this I shall say no more because I would here speak somewhat largely of the third sort of Supernatural Knowledg viz. that that is so in respect of its Degree or Measure The Spirit of Prophecy did not only Reveal those things all knowledge whereof was utterly unattainable by the Light of Nature but moreover it did oft-times illustrate those things whereof men had some obscure Conceptions without it Thus the Being and Attributes of God although they may in some measure be understood by the things that are made yet much more clearly by those that are Revealed Now that Knowledge which doth clear up and elucidate the Principles of Natural Theology beyond the possibility of Study and Industry is that which I mean by Divine and Supernatural Knowledge in respect of its Degree or measure and this is that Knowledge which ought in all reason among the Jews to have been honoured with the name of Wisdom if they were so prodigal of that honourable Title as to bestow it on the puny Arts of Arithmetick Astrology and the like in Justice methinks they ought much rather to have given it to Theology and so indeed we find that they did for among them it was better known almost by no name than that of Divine Wisdome And well might it be so called because not only the Object but also the Teachers of it were Divine for they were the Men of God or the Prophets from whom they first learned it Probable therefore it is that in the Trial of Pretenders to the Gift of Prophecy especial sâ—arch was made after this Wisdom and for this cause it will now be my business to enquire whether or no on the account of this Wisdom Christ and his Apostles were not worthy to be thought wise this Question 't is true was denyed by many in the dayes of their Flesh and seems hardly believed by more than a few now in ours and among those that affirm it in their words there are many that deny it in their deeds as if there were Wisdom in the Profession but Foolishness in the Practice of our Religion I fear therefore it will be no needless or unseasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to demonstrate their superlative Wisdom in this kind Which it seems was so transcendent as that Justine Martyr after all his hard Study and Travel in almost all sorts of humane Learning found Christianity to be the only sure and useful Philosophy We cannot except against his Judgment as that of a Party because this was his Experience before his Conversion yet because those that are wise in their own eyes will not see with his we shall submit our cause to a Tryal at the bar of its Adversaries Jews and Heathens The Jews we know rested in the Law and made their boast of God that they knew his Will and approved the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law on this account they were confident that they were Guides of the Blind Lights of them which are in Darkness Instructers of the Foolish and Teachers of Babes And although their Theology was grievously corrupted by their Traditions yet those that were Learned in their Law were on that account so Conceited and Insolent as that they did almost wholly ingross the name of Wise men to themselves this they did with such a matchleâ—s Pride and Contempt of others as would even tempt one to think that at least in their opinion there was â—â—arce any Wisdom in any thing but Theology Methinks then if they had understood it they could not have been so disingenuously partial as to have denied the title of Wisdom to Christianity the reason is because it is a sort of Theology far more excellent than their own and that in a three-fold reference namely to our Faith our Hope and our Practice For The Object of Faith is more clearly revealed by Christ and his Apostles than by Moses and the Prophets For very evident it is that not only the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence the Person and Office of the Messiah are more fully discovered but also the very Attributes of God are most auspiciously asserted and illustrated by the Doctrine of the Gospel No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Our minds may apprehend God but our eyes cannot see him We can therefore have no knowledge of him but by Ratiocination or Revelation the former we have by the Light of Nature the latter by the Spirit of Prophecy which surely is apt and able to advance our knowledge above the highest pitch of meer Nature for to that end among the Jews it spake by the Prophets and after them by Christ and his Apostles for they have blessed the World with the greatest Illustration that ever yet was made of the Divine Attributes which it seems according to the Jews are distinguished into two sorts viz. Fundamental and Practical the former are those whose foundation is laid in the very Essence of God it self such as Power Wisdom Holiness c. the latter are such as have relation and reference to the Works of God in and about his Creatures such as Mercy Goodness Truth c. Whether this Distinction be Orthodox and Adaequate I will not now enquire but sure I am that Divine Attributes of both sorts are most evidently illustrated by the Gospel for its Doctrine doth not only teach us to bâ—lieve that God is Powerful Wise and Holy Merciful Just and true but the Work of Redemption therein made known doth demonstrate that he is so Where can we find so magnificent a demonstration of infinite Power and Wisdom as in the Incarnation of the Son of God and his Resurrection from the Dead wherein are Gods Holiness and Mercy his Justice and Goodness so conspicuous as in the Death and Sufferings of Christ and where do