from Isa 8. 12. 13. 14. Say ye not a Confederacy to all them to whom this People shall say a Confederacy neither fear ye their Fear nor be afraid Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your Fear and let him be your Dread And he shall be for a Sanctuary c. Others will complain of heavy Burthens and the insupportable Pressures Cares and Troubles inevitable and they are so puzled and perplexed as they know not how to get Rid of them It 's usual with such Male-contents to know more what makes against them than what makes for them Wherefore let them be advised to take Counsel from the Word of God Particularly we are Commanded To cast our Burthen upon the Lord to be careful in nothing but Psal 55. 22. Phil. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 7. to make our Requests known with Prayers and Supplications and to cast our Care upon him for he careth for us If God makes us drink the Wine of Astonishment and Eat the Bread of Affliction If we drink Water and Gall and have a bitter Cup of Affliction mingled for us let 's not revile Instruments let 's not murmur against second Causes but let us imitate Job who neither railed against the Sabeans nor the Chaldeans nor at Satan but he acknowledged God in all and quietly submitted unto him Job 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away | 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 70. Isa 30. â—5 Blessed be the Name of the Lord. In times of great Affliction we are Exhorted to a silent and quiet Behaviour Jer. 8. 14. Let us be Silent for the Lord God hath put us to Silence And Zach. 2. 13. Be Silent O all Flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his Holy Habitation And Amos 5. 13. Therefore the Prudent shall keep Silence in that time for it is an Evil time That time was a time of Persecution for we Read in the 12. v. They afflict the Just and they turn aside the Poor in the Gate from their Right What 's the Duty incumbent now but to be Silent i. e. Taciti perferent injurias quicunque laesi fuerint â—orabunt intus suos gemitus quia non audebuâ—â— conquaeri Calv. not to murmur rage and fret and fume against Evil Instruments And it 's a great Point of Prudence to exercise such a quiet Behaviour in such Evil times The meaning of that place is not that Men should be Tongue-ty'd in God's Cause but that they should forbear all callumniations and reproaches which are usually belcht forth by way of personal Revenge Christ in a special manner Commends the Practice of Patience Luk. 21. 19. In your Patience Possess ye your Souls It 's the more Remarkable that this Charge was given by Christ by way of a Preparative to fit and prepare them for those great Calamities which should befall Jerusalem Christ foretold Jerusalems Destruction and he Commends this excellent Grace of Patience which at such a time will be of singular use and benefit Thus you see Evidently that there is a necessity of Precept CHAP. VII Proving the Doctrine from the necessity of Means in Four Particulars NOw Secondly Consider there is Necessitas 2. From necessity of Means Medii For a quiet contented submissive Spirit which patiently yields and resigns all to God is either a means to remove the Trouble or else to Alleviate and Mitigate it or 3dly To have it Sanctified and made Profitable or 4thly To make Compensation for all Losses Let 's warily understand all these Particulars not as if they were efficient or meritorious Causes but only as instrumental Means Subservient and Subordinate to God's Assistance And so understanding them we will inlarge them particularly as followeth First I say a submissive quiet yielding A Submissive Spirit is a Means to remove the Burthen Spirit oftentimes gets the Burthen and Trouble removed Thus it fared with Jehoshaphat 2 Cron. 20. 12. We know not what to do but our Eyes are upon Thee And see the Blessed Success vers 22 23. And Hanani the Seer tells Asa 2 Chron. 16. 8. Were not the Aethiopians and Lubims an huge Host with many Chariots and Horse-men Yet because thou didst rely on the Lord he delivered Tantum in nobis fidei staâ—bilitate Dominus esse desiderat ut certius esse quod credimus quam quod patimur judicemus verius habeamus sperando quam sensibiliter Hieron them into thine Hand When we can Believe and cast our selves upon God and wait with Patience then are we in a capacity of receiving Mercy Faith establisheth and quieteth the Heart and prepares it for reception of Mercies Secondly If the Trouble yet remain 2. A submissive Spirit is a meaus to ease the Burthen and still grieve us however if the Heart can trust in God and quietly submit unto him the Burthen is alleviated and facilitated and the smart much Mitigated It was a hard Tryal for Aaron to submit so quietly when two of his Children were struck Dead before his Eyes yet questionless his Grief was much abated and his Affliction lessened by his silent and patient Deportment under that heavy Stroke of God Lev. 10. 3. Then Moses said unto Aaron this is that which the Lord spake saying I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh Silet audita voluntate Dei Cajetan me and before all the People I will be Glorified And ‑ Aaron held his peace It was an unwelcome an astonishing Message which Samuel told Eli from the Lord of the Destruction of his Sons and utter Extirpation of his Family Yet Eli discovered such an excellent temper of Spirit in resigning his Will to Gods Will as thereby his Burthen was made far Lighter 1 Sam. 3. 18. And Eli said it is the Lord let him do what seemeth him Good How dreadful was that Prophecy of Isaiah to Hezekiah that all his Treasures should be carried to Babylon and that his Children should be Eunuchs in the Palace at Babylon Yet Hezekiah acknowledged all Good that came from God 2 King 20. 19. Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast Spoken In all Job's Sufferings he acknowledged that the Hand of God had Touched him Job 19. 21. He received message after message of sad Tydings and each Messenger worse than the former One brings the News of Job 1. the Sabeans carrying away his Oxen and Asses Another tells him of the Burning of his Sheep and Servants A Third tells him of the Chaldeans taking away his Camels and Slaying his Servants A Fourth brings the Saddest News of all that the House fell upon his Children and Slew them The Messengers of Afflictions were so swift in running to meet with Job as if the Second Messenger made hast to Tread upon the Heels of the First and the Third upon the Second and the Fourth upon the Third Velut unda superveâ—â—â— undae All these came upon Job like
to be understood of a mean moderate estate or mediocrity And the same Author concludes thus To whom Câ—i parum non est satis â—i nihil est satis câ—i quod satis est non est satis â—i nihil est satis Peâ—er in Geâ— 28. 20. a little is not enough to him nothing is enough And he that hath enough and thinks he hath not enough to him nothing is enough The Patriarch Jacob did not beg great matters onely bread to eat and raiment to put on He did not capitulate for delicate food nor gorgeous attire And the Apostles commands 1 Tim. 6. 8. Having food and rayment let us therewith be content The expressions are Emphatical Three words I 'le explain in the Text. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not high feeding but such only as may nourish us what 's enough for nourishment to keep us alive should content us Another word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enough to cover our nakedness no rich and costly apparrel is here meant 3. The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We should be contented and count them sufficient This excellent Spirit of contentment will help us to bear our burdens and to undergo hardships with alacrity of Spirit 4. Whatever thou fearest most to lose Duty 4. Cast all upon God and what thou desirest most to keep cast them upon God and trust God with them What God is entrusted withal is in the best and safest custody Are thy burthens great put in practice the Psalmists counsel Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved But are not the Righteous moved and tost up and down and chased to and fro as the Partridge on the Mountaines Yes they are thus moved and they are tost up and down with Storms and Tempests but as Calvin observeth on the Quia autem nihil miserius est quam inter continuos aestus versari finem tandem fore promittit quia Deus passurus non sit ut semper anxietatibus obnoxij sint vel periculis curis concutiantur sed daturus sit tranquillum statum Calo. in Loc. place that they shall not alwayes be thus troubled at last they shall have a quiet state Are thy fears many by reason of potent Adversaries Jehu-like drive furiously to whom he that departeth from evil is made a prey Remember the Council of Christ Math. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul But rather fear him which is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell The worst that men and Devils can do to the Saints is to deprive them of a temporal life only Eternal life is out of their reach none are able to deprive them of that life Dogs may bark at the Moon but they cannot bite it The most mischievous Enemies cannot hinder Christ from communicating himself to his Children nor them from enjoying Communion with him But are thy cares great insomuch as thou art bewildered and knowest not how to wind thy self out Here 's Counsel and Incouragement for thee 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your care up on him for he câ—â—eth for you The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word is once more mentioned Omnem nostram curam conjicerâ— de bâ—â—us in â—eum tum quia opem nobi◠〈◊〉 potest u◠〈◊〉 Deus tum â—uia curam nostrum gerit ut 〈◊〉 Pater 〈◊〉 in Loc. Luke 19. 35. It 's a thâ—owing a mans self upon God a committing himself unto Gods disposing Now when we can â—ast our selves upon Goâ—â— Providence rely upon his Wisdomâ— stay and depend upon his promises and quietly wait for his Salvatiâ—â— then even then amidst the most boysterous 〈◊〉 and tempests there wiâ—â— be a Serenity and quietness upon our Spirits CHAP. XII Containing an Use of Reprehension to threâ— Sorts of Persons viz. Unbelievers Murmurers and rash Censurers NOw in the last Place to infer the Use and Application particularly unto all our Consciences There are four Uses to be made of this Doctrine 〈◊〉 For Reprehension Exhortation Examination and Consolation The first Use is for Reprehension and Vse 1 Of Reprehension severe Redargâ—â—ion unto several sorts of Persons Three of them â—e single out viâ— Unbelievers Murmurers and rash Censurers who in an especiall manner come under the verge of this Repoof 1. Here 's matter of Reproof unto all 1. Unbelievers Unbelievers who neither will trust God upon his threatnings nor upon his promises These live by Sense and not by Faith They imitate those who will part with nothing without Money in hand When Creature-Comforts faile them their Faith failes with them Hence it comes to pass that they traduce the Divine Providence with profane â— King â— 33. Jehoram saying Behold this evil is of the Lord why should I wait for the Lord any longer Now what 's the reason that men are to seek for help and comfort under their greatest pressures and know not how to get any help but because they trust not God they go to King | Hos 5. 13. Idololatrâ— aâ—xiliis buâ—aâ—is confiduâ—â— sed hâ—c â—ultum Lepe eos fallunt Nam quum Assyrius debebat 〈◊〉 ipse incipiehat vastare Historiae testantur plerunque exterâ—s Reges 〈◊〉 advocantes 〈◊〉 Taâ—mou Jareb and to the Assyrian i. e. They go to broken reeds to outward means which will no way help nor heal them Job was of an Excellent Spirit who would take a curse upon himself If he made Gold his Hope or the fine Gold his Confidence Job 31. 24. Not to stay in Generals An Unbeliever who resâ—â— satisfied in his Unbelief is no better than an Heathen a Lyar and a Thief Such would fly in that Mans Face that should call them by such Ignominious Names and yet so they are branded by the Word of God 1. An Unbeliever is an Heathen First An Unbeliever is an Heathen Mat. 6. 31 32. Therefore take no Thought sâ—ying What shall we Eat or what shall we Drink or wherewithal shall we be Cloathâ—ed For after all these things do the Gentiles Seek for your Heavenly Father knowâ—th that ye have need of all these things Now shall not Christians out-strip Pagans Heathens pore only upon the present Life and understand not any thing concerning a Life to come What a shame is it for Christians to imitate Heathens Salvian saith It 's the Guilt Minoris criminis reatus est â—egem neâ—cire quam spernere Salv. lib. 4. of a less Crime to be ignorant of the Law than to Despise it Heathens who know not Scripture shall fare better than knowing Christians who abuse their Knowledge and confute what they know by the practice of a contrary Life and Conversation Second An Unbeliever is a Lyar and 2. An Unbeliever is a Lyar. puts a Lye upon God himself To give a Man the Lye is accounted
