so prepared for him that he himself was a witnesse of himself for so he saith I am one that bear witnesse of my self St. John 8.18 The way to the truth and the truth of the way and the life of all came to witnesse to them both yet you finde him saying If I bear witnesse of my self my witnesse is not true St. John 5.31 Places seemingly contradictory and yet easily reconciled if truly considered for in the one he spake to those that acknowledged no more in him then Humanity in the other he discovers his Deity and equality with the Father shewing his submission to him as man that though in the one they would not yet by the other they may be convinced And since Christ as man was without errour and could not be guilty of falshood then it is not true to affirme Christs witnessing to the truth is invalid as the Iewes supposed for though what he spake was truth in it self yet in their acception it was not so accounted and though that truth most times is suspected which barely testifies of it self yet it could not be so imputed unto Christ because he is light it self and light helps to discover both it self and others and therefore it must remain a truth that Christs coming into the world was to bear witnesse to the truth both In Words and Works Christ Jesus our Redeemer bare witness to the truth 1. In Words his words were such as the Iewes were convinced by them For they conclude never man spake like him St. John 7.46 his words were of such energy as that they proved all his actions authentick 2. In his works he testified of the truth in so much that his very enemies said when Christ comes will he do more miracles then those which this man hath done St. Joh. 7.31 and since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind Saint John 9.32 33. for if this man was not of God he could do nothing therefore when St. Iohn Baptists Disciples came with this message art thou he that should come or do we look for another he saith no more then Go tell Iohn what things you have seen and heard how that the blind see the lame walk c. Saint Luke 7.22 and presently that precursor knew by his works that it was no other then the Messias nor did he onely testifie by saying and doing but also by suffering and dying for rather then truth shall suffer he will die and not one drop of blood shall be left in his veines rather then the least part of truth shall want a testimony for he came to bear witness to the truth and by dying gave testimony to the truth And so I have done with the first namely the end and I come to the second thing viz. 2. The object the truth To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world to bear witness to the truth Truth is threefold 1. There is the truth of Gods promises concerning the Messias 2. The truth of the Substance whereof the Types were but shadowes 3. The truth of the Doctrines delivered to the people 1. The truth of Gods promises concerning the Messias he was promised in the beginning of time to him that was to be the Father of all living for when God had made man a living Soul and man by sinne had made himself a dying body then was the promise of a quickning spirit Gen. 3.15 She that was accursed for eating the forbidden fruit shall now be blest in the fruit of her body 2. As God promised him to the father of all living so to the father of the Faithfull Gen. 15.18 and it was to procure our good For in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 18.18 In him we have freedome from misery and fulness of glory and by him we have interest in glory and comfort in calamity 3. God promised Christ by the Prophets and not onely that he should but how he must be borne Behold a virgin shall conceive bear a Son and call his name Emanuel Isa 7.14 How he should die After threescore and two weeks shall the Messiah be cut off but not for himself Dan. 9.26 How he should rise again for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption Psal 16.10 Thus the Prophets foretold the incarnation of Christ together with the several gradations thereof but if you please we will once more consider the Messias as chalked out in the Old Testament you find him promised Gen. 22.18 then promised to be of the tribe of Iudah Gen. 49.10 his conception birth death and passion at large set down by the Psalmist in the 22. Psal his being derided at and lightly esteemed his being a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence expressed in the 118. Psa nay foretold to be of the body of Mary Isa 7. c. Hath God spoken and will he not do no he spake that he might do it yea he came to bear witness of his promises that they might have a consummation not a consumption for as God promised and the Prophets foretold so he was looked for in the beginning and in the fulness of time he came beeause so promised for the promises are the most and best part of his word we expect nothing but promises and of all the promises none but Christ for it is his mercy not our deserts that all the promises are in Christ yea and amen Thus you see the first truth demonstrated the truth of Gods promise in sending the Messias 2. The truth of the substance whereof the types and figures under the law were but shadowes how many things were there that presented Christ nay in every thing where and when was not Christ prefigured each promise and prophecy speaks nothing foretold which he did not fulfil and do that the shadowes might yield to the substance that the types might have accomplishment as well as abrogation Christ came into the world all the types end in him He came to witness to the truth 3. The truth of doctrines of faith and manners 1. For the doctrine of faith take this instance the Prophet Isa hath foretold that those that sate in darkness have seen a great light Isa 9.2 and Saint Iohn saith this is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world St. John 1.9 indeed concerning the doctrines of faith there were divers in the world some were false and some likely but the most true the first two were they of the Philosophers the third of our Saviour and how false they of the Philosophers were is obvious to most for they often changed the truth of God into lies and truth was vanished from those children of men some of them fancied many gods some believed no God at all some granted an eternal being but no providence and some a providence and yet did attribute
