and Comfort to poor fainting desponding Souls Esa 50.4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary c. The Spirit of God by Solomon tells us that a word fitly spoken is like Apples of gold in Pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 Here we are to understand that a word in due time and place and pertinent to the purpose As beyond all dispute it is Amiable and Ravishing to the Eye to behold so orient and dazling a sight as Apples of Gold drawn to the Life in Pictures of Silver So undoubtedly a word of Counsel and Comfort brought Home to the Conscience of a doubting wounded Sinner ravisheth and gladdeth the broken Heart As cold water to a thirsty Soul so is good news from a far Country Prov. 25 25. When the word suited to a poor tempted Souls Distress is brought home in the nick of time as we say Oh! how sweet is it then Thirdly A third thing which bespeaks the Word of Christ sweet to a real Believer is the Holy Ghost his Efficiency and quickening Power accompanying the same what we say of corporal Bread Rayment Physick Drink c. what can they avail to comfort and nourish the Body without the Spirit of God bless and sanctifie their use to the end for which they are appointed The same may be truly said of the Word and Sacraments c. what can they avail for the Souls good if the Efficiency and quickning Influence of the Spirit of God go not along with their use It is for want of this quickening Virtue of the Spirit of God that so many Sermons are Preached and so few sinners really Converted It is for want of this quickning Efficacy of the Spirit that so many Ordinances of Religion are attended and enjoy'd by thousands of Professors without any sensible or visible Growth in Grace The Word of God is like a well made Knife or Razor tho' never so keen and sharp yet without a living Agent they can neither Cut nor Shave So the Word of God neither the Law can awaken convince or wound the Conscience for sin Nor yet the Gospel Heal or Comfort a Soul in Distress without the Energy and quickening Efficacy of the Spirit of God There are two sorts of People who hereby appear to be in a woful Condition First such as frequently hear and read the Word Receive Sacraments and go the Round in all external Acts of Religious Duties and yet without any motion of spiritual Life from the Spirit of God in their Souls These are like blind Horses in a Mill going round all day long alway treading in the same Tract not seeing or considering where they are or what they are doing These keep to the Form in a Customary way but heed not the inward Power which is that which renders all Acts of Religious Worship both pleasing and acceptable to God and which proves the Soul to be in Reality a living Member of Christ's Mystical Body Esa 29.13 2 Tim. 3.5 Rev. 3.17 Secondly There be others who in pretence of internal Motion and Power in the Soul from the Spirit who to avoid the Damning Formality of the others now mention'd will not only neglect but even slight the Word and Ordinances reflecting on the Word as a dead Letter and the Holy Institutions of Christ in his Churches as carnal poor empty and beggarly Elements Some of these are Seekers in plain English Quakers who are always learning But never come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 3.6.7 Others are super-ordinanced who have gotten above all ordinary Means These in their own Conceits at least are so near Perfection that they need not the use of outward Ordinances These are gotten in outward Shew and Profession above Ordinances but never yet were they acquainted with true Piety Both these sorts are under the powerful working of an Infernal Spirit of Delusion which feeds their Souls with Chymerical Whimsies and Enthusiastical Dreams instead of the Doctrin which is according to Godliness These wretched Extreams are to be carefully shunn'd and avoided as the as the Paths which lead to Hell and Eternal Ruin The sure way hereto is to keep within sight and hearing of the Shepherds Tents Cant. 1.8 Beâ—are of false Teachers and avoid the Doctrin which hath not God's Word for its Foundation Esa 8.20 In hearing and reading and all other Ordinances of Religious Worship see that the outward Form and the inward Power be not separated Those things which God hath joyned together must not be put asunder Esa 59.21 Mat. 19.6 That great Man Augustin us'd to call the Word of God Creating Words Verba Divâ—na saith he sunt verba creativa And that on the account of the quickening Energy and Power that goes along with them This is a Truth which hath been acknowledged â—s well by Enemies as by Friends to the Truth Jo. 7.46 The Officers answered never Man spake like this Man Luke 24.32 And they said one to another did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures He that brags of the Word of God and is a Stranger to the Power thereof in his own Soul he is an hypocritical Formalist He who boasts of the Power of the Spirit within and holds not the Form of sound Words indited by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost to be a Rule of Faith and Holy Life he is a deluded Enthusiast From both these Extreams the Care and Faithfulness of the Great Shepherd will keep all who are given him by the Father Thirdly The Works of Christ are all sweet to the true Believer By Works here I intend the Works of his Mediatorial Undertaking Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy Works Psal 86.8 Besides the Works of Creation and Providence which are common to the whole Trinity there are Works which are Peculiar to Christ as Mediator I will reduce them to six Heads First His Work of Incarnation or his Assuming the Human Nature into Unity with his Sacred Godhead This is the Mystery of all other Mysteries and of this the Temple and Tabernacle of old were shadowy Types To this Mystery that in Prov 8.31 had reference even before Christ came in the Flesh yea before the Birth of Time it self if I may so speak rejoycing in the habitable Parts of his Earth c. The then intended Union between the Godhead and our Flesh is in that Scripture pointed at and this is chiefly intended by John Jo. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us c. And by Paul in 1 Tim. 3. last And without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh c. There are three things especially which bespeak the Incarnation of Christ to be sweet and delightful to the true Believer
