be preserved so long seeing Lazarus his body and our bodies in that time enter into many degrees of it Ans Christ was indeed balmed and sweetned with Odours but all this could not have preserved him if his soul and body had not now been â—aced from sin the mother of corruption Obj. But he had sin imputed unto him Ans Yea but he had overcome all that and slain it on the Crosse for had he not destroyed it himself had been destroyed by it and subdued for ever under the corruption of it In all which regards that is verified which himself being risen affirmed Luke 24.46 Thus it is written and thâ—â— it behâ—eveth Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead the third day Other things the Evangelists observe in this circumstance as that it was the first day of the week that is the first day wherein hee had created the Heavens and the Earth and wherein he would create now a new Heaven and a new Earth and as before he had set up a marvellous frame of the world but sinâ—e exceedingly shaken and defaced by sin he would now restore the world again and repair the ruines of it by abolishing sin as formerly he had filled Heaven and earth with the glory of his power in Creation so would he now fill them with the glory of his power in Redemption which is a second creation Hence is it that that day is now converted into the Christian Sabbath and called the Lords Day Revel 1.10 or if you will Sunday but not as the Heathen Christ rose early and what we learn thence in honour of the Sun but as Christians in honour of the Sun of righteousnesse Again the Gospel noteth that this our glorious Son â—â—sâ— about Sun rising early in the morning or a little before it Matth. 28.1 To shew unto us 1 The power of his God-head who could while his body was dead perform the promise which he had made alive even in the instant of which hee had spoken 2 The impotency of his enemies who although they watched him fâ—â—lâ—â—â— him up laid an heavie stone upon him were every way cautelous to keep him dâ—wn till the third day was past and he not stealing away secretly in the dâ—â—d time of the night but â—ose with noyse and warning even in the morning yeâ— could they no more stay him than they could the Sun from rising and running his course 3 The benefit which the world of beleevers obtain by his rising again set down by the Evangelist Luke 1.78 Through the tender mercy of our God the day-spring from an high hath visited us 79. To give light to them that sâ—â— in darknesse and to guide our feet into the way of peace The Chronologers further observe that this was the day wherein Moses led the Israelites through the Sea wherein all the troops of Pharaoh and his Host were drowned Even to our Lord Jesus this third day led all the Israel of God out of the spiritual Aegypt of blindnesse and filthinesse but gloriously triumphed over all the bands of Satan Sin and Death all which were sunk like a stone into the bottomless pit of Hell Other observations concerning this day might be inserted out of Authors which because I see no sound ground for them out of the Scriptures I will omit them that I may now come to the lessons which out of this circumstance we may draw for our further instruction First we learn hence All the promises of God are accomplished in their duâ— season that all the promises of God shall be in due season accomplished whatsoever may seeme to come between them and us For seeing Christ being dead both could and did perform his promise to his Church will not hee much more being alive and in his glory doe it The Israelites had a promise of a good Land they must in the mean time suffer much oppression in Aegypt for the space of four hundred and thirty years together but the self-same night Exod. 12.41 when the term was expired they went out against the heart and yet at the entreaty of Pharaoh and his people In like sort Joseph had a Dream that the Sun and Moon and the twelve Starrs should worship him in the mean time he must be cast into the Pit and Dungeon where hee can see neither Sun Moon nor Starre many days and years passed wherein he saw nothing but the clean contrary and yet in the due season of it this dream was accomplished And the reason is because 1 God is true of his word he cannot lye nor repent and 2 He is able to fulfill whatsoever passeth from his mouth for shall any thing be hard or impossible to God or shall any power or death or the grave it self falsifie it Lean thy self then upon this truth of God hast thou a promise of outward or inward peace health wealth or any other good thing which thy heart can wish hold this promise fast in the midst of thy heart wait for the accomplishment of it it shall not fail thee so farre as thy Father seeth good for thee if it be delayed and deferred even this also shall turn to thy best Hast thou a promise of life everlasting hold it by the faith of thy soul as the aym and end of all thy faith and religion for all the miseries of this present life shall not be able to defeat thee of it Hast thou the promise of the resurrection of the body after death stick to this Article of thy faith also nothing could hinder the rising of thy head no more can let but the members shall be where the head is not the grave not fire not water not the bellies of beasts or fishes but they shall give up their dead and further the accomplishment of the word of their Creator The second observation is The Lâ—â—â— denieth n t to help his children although he delay them till his own due time be come that as the Lord of life raised not his Son as soon as he was dead but he must lye in the grave two days yea and the third also till his case seemed desperate to the Disciples themselves even so may the members of Christ lye long in the graves of their misery yea so long as their case seemeth desperate and all that while the Lord not only deferreth but seemeth to deny their help and utterly to neglect them Abraham had the promise of a Son by Sarah he looked every year for him ten twenty years together nay till the thirtieth year till it was not with Sarah as with childing-women in so much as she laught when she heard it the case in nature was desperate who would have thought but that God had forgotten his promise which Abraham himself in all that time if God had not shoared up his faith might have forgotten but though long first yet at length the Lord found out a time fit enough to bring his word to passe David in like
liberty than hee affords if thy affections be rough and stirring against Gods children thou hast not yet subjected thy self to Christ 4 A mighty work of power in Christ was that he was able to soyl temptations and stand out against all hellish powers so that the Devil found nothing in him Now findest thou the power and strength of Christ in the spiritual combate Doest thou chase Satan afore thee and the whole band of his temptations Wouldest thou refuse a whole world rather than sin against God or gratifie Satan and thy self with the least displeasure of him All the power of Christ was set against sin and Satans Kingdom And if thou hast part in this power of Christ it abolisheth sin in thee and strengthneth thee with full resolution against all sin 5 A mighty work of Christs power is to enrich his children with all necessary graces tending to salvation and to lead them into the fruition of their eternal inheritance It cost Joshua some labour before he could bring Israel into the good Land that abounded with good things it cost our JOSHUA more Findest thou this fruit of Christs power that thy face is set towards Heaven and is it with thee as with those that entred into that good Land who tasted of the fruits aforehand Hast thou received the first fruits of the Spirit Doest thou grow in grace Doest thou with patience expect the promises and begin the heavenly life already Hast thou hope joy love of God zeal for God constancy in the truth for these are purchased by this power of Christ Then here is a creating vertue put forth a fruit of Christs mighty power magnifie this grace of God and hope for the accomplishment and finishing of the same work by the same power the which shall preserve thee to salvation 6 A mighty work of Christs power was the perfect fulfilling of the Law Whether doest thou partake in this power art thou perfect in the way sincerely obeying God in all his Commandements Doest thou subject thy self to the Law as the rule of thy Law Doest thou aym at the perfection thereof Christ loved his Father with all his heart and his Neighbour as himself yea above himself and if this power of Christ prevail with thee this will bee the scope and aym of all thy actions For though the obedience of the Law bee not necessary to Justification yet it is requisite to Sanctification 7 Another work of Christs power was that it set him free from all corruption and infirmities which hee undertook for us without sin Labour to finde this power of Christ in thy soul daily freeing thee from the corruption of thy sin and daily infirmities If the Son set you free you are free indeed not only the reign of sin is thrust down but the corruption of sin is lessned David desired the Lord to give him again his free Spirit Psal 51.10 11. he well knew that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty that is not only a redemption from Damnation by our justification but from corruption and vain conversation by our sanctification 8 Christs power was mighty in ruling and ordering his own powers and faculties his understanding was able to see God perfectly his will only just right and wise never bowing from the will of his Father Not my will but thy will be done His memory could never forget any good thing but he retained his whole duty ever before him His affections were ordered according to right judgement His appetite never exceeded the bounds of sobriety and moderation His speech was gracious his actions all exemplary no spot in him from top to toe And this same power of Christ is in some measure manifest in all his members this power enlightneth the minds of beleevers formerly blind to see God in part and perswadeth the will and boweth it to obey Gods will which before was captivated to the will of the Devil it inspireth godly desires and gracious resolutions and strengthens the memory to retain good things being before as rimy as a five it guideth and altereth the affections making the beleever to love good things and good men and whatsoever sets forward Gods glory and to hate zealously the contrary Christs power in the soul orders the appetite to sobriety in the seasonable and thankful use of outward mercies makes a man speak the language of Canaan and his whole course savour of Christ Whence it is plainly concluded that ignorant persons malicious persons Libertines intemperate Drunkards Gluttons filthy talkers Swearers loose in their behaviour open enemies to this power of Jesus Christ not submitting themselves to the rod of his mouth shall bee laid under his rod of iron Use 4. This teacheth us to goe on fearlesly in good duties seeing this power of Christ is with us and for us He is of power to protect us against enemies and dangers Of power to strengthen us in our duties when we are weak and feeble he will perfect his power in our weakness 2 Cor. 12.8 Of power to make us invincible in our sufferings Phil. 4.13 I can doe all things through him that inableth me Of power to reward our least labour of love undertaken for him Of power to answer our prayers and to doe abundantly above all we ask or think Of power to perform all his gracious promises which shall be made good to us in due time Of power to supply us with all good means in his service hee can give wealth and make the latter end better as he did to Job the Divine power giveth all things pertaining to life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 Of power in death it self to keep that which wee commit unto him till the last day Of power to rebuke Diseases and command Death and after death to raise our bodies to eternal life being cloathed with corruption and wrapped with deaths garments 1 Cor. 6.14 God hath raised up the Lord Jesus and shall raise us also by his power Vse 5. Lastly this doctrin assureth us of our perseverance in grace begun Christ by his power lays such fast hold on us no seducer is able to deceive the elect nor pluck them out of his hands for the weakness of God is stronger than men 1 Cor. 1.25 and when we cannot comprehend him so fast as wee would he comprehends us and preserves us by his power to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Neither doth this Doctrin maintain any security but the security of faith which is ever attended with the fear of God and fear to sinne The Second thing in the victory of our Saviour is the manner of Satans leaving him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Matthew St. Luke more plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implies a bodily departure and sensible as we have formerly shewed his presence to be Quest What kind of departure was this it seems to be a willing and voluntary subjection to Christ he bids him depart and he is gone Ans Indeed it seems obedience