please others the sins we have committed in our own persons and the sins we have occasioned others to commit the sins we know and the sins we know not the sins that we have so long striven to hide from others knowledge that we have even now hid them from our own memories these O Lord are more in number then the sands upon the Sea shoar or the Stars of Heaven which cannot be numbred We have sinned against the light of Nature and against the light of Grace against thy Law and against thy Gospel against thy Promises and against thy Threats against thy Mercies and against thy Judgements against all vows and promises and resolutions of better obedience against the reproofs of thy word against the many motions of thy good Spirit in our souls against thy Fatherly admonitions against thy loving corrections against the many fearfull examples of thy Judgements against the infinite obligations of thy favours and against the checks of our own consciences These things have we done and because thou held thy tongue we have also thought wickedly that thou art altogether such an one as our selves or that either thou dost not see or dost approve or wilt not severely punish the crimes that we have so long doted on If thou Lord God shouldest be extream to mark what is done amisse Lord who is able to abide it but with thee there is mercy and with thee there is plenteous redemption and thou desirest not the death of him that dies but rather that be should turn from sin and be saved and seeing that without thee it is not possible for us of our selves to be able to please thee Lord turn us to thee and we shall be turned for thou art the Lord our God Draw us and we shall run after thee draw us by the cords of love and with the bands of loving kindnesse work powerfully upon our spirits by thy holy Spirit work contrition in our hearts and godly sorrow for all our sins even a sorrow to repentance and repentance to salvation never to be repented off Break these hard and stony hearts of ours by the hammer of thy word mollifie them by the oyle of thy grace smite these rocky hearts of ours by the rod of thy most gracious power that we may shed forth rivers of tears for all the sins we have committed Lord make us grieve because we cannot grieve and to weep because we cannot weep enough O that thou wouldest humble us more and more under the true sight and sense of all our ungodlinesse of all our wickednesse and of all our unworthynesse And O thou Father of mercies have mercy on us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the world take away the world of our sins they are too heavie O Lord for us to bear thou only art able to bear them and thou didst bear all our sins upon thine own body upon the tree O thou that wast wounded for our sins and bruised for our transgressions we beseech thee let the chastisement of our peace be upon thee and do thou by thy stripes heal us Hide us most gracious Redeemer hide us from the wrath of God in the glorious skars of those meritorious wounds which thou didst suffer for us and by the vertue of them create peace in heaven for us by reconciling the Father to us And O thou that wast our Saviour on earth we beseech thee be thou our Advocate in heaven be thou our High-priest still offering up thy self a Victim to the Father for us and besprinkle us with thine own most pretious bloud that through that bloud of sprinkling our persons our services and the desires of our souls may be acceptable to the Father Be thou our King set up thy throne in our hearts dismantle and disgarison all the strong holds and fortifications of sin that sin may no longer have dominion over us but do thou rule and over-rule us enable us to do thy will write thy Commandements in our hearts and thy Statutes in our inward parts put thy fear into our souls that we may fear thee and love thee and diligently live after thy commands Be thou our Prophet leading us into all truth Oh do thou inform us and teach us the way wherein we should go and do thou guide us by thine eye be thou the voice behind us still directing us this is the way walk in it guide us by thy counsels here and hereafter receive us unto thy glory And O Holy Spirit the Comforter do thou help our infirmities and with thy unutterable groans make intercession for us And thou that workest both to will and the deed in us of thine own good pleasure put into our hearts good desires and let the continuall assistance of thy grace help us to bring the same to good effect plant in our souls the love of thy name graffe in our hearts true Religion nourish us with all goodnesse and of thy great mercy keep us in the same so long as we have to live make us to love that which thou commandest and to desire that which thou hast promised that among the sundry and manifold changes and chances of this mortall life our hearts may surely there be fixt where true joyes are to be found And thou that sheddest the pretious ointments of thy grace upon all thy faithfull people O do thou open the eyes of our souls that we may see thee