accompanied his Baptism which were three 1 The opening or cleaving of the Heavens so that something might be beheld above the Stars and Planets 2 The Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him v. 16. 3 A Voice from Heaven testifying that Christ was the welbeloved Son of the Father in whom he was well pleased V. 13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John to be baptized of him To be baptized Quest Why doth Christ come to be baptized seeing he had no sin and John's Baptism was a Baptism of Remission of sins Answ 1 For the fulfilling of all Righteousness that is all the righteous promises of God Matth. 3.15 2 To allow of John's Baptism as instituted by God which was cavilled at by many 3 That in Baptism Christ might have the testimony of the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove that he was the Son of God and therefore to be believed on 4 Because Christ took our sins upon him and therefore as a guilty person and a penitent he offers himself to John's Baptism that being baptized by him he might as it were wash away our sins in himself he did as it were bury the old Adam under Water in his Burying and rising up from under the Water he did as it were lift up the World of Believers that were drowned 5 That for as much as baptized ones were the Subjects of his Kingdom that he might be like his Brethren in all things hence he took up Baptism to be imbodied with his People that he and they might be one Body 6 To bring in credit such a hazardous and contemptible Ordinance 7 That as God had instituted Circumcision the sign of the old Church so Christ would ordain Baptism as the sign of the new Church and that not onely by word but also by deed 8 That the Baptist might then declare unto the Multitude that this baptized person was the Messias so long hoped for John 1.29 30 31 32 33 34. Then When the Baptist had been a while preaching and baptizing and preparing the People for Christ and had told them that the Messias was speedily to be manifested to them and the people were on fire to have him manifested and as the people were in expectation and all men mused in their hearts whether John were the Christ then comes Jesus to Jordan where not onely signs from Heaven manifested him to be the Messias but John also openly declared him partly because the people were apt to think John the Messias to clear himself thereof and partly to make the Messias known being it was fully revealed to him John 1.33 The people being therefore instant that he would shew the Messias whom he preacht to come after him John answers that he had not seen him by face but onely had received this answer from God That he should in his Baptism be manifested to Israel and in this manner that the Holy Ghost in the bodily shape of a Dove should descend upon him See John 1.29 to v. 35. From Galilee The 2 thing is the circumstance of place Christ comes from Nazareth in Galilee least any should think the business was carried politickly betwixt John and Christ therefore providence orders it that till the 30th year of their age they live and are brought up in diverse places that John could say I knew him not Joh. 1.32 and when John began his ministry about Jordan Jesus did not adjoyn himself to him but abode in Galilee that John might know and preach this that the Messias was come into the world but was not yet made manifest and that he knew him not by face but that he should be manifested in his Baptism Moreover Christ when he comes to John doth not talk familiarly with him before he desires Baptism but then when he desired baptism he came out of Nazareth of Galilee Neither was Christ baptised in secret but when all the multitude were baptized Christ was Baptized Now it appears when Jesus was Baptized all the multitude was baptized Luke 3.21 It was the providence of God that a great concourse of people should be Baptized when Jesus was Baptized that so besides Johns testimony they might see the visible signs confirming him to be the Messias all which did so clearly confirm it that this was called his manifestation unto Israel Joh. 1 3â— In Jordan Christs Baptism is set down from the place viz Jordan It was that River through which the people were brought into the Land of Promise Not as if Baptism were confined to a River but that it may be adminstred in a Pond or Lake or Sea or Brook or in any other water wherein there may be burying V. 14 But John forbad him saying I have need to be Baptized of thee and comest thou to me But John forbad him saying I have need to be Baptized of thee as if he should say if one of us must be Baptized I have more need to be Baptized of thee as the most worthy person then thou of me Quest But how doth this agree with that Joh. 1.31 33. I knew him not but he that sent me said unto me upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending like a Dove and remaining on him the same is he that baptizeth with the holy Ghost Ans That phrase of I knew him not must be limited to that circumstance of time before his coming out of Galilee when it was that the spirit revealed Christ to John I have need to be Baptized of thee as if he should say I le give reason of my refusal 1 My Baptism is a Baptism of Remission of sins but thou hast no sin therefore thou hast no need of Repentance nor no need of Baptism and I am afraid of prophaning Baptism if I should dispense it otherwise then it is appointed 2 Thou art not onely without sin but thou takest away the sin of others and into the Faith of thee others are Baptized for Remission of sins 3 It 's thy spirit onely that applies the Grace given in Baptism and I of my self cannot deserve it and therefore I have need to be Baptized of thee with the spirit and thou hâ—st no need to be Baptized of me with water Obs Holy Persons are sensible of their own corruption yea the more holy the more sensible 2 Obs The holiest Persons have need to be Baptized of Christ that is to be washed from their sins with the bloud and Spirit of Christ Joh. 3.5 3 Obs Though water Baptism must be but once yet the Baptism of the Spirit ought to be repeated again and again 2 Cor. 4.16 V. 15. And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness then he suffered him Suffer it to be so now We have here Christs Reply acknowledging Johns arguments to be true in respect of his person but in respect of his office it being a state of emptying and abasement and humiliation therefore I
true Baptism Learn this observation descends from that Authority that after the Lords Ascension the holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles Eusebius in his History lib. 6. cap. 35. relates that Novatus though he were baptized yet because he was not confirmed or had hands laid on him after Baptism he never obtained the Holy Ghost His words are Neither did he get other things wherewith he ought to have been endued after Baptism according to the Rule of the Church nor was he sealed of the Bishop with the Lords seal meaning Imposition after Baptism which he having not obtained how could he I pray you obtain the Spirit For modern learned men take Gerson out of Hugo What profits it that thou art lifted up from thy fall by Baptism unless thou also beest strengthened by Confirmation Estius in Heb. 6.1 saith The Apostle undoubtedly understands that Laying on of Hands which is wont to be administred to the faithfull presently after Baptism of which Saint Luke Acts 8. Acts 19. That is to say the Sacrament of Confirmation whereby the Spirit of God is given to persons baptized wherewith they being strengthened confess the Name of Christ undauntedly among the Enemies of the Faith and then he concludes For that Hands were wont to be laid upon baptized persons after the Example of the Apostles Universa docet antiquitas All antiquity teacheth Grotius in Heb. 6.1 Hands were laid upon baptized persons to obtain the strengthening power of the holy Spirit and on persons ordained to the Eldership and on them that were reconciled after sins and those who were weak in body and on new maried people desiring a blessing from the Church Erasmus in Heb. 6.1 The first step to Christianity is to repent of our former life next that salvation is to be hoped from God next that we be purged in Baptism from our filth next that by laying on of hands we receive the holy Spirit Heming in Heb. 6.2 Imposition of hands was done by the Bishops and Elders on persons examined he should have said Baptized prayer and blessing being added thereto at this laying on of hands the holy Spirit was often visibly given Obj. But seeing Baptism and laying on of hands are conjoyned how came they to be severed Answ When persons with a right Baptism came back from Hereticks or Schismaticks to the Church they were not rebaptized but received onely by imposition of hands so the counsel of Arles can 8. If any one come to the Church from the Arrian Heresie let the preachers of our faith ask them their Creed and if they see they were Baptized into the Father Son and Spirit let them onely lay hands on them that they may receive the holy Ghost Leo. Epist 77. He that is Baptized among Hereticks let him not be rebaptized but let him be confirmed by laying on of hands with calling upon the holy Spirit Yet was not this rite used every where for Gregory de consecrat cap. 4. saith The west was wont to receive such as returned to the Church from Hereticks by imposition of hands but the eastern parts were wont to receive them by the anointing of Oyl Aug. against the Donatists lib. 5. c. 23. Gives a reason hereof and saith If laying on of hands should not be used to one coming from Heresie he would be judged to be without all fault but for the coupling of love hands are laid on Hereticks amended 2 When upon necessity any man was Baptized of an ordinary man that the Baptism might be approved and confirmed the person Baptized was brought to the Bishop that he might be confirmed Concil Eliberitanum Can. 18. A believer and in case of necessity one instructed in the Faith may Baptize so that if he that shall be so Baptized shall live he bring him to the Bishop that by imposition of hands he may be perfected 3 A third reason is mentioned by Hierom in his Dialogue against the Luciferians He saith The custom of the Churches was that the Bishop being about to lay hands to the calling on the Spirit of God he made haste to those that were Baptized in lesser cities by Elders and Deacons the meaning is as is after exprest when the Bishop knew they believed rightly and were lawfully Baptized he made haste to lay hands on them and to call upon the Spirit that they might persevere in that faith From all these customes not onely the common people but also sundry Bishops long before Hieroms time came to this opinion as if Baptism were without the Spirit and that the Spirit was first given and received when the Bishop to the calling on the Spirit of God laid hands on the person Baptized which Hierom confutes and proves that Baptism is not without the holy Spirit Answer to objections Obj. 1 In the laying hands on the Samaritans there were visible gifts conveyed Act. 8.18 Simon saw that through laying on of hands the Holy Ghost was given Act. 19.6 When Paul had laid his hands on the twelve they spake with tongues and prophesied but in imposition that is or shall be by the Apostles of the Churches there are no visible gifts given therefore that imposition in Scripture and yours is not the same Answ 1 That God did sometimes convey visible gifts after imposition of hands to honour it is true yet were these visible gifts no more parts of the ordinance much less essentialities thereof then Philips suddain surreption or catching away by the Spirit from the Eunuch were any part of the Eunuchs Baptisme Act. 8.39 40. this miraculous surreption was a confirmation to the Eunuch So when the twelve spake with tongues after Baptisme and laying on of Hands it was onely a confirmation to them of the truth of that Doctrine and powerfulness of that person into whose name they were baptized 2 The Apostles Peter and John Acts 8.16 17. would never have come down to Samaria for to do Miracles for Philip had there wrought Miracles abundantly Acts 8.7 in casting out Devils healing Palseys lameness c. therefore they came for some other end which was that the Samaritans might receive the Spirit Object But here were visible gifts given Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given Answ There 's a sight of the understanding as well as of the eye Simon might see the Holy Ghost given whiles he beheld the operations of the Spirit in Prayer self-denial mortification yet not one gift given visible to the bodily eye But if visible gifts conspicuous to the bodily eye were given they were no parts of the Ordinance but Crowns and Ornaments thereof The Holy Ghost may be said to be given not onely in gifts of Tongues and Healings but also in meltings of heart Prophesie c. 2 It 's a mistake to say that in the Apostolical Imposition always visible gifts were conveyed such as the natural eye could behold for Paul laid his hands on Timothy and had nothing conveyed save inward gifts
therefore Matthew Mark and Luke say As a Dove and like a Dove It 's like it was of a fiery matter as the fiery Tongues were The Spirit appears in the likeness of a Dove to shew that that Spirit that was in Christ was full of meekness Isai 42.1 2 3. I have put my Spirit upon him the bruised Reed shall he not break nor smoaking Flax shall he not quench See Matth. 11.29 Again a Dove represents the Graces of the Spirit Isai 11.2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him to shew the innocency purity and charity in Christ A Dove was the sign of the Reparation of the World after the Floud and here it is a sign of Reconciliation by Christ This Dove was a fit Resemblance to this Lamb of God for as the Lamb is most harmless among Beasts so is the Dove among Birds The Flight of this Dove denotes the divine Influence of the Spirit coming from Heaven into the Members of Christ as well as into the Head Mahomet by putting Corn into his Ear accustomed a Dove to fly to his Ear which eat what was there put by this way he perswaded the People the Spirit of God was familiar with him and suggested to him his Alcoran Yet must we not think this substance or body resembled by a Dove to be hypostatically united to the Spirit of God as the humane nature of Christ was to Christ but as Angels oftentimes took humane bodies and appeared to men with them and laid aside those bodies afterwards so did the Spirit of God As the Heavens were opened unto Christ to shew his Doctrine was not earthly but heavenly so did the Spirit come upon him to shew his Doctrine was the Ministry of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 called The glorious Ministration of the Spirit this visible Appearance of the Spirit could not but send divers of the Spectators to the perusals of those places of the Prophets forementioned Isai 11.2.42.1 2 3.61.1 especially Christ so interpreting the visible descent of the Spirit upon him Luke 4 18. To conclude by this visible sign of a Dove is shewn that Christ is that harmless one in whom the Spirit hath his constant residence in and through whom alone we are to receive of the gifts of his Spirit for whose sake rather than for his own in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily this Spirit descended upon him and especially for John's sake to whom this sign was promised whereby he should be certified in a most absolute clearness of the person of the Messiah John 1.32 On whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending like a Dove that same is he This Spirit John is said to see not essentially but believingly for by a Metonymie the name of the spiritual thing is given to the visible sign V. 17. And lo a Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased We have here the third sign confirming the Call of Christ and his Instalment into his Office viz. a voice from Heaven when the Heavens clove that voice sounded It was the voice of the Father doubtless in that he saith This is my beloved Son here was the first clear Revelation of the Trinity under the New Testament the Father shews himself in a voice the Son in the flesh or humane nature the Spirit in the likeness of a Dove This is my beloved Son Not an adoptive but onely begotten my onely everlasting and coequal Son These words are partly taken out of the second Psalm v. 7. I will declare the Decree the Lord said unto me Thou art my Son By this forementioned voice he made his Son King upon Sion That Psalm is to be referred to this Of this beloved Son Isaak was a Type Gen. 22.2 Take thy son thy onely son thy son whom thou lovest And so was Solomon called Jedidiah or the beloved of the Lord. Oft was Christ called Beloved in the Book of Canticles the Fathers voice might have respect to these Figures Of this Christ speaks John 17.26 I pray that the love wherewith thou lovest me may be in them Ephes 1.6 We are said to be accepted in this Beloved In whom I am well pleased The same with that In whom my soul is well pleased Matth. 12.18 As if he should say Thou my Son onely and chiefly beloved pleasest me in all things and that infinitely and no man pleases me but by thee yea by thee am I appeased with all them I have given thee at whom I was offended by the sin of Adam and there is nothing in thee that displeases me Enoch pleased me Heb. 11.5 but not so as thou dost for in thee I am appeased and reconciled to the World of Believers The shew of a Dove was a dumb thing therefore here 's a voice to make all things concerning the Messiah out of question and also opening the whole Mystery of our Redemption for what is our Redemption but this whereas formerly we were at enmity with God now God is well pleased with us in Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself These words are taken out of Isai 42.1 and in that Chapter is the calling and sending of Christ to his Ministry described and indeed the whole Scripture whence some words are taken should be lookt into To this in the Transfiguration was added Hear him not Plato Socrates Moses further than he Witnesses of Christ but hear him who being in my bosom John 1.18 shall reveal my Mysteries which have been hid from the foundation of the world He shall open the way to Heaven to you CHAP. IV. IN this Chapter there are four parts 1 Christ his Tentation from v. 1. to v. 12. 2 Christ's Preaching in Galilee from v. 12. to v. 18. 3 Christ's calling of four Disciples Peter Andrew James John 4 The Confirmation of his Doctrine by Miracles v. 23 24 25. In the Temptation observe 1 The Time v. 1. immediately after Baptism 2 The Place in the Wilderness v. 1. 3 The efficient Cause viz. the Spirit of God 4 The End to be tempted of the Devil v. 1. 5 The kindes of the Temptations which are three 1 To Unbelief v. 2 3. 2 To Presumption v. 5 6. Cast thy self down for he shall give his Angels charge of thee 3 To the vain glory of the glory of the World v. 7 8 9. 6 The Victory Christ got over these Temptations so that the Devil was forced to give ground v 11. amplified from the Weapon wherewith Christ overcame him which was the Word of God 7 The comfort Christ had after the Temptation was over The Angels came and ministred to him V. 1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil This Temptation of Christ is set down 1 From the Time Then When Even presently after his Baptism Mark 1.12 Immediately the Spirit driveth him into the Wilderness and being full of the Holy Ghost he was led by
that they put on Bowels of Mercies Col 3.12 where see they put on 1 Mercies having respect to the several kindes as giving Heb 13.16 where Distribution is called by the name of a Sacrifice Charity is compared to a beautifull upper Garment Col 3.14 2 Mercy in forgiving Mat 18.35 Matth 6 14 15 3 These Mercies flow from Bowels 1 John 3.17 Such Bowels had Christ Matth 9.37 when he saw them as Sheep without a Shepherd his Bowels earned towards them So that mercy is an holy compassion of heart whereby a man is moved to help another in his misery 7 Merciless men are curied with God by the rule of contraries It s an argument that men without pity have never obtained mercy Such are they that rejoyce at the miseries of Gods people Ezek. 25.3 4 5 6. and such as grinde the faces of the poor for to maintain bravery and vanity This merciless cruelty is condemned Deut. 15.7 8. Thou shalt not harden thy heart from thy poor brother but shalt lend unto him Such merciless persons may seek for mercy themselves but they shall not be heard Prov. 21.13 Amos 1.11 8 By mercy we are made Gods Almoners to disperse his goodness among men Psalm 112.9 it 's more then to be Almoners to Princes Rules in shewing Mercy 1 Do not onely draw out your hand or your purse but your soul Esai 58.10 2 What mercy you shew do it from a cheerfull heart not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerfull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 3 Take notice of their misery either from your own sight thereof or from the beholding of others Job 30.25 Did not I weep for him that was in misery and was not my soul grieved for the poor Prov. 24.11 12. Many say they knew not that such a man was in affliction and that such a man was delivered to death well but God searches the heart and knowes that thou knewest it 4 Show all sorts of mercies soul-mercies in teaching the ignorant in comforting the afflicted Esai 50.4 body mercies in feeding the hungry visiting the sick helping the fatherless and widows Jam. 1.27 to deal thy bread to the hungry Esai 58.6 that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him c. 5 According to our ability Where God gives more he looks for more He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 Acts 11.19 Disciples sent relief according to their ability Luke 21.4 6 Let mercy be with sincerity Matth. 6.1 2 3. that your right hand may not know what your left hand doth not as the Scribes Matth. 23.5 that did what they did to be seen of men 7 Let mercy be with simpathy 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is weak and I am not weak who is grieved and I burn not many come to persons in pain and ask how they do but are no more moved then if they were flints Amos 6.6 7. Pharaohs daughter will rise up in judgement against many Exod. 2.6 2 Chron. 36.17 8 Look upon it as a singular mercy that God hath made others objects of your mercy and not you objects of others mercy Acts 20.35 It 's more blessed to give then to receive 9 Look often on the commands of God herein 1 Peter 3.8 Be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another be pitifull Jude 22. of some have compassion Also examples Heb. 10.34 Ye had compassion of me in my bonds Mark 5.19 Luke 10.32 V. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Q. What is meant by purity of heart A. Some think sincerity as Matth. 6.1 opposed to hypocrisie for many are like apples that look well but are rotten at the heart 2 Purity taken legally no man hath it Prov. 20.6 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am clean from my iniquity There is no man righteous on earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7.21 2 Purity of heart is taken Evangelically To be pure is to be full of it self and not to have any other thing mingled with it so purity of heart is that which doth not admit any sin to mingle with the frame and purpose of the heart but the heart still casts it out of it self it resists and rejects it As a thing is said to be pure though it may have some dross cleaving to it as it 's pure gold when it s digged out of the Mineral though there be much dross in it and we say it 's pure ayr though for a time there be many fogs and mists within it and it 's pure water though there may be some mud at the bottome a man may be said to have a pure heart though there be a cleaving of much dross to it Holy men have a fountain of original corruption in them and from this fountain sins arise continually as the scum in the pot but as in wine or honey or water though the scum arise yet still it purifieth it self and casts it out contrarily in men of impure hearts the scum ariseth but it seeths in Ezek. 24 12. She wearied her self with lies c. and her great scum went not out of her q. d. Holy men have their scum arising in their hearts as well as wicked but here is the difference wicked mens scum seeths in and mingles together but men of pure heart have a cleansing and purifying disposition that casts out what ever evil comes though it be continually rising though he be many times mired he still washeth himself again he cannot endure it he doth not as the swine delight in it Matth. 15. That which comes from within defiles the man the meaning is when sin ariseth in a man from day to day if he cherish sin and entertain it and suffer it to dwell and abide in his heart quietly without disturbance if he suffer it as it were to be sodden in now they defile the heart but if sins arise in the heart and he continually resist them and casts them forth and purifieth himself from them such a man is not defiled with them nor is his his mind defiled nor conscience defiled but notwithstanding this boiling out of evil he is a man of a pure heart yet may sin cleave to a man as dross doth to the silver but it mingles not with the regenerate part nor that mingles not with it no more then oyl and water do which though they touch they do not mingle together Reas Now these pure in heart are blessed because they are holy persons in Gods account that is they are persons in whom holiness hath predominance Psal 15.2 Who shall sojourn in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill The Prophet answers He who hath clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24.3 4. Heb. 12.14 Follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Holy persons are freed from the power of the second death 2 Because such persons are believers Acts 15.9 purifying their hearts by faith that is every believer from the blood and spirit of
reverend boldness and confidence but when we are doubting timorous and fearfull it 's a sign we come in our own names Christ hath a golden Censer wherein is much Incense which he offers with the prayers of all Saints Revel 8 3. as the high Priest of old did who put Incense on his Censer when he made an atonement for the people Numb 16.46 2 Pray with the Spirit We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8.15 Also v. 26. The spirit makes request for us with groanings that cannot be uttered The grones of the spirit are strong cries which so fills heaven and earth that besides it God hears nothing saith Luther If in tentation or trouble we shall onely sigh to God and say Jesus Christ come and help me or else I am undone for ever we shall finde often ease hereupon All the sons of God have the spirit of his Son in their hearts crying Abba Father God grants not that often which is in the top of the heart and in the froth of words but according to the depth of the sigh to which often words answer very barely or not at all How many worldly wise men are there that might they have a world to continue one quarter of an hour in ripping up their hearts in conceived prayer they were not able to do it Some short wishes they have as God be thanked for his blessings God send us rain Others there are who have learnt the art of prayer or the gift but they have not the grace of prayer they pray artificial prayers and give artificial life to them as if the spirit accompanied them but in the mean time their hearts are neither warmed nor melted But those prayers wherein God delights are stir'd up by the holy Ghost Jude 20. Eph. 6.18 Praying with all supplication in the spirit Without this spirit we may speak of God but not unto God indeed the best of our prayers are but as the stammering voices of infants begging bread or meat at the Table yet these chatterings or stammerings coming from the spirit he that searcheth the heart must needs know what they mean because he maketh intercession for the Saints now he intercedes not by way of merit as Christ doth nor by way of supplication but by stirring us up to cry to God Rom. 8.27 Do the bowels of a father yern towards an infant groaning and panting and unable to tell where his pain is and will not God be moved with the sighs and groans of his children When Moses spake never a word yet he is said to cry to God Exo. 14.15 Hanna's voice was not heard 1 Sam. 1.13 yet she is said to powr out her heart v. 15. the sighs of the godly are as so many beams of the spirit which tyrants cannot hinder from ascending heaven though they should cut out their tongues Asaph groaned when he could not speak Psal 77.4 Now that this praying with sighs and groans comes from the spirit appears because when the spirit ceases from working upon our hearts we become dull and heavie and weary of the dutie that it becomes a very penance to us the soul then is like a becalmed ship All Saints that pray aright even Paul himself pray by this spirit Rom. 8.15 By this spirit we present such sighs as cannot be expressed and utter such words as are not able to be repeated The sighings of the needy God hears Psal 12.5 Now though carnal men sometimes groan and that to God yet are these groans a fruit of nature as the bruits do under feeling of a pressing weight the groans of saints come not onely from feeling of pain but from sorrow for sin 2 The groans in Saints lifts up their hearts to heaven and brings back chearing and sence of Gods love 3 There 's usually a sweet satisfaction comes in those groans which doth not in the groans of wicked men Those that have this spirit of prayer they have many ejaculations amidst their callings Nehemiah when he was speaking to the King prayed to the God of heaven Neh. 2.4 they frequently dart out many broken sighs to quench the sprowtings of lust as pride unclean desires revenge c. and have many invisible springings of heart upon the receipt of blessings on themselves or others Many zealous wrastlings for removal of corruptions and supply of grace To powr out the soul out of sense of spiritual wants in that form or phrase which groanings and meltings of the spirit doth indite and frame is beyond the ordinary reach of unregeneration Yea thus to pray is the hardest of all works because it cannot be effected without the spirit This spirit of prayer is of more worth then the world especially when a Christian hath by any scandalous sin or relapse or sin against conscience turn'd away Gods favour for hereby he hath restitution into Gods favour and the return of Gods countenance Jon. 2.4 7. Infinite more fruits the spirit of prayer works as many secret exultations and rejoycings spiritual ravishments strong though silent cries passionate meltings unutterable groans zealous longings which are riddles to prophane men but known to the children of God 3 Thirdly the person must be righteous Hear my prayer for I am holy Psal 86.2 The prayer of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 A holy man may make a carnal prayer as when the flesh gets the upper hand but a carnal man cannot make a spiritual prayer I mean a prayer prevailing for spiritual things Jon. 9.31 God heareth not sinners but if any man be a doer of his will him he hears The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth him out of all his troubles Psal 34.15 The prayer of a righteous man avails much Jam. 5.16 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you Joh. 15.7 8. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight 1 Joh. 3.22 The spirit of prayer is called the spirit of grace if thou hast not the spirit of grace thou canst not pray Zach. 12.10 yet know the righteousness of a person may consist with variety of passions as he instances in Eliah Jam. 5.17 In all begging it's a great matter who it is that begs if it be a sturdy beggar we have nothing for such so in prayer if a wicked man pray for any spiritual blessing saith God I have nothing for you but if it be a believer Christ saith be of good chear to such Luke 8.48 if thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands towards him if iniquity be in thine hand put it far away Job 11.13 14. He will fullfil the desire of them that fear him Psal 145.19 Contrary when a man inclines to wickedness in his heart the Lord will not hear him Psal 66.18 The Pagans had so much divinity as to say the gods
