bring light out of darkness as once hee did in the Creation Rom. 8.28 we know that all things are turned to the best to them that love God His wisdom and power turns things not only good into good nor only afflictions and trials but even their sins and infirmities like a good Physician that tempers poyson to a remedy and of the Vipers skin makes a remedy to heal the Vipers sting 2 This is the godly mans priviledge above wicked ones to find God sweet to their souls either in afflictions or in the ending of them 1 Because their persons whatsoever their estate is are accepted with God whereas the other are rejected 2 They are sealed with the earnest of Gods Spirit and can goe unto God in fervent prayer whereas the other want the Spirit and cannot pray to be heard Psal 18.41 They cried but there was none to save them even to the Lord but he answered them not 3 They have the grace of repentance which removeth sin the cause of affliction and are come out of Babylon though they live in Babylon being as so many Lots in Sodome Whereas the other are impenitent and never removing the cause the effect lies ever upon them and grows every day heavier than other 4 They have peace of conscience and can sing the new song to God and the Lamb having a set of sweet Musick in their souls and with peace they have patience supporting them unto Gods seasonable deliverance Whereas the wicked are as the raging sea and hath no peace nor patience but a sensless unfeelingness of his estate their hearts being either ignorant ascribing all their smart to Fortune or Constellations or fatal necessity or secundary causes being not able to ascend so high as God the Auhor or descend so low as their own sins the just meritorious causes of their evils or hardned and feared or sensless as Nabals whose heart was as a stone dead within him 3 It is one end of Gods extream humbling and afflicting his children not to sink or forsake them but that at the last the powerful work of God may bee shewed on them both for his glory and for theirs The poor blind man Joh. 9.3 carried his misery a great while from his birth to his mans estate and yet our Saviour witnesseth that it was neither for his sin nor his parents but that the work of God might be shewed upon him in the miraculous cure of him when all the power of Nature and Art could doe him no good Lazarus was extremely humbled dead buried lying in the grave stinking who would have thoughr beyond Mary that he should ever have been raised till the last day and yet our Saviour saith that even that death of his was not unto death but for the glory of God Yea the Lord never bringeth any evil upon his children wherein he intendeth not in the end to shew them some great good as Deut. 8.16 The Lord tryed humbled and proved his people in the Wilderness that he might doe them good at the latter end Job 23.10 Hee knoweth my way and trieth me and what was the issue I shall come forth like the gold And the Apostle affirmeth that the trial of our faith which is much more precious than gold shall be sound to our praise and honour and glory as tâ— appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 4 God hereby manifests his care and faithfulness in his promises for hee hath promised how ever he suspend his comfort for a time to return in due season neither can his mercies come to an end nor himself leave his mansion finally Therefore it is that sometimes he fore-tells his children of evils to come that they should not come suddenly on them neither distrust his care in them nor be ignorant of a good issue out of them Sometimes he numbers them out and tells how many and how long they shall be Dan. 9.25 There shall be seven weeks that is thirty nine years and there shall bee sixty two weeks that is four hundred thirty four years and then the Messiah shall come c. And always he that setteth the setting of the Starrs and the bounds of the Sea setteth much more the period of our troubles and the furthest limits of his childrens trials which suppose they reach even to death it self they can follow them no further but then is a rest from their labour a reaping of the fruits of their sufferings a joyful harvest of a sorrowful seed-time wherein the Lord meets them with a full and final deliverance and putteth them in full possession of all his most glorious promises Vse 1. Let the godly consider of their priviledge to provoke their patience and constancy in their greatest trials which cannot make them unhappy For 1 The godly mans present estate is the best for him bee it what it can be the Furnace is the fittest place for gold 2 His trial shall bee turned to good because God hath the disposing tempering and moderating of it 3 His trial shall be but light and momentany not in respect of the present sense but because the time of temptation shall be swallowed up by the time of victory 4 The end of it shall be happy and all is well that ends well here shall be a most blessed issue And therefore let drossie Christians fear the fire who are sure to be wasted in it whilst the godly rejoyce in tribulation and with David walk fearlesly in the valley of the shadow of death because God who led him in was with him to lead him out Vse 2. Let the godly judge of themselves not always according to their present estate or feeling which may occasion their feet almost to step but look to the happy end of their trials And though the smart continue long yet let them be assured that the Lord keeps all their bones so that not one of them shall be broken Neither let us be weary and faint in our mindes for although God seemeth not to hear us yet he hears us well enough And though he seem to stand afarre off us it is but a delay no denial of our request And though he seem to neglect us let us not neglect him but hold on in the prayer of faith Vâ—e 3. Let this serve as a ground of comfort and encouragement to us that when with Israel we stand as it were on the Sea-brink beset with dangers then we may be still and expect the salvation of the Lord. For as the Prophet speaketh Hab. 2.3 The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speak and not lye if it tarry wais for it shall surely come and shall not stay Let us not make haste nor limit the Lord in prescribing him a time and means but leave all that to his wisdome lean upon his arm relye upon his word he hath a mind to doe us good and that when it shall be most for his glory and our salvation We are not yet perhaps
see him thereon triumphing spoyling Principalities breaking down partitions reconciling God and man Coloss 2.14 yea man and man both Jew and Gentile into one body upon his Crosse Ephes 2.15 slaying hatred and procuring perfect peace Secondly seeing it is clear in the text that Christ dyed not for his own sins it is clear that he dyed for the sins of his elect unto whom this vertue of his death must be applied and this two waies 1 To their Humiliation 2 To their Consolation Both of them grounded hereupon that Christ was thus Crucified for thee without which application the knowledge of Christ crucified excelleth not that in the Devils themselves For the former if Christ dyed for thee then wast thou the cause of his death thou crucifyedst him thou art as faulty and blame-worthy for his death as ever was Judas Pilate the Jewes or the Souldiers thy sins were the Nails and the Spear and thy self wast one of them that peirced him Christs humiliation must humble Christians and how it doth so which consideration seriously thought of will be forceable to cast down the proud conceits of those for whom Christ must be thus humbled and cannot but bring bitterness of spirit to him that truly conceiveth that himself deserved that death which Christ not deserving indured for him yea and to have been held under the wrath of God for all eternity if Christ had not freed him urge this point upon thy Conscience to bring thy self to the bewayling of thy sins Oh it was my pride that stript Christ stark naked it was the sin of my soul that made his soul heavie unto the death my corruptions were the cords that bound him my malice my contempt of God my ignorance my woful courses were the thorns and nails that wounded him he all this while standing in my room and stead Thus is it prophecied of beleevers in the New Testament that when the Spiâ—it of grace shall be poured upon them Zach. 12.10 they shall look on him whom they have peirced and lament for him that is by faith they shall look to Christ whom by sin they have peirced and thâ—s shall bee an effectuâ—l means to lead them further inâ—o the practice of repentance Thus Peter when he would bring down the stiffness of the Jews told them that they crucified the Lord of glory Acts 2.37 which when they heard they were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved Popish Preachers so handle this matter as to stir up compassion towards Christ hatred of the Jews and Judas and the Souldiers but wee must labour by it to come to the hatred of our own sins or else wee shall come behind the Jewes themselves For the latter If Christ was thus crucified for thee then also bee thou of good comfort for many things were nailed on the Cross with him even all thy Inditement all thy sin original and actual the Curse Hell and Death it self dyed with him if thou beest a beleever the same nails which were driven into his hands and feet were driven into thy sins so as thou maist look upon the Cross as the Israelites did upon the Brazen Serpent and thereby be cured of all the sting of sin and deadly sickness of thy soul Christ his abasement is the advancement of every Christian thou maist behold his ignominy as thy glorious robe his arraignment thy absolution his binding thy freedome his abasement thy advancement his nakedness the cover of thy shame his death thy life and his Fathers forsaking of him an assurance that thou shalt never be forsaken Only this knowledge of Christ crucified in special for thee is it that can settle the Conscience in peace when thou knowest and beleevest that all thy personal and particular sins were hung on the Cross with Christ and that hee in thy room suffered for them that which in Gods acceptation was as much as if in thine own person thou hadst borne the Curse of the Law for all eternity The most content themselves generally to know that Christ dyed for Sinners but never care to know what this particular application meaneth The Popish doctrin also is an open adversary to this most comfortable perswasion of justifying faith but it behooveth him that would have the right use of this Doctrine never to be at rest till he can come to say with the holy Apostle