his Side Hands and Feet 2. In putting up Prayers in his own Name and making continual Supplication unto the Father as a Mediator and as an Advocate as an High-Priest interceeding for us at the Throne of Grace Christ is the great Master of Requests who prefers the Petitions of his People unto his Father The High-Priest when he was to make an attonement for the People entred into the Holy of Holies with Blood and Incense So Christ our High-Priest in Heaven presentâ— his Blood and the sweet Incense of his Prayers Rev. 8. 2. And I saw the seven Angels which stood before God and to them were given seven Trumpets And another came and stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and much Incense was given to him that he should offer c. Heb. 9. 12 23 24. Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us v. 23 24. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these but the heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifice than these For Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with Hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Q Let us inquire into the fruit and benefit 2. Benefits of this Intercession 1. We are acquitted from all our Adversaries of this Intercession 1. We are acquitted from all Adversaries even from Sin Satan and the Law having interest in the Intercession of Christ we are freed from all Accusations and Condemnations of the greatest Adversaries * Qualis est ista incercessio non oralâ—â— sed realâ—â— ex merâ suipsius in cruce oblati repraesentatione Hinc est quod dicitur comparere corâ— Deo pro nobis D. Tuis Vindic. l. 1. part 2. Sect. 23. Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that Condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Here are four things to acquit all Believers from Condemnation viz. Christs Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession Christ died to give Life unto his People He rose again and became the first Fruit of them that slept Christ Ascended on high and gave gifts to Men and he interceeds at the Throne of Grace presenting his Bloody Sufferings and the vertue of them unto the Father for a full and compleat satisfaction 2. Christ by his Intercession teacheth 2. Christ by his Intercession teacheth us to Pray us to pray and to make our Intercessions and Supplications unto the Throne of Grace We of our selves cannot put up one Meritorious Petition though we might gain the whole World for so doing For we pray coldly rawly and indigestedly with much deadness disorder and distraction of Spirit but these Prayers come not so to God the Father as they are presented by us for Christ mends them in the carriage and presents them in his own Name unto the Father and for his Rom. 8. 26. Quasi dicat cum mole tentationis oppressi nescimus orare ipse spirâ—tus qui in nobis habitat exerit se orationem in animo excitat Bucer in Loc. 3. Through Christs Intercession our duties and works obtain acceptance sake alone we obtain acceptance with the Father Christ interceeds to the Father for us and his Spirit helpeth our Infirmities and maketh intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered The Spirit of Christ doth two great works One is to make intercession for us and the other is to help us to make intercession for our selves By the assistance of the Spirit we can Pray and Sigh and Groan in such prevailing Rhetorick as will obtain acceptance but without the assistance of the Spirit we cannot Pray nor express our selves in any acceptable manner 3. Through Christs intercession our Duties and works obtain acceptance As for our selves and our own righteousness we have great cause to confess with the Church Isaiah 64. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy Rags But through Christs Reconciliation and acceptance our works obtain acceptance Though there be no worth in the work nor in the workers yet there is through Christ acceptation and imputation a worthiness accompted of in the sight of God as Joshua was to have his filthy Garments took from him * Semper in animum sibi revocent verbi divini precones impositum sibi esse cidarim mundam cui inscriptum sanctitas Jehovae proinde ei studeant ipsi ut aliâ— idem faciaut hortentur sedulo ut sint typi fidelium Tarnovius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet quo significat spiritum singulari contentione studio intercedere pro sanctis Buceru in Loc. Unà sublevat infirmitates nostras quasi dicatur ipse vicissim onus attollere ex altera parte ne sub eo fatiscamus Ut sensus sit sicut spiritus S. unâ— cum Patre filio testatur spiritui nostro nos esse filios Dei similiter idem spiritus cum â—sdem opitulatur infirmitatibus nostris L. de Dieu Zech. 3. 4. So in the best of our duties there is filthiness and we stand in continual need of the inestimable benefit of our Intercessour who takes away our Pollutions and not only acquits us from the Guilt of Sin but cleanseth us from the filth of Sin He doth purge us as well as pardon us and sanctifie us by his Spirit as well as justifie us by his Righteousness Hence it comes to pass that the services of all such â—s have interest in Christ are accepted at the Throne of Grace and though in us there are many weaknesses and Imperfections yet Sincerity is accepted And though there are manifold failings in our Duties yet all are made perfect through the perfect satisfaction of Christ for he as a surety hath paid our Debt and fully satisfied the Father by doing and suffering all that the Law required Christ is the Beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased Mat. 3. ult CHAP. V. Concerning Christs Prophetical Office SECT I. Why Christ must be a Prophet HAving insisted largly on Christs Sacerdotal Office I come now to his Prophetical and Regal Office and I shall be more brief in the handling of these not intending a just volume of this Argument only so far I may inlarge as may afford good Measure full prest and running over for the further Demonstration of the Doctrine that I insist upon viz. The inestimable Dignity of Christ In the 2d place it follows that I should 2 Of Christs Prophetical Office treat of Christs Prophetical Office Christ is called * Deut. 18. 5. Christus dicitur Nabi Propheta est autem Nabi usu scripturae is qui profundiora de Deo deque rebus divinus disserit qui mentem divinam hominibus aperit saepius
to all Cheating Tricks whatsoever However as Beza notes Though they be Subtile Vt cunque sunt vafri Eos tamen Dâ—minus capiet cum eorum artes reipsa declarabit illud ipsum esse quo sese in volve rint Beza in Loc. and Crafty yet God will catch them and discover them to be what they are Now from this instance of the Wisdom of God we may give an abundant proof of his All-Sufficiency For when we are Intangled and be wildred with worldly Cares and Fears and know not how to get out when we are involv'd in Mazes Perplexities and Labyrinths and know not how to extricate our selves and we are at our Wits end then Wisdom from heaven makes a Way for our Evasion sets us at Liberty When Isaac was bound on the Altar and Abraham Stretcht forth his Hand to give the Deaths Stroke all the Wisdom of the wisest Men on Earth would have been Non-plust not knowing how to contrive a Deliverance But the Wisdom of God exerteth it self and interposeth in that needful instant between the lifting up the Hand and the Striking of the Blow and a Voice speaks from Heaven Lay not thine Hand upon Gen. 22. 12. the Lad. However Isaac was unexpectedly delivered yet Abraham would gladly Offerâ— a Sacrifice and he knew not where upon such a sudden to make Provision Behold further How the Wisdom of God contrives and provides a Ram for a Burnt Offering What then vers 13. must we do in all our doubts and difficulties but make our Addresses and Supplications unto God God is a God Jam. 1. 5. of Wisdom of Him we must ask Wisdom Christ is the great Counsellor The Wisdom of God He hath the Spirit Isa 9. 6. of Wisdom and Understanding When 1 Cor. 1. 24. Isa 11. 2. Troubles befall us we wander up and down like Noahs Dove finding no rest for the Sole of her Foot till Noah took her into the Ark. We in our Afflictions use to go from Creature to Creature and Consult with Flesh and Blood like Squirrils we leap from Bough to Bough or like curious Palates Tast of all Waters and try all manner of Projects hence it comes to pass that we miscarry by many sad Disapointments and Frustrations How dreadful a Woe is threatned against them who take not Counsel of God Isa 30. 1. Woe to the Rebellious Children saith the Lord that take Counsel but not of Me and that cover with a covering but not of my Spirit that they may add Sin to Sin There 's a grand Curse also threatned in Ezekiel That the Law shall Perish from the Priest Ezek. 7. 26. and Counsel from the Ancients Here then consists our great Duty amidst Troubles and Sufferings to learn to deny our own Wisdome our own Reason and Counsel and whatsoever is selfish in us neither any more to sacrifice to our own Net and Drag but to rely depend and wholly lean and stay our selves upon the Wisdom of God Solomon fully Prov. 3. 5. 6 7 8. prescribes our Duty in several choice and excellent Lessons Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart and lean not unto thine own Understanding In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy Paths | Ne in tua teipsum sapientia contemplari velis Eam elige disciplinam in quam cum inspicias non taâ— teipsum quam Deum ipsum intuearis Be not Wise in thine own Eyes Fear the Lord and depart from Evil. It shall be Health to thy Navel and Marrow to thy Bones I proceed to another Instance drawn from the Power of God The Power and Omnipotency of God abundantly prove His All-Sufficiency This Attribute of Power Omnipotency is the Strong-hold of all Gods Children This is their 2. Attribute viz. The Power of God Shield Buckler Deliverer what not It 's all in all And the Power and Omnipotency of God is a Terror to the Wicked to crush them to peices and to destroy them utterly God is the Universal Omnipotent Soveraign Lord and Commander over the whole World Bildad speaks a great Deal in so short Job 25. 2. a Chapter Dominion and Fear are with him c. God hath all Power in his Hand and can put it forth more or less when and where he pleaseth All the Granaries Treasures Magazines and Fortifications All the Cattle on a Thousand Mountains are at the sole command disposing of the Soveraign Lord and Governour of Heaven and Earth God gives one Creature a Commission to help another God knows such an one to be in sore distress and he saith go Creature Relieve Refresh and Comfort such a One he is my Servant Another is in great danger of being Rob'd Murthered or Drowned as he is a Travelling God sends his Angel to preserve him | Ingens Bonitas Dei cura paterna erga Ecclesiam describitur quod tales nobis Presides adjungit Molles Angeli sunt Domestici Dei caeli cives Bern. And how much we ought to give God thanks for the Ministry of Angels how few of us are sensible Likewise the Hearts of all Men are at Gods Command even the Hearts of the greatest Kings are at Gods Command Prov. 21. 1. As the Rivers of Water he turneth them whithersoever he will The Hearts of inveterate and implacable Enemies are new Molded and Wrought on effectually by the Power of God Amongst others that 's a pregnant instance in Esau in whose Heart lodged an old grudg of Twenty Years standing against his Brother Jacob. And it seems very probable that when he came to meet Jacob with Four Hundred Men that he had in his Heart Rancor and Malice and his Intentions were as Mischiveous as Jacob feared to destroy The Mother and Gen. 32. 11. the Children Yet God who hath the Hearts of the worst of Enemies in his Hand affected the Heart of Esau and melted it into Tears we Read Gen. 33. 4. And Esau ran to meet Him and embrac'd Him and fell on his Neck and kissed Him and they Wept Hence that Proverb of Solomon is an Experimental Truth that When a Mans ways please Prov. 16. 7. the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at Peace with him The best way to obtain Friendship with Men is first to make God our Friend The Duty mainly incumbent on us all is to believe Gods Omnipotency and stay and depend thereupon Thus let 's argue from what hath been done by the Almighty Gen. 1. 3 4. Power of God In the Creation God brought Light out of Darkness Order out of a Chaos of Confusion God made Exod. 14. 22. the Red-Sea to become Dry-land and passable for the Israelites but the Sea returned to his strength and overthrew the Egyptians in the midst thereof God ver 27 caused the Flinty-Rock to become a Springing-Well to quench the Thirst of the Israelites God fed them by a Numb 20. 11. Exod. 16. 13 14. Deut. 25.
our Signs there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long Eligat opportunitatem qui libere dat misericordiam Aug. However it is a grand Duty incumbent on us to be earnest in Prayers and Supplications in the behalf of the Church as Psal 14. v. ult Psal 126. 4. Isa 62. 1 7 8. Some others there are who are inwardly Wounded and that Wound must needs be more full of dolour and Prov. 18. 14. anguish A wounded Spirit Who can bear God withdraws Deus unus animum fractum quassatum erigere restaurare potest idque verbo suo â—uâ— innitentes e naufragio emergemus caput attollemus Carthw the Light of his gracious Countenance from them and this is their greatest affliction They complain frequently of their Troubles by reason of Gods hiding his Face from them The Terrours of the Almighty affright them and Sorrow drinks up their Spirits To such are many suitable Promises to be applyed and the Application of them to themselves in particular is matter of singular Consolation Particularly let them Read and Meditate on what they Read viz. Psal 94. 11. Psal 112. 5. Isa 50. 10. He that Woundeth can only Heal Hos 6. 1. Una eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit Whether the Wound be outward on the Body or Estate or inward on the Soul and Spirit we must make our Adresses and Applications to that one only Healer the great God of Heaven and Earth Exod. 15. 26. For I am the Lord that healeth thee And our Duty is to make use of Gods healing Medicines Jer. 8. 22. What then is our great Duty but to hearken what God speaks in his Word and beware of Relapses Corporal Relapses are dangerous but Spiritual much more Psal 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will Speak For he will Speak Peace unto his People and to his Saints But let them not turn again to Folly CHAP. IV. Contains a Third Argument drawn from God's Providences A Third Argument shall be drawn Arg 3 from divine Providences from divine Providences God's Providences fulfil his Promises As God promiseth help supplies and succours unto his People so by his good Hand of Providence he performs what he hath Promised God Promised great things to Abraham Gen. 17. 1 2. And when Abraham was Ninety Years Old and Nine the Lord appeared to Abraham and said unto him I am the Almighty God Walk before Me and be thou Perfect And I will make my Covenant between me and thee and will Multiply thee exceedingly And God made his Word good to a tittle to him For God gave him Riches in abundance and a numerous Posterity and in him were all the Families of the Earth blessed At God's Command Abraham Heb. 11. 8. left the Land of his Nativity he disputed Valde commendat Abrahamum credulitas promissionis quoniam immediate credidit Deo relinquendo presentia dulciâ— chara ut obediret Deo propter absentia quae non videbat Tena not the Command but yeilded Obedience thereunto And where ever he went he had abundant experience of God's gracious Providence He and his Wife though exposed to great Temptations were safely preserved in the Court of Abimelech As soon as he went Gen. 12. 10. into Canaan there was a Famine in the Land yet God made Provision for him and Preserved him whither ever he went and he obtained Favour both in the Eyes of God and Man Not to multiply many more Instances In Joseph there was a Concatenation of several signal Acts of Providence Although he was envyed by his Brethren cast into the Pit sold to the Ishmaelites and by them to Potiphar Yet God was with him And when Act. 7. 9. through the false accusations of his Mistress he was cast into Prison yet God Gen. 39. 29. was with him in Prison and gave him favour in the Eyes of the Keeper of the Prison It 's very probable that there were several Prisons in Egypt but Joseph was cast into that very Prison where the King's Servants the chief Butler and Baker were Prisoners And it came to pass that each of the King's Servants Dreamed and Joseph Interpreted their Dreams and the Interpretation accordingly was Fulfilled for the chief Butler was restored unto his Place and the Gen. 40. 21 22. chief Baker was Hanged Joseph might hope that he had now purchased a good Friend at Court he reckoned upon the chief Butlers Friendship but he as soon as restored to his Place forgot Joseph Gen. 40. 23. He ungratefully past an act of oblivion of his Ingagements to Joseph But God's time is not yet come for Joseph's Deliverance Wherefore Pharaoh himself Dreams and then the chief Butler remembers his faults and becomes a Remembrancer of Joseph's Skill in Interpreting Dreams Hereupon Joseph is sent for and Interpreteth Pharaoh's Dreams and for his great Wisdom and Understanding is preferred by Pharaoh to be Ruler over all the Land of Egypt And here 's a further Remark of Providence that Joseph hath a Price put into his Hand to be not only under God a Saviour of all Egypt but likewise of his Father and Brethren For when the Famine was in Egypt Cannan and other Places Joseph supplyed their Wants and through God's Blessing upon his wife and provident care preserved multitudes of Families from Perishing Joseph himself acknowledged Act. 7. 9. Non esâ— sine exâ—mplo quod Deus benefacit iis quibus vos nocetis maxime Grot. God's Hand in all things And St. Stephen making an Historical Narration of the several signal Providences exercised towards Joseph ascribes all to the Hand of God remarkable in Joseph's Preservation notwithstanding the envy hatred and malice of his Brethren To this History of Joseph we may add a series of divine Providences fastned together concerning the deliverance of the Jews from the bloody Designs of Haman Although Haman was highly advanced by Ahassuerus and obtained the King's Seal and Pur was cast even a day design'd by Lot for a barbarous Massacre yet Esther by a wonderful Providence though she was a Jew was advanced to be Queen instead of Vasthi She certified the King of Mordecai's faithfulness in discovering a Treason and Mordecai's Loyalty was Chronicled In perpetuam rei memoriam Esther Invited the King to a Banquet and Haman was Invited likewise She then interceded for the People of the Jews and Haman's intended Mischief was seasonably prevented and his horrid Design'd Wickedness fell upon his own Pate The Table proved a snare and the Banquet a forerunner of Hamans Destruction Mordecai was a Loyal and true hearted Subject to the King but Haman hated him for not doing | Non solum consuetudo sed etiam lex domestica Iudaeorum diserte vetat honorem deo debitum ulli mortalium exhibere Drus. in Est 3. 2. that reverence which he expected from him Some are of Opinion that Haman expected more