Divine Truth and Veracity shine so brightly as in the Completion of Prophecies in and by our Saviour from his Birth to his Burial yea from his Conception to his Ascension It seems then the Object of Faith as to the greatest part of it is not only more clearly revealed by Christ and his Apostles than by Moses and the Prophets but also that part thereof wherein they were most distinct and clear is illustriously demonstrated by the Gospel Nor have they therein provided worse for our Hope than they have for our Faith but as in the Object of that so also of this the Gospel far excels the Divinity of the Jews for their Master Moses in the Institution of their Religion either promised them nothing beyond the good things of this Life or if he did it was covered with such Clouds and wrapp'd up in such Obscurity as that none but the most piercing eyes could see it Thence it was that a great and learned part of his followers viz. the Sadduces did reject all hope
Moses which Promise Petrus Galatinus proves the ancient Jews themselves understood to speak of the Mâ—ssiah and in the Acts of the Apostles St. Peter affirms that our Jesus is that Prophet And Christ himself gave such evidence of it as that his Disciples thought him a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people i. e. that God did demonstrate and the People did confess that he was a great Prophet and that they did so is manifest for the Jews themselves whose hearts were not subdued to his Doctrine did yet believe that of a truth he was that Prophet that should come into the world The Samaritan woman also perceived that he was a Prophet and the men of Samaria believed and knew as much namely that indeed he was the Christ the Saviour of the World a part of whose Office as they thought was to tell them all things and so to be a Prophet And then for the Apostles we do not only read that God by his Spirit revealed things unto them but moreover we find it recorded that he did it in this manner Our blessed Lord Jesus Christ promised his Disciples to send them a Comforter and that when He the Spirit of Truth should come he would guide them into all Truth which it seems fell out accordingly for when the day of Pentecost was fully come the Aposâ—les were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty Wind and it filled all the House where they were sitting and there appeared to them cloven Tongues like as of Fire and it sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Nor did they then receive only the Gift of Tongues but that also of Prophecy For the promise of God by the Prophet Joel that He would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh and that their Sons and Daughters should Prophesie c. The Importance of which Promise is that in the days a little before the Destruction of the Jewish Nation there should be so great and unusual an effusion of his Spirit upon Pâ—rsons of all sorts as that those who were not brought up in the Schools of Prophets should yet be indued with the Spirit or Gift of Prophecy This Prediction of Joel was fulfilled in the Apostles by the most auspicious Descent of the Holy Ghost upon them for St. Peter affirms this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel It seems then the Mystery of Christ which in other Ages was not made known unto the Sons of men as now it is was revealed unto his Holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit It is therefore manifest there can be no doubt made of our Assertion if the Holy Scripture be thought sufficient to prove it On this account I suppose it is that among those who believe the Scripture it seems an Hypothesis rather taken for granted than otherwise proved by any But because our Age is inquisitive and somewhat too apt to derogate from the Authority of the sacred Pandects because also since those parts thereof which make mention of Christ and his Apostles did drop from Their Mouths and Pens to alledge Texts from thence is but to produce their own Testimony concerning themselves and therefore whatever Truth there may be there certainly is but little Force in that way of arguing unless it be to those that already are well perswaded of their Authority For these Reasons I shall at present ascribe no more Authority to the Holy Scripture than is usually given to other Writings far inferiour and argue only from Reason and Testimony that cannot be suspected of Partiality by the help thereof together with Gods blessing I doubt not to prove these five Particulars 1. That the Notion of a Prophet is very agreeable to Reason 2. That there were Prophets among the Jews 3. That for the Tryal of Pretenders to the Gift of Prophecy they had certain Rules Notes and Signs whereby to judg of them 4. that if Christ and his Apostles be tryed thereby it will be found that they were Prophets 5. That this way of proving they were so is very sufficient and rational CHAP. II. Of the Notion of a Prophet and that there were Prophets among the Jews THE Notion of a Prophet may certainly best be learned from the Nature of Prophecy before defined from which Definitions of Prophecy we may gather this of a Prophet viz. that He is a person who by the Influence of God upon his Rational Faculty doth attain to such knowledge as by his Natural Abilities would in one respect or other be unattainable In which Description it concerns us at present to observe only that it is not Prediction but Influence from God which constitutes a Prophet at least such an one as we are now speaking of And that this is no new Notion adapted to our present Undertaking is evident