believe when Sense Fails him He will not pray alwayes he will not hold on in the Profession of Religion farther than may consist with his own Secret Designs and Self-Interests CHAP. XV. Directing to Three special Duties to be put in Practice viz. To Live by Faith and To set the Spirit of Prayer a working and To get a meek and quiet Spirit HAving laid down several Motives and removed some Impediments for a Close of this Use here are several Duties as Helps to stay our Selves and rely upon God necessary to be Practised The First Duty is To Live by Faith 1. Duty To Live by Faith There 's no Life like to this All other Lives in Comparison of this are no better than sharking shifting Lives Epaminondaâ— that great Theban-Commander after a great Overthrow ask't Whether his Buckler was safe A great Man of our Nation in the Time of his Sufferings ask't Whether his Honour was safe Now the Buckler and Honour of a Christian is the Life of Faith Faith is a Shield and a Buckler a Stay and a Staff in the greatest Afflictions When Sense and Reason fails and Men are even at their Wits ends then is the Time for Faith to act on Promises then is the Time to live the Life of Faith and to strive that Faith and Patience may hold out It is storyed of Cynagirus That when Justin. he was thrown over Ship-board then he held by his Hands and when one Hand was cut off he held by the other and when that was likewise cut off he held by his Teeth and as the Historian saith Instar rabidae ferae morsu navem detinuit Thus a true Believer will not let go his Hold he will not be beaten from his Strong-hold The Promises are as so many Fort-Royals to a Believer wherefore he is resolved to stand his Ground and lay fast hold on the Promises Though he be beaten off several Holds and deprived of several Helps and disappointed of his Expectations yet he Heb. 10. 35. is resolved not to let go his Confidence in God Here then consists the Life of Faith in an Eminent way when the Oyl fails in the Cruse and the Meal in the Barrel then to depend upon God's All-sufficiency and trust God upon his Word though Sense and Reason fail And such a Man who acts Faith on Promises applyeth himself to all good Means he Fides Maxima Heroiâ—a operatur Lut. in Gen. 29. will not tempt God by Negligence and Sloathfulness presuming of Supplies without the Use of lawful Means But as the Antients held the Plow and Prayed so a Believer will be diligent in his Calling seek God by Prayer exercise Faith and Patience This is the most excellent Life in all the World The Apostles experimented it Gal. 2. 20. The Life which I live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God The Life of a Believer is a None-such without a Parallel there is none like to it Some live by their Lands some by their Trades some by their Wits and Shifts not one of these Lives will hold out when a Storm comes Wherefore let us labour to live that Life which will hold out amidst the greatest Sufferings and support us against the sorest Burthens either Imminent or Incumbent upon us This Grace of Faith is not an Herb that groweth in our Gardens It is a Plant of our Heavenly Father's Plantation it 's the Gift of God There are Three sorts of Faith viz. Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fidem ipsam nobis exigit Deus non invenit quod exigit nisi dederit quod inveniat August A General Assenting-Faith A Special Resting-Faith and A Particular Applying-Faith We must joyn all these together for we have need of all i. e. We must trust God upon his Word because he hath said it We must Assent unto the Truth of his Word Thus did David trust God upon his †Psal 119. 42. Numb 23. 19. Word Whether God threatens Judgments or promiseth Mercy we must believe his Word to be True Balaam himself though a Mercenary-Prophet gives a true Attestation viz. God is not a Man that he should Lie neither the Son of Man that he should Repent Hath he said it and shall he not do it Or Hath he spoken and shall he not make it good 2. There is a Special Resting-Faith which is called a Faith of Adherence or Recumbence when we rely and stay our selves upon God and will not part with any one of his Promises The People when Rabshakeh Railed Rested themselves 2 Chron. 32. 8. on the Words of Hezekiah All Rabshakeh's Railing Speeches could not batter down Jerusalems Walls nor drive back Hezekiah and his People from Trusting and Relying on God Thus Job did act singularly and resolvedly Job 13. 15. Though he Slay me yet will I Trust in Him There 's a Third sort of Faith which is a Particular Applying-Faith Thus did Thomas acknowledge Christ in particular in those words My Lord and my John 20. 28. God And St. Paul professeth Christ hath loved me and given himself for me Gal. 2. 20. A Believer will apply the Promises to himself by Faith And though under some Desertion he is afraid to apply Christ to himself yet he applyeth himself to Christ begging his Counsel and his Wisdom to direct and his Consolations to revive him Christ is All in All to the true Believer Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life Whereupon St. Bernard gives a choice Exposition We saith he will Nos sequemur â—e perte ad te quia tues via veritas vita via in exemplo veritas in promisso vita in praemio Bern. Serm. 2. de Ascen Domini follow Thee by Thee unto Thee because Thou art the Way the Truth and the Life Thou art the Way in Example the Truth in Promises the Life in Reward A Second Duty is To set the Spirit of Prayer Duty 2. To set the Spirit of Prayer a working a working To pray by the Spirit is the Property only of a Gracious Spirit For the Spirit of Grace and Supplication are joyn'd together Zech. 12. 10. That we may know wherein the Spirit of Prayer consists we have it set forth Rom. 8. 26. With Groanings which cannot be uttered By the Spirit of Adoption crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 15. 1 Sam. 1. 15. by Pouring out the Soul as Hannah did by Wrestling as Jacob did Gen. 32. 24. And what this Wrestling was the Prophet Hosea * Hos 12. 4. expounds Yea he had Power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made Supplication unto him Although God is Omnipotent and is every way able to help his People yet he will as it were suffer himself to be commanded by the Prayers of his People for so we read Isa 45. 11. Thus saith the Lord the Holy One of Israel and his Maker Ask of Me
the Word read nor from the Word preach'd Both are Instruments to get and increase Faith 3. Both to reading and hearing let 's 3. The Word Meditated joyn Meditation otherwise we may loose the fruit of our Labours Meditation is the Spiritual Digestion of the Soul It Psal 4. 4. â—uk 2. 19. Jâ—r 8. 6. consists in a Communing with our own Hearts a pondering a calling our selves to an account and asking the Question What have I done It 's a ruminating digesting a making what we hear or read our own by a particular application 'T is true the work is difficult it is as it were the climbing up a great Hill but it 's exceeding profitable and comfortable For this Meditation is a Divine Contemplation whereby we have a view and Prospect of Eternity It 's the Wing of the Soul by help whereof it soars aloft as high as Heaven Wherefore that we may profit by the Word read and by the Word preach'd we must exercise our selves seriously and frequently in this Divine art of Meditation This was the frequent practice of David Ps 63. 6. Ps 119. to Meditate on God in the night watch He both Meditated on the Word of God â—â—n the Works of God He awakened with God in the Morning and lay down with him in the Evening by heavenly meditation The Character he gives of a blessed Man is that his delight is in the Law of the Psal 1. 2. Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night This was Isaac's practice to meditate in the Field at the eventide Gen. 24. 63. He went out and sequestred himself from other Company that he might enjoy Communion with God This then is the choice and excellent means for Christians to thrive in Faith Love and all the Graces of the Spirit and to be good Proficients in the School of Christ when they addict themselves unto frequent and serious Meditation A Second External Means both of getting 2. Prayer is a means of getting encreasing Faith and encreasing Faith is Prayer Faith is worth the asking for Let 's then â—e earnest and sollicitous to the Throne oâ— Grace to obtain it Let 's pray with the Disciples Lord increase our Faith For he that hath true Faith is desirous of accessions thereunto He finds many things wanting in his Faith and therefore he prays for daily Supplies and Augmentations Let 's pray as the Man in the Gospel did Lord I believe help my unbelief There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 3. 10. may be the Root of the Matter even true Faith in a Christian yet he is sensible of his Unbelief He apprehends the remainders of Infidelity vexing him as a broken Bone he meets sometimes with Fears Doubtings and Perplexities distracting Thoughts but these things are his Burthen and a Perplexity upon his Spiritâ—â— Herein consists our Duty to be much iâ— Prayer that God would give us the Spiriâ—â— of Faith The Spirit is promised to thosâ— that ask for it And it 's the Spirit thaâ— works Faith in us and Prayer is an Instrumental means to get the Spirit God promiseth his Spirit Luke 11. 13. Mattâ— 7. 11. He promiseth to give good things tâ—â— them that ask him which evidently shewâ— that God by giving his Spirit gives aâ— good things Let 's then be quickned tâ— our Duty to pray in Faith and to pray for more Faith and then we shall be surâ— to speed Matth. 21. 22. And all thingâ— whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believinâ— ye shall receive Go then to God and complain of thy unbelieving Heart mourâ— for it be earnest and importunate foâ— Faith As Rachel cryed out Give me Chiâ—dren or else I die so cry out Lord givâ— me Faith or else I am undone Loâ—â— strengthen my weak Faith quicken mâ— dull Faith thus making our applicatioâ— to God in the Name of Christ we shaâ— receive a gracious Answer 3. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper â— The Sacrament â—â— the Lord's Supper is a great means to confirm our Faith is a great means to confirm our Faith It 's to be necessarily presupposed that before we come to the Lord's Table we must have Faith otherwise we cannot discern the Lord's Body There is a great difference between the Word and the Lord's Supper For the Word both begets and encreaseth Faith but the Lord's Supper ordinarily encreaseth Faith where it was begun before The Sacrament is a Seal and God doth not set his Seal to a Blank An ignorant Person is as a Blank and he hath no right to approach unto the Lord's Supper An ignorant Person is more fit to go a gâ—azing with Nebuchadnezzar amongst the Beasts of the Field than to participate of the Sacramental Elements of Bread and Wine exhibiting Christ Sacramentally to the Faith of true Believers And profane Persons are uncircumcised in Heart No uncircumcised Person ought to participate of the Passover neither may the uncircumcised in Heart any debauch'd scandalous Liver presume to approach unto the Lord's Table There was but one Man who came without a wedding Garment and Christ found him out and doom'd him to Judgment Such then as walk in their Pollutions and with profane Hands and Hearts receive the Holy Eucharist expose themselves to dreadful Judgments both temporal and eternal 1 Cor. 11. 28. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation unto himself not discerning the Lord's Body It 's of absolute necessity that we should labour for Faith pray for Faith read the Word hear it preached and meditate on it that we may get Faith And upon survey of our Hearts and diligent Inquisition when we find our Faith weak and flagging we should adde more unto our Prayers and apply our selves to the sealing Ordinance of the Lord's Supper Sometimes we may not meet with God in the Word read our dulness may not apprehend the manifestation of God's gracious Countenance unto our Souls Therefore we must apply our selves to the Word preached It may be through our inadvertency and distractions we may not meet with God in the Word preached Let 's then fall upon our Knees in earnest Prayer It may be God may hide his Face from us Some Jonah we must cast over Ship-board and then there will be a Calm Some Achan must be ston'd and then the Valley of Achor will be a Door of Hos 2. 14. Hope And to hearing reading and praying let 's with preparation receive the Holy Sacrament Before we go thither let 's do as the Jews did in case of Leaven They first made diligent inquisition and took a Candle and searched every Corner throughout Having found Leaven they cast it out And iâ— they found none they took a voluntary curse upon themselves if willingly they left any Leaven in their Houses Let us go and do likewise Let us light up a double Candle viz. the Candle of the Word and the Candle of our own Consciences then upon discovery
because it is Incredible I 'le leave off Disputing and learn to Believe Great and wonderous Effects have been brought to pass by the Faithful Prayers of the Children of God When the Army of the | Antoninus Emperour was like to Perish for want of Water the Christian Army that was called Euseb Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayed and a plentiful Rain was poured down When a Young Man at Wittenburge had Sealed an Indenture to the Devil upon the Prayers of Luther and others joyn'd with him the Indenture was thrown in among Oratio est Deo Sacrificium Diabolo flagellum animae Solatium Aug. them through the Window What will not a Prayer made of Faith as an Instrumental Means under God effect Such a Prayer is said to be a Sacrifice to God a Scourge to the Devil and a Comfort to the Soul A Third Qualification of Prayer is Qual 3. Prayer must be Offered in Christ's Name this that it must be Offered in Christ's Name and his alone No other Object of Faith but Christ nor any other Advocate no other Mediator nor Intercessor Joh. 16. 26. Joh. 15. 16. but Christ alone Christ tells us we must Ask in his Name and we shall have whatsoever we Ask for given unto us Christ is that Altar whereupon we must Offer all our Sacrifices He is that great Master of Requests who must prefer our Petitions to his Father Besides his Name there is no Salvation Acts 4. 12. Besides his Blood there 's no Redemption Eph. 1. 7. Wherefore Luther tells us Whatsoever is Prayed Quicquid oratur doceâ—ur vivitur Extra Christum est Idolatria coram Deo peccatum Luth. Tom. 3. Edit Gen. p. 300. Non solum periculum sed horribile est de Deo extra Christum cogitare Luth. in Psal 28. Taught and Lived without Christ is Idolatry before God and Sin And he likewise saith That it 's not only Dangerous but Horrible to think of God without Christ Neither Heathens nor Jews know how to Pray neither can any Prayer they make obtain Favour at God's Hand because they Pray not in the Name of Christ And without Christ God is a Consuming Fire an Inexorable Judge but in Christ a Merciful and Reconciled Father Christ is our Peace Eph. 2. 14. He hath Trod the Wine-press alone Isa 63. 3. Wherefore we must prefer all our Prayers in the Name of Christ As it 's reported of the Persians that when they had Offended their King they brought his Son in their Arms hoping thereby to Reconcile themselves to the King So we must present Christ unto the Father in the Arms of Faith He is our Reconciler the beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased If Adam and all his Posterity had Suffered Pains and Torments to all Eternity they could not have merited God's Favour But Christ hath merited by his active and passive Obedience And saves Heb. 7. 25. to the uttermost all those that come unto God through him seeing he ever Lives to make Intercession for them Luther hath a notable Expression I saith he often and willingly Inculcate Ego saepe libenter hoc inculco ut extra Christum oculos aures claudatis dicatis nullum vis Scire Deum nisi qui fuit in gremio Mariae suxit ubera ejus Luth. in Psal 30. this That without Christ you may shut your Eyes and Ears and say that you know no God but him that was in the Lap of Mary and Suckt her Breasts A Fourth Qualification of Prayer is Qualif 4. Prayer must be Offered up with Fervency Quod assiduam sonaâ— instantiam Eras that it must be with Fervency Hence the Apostle Exhorts Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer The Word is Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortiter perdurantes there 's Strength and Perseverance exprest by that original word We must put our whole Strength to the Duty so we are exhorted Col. 4. 