2 if they had what warrant word No use of dead bodies or bones in scripture but to be buried Satan flye not the living body of the Son of God and much lesse the dead bones of a sinful man or calling have they for the use of them what is the use of dead bodies or bones in Scripture but to bee buried yea if it bee Christs himself so long as hee is dead 3 What vertue had any body bone apparel or any relique of any Saint above Christs blessed body and yet the Devil feared not that If he feared not the vertue of Christs living body certainly hee fears not the rottennesse of a dead bone of whatsoever sinful man But this is also another trick of the mystery of Antichrist plainly discovered by our present Doctrine The Jesuites teach at this day that the Apostles appointed the manner of hallowing water and that being hallowed it hath power to pardon sins to drive away Devils and diseases and by it they have wrought many miracles But I prove the contrary De invent â—er lib 5 cap. 8. Six reasons against Popish hallowing of water 1 Their own Polidore Virgil affirmes that Alexander the first a Pope instituted it and therefore not the Apostles 2 If the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin 1 John 1.7 then hallowed water cleanseth not venial sin as they term it 3 If the weapons of our warfare bee not carnal but spiritual 2 Cor. 10.4 then hallowed water cannot drive away Devils Faith is our shield prayer is our buckler and the Word of God our Sword where is their holy water 4 Their miracles are either false relations or collusions or magical of no other use but whereby wee may know and discern as by sure notes the false Prophets and Champions of Antichrist of whom the Spirit hath prophesyed Mat. 24. and 2 Thess 2.5 The use of water is 1 natural and external 2 By institution sacramental and significative the Scripture acknowledgeth no other If their holy water bee hallowed then it is hallowed by the word and prayâ—â— Let them shew this for their practice if they can 6 In this use of it it is one of the strange gods of spiritual Egypt or mystical Babylon and there is a vain confidence in the creature which is due to the Creator Object Elisha took salt and healed the waters 2 King 2.21 Answ 1 That was common salt not hallowed 2 That effect was extraordinary for that occasion onely never since that time produced by any When wee have a pleasant City infested with naughty and deadly water So said the blessed Martyr Tho. Haukes and a Papist will come and heal it with his hallowed Salt wee will beleeve their doctrin and hearken to their exorcismes not before Vse 4 Lastly This doctrin yeeldeth us comfort in our temptations in that our Lord Jesus hath begun to us He was the best beloved yet hee must not lead his life in delicacy and softnesse but was in continual molestation so as his whole life was a continual monument of the Cross that we should not think much of the same condition which our Head underwent and besides that wee should in all our temptations cast our eyes upon him who was tempted that hee might have compassion on them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 The third particular in the preparation is the guide which Christ had in this combate with Satan hee was led by the Spirit Here consider 1 the name of the guide the Spirit 2 the manner of his guidance hee was led by him 1 By the Spirit indefinitely set down what is meant Three sorts of created spirits in this Text. Answ A spirit is either created or uncreated Of the former wee read of three sorts in this History 1 Diabolical tempting us to sin for the Devil is a spirit that being unchangeably turned from God is called a spirit that ruleth in the Children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 a lying spirit 1 King 22. an unclean spirit Luke 11.24 such spirits are all the wicked Angels 2 Angelical comforting Christ and these are the good Angels which now unchangeably cleave unto God called Ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 3 Humane hungring the soul of Christ which as other souls of men are was a spirit as Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and the humane and reasonable spirit of man returneth to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 None of these are here meant but the Divine and uncreated Spirit even the third person in Trinity The holy Spirit of God here meant for three reasons even that Spirit which had now descended upon Christ like a Dove and that holy Spirit whereof Luke saith hee was full Chap. 4.1 And this 1 the opposition of the Leader and of the Tempter proveth for it were harsh to say that Jesus was led of the devil to bee tempted of the devil but hee was led of the good Spirit to bee tempted of the evil 2 The same phrase is used Luke 2.27 Simeon came in the Spirit into the Temple i. e. In that holy Spirit of which mention was made in the former vers 3 The Chalde and Syriak expresseth it led by the holy Spirit II. The manner hee was led not by any local transportation from Jordan to the wildernesse as Elias from earth to heaven or carried through the air as the spirit carried Philip from the Eunuch Act. 8.39 but as one led by the hand so hee was by a strong instinct of the Spirit forced to go thither And for the strength of the motion S. Mark saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit driveth him out and St. Luke useth another word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee was led out not that any thing befel Christ being forced to it or unwilling for all his obedience was a free-will offering but hee is driven or drawn as the faithful are drawn by the Father Joh. 6.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys None can come to 〈◊〉 unless my Father draw him namely by the effectual and forcible working of his Spirit in their hearts not as stocks and stones without wills nor as enforceing them against their wills but sweetly inclining their wills and working effectually in them both the will and the deed according to his good pleasure Object But Christ sends the third person heâ— then doth the third â—â—â—son lead him Answ Christ as God and as the second person in Divine unity sendeth the Holy Ghost into the hearts of his Elect but consider him in the form of a Servant and so hee is subject unto providence and led by the Spirit this way and that And this is because the humanity of Christ is the Organ or instrument of his divinity and in all the actions and Offices of it is moved and guided by the Holy Ghost All Satans temptations are appointed and limitted by God Doct. All Satans temptations are appointed and limitted by God It is the Spirit of God that here leadeth
by which God tryeth the graces of his and manifesteth their infirmitie and out of which his grace giveth evasion and deliverance seem they never so dangerous as for example What a great temptation was that of Israel in the red Sea Yet God brought them out of it So for evil of sin What strong temptations were they that seised on Peter David Solomon wherein they seemed utterly lost Yet the Lord held under his hand and left them sufficient grace to raise them againe Gods faithfulness was such to David and Solomon and Christs prayer that Peters faith did not utterly fail Reasons 1 Wee are the Lords souldiers and servants and therefore hee will help us David thought this a good Argument Psalm 86.2 O thou my God save thy servant that trusteth in thee And this is Gods manner of dealing When hee hath a great work or Tryal for his children hee arms them with boldness constancy and courage as Sampson when hee was to encounter many Philistims what a measure of strength was hee indued withall when the Prophets were to bee sent to rebellious and stubborn people the Lord made their faces as brasen walls Jerem. 1.18 and as adamants Ezek. 3.9 The Apostles being called to the great function of calling in the whole world the Holy Ghost fell first upon them and furnished them with singular gifts fit for that calling How boldly Peter preached and professed Christ at Jerusalem to the beards of those that had put him to death even the Rulers and Elders appears in Act. 4.8 but the cause of this was that hee was full of the Holy Ghost The like wee may observe in Elias his reforming of Gods worship and in the restoring of Religion by Luther who was wonderfully gifted 1 With undaunted courage as appears in his burning the Popes decrees and his disputation at Worms 2 With fervent Prayer 3 With admirable and heavenly preaching So the faithful Witnesses and Martyrs that are called to a hot brunt are first armed with a singular spirit as that Prote-Martyr Steven Act. 6.8 10. who was full of the Holy Ghost full of Faith and power full of wisdome and grace that they were not able to resist the wisdome and spirit by which hee spake And was it not so in Q. Maries daies that poor Creatures were lifted up with such excellent spirits as that all the learning and wisdome of the Doctors or all the power of authority could not daunt them God should lose his honour if any of his servants should be utterly overcome but onely those unmerciful Arguments of fire and faggot could put them to silence 2 The battel and cause is Gods the question between Satan and us is Gods glory and our Salvation This was Moses his Argument why the Lord should spare his murmuring people see Numb 14.15 16. Now if the Devil prevail against us God shall lose his honour which is dear unto him But he will not suffer himself to bee so disgraced as to let us bee overcome by his enemy neither shall the salvation of his bee prejudiced for this were against the truth of God whom Satan accuseth to be a lyar 3 Hee hath armed us with his own armour and furnished us with his own strength and will not have his weapons bee thought so weak and insufficient as to bee foiled in it The Sword of the Spirit is not so blunt The shield of Faith is not so dull the breast-plate of righteousness is not so thin as to receive every bullet that comes to hurt us 4 Christ hath made us members of his own body and when the head can with patience suffer the members which it is able to defend to bee pulled off from the body then shall the sound members of Christ bee pulled away by temptation from him which they must needs bee if they were not conunually supported by his strength Object 2 Cor. 1.8 Wee were pressed out of measure passing strength insomuch that wee desparred even of life Answ 1 The Apostle speaks of humane strength which could never have passed through those tryals But the power and strength of God shewed them an issue 2 The Apostle speaks according to the sence of his flesh and what they were in their own feeling as it is plain in the reason of his deliverance in the next words That wee should not trust in our selves but in God that raiseth the dead 3 The very scope of the place is to shew not the unmeasureableness of affliction but a great measure of them thereby to amplify Gods mercy Vse Wee should not bee discouraged though our tryals bee very great for wee shall not want sufficient to strength to carry us through them Yea let us check our weakness while wee torment our selves with needless fears that God takes little or no knowledge of our Tryals or will with-draw his grace and absent himself for ever No hee tenders the weaknesse of his chosen on whom although the Spirit fall not so visibly as upon Christ yet by vertue hereof they have the secret distilling and sensible yea forcible working of the Spirit in their hearts such graces of faith hope patience and boldnesse in case they keep their watch as whereby they may as surely perswade themselves of victory as if they had received the Holy Ghost visibly as Christ did Add hereunto these considerations Strong â—â—â—tives to stand to â—tions 1 That it is impossible to bee exalted to Christs Kingdome if thou bee not assaulted first with temptation thou canst not bee victorious unless thou fight nor obtain the crown unless thou bee victorious Rev. 3.21 2 That if thou beest in great perplexity yet think not the Lord hath forsaken thee For 1 not to bee chastised of God is to bee hated of him 2 He hides his face but for a season from his children as the mother doth till the child get knocks and falls onely to let them see their weakness and more to depend upon him 3 That there is a time when God makes intimation to all his children of their election and salvation and commonly before this that they may bee fitted with hungring desire after grace and make much of it when they have it there goeth a trouble of mind and fear and disquiet so as a man thinks God is quite gone when hee is drawing gratiously unto him and that hee shall never hear more of him when hee is knocking by the Holy Spirit to have entrance into his heart Therefore wee may trust perfectly on this grace and wait Gods time for his full manifestation of it the just liveth by faith and maketh not haste Job if the Lord killed him would still trust Remember Mr. Robert Glover that blessed Martyr at Coventry crying to his friend Austen Hee is come He is come hee looked for the Holy Ghost two or three daies before and made great moan that hee came not yet hee continued waiting and hee came at length but not before he came to the sight of the