man Rom 10.13 whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved it includes repentance humiliation joy in Goods goodness 1 Pet. 1.17 Psal 72.20 the prayers of David are ended that is his instructions his thanksgivings his confessions his humiliations 16 It s thy self gains by prayer God gets nothing thereby and if thou omit it or carelesly perform it thy self hast the loss thereby Job 22.3 17 It s one of Gods titles to hear prayer Psal 65.20 Thou that hearest prayers or thou that art hearing prayers as some translate it as if it were a continual work in God to hear prayers princes will not lose any part of their title but if thou calls not on God thou doest do what in thee lyes to deprive God of one of his titles 18 Prayer is in some sence a Christians utmost refuge though a man have been a grievous sinner yea a relapsed sinner yet if he can pray there 's hope A beggar that hath nothing to live by but begging had need begg hard so we have nothing to live on but praying I mean nothing to be done on our part to obtain mercies the promises of God and the sence of Gods love are made over to us in the use of prayer When a man hath nothing to maintain himself his wife and children but his fingers ends will he not be toyling all the day Prayer is a Christians fingers ends 19 It s the hardest of all works harder then preaching expounding c. 2 Be exhorted to pray in a right manner but how is that 1 By fixing our faith aright upon God as 1 behold him invisible hence he used a voice but shewed no similitude Deut. 4.15 because a voice was such a thing as could not be pourtrayed Esa 40.18 2 Beholding the Father subsisting in the Son and the Son in the Father and the Spirit in the Father and in the Son John 14.7 8. 3 Apprehend the fulness of the Godhead to dwell in Christ bodily Col. 2.9 4 That vve may direct our prayers either to Father Son or Spirit according as our necessities shall require yet vve are to vvorship the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity they are Eternal Almighty and Incomprehensible yet are there not three Eternals Almighties or Incomprehensibles There is one God of this are all things knovvn known in Father Son and holy Spirit for why did the Father beget the Son of his own substance and out of the same brought forth the Spirit which partake of one and the same essence and are esteem'd worthy of one and the same godhead But some wil say doth not that which begets differ from that which is begotten and that which proceeds from that whence it proceeds because the Father is not begotten from whom the Son is begotten and the holy Spirit proceeds therefore the Son and Spirit are not the same with the Father The unbegotten and begotten and proceeding are not names of essence but the manners of existence and the manner of existence is denoted by these names Justin Martyr expos fidei p. 292. We are to look upon the Father that he is made of none neither created nor begotten the Son is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten The holy Ghost is of the Father and Son neither made nor begotten but proceeding Joh. 15.26 So there is one Father not three Fathers one Son not three Sons one holy Ghost not three holy Ghosts And in this Trinity none is afore or after another none is greater or less then another but they are co-eternal and co-equal co-essential and concausal and though there be three subsistences yet is there but one essence We are to profess one God the knowledge of whom is in the Father and Son and Spirit wherein the Father Son and Spirit are acknowledging the existences of one godhead but whereby God doth understand the communion of existences according to nature and essence for the unity is understood in the Trinity and the Trinity is acknowledged in the unity but after what manner that is I will neither ask it of others neither can I perswade my self the manner of these hid and unspeakable things that I dare speak them with my filthy flesh Ib. 297. 1 Jo. 5.7 These three are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing or essence not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one person 5 Do not so direct your prayer to any subsistence in the Trinity as to exclude the other but to include them 6 In singling out any one subsistence in the Trinity we are to pitch most usually upon the Father as he to whom we direct our prayers through the mediation of Christ and by the help of the Spirit Joh. 16.23 1 Pet. 1.17 If you call upon the Father c. not in respect of any superiority of power or glory but in respect of his firstness of order in subsisting Yet even then will it be very safe to look upon the Father essentially rather then personally yet in respect of order the Father is first mentioned Matth. 28.19 1 John 5.7 7 Forasmuch as Christ promiseth to grant the requests of his people John 14.13 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name I will do it it 's twice repeated for futher confirmation hence we may call upon Christ The Saints are described by this note that they call on the name of Christ Acts 9.14 1 Cor. 1.2 Acts 7.59 8 Forasmuch as we are baptized into the name of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 and he it is that sanctifies us Rom. 15.16 and renews us Titus 3.5 and makes the covenant of grace with us Heb. 10.15 16 17. and is not a bare motion or inspiration but a willing working subsistence who powrs grace into our hearts Rom. 5.5 who sends forth Apostles Acts 13.2 4. and bindes the conscience Acts 15.28 and gives his gifts as he pleaseth 1 Cor. 12.11 inabling so many to speak with tongues which they had never learned We may also call upon the Holy Ghost Thus did the Seraphims Esai 6.1 3. Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts also Psal 95.7 8. compared with Heb. 3.7 him whom Paul calls the Holy Ghost in the Psalm is called God and the Prophet calls Come let us worship and kneel down before the Lord our maker Revel 1.4 5. John prayes to each subsistence in the Trinity Grace and Peace be to you from him which is and was and is to come and from the seven spirits of God and from Jesus Christ The Spirit is called by the name of seven spirits from his manifold gifts and operations by spirits cannot be meant Angels who still refused worship Apoc. 19.10 Rev. 22.8 9. Besides the Spirit hath incommunicable properties of God as to search all things yea the deep things of God yea to know the things of God as the spirit of a man knowes the things of a man 1 Cor. 2.10.11 also the Spirit is said to be omnipresent Psal 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy
spirit The Spirit is extended as far as the presence of God and therefore is every where Yea this one Spirit dwells in all the Saints where ever they live Eph. 2.18 as in a Temple 1 Cor. 3.17.6.19 The Spirit dwels not onely by gifts but in respect of substance he doth not so give his gifts that he should be elsewhere but he is present to the gifts of his creature by preserving governing adding strength Luth. Tom. 4. pag. 402. Yea the actions proper to God are ascribed to the Spirit as to create Job 33.4 Psal 33.6 and to inspire the Prophets and Apostles pen-men of Scripture Acts 28.15 the Holy Ghost spake by Isaiah the Prophet yea Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Yea the Spirit is said to be one in essence with the Father hence the Spirit is to be called upon 9 This God whom we eye in praier we are not to imagine subject to composition or division as though the Father had one part of the god-head the Son another and the Holy Ghost a third but the whole entire god-head is communicated from the Father to the Son and from Father and Son to the Holy Ghost so that there is no division but only a distinction without separation Matth. 3.16 17. The Spirit like a Dove lighted upon him and a voice from heaven said This is my beloved Son 2 We must rightly apprehend Jesus Christ that as in the Creed of Athanasius we believe our Lord Jesus Christ to be the Son of God Rom. 8.3 32. so we believe him to be God and man God of the substance of the Father begotten before the worlds and man of the substance of his mother born in the world perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soul and humane flesh subsisting equal to the Father as touching his god-head Phil. 2.6 and inferiour to the Father touching his manhood who although he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ one not by conversion of the god-head into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God One altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of person for as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ who died and rose again and appears at Gods right hand in our behalf Heb. 9.24 After the union of the light with the body of the Sun no man can separate one from another to call this severally the Sun and that severally the light but we call one Sun the light so after the union no man will call this the Son the word of God this the Son to wit man but will understand both to be one and the same as one light and one Sun now as one light and one Sun are two natures one of the light and another of the body of the Sun in like manner this Son and Lord and Christ and Onely begotten is one but the natures are two one which is above us the other ours Just Mart. expos fidei p. 302. Through this Lord Jesus we have access with boldness to come to God Joh. 14.6 Ephes 3.12 Heb. 10.22 The Sun shines alike to all every day but they that are quick of sight receive more of its beams but they that have weak eys by reason of their weakness cannot behold it so the Sun of righteousness communicates his substance equally to all as God near at hand but we being blinded with sins by reason of our blindness cannot endure the presence of his light Just Mar. ib. 305. 2 We must pray in a right order first for spiritual blessings and then for temporal first for pardon of sin then for removing of judgement 2 Sam. 24.10 first for the Kingdome of God and it's righteousness and then for other things Matth. 6.33 first for the light of Gods countenance Psal 4.6 then for corn and wine 3 Keep your heart always in a praying frame 1 Thes 5.17 Pray continually that is if any present occasion shall offer it self you may be fit for the duty hence have your hearts so set upon the world that whensoever there shall be need you may call them off from the world 4 Come with shame and abasedness of spirit into the presence of God Ephraim Jer. 34.19 20. the Prodigal Luke 15.17 18. the Publican Luke 18.13 Ezra 9.6 Ezra blusheth and was ashamed when he came before the Lord in prayer Nehemiah much confounded for his own sins and the sins of his fathers house Neh. 1.6 7. David often Psa 51.2 3. Psal 130.1 2 3.143.2 God is wont to fill such empty souls with comfort Luke 1.48 Job 22.29 the soul is then in the most praying frame when most abased then doth the soul most go out of it self and magnifie grace Matth. 6.9 After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name After this manner therefore pray ye As it 's not enough for a Gardiner to weed out evil weeds but also he plants good plants and flowers or for a workman to pull down a ruinous house but he must also set up a firm house so Christ doth not onely taxe the faults that were committed in prayer but also prescribes a right manner of prayer Q. But seeing you have laid down a manner of prayer and Christ sets forth another and there is but one manner of calling upon God aright how can this manner and the manner laid down be consistent together A. In the manner of prayer already prescribed prayer hath been handled as to the particular requisites and qualifications thereof which Christ doth not here insist upon at all or if at all it is in very generals which I have endeavoured to digest into particulars already laid down But here Christ sets forth the manner of prayer as to order and end 1 To order first to ask those things which concern the glory of God as in the three first Petitions and then the things which concern our good in the three last 2 To end there are two ends of prayer 1 That God may be honoured of us 2 That we may obtain of him the good things needfull for this life and the life to come Q. Whether did Christ use this prescription about the manner of prayer twice A. It 's likely forasmuch as Matthew and Luke set forth divers occasions that Christ delivered it twice here it 's set down to rectifie prayer from the Pharisees corruptions there it 's set down upon the request of a certain disciple who said Lord teach us to pray as John taught his disciples Luke 11.1 2. 2 Q. Whether did Christ prescribe this as a rule after which our prayers are to be squared or did he prescribe it as a form that must be used and no other A. Christ prescribes it as a rule according to which our petitions are to be directed not as a form to the continual use whereof we are obliged I will not take upon me to
course of the world Eph. 2.2 3. the guise of the times 6 The holy example of Christ hath a mighty transforming power to change us Sight works upon the imagination of bruit beasts as when Jacob laid the party-coloured rods before the sheep much more let us beholding the glorious grace of Christ in the Gospel be changed into the Image thereof 2 Cor. 3.18 Use 1 Be exhorted to follow Christ You say you do you are baptized into his name well but have you put on Christ Gal. 3.27 As many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ Can we say a man hath put on his clothes that hath never a rag on him neither doublet shirt c. so when thou hast not Christ in thy words in thy shop in thy conversing in thy company c. how canst thou say thou hast put on Christ A Christian should be like that Martyr who to all demands answered he was a Christian when they asked his name he answered Christian when they asked his calling he answered Christian To rule over others to be in a better condition then others to be rich and to offer violence to inferiours is not to be blessed neither can any man imitate God in any of these things But he that bears his neighbours burden and being above doth good to him that is below what he hath from God gives it to them that are in want he is a follower of God thou so doing and living on the earth shalt behold God in the heavens governing the earth as a Common-wealth then shalt thou begin to speak the mysteries of God then shalt thou both love and wonder at those that are punished because they will not deny the Lord then wilt thou contemn the error of the world when thou hast learned to live in heaven then shalt thou begin to be a contemner of that which is here counted death and to fear death which indeed is death I speak not of strange things but being a Scholar of the Apostles I am become a Teacher of the Gentiles and what things were delivered to me I deliver to disciples Just Mart. ad Diognetum pag. 387. In imitation we chuse the rarest pattern in writing in building what pattern so excellent as Christ to follow we are apt to admire a picture drawn to life No person is so resembled by his picture as Christ is resembled by a humble holy walking Christian that hath the same graces stampt upon his soul that were in Christ though not in the same measure Joh. 1.17 Phil. 2.5 Means to follow Christ 1 Get the spirit of Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 We are transformed into the same image from glory to glory that is from one glorious grace to another but how as by the spirit of the Lord so that as the spirit put a mighty impulse upon Elisha to follow Eliah so doth the Spirit in Saints to follow Christ As in property of speech it is not the eye that sees but the man that sees with his eyes it is not the knife that cuts but the man that cuts with the knife it is not the ear that hears but the man that hears with the ear so in the body of Christ it 's no more the man that speaks but the truth of Christ that speaks in the man 1 Cor. 2.16 If we be in Christ Christ speaks in us thinks in us walks in us works in us The life of a Christian is not of himself but of Christ living in him A Christian lives not speaks not works not suffers not but Christ in him Luth. Tom. 1. fol. 438. 2 Take heed of impediments as 1 Love of credit Joh. 5.44 How can ye believe that seek honour one of another 2 Slanders Acts 28.22 As concerning this Sect we find it every where spoken against 3 Shame of the world Mark 8.38 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words 4 Weights Heb. 12.1 2. Let us lay aside every weight Many a man by the weight of his calling and the weight of earthly employments and estate is so prest down that he cannot follow Christ 5 The pull-back of alliance and acquaintance He hath a devil and is mad why hear ye him Joh. 10.20 When the Officers began to be acquainted with Christ saying never man spake like this and Nicodemus began to be taken with Christ how did the Pharisees labour to take them off Joh. 7.45 to v. 53. 6 The poverty and meanness of Christ and of his Disciples in this world Matth. 8.19 20. Matth. 11.6 7 Mistakes in Christian religion Joh. 6.66 because Christ had spoken of eating of his flesh and drinking his blood many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him 3 Take up the cross what man can follow Christ without it Hence Christ conjoyns them Many follow Christ as cowardly soldiers do their Captain till the battle be to be fought and then they flie Matth. 19.27 4 Get love to Christ Song 3.1 2 3. Motives to follow Christ 1 He is our Shepherd we are his sheep Joh. 10.27 My sheep hear my voice and they follow me 2 It s the badge of Christs redeemed ones to follow Christ Rev. 14.4 They follow the lamb whithersoever he goeth they follow him in the regeneration Matth. 19.28 they follow him in glorification 1 Thes 4.15 16. 3 Our former haltings between Christ and the world We have walked as a serving man that followes two Gentlemen a stranger cannot tell as they walk to which of them he belongs Heb. 12.13 4 Where Christ is entertained we that follow him shall be entertained Matth. 10.40 He that receiveth me receiveth you as he that followes a Gentleman is entertained where his Master is entertained 5 It s an indispenceable duty if thou dost not follow Christ thou art not worthy of him That is Christ will never think thee worthy of him Many things may be dispensed with but duty to God cannot be dispensed with 7 The perfect example Christ hath left us 1 Pet. 2.22 leaving us a copy as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Metaphor from Schollars who begin their lines and make their letters like their Masters though they cannot write so exactly so let us imitate Christ in speaking acting c. V. 39. He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall finde it Christ speaks after the opinion of men who think they have found their life Liberty or Estate when by denying of the truth they have saved them contrariwise they that have parted with their life Liberty and state for Christ sake carnal men think such men have lost them 1 But Christ tels the contrary saying he that findeth his life to wit with the loss of his conscience shall lose it and he that loseth his life for the witness of any truth of Christ shall be sure to save it eternally Findeth his life To finde the life is to invent tricks and evasions and cunning distinctions to
of keeping his virginity in wedlock till such times as the Virgin had brought forth her first begotten son Matth. 1. ult Besides the husband and wife by wedlock are made one civil person Matth. 19.6 they twain shall be one flesh Wherefore they have all things common and in particular a common off-spring so that Joseph was not the adoptive but the matrimonial father of Christ and Christ was subject to him Luk. 2.51 Quest But how doth it appear that Joseph was then maried to the Virgin Mary seeing the Text says she was onely espoused vers 18. Answ 1 Espousals are as it were the first mariage because there is a mutual affiancing upon a presupposal of no essential impediments hence vers 20. Mary was then called Josephs wife 2 Joseph is bid not to fear to take her to wife vers 20. who being informed by the Angel no doubt did accordingly moreover taking doth presuppose giving for in many places and nations Virgins have been wont to be given to their husbands by their parents or guardians Besides Mat. 1.24 it 's said He did as the Angel commanded him and took her to be his wife V. 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations Quest Why did the Evangelist divide all these generations into three fourteens Answ First to shew the threefold estate of their government 1 under Judges 2 under Kings 3 under Governours and Priests after the Captivity The Lord tried all ways to keep them in their duty and when nothing would serve he sent his Son 14 Generations By generation he means the person begotten which adds a degree Matthew omits some persons less considerable to make the number round and fit There wants one of these 42 and therefore the learned put in Jechonias twice the one Joacim which was confounded as Jerom thinks with Jechonias the other his son Jechonias Unless to make up the 42 generations we number Christ as the last person of the third Classis or Division V. 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with childe of the Holy Ghost The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise The Evangelist setteth not forth the whole History as Luke professedly doth onely shews first whence the Virgin was with child which was of the Holy Ghost 2 when it was that is to say when Joseph and Mary were espoused before they came together that is when she was promised by her parents or affianced unto him but yet before they came together she was not yet delivered into the hands of her husband by her parents but abode under their keeping and tuition Of the Holy Ghost Not that the Holy Ghost was the father of Christ but that the Holy Ghost did cause that a Virgin should conceive without a man for the Holy Spirit did not lye with the Virgin after the manner of men but that which the generation of man could do he himself could do much more perfectly without any such generation V. 19. Then Joseph her husband being a just man and not willing to make her a publike example was minded to put her away privily The Law was Deut 22.14 if a man took a Damsel and found her not to be a Maid then v. 22. they were to bring her out of her fathers house and the men of the City were to stone her with stones But Joseph being a just man and enclining to mercy would not expose her to open infamy or make her a publike example Lapide saith the Cretians were wont to bring adulteresses through the midst of the City to be beheld and mockt at by the people Was minded to put her away privily That is by a secret divorce giving her a bill of divorce secretly Joseph seeing the holy and spiritual life of the Virgin might seem to question how she should conceive of adultery and perhaps to have judged the contrary but whence or how she had conceived he knew not but because he knew she had not conceived by him he would put her away The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolvere signifies to absolve or free that is Joseph freed her from her promise and so to put her away onely upon some other pretence then adultery For husbands among the Jews had many other causes of divorce besides adultery Matth. 19.3 where the Pharisees ask whether it were lawfull for a man to put away his wife for every cause Observe 1. Innocent and harmless persons are sometimes exposed to suspicion 1 Sam. 22.9 10. 2 Obs We must so be angry at the sins of others that some mercy must be retained towards the sinner Moses Exod. 32.31 V. 20. But while he thought on these things the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying Joseph thou son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost In this Verse three things 1 the anxiety of minde that was upon Joseph he was full of perplexity sometimes thinking her guiltless from the holy carriage he saw in her sometimes he thought her guilty because himself had not touched her many turnings and rowlings were in his minde what to do Saints are sometimes in much perplexity of spirit 2 Chron. 20.12 2 Cor. 4.8 2 The Consolation Against his trouble the Angel of God appears unto him in a dream bidding him not to fear to take unto him Mary his wife God is wont to come in the time of trouble Psal 46.1 so that Saints are not tempted above strength 1 Cor. 10.13 God appearing in the Mount Gen. 22.14 Quest Why doth the Angel appear to him in a dream and to the Virgin when awake Answ The Angel appears to Mary awake because faith and consent was required of her First she conceived Christ by faith before she conceived him in her flesh and her consent was required that she might as it were to use Bernards expression be the Bride of the Holy Ghost and conceive by him Besides it was needfull the Virgin should know whom she bore in her womb and whence she conceived 1 The Angel appeared to Joseph in his sleep not onely here but when he went into Egypt Matth. 2.13 and when he came out thence because according to his good pleasure he was wont to appear as well in dreams as in visions Numb 12.6 also vocally 1 Sam. 3.6 8 10. also inspiredly 2 The Angel appears to Joseph in sleep to let him see the provident care of God who thinks of our troubles when we do not think of our selves even when we are asleep Qu. But why did not the Virgin Mary her self tell Joseph of her thus being with childe Answ It is like she did which probably was the first ground of
Josephs knowing her so to be but Joseph was slow in believing her till the Angel appeared to him Qu. Is there no use to be made of dreams now Answ 1 There are d vers sorts of dreams as 1 Natural so the things which the sense on the day time carries over to the understanding being more deeply setled there are sent back again to the fancy or common sense and this not only in men but in bruits A dream cometh through multitude of business Eccles 5.3 2 Moral which arises from wise discourses and reading books 3 Diabolical which come from Satan such are filthy dreams of which Jude 8 against these the ancient Church prayed Hâ—stemque nostrum comprime ne polluantur corpora Bridle our enemy that our bodies be not defiled 4 Divine so God appeared to Solomon 2 Chron. 7.12 13. Sometimes God hath appeared thus twice Job 33.14 15. twice he appeared thus to Paul Acts 16.9.18.9 and so he appeared to Pilates wife Matth. 27.19 2 There may be use made of dreams as the Urine or Pulse are signes of sickness or health so dreams may shew us what our natural complexion is and what humour is predominant where yellow Choler abounds there we dream of fire strife and fightings where black Choler abounds men dream of smoke darkness funerals where Phlegme abounds men dream of showers of rain wells of water rivers and such things as have a cold moisture where Bloud abounds men dream of things beautifull clear and sweet Martyr out of Galen tells of a man that dream'd he had a thigh of stone and in a few days after he fell into a palsey and of another that dream'd he fell into a cistern of bloud which signified aboundance of bloud and that he stood in need of bloud letting Sometimes in sleep men seem to have such a burthen they cannot bear it sometimes to be so light that they do as it were flye which is nothing else but the excess and defect of humours To conclude dreams of preferment do too much point out ambition in us unclean dreams do too much point out wandring imaginations on the day time or excess of gluttony at night terrible dreams may put us in minde what we might look for if God were not more merciful favorable and successful dreams may put us in minde what we might expect if our sins did not stand in the way But for Divine dreams when they are it s like the understanding on the day time hath been well employed in Divine things and the frequenter they are they denote perhaps a better frame of spirit aspiring after Divine things Yet as we are not to expect direction from them God having spoken cleerly by his Son so are we not altogether to slight them seeing God hath formerly manifested himself by them besides God hath not lost any of his prerogative but that he can manifest himself by them yet The third part is the ground of Josephs consolation which is For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost because fear will not be cast out by words but by reasons the Angel gives a reason why Joseph should not fear viz. because that which Joseph feared was an act of adultery was of the Holy Ghost and therefore he had cause rather to rejoyce then to grieve because of his spouse Mary the long lookt-for Messias was now to be born Such a message Joseph had at another time when he was in his fear Luk. 2.10 the Angel said Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy for unto you is born in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And therefore thou Joseph mayest take her from her friends or kindred to be thy wife and thou mayest with a quiet conscience live with her Moreover the Angel calls him the Son of David to raise up Josephs heart to consider that he as well as his wife was of that family to descend from whom the Messias was promised to all the believers of the Old Testament and so he the said Joseph should have the honour to be the civil father of this Messias as the Virgin his wife had the honour to be his natural mother And therefore vers 16. it s said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which in the feminine gender Christ was begotten not of whom to prove that Joseph was onely a civil father provided to take care of the Virgin and the Messias she went with V. 21. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Here is a second ground to quiet Josephs heart taken from the quality or excellency of this son whom the Virgin should bring forth he should be a Saviour to save his people Bring forth a son Not as the Valentinians who taught that Christ brought a heavenly body from heaven and passed through the Virgin as a channel but as the Virgin truly conceived Christ so she brought him forth according to Esa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and shall bring forth a son and therefore thy spouse is not an adultress but a most pure Virgin This the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.31 That she should bring forth a son and call his name Jesus and here the Angel tells the same in effect to Joseph And thou shalt call his name Jesus Fathers usually gave names to their children Jacob called his son Benjamin though his mother called him Benoni Gen. 35.18 Zacharias named his son John Luk. 1.63 yet sometimes the mother as Hanna called her son Samuel 1 Sam. 1.20 His name Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his saving Christ is the name of his Office Jesus of his Nature and Person the name in the Old Testament is Jehoscua ascribed unto Joshua the Captain and to Joshua the Priest in the Type but to Christ in the truth because he is the alone Saviour of his People Acts 4.12 Heb. 7.25 He is able to save them that come unto God by him for though Baptism is said to save 1 Peter 3.21 and Preachers 1 Tim. 4.16 Baptism doth save by way of signification Preachers as Instruments by way of publication For he shall save his People from their sins three things are considerable 1. Whom Christ saves Resp All Believers because by faith alone this salvation is received all his Body for he is called the Saviour of the body Ephes 5.23 2. From what Christ saves Resp From their sins which would bring them to Hell as a Physician brings a Potion to his Patient not to kill Death but to kill the Disease that would bring the Patient unto Death so Christ came not to quench the Flames of Hell but to save his People from their sins which would bring them to Hell Now Jesus saveth us 1. From the power of sin Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under