who art invisible that beholding thy glorious but invisible presence in all our actions we may be so awfully affected towards thee that whether either the Devil shall tempt us or the world shall allure us or our own carnal lusts and sinfull affections shall incline us to commit any wickednesse thy Holy Spirit O Lord may in all things so direct rule and overrule our hearts and awaken our consciences to aske us How shall we dare to commit any wickednesse and sin against thee Gratious God keep us from sinning against thee though it were to gain the whole world for it will not profit us to gain the whole world and lose our own souls help us rather we pray thee to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling and to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure Help us to eschew and decline all the occasions all the opportunities that have betrayed us unto sin and to hate the very garments spotted with the flesh O Lord with what affliction soever thou shalt punish us do not punish us with spirituall judgements and desertions give us not over to our own hearts lusts to our own vile lewd and corrupt affections give us not over to hardnesse and impenitency of heart but make us sensible of the least sin and give us thy grace to think no sin little committed against thee our God but that we may be humbled for it and repent of it and reform it in our lives and conversations
Cherubims seated upon the Ark of Gods glory cast continually their unspotted eyes upon the rotten raggs of Humane frailty aiming still at mans felicity How else could dust and ashes expect continued life from such dry bones as was and is still the foundation of mans body for should Heavens propitious eye glance forth nothing but renewed smiles upon our actions and mercy alwayes sit hovering over our Tabernacles we should quickly ingulf our spirits in the bottome of miserable security or on the contrary should but the direful hand of Omnipotency it self draw forth his glittering sword against our weak resistance unto what a paralytick posture would such an appearance strike us as coming from him whose very breath can speak us into nothing Oh then with what bowed knees and humble hearts should every soul of us kiss the very remembrance of a Iesus coming not onely to save them that believe but to work a present reconcilememt betwixt the Justice and Mercy of God the Father that now the one as well as the other or rather with united consent both together may conspire and joyn issue in the great work of mans redemption for could your drowsie spirits but lend an ear to the pleasant dialogue that continually passes betwixt these glorious Attributes now you should hear Justice calls for the Sanctuaries ballance to weigh all the actions of the sons of men and with a Mene Mene Tekel c. finde such dusty performances of no validity in Heavens account and so poor we being in Adam wilfully lost are now necessarily fallen short of immortal bliss Thus is our sentence irrecoverable and no door of hope left for our escape till Mercy that eternal beam of love stand forth and present the all-sufficient merit of a dying Saviour as full satisfaction for the sins of the whole world pleading that faithful covenant made by Justice it self that whosoever believes shall not perish but have everlasting life Which faith is the golden pillar that bears up the stately structure of mans everlasting glory the only hand by which the promises of a better life are made ours the sure entail by which the inheritance purchased in common is become mine in particular it is the onely voice by which holy David could make an echo that would reach from the lowest deeps to the highest Heavens Out of the deeps have I called unto thee O Lord Lord hear my voice as you may see verse the first of this Psalme nay it is the very nerve and sinewe of all pious Devotion for if you peruse the whole Psalme you will find it is nothing else but a rehearsal of religious petitions and serious exhortations In his petitions you 'l find his soul big with holy affiance spiritual confidence grounded on Gods word promising and his own Experience tasting In his Exhortations like a faithful Physician he prescribes nothing but what is attested to with his own and others Probatum est making mercy both the beginning and the end the principal and the final cause of Happiness but in both he keeps the eye of humility placed upon the raggs of mans unworthiness as justly demeriting eternal wrath were God exact in remunerating our actions for so he closes up the summe of his requests in the words of my Text If thou Lord wilt be extreme to marke what is done amiss O Lord who may abide it In which words please to consider two general parts 1 An antecedent in these words If thou Lord be extreme to marke what is done amiss 2. A Consequent in the other words who can abide it Or if you will look on them 1 In the Thesis 2 In the Hypothesis 1 In the Thesis wherein you have Gods extremity in punishing 2 In the Hypothesis There you have mans misery in suffering And now my Text in its situation is not unlike a pleasant Grove presenting to your view variety of pleasant Trees each bough thereof being richly laden with delicious goodly fruit not onely delightful to the eye but beneficial to the Taste or if you will your Conceptions may behold most costly Arras enriched with the lively story of Gods bounty and mans felicity mutually interwoven in the same peece but if you list to change the scene and have the true parts more neerly acted you may gain a precious enterview of Gods omnipotency displayed in its several Dispensations and management of Humane affairs where Justice and Mercy the twins of royalty