Tempestuous Waves of the Sea dashing one upon another with renewed Violence Now though Job could not remove these heavy Afflictions yet he found the Sense of them much abated and his Spirit much quieted by Praising God for all and acknowledging the Hand of God in all as appears Job 1. 21. Third However though Afflictions 3. Afflictions are Sanctified continue very great and painful and neither removeable nor sense of Mitigation appears at present yet the worst of Afflictions are through Mercy Sanctified to the Children of God Affliction in it self is not Bonum yet it 's turn'd in Bonum to the Good of all true Believers The Good Figgs were carried away Captive for their Good Jer. 24. 5. The Tribe of Judah resembled by those Good Figgs was carried away Captive into Babylon but God wrought Good for them out of their Captivity Men would be apt to pass Censures because of the Sufferings of Judah in their Captivity but the Lord Corrects their Censures in promising that all shall be for their Good Quasi diceret prepostere fieri judicium de calamitate paucorum annorum sed expectandum esse finem Calvin in Jer. 24. 5. Luther in Gen. 6. As if he should say That a Judgment of the Calamity of a few Years is made preposterously but the End must be expected as Calvin observes on the place fore-quoted Jer. 24. 5. The Lord Professeth that he humbled and proved his People and his end was to do them Good in the latter End Deut. 8. 16. We are Corrected for our Profit Heb. 12. 10. Luther used to say Schola crucis est Schola lucis non est Christanus qui non est crucianus It 's a common saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corrections are Instructions so they should be and they are happy where Correction and Instruction meet together as the Psalmist Cum vibices dorso meo imprimeres precepta tua cordi meo insculpsisti Rivet in Psalm expresseth Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the Man whom thou chastneth O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Joseph's Brethren when they were in distress in Egypt reflected upon their Sin and were perplexed for it which was committed many Years before and lookt upon their present Suffering as a just Punishment for that Sin Gen. 42. 21. And they said one to another we are verily Prius quam urgeret eos afflictio tor pebant nunc ingredi coguntur in suas conscientias Calvin in Gen. 42. 21. Guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the Anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us They are good Observations Oculos quos culpa claudit poena aperit vexatio Qui tribulantur Sacras Scripturas melius intelligunt Secundi prosperi eas leguâ—â— sicut Oviâ—ii carmen Luther dat intellectum The Fiery Furnace did not hurt the Three Children Only Three were cast into the Furnace but there appeared a Fourth even the Angel of God for their Deliverance The nature of Fire was changed insomuch as it had no power so much as to Singe an Hair of their Heads The Mouths of the Lyons were stopt and could not hurt Daniel Daniel was Dan. 7. 22. cast alone into the Den but he was not alone there for he had the company of an Angel of God who was sent to shut the Lyons Mouths The Deluge of Water which Drowned the whole World did not drown Noah's Ark. but bare it up so Afflictions when Sanctified are so far from hurting God's Children as they help them and lift them up nigher to Heaven Afflictions are as a vantage ground to raise them higher to see a great deal further or like so many Looking-Glasses to represent to the Children of God their Stains and Deformities I shall apply a saying of St. Ambrose Quod pateris unde plangis Medicina est tibi non poena castigatio non damnatio noli repellere flagellum Domini nisi vis repelli ab haereditate Tribuâ—atio est aqua salsa quae Scabiem purgat abstergit Guil. Paris de morib 9. It 's reported that salt Marishes cure disseased Sheep I am sure Salt preserves Meat from Putrifaction Scullions scoure away Rust from Vessels The Fan separates the Wheat from the Chaff much more do Afflictions when Sanctifi'd advantage God's Children But we must know that it was not the moving Veniet tribulatio mea veniet purgatio mea August Psal 61. Joh. 5. 4. of the Waters of the pool of Bethesda that made them Healing but it was the coming of the Angel at a certain Season who troubled the Waters and afterwards who ever stept in first was Healed It was not the Mantle of Elijah that divided the Waters but the God of Elijah neither will Troubles Losses Sufferings meerly considered as in themselves do us any good unless the Lord Sanctify them to us and by them Purge Purify Refine and Cleanse us and make us partakers of his Holiness Wherefore our Duty is with a calm and sedate Spirit to submit unto God's Correcting Hand and act Faith on Promises and exercise Patience and Pray Job 36. 10. that God would open our Ears to receive Discipline and Purge out our Dross and Tin so that by Afflictions and Corrections our Sins and Corruptions may be wrought out and Graces wrought into our Hearts If Afflictions produce such good Effects we shall be exceeding great Gainers by our Losses and after a deliberate reflecting upon all our Sufferrings we shall Experimentally conclude with David every one of us in particular as Psal 119. 67. Before I was Afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy Words Comp. with vers 17. It is good for me that I have been Afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes What great benefit God's People get by their Sufferings is evidently Represented Psal 68. 13. Though ye have lain among the Pots yet shall ye be as the Wings of a Dove covered with Silver and her Feathers with yellow Gold | Etiam jacueritis inter vasa plena fuliginis i. e. oppressi fueritis magna calamitate candidi laetique reddemini ob liberationem Vatab. This as good Authors observe sets forth the happy Issue of Afflictions and the great Benefit which the People of God get by them but of this more largely in the next particular Fourthly and lastly though Afflictions 4thly Vnde sequitur non semper jucunda serenitate frui Ecclesiam sed ex tenebris erutam splendorem recuperare ac si ab omni malo intacta foret Calv. may be heavy for a time yet the exceeding great Compensation and Profit acruing in the close will make amends for all So it was with Job Jam. 5. 11. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord. And what that was we have Recorded Job 42 10. | Scriptura monet ipsi duplo facultates amissas fuisse
redditas benedictione sc Domini quae abunde ditat Merc. The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before Christ makes a large Promise consisting of many particulars which according to the Rule of an Induction concludes Universally Mat. 19. 29. And every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my Names Sake shall receive an Hundred Fold and shall Inherit Everlasting Life The meaning is not that a Man should receive an Hundred Fathers or Mothers c. but that he should receive Christ who is infinitely | Ipse unus Christus erit tibi omnia quia in ipso uno bono bona sâ—nt omâ—â—a August Exoâ— 12. 36. more worth then all Sometimes God makes up the Losses of his Suffering Servants in kind God gave the Israelites Favour in the Eyes of the Egyptians so that at parting from them They Spoiled them And God took away the Substance of Laban and gave it unto Jacob in Recompence of his rigorous Servitude however if God doth not make up worldly Losses with the Riches of the World yet he makes them up to his Children with Spiritual Riches which are as much better as Heaven is better than Earth David lost his Wives his House even all that he had of the World at the sacking of Ziglag but he had that which was infinitely better than all that he had Lost for he had Consolations from Heaven and Supportation from God 1 Sam. 30. 6. But David incouraged himself in the Lord his God It 's a saying commonly observ'd Virtus repulsae nescia Sordidae I have Read that when Alexander was in a great Strait and was put upon an hard Service he said En periculum par animo Alexandri here 's a Danger fit for the Mind of an Alexander to Encounter withal So David in his great Straits at Ziglag discovered heroical Magnanimity he sunk not under those heavy Pressures but made use of the Right and only Support and Strength in Trouble as the Text Specifies But i. e. notwithstanding the Burning of Ziglag the carrying away his Wives and many People Captive and the Mutiny of the discontented Souldiers who threatned to Stone him David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Manasseh gain'd more good by a Prison than by a Palace and was a greater gainer for his Soul by an Iron Chain than by a Chain of Gold when the Prodigal fed on Husks he understood himself better than when he fed delicately at his Fathers Table Zeno could say after he Jam didici Philosophari Zeno. had suffered Shipwrack Now I have learned to be a Philosopher And should not a Christian say Experimentally By Sufferings Losses and Crosses I have Learned to value all things under the Sun at a lower rate than ever and Christ and his Graces and Heaven at an higher rate It was a frequent saying of Aquinas that great School-Doctor Mallem bonam conscientiam quam plenum marsupium Aquinas I had rather have a good Conscience than a full Purse But instar omnium the Apostles Determination takes place Phil. 3. 8. who counted all things but Loss and Dung in comparison of Christ The Original words are Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loss and Garbidge Put Christ and his Riches in one Scale and the World with all its Pomp and Bravery in another Scale and these are less than the Dust of the Ballance in comparison of Christ and his Riches for these will infinitely preponderate Wherefore let us make sure of Eternal and never fading Riches It was a choice saying of Lewis of Bavoyer Emperour of Germany Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent i. e. Such Riches are to be got as when a Shipwrack comes they will Swim out with us And these are only the Riches of Christ CHAP. VIII Containing a Second Reason drawn from the excellency of a quiet and submissive Frame of Spirit I now Proceed to a Second Reason 2. Reason drawn from the excellency of this submissive Spirit drawn from the excellency of this submissive Frame of Spirit which yields to God and Resignes all to his Disposal Solomon tells us Prov. 12. 26. The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour and Prov. 17. 27. A Man of Understanding is of an excellent Spirit Now wherein doth the excellency of this Wise Man Shine but by the lustre of his Graces Grace is the Beauty of the Soul and no Ornament like those of Divine Graces to Adorn a Christian Now a Man of a Wise composed Spirit who depends on God for his Portion and stays upon his All-Sufficiency and makes it his Study to resign himself and to submit to God's Will in all Estates and Conditions whatsoever such a Man doth in a Conspicuous and Eminent manner exert and exercise six choice Graces viz Wisdom Faith Hope Patience Self-Denial and Holy Courage Every one of these is an expedient and help for the right Management of a Christian excellent Spirit amidst varieties of Hardships and Sufferings incumbent on us First For Wisdom As it is a sign of 1. Wisdom Prov. 22. 3. Mich. 6. 9. Prudence to Foresee Evil so it is a Character of a Man of Wisdom To hear the Rod and who hath appointed it He is a Wise Man that deliberately observes the handy Works of God and acknowledgeth his Wisdom Power and Soveraignty in ordering all Affairs It 's a doggish Quality to snarl at the Stone and not to take notice of the Hand that Threw it To make a strict enquiry into Second Causes to find out such and such an Evil Instrument and to quarrel wlth them by reviling words and revengeful deeds Oh! How unsutable is this to a Christian Spirit That eminent Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Dod was a signal example of Meekness and Compassion towards his Enemies In the beginning of the late sad and lamentable Wars a Souldier who had Plundred his House and gave him reproachful and threatning Language a few days after that Souldier being Sript in the Battle at Edge-Hill Fled for his Life and came again to Mr. Dods House in a forlorn Condition ready to be Starved for want of Cloathing which when that good Man Mr. Dod heard of hâ— sent Cloaths unto him to cover his Nakedness Here 's the Wisdom of a Christian Spirit to understand the great Duty mentioned by the Apostle Not to Rom. 12. 21. be overcome of Evil but to overcome Evil with Good When the Psalmist tells of the Afflictions of God's Children Psal 107. 39. and of their Deliverance ver 40 41 42. he Concludes ver 43. Who so is Wise and will observe those things even they shall understand the Kindness of the Lord. Quid de paenarum acerbita te qnecimur unus quisque nostrum se punit Slav. lib. 3. A Wise Man under Afflictions will inquire into the Cause and reflect upon himself as the Church did