because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach glad tidings to the meek c. This was excellently held forth in the Person of Aaron the High Priest under the dark Dispensation of the ceremonial Administration an Eminent and Glorious Type and Shadow of Christ the Elects High Priest Psal 133.2 It is like the Precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aarons Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garment The material Oyl wherewith Aaron Christs Type was anointed did prefigure and type out the Effusion of the Spirits Gifts and Graces on the Human Nature of Christ to fit and qualifie him for the Work the Father hath sent him about this anointing was poured out on Christ without measure as witnesseth the Scripture Jo. 3 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him This is further backt and confirm'd by Colos 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell And Colos 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Besides the personal Anointing of Christs Human Nature wherewith the Father anointed him above his fellows Psal 45.7 there was a Soul enriching Stock of Grace put into his Hands as Mediator in time to be communicated to all the Elect who are to be the Members of his Mystical Body Hence it is that Believers are said to receive of Christ's Fulness Jo. 1.16 And of his Fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace Ephes 4.7 But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Christ as God is the Source and Fountain of all the Graces of Believers as God-man he is the Meriter and Purchaser of all Grace for them and Christ as Mediator he hath the dispencing Power committed to him by the Father to communicate to and bestow upon every Member of his Body what measure of Grace he pleaseth Secondly Christ far excels all Adam's Children on the account of the Work to which the Father design'd him in Eternity and whereto he in time call'd him This great Work is to reconcile God and elect Sinners together by the Interposition of his Mediatorial Righteousness to make up that Breach which the Sin and Apostacy of Adam had effected between God and the Elect and to keep and continue them in an everlasting Covenant of Love and Peace so as that there should never be any Possibility of their being at Enmity any more for ever 2 Cor. 5.19 to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them By World in this as in other places is intended the elect World for whom Christ was made Sin and a Curse and between whom and God his offended Father he stept in as a Mediator to make Peace by offering up himself in Sacrifice to God's Justice 1 Tim. 2.5 6. for there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Compare with this Jo. 10.15 and Jo. 17.9 and it will plainly appear that Christ became a Mediator of Redemption and Intercession for God's Elect and none else If what hath been said concerning what Christ is in himself and the great Work to which the Father hath design'd and call'd him be rightly considered it will appear beyond all Contradiction that he infinitely excels and transcends all the Children of Adam None of Adam's Posterity were ever qualified like him neither were any of them ever call'd to so great and glorious a Work as he was this in the general But more particularly to come to the Allegory or Metaphor by which his transcendent Excellency is allegorically set forth there are three things in the Apple-Tree which bespeaks the Lord Jesus a None-such to the Elect. First The Lowness and Comliness of the Apple-Tree above other Trees It grows lower and nearer the Ground than other Trees usually do The matchless Lowliness and Humility of Christ is hereby set forth none could ever compare with him herein Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly This is anciently Predicted of him as appears Zach. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass Mat. 21.4 5. Six things wherein this will appear First His condescending to become his Father's Inferior first as a Son a Relation which imports Superiority and Inferiority Psal 2.7 I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee c. Jo. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. Jo. 14.28 For my Father is greater than I. Secondly As a Servant to do his Work Psal 89.20 I have found David my Servant with my Holy Oil have I anointed him Esa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth * This Inferiority of Christ to God is to be understood in respect of the Office he voluntarily took on him for the Elects sake not in respect of Nature or Essence as appears Zach. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow Jo. 10.30 I and my Father are one Heb. 1.3 Who being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person c. Secondly His condescending to assume the Humane Nature Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch as the Children did partake of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same Vers 16. For verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angels but he took upon him the Seed of Abraham There are two things which if considered will put a bright Lustre on this Act of Christ's Condescention First The Baseness of the Matter of that Body he assumed viz. A Clod of Earth and that the worst of Earth viz. Red Earth so the word Adam in Hebrew signifies Secondly The abject State and wretched Condition into which it fell by the Apostacy and Rebellion of Adam to which he knew he must become subject Hence it is he is stiled a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief Esa 53.3 4. Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh c. Thirdly In his being Born of mean Parents Christ as God did single out and choose the Womb in which his Humanity was to be Conceived which was not an Empress a Queen or some Lady of Rich and Noble Extraction according to the Flesh but a mean and despicable Maid of a mean and poor Family so poor that she was not able to compass a Lamb but must be trusting to a pair of Turtle Doves for a Sacrifice
not doubting but that the Spirit of Christ which made it so delightful and ravishing to themselves would make it the same to other Believers if once Printed At their earnest Request I did make a Promise of Publishing the same when I found my self thereunto Encouraged by Providence All the Harm I wish thee kind and charitable Reader is that the Spirit of Truth who Inspir'd Solomon the Penman of that Glorious Mystery handled in this short Treatise may graâ—iously vouchsafe unto thee such a measure of the Anointing from above as may Render thee capable of understanding and applying thy self by Faith the things held forth and contain'd in it that so thou may'st Experimentally come to taste and feel the sweet Joy and Delight wherewith the unworthy Author met in Studying and Preaching the same And wherewith those godly Believers who heard it Preacht did meet at whose Importunity I have now Publisht the same for the publick Good If thou findest any Comfort and Soul Advantage by reading it let it be a Motive to stir thee up to joyn with me in heartily requesting the more Learned and Experienced of the Bridegrooms Friends and faithful Ambassadors to supply my great Deficiency and shortness in setting forth the Commendation of this Incomparably Excellent Appletree in whose Shadow and Fruit consists the very Life and the Ail of all true Believers both here and hereafter If it happens thou think me too sharp and too bâ—ld in handling the Papist the Quaker and Arminians c. In this Treatise I heartily desire thee to consider but two things for preventing Prejudice in thy Spirit either against the Truth herein discover'd or against the Instrument by whom the Providence of God sees fit to make the Discovery to thee First The apparent Disparagement which the Principles and Practises of the above mention'd Hereticks put upon the â—hurches Appletree in that