought him to Jerusalem here called the holy City Jerusalem is called the holy City not because of any holiness in the place for no place as a place is more holy than other It is true that wee read in Scripture of holy ground as Exod. 3.5 Mount Horeb where Moses stood is called holy ground and Moses must put off his shooes But this was no inherent holiness in the place only for the present the presence of God appearing after a special manner makes a special holiness to bee ascribed unto it Neither is it called holy in respect of the people and Inhabitants for the faithful City was long before this become an Harlot Isa 1.21 and Christ not long after this Combate cryeth out against Jerusalem That shee had killed the Prophets and slain such as were sent unto her and proclaimeth a speedy desolation against her But it was so called 1 Because God had made choyce of this City to put his name there 2 Chron. 7.12 I have chosen this place for my self Hence was it called the City of God and Gods holy Mountain Dan. 9.16 and the holy Hill of Sion because God had chosen it and sanctified it for himself wherein himself kept residence and made it eminent above all the places of the earth 2 Because of the holy things which were there established even all the holy worship of God it was not lawful for the Jewes to sacrifice or eat the Passeover any where but in Jerusalem There was the Temple built on mount Moriah wherein I. There was the Sanctum seculare the utter Court of the Jews and Salomons porch which did rise up by fourteen stairs wherein Christ preached often and Peter healed the lame man Acts 3.3 and probably where Peter converted three thousand souls at one Sermon In this porch was the great brazen Altar for whole Burnt-offerings on which Altar the fire which at Aarons first offering in the Wilderness fell from Heaven Levit 9 2â— 24. was to be kept perpetually before the Lord the which when Aarons sons neglected and offered with strange fire they were burnt with fire before the Lord. In this Court was the great brasen Sea wherein the Priests washed themselves and the Beasts to be offered on that Altar especially their feet because they were to minister bare-foot before the Lord. Both of them holy representations of Christ the former of his Sacrifice who gave himself for a whole Burnt-offering the latter the fruit of it he being the Laver of the Church by whose bloud we are washed from the guilt and power of sin II. There was the inner Court which was called the Sanctum or the Sanctuary or the Court of the Priests whence the Jewes were barred There was here 1 The Altar of Incense for sweet perfume wherein the Priests were evening and morning to burn the holy Incense before the Lord as a sweet-smelling savour unto God and no strange incense might be offered thereon Exod. 30.9 While Zachary stood at the right side of this Altar offering incense to God the Angel Gabriel stood and fore-told the birth of John Baptist This was an holy type of Christ who offered himself on the altar of the Cross a sacrifice of sweet smell to God his Father and through whom God savoureth a sweet smell from all our duties 2 In this Court was the golden Candlestick with seven Lamps and seven Lights which were â—ed with most pure holy oyl night and day to lighten the whole inner Court And this was an holy type of Christ the light of the world enlightening all his elect with spiritual and heavenly light 3 In this Court was that golden Table on which the holy Shew-bread was ever to stand even twelve Loaves which were to be made of the purest flower of Wheat and were to bee renewed every Sabbath the old Loaves converted to the Priests use a holy type of Christ in whom alone the Church and every member setting themselves continually before God are nourished and preserved unto eternal life 4 In this Court was that costly and precious Veil of blew silk and purple and scarlet and fine twined Linnen made of broydered work with Cherubims the use of which was to separate the Sanctum from the Holy of Holies this veil at the death of Christ was rent from the top to the bottom A notable representation of the flesh of Christ which hid his Divinity but being rent asunder by his passion on the Cross the way to Heaven was laid open unto us III. There in the Temple
down Here bee in these words three things further to bee considered 1 The action which the Devil would effect the casting down of Christ 2 The agent not the Devil but Christ himself must do it Cast thy self 3 Luke addes from hence where means of safety were Doct. 1 All the travel of the Devil is to cast down Christ and in him all mankinde The estate of the Church is militant while it is here below and the battle is maintained between Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels Rev. 12.7 and therefore as in a battel the contrary part by all the power and policy it can seeks to cast down and overthrow not the Captain onely but all the adversary power and discomfit the whole Host so is it here To clear this point wee must know there be three estates from whence Saan hath ever sought to cast men down 1 From the estate of innocency and grace created Adam was no sooner set up in this happy and glorious estate but Satan cast him down And from this pinacle wee are all cast down in him The second Adam himself was sundry waies assayld in these temptations and sundry others to bee cast down also from the same most innocent estate which had been the casting of us all not out of the earthly Paradise with Adam but a casting down from heaven unto hell 2 From the estate of regeneration and grace renewed Satans continual labour is either to keep men under condemnation from the state of grace or to cast them down if it were possible from that estate to which they are by Christ restored Hee worketh effectually in the sons of disobedience by hardning their hearts blinding their mindes and leading them hood-winkt at his pleasure to damnation 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel bee now hid it is hid to them that perish in whom the God of the world hath blinded their mindes that the light of the glorious Gospel which is the image of God should not shine unto them And for the elect hee sets upon them false Prophets and seducers hee is incessant in most malicious tentations by which hee soileth them often in foul manner and if hee cannot cast them down from their estate in Christ yet hee often casteth them down from the comfort of it both by inward and outward sorrows and persecutions Rev. 12. the Dragon when hee cannot kill the woman and her seed hee will cast out of his mouth waters like a floud to drown them and if that prevail not hee will stir up war with the remnant of the seed which keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ 3 From the Pinacle of their outward estate or office which they hold in the Church or Common-wealth for so hee did here with Christ when hee had gotten him to the Pinacle hee thought to get him down easily At least hee will do his best to cast him down for hee should fall with witnesse First If hee see a man on the Pinacle of the Temple a teacher in the Church listed up above others in gifts or place hee will leave no stone unturn'd to cast him down for hee knows that as if hee had here cast down Christ hee had cast down with him all his members so if he can cast down an eminent Teacher hee casts down with him as many as depend upon him And here no Teacher can secure himself if hee were in place above all the ministry of the New Testament nay the higher the pinacle the more slippery and dangerous to fall Judas his place was an higher place than any ordinary minister of the New Testament stands upon but yet how fearfully was hee cast down by the Devil who put it in his heart and prevailed first for the betraying of his Master and then the hanging of himself how did the Devill seek to winnow as wheat the rest of the Disciples that stood on the same battlements who had as certainly been cast down but for the power and prayer of their Master Luk. 22.31 How strongly may wee clear this truth if wee observe one experience which all the ages of the world have confirmed namely that the Devil hath ever striven to set men on the Pinacle of the Temple to cast them down and the Church in them How hath hee by wicked means as flattery mony and corruption advanced them into the highest places and pinacles of the Church whom hee might use as his chief Agents to ruinate and bane the Church as the false Prophets in the Old Testament that would ever with the Squirril build and have their holes open to the sun-side ever keep in with Princes and sing sweetly to the present times As also the false Apostles that would suffer nothing for Christ but under a colour of preaching Christ abolish Christ and his doctrin taught and maintained by the true Apostles How doth the Church complain that shee was never so wounded as by the watch-men who also robbed her and took away her veil from her Look into the Records of fifteen hundred years and wee shall not read almost of any persecutions of the Church but raised and with all heat pursued by proud persecuting and Antichristian Bishops who kept the chief places in the Church And ever since the Bishop of Rome hath been by the Devil lifted up into the highest Pinacle of the Temple his casting down and fall into so many monsters of doctrin and manners hath been in this Christian World the ruine and downfal of so many as whose names are not written in the book of life All this comes to pass by the malice of the Devil whose tayl draws the third part of the stars of Heaven and casteth them to the earth Rev. 12.4 Against these stars and lights of the World hee bendeth his forces If hee can cast them down to earthliness or service of any lust he hath his desire Secondly If hee see a man upon the Pinacle of his own house hee will if he can cast him down thence and for this purpose will lay his plots and objects David walking on his battlements was soon cast down thence by the sight of Bathsheba Especially if a man be a Magistrate or Governour standing on the pinacle of authority the Devil will cast him down if by any means hee can His example will cast down a great many with him hee stands high many eyes are upon him and so many see him If Rhehoboam commit Idolatry all Judah will sacrifice under every green hill If the Magistrate bee fearful negligent or any way noted for vice those under him will take it for a Licence Reasons The Reasons why Satan seeks thus restlesly to cast men down from every good estate are these 1 Because himself is cast down from Heaven to Hell Rev. 12.13 When the Dragon saw that hee was cast out into the earth hee persecuted the woman Hee would have and hold every man under his own condemnation 2 Because of