this Miracle and the Gospel it self 4 That hereby he might bid battel offer opportunity and provoke his adversary to the combate for this was the end both of his fasting and going into the Wilderness and of his hunger Wherein also this fast of Christ may not be imitated for we are not to offer any opportunities or advantages to Satan who is ready enough to seek and take enough as we may not tempt God so we may not tempt the tempter but pray that we may not be lead into temptation by him and watch lest we fall into temptation Mark 14.38 yea we must cut off and prevent his advantages and shun all occasions wherein hee might assault us as knowing our own weakness The third thing in Christs fast is the continuance of time III. Christ fasted no longer nor shorter time than forty days for five reasons Moses in monâ—e ante legem Elias in itinere sub lege Christus in deserto sub gratia forty days and forty nights Quest Why did he fast so long why no more nor no less Ans For these reasons 1 To bee answerable to the types As Moses fasted forty days at the institution of the Law and Elias at the restitution of it so would Christ here at the manifestation of the Gospel 2 He exceeded not his number lest he should seem too inhuman and cruel against himself for he did no more than Moses and Elias had done men subject to infirmity In our time he is no man that cannot strain one trick above others but Christ being in the shape of a Servant takes not upon him above his fellow-servants 3 He would not fast less because he would not seem less than the Prophets nor unlike them 4 He would not fast more because he would not have his Deity now acknowledged by the Devil 5 He would not give occasion to Hereticks to doubt of the truth of his body and human nature If he had fasted longer than Moses and Elias he might have been thought no true man but only in shew incarnate Quest Why is it added that he fasted forty nights Ans For these reasons Forty nights added for two reasons 1 To shew that it was not such a fast as the Jews used to keep who fasted many days together but ate at nights as Daniel fasted for three weeks of days chap. 3. vers 10. Nor like the Turkish fasts who so soon as they see a starre eat any thing on their fasting days but that which is strangled or Hogges flesh Nor yet like the Papists fast who though they say they fast forty days both to imitate Christ and to give God the tithe of the year yet can feed well and fare deliciously every night 2 To shew that Christ had a care to spend his nights well as well as his days not spending them out in sleep but in watching and prayer as well as in fasting for by the same power his body was preserved without sleep as it was without meat Farre unlike the Papists who in their fasting-days spend the night in gluttony luxury and all uncleaneness Doct. Fasting a most necessary duty This example of Christ teacheth us of what great necessity this exercise of fasting is both for the entrance and comfortable continuance of the duties of our calling both general and special This Nehemiah knew well when hearing of the calamity of Jerusalem and his brethren the Jews hee fasted certain daies and prayed before the God of heaven chap. 1. v. 4. And Ezra proclaimed a fast to seek the right way homeward and safe from their enemies chap. 8. v. 21. see also Act. 13.3 Reasons 1 Fasting in an holy and religious manner helpeth forward graces that are necessary for our calling as 1 the grace of conversion and therefore is made an adjunct of it Joel 2.12 Turn you with all your heart with fasting and weeping 2 The grace of prayer for as Prayer sanctifieth fasting so fasting strengtheneth prayer Otherwise to place Gods worship in fasting is to make the belly the God 3 It helps forward the knowledge of the mysteries of God and godlinesse Dan. 9.3 conferred with 20.21 as Daniel was praying and fasting Gabriel was sent to instruct him and revealed to him the mystery of the seventy weeks 4 It addes strength and courage in the Christian combate between the flesh and the spirit it is as a third that comes in to take the spirits part and so helpeth to the victory by subduing the flesh 2 The necessity and profit of this exercise appeareth in respect of our selves for 1 If wee want publike or private benefits fasting joyned with prayer is the means wherein God will have them sought and obtained The Benjamites after two sore overthrows by this means got the victory Jud. 20.28 Annah by the same obtained her Samuel and David fasted for his childes life 2 If wee bee in danger of publike or personal judgements by the same means they are to bee diverted religious fasting is a chief part of the defensive armour of the Church as wee may see in the examples of Hester saving her people from Hamans devise and of the Ninivites turning away the destruction threatned by Jonah by fasting and humbling themselves 3 If wee bee to attempt publike or private duties hereby wee must fit our selves and obtain success and blessing So did Nehemiah and Ezra as wee saw before and when Paul and Barnabas were separated to the work of the ministery they fasted and prayed Act. 13.3 Yea Christ himself spent a whole night in fasting and prayer before he chose his Disciples Luk. 6.12 13. 3 Daily experience shews the necessity of religious fasting for 1 How many men observe in themselves that for want of this duty they grow dull in their profession and heavy in holy practices yea empty of grace so as they may think the Spirit is departed from them yet when they have renewed this exercise they finde themselves more ripe and ready more quick and able to good duties as if they had new soules given them 2 Do wee not see that the more conscionably a man carrieth himself the more busily Satan doth bestir himself against him and had hee not need so much the more fence himself with coat-armour and flye to God for strength and protection If a good Magistrate or Minister bee to bee brought into any place how doth Satan storm and bend his forces against him because hee thinks that then his Kingdome must down Therefore if a man mean to be serviceable to God in any place it is meet hee should first sanctify it by fasting and prayer as Christ did Vse 1. This serves to rebuke the great want of this so needful a duty What Magistrate or Minister against whom Satan most shooteth entreth thus into his calling as Christ by fasting and prayer but by gifts favour or otherwise get livings and offices but to God they go not and this is the cause that so little good is done
either in one calling or the other as much blessing as they seek they have So what other reason can bee given that many lingring evils and want of Gods blessing is in so many families but because men omit the chief means of procuring the one and repelling the other Men think they have nothing to do with this duty but when publike authority enjoyns it and that it is onely the fault of Magistracy it is so out of use as though every Master of a family were not a Magistrate and Bishop in his own house or as if that were not a means for private blessings which is so mighty for publike Oh deceive not thy self that which thou canst not do publikely thou maiest do in thine own house and therefore if thou wantest any grace or blessing blame thine own idleness that seekest it not in Gods means Vse 2. This should move us to perform so needful a duty as this is Motives to fasting 6. and thereunto to consider of these reasons 1 Consider the Promises that are made and have been made good to fasting and fervent prayer Remember that one example of good King Jehoshaphat against whom came the Moabites Ammonites and they of Mount Seir whereupon hee proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah and prayed earnestly 2 Chron. 20.2 17. and before they had ended their Prayer the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel a Levite who by the Spirit of Prophecy foretold the victory saying Yee shall not need to fight in this battel O Judah and Jerusalem Fear yee not but to morrow go out against them and the Lord will bee with you and so it came to pass for the enemies slew one another and the Jews gathered the spoil and returned and praised God in the valley of Beracha that is of blessing so called ever after 2 The ordinary prayers of Gods children have prevailed much and much more can their fasting and prayer bring greater blessings When Peter was in prison sleeping between two souldiers the night before he should bee brought out to death being bound with two chaines and the Keeper before the door watching the Prison at the ordinary Prayer of the Church an Angel smote Peter saying Arise quickly and his chains fell off and hee was delivered Act. 12.5 much more can Extraordinary Prayer joyned with fasting prevail 3 Many things are not obtained but by that prayer which is joyned to fasting Matth. 17.14 this kind of Devils is not cast out but by prayer and fasting that is by a most fervent kind of Prayer to which fasting is joyned as a whetstone to sharpen it and set an edge on it Some things as those that are pretious cost a greater price and some sutes must bee obtained of men not without long and instant supplication so here many things are long sought by ordinary prayer which being extraordinary favours might by extraordinary prayer have been sooner had 4 God hath rewarded the wicked who have used this Ordinance in Hypocrisy and much more will hee those his servants that use it in truth 1 King 21.21 Ahab fasting for the destruction threatned by Elijah humbled himself and this fast of his not joyned with true repentance but onely kept in the outward ceremony in abstaining from meat in sackcloth and giving some testimony of outward sorrow was not unrewarded but obtained a reprieve of the execution of the sentence till his Sons dayes How much more respect shall wee obtain of God if wee joyn to the outward fast the inward graces of humility repentance faith and fervency 5 Were this exercise in request sometimes in families it would prevent many judgements and many sins the procurers thereof in governours children and servants as adultery fornication drunkenness swearing riot and prophaneness these might bee kept out as well as cast out by this means and unspeakable were the good that might hereby be procured as release from many evils life health c. 6 We have the example of the Jews who besides all other moveable fasts upon special occasion must have one set fast in a year Levit. 