enough by the words of a late Author whose Principles are thought most unluckily of any to undermine such Foundations as we are now laying yet he expresseth himself in these words Although there be many significations in Scripture of the word Prophet yet is that the most frequent in which it is taken for him to whom God speaketh immediately that which the Prophet is to say from him to some other man or to the People Gods speaking to men immediately he himself saith is to be interpreted that way whatsoever it be I suppose he means without the Ministry of man by which God makes them to understand his Will Hereby 't is evident that in his Judgment as well as ours a Prophet was a Person on whose Understanding God had immediate Influence how else is it possible he should make him immediately to understand his Will and sure it cannot seem strange to any that there have or might have been such men in the World the Power and Wisdom of God together with the Capacities of Mens Souls are enough to remove all suspition of Its impossibility He that made the Mind shall not He be able to teach men knowledge and he that was made on purpose to know God and give him the Glory of his Handy-work shall not he be thought capable of learning from such a Teacher There is therefore no show of Reason to doubt the Possibility of Prophecy especially considering that all sorts of men how wide soever their differences are in other matters do yet agree in this viz. that there are or have been such Prophets in the World This is so manifest and vulgarly known to be the Belief of Christians Jews and Turks as that among all that have heard of Christ Moses or Mahomet all necessity of proving it is perfectly fore-stalled and that the Heathens also were of the same opinion is evident by what they have reported of some of their Law-givers viz.
Infirmities Yea not only the Spirit but also the Son of God himself notwithstanding his Exaltation now in Heaven humbleth himself to sympathize with us here on earth for we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with a feeling of our Infirmities but was in all Points tempted like as we are yet without Sin if therefore we come boldly to the Throne of Grace we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of Need. And if we may have Mercy and Grace for coming for it I hope we have no cause be our Duty what it will to complain of hard usage Let 's then lay all these Things together viz. that the Object of our Faith is most â—lâ—arly revealed by the Gospel that that of our hope is most fully dâ—clared to be most excellent and certain and that the Rule of our Lives is most becomming the Attributes of God and agreeable to the Reason of man and withal is so compleatly suited to his Ability as that no other Law can possibly be so good for him in his present State of Nature Morality and Imperfection Le ts I say lay all these things together and then methinks we must needs see something of that Stupendious Wisdom and Goodness whereby Christ and his Apostles were guided in the OEconomy of the Gospel far more excellent than the Wisdom of Moses and the Prophets in the Institution of the Law And if they did excell the Jews in Wisdom much more the Gentiles for since by the Ministry of Moses and the Prophets they were taught of God it is evident they had more excellent Wisdom not than the vulgar only but than those also that seem'd to be Philosophers Yet at the bar of their Judgment we are willing to try the Truth as it is in Jesus viz. Whether it be real and true Wisdom yea or no Whereof we shall need no longer to doubt if we consider what the most famous Philosophers have told us concerning the Nature the Object and the End of Wisdom As for its Nature in general it seems the common concession of them all that Wisdom is one of the best if not absolutely the most excellent kind of Knowledg they therefore define it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which with them seems to denote more than a bare Perception of things viz. some knowledg of them by undeniable necessary Arguments such as Command Assent rather than Beg it Now that Christianity is a sort of Knowledg founded on such Arguments I hope you will find in the end of this Treatise the design whereof is to prove that it is so At present therefore I shall say no more of its general Nature but observe That the Object of Christian Doctrine as well as its Nature doth highly justifie its Claim to the Title of Wisdom for what I pray is it that Wisdom treats of about what is it conversant the first Causes saith Pythagoras the best things or the things that are most honourable saith Aristotle and which are those All men except Atheists will answer they are God and the things that approach nearest unto and partake most of his Nature otherwise Anaxagoras Thales and such like would not have had a Reputation for Wisdom as the Philosopher last mentioned reports they had because they knew matters of Divinity And where shall we find the greatest knowledge of these things Is it in the Wisdom of the Gentiles No verily their Philosophy is here dumb or worse Simonides though a Learned and Wise man in their esteem could give no account of the Divine Essence and those of the Heathens that undertook to do it had better been as sparing and modest as he was as is more than probable by the accounts that Plutarch and Cicâ—ro give of their Sentiments in this particular they were so weak and obscure so absurd and irrational so unworthy of God and unbecoming the Deity as that the Orator saith of them they were almost not the Judgments