stand in vallies not on mountains Joseph was raised out of Prison to be the second man in the kingdom David was by little and little raised from a Shepherd to a Warriour from thence to a Kings Son from thence to a Kingdom Mordecai was first in danger of his life and in great distress and afterward his head was lifted up This humility 1 will not suffer a man to affect pinacles as seeing their danger but content himself in a mean estate which is safest 2 It will make a man rejoyce rather in Gods humiliation than in Satans advancing the former tending to exaltation the latter to ruine and down-fall Rule 3 As Satan is ever plotting to cast thee down so be thou ever raising thy self up 1 By means of the VVord which is the staff of a Christian raising him in his falls and strengthening him in his standing 2 By Prayer which gets Gods hand with thee to uphold thee so as the hand that must cast thee down must be stronger than Gods 3 By heavenly conversation lift up thy soul and affections daily seek the things that are above minde heavenly things Satan would not have a man mount above the Pinacle nor will suffer him if he can hinder to get up to Heaven therefore in regard of his malice we must put more labour to this business Our affections are like the leaden plummets of a Clock by their own weight ever tending downward and Satan often hangs his weight upon them and therefore we must every day be winding them up 4 By fostering nor quenching the motions of the Spirit Thy self Quest Why doth not the Devil cast Christ down Did hee want power who had now carried and set him on that dangerous pinacle or did hee want will to throw him down Ans There wanted no will in Satan any way to mischief our Lord to which purpose he strained all his wits in these temptations but 1 He wanted power and strength being bound in chains and bridled by God so as it is as farre as he can now goe to tempt Christ to cast down himself His Commission went no further than to carry his holy body to the pinacle and there set it 2 For him to have cast down Christ and Christ to bee a meer Patient had not furthered him a whit in his drift and scope he intended to bring Christ to sin and if Christ cannot be gained to be an Agent or a voluntary Patient he cannot sin Besides he specially intendeth to bring Christ to the sin of presumption in throwing himself down which he could not effect by his casting him down unless himself bearing himself upon his Fathers protection can be brought to cast himself down 3 Although afterward Satan had power by his instruments to put our Saviour Christ to death yet now he could not by casting him down the pinacles doe it no more than the people could when they attempted to cast him down the hill for his hour was not yet come he had not yet done that great work which he came into the world to doe and the hour for the power of darkness was not yet Hence hee is a suter to Christ to cast down himself Doct. 2. Satan can tempt and perswade us but he cannot force us to sin or Hee cannot cast thee down unless thou cast down thy self He setteth Christ on the pinacle he cannot throw him down but perswades him to throw down himself He crammed not Eve with the Apple nor gave it into her hand but perswaded her to reach and eat it He did not kill Saul himself but perswaded him to cast down himself upon his own sword He did not put the halter about Judas his neck nor was his Hangman but was of his counsel and made his own hands his own executioners therefore it is said Acts 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factus praeceps he threw down himself from an high place not only of his Office but from off the Tree whereon hee hanged himself 1 This comes to pass by Gods restraining power Reasons which suffers not Satan to doe what he list for then he would suffer no good thing or person upon earth but destroy all the order and government of God both in Church and Common-wealth then should every man not be a Wolf only but a Devil to a man Hence he is fain to take out a new commission and power from God for his several designs and cannot goe beyond the limitations of it though the greediness of his prey be never so great 2 No man is hurt but from himself Dico peccatum non esse si non propria voluntate peccetur August contra Forum Manich and out of the voluntary inclination of his own mind unto evil which Satan knows well enough and therefore he ever worketh on our corruptions and cannot poyson us unless either hee get us to drink of his cup or entoxicate us by our own 3 God hath made the will of man as a fountain of all humane actions whether Natural Civil Moral or Divine and herein hath given a man a kind of power under God over himself by investing every mans will with this natural property that his will is free from co-action and force for a man to say Voluntas cogi non potest Arist the will can be forced is to speak a contradiction and as much as to say that the will in the same time and thing can be willing and nilling which if it could be forced were true To understand this better wee must know that there bee onely two waies to move change or bend the will First from an internal agent or principle and this is twofold 1 God himself the Author of all naturall faculties in whose hand the heart of Kings and all men bee to turn as he pleaseth as the Riverâ— 2 The man himself to whom God hath committed this will who hath power to dispose it to this or that object as Adam in innocency had freedome in things Divine and Humane and now wee his posterity in the latter Secondly by external movers and these are either 1 The natural object of the will which is some good so apprehended in the understanding and strongly urged upon the will or 2 some passions Lusts Affections and Appetites which incline the will this way â—or that Quest How then is it said that the Devil filled Ananias his heart to lye to the Holy Ghost Act. 5.3 and of Judas that the Devil entered into him and put into his heart to betray his Lord if he cannot move the will Answ It is not denyed but that something besides God can move the will but the Question is of the manner God moves it by his own and absolute power even without our selves and against our selves as when hee changeth an heart of stone into an heart of flesh But others without us cannot move our hearts neither by any proper power that they have over them nor yet without our selves first gained unto
taught to bring them in by evil means both of them accursed by God and the gainer for them 3 All actions which are brought to pass by unwarrantable means are likewise to bee suspected not to bee of God who ordereth due and lawful means to good and lawful ends and hath as many pipes to convey good unto us Zach 4 2. as eyes to provide for it Saul must needs know his condition was unhappy and his business unprosperous when he must run to the Witch to help himself So their cause is worse than naught that run to the Wizard for help in diseases and losses Gâ—d is gone from them and the remedy is farre worse than the disease Yet hâ—w common is not to seek to them by night as Saul did but even by day as nâ—t ashamed of it Herod he would not break his oath no that was not for his credit but he might well know it to be a wicked one which could not bee kept but by murther of John Baptist Obj. Why what would yee have him forsworn Ans He had brought himself into such a snare as either he must bee forsworn or a murther Now of these to have broken a cruel and wicked oath should have hindred murther which is a sin in an higher degree against God and man and to keep a wicked oath is worse than to make it This is rather to be thought of because even godly men themselves are too ready to effect good things by bad means as Jacob will get the Blessing by lying Rahab will save the Spies by a lye Lot will save his Guests by prostituting his own Daughters In which how ever the Lord sometime commends the fact and faith of the parties yet he never commends the manner which blemished both the doers and the actions The rule that wee must walk by is in Rom. 3.8 We must not doe the least evil for the greatest good Therefore let us take heed of these base tricks of the Devil to effeâ—t our desires by wicked means Many condemn good men because they stand