lentus iram moderabitur exitum spectans Merc. and will never expect an End but a Man Patient and slow to Anger will moderate his Anger expecting an End By Faith we possess the Head by Love we possess one another by Patience every one possesseth himself wherefore Christs Charge is to be again and again inculcated Luke 21. 19. In your Patience possess ye your Souls The Saints are Recorded for Patterns Non potest accipi dolorum passionum corona nisi praecedat in dolore passione patientia Cyp. de Bono patientâ—ae of Patience Heb. 6. 12. We are here Commanded to be followers of them Who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises The Patience of Saints is Commended Rev. 2. 19. Rev. 3. 10. There 's a necessity of Patience Heb. 10. 36. Cyprian that Holy Martyr tells us That we cannot receive the Crown of our Sufferings unless Patience go before And he saith likewise in the same Book which is De Bono patientiae That we are Hoc ipsum quod Christiani sumus fidei Spei res est ut autem spes fides ad fructum sui possint pervenire patienti â—opus est Cyp. de Bono patientiae Christians this is the Matter of our Faith and Hope but that our Faith and Hope may come to any Fruit we have need of Patience This Grace of Patience shines in the Dark and in the Night of Sufferings puts forth it self more Conspicuously For Sufferings are the Tryals of Patience Hence it comes to pass that even in times of a dark Vision when God clouds his Countenance a Spirit endowed with Patience Waits Believes Hopes Prayes and thus is prepared for the reception of Mercy when it comes and for the bearing of Sufferings whilst they continue Lay then aside all querulous murmuring revengeful Thoughts and let it be a Christians Strength to sit still and wait quietly and patiently for the Salvation of God 5. Self-Denial Fifthly Amidst Losses and Sufferings Self-Denial Eminently appears and shews it self When the World Frowns Enemies Rage all Cystern and Creature-Helps are dried up quite or Run very low when Interests fail then to keep a Composed quiet Frame of Spirit and to get the Heart above Envy Hatred and Malice is a rare Frame of Spirit But it 's much more an excellent Frame of Spirit to deny a Man's self in time of Prosperity when one enjoys the World as we say at Will and to be in the Float of Prosperity then to strike Sail and to deny Pleasures Luxury and Excess this is a property of an excellent Spirit Of this Spirit was Moses Heb. 11. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 11. 11. when he liv'd at Court When he came to Years more properly rendred when he became Great refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter Thus did Uriah in a time of War deny himself Godfry of Bulloyne would not wear a Crown of Gold where Christ was Crucified Abdicare a teipso ne abdiceris a Christo â—epudia te ut recipiaris â— Christo Salv. lib. 5. with a Crown of Thorns This Duty of Self-Denial is frequently Commanded in the Gospel as an Instrumental means to receive Christ. And it 's worth our Observation that as we are Commanded to beg our Dayly Bread Day by Day so we are Commanded to Deny our selves and to take up our Cross Day by Day The same Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt dies diem sequitur sic crux crucem excipit Beza we have in Luke 9. 23. and Luke 11. 3. For an Ambitious Man to Deny his Honours a Rich Man to Deny his Riches a Voluptuous Man to Deny his Pleasures these are great Acts of Self-Denial Sixthly and Lastly there follows holy 6. Holy Courage Courage a well temper'd and regular Zeal which as Luther used to say When it 's well Temper'd it 's the best gift Ira in suo loco est optimum dei donum Luther of God Here 's a Critical Distinction of Zeal which is of the right Stamp from a private Grudg or distemper'd Passion viz. By being Zealous in the Cause of God and by being meek in a Man 's own private Cause Of this Heroick Spirit was Moses when a Calf was made and there was Dancing about it Moses Transported with singular Zeal threw the Tables out of his Hand and Broke them and Stampt the Calfe to Powder and caus'd Exemplary Justice to be Executed upon the Idolaters Thus Zealous Causa redditur cur Deus injuriam Mosis ul ciscendam crediderit quia ipse in suis injuriis ferendis erat lenissimus Grotius was he for the Cause of God But in his own Cause none more Meek for when Aaron and Miriam chode with him concerning the Aethiopian Woman the Text gives an ample Testimony of his Meekness leaving it upon Record Numb 12. 13. Now this Man Moses was very Meek above all the Men which were upon the Face of the Earth Luther used to say in the Cause of God Hic gero In aliis mansuetus ero in Blasphemiis in Christum non item Zuinglius titulum cedo nulli Though Zuinglius was of a comparative Moderation yet in case of Blasphemies he was a Man of Courage The Courage of Martyrs is renowned in Ecclesiastical Histories Amongst variety that might be named I 'le relate only this following viz. The Si Patibulum crucis inquit Martyr Expavescerem gloriam crucis non predicarem Bern. in vigilias Andreae Coutzen Aulae speculum p. 47. History of Surgius and Bacchus two great Courtiers who being accused for Christians and commanded to Offer unto Idols refused to go to the Temple and gave this answer to the Emperour Nos Imperator sola terrrena militiâ tibi obstricti sumus In animas nullum tibi jus est Illarum Dominus est solus Deus There are two Apostolical Characters of Zeal which if observed we may go on Couragiously and Prosper One is Zeal must be in a good Matter Gal. 4. 18. Saul's Zeal before his Conversion was Predicare Evangelium est derivare in se furoremtotiâ—us Inferni Satanae Luth. Loc. Com. stark naught And the other is it must be according to Knowledg Rom. 10. 2. Luther used to say That to Preach the Gospel was to bring all the Devils in Hell about his Ears yet he was resolved That if every Tile on the Houses was a Devil he would go to Worms and Preach the Gospel CHAP. IX Containing a Third Reason drawn from the Utility and Benefit accruing from this yielding Submissive Spirit A Third Reason shall be drawn from Reas 3 from the Benefit of a submissive Spirit the Utility and Benefit accruing from this yielding Submissive Spirit The Benefit is exceeding great because hereby the whole Man is set in a right Frame and Order When we can chearfully rely upon God and depend upon his All-Sufficiency then our Thoughts Words Affections and
you Thus I have shewed Negatively that Christians ought to avoid Envy and Revenge now it remains that I should Affirmatively set down some particular Duties which ought to be reduced unto point of Practice by the Suffering Afflicted Servants of God The First Duty is to acknowledge Duty 1. To acknowledge the righteous dealings of God the Righteous Dealings of God in every thing so did the Church Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is Righteous for I have Rebelled against his Commandements And Micah 7. 9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have Sinned against him It 's a great Fault in many when they have suffered Wrong to be over curiously and restlesly Inquisitive after second Causes and when they have found them out to be Evil Instruments do trouble themselves with angry querulous Language and Repinings against them By this means a Christian adds Oyl to the Flame and increaseth his Vexations and Troubles Whereas if a Christian could look at the Hand of God and acknowledge his Proceedings to be Just and Righteous altogether How composedly and quietly should he bear up under Sufferings Salvian hath an Excellent Quis est causationis locus Quam liber aspera adversa patiamur minor a patimur quam meremur Quod querimur quod dure nobiscum agat Deus Multo nos cum Deo durius agimus Exacerbamus quippe Deum impuritatibus nostris ad puniendos nos traâ—imus invitum Salv. saying What Cause is there of Complaining Although we Suffer sharp and bitter things yet we Suffer less than we deserve Why do we complain that God Deals hardly with us We Deal much more hardly with Him because we provoke Him by our Impurities and draw Him unwillingly to Punish us David look't at the Hand of God when Shimei reviled him and so did Job upon the Report of his great Losses So must we under Afflictions look at the first Cause and acknowledge God's Righteous Dealings and look unto the Meritorious Cause and acknowledge that the Evil of our Doings which we have Committed have justly procured the Evil of Punishment which we Suffer Let 's then cease from Murmuring and resolve the Effect into the Cause i. e. The Evil of Punishment which we Suffer deservedly befalls us for the Evil of Sin which we have Committed A Second Duty is to Endeavour to Duty 2. To get a submissive Spirit get a submissive quiet yielding Frame of Spirit so did David Psal 39. 9. I was Dumb I opened not my Mouth because Thou didst it The Wicked were a Sword to David but he looked at that Sword as Over-ruled and Ordered by the Hand of God This submissive Behaviour Psal 17. 13. Lam. 3. 29. is a Putting our Mouths in the Dust and a Keeping of Silence when we are chastened by God as Job was c. 38. v. 2. Who is this that darkneth Counsel by words without Knowledge We should Answer with him c. 40. v. 5. Once have I Spoken but I will not Answer yea twice but I will Proceed no further Job's Heart was Wrought over into a submissive Frame and therefore he elsewhere Professeth as c. 42. 6. I abhor my self and Repent in Dust and Ashes Let 's then Acquiesce and rest Satisfy'd with God's Dispensations and learn to Kiss the Rod that beats us Where we are bid to Kiss the Son least he be Angry Psal 2. 12. The Seventy render the Words Kiss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Versio 70. Discipline or Correction Do not say I must Submit for that 's not enough for God will make thee bend or else break thee to Pieces but say I will Submit to a Wise God whose Works are perfect and all his Ways are Just and Righteous altogether Duty 3. to practise the divine Art of contentment A Third Duty is to Study to Practise the Divine Art of Contentment It 's a | 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mystery to learn And it 's a Jewel of great Value to him that is the Possessor of it The Apostle got an habit of Contentment by the Exercise of many Acts Phil. 4. 11 12. I have Learned in whatsoever State I am therewith to be Content I know how to be Abased and I know how to Abound every where and in all Nunquam ergo fuit pâ—â—per Pâ—â—per enim qui multa â—â—pâ—t 〈◊〉 â—um qui plurimis deâ—tâ—â—â—tur seâ— qui pluribus inhiâ—â— pâ—â—pereâ— censeas Divitem vero qui suâ— sorte contentus est Lud. de Dieu things I am Instructed both to be Full and to be Hungry both to Abound and to suffer Need. This Contentment Praeclara est aequabilitâ—s in omni vitâ idem seâ—per vâ—ltâ—s eademqâ—e frons Cic oâ—â— â— 1. is a gracious Frame of Spirit whereby a Christian takes Vir bonus est semper idem in omni â—ctu par sibi Seâ— Complacency in God's Dispensations in every Condition Antisthenes desired of the Gods A great Boon and that was to give him the Spirit of Socrates and that was a composed and contented Spirit One and the same in all Conditions It is said of Cato that no Man saw him to be Changed though he Lived in a time when there were many Changes It 's Observable that when David Pen'd Psalm 57. he was in Adversity he fled from Saul in the Cave and the Title of that Psalm is Al-taschith Destroy not Yet in his Adversity he had resolved upon a fixed contented Spirit ver 7. My Heart is Fixed O God my Heart is Fixed And when he was in Prosperity he holds on the same Resolution Psal 108. 1. O God my Heart is Fixed I will Sing and give Praise even with my Glory His tongue which was hereby meant his Glory should be the Trumpeter of the Creators praise Now a contented minde can bear losses better then other men When God is pleased to bring down a mans condition if then he bring the heart down all 's well To bring thy mind to thy condition and to look upon that Dimensum or allowance given thee by God as sufficient and to be thankful for it this argueth a contented mind Heathens highly extoll a contented minde | Satis divitiarum erat nihil amplius velle Quintil. Declam One saith It 's riches enough to desire no more Another judgeth him an happy man who is Beatus est presentibus qualiacunque sunt contentus Sen. de vita beata content with what he hath at present A third accounts him not an happy man that Beatus est non qui habet quae cupit sed qui non cupit quae non habet Asonius hath what he desires but him who desires not what he hath not Nature is content with a little Grace with less It seems to be a riddle which Hesiod the antient Poet propounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Halfe is more then the whole A learned Commentator brings in the judgments of Plato and Aristotle interpreting that saying
a great affront and indignity But how much greater must it be to give the Lye to the Great GOD of Heaven and Earth as is plain from 1 Johâ— 5. 10. He that believeâ—â— Quis non horrâ—at fidem Eâ—angelio derogare in quo Deus â—nice verax fidelis vult haberi Calv. not God hath made 〈◊〉 a Lyar because he belâ—veth not the Record thâ— God gave of his Son An Unbelieveâ— belyeth the Holy Gospel and malâ—esâ— in his account no better than a Fableâ— and Christ no better than an Impoâ—â—â— O! How great then must this Sâ— be Third An Unbeliever is a Thief and 3. An Unbeliever is a Thief a Robber He so far as in him lyeth robbeth God of his Glory and Honour We must distinguish for prevention of Mistakes of a twofold Glory viz. Essential and declarative It 's imposible to Rob God of his Essential Glory But an Unbeliever doth his utmost to Rob God of his Declarative Glory For he distrusts God's Power Wisdom Mercy and Truth He calls all the Attributes of God into Question and this is an interpretative Blasphemy and a transcendent Affront and indignity offered unto the Great GOD of Heaven and Earth Could Pythagoras a Heathen Philosopher so far prevail upon his Schollars as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he said was Authentick and Perswasive And shall not the Word of Christ who spake as never Man spake even the words of Eternal Life shall not these gain Credit and Obedience But I proceed to reprove a Second 2. Murmurers are Reproved Sort who are Murmurers complaining and discontented Persons They are so far from being thankful as they ought to be for what they have already Received insomuch that they Murmur swhich they ought not for what they want These entertain hard Thoughts of God And when they are not Satisfied nor answered as soon as they call they break forth into repinings and discontented Language So did the murmuring Israelites smart for their Murmurings and became Spectacles of dreadful Judgments They were denied entrance into the promised Land Numb 14. 29 30. The Earth opened her Mouth and Swallowed Korah Dathan and Abiram And the Psalmist gives the Reason of their overthrow in the Wilderness Psal 106. 25. because They Murmured in their Tents and Hearkned not unto the Voice of the Lord. The Mischiefs of murmuring and discontented Spirits are exceeding great I shall represent them in these ensuing Aggravations First There is a great deal of Unthankfulness Aggrav 1. There is Unthankfulness in Murmuring in a murmuring Spirit It is the Lord's Mercy that we are not Consumed because his Compassions fail not We are yet Living Men That we are not struck Dead in our Sins is Mercy and we have great cause of Thankfulness that we are Living Men Wherefore then â—am 3. 