who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 and with Thomas after hee had seen the impressions of the Wounds in his hands and side my Lord and my God Thirdly seeing that of the two main things in this death 1 Merit 2 The efficacy none shall have his part in the former that hath not in the latter our care must be if we would find life in this death of Christ never to be at rest until we find the fruit and effect thereof in some sort in our selves The most powerful fruits of it are reduced to two Heads the former is an ingrafting of us into the similitude of his death for he dyed that we after a sort should dye with him The latter is a framing in us the quality of his life for therefore he dyed for us that we should live unto him both of these are required to the right knowledge of Christ crucified joyned Ephes 4.24 and enjoyned him that would know Christ as the truth is in Christ called the casting off of the old man and the putting on of the new What it is to bee planted into the similitude of the death of Christ the Apostle sheweth namely when our old man is crucified with him Rom. 6.6 but when is that done the next words answer when the body of sin is destroyed that is not when sin is restrained or some sins cut off but when original sin that is the old man is killed in all the parts and members of sin when men hate abhorre and groan under their corruptions yea even their smallest and sweetest sins this is a fruit of Christs death and noted to be in all those that are Christs when it is said that they crucifie the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 Quest But how are these lusts crucified by the death of Christ How Christ his câ—ucifying crucifieth the lusts of Christians Ans Not only by that deadly blow which Christ hath given them by his death but also by setting often before thine eyes this death of his especially in the time of temptation For example being tempted to impatiency in sustaining wrongs look upon Christ on the Cross what sharp things he suffered the thorns the nayls the spear and all this while as a sheep dumb before his shearer in motions to pride look to Christ on the Cross thus farre humbled for thy sins if to revenge behold Christ on the Cross praying and dying for his deadly enemies if to oppresse the poor and innocent see Christ on the Crosse suffering his bloud to be sucked out for those whose bloud thou
sheep but the most are goat some are in communion with him as the sâ—iâ—ns set and growing in the root but the most are out of fellowship with him and are no otherwise knit unto him than a sciens tyed to a tree by a thred I mean by the slender thred of outward profession Now as the Head onely imparteth of the life sence motion protection light and comfort which it hath to the members of its own body and no other even so the Head of this Mystical body quickneth moveth protecteth inlightneth graceth saveth onely such as are in true communion with him for these sheep onely hee giveth his life for these he rose again for these hee spoiled principalities and powers for these he slew hatred yea not for these onely but in these also and in these onely As for all the rest hee prayeth not for the world namely the wicked of the world hee dyed much lesse for them his death killed none of their sins but they are left in their sins and unto the reign and damnation of their sins without all benefit either of the death of Christ or of his resurrection When wee lay then that Christ killed sin wee must bee understood according to the Scriptures onely for and in true Beleevers who only can receive of his fulnesse The latter distinction concerneth sin wherein wee must consider two things 1 the guilt 2 The corruption of it In beleevers the whole guilt of sin is abolished by Christ though not the whole corruption The whole guilt of sin is wholly and at once abolished to all beleevers by means of Christ his Death and Resurrection but not the whole corruption which while they dwel in the body will dwell with them yet so as they neithâ—r live in it not it scarcely live in them For the former the Apostle asketh this Question Rom 6.2 How can wee that are dead to sin live in it and hence it is that such as are in communion with Christ are not onely said to bee dead but buried also with Christ and consequently they leave their sins in his grave even as Christ himself left them there where if they bee left there will bee a â—â—tting and consuming of them away that they will bee every day less than other even as it is with the body that lyeth in the grave and those which remain yet unmortified they will bee even as dead caâ—kases All the motions of sin in the â—â—ct 〈◊〉 only in letting the life of it go loathsome and stinking which above all things the godly desire to bee covered Now how impossible is it that these should be the practices of such as live in sin Nay I say more that all the corruption of sin left in the godly can scarcely bee said to live in them I grant indeed some moving and stirring of it in them but it is such a motion as is in a beast which hath the throat cut it strugleth and striveth in letting life go but the beast is killed and the unclean issues of sin in the godly which indeed are many are like such issues which come from a dead man and are a very parting from them rather than any argument of the life of sin or of any delight in them This is that which the Apostle aimeth at Rom. 6.7 Hee that is dead is freed from sin as the Theef once hanged stealeth no more so sin once dead and executed in Christ liveth no more in state or strength the sinews of this gyant are cut and what strength of motion can bee in it In a word it is in Beleevers but dying sin sin destroyed the whole Host of sin is discomfited though some straglers of the Army wander here and there as Rebels in another mans dominions The second Enemy is Death which entered into the World by sin The second enemy is death and went over all men in that all men had sinned and standeth in full force and state by sin wheresoever it reigneth Now Christ by removing the cause hath also removed the effect for sin being slain death is also swallowed up in victory he hath made his word good O death I will be thy death who although he bee the last enemy that shall bee fully destroyed yet hath hee disarmed him taken away his dart and sting from him and so spoiled him as hee hath left him nothing to harm the elect withall The third Enemy is Hell the gates of which was set wide open by sin for The third Hell In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye the death namely the second death as well as the former But Jesus Christ by descending into Hell and suffering the sorrows of the second death loosed the same from himself and all such as shall beleeve in his name unto the worlds end Rev. 1.18 I was dead but am alive for evermore Amen and I have the keys of Hell and Death which phrase seemeth to bee borrowed from great Commanders and Conquerours who having won and entered any City presently have the keyes delivered unto them in token of that regiment and authority which now of right belongeth unto them and plainly importeth that howsoever Christ was once dead yet by his death hee hath vanquished Hell and Death and so hath obtained full power and command over them both The fourth Enemy is Satan the arch enemy of mankinde most malitious The fourth Satan being a man-slayer from the beginning and most powerful being the Prince yea the God of this world yet hath the victorious Lyon of the tribe of Judah put to flight this roaring Lyon whose rage and malice made him bold to set upon the Son of God himself that so hee might work his own ruine and overthrow How Christ avoided his sundry fierce assaults and temptations in the wilderness broke his power and forces by his powerful dis-possessing and casting him out of men and women trod upon his neck by the power of his death and resurrection wee might at large out of the Evangelists shew but that wee have spent some time already in this argument so as now the gates of Hell can never prevail against the Faith of the godly the seed of the Woman hath broken the Serpents head the strong man is cast out by a stronger than hee the spoiler is spoyled and lead in triumph by him that appeared for this end to destroy the works of the Devil who hath this Tyrant also in chains reserved for the blacknesse of darkness for ever The last enemy but not the least in strength is the World The fifth the world Satans servant and armour-bearer which by all the power and policy it could use could not keep Christ down in the grave but hee rose again notwithstanding all the opposition of it this is that our Saviour professeth of himself a little before his death Bee of good comfort for I have overcome the world Joh. 16.33 As if hee had said trouble not your hearts although
calling and doing of his Fathers will was preferred before his meat and drink 2 It belongs to the hunger of the soul which is to cleave to God and obey him in his will and so keeps not off the hunger of a natural body 3 Christ did as Abrahams servant did at Bethuels house who having meat set before him would not eat till hee had done his message Genesis 24.33 and yet was subject to hunger Differences between Christs infirmities and ours in fire things Non habuit ex debito peccati Aquin. Quest What is the difference between Christs infirmities and ours Answ 1 They are all punishments of our sin in us but not punishments of his sin in him 2 His humane nature being holily conceived was in it self free from them all and they do not necessarily attend it in respect of it selâ— But our nature being tainted with Original sin hath contracted them inseparably seeing by one man sin came in and death of which these are forerunners by sin went over all 3 Christ undertook them by a voluntary necessity but in us the necessity is forced and absolute will wee nill wee wee must carry them 4 In us they bee the effects of our sin in Christ effects of mercy 5 Ours are often miserable acquisite rising from particular causes or sins but so were not Christs Object If Christ took not all our infirmities what say you to Damascens argument Quod est inassumptibile est incurabile how could Christ cure all our defects and not assume them all Answ All particular defects rise out of the general corruption and infirmity which Christ undertook and cured and therein these also even as hee which stops a Fountain in the head stops all the streams without more adoe Vse 1. Note the wonderful Humility of our Lord Jesus who would not onely take upon him our nature but even our infirmities and was not only a man but