nicely upon some small things which if they would yeeld unto they might doe themselves and others great good but they have learned another lesson not to doe the least thing against their Conscience to procure themselves the greatest good God need not their error to glorifie himself and doe his people good by 4 That religion which is set forward by bad and wicked means is to be suspected and condemned true religion was ever maintained by truth simplicity humility patience mercy love meekness c. But the Church of Rome must needs defend a bad cause the means are so extreamly wicked as violence and power trechery and subtilty fire and sword murthers and Massacres King-killing and Powder-plots lyes and equivocations and what not It was once said Omnia venalia Romae at Rome all things are saleable and now it may be said Romae omnia venialia at Rome all things are pardonable One demonstration for memory sake That religion which upholds it self 1 By ignorance as the Mother of devotion 2 By disgracing and reproaching the holy Scriptures abhorring them no less than a Thief doth a pair of Gallows and warning men to take heed of them 3 By upholding Images and Image-worship 4 Perjury by freeing subjects from the Oath of Allegiance 5 Disobedience yea rebellion to Princes and Parents 6 Murder and Massacres of all Princes and people Kings and Kingdoms by sword fire poyson powder ponyard openly or trecherously 7 Adulteries and fornication by their Stews and Sheet-punishments yea with large revenues by them 8 By Lies Legends lying and Straw-miracles notable tricks and collusions as once in the Images of the Heathens the Devil often spake but the Priests in stead of the Devil speak through Images and make them move sweat nod c. to deceive simple people I say such a religion cannot bee of God because the means of advancing it are from the Devil But the Romish is such a religion therefore c. Vse 2. Here is a glass for liars and boasters to see their faces in and their resemblance to their father the Devil He promiseth an whole world when all ptoves but a shadow and image He takes upon him to dispose all things in the world as though they were his whereas we must goe to our heavenly Father the Father of lights for every morsel of bread Wherefore whosoever would any way advantage himself by lying or deceiving it is manifest the spirit of the Devil ruleth in him And therefore cast off lying as a ragge and relick of natural corruption and speak every man the truth to his neighbour Ephes 4.25 It is a received opinion in these days that Qui nescit dissimulare nescit vivere No dissembler no man and plain-dealing is a jewel but he that useth it shall dye a beggar and some men are too honest to thrive in the world such common speeches argue the common breach of this Commandement But know 1. How farre are we degenerate from our fore-fathers they lived simply by their hands according to Gods Ordinance but now many live by their wits whence it is that Trades are called Crafts and Mysteries because more live by craft and the sin of their trade than the trade it self 2 The Lord is the avenger of all such wrong by secret cousnage and lying for he sees that thou deceivest him that trusteth thee and because it is hidden from men his own hand must revenge it 3 What a shame is it and slander to Christian profession that men professing salvation by Christ should so carry their trades as a man that comes to deal with them must come so suspitiously as if he were to fall into the hands of so many Theeves and having dealt with them hath just cause to say that he might find more just dealing with Turks and Infidels Whereas if this vice were put off a childe might traffique in the dark without delusion The same of Boasters who brag of things they have not As Job speaks of the Leviathan of the Sea so may we of the hellish Leviathan He is the King of all the sons of Pride As 1 Many bear themselves out in fine apparrel and bravery when indeed nothing is their own if their debts were paid And if every Bird had his own feather they might well goe naked 2 Others to raise themselves make no bones to lye and magnifie their estate as the often experience of the world shews that Widows and Widowers promise great things of themselves and much wealth whereas the greatest wealth prove debts 3 But if you will see the very natural portrayture of the father the Devil if yee will hear his very voyce look upon the Bishop and Pope of Rome For 1 He hath engrossed all the Kingdoms of the earth into his own hands saying All these are mine yet not directly but in ordine ad Deum 2 I give them to whom I will I can set up and thrust
power ruling all Creatures and over-ruling in all things The latter is the power of his Office as hee is Mediatour and King of his Church and this power differeth from the former 1 in that it is a power received Matth. 28.18 All power is given mee in heaven and in earth Phil. 2.9 God hath given him a Name above all Names whereas Christs power as God is not received but his own proper power being God 2 That power is essential infinite and incommunicable to any creature this is personal communicated by dispensation of grace after a singular manner unto Christ as God-man and our Mediatour 3 That power is immutable unchangeable everlasting this power shall after a sort bee determined for hee must give up his Kingdome to his Father 1 Cor. 15.24 not that Christ shall ever cease to bee a powerful head of his Church nor that hee shall cease to reign with his Father for all eternity but look as the Father now doth not rule the Church namely as Mediatour but the Son so the Son shall not then rule his Church in the manner as hee now doth as Mediatour but in the same manner as his Father shall Now hee rules and puts forth his power in fighting against his enemies but then all his enemies shall bee trodden under his feet and made his footstool Now hee manifesteth his power in gathering a Church by the Word and Sacraments but then all the elect shall bee gathered Now at his Fathers right hand hee puts forth his power in making intercession for us but then hee shall intercede no more 〈◊〉 us At the end of the World hee shall declare his mighty power in raising all the dead and sitting in judgement on them but then there shall bee no more need of this power when death shall bee swallowed up into victory and a final sentence is given on all flesh So as Christ shall not reign as now hee doth but as his Father Whence it followeth that the power by which Christ subdueth the Devils is not onely that essential power of his Divine nature but the power of his Office whereby even in our nature and flesh hee subdueth them And this power may bee distinguished according to the subjects into two kindes first that power by which hee sweetly ruleth the Church as the head the members or a King his Subjects and this is either directive or coercive Secondly that coercitive and judiciary power which hee exerciseth against his enemies wicked and ungodly men as a King against rebells and foes to his state and person And this power is properly raised against the Devils and his instruments against which they cannot stand Reasons 1 Christ was prophecied to bee the seed of the Woman that must bruise the Serpents head which prophecy plainly shews that Christ as Mediatour in our flesh must disperse all Satans forces planted against us and for this end the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the Devil and the work doth properly and singularly belong unto Christ although the fruit and benefit of it by communication of grace flow unto the Church as the body of Christ Object But did not others beside Christ command the Devils Act. 8.7 when Philip preached in Samaria unclean spirits crying came out of many and Act. 16.18 Paul turned about and commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the maid Answ 1 Christ did it by his own power they by his 2 The power of Christ is one thing faith in his power is another they did it not so much by power as by faith in this power whence S. Paul chargeth the foul spirit In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to come out 3 Common men were able to discern a difference between Christs power and others in casting out Devils Mar. 1. and Luk. 4.36 fear came on them and they said among themselves With authority he commands foul spirits and they come out that is by his power and divine authority and not as other Exorcists did 4 Hee did work his as a person that was God other his Disciples as persons with whom God was working and confirming the doctrin with signes and wonders that followed Mar. 16. ult 2 All things are given him and put under his feet Joh. 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand Heb. 2.8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet And as if that were not plain enough hee setteth in the next words a large Comment upon it And in that he hath put all things in subjection under him he left nothing that should not be subject only except him which did put all things under him as it is 1 Cor. 15.27 So as it is plain that excepting God himself nothing is not subject to Christ as Mediatour Now this may bee enlarged by a special induction of all things Angels are subjected to his word 1 Pet. 3.22 to whom Angels and Powers and might are subject with a reason For hee is the Lord of the holy Angels and set far above all Principalities and Powers Eph. 1.21 Unreasonable Creatures hear his word and obey him Luke 8.25 Who is this that commands the winds and the Seas and they obey him Diseases obey him to the Leper hee saith I will bee thou clean and hee is clean immediately Matth. 