39. should the Living Man complain Yet we are on this side Hell and Eternity and if we have less than Hell it 's more than we deserve Unthankful and uâ—holy 2. Tin 3. 2. are Ranked together Unthankfulness is a Wicked Effect that comes from a murmuring Spirit For though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quibus nullum juâ— est nec 〈◊〉 Beza many receive Mercies heaped and varieties of Loving Kindnesses Yet Murmurers account the Mercies which they Receive as no Mercies or very small things because they have not what they would have And thus Men lessen God's Mercies and lightly Esteem of them which is a very great Evil. Thus the Israelites accounted Manna but Light Bread They were weary of it and their Murmuring Numb 21. 5. They counted Ainsw discovered their great Ingratitude it base and vile in comparison with otheâ— Meats Secondly Murmuring hinders the Practice 2. Aggra Murmuring hinders the Practice of Duties of Duties A Man Discontented cannot set himself to pray Aright When we Pray we should acknowledge God's Soveraignty over us and resign our wills to His disposal But by Murmuring we presume to Prescribe to God and to be our own Carvers and so undoe our Prayers How can a discontented Man reap Profit by a Sermon when his Mind is Distracted and roving in the uttermost parts of the Earth How can a Man that 's dayly Murmuring and Discontented perform as he ought to do the Duties of his Relations as a Husband Father Master c. when as his Spirit is Perplexed and his Mind Tortured like one upon a Rack His Bread is his Gravel his Bed a Bed of Thorns he hath a restless and unquiet Spirit which unfits him for every Duty Thirdly Murmuring adds greater 3. Aggra Murmuring adds greater weight to Afflictions Weight to any Affliction If a Marriâ—er in a Storm will be froward and angry at the Storm and will not pull down his Sails his discontented Humour may hazard the losing of the Ship So a discontented Heart is a froward Heart and frets and fumes and swells with Pride and will not yield and therefore the Affliction is much more Grievous and Insupportable Fourthly and Lastly A murmuring 4. Aggra Murmuring ends in a Curse and discontented Spirit terminates in a great Curse Psal 59. 15. Let them wander up and down for Meat and Grudg if they be not Satisfied This is an Imprecation and Certe justo Dei judicio ad eum moâ—um punâ—untur tyrannorum satellices â—iserâ—â—um â—oppressores quibus bona pâ—â—perum per injuriam ablatâ— impenduntur ut oâ—es per caluâ—â—â—m aâ—qâ—isitas non dâ—â— obtineant deinde ad â—gâ—statem reâ—acti neminem inveniant qui â—furientium Commisereatur digni qui â—andem inhumaâ—â—â—â— quam itsi antea exercuerunt in immâ—ritos expâ—riantur Muâ—cul in Loc. Curse upon wicked Men that if they be not Satisfied they shall Grudg There is likewise a Curse upon those that are not Content with their present Condition Deut. 28. 67. In the Morning thou shalt say would God it were Even and at Even thou shalt say would God it were Morning Neither Evening nor Morning pleaseth a discontented Person He is such as the Proverb saith Who is neither contented Full nor Fasting There is a Curse likewise Deut. 28. 4. upon thosâ— Who served not the Lord with Joyfulness and with Gladness of Heart for the abundance of all things God would have his People serve him with Chearfulness This was the Resolution of the Church when she was in a low trembling Condition Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the Fig-Tree shall not Blossom neither shall Fruit be in the Vine the Labour of the Olive shall fail and the Fields shall yield no Meat the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the Stalls Yet will I Rejoyce in the Lord I will Joy in the God of my Salvation None indeed have cause Gaudiâ—â—â— propriuâ— est Piorum Aug. of Joy but God's Children Joy saith Augustin Is only the Portion of the Godly Away then with and abandon all murmuring discontented Speeches Labour Res
because it is Incredible I 'le leave off Disputing and learn to Believe Great and wonderous Effects have been brought to pass by the Faithful Prayers of the Children of God When the Army of the | Antoninus Emperour was like to Perish for want of Water the Christian Army that was called Euseb Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayed and a plentiful Rain was poured down When a Young Man at Wittenburge had Sealed an Indenture to the Devil upon the Prayers of Luther and others joyn'd with him the Indenture was thrown in among Oratio est Deo Sacrificium Diabolo flagellum animae Solatium Aug. them through the Window What will not a Prayer made of Faith as an Instrumental Means under God effect Such a Prayer is said to be a Sacrifice to God a Scourge to the Devil and a Comfort to the Soul A Third Qualification of Prayer is Qual 3. Prayer must be Offered in Christ's Name this that it must be Offered in Christ's Name and his alone No other Object of Faith but Christ nor any other Advocate no other Mediator nor Intercessor Joh. 16. 26. Joh. 15. 16. but Christ alone Christ tells us we must Ask in his Name and we shall have whatsoever we Ask for given unto us Christ is that Altar whereupon we must Offer all our Sacrifices He is that great Master of Requests who must prefer our Petitions to his Father Besides his Name there is no Salvation Acts 4. 12. Besides his Blood there 's no Redemption Eph. 1. 7. Wherefore Luther tells us Whatsoever is Prayed Quicquid oratur doceâ—ur vivitur Extra Christum est Idolatria coram Deo peccatum Luth. Tom. 3. Edit Gen. p. 300. Non solum periculum sed horribile est de Deo extra Christum cogitare Luth. in Psal 28. Taught and Lived without Christ is Idolatry before God and Sin And he likewise saith That it 's not only Dangerous but Horrible to think of God without Christ Neither Heathens nor Jews know how to Pray neither can any Prayer they make obtain Favour at God's Hand because they Pray not in the Name of Christ And without Christ God is a Consuming Fire an Inexorable Judge but in Christ a Merciful and Reconciled Father Christ is our Peace Eph. 2. 14. He hath Trod the Wine-press alone Isa 63. 3. Wherefore we must prefer all our Prayers in the Name of Christ As it 's reported of the Persians that when they had Offended their King they brought his Son in their Arms hoping thereby to Reconcile themselves to the King So we must present Christ unto the Father in the Arms of Faith He is our Reconciler the beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased If Adam and all his Posterity had Suffered Pains and Torments to all Eternity they could not have merited God's Favour But Christ hath merited by his active and passive Obedience And saves Heb. 7. 25. to the uttermost all those that come unto God through him seeing he ever Lives to make Intercession for them Luther hath a notable Expression I saith he often and willingly Inculcate Ego saepe libenter hoc inculco ut extra Christum oculos aures claudatis dicatis nullum vis Scire Deum nisi qui fuit in gremio Mariae suxit ubera ejus Luth. in Psal 30. this That without Christ you may shut your Eyes and Ears and say that you know no God but him that was in the Lap of Mary and Suckt her Breasts A Fourth Qualification of Prayer is Qualif 4. Prayer must be Offered up with Fervency Quod assiduam sonaâ— instantiam Eras that it must be with Fervency Hence the Apostle Exhorts Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer The Word is Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortiter perdurantes there 's Strength and Perseverance exprest by that original word We must put our whole Strength to the Duty so we are exhorted Col. 4. 2. And we have Encouragement from the great Success of a Fervent Prayer James 5. 16. The effectual Fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much In which words there are observable 1. The Person qualifyed A Righteous Man i. e. Such a one who is made Righteous by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Such a one hath the Spirit of Adoption and the Spirit of Prayer for they both go together Gal. 4. 6. And as for such who have not Christ's Spirit they have their dreadful Doom Rom. 8. 9. They are none of his and if none of Christ's they are the Devils questionless 2. Observe the Qualification of Prayer It 's rendered Effectual fervent Prayer in the Original It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of great Weight and choice Signification Those that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were Inspir'd and Transported in a high manner they could do great Things As Saul said of David we may say of Prayer Thou shalt do great Things and also shalt prevail It was said of Luther Quasi dicas â—tuosam i. e. ardeâ—tem assiduam opponi putant perfunctorie Beza in Prayer Tantum potuit quantum voluit The Prayer that God Requires and Accepts must be a Rowzing Fervent Vigorous Prayer God requires the Male in the Flock and there 's a Curse upon the Deceiver that hath a Male in the Flock voweth â—ui timide rogat docet â—egare Deus differt dare ut tu discas orâ—re Deus frequenter differt nostra postulata ut discamus grandia granditer desiderare Aug. Sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt Thing Mal. 1. 14. The Life Heat Vigor and Fervency of the Heart must all be imployed for God To ask faintly is the ready way to be denyed If God delay â—s it is that we may add more Vigour and Fervour to our Prayers God would have us Cry louder and Knock harder and Seek more diligently and Wait more Patiently 3. The Success followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Availeth much There 's a Blessed Success Prisoners have been Prayed out of Prison Armies have been Discomfited Plots have been Counterplotted by Fervent Prayers O! What great Things have been brought to pass by Prayer Yet I cannot approve of those over-bold Expressions of some who say That Prayer is an Omnipotent Vertue and Prayer is Clavis viscerum Dei But these may be understood Clave non Errante and in a sound Sense admit of a fair Interpretation We Pray but the Spirit Bombarda Christianorum Luth. teacheth us how to Pray Prayer is only an Instrumental Means as a Weapon in God's Hand that Moves and Guides it So that the Gift Grace and Success of Prayer all come from God and to God we must return the Praise and Glory of all A Fifth and Last Qualification of Prayer Qualif 5. of Prayer is Perseverance Nisi adsit in orationae perseverandi constantia nihil oâ—ando agimus Caâ—v Iustii l. 3. â— 20. August Hae. 57. is
Perseverance so we are commanded 1 Thes 5. 17. Pray without Ceasing The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Intermission or Continually This is Interpreted by the same Apostle Ephes 6. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in every Season and Col. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alwayes He saith Austin prayeth continually who lets no Day pass without Prayer Though God Frown and be Angry we must persevere in the Duty of Prayer And it 's a good Signe to continue Fervent in the Duty even when God defers us and seems not to hear us A Hypocrite will not hold out He prayes only by Fits and Starts VVill he delight himself in the Almighty VVill he always call upon God saith Job c. 27. v. 10. A Third and Last Duty as a Special Duty 3. To get the Ornament of a meek quiet Spirit Help and Direction to depend upon God's All-Sufficiency even in Suffering Times is To labour to get the Ornament of a Meek and Quiet Spirit which as the Apostle Peter saith is in 1. Pet. 3. 4. the Sight of God of great Price A composed quiet Spirit is put into an excellent capacity to submit unto God and depend on him amidst the greatest Straights and Difficulties It 's Observed that Glowormes shine brightest in the darkest Nights I am sure a meek and quiet Spirit appears most conspicuously in the Night of Afflictions Some are naturally more Meek than others and have in some measure attained unto this Moral Vertue as Socrates and other Heathens did But a Christians Meekness shews it self amidst Revilings Buffettings and variety of Evil Entreaties from ungodly Men. How doth he labour to moderate his Passions and even amidst blustring Storms and Tempests then he endeavours to becalm his Spirit so that though there be Storms without he would gladly get and keep Serenity within For Instance when God Chastiseth with his own Immediate Hand by Famine Pestilence or other Noxious Diseases now is a time to exercise Meekness and Composedness of Spirit When God permits Satan and his Instruments to Persecute the Saints then is the time to be Silent and avoid Murmuring and Reviling Language and to prepare to do and Suffer as becomes Christians and quietly to wait for God's Salvation God's Vine Thrives most by Bleeding and Persecutors serve instead of Gold-Smiths to Purify and Refine God's Children in the Furnace of Affliction The Fire purifieth Gold and Silver but consumes Stubble Wicked Men grow worse and worse by Afflictions but Godly Men grow better and better more weaned from the World more Heavenly minded and more Fruitful in every Good Word and Work It 's observable that Oyl increaseth the Flame whereas Water quencheth it Fretting and Chafing is like Oyl to the Flame Meekness is like Water to quench it A Flint is sooner broken on a Pillow than on an Anvile A soft Answer saith Solomon turneth away Wrath. Meekness and Calmness of Spirit Works much Good every way for a Meek Man enjoyeth himself and those Possessions which God bestoweth on him Psal 37. 11. But the Meek shall Inherit the Earth and shall Delight themselves in the abundance of Peace This Christ Promiseth Mat. 5. 5. They are Blessed Persons They shall be free from many outward Vexations whereunto Angry Persons expose themselves They shall as Hierome Observes Inherit Haereditabunt terram illam viventium â—â—a mites humiles possideb terram hoc est vitam aeternam Hieron in Psal 37. this Earth and the Life to come Meek Persons have Interest in those Promises whereof one is They shall Eat and be Satisfied Psal 22. 26. Another is That God will Guide them in Judgment Psal 25. A Third is That God will Beautify the Meek with Salvation Psal 149. 4. If then we would profit by Afflictions we must get a meek and quiet Spirit Affliction Preacheth Meekness of Spirit And some have learn't more Meekness by a few Weeks Imprisonment than by hearing Sermons for many Years before Affliction is one of God's Teaching Ordinances and when a chastising Rod and a teaching Word go together there 's a Mercy in such an Affliction If we would be followers of Christ we must be Lowly and Meek for he Propounds himself a Pattern for our Imitation Learn of Me for I am Meek and Lowly in Heart and ye shall find Rest unto your Souls Mat. 11. 29. If we would Reap any Profit by the Word we must Receive it with Meekness 1 Jam. 1. 21. If we would gain a lapsed Brother we Gal. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aptum reddite sanate quod Corruptum est quae significatio bene congruit buic loco Grâ—t must Restore him or set him in Joynt in the Spirit of Meekness Wherefore this will be our Wisdom and Glory both to get such a composed and quiet Frame of Spirit and so to behave our selves in Sufferings with that Mildness and Christian Meekness as that the worst of our Enemies may be constrained to Confess that God is in us undoubtedly of a Truth How many have lost the Honour and Comfort of their Sufferings by mixing their own Passions and Revengeful Speeches Froward and Reviling Speeches detract from the Honour of a Cause be it never so Good Excellent is the Counsel of Cyprian If saith he Si filii Dei sumus pacifici esse debemus corde mites Sermone Simplices affectione concordes unanimitatis nexibus cohaerentes Cypr. de unitate Ecclesiae we be the Sons of God we ought to be peaceable and mild in Heart single in our Speeches agreeing in our Affections and agreeing in the Bonds of Unanimity Thus then if we put these Three forementioned Duties into continual Practice viz. To Live by Faith to set the Spirit of Prayer a Working and Possess our selves with a meek and quiet Spirit We shall Learn to Trust and Depend upon God's All-Sufficiency amidst the greatest Fears Dangers Straights Losses and Difficulties that are either Imminent or Incumbent upon us CHAP. XVI Containing a Third Use for Examination in Five Queries IT will now be Requisite that I Inlarge Vse 3 for Examination a Third Use for Examination and Tryal whether we believe God to be All-Sufficient and whether in all times we will stay and depend upon him This nearly concerns every one of us to put our selves upon a strict Tryal and Inquisition In pursuance of this Use I shall propound these ensuing Queries Whether we acknowledge God's absolute Quer. 1 Whether we acknowledg God in the Relations he hath over us Power Soveraignty and Dominion And do we acknowledge him in those Relations he hath over us Do we acknowledge him our Creator If so we may conclude that a Creator will take care of his Creatures Do we acknowledge him our King and Governour If so we shall confess that a King will Defend Protect and Rule his Subjects Do we acknowledge God our Father Then a Father will provide for his Children Do we acknowledge