grace 2. From the punishment of sin 1 Thess 1.10 Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come 3. From the guilt of sin Rom. 8.1 There 's no condemnation to them that are in Jesus 4. From the weariness and burden of sin Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden I will give you rest 5. From the remainders of sin this will be in another World Rom. 7.24 25. Who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 3. The means whereby Christ sayes viz. his Death and Intercession If when we were Enemies we were reconciled by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 1. By his living to make Intercession for us as it is expounded Heb. 7.25 wherefore he is able to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them This is one Argument of Christ his Godhead to save his People from sin for it 's applied to Jehova Psalm 130.8 He shall redeem his People from all their iniquities If there were a Physician in the World that could save a man from all Diseases multitudes of Patients would come to him how should Believers then come to Christ who saves his People from all their sins Psalm 103.1 2. As the Woman that had the Bloudy Issue touching Christ was healed so we touching Christ by the hand of faith the bleeding wounds of our sins are stanched This is true tidings of joy to all believing souls that such a Saviour is born Luke 2.10 11. V. 22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying The Evangelist sets down a third ground to stablish Joseph's heart and together with him the hearts of all other Believers viz. that this Prediction of a Virgins bringing forth was foretold seven or eight hundred years ago in the Reign of King Ahaz Isai 7.14 Joseph at first was ready to be startled at these strange News the Angel told him but when he heard that all that the Angel told him was confirmed by the Scriptures this brought full satisfaction The sum of the Promise was that not onely that God would save the House of David Isai 7.13 from the Syrians and Men of Israel their Enemies v. 8 9. but that also he would save the believers among them from their spiritual Enemies and because the matter seems hard to believe the Lord gives them a sign to confirm it viz. Behold a Virgin remaining a Virgin still shall be with childeâ— so that as in Painting or Building there are first rude Lines or Draughts made by the Painters who after by degrees perfect that which they had conceived in their mindes according to the Idaea therein so as the Lord had prophesied of a Virgins conceiving so now he perfects and fulfils it so that as the calling of the Israelites out of Egypt Hosea 11.1 was a Shadow of the Deliverance of the Sons of God out of the spiritual Egypt of Hell so these things told then by Isai did shadow out what was now fulfilled V. 23. Bernard thinks the Devil fell out of envy envying men that Dignity that God should become Man Behold a Virgin shall be with childe and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call his Name Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us The Evangelist sets forth not onely the sum of the Prophesie but the wonderfulness of it Behold this Adverb still points out attention and admiration Behold as if he should say Men and Angels wonder at this strange unheard of thing that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth Emmanuel that is God-Man Jer. 31.22 The Lord hath created a new thing upon earth A Womam shall compass a man Some men will not wonder at any thing to conceal their own ignorance but here is a providence to admire all And they shall call his Name Emmanuel that is being interpreted God with us that is not onely spiritually that is reconciled to us 2 Cor. 5.19 but because the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us John 1.14 They shall call all the saithfull and many others shall so call him God with us for this Pronoun Relative they hath respect unto a plurality See Luke 12.20 Luke 16.9 Quest How can Jesus be called Emmanuel Resp Not in sound but in sense Christ was called Emmanuel from the Dignity of his Person and he was called Jesus from his Office and effects of it and in all this it sell out that the Prophesie of Esaias was fulfilled Shut your eys without Christ and say that you know no other God but he that was in the bosom of Mary and suckt her Breasts Where that God Christ Jesus is there is whole God or the whole Divinity found the Father and the Spirit Luth. in Ps 130. I shall also add what a late Writer adds to interpret this Prophesie viz. that within a space of time wherein a Virgin might marry and conceive and bring forth and the Childe come to the distinguishing of good and evil Isai 7.14 15. Rezin and Pekah Ahaz his two Enemies should be brought low and from this he calls an high improved sense over and above the vulgar sense which belonged to the words that from this place the Spirit should gather that a Virgin should bring forth a Son V. 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his Wife Here we have Joseph's obedience to the Angel seen first in taking unto him his Wife as the Angel bad him When we are convinced of Gods Commands we must neither dispute them nor delay them Psalm 119.60 now Joseph takes both Mother and Childe into his tuition V. 25. And knew her not untill she brought forth her first-born Son and called his Name Jesus Here is the second thing wherein Joseph's obedience to the Angel was seen viz. in not knowing his Wife he means in a matrimonial way as it is taken Gen. 4.1 to make it appear that Christ was not conceived of Joseph but of the Holy Ghost So the phrase is taken Num. 31.35 1 Sam. 1.19 No doubt the Angel had given Joseph command herein not to know her because he did as the Angel commanded this was done as for the stablishing of our Faith on Jesus Christ as being conceived in such a wonderfull manner so for to verifie the Promise that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Untill she brought forth her first-born Son It is not for us to contend to finde whether the Virgin Mary were a Virgin ever after she brought forth her first-begotten Son it is curious to seek and more curious directly to define that son is said to be the first-born before whom there was none though he were the onely begotten This word untill oft signifies an
Egypt Because it was a Country near at hand whereunto the journey would be less And be thou there until I bring thee word Gods command should be the rule of our motion As the souldier is not to leave his station without the command of his Officer no more are we without Gods command For Herod will seek the young childe to destroy him The Angel knew this by divine revelation For God knowes the thoughts of mens hearts a far off Psal 139.2 And the motions of our wills Though the Angel might suspect it from the cruel and proud disposition of Herod yet onely he knew it from revelation There is no wisedome nor counsel can stand against God Prov. 21.30 The Angel saith not Herod will destroy but onely seek to destroy Psal 37.32 V. 14. When he arose he took the young childe and his mother by night and departed into Egypt Here is the obedience of Joseph We must go from Country friends and kindred when God calls so Abraham Gen. 12.1 2 though we know not whither Here was a long and dangerous journey for Joseph an old man to carry a woman that had lately lain in and an infant of about forty days old above two hundred miles through a vast Wilderness into Egypt to sojourn among persons utterly unknown whose language probably he knew not and that in the depth of Winter but faith overcomes all difficulties he believes the Angel that he would bring him word when it was fit to remove as he said v. 13. Faith in Joseph swallows up carnal fears 15. And was there till the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Out of Egypt have I called my son And was there till the death of Herod Here 's the second branch of Josephs obedience We must not onely go whither God will have us but tarry there as long as he will have have us How long Christ was in Egypt and in what place and what miracles he did the Scripture is silent herein That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Out of Egypt have I called my son The Scripture is fulfilled four ways 1 When that which is plainly fore-told is fulfilled as that a Virgin shall conceive a childe Esa 7.14 compar'd with Matth. 1.23 2 When the Scripture prophesies in general of such and such persons it may be applied to every particular as when wicked men contemned Isaiahs Ministry the Lord sends the Prophet Isaiah cap. 6.9 to preach That they should hear but not understand see but not perceive To such contemners Christ at several times applies it as Matth. 13.13 14 15. Joh. 12.39 40. and the Apostle applies it to such Jews Act. 28.26 27. so Rom. 11.8 as it is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this day which though spoken by Esaias and aiming at the wicked that then lived under his ministry yet being spoken in general falls upon all that have a spirit of slumber 3 Analogically or by way of proportion So this Scripture Out of Egypt have I called my Son which is taken out of Hosea 11.1 That place cannot literally be meant of Christ because that Israel there meant the Prophet upbraids with unthankfulness therefore it 's meant by way of similitude As Israel the adopted Children of God were called out of Egypt by the Ministry of Moses so was Christ the natural Son of God called out of Egypt by the Ministry of the Angel the Members were called out in Hosea The Head here 4 Prophesies are fulfilled by way of Type when the thing typified answers to the Type So the Prophets phrase of calling my Son out of Egypt being spoken singularly was a Type of the Son of God who was to be called out of Egypt by the Angel neither needs this seem strange for Sinah and Sion Hagar and Sarah which signifie the two Testaments are more unusual Types and further fetcht The third part of the Chapter V. 16. Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men was exceeding wrath and sent forth and slew all the Children that were in Bethlem and in all the Coasts thereof from two years old and under according to the time that he had diligently inquired of the Wise-men We have here the History of Herod's Cruelty from v. 16. to v. 19. set down 1 From the outward cause of it viz. his being mocked of the Wise-men 2 From the inward cause viz. an exceeding Wrath he conceived in his heart partly for the Indignity he conceived the Wise-men had done him and partly to hear that there was one born that should be Heir of his Kingdom and he not know who he was 3 From the cruel Edict or Command he sent forth to slay all the Infants of Bethlem two years old and under 4 From the prophetical Prediction thereof Jeremy prophesied In Rama was there a voice heard Lamentation Weeping and Mourning Rachel weeping for her Children Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wisemen We have the outward cause of Herod's cruelty viz. his being mocked of the Wise-men for they promised they would return unto him but God having admonished them of his Treachery returned not to him neither did Herod presently go to murder the Infants for about thirty days after Christ was presented in the Temple Luke 2.22 which was about eighteen days after the Wise-men came and a little while after dwelt at Nazareth in Galilee Luke 2.39 And likewise it is probable the Tyrant Herod had endeavoured to finde Christ that he might kill him alone before he would kill so many Infants which thing he knew would render him odious to all Moreover there was a common Report that when Joseph and Mary came to present Christ to the Lord at the time when Mary was purified that the Childe Jesus was openly declared by Simeon and Anna to be the Messias and from thence Herod supposed the Wise-men had deceived him Was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the Infants in Bethlem and in all the Coasts thereof from two years old and under Because the Report of the Wise-men and the Witness of Simoon and Hanna in the Temple stuck much in the mindes of men so that Herod could not without fear of a Tumult vent his Malice against Christ he deferr'd his Malice to a fitter time and hearing of his being presented in the Temple began to inquire where his abode was but when he could not finde him in all Judea he thought he was hid for fear he dissembled the matter a while thinking hereby that his Parents fearing nothing would bring him out of the place where he was hid but when after his long dissembling the Childe was no where to be found in Judea the second year when he saw his opportunity he endeavours to take away the Life of the Childe but
might help their faith Whereunto some apply those prophetical Scriptures Ezek. 36.25 I will powr or sprinkle clean waters upon you and you shall be cleansed and Zach. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountain set open for sin and for uncleanness This was called the baptism of repentance to show that none of right ought to take it up but those that repented first and those that believed first Act. 19.4 John there taught that they that were to be baptized should believe on Christ and hence his baptism was called baptism for forgiveness of sins for this John in his ministry made known Luk. 1.77 All Judaea That is persons of all age condition and sex not every individual person And all the region round about Jordan That is from all places of both sides of the river of Jordan Were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins That is they first confessing their sins were baptized of him together with the confession of their sins they profest a belief of the doctrine which he preached Tertul. in his book of repentance saith We are not therefore washed that we should cease to sin but because we have ceased because we are already washt in heart This very baptism in the manner of it Apol. to Antoninus was continued in Justin Martyrs time Whosoever are perswaded and believe those things to be true that are taught and spoken by us and have received that they can so live they are taught to pray fasting and to beg of God the forgiveness of their former sins we praying and fasting together with them then are they brought thither of us where there is water and with the same manner of regeneration that we our selves are regenerated are they regenerate in the name of the Father of all things and Lord God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ and of the Holy spirit then they are made a sacrifice in the water Tertul. to Quintilla cap. 1. Happy is the Sacrament of our water because the offences of old blindeness being washt away we are freed into an eternal life For the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take it out of Grotius The propriety of the word showes that this rite was wont to be done by dipping or covering all over with water not by sprinkling Also the places chosen for that rite prove it Joh. 3.23 John was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim because there was much water there Act. 8.38 39. The Eunuch and Philips going into the water and coming out of it and many allusions of the Apostles which cannot be referrd to sprinkling Rom. 6.3 4 5. We are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so we should walk in newness of life Paul proves they should not live in sin because they were dead he proves they were dead because they were buried in baptism Heb. 10.22 We finde the dipping of the body our bodies washed in pure water not the sprinkling of the brow So that it appears that sprinkling was not the baptism of John or Christ 1 From the subject of baptism It was not a part but the whole body 2 From the form It was not sprinkling but burying Col. 2.12 Buried with him in baptism wherein ye are also risen again 3 From the matter or element It was much water Joh 3.23 which needed not if sprinkling had been enough 4 From the adjuncts of going into the water and coming out practised by Christ Matth. 3. and by the Eunuch Acts 8.38 39. Magnus writing to know Cyprians judgment of them that were baptized onely by sprinkling in sickness answers in the end of his 66 Epistle 1 That divine benefits in nothing should be either lamed or weakned 2 Necessity compelling and God pardoning divine abridgements bestow the whole benefit on believers 3 He mentions that those so baptized were called Clinici or bed Christians 4 If any man thought they had got nothing because they were sprinkled he saith If they escape their sickness let them be baptized Whereby we may gather first That the right way of baptizing was by burying 2 Because the opinion of those times was that baptism took away sin and therefore many put off their baptism till near the time as they thought of their death but death coming upon them suddenly they took sprinkling of a little water in their beds instead of baptism with an intention to be buried in water in case they recovered Moreover the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to drown dip or plunge as Scapula in his Lexicon interprets it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sprinkle Mar. 1.9 John baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Jordan which he could not have said had not the word baptize signified an application of the subject to the water not of the water to the subject Pareus on the 6th of the Romans saith The ancient rite in the Apostolical Church was this the persons baptized were dipped all over in a River with some tarriance under the water then they rose up again Dipping shewed crucifying and death because it was not without terrour and coming up out of the water signified resurrection with Christ Par. in Rom. 6. Mr. Fox saith Augustine and Paulinus baptized persons in rivers and not in hallowed fonts as witnesseth Fabianus cap. 119 120. Acts and Monuments Part. 1. pag. 138. After speaking of Austin he saith He departed after he had baptized ten thousand Saxons or Angles in the West River that is called Swale besides York on a Christmas day where note by the way Christian Reader saith Mr. Fox That whereas Austin baptized then in Rivers it followed then there was no use of Fonts See Acts and Mon. Part. 1. pag. 154. Also pag. 156. he saith During the life of King Edwin Paulinus christened continually in the Rivers of Gwenye and Swala in both Provinces of Deira and Bernitia Confessing their sins That is professed themselves guilty of sinful purposes and sinful customs and many sinful actions and that now they repented for them all Acts 2.37 38. Peter's hearers professed their faith and repentance for killing the Lord of life and were instantly baptized With this confession there went an holy hatred of their sins as the Ephesians shewed their wicked deeds so they burnt their conjuring books Acts 19.17 18. and if the confession of the sins of persons in these times baptized were more particular and with more grief it would come nearer the Apostolical practise Truly it argues a great change of heart when persons formerly proud unclean intemperate and unrighteous shall not onely confess themselves sinners but also such kinde of sinners Moreover they profest they fear'd the anger of God and desired to escape it at the day of judgement Also they confessed other believables that they believed on the Messias that was to come after and begin his preaching Act. 19.4 Also no doubt they made professions of their self-denial
service committed to the meanest servants such a phrase in English I am not worthy to carry his Books after him Some take it as the custome of the Hebrews who going into some more holy place were wont to put off their Shoes Exod. 3.5 Josh 5.15 Put off thy Shoes for the place where thou standest is holy ground and those who were more rich or noble had some Body to carry their Shoes Other Evangelists have the Latchet of whose Shoes I am not worthy to unloose in which speech they allude unto the manner of their being shod In hot Countreys their Shoes had onely Soles below and tyed above and therefore they were to be loosed before they could be pulled off the Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And we when we come home or go to bed call to the meanest Boy to pull off our Shoes Hence Psalm 108.10 Over Edom will I cast out my Shoe that is I will imploy the Edomites in the basest service as to take away my Shoes when they are put off John hereby acknowledges Christ to be his Lord and himself his meanest Servant He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Some think John Baptist hath respect to that Acts 2.1 visible pouring out of the Spirit in the shape of fiery Tongues at Pentecost though this be a truth as appears Acts 1.5 John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence Yet may we understand it of the power of the Spirit or of inward Baptism whereby the Spirit in the Hearts of Believers burns up their Lusts not onely enlightening of them but inlivening and kindling in them holy affections As the Spirit is called Water from the purging away of our filth Titus 3.5 so is it called Fire because by a spirit of burning he burns up our dross Isai 4.4 The Lord shall purge away the Bloud of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of burning In a word Gospel Preachers may baptize you with Water but the Spirit renews us inwardly by the Spirit Now that the Ethiopians baptize with Fire they add to the Institutions of Christ and to the Scriptures which shadows out unto us and presents to our memories the benefit of the Spirit by variety of expressions The Abissines brand the baptized persons with Fire Beza in loc This practice gave occasion to some bolder Library keepers in some Copies to blot out the word Fire The Spirit is well resembled by Fire because it hath the properties of Fire as to purge to drive away darkness to shine to kindle to snatch upwards to strengthen Ephes 3.16 to change into it self 2 Cor. 3.18 Believers are by the Spirit changed into the same glorious image Mark 1.8 It 's said he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost Fire is left out here for explanation sake it is added by the Figure Hendiadys The sum is Christ alone bestows whatsoever outward Baptism figures or signifies Now Fire in this place seems to be opposed to Water I baptize you with Water saith John Christ baptizes with Fire to signifie unto us that some fiery and spiritual power towards our purging and cleansing is represented to us by the Water of Baptism Besides this purging Fire bestowed on the Elect is opposed to that everlasting burning Fire which in the former Verse is threatned to fruitless Trees V. 12. Whose Fan is in his hand and he will thorowly purge his Floor and gather his Wheat into the Garner but will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire John had set forth the power of Christ about Baptism now to awaken his Hearers the more some of whom were in a deep sleep he extends it further to the last Judgment which he shews by similitude of an Husbandman who when the Harvest is come gathers the Corn with the Chaff into the Floor and by and by thresheth it and separates the Chaff from the Wheat Whose Fan is in his â—aâ—d That is the Preaching of the Gospel before the Lâ—rd â—owse us up thereby we are as it were folded up in an heap of confusion untill which come the whole World is like a great heap of Chaff Or rather by Fan understand his judging power He will thorowly purge his Floor That is his Church gathering out of the Field of the World his Corn he brings it into his Bâ—rn as the Husbandman doth and when by an outward Call in the Ministry of the Word he hath brought them in because there are and will be many Hypocrites in his Churches hence he will thorowly purge his Floor as the Husbandman doth of the Chaff that is of wicked men who are compared to Chaff Psalm 1.4 Job 21.19 But this will be at the Day of Judgment which should be as a comfort to Saints and terrour to awaken carnal men so that the Floor signifies not the Place but the Corn upon it by a Metonymie Wheat into the Garner That is Saints into Heaven where the Sheep are at the Judges right hand from thence they go to Heaven Matth. 25. ult When the Fan hath once severed them that is his power and wisdom whereby he is able to sever Sheep and Goats whereby he is able to judg persons for every thing done in the Bâ—dy whether thoughts words or deeds This Fan is said to be in his hand it shews the â—ear approach of the Judgment James 5.9 The Judg slandeth before the Door For if thâ—â—e were some hundreds of years to the last Judgment yet compared with Eternity they are as nothing Burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire Not that it cannot be quenched but that it doth not quench in burning wicked men it never turns their Bodies to Ashes Neither is this impossible for the Sun it self which many suppose to be Fire is always burning and never quenched we reade of the Bush burning and not consumed Exod. 3. This Fire is still kindled by the breath of the Lord Exod. 30.33 This is five times together mentioned Mark 9.43 44 45 46 47 48. that we might the more fear it So that we see the wofull condition of the Chaff they are not onely severed from the Wheat but after the manner of the Nation of Palestine they are burnt in the Fire V. 13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him We have here in this second part of the Chapter the Baptism of Christ set down wherein we have 1 The end of Christ's coming from Galilee to Jordan which was to be baptized of John 2 We have John's Prohibition of him together with his Reasons I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me 3 Christ's Answer to John shewing why he would be baptized which was for the fulfilling of all Righteousness v. 15. 4 Christ's Reception of Baptism amplified 1 From the Adjunct He ascended out of the Water being baptized being then thirty years old Luke 3.23 2 From the signs that