8. To the Lame man hee saith Take up thy bed and walk and hee doth so Matth. 9.6 Hee meets a blind man Joh. 9.7 and bids him go wash in Siloam and hee comes again seeing Yea death it self heareth and departeth at his word Joh. 11.44 At that word Lazarus came forth bound hand and foot and the time commeth when they that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and come forth In one word the Apostle ascribeth to Christ that he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 All Creatures all Enemies sin Satan the Grave Hell Death Damnation and whatsoever resisteth his glory in himself or any of his members 3 Christs Kingdome must bee set up against and above all the Kingdoms of the World Dan. 2.45 The little stone cut out of the Mountain without hands breaks in pieces the Clay the Iron Brass Silver and gold that is the Kingdome of Christ shall break all those great Kingdomes and the God of Heaven raiseth a Kingdome to his Son which shall never bee destroyed And therefore for the upholding of this Kingdome hee must bee invested with power which neither the Tyrants of the World nor the god of the World can ever prevail against For never were all the Kingdomes of the World so opposed by the World and the Devil as the poor kingdome of Jesus Christ but this power of Christ is as an hook in Nebuchadnezzars jaws and a chain in which hee holdeth Leviathan limiting him how far he shall exercise malice against the Church and no further 4 Christ as Mediatour was to perform those works which no other creature
the time of his infirmity needing a breathing time and a refreshing by which hee knows what wee weaklings have need of and is become a merciful High Priest to give us some rest in the midst of our conflicts which else would bruise and break us 2 Hee goeth but for a season because of his invincible malice who cannot afford us a good hours rest if hee may have leave to disturb us because hee maliceth our Lord and Saviour with an inveterate and deadly malice so that although hee bee in himself out of his reach yet hee still continues to tempt him being in heaven in his members upon earth This deadly malice in his nature our Saviour noteth in Matth. 12.44 The unclean spirit when hee is cast out seeks to re-enter and return again and where hee findes a fit house hee brings in seven Devils worse than himself Hee is diligent to watch our mischief and if hee cannot prevail at one time hee will assay another 3 God sees it good to stir us out of our security who are ready to expose our selves to temptation especially after we have out-stood a temptation and never are wee easier made a prey for Satan than when the pride of heart tickles us and so wee grow secure because wee have out-grown some temptation If our estate of corruption did not necessarily require changes and aâ—mies of sorrows wee should find the Lord not delighted in afflicting the sons of men but hee sees how prone wee are to surfeit of fulness and as a field of Corn the rancker it is the easier it is laid down with every storm and violent wind of temptation and therefore hee changeth hurtful prosperity with wholsome though bitter potions of afflictions and like a good Physician prescribes us a thin dyet and abstinence after our surfeit and excess 2 God sees these changes good for us to season and stir up our prayers In affliction wee can seek the Lord diligently Isa 26.16 Oh Lord in trouble they have visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Hee knows his Church is never so fitly disposed to fervency and efficacy in prayer as when the cross is on her shoulders whereas in her peace shee is sleepy cold negligent roving and remiss in her seeking after Christ Psal 55.19 3 God sees these changes good for us to lift us up from this evil world for were our prosperity not interrupted wee would dote too much upon the World and would wish no other Heaven than this upon earth for if wee bee so hardly and heavily gotten out of so miserable a World as is full of sorrows and heart-griefs how hardly or rather impossibly should wee get out of an unchangeable earthly happiness though to injoy our heavenly inheritance 4 God sees it good for us to bring these changes into our estate and to entermixe with afflictions comforts and breathings to help our patience and perseverance for else all our sorrows would exceed our strength if they were without intermission The Lord will not have us swallowed up of sorrow and therefore doth so temper and blend our estate as wee bee not quite tyred out with the instance of our skirmishes and conflicts but after our skirmishes retires us for a while where we may breath and refresh our selves and recover our strength and fitness for further service whensoever our great commander shall imploy us 5 God sees these changes good for us that by them wee might prize his mercies to praise the giver doth not the night make the day more delightful would wee so prize and praise God for health if it were not sweetned with sicknesse plenty is endeared by want and an honey-comb hath no sweetness to a full stomack whereas hee that hath been pinched with penury and need knows what a benefit abundance is 4 God for his own great glory brings these changes into our estate thereby manifesting 1 His Wisdome in upholding his Church by contrariâ—s which fight one against another as the frame of the World standing on four contrary Elements 2 His power that bringeth to the grave and back again 1 Sam. 2.6 that supporteth his Children to stand under so great burdens without fainting thereby magnifying his omnipotent power in such weakness 3 His goodness in suffering his children to bee afflicted on every side but not drowned in the waves of them to bee persecuted but not forsaken to bee cast down but not to perish yea to bee killed but not overcome 2 Cor. 12.9 and 4.7 Nay his goodness is such as turneth all these changes to good bringing good out of evil sweet out of four life out of death and his own order out of earthly confusions 4 His glory in the strange and miraculous deliverance of his Church in its most desperate estate and in the powerful overthrow of his enemies And of all the persecutions of his Church it may be said as of Lazarus his sickness It is not to death but that God may bee glorified Vse 1. Then let us not dream of so stable a peace in our Church and Land as mens security every where hath seemed to lay hold of looking at the peaceable disposition of our gracious King at his hopeful Successor at our union among our selves at our league with all other Nations at the continuance and undisturbed estate and liberty of the Gospel for these sixty years For 1. God seeth not good to give any Church on earth an unchangeable estate that is the Churches expectation in Heaven 2 Our peace hath brought in a general security prophaneness intolerable pride of all fashions and colours beside modest and white a deluge of drunkenness daily drowning the brains and souls of thousands a weariness of this Mannah a dangerous Apostasie from the first beginnings of the Gospel and a falling back of many great ones into the professed Idolatry of Antichrist and in the most a contempt of religion yea and of a formal profession that denies the power and life of godliness Adde to these execrable swearing unpunished soul adulteries unrevenged or slightly punished the Sabbaths of God horribly and generally violated and prophaned by games and practices unlawful upon any day And now will God continue a peace to so unthankful a people that doe put it to no other use than to arm themselves against God and fight against his grace and glory 3 Consider how God dealt with his own people they had as long peace under David and Salomon as wise and excellent a King as ever was being an eminent type of Christ yet we see what long ease and peace brought him to which was the overthrow of his Kingdom and the renting of ten parts of twelve from him to his servant he was a King of peace as his name imported had posterity had made a league with all neighbour-nations yet God being provoked brings a woeful change on him and his Land So may it be to us 4 Consider how God hath threatned us of