16.29 1 Because many great sins of all sorts might be committed in a year for which they needed to be humbled 2 Once a year God might shew some tokens of displeasure publick or private that they might know that once a year they had cause to be humbled Obj. That was a Ceremony Ans The day was not the thing the equity of which binds us as well as them because the ends and causes bind us And in the Gospel wee have the example of John and his Disciples who fasted often and Christs Disciples must fast when the Bridegroom is gone and causes of mourning come Beside these we have sundry other motives to religious fasting as 1 Shall Christ fast for us and not we for our selves 2 Shall the Pharisees fast twice a week in hypocrisie and wee not once in our lives in sincerity 3 Can we cheerfully betake us for our bodily health to fasting diet or abstinence so long as the Physician will prescribe and will we doe nothing for our souls health 4 Can worldly men for a good market fast from morning to evening and can Christians be so careless as to dedicate no time to the exercise of fasting and prayer to increase their gain of godliness 5 Is not this a seasonable exhortation hath not God sounded the Trumpet to fasting Matth. 9.16 when the Bridegroom is taken away it is time to fast But now 1 Sins abound as Drunkenness Pride and high wickedness and there is no more fear of Gods wrath in the Church and Land 2 The Word and Ministery is more despised than ever and less loved Preachers and Professors of the Gospel are scorned as in the days of Noah the heavenly Mannah is contemned and the contempt of it threatneth a final departure ot the Bridegroom 3 Papists increase in numbers in boldness in pride in power and are so farre from being converted by the light as they are daily more perverted and perverse notwithstanding the glorious Gospel of God and the wholsome Laws of the Land Adde unto these the swarms of Atheists Machevilians carnal and cold Protestants among us 4 Who hath not smarted in the common judgements of the Land lingring by many years in plagues unseasonable weather fires waters and the like all of them fore-runners of greater misery Who can forget the warning of Gun-powder and the present unfeelingness of it And were not these publike evils how may every one of us bewail Christs hiding of himself from our souls His gracious beams shine not on us with such comfort as they might his Word is not so fruitful in the best as it should dulness and conformity with the times creep in upon the best the Sun and Moon great Lights in the Ministry are darkned and the Starres lose their light among professors Is it not time to awake our selves if ever and to betake our selves to sack-cloth and ashes to fasting
it is but an infirmity what need a man bee so precise and scrupulous as to stand upon such small trifles all which is but to plead for Satan against our own safety He was afterwards an hungry In these words is set down the effect of Christs fast After he had fasted forty days and forty nights he began to be hungry all the while before he was not hungry neither did he want power to have fasted longer and by his Divine power upheld his human nature if hee pleased but now the miraculous fast being finished he begun to hunger Quest How could Christ be hungry seeing he was able to feed so many thousands with seven Leaves and two Fishes Besides Joh. 4.34 he saith My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Or if he could be hungry why would he Ans Some have thought that Christ needed not to eat sleep c. as wee need when our bodily strength is exhaust by labour by fasting and watching And some of the Fathers as Ambrose and Theophylact upon Mar. 11.12 hold that Christ only by dispensation gave his body leave to be hungry when he pleased as though he neither was wont nor could nor ought to bee ordinarily hungry as other men nor necessarily forced to eat But wee must know that Christ took upon him a true human body and the form of a Servant in which he was obnoxious to all our infirmities only sin excepted And the infirmities which he undetook not are these What infirmities our Saviour took and took not in three propositions 1 He was not to take any which might hinder the perfection of his soul or body Of his soul as vices sins proneness to evil heaviness to goodness Christ took miserable infirmities in his soul as Augustine saith such as are natural negative ignorance as of the day of Judgement and the time of figges fructifying but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Damascene saith damnable and detestable Of his body because it was extraordinarily conceived and created of the Holy Ghost who being of infinite wisdome and power could not eâ—re or not bring his body to perfection Therefore he was not to bee blind lame deaf c. which are infirmities in many other men 2 Christ was not to take all infirmities in general Christ took not all infirmities of every particular man for three causes for 1 Some arise of particular causes which could not be in Christ as namely some hereditary infirmities and diseases as the Leprosie Falling-sickness Stone c. some from redundance of matter in generation have some monstrous or superfluous part some from defect want some part or have some part withered or scanted None of this can agree to Christs most perfect conception of the Holy Ghost 2 Some infirmities are acquisite as by Surfeits Feavers and Gouts by fulness These could not befall Christ who never exceeded the mean his whole life being a continual exercise of sobriety neither had hee ever any acquisite infirmity but voluntarily undertaken 3 Some defects and infirmities are the fruit of some special judgement of God as Uzziah his Leprosie was a special stroke of Gods hand for a special sin so some are born fools and simple Neither could these belong to Christ who had no sin nor cause of judgement in him 3 Christ was to take upon him all natural and indetractable infirmities as the School-men call them and only them Natural that is such as follow common nature infirmities common to all men And indetractable or inculpable which detract not from the perfection of his person nor of his grace nor of the work of our redemption Of this kinde are hunger thirst labour weariness sleep sorrow sweat and death it self all these are common to all men Now hunger being a common infirmity incident to all men yea to Adam in innocency who was hungry and did eat as Gen. 1.39 every tree bearing fruit shall be to you for meat and slept chap. 2. vers 21. a heavie sleep fell on the man yet without molestation therefore Christ did necessarily hunger as other men do not by an absolute necessity for 1 he needed not have taken our nature or been incarnate 2 As he was God he could have exempted himself from all the abasement and miseries that he suffered neither by a coacted necessity for he willingly submitted himself to this necessity But by a necessity ex hypothesi or conditionate having taken our nature to redeem it he was necessarily to take on him all our weaknesses sin only excepted for these reasons Reasons why Christ took on him our infirmities five Mans nature is known by defects Gods by perfection 1 He was not only to be like a man and in the shape of a man but also a very true man like unto his brethren in all things except sin therefore it is said Heb. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to assure the truth of his incarnation against all Anthropomorphites and such like Hereticks 2 This was a part of his obedience and consequently of our redemption that he suffered the same thing as we do both in body and in mind Vere pertulit langâ—ores nostros he hath truly born our infirmities Isa 53.4 3 That he might sanctifie unto us these infirmities and take away the sting of them lest we should be wearied and faint in our mindes Heb. 12.3 and that we might have an example in suffering 1 Pet. 2.21 4 That he might be a compassionate High Priest Heb. 2.17 18. touched with infirmity yea cloathed with our frail nature that we should not doubt of his grace who vouchsafed to be so abased for us 5 Himself confirmeth the same in that he took not on him such a body of ours as Adam had before sin but such a one as he retained after his fall so far as it was obnoxious to all incriminal pains of sin namely such as was subject to weariness Joh. 4.6 to sorrow tears and weeping as over Jerusalem Luke 19.41 and at the raising of Lazarus Joh. 11.35.38 and in his Agony when he shed tears and used strong cries Heb. 5.7 to sweating water and bloud in the garden yea to death it self from all which Adams body was free before the fall And by these his body was by a true necessity overcome as ours are and this not for a short time or space at his pleasure but all the time of his life till he breathed out his holy spirit yea thirsting upon the cross it self John 19.28 Neither was this onely to confirm the truth of his humane nature but to fulfill all righteousnesse and carry away all the punishment of our sinnes and so work a perfect salvation for us Therefore Christ truely and necessarily was hungry as wee use to be Obj. Christs meat was to do the will of his father As for that place in Joh. 4.34 I answer 1 It must bee meant comparatively in that the execution of his
their own Language not onely for the learned but unlearned also that it might bee familiar to all sorts of men Deut. 31.11.12 Thou shalt read the words of this Law before all Israel that they may hear it and learn to fear the Lord and hee names their men and women children and strangers Object But this belongs to the Jews alone Answ No The reason is perpetual all of all ages must fear the Lord and therefore have the means the word of God Jerem. 36.6 Jeremy commanded Baruch to read the word of the Lord in the hearing of all Judah and in the audience of the people Joh. 5.39 Search the scriptures Object Christ spake to the learned the Scribes and Pharisees Answ But the reason of the precept belongs to all who desire life eternal Col. 3.16 Let the word of God dwell plentifully in you and 1. v. 9. hee prayeth they may be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all wisdome and spiritual understanding now all the Colossians were not Clergy-men And how doth the Lord incourage all his people to understand and obey the words of the Law Deut. 4.6 Onely this people is wise and of understanding c. 2 It is against the example of Christ and the Apostles 2 Against the example of Christ and his Apostles Christ taught in a known tongue so the Apostles were indued with divers Tongues to preach to every Nation in their own Tongue and all the writers of holy scriptures did write them in the tongue best known most vulgar and common whereby it might more easily come to every ones knowledge for whatsoever was written was written for our learning Rom 15.4 that wee by patience and consolation of the scriptures might have hope so our Saviour saith These things are written that yee might beleeve so as whosoever must have faith hope patience comfort must bee acquainted with the scriptures and if these be entailed onely to learned men so may they 3 It is against common sense 3 Against common sense and as if one should advise another who is to meet his enemy in the field that if hee would drive away his enemy and get the victory hee must lay down his weapon or leave it behind him Object But the Popish Doctors put other weapons into their hands to fight with as crosses holy-water charmes and conjurations wherewith the vnder sort yet content themselves Answ These are weapons of the Devils own forging the Leviathan of Hell accounts of these spears but as straw and laughs at them as if a man being to encounter a most furious and furnisht enemy should cover himself with a cob-web and think hee were well furnished No no Satan puts these into mens hands to keep them from the word which is the only charm the only cross the onely hallowed water that can conjure him which our Lord by his blessed example hath taught us to use 4 Against the Fathers Ad Volusianum Epist 3 Contra Valent. lib. 3. cap. 12 4 It is against the Antient Fathers Augustine saith Deus in Scripturis quasi amicus familiaris loquitur ad cor doctorum indoctorum The Lord in the Scripture speaketh familiarly to the conscience of the learned and unlearned Irenaeus saith Hac omnia contulit eis Scripturarum Dei ignorantia The Valentinians fell into all their heresies through their ignorance of the scriptures But how should