of Philosophers but the Dreams of Madmen We see then that men of great and excellent Wit after all their hard study and travel to find out the Truth have yet lost their labour and their Industry but blessed be God who pittying it seems the Ignorance and Weakness of Humane Nature hath sent his only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father and he hath declared him both his Being and his Nature his Attributes and his Will he hath more fully declared than either was or could be known without it and that which most highly commends the Revelation of God by the Gospel of Christ is that it is so far from contradicting those prime Notions of a Deity wherewith Nature hath endued us as that it doth exceedingly advance and improve them it becomes the Majesty of God and accords with the Reason of Man Hereof Origen was so confident as that he doubted not to bid Celsus see whether it were not the agreeableness of our Faith with the common sense of men from the beginning which made it so effectual as to work the Conversion of its candid and ingenuous Hearers How rash and ill-advised had he been in thus appealing to his subtile Adversary if he had not been well assured that Christianity opens and offers nothing but what is worthy of Heaven to those that embrace it here on Earth that here we may see the Express Image of that solid Wisdom and Felicity which the Jews in their Talmudical Rhapsodies and the Gentiles too in their Philosophy have hitherto sought in vain Hereof also we are assured by the designed End and Scope of it which in effect is the same with that which was pretended by the Heathen Philosophers And what was that Let Porphyrius answer for Pythagoras who as he tells us professed a sort of Philosophy the Scope whereof was to snatch and deliver the mind that is in us from Sensual Impediments and Fetters But to wave the trouble of many Quotations it seems by Maximus Tyrius that the pretended End of all sorts of Philosophy was to direct men to true Happiness They all agreed in the End but were miserably divided in the choice of the Means We need not wonder at either for as that Philosopher saith the Desire of Good God hath kindled as a spark in the minds of Men but the Finding of it he hath hid from them Thence it was that one sent his Scholars to one thing another to another to find it Pythagoras to Musick Thales to Astronâ—my Heraclitus to Solitude Socrates to Love Carneâ—des to Châ—stity Diogenes to Labour Epicurus to Pleasures They all aimed at Happiness but Epicurus was thought to have missed the mark so grosly as that the Romans and Messenians did banish and expell his followers from their respective Dominions calling them because of their softness and impiety the Pests of Youth and Spots of Philosophy They were therefore commanded to depart the Messenian Territories and being so thrust
Devil takes weapons of his warfare viz instruments of Temptation and though these wâ—apons are many in number yet St. John hath reduced them to three sorts namely the lust of the flâ—sh the lust of the eye and the pride of life And observable it is that with all these three the Devil set upon our Saviour in the Wilderness for firâ—t he assaulted him with a lust of the flâ—sh i. e. temptation to an inordinate appetite and endeavour after food to sustain Nature to support and gratifie the appetite of his flesh If thou be thâ— Sâ—n of God command that thâ—se stones be made bread That we may see the Devil's dexterity in the management of this weapon observe that the Son of God being now to enter upon his Ministery and to be consâ—crated for his everlasting Priesthood was led up of the Spâ—rit into the Wilderness and there he fasted forty dayes and forty nights Why he made choice of this number of dayes for his Fast I am not at present concerned to enquire but only to observe that after this Fast the Evangelist saith He was an hungred which is not to be understood of an ordinary hunger such as healthy men frequently feel before they eat their daily bread but the meaning is that he was then so pinched and bit with hunger as that Nature was not well able to endure it any longer it was such an hunger as did much weaken his body and breed great grievance and molestation to Nature Now in the throwes and bitter pains of this hunger the Devil assaults him with a teâ—ptation to command that the stones be made bread Never was Temptation more cunningly timed than this when Nature did not only begin to crave some Supply but was almost ready to faint for lack of it when natural heat had so wrought upon former nourishmâ—nt as that it was almost ready to commit a rape upon his unspotted life then to put him in a way how to get bread and that with ease as he might have done by letting this Câ—mmand go forth how great how subtle how insnaring was this tâ—mptation especially considering it was somewhâ—t hard to discern a fin in it but â—aâ—e to perceive there was at least seemingly veâ—y grâ—at nâ—â—d of it To supply the necâ—sâ—â—tiâ—s of others our Saviâ—ur frequently wrought Mâ—racles and here the Devil advises him to work one to supply his owr and sâ—ems it not very reasonable and â—â—tting that so he should yes doubtless so it would have sâ—â—med to low and uninstructed minds insomuch that no lust of the Flesh could be greater or indeâ—d so great as this temptation but our Saviour perceived that this smooth and well wrought Dart of the wicked One was dipt in the poyson of distrâ—st of Gods Providence in general and of his Love to and Care of him in particular and was also feathered with Vain-glory