come when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth sometime for sincerity in our conversation Ioh. 3. 21. hee that doth truth commeth to the light an Israelite in whom is no guile Ioh. 1. 47. Sometime for the rule of Gods law Rom. 2. 8. Disobeying the truth and obeying vnrighteousnesse and 1. Pet. 1. 22. Your selves are purified by obeying the truth Sometime for the sincere doctrine of the Gospell Gal. 2. 5. that the truth of the Gospell might continue with you Sometime for Iustice Prov. 20. 28. Mercy and truth preserves the King Sometime for such a truth as depends not vpon Opinion which may erre but for that Metaphysicall truth which is affectio Entis and such I take it to be here and so in God it cannot faile so taken Rom. 3. 7. If the verity or truth of God hath more abounded through my lye and so vpon the premisses this doctrine builds it selfe There is nothing more certaine to come to passe in a due and true performance then the truth of all Gods promises Wee neede not stand to prop the truth of this truth vpon any weake foundation of mans building for his truth is himselfe Exod. 34. 6. aboundant in goodnesse and truth Man may be said to be true mercifull just but God is truth mercie and justice it selfe in the abstract so the Prophet here brings his truth in the second place as the sure performer of his mercifull kindnesse whatsoever saith Calvyn He doth promise by his mercy he doth faithfully performe because his mercy and truth are vndissolubly knit together they goe hand in hand and cannot be seperated and as he cannot lye nor deny himselfe Tit. 1. 2. No more can his truth faile Num. 23. 19. God is not as man that he should lye or the sonne of man to repent his truth is confirmed strengthened veryfied and so corroborated toward us for so the word translated great in the Originall signifieth that if we would we cannot put it from us but it will overcome us to acknowledge it if the Lord speake it even to the miraculous continuing of the Meale in the barrell and the Oyle in the Cruse 1. King 17. 14. Even in the preservation and maintenance of the Patriarch Iacob Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy the least of thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy servant heere is finem non habitura fides his truth is even decked and clothed with constancy and firmnesse we cannot obiect against him as the Poet against Iason and in him against vnstable Man Mobilis AEsonide vernaque incertior aura Cur tua polliciti pondere verba earent Inconstant sonne of AEson fickle wight and more vnconstant then the wind in spring How is it that thy words are growne so light to want that weight should be in promising He deserves not with Antigonus to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who promised much and performed little neither with Thaeaginus to be called smoake who promised much being very poore neither with Hermodorus will he sell his words he doth not will not cannot equivocate with man in the truth of his promises as he that promised centum oves and performed centum ova he hath given us an hand-writing and obligation of promises made himselfe our debter not by owing but promising sayth the great Bishop of little Hippo the heavenly Augustine that we cannot say vnto him give that thou owest but we must pray vnto him for what he promiseth his promises are not like the golden shewes nor showers of the World who like Sathan Mat. 4. 9. promise what they cannot perform inverting the words of the wise Phocion who would have great matters performed not promised as Stobaeus witnesseth but they promise golden mountaines the opulency of Lidian Craesus which in performance prove but moale-hills Among the sonnes of the earth some indeed performe that which after ward they repent as Ioshua did to the Gibeonites Ios 9. 23. some promise what they can doe but meane it not as Iacobs sonnes to the Sichemits Gen 34. 26. Some promise willingly but give vnwillingly as Herod Iohn Baptists head to Herodias Mar. 6. 16. Some promise but after deny it as Laban dealt with Iacob Gen. 29. 23. as is complained Cap. 31. 41. Thou hast changed my wages tenne times but the promises of God are to the faithfull in hope without hope above hope and against hope the father of the faithfull proved all this to be true Rom. 4. 18. Who against hope beleeved in hope that he might be the Father of many Nations the ground of whose Faith was the promise according to that which was spoken so shall thy seede bee Gen. 15. 5. This was accompted vnto Abraham for righteousnesse saith Ambrese because he beleeved and required no reason so the truth of the Lord endureth for ever Because he hath made his truth as strong as the brazen pillers of eternitie to encourage his servants wholly to relye vpon him expecting the performance of his promises he made them before the foundation of the World inact them in the great Parliament of Heaven before all time Ephe. 1. 5. they were and are firme stable great and precious to make us partakers of the divine nature 2. Pet. 1 4. performed in time when the time of promise came which God had sworne to Abraham given a word of prmoise Rom. 9. 