discovering on the one Hand Gods free benevolence in bestowing and mans utter unworthiness for so large a guerdon on the reverse parts your sight is presented with the Almighties just severity in punishing together with mans reaping misery the true fruit of his sin In fine that I may unbowel this sacred writ take the substance thereof distilled into these four observations 1 It s the Corruption of mans nature to do amiss 2 God is not alwaies extreme to marke and punish what 's done amiss 3 God can when he pleases be extreme in marking and punishing what is done amiss 4 If God be extreme in punishing man must needs be extreme in suffering These are the four streams that naturally run their division from this pleasant spring that voluntarily tenders its silver drops to refresh the heart of every pious Christian which makes me beg your patience and zealous attention whilst in order I make these glorious truths to pass before the spiritual eye of your intelligent souls And first of the First namely It s the corrupt nature of man to do amiss As its the nature of man to be doing so it s the corruption of that nature to be doing amiss and though God see and observe all the actions of discomposed and distempered man yet it s onely the obliquity of those actions his severity intends to reward with punishment for every action simply considered in it self is good and no way meriting unspeakable torment but every such action contracts eternal guilt as performed by and prersisted in of sinful man whose customary nature and naturall custome is to do evil for as things are in being so they are in operation Can a man gather grapes of thornes or figgs of thissles saith our Blessed Saviour Or can any man bring a clean thing out of an unclean was the question put by holy Iob. Ever since man eat the forbidden fruit man himself hath become a barren tree and cumbred the ground for ever since man voluntarily fell man hath been under a necessity of sin a necessity I say proceeding not from Gods peremptory decree but his feeble and corrupted will for its a voluntary necessity should I set open the door of this defiled cage and present to your view the misery lapsed mans unhappiness hath reduced him to or give you but a glimpse of those polluted birds whose habitation is in the house of every soul by nature or but read a Lecture of mans depraved condition I could do it in no other language then that of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of perverse and depraved minds till then all we preach or learn is but as new wine put into old bottles whose strength their weakness cannot contain or as a new peece in an old garment it may help a little to patch up our lives and actions but at length that natural acquired knowledge which with much study labour and sorrow we have obtained will but agravate our sins and make the rupture of our consciences the more desperate and wide therefore while others sit mourning over the loss of some terrene bliss which perhaps was gone before truly enjoyed let us bewail the true depravation of that real goodness once given to the first and now profered us by believing in the second Adam It were folly beyond compare for rebels to imagine that a pardon can be merited by resistance such sturdy okes must be cut down not bowed and cannot we make the case our own drawing this sure conclusion that while at enmity with God no peace of conscience no joy in the Holy Ghost and that we are traterous rebels beyond all contradiction and dispute For there is a double rebellion 1 Of the soul against God Rom. 3.10 As it is written there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God c. and likewise he goes on shewing the totality of this rebellion verses 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. drawing up this conclusion ver the 16. destruction and misery are in their wayes and the way of peace have they not known there is no fear of God before their eyes When once the reigns of loyalty are laid in the neck of licentious liberty there can be expected nothing but ruine and calamity you have already seen the defection that reigns predominant in the three principal faculties of every unregenerate soul from which it must necessarily follow if the streams abound with so much pollution the fountain and spring must needs overflow with corruption it is the unsanctified heart that occasions all unnatural heats and quarrels against God and his righteous Law Whence come wars and fightings saith S. Iames come they not hence 4. Iames 1. viz. from a lusting and unsatisfied principle that hath taken possession of our souls for ever since man eat of the forbidden fruit the envious one hath endevoured to steal the seed of Gods grace out of his heart that so he might with greater freedome have the larger room wherein to sow his own Tares so that no way can peace be expected from us but by true contrition and holy submission to carry our dead souls in the armes of faith to Jesus the onely true mediatour and beg of him to take away the partition-wall which our sins had erected that so our reconciliation being wrought by him we may have strong consolation through believing 2 As there is a rebellion of the soul against God so secondly it followes that there is a rebellion in the senses against the soul Rom. 7. c. 21. I find then a law that when I would do good evil is present with me and if the great Apostle found such struglings within his sanctified spirit what reason sure have we to make complaint whose senses are continually boiling up with fiery passions and enormous lusts as might easily be made appear would your patience grant me the liberty but to particularize and shew you how each sense apart