they hold and teach that Christs Righteousness alone is not sufficient to justifie a Sinner at the Bar of God without the Sinners Qualifications as concauses with Christs Righteousness in Justification This is a disparagment to Christ the Churches Appletree which the God of Love and Patience himself cannot bear Deut. 18.18 Jo. 5.23 And should not I herein Patrizare that is Imitate my Father in decrying and condemning such a Christ debasing and Soul damning Principle I should not by being silent herein evidence my self to be the Adopted Son of God Secondly Boldness for God and Zeal for the Honour of his Son are some of those blessed Effects which the Shadow and Fruits of the Appletree produce in all true Believers who sit under the shadow and feed on the Fruit of the Churches Appletree Acts 4.13 Gal. 4.18 To convince any hereof who question the Truth of what I now assert Let such but once get saving Acquaintance with this Appletree by sitting under its comfortable and delightful shadow in time of the most raging Storms they meet with and by feeding believingly on its Fruit And in case they become not bold and zealous for God and Christ I shall be willing to bear the ignominious Brand or Character of a false Prophet Acquaint now thy self with him and be at Peace thereby God shall come unto thee Job 22.21 O taste and see that the Lord is goodâ— blessed is the Man that trusteth in him Psal 34.8 Sermon I. Cant. 2.3 As the Appletree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sat down under his Shadow with great Delight and his Fruit was sweet to my taste AMong all the Metaphors whereby the Wisdom of God hath seen sit to set forth the Excellency and Commodiousness of Christ his Son as he is design'd for the Happiness and Comfort of poor elected Sinners None so sets him forth to the life as this of the Appletree as will most plainly appear by two things First By explaining or unfolding the Sense and Meaning of the Spirit of God in this Allegory or Metaphor Secondly By a due and scriptural Application of the same to the Souls of poor weak tempted Believers for the Relief and Comfort of whom the same is left upon Record I begin with the first viz. to Explain and unfold the Sense and Meaning of the Spirit of God in this Allegory or Metaphor The design of the Spirit of God in this Allegory is I humbly conceive to set forth the incomparable and transcendent Excellency of Jesus Christ above all other of Adams Children and that on a twofold Account First On the Account of what he is in himself Secondly On the Account of the great Work he is design'd and call'd to by his Father First On the Account of what Christ is in himself he far and unspeakably transcends all the Children of Adam so witnesseth the Spirit of God concerning him Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer than the Chlidren of Men Grace is poured into thy Lips therefore God hath Blessed thee for ever To this also witnesseth the Church of God the true Spouse of Christ which is acted and guided by the Spirit of God Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand and ver 16. His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This transcendent Excellency of Christ in himself on which account he Excells all the Children of Adam is to be considered with respect to two things First In respect of his Godhead as Christ is God he is blest with an uncreated essential Excellency above all Created Beings from whom as such all created and communicated Excellency in Angels and Saints flows and springs Zach. 13.7 Jo. 17.5 Phil. 2.9 Heb. 1.3 Secondly In respect of his Humanity Christ is transcendently more Excellent than all the Children of Adam and that on a twofold Account First On the account of the Spotless Purity and perfect Integrity of his Human Nature whereby a Foundation was laid for uniting the elect World to God in a Bond of an Everlasting Union Had not the Humanity of Christ been spotless and free from all Stain of sin it could not possibly have been capable of Union with thâ— Divine Being Psal 5.4 Mal. 1.13 2 Cor. 5.21 It is on this Account that Christ is stil'd the Lamb of God Jo. 1.36 John speaks with Allusion to the Pascal Lamb under the Law which was to be a Lamb without Spot or Blemish Exod. 12.5 To this also alludes the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.19 But with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot The sinless Purity of his Human Nature and the exact Conformity of all his Human Actions to the demand of Gods Law are here intended Secondly On the Account of the extraordinary Anointing of the Spirit poured out on the Humanity of Christ to sit and meeten him for the great Work of Mediation between God and elect Sinners Of this Christ himself gives an Account by the Evangelical Prophet Esa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me
own Performances Somewhat he must do in order to help and save himself but how or where to begin he finds himself at a loss Hence those Queries what shall we do Acts 2.37 Mark 10.17 Acts 16.30 which plainly shews that all Adams Children when awakened by the Terrors of God's Laws do seek for Life and Salvation in a way of Works this is further confirm'd by Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God One while the Sinner resolves with himself he will amend his sinful Course and be for time to come a better Man He will say his Prayers he will confess and break off his sins he will forsake his vain Companions and sinful Pastime and the Church and serving God he resolves he will frequent and constantly attend He will now take on him a strict Profession a Church Communicant he must be to the Sacrament he goes and from that to other Duties such as Fasting and Almsdeeds and keeping up a strict Watch over himself in all his ways He is now not the same Man he was before he can with the Pharisee boast of his negative and positive Righteousness Luke 18.11.12 And now he thinks and hopes the work is done albeit he was never nearer Hell and eternal Ruin than by these acts of Morallity Negative and Possitive he hath brought himself He hath been all this while but scouring and making clean and bright the outside of the Cup and Platter not heeding or regarding the Filth and Nastiness which cleaves to the inside A change of State he is a Stranger to External Reformation he takes to be the Conversion which must fit him for Heaven tho' most certain it is that no Reformation but what flows from an effectual change of State will evidence or prove a Man to be a real Convert Such an External Reformation may qualifie a Man for Church Communion but never for Heaven And it is to be feared that there is but very little even of this visible Reformation in some Churches who seem at least in their own and other Injudicious Peoples Conceits to be far purer and holier than their Neghbour Churches who make not so much a Noise and Blunder as they themselves do There are some Churches so called who for want of Charity monopolize a pure Church State to themselves as if Christ had no true Gospel Church in this day besides themselves whose Preachers and Rulers are of so impetuous a Spirit as drives them