God should expect faith from a poore sinner whereas for ought I know and learned men hold that Adam in innocencie had not the faith that we are justified by and for ought I know the Angels in heaven have it not and whence should a poore sinner have it It is God that gives repentance to Israel and God is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. And in Philip 1. It is given to you to believe Therefore when I heare of grace and glory and salvation by Jesus Christ I must not consider where I shall have a vessell to carry it home where I shall have faith to receive it but it carries the vessel with it and I goe and take the promise and by the holy Spirit that same Gospel that brought the grace will work faith or else it were as harsh as the Law Therefore never stand off about faith for he that gives grace and solvation will work faith Againe it may be objected by some wee confesse that the Gospel is good newes and blessed be God it is performed also But it seemes that there is in the Gospel or annexed to it a discipline or a government whereby wee shall be ruled thus saith one thus saith another and if we receive the Gospel of Christ we must receive the Government of Christ say the Ministers and wee feare that will be no good newes to our poore soules As for that in few words as I am able I confesse Beloved that in or with the Gospel of Christ there is a Government or there is a discipline that may in a sense be called an externall discipline over the Saints or people of God And it is true that all the governments that have hetherto been in the world since our Lord Christ went to heaven men have called them the Governments of the Gospel and fatherod them upon Christ and the Gospel and truely if they had been so indeed as men pretended that is if those kind of governments that wee have had had been part of the Gospel surely than there had been a great deale of bad newes and heavie tidings in the Gospel of Jesus Christ As for instance There have been but two great governments or disciplines if I may use that word in the world since our Lord went to heaven The one was Papacie The other Episcopacy Wee have been governed either by the Pope that stiled himself the Successor of Peter and the Romish Governour or by Episcopacy in latter yeares in many parts though Papistrie made the greater stirr in the world Now these two differ in degrees otherwise they are of the same kinde And if these were the government of Christ and the discipline of the Gospel we may well say there hath been sad tidings and heavie newes from the Gospel for many yeares Give me leave to instance in a few substantiall things in these two Governments This was one thing that was in both these Governments The Ministers such as they were by what titles soever they were stiled for they had many sorts they took all the power of governing and government wholly and solely into their owne hands they called themselves the Church of God we must looke to the Church that is the Bishops to their lawes c. They called themselves the Clergie that is Gods inheritance as the word in the Originall signifies True it is there is a power a sweet Gospel power in the Ministers that is somewhat peculiar from the people But to take all power into their owne hands and to leave the people and call them the laity the drosse the valgar to leave them as vassalls and slaves and to call themselves the Clergie and the Church and the like If this had been Christs discipline there had been some hard and heavie tidings in the Gospel of Christ Secondly as they took this power into their hands so they used this power as Lords over Gods inheritance contrary to the command of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 5. 4. You shall not Lord it over Gods inheritance Now you know they were Lords that will appeare in two things First they made Lawes upon the consciences of men besides the Lawes that Jesus Christ made you know they had their Synods and their Convocations and their great Councels and the like and there they would have Canons or Lawes every time they met for the consciences of poore Saints This was no good newes And then forcing men to aver those lawes that they had made as they had made a law that people should not goe out of their Parishes they must every one heare his owne Minister though it may be he was an Ignorant drunken dumb prophane wretch and if they did not they were forced and compelled to doe it Beloved this was not according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ for if it had surely it had been no good newes Thirdly in the second Government that we have had hetherto they imposed Ministers and Officers upon the people the people never had yet liberty under these two Governments to choose men according to Gods own heart that would feed them with knowledge and understanding but such as the Bishops sent they must receive whether they were good or bad they must tako them as they found them and those usually were either Ignorant unlearned meu or prophane unsanctified men and these were sent by them as Lords and the people were forced to receive them Then fourthly in this government all the power which they had which they took all to themselves they exercised it onely almost against the Saints and people of God either as Schismaticks or Lollards or Heretiques or Puritans or the like either for doing that that was good or for things that were trifles according to their owne judgment For doing that which was good for fasting and praying for meeting to teach one another and to seek the Lord these were called Conventicles Or for trifles that they in their consciences held indifferent as the wearing of the Surplice and the Crosse in baptisme they themselves said they were indifferent things and trifles and yet men must be silenced and people bannished beyond Sea for these things This government wee have had and there was little good newes and glad tidings to the soules of the poore Saints from all this Fiftly they did restraine the Spirit of God in the Saints both in preaching and praying In preaching the Ministers were tied they must preach such and not such things and they must be in danger to be fined if they did not keep to the houre And for Prayer when it may be the poore Ministers soule was full of groanes and sighs and he would have rejoyced to have poured out his soule to the Lord he was tied to an old Service-Booke and must read that till he grieved the Spirit of God and dried up his owne spirit as a chip that he could not pray if he would and