hath joyned in conspiracy against the soul and I le begin 1 With Hearing that once heavenly organ whose delight was in nothing when created but to hear the heavenly Anthems the glorious Quire of Angels continually sing with changeable parts and unspeakable ravishment in praise of their and his Creator or to receive the lively oracles and upright rules of life from the mouth of God himself but alas no sooner had the soul sinned then the ear was stopped from the former glorious sounds and that voice which before was pleasant to Adam innocent is now terrible and intolerable to the same person naked and what is now our imployment but to listen after those things rhat cannot profit or else to attend to that which will certainly bring punishment The most heavenly charmer with all his melting rhetorick cannot unstop the ear of an obdurate impenitent but he will persist in the hearkening to those diabolicall lectures whose doctrine is deceitful and application damnable whose propositions are to teach us to sow the seeds of sin and Uses to perswade us to reap the fruits thereof That this is a truth beyond control I need fetch no further arguments then your own sad experience whose daily practice bespeaks the woful knowledge you have thereof 2 The sense of Seeing also is not without its interest in complotting how by rebellion to ruine our souls Indeed I find it sometimes the threatning of Gods angry curse as the punishment of a rebellious people that seeing they may not see lest they should be converted and live Esay 9.10 though for the most part it is the subject of his complaint against both Prince and subjects Priest and people as you may see at large up and down that prophecy that by a kind of spiritual adultery the sight of men is divorced from that object which is best and do we not find that these optick nerves of ours which were made only to be the recesses of glorious and immortal objects are by us made the casements and inlets to all kinds of folly madness that now our blear eyes are either offended with every beam of light the sun of righteousness darts upon us so miserable is the decay of our sight in respect of its noblest capacity and operations or else in its luxuriancy and wantonness runs out glaring upon vain and unprofitable things to the breeding of base disorder and unreasonableness in our minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysost wicked men are unreasonable men are they not without understanding that work wickedness saith the Psalmist Psal 14.14 such is the extravagancy of our natural sight that it for the most part makes way to the blindness of our spiritual sight 3 Smelling which once was like that of a pleasant field which the Lord hath blessed is now by sinne become abominable to God and nauseous to our selves we lost the savour of that good ointment for which the Virgin daughters of Sion should love us Cant. 4.11 our smell is now become earthy and by a sinful dejection we bend our souls downwards for having in Adam lost the smell of those garments more pleasant then that of Lebanus we are now with holy Iob content to sit and enjoy the savour of a dunghil there is a filth and stench remaining in the heart and conscience of every impenitent sinner that the sweet perfumes of a pure mind and upright spirit which continually refresh the heaven-borne souls are forraign and have no alliance to them whose minds are orewhelmed with the turbulent cares of a tossed
sin unrepented of is able to damne us and the least law transgrest is sufficient to procure our damnation whereas Christs infinite merit onely can obtain our salvation for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God St. Iames 1.20 By all which you cannot but understand the truth of our assertion namely it s the corrupt nature of man to do amiss together with the reasons thereof I shall briefly make some application to our selves and so in order pass on to the second doctrine propounded Use 1 Fall down to prayer and cry out with holy David Enter not into judgement with thy servants O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified if in the gold of Angels there was much dust found if those pure spirits were charged with folly what extremity of madness and intolerable ire may we expect as the wages of our unrighteousness For if thou Lord be extreme to mark what is done amiss who can abide it you have seen the doctrine cleared let us a little apply it and so pass on to the last conclusion Application Oh consider this ye that forget God lest he destroy you lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea Jeremiah 5.22 fear not them that can kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell saith our Saviour 10. S. Mat. 28. for patience provoked turns to the greatest fury and when the malevolous planet of Gods anger shall fall upon our heads like the flying roll in the 5. of Zach. it will dread nothing but everlasting destruction Oh how should all our pulses beat at the remembrance of Gods wrath for sins how contracted our span of of time and how trembling should our clay cottages appear how much better were it for us to measure out the ground by our length before him and in humility to kiss the rod then with impudent foreheads to stand it out against his vengeance how should we with speed lay hold and fix upon all means that may bring us near unto himself how willing should we be with the silken cords of his favour to be led to repentance seeing he is so loth to be severe and waits that he may be gracious to us and withal considering that if God be extreme in punishing man must needs be extreme in suffering which brings me to the fourth and last conclusion That if God be extreme