2. And we have Encouragement from the great Success of a Fervent Prayer James 5. 16. The effectual Fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much In which words there are observable 1. The Person qualifyed A Righteous Man i. e. Such a one who is made Righteous by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Such a one hath the Spirit of Adoption and the Spirit of Prayer for they both go together Gal. 4. 6. And as for such who have not Christ's Spirit they have their dreadful Doom Rom. 8. 9. They are none of his and if none of Christ's they are the Devils questionless 2. Observe the Qualification of Prayer It 's rendered Effectual fervent Prayer in the Original It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of great Weight and choice Signification Those that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were Inspir'd and Transported in a high manner they could do great Things As Saul said of David we may say of Prayer Thou shalt do great Things and also shalt prevail It was said of Luther Quasi dicas â—tuosam i. e. ardeâ—tem assiduam opponi putant perfunctorie Beza in Prayer Tantum potuit quantum voluit The Prayer that God Requires and Accepts must be a Rowzing Fervent Vigorous Prayer God requires the Male in the Flock and there 's a Curse upon the Deceiver that hath a Male in the Flock voweth â—ui timide rogat docet â—egare Deus differt dare ut tu discas orâ—re Deus frequenter differt nostra postulata ut discamus grandia granditer desiderare Aug. Sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt Thing Mal. 1. 14. The Life Heat Vigor and Fervency of the Heart must all be imployed for God To ask faintly is the ready way to be denyed If God delay â—s it is that we may add more Vigour and Fervour to our Prayers God would have us Cry louder and Knock harder and Seek more diligently and Wait more Patiently 3. The Success followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Availeth much There 's a Blessed Success Prisoners have been Prayed out of Prison Armies have been Discomfited Plots have been Counterplotted by Fervent Prayers O! What great Things have been brought to pass by Prayer Yet I cannot approve of those over-bold Expressions of some who say That Prayer is an Omnipotent Vertue and Prayer is Clavis viscerum Dei But these may be understood Clave non Errante and in a sound Sense admit of a fair Interpretation We Pray but the Spirit Bombarda Christianorum Luth. teacheth us how to Pray Prayer is only an Instrumental Means as a Weapon in God's Hand that Moves and Guides it So that the Gift Grace and Success of Prayer all come from God and to God we must return the Praise and Glory of all A Fifth and Last Qualification of Prayer Qualif 5. of Prayer is Perseverance Nisi adsit in orationae perseverandi constantia nihil oâ—ando agimus Caâ—v Iustii l. 3. â— 20. August Hae. 57. is
Perseverance so we are commanded 1 Thes 5. 17. Pray without Ceasing The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Intermission or Continually This is Interpreted by the same Apostle Ephes 6. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in every Season and Col. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alwayes He saith Austin prayeth continually who lets no Day pass without Prayer Though God Frown and be Angry we must persevere in the Duty of Prayer And it 's a good Signe to continue Fervent in the Duty even when God defers us and seems not to hear us A Hypocrite will not hold out He prayes only by Fits and Starts VVill he delight himself in the Almighty VVill he always call upon God saith Job c. 27. v. 10. A Third and Last Duty as a Special Duty 3. To get the Ornament of a meek quiet Spirit Help and Direction to depend upon God's All-Sufficiency even in Suffering Times is To labour to get the Ornament of a Meek and Quiet Spirit which as the Apostle Peter saith is in 1. Pet. 3. 4. the Sight of God of great Price A composed quiet Spirit is put into an excellent capacity to submit unto God and depend on him amidst the greatest Straights and Difficulties It 's Observed that Glowormes shine brightest in the darkest Nights I am sure a meek and quiet Spirit appears most conspicuously in the Night of Afflictions Some are naturally more Meek than others and have in some measure attained unto this Moral Vertue as Socrates and other Heathens did But a Christians Meekness shews it self amidst Revilings Buffettings and variety of Evil Entreaties from ungodly Men. How doth he labour to moderate his Passions and even amidst blustring Storms and Tempests then he endeavours to becalm his Spirit so that though there be Storms without he would gladly get and keep Serenity within For Instance when God Chastiseth with his own Immediate Hand by Famine Pestilence or other Noxious Diseases now is a time to exercise Meekness and Composedness of Spirit When God permits Satan and his Instruments to Persecute the Saints then is the time to be Silent and avoid Murmuring and Reviling Language and to prepare to do and Suffer as becomes Christians and quietly to wait for God's Salvation God's Vine Thrives most by Bleeding and Persecutors serve instead of Gold-Smiths to Purify and Refine God's Children in the Furnace of Affliction The Fire purifieth Gold and Silver but consumes Stubble Wicked Men grow worse and worse by Afflictions but Godly Men grow better and better more weaned from the World more Heavenly minded and more Fruitful in every Good Word and Work It 's observable that Oyl increaseth the Flame whereas Water quencheth it Fretting and Chafing is like Oyl to the Flame Meekness is like Water to quench it A Flint is sooner broken on a Pillow than on an Anvile A soft Answer saith Solomon turneth away Wrath. Meekness and Calmness of Spirit Works much Good every way for a Meek Man enjoyeth himself and those Possessions which God bestoweth on him Psal 37. 11. But the Meek shall Inherit the Earth and shall Delight themselves in the abundance of Peace This Christ Promiseth Mat. 5. 5. They are Blessed Persons They shall be free from many outward Vexations whereunto Angry Persons expose themselves They shall as Hierome Observes Inherit Haereditabunt terram illam viventium â—â—a mites humiles possideb terram hoc est vitam aeternam Hieron in Psal 37. this Earth and the Life to come Meek Persons have Interest in those Promises whereof one is They shall Eat and be Satisfied Psal 22. 26. Another is That God will Guide them in Judgment Psal 25. A Third is That God will Beautify the Meek with Salvation Psal 149. 4. If then we would profit by Afflictions we must get a meek and quiet Spirit Affliction Preacheth Meekness of Spirit And some have learn't more Meekness by a few Weeks Imprisonment than by hearing Sermons for many Years before Affliction is one of God's Teaching Ordinances and when a chastising Rod and a teaching Word go together there 's a Mercy in such an Affliction If we would be followers of Christ we must be Lowly and Meek for he Propounds himself a Pattern for our Imitation Learn of Me for I am Meek and Lowly in Heart and ye shall find Rest unto your Souls Mat. 11. 29. If we would Reap any Profit by the Word we must Receive it with Meekness 1 Jam. 1. 21. If we would gain a lapsed Brother we Gal. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aptum reddite sanate quod Corruptum est quae significatio bene congruit buic loco Grâ—t must Restore him or set him in Joynt in the Spirit of Meekness Wherefore this will be our Wisdom and Glory both to get such a composed and quiet Frame of Spirit and so to behave our selves in Sufferings with that Mildness and Christian Meekness as that the worst of our Enemies may be constrained to Confess that God is in us undoubtedly of a Truth How many have lost the Honour and Comfort of their Sufferings by mixing their own Passions and Revengeful Speeches Froward and Reviling Speeches detract from the Honour of a Cause be it never so Good Excellent is the Counsel of Cyprian If saith he Si filii Dei sumus pacifici esse debemus corde mites Sermone Simplices affectione concordes unanimitatis nexibus cohaerentes Cypr. de unitate Ecclesiae we be the Sons of God we ought to be peaceable and mild in Heart single in our Speeches agreeing in our Affections and agreeing in the Bonds of Unanimity Thus then if we put these Three forementioned Duties into continual Practice viz. To Live by Faith to set the Spirit of Prayer a Working and Possess our selves with a meek and quiet Spirit We shall Learn to Trust and Depend upon God's All-Sufficiency amidst the greatest Fears Dangers Straights Losses and Difficulties that are either Imminent or Incumbent upon us CHAP. XVI Containing a Third Use for Examination in Five Queries IT will now be Requisite that I Inlarge Vse 3 for Examination a Third Use for Examination and Tryal whether we believe God to be All-Sufficient and whether in all times we will stay and depend upon him This nearly concerns every one of us to put our selves upon a strict Tryal and Inquisition In pursuance of this Use I shall propound these ensuing Queries Whether we acknowledge God's absolute Quer. 1 Whether we acknowledg God in the Relations he hath over us Power Soveraignty and Dominion And do we acknowledge him in those Relations he hath over us Do we acknowledge him our Creator If so we may conclude that a Creator will take care of his Creatures Do we acknowledge him our King and Governour If so we shall confess that a King will Defend Protect and Rule his Subjects Do we acknowledge God our Father Then a Father will provide for his Children Do we acknowledge
32. Things For one to have the Good Things of this Life as Riches and Honours and to have Christ with them to have them Sanctifyed this is the Mercy indeed And Fourthly and Lastly Here is the 4 Ground of Comfort is Hope of Eternal Glory greatest Ground of Comfort even the Hope of Eternal Glory Whatever be the Sorrow in Seed-Time the Harvest will make amends for all Whatever be the Losses the Riches of Christ will make abundant Compensation The Kingdom of Heaven the Glory to be revealed the Eternal Sabbath the Beatifical Vision these are in the Eye Heart and Meditation of the Saints of God Wherefore with Moses they look unto the Recompence of Reward with Stephen Heb. 11. 26. they see Christ amidst their Sufferings and with Moses see him who is Heb. 11. 27. Invisible Compare the Outward Sufferings with Inward Comforts and especially Transient Sorrows with Eternal Joyes and there will be abundant Cause of Comfort notwithstanding the greatest Afflictions that are on us or may befal us in this present World Heaven will make amends for all and the Consolations of God are sufficient for us Amidst Fears and Perplexities for real or imaginary Losses let us Comfort our selves with the Text and take Counsel from the Man of God his Answer to Amaziah viz. The Lord is Able to Give us much More than This. And upon this Consideration our Spirits will be Revived and Supported in the Times of Jacob's Troubles FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THE First Treatise Chap. I. Containing the Coherence and Exposition of the Words the Division of them and a Doctrine inferr'd from them page 1 unto page 12. Chap. II. Contains the Method of Proceeding therein the First Argument took from God ' s Attributes pag. 12 unto pag. 32. Chap. III. Contains a Second Argument drawn from God ' s Promises p. 32 unto p. 37. Chap. IV. A Third Argument is took from God ' s Providences p. 37 unto p. 52. Chap. V. Contains a Fourth Argument took from the Saints Experiences p. 52 unto p. 59. Chap. VI. Contains the Demonstration of the Doctrine by Reasons and first from Necessity of Precept p. 59 unto p. 65. Chap. VII Proves the Doctrine from the Necessity of Means in Four Particulars p. 66 unto p. 77. Chap. VIII Contains a Second Reason which is took from the Excellency of a Quiet and Submissive Frame of Spirit p. 77 unto p. 89. Chap. IX Contains a Third Reason drawn from the Vtility and Benefit accruâ—ng from this yielding submissive Spirit p. 89 unto p. 99. Chap. X. Contains a Fourth Reason concerning the sad and mischievous Consequences of Striving Strugling and Repining against God p. 99 unto p. 102. Chap. XI Contains a Resolution of Particular Cases p. 102 unto p. 130. Chap. XII Contains an Vse of Reprehension to Vnbelievers Murmurers and rash Censurers p. 130 unto p. 143. Chap. XIII Contains an Vse of Exhortation with several Motives to depend on God's All-Sufficiency p. 143. p. 153. Chap. XIV Discovers Two Grand Impediments viz. Covetousness and Hypocrisie p. 153. unto p. 160. Chap. XV. Directs to Three special Duties viz. To live by Faith To set the Spirit of Prayer a working and To get a meek and quiet Spirit p. 160 unto p. 180. Chap. XVI Containing a Third Vse for Examination in Five Queries p. 181 unto p. 195. Chap. XVII Containing the Fourth and Last Vse for Consolation p. 196 unto the End p. 207. ERRATA In the First Treatise PAge 3. in the Margent r. aegre velli potest p. 27. Marg. r. Paterculus p. 35. Marg. r. restaurare and naufragio p. 39. Marg. r. Benefacit p. 43. liâ—e 5. r. Thirst p. 53. lin 5. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 64. Marg. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 79. Marg. r. Salv. and punimur p. 92. Marg. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 117. Marg. r. Exemptus p. 127. lin 19. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 144. Marg. r. conscientiam afflictam and excitare p. 167. lin 26. r. Jam. 4. p. 170. Marg. r. profectae p. 173. Marg. r. vos p. 193. Marg. r. amittere p. 197. lin 3. r. none THE Second TREATISE Concerning the PRECIOUSNESS OF CHRIST Preach'd long since for the substance thereof but since much inlarged at St. MARIES OXON By Henry Wilkinson D. D. Then Principal of Magdalen-Hall Matth. 13. 45 46. Again the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-Man seeking goodly Pearls who when he had found one Pearl of great Price went and sold all that he had and bought it LONDON Printed for John Kidgel at the Great-Atlas in Cornhill 1681. TO THE Candid READER WHAT here Reader I present to thy View and as I hope to thy Candid Interpretation I Preach'd many Years agoe at St. Maries in Oxford Since I have form'd it a Treatise with Inlargements The Subject Discoursed on is The Preciousness infinite Dignity and Value of our Blessed Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ The Wise Merchant in the Parable Sold all and Bought this Pearl of great price It 's Chrysostomes Observation Matth. 13. 45 46. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysoft in loc Christ is the Pearl of infinite Value if you sell not all you cannot purchase it It 's worth our best Inquiry to ask who are they that put the highest price and estimation upon our Holy Lord Jesus The Text gives a full Answer Unto you which believe he is precious Only true Believers value Christ above all others The Vnbelieving Gadarens preferred their Swine before a Saviour and Demas valued the World above Christ and his Apostles It 's Recorded in History that a Profane Duke of Bâ—â—â—on proâ—est That he would not leave his part in Paris for his part in Paradice It 's no new thing for Swine and such who though they are in Meâ—s shape who have Brutish Qualities to trample precious Pearls under their Feet they resemble the Dung-hill Cock in the Fable who would rather have a Grain of Barley than all the Jewels in the World But a True Believer who hath Experimental Knowledge of the Superlative worth of Christ values him at a higher Price than all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them It 's evident how highly the Love-sick-Spouse valued Christ Câ—â—â—t 4. 10 11 12. A Holy Martyr when the Flames were about his Ears Cryed out None but Christ None but Christ And John Lambert Mr. Bradford that eminently precious Martyr often poured out abundance of Tears upon his Trencher as he sate at Table and being asked the reason why he Wept he Answered because he could not bring his dull Heart to love Christ more than he did Mr. Calamy late Pastor of Aldermanbury an Eminent and Faithful Minister of the Gospel who though Dead speaks in choice Works and Exemplary Conversation amongst many other excellent Writings of his in Print put forth a very â—seful Book well worth the reading over and over again call'd The Godly Mans Ark in the