to the very Precipice of Anathematizing all but themselves As if the Doctrin of God's Grace and the Form of a true Gospel-Church State were to be found no where but among them these are like violent Storms and Showers which will not hold long and indeed 't is pity they should All I shall further say of such is the Lord rebuke their furious and Bedlam-like Spirit and give them to see and in time to be convinced how far wide they are from what they fancy they have attain'd to viz. a Christ-like Spirit and a true Conformity to the Pattern of God's House a thing so much boasted of and gloried in and that without cause The Word of God assures us up and down that no Works or Duties which sinners are capable of performing can possibly give Ease or Peace to that Conscience which the Law of God set home by the Spirit of Bondage hath wounded Healing and Peace are to be found no where but under the shadow of Christ's Satisfaction there being nothing short of what satisfies Divine Justice for the violation of the Moral Law which can satisfie and quiet the Conscience of a wounded sinner Job 5.18 For he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest A third Storm wherewith the elect meets is the fiery Assaults and Temptations of the Devil They are call'd fiery from their sad and dreadful Effects in the Soul and Conscience of the poor distressed sinner they being to the Soul what Poyson and Fire are to the Body Ephes 6.16 Above all taking the shield of Faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked The Darts here intended are the Assaults and Temptations of the Devil which are injected or cast into the Soul suddenly and invisibly as Darts are cast or shot by an unseen Enemy which when they find Entrance they immediately inflame the Soul as poyson'd Darts or Arrows hardened in Fire Invenom or Poyson the Body These Temptations or satanical Injections are numberless and of various sorts sometimes to Presumption sometimes to Desparation sometimes to Atheism sometimes to Blasphemy against the Majesty of God sometimes to one Wickedness and sometimes to another Satan is a busie Enemy and a Restless Enemy always tempting and that all Men and to all manner of Folly and sin on which very Account he is by the Spirit of God stil'd in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tempter who is always busie at his Trade piercing to know what is in Men that so he might accordingly suit his Baits to the Disposition and Temper of Adams Children whom he seeks to prey upon Yea so restless and unwearied is he at his Trade of throwing or injecting his fiery Darts into the Soul that he will not loose the time of Men's sleeping Satan in this case is like an Enemy that surprizes in the dead of the Night when Persons are bury'd in Sleep and Security And as in Nature no Alarm is so amazing and frightful as that which is given in the dead of the Night so as Experience teacheth no Temptation makes a sadder Hurricane in the Soul than the night Sallies which he makes on the Soul when the Person is buried in sleep Now in such Storms as these what can poor tempted Souls do were it not for the shadow of Christs Cleansing and Healing Virtue herein the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness did eminently type out the Lord Jesus Christ his Virtue to heal and cleanse the Sting and Pollution given and occasion'd by the infernal Serpents stinging temptations No way possible for Help or Cure in this Case but flying by Faith and Prayer to the shadow of Christ's healing and cleansing Virtue It is on this very Account that the Grace of Faith is preferr'd above all the other Parts of the Christians spiritual Armor in that it looks and flies to Christ immediately for Help and Cure No sooner hath the Devil cast in his Soul affrightning Dart into the Soul of a True Believer but the Grace of Faith like an expert and experienc'd Soldier who whips up the Granado thrown in by the Enemy and throws it back on the Enemy again repels and throws back the fiery poyson'd Dart injected by Satan A fourth Storm wherewith the Elect soul meets is the Wrath of God seared
Providence of God is to be seen and acknowledg'd in preserving the Bodies of Men from perishing by the former So his special Care and saving Providence is to be seen and thankfully acknowledg'd in preserving the Souls of the Elect from perishing by the latter And as the storms at Sea are occasion'd by the four Winds East West North and South Winds so the spiritual Storms which threaten and endanger the Soul they proceed from and are occasioned by a fourfold Party First The Devil who ever since his Apostacy is become an implacable and an irreconcileable Enemy as to the Majesty of God so also to the Souls of Men who hath on this very Account the names given him both in Hebrew and in Greek which signifie and import the same thing with his Nature viz. Destroyer So the Names of Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek signifie as the Learned know Rev. 9.11 Secondly the World I mean the wicked of the World which is not only at Enmity with God but a real Hater and Persecutor of all that love God and bear his Blessed Image These the Devil makes use of in his service The Devil makes use of these in his Service as they are his Children and Servants Jo. 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do Gal. 4.29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Thirdly Corrupt Nature which i◠the worst Enemy a Man hath and which is that which gives the Devil the greatest Advantage against a Man's self of any thing in the World This Corruption of Nature lies in two things First The sad and wretched Aversion of the Heart to God and all things spiritually good Secondly The Devil◠like Propensity of the Heart and Soul to what is hateful to God and really Destructive to the Man 's own self Were it not for this Corruption o◠Nature the Devil and his other Auxiliary Forces could do nothing which would prove of any Avail to Ruin or undo a Soul but herein lies his great Advantage that he hath within a Man's self a Party or a Principle which i◠the Spirit and Grace of God prevent not he can by his serpentine Craft and Lyon-like Fury stir up and draw forth to such a degree as will cause the Man to cry out and say that his worst and most destructive Enemy is within himself and that were it not for that he need not value or fear all the Storms and overwhelming Hurricanes which all the Legions of Apostate Angels in Hell and all the Pollitick and Mallicious Persecutors in the World could possibly devise or raise against him Were it not for the Tinder of Heart Corruption the Devil would soon grow weary of throwing into the Soul the poysonous Sparks of his Infernal Temptations The Prince of this world cometh saith Christ and hath nothing in me Jo. 14.30 No Immorality in Practise whereof to accuse him neither any Pollution or Corruption in the assumed Nature on which his Temptations could possibly catch hold and herein lay Christ's and the Elects Advantage For had the Tempter found the least matter in Christ on which his Temptations could fasten the Elect for whom Christ undertook as Vademony and Surety would have