a servant also If hee had descended being the Lord of Glory to have taken the nature of Angels or if of man such as Adam was in innocency it had been admirable humility and such as hath no fellow But to bee a worm rather than a man is lower than humility it self Let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Phil. 2 5. Vse 2 His infinite love is herein set forth hee was able to feed many thousands with a few loaves and little fishes yet hee would want Bread and bee hungry himself hee could and did give legges to the Lame yet he would bee weary himself for us hee could fill the hearts of others with the joyes of Heaven yet hee would sorrow he raised others from death and yet he dyed And as this commends his love to us so should it breed in us a love of him to expresse it in imbracing a base estate for him and in giving up at his call our comforts our liberty our bodies and lives so did hee for us Use 3. This is a great comfort for the poor and men in want seeing Christ and his Disciples not seldome wanted what to put in their bellies Mat. 12.1 The Disciples plucked the ears of Corn and began to eat Christ the Lord of glory hath sanctified thy want thy hunger thy penury by his If thou beest in the world as in a barren wildernesse and livest among hard-hearted and cruel men as so many wilde beasts think on Christ in this estate thou art no better of no better desert than hee nor better loved of God than hee and yet thou â—arest no worse than hee Oh murmur not nor repine but say with that blessed Martyr If men take away my meat God will take away my stomack hee feeds the young Ravens and will hee neglect mee Onely turn all thy bodily hunger into a spiritual hunger after Christ and his merits and then thou shalt bee sure not to starve and dye everlastingly Mat 5.6 Rev. 2.17 but to bee satisfied with the hidden Mannah of God Vse 4. Let rich men learn that it is not good alwaies to bee full and prevent hunger but to feel it and know what it means Christ was God and might have avoided it but being man ought not and would not that hee might have sense and feeling of our infirmitie and so be a compassionate High-Priest What else is it that breeds hardness of heart in rich men but want of feeling of the afflictions of Joseph Gluttonous Dives took not to heart Lazarus his want and where are the poor most neglected but where there is fine and delicate Dyet every day Especially the Ministers of Christ should learn to indure want and hunger as Paul had learned to want and abound and to bee contented in every estate else they will do but small good in their Ministry Use 5 Christ is daily hungry in his members Lazarus lieth still at our gates and is not yet quite dead Therefore let us put on the bowels of compassion towards him Would wee not have relieved Christ if wee had lived when hee did or would wee not now if hee should bee in need Oh yes wee say wee would else it were pitty wee should live Well then whatsoever wee do to one of his little ones wee do it to himself and so hee accepts it saying I was hungry and yee gave mee meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink Despise not thy poor fellow-member and turn not thine eye from beholding his penury nor thine ear from hearing his moan and deep sighs If thou shouldest hear Christ himself say I thirst as once hee did on the Cross wouldest thou give him vinegar and gall to drink is that it hee thirsteth after no it is thy conversion and compassion that will satisfie him therefore use him kindly in his members Vers 3. Then came the Tempter to him and said If thou bee the Son of God command that these stones bee made bread WEE have heard how our Lord Jesus Christ entered into the place of combat how hee was furnished attended and exercised all the time while hee expected his enemy Now wee come to the entrance of his adversary and after to the onset In this entrance observe 1 The Time Then 2 The Name of the Adversary The Tempter 3 The manner of his entrance hee came I. The Time Then that is when Christ had fasted forty daies and forty nights and was now hungry Hee was willing and ready to tempt him before and so hee did now and then cast a dart at him as wee heard but now supposing him to bee weak and hungry also hee comes upon him with might and main and thence strengtheneth himself and sharpeth his temptation Note hence Satans subtilty Who watcheth his opportunity Doct. Satan ever taketh us at the weakest and taketh us ever at the weakest Thus hee set upon Eve when shee was alone in Adams absence and set Cain upon Abel when he was alone in the field and helpless Thus was Dinah set upon being alone and was
the Jews his works hee did What a number of Devils are now in the World continual instruments of wickedness alluring and drawing men from God and goodness yea their Trade is to allure unto evil as those that draw men to strumpets and are bawds to that filthy sin so to Ale-houses and there provoke them to drink and to excess Those that draw men to ordinary gaming houses such as stir up mens spirits to revenge such as with-draw men from Gods house and good exercises such as disswade from Religion and strict courses such as commend onely loose and disordered mates for boon companions In all these the speech is true Homo homini daemon one man plaies the Devil with another All of them are plain devils incarnate tempters and as the devils company is to bee avoided so is theirs Use 5. That wee may bee most unlike unto Satan wee must bee continually provoking and moving one another to love and good works Heb. 10.24 and exhort and edify one another 1 Thess 5.11 Every Christian must by holy example and holy admonition bring one another forward in goodnesse if they bee weak to confirm them if slow to provoke and quicken them if astray to revoke and recall them Hereunto consider these motives 1 Shall Satans vassals exhort and perswade one another to evil Four motives to stir up one another to good as Satan doth to evil and bee more diligent to help one another to Hell than wee to set forward Gods work and help one another to heaven 2 Consider the bonds between us and our brethren 1 The bond of nature all are one mold and one flesh and the Law of nature binds us to pitty and releeve their bodily wants and much more their souls if wee can If their beast lay under a burden thou wert bound to help it up but thy brothers soul is under the burden of sin A good Samaritan will not pass by the wounded man like the Priest and Levite but will step near him and have compassion on him 2 The bond of the Spirit which yet ties us nearer for if wee must do good to all much more to the houshold of faith this bond makes Christians to be of one body and therefore as members of one body to procure the good and salvation one of another they are children of one father brethren in Christ who have one faith one hope one food one garment and one inheritance will one member refuse to impart his help his life his motion and gifts to another 3 Consider the excellent fruit that ensueth this godly care of provoking one another to good hee that converteth a sinner from going astray shall save a soul James 5.20 and the fruit of the righteous is as a tree of life and hee that winneth souls is wise Prov. 11.30 4 Consider these dull and backsliding times full of deadnesse and coldnesse wherein wee see a general decay of zeal love delight in the Word sin bold and impudent and piety almost ashamed of her self and name Ah wee have great cause to quicken one another as Travellors will call forward the weary and faint and encourage them both to speed and perseverance and as souldiers will animate and incourage one another against the common enemy so must wee in our spiritual fight against sin and Satan The tempter is so much the more busy because his time is short and wee must bee the more diligent because the time is so dead Came to him Here may a question bee moved How Satan came to Christ being a spirit Satan cometh to a man two waies I Answer Satan commeth two waies 1 Inwardly and more spiritually and that either by suggestion troubling the heart and understanding and thus hee put into Judas his heart to betray his Lord John 13.2 or else by vision worketh upon the phantasy 2 Outwardly and corporally either by some instrument as to Christ by the Scribes Sadduces Herodians and Peter or else by himself in some assumed bodily shape Now after what manner was Christ tempted I answer Howsoever some good men think Christs temptation was onely in motion inwardly and not externally and visibly yet I think it was chiefly externally and in a bodily shape assumed Their Reasons for their opinion are two 1 Because in the words following the Devil shewed Christ all the Kingdomes of the world in a moment which to do in a corporal manner were impossible and therefore it was but in motion and cogitation But that is but to insist in the question and when God shall bring us to that place wee shall see that even this was done really and not only in imagination 2 Reason out of Heb. 4.19 where it is said that Christ was tempted in all things like us now say they our temptations bee inward by cogitations and suggestions and therefore so was his But this is much weaker than the former for if hee were in all things tempted like unto us it is plain hee was externally tempted as wee bee Adam by Sathan in the external shape of a Serpent Saul by Satan in Samuels shape and it is the general confession of witches that their spirits appear in an external shape of cats mice c. Our reasons which probably conclude the contrary for it is no fundamental point necessarily and stiffely to bee held because the Scripture is not plain in it are these Christs temptation external and in a bodily shape assumed for four reasons 1 As Satan in his combate overcame the first Adam in a bodily shape And external temptation so it is likely hee came against the second Adam in some bodily shape And that hee thus externally assaulted him by outward objects is probable by these things in the text 1 Hee spake often to Christ and Christ truely spake and answered 2 Hee said command these stones not stones in general but either offering holding or pointing at them being real stones as Mr. Calvin saith 3 He wills Christ to fall down before him and worship him even by bodily and outward gesture and citeth Scripture for his second temptation 4 He took him and led him to the pinacle of the Temple by local motion neither was the second temptation in the wilderness as the former was but in the holy City Jerusalem and on the pinacle of the Temple as after wee shall see 5 Christ bids him depart 6 How could hee hurt himself by his fall if it were onely in vision 2 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth imply a corporal access by which these temptations differed from the former wherewith hee was exercised in the forty daies of his fast for they were lighter skirmishes and lesser onsets by suggestion sent out like scouts but now hee comes in person with all his strength and thus he now came and not before 3 Some good Divines make difference between Christs temptations and his members which giveth good light in this question that whereas our temptations are chiefly inward