Papists beleeve Irenaeus when they will not beleeve the Son of God who tells the Sadduces that they erred because they knew not the scriptures Chrysostome hath these words Ad Coloss hom 9 Audite quotquot estis mundani uxoribus praeestis ac liberis quemadmodum vobis Apostolus Paulus praecipiat legere scripturas idque non simpliciter neque obiter sed magna cum diligentia and again Audite omnes seculares In Epist ed Coloss cap. 3. v. 16. In Isa hom 2 comparate â—obis biblia animae pharmaca And Hieroms gloss is good Hic ost enditur saith hee verbum Christi non sufficienter sed abundanter Laicos habere debere se invicem docere vel monere Lastly Origen shews his judgement in this affectionate speech Vtinam omnes faceremus illud quod scriptum est scrutamini scripturas Oh that wee would all do as it is written search the scriptures 5 Against learned Papists themselves 5 It is against the Popish writers themselves Cajetan a very ingenuous man and a great scholar saith Hinc discamus arma nostra esse sacras scripturas Let us take this for a good lesson that the holy scriptures are our onely weapons Diez a Portugal Fryer saith That as Laban in the night deceived Jacob by giving him instead of fair Rahel blear-eyed Leah so Satan deceives us in the night of ignorance with vain traditions for divine Scripture Yea and Bernard himself whom Harding brings in as a favourer of his cause herein saith That at Bethlehem the common people sang Psalms and Halelujahs yea in the fields as they were plowing and mowing c. By all this wee conclude with our Saviour Joh. 3.20 They do evil and therfore they hate the light They have a long time deceived the World by holding it in ignorance a principal pillar of their Religion and labour still to hold it in blindness dealing no otherwise than the Philistims dealt with the Israelites 1 Sam. 13.19 who to hold them in base bondage and servitude took all their weapons from them and left them not a Smith in Israel lest they should get weapons and so get from under their power Use 2. If the word of God bee a principal part of our spiritual armour then ought we alwaies to have the Scriptures in a readiness not onely the Bibles in our houses which many have not who have their corslets hanging by the wals but put on upon us Eph. 6.17 and that is when by diligent reading hearing meditating and study of it but especially by earnest prayer that God would open our understandings to see his good pleasure in it wee have attained such skill as wee can wisely shape an answer to the nature and quality of any temptation Alas how lamentable is their estate that regard not the sound knowledge of the Word but content themselves in their ignorance whereby Satan holds them under the power of darknesse for impossible it is till men come to know the truth that ever they should come out of the snare of the devil and to amendment see 2 Tim. 2.25 26. Many spend their daies in reading fables or profane Histories or cannot tell how to pass their time but by taking in hand the Devils books and bones as one calleth them cards and dice or some other unwarrantable exercise all which give Satan more power over them But the armour of proof against Satan and their own corruption which is the Word of God lies in the book untouched untossed as if men were at league not to disturb Satan at
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
in respect of his power yet not his God in respect of the Covenant of grace which those words have special respect unto 4 Satan proceeds to tempt him still and therefore that is not the meaning 5 Christ in this humble estate would not manifest himself much less call himself Lord and God II. The person who must not be tempted The Lord if hee be a Lord hee must be feared obeyed honoured not tempted or provoked Thy God though he be my God and my Father I must not presume I must not abuse my Fathers goodness and providence where no need is A loyal subject will not presume upon the clemency of his Prince to break his Lawes or a loving childe upon his fathers goodness to offend him III. The action of tempting To tempt God is to prove and try God out of necessity what he can doe or what he will doe and whether he be so good so merciful so just as his word and promise say he is so Heb. 3.9 Your Fathers tempted me and proved me and saw my works The mother of this sin is infidelity and unbelief 1 Of Gods power as if his arm were shortned 2 Of his goodness as if he were not so careful of his chosen as he is For else what need I try that which I were assured of The issue of it or the branches that shoot from this root are put forth 1 In judgement 2 In affections 3 In counsels and actions of life I. In judgement and matter of doctrin to prefer our own conceits above the Word of God whereof the Apostle speaketh Act. 15.10 Why tempt ye God to impose a yoak upon the Disciples necks which neither our Father noâ— wee can bear as if hee should say Why do you of the Circumcision vainly swelling and trusting in your own strength falsly conceive and teach without warrant to anger the Lord with that by the fulfilling of the Law yee can attain salvation binding up the power of God to the Law as necessary to save men thereby what an intollerable yoak is this which no man is able to bear What shall wee think then of the Papists doctrin who lay the same yoak upon mens shoulders what is their whole Religion but a plain tempting of God and a provoking of his anger while they lay on men the yoak of the Law This is the sin of all other Hereticks who like the Pharisees let the Word of God behind their own inventions and properly and directly fight against Faith which leaneth it self wholly upon the Word of God Faith looks at Gods constitutions it suffers not judgement to arrogate above Gods judgement it beats down humane wisdome and reason and brings the thoughts and reasonings into the obedience of God It teacheth not impossibilities as they of the Circumcision and Papists do at this day II. In affection 1 By diâ—â—idence and distrust Psal 78.18 They tempted God in their hearts in requiring me at for their lust Here were many sinnes in one 1 A murmuring and grudging at their present estate 2 A tempting of Gods power Can God prepare a Table in the wildernesse vers 19.3 A denial of his presence If God were amongst us hee would prepare us a Table 4 Making haste and appointing of time and place and the manner of helping them he must now in the wildernesse set up a Table 5 Wantonness having sufficient and necessary Mannah and water by 〈◊〉 immediate hand of God they must have meat for their lust 2 By Curiosity when men vainly desire extraordinary things and neglect ordinary and must have â—â—ch signs as they list either out of meer curiosity as Herod would have a signe onely to please himself in some rare sight or in pretence of â—â—â—firming them in the truth as the Jews when Christ had sufficiently confirmed his heavenly Doctrin with powerful miracles they rejected this and must have a miracle from heaven Mat. 16.1 Quest Is it not lawful to aske a sign did not Gedeon Judg. 6.17 and Hezekiah ask a sign and Moses and it was granted Answ Yes it is lawful in four cases 1 When God offers a sign wee may require and ask it as hee offered one to Hezekiah and not to require it is a sin as in Ahaz who when the Lord bad him ask a sign hee saith Hee will not ask a sign nor tempt the Lord Isa 7.11 But he tempted the Lord now not in tempting him and greived him much v. 12. 2 When an extraordinary Calling and Function is laid upon a man hee considering his own weakness and the many oppositions which hee shall meet withall in the execution of it may for the confirming of his Faith demand a sign and this was Gedeons case who of a poor man of the smallest Tribe of Israel was extraordinarily called to bee a Judge and Ruler Or when such an extraordinary work or calling is to bee made manifest to the World to bee from God for the better prospering of Gods work a man may desire a sign as Moses did Exod. 4. and Elijah 3 When God gives an extraordinary promise to his Servants of effecting something above all they can see or expect hee pleaseth to condescend to their weakness and for confirming of their Faith hee bears them asking a sign as Hezekiah being extraordinarily restored seeing 1 His own extream weaknesse and 2 The Word of God passed Set thy house in order for thou shalt not live but dye required a sign and God afforded him an extraordinary one The Virgin Mary had such an extraordinary promise as never was to bee a Mother without the knowledge of man shee asked how that could bee God gave her a sign saying Thy cousin Elizabeth hath conceived and shall bear a Son and so shalt thou 4 When anextraordinary testimony to a new form of Doctrin is requisite extraordinary signs may be required As for example The Gospell at the first publishing of it was joyned with the abolishment of all the Ceremonial Law and all the Ordinances of Moses and bringing in a new Religion in respect of the manner through the world against which both Jews and Gentiles could not but bee deadly enemies Now the Apostles did desire and obtain the power of working many signes and wonders of healing killing raising the dead commanding Devils and the like But to ask a sign out of these cases is a provoking and tempting of God as 1. Out of diffidence or malice as the Jews bad Christ come down from the Cross and they would beleeve him assuring themselves hee was never able to do that 2 For curiosity and delight as Herod desired to see some marvail or for satisfying our Lust as Israel 3 For our own private ends not aiming directly at Gods glory and denial of our selves as the Jews followed Christ not for his Miracles but for their belly and the bread and the Virgin Mary herein failed requiring a Miracle of Christ rather for a prevention of scandal for the want of wine than
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
Christ as well as they they seek peace even with the worst and shall obtain it so farre as God seeth good who when a mans ways please him doth so over-rule his enemies hearts as they shall become friendly unto him 3 By setting every Christian at peace with himself who before had no peace 2 With a mans self but now hath obtained 1 Peace of Conscience when his Conscience being pâ—rswaded of his reconciliation with God through Christ it ceaseth to wound and accuse and beginneth to excuse and comfort and so bringeth quietnesse and tranquillity of minde into the soul which passeth understanding 2 Peace in his will and affections which by grace cease to be rebellious and become daily more pliant to the Commandement and obedient to the mind enlightned by the Spirit 3 Peace in Christian combate in that grace getteth daily victory corruption receiveth daily foyls and consumption and so the heart every day more quiet than other from the power and molestation of it Thirdly whereas so long as God himself is our enemy 3 Peace with the Creatures all his Creatures are armed against us to take his part and revenge their Creators wrong upon us by Christ even this curse is also removed and it is an expresse branch of the New Covenant that the Lord will work our peace with the Creatures Hos 2.18 And in that day will I make a Covenant for them with the wild beasts and with the fowls of the heaven and with that which creepeth upon the earth For God being in league with us even the stones in the field and the beasts in the field shall be at league with us also Job 5.23 And the reason is because as then the Creatures rebelled against man when hee became a rebel against God so when men by Christ are reconciled unto God and become his sons by adoption and grace then is their ancient right and rule over the Creatures lost by the fall restored in part so as his children never receive hurt from them but such as the Lord sanctifieth both for the furtherance of his owne glory and their salvation which are the main ends which God respecteth in all his ways with his elect Thus we see what is this peace and how Jesus Christ procureth it us whence wee may observe sundry profitable points of doctrin Observ 1. That there is no sound peace without Christ he is the Prince of peace his doctrin is the message of peace and himself the Messenger of the great Covenant of peace There can be no peace with God by Moses