God our Lord and Master Then a Master will provide for his Family If we did consider these Relations between God and us How much would our Spirits be settled and established To Consider That God is our Portion Lam. Psal 23. 1. Gen. 15. 1. and Shepherd our Shield and exceeding great Reward a tender Father full of Bowels a God of all Consolations these things should keep us from sinking in the greatest Storms and Tempests If we had Faith enough to make use of our Pronoun My and apply God as My God there 's abundantly enough to Support and Revive us under the heavyest Pressures that can befal us Deus Col. 3. 11. meus omnia God is all in all and with God the most Bitter thing is Sweet and without God the Sweetest thing is Bitter A Second Query is Whether we have Quer. 2 Whether we have recourse to God as our Counsellor continual Recourse to God as to our Counsellor in all Conditions both in Prosperity and Adversity Do we Ask Counsel of God and beg the Guidance and Direction of his Spirit Many Ask Counsel of Flesh and Blood Corrupt Interests and Carnal Relations and have no regard to the Word of God and they Prosper accordingly Saul Ask Counsel of the Witch of Endor and Ahaziah sent to Ask Counsel of Baal-Zebub the God of Ekron but they paid dear for going to such Counsellors But a true Believer makes God his Counsellor he 's sensible of his want of Wisdom and he Asks Wisdom of God he knows not what to do not how to wind himself out of intricate and perplexed Affairs but he falls upon his Knees and begs Directions from Heaven Abraham's Servant made Applications to God by Prayer and he was Successful in his Journey Jacob Prayed to be Delivered from his Brother Esau when he came against him with Four Hundred Men where to Ask Counsel else he knew not nor would not Ask of any but of God alone It 's easy to Judg how much a Man respects his Counsellor and how much Confidence he reposeth in him when forsaking all others he adviseth with him alone in all his doubts and applieth himself to Him alone in all his Difficulties If then we repair to God by Prayer and Supplication and beg his Direction and Assistance and Wisdom from him to Counsel us and if we rely upon the Counsels of his Word it 's Evident that we believe him to be All-Sufficient and put our Trust and Confidence in him What a stir was there amongst Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to find out the meaning of one Word Insomuch as Hermolaus Barberus went to the Devil to know the meaning thereof and he left him more unsatisfied than he found him What a bussle do Star-Gazers and Judicial Astrologers make in giving their Judgment upon Conjunction of Planets And how false they are in their Judgments is notoriously Apparent Such Chaplains of the Devil have their Doom as the Prophet Denounceth Isa 47. 13. Let now the Astrologers the Star-Gazers the Monthly Prognosticators stand up and Save thee from those things that shall come upon thee Behold they shall be as Stubble the Fire shall Burn them they shall not deliver themselves from the Power of the Flame there shall not be a Coal to warm at nor Fire to sit before it | Mr. Gataker A Reverend and Eminently Learned Divine Encounters these Star-Gazers and though they opposed him as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses yet he abundantly confuted them Such Annotations of Mr. Gatakers saith he as tell before hand the Occurrents of each Month as our Prognosticators also do these are under the Judgment of that Text. But whither should a People go but to their God He is Isa 9. 6. Heb. a God of Wisdom Christ is a Counsellour and the Wisdom of the Father To go for Counsel else-where we shall â—e sure to speed worse What befals those Who Ask Counsel at their Stocks But to be given over to vilest Abominations and so left Incorrigible Hos 4. 12 13 14. What 's their Punishment Who set at Naught all the Counsels of God Read Prov. 1. 26. I also will Laugh at your Calamity I will Mock when your Fear cometh Wherefore let 's resolve as Naomi gave Counsel to Ruth not to be found Gleaning in any other Field Let 's not Consult with Carnal Interests and Selfish Ends and Designs but let us be much upon our Knees seeking God for Direction begging Wisdom of God for Ordering all our Affairs We may Ask of Men Counsel and meet with Reproaching Upbraiding Language from them but the Apostle tells us Jam. 1. 5. If any of you lack Wisdom let him Ask of God that giveth to all Men Liberally and Upbraideth none and it shall be given him The Gifts of some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Trojan Horse with an Ambuscado in it and as a Greek Author saith Timeo Danaos dona ferentes Virg. Aen. 2. Isocra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They rather make a Market than do a Courtesy But God is a Liberal free Donor God gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply and singly A Third Query is Whether we in all Quer. 3 Whether in all our dangers we have recourse to God as our Refuge our Dangers have Recourse unto God as our Refuge That 's a Sign of our Affiance in God and of our dependance on him When in our greatest Dangers we make him our Refuge and our hiding Place Thus the Psalmist begins Psal 46. God is our Refuge and Strength a very present Help in time of Trouble This Psalm comforted Luther in all his Afflictions he would say Come let us Sing Psal 46. And then we will not Fear God's Children have a place of Refuge Prov. 14. 26. And who is this Refuge we Read Isa 25. 4. For thou hast been a Strength to the Poor a Strength to the Needy in his Distress a Refuge from the Storm a Shadow from the Heat when the Blast of the Terrible one is as a Storm against the Wall Christ is this Refuge promised Isa 32. 2. A Man shall be as an Hiding place from the Wind and a Covert from the Tempest as Rivers of Waters in a Dry place as a Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Who Seeks not in Danger some Refuge or other Even brute Creatures Seek after a Refuge and Shelter The Conies saith Solomon are a feeble Folk Prov. 30. 26. yet make they their Houses in the Rocks The Birds of the Air have Nests Foxes have Holes the Beasts of the Field when a Storm is a coming make hast to Shelter themselves under the Defence of great Trees Amongst Men there are variety of Refuges For Instance The Jews had their Cities of Refuge The Romans had their Asylum And amongst variety of Men as their Fancy leads them they make choice of various kinds of Refuges The Voluptuous Man hath recourse to his
differs 2 How Christ differs from other Prophets from all other Prophets A. We read of many Holy Prophets high in the Favour of God and Honourable Persons yet in Christ there are these three Singularities above all other Prophets whatsoever viz. Holiness Gifts and Authority Although other Prophets were Holy and had Gifts and were of Authority yet the Holiness Gifts and Authority of Christ infinitely exceeded them all 1. There 's in Christ an absolute perfect 1. Christ's Holiness is absolute and perfect Holiness without mixture of the least imperfection Christs Holiness is in himself and from himself but the Holiness of the Prophets was derivative they had it infused into them by the Spirit of Christ And although they were Holy Persons and Honourable Men of God Anointed and Sanctified for the Discharge of their grand and weighty Office yet they were not without their sinful Infirmities We read that Jeremy in a great Passion cursed the day of his Birth Abraham a Prophet through Infirmity denied his Wife And David a great and eminent Prophet committed those scandalous Sins in the matter of Vriah and Jonah a Prophet Fretted and Quarrelled with God himself and Moses a Holy Prophet whom God highly loved spake unadvisedly with his Lips at the Waters of Meribah and other Prophets had their failings But Christ is a Prophet who never committed any thing Luk. 23. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctissimus Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpretatur Walleus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videntur proiisdem Hic pâ—rro videtur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dici quic 〈◊〉 praeter officium sit quod non male videtur indecentis nomine exprimi â—â—za amiss The Penitent Thief gives a true Testimony of Christ That he had done nothing amiss i. e. nothing out of place or order No guile no deceit was ever found in Christs Mouth He challengeth the worst of his Adversaries John 8. 46. Which of you convinceth me of Sin Malicous and implacable Enemies are very Eagle-Ey'd to espy Faults yet none of them could lay any Sin to the charge of Christ 2. Christs Gifts are transcendent above 2. Christs Gifts are transcendent all other Prophets The Gifts in them were like a Drop in Christ as the Ocean in their Gifts was only a measure in Christ a fulness The Prophets were aâ—ointed and qualified with great Gifts for â—he discharge of their imployment But Christ was anointed with the Oyl of gladâ—ss above his fellows Heb. 1. 9. Christ did â—ot receive Gifts by measure after such a â—int and proportion but it pleased the Faâ—her that in him should all fulness dwell Col. â— 19. All fulness of Wisdom all fulness of Righteousness all fulness of Holiness â—ll fulness of Grace and all fulness of Glory are in Christ 3. Christs Authority is Omnipotent 3. Christs Authority is omnipotent We read of the teaching of Christ far different from that of the Scribes Matth. 7. 29. For he taught them as one having Authority and not as the Scribes Other Prophets and Teachers laboured all Night and spent their strength often in vain yet this comfort they reaped that their Judgment was with the Lord and their Work with God Hereupon the Prophet grounds singular comfort from Isai 49. 5. Though Is 49. 5. Sensus est etiamsi Israel ad meum monitum nolit converti ego tamen Deo placebo qui scit me in officio non fuisse cessatorem Grotius Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the Eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength Here then consists a vast difference between the Authority of Christ and all other Prophets other Prophets reproved exhorted and intreated but Christ commanded obedience and inabled People to obey his Commandments The Authority of Christ was incomparable for what he commanded them to do he gave them Strength and Ability to perform Christ perfectly knew his Fathers will and he commanded and enabled the Hearts of People to yield ready obedience thereunto and no other Prophet could attain to so great a perfection SECT III. Of the Fruits and Benefits that accrue unto us by Christs Prophetical Office WE are now thirdly to enquire 3. The Fruits and Benefits of Christ's Prophetâ—cal Office 1. By Christ's Prophetical Office we are fully assured that we have a sure Word of Prophecy concerning those choice and excellent Fruits which we reap by Christ's Prophetical Office Amongst others these two principally I shall insist upon 1. By Vertue of Christ's Prophetical Office we are fully assured that we have a sure word of Prophecy to rest and rely upon we are not left at random to unwritten Traditions nor to humane Inventions and devised ways of Men we are not left to Apocryphal Writings and uncertain and fallible Dictates of such Imposers who magisterially command and obtrude their own Brain-Fancies and as it was applyed to the Pharisees teach for Doctrines the Traditions of Men. But Mat. 15. 9. His verbis aufertur omnis fiducia quam positam habebant in observantiâ— humanarum traditionum Nam credebant se Deum colere si illas obserâ—â—ssent qui eas docebant praeteribant cultuâ— Dei Deus contra perâ—gat se hoc pacto coli omnem hunc cultum respuit Musculus in loc what Christ teacheth us is sure and certain and not left to the pleasure of Men or Angels to change For we read Gal. 1. 8. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed And the Apostle tells us of a sure word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your Hearts This Word of Prophecy is the Gospel of Christ and it 's said to be more sure i. e. more sure than those Revelations which were not Foundations of Faith or more especially in regard of the greater credit which the believing Jews gave to the Doctrine of the Apostles than that of the Prophets of old The dark place is Vid. Diod. in loc meant our Hearts and the Day-Star is Christ who shining in our Hearts and illuminating us by his Spirit scatters away Mists and Darkness 2. By vertue of Christ's prophetical 2. By Vertue of Christ's Prophetical Office we have a divine Unctiâ—â— or Spiritual â—â—umination Office we have a divine unction or Spiritual Illumination whereby the eyes of our Mind are opened to understand the Mysteries revealed in the Gospel Christ not only reveals his Will and declares his Covenant of Grace in his Word but he teacheth us to understand believe and obey the same The Gospel is a Mystery and only he that is anointed with Eye-Salve from Christ can discern it The Gospel is a Book sealed to ignorant carnal Men.