many and mighty powerful miracles which were signs from heaven shewing that hee was from heaven And yet for all this they beleeved not So Matth. 27.42 the High Priests Scribes and Pharisees said If hee bee the King of the Jews let him come down from the Cross and woe will beleeve him No doubt Christ could but bee would not not onely because it was an hour of darknesse but because hee know they would never have beleeved him Psal 22 2â— 23. I will declare thy name to my brethren to the seed of Jacob to Israel Reasons 1 This practice of Christ is answerable to his precept Matth. 7.6 Cast not holy things to doggs nor pearls before swine By holy things and pearls are meant the things of Gods Kingdom Christ and his merits c. so called both to shew the excellency of them in themselves being above all pearls Prov. 3.14 as also our duty to prize and lock them up in our hearts and keep them as we doe our pearls safely in our memories By Doggs and Hoggs are meant malicious and obstinate enemies convicted of enmity against Gods Word of whose amendment there is little hope every man naturally is an enemy to God and his Word and so a dogg and a swine as Christ called the Heathens and Gentiles It is not lawful to take the children bread and cast it to doggs Now to such as these we must preach and offer the Sacraments yea Christ offered himself and came to call sinnets but when his Word and Miracles were rejected and himself evil intreated as among the Pharisees then saith Christ Let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind 2 Christ shews himself unto none but such as he loveth and love him Joh. 14.11 and this was the ground of Judas his speech Lord what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy self to us and not to the world the world sees him not for none seeth him but to whom he sheweth himself and he sheweth himself to none but such as love him and none love him but such as love his word and keep it vers 23. 3 This was one cause why Christ spake so many things in Parables that such as would be blind might not see and such as would not make a right use of his holy doctrin might not understand Matth. 13.13 For many that heard them let them goe without further question in a careless manner whereas the Disciples of Christ inquired of him his meaning and one learned of another and so that which for the difficulty drave others away became in this manner of teaching much more easie and familiar yea much more perspicuous and clear than any other 4 Never could extraordinary means convert such as beleeved not the word the ordinary means and therefore Christ never or seldome gratified the Scribes and Pharisees with Miracles or extraordinary means because they resisted his Doctrin Person and Works or if any wicked men saw any of his mighty VVorks and Miracles they saw not himself in them as Pharaoh what a number of Miracles saw he yet he was never the better he would not acknowledge God nor his servants and in the Wilderness they who saw Miracles every day and moment yet not beleeving the VVord of God in them were never the better the arm of the Lord was not made bare unto them Vse 1 Ignorant persons that know not Christ nor desire to know him are in a woful estate being such as Christ counts unworthy to reveal himself unto and therefore he either keeps the means from them or leaves them without grace to make an holy use of them Numbers of men to whom Christ never revealeth himself Vse 2. In worse case are they that have the means and yet no tast of them no reformation by them their covetousness their pride their drunkenness and uncleaneness will not be left as many that come to Church to hear the VVord and receive the Sacraments and yet are no better than Doggs and Swine and altogether unreformed in their lives and courses Some draw the VVord of God into question and would be taught by Angels or Miracles as Satan here but Christ will not make himself known to them no more than to him so saith Abraham to Dives in Hell when he denied his request They have Moses and the Prophets if they will not beleeve them neither would they beleeve if one should rise from the dead Some are resolved to live as they list let the Preachers say what they can whereas he that is in Christ to whom he reveals himself is a new Creature for Christ speaks to the heart not to the ear only Others say they are decreed to life or death and therefore doe what they can they cannot change Gods mind and hence never goe about to change themselves But had Christ shewed himself to these he would have directed them to the means of saving knowledge namely to the Scriptures which testifie of him Joh. 5.29 and to faith which unites to him and to the fruits of faith which testifie the truth of it to his glory and their comfort Others will be saved by saith alone and by a profession of the Gospel and so neglect the works which justifie it and the power of godliness whereas if Christ in the Ministry had revealed himself to such he had quickned their faith and not left it as a Carkass for faith without works is dead Others poor simple people will be saved by mercy alone and never labour for knowledge faith or true feeling of their own estate and care not how sin abound that mercy may abound much more But had Christ met with them hee would let them see their misery in the causes and effects and teach them to hunger after mercy in the means and having obtained it to goe and sin no more lest a worse thing follow Others disclaiming the doctrin of mortification and self-denial therefore dislike the VVord as too straight a Doctrin stripping them of their pleasures and profits and hence some hold on in their lusts some return with the Swine to their wallowing in the mire they cannot dye to sin they cannot live without laughter mirth and sports Whereas had Christ revealed himself unto them he would have taught them that his yoke is an easier yoke than the yoke of sin Three properties of such as to whom Christ will make himself known and that there is no sound comfort but in mortified affections and actions Vse 3. VVhosoever would have Christ reveal himself fully unto him must labour to be thus qualified 1 He must be humble for he teacheth the humble in his ways Psal 25.9 but the proud hee sends empty away as rain makes vallies fruitful but falls off the mountains which are therefore barren 2 He must long and desire to meet Christ in his Ordinances for Christ is the scope of the VVord and Sacraments therefore desire to know nothing but Christ Crucified goe to the tents of Shepheards where
to our recreations these bee no holy things sports are inferiour to our lawful Callings which are to be laid aside farr from holy things and unsutable to the Lords Holy-day The like if not more may be said against pampering a mans self and others by feeding or feasting and of drinking or any such wicked passing away the Sabbath The same also is to be spoken of a day of Feasting of publick Thanksgiving which have the reason of a Sabbath Of these and all other Gods holy Ordinances wee may say as the voyce said to Peter What God hath sanctified pollute thou not Doct. 2. A place is no longer holy than God and his Worship is present Was Jerusalem a holy City how then is the beautiful City become an Harlot how is it that this City which was the seat of Gods worship and the habitation and collection of the Saints is now an harbour of Turks and Infidels over-run with Turcisme or Idolatry Surely because the cause of this holiness ceased the worship of God was corrupted the Son of God despighted the Gospel of God rejected the Saints of God murthered the day of Visitation neglected And therefore they being infinitely departed from God and his pure worship God departs from them and God being gone the place ceaseth to be holy Bethel while the vision of the Ladder lasted there was an holy place and so long as Gods Worship continued there but when it admâ—tted the pollution of Idolatry it must be called Bethel no more but Beth-aven When the Congregation of Israel brought the Ark from Gilgal and set it up in Shilo then was Shilo the standing house of God the seat of religion and justice which God had chosen Josh 18.1 but for the sins of this place the Lord rejected it as Jer. 7.12 Goe now to Shilo into my place where I set my name in the beginning and behold what I did unto it for the wickedness of Israel if we will know what look 1 Sam. 4.4 when by the villany of Elies Sons and outrage of the people the Lord was provoked hee gave Israel into the hands of the Philistims there were thirty thousand Foot-men slain the Ark was taken Hophni and Phineas slain Eli the High Priest brake his neck then did the glory depart from Israel and the Ark never came at Shilo more So the Temple at Jerusalem was holy the City holy so long as they continued in the true Worship of God but after they crucified the Lord of life both City and Temple as prophane were destroyed so as Jerusalem although the holy City of God if her filthiness be found in her skirts she shall be had in derision Lam. 1. the most beautiful rod if held out against God shall bee broken yea the Temple of God if it become a denne of Theeves God will depart from it For what is it that can tye God to any place but his own worship to which he hath tied himself by promise Vse 1. Let not the vain Romanist boast of the pretended chair of Peter from which God cannot possibly depart Can God depart from Shilo for the sins of Priest and people where first he put his Name and can he not depart from Rome Can he depart from the holy City where he promised hee would rest and can he not be driven from the great City of the Whore to which hee never made any such promise Can he depart in displeasure from her whose foundations were layed among the holy Mountains Psal 87.1 and can hee not depart from the Whore Revel 11.8 that sitteth upon seven Hills Shall Bethlehem where Christ was born be forsaken and cannot Babylon where Christ is daily Crucified Nay the Lord is long since departed from her and her final confusion