7 in Isaac shall thy seede be blessed purposed salvation for us before the world began 2. Tim. 1. 9. Purchased inheritance of promise Heb. 6. 12. be not sloathfull but followers of them which through Faith and patience inherit the promises adopted as children of promise Gal. 4. 28. Now we brethren as Isaac are the children of promise drawne Covenants of promise Ephes 2. 12. The spirit of truth the Scrivener of them Ephes 1. 13. And sealed with the spirit of promise having set not onely his hand but the signet of his right hand the character ingraven image of his own person Amen The truth of the father 2. Cor 10. 10. All the promises of God are yea Amen in CHRIST which is the truth it selfe Reu. 3. 14. These things saith the Amen the true and faithfull witnesse the new convenant drawne Ier. 31. 31. And the counterpane thereof Heb. 8. 8. Are of more force and vertue then all the bills bonds and obligations be they never so curiously and cunningly framed in the winding Mâ—ander of a Ploydons braine Heaven and Earth shall passe ereone jot or title of these can perish nay if there were neither booke record inke or paper in the world they are written more surely then with a pen of Iron ingraven more firmely then with the point of a Diamond by the spirit of Gods grace and adoption in the heart of every beleever and further we have not onely his bond
and counterpane thereof but for our better assurance wee have his oath Gen. 22. 16. I have sworne by my selfe as much as if he had said let me be no more God if these things be not performed thus Isa 45. 23. sometime for this purpose he sweareth by his Soule Ier. 51. 14. Amos 6. 8. by his Name Ier. 44. 26. by his Holines Amos 4. 2. by his right hand Isa 62. 8. so to sweare by himselfe his Name Holinesse c. are all one contrary to Philo the Iewe who would have God to sweare by himselfe and man by his attributes thus God for our assurance deales with us like a debter who for the certainty of payment pawns his Faith Truth Soule and sometime his God and this promise was so Sacred even in the light of Nature that Adesilaus King of the Lacedemonians thanked Tissiphernes for breaking his promised truce because by this breach he had incurred the anger of the Gods if thus inviolable in Man how much more in God who will not falsifie his truth nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth Psal 89. 33. and whose truth of promise is so confirmed in his CHRIST Rom. 15. 8. It was the worthy resolution of the Prophets long before the actuall incarnation of CHRIST and the reall performance of that great mysterie 1 Tim. 3. 16. that he would performe his truth to Iacob Mic. 7. 20 that he is the Lord Iehova and changeth not Mal. 3. 6. and that he is faithfull 2 Tim. 2. 13 so that his truth endureth for ever And that we may be the more assured of this turth for our third Reason let us looke a little into the all-sufficiency of his power and launch our selves into the mayne Ocean of his omnipotencie David tels us Psal 115. 3 hee hath done whatsoever pleased him he hath potentiall power by which he is able to doe more then he will As of stones to rayse up children to Abraham Math. 3. 9. to send 12 legions of Angels to rescue our Saviour CHRIST from the Crosse Math. 26. 53. to built a thousand worlds c. But his will is the limmit of his power In his actuall power by which he mightily works in the daily preservation and gubernation of his creatures he works not with wearinesse irkesomenesse or tediousnesse but without all impediment not as Man in the sweate of his face but in the whole Hexameron and worke of Creation he onely spake the Word and they were made successively in order by his word onely he causeth the thunder which is his glorious voyce the Hindes to calve and the whole course of nature to be continued in her severall species without controlment so that whether wee respect his principall promise in sending CHRIST the desire of all nations or his inferiour lesse principall all are surely sealed duely to be performed unto us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever But it may be obiected against the faithfulnes of Gods truth Gen. 12. 7 hee promiseth to give Abraham the land of Canaan but he inherited it not as the protomartyr witnesseth Acts 7. 4. God brought him in but gave him no inheritance in it no not the breadth of one foote Resp Though Abraham did not personally possesse it yet he may be said to inherite it two wayes First mystically as it was not onely a fertile fruitfull and country in Asia as Scicilia to Italie but likewise it did Typically shadowe the Kingdome of Heaven the celestiall Canaan the Church Tryumphant and this did Abraham inherit in his owne person called his owne bosome Luke 16. 23. into which all the faithfull are gathered as into a sure haven out of the raging stormes of the glassie Sea the brickle world Rev. 4. 6. So that God in the performance of his promises though he give not the samething yet hee give something equibalent as to Iosia 2 Kings 22. 