will have it done saith Christ Suffer it to be so now so that in opposition to Johns arguments Christ brings two reasons 1 I am not yet declared to be the Christ by the descent of the spirit of God upon me and by the opening of the Heavens and by a voice from Heaven but come unto thee as a private man and therefore thou oughtest not to refuse me though I am greater then thee and therefore suffer it to be so now 2 For thus it becometh us to fulfil all Righteousness this is the second reason The meaning is 1 I am not baptized for that cause that others are for to signifie forgiveness of sin for I have no sin but to sanctifie Baptism that it may be a mean or an instrument of the application of the righteousness of Faith So Luther 2 Though I be greater then thee It 's the Fathers will I should receive baptism from thee and consecrate it in my body that they that are baptized into me may acknowledg me to be one of their brethren 3 This word righteousness must not be taken strictly but broadly not onely to signifie what belongs to the law but for whatsoever hath respect either to equity or honesty The Law of Moses had set down nothing of this Baptism and the Heavenly command John had received belonged onely to Repenting sinners yet Christ being a pattern of perfect innocency the sign Baptism was not in vain in him which signified a purpose of innocency neither could it be shewn more effectually how great an honour was due to the Rites appointed by God than if Christ should by his Example commend the use of them to us Again Christ by this Ceremony was as it were imbodied with us and to confirm to Believers that are baptized as they ought that they shall have the Heaven open unto them and the Spirit coming upon them 4 Christ understands not a justice of equality and of the Law but of equity and of his calling Therefore Christ answers to the Argument of the Baptist by a Distinction which was this The more unworthy ought to be baptized of the more worthy Christ answers Yea unless the righteousness of calling require the contrary that the more unworthy be called to baptize the more worthy but thou art called to baptize me for I am not here now as a Lord but as the Servant of the Lord to be entered into the Church of the New Testament and to my duty therefore I will do what belongs to me and do thou what belongs to thee and so both of us will fulfill the righteousness of our respective calling I taking up Baptism and thou dispensing of it thou baptizing me with the Baptism of Water I baptizing thee with the Baptism of my Bloud 5 It is a point of Righteousness that Masters and Teachers should practise that they commend to others that by their own Example they may teach others Acts 1.1 Jesus began first to do and then to teach 6 By Righteousness he means whatsoever the Father hath commanded whatsoever is just holy and acceptable to God Then he suffered him We have here John's modesty that denying his own opinion he obeys Christ and receives him to Baptism It behoves our Reasons to fall down when stronger Reasons are brought and not to defend them because they were ours Though John thought it absurd and uncomely yet when he heard the Righteousness of both their Callings were fulfill'd thereby he gives way So did Peter John 13.8 that would not let Christ wash his Feet till Christ told him If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me then Peter suffered Christ to wash his Feet so John here it 's like kept Christ by his hands from entering into Jordan not out of stubborness but out of misguided reverence now Christ bidding John to suffer it to be so now and giving him Reasons thereupon he suffered him V. 16. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the Water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him We have here Christ his receiving of Baptism set down 1 From the Adjunct when he was baptized he went up straightway out of the Water Because he was let go without the confession of sins when others were not as some think but rather because all made their profession before they came in and so straightway went out therefore little can be gathered from hence save that when he came out of the Water he went to Prayer to teach us to partake of Batism and the Supper with reverence Luke 3. Now for Christ's Baptism it was a burying of the whole Body in Water for it was with his Members thus Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.4 Heb. 10.22 He is not said to go out but to ascend because the Earth or Land is higher than the Water And lo the Heavens were opened We have the signs accompanying Christ his Baptism and confirming the same viz. the Heavens opening The Heavens were opened to him not that the Heavens were opened upon all the Earth but that part of Heaven where Christ prayed on the Bank of Jordan or upon the rest as John and other baptized persons but upon him The manner of the Heavens opening Mark sets down by cleaving the Heavens were cloven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rend and cleave as he that cleaves Wood. This opening of the Heaven was a testimony of this heavenly Teacher and of his Doctrine that both he and his Doctrine were from Heaven which by the Dispensation thereof opens the Gate of Heaven to Believers Doubtless there was glorious Light that by the Beams thereof shone upon Christ like that which shone upon Paul going to Damascus Acts 9. By this Mystery the Lord signified that Baptism was now consecrated in the Body of Christ to be a sign of heavenly grace It 's very like that all the heavenly Orbs were open that men might have lookt into the Empyraean Heaven or the Heaven of the Blessed which also fell out when Stephen was stoned who saw the Heavens open and the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.55 56. Out of this 〈◊〉 of the Heaven came down the holy Spirit in the bodily shape of a Dove and sensibly let down it self till it abode on Christ And the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him We have here the second sign confirming the calling of Christ and installing him in his Office visibly This was for the fulfilling of the Prophesie Isai 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me Not as if Christ were without the Spirit before but now it was made visibly manifest to others Like a Dove Quest Whether was it a real Dove or onely a similitude Answ It was a bodily shape like a Dove Luke 3.22 It 's like it was not a true Dove but onely the form of a Dove formed by the Angel and
the Spirit into the Wilderness So that in the same day he was baptized he began his Fast of forty days He was led of the Spirit 2 His Tentation is set down from the efficient Cause v. 12. the Spirit He was led of the Spirit or driven or cast out by the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Mark or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 led away or snatched away These phrases set down the violent impulsion and force of the Spirit in his heart as appears Luke 4.1 Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness It was not then Satan that led him but the Spirit of God Whether carried through the air as Elias 2 Kings 2.16 and Ezekiel cap. 3.12 and Philip when he was taken from the Eunuch or whether he went on his feet I leave it in the midst but from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sursum and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duco I incline to think he was carried up into the air 3 Whither he was led viz. Into the Wilderness It 's like the great Wilderness where he was with the wilde Beasts yet are not any persons to live in Wildernesses now for Penance for though every action of Christ be for our instruction yet is it not for our imitation What popish Eremite is so carried as Christ was Christ went into the Wilderness to testifie his divine glory in abstinence not onely from flesh but from all manner of meat which hath no place in Eremites he went to be tempted of the Devil and therefore chose the fittest place even a solitary Wilderness We pray that we may not be led into Tentation If there were any such end of an Eremitical or Wilderness Life as Penance yet were it meet to be profest rather among men than beasts that they who have beheld our Fall may behold our Repentance And if the Warrant of a Wilderness Life be fetcht from the Example of Christ it must of necessity be shut up in the space of forty days and forty nights after the end of which forty days Temptation he lived the rest of his life in the society of men To be tempted of the Devil This was the end Christ was led into the Wilderness Christ was thus tempted first that he might be fitted for his Ministry by Tentations for knowledg of Tentations is one great requisite to make an able Teacher 2 To shew with what Weapons a Christian ought to oppose the Temptations of the Devil 3 That he might be succouring and helpfull to us in our Tentations Heb. 2.17 For that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted 4 To shew that Christ is stronger than Satan in time of Tentation 1 John 4.4 Christians overcome because greater is he that is in them than he that is in the World 5 That we may come unto him with boldness and confidence seeing he was in all the principal points of Tentations tempted as well as we Heb. 4.15 16. He was in all points tempted like unto us let us come therefore unto him with boldness 6 Satan tempted Christ that in overcoming Christ he might hinder the Work of our Redemption by drawing him to sin for the high Priest that was to redeem us was to be holy and harmless and undefiled Heb. 7.26 7 That by his combating with Satan he might obtain victory to us John 14. ult 8 To let young Converts see that after Baptism that is the profession of a sincere and holy life Temptations hang over such 9 To let us see that bare Tentations are not sins unless we give our consent to them Satans Temptations to evil are our crosses and Satan's sins provided we groan under them and oppose them In holy men God works a distaste of Satans Temptations yet may a Saint have as horrid thoughts cast into his heart as the Devil can invent who is indeed the great temptation-master 10 That we by Christ his Example may learn to fight it out with Satan and not to give way like valiant Souldiers that stand and maintain their ground against their Adversary Ephes 6.11 Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil Learn we from this seeing Christ was led or driven of the Spirit to his Tentation that we do not rashly cast our selves into Tentations because we know not what weakness we may shew therein V. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterwards an hungred When he had fasted forty days Christ his temptation is amplified from the concomitants that accompanied his temptation which was prayer and fasting Because fasting kindles prayer therefore he used fasting as Moses and Elias had communion with the Lord miraculously Exod. 24.18 forty days and forty nights 1 King 19.8 so had Jesus Christ From hence Papists stablish Lent They say Christ his example is a command for us but by this reason all the miracles of Christ should be instead of a command but who can imitate Christ in miracles Moses at the receiving of the Law and Eliah at the restoring of it and Christ the restorer of the new Law fasted forty days apiece but what is this to us The example of Moses and Elias gave no warrant to the Jews to imitate that fast no more doth Christs fast give warrant to us to imitate that 2 There is great difference between Christ his fasts and Papists for Christ fasted but once they yearly Christ abstained from all meat and drink they onely from flesh and that which comes of it Christ abstained from food without need or appetite to it they hunger when they fast Besides in their fasts the Shambles are onely chang'd into Fishmarkets or into Grocers and Comfit-makers shops which are more pampering to the flesh Luke saith that in those forty days Christ did eat nothing Luke 4.2 but they eat every day Now for the fast of Christ it was supernatural For to fast above seven days is death for though sick persons in whom there is abundance of slimy phlegm and their natural heat is weak may live above seven days without meat for they are nourished of the moisture of the body and phlegm which the little heat in their body doth slowly eat up Yet man naturally cannot live without meat seven days because for want of nourishment the natural heat dies As the fire of a Lamp is put out for want of oyl the body also being dried becomes unfit that the soul should inform it besides the bowels as Hippocrates observes wanting chylous moisture growes together and then the man dies For Christ his divine power did keep his body strong without hunger and did likewise suspend the action of natural heat and other contrary qualities weakning one another and in the mean time afforded strength and animal spirits to the head and brain which were necessary to the
words in what thing every Kingdom excelled Others think the Devil flew with Christ through all the Kingdoms of the World and in a little time shewed them to him But the Text saith The Devil took him into an high Mountain and shewed them to him Some think the Devil by an imaginary Vision presented all the Kingdoms of the World But this Tentation was outward not inward Therefore I lean to the first that the Devil from that high Mountain shewed Christ onely the coast and situation of all the quarters and Kingdoms of the World saying this is Europe this is Africk this Asia this England this France Spain c. And because he shewed him the glory of them it 's like the Devil like a Painter represented unto Christ all the glorious things that were in every Kingdom by thickening of the air wherein the Devil made certain Images of things which were no less apparent to Christ than Colours in the Rain-bowe to us for neither were the eys nor imagination of Christ deluded 3 Satan shewed the Kingoms of the World by way of proportion shewing the wealth pomp and glory of some one Kingdom that was nigh that high Mountain For the Kingdoms of the World have onely a greater quantity of that which may be seen in one Kingdom We may by the way observe the order of the Tentations The first Tentation was of Distrust from which Satan being driven away by the Promise the Devil sets upon Christ by a second which was If thou ascribe so much to the Promise then cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge over thee His third Tentation was taken out of Psalm 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession which though it were the speech of the Father to Christ yet so much Satan gathered that all the Nations of the World belonged to Christ The Devil therefore shews them to him as if he should say to Christ That way thou goest in humbling thy self thou shalt never subject the Kingdoms of the World to thy self for thou seest they are possest of them that are my Servants therefore if thou wilt worship me thou mayst become Lord and Heir of all these Kingdoms more easily speedily and surely than if thou trustest to that voice that sounded unto thee from Heaven V. 9. And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Here is the Devils proffer to Christ All these things will I give thee The condition If thou wilt fall down worship me All these things will I give thee In this Proffer see the Devils Lyes 1 He challenges that to be his which belongs to Christ for he is Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 All power is given unto him in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28.19 2 That he had power to give the Kingdoms of the World to whom he will as Luke sets it down Whereas this onely is Gods property Dan. 4.25 for though Satan be called the Prince of the World John 12.31.14.30 and the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 yet this is meant onely of the World of the Wicked in whom he reigns Ephes 2.2 Not that he is Proprietary of any Kingdom of the World Quest But how durst Satan to have the impudence to speak thus to Christ Answ Because he had seen Christ again and again to forbear to do any Miracle though sollicited thereto therefore Satan began more certainly to think he was not the Son of God 2 Because he feigned himself to be the Son of God and to be God in that he says The Kingdoms of the World were delivered to him and that he gives them to whomsoever he will Luke 4.6 3 He was blinded with the ambition of God-head even from the first and therefore he desires so to be worshipped 4 He hereby thought to try whether Christ were the Son of God for it 's like he reasoned thus If this Christ be the Son of God he will be angry at me for taking his Dignity from him and counterfeiting my self to be Gods Son wherefore being angry he will reply whence is this arrogance of thine how dares thou thus blasphemously speak thou proud and lying spirit I am the Son of God thou art Satan it 's thy duty to worship me how dares thou then require me to worship thee If thou wilt fall down and worship me Here is the condition None get any thing of the Devil at a cheap rate For falling down in worship it was the manner of the Eastern People not onely to their Kings but to their God yea it was the manner of the Jews so to worship God Psalm 95.6 Dan. 3.7 Ezra 9.5 Nathan speaking to David about Adonisah's reigning he fell on his face to the ground 1 Kings 1.23 That outward sign of Reverence was not proper to divine worship when it was used out of divine worship We may know when it is done â—ightly or otherwise by the meaning of him that gives it and of him that requires it therefore Grotius out of Sozomen praises a certain Christian who having worshipped the King of Persia in a civil way being after sollicited to fall off from Christ in the same manner to worship the King again he refused Now there being no manner of Worship neither civil nor divine due to Satan Christ abhorred so much as to give him civil Worship Now for the Tentations wherein he tempted Christ they were 1 To Covetousness for the Devil knows how unsatiable the heart of man is after earthly things and to many the Devil need not proffer so largely neither a house-full of Gold as Balaam nor all the Kingdoms of the World for a handfull of Gold nay a far less matter will serve the turn Also the Devil tempts Christ to a false faith thâ—â—â—e may believe him to be the Son of God also to Idolatry that he might worship him as God also to Pride If thou wilt worship me I le make thee the greatest King in the World Now whereas most men among us would spit in their faces that should say they worship the Devil know that when thou art overcome of Covetousness and Pride in the reign thereof thou worships the Devil and on this condition Satan helps many men to glory and riches From Christ his Repulse of Satan learn we to drive him back drive back his Temptations of Unbelief by faith in God and in his providence his Temptation to Presumption by keeping our selves in the fear of God and the duties of our callings his Temptations of Covetousness and Ambition by a weaned affection to the world Not to love the World or the things thereof 1 Joh. 2.16 His Temptation to Idolatry by giving God both inward and outward worship V. 10 Then Jesus said unto him Get thee behinde me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt
shoes Matth. 3.14 Luke 3.22 4 Spiritual conviction that the spirit let us see our worthlesseness Rev. 3.17 q.d. thou art but thou knowest it not that thou art poor and blinde and naked Joh. 16.10 he shall convince of sin so that as the sun gives a light whereby we behold as the gloriousnes of the sun so the loathsomness of the dunghil so the spirit convinces of our own vileness and his own fulness 5 Present to your selves abasing considerations as What was I before I had mercy how unprofitably spent I my time what will these glorious things of the world be in time to come wherein we are apt to be conceited when heaven and earth shall be on fire since we were called how have we discredited our profession how barren and watchless are we how short are we of that we might have been 6 Believe the promises made to souls poor in spirit I will look to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit Esa 66.2 Yea dwell with him and revive him Esa 57.15 yea Christ came to preach glad tidings of the gospel to such Luk. 4.18 Matth. 11.3 Rev. 2.9 I know thy poverty but thou art rich God will feed such souls with grace and comfort Zach. 11.7 Luke 1.53 yea God will be a strength to such in their distress Esa 25.4 Psal 69.33 7 Look upon thy own wants and weakness the more thou seest them the more wilt thou trust in God Zeph. 3.12 From heaven did the Lord behold the earth to hear the groaning of the prisoner Psalm 102.19 20. I am poor and sorrowfull let thy salvation set me up on high Psalm 69.29 For theirs is the Kingdome of heaven That is both kingdome of grace Esai 61.1 For the poor have the Gospel preached to them Mat. 11.3 but especially the kingdome of glory is meant Luke 12.32 Matth. 25.34 though such persons are beggarly in their own feeling being sensible of their lack of faith love joy hope yet have they an interest in the riches of grace and glory We may apply this to comfort the poor in spirit who are full of miseries inward and outward The worlds proverb is Blessed are the rich because theirs is the kingdome of the earth but Christ pronounceth Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heaven V. 4. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted By mourning Christ means such mourning as is for offending God whether it be by sighs groans or an inward grief of heart such persons though they may seem miserable in the eys of the world yet are they blessed 1 God is wont to make comforts to abound according to their sorrows 2 Cor. 7.6 God comforts them that are cast down and this proportionable to our sorrows 2 Cor. 1.5 7. 2 God is wont to bottle all their tears and sorrows Psa 56.8 Psalm 55. Consider how I mourn in my complaint 3 There 's a time coming when God will turn the mourning of Saints into dancing and their sackcloth into gladness Psalm 30.11 John 16 20. Ye shall weep and lament but your sorrow shall be turned into joy There is not onely a fountain of justification set open for such mourners now but a state of glorification hereafter Zach. 12.10 11 12 13 compared with Chapter 13.1 Hence see 1 The mistake of the world who think happiness to be placed in delights and pleasures and shun those things which may procure any sorrow or cross as confession of persecuted truths against this Christ saith Mourners shall be comforted 2 It 's consolation for distressed consciences If thou canst truly mourn for thy transgressions thou shalt be comforted Let what ever distress come upon an afflicted heart yet if thou canst mourn for offending God thou shalt be comforted 3. It 's consolation to persons who have afflicted estates in this world there 's a day coming when comfort shall come provided that with mourning for thy miseries thou specially mourns for thy sin Luke 16.25 Now he is comforted and thou art tormented Though thy comfort come not yet yet in Gods time it shall come They are not blessed who mourn for the loss of their wealth or death of their friends but they who mourn for offending God 4 In all our confessions and professed humiliations see that you do not declare them onely historically but mourn for them Psalm 38.17 I will declare mine iniquities and will be sory for my sin When thou prayes let thy heart mourn in prayer Psalm 55.2 When thou speaks of sin speak mournfully of it Now to move us hereto consider 1 God hath the joy of the Holy Ghost in store for mourners Esa 61.1 2 3. The spirit of the Lord is upon me to give the oyl of joy for the spirit of mourning and heaviness Saints seldome finde such comfortable revivings as when they are most mournful 2 This mourning is more comfortable then the lowd laughters of the world Properties of Mourning 1 Let it be continued that length of time may not wear it out length of time eats out worldly griefs 2 Universal That King that was sory for his consent to Daniels death Dan. 6.14 was not sory for his denial of the truth in refusing to venture all in a good cause Herod was sory for Johns death but could rejoyce in Herodias 3 After conversion as well as before It 's a vain opinion to think we need not sorrow after conversion and that a Christians state is altogether a state of joy Joy and sorrow may stand together in the soul but not about one and the same object joy in God and sorrow for sin 4 Let thy mourning be not onely in regard of the damning power of sin but principally in regard of the contrariety thereof to the nature of God and to the nature of him that loves thee Luke 7.38 compared with v. 48. Mary having a sense of Gods love weeps bitterly and washes Christs feet with her tears 5 Let it be joyned with faith First Christ looks upon the soul and gives some testimony of his love to it and then the soul looks on Christ with a sad heart Matth. 26.75 Christ first lookt on Peter then he went out and wept bitterly It s the nature of faith to apply the wounds and sorrows of Christ unto it self Esa 53.5 thence follows mourning Zach. 12.10 6 This mourning for sin is the greatest hence resembled to the mourning for an onely son when dead Zach. 12.11 to the drawing of water 1 Sam. 7.6 as if it had been in buckets The ground whereof is because they apprehend sin as the greatest of evils 1 Because it is the cause of all evils Deut. 28. 2 It keeps off the greatest good 3 It cannot be purged away but with the greatest price even Christs bloud 4 There 's more evil in sin then in any thing hence followes 1 A resolution not to meddle with sin as Jehoshaphat when he had smarted by joyning with Ahab in sending out a
but a gladding of the beholders not the havers What is within government fears of insurrections and a servile courting of all sorts of men these are like pictures that seem goodly stuffe farre off but near at hand they are base and course 2 Exhortation to raise up your hunger and thirst after righteousness Psal 119.80 Mine eyes fail with looking but Lord when wilt thou comfort me Davids soul panted for God as the hart for the rivers of water Psal 42.1 2. yea his heart and flesh cryed out for the living God Psal 84.1 2. Psal 27.4 there was one thing his soul lookt after Multa novit vulpes verum Echinus unum magnum as the proverb The Fox knows many things the Hedge-hogge knows one great thing Holy persons long to know their duty as every man desires to know what belongs to the office he is imployed in Psal 119.33 34. so do they thirst for a conformity to it Psal 19.10 More to be desired are they then gold yea then fine gold sweeter also then hony and the hony comb Psal 119.130 I opened my mouth and panted for I longed for thy commandements He uses a Metaphor from hungry or thirsty persons look as when they are hungry or thirsty they greedily open their mouth to take in meat and drink to quench the thirst so when my soul considers the sence of Gods anger against sin or my own filth I flie to thy word to quench my thirst by thy promises and to get direction by thy commandements Motives to hunger and thirst after righteousness 1 The most abundant fulness of outward things avails nothing without this Luke 12.19 He had abundance of earthly things but the devils fetch'd away his soul when his barns would not hold his corn As Samuel bad Saul not to set his mind upon asses when he had a kingdom befallen him 1 Sam. 9.10 So say I why should thy appetite go after earthly things when thou hast such an object as holiness 2 The Lord is wont to fill every hungring soul with spiritual good things Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth wide i. e. thy desires and affections and I will fill it Luke 1.53 He hath filled the hungry with good things Psal 145.19 He will fulfill the desires of them that fear him 3 Christ invites every hungring and thirsting soul to come unto him Isai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters as if a Physician should make a proclamation to all sick Patients to come unto him and he would heal them q d you have thirsted after vain knowledg honours wealth now here are spiritual dainties the Doctrine of Remission Pardon Peace thirst ye after these come ye to the Waters To the Water of Justification Rev 1.5 To the Water of Sanctification and Baptism Titus 3.5 here 's Wine and Milk that is all manner of Delicates Matth 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary of your corruptions and heavy laden under them that is that hunger after righteousness and I will give you rest John 7 37 38 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink on the last day of the Feast Christ utters this speech he takes occasion from their drinking the Waters of Siloah which that day they were wont to draw out using that speech of Esay Ye shall draw Waters with Joy out of the Wells of Salvation Esay 12.3 Christ seeing this shews them who is the true Fountain of Salvation Zach 13.1 and takes his words from Esay 55.1 that is whosoever hath a desire after holiness and happiness let him come to me and I will quench his thirst He that believes on me out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water Among the Hebrews there were certain Cisterns of stone to receive them and in the midst of them certain Pipes or Cocks out of which Water flowed Prov 5.15 Drink Waters out of thine own Cistern and running Waters out of thine own Well let thy Fountain be be dispersed abroad now every medium or concavity is called by the Greeks a Belly Mat 12.40 therefore Christ signifies that they who believe on him should be so filled with Water that it could not be contained within them but should flow out on every side with great streams now by Water he means the Spirit and by Living Water he means Spring-water or Water continually flowing all plenty of Water are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Rivers Matth 7.25 27 That from such a soul there should be plenty of the graces and comforts of the Spirit not onely for himself but for the benefit and comfort of others Revel 21.6 I will give unto him that is athirst of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely Now what is the Fountain of the Water of Life but onely the Bloud of Christ and the Fountain of his Graces Zach 13.1 compared with Rev 1.5 7 14. Rev 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say Come and whosoever is athirst let him come and take of the water of life freely The Spirit invites all thirsting souls to come to Christ for as the Waters of a Spring can rise no higher than the Spring from whence they come no more can any holy desires further than the Spirit works them in us 4 The greatest part of our grace lies in desires Psalm 119.5 Psalm 38.14 Means to hunger and thirst after Righteousness 1 Feel thine own wants There needs not much Invitation to an hungry man to eat or a thirsty man to drink Revel 3.17 18 John 4.15 Sir give me this Water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw What drives a man to the Physician but the sight of his Diseases 2 See there is fulness for every want Art thou hungry he hath Bread John 6.51 The Bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the life of the World Art thou thirsty he hath Water of Life Art thou a Babe Here is Milk to feed on Art thou sad Here is Wine to glad thy heart 3 Consider such as hunger and thirst shall be filled partly in this life by receiving the testimony of the Spirit witnessing with their spirits Rom 8.16 touching the reconciliation with God in Christ and some fruits of sanctification whereby the old man is crucified and the new man renewed in them but principally in the state of glory when they shall have perfect holiness and happiness 4 Sharp Sawces procure a stomach Let the bitterness of sin and afflictions procure a hunger and thirst after righteousness Jer 2.19 the Paschal Lamb was eaten with sowre Herbs to shew that Christ is sweet to them that feel the bitterness of sin 5 Purge your stomachs Naturally we feed on pleasures profits and carnal contents and we are apt to surfet on them Consider we the vanity of them Matth 6.20 Prov 23.5 1 John 2 16 17 1 Peter 2.1 2 q d So long as you delight in sin you will have no stomach to holiness Sin works on our soul as ill