of Nazaret and such a Nazarite as the Prophets foretold The Jews took offence hereat as too base a place for the Messias whom they expected to rise out of even Nathaniel himself could ask if â—ny good could come out of Nazaret Joh. 1.47 and this was in scorn added as a part of his stile and title written in three tongues upon the Cross Jesus of Nâ—zaret King of the Jews and as they dealt with the Head so also with the meâ—bers for presently after the death of Christ the Christians were in scorn alâ— called Nazarites that is silly fools that did beleeve in such a Messiah as came from Nazaret But we must know that the wisdome of God would have him hereby generally proclaimed the Messias and Saviour of the world both to Jews and Gentiles as also confirm our faith and affiance in him made known to us to be such a one as in whom we also become Nazarites that is sanctified and consecrated unto God 3 Note hence that the Messias must needs be come already because hee must needs be a Nazarite by education as of Bethlem by birth which places have been long since destroyed and hopelesse of ever being builded up again or that in them the Jews should ever recover any authority And is it not a wonderful blindnesse that the Jews should still look for their Messias out of a Town which hath been destroyed a thousand and five hundred years agoe the very place of which cannot be assigned Our request to God must bee for them that he would remove that thick veil which to this day is drawn over the hearts of his own ancient people Secondly by whom was Christ called to this Office By God who anoynted him for that which is said of one part of it namely his Priesthood is true of the whole No man taketh this honour to himself but hee that is called of God Heb. 5.5 so neither Christ took this honour to himself but expected that voyce Thou art my Son How often did Christ witnesse of himself that he came not of himself but was sent by his Father Joh. 5.37 My Father that sent me witnesseth of me and in that chapter because the Jews objected that he came of himself he telleth them six times that his Father sent him yea hath sealed him his commission as he saith Joh. 6.27 Him hath God the Father sealed that is made his commission authentical as men doe their deeds by their seal and set upon him an impression or character anoynting him with oyl of grace above all his fellows yea himself being an expresse Image of his Fathers substance in him he hath laid up all treasures of wisdome and knowledge that from his fulnesse we might receive grace for grace Whence 1 We learn Christ expected his Fathers calling and therefore must his Ministers much more That no man ought to thrust himself into any Office or Function nor run before he be sent but wait till God give him a calling thereunto For shall Christ who had the Spirit of God without all measure wait his Fathers leisure and expect his Fathers voyce and shall we who have received the Spirit scarce in any measure run and ride and shoove and thrust in before we have any commission drawn or sealed by God who even carried such post-hast happily How miserably perished proud Absolon who thought it not enough to bee the Kings Son unlesse he thrust his Father out of his Kingdom Corah and his complices would have been Rulers but that the earth would not suffer thâ—â— above it What shall I speak of Vzzah Uzziah and the rest who found 〈◊〉 Lord as good as his word against such which goe on any errand and he send them not they found the Lord coming many ways against them as he often threatneth in Jer. 23.30 31. c. 2 If God have called Christ to this office we must carry our selves dutifully and reverently unto him whom as the Father hath called so he will defend and establish in his place and revenge such as rebell against him This is that the Prophet teacheth in Psal 2.2 that if the greatest Kings band themselves together against the Lord and against his Christ the Lord out of Heaven will laugh them to scorn he will speak to them in his anger and vexe them in sore displeasure and the ground of all this is laid down ver 6. Even I have set my King upon Sion as if he had said Shall I set up a King and dare yee rebelliously resist him or seek to displace him Let us take heed it befall not us as 〈◊〉 did the Jews taxed in the Parable of the King letting out his Vineyard which sent his servants for his rent to the Husbandmen and afterwards his son but they beat the one slew the other acknowledged neither surely no more grace remaineth for such but the Lord of the Vineyard must needs destroy such Husbandmen and lay waste their City In like manner is he as ready to defend and doe good unto such as subject themselves unto his Son depend upon him or suffer any thing for his sake they shall not repent them of their service seeing they serve so good a Lord. The third thing in this calling of Christ to his Office is the manifestation of it to himself and others in that hee was annointed with the Holy Ghost and power There were three sorts of men that used to bee anoynted in the entrance unto their Office in the Old Testament 1 Kings 2 Priests Anointing what it signified 3 Prophets And this outward Ceremony signified two things First their ordination or calling unto that Office secondly the promise of proportionable gifts for the performance so as they were hereby confirmed God never calleth any men to any place but he furnisheth him with gifts fit for it both that God hath chosen them to their office as also that he would furnish them unto it and protect them in the same Christ is here said to be also anointed but not by man as they but by God not with external oyl but with the Holy Ghost and with power not ceremonially and typically but really and spiritually not to any one of those Offices but to them all three not receiving the sign but the thing signified because he was a real and true King Priest and Prophet of his Church or whom all they were but types and shadows In this anointing of Christ therefore both these things are signified and proved 1 That he was ordained of God to the performance of this Office of Mediatorship and consecrated by God to be the Messiah that is a spiritual King Priest and Prophet 2. That he had poured out upon him the gifts of the Holy Ghost which gave him power and furnished him for this Office signified here by the Holy Ghost and power he receiving of the Holy Ghost power whereby he performed the greatest work that ever was undertaken Difference between Christs anointing and
domestical and familiar converse with him all the while he lived in the execution of his office they might be furnished to this testimony Hence is it that John saith We saw his glory namely in his Doctrin and Works and the things which we have heard and seen declare wee unto you Many worthy points concerning this witnesse of the Apostles were here to be delivered but that I referre them all to the forty one and forty two verses where we shall as fitly and more fully handle the same And now proceed to the matter witnessed namely the Priestly Office of Christ in these words Whom they slew hanging him upon a tree wherein are to be considered 1 The Person that was put to death whom 2 The persons that put him to death they slew namely of Judea and Jerusalem 3 The kind and manner of his death slew hanging him on a tree 4 The use of Christ his Crucifying First the person that was put to death was Jesus Christ whom wee have heard to be Lord of all anoynted with the Holy Ghost and power to work most powerful Miracles who went about doing good and never harm with whom God so was as he never was with any Creature before nor ever shall bee hereafter who subdued mightily the very Devils themselves with one word for all this he was killed and slain How the Lord of life couâ—d be subdued under death Quest But how could the Lord of life be subdued of death yea hee that did only good and was without all sin which is the mother of death Ans Christ the Mediator must be considered in his two Natures 1 The God-head 2 The Man-hood and in that he dyed it was according to his Man-hood so Peter saith he dyed according unto his flesh 1 Pet. 3.18 for his body was dead being separated from his soul and his soul suffered the sorrows of death But yet we must conceive that he suffered not in such a Man-hood as was a naked and bare flesh such as ours but such as was inseparably united and knit to the God-head and therefore the Apostle saith that God shed his bloud that is not the God-head but such a person as is both God and Man Secondly although he had no personal sin to bring him to death yet had he sin imputed unto him even the sins of his whole Church which he willingly took upon himself so as God reckoned with him not for the sins of one man but of all his Church and esteemed him as a captain sinner till the price was paid and men reckoned him among sinners and esteemed him an arch-malefactor Why wicked men prevail against Christ who had vanquished the Devils themselves Quest But doth not this crosse the power of Christ immediatly before mentioned whereby he controlled the Devils themselves that wicked men should thus farre prevail against him Ans No but it argueth a voluntary laying down of his power for the time of his suffering for at his apprehension hee could have commanded twelve Legions of Angels but that the Scriptures must be fulfilled yea and this laying aside of his power was the most powerful work that ever he wrought by which he more foyled and broke the Devils power and forces in men than ever by any shewing himself the true Sampson who more mightily prevailed against his enemies in his death than in all his life Hence note 1 How Christs righteousness is witnessed hee went â—â—â—ut doing good and yet he is slain and teacheth that Christ himself deserved not death but he endured it for some other that had deserved it and indeed Christ dyed for us and in our stead that we should not dye How it standeth with Gods justice to punish the innocent and let the guilty goe free Object But how could he being innocent suffer for us sinners or how standeth it with equity that God should punish the innocent and let the guilty goe free Ans We must consider Christ in his death not as a Debtor but as a Surety or Pledge between God and us who hath undertaken our whole debt and therefore hee suffereth not as guilty in himself but in the room of us that were guilty now it standeth with the course of Justice to lay the Debtors action upon the Surety being 1 Willing 2 Able to pay the debt as Christ was Secondly we may gather hence the hainousnessâ— and odiousnesse of our sins it was no trifle nor a matter of small desert that the Lord of glory the only Son of God yea God himself must shed his bloud for and