10. Though he gaue him not long life the promised portion to obedient children Exo. 20. 12. yet he gave him a more excellent thing taking him from the evill which presentlie upon his death fell heavily vpon his people and giving him a better life in Heaven Secondly he may be said to inherit it though not in his owne person or his immediate seede yet in his posterity 430 yeares after the promise was made as the Apostle proveth Gal. 3. 17. so though not to the same parties yet to their successors the truth of God is surely performed the godly mans patience is expected for Hab. 2. 3. the vision is for an appoynted time though it tarty waite for it which shall surely come and not stay thus Psal 97. 11. Light is sowne for the the righteous not in the harvest but in the seede time thy harvest is but in hope as the husbandman casteth his seede into the ground and is content to stay the time of the reaping so must wee waite for the promises And though yet hee hath not gathered the dispiered of Iacob his ancient people yet the time shall come when the Shulamites shall returne and the spirit of grace shall be powred upon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem Zach. 12. 10. CHRIST himselfe the coyne or corner stone and to joyne together those two great seeds the Iewes and Gentiles as by a corner two wals which otherwise were broken a sunder are joyned and made one and the building perfected Ephes 2 20. and thus of the truth of all his promises revealed to his Church from time to time sealed by the infallible witnesse of the Spirit of truth even to Peters vision Acts 10. 19 are and shall surely be performed so the Doctrine is confirmed against all Atheists that doubt of any of the particulers and say 2 Pet 3. 5. Where is the promise of his comming and against all those by whom the way of truth is blasphmed and evill spoken of let God be true and every Man a lyer Rom. 3. 4. To teach us to make the truth of God in his promises the ground worke of our comfort stedfastly setling our faith and full assurance thereon devote Barnard in the consideration of this truth was even ravished in an holy extasie saying O the wonderfull love of God in our adoption the trueth of his promises and his power in their performance we must beleeve with Abraham beleeving above hope though in mans reason they seemed to be frustrate as those millions of Nations to issue out of halfe sacrificed Isaac and with faithfull Paul who in his dangerous voyage to Rome a great tempest arising neither Sunne nor Starres appearing for many dayes and being hopelesse of all safety Acts 27. 20. saw by the vision of his faith and comforts the Marriners that there should be no losse of any mans life but onely of the Ship and with David Psal 77. 2 â—n the day of my trouble I sought the Lord c. when his Soule
was full of anguish refusing comfort ready to enter the Port of blacke dispaire verse 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will hee be favourable no more hath he forgotten to be gracious c. yet hee checks himselfe Verse 9. This is mine infirmity and weaknesse So must weâ— in the middest of our fiery tryals when the old Serpent layes the strongest siege at the Castle of our faith seeking by the roaring Cannons and murdering Bassaliscoes of diffidence and distrust to weaken our hope in the truth of Gods promises And to shake our faith the anchor of our Soule onely able to stay it in the swelling surges and boysterous waves of all temptations and crosses Heb 6. 19. But let thy faith which is the ground of things hoped for the subsisting of things which are not seene Heb. 11. 1. grounded upon the truth of God which purposed framed confirmed and inacted thy happinesse in the starrie coast of Heaven before the foundation of the world counter-guard thy heart against all the deepnesse strength power and pollicy of Sathan build thy selfe upon the rocke Mat. 7. 24. Which is CHRIST 1 Cor. 3. 11. and Wee are stones built upon him 1 Pet. 2. 5. say of this truth as Gamaliel in such a case Acts 5. 39. This is of God it cannot be destroyed or frustrated be not faithlesse but beleeving sinke not with Cephas in the pit of diffidency Mat. 14 31. but let his truth be thy supporter in all thine adversities let thine helpe stand not upon the sandy foundation of thine owne weakenesse but in the name of the Lord Psal 121. 2. Rowse up thâ— selfe with the cripple at the beautifull gate of the Temple Act 3. 8. for He that trusts in the Lord is as Mount Sion which cannot be remooved Ps 125. 1. Secondly out of the stedfastnesse of this truth learne further that in it are considerable 2 things Hos 2. 23. First on Gods part Thou art my people Secondly on our part Thou art my God hee promiseth confirmeth and performeth happinesse wee holinesse hee glory wee duty hee heaven wee obedience hee to be a father wee to become children hee is tyed to us by oath and we are bound to him in the strayte irrepealable condition of vowe if we want not in obedience he cannot in performance and if wee expect his performance let us looke unto our owne part which is obedience which if wee should doe with the reflecting optique and perspicill of true judgement and consider the crookednesse of our pathes he backwardnesse of our obsequence and the perverse carriage of our lives wee may with our tongues say with Saul to Samuell 1. Sam. 15. 