nor by the works of the Law whatsoever dotages Popish teachers hold to the contrary only the obedience and merit of Christ is the matter of it which made the Apostles always pray not for peace from merit but for mercy and peace or grace and peace because it only floweth from the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ Secondly it is as clear as the former That there can be no peace to the wicked man Isa 57.21 because he is out of Christ 1 No inward peace in his Conscience the which howsoever it may slumber for a while or become feared benummed and past feeling yet like a wild beast will it hastily waken and pursue him and make him restlesse as Cain and fly when none pursues him 2 No true outward peace for although their houses may seem peaceable and without fear and all things passe according to their hearts desire yet this iâ— but a truce for a time or rather a respite of a condemned person who where ever he goeth carrieth his sentence of death with him and woe must needs be the end of that peace that maketh men most quiet when their sins cry the loudest for vengeance in the ears of God Thirdly this point affordeth some main differences between true and false peace Difference between true and false peace by which every man may be helped in the examination of his estate For 1 sound Christian peace is always a fruit of righteousnesse and by unrighteousnesse is unsetled and disquieted but the peace of the wicked is for most part a fruit of iniquity and by it is never disturbed but for the time the more sin the more peace as in a number of sinners might bee instanced 2 Peace by Christ ariseth from sorrow for sin whence our Saviour counteth mourners blessed but worldly peace from the fruition of some worldly delight or other 3 The former is rooted in the heart and stablisheth it the latter is a rejoycing in the face not in the heart 2 Cor. 5.12 in the midst of such laughter the heart is heavy or may well bee so it being not unlike the laughter of the theef upon the gallows 4 As none can give the former save the Spirit of God so none can take it away it hath no end because hee that is the Prince of it is also Father of eternity Isa 9. neither can it bee but lasting having such soundness in it self but especially in respect of that infallible promise my peace shall none take from you Whereas the latter though never so faiâ— for the time is as unlasting as unsound Job compareth it to a dream Job 20.5 Solomon to the crackling of Thornes under a Pot Eccl. 6 7. God snatcheth it suddainly from them and as Baltazâ—r was taken at his banquet so God maketh their Sun fall even at noon day and darken them in the clear day Amos 8.9 And which addeth to the misery of the wicked their earthly happiness not onely endeth but the end of it is fulness of woe and heavinesse it self Prov. 14.13 the issues of such pleasing waies are death according to that of the wise man Prov. 9.17 Stoln waters are sweet but they know not that the dead bee there Whosoever then would not bee deceived in his peace let him not own any out of Christ let him look that his joy bee helped out of sorrow that it bee a fruit of righteousness and rooted in the heart for then it is lasting for ever and ever comfortable But let thy peace bee never so great and the light of God shine never so bright upon thy habitation and yet thou hast never been troubled with the sight of thy sin as many profess they never were if it can dwell with iniquity as many jolly fellows who make bold Covenants with Hell and Death if it stablish not the heart with assured hope and comfort in all well doing all this is but a brawn of heart a laughing madness and frenzy and even in the crying of this peace commeth destruction 1 Thess 5.3 and let all that fear to bee at war with God beware of this ungodly and dishonourable peace which is the most general peace in the world at this day the guise of which is then to laugh and rejoyce most when Christ is departed as himself witnesseth Joh. 16.20 The best way to come by peace in the want of it Fourthly In the want
doctrin For never was any device so powerfully confirmed as the Doctrin and Religion of Christ which we profess For as it is said of Pharaohs Inchanters Exod. 8.17 after that Moses had brought the Lice that they assayed to doe the like but could not so in admirable wisdome hath the Lord put forth his mighty power in effecting such Miracles for this doctrin as he never suffered to bee wrought for any other For this only hath he stayed and pulled back the course of the Sun in the Heavens letted the fire from burning divided the Sea and made it stand as a wall raised not the sick only to health but the dead to life strengthned decrepit persons to beget and conceive yea more set apart a Virgin to bear a Son Let Popish impostors leave to bragge of Straw-miracles such as was taken up at Garnets execution and their childish Miracles as their late London Boy and shew us such as these Let us hear but without imposture of such as speak with new tongues drive away Serpents and drink deadly poyson and hurt them not but never was any other doctrin thus confirmed and whatsoever Signs and Wonders are wrought to weaken any part of this truth or establish any doctrin not grounded therein as we are commanded so wee hold them all accursed Vse 1. In that Christ went about doing good we note Christs life was not monastical but he conversed with men to doe good unto them that as his person was a perfect mirrour of all goodnesse so his life was no monastical or cloystered life but his delight was with the sons of men hee eat with them drunk with them more familiarly conversed with them than John did that hee might still take occasion to doe them good and communicate unto them of his fulnesse of grace Neither was his life an idle delicate or pompous life neither swelled he with abundance and wealth but poor mean industrious and painful he continually went about doing good From whom how many Ministers are degenerate who professing themselves servants would bee loath to be as their Lord was some setting up themselves as it were a fatting in a course of case and delicacy feeding themselves not the flock without fear others climbing with restless desires to honours and preferments others incessantly thirsting as if they had a Dropsie after mony and profits serving their Master only to carry the bagge others are doing perhaps but little good they doe in their places their doctrin is so cold so indigested or their lives so scandalous so offensive or their hearts so corrupt and cankred as they rather oppose themselves to the doing or doers of good amongst all whom the Master is out of sight and out of mind 2 Seeing Christ by this going about and doing good shewed himself to be that Prophet whom God would raise like Moses mighty in word and deed Deut. 18.15 We are hence bound to beleeve him and his holy Doctrine so surely confirmed by so many and mighty Miracles that so wee may avoid that fearful hardning so long before Prophecied to befall the Jews Who though he had done many Miracles before them Read John 11.37 38. yet beleeved not they on him and attain also the blessednesse of those that beleeve without desiring to see any more new Miracles For is not the doctrin wee professe sufficiently confirmed already The ancient doctrin of the Church needeth no new Miracles to confirm it an Indenture once sealed is confirmed for ever and needeth no new seals to be set to it Men doe not ever water their plants but only till they be rooted even so the Lord out of his wisdome would water with Miracles the tender plant of his Church till it was rooted in the world and brought on to some strength and stature but afterward thought all such labour neednesse If men will broach and bring into the Church new doctrins and devises of their own as the Romish Church doth at this day it is no marvail it they seek after new Miracles to obtrude them withall but if men will professe the ancient doctrin of the Prophets Apostles and Christ himself to gape after new Miracles were too lightly to esteem of the old and account of these powerful works of Christ himself and his servants no better than some nine days wonders Christians must imitate Christ in doing good 3 As Christ went about doing good so must wee also imitate his worthy example taking yea seeking occasions to doe good unto all and that readily seasonably cheerfully to our power yea and if need be beyond it 2 Cor. 8.3 And to spur us hereunto besides this example of Jesus Christ wee have 1 The Commandement of God charging us not to forget to doe good and distribute Heb. 13. with which sacrifices he professeth himself to bee well pleased whose children if we would be we must let the streams of our fountain also run to the refreshing and releeving of others as hee being the fountain of all good causeth his Sun to shine and rain to fall upon the good and the bad Secondly we are every way fitted to doe good having 1 Callings wherein to abide to the good of others as well as our selves 2 Our Lives further leased and lengthned unto us that in them we should glorifie God in making our election sure and furthering our own reckoning by doing good unto others 3 A most precious time of liberty peace plenty and prosperity that unlesse we bind our own hands we cannot but be doing good unto all especially the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 4 Fit objects of doing good are never wanting unto us For 1 The poor we have always with us the ministers of Jesus Christ and other his members that stand in need of us and many of Gods dear ones are oppressed and distressed that we might never be unmindful of the afflictions of Joseph 2 We have with us store of good men who have most right to our goodnesse the Sons of God the members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost to whom whatsoever we doe the Lord doth accept and account of it as done to himself 3 We have in the worst of all Gods Image which is lovely our own nature which should draw us to respect if not the man yet man-hood or humanity in him and for ought that we know to the contrary by the rule of charity we must hope that they may participate in the death of Christ as well as our selves Lastly we are provoked to doe good by that blessed reward which God of his mercy hath promised to all those good and faithful servants who when their Master shall come shall be found well doing And healed all that were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him THe Apostle proceedeth to prove that Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power because he was able to rescue out of the hands of the Devil such as he oppressed and played the tyrant over