sinn'd he should dye 2 Renewed whereby we are angry at our own or other mens sins so Moses Exod. 32.32 he was so angry that he slew three thousand who were actors in the golden Calf Phineas slew Zimri and Cosbi Numb 25.7 8. so we may have a just anger when our own name or state or wife or life is violated 2 There is an unjust anger which is when we have a desire of revenge stirr'd up in us upon unjust causes Jon. 3. Now that thy anger may be just and not sinful consider 1 The properties of holy anger 2 The remedies against sinful anger 1 The properties of holy anger as 1 It must have a just cause Exo. 11.8 Moses went from Pharaoh in a great anger Lot was angry with the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 2 It must be proportioned to the fault We must not bring a club to kill a flye nor set an house on fire to rost an egg Here Jonah fail'd who was so angry for a gourd and the Disciples who for a contempt would have had fire come down from heaven Luk. 9.53 3 With love of those with whom we are angry so Moses pray'd for Israel when he was so angry at their golden Calf Exod. 32.11 4 In matters of importance not for trifles There 's more justice then love in such a carriage 1 Cor. 13.5 6. 5 It must be short the Sun must not go down upon it lest it boyl up into malice Eph. 4.26 and so much the shorter as we see signes of repentance in the person offending Absaloms long retained anger turn'd into malice and in fine to murther 6 It must be moderate Not as Simoon and Levi who slew innocent as well as guilty Gen. 34.25 Some are like cruel hangmen who having a just cause to execute the office to wit the Judges command do in the execution thereof use all cruelty So persons being commanded to be angry with the sins of their brethren seem glad they have got such an occasion to show their fury though too many can swallow the same evil in a friend Remedies against unjust anger 1 Take heed we be not abused by false imaginations as to be angry for a man 's not saluting us when perhaps he never saw us or to think a man bears us no good will when he discovers no ill will against us To think a man loves us not because he comes not so oft to our house when perhaps his business will not permit or because we see a man laugh to think he laughs at us 2 Consider thy own vileness Carry meekly to others for thou wast as bad as they Tit. 3.3 Jam. 3.2 3 Consider Gods patience how many imperfections he patiently bears in us 10000 talents let us bear with pence Matth. 18. ult He is over thee as thou art over others 4 Avoid occasions of anger as contentious companions Prov. 22.24 drunken company Prov. 23.29 too much affecting any thing for when we lose it it will cause much anger As we keep gunpowder and tow far from fire let us avoid occasions of anger 5 Consider nothing befals thee but by the providence of God This kept David from anger when Shimei curst 2 Sam. 16. and Job c. 1.22 he raged not against the devil nor the Sabeans but lookt at God and quieted his heart and though you have not deserved it at their hands yet have you deserved much more at Gods hand Gen. 50.20 21. it was not ye but God sent me hither 6 Behold anger in another how odious it is Should a man see himself in a looking-glass when he is in a Bedlam fit how ugly would he look to himself 7 It makes us unfit to duties as to prayer 1 Tim. 2.8 Lift up holy hands without wrath to hearing receive with meekness the ingrafted word Jam. 1.21 to receiving 1 Cor. 11.17 18. to Church-communion 1 Cor. 1.10 to mutual edifying hence Paul and Barnabas parted companies Acts 15. 8 Angry men take that which is proper to God which is vengeance Rom. 12.19 Vengeance is mine and not thine An angry man makes himself to be Judge and would have God to be his Executioner 9 Interpose reason and deliberation without this the soul is like a ship without Compass or Pilot let reason teach thee not to be hasty in thy answers Theodosius was taught by Ambrose to take thirty days respit before he punisht any offence because in that space his anger might be asswaged and his judgement rectified It 's as absurd for passions to lord over reason as for an intemperate scold to justle out a reverend Judge It 's not comely to be angry for it is a kinde of madness but if it shall seize upon us let us so use it that it be for the correction and amendment of our neighbour he that uses it besides reason hates himself and his neighbour by troubling himself and grieving his neighbour Justin ad Zen. Seren. p. 395. 10 Consider the loveliness of a meek spirit both with God and man 1 Pet. 3.4 it 's an ornament of great price It 's the sinews of all delightfull societie and drawes like a Loadstone the iron the spirits of men to it 11 The scandal Every blinde man can see the evil of a waspish cholerick spirit this made Jacob and his sons to stink Gen. 34. ult 12 Get out of the company of those who have offended us as Jonathan did 1 Sam. 20.34 besides thou shalt hereby cover thy sin which moves thy adversary to scorn and laughter and thy friends to sorrow and pity Also hereby shalt thou appease thy anger by removing the object Prov. 12.16 13 Suffer not anger to lodg with you We cannot sometimes keep it from entering but from lodging Eccles 7.9 anger rests what in a wise mans heart no in the besome of fools though we be sometimes touchy let us not be heavily disposed as Absalom 2 Sam. 13.23 Let anger be like a fire of thorns quickly extinct A spark or coal of fire if it light on us it will not hurt us if it be presently shook off but if it lye still it causeth burning so will our anger if we let it alone we give place to the devil who will boil it into malice by amplifying the indignity done to us and the unworthiness of the person Usually the devil chuses an angry passionate heart to act his designes as we see in Saul and Cain Anger is a young twig envy is a tree and a great beam Luth. 14 Look on the bad effects in nature it casts into a fever dries up radical moisture hastens consumptions It makes the minde drunk In passion reason that should govern us is like a key to a lock that is jumbled it makes men to be angry with the bruits as Balaam with his Ass Num. 24.10 to throw things out of their hand which after they are forced to take up 15 Suppress anger in thine heart though it do not boil out many are like rivers which are most
matters of no moment nor tumultuously and in haste nor when thou knows that which is sworn will not or cannot be performed as some judges were wont to swear Church-wardens in times past nor to make a person to accuse himself which is contrary to nature that a man should punish himself Oaths are good and profitable but they are to be used as medicines when there is necessity of them not else 3 Take heed of easiness in swearing yea and in calling God to witness ease brings custome and custome blasphemy 4 Rid thy heart of impatience and vain glory In an angry mans mouth oaths are very frequent and vain glorious men think it a bravery to swear prophane swearers would have other men think them so stout that they care neither for God nor man 5 Let it be with a due fear and reverence of the name of God and of his Majesty Eccles 9.2 Good men fear an oath that is they fear the glorious name of the Lord in their oath So Athanasius Serm. de passione et cruce domini purging himself to Constantius in this manner God is my witness and his Christ that I never made mention of thee for evil to thy brother Constans Augustus neither stirred up him against thee Pliny as Grotius saith mentions that the Christians were wont to bind themselves with an oath not for any wickedness but that they would not commit thefts robberies or adulteries that they would not deceive nor deny a thing committed to their trust when it was called for So David Psal 119.106 I have sworn to keep thy commandements But I say unto you Swear not at all That is not by any formes of oaths which are after mentioned as by heaven or earth to swear falsly is destructive to swear truly is dangerous not to swear is safe The scope of Christ is to discover the Pharisees jugglings who excused persons from perjury when they swore by heaven and earth though they broke their oaths yet they declared them innocent from perjury provided they swore not by the name of God 2 Christ speaks against all rash and common swearing whether by God or creatures Neither by heaven for it is the throne of God q. d. a perjury that is made by heaven redounds unto God for in the creatures the Creator is understood for they are created of God and all that they have they have it from God Vainly then do you Pharisees say If an oath be made by God it bindes but it bindes not if it be made by creatures He that swears by the creature either makes it God which is Idolatry or understands God in it So that Christ shows that all rash swearing and all irreverence and abuse of the name of God was forbid contrary to the scribes doctrine who taught the command was onely broken by perjury The scribes had another errour that he that swore by the temple and altar was not bound but he that swore by the gold of the temple or the gift of the altar was bound Mat. 23.16 because gold and the gift upon the altar tended to the priests gain The Jews were wont to swear by heaven the Pharisees made nothing of it hence Christ shows that he who swears by heaven and earth swears by God who hath heaven for his throne and earth for his foot-stool he alludes to Esai 66.1 Heaven is my throne and earth is my foot-stool Neither by Jerusalem because it is the city of the great King Alluding to Psal 48.2 where it is so called he that swears by Jerusalem swears by him that hath set his throne at Jerusalem as he that swears by the temple swears by him that dwelleth therein for whosoever swears intends to call the first and infallible truth for witness Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black As if he should say Think it not lawful to swear by thy head as diverse heathens and Jews did because it is not thine own but Gods and that which is Gods thou oughtest not to curse as thou doest if thou forswears thy self he that swears by his head swears by God the maker of it and he desires he may receive his life or soul for a pledge that if he forswear himself his life and soul may be forfeited Because he cannot make one hair white or black It 's a proverb for doing the smallest thing such as to adde a cubit to our stature If we cannot do the least thing as to colour one hair how can we do such a great thing as make a head that we should venture to swear by it as if it were our own making Quest Whether it be lawful to swear by creatures as by the starrs light bread drink c. Answ No 1. Because it is Idolatry Men hereby invest the creatures with Gods properties For men make those things their God whereby they swear and they hereby apply the religion of an oath to a creature which is onely due to God Polycarpus would rather be burnt then swear by Caesars fortune Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 15. Nor would the Christians swear by the Genius of their Prince Tert. Apol. 2 Oaths are onely to be by the name of God Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and swear by his name Deut. 10.20 He that sweareth on the earth shall swear by the God of truth Esa 65.16 After the emperours had given their names to Christ the oath given to souldiers as Vegetius mentions was by God and Christ and the holy Spirit and by the majesty of the Emperor which according to God is to be loved and embraced of mankind This was a corruption for we are to swear onely by God The Prophet Zeph. 1.5 reproves them who swore by the Lord and by Malchom 3 No creature whereby we swear can search our hearts no Saint nor Angel to know whether we swear true or false nor reward in case we swear truly nor take vengeance in case we swear falsly 4 We are to swear to none but him we are to serve and worship Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt serve the Lord thy God and swear by his name but God onely is to be worshipped and served Matth. 4.10 Him onely shalt thou serve therefore him onely shalt thou swear by Martyr saith in the councel of Carthage it was forbid that any man should swear by creatures and if a clergy man so swore he was to be excommunicate 5 Such a kind of swearing by creatures takes away the reverence of an oath and causes persons to use it rashly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whether may a Christian take an oath of him 〈…〉 will swear by Idols or creatures 〈…〉 swears by the God of Nahor when Nahor 〈…〉 Gen. 31 5◠Jacob he takes his oath and swears by the fear of his father Isaac And so Christians may take an Oath of a Mahumetan swearing by Mahumet because he to whom the Oath is sworn looks not at the Errour of the Oath but at
6.6 Psal 31.22 Jonah when in the whales belly Jon. 27. 3 The great refuge Saints have herein Manasses when in chains 2 Chron. 33.11 12. thus sought God Paul 2 Cor. 12.8 Esther and her maidens when the Jews were designed to destruction When a child of God is overtaken with some sin or in distress he would not for a world want this Peter Mar. 14.72 when Esau came against Jacob this was Jacobs refuge Gen. 32.9 4 Our own personal wants wherein perhaps not one in the church or family is in our case Onely in secret prayer take heed of hypocrisie that thy voice may not if possible be heard of others nor thy meltings and weepings perceived by others also of customariness come out of sense of thy wants else if thou keep thy hours thou wilt perform prayer either with listlesness or slightness Also take heed of profaneness to put off secret prayer till thou be moved by the Spirit by this delusion some have not prayed alone for some moneths It is a fit season to pray when the Spirit moves but not the onely season Father which is in secret Here 's the object of our Prayer viz. God as a Father Who is a Father 1 By creation hence called the Father of spirits Heb. 12.9 2 By Regeneration 1 Peter 1.3 Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope which also is called Adoption Gal. 4.6 hence 1 Call upon this Father One of the first things in nature is for a Childe to call Father so it should be the first thing in grace Matth. 7.9 2 Honour this Father Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour and live so that others may honour him Matth. 5.16 3 Imitate your Father as children do their father in love Ephes 5.1 2. In doing good to Enemies Matth 5.44 In holiness 1 Peter 1.14 4 Patiently bear his corrections Heb. 12.5 6 7 8. 5 Sort our selves with Gods children 2 Cor. 6.14 2 Comfort to Christians in sundry respects as 1 That God will bear a tender respect to us in all Troubles as a Father loves his childe as well when sick as well nay he is then more affectionately tender to him the father then sets the whole house a work for his recovery some going for Physicians others for Friends others tending of him so when souls are sick God sets Christians to pray for them Preachers to comfort them Yea suppose thou hast broken some resolutions and been overtaken yet what father would take the Forfeiture of a Bond of his son especially when he forfeits it against his will much less will God who is infinitely more a Father to his Children 2 In desertion A father solacing himself with a childe steps aside into a corner that the childe may dearlier prize the fathers presence so our heavenly Father by restraint of his influence in shining upon us inflames our love towards him 3 In respect of sustentation in trouble A father sets his childe upon its feet to try whether its able to stand alone but withall he holds his arms on both sides to hold it up if it incline either way so doth our heavenly Father 4 In respect of provision The childe takes not care what it shall eat or wear so should Saints cast all their care on their Father 1 Peter 5.7 Your heavenly Father knows ye have need of these things Matth. 6.32 5 Against total falling away A father will not cast off a fatherly affection to his son how hard it is for a father to cast off a rebellious son we see in David to Absalom 2 Sam. 10.5 Hosea 11.8 Luke 15.18 Much less will God cast off his children who desire to please him Mal. 3.17 I will spare him as a man spareth his own Son 6 In respect of our bold access If it be a privilege to come into a Princes presence-chamber what is it to come into the presence of God A childe comes boldly to his father though strangers and servants keep a distance Heb. 4.16 7 In respect of imperfections A father calls two of his children one of three years old the other of thirteen they both make all the haste they can and though the elder outgo the younger and comes first yet the younger comes wadling as fast as he can the father accepts of the endeavours of the younger as well as of the faster going of the elder so doth our heavenly Father 8. In case of disinheriting because we will not touch this or that unclean thing our parents casts us off well says God in this case I will be your Father and you shall be my sons and daughters 2 Cor. 6.17 3 Exhortation to perform reverence Mal. 1.6 and obedience Jer. 35.16 and confidence Thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly Christ stirs up the faith of his petitioners by a twofold Argument 1 From the omnipresence of God wheresoever we are even in the most secret closet God is there present hearing prayers 2 From the goodness and mercy of God who will not suffer such prayers to be in vain but will grant the things at present wanting and hereafter shall give a Reward openly Onely know it's a Reward of Grace not of Debt for what desert can a Beggar allege V. 7. But when ye pray use not vain Repetitions as the Heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking Christ comes to shew the third sin of the Pharisees which is vain Repetitions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not speak vain things as Montanus translates it or speak not much as Erasmus the word is derived of Battus a Poet who was an egregious Babler As the Heathens thought they should be heard for their much speaking so did these Pharisees As Rhetoricians by their flanting style think to move the Judg to acquit the guilty so did these Yet doth not Christ condemn a frequency and continuance in prayer but he shews the grace of God is not obtained by the vain flowing of many words but the sighs and groans of the heart are the arrows that pierce Heaven Quest Whether are all Repetitions in Prayer vain Answ No. Solomon often uses them 1 Kings 8.30 39 43. Hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place Nehemiah uses Repetitions Nehemiah 1.6 7. and so doth Daniel cap. 9.5 We have sinned we have committediniquity and done wickedly Repetitions are lawfull 1 When they come from pinching necessity so Christ cried My God my God and three times uttered the same words Matth. 26.39 42 44. 2 When they come from holy affections Psalm 72.19 Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen Repetitions in prayer are sometimes Ecchoes of strong cries of the Spirit Blessed be his holy Name for evermore Amen and Amen Psalm 89.50 51. So Abba Father Mark 14.36 1 Kings 18.39 The Lord he is God the Lord he is God 3 When they come from love as Holy holy holy Isai 6.3 Rev. 4.8 4 When used though the second time yet they
are accompanied with holy affections and renewed desires of the same thing formerly in the same prayer requested Psalm 80.3 Cause thy face to shine upon us and we shall be saved this saying is thrice mentioned as v. 3. v. 7. and v. 19. So Psalm 67.3 5. this saying is twice mentioned Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee 5 When used to stir up our dulness Psalm 107.8 15.21.31 Four times the Prophet saith O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and declare his wonderfull works to the children of men Psalm 47.6 Sing praises unto our God sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises There is twenty six times mention made of the Lords mercy enduring for ever Psalm 136.1 to the end 6 Sometimes the heart of a childe of God exceedingly runs upon some one desire and so he may vent it more than once in prayer without vain repetition So David Psalm 119. more than once Repetitions in prayer become sinfull 1 When affected as strains of eloquence and Rhetorick as he that cried Hyperbolical God thou that dwellest in the third Heaven of Hyperbolees 2 When empty frothy and impertinent wherein is no spiritual life or heat so those worshippers cryed from morning to noon O Baal hear us 1 Kin. 18.26 Not onely those that are directed to Idols but those directed to Saints as those in the Papacy Holy Paul pray for us holy Peter pray for us mentioning thirty or forty Saints in this manner yea even repetitions of this kind directed to God as in the common prayer book Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us so in the Letany Good Lord deliver us is eight times mentioned and one and twenty times there is mentioned We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. 3 When men from want of holy notions of the word in their hearts through which the Spirit would convey it self are forced to use the same repetitions these in some measure disparage the spirit of praier and had need be humbled for their seldom reading of the word and meditation thereof from whence comes this strangeness and forcedness of repetitions 4 When men have an itch to pray as long as others that because an other hath praid an hour perhaps from a true enlargment they will pray as large as he hence some persons use vain repetitions when the spirit ceases from assistance and indisposition prevails it s our wisdom and humility to give out For they think they shall be heard for their much speaking Christ sets forth a ground why the heathens used vain repetitions because they thought they should be heard for their much speaking by gentiles he means the heathen or nations whereas the jews were called by the name of people and so they are contradistinguished twice Act. 26.17 23. These prophane nations thought that because they wearied themselves with the irksomness of a long prayer that therefore God would hear them because they would say many things they must needs say what is already spoken but when in prayer there is nothing spoken but that which is needful such an one ought not to be accounted a much speaker Quest Whether or no are long prayers and much speaking unlawful Answ 1 Long prayer may be upon extraordinary cases Moses continued a whole day in prayer Ex. 17.11 12. and Christ a whole night Luk. 6.12 nor are carnal men fit judges in this case who snuff at any small time spent in Gods service Mal. 1 13. crying When will the Sabbath be gone Amos 8.5 nor is the unregenerate part of Godly men a fit judge but before I answer hereto I must premise some things 1 The heart is not easily or suddenly gotten upon the wing yet in that doth the life of prayer consist it is a lifting up of the heart Psal 25.1 Many weights of dulness hardness heartlesness strangeness unbelief from whence arises dumbness discouragement and listlesness are upon the heart which are not easily removed now motion is a cause of heat hence to bring the soul to sensibleness there may be the longer essaying 2 If prayer have its due growth in the several parts of it conâ—ession petition intercession and thanksgiving it cannot be very short 〈◊〉 Oâ— manifold wants to be supplied and benefits to be acknowledged import that our prayer usually cannot be very short But to answer 1 We are to abominate all long prayer which is performed for any carnal end or pretence whether to get an opinion to be men of parts or to seem religious and get applause or because others so pray The wicked scribes for pretence made long prayers Mat. 23.14 2 See that your length of prayer arise from a true enlargment of heart and from a gracious quickned frame which if it be your petitions will be free and not forced Powre out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord Lam. 2.19 that is thy petitions will come freely as water powred out thy lips will drop as the hony-comb which needs no squeezing Song 4.11 they will be also pat and seasonable according to occasion wherein the heart oft will be put into an holy melting frame After this manner Christ prayed Heb. 5.7 and such a frame of spirit is promised Zach. 12.10 these enlargements the people of God have more often in closet prayer then elsewhere because they can there more freely rip up their hearts and can most insist upon those petitions that will make the soul bleed and yern 3 In long prayers see that your hearts be able to hold out as well as your tongues Our worship must be with our spirit Joh. 4.23 Rom. 1.9 Paul served God with his spirit a short prayer made with servency and devotion prevails with God Jam. 5.16 more then long prayers which are but lip labour Esa 29.13 4 Gods people have upon extraordinary occasions usually used long prayer as Solomon at the consecration of the temple 1 King 8. so when under agonies and great troubles Psal 102.1 the overwhelmed soul powres out his complaint it comes like a flood so when the spirit comes to visit the soul with enlargement the soul in this case is wont to pray long and loth to let the Lord go Gen. 32.26 when we have the breathings of the spirit upon our hearts it s not our wisdom to give out Longa hora brevis mora Bern. God's long a coming and his tarryings are not long Shall we be watchful for winde and tyde and shall we not take the gales of the spirit moreover afflictions are wont to awake the soul hence the soul being awakened prayes with more earnestness and length Jacob when he feared death and destruction from Esau he cryed to God all night long Gen. 32. when the Church is in hazard of ruine also so Hester and the Church Act. 12.5 5 In long prayer we must have respect to them that joyn with us as to our selves when the mouth of
to this I say lay aside passion and then come 1 Tim. 2.8 Lift up holy hands without wrath pray for the party with whom lately thou hast been angry and that is a sign thou comes with a new disposition 8 Take heed of Satans temptations who will be ready to propose businesses then to hinder thee 2 Use furtherances for prayer as 1 when the spirit bespeaks prayer and puts the soul into a frame to long to be alone to vent it self to God when the wind and tide serves its good then to hoyse up sails Psal 27.8 Seek my face thy face will I seek 2 The second furtherance is when the soul is in tribulation Tribulation sets an edge on prayer hence Psal 50.15 we are bid to call on God in the time of trouble no better master to teach a man to pray next to the spirit then necessity In trouble the grace of prayer is much revived Esa 26.17 Lord in trouble they have visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them Look upon Passengers in a storm and arrived at the haven look upon persons in prison and at banquets compare persons on beds of sickness and the same persons in strength of health and abounding with outward comforts in the one estate they are full of contempt of God and security in the other prone to cry earnestly for mercy Hezekiah when Sennacherib came against him very much given to prayer when he was delivered from his enemy ready to be lifted up David in adversity gave himself to prayer Psal 109.4 in prosperity falls to number the people 3 A third furtherance is calmeness of spirit when the spirit is neither in a hurry of passion nor a hurry of business for unfinished business is apt to run in the mind and to disturb at that time the soul having so many bussings in its ear can neither hear it self speaking to God nor hear God speaking to the soul 4 In Gods approaching to our soul Lam. 3.57 Thou drewest near in the day that I cryed unto thee thou saidest fear not Esa 55.6 call upon him while he is near Noble Princes in their progress are wont to grant petitioners their sutes its wisdom then to petition the Lord when near to us Psal 145.18 one time or other God's near to every holy heart therefore then call on him Psal 34.18 Quicken us and we will call upon thy name Psa 80.18 5 When promises are near fulfilling Psa 102.13 Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come meaning of seventy years This is some good hope that Christs coming is near because the Saints are stirred up so generally to pray for it The reading of Jeremies prophecy Jer. 29.10 that God would visit his people after seventy years put Daniel upon praying for the accomplishment thereof Dan. 9.2 3 4. Object I would thus pray but I finde I am so straitened that I cannot pray Answ It is so with the best of Saints sometimes that their souls are bound up they are like poor Infants that feel pain but cannot tell where their pain lies hence Psal 51.15 Lord open thou my Lips By grieving the spirit we become straitened for when the spirit is withdrawn we are like Mills that want Winde or Water and cannot grinde In such times it is persons are backward to stir up their souls to take hold of God Isai 64.7 To help us against straitnings 1 Use holy motion Motion is the cause of heat motion brings a benummed member to feeling let us make essays even when deadness is upon us yea when most straitened a gracious heart is to stir up it self 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift of God which is in thee Exod. 35.21 They came every one whose heart stirred him up and every one whom his spirit made willing to bring the Lords offering 2 Complain of thy straitness say Lord I am in Prison and cannot come forth I would willingly display all my wants to thee but cannot weep over my unbelief but am not able Why withdrawest thou thy self Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Psal 22.1 2 Isai 63 17. 3 Beg enlargement of God Psalm 119.32 I will run in the way of this Commandment as well as other but when when thou shalt enlarge mine heart Isai 35.6 The tongue of the dumb shall sing when waters break forth in the wilderness 4 Take heed thou straiten not thy self neither for time nor place For time persons often causlesly put themselves into the compass of so little time that they cannot enlarge persons frequently inuring themselves to straitning in the end begin to like it well enough So for straitness of place they do not use their voices because they cannot use them without being heard of others let it be your wisdom to chuse such a place wherein you may not be straitned as to your voice or otherwise 5 Consider what a dangerous thing it is to 〈◊〉 taken with a Palsey in the tongue that a man cannot tell where his pain lies All Imprisonment is comfortless but this the worst in other Imprisonment we may perhaps have much access to God but not in this many men have enlargements of all sorts of blessings upon them as Liberty Estate c. onely as it was said of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.12 They are straitened in their own bowels for Prayer and Praise and yet little lay it to their hearts Such kinde of straitnings when they are long they are dangerous for persons that have lain long under straitnings are ready to lay aside endeavours for their liberty because they have often used it to no effect 6 Usually reade the word before thy closet prayer and meditate of it in the use whereof the fire kindles besides those good things which thou diddest reade out of the Word will remain in thy thoughts and conduce to season thine heart 7 Walk humbly under straitnings especially when they are of any long continuance so the Church Song cap. 5. v. 5 6. I sought him but I could not finde him I called unto him but he gave me no answer Job 30.20 Job cries out I cry unto thee but thou dost not hear me I stand up but thou regardest me not Quest But seeing Saints are sometimes straitned in Prayer as well as carnal men wherein is the difference Answ Godly persons though sometimes they have straitnings yet have they also enlargements now and then Lam. 3.44 compared with v. 57. One while the Church saith The Lord compassed himself with a cloud that her Prayer could not pass through anon she saith Thou drewest near in the day that I cried unto thee thou saidst Fear not Psalm 31.22 I said I am cast out of thy sight here was the Prophets straitning nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications here was his enlargement see Psalm 6.1 compared with v. 8. Jon. 2.7 Carnal men they may