Take a natural Man in his best Accomplishments of Nature yet he neither receives nor perceives the things of the Spirit of God * Rerum supernaturalium mysterii evangelici non esse cognitionem aliquam naturalem aut naturae viribus acquisibilem c. Vid. Doctorem Reynoldum in conc cui tit Animalis homo 1 Cor. 2. 14. A Beast may as soon understand Reason as a natural Man whilst he remains so the saving things of God Spiritual things are beyond his Ken and beyond his Cognizance But a Spiritual Man judgeth all things v. 15. He hath his Eyes in his Head his Senses exercised an Vnction whereby he knoweth all things 1 John 2. 20. He knoweth all things necessary to Salvation for Christ is his Teacher Christ is that great Prophet who instructeth his Church the great Rabbi and Master that teacheth as never any Man taught He is a Counsellor Isa 6. 9. The Wisdom of the Father Therefore we must go to Christ for Wisdom He teacheth us that divine Wisdom that cometh from above In our Doubts let us go to Christ for Counsel In our Distress let us go to Christ for Comfort He is both a Counsellor and a Comforter And by vertue of Christ's Prophetical Office we have light in our Understandings This is Christ's Gift Eph. 5. 14. This was prophesied Isa 60. 1. Arise shine for thy Light is come and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee This Prophecy relates to the glorious Light breaking forth in the days of the Gospel And this was the end of Christ's coming to give light to them that sit in darkness Luk. 1. 79. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Luke 2. 32. Hence we obtain renewed Spirits inlightned Judgments a Spirit of discerning to discern between things that differ These are the Fruits of Christ's prophetical Office All things necessary for Salvation are taught in the Word of Christ and by the Spirit of Christ The Word is a Lamp and the Spirit directs us in the use thereof The Spirit worketh by the ministry of the Word We have no warrant for inward teachings by a Light within us as some strangely fancy Thus we may discern whether that Light which is within them as they say be a true or false Light for if it be true it borrows its Light from the Lamp of the Sanctuary even the written Word of God and accordingly walks Otherwise that inward pretended Light which derives not its Light from God's Word is an Ignis fatuus and will lead the Followers into by-paths and dangerous Ways Wherefore let 's be exhorted to keep close to the Word of God which is the Gospel of Reconciliation and the Gospel of our Salvation and let us be earnest Solicitors unto Christ the great Prophet that he would assist us by his Spirit to understand his Will revealed in his Word Let 's go to God for Wisdom and Illumination James 1. 5. If any of you â—ack Wisdom let him ask it of God who giveth to all Men liberally and upbraideth none Here are two great encouragements 1. God is a most liberal Donor he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isocrates giveth liberally though Men expect great Rewards for their Counsel yet God most liberally giveth Counsel Men may give good Counsel but cannot compel them to whom it is given to take and follow it But God can open the Eyes and Heart and direct the Feet and order and guide the whole Man and work Obedience 2. God upbraideth none It oft times falls out amongst Men that if they do a Kindness they upbraid them with it who are the Receivers But it is not so with God he doth not exprobrate nor hit us as we say in the Teeth either with present Defects or former Failings And if Men be constant Suitors to great Persons they will soon be weary of their Company But God doth not upbraid his People notwithstanding their frequent addresses to him Here then is singular encouragement to make our Applications frequent and serious to this great Prophet our Lord Jesus Christ that he would take away the Scales of Darkness and Veil of Ignorance from our Understandings and instruct us in his Will and guide us by his Almighty Counsel till at length he bring us unto his Glory CHAP. VI. Of Christs Kingly Office SECT I. Proving that Christ is a King HAving before handled the Priestly and Prophetical Offices of Christ I shall now treat of his Kingly Office And in this method I shall proceed 1. To prove Christ to be a King 2. Lay down Reasons why Christ is a King 3. To represent our Duty to Christ as our King 1. To prove Christ to be a King there 1. Christ is proved to be a King by Scripture Prophecies and the accomplishment of them Praeficerem Regem meum Messiam populo meo Israelitico ut illi nomine meo imperaret Vatablus are many Prophecies extant particularly Psal 2. 6. Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion This plainly declares Christ to be King of his Church The Prophet Isaiah calls him the Prince of Peace Isa 6. 8. And to distinguish Christ's Government from all other Kings whatsoever he sets forth the perpetuity of Christ's Government ver 7. Of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end Further I 'le cite the same Evangelical Prophet prophesying of Christ's Regal Government and the great Security we shall obtain thereby Isa 32. Quod si vere dictum fuit de Ezechia multo magis de Christo quem optimum ac potius unicum refugium habemus in his procellis quibus nos agitari necesse est quamdiu in hoc mundo versamur quoties ergo torremur aestu sub ejus umbram nos recipere discamus Calv. 1 2. Behold a King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall Rule in Judgment and a Man shall be as a hiding place from the Wind and a cover from the Tempest as Rivers of Water in a dry place as the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land This King this Man is Christ who shall judg righteous Judgment who shall abundantly secure protect and preserve his people from the violence of their malicious Adversaries When Herod enquired of the chief Priests and Scribes where Christ should be born they gave their answer out of the Prophet Micah c. 5. 2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler over Israel whose goings forth have been from of old from everlâ—sting Upon this Answer given from this Scripture by the chief Priests and Scribes Herod supposed that a King should be born to depose him therefore he barbarously murdered the young Children In that Text two things are principally observable 1. Christ's Incarnation out of these Words Thou Bethlehem i. e. out of thee shall Christ
Children They are Honourable and Precious in his Sight Isai 43. 4. And he it is that hath made them Kings and Priests Rev. 1. 5. unto God And if he be Honourable and his People are so in his account hence we may infer that no Honour is like unto the Honour of a True Believer It 's true that in this World there are distinctions of Persons and due reverence ought to be given towards great Personages according to their Qualities for all Levelling Designs are plain Breaches of the 5th Commandement Yet those are most noble whom Christ ennobles with the Graces of the Spirit these render Nobility Noble indeed It 's the high Commendation of the Bereans Act. 17. 11. These were more Noble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cùm comparatio videatur instituta non Generis erant enim omnes isti Judaei sed virtutis ac pietatis generosiores malui interpretari quam nobiliores Beza than those in Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readiness of Mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so According to the Philosopher Honor est in honorante and so is a Man more or less Honourable as he is in the esteem of Jesus Christ Now if there be Honour in ther Ceature what is there in the Creator If there be Water in a Rivulet what is there in the Fountain from whence it flows If then we price and value here on Earth Persons of Honour preferring them before our selves O! how much more should we honour Christ and prize his Ordinances viz. His Word Sacraments and Sabbaths O! How should we honour the Faithful Ministers of the Gospel and give them that which they are worthy of as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine That Christ is not only honourable but Honour it self 4. Let 's instance in the Wisdom of Christ and herein he appears infinitely 4. The Wisdom of Christ precious He is the Wisdom of the Father the Treasurer of all Wisdom and Knowledg for saith the Apostle In whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Col. 2. 3. Christ is a Counsellor Isa 9. 6. And such a Counsellor as is beyond all compare Other Counsellors give Counsel for their Fees being mercenary and according to their Reward take more or less pains for their Clients but Christ is a free Counsellor he gives his Counsel freely without expectation of Reward Other Counsellors many times betray their Trust but Christ never doth for he is a most faithful Counsellor Other Counsellors have their Errors and err in Counsel but Christ is infallible and never errs and all his Counsel is infallible Other Counsellors may give good and profitable Counsel but they cannot command Obedience thereunto but Christ can command the Heart and so mighâ—ity over-rule the Spirit of a Man as to engage him to yeild ready and chearful Obedience unto his Commands Farther other Counsellors though perhaps they may give their Counsel freely and may give good Counsel and prevail with their Clients to follow it yet no Counsellor will give himself and part with his Life for the good of his Client But Christ gives himself lays down his Life for the good of his Children whence then must we beg Wisdom but from Jesus Christ the great Counsellor and O! how precious is he for his Wisdom unto all true Believers SECT III. Containing a second Head of Reasons in respect of all true Believers A Second fort of Reasons and Arguments A second sort of Reasons in respect of true Believers are drawn from true Believers The Question is How comes it to pass that they only account Christ precious I answer they only have their Sences exercised they only have experimented how good and how excellent Christ is More particularly 1. Every true Believet hath a Spiritual 1. Every true Believer hath a Spiritual Eye Eye and an inlightned Judgment to discern Beauties Riches Honours Wisdom Holiness and all other Excellencies that are in Jesus Christ A Stranger an Alien from the Life of Christ discerneth no Beauty in a crucified Christ but a true Believer who is renewed in the Spirit of his Mind discerns Beauty in Christ even when he was spit upon and crowned with Thorns and crucified he discerns the price of his Redemption purchased by the effusion of Christ's precious Blood A Believer beholds excellency in all the ways of Christ even an exact pattern of Holiness and he beholds excellency in all the Ordinances of Christ The Word is sweeter to him than the Honey and Honey-comb and more pleasing than his appointed Food Christ's day even the Christian Sabbath called the Lord's Day Rev. 1. 10. He accounts the Market day of his Soul and the desire of days And the Lord's Supper he receives in remembrance of Christ and therein testifies his Love and Thankfulness and prepares himself for the reception of such an Heavenly Banquet Now then seeing the Believer only hath the Eyes of his Mind opened and his Understanding inlightned He only knows how to value Jesus Christ He hath an experimental knowledg of Christ he hath had Communion with the Father and the Son he hath been partaker of his ravishing Consolations and therefore values Christ before all the Treasures of the Universe A Pearl of great price may be brought to an ignorant Quis Magnam emit Margaritam nisi cui notum est pretium Musc Man but he heeds it not and will not venture any price for it but when the same Pearl is brought to a skilful Jeweller he will set a great value of it and give largely for it So carnal and ignorant Men of the World undervalue Christ and with the foolish Gadarens desire his Room rather than his Company and wish him Mat. 8. 13. to depart from them But a true Believer esteems Christ's Company before all the Company in the Universe beside He discerns such rare Beauties and Excellencies in Christ as he looks upon all sublunary things as contemptible and of no value in comparison of Christ This is the Man that hath his Eyes in his Head who is endowed with a Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding He is the Spiritual Man who judgdeth all things and shall be judged 1 Cor. 2. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theâ—phyl of none whereas a carnal or natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned O! what a great Mercy is it to have a seeing Eye and a hearing Ear and a believing Heart Christ pronounced such blessed Math. 13. 16. Blessed are your Eyes for they see and your Ears for they hear and for this the Apostle pours forth his servent Prayers and Supplications Eph. 1. 17 18. That the God of our
to Christ be like the Love of Jonathan that abode in its Strength Love which holds out to the end which passeth through good report and bad report both through fair and foul Weather that 's the Love which will obtain Acceptance Love will conquer Difficulties as Jacob's did to Rachel who thought many years but a few days because he loved her Love to Christ will make us willing to pass through Fire and Water and encounter Sons of Anach and Beasts of Ephesus Love will cause a Christian to be willing to bear and suffer any thing for Christ Persecutions Oppositions and variety of Sufferings try the Sincerity and Constancy of a Christian's Love to Christ There 's a constraining Power in the Love of Christ which engageth all Christ's adopted Children to hold fast their Profession to be faithful to Death to account Christ All in all and persevere in their Faith so that Difficulties are as Whet-stones to sharpen a Believers Fortitude And the Snuffers of Persecution makes the Saints Candles burn brighter And thus in these five mentioned particular Tryals I have represented our Love to Christ CHAP. XI Containing an Vse of Exhortation to labour for the excellent Grace of Faith and an Vse of Direction THe foorth Use is for Exhortation Use 4 For Exhortation to labour for Faith Is it so that Christ is only precious to Believers then let 's hence infer one grand Duty to labour for the excellent Grace of Faith Hereby we shall set the highest value on Christ Faith is an instrumental means to help us to know the excellency of Christ For Faith is an Eye to â—ehold Christ Faith is a Hand to receive Christ a Mouth to feed on him an Heart to believe on him But we must interpose this caution that Faith receives all of Grace and Mercy and nothing of Merit Faith embraces Christ but Christ first gives Faith to embrace him Faith rests and relies on Christ but Christ supports our Faith If we believe he works it in us we must be thankful for what we receive and give God the Praise and Glory of all The Apostle gives an absolute determination Eph. 2. 8. For by Grace are ye saved through Faith it is the gift of God That our Endeavours Affections even the whole Man may be quickned to get this choice and excellent Grace of Faith I shall lay down these ensuing persuasive Arguments in the following Section SECT I. Containing persuasive Arguments to get Faith THat I may use all the prevailing Arguments as far as I apprehend to get Faith I shall insist on these following 1. Faith is a condition of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Works was Arg. 1 Faith is the condition of the Covenant of Grace do this and live none but Christ who is God and Man could perform this Covenant The Covenant of Works will not abate us a Transgression in the least title It exacts perfect Obedience and curseth the Transgressor Who continues not in all Gal. 3. 10. things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them But the Covenant of Grace runs Believe and thou shalt be saved The Law sheweth us our Sores and Wounds the Gospel applyeth Soveraign healing Plasters The Law like a Serjeant arrests and shuts us up and so hampers us that we cannot possibly escape The Gospel sets us at Liberty Gal. 3. 22. But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lex veluti sit complexa concluserit que omnes in peccatum peccaturum virsus ostendit Oecum Rom. 9. 20. Scripture hath concluded all Men under Sin that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Who then can lay any claim to this Covenant but the true Believer God accepts the Faith of a Believer through Chtist's Merits instead of legal Obedience Where fore we read of that Righteousness which was of Faith which is a Righteousness imputed by Christ's Righteousness even a Righteousness without us which is our Justification And here 's the great priviledg of a Believer That he is justified by the Righteousness of another and not by any Righteousness of his own but only by the Righteousness of Christ by imputation By Christ's Merits of Unrighteous we are made Righteous For saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him So that hence it 's evident that He was accounted a Sinner by Imputation for he imputed our Sins unto himself and we are accounted Righteous by Imputation for he imputes his Righteousness unto us Here then appears Riches of Mercies that Evanglical Righteousness is accepted instead of Legal Righteousness Christ's Wisdom makes amends for our Folly Christ's Obedience for our Disobedience and Christ's absolute Perfection for our manifold Imperfections Now the Believer only hath interest in the Covenant of Grace Covenants essentially include Conditions The Covenant is a free Covenant a free Gift and of free Grace The Condition on our part is Faith but the Condition as well as the Covenant are given of God Take heed therefore O Christian that thou Sacrifice not to thine own Net and Dragge O do not trust to thy own Strength and Ability as if thou wert able to perform this Condition For the best of Believers by rheir own Strength are no more able to believe than to perform the Commandments Both to will and to do are the work Phil. 2. 13. Ki 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys of God And as Chrysostome observes God gives the very propension and inclination to will Faith indeed is the Believers Act and it 's his duty to believe but it 's God's Gift Faith is a lively Motion working upon a Believers Heart but this Motion is powerfully wrought by the Assistance of God's Spirit Whoever thou art if thou believest give God the praise of working this Belief in thee For God enables thee to perform what he requires and thou couldst not do any thing acceptably unto God unless he first gave to thee what he commandeth of thee Hence the Apostle tells us that We are buried with Col. 2. 12. him in Baptism through the Faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead The self-same Power that raised up Christ from the Dead must raise us up to believe in Christ 2. Faith is an instrumental means of our Arg. 2 Faith is an Instrumental Means of our Union unto Jesus Christ Union unto Christ Between Christ and us there must be an Union before there can be an Imputation of Righteousness We believe before we are Justified How Justification may be as some suppose ab Aeterno I can no more conceive than Glorification is such is in the secret Decree of God That Faith goeth before Justification is evident from Gal. 3. 24. The Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith We believe