and Intemperance as well as undecent compliance with the Devil all which Sins that cunning Archer would have shot into him by the seeming necâ—ssity Easiness and Exâ—ediâ—nce of his advice but â—â—r Saviour I say pâ—rceiving the design of it quenched this fiery â—â—art by the Shield of Faith Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeâ—eth out of the mouth â—f â—od Heâ—eby he restrained his flesh and convinced the Devil there was nothing in him whereon he might fasten a Temptation to a fleshly lust Whereupon Satan assaulted him with another of his Weapons viz. the pride of life in order hereunto he took him up into the Holy City and set him on a Pinacle of the Temple and having here placed him He said unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down Shew thy sâ—lf in the Temple and that not to me but to the Jews who frequently râ—sort unto it that they may believe or at leaâ—t that thou mayst shew that in very deed thou art the Son of God supported and upheld in all dangers by his especial Providence and for this thou ha t sufficient warrant for it is written He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their hands shall they bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stâ—ne Having so plain a warrant and so great assurance of safety cast thy self down shew thy power unto the Jews that they may know that thou art their Messias because God hath given his Angels such charge concerning thee Had there been any thing of Pride or Ambition Ostentation or Vain glory in our Blessed Saviour what could have been so great a glozing so luscious and grateful to him as this temptation for it is we see ushered in with a slie insinuation of subservience to the end of his coming viz convenience to make the Jews believe that he was the Son of God and is seconded with a plain and pregnant Text of Scripture yet this Weapon also though thus steeled and pointed could do hiâ—â—o hurt because he turned it aside by the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God it is writtâ—n Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God A Sâ—n that few live without though none have so great temptations to commit it yet here we see that to avoid it our Saviour would not convince the Jews that he was the Son of God by displaying his Power before them hereby therefore the Devil found by experience that no Pride of life whatever would prevail upon him Hereupon the Devil betook himself to the other sort of his Weapons viz. the lust of the Eye or the Riches of the World herewith he used to be most successful and to the end that he might so be in this his Encounter with our Blessed Saviour He laid on his blows with all his Might Experience had taught him that it must be some extraordinary great matter that could move him whom he then assailed from sâ—rict Obedience to God whereupon it seems he thought it to no purpose to bid low for his Disobedience and therefore he offered all perhaps more than he had to give viz. All the Kingdomes of the World and the glory of them Had thâ—re been any thing of Avarice or love of the World in our Lord Jesus this Temptation could not have failed to kindle and inflame it yet was it resisted with such admirable Fortitude and Magnanimity expressed by those words of indgnation Get thâ—e hâ—nce Satan as convinced the Devil there was no unlawful love of the World neither could any be raised in him He found that all the Wealth and Plenty all the Palaces and Possessions in the World would not tempt him to any the least dimiâ—ution of his Innocence and Holiness Thus we see that 〈◊〉 Blessed Saviour foiled the Devil at thâ—se weapons wherewith he had overcome our first Parâ—nts and all their Posterity ever since And thus also we see that in all points of allurement or enticement unto Sin He was tempted like as we are vet without it
and Compassion on us Afflictions and Temptations we know are often grievous unto us our Hearts are troubled and our Souls are sorrowful and sad under them Those good men that know our condition and love our persons especially if they are meerly related to us and have Afâ—â—ction suitable to that â—â—lation these men I say dâ— sympathiâ—e with us in soâ—e sort they feel what we â—ndâ—â—e and share with us in our sufferings And thus hath God provided that our Mediatour should to this end it behoâ—ed him in all things to be made like unot his brâ—thren by his Incarnation he was made like unto us in the parts and properties the faculties and affections the imperfections and infirmities of our Nature Sin only excepted The same affection therefore of Pity and Compassion which in us is natural was by him assumed together with the rest our sinless Nature and probable it is that this most sweet and indearing Affection was more tender in him than it is in us because it was pure and altogether unmixt with the leaven of Vice and so without any allay of Acerbity Envy or Cruelty whatsoever and besides that this affection he assumed to this very end that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining unto God i. e. that he might have compâ—ssion on us in our Miseries and Temptations and that out of this affection of Commiseration he might faithfully and sincerely mind our business in Heaven and get it done for us with God Almighty Now unto this his merciful and faithful High-Priesâ—hood he was Consecrated i. e. set apart or rendred more apt and fit by his Sufferings and Temptations and this is his Ability to succour them that are tempted But here the Inquisitive will certainly be ready to ask not only how the