condemn all forms seeing we read of sundry in Scripture as Psal 102. v. 1 c. Esai 63.15 to the end of cap. 64. ult Numb 6.24 Yet to use a form doth argue thou art a very babe who go by a form because they cannot go alone and to use a form when thou art able to powr out thine own heart more and better then any form can teach thee is to to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing when thou hast a male in thy flock Thou art a very babe till thou art able to express thy wants in conceived prayer what man is there that is sensible of his wants that cannot declare them to man and canst thou not declare them to God Christ hath given us this breviary of prayer as a looking-glass to see our wants Himself never used it nor could he in truth say Forgive us our trespasses seeing himself had none We never read the Apostles used this prayer but onely framed their petitions according to it Acts 1.24 Matth. 26.39 We ought then to look upon this as a pattern without which we might have wandred in our requests often asking things hurtful for us we ought then hence to draw the matter of our prayers This form or patern is usually divided into three pâ—rts 1 A Preface Our Father which art in Heaven 2 Petitions which are six or according to some of the Ancients seven 3 The Conclusion For thine is the Kingdom c. 1 The Preface Our Father which art in Heaven We call him Father 1 To shew that we are not to look upon him as a Tyrant or a Stranger that knows us not or as an hard Master but as a Father 2 To embolden us to come unto him 3 To shew his readiness to do you good Luke 11.13 If evil fathers will do good to their children will not our Father do good to his children 4 To shew that we believe our Election and Adoption 5 Assurance of his readiness and willingness to help us whereas formerly we durst not lift up our eys to Heaven Luke 15.18 Our 1 This word Our teacheth that however we believe for our selves yet Charity teacheth us to pray for others 2 To denote unto us a Communion of Saints how that they are so joyned together as if the want of one were the want of all 1 Cor. 12.26 If one member suffer all the members suffer with it 3 That we may not disdain the meanest Christian from being our Brother in Christ if God have adopted him for his Ephes 4.5 yet may a Christian in private say My Father Matth 26.39.27.46 4 To keep us from arrogating to our selves above others remembring we are of the company of sons On earth some Saints have more noble fathers than others but to the Father in Heaven all Believers are alike related 5 To encourage the weak that they may believe that God is no less their Father than the Father of Peter Paul c. 6 That we should not onely pray for our own necessities but also for the necessities of others James 5.16 applying in private Prayer that common Fatherhood to our selves And this Father we call upon we may look upon some times personally Ephes 3.14 1 Cor. 8.6 sometimes essentially for Father Son and Spirit so Christ is called the everlasting Father Isai 9.6 7 To teach us mutual sympathy 1 Cor. 12.26 If one member suffer all the members suffer with it Heb. 13.3 8 To teach us unity and agreement with our Brethren as members of the same body hence before we bring our gift we are to agree with our Brother Matth. 5.24 Which art in Heaven 1 To shew that how ever earthly parents have a good will to help their children yet want power yet our Father being in Heaven and being the God of all might hath power to do for us above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3.20 Psalm 115.3 2 To take away erroneous conceptions of God wherein carnal men are ready to think of him like earthly parents 3 To denote unto us his special presence he hath in Heaven there his power wisdom goodness do most shine forth and from thence are manifested to us Psalm 19.1 The Heavens declare the glory of God 4 That when we come before him we should come with reverence and lifting up of heart Lam. 3.41 Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens where God is not circumscriptively as the body of man bounded by such a place nor definitively as the Angels but repletively filling all place for the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain him 1 Kings 8.27 5 To shew to us that though God be every where Psalm 139.7 8 9. Whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there if in the uttermost parts of the Sea thou art there Amos 9.1 2 3. yet he is said to dwell in the Heavens Psalm 2.4 Hear from Heaven thy dwelling place 1 Kings 8.30 there his majesty and glory most shines forth Psalm 112.5.123.1 yet doth he dwell in humble and holy hearts Isai 57.15 1 Cor. 3.16 As the soul of man which is wholly in the whole and in every part yet is said to be in the head or heart more than elsewhere because there more than elsewhere it exerciseth his power and effects so though God be essentially every where and in all places wholly yet he works not grace and gifts equally in all parts but he works in Heaven more than in Earth in the godly more than the wicked and in one of his children more than in another in the Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 than in the Saints on Earth and in the humane nature of Christ more than in any creature Hallowed be thy Name This is the first Petition and Christ his meaning is 1 That Gods glory be every where magnified it 's put in the first place because Gods glory must be preferred before all things Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself Thus must every one do that calls God Father So that if our credit or profit come in competition therewith we are willing to renounce not onely them but every thing else for the Lord. 2 That the Name of God which is God himself be magnified The Name of God is not so many Letters but God himself Holy and reverend is his Name Psalm 111.9 It was the speech of the men of Bethshemesh Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6.20 God is glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 The Trinity is said to be holy Isai 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts The Father is holy John 17.11 The Son holy Luke 1.35 Acts 4.27 The Spirit is holy Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God God is not onely holy but holiness in the very abstract Amos 4.2 The Lord hath sworn by his holiness that is by himself Saints are holy
1 Peter 2.5 And Angels are called holy Mark 8.38 but there is none holy as the Lord 1 Sam. 2.2 Saints and Angels are holy with a derivative holiness but in God it is essential Holiness in the creature is a quality in God it is his being and nature in the creature it 's finite and in such a measure in God it 's infinite and without measure Being then so infinitely and essentially holy let us sanctifie his Name by 1 Acknowledging him to be the true God Psal 103.1 The gods of the Heathen were impure Lechers 2 By being abased when thou comest into his presence after Jobs eye had seen God he abhorred himself in dust and ashes Job 42.5.6 Peter out of the apprehension of that great vileness in himself and holiness in Christ saith Depart from me for I am a sinfull man O Lord Luke 5.8 3 By extolling and praising this holiness in God Glorious in holiness and fearfull in praises are joyned together Exod. 15.11 Psalm 30.4 Give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Without Gods holiness what were his wisdom but subtilty his will but wilfulness his power but oppression his love but dotage his justice but terrour but his Holiness declares the perfection of all his Attributes 4 By removing all causality of sin from God he can no more be a cause of sin than the Sun of darkness Shall not the Judg of all the World do right Gen. 18.25 God may will the being of sin but man the nature of it as in a Chain that breaks none is in fault but that which breaks so in the concurrent causes of sio none is to be faulted but the immediate cause the will of man God withdrawing his restraint which he is not bound to give corruption boils out and the creature sins necessarily but voluntarily He that drives a lame Horse is the cause of his going not of his halting God is the cause of the actions of the sinner for in him we live and move Acts 17.28 but not of the corrupt turning of the will 5 By avoiding all prophanation of his holy name When a man and his father went in to the same maid they prophaned Gods holy name among the heathen Amos 2.7 so the Babylonians seeing the unholy lives of the Jews cryed These are the people of the Lord and so Gods holy name was prophaned Ezek. 36.20 A small impeachment to the name of a Prince stirrs him up to arms and will not the Prince of Princes be jealous for his holy name See Ezek. 36 2â— Ezek. 39.25 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name Psal 96.8 6 By imitating God in holiness be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 1.16 as a little white is like a great white differing onely in degrees so let our holiness be like Gods Are we not Gods temples wherein his spirit dwells and were not temples severed from common uses Was Belshazzar so punished for abusing a material temple and shalt thou escape if thou prophanes a spiritual temple The lives and families of too many proves that they live the lives of heathens under the name of Christians some cry out as Corah Are not all the Lords people holy Numb 16.3 others think there 's none holy but glorified Saints but there is a people who are called to holiness and who so walk making holiness their Element wherein they live as the birds in the aire and fishes in the water Hereunto were we elected that we should be holy 2 Thess 2.13 we cannot climbe up into heaven to behold our election yet may we read it in our sanctification Without holiness we cannot prove our justification seeing the water and spirit witness with us as well as the blood 1 Joh. 5.8 Ere long heaven and earth will be on fire holiness at that time will be like pure gold which will not be consumed by the fire 2 Pet. 3.11 3 Gods Name is his Attributes which name God proclaimed Exod. 33.19 compared with cap. 34 6. I will proclaim my name before thee and the Lord passed by and proclaimed the Lord merciful gracious c. the name of God is every thing which is truly affirmed of him Thou shalt fear this glorious and fearful name the Lord thy God Deut. 28.58 to derogate from any attribute of God as to tax his justice to limit his power to question his faithfulness to ascribe that to fortune which is due to providence is a prophaning of the name of God 4 Gods Name is his ordinances Mal. 10.14 as the word Psal 138.4 Prayer Act. 9.14 The supper 1 Cor. 11.29 There ought to be a discerning of the Lords body so baptisme Matth. 28.19 Baptizing them into the name of Father Son and Spirit onely God magnifies his word above all his name Psal 138.4 5 Gods Name is taken for the honour of God and credit of Religion Rom. 2. â—4 My Name is blasphemed every day through you that is you Jews who profess my name and live loosly Ezek. 36. â—0 the loose Jews in Babylon prophaned Gods name when the heathens reported These are the people of the Lord Esa 52.5 Hallowed be thy name To hallow is taken 1 for the making of a person or thing that was unholy to become holy 1 Cor. 6.10 thus we cannnot hallow Gods name 2 For the declaration or for an appearing to be holy so God will have his name appear to the whole world that he is an holy God not onely by a reverend speaking of his essence and Attributes avoiding all swearing cursing c. but also by a holy conversation Thus we are to sanctifie God in our hearts 1 Pet. 3.15 and in our lives 1 Pet. 1.16 Be ye holy for I am holy We by our holiness should show forth the glory of Gods holiness that if there be so much holiness in poor Saints how much is there in God 3 For the publishing of a thing to be holy so we are to publish the name of God to be holy Ps 105.3.111 9. Holy and reverend is his name Psal 30.4 4 For the manifestation of Gods holiness in a way of judgement when sinners will not show forth his holiness in a way of practice so when God destroyed Nadab and Abihu he saith I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me Levit. 10.3 so God was sanctified in the destruction of Zidon Ezek. 28.22 so God will be sanctified of God in the eyes of the heathen Ezek. 38.16 23. Thy kingdome come There 's a twofold kingdome 1 of grace 2 of glory 1 Of grace this kingdom we desire may come 1 By casting down the kingdome of Satan in us 2 Cor. 10.4 2 By setting up Christ to raign in every one of our hearts thus the kingdom of God is said to be within us Luk. 17.21 governing us by his Word and Spirit 3 By stablishing all means towards the building up of this Kingdom as the preaching of the Word which is called the Gospel of the Kingdome 4
the light of Moses by the light of the Prophets the light of the Prophets by the light of the New Testament and the light of the New Testament by the light of the Spirit The Scriptures they acknowledg were Gods Word and the Pen-men inspired by God but it was to endure for a time hence they allege 2 Peter 1.19 We do well to take heed to the Scriptures as to a light shining in a dark place till the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts Be astonished O ye Heavens at these be ye horribly afraid The horridness of this Delusion wants tears of bloud sufficiently to bewail it that apostate Professours the authours of these Delusions should labour as it were to kill God and his Word with his own Weapons I might wave all Scripture-reason with these that deny the Scripture and reason with them onely as Philosophers also I might let the Reader see that this damnable errour is an epitome of all errour But to answer that place 2 Peter 1.19 Peter shews that if these dispersed Jews attended to the Scriptures of the Prophets they would have a light to guide them in their darkness till the day at last appear and the morning-star the sign thereof scatter their darkness that is till the light of the Gospel clearly manifest unto you this mystery of godliness which ye have begun to receive Some interpret thus that Prophesie is the Night or Darkness the Gospel is the Light or Morning Star the sight of God in Heaven is clear Day so the sense is Attend unto the reading and study of the Prophets that ye may be strengthened by them in the faith of Christ untill the Day Star that is a more clear knowledg of the faith of the Gospel shine unto you that ye being confirmed therein may thereby be brought to the blessedness of Heaven The sight of faith in comparison of the sight in Heaven is but as the Dawning of the Morning to the Light of the Sun at Noon And as the Morning Star is a Middle betwixt Night and Day so is the Doctrine of the Gospel a Middle betwixt the dark Doctrine of the Prophets and the clear sight in Heaven So that by Day Star is not meant Christ whom these believing Jews had already received but their going on and increase in the faith whiles by little and little their knowledg became more certain concerning the Mysteries of Christ that no doubts or scruples concerning the Christian Faith or any point of it might be any longer in their mindes Some by Day dawning and Day Star understand the sight of God in Heaven our Life of Misery in this World being like Night the Life to come will be like Day when all shadows of mortality errour and ignorance shall vanish away See Song 2.17 This word Untill favours this Interpretation because we need Prophesie and the Scriptures all our Life long till we come in Heaven But both Intepretations are to be taken in and then the sense will be Take heed to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Gospel as to the means for your going on in the Faith and building up untill you come to the beatifical vision of the glory in Heaven But never did the Apostle or Spirit mean that the written Word should have its period and time set to last beyond which it is useless and improper to attend unto it The second place is 1 John 2.20 21 27. But ye have an Unction from the Holy One and ye shall know all things but the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things From this Scripture they argue thus they that have the Teachings of the Spirit have no need of the teaching of the Letter but they have the Unction of the Spirit that teacheth them all things therefore they need neither the teaching of the Letter nor the teachings of men Answ Three things to be opened 1 What is meant by Unction Answ By Unction is meant Christianity for as a Christian in Greek is the same that Anointed is so Christianity is the same that Anointing is now Christianity is the Doctrine grace and wisdom of Christ which from the inspiration of the Spirit is given whereby we are instructed in all the believables and duties of a true Christian which pertain to Christian faith and life and to fly heretical and Antichristian tenents Now this heavenly Light is compared to Oyl because the principal use of Oyl is to maintain Light it hath other virtues as to cool to chear to heal but this is the principal so that by Unction he means the Oyl of holy Doctrine or Truth 2 Quest What is meant by this anointing teaching us all things Answ By all things are not meant every individual truth for the Apostles themselves knew onely in part 1 Cor. 13.9 therefore we must understand it restrictively to the matter in hand Ye know all things that is concerning the shunning of Antichrist and holding the Faith 2 Or by all things he means all things he had formerly taught them so that he rather remembers them and admonishes them of things that he writ than delivers any Principles which were new unto them therefore v. 24. he bids that that might remain with them which they had heard from the beginning 3 Quest What is meant by this Phrase Ye need not that any man teach you Answ The Apostle doth not cry down ministerial teaching for then should he have cried down his own teaching and nullified many other Precepts wherein Preachers are commanded to preach the Word in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.1 and the Ministry is given for the perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4.11 12. but onely warns them against false Teachers who taught them contrary Doctrines to those wherein by the Doctrine of Truth they had been informed these errours the Apostle calls Lyes v. 22. as being most abominable Lyes to deny Jesus to be Christ So that the sense is Ye have the Light of the Word wherein you have been instructed to teach you all things needfull for your salvation so that you are not to listen to any Impostours that teach you the contrary but from hence to deduce that because you have the Teachings of the Spirit that we need not the Teachings of men is a grand Delusion A third Argument is The Elect shall be all taught of God John 6.45 So that they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 8.11 A. There is a twofold Teaching 1 Notional 2 Affectionate Of the later of these the Scripture speaks The Lord teaches the Elect or Children of the new Covenant as no man can teach with the like he gives them a rellish of good things but because the Lord teaches after this way that no man can teach it follows
will trust in thee Fervent prayer we see is wont to excite the Lord to help us in our distress Jesu Christe fer opem aut actum est de salute meâ was a saying of Luther which I have often used to the Lord saying Jesus Christ come and help me or else I am undone for ever This is according to the promise Psalm 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee Psalm 12.5 We perish They lay open their misery before Christ Psalm 142.1 2. I poured my complaint before him I shewed before him my trouble Isai 26.17 2 Chron. 20.12 13. They cry not to the heathen Neptune nor Aeolus which Heathens thought gods of Windes and Seas but to Christ Psal 89.9 nor cry they to Nicholas Mary Barbara and Christopher to whom Papists think government of waters is committed Chem. in loc The grounds why in trouble we lay open our misery to the Lord is 1 Because of our own helplesness Hosea 14.3 Ashur shall not save us Psalm 108.12 Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man 2 Because of the fulness of salvation in God Psalm 3.8 Salvation is of the Lord Psalm 44.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 3 Because of the insufficiency of all outward helps in time of danger Psalm 142.4 5. I looked on my right hand and behold refuge failed me then cried I unto thee O Lord. 4 Gods peoples extremities are Gods opportunities for deliverance and salvation Psalm 102.18 19. From Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth to loose those that are appointed to death Judges 20.26 27 28. V. 26. And he said unto them Why are ye fearfull O ye of little faith then he arose and rebuked the Windes and Seas and there was a great Calm Here is a third circumstance in the journey Christ reproves them Why are ye fearfull O ye of little faith Much fear argues little faith Faith foresees evils before they come and opposes Christ against all Prov. 22.3 The prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself so that he is not affraid of evil tidings Psalm 112.7 Not as if Christ condemns little faith but reprehends it in them who had great means of a strong faith and had seen many of Christs miracles and heard many of his Sermons Little faith brings to Heaven but not without doubts and fears Their faith was little 1 In that they did not so fully believe his divine nature Joh. 14.1 Also 2 In that they did not believe in his providence as they ought from the experiences they had of him 3 That they thought Christ being asleep in his humane nature could not help them in his divine nature 4 In that they doubted of Christ his care of them 1 Peter 5.7 Casting all your care on him Quest Whether is all fear contrary to faith Answ No true filial fear is duty Blessed is the man that feareth always Prov. 28.14 It springs from faith Heb. 11.7 By faith Noah was moved with fear but perplexing and solicitous fear when in times of danger we cannot rest on God with quiet and confidence which is so much more because God will keep him in perfect peace whose heart is staid on him Isai 26.4 5. This perplexing fear doth not declare we have no faith but that we have a weak faith Obs Persons may be Believers and yet be fearfull Psal 119.120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am affraid of thy judgments Psalm 55 4. My heart is sore pained within me and the terrours of death are fallen upon me Heb. 12.21 Moses exceedingly feared and quaked 2 Cor. 7.5 Without were fightings within were fears These terrours are compared to Souldiers set in battel array Job 6.4 The arrows of the Almighty stick in me the terrours of God do set themselves in array against me Yea Christ was not exempted from these sears Mark 14.33 He began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy There 's a twofold fear 1 Natural with this was Christ affected This was in Moses Heb. 12.21 2 Sinfull this is 1 Perplexing 2 Discouraging 1 Perplexing Job 9.34 Let not his fear terrifie me 2 Cor. 4.8 Perplexed but not in despair Esai 7.2 The people of Judah by reason of Israel and Syria's coming against them were moved as the trees of the Wood are moved with the winde This is a sore judgement Deut. 28.65 The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and sorrow of minde and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night in the morning thou shalt say would God it were evening and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thy heart wherewith thou shalt fear 2 Discouraging Heb. 12.13 14. Lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees Now this discouraging fear is when a soul looks upon the approaching evil above it's strength not looking on the strength of God as when a man meets with a Lion or a subject contests with his Prince both tremble in their spirits because the strength of a man is not comparable to a Lion nor the strength of a subject to a Prince Thus the Spies were discouraged looking on the sons of Anak and comparing themselves with them Num. 13.28 The mischief of discouraging fear is this that a man hath no heart to put forth his strength in time of danger The Israelites being dismaid with Goliath durst not make head against him but fled before him 1 Sam. 17.11.24 hence when God gave Joshua his command he bade him not be afraid nor dismayed Jos 1.9 Use 1. Raise up your hearts if not above perplexing fears yet above discouraging Luke 21.9 Christ bids the Disciples when they should hear of wars and commotions not to be terrified These discouraging fears are a great judgment Levit. 26.36 I le send a faintness into their hearts and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them These Disciples were affected with perplexing fear and a little spice they had of discouraging fear 3 Grounds against discouraging fear 1 The promise of Gods assistance in all troubles Esai 41.10 Fear not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God Heb. 13.6 We may boldly say The Lord is our helper and not fear what flesh can do unto us 2 From the respect God hath to the strength of his people 1 Cor. 10.13 He will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able Jer. 46.28 Yea the cup what ever it be comes from a fathers hand Joh. 18.11 3 Because there 's no troubles can make a Christian truly miserable because no troubles can sever him from the love of God Rom. 8.35 38. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed or straitned but that a door of deliverance is opened we are perplexed or void of counsel and troubled with fear yet do we not despair as Judas and Achitophel did cast down like a man by his adversary but not destroyed
to sin Rehoboam was carried away by foolish young men 2 Chron. 24.17 18. Joash when he lost his good acquaintance Jehoiada and came to be acquainted with idolatrous young Princes forsook Gods worship and wrath came upon Judah Sarah seeing the prophaneness of Ishmael Gen. 21.9 10. was earnest to have him cast out for fear he might draw away her son Isaac 7 Where Gods law forbids any sin it forbids all occasions thereof as where it forbids uncleanness it forbids wanton gazing mixt dancing dalliance So friendship with wicked men is an occasion of wickedness therefore to be avoided Matth. 5.29 If thy right hand offend thee cut it off by hand is meant any man or thing that may draw us away from God as Chrysostom observes on the place If we cut a rotten member from the body lest the rest be infected much more may we nay must we cut off one who is wickedly joyned unto it Yea though a kinsman or friend 8 Such wicked company will quench in the thoughts of good and cool thy devotion How cold was Jehosaphat in Ahabs company 1 Kings 22.8 Though he justified Micaiah against Ahab yet was it faintly Let not the King say so 9 Such companions are mostly treacherous to their friends and Allies Ahab bade Jehosaphat put on his Princely robes but himself would go disguised knowing the Syrian Army had order onely to fight against the King 10 The many snares and dangers among such company as 1 Danger of calling good evil and evil good to which there is a wo Isai 5.20 When they shall praise wicked men and wicked actions we shall be apt to sooth them up or at least to be silent when they shall decry good men and actions we shall be apt not to bear a full testimony 2 Proneness to learn their wayes Psal 106 35. They were mingled with the Heathen and learned their wayes 3 Hazard of being exposed to Gods vengeance How near was Jehosaphat to destruction joyning with Ahab at Ramoth Gilead 2 Chr. 18.31 Also for joyning in making a fleet to go to Tarshish together with Ahaziah the Lord broke his works 2 Chron. 20.35 36 37. To what danger was Lot exposed in Sodom and Gods people in Babylon Come out of her my people come out of her Rev. 18.4 lest ye be partakers of her sins and so of her plagues 4 In such company we are in danger either of denying the truth or of blushingly confessing it Peter being in the High Priest's Hall denied Christ It 's bad being in harms way we should desire to be among such persons and places where we may boldly confess the truth of God Acts 4.29 Grant unto thy servants that with all boldnes they may speak thy word We are to witness to the truth of God in the midst of an adulterous generation Mar. 8.38 It lies upon every son of wisdom to justifie wisdom which if we do men wil be apt to fall foul upon us Though the Samaritans were not altogether so wicked being they acknowledged the books of Moses yet for these and such like ends would not the Jews have dealing with them John 4.9 5 Danger Wicked company will be apt to be hinderances to us in our Christian course Psalm 119.115 Away from me ye wicked for I will keep the commandements of my God q.d. I cannot keep Gods commandements so long as you are with me How is it possible to keep the commandement of sobriety among drunkards of charity among the contentious of chastity among the lascivious 11 The last ground of disswasion is the singular care Gods people have had to eschew such company Psal 26.4 5. I have not sat with vain persons neither will I go in with dissemblers I have hated the congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked He saith he hath not nor he will not though a man should invite him Yea good men are thus noted Psal 1.1 That they walk not in the counsel of the ungodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornful Woful then must needs be the condition of wicked men when God shall bid his children forbear their company V. 12. But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick We have here Christs second answer to the proud conceited Pharisees concerning the question put by the Pharisees to Christs Disciples viz. Why eateth your master with Publicans Jesus heard that That is by the relation of his Disciples for the Pharisees durst not object it to Christ themselves Christ therefore hearing of it both defends the deed and discovers their ignorance he defends it 1 From the rule of correlation sick persons and a Physician are fittest to be together Sick persons are the proper object of a Physician and the end of Medicinal Physick is the healing sick persons They that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick The words are a Proverb q.d. It 's no disgrace for a Physician to be with sick persons for to cure them no more is it for me to be with sinners for their cure But for you Pharisees you are whole in your own apprehension you were never wounded in the sight of your sins but being full of your own self-righteousness think you need not me for your Physician Rom. 7.11 Not as if the Pharisees were whole indeed but Christ speaks to them by way of supposition q.d. If you be such as you would seem to be you need not my help but indeed you are not such but they that indeed are wounded for their sins to them I am precious Act. 2.37 38 41. Joh. 3.14 15 16. Matth. 11.28 Luk. 4.18 As they that are sick cannot help themselves no more can sick souls help themselves without me now if you ask what that Diacatholicon or universal Medicine is it is the atonement of Christ upon the Cross Heb. 9.12.10.22 applyed by the Spirit and faith Gal. 2.20 1 Cor. 6.10 11. For as other medicines are not effectual till they be applyed and received no more is this Joh. 1.12 As many as received him meaning into their hearts to them he gave power to become the Sons of God Act. 4.12 He is the true Samaritan who took care of the wounded man Luk. 10.33 He is not like a covetous Physician who will not go to any but to those that can pay him 1 But he is a free Physician who calls all to come to him without money and without price Isa 55.1 Matth. 11.28 2 He is a sympathizing Physician and therefore likeliest to do us good He is touched with the feeling of our wants Heb. 4.15 3 He is an able Physician How great soever the disease was if it were curable he could cure it Heb. 2.18 In that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted There 's much talking of the Panacea or Universal Medicine but he hath it