yet what a small reckoning is made of soul and open sins Thirdly take notice also of the love of God who to free us would lay the chastisement of our peace upon his doâ—â— Son that so his justice might be satisfied Object But how could his Justice bee satisfied who was infinitely offended with such a finite and short death as Christs was The justice of God doth more appear in Christ his Pâ—ssiâ—n than if all the world had been damned Ans By reason of the dignity of the person who suffered being God as well as Man that suffering was in value eternal though not in duration or continuance Lastly we have here the two Natures of Christ lively set before us the one most powerful and glorious in mighty Miracles which forced Legions of Devils to fly before it the other beaten down with wrongs and injuries even to the death it self and it was meet that the Apostle intending to prove Christ to bee the true Messias should mention both these natures which are absolutely necessary to the Mediatour the Humanity that it might suffer death and so satisfy in the same nature that had sinned and the Deity to overcome in suffering so to apply that satisfaction unto beleevers Secondly The persons that put Christ to death were the Jews they of Judea and Jerusalem Object But the Jews had no power to put him to death How the Jews are said to put Christ to death though they had no power to do it the Scepter was gone from them and if the Scribes and Pharisees had had the power in their hands they would never have suffered him alive so long Besides the Judge who was Pontius Pilate was the Romane Emperours Deputy the Souldiers his Executioners were of the Romane band the manner of Death also not Jewish but Romane why is it then said that the Jews slew him and no mention made of the Romanes by whose authority hee was put to death Answ The Jews are justly charged with it because they were the chief causes and abettors in all that violence which the Romans used against him They made way to this sentence and went as far as they could they apprehended him they mocked him they charged him with blasphemy they raised false witness against him they beat him spate in his face they hood-winkt him and bad him prophecy who smote him finally they delivered him to the Romane
in Jerusalem and the severity of Gods judgement lyeth heavily upon them till this day in that both a mighty God and innocent man was with all extremity of rage and fury pursued even unto the death Fourthly note in these Jews The malice of the wicked against Christ and his members is never without matter to work upon what an imbred malice there is in wicked men against Christ and his Members for it is never without matter to work upon if it cannot accuse justly of evil it can unjustly condemn for doing good this Christ sheweth Joh. 10.32 Many good works have I done for which of them do yee stone mee They answer him no but they stone him for Blasphemy so something shall bee pretended as Blasphemy Treason Mutiny faction or some such thing and a form of Law shall bee followed nothing in the world is more easy than to finde out a Law to put Christ to death by for that is the conclusion of all wicked Laws Christ and his members must dye by them but whatsoever bee pretended against them it maketh much for the glory of God the patience of his Saints and the just overthrow of his enemies that whatsoever the godly suffer at the hands of the wicked it is for most part causles in themselves and consequently unjust in the other Let such as professe the Lord Jesus take notice hereof and content themselves if they finde return of evil for good it was their Lords case and the servant can look for no better entertainment than his Lord findeth Let us not bee weary of well-doing although it breed us hatred of the World as knowing that the same spirit of malice is gone out into the world and doth breath in numbers that follow the way of Cain who slew his brother because his works were good as all those titles of reproach cast upon Gods Children lowdly convince as that they are Church-gadders holy Brethren too nice and precise persons the which and the like tearms if a man sing but a Psalm in his Family hee cannot avoid well needs must Christians suffer let their care bee to suffer onely as Christians and for well-doing for it is no shame to suffer as a Christian 1 Pet. 3.17 and seeing it is the will of God that they must suffer it is better saith the Apostle to suffer for well-doing than as evil doers 1 Pet. 4.16 many receiving indignities from men will say if I had deserved such and such things it would never have grieved mee but Christians must be in a contrary note it would grieve mee if I had deserved such things as I suffer at the hands of men but I rejoyce in that I have not deserved them The third point is the manner and kinde of Christs death in these words and hanged him on a Tree Quest Why was Christ rather to dye on the Cross than by any other kinde of death Answ Some say that because mankind was foyled in the first Adam Why Christ was rather to dye on the Cross then by any other death by means of a Tree it was meet it should bee restored by the second Adam upon a tree which although it be but inconsequent yet this the Scripture affirmeth that Christ on the Cross as upon a glorious Chariot of Triumph rescued his Church foyled the Devil spoiled Principalities and Powers and made an absolute conquest against all the enemies of mans salvation Col. 2.14 and that it was meet hee should thus do by this manner of death wee want not stronger reasons out of the Scriptures As First This was the counsel of God Act. 2.23 for the Jews did nothing against him but by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God which Counsel of God over-ruled the matter and brought it to this pass strangely for the High Priests had accused Christ with blasphemy had produced witnesses against him in that cause yea had his own confession that hee was the Son of God which they took for blasphemy yet for this could they not put him to this kinde of death seeing the blasphemer by the Law of God must bee stoned not crucified and so had Christ been if the power of death had been in the hands of the Jews as not long before it was but the providence of God over-ruleth the matter so as hee must bee brought before the Romane Governour and a new action of treasonable affecting the Kingdome bee laid against him whence it was that Pilate asked if hee were the King of the Jewe and hee answered yea upon which answer hee was condemned to the most cruel death that was in use among the Romanes for of those three kindes of death burning heading and crucifying this last was the most severe and shameful Christ reputed an arch-Traytor in his life and death to which the chief malefactors were sentenced and that Christ was executed as an Arch-traytor the inscription on the Cross containing the crime for which he was condemned plainly sheweth Jesus of Nazaret the King of the Jews that no man could look upon or read that writing but hee should presently conceive Christ a malefactor in the highest kind of treason and rebellion Secondly This kinde of death was anciently prefigured as also fore-prophesied it was prefigured by Isaac laid bound upon the wood and the other sacrifices which all were laid on the wood to bee consumed by fire by the lifting up of the shoulder of the peace offering Levit. 7.30 by the shaking of the breast of the same to and fro which as some say signifieth the spreading of our Saviours hands upon the Cross but especially by the lifting up of the brasen serpent in the wildernesse which as Christ saith shadowed his own lifting up upon the cross Joh. 3.14 Again this kind of death was also fore-prophesied Psal 22.16 they peirced or digged my hands and feet it was also foretold by himself Mat. 20.19 They shall deliver him to the Gentiles and they shall mock him and scourge him and crucify him and that it was necessary that this word of Christ should bee fulfilled see Joh. 18.32 Thirdly This kinde of death carried with it a more special infamy than any other as at this day wee count hanging a dogs death that is an infamous kinde of death because it was especially execrable by the Law which accursed every one which was hanged on a tree not that this death by any Law of nature or in it self was more accursed than burning or pressing nor by the Sword for then neither the Thief on the Cross could bee saved nor any of our fellons thus executed whereas the scripture in the one and our own experience in the other speak the contrary but it was onely accursed by the Ceremonial law of Moses so that every Malefactor of the Jews that was hanged was in the Ceremony accursed and was the type of Christ the substance of all Ceremonies who on the Cross was really and truely accursed sustaining the whole wrath