13. Blessed bee thou of the Lord I have fulfilled the Commandement of the Lord but it might justly bee retorted against vs and sheathed in the inmost closset of our consciences in Samuels reply What meaneth then the bleating of the Sheepe in mine eare and the lowing of oxen which I heare Thus might it be replyed to our pretended holinesse and obedience what meane those troupes of Blasphemers Atheists Drunkards Lyers c. which like the frogs of Egypt cover the whole land and yet presumptuouslie daring claime the promises of God and scarce bearing the outward face of Christians yet are impudently bold with the gaine-saying Iewes to cleere themselves and say Mal. 3. 8. Wherein have wee trespassed When in the meane time our consciences testifie that wee have wearyed the Almighty pressed and oppressed him as a Cart with sheaves Amos 2. 13. with our enormous transgressions and rebellions committed with an high hand Num. 15. 13. seated in the chayre of the scornefull Masked with brasen-faced impudencie that we blush not Ier. 8. 12 with a blockish benummednesse a calumne and brawny dulnesse of heart that we cannot enter into the chambers of our heart in the consideration of our wayes not once crying in the remorse of soule Alas what have I donne Ier. 8. 6 the very tryall of our countenances testifying against us Esay 3 9. that wee can lay no sure tiâ—l to the Covenant and promise of Mercy because wee â—ilfully treâ—â— under foote the vowe of obedience but even that God in the rigour of his justice 1 Sam. 3. 11. should make our two eares to tingle and our bellies to tremble Hab. 3. 16. and not to be mercifull to such an one Deut. 29. 19. that addeth drunkennesse to thirst blood to touch blood Hos 4. 3. heaping one sinne upon another as one wave of the Sea followeth in the necke of another where is now the correspondence of this obedience when thou hast delt thus falsely in Gods covenant Psal 44. 67. When thine eares and thine heart are uncircumcised thy necke not used to the yoake thy rebellions growne so sinewie and strong that they cannot bowe and the promises of mercy for all this being made the Argument of thy security like the Sycamoore the more wet it receives the dryer it is so thou the more mercy the lesse obedience what part of Gods truth canst thou clayme but that of his justice even to be brayed and brayned with the foole in the morter of his wrath though thou be in no dammage like other men but flo wrish like a greene bay tree as David and that thy breasts be full of milke and the collops of prosperity appeare in thy flancke as Iob and though thou lye upon beds of Ivorie and stretch thy selfe upon thy couches eating Lambes out of the flocke and the calves out of the middest of the stall chaunting to the sound of the viall and inventing to thy selfe instruments of Musicke like David as Amos sayth Chap 6. 4. Yet it shall not goe well with the wicked hee that sowes iniquiâ—y must reape affliction Prov. 11. and he that soweth righteousnesse shall reape a sure reward it is thy goodnesse not greatnesse thy obsequious obedience onely holds plea in this case though thou post thy wickednesse upon the wings of the silent night and hide thy sinnes in the secret cavernes and subteraneous cloysters and valts of the earth yet the Lord will search Ierusalem with a lantherne The eyes of the Lord are upon thee Hab. 2. 20. and his eye lids consider thy wayes Psal 11. 4. though he now winke and seeme to sleepe considering with his eye lids the crookednesse of thy wayes taking leisure and respite ere hee bring them to light yet he goes with thee all this while as hee did with the old world 120 yeares and a long time with Sodome and Gomorrha as a publike notary marking thy courses till thou run thy selfe to perdition then opening his eyes which seemed shut seazing upon thee with this dierfull redargution Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done I held my tongue thou thoughtest wickedly that I was even such a one as thy selfe but I will reproove thee and set before thee the things which thou hast done all the time of Gods patience wicked man