is at the door Vse 2. And if Jerusalem once the holy City but now a Cage and Nest of unclean Saracens and Turks bee left of God what a superstitious error prevailed in former times wherein such bloudy Battels were fought for the recovery of the holy Land most superstitiously putting religion and holiness even in the place it self after all the holy things were prophaned and God himself departed The evil success of such Battels ever shewed how God was offended with such superstitious warres and another mischief by them oppressed the Christian world to keep it in blindness For the Pope making his advantage of this blinde devotion if any King or Prince in Christendom stood between him and his proceedings one way or other he would send him out of his own Country in expedition for the Holy Warre and there hold him till he had effected his own designs in that Princes Country and so strengthned himself in all Lands as Histories manifest Use 3. Let us not bear our selves as though we had God so sure as the Papist thinks he hath him in a Box or pretend any vain priviledge that we have to exempt us from danger True it is we have the word with peace liberty and protection but the fear is that our security and deadness of heart with dissoluteness and prophaneness in behaviour will forfeit all God sendeth Jerusalem to Shilo saying Trust not in lying words saying Jer. 7.4 12 The Temple of the Lord but amend your wayes and I will let you dwell in this place but if you will not goe to Shilo and see what I did to it and look for the like So now God sends us to Jerusalem that we may consider what he did to it being once the praise of the earth and if the same sins be found in us as were in Jerusalem the Lord will doe no other with us than he did with it even as he threatned 2 King 21.13 he will stretch over us the line of Samaria that is bring the enemy in our necks and the plummet of the house of Ahab an Idolater take away his holy things and exchange them with filthy Idolatry and wipe us as a man wipeth a dish even turn us upside down What were the sins of Jerusalem but pride idleness fulness of bread and contempt of the poor In all which England doth equal if not goe beyond Jerusalem and yet wee charge our selves as little with our sins as Jerusalem did And if wee look to the immediate causes and fore-runners of Jerusalems over-throw and compare them with our Land wee shall see it high time to look about us for I. In general Jerusalem had grievously sinned and therefore was had in derision Lam. 1.8 Her sins were great many of long continuance with treasured wrath and all this in a place of such means and light Now no place in the world hath more means than wee wee are farre beyond Jerusalem in means and therefore farre beyond her in sins II. More specially 1 They did not hear the words of Gods servants the Prophets nor obey them therefore the Lord made that house like to Shilo Jerem. 26.6 and hence Jerusalem afterward had time enough but too late to charge her self
with rebellion Lament 1.18 and to acknowledge the righteous judgement of God against it Never were the Oracles of Heathens despised so amongst them as Gods holy Word is generally of our people no man almost lets it come near his heart a manifest argument that God will one day speak so as hee will bee heard A Jerusalem would not take knowledge of the day of her Visitation as appears in Luke 19.43 and Matth. 23.37 therefore her habitation was made desolate As little know we the worth of our blessed means but perhaps wee may know it better in the want of them 3 Jerusalem remembred not her latter end therefore she came down wonderfully Lam 1.9 she was careless and never considered the account she was to make of her liberties and so hardned her self in sin and grew to contemn the good means shee had through the daily custom of them This also was the immediate fore-runner of Ninivehs destruction Zeph. 2.13 This is the rejoycing City that dwelt careless and said in her heart I am and there is none beside mee How is shee made wast and the lodging of beasts Every one that passeth by her shall hiss and wag his head And the reason is shee bore her self upon her priviledges her holy things her strength wealth populous and flourishing estate specially upon the Promises of God which they perverted being all made with condition of obedience which they had long before forfeited yea so likely and constant an estate shee had as none in the world would have beleeved that the enemy should have entered the gates of Jerusalem Lam. 4.12 so as hee came unlookt for The same is our conceit wee think our staffe so strong that it can never bee broken wee remember not what is the end of security when men cry Peace Peace comes sudden war 4 Jerusalem had two sorts of Prophets in her First False Prophets which flattered them and sought out vain things false prophesies and causes of banishment Lam. 2.14 Such was Hanani who opposed Jeremy and said the Lord would within two years break the yoke of the King of Babel Jer. 28.2 and Ahabs false Prophets would bid the King go up to battle against Gods Commandement and prosper This was one cause of her ruine Lam. 4.13 for the sins of her Prophets and Priests not that the people had not sinned but when Leaders and such as should preserve purity of Religion and manners are so corrupt it argues a general corruption running down from the head to all the members which must needs bring the whole to a consumption A second sort were faithful and sincere and the entertainment of these was such in Jerusalem as God most severely revenged Jeremy was cast into the dungeon Micaiah into prison nay our Saviour challengeth Jerusalem of such cruelty against the Prophets as did bring all the righteous blood upon them from Abel unto Zachariah Mat. 23.37 But of all cruelty they filled their measure in crucifying the Lord of the holy Prophets Matth. 21.38 the Housholder sent his servants to receive fruits but they evil-intreated them and beat some and slew others at last hee sent his Son saying They will surely reverence my Son but they said This is the Heir Come let us kill him and the inheritance shall bee ours Now what will the Housholder do He will certainly destroy those wicked men and let out his vineyard to others Expressing plainly in this parable Gods dealing with Jerusalem and theirs with him and what was the immediate cause of their destruction A dangerous thing it is to wrong the faithful Ministers of God Do my Prophets no harm saith the Lord and to persecute Christ in his members shall not bee unrevenged 5 Jerusalem had many warnings before their utter overthrow It was besiedged by Pharaoh Necho by Senachetib in Hezekiahs time in Rhehoboams time by Shishac King of Egypt it was sacked and overthrown 1 King 14.26 It was subdued thrice by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel twice under Joakim and the third time under Zedekiah the City was wasted the Temple burnt and the people captivated into Babylon 2 Kin. 24. and 25 After seventy years when by the permission of Cyrus King of Persia the Temple was builded by Zerubbabel the City by Nehemiah and the law restored by Ezra and the Lord came again to his Temple yet being again provoked some years after it was taken by Antiochus Epiphanes King of Syria the Law burned the Temple prophaned the daily sacrifice removed the sanctuary of strength polluted and the abomination of desolation set up as Daniel had foretold chap. 11. v. 31. and made a wonderful effusion of blood After this the City and Temple was re-edifyed by Judas Assomanaeus and began to flourish but it was not long before it was again taken by Cu. Pompeius a Romane Captain whom Aristobulus called to help him against his brother Hircanus for the Priesthood All these were fair warnings whence they might perceive 1 How righteous the Lord was in not forbearing their sins 2 With how little reason they could stand upon any outward priviledge if they would go on in provoking the Lord 3 How loath the Lord was to reject them utterly if by any means they could bee reclaimed But when no means would do them good the Lord gives them to utterdesolation by Titus and Vespasian who ruinated the City defaced the Temple and left not one stone upon another as Christ prophesied Matth. 24.2 And since that time it hath ever been prophaned and in the hands of the greatest enemies of God and man next Satan himself polluted with most horrible idolatries the Jews driven from thence into all Lands and in all Lands Vagabonds the blood of the Sonne of God lying upon them and their children till this day Oh the patience of God toward us the many warnings and threatnings that wee have had by many treasons conspiracies sundry open and secret practices of our enemies by Sea and by Land Remember 88. and 1605. by sundry plagues of many kinds and every day renewed renews some warning or other And yet how fall wee back more and more how strong are the Papists how bold how malicious and furious as mastives that have been long in the chain Oh that wee were so wise rather to take example by others than to bee made examples to others and to take warning by others harms to prevent our own Why should wee think our selves so safe from the touch of this doctrin or exempted from the lot of all Churches and Lands Where was there ever a more holy place a more holy City a more holy Temple than at Jerusalem yet by security departing from the Lord the Lord left them What Church in all the World whose flourishing estate hath alwaies lasted Cast wee our eyes upon the Churches planted by the Apostles themselves that of Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus the Churches in Asia they had their times but knew it not till it was too late now all are