Preist for ever after the order Not his Priestly Office not after the order of Levi or Aaron but of Melâ—hisedeck without beginning or end of daies and this also the Lord had sworn unto his Son and could not repent that hee should bee a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 wherein the Priest-hood of Christ is advanced above all the Priests that ever were who having received their Office in time in time also ceased their office with their life but Christ his Priesthood was not limitâ—ed in any time but was every way eternal They were many who succeeded one another because they were not suffered to indure by death Heb. 7.23 But this man because hee endureth for ever hath no successor but an everlasting Priesthood They were made Priests after the Law of the carnal Commandement but hee after the power of the endless life vers 16. that is hee was not made a Priest by the Law namely Ceremonial which established for a time dying and vanishing things signified by the name of flesh but hee was made by the efficacy of the Word and oath of his Father which gave him endless life and perpetual duration so as neither death it self nâ—â— the grave could hold any dominion over him when they seemed to have clasped him fast in their bands which yet were powerfull enough to have held down any or all other men in the world besides himself and the Apostle to the Hebrews giveth a double reason why he must necessarily out-live death it self The former because hee must not onely make a perpetual oblation that need no repetition but also hee must live ever to make intercession Heb. 7.25 and that perpetually without which the Apostle implyeth that he had not perfectly saved his people This is most clearly proved Rom. 8.34 It is Christ who dyed yea or rather which is risen again who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us and Heb. 9.24 Christ is entered into the very Heaven to appear now in the sight of God for us which appearance of his in Heaven with his Merits hath the force of the most effectual prayer that ever was The latter is By dying Christ offereth and by rising hee applyeth his sacrifice to the conscience of beleevers that hee may not onely make one offering for sin as those Priests did many but that hee may alwaies live to apply it as they did not and see that his people have the benefit of it not onely before God for the appeasing of his wrath but also for the purging of their consciences from dead works to serve the living God as the same Apostle noteth Heb. 9.14 and in the last place to bestow upon every beleever the spirit of faith whereby they may apprehend and apply his sacrifice to their own salvation Neither doth it any whit impeach the eternity of Christs Priest-hood because four thousand years almost of the world were passed before hee suffered for howsoever the execution of it was not all those ages after the beginning of the World yet the vertue efficacy and benefit of it reached to the first Beleever that ever was in the World Adam himself whose faith in this seed of the woman saved him Abraham also saw his day and rejoyced and the Holy Ghost feareth not to call him the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13.8 namely 1 In Gods Council and Decree 2 In the vertue and efficacy of his Sacrifice 3 In regard of Gods acceptation of it for Beleevers 4 In the types and shadows of it whereof the Ceremonial Law was full And much less doth that hinder it from being eternal in that after the day of judgement it shall cease when we shall stand no more in need of Priests or Saviours for howsoever the execution of this office shall then cease yet the vertue and efficacy of it shall last for ever and ever 3 Hee must bee also the perpetual Prophet of his Church Nor his Prophetical the unchangeable Doctor of his Church and the Apostle of our profession who must constantly send his Spirit to lead us into all truth raise up Teachers and hold them in his right hand for the gathering of the Saints untill wee all meet in the unity of Faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.13 so as it is cleared that no part of his Offices could admit that hee should abide under death and therefore necessarily in this second respect must rise again Thirdly It was necessary hee should rise again because hee was so to dye as that thereby hee must overcome yea and destroy death which hee had not done if hee had lain conquered of death still in the grave yea more hee must so dye as that hee must give eternal life to his sheep Joh. 10.28 and by his death merit it put and hold them in possession of it for ever all signified in the phrases following they shall never perish neither shall any take them out of my hands which could never have been accomplished it himself had perished and had been left in the hands and house of death But hence hath hee brought his Church strong consolation in that being risen from the dead hee hath fully overcome death satisfied for every sin of every Beleever and risen from under all that weight of sin and death which would have oppressed us for ever yea even himself if hee had left one of our sins that beleeve in his name unsatisfied for Out of this that hath been spoken cometh to bee answered that objection That seeing Christ by his death paid the price of sin unto God what need we more of him we can be but acquitted and discharged Ans The providing of the most soveraign Plaster is not enough to work a Cure but the applyâ—ng of it also Neither was it sufficient for Christ to perform the former part of his Priest-hood namely satisfaction for sin if he had not added the latter thereto which is the application of it This latter maketh the former ours and comfortable unto us And both these the Apostle affirmeth of Christ Rom. 4.25 Christ was delivered to death for our sins and is risen again for our justification where by justification is meant by a Metonimy the application of justice II. The second point propounded to bee considered of in the rising of Christ is the manner of it which will appear in three things the 1 Concerning his Soul the 2 his Body the 3 his whole Humanity standing of both First the Soul of Christ which on the Crosse was separated from the body commended into the hands of his Father and translated that same day into Paradise was by the mighty power of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost brought back into his dead body lying in the grave quickned it and made it a living body moving and sensible in it self and unto others Secondly
you have all the strength and malice of the wicked world against you all which shall bee no more able to prejudice your salvation or hinder your glory than mine own who have overcome it so as you fight against a Conquered Enemy By all this that hath been said that of the Apostle appeareth to bee true that hee hath subdued all things unto himself and hath put all his enemies under his feet that none nor all of them can separate us from God or Christ or our salvation purchased and preserved for us by him How all these enemies are not only soyled but after a sort made friendly unto us Now wee are to see in the next place that Christ by his resurrection hath not onely spoyled these enemies for us but that hee hath made them all after a sort friendly unto us that whereas they desire still indeed and seem to wound us they do nothing else but heal us 1 For sin that now serveth to humble Gods Children and keep them low in their own eyes as also provoketh them to walk awfully in regard of God and watchfully over their hearts and lives still groaning to God under their daily infirmities By this means out of the eater commeth meat as was said in Sampsons riddle Judg. 14.14 2 Death is not now to Gods Children as it was to Christ joyned with a sence of Gods anger against it or paying a debt to the Justice of God for it were against the rule of Gods Justice to require the payment of the same debt twice but wherein they have a sweet sense of Gods Fatherly love wherein sin is perfectly to bee abolished whereby way and entrance is made unto life everlasting where wee shall bee with God and Jesus Christ which is best of all The Saints of God in these regards have rather desired than feared it for what man having been tossed a long time upon a dangerous Sea would fear the Haven or who being wearied with the Travels of the day would fear to go to his rest at night 3 Sence of Hell keepeth in us an hatred of sin and a longing after Heaven yea how beneficial the terrors of Conscience are to Gods Children were too long here to discourse The speech is as true as common the way to heaven lyeth by hell gates 4 The Devil maketh us fly to God our help and rely upon his strength yea when men by no other means will bee drawn God setteth the Devil in their necks to drag them to Heaven as a grave Divine speaketh 5 All the evils in the world work to the best to them that love God and hasten them to the fruition of the victory obtained by Christ they wean them from the World and the love of it And whereas they are as prone to pitch their Tabernacles here below as others God useth these as means to keep his from being of the World even while they are in it They conform them to Jesus Christ their head and train them in the imitation of him both in patience and obedience Now how could any of these parcels of Gods curse against the sin of man or mans cursed sin it self bring to any such sweet and profitable fruits but by the over-ruling power of Jesus Christ who bringeth life out of death light out of darkness and who onely can make his own wise out of a rank poyson to suck most sweet and sovereign preservatives which who doth not hee never as yet knew the benefit of Christ his resurrection Christ by his resurrection not only removed evils but procured all our good as appeareth by three instances The second sort of blessings procured to the Church by Christ his resurrection is the fruition of good things which it putteth us in possession of even in this life by giving us our first fruits and a sweet taste but up-heapeth our measure after this life when our Harvest commeth and wee admitted to feed fully at the Supper of the Lamb. The benefits which I will mention are three First We are confirmed hereby in the whole truth of all our Religion the main foundation of which laid by all the Prophets and Apostles is that Jesus Christ the Son of Mary was the Son of God the true Messiah perfect God and perfect man and so indeed hee was such a one as hee was foretold to bee one that was to dye and yet saw no corruption one who must make his soul an offering for sin and yet must survive to see his seed and prolong his daies one that had power to lay down his Life 1 Pet. 3.18 and power to take it up again In a word one that was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit that is by vertue of his Deity raising that flesh up again Let all the Jews and Atheists in the earth despise the indignity of his death we with the Angels will admire the glory of his resurrection II. The second benefit is that hence wee are assured that our 1 Justification 2 Sanctification 3 Perfect salvation is not only obtained but applyed unto us 1 For our Justification before God by means of Christ his resurrection hee brought in to us an everlasting righteousnesse in that hee not only bare our burden upon himself but bare it away from us for what is his resurrection else but his actual absolution from our sins which were imputed unto him and for which hee subjected himself unto the death Whence wee grow up in full assurance that the whole price is not onely paid to the uttermost on Christs part but that the satisfaction is accepted also on his Fathers whose justice would never have absolved him if all the Bills and Writings which were to bee laid against us had not been fastned to the Cross and so cancelled and fully discharged so as now wee may with the Apostle hold out a flagge of defiance and challenge our righteousness for who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who shall condemn it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen again Rom. 8.34 And the same Apostle thirsting after that Righteousnesse which is by Faith in him counteth all things loss and dung save onely to know him and the vertue of his resurrection Phil. 3.10 2 From this Resurrection of Christ issueth our sanctification which is our first resurrection or raising of our souls from the death of sin because in every reconciliation-making must bee two conditions 1 A forgetting upon satisfaction of all old wrongs and injuries 2 A binding from future offences the former Christ effecteth by his death the latter by his resurrection into the which whosoever are grafted they cannot hence-forth serve sin Rom. 6.5 6. but being risen with Christ they seek the things which are above Colos 3.1 where Christ sitteth they cease further by sin to offend as such who are begotten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
