for Gold as Chrysostom's Thief did say of himself and he is a Pirate at Sea hanging out false Colours to get in with us he seeks not whom to bite out whom to devour 1 Pet. 5.8 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to swallow up at one mouth-full and that no less than our precious and immortal Souls therefore is he called Abaddon Hebr. A bad one indeed or the wicked one and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek Rev. 9.3 both which names signifie a Destroyer He is a broken Bankrupt himself and ordained for Destruction and therefore his whole work is to involve all Mankind in his own Misery accounting it some comfort to have Companions therein Solamen miseris socios adhibere Doloris He hunts not as Nimrod that Cruel Hunter for our moneys houses lands or liberties but for our very lives as the Harlot doth Prov. 7.23 yea to steal away our Souls from God and the Crown of Glory from us he is called in Scripture by such names as are all of a destroying nature as 1. A Draggon Rev. 12.7 2. A Lion 1 Pet. 5.8 3. A Serpent Isa 27.1 4. A Wolf Jobn 10.12 5. A Murderer John 8.44 6. A Tormentor Matth. 18.34 7. A Fowler and Hunter Psal 91.3 8. Beelzebub Mat. 10.25 12.24,27 9. Devil quasi Do evil often and therefore it is no less than a Miracle of Mercy that we are not all of us destroyed by him through his craft and cruelty his power and policy especially considering how he hath the upper ground of us as he is Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2 when we are but weak and worthless Worms crawling here below upon the Earth insomuch that his Territories lay betwixt us and Heaven which is our Fathers House therefore was Lazarus's Soul carried by Angels through the Regions of the Air into Abraham's bosom Luke 16.22 Beside it ought to be considered with seriousness how Satan our Adversary as it signifies proved too hard for the Innocentest Man Adam too hard for the Strongest Man Samson and too hard for the Wisest Man Solomon If he could over-master all these Three who were green Trees what can we dry Trees expect Luke 23.31 If this Strong Man yea and Armed too even with Armour of proof Luke 11.21 became a Conquerour over Adam in his state of Innocency how much more may he more easily master the best of us Si hoc Adamo in Paradiso contigisset quid nobis in sterquibunt saith Bernard If this foul fall befell Adam in the Garden of Eden oh what may befall us who are now cast out of Paradise upon the dirty Dunghill of this present evil World Gal. 1.4 It may be said of the best of us as it was said of young Troilus's grappling with great Achilles There was Impar congressus a very unfit and an unequal match betwixt them Yea so bold and daring is this Devil that he dared to Assault the Second Adam as he had done before the First Adam hoping for the same success Even the Son of God himself who only could indeed over-match him not only for himself but more especially for all his Redeemed Moreover Satan is a Restless Adversary out of his unspeakable hatred against God and all goodness as it is said of the Scorpion there is not one minute of Time wherein he doth not thrust out his Sting but keeps it in a continual and speedy motion of poisoning and destroying whatever he can reach even so and much more that Old Serpent will watch night and day to sting our Souls worse than the Fiery Serpents did the Bodies of Israel Numb 21. Consider also how Satan is an Ubiquitary Adversary his Circuit he walks is the whole Earth Job 1.7 2.2 he is call'd the God of this World 2. Cor. 4.4 which lays in wickedness 1 John 5.19 As the True God in the beginning did but speak the word by his Creating Power and every Creature in the whole Creation was perfectly wrought so if Satan do but hold up his finger or give but the least whisper to his Vassals they are at his beck and obedience he leads them captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Yea and this he doth all over the World no Land or Island is free from him but the whole Universe may be called as one part of it is Terra Diaboli the Devil's Land he is the Ruler of the Darkness of this World Eph. 6.12 He is a God in this sense because there is no fleeing from his presence c. as Psa 139.7,8,9 our base hearts and a busie Devil will meet in all Lands Add likewise to the abovesaid how He is an Everlasting Adversary both 1. In respect of the great World He began betimes with the first Man and Woman in the World and he hath continued ever since to this present time and he will continue even to the end until our Lord lays hold on him and chain him up for a 1000 years Rev. 20. And 2. In respect of the little