good purposes and practices Which is the rather to bee learned because wee have that within us which will make us easily daunted in good things as Peter himself after hee had been long with Christ was so daunted with the voice of a Damosel as hee easily forsware 〈◊〉 Master All Satans instance in evil it to bring us from instance in good against whom wee must every way fortify our selves First In the subdoing of any sin or corruption how will nature recoyl how stirring will Satan bee to keep his holds how many baits and objects will hee present unto thee how many fears and losses and crosses as rubs will hee cast in thy way and all to drive thee from the field against thy sin But now is a time to make use of this Doctrin Are wicked men so constant to the Devil at his instance and must not I bee constant for God at the instance of his blessed Spirit I will hold out by Gods grace and if I be foiled once and again as the Israelites in a good cause against Benjamin I will renew the battel the third time I shall at length carry away the victory this sin is one of Satans band like the captain and I will not bee driven out of the field by such a Craven that will flye if hee bee resisted Secondly The graces of God are as so many precious jewels locked up in the closet of a godly heart the Devil is instant to rob and bereave us of these wee must bee as hardly perswaded to give up these as to bee spoiled of our earthly treasure and riches 1 Our faith were a sweet morsel to Satan but wee must resist him stedfast in the faith Job will hold his faith in spight of the Devil let him lose his goods his health his friends his children hee will hold his faith and professe if the Lord kill him too hee will still trust in his mercy 2 Hee would steal away our love of the Saints and with it the life of our faith and therefore hee sets before us many infirmities of theirs and suspitions of our own and some fear from others but notwithstanding out delight must bee in the Saints that excel in vertue Jonathan will not bee beaten off the love to David though in all outward respects hee had little causes onely because hee saw God was with him 3 Hee layeth siedge to our sobriety and temperance and layeth many baits but Joseph will not yeeld to the many assaults of his Mistris 4 He would make us weary of prayer which is our strength and iâ— God delay he tells us he hears us not we lose our labour But wee must wrastle by prayer as Jacob till we obtain and as the woman of Canaan begge once and again till Christ hear us if he call us doggs so as wee cannot sit at table let us beg the crums as whelps that â—all under the table 5 He would make us weary of our profession is uncessant in setting the malice of the world upon us yea great ones multitudes and all But the Disciples by no whips moâ—ks threats or persecutions could be daunted but rejoyced in them and went on more cheerfully 6 He would have us weary of well-doing and beginning in the Spirit to end in the flesh But as Nehemiah in building the Temple and wall said to his crafty Counsellers Should such a one as I flie so let every Christian say Should I lose all my labour and that crown of life that is promised to all them that are faithful to death No I will not doe it The Devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain In this third temptation we are to consider two things 1 The assault 2 The repulse In the assault two things 1 The preparation 2 The dart it self In the preparation 1 The place 2 The sight represented The dart consists of 1 A profer All these will I give thee 2 A condition If thou wilt fall down and worship me 3 A reason for they are mine and to whomsoever I will I give them First of the place and in it 1 what place it was 2 how Christ came thither 3 why Satan chose that place I. The place was the top of an exceeding high mountain What this mountain was we cannot define and the Scripture being silent in it wee may bee sure it is no Article of faith Some think it was mount Ararat on which the Ark of Noah stood in the floud the highest mountain in the world But without all reason for that was in Armenia another part of the world Gen. 8.4 And there were a number of great Hills round about Jerusalem fit enough for this purpose As 1 There was mount Moriah where Abraham offered to sacrifize his Son Isaac where Salomon built his Temple and wherein Christ stood in the former temptation But the text is plain hee was carried from thence into an higher mountain by farre 2 There was mount Ghiâ—n 1 King 1.33 34 where Zadok and Nathan at Davids appointment anoynted Salomon King But this was too low 3 There was a mountain over against Jerusalem called mons offensionis the mountain of scandal where Salomon in his age deceived by outlandish wives built an high place for Chemosh and Molec the abominations of the children of Ammon and Moab 1 King 11.7 which high places so hard it is to thrust down superstition once set up continued standing three hundred sixty three years and were destroyed by Josiah 4 There was mount Calvary where Christ suffered but that was not so high as this mount spoken of 5 There was mount Oliveâ— a famous mountain about six furlongs from Jerusalem here David wept flying before his Son Absolom here Christ often watched and prayed and wept over Jerusalem for it was so high as that from the top of it as Josephus reports one might discern all the streets of Jerusalem and see afarre off to the dead sea 6 There was mount Sion higher than all these which was called the Mountain of the Lord for those that have written concerning this City know that the foundation of it is among the holy Mountains and among them all mount Sion was farre the highest and therefore David made a Fort there called the City of David 7 There were besides these without Jerusalem mount Nebo from the top of which Moses stood and beheld all the Land of Canaan and was commanded to dye This is generally held to be the Mount to which Christ was carried and so could I think were it not that it was quite without Palestina and not in the Land of Canaan for Moses only there did see the good Land but must not enter into it 8 There were within Palestina besides these mount Basan and mount Hermon very high Hills in comparison of which Sion is said to bee a little Hill Psalm 42.6 and 68.16 Now it is very probable that this temptation was upon one of these Hills but we must not bee curious to determine
respects as birth riches learning crowns and kingdoms these in mens Courts are good advocates but before Gods Tribunal may not plead and cannot help No condition of life no degree no outward quality no calling no not the outward calling of a Christian if thou hast no more shall stand by thee stript stark naked shalt thou be figge-leaves can hide thy shame no longer only the Wedding Garment can now cover thee from the consuming wrath of God A garment not laid with gold silver pearls but straked with bloud yea dyed red in the bloud of the Lamb. The High Priest upon pain of death might never enter into the Sanctuary but he must first be sprinkled with the bloud of Bullocks figuring the bloud of Christ Never dare thou to appear in the Sanctuary of Gods holiness without this garment of thy elder brother in which alone thou gettest the blessing as Jacob gat the blessing in Esaus garments from this alone the Lord savoureth a savour of rest Gen. 27.26 Lastly from this consideration that God is no respecter of persons the Apostle admonisheth superiours to moderation and equal dealing with their inferiours Ephes 6.9 and inferiours to silence and contentation under the tough dealing of their superiours Col. 3.25 Vers 35. But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him BY a fearer of God and worker of righteousnesse is signified an upright and truly religious man in whom these two things must necessarily concut as the cause and effect the fountain and stream the root and fruit of pure and undefiled religion for under the fear of God are contained all the duties of the first Table concerning God and his Worship such as are Knowledge Love Faith Hope and such like whence Salomon often calleth it the beginning of wisdome that is of true worship or piety And under working of righteousnesse is comprehended the observation of the duties of the second Table whereby the former being most of them inward are outwardly manifested and justified so as under both is comprised the whole duty of man Eccles 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole man All those ten words wherein the Lord hath included an admirable perfection of wisdome and holiness are here contracted into two 1 The fear of God 2 The keeping of his Commandements and therefore when the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures would grace this or that holy man with full commendation as it were with his whole stile be commonly joyneth these two together unto which nothing more can bee added Job was a just man fearing God and abstaining from evil Job 1.8 Zachary and Elizabeth were just before God and walked in all the Ordinances of God without reproof Luke 1.6 Here two points are to be considered 1 Who is a religious man hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse 2 What is his priviledge he is accepted of God Religion is a binder and thence hath his name for it both bindeth man unto God as the former of the points will shew as also God unto man as the latter declareth The former band knitting man unto God is the fear of God Fear of God which is a peculiar gift of the Spirit of God whereby the Regenerate fear God for himself not so much that they bee not offended and punished by him as that they do not offend him An excellent grace both in regard of the excellent Object and of the excellent Use of it through the whole life 1 The right object of our fear is God himself who is 1 Omnipotent of power to do whatsoever he wil who is able to cast body and soul into Hell fear him Matth. 10.28 2 Omnipresent hee is all an eye beholding our Thoughts Words and Deeds of which hee is both a witness and a Judge 3 Full of Majesty which even in a mortal Man strikes us with reverence 4 Full of Grace and Bounty wee stand in need of his Favour and Bounty every Moment who can turn us out of all at his pleasure In all which respects wee ought to make him our dread Isa 8.13 But above all in that he hath been so good and gracious a Father unto us through his Christ we ought to fear to offend him and so turn his love into displeasure against us II. Now the Vse of this Grace is manifold As 1 To beat down pride and high-mindedness against which it is a notable medicine Rom. 11.20 Bee not high-minded but fear Prov. 3.7 Bee not wise in thine own eies but fear God this grace maketh a man come low before the Lord as Jacob fearing Esau Gen. 33.3 Came and bowed seven times before him 2 To cause a man to renounce and restrain himself from sin and therefore the fear of God and departing from evil are often joyned together Joseph could not commit the sin with his Mistresse because hee feared God the Midwives feared God and killed not the Hebrews Children Nehem. 5.15 Nehemiah did not exact upon and oppress the people as the former Governours that were before him because hee feared God and whereas the wicked mans servile fear keepeth him often from open sins but not from secret from gross sins but not from smaller and this of Pain not of Conscience this grace maketh a man hate Pride Arrogancy and every evill way Prov. 8.1 3. never so small and never so secret 3 To destroy false and fleshly fears which foil every good duty and lay open to many sins and judgements Quod supra homines est time homines te non terrebunt August it is a property of a wicked man to fear where no fear is and not fearing God hee feareth every thing but God the face of man the arm of man the Tongue of man whence many a man dare scarce profess Religion or if they do dare shew no power of it for fear of reproach and nick-names and so come to bee ranked in the formost band of those which march to Hell called the fearful Rev. 21.8 and that which they fear shall come upon them Prov. 10.24 even disgrace of God of Men and Angels Jeroboam feared lest the people should return to their own Master if they should persist in the true Worship of the true God and so for the establishing of his Posterity hee established Idolatry but in the very next generation his whole race was extinct The Jews were afraid lest the Romans should come and take their nation and therefore Christ must dye but the Romans not long after came with a powder and took their Nation and so dis-peopled and dispersed them as they could never bee gathered into a nation till this day Pilatus multis diveratus Calamitatibus sibi-ipsi manum intulit Euse lib. 2. cap. 7. Entrop lib. 7. hist eccl c. 7. Pilate feared not God but Caesar but hee was not long after cast out of Caesars favour and slew himself Now this grace of God fenceth a man from such fleshly fears