GLAD TYDINGS from HEAVEN TO The Worst of SINNERS on Earth BY WALTER CRADOCK Late Preacher at Hallows Great in LONDON LUKE 2 10. Feare not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people LONDON Printed by Mathew Simmons 1648. To the Christian Reader READER THe nature of man is prone to be inquisitive after newes especially in these unsetled distracted times amongst us it is a great part of the imploiment of people and takes up much of their time as if London were Athens and the people thereof Athenians who spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to heare some newes And yet the news wee beare is sometimes bad sometimes uncertain and many times false Divert thy thoughts awhile from earthly things and in this ensuing Treatise thou shalt heare what newes from heaven in the Gospel The Law indeed brings us tidings but it is like the message of Ehud to Eglon it brings a dagger with it that stabs mortally but the tidings of the Gospel is like that message of the young Prophet to Jehu to make him a King There is nothing truly terrible but the Gospel brings tidings of our freedome from it if we be believers nor nothing truly amiable but it tells us of our interest in it How welcome to a poore captive is newes of deliverance from slaverie The Gospel brings us tidings of our deliverance from sin Satan death hell from wrath and damnation it tells us of riches and glory and Kingdomes and Crownes and what soever may satisfie the capacious soule of man God hath appointed different conditions for men and Angels the Angels that stood they are so confirmed that they cannot fall the Angels that fell they are determined under eternail wrath that they cannot rise but God from everlasting in his love and mercy had appointed that fallen man should have a way of recovery as a board after ship wracke whereby he might come safe to the shore And God in time was pleased to come out of his hidden eternity and to discover this love of his to the world and hath sent his Son to puhchase it and his Spirit to apply it and his servants to tell not this or that perticuler man but all Nations that whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ shall have everlasting life this blessed tidings is brought by the Gospel And let none say this newes is to good to be true for God who is truth it selfe as it were on purpose to anticipate the infidelity of man hath said it and sworne it and sealed it with the blood of his deare Son that we might have strong consolation and hath made this fabrick of the world to be as a stage to act the redemption of his people on which being finished it shall be no more It should stir us up to love and blesse the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and the holy Spirit and to imbrace the Messengers that bring those glad tidings to account their very feet beautifull the meanest part of the body and upon the moutaines the barren places of the earth And I doubt not but many poore soules can from experience blesse God for the worthy Authour in those barren mountaines where he converseth and else where and say of him as David of Ahimaaz he is a good man and bringeth good tidings Though others being hardened spit at such lights and labour to extinguish who God in just judgment will cause to stumble and fall and lie downe in eternall darknesse But I shall detaine thee no longer from the the work but commend it and thee to Gods blessing and rest Thine in the Gospel of Christ GOOD NEWES To the Worst of SINNERS MARKE 16. 15. And hee said unto them goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature YOu may easily understand who spake these words and to whom they were spoken In these words our Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection when he had all power in Heaven and Earth given to him he sends forth his Apostles to Preach and he bids them Goe into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature This was their Commission they were to have now to go preach the Gospel Indeed they had a Commission before but it was only to the Jewes and it was a little but by spirts but now Christ was risen from the dead and had received all power in Heaven and Earth he sends them for good and all as it were he gives them a full and compleate Commission Goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature Before I come to the Lesson that I mean to insist upon there are two things here in the words that must be opened that you may see the foundation or ground of this Lesson And that is First what is meant by Gospel Goe and preach the Gospel Then what is meant by creature Goe preach the Gospel to every creature For the first what is meant by Gospel I will not stand upon the severall acceptations of it onely you may understand that both in the Scripture language and also among the Heathen Gospel hath been taken for Glad tidings good newes in generall any Good newes or Glad tidings have been called Gospel So the Greek word signifies so some conceive the English word Godspel being old English signifies Gospel that is good speech good newes good hearing good tidings but in a peculiar sense in Scripture it is taken for that Good tidings of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ And so in this sense we read of it in the old Testament and in the new In the old Testament you shall read in Heb. 4. 3. that our Fathers they had the Gospel as well as we but Beloved you are to take notice that though our Fathers had the Gospel that is the glad tidings of life and salvation by Jesus Christ from Adam from the beginning of the world yet they had it but dimly and darkly and they had it mixed with a great deale of Law a great deale of bad tidings as I may speak they had a little good newes with a great deale of bad So Adam had a little good tidings The seed of the woman shall bruise the Servents head and there was bad tidings also there was the curse upon the Serpent and upon the woman the man the woman should bring forth in paine the man must eat his bread in the sweat of his browes And so in all the old Testament there was a little Gospel in the Prophecies and Gospel in the sacrifices and Gospel in the visions but abundance of law mingled with this Gospel the one spake sad tidings as well as the other did good for you know the Law spake curses and damnation to those that in every point did not observe it But in the new Testament especially after the resurrection of Jesus Christ when he went up to Heaven