in punishing man must needs be extreme in suffering When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin thou makest his beauty to consume like a moth saith holy David Ps 39.12 But it were well if onely his beauty were gone and his outward comeliness done away but he adds as a greater misery every man is but vanity and every way miserable for what happiness can be expected when Gods heavenly countenance looks with anger upon us for who can bind up that which God in wrath layes open who can speak peace to that soul whom he afflicts or if he withdraw who can comfort us and who can abide his justice when he is severe and looks upon us with the eyes of fiery indignation surely none for then the body will but begin the pain of the soul and the soul endure the grief of both then you may hear the Shunamites child cry out my head my head holy David complaines that his heart is melted like wax before the sun then it is that king Asa is sick indeed from head to foot that holy Iob is sitting upon the dunghil and cursing the day of his birth then oh then indeed it is that King David cryes out his strength is dryed up like a potsheard and that he is become like a Pelican in the wilderness there you shall hear Hezekiah chatter like a crane and mourn like a Dove for when God is extreme in his judgements man must needs be miserable in suffering even in the outward man and yet all these are but the beginning of sorrow as our Saviour saith in comparison of those calamities that will overtake us when our breath shal be turned into sighs our eyes into fountains of tears and our hearts like mournful harpes shall be hung upon the willowes of contrition and our organical musick into the voice of them that weep all which are but as so many doleful witnesses of our sufferings when God shall come to visit for our transgressions so that you see the doctrine cleared and the truth thereof in lively examples illustrated One word of application and then my whole discourse shall be concluded Application Oh be astonished and wonder at the rich mercy of God all you that go on in an uninterrupted course of sinning that God hath not long since made you the subjects of eternal wrath oh let the greatness of his patience encourage you not to go on but repent of your sins lest your destruction come unawares as an armed man and there be none to deliver you Let me therefore exhort all men to make their peace with him betimes before death makes a separation between them and their chiefest happiness before your souls be swallowed up in misery and drowned with an overflowing deluge of useless tears the onely Emblemes of a too late repentance which shall never be wiped off with the smallest remnant of mercy or drunk up with the least spunge of pitty and fatherly compassion for then the Lamb slain for the redemption of your souls repenting will be found no lese then Iudahs Lion enthroned to condemne both soul and body for wilful and impenitent sins so that we must all conclude with the words of my Text If thou Lord wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss O Lord who may abide it Regi seculorum immortali invisibili soli Deo honor gloria Amen SERM. II. PSAL. 130. V. 3. If thou Lord be extreme c. Introduction THe glory of the Shepherd is the thriving of the Sheep as Saint Chrysostome saith and the fatness of Christs Lambs is the strength of their graces by the one the outward man is refreshed but with the other the inward spirit is rejoiced and in both the glory of God is highly exalted Heavens spotless eye endures not to behold leprous Souls with any other look besides that of vengeance nor can the Creature ever expect to see its Creators face without a renewed mind For without Holiness no man shall ever see God Heb. 12.14 We are but stubble to his consuming fire so that while we are in a state of sinning we are liable to damnation Heb. 10.13 It being a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God whose just severity will wound the hairy scalp of such as willfully go astray why then should we be so stupidly ignorant as
not the soul of a man but the affections thereof for faith that proceeds from hope and hope that relies on righteousness not that our unrighteousness can expect any thing from God this would include presumption or merit but by it we wait for the Righteousness of God through Jesus Christ our Lord who is the object of our hope two ways 1. Iâ—clusively 2 Exclusively 1. Inclusively and that two ways 1. Including as the end all the persons of the sacred Trinity and 2. All the Attributes of God 2. Including the less principal objects of our hope the graces of the Holy Spirit by which salvation is revealed to the soul 1. Including as the end all the persons of the sacred Trinity for Christ is called the Hope not of parts but of persons all those acts of grace that are from God returned are terminated in the Essence of the Sacred Trinity as we believe in God and we love God and hope in God without determining any person or secluding any though the soul look diversly as in himself and so loves God because he is the chief good and faith unites the Soul to God as the principle of good hope the souls anchor depends on his purity though all seem diversly yet they all meet in this God therefore he is called the God of hope Rom. 15.13 Jer. 14.8 and that not as the efficient cause working this grace in our hearts only but as the final cause to which it moves expecting to enjoy the presence of God which is the fulness of joy for evermore Psal 16.11 2. Including all the Attributes of God for these are they on which our hope takes hold nay they are his very being which we may safely flie to and that for any good we