World Man who is as an Epitome of the great World c. Satan begins betimes even at our very Conception for as the Serpent was more subtle than all the Beasts of tbe Field Gen. 3.1 so Satan's subtlety was most manifest in this matter that when his Luciferian Pride had metamorphos'd him from a glorious Angel as he was created into a damned Devil and therefore was cast out of Heaven into Hell and understanding how God designed to fill up that Habitation which he had left with his Angels Jude verse 6. by a Remnant Redeemed out of Mankind Hereupon he is said to be come down or rather cast down having great Wrath and Malice against Mankind Rev. 12.12 hating Man's Redeemer with a perfect hatred and sinning that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost every moment c. and that his Cruelty to us is managed with the profoundest Craft and Policy as is apparent in this that he stayed not to pour his poison into every Vessel as it was brought forth into the World but he pours it into the Fountain or Spring head of Mankind well knowing that in poisoning our first Parents he likewise poisoned all their Posterity in all succeeding Ages to the end of the World Thus saith the Apostle by one Man Sin entred into the World Rom. 5.12 and Death by Sin and so Death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned and v. 14. Death hath Reigned from Adam to Moses and so down to us in our day c. even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's Transgression So that Infants are no Innocents being born with Original Sin the first Sheet wherein they are wrapped is woven of sin shame blood and filth Ezek. 16.4,6 c. They are said to sin as they were in the loins of Adam sust as Levi is said to pay Tithes to Melchisedech even in the loins of his Fore-father Abraham Heb. 7.9,10 otherwise Infants would not die for
Death is the wages of sin Rom. 6.23 and the Reign of Death is procured by the Reign of sin which hath reigned over all Mankind except Christ All are sinners infected with the guilt and filth of sin the Rot according to the Vulgar saying over-runneth the whole Flock Hence David reflects upon Original Sin as the Original cause of all his Actuals saying Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me Psal 51.5 Thus Man's Malady begins betimes even in our Conception this subtile Serpent sowed his Tares very early so that we are all born in our sin Joh. 9.34 Adam begat a Son in his own Image Gen. 5.3 and his Childrens Teeth are set on Edge after he had eaten the sour Fruit of the forbidden Tree Ezek. 18.2 The same Hand that was reached forth to that forbidden Fruit reached out both Sin and Death to the Fruit of his Loins wherein that Fruit was seminally as the Branches are in a Common Stock the actual Sin did not determine the bound of Misery in himself but it brought a second Misery with it even the Misery of the whole Nature of Mankind Adam was the Representative or publick Person representing the whole mass of Mankind as a Parliament-man represents the whole Country he is chosen for while Adam stood we all stood in him while he kept his Obedience in his state of Innocency he kept his whole Estate and Nature safe and entire but when he fell we all fell in him in Adam all die 1 Cor. 15.22 Tho' we did not choose him yet God did choose him for us as our Representative and his Sin was the greatest Sin next to that Sin against the Holy Ghost as it had many aggravations against the greatest Light and the greatest Love that ever was vouchsafed to any man and therefore it was just with God so to punish not only himself but his whole Nature also for that sinful Act. Hereby all the Sons and Daughters of Adam came to be deprived of Original Righteousness we are all alienated from the Life of God Eph. 4.18 born the Children of Wrath Eph. 2.3 and come short both of God's Glory and of our own Duty Rom. 3.23 Adam first defiled the Nature of Mankind and ever since the defiled Nature hath defiled the whole Off-spring thereof leaving them under the Curse of God and liable unto Death in the latitude of it even unto Death Temporal Spiritual and Eternal The Fall of Adam was the Death of himself and the Death of us yea and also it was the Death of our dear Redeemer to redeem us from Spiritual and Eternal Death Now as is the Root so are the Branches as is the Fountain so are the Waters that flow from it Generatum sequitur Naturam Generantis that which is begotten doth follow the Nature of that which begetteth who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 14.4 that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh Joh. 3.6 Corruptus parit Corruptum one corrupt