wickedness with tears pray for pardon promise amendment beg prayers of others as Pharaoh one would think them very penitent themselves think they are so also but the Moon changeth not so often as these spiritual lunaticks who hence may know that the evil spirit hath taken possession of them because they are never long in a good minde These few notes instead of many I thought good to set down to help men that are desirous to see how secretly Satan worketh in their souls and how hee can cunningly most forceably keep possession when hee seemeth most to disclaim it that thus they comming to perceive the disease may run out of themselves to seek for remedy Which what it is wee are now in the next point to declare The third point in the words to bee considered is The mighty power of Jesus Christ who onely could heal those that were thus oppressed and enthralled by the Devil and here consider 1 The ground 2 The proof or manifestation of it The ground was because God was with him How God was with his Son and how with his Servants It will bee objected that God is said to have been with many of his servants who yet had not this power as with Joseph Joshuah Moses and others Answ God was indeed with them onely by manifesting his presence in some powerful or loving effect which hee wrought in by or for them But never was God present with any of his Saints as hee was with his Son who had not the vertue onely and power of the God-head effectually and energetically working with him which was all they had but the god-head it self was after a sort bodily with him yea the fulnesse of the God-head was not only with him but in him bodily Col. 2.9 as elsewhere God is said not onely to bee with Christ but in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 So as hee of himself performed the works which proceeded from him which they did not and his actions as from himself were divine Quest Why then doth not the Apostle more shortly and plainly say that Christ was God as that God was with him Answ Hee might indeed have so said as truely but for the time spareth the weakness of his hearers contenting himself to deliver Doctrin as they were able to receive it in great wisdome by little and little instilling into their minds the knowledge of Christ and by degrees laying such grounds and foundations as whereby themselves might more easily rise to that high point of Divinity which the Apostle calleth a great mystery namely God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.26 Secondly For the proof or manifestation of this Divine power of Christ Christ powerfully treadeth Satan under his feet â—n overthrowing the power of Satan and treading him under his feet is evident in the Scripture The first promise that ever was made to man fallen is That this seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head According to which prophecy hee not onely put Satan to flight in his own person Mat. 4. but took also his strongest holds where hee had strongly fortified himself in the persons of others as every where the History of the Gospel recordeth Hee rebuked the unclean spirits and made them cry for grief and anger Mark 9.25 Hee forced them to silence and would not suffer them to confess him Mar. 1.25 By his very word hee chained and bound them whom no bolts could hold nor any other means subdue such was his power and glory though men saw little of it that the Devils could neither fly from him nor yet abide his presence A whole legion of them ran to meet him a far off and worshipped him Mar. 5.6 most submisly intreated him that hee would not torment them and earnestly sued unto him that seeing they could no longer inhabit the man they might have power over the swine By all which examples and many more that might bee added appeareth what command Jesus Christ hath over the Devils and that by his onely word hee healed all those that were oppressed by them Quest It is true that Christ hath this power and glory in himself How the power of Christ foyleth Satan for us because God is with him but how commeth this power to bee so saving and soveraign unto miserable creatures who are held under the power of the Devil and that most justly Ans In healing all our diseases Mat. 8.16.17 among which this cute is numbred wee must knit and combine those two things which in Christ were inseparable namely his glory and his grace the latter of which makeeth the former soveraign unto us and appeareth in two actions in removing from us the next causes of all our diseases namely our sins For as the Physician in working a cure first removeth the distempered humours of his patient which are the matter of the disease so doth our heavenly Physician imply that this is the beginning of his cure and therefore often his first word is Thy sins are forgiven thee and his last word is goe and sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee 2 By taking our diseases upon himself which 〈◊〉 Physician doth or can do but this Lamb of God taketh away the sins of the world by taking them upon himself for he bare our infirmities Col. 2.22 and carried our sorrows and sins in the body of his flesh even to the cross where they were fastned with him buried them in his grave yea cast them into Hell and there left them by which most glorious triumph of his the snares and letters wherewith wee were chained to death and the Devil are broken and our souls as a bird are escaped Christ onely by his Pâ—opes power casteth out Devils Hence note 1 That no man can cast a Devil out of a possessed party or ever did as a principal efficient cause but as an instrument and that onely by this power of the Lord Jesus to whom all power in heaven and earth is given and to whom all the honour of this power must bee ascribed for what power can countermand Satans but onely Gods I grant Satan may give place to beelzabub and depart his habitation for his greater advantage and forsake a body to get faster hold upon the soul or to delude many beholders but such hostile conquest over Satan argueth a mighty power of God which all the Devils in hell cannot resist Secondly That whosoever finde themselves any way molested of Satan must hasten themselves to Jesus Christ who onely can batter down the holds of the Devil In all thy spiritual captivity repair unto Christ and work their deliverance Feelest thou thy self held under any spiritual captivity or bondage doth the Law of evil present with thee toyl thee with heaviness and unchearfulness to any thing that is good seest thou in any measure Satans secret trains working against thy salvation Oh come unto Christ not faintly as the Father of the possessed child Mark
challenge though a subordinate power properly to forgive sins and do not content t emselves with the ministerial publishing in the name and authority of God alone and pronouncing forgivenesse to all repentant sinners become open blasphemers against God and not without an high wickednesse set themselves in the room of God 2 I say in the description that the Lord doth account the sins of his Elect as no sins and that for the merit of Christ both which appear in the former resemblaâ—ce which compareth sins to debts wherein God is comparâ—d to a Creditor man to a debtor the Law to the bill or bond which bindeth man to Gâ—d 1 to obedience 2 in default of that to punishment so as herâ— is nothing but either satisfaction or to go to prison Now wee being banqâ—â—rupts by our fall and of such broken estate as wee are not able to pay onâ— farthing neither of the principal nâ—r the forâ—eiture the mâ—rcy of our â—reditor steppeâ—h in who himself procureth us a surety both able and wâ—lling to discharge our whole debt and the forfeit as well as the principal that â—s Jesus Christ who by his obedience active and passive hath made a â—â—d â—â—scharge and sufficient saâ—isfaction for the sins of all the beleevâ—rs in the woâ—ld the which being accepted of his Father in full pâ—ymâ—â—t are fâ—â—ther imputeth not to us our siâ—s but covereth them cast â—h them all 〈◊〉 his back Isa 38 17. and into the bottâ—me of the sea Mâ— 7.9 as thâ—â—gs which he will never remember more Thâ—s they â—ecome as though they had never been and wee accounted as innocent as if wee had never fallen from our first state of innocencâ— From thâ—s wee learn how to coâ—ceive that place and the liâ—e where it is said that the blood of Jâ—â—us Christ cleansâ—th us from all sin 1 Joh. 1. wherein not thâ—â—â—tiâ—n of remissiâ—n wh ch is proper to the Deity is asâ—ribed to the blâ—od of Câ—rist but onely the cause of remission is signified fâ—r which God the Fatâ—er remitteth sins and that is the blood of Christ inâ—luding his whâ—le obedien e and the merit of it which is a just price and pac ficatiâ—n of his Father Eph. 1.7 In whom wee have redemption through his blood even he remission oâ— sins 3 I aâ—de that the Lord doth acquit Beleevers from the guilt and puni hment of all their sins for as where the debt is once paid As the Lord so gâ—veth properly 〈◊〉 oâ— pe f â—ctly â—â—th 〈…〉 punishment the whâ—le obligation is void and there remaineth no more satisfa tion to bee made so where the Lâ—â—d forgiv th a debt once hee thenceforth acqâ—itteth the