And Faith through Gods Gift is a Buckeâ— to Isa 12. 3. draw Waters of Consolation out of those Wells All the Promises are as so many Breasts of Consolation and Faith is as i were a Mouth to suck Milk out of those Breasts Wherefore in all Conditions inward or outward let Faith act on Promises and depend on them and by experience a Believer will find ground of singular support and comfort in the Promises 5. Faith gives us an insight into Heaven 5. Faith gives us an insight into Heaven and a Prospect of Eternity and a prospect into eternity Paul was wrapt up into the third Heaven and by Faith had a foretast of those unspeakable Joys * A Reverend and eminegâ—ly learned Divine gives his conjecture that at that time when Paul was Stoned â—â— was in a Trance and saw the third Heaven The Reaon of his Supposition he gives because the self same Year that Paul was Stoned he was caught up into the third Heaven A. B. Uâ—â—â—r Stephen by the Eye of Faith though the Stones were about his Ears saw the Heavens opened and Christ standing at the Right Hand of his Father Job on the Dunghil when he was scraping himself with a Pot-shread by the eye of Faith saw his Redeemer By Faith Moses amidst all the Reproaches and Cruel Bondage in Aegypt saw the recompence of reward Faith is the Eye whereby we peep through the Curtains of Mortality and take a view of the Glory of Heaven By Faith we enjoy Communion with Father Son and Holy Ghost we receive the first Fruits of that plentiful Harvest earnest or part of payment of a greater Sum which we shall receive in Heaven The Glory which is to be revealed is apprehended in part in this Life by true Believers We have a pledge and some foretasts of the Glory in Heaven What necessity then is incumbent on us to get this Grace of Faith both as to the truth and growth thereof We have such daily need of Faith as we cannot live without it When we pray Faith makes us successful when we hear the Word Faith helps us to profit when we suffer Affliction Faith helps us to be Patient In a Word in dissertion Faith makes us comfortable in Tryals and Encounters Faith makes us so couragious as to stop the Mouths of Lyons quench the Heb. 11 33 34. violence of Fire c. In Life Faith makes us fruitful and in Death Faith makes us Victorious And whilst we live in this World Faith helps us to a Prospect of Heaven As the Israelites saw a glimps of Canaan though a far off whilst they were in the Wilderness so a true Believer by the Eye of Faith sees the Heavenly Canaan He enjoys a Sacred Acquaintance and Communion with God in his Covenants Promises Gracious Influences so that by Faith we enjoy an Heaven upon Earth i. e. some fore-tasts of that Eternal Happiness which is reserved in Heaven for us SECT II. Containing an Vse of Direction SEeing then as it 's evident by the Use 5 for Direction how to get and increase Faith premises that only true Believers set a high estimate upon Christ and Faith is essentially requisite to get and keep so high an estimation of Christ I shall now proceed to the 5th Use which is for Direction how we may get and increase Faith To this purpose I shall prescribe some means partly internal and partly external both exceeding necessary First for Internal Means and that is the The Spirit is an internal means of getting Faith Holy Spirit of God Faith is a Divine Habit infused into the Soul by the Spirit of God Hence we are said to have the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 5. 13. The Spirit doth not stand in need of Moral Persuasions to excite us to Faith leaving it to the indifferency of our wills and understandings whether we will chuse or refuse assent or dissent But the Spirit of God Nolentem praevenit ut velit volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit Arg. de Grat. lib. Arg. works powerfully and irresistably and of unwilling makes us willing by antecedent Grace of willing makes us more willing by Subsequent Grace The Seeds of Faith are not sown in our Nature We are Dead as were those dry Bones mentioned by Ezek. 37. 2. Ezekiel until the Spirit of God infuse vital Operations into the Soul The Beginnings of Augmentations and finishings of our Faith all proceed from the Operations of the Spirit of God Where this Spirit is it opens the eyes of the Mind that so we may understand the infinite value of Christ and the absolute necessity of Faith to make particular application of him unto our selves Faith is a wise gift of God and it makes Believers wise unto Salvation Faith and knowledge are hand-fasted and may not be separated Joh. 17. 3. This is Life Eternal to know thee to be the true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. There can be saith a Learned Author no Knowledge without Faith nor any Faith without Knowledge 2. The Spirit of God as it opens the eyes so it inclines the will to yield ready Obedience unto Christ As soon as Divine Light breaks in upon the Soul by the powerful illumination of the Spirit then by the assistance of the same Spirit the will is made pliable and willing and becomes as swift in it's Motions as the Chariots of Aminadab to embrace Jesus Christ with the Arms of Faith Now we cannot Cant. 6. 12. John 6. 44. Cant. 1. 4. come to Christ unless the Father draw us Wherefore the Spouse prays draw me and I will run after thee Though we are not to be accounted as meer Stocks and Stones Because God hath endew'd us with a reasonable Soul and the faculties of understanding and Will yet unless we be assisted with Supernatural strength we cannot perform any Supernatural works We must fetch strength from Heaven otherwise we cannot perform any Spiritual action in a Spiritual manner But being prevented and assisted by Divine Grace we can cooperate through the assistance of that Strength as the Apostle professeth Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me We cannot understand any saving Mystery till the Spirit inlightens us neither can we will any good thing till the Spirit of God inclines us But by the assistance of the Spirit we have our eyes opened to discern what is good and our Wills inclind to act what is good Having mentioned the Internal means of getting and increasing Faith I come now to the External means and External means of getting increasing Faith they are three the Word Prayer and the Lords Supper 1. The Word is an External means 1. The Word is a means to get and encrease Faith both to get and increase Faith and we are to consider the Word in a threefold Capacity as it is Read Preached
and Meditated on and in all these respects the Word exceedingly conduceth both to the begetting and encreasing of Faith 1. The Word read is an Instrumental 1. The Word read means both for the begetting and augmenting of Faith John Huss whom Luther calls Sanctissimum Martyrem was Converted by reading of the Scriptures Reading of Scriptures in publick Assemblies is an Ordinance of God and anciently practised for we read Neh. 8. 8. So they read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the sence and caused them to understand the reading It 's our Duty likewise in our private Houses and in our Closets to read the Word of God Joshuah a great General is Commanded to read the Book of the Law His Military Imployment allows no dispensation from reading of the Book of God He notwithstanding his great and weighty affair was injoin'd both to speak of and Meditate in the Law of God Day and Night This Josh 1. 8. Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy Mouth but thou shall meditate therein both Day and Night that thou may observe to do according to all that is Written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and Deut. 17 18. thou shalt have good Success The Book of Books Kings themselves must read And it shall be when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom that he shall write a Copy of this Law out of a Book out of that which is before the Priest and Levites And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the Days of his Life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them The Holy Scripture is the Rule of the Government and the Conversation of the greatest Potentates By keeping close to the Rule of Scriptures they both learn to govern well and live well We read Acts 15. 21. For Moses in old time hath in every City them that Preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day The meaning I suppose to be this that after reading an Exposition was given of the sence and meaning It concerns all sorts of Persons to read the Scriptures It 's the Peoples Duty though Popish Priests Sacriligiously Rob the People of the reading of the Scriptures to read the Scriptures there 's an express charge given Deut. 66. 7 8. Deut 31. 11 12. And Christ gives a strict Joh. 5. 39. command Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Everlasting Life and they are they which testify of me The Apostle Paul chargeth Timothy to give attendance 1 Tim. 4. 13. unto reading If then we would get Faith in Christ we must read and study the Word of God Every one is bound to believe with an Explicite Faith and not to take things upon trust by an implicite Faith from Popish Priests We must see with our own eyes as the Spirit of God hath opened them and not trust upon the Popes Spectacles It 's a great Sacriledge in the Pope and his Adherents to keep the Scriptures from the sight of such as they call Lay People It was in Q. Maries days Prohibited to read the Bible and some for reading of it were brought to trouble as William Hunter and others as in the Fox Acts and Mon. Q. M. Acts and Monuments stands upon Record And K. Hen. Eighth made a severe Law against the reading of the Scriptures in English Bellarmine denies the reading of Catholicâ— Ecclesia statuit ne passim omnibus concedatur Sâ—ript urarum Lectio Bellarm. L. 2. de verbo Dei Scriptures to all so doth Molanus Costerus Stapleton and others of that Bran. But are not People commanded to try the Spirit 1 Joh. 4. 1. and to prove all things and to hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. But how can they do this unless they search the Scriptures Let us than consider it 's our Duty and make it our business to hear the Word read in Publick Congregations and to read it frequently when we are in private Let 's both hear and read with a serious reverential frame of Spirit Let 's in reading compare the Old Testament with the New how the Old Testament abounds with Prophecies and Promises concerning Christ and how the New Testament makes Performances of them 2. The Word Preach'd 2. As we must read the Word so we must with due regard hear it Preach'd The Word read is sound and solid and contains a sincere Milk but something like the Milk suckt out of a Sucking Bottle which through our weaknesses and dull Apprehensions may sometimes be dispirited But the Word Preach'd is like the Breast Milk It being deliver'd with Power and viva voce is like the Brest Milk most Nutritive Though God can work without means yet ordinarily he vouchsafes his Blessing upon the Word Preach'd in the demonstration of the Spirit and Power The Eph. 6. 17. Isai 53. 1. Rom. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Heb. 4. 12. Preaching of the Word is call'd the sword of the Spirit the Arm of the Lord the Power of God unto Salvation the Word of Reconciliation It 's an exact Critick of the thoughts It divides between the Joynts and Marrow There 's no such exact Inquisitor as the VVord Preach'd It will find out a Sinner in the Croud and tell him thou art the Man Though the Preacher knows nothing of such and such secret Crimes whereof the Sinner is guilty for no Man hath acquainted him with them yet the word of God meets with the Sinner and by the powerful Ministry of the word the most secret sins are discovered the most hidden works of darkness are brought to Light Some when such sins have been Preach't against have discovered their Murthers Committed long before The Power of the word hath so prevail'd that the most secret Sinner hath been discovered and with a troubled Spirit hath addressed himself to the Preacher by acknowledging of his Sins and begging Prayers and Counsels for his Souls edification Neither Mountains nor Castles neither Rocks nor Foretresses can be able to withstand the conquering Power of the Word of God If than we would get and increase Faith We must attend at the Posts of Wisdomes Gate and as Bartimaeus did we must lie in the way where Christ comes by We must wait at the Pool of Bethsdah where the Angel will come and stir the Waters We must neglect no Sermon for that Sermon for ought we know might be a means of our Conversion or Confirmation The Apostle tells us Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Therefore if we would get Faith we must attend with all reverence and dilligence unto the Ministery of the Word Faith is like Oyl to the Lamp as it causeth it at first to give light so by additions of supplies it keeps it Burning Therefore let 's neither absent our selves from
but unto all them that love his appearing A third Character is effectual calling If we make our calling sure thence we may be assured of our election 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your calling and Election sure These may suffice for the Trial of the Grounds of assurance But we must know 1. That many Precious Servants of God may for a time want the sence of Gods favour and be at a loss for assurance Ps 10. 1. Psal 88. 5. David complains of Gods hiding his face from him And so did Heman complain that he was free among the Dead like the Slain in the Grave whom thou remembrest no more And he likewise expostulates the case with God why hidest thou thy face from me Gods Children are always in a safe condition yet they are not always apprehensive of their safety Sometimes they are under Desertions and Withdrawings of Gods Countenance A Child of Light may walk in Darkness Comfort Isa 50. 10. may be near him and yet he may not discern it as Mary could not see Christ for Tears in her Eyes 2. Assurance admits Degrees sometimes it 's more sometimes less The best are not always at a stand Upon strict Inquisition in their Hearts they find cause of Humiliation and walking heavily The remembrance of an old Sin may cause a great damp and sadness upon the Heart 3. Assurance may be a long time before it be obtained There will be long searching the Heart fighting against Sin Fervent and Assiduous Prayer a great deal of combating against the Flesh A Holy Martyr could not get assurance till he came to the Stake at last he told his Friend O Glover Act. Mon. Q. M. dayâ— Austin he is come he is come he is come 4. Notwithstanding there may be assurance yet sometimes Doubts and Troubles may arise in the Spirit upon Apprehensions of Gods clouding his Countenance and upon Apprehension of the difficulty to get rid of some secret Sin Quest But what 's our Duty Answ 1. Allow thy self in no Sin be Direct 1. it ancient customary beloved or secret away with it The hankering after any beloved Sin the delay of executing Justice upon it may break thy peace and hinder thy assurance Wherefore give no quarter to Benhadad nor to Agag Make a League with no Gibeonite Foster no Dalilah no Herodias Throw Jonah over Ship-board that 's the way to make the Sea calm Stone Achan that 's the way to make the Valley of Achor a door of Hope Brain Goliah a Champion Sin and than other Hos 2 14. Sins will sooner be vanquished as the Philistines were when Goliah was destroyed 2. Make it thy serious business to clear Direct 2. Make it thy business to clear up thy evidences up thy Evidences for Heaven Examine whether thou hast Christ formed in thee whether the new Creatute is manifested in thy understanding to know God in thy will to obey God in thy affections to love him in thy Heart and Life whether they are inlarged to run the ways of Gods Commandments search and examine whether Sin be mortified and the Body of Sin Crucified Whether thou art Justified by the Bloud of Christ and Sanctified by the Spirit of Christ whether thou art Redeemed from thy vain Conversation upon such a serious Inquisition into thy Heart assurance may be obtain'd 3. If thy Evidences be dim and thou canst not read them yet let not thy Direct 3. Let not thy hold go hold go What thou wantest in Evidence make up in Adherence to and recumbance and reliance on God Thus did David under Disertions Ps 42. 11. Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet Praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God And thus did Job behave himself amidst all his Afflictions Job 13. 15. Though he slay me yet I will trust in him And such as are in a dark condition who apprehend not the light of Gods Countenance they are exhorted to trust and stay upon God Isa 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeys the voice of his Servant that walketh in Darkness and have no light Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God 4. Be fervent and frequent in Prayer Direct 4. Be frequent and fervent in Prayer Gen. Rebekkah when there were struglings in her Womb went to enquire of God If it be so why am I thus So amidst the Troubles Fears and Tumults of thy Spirit exercise Prayer If Gods Countenance be clouded pray with David Restore unto me Ps 51. 22. the Joy of thy Salvation Thou wantest assurance and art troubled upon the suspensions and hidings of Gods Countenance thy duty is to be an earnest Solicitor unto the Throne of Grace and pray that the Lord would lift up the light of his Countenance on thee Ps 4. 6. Great things are promised Ezek. 36. viz. Sprinkling of clean Water v. 26. A new Heart the Spirit 27. Security 28. Plenty and Fruitfulness yet God expects and requires the Prayers of his Children Ch. 36. 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them If than we would obtain assurance of Gods Love we must pray much and joyn Fasting and Watching with Prayer Gods loving kindness is better than Life Ps 63. 3. therefore we must pray for it and labour to get assurance of Gods love unto our Souls How welcome was Samuel to Hannah being the Child of her Prayers And oh how highly valued will assurance be to him who hath obtain'd it in answer to his Prayers Wait than and pray continue instant in Prayer And to Prayer joyn Hearing Reading Meditating and receiving of the Lords Supper And when once thou hast got it be sure thou be thankful and watchful Take heed of the least Sin The least crum of Leaven must be cast out A Servant being incouraged by more wages hath more strong Obligations on him to serve his Master with more diligence and Fidelity Assurance and Manifestations of Gods love to a Christian are Ingagements to excite him to a more humble holy and close walking with God The more mercy he recieves the more he is ingaged to a faithful performance of his Duty Whatever Manifestation of love is given unto thee know that thou ought to be more thankful and fruitful in every good work The Apostle Writing of the Blessed Vision 1 Joh. 1. 2. For we shall see him as he is infers our great Duty to be reduced unto Practice v. 3. And every Man that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he Matt. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. is pure The pure in Heart are Partakers of the Blessed Vision And without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. Let 's than follow after Holiness If ever we hope to
from Isa 8. 12. 13. 14. Say ye not a Confederacy to all them to whom this People shall say a Confederacy neither fear ye their Fear nor be afraid Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your Fear and let him be your Dread And he shall be for a Sanctuary c. Others will complain of heavy Burthens and the insupportable Pressures Cares and Troubles inevitable and they are so puzled and perplexed as they know not how to get Rid of them It 's usual with such Male-contents to know more what makes against them than what makes for them Wherefore let them be advised to take Counsel from the Word of God Particularly we are Commanded To cast our Burthen upon the Lord to be careful in nothing but Psal 55. 22. Phil. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 7. to make our Requests known with Prayers and Supplications and to cast our Care upon him for he careth for us If God makes us drink the Wine of Astonishment and Eat the Bread of Affliction If we drink Water and Gall and have a bitter Cup of Affliction mingled for us let 's not revile Instruments let 's not murmur against second Causes but let us imitate Job who neither railed against the Sabeans nor the Chaldeans nor at Satan but he acknowledged God in all and quietly submitted unto him Job 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away | 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 70. Isa 30. â—5 Blessed be the Name of the Lord. In times of great Affliction we are Exhorted to a silent and quiet Behaviour Jer. 8. 14. Let us be Silent for the Lord God hath put us to Silence And Zach. 2. 13. Be Silent O all Flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his Holy Habitation And Amos 5. 13. Therefore the Prudent shall keep Silence in that time for it is an Evil time That time was a time of Persecution for we Read in the 12. v. They afflict the Just and they turn aside the Poor in the Gate from their Right What 's the Duty incumbent now but to be Silent i. e. Taciti perferent injurias quicunque laesi fuerint â—orabunt intus suos gemitus quia non audebuâ—â— conquaeri Calv. not to murmur rage and fret and fume against Evil Instruments And it 's a great Point of Prudence to exercise such a quiet Behaviour in such Evil times The meaning of that place is not that Men should be Tongue-ty'd in God's Cause but that they should forbear all callumniations and reproaches which are usually belcht forth by way of personal Revenge Christ in a special manner Commends the Practice of Patience Luk. 21. 19. In your Patience Possess ye your Souls It 's the more Remarkable that this Charge was given by Christ by way of a Preparative to fit and prepare them for those great Calamities which should befall Jerusalem Christ foretold Jerusalems Destruction and he Commends this excellent Grace of Patience which at such a time will be of singular use and benefit Thus you see Evidently that there is a necessity of Precept CHAP. VII Proving the Doctrine from the necessity of Means in Four Particulars NOw Secondly Consider there is Necessitas 2. From necessity of Means Medii For a quiet contented submissive Spirit which patiently yields and resigns all to God is either a means to remove the Trouble or else to Alleviate and Mitigate it or 3dly To have it Sanctified and made Profitable or 4thly To make Compensation for all Losses Let 's warily understand all these Particulars not as if they were efficient or meritorious Causes but only as instrumental Means Subservient and Subordinate to God's Assistance And so understanding them we will inlarge them particularly as followeth First I say a submissive quiet yielding A Submissive Spirit is a Means to remove the Burthen Spirit oftentimes gets the Burthen and Trouble removed Thus it fared with Jehoshaphat 2 Cron. 20. 12. We know not what to do but our Eyes are upon Thee And see the Blessed Success vers 22 23. And Hanani the Seer tells Asa 2 Chron. 16. 8. Were not the Aethiopians and Lubims an huge Host with many Chariots and Horse-men Yet because thou didst rely on the Lord he delivered Tantum in nobis fidei staâ—bilitate Dominus esse desiderat ut certius esse quod credimus quam quod patimur judicemus verius habeamus sperando quam sensibiliter Hieron them into thine Hand When we can Believe and cast our selves upon God and wait with Patience then are we in a capacity of receiving Mercy Faith establisheth and quieteth the Heart and prepares it for reception of Mercies Secondly If the Trouble yet remain 2. A submissive Spirit is a meaus to ease the Burthen and still grieve us however if the Heart can trust in God and quietly submit unto him the Burthen is alleviated and facilitated and the smart much Mitigated It was a hard Tryal for Aaron to submit so quietly when two of his Children were struck Dead before his Eyes yet questionless his Grief was much abated and his Affliction lessened by his silent and patient Deportment under that heavy Stroke of God Lev. 10. 3. Then Moses said unto Aaron this is that which the Lord spake saying I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh Silet audita voluntate Dei Cajetan me and before all the People I will be Glorified And ‑ Aaron held his peace It was an unwelcome an astonishing Message which Samuel told Eli from the Lord of the Destruction of his Sons and utter Extirpation of his Family Yet Eli discovered such an excellent temper of Spirit in resigning his Will to Gods Will as thereby his Burthen was made far Lighter 1 Sam. 3. 18. And Eli said it is the Lord let him do what seemeth him Good How dreadful was that Prophecy of Isaiah to Hezekiah that all his Treasures should be carried to Babylon and that his Children should be Eunuchs in the Palace at Babylon Yet Hezekiah acknowledged all Good that came from God 2 King 20. 19. Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast Spoken In all Job's Sufferings he acknowledged that the Hand of God had Touched him Job 19. 21. He received message after message of sad Tydings and each Messenger worse than the former One brings the News of Job 1. the Sabeans carrying away his Oxen and Asses Another tells him of the Burning of his Sheep and Servants A Third tells him of the Chaldeans taking away his Camels and Slaying his Servants A Fourth brings the Saddest News of all that the House fell upon his Children and Slew them The Messengers of Afflictions were so swift in running to meet with Job as if the Second Messenger made hast to Tread upon the Heels of the First and the Third upon the Second and the Fourth upon the Third Velut unda superveâ—â—â— undae All these came upon Job like
redditas benedictione sc Domini quae abunde ditat Merc. The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before Christ makes a large Promise consisting of many particulars which according to the Rule of an Induction concludes Universally Mat. 19. 29. And every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my Names Sake shall receive an Hundred Fold and shall Inherit Everlasting Life The meaning is not that a Man should receive an Hundred Fathers or Mothers c. but that he should receive Christ who is infinitely | Ipse unus Christus erit tibi omnia quia in ipso uno bono bona sâ—nt omâ—â—a August Exoâ— 12. 36. more worth then all Sometimes God makes up the Losses of his Suffering Servants in kind God gave the Israelites Favour in the Eyes of the Egyptians so that at parting from them They Spoiled them And God took away the Substance of Laban and gave it unto Jacob in Recompence of his rigorous Servitude however if God doth not make up worldly Losses with the Riches of the World yet he makes them up to his Children with Spiritual Riches which are as much better as Heaven is better than Earth David lost his Wives his House even all that he had of the World at the sacking of Ziglag but he had that which was infinitely better than all that he had Lost for he had Consolations from Heaven and Supportation from God 1 Sam. 30. 6. But David incouraged himself in the Lord his God It 's a saying commonly observ'd Virtus repulsae nescia Sordidae I have Read that when Alexander was in a great Strait and was put upon an hard Service he said En periculum par animo Alexandri here 's a Danger fit for the Mind of an Alexander to Encounter withal So David in his great Straits at Ziglag discovered heroical Magnanimity he sunk not under those heavy Pressures but made use of the Right and only Support and Strength in Trouble as the Text Specifies But i. e. notwithstanding the Burning of Ziglag the carrying away his Wives and many People Captive and the Mutiny of the discontented Souldiers who threatned to Stone him David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Manasseh gain'd more good by a Prison than by a Palace and was a greater gainer for his Soul by an Iron Chain than by a Chain of Gold when the Prodigal fed on Husks he understood himself better than when he fed delicately at his Fathers Table Zeno could say after he Jam didici Philosophari Zeno. had suffered Shipwrack Now I have learned to be a Philosopher And should not a Christian say Experimentally By Sufferings Losses and Crosses I have Learned to value all things under the Sun at a lower rate than ever and Christ and his Graces and Heaven at an higher rate It was a frequent saying of Aquinas that great School-Doctor Mallem bonam conscientiam quam plenum marsupium Aquinas I had rather have a good Conscience than a full Purse But instar omnium the Apostles Determination takes place Phil. 3. 8. who counted all things but Loss and Dung in comparison of Christ The Original words are Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loss and Garbidge Put Christ and his Riches in one Scale and the World with all its Pomp and Bravery in another Scale and these are less than the Dust of the Ballance in comparison of Christ and his Riches for these will infinitely preponderate Wherefore let us make sure of Eternal and never fading Riches It was a choice saying of Lewis of Bavoyer Emperour of Germany Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent i. e. Such Riches are to be got as when a Shipwrack comes they will Swim out with us And these are only the Riches of Christ CHAP. VIII Containing a Second Reason drawn from the excellency of a quiet and submissive Frame of Spirit I now Proceed to a Second Reason 2. Reason drawn from the excellency of this submissive Spirit drawn from the excellency of this submissive Frame of Spirit which yields to God and Resignes all to his Disposal Solomon tells us Prov. 12. 26. The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour and Prov. 17. 27. A Man of Understanding is of an excellent Spirit Now wherein doth the excellency of this Wise Man Shine but by the lustre of his Graces Grace is the Beauty of the Soul and no Ornament like those of Divine Graces to Adorn a Christian Now a Man of a Wise composed Spirit who depends on God for his Portion and stays upon his All-Sufficiency and makes it his Study to resign himself and to submit to God's Will in all Estates and Conditions whatsoever such a Man doth in a Conspicuous and Eminent manner exert and exercise six choice Graces viz Wisdom Faith Hope Patience Self-Denial and Holy Courage Every one of these is an expedient and help for the right Management of a Christian excellent Spirit amidst varieties of Hardships and Sufferings incumbent on us First For Wisdom As it is a sign of 1. Wisdom Prov. 22. 3. Mich. 6. 9. Prudence to Foresee Evil so it is a Character of a Man of Wisdom To hear the Rod and who hath appointed it He is a Wise Man that deliberately observes the handy Works of God and acknowledgeth his Wisdom Power and Soveraignty in ordering all Affairs It 's a doggish Quality to snarl at the Stone and not to take notice of the Hand that Threw it To make a strict enquiry into Second Causes to find out such and such an Evil Instrument and to quarrel wlth them by reviling words and revengeful deeds Oh! How unsutable is this to a Christian Spirit That eminent Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Dod was a signal example of Meekness and Compassion towards his Enemies In the beginning of the late sad and lamentable Wars a Souldier who had Plundred his House and gave him reproachful and threatning Language a few days after that Souldier being Sript in the Battle at Edge-Hill Fled for his Life and came again to Mr. Dods House in a forlorn Condition ready to be Starved for want of Cloathing which when that good Man Mr. Dod heard of hâ— sent Cloaths unto him to cover his Nakedness Here 's the Wisdom of a Christian Spirit to understand the great Duty mentioned by the Apostle Not to Rom. 12. 21. be overcome of Evil but to overcome Evil with Good When the Psalmist tells of the Afflictions of God's Children Psal 107. 39. and of their Deliverance ver 40 41 42. he Concludes ver 43. Who so is Wise and will observe those things even they shall understand the Kindness of the Lord. Quid de paenarum acerbita te qnecimur unus quisque nostrum se punit Slav. lib. 3. A Wise Man under Afflictions will inquire into the Cause and reflect upon himself as the Church did
Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is Righteous for I Rebelled against his Commandement A Wise Man will inquire into the end of all God's Chastisements and Labour to answer God's End and that is A Deo putimur sed ipsi facimus ut puniamur Id. lib. 8. Isa 9. 12. 13. to Repent and Turn unto God For this very Reason The Anger of God is not turned away but his Hand is Stretched out still For the People turneth not to him that Smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts Here then lieth the great Wisdom to understand God's Meaning and end in Chastising and that is to reform purify and new mold us and to bring us forth out of the Furnace purified Seven times Every Good and Wise Man should ponder in his Heart and practise accordingly that excellent Speech of Elihu Job 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not Teach thou me If I have done Iniquity I will do no more This is the right use of Wisdom under the Rod of Correction Second The excellency of this Spirit â— Faith Shines in a strong vigorously acting Faith The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 5. 7. We Walk by Faith not by Sight Sense fail'd in the time of a dark Vision but Faith failed not Heb. 2. 4. The just shall Live by his Faith Estates Contrivances Friendship and Favour of Men Projects and Expectations all these may Fail A Believer cannot Live by any oâ— these but the Life of Faith is such an excellent Life as we may compare it to Goliahs Sword and say of the Life of Faith as David said of that Sword 1 Sam. 21. 9. Give me that there is none like it What Wonders Faith did the 11. Chap. to the Hebrews gives an ample Catalogue Sense fail'd Job on the Dunghill he saw no visible means of Restauration to his former Enjoyments yet how strenuously did his Faith act Job 13. 15. Though he Slay me yet will I Trust in him And on his Dunghill he saw Job 19. 25. his Redeemer Reason was non-plust concerning Sarahs bringing forth a Son against the Course of Nature But Abraham against Hope believed in Hope that he might become the Father of many Nations c. See Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21. Stephen when the Stones were clattering about his Ears saw Christ standing Acts 7. 56. on the Right Hand of God We often Read in Scripture of Christ sitting in Majesty and Glory but when Stephen was a Stoning Christ was said to be a Standing a ready posture to vindicate the Credere impossibilia rationi Sperare dilata amare deum cum se praebeat inimicum Luther Quarrel of his Suffering Servant Luther gives Three grand Properties of Faith viz. 1. To believe things impossible to Reason 2. To hope for things defer'd 3. To love God when he shews himself an Enemy There are also two great Properties of Faith One is Prophetick to foresee Deliverance Answers of Prayers Removal of Judgments and such like Another is Magnetick to have an attractive Vertue to draw things near that may seem to be afar off Faith will Approximate a Promise and by a patient waiting Spirit acquiesce in the same not doubting the performance thereof in the appointed Season Faith will trust God upon his Word Third Hope acts vigorously in a disconsolate 3. Hope Condition Ezra Comforts the People thus Yet now there is Hope Ezra 10. 2. in Israel concerning this thing Hope is like a Prop or Pillar to support and stay a Building from falling It 's an Anchor cast out in a Storm to stay the Ship The Church quietly bore those sad Calamities incumbent on them Lam. 3. 26. It is good that a Man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. ver 29. He putteth his Mouth in the Dust if so be there may be Hope But what 's the Ground of Hope Read ver 21. The Lord will not cast off for Ever There 's Hope that the Rod will not alwaies be on our Backs And there 's Two strong Grounds for our Faith 1. There are Multitude of Mercies in God ver 32. 2. He doth not Afflict willingly We may add further that God poureth not out his whole Wrath Heb. 3. 2. but in Wrath he remembers Mercy God hath not forgoten to be Gracious nor shut up his loving Kindness in displeasure Were it not for Hope we should not receive such Comforts from the Scriptures as we do But amidst all the Troubles of God's People they draw singular Grounds of Hope and Consolation from the Scriptures And to this purpose are the Scriptures Wrote Rom. 15. 4. The Saints rejoyce in Hope Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 12. 12. Although they are cast into Prison they learn their Duty there Rev. 2. 10. And though they are close Prisoners they are Prisoners of Hope Zach. 9. 12. Hope is the Saints Helmet 1 Thes 5. 8. In great Troubles and Perplexities there 's a Door of Hope to get out of them For after Achan was Stoned it was promised that the Valley of Achor should be a Door of Hos 2. 14. Hope Times of Jacobs Troubles should be special times of Jacobs Trust It was a dismal day mentioned Jer. 30. 5 6 7. But there 's Comfort near approaching It is even the time of Jacobs Trouble but he shall be Saved out of it In the Grave though the Body moulder into Dust there 's a certain Hope of a Resurrection Psal 61. 9. comp with Acts 2. 9. Now the same God that can raise the Body out of the Dust can raise up those that lye in the Dust though despised and trampled upon by malitious and inveterate Enemies Anti-christ shall fall and never rise more A Mill-Stone shall be put about his Neck and he thrown into the Sea But Gods People though they may fall they shall rise again though their Sufferings be Sharp yet they shall be short as Athanasius said of Julians Persecution Nubecula est cito transitura And the greater the Sufferings of God's People are for Righteousness sake their Resurrection shall be more Glorious There 's Matter of Comfort and Duty by them to be put in Practice mentioned Micah 7. 8 9. Rejoyce not against me O mine Enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in Darkness the Lord shall be a Light unto me I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have Sinned against him Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas Horat. Eccles 7. 8. Fourthly There followeth the Exercise of Patience And this will make an hard Yoak easy and an heavy Burthen light The Patient in Spirit as Solomon tells us is better than the Proud in Spirit The Reason a Learned Author gives is because Anger is Rash and Precipitate Quia ira praecâ—ps est finem nunquam expectabit quod faciet patiens ira
Things to come concerning my Sons and concerning the Work of my Hands command ye me God promiseth great Things to his People even the Sprinkling clean Water upon them the Giving them a New Heart the Putting of his Spirit within them and Causing them to walk in his Fear What high invaluable Promises are these Yet though God intend the full Accomplishment of all these Promises he will grant them in his own way he will be sought unto by the Prayers and Supplications of his People Ezek. 36. 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them We have many Promises of the Churches Deliverance but the Church must Pray Turn back our Captivity O Lord as the Stream in Psal 126. 4. Psal 14. 7. Psal 44. 17. Psal 25. 22. the South And O that the Salvation of Israel were come out of Zion Thou art my King O God! Command Deliverances for Jacob. Redeem Israel O Lord out of all his Troubles You read of Manasseh's Prayer when Dulcioâ—es lacrymae orantium quam gaudia Theatrorum Aug. in Psal 28. he was in the Thornes of Jonah's Prayer in the Whales Belly of the Apostles in Prison And it 's the Churches Practice Isa 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy Chastening was upon them Whatever Losses or Calamities befal us Prayer is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Universal Medicine mentioned by Solomon 2 King chap. 7. We have a Precept and an Encouragement Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the Day of Trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt Glorifie Me. What could Achitophel do against David's Prayers By them that great Politician was Counterplotted and his Counsels were turned into Foolishness What could Herod and the People of the Jews do against the Churches Prayers Though the Keeper shut the Prison Doors yet the Church opened Heaven Doors and Peter the Prisoner was inlarged by the Angel of the Lord and given in as a Return of the Prayers of the Church Mary Queen of Scots was afraid of the Prayers of John Knox She professed That she feared his Prayers more than an Army of Forty Thousand Men. But some distressed Persons complain Object That they Receive no Answer of their Prayers The Answer to them I shall return is Answ 1. To examine whether they Pray not for Superfluities unlawful Things whether they pray not for Revenge against their Enemies whether they allow some secret Iniquity in their Hearts or some Bosome-Sin unrepented of We read James 1. 3. Ye Ask and Receive not because ye Ask amiss that you may Consume it upon your Lusts 2. Let us labour to mend what is amiss in our Prayers It 's a Mercy to be denyed when we ask for Things not according Deus quâ—dam negat propitius quae coâ—cedit iratus Aug. 1 Joh. 5. 14. to God's Will We only have a Promise of Audience when we ask according to God's Will. God knoweth what 's best to give in Answer to our Prayers That our Prayers may speed the better there are required Five Special Aut Deus dabit quod petimus aut quod nobis noverit esse utilius Bern Qualifications As First Humility Abraham when he Qualif 1. Humility had to deal with God acknowledged himself to be but Dust and Ashes and so did Job abhor himself and Repent in Dust Cum sis Humi Limus cur non es humilimus Bern. Qui sibi vilis est Deo Cha rus est Id. de inter Domin and Ashes and Ephraim smote upon his Thigh He that is most vile in his own Eyes is dearest in God's Eyes We cannot brook a proud Beggar We are all Beggars at God's Door poor Indigent Petitioners All whatever we receive is of Favour and nothing of Merit Shall Beggars be puff't up with Pride Shall proud Dust swell against God Bernard propounds Christ's Humiliation Apage ut intumescat vermiculus quum sese exinaniverit Dominus Bern. for a curb of Pride It 's saith he abominable that a Worm should swell when our Lord made himself so low Upon Deliberate Thoughts when we reflect upon our own Unworthyness we shall with Jacob confess I am not Worthy Gen. 32. 10. of the least of all the Mercies and of all the Truths which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant Let 's lye low and beware of all Inflamations of Pride when we have to deal with God we can never be Humble enough we can never think too Meanly of our Selves nor too Highly of God The more Holy the more Humble The Humblest Christians are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedes prima vita ima the best of Christians Nazianzen gives a Character of Athanasius that He was High in his VVorks and Low in Mind The Higher Men are the more Humble towards God Now when we make our Addresses to God in Prayer let 's entertain serious and high Thoughts of God's Infinite Goodness and low Thoughts of our Selves and this will prepare us to Pray aright A Second Qualification of Prayer is Qualif 2. is Faith Faith We must Pray believingly otherwise there is no Hopes of speeding An Unbeliever so remaining is without Hope He cannot Pray nor trust God neither can any thing that he doth obtain Acceptance because Without Faith Heb. 11. 6. Heb. 14. 23. it is impossible to please God and Whatever is not of Faith is Sin Mr. Tyndal that precious Martyr in a Letter to Mr. Fryth layes down Four Expressions of Faith 1. To give up your self 2. To cast your self 3. To yield your self 4. to commit your self wholly and only to your Loving Father It 's the Prayer of Faith which proves Effectual | Sanitatem aegroti adscribet orationi fidei hoc est ex fide ad Deum profusae a Presbyteris Ne vero in Presbyteris vel in precum opere operato haerebit â—ger principalem addit causam Dominus excitabit c. Pareus James 5. 15. The Prayer of Faith shall Save the Sick The Promise is made to what 's Prayed for in Faith Mat. 21. 22. And all things whatsoever ye ask in Prayer Believing ye shall Receive Let 's then believe God to be True and Faithful in all his Promises and that he will not fail of performing what he hath Promised Though our Sense may be puzled and our Reason non-plust we must believe against all Reasoning with Flesh and Blood and submit our Reasonings to the Will of God Tertullian saith Faith fears no Hunger Fides non timet famem Tertul. And I have Read a Character of a Believer That he neither fears Poverty nor Quem neque pa peries que Mors nec vincula terâ—nt Bonds nor Death Where 's greatest Difficulty there 's most work for Faith to put forth it self A true Believer will venture his All upon God's Word He will say Credo quia incredibile I belieâ—â—
Cant. 5. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 70. white and Ruddy the chiefest of ten Thousands Christ is white for his innocency and purity ruddy for his Sufferings as his bloody Sweat Agony and Passion upon the Cross Now because it infinitely exceeds the capacity of Men or Angels to represent Christs Dignity Honour and excellencies to the full in positive expressions therefore by way of negation we express the Price Dignity Valuation of Christ to be infinite unparrallell'd and inestimable and when we have said inestimable it 's beyond the sphere of our activity as an ancient * Nobis ad intellectum pectus angustum est ideâ— sic Deum digne estimamus dum inâ—stimabilem dicimus Min. Felix Father observes to reach any higher in our expressions 2. Here 's another word 2. What is meant by Believers to be explained viz. Believers It s sayd * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sola est â—des quae pretium ac excellentiam Christi nobis patefacit Calv. in loc Vnto you therefore which believe For as judicious Calvin observes it's faith alone which lays open to us the price and excellency of Christ Such then as believe unto Salvation are such whose hearts are k Act. 15. purified by faith l Rom. 5. 1. and justified by Faith and have such a faith as m Gal. 5. 6. works by love Called n Tit. 1. 1. the faith of Gods Elect. * They are chosen saith the Apostle unto Salvatioâ— through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 2 Thes 2. 3. Quia electi sunt elegerunt non quiâ— ellegerunt electi sunt elligentium meritum nullum esset nisi â—os eligentis gratiâ— Dei preveniret Aug. These have their Robes washt and made white in the Blood of the Lamb. Rev. 7. 