thing brings forth another yea the Sower soweth clean Grain yet even that brings forth Chaff as well as Wheat from which it was winnowed before it was Sown Father Augustin saith There is nothing more certain than Original Sin yet nothing more secret and hard to be understood how it is conveyed from Parents to Children Many Disputes there be about the manner how Sin is propagated from Adam to his Off-spring some of which deserve no better Character than that of Aristotle de Vacuo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such discourses upon the empty place are but empty things 'T is sufficient for us to know that God by a just imputation doth realize the Infection into the whole Race of Adam in whom we were as in a common lump and in his Leaven we are all sowred We know that leprous Parents do beget leprous Children and there be Diseases which are call'd hereditary and incurable by man we took this Infection from our Parents and we transmit it to our Children so come we to be called a Seed of Evil Doers Children that are Corrupters as well as corrupted Isai c. 1. v. 4. I have read the story of some foolish People who falling all together into a deep Pit fell a disputing one with another how they came there c. but one wiser than the rest advised them to lay aside those Niceties and rather consult about some proper means whereby they might all be delivered out of that danger without which they were in all probability like to perish Even such are those vain Ventilations about this abstruce point of Sins entrance into the World whether by that one person Adam's fall or by every ones fall in his own person the frothy Wits of the Arminians do fondly deny Original Sin But such as are wise to Salvation have learnt better Lessons in Christ's School and they feel otherwise in the School of their own smarting experience Therefore we ought all seriously to consider how the Greek Fathers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seed-plot of all Actual Transgressions c. and the Latin Fathers call it Fomes Peccati the lasting Fewel that feeds the Fire of our burning Lusts but above all how the Holy Scriptures doth Charactarize it calling it the Body of Sin Rom. 6.6 and the Sin that dwells in us Rom. 7.17 and the Law of the Members ver 23. and that which so easily besets us Hebr. 12.1 and David calls it the Iniquity of the Heels which was ready to trip him up and to lay him all along upon the ground at every turn and return of the Tempter upon him Psal 49.5 And if we do as little Zacheus did namely climb up the Sycamore Tree to take a full prospect of his lovely Lord from top to toe Luk. 19.3,4 c. so if we get up into the Mount of the Old and New Testament and take a full view of the foulness of Original Sin The right Scriptural Account of Original Sin is this 1. That man who had been God's delight before Prov. 8.31 became both hated of God Psal 5.5 and an hater of God Rom. 1.30 the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to hate God as Hell 2. That faln man is become intensively evil protensively only evil and extensively always and continually evil in the thoughts and imaginations of his heart Gen. 6.5 3. That man's Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 4. His Thoughts are Thoughts of iniquity Isa 59.7 5. He walks in the vanity of his Mind Ephes 4.17 having his understanding darkned and his Heart blinded ver 18. 6. His Conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 7. His Eyes are full of Adultery and he cannot cease from Sin 2 Pet. 2.14 8. His Throat an open Sepulchre the poison of Asps upon his Tongue and Lips c. Rom. 3.13,14 9. In a word all mans Members and Faculties are marr'd and maim'd by the fall of Adam as might more largely
universally mischievous to all Mankind even to all Saints and to all Sinners at the least intentionally against every individual person of both sorts only with this difference as first for Sinners he makes them to become his Hackney-Horses according to Tertullian's phrase Impii persecutores insessorem Diabolum habent all wicked Persecutors have the Devil Riding upon their backs whom he whips and spurrs end-ways into an high Gallop even all the days of their lives and then when the Night of their Deaths comes upon them he lodges them at last in the Hot Stables of Hell And thus Satan made Saul his Hackney upon whom he sat as his Rider and spurr'd him forward for many days in his persecuting of David and to whom he gave but this very cold Comfort at his Death To morrow thou shalt be with me c. 1 Sam. 28.19,20 which indeed was no better a place to lodge his Hackney in at his Night of Death