and 3 In their several offices one to another as to send and to bee sent these three are one in nature and essence one in power and will and one in the act of producing all such actions as without themselves any of them is said to perform Secondly Although here is no contrariety yet here is an order in the working or administration of the person to bee observed for the Father as the first efficient in order raiseth Christ as man by the Son as a second efficient in order and by the Holy Ghost as a third For as it is in all the matter of creation so is it in all the works of redemption they are ascribed unto the Father especially not because they agree not unto the other two persons but because hee after a peculiar manner worketh them namely by the Son and by the Holy Ghost but they not by him but from him and so neither this or any other such place where it is ascribed to the Father to raise his Son Jesus must bee conceived either as making Christ as the Son inferiour in power to his Father or as excluding his own mighty power in raising himself for they shew onely the order of the persons but make no inequality in essence or power or will or working Thirdly where the Son is said to bee raised of the Father it must not bee understood of the person of the Son but in respect of his nature assumed that is his humanity Whence observe that as the former point shewed that Christ was a true man because hee was in the state of the dead whence hee was raised so this consideration sheweth him to bee a true and glorious God and notably concludeth that which the Apostle aimeth at who would hence prove him to bee Lord of all in that by his own power hee raised himself from death and so mightily declared himself the Son of God Rom. 1.4 Ubi resurrectio non passive sed active accipitur cum sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deitatis Christs Deity cleâ—red by his glorious resurrection and Lord of all blessed for ever This is it which maketh him the fit object of our Faith and if hee had not expressed himself as well a true and perfect God as a true and entire man wee ought not to have beleeved in him wee beleeve not then as the Jews scoffingly say in a crucified God but in a God raising and exalting to glory by his own omnipotent power an assumed humane nature even then when it lay under the curse of all the sins that ever have or shall bee committed by the true members of the Church the which thing no power of man or Angel nor any created nature could ever turn hand unto could ever have stood under and much sess have swum out with conquest and victory neither indeed had he himself if there had remained the least sin of any the elect to have been accounted for wee need then no other sign to be given us to prove his Deity but this sign of Jonas and when the Jews demanded a sign why hee took such authority upon him hee gave them no other but sent them hither destroy this Temple and I will rear it on three daies Joh. 2.18 19 c. It was necessary that Christ should rise again reasons The third point is the raising it self wherein three points are to bee opened 1 The necessity of Christs rising 2 The manner 3 The fruit or ends of it First it was necessary that Christ should rise again in three respects 1 For the accomplishment of things fore-appointed and foretold it was from all eternity decreed and appointed by God and therefore it behoved Christ to rise from the dead the third day Luke 24.46 and it was impossible that he should be held down of death Act. 2.24 Again the Scriptures must necessarily bee fulfilled all which beat upon these two points 1 His sufferings Luk. 24.26 2 the glory that should follow 1 Pet. 1.11 And more specially all those predictions and types of his resurrection inforced this necessity Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave which our Apostle proveth cannot bee meant of David whose body saw corruption but that David spake concerning him Isa 53.10 when hee shall make his soul an offering for sin hee shall see his seed and prolong his daies Besides his own prediction of his resurrection must either bee fulfilled or hee could not have been the onely true Prophet of his Church for himself had said that the Jews should slay him and crucify him but the third day shall hee rise again Matth. 20.17 and this the High Priests and Pharisees remembred well when they came to Pilate and said Sir wee remember that this deceiver while hee was alive said within three daies I will rise command therefore that the sepulchre bee made sure c. Adde hereunto that all the predictions of his ascension of his triumph and of the last judgement depended hereupon Further the types which fore-shadowed his resurrection must not bee frustrate but answered in the truth of them as that of Jsaac bound upon the wood but yet reserved alive whom his Father received from the dead after a sort of Sampson escaping the revenge and malice of his enemies by carrying away the gates wherein hee seemed fast shut of the two goats one slain for sin the other a scape-goat shadowing Christ both slain for sin and yet escaping Levit. 16.5 of the two sparrows the one killed the other let flye and the most express of all that of Jonah which Christ himself mentioneth Matth. 12.39 and most properly applyeth to this very purpose Neither the person of Christ nor any of his Offices could suffer him to abide long under death 2 It was necessary in respect of himself whether wee consider the excellency of his person or of his office For his Person hee was by nature the eternal Son of God the Lord of Life and Glory and by no better means could hee bee discerned to bee this true and natural Son of God or the resurrection and life than by raising himself from death to life by his most glorious power Hence it was that himself a little before his death prayed in these words Father glorify thy Son Joh. 17.1 As for his Office as hee was set out by his Father to bee a perpetual Mediatour between God and the Church so was hee to bee an everlasting King of Glory Not his kingly of whose Kingdome there must bee no end Luke 1.33 according to that Prophecy of Daniel 7.27 The Kingdome of the most High is an everlasting Kingdom And according to the oath of the Lord recorded Psal 89.36 I have sworn once by my Holinesse that I will not fail David his seed shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sun before mee hee shall bee established for evermore as the Moon and as a faithful witnesse in the Heaven Selah 2 He must be also a
be sold by Elisha Wallis at the Golden Horse-shooe in the Old-Bayley 1659. TO THE Right Honourable and Learned Knight Sir ROBERT NANTON One of the Principal Secretaries unto His Excellent Majesty and of his Majesties Honourable Privy Counsel All the Blessings of this Life and a better SIR THat which Solomon teacheth in that one Aphorism often repeated wanted not apparent weight and moments of Reason saying Prov. 11.10 29.2 that In the prosperity of the Righteous the City rejoyceth For God being in Covenant with them for their sakes doth good to such as are joyned in the same Society with them for one Joseph all Pâ—tiphars house was blessed and for one Paul all that were in the ship with him are saved yea good and vertuous men by their presence as Lot in Sodome by their Prayers as Moses in the breach and by their prudent Counsel as that poor wise man Eccl. 9.15 withstand the judgements of God and save the City for had there been found one good man all Jerusalem had been spared for his sake Again vertuous men advanced will confer all their honour and grace to the publick good they live not to themselves and theirs but take in the Church and Common-wealth as fellow-Commoners of all their goodness Mordecaies authority wrought publike deliverance to the whole Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Josephs advancement sustained the whole Land by opening the Garners in time of Famine The honour of one good man shall bee the grace of all good men his power the strength of many his greatness the raising of many as when one Mordecai is raised light and joy Ester 8.16 and gladness and Honour came to all the Jews Further good men honoured by God will honour God again and withstand his dishonour they will to their power provide that Gods worship bee erected that his Sabbaths be sanctified that true religion bee maintained that falshood and errors bee suppressed that publâ—ke pâ—ace bee not disturbed that common justice bee not perverted est Gods favour bee discontinued Sine pliâ— cenâ—uplex murus rebus servandis parum est and his judgements let in Whence they are to bee esteemed the strongest Towers the thickest Walls the most impregnable Forts the surest Muniments and the stoutest Horsemen and Chariots of their Countrey yea the Wise man in one word saith much more Prov. 10.25 Justuâ— fundamentum mundi that the Righteous is a sure foundation upholding the whole World But why write I this or to your Honour surely as one who ever reverenced your worthy parts I could not but crave lâ—ave to express my self one of the City rejoycing and praising God in your honours prosperity and advancement and the rather because my self was an eye-witnesse how God led you through some of your younger years which were so studiously and commendably passed as this your later time fitly answereth that expectation which was then conceived of you You were then dear to our common Mother that famous Vniversity of Cambridge which for your Eloquence and grace of speech and perswasion appointed you her Orator for your wisdome and gravity in government chose you her Proctor for your soundnesse in all kinde of fruitful and commendable literature tendred you all her honours and degrees and for your sober studious and vertuous conversation worth ly held now her great Ornament And now as riper for greater imployments the same God whose priviledge it is to dispense promotions for bee pulleth down one and setteth up another hath moved his Majesty not only to set your seat among the honourable but to admit you as it were into his breast and betrust you with the secrets of this great state and Kingdome an Office not more Ancient than Honourable befitting only men of rarest wisdome