14. They are begotten again to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. and made Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. These and these alone discern the Excellency and Dignity of Christ and they set the highest estimate and valuation upon him From the Premises thus divided and expounded there results this Doctrinal Conclusion That Christ is of inestimable Dignity and Honour Doctrine and infinitely Pretious in the accompt of all true Believers For the Methodical inlargment of this Method propounded Excellent Doctrine my work in the ensuing Treatise shall be first to give in the clear proof of the Doctrin and afterwards to infer an useful improvement thereof The Assertion to be proved is That Christ is of inestimable Dignity This shall constitute the Doctrinal part That which shall be intended by way of improvement is That as Christ is thus pretious and highly to be valued as in himself or so he ought to be by all true Believers This shall constitute the particular Use and Application of all 1. That Christ is of inesâ—imablâ— Dignity Honour and this is proved in 5 several Particulars In handling of the former Assertion I shall confine my self to these ensuing Heads of discourse 1. To reckon up several excellent Names of Honour and Dignity appropriated unto Christ in Scripture 2. To unfold the grand Mystery of the Divine and Humane Nature of Christ Hypostatically united in one Person 3. To represent the invaluable worth of those threefold Offices of Christ viz. Sacerdotal Prophetical and Regall 4. To set down several Metaphors and Resemblances in Scripture which applied to Christ declare his singular Dignity 5 To consider those great Purchases which Christ hath made for his People which are Justification Sanctification and Glorification These Heads of discourse I shall endeavour through Christ that strengthens me to inlarge in so many distinct Chapters Which as I hope and desire will abundantly satisfy confirm and establish us in this Fundamental Truth That Christ is pretious and estimable for Dignity and Honour Of these I shall treat in order in the following Chapters CHAP. II. Chap. 2. Containing an enumeration of several choice and honourable Names in Scripture ascribed unto Christ AMongst variety of Names in Scripture appropriated unto Christ I shall select these following not naming all that might be named and explain them as I go along The first I shall mention is Shiloh Gen. 1. Name Shiloh 49. 10. Which name the whole current of Orthodox Interpreters unanimously apply unto Christ The name signifies safe happy and blessed as * Est nomen verbale Salvus beatus faelix unde Shiloh derivatur Servator felicitetor hoc est faelices reddere Pet. Mart. in Gen. 49. 10. Peter Martyr observes some render Shiloh as learned Jerome and others He that is to be sent * Quasi tranquillatorem dicas qui tranquillitatis nostrae spiritualis Authâ—r sit futurus Scultet Exercit. Evangel Scultetus after he had mentioned variety of Interpretations acquiesceth in this That Shiloh signifies to cease and be quiet Ludovicus de Dieu understands Shiloh to be the promised Seed which was to spring from Judah The version of the 70 is emphatical and plainly declares Christ to be * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 70. Interpretum a Saviour That Jacob's Prophesy was fulfill'd and that the Scepter did not depart from Judah till the coming of Christ may thus be convinced For the Politick state amongst the Jews was not changed but still the * Non auferetur Sceptrum Regium dicet regnum permansurum esse in Judausque ad Christum quantumvis affligeretur propecollapsum videretur Vaâ—abl in loc â— Name a Star 1 The Star of Jacob. Regal Dignity and Politick Government continued in Judah Maugre all Persecutions and Oppositions whatsoever Judah was the Law-giveing Tribe And those Laws continued till the coming of Christ But at Christs comeing the Scepter departed from Judah and was translated to an Heathen King 2. Another Name attributed to Christ is a Star He is called the Star of Jacob and a bright Morning Star 1. He is called by Balaam the Star of Jacob Numb 24. 17. although Balaam was a Mercenary Prophet who as he is branded by the Apostle a 2 Pet. 2. 15. loved the Wages of unrighteousness Yet he gives this true attestation There shall saith he come a Star out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel This is a clear Prophecy concerning * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 70. Surget Princeps ex Israel Vers Syr. Ungetur Christus de domâ— Israel Paraphr Chald. Christ Christ is that Star that lightneth and Shineth and what light we have is borrowed and derived from him who is that great light b Joh. 1. 9. which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Malachy calls him c Mal 4. 2. the Sun of righteousness Zachary calls him d Luk. 1. 78. The Day spring from on high St. Peter calls him e 2 Pet. 1. 19. The Day Star For Christ shines gloriously in the Gospel He inlightens guides and directs He scatters Clouds and
his Side Hands and Feet 2. In putting up Prayers in his own Name and making continual Supplication unto the Father as a Mediator and as an Advocate as an High-Priest interceeding for us at the Throne of Grace Christ is the great Master of Requests who prefers the Petitions of his People unto his Father The High-Priest when he was to make an attonement for the People entred into the Holy of Holies with Blood and Incense So Christ our High-Priest in Heaven presentâ— his Blood and the sweet Incense of his Prayers Rev. 8. 2. And I saw the seven Angels which stood before God and to them were given seven Trumpets And another came and stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and much Incense was given to him that he should offer c. Heb. 9. 12 23 24. Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us v. 23 24. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these but the heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifice than these For Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with Hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Q Let us inquire into the fruit and benefit 2. Benefits of this Intercession 1. We are acquitted from all our Adversaries of this Intercession 1. We are acquitted from all Adversaries even from Sin Satan and the Law having interest in the Intercession of Christ we are freed from all Accusations and Condemnations of the greatest Adversaries * Qualis est ista incercessio non oralâ—â— sed realâ—â— ex merâ suipsius in cruce oblati repraesentatione Hinc est quod dicitur comparere corâ— Deo pro nobis D. Tuis Vindic. l. 1. part 2. Sect. 23. Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that Condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Here are four things to acquit all Believers from Condemnation viz. Christs Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession Christ died to give Life unto his People He rose again and became the first Fruit of them that slept Christ Ascended on high and gave gifts to Men and he interceeds at the Throne of Grace presenting his Bloody Sufferings and the vertue of them unto the Father for a full and compleat satisfaction 2. Christ by his Intercession teacheth 2. Christ by his Intercession teacheth us to Pray us to pray and to make our Intercessions and Supplications unto the Throne of Grace We of our selves cannot put up one Meritorious Petition though we might gain the whole World for so doing For we pray coldly rawly and indigestedly with much deadness disorder and distraction of Spirit but these Prayers come not so to God the Father as they are presented by us for Christ mends them in the carriage and presents them in his own Name unto the Father and for his Rom. 8. 26. Quasi dicat cum mole tentationis oppressi nescimus orare ipse spirâ—tus qui in nobis habitat exerit se orationem in animo excitat Bucer in Loc. 3. Through Christs Intercession our duties and works obtain acceptance sake alone we obtain acceptance with the Father Christ interceeds to the Father for us and his Spirit helpeth our Infirmities and maketh intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered The Spirit of Christ doth two great works One is to make intercession for us and the other is to help us to make intercession for our selves By the assistance of the Spirit we can Pray and Sigh and Groan in such prevailing Rhetorick as will obtain acceptance but without the assistance of the Spirit we cannot Pray nor express our selves in any acceptable manner 3. Through Christs intercession our Duties and works obtain acceptance As for our selves and our own righteousness we have great cause to confess with the Church Isaiah 64. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy Rags But through Christs Reconciliation and acceptance our works obtain acceptance Though there be no worth in the work nor in the workers yet there is through Christ acceptation and imputation a worthiness accompted of in the sight of God as Joshua was to have his filthy Garments took from him * Semper in animum sibi revocent verbi divini precones impositum sibi esse cidarim mundam cui inscriptum sanctitas Jehovae proinde ei studeant ipsi ut aliâ— idem faciaut hortentur sedulo ut sint typi fidelium Tarnovius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet quo significat spiritum singulari contentione studio intercedere pro sanctis Buceru in Loc. Unà sublevat infirmitates nostras quasi dicatur ipse vicissim onus attollere ex altera parte ne sub eo fatiscamus Ut sensus sit sicut spiritus S. unâ— cum Patre filio testatur spiritui nostro nos esse filios Dei similiter idem spiritus cum â—sdem opitulatur infirmitatibus nostris L. de Dieu Zech. 3. 4. So in the best of our duties there is filthiness and we stand in continual need of the inestimable benefit of our Intercessour who takes away our Pollutions and not only acquits us from the Guilt of Sin but cleanseth us from the filth of Sin He doth purge us as well as pardon us and sanctifie us by his Spirit as well as justifie us by his Righteousness Hence it comes to pass that the services of all such â—s have interest in Christ are accepted at the Throne of Grace and though in us there are many weaknesses and Imperfections yet Sincerity is accepted And though there are manifold failings in our Duties yet all are made perfect through the perfect satisfaction of Christ for he as a surety hath paid our Debt and fully satisfied the Father by doing and suffering all that the Law required Christ is the Beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased Mat. 3. ult CHAP. V. Concerning Christs Prophetical Office SECT I. Why Christ must be a Prophet HAving insisted largly on Christs Sacerdotal Office I come now to his Prophetical and Regal Office and I shall be more brief in the handling of these not intending a just volume of this Argument only so far I may inlarge as may afford good Measure full prest and running over for the further Demonstration of the Doctrine that I insist upon viz. The inestimable Dignity of Christ In the 2d place it follows that I should 2 Of Christs Prophetical Office treat of Christs Prophetical Office Christ is called * Deut. 18. 5. Christus dicitur Nabi Propheta est autem Nabi usu scripturae is qui profundiora de Deo deque rebus divinus disserit qui mentem divinam hominibus aperit saepius
for the Word of God Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the Joy and rejoycing of my Heart A Godly Man is known by this Character his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate Psal 1. 2. Day and Night God's Testimonies were David's Delight and Counsellors sweeter then Honey and the Honey Comb more valuable than Rich Spoiles even than Thousands of Gold and Sylver He than that knows and hath experimented the Beauties Treasures and Consolations of Christ O! how doth he delight in Communion with Christ O! how doth he prize Ordinances and Delights to walk in that way where Christ comes by The Joy of taking great Spoil the Joy of the Vintage the Joy of Espousals the Joy of Harvest are mentioned in Scripture to represent causes of rejoycing But all these are infinitely short of that Joy which is in the Heart of a true Believer who hath a new Name a white Stone and hidden Manna who hath a Sacred Communion Rev. 2. 17. with Christ and feels his Divine Influences This is a Joy Unspeakable beyond the Capacity of Men and Angels Wherefore he that hath a liking and approbation of Christ and his Ordinances he Joys in them as Job Professed more than in his necessary Food and with the Job 23. 12 Love sick Spouse he takes more delight in Christ and is at more pains to seek him then all besides Cant. 3. 1. Even on the Bed of Sickness and Affliction the Spouse sought her Beloved 3. A ready and couragious Spirit to 3. A ready and couragious Spirit to bear Testimony for Christ bear Testimony for Christ and the truth of the Gospel He that likes and loves Christ will vindicate him and his Honour from the Reproach of Gain-sayers When a Believer speaks of Christ he will speak with Reverence and highest appretiation of him when he speaks to Christ he will speak with Faith Fervency and Humility And when he speaks for Christ he will discover an Heroical Magnanimous Spirit such a Spirit the Apostles had when they Acts â— 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraeorum more quâ— vehementem acrem significant interminationem Eras were straitly threatned that they should speak no more in the Name of Jesus they answer'd with an undaunted Resolution Act. 4. 19 20. But Peter and John answered and said unto them whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God Judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Thus the Apostle Paul took courage against Elymas the Sorcerer when he sought to turn away the Deputy from the Faith The Apostle branded him for the Child of the Devil and an Enemy of all Act. 13. 10. Praedicare Evangelium Dei nihil â—liud est quam derivare in se toâ—ius inferni furorem Satanae Lut. Loc. Com. Righteousness Luther knew what it would cost him even to bring all the Devils in Hell about his ears yet he was resolved to go to Worms and Preach the Gospel though every Tile on the Houses was a Devil to oppose him Bishop Latimer said often that the Preaching of the Gospel would cost him his Heart-Blood And so it came to pass for when he was a Burning his Blood gushed forth and quench'd a great part of the Fire Here then is a Proof of a Christians likeing and approving of Christ and his Gospel when he will plead for the Truths which are in Jesus and vindicate Christs Honour from Contempt and Reproaches A true Believer when he is called to witness for Christ is neither like a Still-Born nor a Tongue-Ty'd Person but he will speak for Christ and stand up for the cause of Christ what ever it cost him He is not affraid to be good nor affraid to own a despised Christ and a Persecuted Gospel To be of a timerous and cowardly Spirit and to seal up ones Lips when Christs interest lies a bleeding what 's this but to be spiritually benum'd or else Possessed of a dumb Devil Wherefore Luther professed that he would rather be guilty Impius sim avarus adulter iâ—â—â—mninm vitiorum reus modo impii silentiâ— non arguar dum Dominus patitur Luth. of the worst of Crimes than of wicked silence when his Lord suffered SECT II. Whether we prize Christ by our likeness and Conformity to him I Proceed to the second Proposition Prepos 2. Those that prize Christ endeavour to be like and conformable to him that those who prize Christ endeavour to be like and conformable unto him Christ is our Head and we are his Members and there ought to be a conformity between the Head and the Members And where this is it will be evidenced in these three Particulars 1. There will be a conformity to the 1. There will be a conformity to the commands of Christ Mark 1. 15. Mat. 6. 20. Mat. 6. 24. commands of Christ as that perfect absolute and infallible Rule of our Obedience Christ commands us to repent and believe the Gospel to lay up for our selves Treasures in Heaven to seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness to ask and it shall be given you to seek and Mat. 7. 7. ye shall find to knock and it shall be openedunto you Likewise Christ commands enter ye in at the Straight Gate c. In a Mat. 7. 13. word Christ in his Gospel commands the whole Duty of Man The Gospel is every way comprehensive and sufficient to prescribe all things needful for our Salvation We may not then devise ways of our own Heads and Fancies and prescribe humane Inventions and Superstitions for Politick ends to justle out Divine Institutions It is not any Rule which will serve the turn As it was not any Partern which would serve for the Building of the Tabernacle but that Pattern only which was shew'd to Moses in the Mount And the Lord gave a strict charge Exod. 25. 40. And look that thou make them after their Pattern which was shewed thee in the Mount Neither is it any Rule will serve but only the Rule of the Word of Christ which is the Everlasting Gospel and commands our Obedience Wherefore the Apostle glorieth in nothing but the Cross of Christ Gal. 6. 14 15. Neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature And such are Partakers of Peace and walk according to his Rule Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God Let then Christ's command ingage us to a ready and chearful Obedience and let 's not dispute but obey what he commandeth when he bids seek my Face let our Hearts return this ready answer Thy face Lord will I Psal 27. 8. seek 2. There must be a conformity to the 2. There must be a Conformity to the Life