Sufferings and Temptations of Christ do conduce herâ—unto but also how it can be For their satisfaction therefore I shall so far enlarge this Digression as to return Answer to these two Questions 1 How do the Sufferings and Temptations of Christ conduce to his Ability to succour them that are tempted By way of Experiment Christ in the dayes of his flesh suffered as â—ight easily be demonstrated all those Evils which are common to all Mankind and was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Hereby then he did experimentally find and feel the very self-same kind of Sorrows and troubles griefs and pertuâ—bations which we endure under our sufferings and temptations Now then observe That not only the Divine but also the Humane Nature of Chriâ—t in Glory hath knowledge of all occurrences that in this life do befall us were it not so it would be impossible that he should be as the Apoâ—â—le saith he is touched with a feeling of our infirmities This he affiâ—ms not of the Divine Nature but of that that was tempted in all â—oints like as we are i e. of the humane and affirm iâ— he doth for our encouragement to hold fast our profession but an incouragement it cannot be unto us unless that he knowes all our infirmities bâ—cause if otherwise we not knowing which he knowes and which not should be utterly discouraged from seeking succour from him in any The conclusion therefore must be That he knows all our infirmities and temptations and together with this his knowledge it is more than probable that he hath an act of Memory whereby he calls to mind how he himself was affectâ—d under the same or the like Trials and Temptations here on Earth for surely it is not to be doubted but the memory â—f things done and indured in this World remain with him in Glory for if the immediate seat of Memory be the Soul herself and all the representations with their circumstances be reserved in her not in the spirits nor in any part of the body then surely it remains with the Souls of all men departed either into Hell or Heaven Son remember thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things said Abraham to Dives in Hell Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome said the good Thief to Christ on the Cross So that both in Heaven and in Hell there is a remembrance of things done in this life But to come nearer to the case in hand namely our Saviours remembrance Heaven of his Temptations and Sufferings here on Earth He himself said to St. John I am he that liveth and was dead He remembers then that he was dead and strange it is that he should remember his Death and forget the Temptations and Sufferings that brought him to it This cannot be By his remembrance then thereof he is able i. e. apt and inclined or affectionately disposed out of Compassion and Pity to succour them that are tempted for known it is sufficiently that there 's nothing in the World that doth so much move men to pity and compassion on others in misery as their own Mâ—mories that they themselves have suffered in the same or the like manner Hand ignara mali miseris succurrere disco said Dido to Aeneas I my self being not unacquainted with evil do now learn to succour those that are in misery Thus our Blessed Saviour having suffered in the dayes of his flesh and indured Temptations in all points like unto us He is able i. e. his Heart is fitted and disposed out of his own experience to pity and succour them that are tempted But how can this be The Humane Nature of Christ is now advanced unto Glory and made perfect in Bliss and Hâ—ppiness Surely therefore He is not now subject to Pity or Compassion for such we know is the nature of that affection as that in some sort it makes us share with others in their sufferings and to feel what they endure how then can it remain with Christ in Glory Can we throw sorrow into the regions of joy or grief into the place yea the very Fountain of gladness How can these things be This difficult Objection the Apostle foresaw and therefore by way of pre-occupation or prevention he said We have not an High-Priest which cannot i. e. We have one that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities And forasmuch as he hath said it by what we have already discoursed concerning the reasonableness of the Christian Faith it appears that we ought believe it although we cannot apprehend the manner of it yet even here our Reason is not at a loss for it tells us that since Chriâ—t even now in his state of Exalâ—ation is our merciful and faithful High-Priest he undoubtedly hath such Affections for us as are suitable to that Office and Relation to us and he being a Man yea the very same man that he was before his Exaltation Reason again tells us that he hath all those Affections which are essential to our Nature i e. the very same Affections that he had in the dayes of his