Father being sick Paul prayed and laid his hands on him and healed him It may be supposed the Apostle speaks of this Jam. 5.14 Is any among you sick let him send for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with Oyl So Christ Mark 6.5 Mark 16.18 2 Ordinatory there is a laying on of hands in ordination of Elders this is acknowledged by all the reformed Churches of what judgement soever Though Papists acknowledge this to be an unblottable character which who so hath can never blot it out again yet the Protestants acknowledge it onely a signe pointing out the person ordained who is commended to the prayers of the Church Hence that saying of Augustine is ordinarily produced Quid aliud est impositio manuum quam oratio super hominem what other thing is laying on of hands then prayer upon the man ordained Besides these two there is a third way which I suppose comes nearer to truth which is that by laying on of hands in ordination there is a further measure of the Spirit infused into and poured upon the person ordained Concerning laying on of hands in ordination the Scripture speaks 1 Of those who are sent into the world Act. 13. When they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away v. 5. 2 On those who are officers in Churches as deacons Act. 6.6 The Apostles first prayed then laid their hands on them So Elders Acts 14.23 And when they had ordained them Elders in every Church by laying on of hands the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord 1 Tim. 5.22 Lay hands suddainly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sins That is by consenting to ordain such 3 There is a laying on of hands on baptized persons after Baptisme this hath been depraved 1 By those who have endeavoured to make working of miracles a concomitant thereof because some persons in the Apostles times after hands laid on them did speak with tongues Act. 19.6.7 and prophesied 2 This laying on of hands hath been depraved by the Romanists 1 By changing the name from laying on of hands to confirmation 2 By assigning it an outward matter viz. Oyl and Balsome and the form of it to be I signe thee with the signe of the Cross and confirme thee with the anointing of salvation in the name of the Father Son and Spirit Chem. exam cont Trid. part 2. p. 95. 3 That those things they attribute to confirmation they deny to be given and received in Baptisme 4 That they ascribe an indelible character unto it as to Baptisme and order Chem. p ar 2. cap. de charactere p. 45. 5 By affixing it on a Bishop Gratian distinct 68. Fol. 99. propounds this question Wherein Chorepiscopi by which I suppose he means either rural Deans or Suffragans differ from Bishops answers and gives this as one difference that it s not lawful for them to give the comforter the holy Spirit by laying on of hands to Baptized believers or converted Hereticks 3 Laying on of hands hath been depraved by the Episcopal party who retaining the popish name of confirmation and affixing it to a Diocesan Bishop instead of prayer for strengthning of believers 1 Lay hands upon infants or young children 2 Supposing them all to be regenerate after Baptisme pray for an increase of grace on them 3 Have added hereto God-Fathers as they call it Now to prove laying on of hands on Baptized persons is an apostolical institution I prove it 1 Because the Apostle makes it one of the six principles or the word of the beginning of Christ Heb. 6.1 Or the first rudiments or elements of the beginning of the oracles of God Heb. 5.12 The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is onely explanatory for the principles of all arts are called elements nay which is more the Apostle calls it a foundation as well as repentance faith and Baptisme now the five others being fundamentals wherein all converted persons are to be practical in the belief how can laying on of hands be excluded from being so received 2 If laying on of hands on Baptized persons after Baptisme be rejected then instead of six principles laid down by the Apostle we shall receive onely five but this is absurd Obj. but we acknowledge a laying on of hands in the call of ministry therefore we acknowledge six Answ And why not as well after Baptisme what reason can be brought that ministerial imposition should be here acknowledged and the imposition after Baptisme excluded nay it seemeth imposition after Baptisme is rather meant 1 Because as faith and repentance go together resurrection and the last judgement so Baptisme and laying on of hands go together in the Apostles joyning of them 2 Laying on of hands upon officers is not herein meant because this was an administration the whole Church had received Act. 8.16 Heb. 6.1 but officers are not the whole Church 3 Because this laying on of hands is called milk for babes Heb. 5.12 13. but officers are not babes 3 Because there is a command for it 1 It 's called the rudiments of the beginning or elements of the beginning he means not elements of the world of which Gal. 4.3 8. Col. 2.8 20. that is elements wherein persons were initiated or begun in Christianity Heb. 5.12 As the elements of the Latin tongue is the learning of Accidence or Grammer so this doctrine of laying on of hands was first to be taught and practised 2 It s called an oracle Heb. 5.12 Now what are oracles in Scripture language but commands Act. 7.38 Moses received the lively oracles to give unto us This is called the Law ver 53. Who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it Rom. 3.2 What advantage hath the Jew Much every way chiefly that unto them were committed the oracles of God See Psal 147.19 20. 1 Pet. 4.11 If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God that is as the commands of God 3 The Apostle calls it a foundation Heb. 6.1 so that there is not onely a virtual command but an actual command from these three words of rudiments or elements oracles and foundation I gather a plain command 3 It appears from absurdity Is it not absurd to think that one of the six foundation principles commended to us by the Apostle should cease and all others of them to remain to the end of the world Nay is not imposition after Baptisme placed in the midst betwixt faith and repentance the resurrection and last judgement so that there is no coming to slight it being fenced on every side but we must renounce faith and repentance on the one side or the resurrection and last judgement on the other Is it not absurd to think the Apostle would place one temporary principle which was to last but for a small time
among five perpetual principles and yet call them all by the name of a foundation yea such a foundationas other things were to be laid after in eodem genere edificii in the same kind of building for the Apostle saith Let us go on to perfection now what perfection doth he mean truly a perfection of the knowledge of Christ the foundation whereof was already laid And so he did for in the next place he comes to unfold the sin against the holy Ghost the doctrine of assurance to the heirs of promise the doctrine of Christs priesthood 4 All the Churches were under laying on of hands the Church of the Samaritans was under it Act. 8.12 14 17. compared On the same Church of Samaria which was Baptized were hands laid The Church of the Hebrews had this as a principle first laid Heb. 6.1 Object But how doth it follow to all the Churches Answ As we judg all the Churches were under Baptism though we do not reade of any of the Church of Thessalonica to have been baptized yet because we reade other Churches we conclude also they were So because we finde these two Churches to have been under Laying on of Hands we conclude all the Churches also so to have been because of the unity of the Rule Now the Rule is plain Acts 8.14 16 17. When the Apostles heard that Samaria had received the Word of God they sent unto them Peter and John who when they were come down prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost The emphasis lies in this Pronoun Relative they the Antecedent whereto must be the baptized Samaritans whom Philip had baptized v. 12. also v. 16. it 's said For as yet he was fallen upon none of them onely they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus So that Imposition of Hands was administred to all the baptized Samaritans v. 17. Then laid they their Hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost 5 The first Church should be a Patern to other Churches but the first Church continued in laying on of hands therefore other Churches ought to continue herein The Proposition appears 1 Thess 2.14 Ye Brethren became followers of the Churches of God 1 Cor. 11.16 We have no such custome neither the Churches of God The Assumption appears because the Apostle calls it a Doctrine Heb. 6.2 The Doctrine of Baptism and laying on of hands Now the first Church continued in the Apostles Doctrine Acts 2.42 of which Doctrine this was part Object But the first Church was scattered and though there was a Church among the Hebrews Heb. 13.7 17 24. Salute them that have the rule over you and all the Saints yet was not this Church the same for Acts 8.1 There was a great Persecution against the Church at Jerusalem and they were all scattered through the Regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles Answ All is oft in Scripture taken for a great part and so I take it here No doubt some could not fly besides they were scattered onely a little way that is into their own Countrey of Judea and Samaria and could easily return when times proved peaceable which by Pauls conversion shortly fell out for then had the Churches rest Acts 9.31 and were edified and multiplied Besides the Apostles were never scattered from Jerusalem who alone might make a Church had there been none else as Tertullian observes in his Book of Chastity Ubi tres ibi Ecclesia est licet Laici where there are three there is a Church though Laicks or People therefore this Church in the Hebrews who were under laying on of hands and that in the Acts is the same 6 If laying on of hands were not an Ordinance of God and of divine Institution then the Apostles in Administration thereof had practised will-worship nay which is more had left a Rule of will-worship unto us Heb. 6.1 But it 's absurd to think the Apostles would do either of these therefore laying on of hands on baptized persons is an Apostolical Institution Object But many of the Saints have received the Spirit without it as the Antiochians Acts 11. Answ So have they without Baptism and the Supper yet it 's no ground to live without any of them when we know them to be practised besides they are Chanels to convey more of the Spirit unto us I mean laying on of hands as well as Baptism 7 It appears by the testimony of ancient and modern Writers 1 Ancient Tertul. lib. de Resur cap. 8. The flesh is washt that the soul may be cleansed the flesh is overshadowed with laying on of hands that the soul may be enlightened with the Spirit Pamelius cites the Canon of Pope Urban viz. All believers ought to receive the Spirit after Baptism by the laying on of the hands of the Bishops that they may be found fully Christians And then he adds a Constitution of Clement which was most ancient viz. We must all make haste to be born again to God and at length to be signed by the Bishop that is to receive the sevenfold grace of the holy Spirit because else a person cannot be a perfect Christian if he remain so that is without laying on of hands not through necessity but through carelesness or wilfulness Also in his Notes on the same Book Num. 44. Similiter loquuntur c. In like manner so many as write of Baptism speak calling Imposition of Hands the perfection of Baptism Tertul. de Bapt. ad Quintillam cap. 8. saith It 's the fleshly or outward act of Baptism that we are dipt in Water the spiritual effect that we are freed from our sins then follows Laying on of Hands the Dispenser calling and inviting the Spirit of God by Prayer And in the same Book he saith To our Flesh rising out of the Water after our old offences the Dove of the holy Spirit comes flying bringing the peace of God sent from Heaven where the Church is the figured Ark. Cyprian in his Epistle to Jubaianus speaking of the Samaritans who had obtained a right Baptism he saith that it was not meet they should be baptized any further but onely that which was wanting was performed of Peter and John that Prayer being made for them and Hands being laid upon them the Spirit of God might be called upon and poured in upon them he adds which also is done with us that they who are baptized in the Church must be offered to them who are set over the Church and by our Prayer and Laying on of Hands they obtain the Holy Ghost Cyprian in his Epistle to Stephen Epist 72. speaking of those who came from Heresie to the true Church saith Because it is of no purpose to lay hands on them to receive the holy Spirit unless they receive the Baptism of the Church Hieron adversus Lucifer If thou askest why one baptized in the Church receives not the Spirit but by the hands of the Bishop which we affirm to be given in
and grace 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of the Hands of me Paul speaks of such gifts and graces as were raked up in ashes as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies which the Apostle bids him rake out of the ashes or make alive as you do fire almost dead by blowing of it Object But this gift and grace given to Timothy was given by the Presbyters when he was ordained an Evangelist and not by Pauls laying on of hands after Baptism Answ Paul speaks of such a gift as was given by the laying on of his own hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Imposition in Ordination to Preaching was by the Hands of all the Eldership 1 Tim. 4.14 where the Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a conjunction of persons but 2 Tim. 1.6 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to denote the act of one man Object But the Apostles who laid on Hands after Baptism were such Apostles as were immediately called of Christ as Peter John and Paul how will the Consequence hold from them to the Apostles of the Churches Answ There 's a twofold Call 1 Immediate or personal 2 Mediate or virtual the Apostles of the Churches though they act not by an immediate and personal call yet they act by a mediate or virtual call of Christ 2 Matthias though chosen mediately of the Church had the same power the eleven had who were immediately called of Christ why may not then Apostles chosen of the Churches have the same power For what difference betwixt the eleven called immediately and Matthias called mediately or any others of like kindes when they can make their power appear and so much the more when persons whether immediately or mediately called can make one and the same end appear in their Office viz. the work of the Ministry the perfecting the Saints the edifying the Body of Christ Quaere Whether there be any essential difference betwixt the twelve Apostles and the Apostles of the Churches 3 If Imposition after Baptism belong onely to Apostles called immediately it had been in vain to have called it a Foundation to have conjoyned it with Faith and the Resurrection sith the persons that had the administring of it were most of them dead and the rest in a short time would be dead Ergo I conclude that Apostles whether called immediately or mediately may lay on Hands on baptized persons Object But if laying on of hands be an ordinance of Christ what is conveyed in it Answ An increase of the Spirit 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of the hands of me So that as the Spirit is conveyed in the use of prayer Luk. 11.13 and preaching Act. 10.44 Gal. 3.3 5. and Baptisme Gal. 3.28 and supper 1 Cor. 10.16 so also is it conveyed in the laying on of hands Quest But what are those gifts of the Spirit which are or may be conveyed in laying on of hands Answ 1 An increase of all habits of grace as 1 Boldness to confess Christ When Paul bids Timothy stir up the gift of God which was in him ver 7. he shows what gift he means even boldness for God ver 7. God hath not given us a spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind ver 8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of the Lord. q.d. he that hath received the Spirit aright in laying on of hands hath an habitual intention to confess without blushing against all oppositions whatsoever or at least it is his duty so to have 2 The Spirit is a free agent dividing to every one severally as he pleaseth 1 Cor. 12.11 to one is given a word of wisdom and knowledge to another strengthning grace to another comfort to another power to resist temptations to another constancy the Spirit knowing what grace is most wanting to his people in a right receiving of an ordinance is wont to help herein Yet know that laying on of hands is not all this ordinance or the principal part thereof but prayer is the principal So much Melchiades de consecra dist 5. The holy Spirit gives beauty in Baptisme to innocency in confirmation he performes an increase to grace Chemnitius cites some sentences out of the ancients as out of Urban All believers by the laying on of the hands of the Bishops ought to receive the Spirit after Baptisme that they may be found full Christians and he the same person gives to confirmation these prayers that we may become spiritual that the heart may be enlarged to wisdom and constancy that we may be wise to discerne good and evil to resist malice to resist wicked desires that we being kindled with the love of eternal life may be able to lift up our mindes from earthly to heavenly things Clemens saith a person Baptized receives the seven forme grace of the Spirit else in no wise can he be a perfect Christian nor have a place among the perfect Although he have been Baptized after he shows what he means hereby viz. a spirit of wisdom and understanding a spirit of counsel and strength a Spirit of knowledge-and godliness and fill him with the fear of God So much the compilers of the Common Prayer-book thought who after they had acknowledged laying on of hands ought to be retained saying we make supplication unto thee for these children upon whom after the example of thy holy Apostles we have laid our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy favour and goodness towards them come to adde that they apprehended an increase of grace to be conveyed therein as in the first prayer of confirmation appeareth in these words Almighty God who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by water and the holy Ghost and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sins strengthen them O Lord with the holy Ghost the Comforter and daily increase in them the manifold gifts of grace the Spirit of wisdom and understanding the Spirit of counsel and Ghostly strength the Spirit of knowledge and true Godliness and fulfill them O Lord with the Spirit of thy holy fear Amen And then the Bishop laying on his hands said these words Defend O Lord this child with thy heavenly grace that he may continue thine for ever and daily increase in thy holy Spirit more and more untill he come to thy everlasting Kingdom And in the rubrick after confirmation none were to be admitted to the Lords Supper till such times as they were confirmed Object But if the Spirit be conveyed in Laying on of Hands let us see a Promise of God for it that an increase of the gifts and graces of the Spirit shall be given therein Answ A command of God is enough to receive an Ordinance though there were no Promise annexed concerning benefits herein Now I have before proved a command 2 Some
allege Acts 2.38 39. Repent and be baptized for remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost as if the Promise did belong to Imposition as well as Baptism 3 What Promise is there of the Spirit in laying on Hands on Officers yet is it acknowledged of Protestants generally that the Spirit is conveyed herein 4 We have Examples of Gods conveying the gifts and graces of the Spirit to Timothy's heart herein 2 Tim. 1.6 which should encourage baptized persons to submit thereto and expect like benefit therefrom 5 There is a Promise of the increases and additions of the Spirit to the Prayer of Faith whensoever poured out Luke 11.13 and why not to the Prayer of Faith when now in this Ordinance poured out Object But if Laying on of Hands were an Ordinance God would honour it to do that for which it is appointed Answ Who dare say God doth not 1 That it 's an Ordinance appears because it 's called a Foundation and because the first Church was stated upon it and because it was included in the Commission else the Apostles should do that for which they had no command Whereas some say Imposition is a Gift not an Ordinance I answer what is contained in it or conveyed by it is a Gift but the Administration it self is an Ordinance else Paul in the administring of it upon Timothy had been a wil-worshipper 3 God doth honour Laying on of Hands for that which he appointed it which was to be Vehiculum Spiritus a Conveyance of the Spirit in the increases of it as he hath appointed Baptism and the Supper But here is a mistake to think Gods appointment of it was still to convey miraculous gifts and that therefore it was no longer in force than such gifts were conveyed when these miraculous gifts were onely the Crown of this Ordinance Object We doubt not God hath made sundry Promises for the increasing of spiritual gifts and graces in his People and for strengthening of them by his Spirit against the Devil and Lust but whether are these Promises bound to the Laying on of Hands so that then when Hands are laid on and by that mean the gifts and graces of the Spirit are conveyed when the Church-Officer or Apostle lays on their Hands And it 's no consequence in the Scripture there is a Promise therefore we should invent a mean through which it must be applied Answ 1 In this Ordinance of Laying on of Hands there are two things 1 The Prayer of Faith the Promise is made to the Prayer of Faith and no more to that Prayer of Faith than to other Prayers of Faith wherein God is sought to for gifts and graces 2 Through this Laying on of Hands as a mean the gifts and graces of the Spirit are conveyed when an Apostle layeth on his Hands on a fit believing subject 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of the hands of me as in the Greek See he came to some inward gift of the Spirit by the Apostles laying on of his Hands 2 Here is no inventing of a mean to convey a Promise but it is such a mean as the Lord hath appointed to convey his Spirit by such a mean as the Apostle calls a Foundation such a mean as was a Chanel of the Spirit to Timothy Now as to the application of the Promise no man can say that either Baptism Supper or Laying on of Hands apply the Promise It 's the Spirit and Faith alone that apply the Promises to the Soul 3 For Baptism and the Supper concerning which there is more clearness of revelation we dare not say they are means through which the graces of the Spirit must be conveyed for God is a free Agent but means through which the Spirit may be and hath been conveyed and the like we say of Laying on of Hands as in Timothy's case 4 There being sundry means and chanels of conveying the Spirit in the gifts and graces thereof to Believers and this of Laying on of Hands being one what should hinder that a Believer may not pray for the conveying of the Spirit in the increases of it in this Ordinance And this may in all Ordinances stir us up to pray for it because God hath promised to pour out his Spirit in the times of the Gospel Zach. 12.10 John 14.16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom I will send unto you from the Father See also John 14.26 John 16.7 13. Luke 24.49 God hath promised to pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh in the last days Acts 2.17 these being the last days we may expect it V. 19. And Jesus arose and followed him and so did his Disciples We here see Christs condescention he doth not despise a weak Faith Had it not been enough if Christ had said Thy Daughter liveth but Christ goes after Jairus Let us learn from Christ to be easie and ready to help afflicted persons We may see the weakness of Jairus faith others with a touch of Christ or word of Christs mouth expected health but Jairus did not expect the restoring of his Daughter without Prayer and Laying on of Hands V. 20. And behold a Woman which was diseased with an Issue of Bloud twelve years came behinde him and touchod the Hem of his Garment As in Jairus so in this Woman four things considerable 1 That their misery brings them both to Christ many would never come to Christ were it not for affliction Psalm 50.15 Hosea 5.15.6.1 2 That they sought help from Christ as a Physician placing confidence in him both for soul and body so let us Zach. 1.13 John 1.16 3 That as the Woman touched the hem of Christs garment see that we touch him by faith Rom. 10.6 7 8. 4 The Issue of all this as Jairus had help so had this Woman against her bloudy Issue Which was diseased with an Issue of Bloud twelve years Mark and Luke say she had spent all her living on Physicians and had suffered many things of them See the covetousness and cruelty of unskilfull and ungodly Physicians Came behinde him It 's like because the Multitude throng'd him that she could not come before him And touched the hem of his garment It 's like by a divine Impulse V. 21. For she said within her self If I may but touch his garment I shall be whole I seek one that toucheth me not one that presseth me as of Christ so of his Church the faith of few touch it the crowd of multitudes throng it Aug. de verb. Dom. Scr. 6. She thought Christ was full of healing power as the oyntment poured upon Aarons head that went down to the skirts of his cloathing but she mistook thinking this flowing out was rather natural then voluntary As if Christ had acted rather by nature then will Yet is