amiable Saith the man when he had done judge yee will yee not think it just if yee be damned if ye will not receive and obey this Saith he it is so I deserve to be damned without mercy Consider this you will say so too you will be made to confesse how just your damnation will be for refusing it If there were any thing in all this that were harsh and cruell and rough and ridged it were somewhat but when God hath cast the Gospel into such a mold and way that every thing smiles and all is roses and yet a wretch shall go and persecute it and slight it and neglect and despise it I leave such a man let him judge himselfe at the last day worthy of damnation for he shall have judgment without mercy that rejecteth this mercy When men have this mercy without mixture of judgment it is fit that those men should have pure judgment withour mixture of mercy This is the reason that the Lord laughs at mens destruction Pro. 1. when it comes as a whirlwinde Now wee must understand that God doth not laugh at any mans destruction as a transgressor of the Law for he hath cast himself into a necessity of sininng and hath damned himself and he cannot help it And God will not laugh at the destruction of the Gentiles and heathens that have not heard of the Gospel but when God comes by his Ministers and opens and unbowels all the mysteries of the Gospel to people and hath laid all before them clearly yet then for people to love darknesse rather than light and to continue drunkards and whoremongers and swearers and villanes and jearers of Gods people and laugh at his Ordinances this makes the Lord laugh at their destruction I beseech you therefore all you that yet never received the Gospel of Jesus Christ consider what I have said In the fourth place if the Gospel and the Ministery of it be good tidings and glad newes to the worst of sinners Then Beloved you should me thinks imbrace with all affection the true and sincere Ministers of this Gospel these Messengers that bring you these glad tidings we are as the Apostle saith the offscouring of the world a spectacle to men and Angels Truly there are no Ministers in the world that are more persecuted and hated and despised than the humble sincere Ministers of the new Testament of the Gospel of Jesus Christ nor never were This is a sore and a strange thing if we did bring one word that were sad and greivous and harsh to you it were no wonder but if all that wee speake be the voyce of the dove doves language all sweet come to the Gospel Ministery if there come a poore man full of sadnesse the Ministery of the Gospel speaks a word of comfort to him if he be in darkness and he knowes not which way to goe waiting on a Gospel Ministery there is light to finde his way If he be in feare and know not his estate what he is a Gospel Ministery will give him assurance of Gods love so it brings glad tidings to some souls every houre Is not this than madnesse in men that of all creatures in the world they hate that man and those Messengers that bring these blessed glad tidings There is a Prophesie in Isaiah 52. 7. How beautifull upon on the mountaines are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good things that publisheth salvation that saith to the righteous thy God reigneth How beautifull are their feet much more their lips you doe not in this as you doe in naturall things if a man come and bring glad tidings of taking of such a Towne or of such a victory though it may be there is losse and little good in it we all welcome it and he is rewarded presently and hath all wayes of encouragment and yet when people shall come and by the Spirit of God make known all the love of God in Jesus Christ and all the riches of the Gospel in Jesus Christ that your hearts should so rise against it that you should receive and entertain so many prejudices against it it is a strange and wonderous thing Therefore you should doe well me thinks as you read in the booke of God 2 Sam. 18. 27. of two men that did bring tidings to David of the warrs and the watchman said Me thinks the runing of the formost is like the runing of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok and the King said he is a good man and comes with good tidings He would have the watchman open the gate quickly why because he was a good man and did bring good tidings So wee should especially if men be good and holy and humble and feele the power of that they speake and expresse it in their lives say as David that is a good man and bringeth good tidings he will teach me if I be ignorant hee will comfort me if I be sad he will direct me if I have lost my way hee will build me up if I thrive not in grace The consideration of this truth me thinks should bannish all those strange thoughts and prejudices that wee have against the Ministers of the Gospel In the first place another lesson is this if the Gospel be such good newes such glad tidings then you should hearken much after it and inquire much into it We all you know are naturally greedie to heare newes and we know how much time is spent here in the City especially in reading Diurnalls inquiring after tidings and how much money is cast away that way Wee should doe so much more about these glorious tidings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ It is not enough to heare a Sermon or to read a Chapter once or twice a day as it is the manner of some that will not bring us to know the mysteryes of the Gospel but we must search the Scripture and compare spirituall things with spirituall things As in earthly tidings if a man tell of such a victorie one way and another after him another way and a third a third way you compare what they say and their letters and newes to finde out the truth So you should be earnest in seeking God and bego his Spirit compare Scriptures together see what the Scripture saith in such a place and how in another place and this is the way to find out the mystery of the Gospel These tidings are great therefore inquire into them and they are true tidings they are not fables and tidings of common concernment to every Saint therefore let this be the use that thou and I should make of it to desire the Lord to lead us into the depth of those mysteryes and to set our selves to studie it more and more for the further we goe the more wee shall finde as in a myne It is not as in your newes many times you have a great deale of good newes in a