as makes us with David to have respect to All Gods Commandments and careful to keep them as well as we can Although for the Glory of God and Honour of his Laws for the patefaction of his most Holy Nature and most Just Dominion over us I say that although for these and such like great ends the Gospel hath made the most perfect unsinning Obedience to be our Duty yet not that but only sincere Obedience is indispensably necessary in order to our Salvation For Thirdly Those Sins which are really inavoidable the Gospel doth not impute to us for our Condemnation I would not be mistaken that that I say is that though according to the Rigour and Severity of the Law as a Covenant of Works the wages of every Sin be death yet such is the Mercy of God in the Gospel of Christ as that those Sins which to us are really and truly inavoidable shall not be imputed to us for our Condemnation Hereof one Reason is because the Gospel puts us into a state of Trial and Probation in this Life in reference to another after it Surely therefore there is no inavoidable guilt thereby charged upon us to our eternal Condemnation it is not imaginable it should so Tantaliâ—e us with hopes of Heaven in the Confines and Power of Hell However evident it is Fourthly That the Gospel doth promise that our known Sins as well as others how heinous soever they be either in their Nature or their Aggravations yet if they are timely retracted by true Repentance and Humiliation Contrition and Confession change of Mind and amendment of Life they shall be forgiven us No mans Sins are either so many in Number or so heinous in their Quality but on these terms they may be forgiven insomuch that to me it seems most probable that the Sin against the Holy Ghost is impardonable not for want of Grace in the Gospel but for want of repentance in the Sinner Let then our modern Scoffers add these things as they ought to that against which they level their Objection and then let them tell us what Impossibility there is in obeying the Gospel so far forth as is necessary to Salvation Is it impossible to do what we can or to repent when we have done amiss I suppose not espâ—cially while we have those Motives and Assistâ—nces which the Gospel gives us to keep the Commandments Since the nature of reasonable Creaâ—ures is to be drawn by the Alliciency of those Proâ—itâ—râ—icks that present themselves to it we may well wondâ—r at our own Disobedience For so many and so great are the Motives the Gospel gives to keep its Commandments as that there is no active Vertue in us but may receive the highest Incitement therefrom What entertainment so fit for the Mind as Truth and what Truth so sweet as that that is eternal What so desireable to the Will as Goodness And what Goodness so great as that that is Infinite And where can you find Eternal Truth and Infinite Goodness so clearly revealed as they are in the Gospel Where can the Affections have the like Motives to set us a doing Hath not the Rule of our Life the highest Majesty and Authority instamped on it Are we not promised the greatest Reward that can be desired in case we walk by it And are we not threatened with the greatest evil that can be feared in case we neglect it Are we not assured of a suâ—â—iciency of Temporal Blessings and Spiritual Graces in this World if we will seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness i. e for Glory and Honour and Immortality in the other Is it not then strange that being thus besieged with Motives to do well we should be so prone to do ill Although we know very well the Commandments are such as that it is not more our Duty than our Interest to do them we promote our own Good as much as Gods Glory by Obedience to them for they are apt not only to enlighten our Minds and perfect our Understandings to refine our Natures and sublimate our gross Affections to amend our Lives and purifie our Conversations but also to prâ—serve our Estates and advance our Fortunes to secure our Reputation and promote our Honour and that in all Conditions and Capacities whatever insomuch that their own Goodness might be their own Eternal obligation How admirable then are that Wisdom Justice and Goodness which impose them on us and require Obedience of us Especially considering the Assistance provided for us to have in well-doing and truly 't is more than a little we do or should receive in our Childhood by being brought up in the nurture and admoâ—ition of the Lord for a Child being led by little of it self but a Chain of Imaginations Education hath the force of a Natural Agent rather than a Moral hence it is that Children of the same Parents are sometimes like Lycurgus his Whelps of the same litter whereas one ran to his dish the other after the Hare because he had brought them up so to do which Experiment he made in the sight of his Subjects on purpose to teach them to train their Children in the way they should go and that when they were old they would not depart from it But if they do the Gospel hath sufficiently provided for their reduction for it doth not only encourage brotherly Admonition and oblige us to pray for each other but it hath also ordained a Sacred Function for the perâ—ecting of the Sâ—ints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now not only Men on Earth but also the Angels of Heaven are obliged to afford us their assistance Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation And besides the assistance of Angels we may have that of the Eternal Spirit also to help us For the Fathers of Flesh here on Earth are not so ready to give good Gifts unto their Children as our Heavenly Father is to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him and this it seems he doth so abundantly in the dayes of the Gospel as that it is called by his Name and the ministration of the Spirit and the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which makes men free from the Law of Sin and Death Whereby it seems that though the History and Outward Communicatioâ—s of the Gospel be to us in Scriptis yet we are not to look upon it as a meer piece of Book-learning but as a Vital quickening thing able to give Life to those that are Dead in Trespasses and Sins to beget them again in Christ Jesus and to form divine Goodness in the Souls of Men and by so doing to help their