believers are called Israel Gal. 6.17 And in particular it is a consolation to Preachers of the Gospel who when cast out by one people will be received by another I rather expound this place of the second sending than of the first because in the first sending the Apostles were used courteously Luke 10.17 and they came rejoycingly telling Christ the Devils were subject to them And no such hardships happened to them that we reade of We may learn three things 1 That Saints must prepare for persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 All godly must suffer it As he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit so is it now Gal. 4.29 If the Son of God were persecuted John 15.20 Saints must not look to go free John 15.20 Hence in or about the same year Christ spoke this there broke out a Persecution against the Church Acts 8.1 2. after the death of Stephen 2 When Gods people see themselves persecuted in one City they have a call to fly into another City Matth. 23.34 3 There will be some Saints and Cities that will be ready to receive persecuted Saints untill the coming of Christ 2 Cor. 4.9 Persecuted but not forsaken 2 Tim. 3.11 Prov. 14.26 V. 24. The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. V. 25. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Christ brings here a second Reason why Christians in general and Preachers in particular should patiently endure persecution because herein it is no otherwise with them than was with their Master Christ which Christ backs with a twofold Reason 1 The Scholar thinks it honourable to be made equal to his Master 2 Servants refuse not that condition which their Masters patiently endure So that Christ reasons that if he had suffered reproaches and slanders from the Jews and lookt to suffer greater even the death of the Cross then must you my Disciples prepare for the like It much tends to patience to know the evils that hang over us which Christ hath foretold us and hath gone before us by example in All ingenuous Christians are much troubled with reproaches hereby to be rendered odious but it is with them no otherwise than with Christ It would be counted an absurd thing to see a General of an Army going on foot and all the private Souldiers riding in Coaches and on horseback so will it be to see Christ the Captain of our salvation to lie under the reproaches of glutton drunkard deceiver devil and in the mean time we his Souldiers to be in honour with the world If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Beelzebub was the god of Ekron 2 Kings 1.3 Is it not because there is not a god in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron See also v. 6. The learned render it to signifie the Lord of a Fly or having a Fly because he was worshipped and called upon against a Plague of Flies because they believed he expelled and destroyed those Flies which infested And Nazianzen against Julian witnesseth that Beelzebub was made in fashion of a Fly Hence the Septuagint translate Beelzebub deum Muscam the god Fly Now the Jews partly out of scorn and partly out of abomination called the Prince of the Devils the god Fly which name took its rise in this manner The ancient Jews with great consent declare among other Privileges which God bestowed on his Temple at Jerusalem this was one that when such a number of sacrifices was daily slaughtered there was never any Fly beheld in the Temple which when Jupiter who was most famous among the Heathens could not do but always his Temple did abound with multitudes of Flies Grot. in loc therefore he was called the Jupiter of Flies Now the Jews learning from the Prophets that the gods of the Gentiles were Devils and the Predictions they foretold to be the works of unclean spirits they called the Prince of the Devils by that name wherewith the Prince of the supposed gods was called as we see Matth. 12.24 Now the Pharisees would perswade the people that the Miracles that Christ did were done by the power of the Prince of the Devils therefore most blasphemously they called Christ Beelzebub as if he were his Vicar and Deputy So that Christ reasons If they have called me the Master of the house Beelzebub much more you of my houshold Therefore seeing I patiently bear their reproaches See John 8.48 49. Do you also in like manner Christ should not onely be to us a Patern of Holiness but of Sufferings We may also see the near relations betwixt Christ and us he is the Master we his Scholars he is our Lord and we are his Servants he is the Master of the house Believers his houshold V. 26. Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known The words are an answer to an Objection in the mindes of the Disciples viz. we could easily contemn the reproaches of the wicked if our innocency did appear unto others now we lie under suspition and we have no defence To this Christ answers Fear not their reproaches your innocency covered over with slanders shall one day be revealed 3 So that here 's a third Reason I fear them not in all their reproaches malice blasphemy therefore do not ye fear them 4 There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed Here is a fourth Reason your innocency howsoever now aspersed shall be cleared up the slanders of the Jews concerning the magical arts of Christ and his Apostles the horrible Lyes of the Pagans concerning the incestuous Copulations of the Christians and their drinking mans bloud were in time discovered what they were Obs Secrecy of sin will not privilege it David committed Adultery secretly but God revealed it before the Sun 2 Sam. 12.12 Cains Murder and Jezebels Murder of Naboth clouded innocency comes forth as in Joseph slandered by his Mistris and David slandered by Sauls Courtiers So covered iniquity shall not always be hid Psal 90.8 Heb. 4.13 1 Tim. 5.24 25. Sometimes both innocency and wickedness are brought forth in this life Psalm 37.6 He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy just dealing as the noon-day And as innocency so secret wickedness Prov. 26.26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit his wickedness shall be revealed before the whole congregation And as in this life so especially shall they be brought forth at the Day of Judgment Eccles 12.14 God will bring every secret thing to judgment 1 Cor. 4.5 Then will God manifest the counsels of the heart 2 Cor. 5.10 Luke 12.2 Some expound it thus Fear not to preach my Gospel though few
Brethren with many words So in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 14.1 c. In the Church of Ephesus Ephes 4.11 gave some Prophets In the Church at Thessalonica 1 Thess 5.17 Despise not prophesying Yea we finde Prophets in the Church when Babylon shall be destroyed Revel 18.20 Rejoyce over her ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her he means such Prophets as the Beast made to prophesie in sack-cloath 1260. days Rev. 11.3 Now of these Prophets there were two sorts in the New Testament 1 Those that did foretell things to come such was Agabus Acts 11.28 under this kinde came the Prophetesses Philip had four daughters which were Prophetesses Acts 21.9 of this Acts 2.17 This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel saying I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams And of this it 's probable 1 Cor. 11.5 6. Every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head and every man prophesying with his head covered dishonoureth his head that is with his head covered with Ribbons and Garlands after the manner of the Heathen and the women prophesied after the manner of the Sybills with their hair hanging down and so dishonoured their head Christ Of which heathenish custom Lucan in his fifth Book speaks who lived a little after Christs time Bacchatur demens aliena per antrum Colla ferens vittásque dei Phaebeáque serta Erectas discussa comas per inania templi Ancipiti cervice rotat spargÃtque vaganti Obstantes tripodas magnóque exaestuat igne Iratum te Phoebe ferens In English thus The frantick Beldam raging through her den Bearing strange necks the heads of sundry men Adorn'd with Ribbons and with Garlands fair To Phoebus honour flownc'd her gastly hair Wheels here and there through temples empty spaces Shaking her doubtfull head here there she faces c. These Prophets told things past and future to persons as Christ did to the Woman of Samaria John 4.29 and Elisha to Gehezi 2 Kings 5.26 Irenaeus 1.6 saith himself had known and heard many Brethren that could discover the hidden things of men he means such secrets as could not be known by the power of mans wit From the revelation of which secrets it is supposed the Ideot or Heathen falls down and worships your God reporting that God is in you of a truth 1 Cor. 14.24 25. 2 Those that did expound the prophetical places of Scripture prophesying according to the proportion of faith Rom. 12.6 and did apply their doctrines to exhortation and confirmation so Judas and Silas Acts 15.32 to edification and comfort 1 Cor. 14.3 If any man ask whether prophesying be the same with preaching I answer no. 1 The words in Greeek are diverse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to preach and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prophesie Besides 2 Preaching is to be performed to every creature prophesying is to be performed onely to the Church 1 Cor. 14.22 Now if you ask what these Prophets were I dare not determine them to be Officers in Churches unless I could prove the manner of their call to make out which I can finde nothing but that they are put in the order and rank of men who are called by Office Eph. 4.11 As Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers which is something in order to prove them Officers but not full proof Some think them to be grown brethren such as are called perfect men 1 Cor. 2.6 Fathers 1 Joh. 2.13 Clemens makes three sorts of Christians 1 They that are turned from the Gentiles 2 They that are going up towards knowledge 3 They that are chiefly knowing It may fall out sometimes there may be some such knowing men in Churches who are by virtue of a gift as able to teach as a person in office pity such gifts should be quenched for want of exercise though I doubt not the fault of the times is on the contrary hand in that upon pretence of gifted Brethrens prophesying those that are not gifted in too many places are prest hereto verifying too much that conceipt that hath been cast by some viz. that ignorance impudence and a Concordance were all the accoutrements some had for preaching I speak not this to quench any gift where it is real but to sober those who may perhaps think of themselves more then is meet Prophets then if any such be out of office they are such as are perfect or well-grown Christians Heb. 5.14 Strong meat belongs to them that are perfect the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who by reason of habit have their senses exercised to difference good and evil But let Prophets be what they will be a Church can no more comfortably be without Ministers then a body without eye and hand Luth. Tom. 4.374 I shall conclude this with one querie Whether it be required by the word of God that a weak Brother that hath but a little measure of the Spirit and so consequently can pray but weakly and but weak parts both in the Analizing Explaining and Dividing the Scriptures and so must needs teach much more weakly be required to be a mouth for the Church at a Church-meeting especially in a Church where there are Brethren of better parts to be had And whether the exercising such weak Brethren be a mean for them to obtain the gift of prophesie or whether there be not some other way thereto As taking direction from some experienced Preacher and reading besides the Scriptures godly books chosen by the direction of some godly Teacher For which studies as also for the study of their own heart they are to set time apart and whether the company of the faithful are to set times apart on the Week day and to meet together on the Lords day onely to help a weak Brother to increase his gifts or rather to try whether he can by exercise increase them by our hearing of him or whether the faithfull whether Lambs or Sheep are not to meet to hear such persons as are able to feed them with knowledg and understanding and whether the faithfull come not for that very end unto hearing to obtain spiritual nourishment in the knowledg of duty and to obtain quickening from their deadness of heart by lively and powerfull notions and also growth by a higher measure of knowledg and information then hitherto they have had and whether such weak Brethren are able to give such information many whereof are onely babes in Christ many of the hearers being strong And whether the best means of edifying a Church be not to be followed And whether established Teachers in Churches reserving the liberty of Prophets and prophesie be not onely more creditable for the honour of the Gospel and edifying the souls of believers by many degrees then the having such weak Brethren to exercise who besides that they cannot
doth these things shall live by them and live in them Gal. 3.12 Contrarily fail in one point and be under the curse Gal. 3.10 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to do them A sinner is not justified unless he be condemned viz. by the Law he is not quickned unless he be slain he doth not ascend to heaven unless he descend into hell Luth. Tom. 2.57 Thus no man was ever justified save Adam in his state of innocency and Jesus Christ and the Angels By this righteousness no man living is justified Job 9.20 If I justifie myself my own mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Also v. 30.31 If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and my own clothes shall abhor me The meaning is if I were the purest man alive and God should call me to his tribunal I must needs condemn my self and whatsoever is near unto me would condemn me Psalm 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest be exeream to mark what is done a miss who might stand Psalm 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified We are not able to fulfill one branch of any command by reason of indwelling corruption so that I appeal to the conscience of any man whether in the perfectest action that ever he did he durst stand to Gods severe trial thereof much less are we able to fulfill the whole law and therefore cannot hope for righteousness by it as the Prophet saith in another case Esa 28.20 The bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering narrower then that he can wrap himself in it So say I of mans righteousness We cannot fulfill the whole law and therefore cannot hope for righteousness from it The Law requires a two-fold righteousness 1 Habitual in the inherent holiness of a mans whole person 2 Actual in the exercise of all good works enjoyned by the Law and Gospel and forbearance of the contrary evil works both in the thoughts of the heart words of the mouth and actions of the whole life so that every man in the world incurs damnation by his deeds and therefore cannot remain justified by his habits Nay he is more guilty that having an habit of inherent righteousness produces acts of unrighteousness as we see in the fallen Angels and Adam What man is there can perform these two commands to love God with all the heart and not to covet Yea look upon man in a state of regeneration we shall see weakness in his faith Mark 9.24 sinkings in his hope Psalm 43.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul Esa 64.6 The Prophet doubts not to pronounce of all our righteousnesses which were inherent in our persons compared with the righteousness of God and his law they were as filthy rags Obj. If our best performances be stained Esa 64.6 Why should we perform any good work Answ Though they be stained there is some good in them there is gold in the oar There is so much good that God pardons the ill and accepts the good a sick man must eat to strengthen nature though much of what he eats turns to putrifaction This righteousness of works cannot justify us 1 Because it s not so large as the Law of God so that he that hath the greatest measure of it hath much indwelling corruption 2 Saints ascribe all to the mercy of God in Christ Rom. 5.9 Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath See we are not justified by inherent holiness but by his blood Inherent righteousness is not a cause of our son-ship but onely a consequent of it Gal. 4.6 he sayes not ye are received for sons because the spirit hath stampt upon you inherent holiness but because by and in Christ ye are received for sons ye are indued with the spirit and graces thereof 3 No man in pangs of conscience and agony of death can trust to his own righteousness Psalm 130.3 4. 4 Because the law promises life upon an impossible condition Rom. 10.5 and so leaves the conscience doubtfull and trembling 2 The second righteousness whereby persons stand righteous is the righteousness of Christ which is when God declares men who are wicked and sinners by nature but by grace true believers to be freed and absolved from eternal death and to have right to eternal life for the righteousness of Christ Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. 1 Thes 5.9 When that mercifull father did see us to be opprest with the curse of the Law he sent his son into the world and cast upon him all the sins of all he means the elect saying Be thou Peter that denier Paul that persecutor David that adulterer that sinner that are the apple in Paradice that thief on the cross Luth. Tom. 4.94 Let the Law rule over the Flesh and the Promise sweetly reign in the conscience Now concerning Justification consider 1 The efficient cause 1 Generally the whole Trinity Rom. 3.30 It is one God who shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Uncircumcision through Faith Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness In particular the Father justifies us pronunciatively because we have imputative Righteousness and his Justice is thereby satisfied for a sinner is not just before God because he is justified but he is therefore justified because he is some way or other just for upon the creatures righteousness the act of God in Justification proceeds For upon the beholding of a righteousness for us the Father justifies us pronunciatively the Son justifies us meritoriously being made unto us of God righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 Ephes 5.2 The Spirit justifies us by applying unto us Christs satisfaction 1 Cor. 6.11 Ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 2 The material cause of our Justification was the Bloud and Death of Christ Matth. 20.28 He gave his Life a Ransom for many Luke 22.20 This Cup is the New Testament in my Bloud Acts 2.28 The whole Church is said to be purchased with the Bloud of Christ Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be the Propitiation for our sins through Faith in his Bloud When we teach we do no other thing than that we scatter and divide the virtue of Christs Bloud among the People Luth. in Gen. 49. Col. 1.14 20. In whom we have Redemption through his Bloud and having made peace by the Bloud of his Cross Also v. 22. You that were Enemies hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Heb. 9.12 speaking of the Levitical Priests he saith They entered into the holy place by the bloud of goats but Christ entered into Heaven by his own bloud having obtained eternal Redemption for us yea
Arguments fight who hereby give offence and justifie Pride of Apparel by their proud Examples and are hereby much disabled from works of mercy 1 But these Arguments seem not to me to take away my Assertion which is that Apparel is made not onely to fence us from the cold but for distinction of Degrees and that persons may wear Apparel sutable to their degree provided they be not proud of it and that it be not to the disablement of them to any work of mercy onely in case of scandal I incline to think that Ornaments and fine Apparel are to give place and I much desire all Christians to shew much moderation herein that they may not become offensive neither to those that are within or without for the abuse herein my soul is grieved as well as the souls of others 2 The excess of Apparel in Christians hath given advantage to the deluding Quakers 1 By having so visible an evil to reprove as there is in too many Professours 2 By a seeming mortification of Apparel to delude ignorant people whiles the pride of their words and carriages declares to judicious Christians the unmortified pride of their hearts Object But what are the Superfluities you would perswade to Answ The abatements of Superfluities as to Ribbons silver Laces c. Obs 1 God hath as great a care to cloath us as to feed us 2 For immoderate thought-taking for earthly things we cannot comfortably give a Reason to the Lord. 3 It 's an Argument that our Faith is but small to be very sollicitous and anxiously carefull for outward things 4 That there are degrees of faith little and great Matth. 8.10 26. Matth. 15.26 Matth. 16.8 1 Little or weak faith which is when a man goes out of himself to lay hold on Christ's righteousness yet not without some doubtings about remission of sins and outward things Mark 9.24 As there are differences of bodily stature some are big some little so in the stature of grace This weakness arises 1 From weakness of knowledg Rom. 14.2 Some from weakness of knowledg feed upon herbs onely 2 From a weak apprehension of promises of forgiveness Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help my unbelief 3 From infancy in Christianity or conversion A Babe cannot be strong as a grown person 4 Want of experiences of Gods dealings for experience breeds confidence 2 Cor. 1.10 2 Great or strong faith is when a man is full of knowledg of the Scriptures and strong to apprehend Gods love and to resist temptations and to cleave unto God in difficulties 2 Chron. 14.10 11. Hester 4.14 Dan. 3.17 Psalm 23.4.27.1 Matth. 8.10 Matth. 15.28 Rom. 4.20.8.9 The growth of this strong faith is like the growth of a strong man which is by degrees after a good continuance and use of the means after frequent witnessing of the Spirit after many experiences of the truth of our own hearts to God in resisting pleasing and profitable sins and doing painfull and costly duties constantly and such as oft we had no thanks for of men The least degree of faith is that which makes us willing to take Christ notwithstanding all crosses losses and persecutions Now if a man stand questioning whether he had best take Christ or no this is not faith Now faith admits of degrees in six respects 1 In further perswasions of truths I have Reasons to perswade such things are truths and these overcome me yet may I be further perswaded by more Reasons We see an object by the light of one candle but when more candles come we see it the plainlier 2 In the difficulty of things to be believed As for Abraham to believe he should have a Son and after to believe that God was able to raise him up from the grave as from a dead womb Martha could believe the general Resurrection but not the particular Resurrection of Lazarus 3 In respect of means when a man hath but little means and yet believes much so the Centurion Matth. 8.10 and Nathaniel John 1.48 4 In respect of things revealed The Apostles when Christ was on earth had a degree of faith but when Christ was ascended they grew to an higher not onely because the habit was then more increased but because the revelations and objects were more 5 In the the fruits of it as sense of Gods love power to subdue passions patience and joy in tribulations conquests over temptations 6 In respect of assent and consent in closing with Christ as in the act of Mariage two Women take two Husbands yet one takes an Husband with greater greediness according as her understanding closes with his proportionable fitness Use Exhortation to grow from a weak faith to a strong Nicodemus first came to Christ secretly after witnessed truth openly The least degree of Faith is Faith as a little man is a man as well as the greatest a little water is water as well as the Ocean the least bud drawes sap from the root as well as the greatest branch so doth weak Faith as well as strong draw sap from Christ It 's not the strength of Faith that saves but the truth of it nor the weakness of Faith that damns but the want of it We are not saved by the worth or quantity of our Faith but by Christ who is laid hold upon by a weak Faith as well as a strong All that looked on the Brazen Serpent were healed yet some lookt with a strong eye some with a weak in like manner do we behold Christ John 3.14 15 16. Obs But if a little Faith be so good what matters it for a great Answ Though none are rejected for it yet some are reproved It 's a blemish to have little faith after great means A weak faith gets to Heaven but it 's with difficulty especially if God send great trials Two men go up an hill one of them in a Consumption goes up pantingly the other without panting two ships come into a haven one tatter'd and weather-beaten ready to sink the other with full sail so weak faith brings to Heaven but with many doubts and fears Besides we may have greater temptations than yet we have had even fiery trials What then will a weak faith do Finally the more we grow in faith the more we shall grow in peace and joy Rom. 15.13 and have a fuller audience in Heaven 2 Use Labour after a strong faith Weak faith is a precious Jewel 1 Peter 1.7 but strong faith carries a man through the World as a Conquerour Quest What notes of it Answ 1 It contemns the temptations of multitudes customes and examples Let never so many be contrary-minded it moves not him Eliah stood against four hundred 2 Strong faith is not shaken with the apostasie of great men though Professours Preachers Paul was not moved from the faith a jot though all they of Asia turned away from him 2 Tim. 1.15 and though at his first answer before Nero all men forsook him 3 Holy boldness in time
of danger Psalm 3.5 6. I will not fear ten thousands that have set themselves against me Psalm 27.1 2.46.1 2. 4 A mighty spirit of Prayer that will take no denial from God Matth. 15.28 The Woman of Cana would take no denial from Christ hence Christ says O woman great is thy faith 5 A comfortable apprehension of Death and Judgment which days are feared by weak Christians Luke 2.29 Phil. 1.23 6 To have a clear manifestation of Gods love without any questioning of his Estate Rom. 8.38 39. and thereupon to triumph in Gods love over all both sin Satan and afflictions Rom. 8.33 34 35 36 37. Quest Whether may not a man of great faith so decline that his faith may become weak Answ As some of weak have become strong so some of strong have become weak Heb. 11.34 Asa had a great faith that he feared not a Million of Ethiopians yet after became weak See 2 Chron. 16.7 8. yea so weak that we might question his grace did not the Scripture say His heart was perfect with God all his days 1 Kings 15.14 This is caused partly from want of the means of grace or disuse of them as want of Preaching Prayer and good company Shut up a strong man from food and diet him thus and his strength will decay Partly from falling into some sin against conscience Psalm 51.10 11. or a frequent giving way to ones daily corruptions without lamenting and reforming of them and partly from love of the World and multitude of worldly businesses hence many who have shewn much forwardness in their youth have decayed in their affections to the Lord and to his people V. 31. Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be clothed 32 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after Here is a fifth argument against earthly sollicitude or carking because this inordinate carking for meat drink and apparel is proper to heathens which are ignorant of God and his providence and not to Christians who acknowledge and experience both The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a certain vehement desire As ye my disciples differ in your profession from the Gentiles see that ye differ also in your practice they are still carking what they shall eat drink put on but let your questions be how shall we live for ever Few of the heathens look for any happiness after death and therefore no wonder they are so eager after the things of this life but you are born to better things and called out from them therefore though you have great charge and perhaps but little means to maintain them though you have now and then a cross in the world do not you distrustfully say as they say What shall we eat c. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things This is a sixth argument against earthly sollicitude taken from Gods fatherly care of you he knowes what your means and charge is what the hardness of the times the contingent charges that befall you he is a Father and therefore will not neglect his children an heavenly Father and therefore will give you the best of blessings he is also your Father one in whom you have a property what need you then doubt what childe is there that casts not his care upon his father It 's the fathers reproach if he either will not or cannot provide for his children will it not redound to Gods reproach when we shall be carking for our selves as if we had no God to care for us Psal 23.1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want If we could conceive God were our Father and we his children the world would be base to us with all its glory wealth and pleasures we would not be sollicitous for livelihood we would not be so confident earthly things being present nor cast away our confidence they being taken away Luth. Tom. 4.127 V. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you We have heard of Christs dehortation from worldliness and carking now followes the exhortation to true care but seek ye first the Kingdom of God In the words 2 things 1 a duty Seek ye first the Kingdom of God 2 The promise All these things shall be added Seek ye first Threefold firstness 1 of time 2 of estimation 3 of opportunity He that forsakes opportunity shall be forsaken of it Opportunity is like a ship under sail to which you must call presently else it is gone Hannibal when he could would not destroy Rome after he could not when he would Though we are to give God our youth Exod. 22.29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits Prov. 3 9. Honour the Lord with the first-fruits of thy increase Eccles 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth And those that have been most eminent in grace have been wrought upon young Obadiah feared the Lord from his youth Samuel was called when a childe Timothy and many others and it is a mans honor to begin to know God betimes Yet this firstness is not all but we must understand a firstness of dignity and estimation that we prize spiritual things above temporal those temporal things are to be sought in order to the Kingdom of God Carnal men say seek money first and vertue afterwards But Christ sayes seek grace first if not we shall be as foolish virgins who too late sought for oyl Mat. 25. So that here is a seventh argument against distrustful care viz. all temporal good things are the rewards of godliness therefore cark not for them Psal 34.9 10. There is no want to them that fear him they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing 1 Tim. 4.8 Earthly things are added over and above alluding to that 1 Kings 3.11 Because Solomon asked an understanding heart and not long life riches or the lives of enemies God gave him that which he did not ask over and above riches and honour The Kingdom of God and his righteousness The Kingdom of God as the mark righteousness as the way So Matth. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God He that seeks the Kingdom of God above all other things and all other things for it need not be sollicitous for other things for they shall be added Also by Kingdom of God understand right and title to the Kingdom of God And his righteousness which is 1 Imputative righteousness of Christ which is also called the righteousness of God Rom. 1.17 Rom. 3.21 Rom. 10.3 2 The righteousness of sanctification as integrity of love hunger and thirst after doing Gods will innocency charity and all other graces Now that sanctification is called righteousness appears Deut. 6.25 It shall be our righteousness if we observe to