than in the Hot Rooms of Hell-fire But secondly As to the Saints who are not the Devil's Vassals as Sinners are but be indeed the Impropriated and Honourable Vessels of their dear Redeemer Satan will do all the mischief he can to those Vasa signatu or Sealed Vessels as Tertullian calls them those he cannot touch with any of his Deadly Touches Non Tactu qualitativo as Cajetan interpreteth The wicked one toucheth him not 1 John 5.19 He cannot cause them to fall finally The Serpent is confined to feed upon the Dust or Dirt of the Earth that is the wicked he is not allowed to devour the Herbs of Grace or to destroy any Plants on God's holy Mountain Isa 65.25 God hath set the godly man apart for himself Psal 4.3 and God's charge is upon the God of this World as the Devil is call'd 2 Cor. 4.4 as well as upon the Kings of the Earth to whom those words were spoken Touch not mine Anointed ones and do my Prophets no harm Psal 105.15 To say this is spoken of Kings and not to Kings is a false interpretation How far this wicked one may touch a Saint of God and that maliciovsly and mischievously yea how far he touched our Saviour himself is abovesaid Now the Enquiry is seeing Satan is so universally mischievous both to Saints as well as to Sinners how far Satan can force a Saint to sin against God Ans We have all great cause to bless the Lord our good God that this Power of Darkness cannot force us to any work of Darkness no God hath left this Power of constraining us to sin out of the Devil's Charter he hath no Commission to force the Will of Man he hath indeed a perswading sleight but he hath not any enforcing might 'T is true we read that Satan provoked David to sin against God 1 Chron. 21.1 that is he so dogg'd David daily with his Temptation and would never let him alone in any Rest until he had fastned it upon his heart and gained his consent However the Great God had his holy hand in all this who still held this Dog this Doeg the Devil in his Chain 2 Sam. 24.1 God did and Satan did also but how it was thus God was angry with Israel for abusing their Peace and Plenty c. and with David for his privy Pride and Creature-confidence so he lets loose his Dog the Devil upon David and he left David to himself so as at last after his being very long provoked unto this curiosity of numbring the People he yielded his consent to that Satanical suggestion which brought the Destroying Angel upon his sinful Subjects like as the Dog may be said to Bait the Beast at the Stake while the owner of the Bast doth stand by looks on and suffers his Beast to be Baited This plain similitude may serve to explain the difficulty and to understand aright that tho' it be said that God moved David and Satan moved him likewise yet these two phrases are not contradictory Terms they are not Adverse but only Diverse the latter being subordinate to the former as all 2d Causes are subaltern to the first Cause But still Satan is held in God's Chain and he cannot without Divine permission do the least damage to the Soul of a Saint he cannot force us to sin with all his most powerful provocations as appeareth most plainly in the case of Job against whom Satan made so many violent and furious Thrusts to make him curse God to his face yet could he not conquer Job with all his provocations but this good man comes off at last with flying Colours and by the help of his God gets his Tempter trodden under his feet as Rom. 16.20 And tho' the beginning of the Conflict and Combat was Satan's yet the End in the Conquest was the Lord's as 't is said James 5.11 This therefore may be very comfortable for us seriously to consider that the Tempter may strike fire long enough to no purpose if we do not meet him with Dry Tinder for his sparks to fall upon for it is our own Concupiscence that carries the chiefest sway 't is our own carnal Corruptions wherewith we are drawn aside and enticed James 1.14,15 where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies we are caught as the silly Fish by the Fisher-man's Bait. Satan is a crafty Fisher and knows what Baits will best tempt and take every ones Constitution and Humour and tho' Satan be a Spirit and therefore can have commerce with our Spirits yea and may fix vain thoughts upon our fancies yet he cannot force the Consent of the Will thereunto for as he cannot know the Heart which is only God's prerogative Acts 1.24 so he cannot compel the heart much less to any act of sin unless the Eve in us doth betray us into the Tempters hands as Adam hearkned unto the Voice of his Wife Gen. 3,17 Thus every Son and Daughter of Adam hath still an Eve his Tempter in their own bosoms