expect to receive from God he having put them as the horns of the Altar for hope analogically takes in all the attributes of God and is the Horns of that holy Altar which by grace is erected in the heart of every true believer as holy David said God is his shield his fortress and deliverer yea and the Horn of his salvation also Psal 18.1 For you may in sacred Writ find pregnant examples of Gods Saints which have particularly committed themselves to his severall properties as Jacob to his Truth Gen. 32. the three Children to his Omnipotency Dan. 3.17 the two blind men to his Goodnesse St. Mat. 20.30 the father of the Lunatick to Christs Power St. Luke 9.38 the Leper to Christs Will St Mark 1.4 2. Including the lesse principall objects of our hope by which salvation is declared to the Soul Threefold hope so it flies to God with a threefold hope 1 With hope in the promises of Christ 2. Of the Graces of Christ 3. In the merits of Christ First in the promises of Christ for in him they are yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 and these promises of Christ may be considered two manner of wayes 1. Absolutely 2 Conditionally 1. Absolutely as the promise of the Messias Isai 28.16 Or 2. Conditionally and that Legally and Evangelically 1. Legally as the promises which annex eternall life to the condition of perfect Obedience which was at first made with Adam in a covenant of Works under the Law but here 2. Evangelically we have annexed Hope of entring Heaven as our Fathers entred Paradise and that to the Evangelical condition of Faith for it is a far greater priviledge to be brought like sons into the fathers house only upon such conditions as we know are already performed by our Surety and wants only the act of Faith to make them ours then with a servile spirit continually to be enslaved to that bondage from which we can never free our selves which is much more likely a beggerly receiving then a working hand But 2. Hope in the Graces of Christ 1 Pet. 13. Hope that 's the grace that is offered to you and brought to you for by grace ye are saved Ephes 2.8 Nor doth this diminish any thing in Christ when the object upon which our Anchor layes hold is onely Christ Jesus our Lord for we can do nothing by our act of hope but only when grace is propounded as subordinate and the means to the other we may fix both in Christ the principal help to attain Eternal Life it is Christ that can bring a Soul to that happiness he desires and grace that is the instrument and agent towards attaining it 3. Hope in the Merits of Christ whereby to attain Heaven prayer is hope interpretative this hope is the root of prayer but the Merits of Christ is the ground we pray for what we hope and hope what we pray for shall be granted through the Merits of Christ without this Faith would be deperateness and hope presumption our prayers without the eye of faith would be but blind though we had this hand we should but be weak without this staff of hope the merits of Christ would be but to us as unrighteousness prayer is the Dove sent out of the Ark hope the wings that help her in her speedy flight and both return empty except they come with a leaf from that branch that is pluckt from the merits of Christ faith is the hand of the soul prayer the sinews and hope the nerves that act in this conveyance but without the merit of Christ all will be but like a brandish'd weapon clashing against the brazen pillars of our own created confidence this verily must be the support of our devotions that we may pray for what we hope Christ hath merited which consists in justification sanctification and glorification 1. In hope of justification viz. pardon of sin remission and freedome from punishment 2. Hope of grace for sanctification whether it be the inward favour of God as the Apostles blessing when he saith the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with them or the habitual grace of Gods spirit which is dayly given us till we become perfect men and the hope of glory answerable to glorification 3. Hope in glorification where we expect to be made happy in that estate where shall be no intermissions of joy or periods in our felicity where faith shall triumph in vision and hope in fruition and that to all eternity Thus Christ is the object of our hope inclusively 2. Exclusively Christ the obect of hope and that 1. In respect of the creature 2. In respect of our selves 1. The creature for what good is there in the creature without or our selves within for do men gather grapes of thornes or figs on thistles What folly were it for him in the next danger of drowning to catch hold of a twig that might get to the rock or the shore which might secure him yet such is the folly of vain hope that neglects the rock of salvation and trusts to the creature that is but as a rush and a flag within the water 2. Excluding what good there is in our selves for though in regard of naturalls