death better than the day wherein they were born 2 As the Saints in Heaven being delivered out of the prison of the body have all the bolts and chains of their corruption struck off so the godly who have their parts in the first resurrection have after a sort changed their lives and put on a Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 they have bid farewell to the follies of their former times yea renounce and as farre as frailty will permit loathe their sins saying unto them as Ephraim to his rejected Idols get you hence what have I to doe with you they that were of the Synagogue of Satan are now in the Temple with true beleevers Thus is it said of the hundred forty four thousand that were bought from the earth that were not defiled with women but were virgins that is sanctified in part and washed from their filthiness and will have no more fellowship in the unfruitful works of darkness wherein sometimes they were chief actors 3 The Saints in heaven never joyn with the wicked of the world any more that being verified which Moses spake to the Israelites concerning the Egyptians The enemies whom your eyes have seen this day you shall never see more even to the faithful hate the company of the wicked with whom they can neither do good nor take any whereas before their calling they were mixt with them and ran with them to the same excess of riot Now their fellowship is dissolved they are no more Companions with them the light of the one admitteth no communion with the others darkness and that they are often forced to dwell in Mesech with them it is the woe and grief of their hearts Another part of this agreement What the Saints are called unto in five things standeth in the things to which the Saints are called which are sundry As 1 Look as their chief happiness standeth in the beholding of the face of God and seeing him as he is together with their rejoycing in his blessed communion and that most sweet fellowship they have one with another even so the chief blessednesse of the Saints in earth is their fellowship with God and Christ though it bee not so immediate as the former They see his back parts indeed rather than his face and rejoyce after a sort in his face but afar off and as in a glass of the Word and Sacraments not face to face nor in that brightness wherein they shall behold him when they are at home with him at his right hand but yet what they want in the thing they want not in desire to be where hee is that they may see his glory so as they may be satisfied with the fulnesse of it that they may so see him as they may bee like him that they may drink not of the streams but of the well of life and see light in his light And because loving him that begat they cannot but love him that is begotten the next happiness to the former do the godly justly esteem the communion of Saints placing under God their chief delight in such as excel in vertue Secondly as the heavenly life of the Saints is spent in the perfect praise of God wherein they imploy their eternity keeping in the presence of the Throne of God a perpetual Sabbath and serving him day and night Rev. 11.17 7.15 even so beleevers indeavour in their measure that the same mind bee in them which was in Jesus Christ who thought it as his meat and drink to do the will of his heavenly Father they bring free-will-offerings they esteem one day better in his Courts than a thousand besides and account these persons blessed that may dwell in his house because they ever praise him Not that much rebellion and corruption of nature doth not often dead and dul even the most sanctified but yet something they get forward and delight in the progress they make to the chearful praise and worship of God And this they do not by fits and starts but imitate that heavenly life in the continual indeavour to make the pleasing of God their principal delight and the chief thing that most soliciteth them Thirdly as the Saints in Heaven live according to the Law of perfect righteousness which is the Law and charter of Heaven and have obtained perfect sanctification so Beleevers on earth set the same Law before them to rule and direct every particular action by and begin the self same obedience they begin to weigh all they give out or take in by the weights of the sanctuary which God hath sealed as just they follow the Lamb whither-soever he goeth before them whether by voice or example Fourthly as the Saints in heaven enjoy God for the means of all their lives Rev. 22.3 5. for hee is their Temple their light their Tree of Life their Crystal river c. evenso the Saints in the World though they live by means and must not look to reap without sowing as once it was 2 Kin. 19.29 yet injoy they God above all means and acknowledge that hee is their life and the length of their daies that they live not by bread alone but by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God that it is hee that giveth them power to get substance and blesseth their children with increase that hee which cloatheth the Lillies and feedeth the Sparrows will cloathe and feed them yea and more that before they shall want that which is good for them it all means should fail hee would sustain them without means by Miracle that his Promise cannot fail them when the Indian Mines shall come to nought that his word is means enough which commandeth the Rock and it giveth water and the Winds and they blow Quails before his Host shall perish Fiftly as the Saints in Heaven would not for all the world forgo their Happiness for one day and yet are they not now so fully happy but that they still wait and long for further perfection of their glory saying Lord how long Holy and Just Rev. 6.10 so the godly would not for all the world be separated from their estate in Christ A cloud of Martyrs in all ages manifesâ—ed that all the World the sweet of it nor the sour the flattery of it nor the tyranny could draw the godly from the fruition of their priviledges in Christ And yet dwell they not in these first fruits but wait still for the perfecting of this their redemption Hence the Apostle describeth them by their inseparable property 2 Cor. 5.2 Rom. 8.23 which is to love the appearing of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 These notes laid together Examination of a mans self by the former notes will give witness with or against a man whether his conversation bee heavenly and consequently whether hee partake of all the former benefits of Christs resurrection Examine thy self by them Whether art thou called out of the World in thy affection whether art thou actually separated from the corruptions
daunt the wicked and ungodly They shall see him whom they have peirced hee is their Judge against whom all their villanies have been committed whose servants they have villanously intreated whose kindness and peaceable conditions they have despised and refused What a fearful sentence awaiteth them when they shall come before him no marvail if they call for the mountains to cover them and the hills to hide them rather than they should appear before the presence of his glory whose wrath is as a consuming fire and no stubble can stand before it Oh consider this yee that put far from you this great day of the Lord speaking peace to your selves whilest every thing wageth war against you in that you still by living in your sins proclaim open war against the Son of God Why should you any longer abuse his patience why will you treasure up wrath for your selves against this day of wrath why will you fit your selves as fewel for the fire of that day when the Lord Jesus shall come from Heaven in flaming fire to render vengeance against all them which know not God nor obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus 2 Thess 1.8 Well if you will not bee warned but you will go on in such impenitent courses know it that the party wronged by your sins is hee who is appointed of God to bee your Judge you will think it will go hard with Pilate seeing hee is to bee his judge who was judged by him to death and with Judas that betrayed him and with the Souldiers that put him to death but change the persons the case is your own Secondly In the execution of this Office two things must bee considered 1 The persons upon whom here said to bee the quick and the dead 2 The manner of it First By the phrase of quick and dead is meant all mankind without exception of what age condition sex or quality soever they bee even all that ever have received life from God from the first man that ever lived upon earth to the last that shall bee found living at the comming of Christ even all these shall bee juged And the dead are mentioned as well as the living because the carnal and unbeleeving heart of man maketh more question how those who have been resolved into dust many thousand years ago can bee quickened and raised to judgement than those that shall bee found alive at that day therefore is the Scripture very express in this particular Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead both great and small stand before God 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee shall all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ In like manner those speeches admit no exception which we every where meet withall as Every eye shall see him every man shall bear his own burden every man shall give account of himself unto God Rom. 14.12 And that wee should not doubt of the certainty hereof the Scripture condescendeth so farre to our weaknesse The means whereby both quick and dead shall be gâ—thered to judgement as to shew us the means how this great work shall be brought about As 1 By the mighty and powerful voyce of Christ which whilest he was in his abasement could call dead Lazarus out of his grave Joh. 5.28 Those that are in the graves shall hear his voyce 2 By the ministery of the Angels who shall all not one excepted come with him and they shall gather the elect from all winds and present and force the wicked to the barre before the Judge of all the earth even then when they shall fly to the hills to cover them if it were possible from his presence 3 By the diligence of all the brute creatures who in their kinds shall hear the voyce of the Son of God The Sea shall give up her dead so shall Death and the Grave give up their dead the very fire shall give up again the bodies it hath wasted In a word all the Creatures shall help forward this work of the great day which although it transcend the shallow reach of man yet is it not above the power of God Object But how can the quick and dead be then presented to Judgement sâ—eing the godly shall not enter into judgement and for the wicked they are judged already for he that beleeveth not is condemned already Ans First for the godly they shall not enter into the judgement of condemnation 2 They are by their particular judgement acquitted already but they must also by the general Judgement receive in their bodies which till that day are not absolved according as they have done in the flesh 3 They must be solemnly and publikely inaugurated and invested into the glory of their head and their blessed estate manifested to all the world both men and Angels and even in the eyes of the wicked themselves therefore although they enjoy God already in part and the beginnings of the life to come and such as are dead in the grave rest with the Lord and enjoy his glory in their soul yet are they not fully happy nor can be till this day breath on them and this their morning awake them to their perfect glory As for the wicked although they are already condemned 1 In Gods Counsel before all worlds 2 By the word wherein their sentence is read Wicked already judged five waies declared and published 3 In their own consciences the judgemenâ— of which fore-runneth the final Judgement 4 By certain degrees of insensible plagues that are upon them as hardnesse of heart blindnesse of mind wilfulnesse in their wickednesse malice against God and good men hatred of the light and means of salvation 5 By the horrible torment of the souls of such as are in Hell with the Devil and damned ones yet doth the full vial of Gods wrath remain to be poured upon them and the final execution and manifestation of their endlesse misery is reserved till this Day of Judgement when the body shall be re-united to the soul and both delivered to the Devil as their head by him to be tormented together as they have been inseparable friends in sinning together Vse Let every man make account of this judgement high and low rich and poor learned and unlearned No man can avoyd this judgement unless his power be above the power of the judge the mightiest Monarch shall not bee able to with-draw or absent himself unlesse his power bee above the power of Christ the judge the poorest soul that ever saw the Sun shall not bee neglected the most rebellions of all Creatures men or Angels must of force appear and that not by a Proctor or Advocate but in his own person for every man must give accounts of himself unto God None can be forgotten no not through the passing of thousands of years Cain dyed many thousand years since Judas many hundreths yet both must appear the one for killing his innocent brother the other for betraying his innocent Master No excuse will serve the turn the
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