and if Satan's Temptation do fall passively only on our part upon the Tables of our hearts it is indeed our Cross but not our sin if we consent not to it for 't is our consent to it that makes it our sin as it was in the case of Benjamin before-said he never consented to the putting of the Divining Cup into the mouth of his Sack so it was his cross only but not at all his sin Therefore ought we in an hour of Temptation to do these two great Duties 1 st To give no place to the Tempter Eph. 4.27 no not for an hour Gal. 2.5 by way of subjection And 2 ly To resist him and he will flee from from us James 4.7 especially if we resist him stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.8,9 even with a Resolved Negative No No c. However such is Satan's Hatred to all the Saints that he will be universally mischievous to them and do them all the Damage and Detriment that he possibly can do and as we
so gets many a knock and blow c. oh how severe was God's Law against such saying That Soul which dare do any thing presumptuously doth reproach the Lord as if such scorn'd his helping hand and shall be cut off from among his People Numb 15.30 Our Lord tells us That without Christ we can do nothing John 15.5 that is nothing after a gracious manner neither acceptably or effectually and therefore are we bid to abide in the Vine ver 7. and to abide in him 1 John 2.28 and yet we can do all things by Christ's strengthning prefence Phil. 4.13 Alas our Bow like that of Joseph's cannot abide in strength unless it be strengthened by the Arms of the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob Gen. 49.24 'T was not enough for Joash to put his hand upon the Bow alone no but the Prophet of God who represented God himself must lay his hands upon the King's hand alo otherwise there can be no shooting to any purpose the Arrows of God's Deliverance c. 2 King 13.16 We are like little Boys learning to write who must have their hand guided by their Masters hand But Secondly we must put on the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.12 c. The Reason is our Adversary is a strong Man armed even Cap-a-pee from head to foot and woe to us if at any time he assault us when weak men and naked such are easily overcome by High-way-men in their Travelling-Journeys 'T is sad to be insensible of our own nakedness Rev. 3.17,18 Woful is our case if this Thief in the night find us naked Rev. 16.15 The first Adam made himself and all his Posterity naked by eating forbidden fruit Gen. 3.7 he lost the Robe of Original Righteousness both for himself and for all that were in his Loins as he was a publick Person and Representative of all Mankind Adam's Nakedness made him Run from God to Satan in his sinful excuses of his sin and in his Fig-leave coverings c. Gen. 3.10,12 c. Now while we remain in this corrupt Root the first Adam we are easily taken by this mighty Hunter and led captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 The Greek word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies taken alive in Hunting by this Nimrod not to be preserved alive but to be destroyed 2 Pet. 2.12 without Repentance unto Life Acts 11.18 Thus likewise we are told How Aaron made the People naked Exod. 32.25 so that a double Nakedness was upon them both that from Adam's sin and also by their own sin of Idolatry wherein Aaron was their Instrument This Golden Calf did divest them of Divine protection and exposed them to the Wrath both of God and Man as Numb 14.9 we become a Break-fast to Satan c. And this our Nakedness God minds us of it Again Ezek. 16.22 where both Gnaram and Gnarah Hebrew be used to intimate we are in the faln Nature not only polluted in our Blood as is at large expressed in the beginning of that Chapter but that we are both naked and bare too that is without Apparel as well as without Armour also oh great misery c N.B. Note well seeing we are both naked and bare in the faln Estate to wit we are destitute both of Apparel and of Armour Therefore in the first place we must look out for some Tight Apparel not only to cover our Nakedness but also such as may secure us from those Storms which Satan that Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2,3 will assuredly raise up against us This our Lord sheweth in his Parable Matth. 