debtâ—â— and is far from requiring any new satisfaction This will not staâ—â— wâ— thâ— justice of God to exact the satisfaction of one debt twice 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 surety another timâ— in our selves It will not stanâ— with the glâ—ry of God wi h whâ—m is plentiful redemption It will not stand with the honâ—ur of 〈◊〉 to work out with all his obedience but an â—all redâ—mption wh ch wâ—uld argue but a halâ— satisfaction Ch istus commâ—◠〈◊〉 noâ—i◠〈…〉 culp m 〈◊〉 〈…〉 â—gâ—st Sâ—â—m de temp 141 It will not stand with the price of his blood nor wo thiness of his death not fully to satisfy the whole â—ust ce of his Fatâ—er I wil not stand with the faith of our prayer for remission of sins 〈◊〉 whole debt be not fâ—rgiven but some satisfaction remaineth fâ—r us to perf rm to beleeve remission of sins were no faith but a vain opinion and fancy â— r with our peace wiâ—h God if his wrath bee not yet fully satisfied Nay it will not stand with right reason for is it reason that hee that oweth n thing to a man should be forced to make a satisfaction where nothing is due but where the debt is remitted nothing is due nothing is â—wing the debâ—or is freed and thâ— whole obligation cancelled Who seeth not therefore by all this what a w cked and detestable devise it is of the School-mâ—n and defended by all the Papists â—t this day to affirm Câ—ncil 〈◊〉 d nâ— ss 4 Can. 4. that only the fault of mortal sins is remâ—tted by Christ but not the pâ—nishment or satisfaction the which being as they say by the grace of God changed from eternal to tempâ—rary remâ—inâ—th to bee born either here in this life or in purgatory till Gods justice be fully satisfied and the uttermost farthing be paid Vpon this string hang their indulgences pardons masses pilgrimages and the whole body of their trumpery devised to make a prey of the World a great part of which being the cunningest theeves in all the world they have by such craftie and fraudulent conveyances gotten into their hands And lest they should want all colour they alledge the example of David 2 Sam. 12.13 Davids sin and punishment both forâ—iven notwi hstanding the child must dye Whose sin the Lord put away and yet the child born to him must surely dye and again though the sins of the godly bee pardoned yet death which is the punishment of original sin remaineth I answer 1 That Davids sin and punishment were both remitted for so said the Prophet Thou shalt not dye 2 Wee must distinguish between punishment of sin whereby Gods justice is satisfied and chastening of sin with a fatherly rod. The former are alwaies remitted with the sin not alwaies the latter by the former the Lord revengeth the siâ—s of men by the latter hee correcteth The former can onely bee born away â—y Christ the latter cannot bee born off by any masses or indulgences but are wholesomely dispensed and disposed by God to his dearest children for their good Of this latter kind was the death of Davids child not properly for his sin but that in the deed doing hee had caused the enemies of God to blaspheme Of this kinde was the sentence against Moses and Aaron whose sin of not glorifying God at the waters of strife Numb 20.12 was pardoned and yet they must not enter into the land of promise they were corrected with rodds of men not punished in proper speech both that others with themselves might bee more careful not to offend in the like kind as also that being deprived of the earthly Canaan they might more studiously seek for the heavenly Bellarm. lib. 4. de pâ—nit cap. 2. The like is to bee said of the Corinths of whom Bellarmine saith that they were reconciled to God and yet diverse of them were stricken with death for unworthy receiving of the Sacrament As for the example of the Israeli es Numb 14.20 whose sin of murmuring God is said to forgive at Moses prayer yet they must all for this sin dye in the wilderness Note well this answer The answer is that Moses did not pray that God would absolutely and for ever pardon their sin nor that the Lord would abstain from all
judgement and punishment of that sin but that now at this present time hee would bee pleased to appease his great anger so justly conceived and desist from that great judgement of the utter destroying of them threatned v. 12. as may appear both by the arguments used by him as by that hee expresly noteth the manner of this foâ—giveness vers 19. as thou hast forgiven this people even from Egypt till now and forgive them even according as thou hast spoken v. 17. but how the Lord had after they came out of Egypt forgiven them appeareth Exod. 32.35 when they had made a calf and the Lord wished Moses to let him alone that hee might consume them yet by Moses intercession the Lord did not consume them but plagued them with a great plague and destruction and yet the holy man prayeth hee would forgive them as hee had done from Egypt till now And what was it the Lord had said which Moses taketh hold on namely in verse 34. of that 32. of Exod. Go now bring the people unto the place which I commanded thee behold mine Angel shall go before thee but yet in the day of my v sitation I will visit their sin upon them So as this place rightly interpreted yeeldeth no patronage to any such Popish and wicked collection Further for the second objection That death remaineth though the sin be pardone Though death remain after sin is pardoned both the fault and pun shment is removed I Answer it remaineth not as any satisfaction to the justice of God to beleevers nor as a punishment of sin to such as have their sins remitted but it hath lost his sting which is the guilt of sin and is become a remedy rather than a punishment physick rather than poyson an end of their misery and an entrance into a better life So as it still abideth firm against all such detestable devises of Popery that remission of sins carrieth with it the removal of all the guilt and punishment of sinne to such as have their parts in the same And it is lastly to bee observed in this description that I say the guilt and punishment of all sin is taken away for if any bee not remitted they bee either greater sins or lesser to remit the lesser and not the greater what were wee the better how could our salvation bee effected or perfected how could grace bee every way grace or do wee pray for remission of lesser and not of greater also seeing our selves must forgive our Brethren not only lesser offences but even the greatest Aâ—ain to remit the greater and retain the lesser were to say that the Lord is either not sâ— able or so willing to forgive lesser sins as greater Shall a maâ— frankly forgive a debt of thousands of pounds and will he not forgive also to the same party a few pence The Popish Church confidently avouch A bundle of Pâ—p sh blasphemies that many sins need no remission as concupiscence which they say is not prop rly a sin albeit indeed it is the mother sin of all And all the heap of their venial sins which they say are not against but besides the commandement because they are not attended unto or deliberately done with full consent oâ— reason because they cannot hinder the habâ—â— of vertue but the act of it and that a very little nor turn us from our end but hinder so much as it is our progress unto it and because they though themselves displease God yet they make not God displeased with the party committing them for they can stand with grace and have not properly and simply the reason and respect of sin or offence therefore are they not to bee punished with eternal but only temporary punishment These need not the blood of Christ nor Grace nor confession in particular nor absâ—lution nor any new habit of charity but these are easily wiped away with a little holy water or any meritorious work or by the Sacraments received or by general Confession or by a small humiliation as knocking the brest fasting almes the Lords Prayer an ave Maria or by entring into a consecrated Church or by a Bishops blessing or if all these help but a little presently after death they are all consumed in the fire of purgatory Oh horrible blasphemies derogatory to the blood of Christ which purgeth us from all sin and to the truth of the Scriptures which teach us that when wee had nothing to pay our Master forgave us our whole debt Matth. 18.32 But I have followed them too far were it not that the discovery of their impieties may bring some profit to suâ—h as are not so well acquainted or exerâ—ised in their writings Thus much of the description of this Grace The second thing propounded is what it is to receive remission of sinnes which because it implyeth a gift or oblation therefore we must know that pardon of sin is offered generally to all in the word of grace publikely preached and conferred unto beleevers not onely in the beginning of their conversion but through their whole life Now to receive this remission How remission of sin is received is when a capable that is a contrite heart by Faith which is an hand taking in receiveth Christ and all his benefits among which remission of sins is the chief Preached and published in the Gospel And this it doth on this manner 1 Upon a touch of sin and sence that without this gracious pardon there is nothing bâ—◠〈◊〉 pâ—rdition the heart beaten down beginneth seriously to meditate of the promise of m rcy in Christ and of the means of deliverance from this woful estate 2 It desireth to beleeve and wisheth that mercy to belong to it self it sendeth groans to God it hopeth for pardon and weakly applyeth the general promises of grace 3 After such desires and groans of the heart the Lord most gratiously answereth by his Spirit and by little and little settleth and quieteth the heart perswading it that Christ himself and consequently reconciliation with God doth indeed belong unto him so as he resteth in that assurance Thus the Lord will not only give us mercy but letteth us know that he doth so that our joy and peace and boldness in him might be more full Thirdly the persons receiving this remission are all beleevers Whosoever beleeve in his name whose faith intitles them to the main promise of life and all other depending thereupon Beleeve in the name of Christ why they must beleeve in his name For 1 There is no other name to be saved by In him alone is the matter of our salvation seeing remission is obtained by his bloud Ephes 1.7 2 Hee alone is God and man both which natures are necessary to our Surety by the former he hath power by the latter a right to us not only more general of propriety as the Father and Holy Ghost also have but more special of propinquity being our brother and first-born of our