been over and over miserable and wretched to endless Eternity The fourth Party who hath a Hand in those Storms wherewith Elect sinners do meet in this Life is God himself who by the Methods his wise Providence takes with the Elect seems t◠outward appearance to design thei◠utter Ruin this the Devil frequently 〈◊〉 suggests to the Soul and this the poo◠bewildred sinner is easily perswade◠to credit And when matters come t◠this pass that when the Poor sinner i◠surrounded with perplexing Trials o◠all hands the Billows and Waves o◠all kind of Temptations being read◠even to cover his Head and swallow him up He concludes that God himself is his Enemy it must needs be very dismal with the poor sinner in such 〈◊〉 Condition There are four things especially i◠respect whereof the poor sinner may be said to be in a Storm in each of which the four Parties above mention'd may have a hand First Extream Poverty and outward Streights which is a very sore Trial◠and a Burden so heavy especially to those who have sometimes enjoy'd Plenty and Fulness that many have sunk under its Weight some hanging themselves some drowning themselves and others cutting their own Throats not able to bear the Reproach of outward Poverty Secondly Black Reproach upon the Name and Reputation this is a Storm harder to go through than most Men think till they come to be try'd thereby Oh! how doth the Spirit that is in Adam's Children lust to Envy and Revenge when they meet with Affronts in their good Name and Reputation To be miscall'd and misrepresented among Men to be accounted not fit or worthy to live among Men Proud Nature cries out Flesh and Blood cannot bear it What! to be so and so abused to have my good Name taken away I 'll die before I 'll pocket or put up such an Affront such an Abuse Either Arrest the Person in an Action of Slander or Peg him to the Wall And in case any peaceable Friend disswade from such revengeful Practices What 's the Reply What! unman my self be accounted a Coward to be laugh'd at by every body this is the Language of the first Adams Nature Ja. 4.1.5 But where the work of Renovation hath past on a sinner his Note is changed His unman my self is turned into undog my self undevil my self Let but the Experience of the most mortified Believer be call'd in to speak to the Point and it will be readily acknowledged that Reproach and Slanders on the Name and Reputation are not easily gone through it is a sharp and a trying Storm Reproach and Contempt from Men especially from Inferiours was a part of Jobs Trials Job 30.1 And had he not been Blest with such an extraordinary stock of Patience he could never have born it as he did Reproach hath broken mine heart said Holy David Psal 69.20 And others had Trials of cruel Mockings c. Heb. 11.36 Thirdly To be smitten in the Body with Sickness and wasting Distempers when the sad Symptoms of Death and Mortality invade languishing Nature This goes close to the very Root it being a stroke at the very Being of Nature threatning its Dissolution this is a storm which will cause the Face of the strongest and stoutest of Adam's Children to gather Paleness and will put the Sons of Men into sorer Frights than any of the former Storms which were so uneasie when Death that all-conquering King of Terrours looks the dying Man full in the Face it is a difficult thing to go through the Pangs and Agonies of a dying Hour Fourthly Soul Desertion When the Clouds from above interpose between the sensible Manifestations of God's
Love and Favour and the benighted deserted Soul When the Waves and Billows from God are commissioned to pass over the poor Soul as if its utter Ruin were design'd by God This is a Storm indeed and the hardest to be wrestled with by the Man who hath been frequently visited with the sweet and Soul-ravishing Embraces of God's Love Either of these four Particulars if it be sharp on a poor Man it may be compar'd to a sharp Storm at Sea occasion'd by either of the four Winds which may set a Man hard to it But when all four come on a Man at once then the Soul is made to understand what a spiritual Hurricane means A Man may loose his All in this World his Substance may be lost his Trade may fail he may come to be as poor as Job and yet being in Esteem for his Goodness and Honesty he may have Trust and Credit among his Neighbours and so may in time recover his Losses If a Man may be clouded as to his Name and Credit among Men and yet having of his own wherewith to subsist in the sight and midst of his Traducers and Reproachers he may make a pretty good shift to weather the point A Man may be extream poor he may be blacken'd with Reproach he may be visited with bodily sickness yet having sensible Communion with God none of these single storms can overset him because the discerned Smiles of God's reconciled Face supplies all the other wants But for the same Person to be stript of all visible Substance and to become a Proverb of reproach among all sorts as well Friends as Enemies to be smitten in his Health and to feel himself under the actual Arrest of Death 〈◊〉 And at the same time for God to seem to write bitter things against him and to carry it towards the Poor Soul as if he were become the Man's Enemy if there be a spiritual Hurricane this side Hell this is one All these bitter Ingredients met together in that sad Hurricane which the Devil was permitted to raise against Job His Substance swept all away and he left as empty handed as when he came into the World He was cast out of the kind and charitable Thoughts of all as well his Friends and nearest Relations as Enemies and Strangers and the God of his Life and Comfort too did set himself in Battel Array against him Oh! what a Hurricane was this Holy Upright hearted Man in it must needs be very sore and sharp when such a Mirrour of Patience le ts fly such Expressions as to Curse the very day of his own Birth Job 3.1 2 3. and to wish himself to be ameer Non-Entity ver 16. with other Expressions full of unbecoming Reflections on that Just Holy and Tremendous God whom he lov'd and fear'd above all things It were worth while if those deluded and graceless Perfectionists who talk so boastingly and ignorantly of a sinless Perfection had power to consider without prejudice how far Job was from that sinless Perfection they teach and affirm is attainable in this Life and for Proof whereof they bring in Job for one Instance Asserting that he was perfect in their Sense let Job's great Impatience in the time of his sore and sinking Trials together with his own Acknowledgment of his Imperfection in Sanctification be weigh'd in the Ballance of an unbyassed and unprejudicate Consideration and then will it convincingly appear how vain and altogether contrary to God's Truth and the Experience of all true Believers that silly Opinion of theirs is If I justifie my self mine own Mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Job 9.20 If I wash my self with Snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch and mine own Cloaths shall abhor me ver 30 31. Holy David was somewhat near to Job in point of Troubles and Afflictions as appears by Psal 