And Faith through Gods Gift is a Buckeâ— to Isa 12. 3. draw Waters of Consolation out of those Wells All the Promises are as so many Breasts of Consolation and Faith is as i were a Mouth to suck Milk out of those Breasts Wherefore in all Conditions inward or outward let Faith act on Promises and depend on them and by experience a Believer will find ground of singular support and comfort in the Promises 5. Faith gives us an insight into Heaven 5. Faith gives us an insight into Heaven and a Prospect of Eternity and a prospect into eternity Paul was wrapt up into the third Heaven and by Faith had a foretast of those unspeakable Joys * A Reverend and eminegâ—ly learned Divine gives his conjecture that at that time when Paul was Stoned â—â— was in a Trance and saw the third Heaven The Reaon of his Supposition he gives because the self same Year that Paul was Stoned he was caught up into the third Heaven A. B. Uâ—â—â—r Stephen by the Eye of Faith though the Stones were about his Ears saw the Heavens opened and Christ standing at the Right Hand of his Father Job on the Dunghil when he was scraping himself with a Pot-shread by the eye of Faith saw his Redeemer By Faith Moses amidst all the Reproaches and Cruel Bondage in Aegypt saw the recompence of reward Faith is the Eye whereby we peep through the Curtains of Mortality and take a view of the Glory of Heaven By Faith we enjoy Communion with Father Son and Holy Ghost we receive the first Fruits of that plentiful Harvest earnest or part of payment of a greater Sum which we shall receive in Heaven The Glory which is to be revealed is apprehended in part in this Life by true Believers We have a pledge and some foretasts of the Glory in Heaven What necessity then is incumbent on us to get this Grace of Faith both as to the truth and growth thereof We have such daily need of Faith as we cannot live without it When we pray Faith makes us successful when we hear the Word Faith helps us to profit when we suffer Affliction Faith helps us to be Patient In a Word in dissertion Faith makes us comfortable in Tryals and Encounters Faith makes us so couragious as to stop the Mouths of Lyons quench the Heb. 11 33 34. violence of Fire c. In Life Faith makes us fruitful and in Death Faith makes us Victorious And whilst we live in this World Faith helps us to a Prospect of Heaven As the Israelites saw a glimps of Canaan though a far off whilst they were in the Wilderness so a true Believer by the Eye of Faith sees the Heavenly Canaan He enjoys a Sacred Acquaintance and Communion with God in his Covenants Promises Gracious Influences so that by Faith we enjoy an Heaven upon Earth i. e. some fore-tasts of that Eternal Happiness which is reserved in Heaven for us SECT II. Containing an Vse of Direction SEeing then as it 's evident by the Use 5 for Direction how to get and increase Faith premises that only true Believers set a high estimate upon Christ and Faith is essentially requisite to get and keep so high an estimation of Christ I shall now proceed to the 5th Use which is for Direction how we may get and increase Faith To this purpose I shall prescribe some means partly internal and partly external both exceeding necessary First for Internal Means and that is the The Spirit is an internal means of getting Faith Holy Spirit of God Faith is a Divine Habit infused into the Soul by the Spirit of God Hence we are said to have the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 5. 13. The Spirit doth not stand in need of Moral Persuasions to excite us to Faith leaving it to the indifferency of our wills and understandings whether we will chuse or refuse assent or dissent But the Spirit of God Nolentem praevenit ut velit volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit Arg. de Grat. lib. Arg. works powerfully and irresistably and of unwilling makes us willing by antecedent Grace of willing makes us more willing by Subsequent Grace The Seeds of Faith are not sown in our Nature We are Dead as were those dry Bones mentioned by Ezek. 37. 2. Ezekiel until the Spirit of God infuse vital Operations into the Soul The Beginnings of Augmentations and finishings of our Faith all proceed from the Operations of the Spirit of God Where this Spirit is it opens the eyes of the Mind that so we may understand the infinite value of Christ and the absolute necessity of Faith to make particular application of him unto our selves Faith is a wise gift of God and it makes Believers wise unto Salvation Faith and knowledge are hand-fasted and may not be separated Joh. 17. 3. This is Life Eternal to know thee to be the true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. There can be saith a Learned Author no Knowledge without Faith nor any Faith without Knowledge 2. The Spirit of God as it opens the eyes so it inclines the will to yield ready Obedience unto Christ As soon as Divine Light breaks in upon the Soul by the powerful illumination of the Spirit then by the assistance of the same Spirit the will is made pliable and willing and becomes as swift in it's Motions as the Chariots of Aminadab to embrace Jesus Christ with the Arms of Faith Now we cannot Cant. 6. 12. John 6. 44. Cant. 1. 4. come to Christ unless the Father draw us Wherefore the Spouse prays draw me and I will run after thee Though we are not to be accounted as meer Stocks and Stones Because God hath endew'd us with a reasonable Soul and the faculties of understanding and Will yet unless we be assisted with Supernatural strength we cannot perform any Supernatural works We must fetch strength from Heaven otherwise we cannot perform any Spiritual action in a Spiritual manner But being prevented and assisted by Divine Grace we can cooperate through the assistance of that Strength as the Apostle professeth Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me We cannot understand any saving Mystery till the Spirit inlightens us neither can we will any good thing till the Spirit of God inclines us But by the assistance of the Spirit we have our eyes opened to discern what is good and our Wills inclind to act what is good Having mentioned the Internal means of getting and increasing Faith I come now to the External means and External means of getting increasing Faith they are three the Word Prayer and the Lords Supper 1. The Word is an External means 1. The Word is a means to get and encrease Faith both to get and increase Faith and we are to consider the Word in a threefold Capacity as it is Read Preached
and Meditated on and in all these respects the Word exceedingly conduceth both to the begetting and encreasing of Faith 1. The Word read is an Instrumental 1. The Word read means both for the begetting and augmenting of Faith John Huss whom Luther calls Sanctissimum Martyrem was Converted by reading of the Scriptures Reading of Scriptures in publick Assemblies is an Ordinance of God and anciently practised for we read Neh. 8. 8. So they read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the sence and caused them to understand the reading It 's our Duty likewise in our private Houses and in our Closets to read the Word of God Joshuah a great General is Commanded to read the Book of the Law His Military Imployment allows no dispensation from reading of the Book of God He notwithstanding his great and weighty affair was injoin'd both to speak of and Meditate in the Law of God Day and Night This Josh 1. 8. Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy Mouth but thou shall meditate therein both Day and Night that thou may observe to do according to all that is Written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and Deut. 17 18. thou shalt have good Success The Book of Books Kings themselves must read And it shall be when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom that he shall write a Copy of this Law out of a Book out of that which is before the Priest and Levites And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the Days of his Life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them The Holy Scripture is the Rule of the Government and the Conversation of the greatest Potentates By keeping close to the Rule of Scriptures they both learn to govern well and live well We read Acts 15. 21. For Moses in old time hath in every City them that Preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day The meaning I suppose to be this that after reading an Exposition was given of the sence and meaning It concerns all sorts of Persons to read the Scriptures It 's the Peoples Duty though Popish Priests Sacriligiously Rob the People of the reading of the Scriptures to read the Scriptures there 's an express charge given Deut. 66. 7 8. Deut 31. 11 12. And Christ gives a strict Joh. 5. 39. command Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Everlasting Life and they are they which testify of me The Apostle Paul chargeth Timothy to give attendance 1 Tim. 4. 13. unto reading If then we would get Faith in Christ we must read and study the Word of God Every one is bound to believe with an Explicite Faith and not to take things upon trust by an implicite Faith from Popish Priests We must see with our own eyes as the Spirit of God hath opened them and not trust upon the Popes Spectacles It 's a great Sacriledge in the Pope and his Adherents to keep the Scriptures from the sight of such as they call Lay People It was in Q. Maries days Prohibited to read the Bible and some for reading of it were brought to trouble as William Hunter and others as in the Fox Acts and Mon. Q. M. Acts and Monuments stands upon Record And K. Hen. Eighth made a severe Law against the reading of the Scriptures in English Bellarmine denies the reading of Catholicâ— Ecclesia statuit ne passim omnibus concedatur Sâ—ript urarum Lectio Bellarm. L. 2. de verbo Dei Scriptures to all so doth Molanus Costerus Stapleton and others of that Bran. But are not People commanded to try the Spirit 1 Joh. 4. 1. and to prove all things and to hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. But how can they do this unless they search the Scriptures Let us than consider it 's our Duty and make it our business to hear the Word read in Publick Congregations and to read it frequently when we are in private Let 's both hear and read with a serious reverential frame of Spirit Let 's in reading compare the Old Testament with the New how the Old Testament abounds with Prophecies and Promises concerning Christ and how the New Testament makes Performances of them 2. The Word Preach'd 2. As we must read the Word so we must with due regard hear it Preach'd The Word read is sound and solid and contains a sincere Milk but something like the Milk suckt out of a Sucking Bottle which through our weaknesses and dull Apprehensions may sometimes be dispirited But the Word Preach'd is like the Breast Milk It being deliver'd with Power and viva voce is like the Brest Milk most Nutritive Though God can work without means yet ordinarily he vouchsafes his Blessing upon the Word Preach'd in the demonstration of the Spirit and Power The Eph. 6. 17. Isai 53. 1. Rom. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Heb. 4. 12. Preaching of the Word is call'd the sword of the Spirit the Arm of the Lord the Power of God unto Salvation the Word of Reconciliation It 's an exact Critick of the thoughts It divides between the Joynts and Marrow There 's no such exact Inquisitor as the VVord Preach'd It will find out a Sinner in the Croud and tell him thou art the Man Though the Preacher knows nothing of such and such secret Crimes whereof the Sinner is guilty for no Man hath acquainted him with them yet the word of God meets with the Sinner and by the powerful Ministry of the word the most secret sins are discovered the most hidden works of darkness are brought to Light Some when such sins have been Preach't against have discovered their Murthers Committed long before The Power of the word hath so prevail'd that the most secret Sinner hath been discovered and with a troubled Spirit hath addressed himself to the Preacher by acknowledging of his Sins and begging Prayers and Counsels for his Souls edification Neither Mountains nor Castles neither Rocks nor Foretresses can be able to withstand the conquering Power of the Word of God If than we would get and increase Faith We must attend at the Posts of Wisdomes Gate and as Bartimaeus did we must lie in the way where Christ comes by We must wait at the Pool of Bethsdah where the Angel will come and stir the Waters We must neglect no Sermon for that Sermon for ought we know might be a means of our Conversion or Confirmation The Apostle tells us Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Therefore if we would get Faith we must attend with all reverence and dilligence unto the Ministery of the Word Faith is like Oyl to the Lamp as it causeth it at first to give light so by additions of supplies it keeps it Burning Therefore let 's neither absent our selves from
and Intercession Christ's Blood his Agony his Sweating in the Garden his Crucifixion upon the Cross all these were for his People Isai 53. 5. He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his Stripes we are healed So that hence it evidently appears that Believers and they alone have interest in Christs Merits and enjoy the benefits flowing from them They are his Seed the Church his Body his Members 〈◊〉 Redeemed ones a Peculiar People For them Christ pray'd Joh. 17. 9. For them Christ shed his Precious Blood For them he became a Ransome and a Price of Redemption For them he Died and Rose again For saith the Apostle Rom. 4. 25. Who was delivered for our Offences and rose again for our Justification And which is the highest Degree of Christs meriting for us He took our Sins upon him by imputation as the Apostle saith the 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him A third Demonstration is That Believers Demon. 3. Believers have the Precious Influences Christs Spirit have the Precious Influences of the Spirit of Christ All true Believers do pertake of such Heavenly Influences as are from the Head shed down upon the Members Now the Influences of the Spirit of Christ are discovered 1. By the Graces of the Spirit and the resemblances whereunto the Spirit is compared 1. For the Graces of the Spirit or Fruits they are mentioned Eph. 5. 9. Goodness Righteousness and Truth And a large enumeration is set down Eph. 5. 22 23. Love Joy Peace Long-Suffering Gentleness Faith Meekness Temeprance Every Grace is the Fruit of the Spirit Now Christ as Head Communicates Grace to all his Members and they receive according to their Measure and Proportion There 's in Christ a fulness of Wisdom to Counsel of Mercy to Pardon of Righteousness to Justify of Holiness to Sanctifie And Pro Legis gratia quae praeteriit gratiam Evangelii accepimus hanc manentem pro numbris imaginibus veteris Testamenti gratia veritas per Christum facta est Aug. Epist 11. there 's a derivation from the Root to the Branches Joh. 1. 16. And of his fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace 2. Le ts consider the Resemblances whereunto the Spirit is compar'd There are certain Metaphors mentioned in the Scripture whereby the Properties and Influences of the Spirit of God are more evidenced as for instance 1. The Spirit is compared to a Fire 1. The Spirit is compared to a Fire 1. As Fire enlightens and gives Light to a whole Room so the Spirit of God inlightens the understanding 2. Fire ascends so where the Spirit of God is there the affections are raised from Earth to Heaven 3. Fire is Consumptive it burns Stubble so doth the Spirit burn and consume Corruptions 4. Fire hath a penetrative vertue to creep into the pores of a combustible Body So doth the Spirit penetrate the Windings and Diverticles of the Heart The Spirit searcheth the Reins and discovers the most hidden things 5. Fire doth inflame and transform things into its own nature It makes combustible matter like it self So the Spirit of God fills the Soul with a Divine Ardour It 's called the Spirit of burning Isa 4. 4. where the Spirit of God comes it purgeth away the Dross of Corruptions by the Spirit of Judgment and by the Spirit of Burning 2. The Spirit is compared unto Water 2. The Spirit is compared to Water 1. Water hath a quenching Vertue In Water there 's a quenching and purifying Property 1. In Water there 's a quenching Property Water quencheth Fire at least abates and cools the heat so where God's Spirit comes it sometimes quencheth the heat of inordinate Passions and sometimes abates cools and moderates the heat of them God's Spirit is a Spirit of Meekness A Man 's own Spirit is a boistrous Spirit which upon any disgust is all in a Flame But God's Spirit extinguisheth the heat of Fury and Anger When Christ bad the raging Sea be still there was a great Calm so when the Spirit of God comes into the Spirit of Man it becalms all the Affections it sets them in order and fixeth them upon the right Objects Philosophers write De sedandis affectibus and yet they are meer Strangers to that Meekness which is one of the Beatitudes Mat. 5. 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth That is Meekness in a Theological acceptation which moderates Anger and keeps it within just bounds when there are causes of provocation To know when to be angry and when to be meek is a great Point of Wisdom To be zealous in the cause of God and meek in a Man 's own cause is well beseeming a Christian Wherefore Luther speaking of a right placed Anger or Zeal saith It 's the best Ira in suo loco est optimuâ—â— Dei Donum Luth. Gift of God But when Men are transported with Passion like the Lunatick in the Gospel rending and tearing themselves or like Cities without Gates or Bars or like Waters that will keep in no Banks or like Fire that flames higher and higher O! what necessity is there of the cleansing Vertue of the Spirit of God which as Water quencheth flames of Fire so it quencheth the flaming Fury of exorbitant Passions and brings a Man into a sedate and composed frame of Spirit In Water there 's a purifying and cleansing 2 Water hath a cleansing Vertue Property Water casts out Garbidg and noisom Carrion And as Water cleanseth bodily Filthyness so the Spirit of Christ cleanseth from filthyness of Flesh and Spirit i. e. both outward and inward defilements Where the Spirit of God takes it's habitation it ringeth and washeth all clean what 's filthy and noisom it throws out For God's Spirit will not cohabit with a Cage of unclean Birds and noisom Lusts We read that Elias Christ's Fore-runner was like a Refiners fire and like Fullars Soap As the Refiner purgeth out Mal. 3. 3. Dross so doth the Spirit of Christ purge out Sin and Corruption and as the Fullers Soap scours washeth and cleanseth the Cloth and makes it pure and white so doth the Spirit of Christ purify and cleanse the Soul At Christ's transfiguration we read Mark 3. 3. And his Rayment became shining exceeding white as Snow so as no Fuller on Earth can white them From this comparison it 's intimated that although other Fullers can make Garments white and clean yet no Fullers Soap can make the Cloth so white and clean as the Blood of Christ can purify and cleanse the Soul 3. The Spirit is resembled to Ointment A third comparison of the Spirit whereunto it 's resembled is Ointment The Properties of Ointment are 1. To supple and asswage Humors in the Body so doth the