to Christ be like the Love of Jonathan that abode in its Strength Love which holds out to the end which passeth through good report and bad report both through fair and foul Weather that 's the Love which will obtain Acceptance Love will conquer Difficulties as Jacob's did to Rachel who thought many years but a few days because he loved her Love to Christ will make us willing to pass through Fire and Water and encounter Sons of Anach and Beasts of Ephesus Love will cause a Christian to be willing to bear and suffer any thing for Christ Persecutions Oppositions and variety of Sufferings try the Sincerity and Constancy of a Christian's Love to Christ There 's a constraining Power in the Love of Christ which engageth all Christ's adopted Children to hold fast their Profession to be faithful to Death to account Christ All in all and persevere in their Faith so that Difficulties are as Whet-stones to sharpen a Believers Fortitude And the Snuffers of Persecution makes the Saints Candles burn brighter And thus in these five mentioned particular Tryals I have represented our Love to Christ CHAP. XI Containing an Vse of Exhortation to labour for the excellent Grace of Faith and an Vse of Direction THe foorth Use is for Exhortation Use 4 For Exhortation to labour for Faith Is it so that Christ is only precious to Believers then let 's hence infer one grand Duty to labour for the excellent Grace of Faith Hereby we shall set the highest value on Christ Faith is an instrumental means to help us to know the excellency of Christ For Faith is an Eye to â—ehold Christ Faith is a Hand to receive Christ a Mouth to feed on him an Heart to believe on him But we must interpose this caution that Faith receives all of Grace and Mercy and nothing of Merit Faith embraces Christ but Christ first gives Faith to embrace him Faith rests and relies on Christ but Christ supports our Faith If we believe he works it in us we must be thankful for what we receive and give God the Praise and Glory of all The Apostle gives an absolute determination Eph. 2. 8. For by Grace are ye saved through Faith it is the gift of God That our Endeavours Affections even the whole Man may be quickned to get this choice and excellent Grace of Faith I shall lay down these ensuing persuasive Arguments in the following Section SECT I. Containing persuasive Arguments to get Faith THat I may use all the prevailing Arguments as far as I apprehend to get Faith I shall insist on these following 1. Faith is a condition of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Works was Arg. 1 Faith is the condition of the Covenant of Grace do this and live none but Christ who is God and Man could perform this Covenant The Covenant of Works will not abate us a Transgression in the least title It exacts perfect Obedience and curseth the Transgressor Who continues not in all Gal. 3. 10. things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them But the Covenant of Grace runs Believe and thou shalt be saved The Law sheweth us our Sores and Wounds the Gospel applyeth Soveraign healing Plasters The Law like a Serjeant arrests and shuts us up and so hampers us that we cannot possibly escape The Gospel sets us at Liberty Gal. 3. 22. But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lex veluti sit complexa concluserit que omnes in peccatum peccaturum virsus ostendit Oecum Rom. 9. 20. Scripture hath concluded all Men under Sin that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Who then can lay any claim to this Covenant but the true Believer God accepts the Faith of a Believer through Chtist's Merits instead of legal Obedience Where fore we read of that Righteousness which was of Faith which is a Righteousness imputed by Christ's Righteousness even a Righteousness without us which is our Justification And here 's the great priviledg of a Believer That he is justified by the Righteousness of another and not by any Righteousness of his own but only by the Righteousness of Christ by imputation By Christ's Merits of Unrighteous we are made Righteous For saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him So that hence it 's evident that He was accounted a Sinner by Imputation for he imputed our Sins unto himself and we are accounted Righteous by Imputation for he imputes his Righteousness unto us Here then appears Riches of Mercies that Evanglical Righteousness is accepted instead of Legal Righteousness Christ's Wisdom makes amends for our Folly Christ's Obedience for our Disobedience and Christ's absolute Perfection for our manifold Imperfections Now the Believer only hath interest in the Covenant of Grace Covenants essentially include Conditions The Covenant is a free Covenant a free Gift and of free Grace The Condition on our part is Faith but the Condition as well as the Covenant are given of God Take heed therefore O Christian that thou Sacrifice not to thine own Net and Dragge O do not trust to thy own Strength and Ability as if thou wert able to perform this Condition For the best of Believers by rheir own Strength are no more able to believe than to perform the Commandments Both to will and to do are the work Phil. 2. 13. Ki 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys of God And as Chrysostome observes God gives the very propension and inclination to will Faith indeed is the Believers Act and it 's his duty to believe but it 's God's Gift Faith is a lively Motion working upon a Believers Heart but this Motion is powerfully wrought by the Assistance of God's Spirit Whoever thou art if thou believest give God the praise of working this Belief in thee For God enables thee to perform what he requires and thou couldst not do any thing acceptably unto God unless he first gave to thee what he commandeth of thee Hence the Apostle tells us that We are buried with Col. 2. 12. him in Baptism through the Faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead The self-same Power that raised up Christ from the Dead must raise us up to believe in Christ 2. Faith is an instrumental means of our Arg. 2 Faith is an Instrumental Means of our Union unto Jesus Christ Union unto Christ Between Christ and us there must be an Union before there can be an Imputation of Righteousness We believe before we are Justified How Justification may be as some suppose ab Aeterno I can no more conceive than Glorification is such is in the secret Decree of God That Faith goeth before Justification is evident from Gal. 3. 24. The Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith We believe
that we may be justified Christ is said to be of God made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption It 's said unto us who were first united unto Christ by Faith That is that which the Apostle prays for That Christ might Eph. 3. 17. dwell in their Hearts by Faith As there is a substantial Union between God the Father and God the Son so there is a Mystical Union between Christ and all his Members This as the Apostle saith is a great Mystery concerning Christ and his Eph. 5. 31. Ut indicet ad istam Spiritus â—nitatem opus esse solidâ et constanti cohaesione qualus est membrorum in corpore ramorum in arboribus Musc Church And this Union the Apostle declareth farther 1 Cor. 6. 17. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit The Spirit on God's part and Faith on our part which Faith we could not have unless God first gave it makes up this Union between us and Christ i. e. a Mystical Union And by vertue of this Union we paticipate of Juice and Nourishment from Christ as the Branch doth from the Vine and receive influence as a Member from the Head and we receive Supportation and Strength as the Building from the Foundation Farther yet in the very Grave we shall yet remain united to Christ For Christ will be with us in the Grave Every Saint is a part of Christ's Body and not one Member can be wanting otherwise which is impossible Christ's Body would not be compleat And these Bodies of ours if they be the Bodies of true Believers they shall be made like unto the glorions Body of Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 21. This Union is the ground of Communion with Christ There ' a mutual Union and Communion between Christ and his Members for in Christ there 's a fulness and of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 19. There 's in Christ fulness of Wisdom to Counsel us and of Mercy to pardon us of Righteousness to justify us and of Holiness to sanctify us and of Eternal Glory to make us happy to all Eternity The Head takes care of all the Members Christ the Head of his Church will not leave it destitute of Supplies and continual Influences from him Now it 's Faith that makes particular application of all the benefits of Christ By Faith we draw vertue from Christ and fetch Supplies from him In hearing by Faith we taste the sweetness of God's Word In praying by Faith we have a sacred Communion with God and receive a gracious answer of our Prayers In receiving the Lord's Supper by Faith we feel Strength and Help for the subduing of our Corruptions So then Faith is an Instrument that makes Christ and all his Benefits our own by particular Application 3. Faith gives us Victory over all our 3. Faith gives us Victory over all our Enemies Enemies There are three grand Enemies of our Salvation viz. the Flesh the Devil and the World 1. The Flesh i. e. corrupt Nature is The first Enemy is the Flesh a grand Enemy always plotting destructive Designs against us and the harder it is to be avoided because it is an inbred Domestick Enemy an Inhabitant that lieth in our Bosom like the Syren it lulls us asleep and then devoureth us it kisseth and kills embraceth and strangles Inter amplexus strangulat and when it maketh the most fair and plausible pretences then it intends the most mischief It 's an Enemy to God even Enmity it self in the abstract We read of the miserable estate of unregenerate Men who have this grand Infamy Tò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 8. 7. Hic observemus hominis voluntatem divinae voluntati per omnia adversari Calv. stampt on them fulfilling the desires of the Flesh In the Original it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2. 3. The Wills of the Flesh plainly shewing that the Flesh hath a commanding Will requiring Obedience And the Flesh hath an enticing alluring way to entice Sinners and draw them with all alluring Persuasions to follow that way that leads to Destruction For we read of Seducers that they allure through the Lusts of the Flesh 1 Pet. 2. 18. The Expression is emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They lay a bait and so allure to the rnine of those that take it We must beware of the Baits of the Flesh least if we swallow them we be choaked by them Many Diswasives the Scripture gives against lusting loving and living after the Flesh It 's the Apostles charge entreaty both 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly Beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly Lusts And there 's a strong Argument added to persuade in the following Words which war against the Soul The Flesh sets it self in battel array and useth all the battering Engines which it can invent that it may conquer the royal Cittadal of our Immortal Souls Other diswasives which the Scripture useth against the Flesh are Rom. 8. 6. To be carnally minded is Death And Rom. 8. 8. They that are in the Flesh that is they that abide in the state of unregeneracy they cannot please God And Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. Now having discovered our Enemies let 's prepare to encounter with them and the Weapon which we must use is Faith For Faith is an Instrument to subdue our selves even unto our selves even corrupt self unto renewed self When thy pretended Friend i. e. thy Flesh but rather that real Enemy which as I may compare is as a Snake which is in thy Bosom I mean corrupt Nature enticeth and allureth thee to Sin and assaults thee with renewed Forces fight by a strong Faith against this dangerous Enemy so through the strength of God thy corrupt self will be subdued unto thy renewed self i. e. the Flesh unto the Spirit A second Enemy is the Devil The A second Enemy is the Devil Devil throws Darts and not ordinary Darts but fiery Darts Wherefore the Apostle exhorts us above all taking the Shield Eph. 6. 16. of Faith where with we shall be able to quench the fiery Darts of Satan The Devil is a potent Adversary compared to a Lyon for Strength and not to a Lyon penn'd up in his Den but to a rageing Lyon not a sleepy but a roaring Lyon not a lazy but an industrious Lyon and industrious to act Cruelties Wherefore the Apostle's caution is both seasonable and necessary 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour And what 's the Weapon offensive and defensive against this potent Enemy The Apostle prescribes it ver 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith This Adversary hath strong holds And the 2 Cor. 10. 4. Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds Luther
used to say Although Esto Diabolus magnipoteris nunquam eris Omnipotens Luth. the Devil could do great things yet he shall never do all things This Adversary is a subtil Adversary He hath Devices Methods Snares and Depths He is an inveterate and long experienced Enemy He useth all the Sophistry and subtil devices to seduce Mankind To Envy he adds Lyes and to Lies malicious Prosecutions and the most exquisite arts of cunning conveyance to destroy precious and immortal Souls How necessary is it for us to be always ready armed with the Divine Panoply even the compleat Armour of a Christian viz. The Eph. 6. 14 15 16 17. Girdle of Truth the Breast-plate of Righteousness the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit Let us fight with these Weapons and we shall overcome Let us resist the Devil and he will Jam. 4. 7. flee from us Notwithstanding all the Arts of Legerdemain and the cunningest sort of Sophistry which Satan useth a well grounded unfeigned Faith which worketh by love and purifieth the Conscience and which relyeth and stayeth upon God's Promises this Faith under God will conquer Satan's subtile Machinations This is the Faith which will be victorious Such a Faith joined with fervent Prayer was in Luther who fasted and prayed for a young Man at Wittenberg who had given his Soul to the Devil Whereupon the Devil threw in the Indenture through the Window Let Faith hold out and let the strength of Faith act vigorously then will the Temptations of Satan be quickly vanquished 3. Enemy is the World with all its 3. Enemy is the World Riches Honour Grandeur Pomp and Bravery These tempt and allure Men to Conformity to them The World throws to one a Ball of Pleasure to another a Ball of Honour to a third a Ball of Profit and exceeding great Riches O! what sweet melodious Musick doth the World play and how doth it bewitch Multitudes to dance after the World's Pipe and how many are there who for the fruition of a few paltry Delights of this present World have hazarded their Souls to all Eternity What way then is their left to get Victory over the World The Apostle informs us 1 John 5. 4. This is the Victory that overcomes the World even our Faith Where Faith is principled in the Word of God it will prevail with a Christian not to be conformed Rom. 12. 2. 1 Joh. 2. 15. to the World And not to love the World Faith will help a Christian to live above the World and to mind heavenly things and to have his Conversation in Heaven And thus through the strength of Faith being acted and enlivened by the strength of Jesus Christ we get Victory over our Spiritual Enemies viz. the Flesh the Devil and the World 4. Faith gives us a Title to and Interest 4. Faith gives us a Title to and Interest in the Divine Promises 2 Cor. 2. 20. Tim. 4. 