42.7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts all thy Waves and thy Billows have gone over me And in Psal 142.4 I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my Soul Other Instances might be here brought in to shew what Hurricanes the Saints of God have gone through and yet it hath not been in the power of those Hurricanes to overset or overcome those Servants of the Living God The higher and sharper the storms were the closer Faith did cling to its Object witness Job's fixed Resolution Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 That of David also is to the purpose Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death yet will I fear no evil Psal 23.4 These and all the most Eminent Saints of God Recorded in Scripture whenever they felt any thing of a storm approach them their way they took for self Preservation was to run by Faith and Prayer to the shadow of Christ And as they so every true and uprighted-hearted Believer when he finds himself stript of all outward Accommodations forsaken of all Relations and familiar Friends made an Obloquy of the blackest Reproach compast about with the shadow of Death and the Face of God himself seeming to Frown on the dying Believer yet in the very height of his Extremity his Faith will catch hold of the Appletree and there will hold come Life come Death Oh! the Excellency and Power of a Divine Faith To apply what hath been discover'd concerning Christ's Suitableness and Commodiousness to answer the necessitous Condition of poor sinners from this Metaphor of the Appletree let the first Use be of Information I will Branch it forth into six particular Branches Branch the first Learn hence how sacrilegious and wicked the Doctrin of Popery is which allows and teaches that there are more Mediators between God and Sinners besides Jesus Christ the continual use Papists make of the Virgin Mary and other Saints in their Praying to God is an evident proof hereof They that doubt hereof let them for their own Satisfaction look into the Rosary or Ladies Psalter which is the poor besotted Papists Vade mecum The which whoever reads comparing the same with the Word of God will soon be convinc'd of the Idolatry of the Church of Rome The Spirit and Word of God assures us that there is but one onely Mediator between God and sinful Men and that the Man Christ Jesus is that Mediator For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was Established upon better Promises Heb. 8.6 And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Heb. 12 24. To convince you of this sacrilegious and damning Doctrin I offer three things to serious Cosideration First The Word of God no where
are intended the Personal Graces of the Lord Jesus Christ these are all sweet and delightful to a real Believer and they are said to be so on a threefold Account First On the Account of the Purchase which the due and full Improvement of those Graces in him hath made for God's Elect. Hence those Expressions of the Apostle Acts 20.28 To feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood Ephes 1.14 Which is the earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession to the Praise of his Glory That Stock of Grace put into the first Adams Hand to be improved for himself and us his Posterity was lost and thereby both he and we in him are become meer Bankrupts uncapable of ever paying to Justice a Ransom for our own Redemption But the Stock of Grace wherewith the second Adam was Intrusted for God's Elect it was improv'd to the uttermost for the everlasting Advantage of God's chosen Here by Christ hath purchased for the Elect Justification Sanctification and all other Good spiritual and temporal Secondly The personal Graces of Christ are sweet and delightful to the real Believer on the Account of their being both the Original from which the Graces of the Believers receive their first Rise and their After Nourishment Christ's Fulness is the Fountain the Graces in Believers are the Streams or Springs which flow therefrom Hence we have that Expression of the true Church of real Believers Psal 87. last verse All my springs are in thee From this Christ assures all Believers of the Infallible Certainty of their Eternal Salvation Jo. 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also Jo. 15.4 Abide in me and I in you as the Branches cannot bear Fruit except they abide in the Vine no more can you except ye abide in me Thirdly The Imputation of the Perfection of Christ's Graces to the Believer is that which renders both the Believers weak Graces and all his Imperfect Performances acceptable and pleasing to God They who question or oppose this will find it a hard task to shew in what other Sense the Scriptures following are to be taken Ephes 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Rev. 8.3 And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which is before the Throne The highest and most refined Acts of Sanctification in Believers even those Acts which come nearest to that sinless Perfection which is every Believers Duty to strive after they are imperfect and therefore stand in need of the spotless Sanctification of the Mediator to recommend them to God Pertinent to the purpose in hand is that of Augustin Domine lavas lachrymas meas O Lord wash thou my Tears of Repentance Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood Rev. 1.5 And have washed their Robes and have made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Rev. 7.14 Secondly By the Fruit of Christ we are to understand his Word this is the meaning of the Spouse in Cant. 5. last verse His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely Here the Words of Christ are Synechdochically intended by which the Love and Grace of God to sinners Elect and chosen in Christ is revealed in the Gospel and made sensibly manifest in the Conscience of true Believers by the Holy Ghost with this accords that of the Psalmist How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter than hony to my mouth Psal Three things there be which bespeaks the Words of Christ sweet and delightful to a real Believer First The Suitableness of them to a Believers necessitous Condition What is it which bespeaks the Gospel of Christ to be so sweet and preferrable before the Law but the Suitableness thereof to poor distressed sinking Souls the Doctrin thereof being a System of sweet and precious Promises suited to every Condition Believers can be in in this Life According to 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen to the Glory of God by us And 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye may be made partakers of the Divine Nature The Suitableness then of the Words of Christ's Mouth is one thing which bespeaks them sweet and delightful to a real Believer what is or can be more suitable to a Creature who is dying of the Wounds given him by sin than the glad Tidings and Discovery of a Saviour who is both Able and Willing to save and reconcile him to God The Spirit of the Lord saith Christ is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach Deliverance to the Captives and recovering of Sight to the blind to set at Liberty them that are bruised