majore ad minorem from the greater to the lesser Christ knew no sin yet he was a man of sorrow the imputation of our sin made him the heir of our sorrows he being the Surety for man he paid the debt when the Principal went free which brought him to that pathetical exclamation Lament 1 12. Behold if â—ver sorrow was like unto my sorrow Thus the Son of God for man became miserable and not only did man by sin bring sorrow upon his Redeemer but also upon himself and the whole creation too as will appear 2. A minore ad majorem from the less to the greater The creatures which were not capable of sin but being subject to man are made lyable to suffering The creature is made subject to vanity not willingly but by constraint Wherefore the whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now c. Rom. 8.20 22. How much more Man is become miserable for whose sake the whole Creation became miserable Misery is the common condition of this life though grace raise the soul to a higher contemplation which often mitigateth and easeth the bitterness of the trouble yet notwithstanding it often cometh to pass that through the inequality of sufferings in this present life she and all her followers must wear garments of a deeper black then the rest of her sons for if others have their cups filled up to the top with bitter afflictions these filled with the dregs if one be scourged with whips the other with Scorpions if they partake of common afflictions good men must be most miserable which brings me to the second conclusion 2. That Christians in this life are outwardly Con. 2 most miserable Vâ—rtue hath such power over the soul of man could it be seen it is so pure it would ravish the beholder with admiration that it is strange how it comes to pass though grace be but vertue sanctified and raised to contemplation that she that commends her better part is so far from having that respect due to her that she is made the heir of sorrows and wicked men like the unjust servants in the Gospel conspire her death and utter extirpation It is strange to see the Sun cursed for its heat the most innocent to be least secure in this life where they must expect sorrow and trouble 2 Tim. 3.12 For all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution and that either inwardly or outwardly 1. Inwardly while the godly cry out with holy David Psal 120 5. Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech c. or with just Lâ—t while in Sodom who complained that his righteous soul was vexed with the unclean conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2.7 hearing the sacred Name of God blasphemed with oaths and seeing the consent of ungodly men And 2. Outwardly and that either secret or manifest 1. Secret witness the low esteem and base value the world rate Gods Jewels at 1 Cor. 4.13 accounting them the filth and off scouring of the world 2. Manifest and that in words behaviour or actions 1. In words thus Tertullus called Saint Paul a babler a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition Act. 24.5 And Ahab called Elijah him that troubled Israel 1 King 18.17 Psal 69.12 2. In behaviour and thus the drunkards make songs of David and even Christ himself is derided the Jews mock him in his Prophetick Office saying Prophesie who smote thee St. Mat. 26.68 The Souldiers mocked him in his Priestly Office bowing their knees and worshipped him St. Mark 15.19 Herod mocked him in his Kingly Office when he put a purple robe on him and platted a crown of thorns on his head and all in scorn to his sacred person St. Mat. 27.29 3. In actions and here what mischiefs are not executed while wicked mens heads are plotting against the Lords peculiar people Their foul suggestions create ways to disturb them that we cannot conclude that Homo est homini Deus that man is to man a God unless we believe there are two Gods a good and a bad what then Est homo homini daemon is man to man a devill not so good That Kingdom that is divided against it self cannot stand Mark 3.24 saith our Saviour the Kingdom of Satan remains and stands and therefore that Kingdom is not divided how then Est homo homini lupus is man to man a wolf not so good neither wolves prey not on wolves the savage wilde beasts do not devour prey on their own kind but what then Homo est homini homo man is to man a man and what creature doth man more mischief then man Dan. 3.27 See the fire less cruel to the three Children and the hungry Lions more merciful to Daniel then were their accusers Dan. 6.22 the earth more pities Abel in opening her mouth to receive his bloud then was Cain his brother which slew him and wherefore slew he him but because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous 1 Joh. 3.12 So though at the very first you see man walking from the womb to the grave giving up that breath he first drew into misery yet here you have mischief more active though the wicked shall substract from the number of the days of the godly it is but to increase his miseries and though they breviate the Text it is he that comments upon it yet here is the comfort though in his way from Jericho unto Jerusalem he fall among theeves Luk. 10.30 and they wound him and leave him half dead yet the pious Samaritan his Saviour takes care of him poureth in Wine to make glad the heart and Oyl to make him cheerful which are the true effects of a faithful soul in greatest miseries and extremities which he receives by hope in Christ For Con. 3 3. The misery of a Christian is taken away by the hope in Christ Yet mistake not it is not for all trees to heal the bitterness of the waters of Marah Exod. 15.25 nor all meal to heal the deadly pottage it is for every hope out of the eater to bring forth meat it is a riddle a good Samson puts forth of too sublime a nature for carnality to unfold it is a mystrey so divinely pleasant and delightful that none can declare but they that plough with Christs heifer Judges 14.18 Indeed wicked men may presume and by the help of their own abilities think to find perfect freedom but their expectation shall fail and their hope be cut off Job 8.14 only those are they that receive comfort that have the God of Jacob for their help Now in what part of the soul Hope is seated is disputable it matters not whether or no it be referred to the Will seeing it extends to the object he desires and that hope is properly taken not to be a passion but a habit infused by the Spirit of God into a Christian which I take to be