8. in the Divine Promises All the Promises are made in Christ and in him they are yea and Amen Now Believers have only a propriety in the Promises without Faith we can lay no claim to any Promise Godliness saith the Apostle hath the Promises of this Life and that which is to come There 's a love of Beneficence whereof all Creatures are partakers Not the least creeping Creature but tastes of God's Bounty God feeds the poorest Creature This is a general Providence which extends to all good and bad just and unjust The Sun shines on the unjust as well as on the just through God's common Bounty But how many Curses Forfeitures and Variety of Mischeifs befall wicked Men so that their Bread is Gravel their Table their Snare their Bed a Bed of Thorns They have outward Riches and no Man should rob them because they are wicked yet they have them unsanctifyed they have not God's Turkium Imperium quantum est est nisi mica Panis quam Pater Familias proâ—icit suâ— Canibus Luth. reconciled Countenance to comfort them Therefore Luther speaking of the Turkish Empire saith that as great as it is it is no more than a Crum of Bread which the Father of the Family gives to his Dogs Whatsoever wicked Men have is ex largitione of common Bounty and by vertue of a general Providence But Godly Men enjoy all their Substance ex speciali Providentia Promisso They have Christ with all their worldly Enjoyments They receive all outward things in Mercy and sanctified Not a Bit of Bread a Believer eats but it is by vertue of a Promise Wherefore Faith helps a Believer in all Streights and Difficulties to apply the Promises for his Supportation and Consolation Poor Persons plead their wants and pressing Poverty But Faith answers all Objections by proposing the Promises one is Psal 35. 9 10. O fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Another is Psal 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly A third is Matth. 6 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you A fourth Promise is Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things And that one Promise may be added ex abundanti the last but not the least of what hath been already mentioned viz. Heb. 13. 5. Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave leave thee nor forsake thee Those five Negatives have the force of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strongest Negation Consider that all the Faithful are the Houshold and Family of God and he is never a whit the poorer by maintaining Multitudes Rich Men may decrease in their Estates by being over liberal to others this the * Muâ—â—â— Patâ—imonia estudeâ—runâ—â—â—câ—â—sulte 〈◊〉 ende Qâ—id autem stultiui est quam quod libeâ—ters â—acias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diutiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Offic. l. â— Orator reproves as a very great folly But God by giving wasteth not The Sun looseth no Light by communicating Light to others For its Light cannot be wasted The Fountain looseth no Water by giving Water to Streams Now God is a Light never extinct a Fountain never exhausted all the Granaries Treasures Cattle on a Thousand Mountains and all the Hearts of Men are at Gods disposing and he orders them all for the supply of his People There 's no deficiency nor weakness nor Poverty in God All the Promises are the Believers Interest or Magna Charta for Heaven They are so many Wells of Salvation
and Intercession Christ's Blood his Agony his Sweating in the Garden his Crucifixion upon the Cross all these were for his People Isai 53. 5. He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his Stripes we are healed So that hence it evidently appears that Believers and they alone have interest in Christs Merits and enjoy the benefits flowing from them They are his Seed the Church his Body his Members 〈◊〉 Redeemed ones a Peculiar People For them Christ pray'd Joh. 17. 9. For them Christ shed his Precious Blood For them he became a Ransome and a Price of Redemption For them he Died and Rose again For saith the Apostle Rom. 4. 25. Who was delivered for our Offences and rose again for our Justification And which is the highest Degree of Christs meriting for us He took our Sins upon him by imputation as the Apostle saith the 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him A third Demonstration is That Believers Demon. 3. Believers have the Precious Influences Christs Spirit have the Precious Influences of the Spirit of Christ All true Believers do pertake of such Heavenly Influences as are from the Head shed down upon the Members Now the Influences of the Spirit of Christ are discovered 1. By the Graces of the Spirit and the resemblances whereunto the Spirit is compared 1. For the Graces of the Spirit or Fruits they are mentioned Eph. 5. 9. Goodness Righteousness and Truth And a large enumeration is set down Eph. 5. 22 23. Love Joy Peace Long-Suffering Gentleness Faith Meekness Temeprance Every Grace is the Fruit of the Spirit Now Christ as Head Communicates Grace to all his Members and they receive according to their Measure and Proportion There 's in Christ a fulness of Wisdom to Counsel of Mercy to Pardon of Righteousness to Justify of Holiness to Sanctifie And Pro Legis gratia quae praeteriit gratiam Evangelii accepimus hanc manentem pro numbris imaginibus veteris Testamenti gratia veritas per Christum facta est Aug. Epist 11. there 's a derivation from the Root to the Branches Joh. 1. 16. And of his fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace 2. Le ts consider the Resemblances whereunto the Spirit is compar'd There are certain Metaphors mentioned in the Scripture whereby the Properties and Influences of the Spirit of God are more evidenced as for instance 1. The Spirit is compared to a Fire 1. The Spirit is compared to a Fire 1. As Fire enlightens and gives Light to a whole Room so the Spirit of God inlightens the understanding 2. Fire ascends so where the Spirit of God is there the affections are raised from Earth to Heaven 3. Fire is Consumptive it burns Stubble so doth the Spirit burn and consume Corruptions 4. Fire hath a penetrative vertue to creep into the pores of a combustible Body So doth the Spirit penetrate the Windings and Diverticles of the Heart The Spirit searcheth the Reins and discovers the most hidden things 5. Fire doth inflame and transform things into its own nature It makes combustible matter like it self So the Spirit of God fills the Soul with a Divine Ardour It 's called the Spirit of burning Isa 4. 4. where the Spirit of God comes it purgeth away the Dross of Corruptions by the Spirit of Judgment and by the Spirit of Burning 2. The Spirit is compared unto Water 2. The Spirit is compared to Water 1. Water hath a quenching Vertue In Water there 's a quenching and purifying Property 1. In Water there 's a quenching Property Water quencheth Fire at least abates and cools the heat so where God's Spirit comes it sometimes quencheth the heat of inordinate Passions and sometimes abates cools and moderates the heat of them God's Spirit is a Spirit of Meekness A Man 's own Spirit is a boistrous Spirit which upon any disgust is all in a Flame But God's Spirit extinguisheth the heat of Fury and Anger When Christ bad the raging Sea be still there was a great Calm so when the Spirit of God comes into the Spirit of Man it becalms all the Affections it sets them in order and fixeth them upon the right Objects Philosophers write De sedandis affectibus and yet they are meer Strangers to that Meekness which is one of the Beatitudes Mat. 5. 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth That is Meekness in a Theological acceptation which moderates Anger and keeps it within just bounds when there are causes of provocation To know when to be angry and when to be meek is a great Point of Wisdom To be zealous in the cause of God and meek in a Man 's own cause is well beseeming a Christian Wherefore Luther speaking of a right placed Anger or Zeal saith It 's the best Ira in suo loco est optimuâ—â— Dei Donum Luth. Gift of God But when Men are transported with Passion like the Lunatick in the Gospel rending and tearing themselves or like Cities without Gates or Bars or like Waters that will keep in no Banks or like Fire that flames higher and higher O! what necessity is there of the cleansing Vertue of the Spirit of God which as Water quencheth flames of Fire so it quencheth the flaming Fury of exorbitant Passions and brings a Man into a sedate and composed frame of Spirit In Water there 's a purifying and cleansing 2 Water hath a cleansing Vertue Property Water casts out Garbidg and noisom Carrion And as Water cleanseth bodily Filthyness so the Spirit of Christ cleanseth from filthyness of Flesh and Spirit i. e. both outward and inward defilements Where the Spirit of God takes it's habitation it ringeth and washeth all clean what 's filthy and noisom it throws out For God's Spirit will not cohabit with a Cage of unclean Birds and noisom Lusts We read that Elias Christ's Fore-runner was like a Refiners fire and like Fullars Soap As the Refiner purgeth out Mal. 3. 3. Dross so doth the Spirit of Christ purge out Sin and Corruption and as the Fullers Soap scours washeth and cleanseth the Cloth and makes it pure and white so doth the Spirit of Christ purify and cleanse the Soul At Christ's transfiguration we read Mark 3. 3. And his Rayment became shining exceeding white as Snow so as no Fuller on Earth can white them From this comparison it 's intimated that although other Fullers can make Garments white and clean yet no Fullers Soap can make the Cloth so white and clean as the Blood of Christ can purify and cleanse the Soul 3. The Spirit is resembled to Ointment A third comparison of the Spirit whereunto it 's resembled is Ointment The Properties of Ointment are 1. To supple and asswage Humors in the Body so doth the
be happy hereafter we must here be Holy No Holiness no Happiness SECT II. Containing the Fruits of Justification which are a Ground of the Believers Comfort HAving proved the first Ground of the Comfort of Believers because they are Precious in the 〈◊〉 of Christ I come now and with this Section I shall conclude To lay down a second Ground of Believers Comforts drawn from the Fruits of Justification And they are set down Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4. Therefore being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by Faith unto this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the Glory of God And not only so but we Glory in Tribulation also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope There are sixspecial Fruits of Justification by Faith mentioned as so many Daughters of that Mother or as so many Precious Fruits growing on that Tree And they are Peace Access Joy Hope Patience and Experience These I shall inlarge particularly and so finish the Treatise 1. By being Justified by Faith we have 1 Peace with God Peace with God We have sweet tranquility and security upon our Spirits What though Men Condemn and the World Persecute us What though troubles come as violently as Waves in a Storm dashing upon us with more renewed fury Yet Peace with God and security of Conscience will quiet our Spirits and comfort us amidst discontents and fortifie us against Euroclydons and most Tempestuous Storms When God Justifieth who can Condemn When God speaks Peace who can speak Trouble It 's a grand incouragement notwithstanding Troubles come thick and three-fold that in Christ we have Peace He is our Peace and Peace-maker and Reconciler However the World Storm yet Christ becalms the most Blasting Winds These things saith he I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have Peace But in the John 15. 33. World ye shall have Tribulation be of good chear I have overcome the World We should indeavour after the things that make for Peace and as the Apostle Commandeth If it be possible as much as in you Rom. 12. 18. lies live peacable with all Men. But some are of such implacable Spirits as will never be at Peace and of the same malitious temper with David's Enemies who when he was for Peace they make themselves Psal 120. 7. ready for Battel Yet here 's a ground of of singular Comfort that we have Peace with God and this will make amends for all For saith the Apostle What shall we then say to these things if God be for Rom. 8. 32. us who can be against us Wherefore let 's labour to get and keep Peace with God and a good Conscience Peace within will support and quiet us against all Troubles without as Aarons Rod swallowed up the Rods of the Aegyptians 2. Another Fruit of Justification by 2 Accesâ— unto God Faith is Access unto God Sin sets Bars against us and hinders our Access unto the Throne of Grace But Christ breaks the Rom. 5. 2. Barrs and gives us Admission We are led by the hand of Christ unto the Father The Original Word imports as much Rom. 5. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Manuduction or leading of us by Christ unto the Father is a great Priviledg Hereby we are admitted into the presence of the great King None might presume to come into the Court of Ahasuerus unless the King held out to him the golden Scepter Behold Christ hath purchased this Priviledg of the King of Kings to hold forth his golden Scepter and admit Believers into his presence Hence a Beleiver enjoys a sacred Communion with the Father Son and Holy Ghost and hath freedom to make his request known in Prayer and Supplication What then remains but that we should make use of our Priviledg and reduce the Apostle's Precepts in continual Practice Heb. 4. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need A third Fruit of Justification by Faith is 3. Joy Joy and this is Joy in the Lord or a spiritual Joy in believing The sence of God's Love The apprehension of his reconciled Countenance The Believers Interest cleared up that he hath a new Name a white Stone and the hidden Mannah rejoyceth his Heart more than the Fruition of all the Honours Pleasures and Profits which the Universe can afford When God speaks to the Soul and saith Thy sins are pardoned this is the most joyful and welcome day that ever a Believer saw The good Hearers received the word with Joy and brought forth Fruit with Patience Amidst great straits and exigencies the Church discovers an heroical Resolution Yet will I rejoice in the Lord I Hab. 3. 1â— will Joy in the God of my Salvation Amidst multiplicity of rolling troublesome Thoughts the Psalmist takes ground of encouragement Psal 94. 19. In the multitude of my Thoughts within me thy Comforts delight my Soul A Believer's Joy acts extraordinarily that which extinguisheth the Joy of a Carnal Man is Feweâ— to enkindle the Joy of a Godly Man â—or saith the Apostle And not only so but we Rom. 5. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5. 2. glory in Tribulation also A Believer accounts it all Joy when he falls into divers Temptations He kisseth the Rod that beats him and with a Martyr bids welcome to the Cross of Christ and with the Apostles rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Christ Acts 5. 41. O! what Joy doth Faith bring to Believers in all their Sufferings so that scoffs and reproaches they account their Honour whips and tort ures scars of Marâ—yrdoms Though a Believer be tost up and down with boistrous Waves and Tempests he can see Christ by the Eye of Faith Though his Body be tormented upon the Rack yet he can see Christ his Comforter Though his Name be trampled on upon Earth yet he rejoiceth that his Name is written in Heaven A fourth Fruit of Justification by Faith 4. Hope is Hope and this is the Anchor of the Soul Were it not for Hope the Heart would break in the days of Jacob's Troubles But days of Jacob's Troubles are days of Jacob's Hope When Ezra and the People were full of grief and perplexities because the Holy Seed had mingled themselves with Heathens and were unequally yoaked with strange Wives but notwithstanding Hope was left quasi tabula post naufragium Ezra 10. 2. Yet now there 's Hope in Israel concerning this thing Rom 8. 24. By Hope saith the Apostle we are saved When Spoilers come a Believer is a Man of Hope Whatever they take from him yet they cannot take away his Hope Amidst Clouds of Darkness his Hope is That the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healings under his Wings He hopes against his Reason