Luke 4.18 What makes bodily Medicaments or Plasters so valu'd and desirable but their Suitableness to the Distemper or Ailment of the Body A Promise of the Everlasting Covenant of God's Grace suited to the afflicted tempted and despairing Condition of a poor Sinner It is like Physick or a Plaster suited to the Body When the poor sinner inwardly feels through the powerful Influence of the Holy Ghost the healing Virtue of the Promise Oh! how sweet and comfortable is such a Promise to that Soul I will never forget thy Precepts saith Holy David for with them thou hast quickned me Psal 119.93 Every experienced Believer can more or less tell how surpassing all other words the Words of Christ are and that on the account of their Suitableness to the necessitous and streightened Condition they have been in Hence the Commendations given by real experienc'd Believers to the Word of Christ above all other Writings and Sayings whatever I was saith one experienc'd Believer to another in such and such a Streight and the Spirit of Grace brought such and such a word of Promise to my Mind and Thoughts and thereby reliev'd and comforted my drooping pensive Spirit And saith another I was so and so tempted in such a place at such a time even to a bordering on the very Verge or Precipice of Desparation and Ruin And when I concluded my self past all Hope of escaping the Blessed Spirit brought to my Remembrance such and such a Promise which was every way suited to the tempted Condition I was in and thereby my Spirit was stayed and holpen Oh! how blessed a Priviledge are those Souls blessed with who can speak these things experimentally Secondly The Words of Christ are sweet to a real Believer on the account of the Seasonableness of them This was one of the needful Qualifications which was to be in Christ to make him a compleat high Priest viz. to know how to time Deliverance
Blessing to all the Members of Christ viz. All who savingly believe in him There are some whose Names I am unwilling to mention who tell Men that bodily Death is a Part of the Curse due to sin and that the Believer as well as the Unbeliever must undergo and bear it as such namely the Curse which is due to the Believer for sin From whom I do and shall for ever dissent and that for the two Reasons here following First Because Death puts an end to all a Believers sinning and sorrowings which occasioned holy Master Dod's Saying that Death was the greatest Friend to a true Believers Grace that is in the World For saith he that which Praying and Hearing and Sacraments c. do but help to weaken viz. sin in the Heart and Life of the Believer Death comes and with one stroak cuts it off And at the same time and with the same Blow puts an end to all the Believers Sorrows and Afflictions And if this be a Curse to a Believer for my part I do not understand what it is to be Blest Though Death in it self be a Curse to the first Adam and his Children as it is the Wages of sin Rom. 6.23 yet to them who are in Christ that Curse is turned into a Blessing so saith the Holy Ghost whose Testimony goes beyond all other Testimonies in Matters of Faith See Rev. 14.13 And I heard a voice from Heaven saying write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord From henceforth Yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them And of such it is also said And God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nither shall there be any more paâ—n for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 Secondly Because Death not only perfects the Grace of a true Believer but it is also an Inlet to the Kingdom of Glory On these two Accounts it is I doubt not that the day of Death is preferrable before the day of ones Birth Eccles 7.1 A good Name is better than precious Oyntment and the day of death than the day of ones Birth On the same Accounts I do not question Paul did prefer to die rather than to continue in the Body as he himself tells us Phil. 1.21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is Gain Herewith also concurs 1 Cor. 3.22 Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods In this Enumeration of Particulars of second causes wherein the Members of Christ are said to be interrested I understand the same thing to be intended which is held forth in that general Assertion And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 And is not this a sweet Fruit to a Believers spiritual Taste Fourthly The Powerful and Glorious Resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the Dead is most sweet and delightful to the true Believer That Christ was raised up from Death is beyond controversie Acts 2.24 Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of Death because it was not p ssible he should be holden of it Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead Rom. 1.4 And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection f om the dead This Resurrection of Christ from the dead can be no other than sweet to all true Believers and that on a threefold Account First As it is God the Fathers Actual Discharge to Christ the Publick Head and Representative of Gods Elect and to them in him from that sin of theirs which he as their Surety stood charg'd with and from the whole of that Debt which he undertook to pay for them As Christs Active and Passive Obedience was the full Payment of Believers Debts to God so Gods raising him from Death was Gods Actual Discharge to his Son and in him to all Elect Believers to assure them that the Debt which Christ his Son undertook to pay for them is now fully paid and satisfied witness his Actual Release and Discharge from the Prison of the Grave where Christ as Undertaker and Surety for Gods Elect was detain'd until the Justice of his Father said it is enough I am now satisfied to the full every Iota and Tittle of the Law is by him perfectly obey'd both Actively and Passively I have no more to lay to his or the Elects Charge for whom he became a Surety Discharge him let him be set at Liberty as Christ the Son prov'd faithful to the Father in performing to the utmost what he had undertaken for securing the Fathers Glory and the Salvation of the Elect committed and given in charge to him by the Father So God the Father proves Just and Righteous to Christ in giving him under the Hand of his Unerring Spirit of Truth a full Release and General Discharge not only for himself but for his Redeemed ones also Of this Christ had not the least doubt when he struck Hands with his Father he knew his Father to be the God of Truth who could not lie or deal unjustly with any much less with his own only Son who he could not but know would stick at nothing though it were to empty himself and to become nothing And which was worse to be made a Curse to finish the Work his Father had given him to do For the Lord God will help me therefore I shall not be confounded therefore have I set my Face like a Flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed He is near that justifieth me who will contend with me Let us stand together who is mine Adversary let him come near to me Isa 50 7 8. What was of old predicted by this Evangelical Prophet concerning God the Fathers justifying his Son upon his finishing the Work he had undertaken to go through it is now declared and made known by the Gospel to be Actually accomplished and made good according to those and other the like Predictions of him I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do Jo. 17.4 5. And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was All Power is given me in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.18 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 5.31 And without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh
is not that Creature in this Providential Kingdom which is not subjected to the Power of Christ The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all Psal 103.19 All Power is given me in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.18 Thou â—ast put all things in Subjection under his Feet Heb. 2.8 I am he that liveth â—nd was dead and behold I am alive â—or evermore Amen and have the Keys â—f Hell and of Death Rev. 1.18 Thirdly Not only the Creatures but â—ven all their natural Influences and Motions are subjected to the Power of Christ yea the Craft and Subtilty of all the Churches Enemies are subjected to him No Fire can burn no Water can drown no Thieves caâ— rob no Persecutor can hurt without Christ It is a sure and an infallible Rule iâ— Divinity that as no second Cause caâ— of it self do good to a Man 〈◊〉 neither can it do him harm Weâ— this one Rule but rightly understood and practically improv'd iâ— would free the Minds and Spirits 〈◊〉 true Believers from many foolish aâ— panick Fears which frequently iâ—vade them to not only a lessening but also to a keeping out that Coâ—fort to which as Believers theâ— have Right and which they may oâ—dinarily enjoy were it not for theâ— wretched Neglectiveness herein Wheâ— at any time or in any Case 〈◊〉 meet with a Disappointment and Abuse a Loss or a Cross from aâ— Creature whatever I cease to complain or murmur in God's Presenâ— that which strikes me into a profouâ— Silence is the Consideration and Bâ—lief that such and and such Accidents â—ould not fall out without the Providence of God the Hand of God 〈◊〉 think I is in this rebuking Providence My Soul lay thine Hand upon thy Mouth and cease quarrelling with second Causes lest by going too far that way thou rob the Almighty of the Attribute of his Sovereignty and give it to second Causes as if they could do any thing without him On the other hand when my Meat Comforts and Relieves fainting Nature when the Bed and Sleep Reâ—resh the weary Body Oh! think I â—ow good is God Without whom â—ny Meat my Bed my Sleep c. would do me no good When at any time I am in great Streights as often God knows I am when this or that Instrument steps in to my Succour my Faith though weak is as busie as a Bee calling on me to take notice of the Hand of Providence in the present Mercy Thus if I and other Believers did do more and oftner than we do it would be better with us in point of Comfort than it is But we live more by Sense thaâ— we do by Faith and that 's the Reason why we are such Strangers to solid Comfort in our own Spirits Fourthly There is not the most contingent Accident which falls ouâ— in the World but the Providence of the Lord Jesus orders the same whether it be for chastening or comforting poor Mortals Who is he that saith and it cometh tâ— pass when the Lord commandeth it not Lam. 3.37 Shall there be Eviâ— in the City and the Lord hath not donâ— it Amos 3.6 What but the Cosideration and Belief of this struck Holy David dumb before God when under the Afflicting Rod of God I was dumb I opened not my Mouth because thoâ— didst it Psal 39.9 As hath been already observ'd there is neither Good nor Evil that can fall out without Christ Neither doth it from hence follow that those Creatures which are Active in the Business of Sin are therefore Excuseable and that because they Act from an ill Principle and to an end vastly differing from what Christ designs in permitting it Or that the Praise and Thanks which is due to God's Instruments in serving us should not be given them in due time and place Neither will it hence follow that a Believer is to stand stock still like a Sheep to be robb'd or murdered if he sees himself any way capable of making a lawful Defence The Reason is because self Defence is a Natural Principle and that Man or Nation that would not stand up to resist an Enemy who seeks their utter Ruin would not only herein fall short of the very Bruits but they would be Accessary to their own Murder which is the worst sort of Murder In this Case the true Believer is to look on the the Doctrin of Non-Resistance as a Doctrin which smells rank of Rome and which was â—ontriv'd and brought into these Kingdoms by the Romish Emissaries on purpose to manacle English Men that by that means under colour and pretence of Religious Obedience to Authority England might become uncapable of preserving it self from the Ruin design'd against it by Rome and France The Protestants in England and in all the other Nations about us have cause to Adore and Praise the Providence of Christ for the Entrance which it gave to the Jesuites into Magdalen Colledge and its permitting the Bishops being sent to the Tower For had not these two things Providentially fallen out when and as they did Pâ—ssive Obedience and Non-Resistance had ruin'd the Kingdom before this time But Glory to God on high who hath pitcht on one to Rule and and Govern his Providential Kingdom here on Earth whose All-seeing Eye penetrates into all the Dark and secret Counsels of his Peoples Enemies And who knows Exactissimè most exactly when to time his Peoples Deliverance May this wonderful Work of Providence never be forgotten in England How much of the Jesuites Infernal Craft and Pollicy there is in the Principles of the People call'd Quakers to forward Englands Overthrow would be worth while for all true Protestants and true English Men who love their Country and the Protestant Religion to consider Fifthly That the most dismal Dispensations which fall out in the World shall be all managed by the Providence of Christ for the Good and Advantage of true Believers yea even Sin it self with the most sharp and bitter Afflictions which spring from that bitter Root shall most certainly work for the Good and Advantage of Christ's true Members according to that in Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God c. This Assertion that Sin it self works for Good to Believers hath not only startled but stirr'd up some to make a great Noise in the Kingdom and that in pretence of opposing and beating down Antinomianism to withstand and decry this as a dangerous Doctrin and that which Encourageth Men to commit and continue in the Practice of Sin Those who are of this Spirit and Principle will find sooner or later how wide they are off the Truth and how injurious they are not only to the Doctrin which is according to Godliness but to the Peace and Comfort of Christ's Members who are able both from the Word of God and their sanctified Experience to contradict this their contradicting God's Truth Concerning which I will only say