fidelity and fitnesse to stand before so great so wise a King This was a most honourable Office among the most ancient Kings of Israel for King David had his two Principal Secretaries Serajah and Jonathan whom the Text commendeth for a man of Counsel and understanding 2 Sam. 8.17 1 Chro. 27.32 and King Solomon his Son had two other Elihoreph and Ahiah who were in chief place neer the King 1 King 4.3 We read also of Shebna principal Secretary to King Hezekiah 2 King 18.18 of whom Junius saith hee was secundus a rege Now your place being a service of such Honour under his Majesty cannot bee without an answerable weight and charge Your Honour easily conceiveth that the Lord chargeth you with a chief care of honouring him who hath honoured you that you stand charged to his Majesty with great trust and fidelity that the Church expecteth that by your authority you should promote her causes and stand in the maintenance of pure Religion that the Common-wealth claimeth her part in you for the preservation of peace within her walls and prosperity within her Palaces that the Vniversity looketh you should advance her just causes promote Learning and incourage her Students by helping them into the rooms of the ignorant and unlearned Ministers in a word Prov. 11.11 that the whole City hopeth to be exalted by the prosperity of the righteous And now if your Honours thankful heart shall call upon you and say Quid retribuam Domino Tota vita Christiani sanctum desiderium est Aug. in Joh. tract 4. you will easily fall into frequent thoughts and desires of discharging all this expectation This shall be happily done if you shall chuse about you the wisest Counsellors for the happy and prudent carriage of your great affairs imitating herein that peerless pattern of wisdome Solomon himself who notwithstanding his extraordinary measure of wisdome chose unto himself selectissimum senatum a bench of most wise and grave Counsellors whose Counsel Rhehoboam after despisâ—d The best Counsellor is that great Counsellor who is daily to bee consulted by fervent prayer The next is the word of God Isa 9 which as it giveth no less certain direction in difficult cases than the Oracle did unto Israel or than did the pillar of the cloud and of fire by day and night for their motion or station while they passed through the wilderness so the daily consulting with Gods statutes by reading and meditation as with so many learned Counsellors made holy David wiser than the Aged than the Learned than the Princes than his Adversaries Psa 119 98 99 100. Josh 1. â— And if Joshuah would prosper and have good successe in his high enterprizes he must keep him to the book of the Law and not depart from it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 10.32 The fear of God is wisdome and the next wisdome to that is to converse and consult with such as do fear God whose lips speak just and good things whereby a man shall become both wiser and better This is the high way to attain and retain grace and reputation with God and good men for this is an inheritance
could ever do and therefore was to bee indued with such power as no other creature could bee capable of Hence hee proveth himself to bee from God Joh. 15.24 If I do not such workes as no other man ever did beleeve mee not Where hee speaks of his Miracles which in respect of the manner and multitude never man did the like in his own name nor so many To which adde those great works of raising himself by his own power from the dead Rom. 1.4 Of satisfying Gods justice for mans sin a work above the reach of men and Angels Of meriting eternal life for all the elect which must bee an action of him that is more than a Creature Of applying his merit to which end hee must rise from death ascend and make intercession Of sending his Spirit Of begetting faith and preserving his people in grace received Of leading them through Death and the Dust into his own Glory These are such things as all power of meer creatures is too weak for All the Angels in Heaven cannot do the least of them All the Devils in Hell cannot hinder them And hence Christ is stiled the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Michael the mighty God King of glory c. Vse 1. This may bee a terror to all Christ enemies for such is his power as shall make them all his footstool Do wee provoke him are wee stronger than hee 1 Cor. 10.21 Psal 2.9 those that will not bee subject to the rod of his mouth shall bee crushed with a rod of Iron Therefore take heed of being an enemy to Christ or his Word or Servants else thou shalt bee revenged even in that wherein thou sinnest with the breath of his lips hee shall slay the wicked one word of Christ one lie shall turn them all into Hell Is the power of Jesus Christ such in his base and low estate as all the Devils in Hell are not able to resist it but if hee speak the word they give place how desperately do wicked men go on in sin as if they were able to make their part good against him Joh. 18 6. when Christ but said I am he presently his apprehenders fell to the ground Rev. 17.14 they shall fight against the Lamb but the Lamb shall overcome Vse 2. This is comfort also to the godly in that Christ as Mediatour in our flesh is armed with power above all our enemies so as nothing shall hinder our salvation Not Satan for the Prince of this World is cast out hee may have us in the Mountain or on the Pinacle but hee cannot cast us down Not sin Christ hath powerfully triumphed against it on the Cross hath fully satisfied for it and perfectly applied that satisfaction to the forgivenesse of sins Not death Christ hath powerfully foiled him in his own Den and trampled on him saying O death I will bee thy death Not Temptation Christ sits in Heaven as a merciful High Priest tempted once as wee are that hee might bee able to succour them that are tempted Not corporal enemies Hee by his power ruleth in the midst of his enemies Laban shall not speak a rough word nor Esau hurt Jacob nor Saul hit David for hee orders the thing otherwise Not the grave for wee have the assurance of a glorious resurrection by the working of his mighty power whereby hee is able to subdue all things Phil. 3.21 Not hell it self Rev. 1.18 I have the keys of Hell and of Death In one word not any thing present nor to come nothing shall separate between Christ and us none shall pluck us out of his hands for hee hath purchased for us and maintaineth a mighty salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Vse 3. This teacheth us to submit our selves to this power of Christ or else wee are worse than sensless Creatures who all obey him yea than the Devils themselves who did obey him And then is a man submitted to it when is eyes are opened to see what is the exceeding greatness of his power in himself beleeving as the Apostle prayeth Eph. 1.19 Therefore labour to find Christs saving power in thy soul Quest How may I find it in my self Answ 1 If thou canst finde the work of faith in thee a work of great power a supernatural work beyond yea against the strength of nature What a work of omnipotence is it to raise the dead yet greater power is here to bring in this life of God into him that is dead in trespasses and sins resisting his own raising for so the Apostle implyeth in that place Col. 2.12 2 If thou canst finde in thee the work of sanctification which is a work of great power 2 Pet. 1.3 according to his Divine power he worketh grace and glory This second creation of a man goes far beyond his first in power There was nothing to begin with no more is here no life of God till God call the things that are not as though they were but there was a bare privation here is a resistance and rebellion stiff necks and hearts of adamant Hence regeneration is called a creation and the regenerate new creatures But a difficult work which God works not alone but God and man made one person and not of nothing for nothing as the former but of worse than nothing and for a price even the precious blood of the Son of God Labour to find this change in thy self by faith and holiness Christ did never more manifest his power than by raising himself from the dead and thou canst not have a surer argument of Christs power prevailing in thy soul than by getting daily out of the grave of sin and moving according to the life of God So soon as Christ had called Lazarus out of his grave hee bad loose him and let him go and if thou findest the bands of death thine own sins loosed forsaking thy own evil waies it is a sign that Christ by a powerful word hath quickened thee Therefore put on S. Pauls minde Phil. 3.10 who counted all things dung to know the vertue of Christ his death 3 A mighty work of power in Christ is to gather his Church out of all peoples and nations and to bring them within one roof though they were never so dispersed and alienated from one another and to knit them by faith to himself the head by love one to another and by his own discipline to conform them to his own government It never cost all the Monarchs in the World so much strength and power to settle their Kingdomes and people in peace under them Doest thou then finde thy self brought into the number of Gods people Doest thou love them entirely for Gods image and goodness Art thou serviceable to every member and that in the Head Here is a power put forth that hath reconciled the Woolf and the Lamb Isa 11.6 7 the Child and the Cockatrice But it thou carest not for Christs Ordinances and discipline his Laws are too strict thou must have more