7.25 saying The Rain will descend upon our Spiritual Buildings c. Many a sharp Shower will beat upon us and batter us and because the Fig-leave Aprons which our first Parents made for themselves was not a sufficient security to them Hereupon the Lord made Coats of Skins and cloathed them Gen. 3.21 which was there a shadowing Emblem of the Fleece and Skin of the Lamb of God we must be counselled to buy of him white Raiment that we may be clothed and that the shame of our Nakedness may not appear Rev. 3.17,18 We must be covered with a Covering of Christ's Spirit Isa 30.1 and apparelled with the Robes of his Righteousness which is call'd the Best Robe Luke 15.22 and thus the Bride the Lamb's Wife had granted to her to be arrayed in fine Linnen clean and white which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Righteousnesses of the Saints to wit the Grace of Justification and the Grace of Sanctification and therefore the Greek word is put into the plural Number Rev. 19.8,9 Oh pray over that Promise I will spread the skirts of my Merit over thee to cover thy Nakedness c. Ezek. 16.8 and look upon it as a shameful thing that we can all of us be wise enough to secure both our Bodies and our dwelling houses from all annoyances and harms to them yet not be so wise for our Souls but leave them exposed to all evil whereas we have need to be like Noah's Ark that was pitched within and without that it might be able to Ride out the Storm Gen. 6.14 Now in the second place This double Malady must have a double Remedy as we are both naked bare Ezek. 16.22 c. So when we are remedied of being naked of Apparel then may we not remain still bare of Armour and this Spiritual or Mystical Armour wherewith we ought to be furnished and fortified do fall under three distinct denominations in sacred Scripture the first is 't is call'd the Armour of Light Rom. 13.12 so named because first 'T is only the Children of Light so called Luke 16.8 Ephes 5.8 1 Thes 5.5 who are blest and beautified with this blessed Armour all the Children of Darkness abide both naked and bare and continue Slaves and Vassals to Satan that Prince of Darkness as before 2 Tim. 2.26 c. But secondly Because those Children are or at least ought to be careful to keep this Armour lightsom bright and glistering as indeed all the parts of this Armour are when they come first to them out of God's own Heavenly Armory and of God's own furbushing and polishment Now this very name Armour of Light doth most clearly teach us that we ought to Exercise all the parts of this Armour duly and daily and to keep them in perpetual Use and never out of any security or presumption dare to let them become Rusty or soiled by our careless Disuse of them Yea and 3 dly this is called the Armour of Light because it gives a light and lustre to such as wear it for the light of Divine knowledge teacheth us to walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Handsomely and of the best form and fashion as the Greek word signifies Rom. 13.13 Intimating that we ought by the help of this Armour to lead such convincing lives walk as children of light Eph. 5.8 that all who behold us may then Acknowledge
the strongest Oaks c. it maketh the Hindes to Calve which is the most difficult Birth of all Females Job 39.1 they being so narrow-made Creatures c. And the Voice of the Lord stilleth the Rage of Rivers and Seas by sitting upon the Floods and keeping them under his Call Psal 29.4,5,6,7 to 11. The Third Character is The Voice of Christ reacheth the Heart it maketh manifest the Secrets of the Hearts of Unbelievers at a Sermon-hearing and causeth them to fall down and worship God and to say that God is in his Prophets of a truth 1 Cor. 14.24,25 Thus when Christ speaketh with a strong hand as he did to the Prophet Isa 8.11 to any person then Christ opens the Heart as he did the Heart of Lydia Acts 16.14 tho' it be called a small still Voice 1 Kings 19.12 yet having the Lord in it it is mighty in its Operations for pulling down of the strong holds of Satan and casting down every high thing that exalts its self against God in us 2 Cor. 10.4,5 Christ's Voice hath Spirit and Life in it John 6.63 and therefore is it only effectual to break the heart for sin to dissolve the Stone and to mortifie sin in it and to quicken it for God and to change it into the Image of God c. 2 Cor. 3.18 The Fourth Character is Christ's Voice calleth from evil to good from ways of wickedness to ways of holiness it always cries come up hither to God Rev. 11.12 but never go down thither to sin this latter is the Voice of an Egyptian and when we meet it we must with Moses slay it but the former is an Hebrew Voice which we must save alive as he did Exod. 2.11,12 Christ's Breath or Spirit is called a Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1.3 and always calls us to be Holy as he is Holy 1 Pet. 1.15 and 2 Pet. 3.11 Truth calls to forsake the Foolish Prov. 9.6 but Error calls to Fleshly Delights ver 15 16 17. therefore we must reject that Voice which promotes not the power of Godliness The Fifth Character is Christ's Voice is alway consonant to the Light and Law of Nature This is the remainder of God's Image in faln mankind some sherd whereof do still remain after Adam's fall whereby Cain knew that Murther Joseph that Adultery his Brethren that Theft c. were all heinous sins long before the Law was given by Moses Hereby likewise the Gentiles who have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these are a Law to themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their Hearts their Conscience bearing witness and either excusing or accusing c. Rom. 2.14,15 Therefore that Voice which crosseth the Voice of an awakened Conscience is not Christ's Voice The Sixth Character is the Voice of Christ is alway congruous to the Light and Law of the Holy Scripture for Christ who is called the word John 1.1 cannot contradict himself He is not Yea and Nay but in him was Yea c. 2 Cor. 1.17,18,19,20 He is the same both in his Voice that is spoken and in his Word that is written therefore our Lord saith to the Law and to the Testimony if any speak not according to this word it is because they have no Light in them Isa 8.20 The Word written must be the Rule of our Lives because it shall be our Judge after Death as our Lord saith the word that I have spoken the same shall judge you at the last day John 12.48 Rom. 2.16 according to my Gospel So that if any pretended Voice of Christ come to us which holds not congruity with the Scipture of Truth Dan. 10.21 1 Joh. 4.1 we must look on it as a Delusion c. The Seventh Character is The Voice of Christ always calls to weighty matters and that in order c. but never to trifling Deeds and in disorder and confusion Thus Nehemiah perceived it was none of God's call that called him from God's work no fewer than five or six times to trifling discourses with them in private c. Neh. 6.4,5,6,12 and thus Paul was exasperated against the Divining Damsel for disturbing them many days from their Praying work c. Acts 16.16,17,18 The Eighth and Last Character to mention no more for brevity sake is Christ's Voice doth put the Right Hearer of it into an acting frame and doing posture for thus he saith Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things that I say Luke 6.46 'T is not Hearers but Doers whom God respects Rom. 2.13 Hearers only and not Doers deceive themselves Jam. 1.22 'T is not the hearing and talking but the walking and working Christian that Christ loveth c. Inferences from hence 1 st That we may hear the Voice of Christ we must come to every Ordinance in publick and to every Duty in private in an hearkning posture I will hearken what the Lord will say c. Psal 85.8 Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth 1 Sam. 3.19 To hearken is better than the fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15.22 To day if you will hear his Voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 but listen and hearken with bored Ears Psal 40.6 c. 2 dly Pray for a Discerning Spirit 1 Cor. 12.10 that we mistake not the Younger for the Elder as blind Isaac did Gen. 27,21,22 The Voice may be Jacob's when the Hands may be like the rough Hands of Esau c. and we may think that we are embracing our beloved Rachel all the night when in the morning-light it proves a Blear-eyed Leah as it was imposed upon Jacob by churlish Laban Gen. 29.25 and therefore must we pray for God's Spirit to lead us into all truth John 14.26 if it do witness with our Spirits Rom. 8.16 This is the ultimum or last appeal then may we say with the Apostle I have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 and with the Prophet If I be deceived my God hath deceived me Jer. 20.7 For the Spirit of Truth doth not only assure us of our interest in Christ but also of the truth of the Voice of Christ to us to prevent mistakes c. 3 dly Prove all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 Try before we trust take nothing upon trust he was a fond Philosopher that said he had rather err with Plato than follow the Truth with others whereas we should follow any that follow Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Wo to them that call evil good c. Isa 5.20 therefore should we say with Isaac Come near my Son that I may feel thee Gen. 27.21 And John turned to see the Voice of him that spake to him Rev. 1.12 And the same Apostle saith our Hands have handled of the word of Life 1 John 1.1 the Ear tryeth words c. Job 12.11 As Timothy must lay hands sudddenly on no man 1 Tim. 5.22 So we on no Thing no Voice c. for we may hear a noise only of