comming a plaine testification of their calling which afterward increased as the sand of the Sea the daughter of Aegypt forgot her fathers house and the prophane barren Gentile bore children unto God The wise men come here among the Iewes as Apostles and teachers of their Rabbinicall Doctors that so long had held the chaire of Moses blind fat-bellyes that could not see so farre as the auncient Sybils or those strangers that so oft had tossed over those divine Oracles of this starre of Iacob and the mighty volumes of their Master Moses but Thou O God hidest those things from the wise and prudent of the world and revealest them to babes and sucklings even so it is thy will Thou pullest downe the mighty from their seate and exaltest the humble and meeke Luke 2. revealing that mystery that was hid from ages and generations Testified likewise Iohn 4. 27. he is found talking with a Gentle-woman shewing himselfe to be a Iesus a Saviour to her vers 10. If thou knewest the gift of God that is mee which am given of my Father 2 Cor. 9. 15. so called by the Apostle Thankes be unto God for his unspeakeable gift And if thou knewest mee which am the true immortall Ambrosia Nectar and aqua vitae of the Soule-sicke sinners The fountaine of living waters Ier. 2. 13. The fountaine of Israel Psal 68. 26. all this he is even to the Gentile Iohn 4. 26. I that speake unto thee am hee I am the expectation of you Gentiles The sides of the North which Satan challenged for his owne seate and Pontificiall throne Esay 14. 13 are become the Citie of the great King Iesus Christ Psa 48. 3. so that even as a stone though malleable is hardly brought to frame and square to his fit place in a building yet being laboriously hammered is durable and of long continuance so the Gentiles were a most crabbed wilde stocke to plant in a most crooked timber to hewe for Gods building yet being planted and brought to the faith they are most permanent gathered into the inclosed garden of Gods Church Reason 1. That they might shewe forth the wonderfull riches of Gods mercy the greater the sinner the richer the mercy that saves him as Gods mercy appeared more in calling one covetous Publican one incontinent Magdalene one Saul as bloody as Nero or Iulian one lost sheepe to be brought home Luk. 15. one prophane Gentile than in a multitude that needed no repentance It is a greater worke of Gods divine majestie to change a wicked man to a godly than of nothing to erect the glorious arches of thewhole world as Paul said of himselfe Where sin abounded there grace more abounded 1 Tim. 1. 16. For this cause I obtayned mercy that in me first Christ Iesus might shew forth all long suffering for a patterne to them which should hereafter beleeve on him to life everlasting As the Orator spake He that exalts his dejected adversary to his auncient place and dignities and not onely thus but amplifies his honours I not onely comparatively equall him with the best of men but judge him most like to God himselfe It is the glory of a King to passe by offences saith Eccles so is Gods mercy made great in pardoning the innumerable sinnes of the East the abhominations of the Gentiles In the East was the fall of our first Parents the unbeleefe of Eva the disobedience of Adam Gen. 3. the fratricide of Cain Gen. 4. Nimrods rebellion first Idolatry Magicke delivered and taught by those Phantasticke divels Incubus and Succubus with many more so that here is the magnifying of his mercy also of his glory As it is a great glory to a King to have strangers from remote parts of the world to bring presents and submit themselves to his scepter and governement So is it to have the raging Gentiles that so long had bandied themselves against the Lord and his annoynted to yeeld their necks under his yoake and those lands which like Ezechiels bloudy pots had nought but theyr scum in them full of Mephyticall stinckes like the five Cities or like the pot among the children of the Prophets in which was nought but death and the entoxicating poyson of abhominable villaines should at the last like Noahs sacrifice be a favour of rest in the nosthrils of Almighty God pots of holinesse like those in Zach. 13. last And so here is the mercy love and glory of God manifested in the calling of those long-loathed Gentiles Thus wee see Christs Kingdome according to his promises and prophecyes reaching from sea to sea and from the great river to the ends of the World as the Angell said Of his Kingdome shall be no end not onely in regard of the stability and durance but also of the boundlesse interminable amplitude thereof The Ocean shall not bound his regiment His fame shall flie above the firmament Else where had beene those huge Nations which have bin converted to the faith some by Apostles c. to omit the rest our selves which long lay in the darknesse of superstitious Gentilisme and of late times by those famous Colonies in Virginia brought from worshipping of Divils mirabile dictu to worship the true God in spirit and truth the instruments of whose happy calling were our famous English If the mercy of God had not appeared how had wee and the most part of the world still remained in horrible blindnesse slaves to Satan and heires of eternall perdition Come unto us then miserably blinded Turkes Infidels and Pagans and we will tell you what God hath done for our soules we have tasted how true how gracious the Lord is the Sea of knowledge which Esay spake of is accomplished among the Churches of the Gentiles Ieremie said They should come unto God from the ends of the earth and it is fullfilled the concourse to the preaching of the Word foretold by Micah and Zacharie is verified Mic. 4. 1. Zach. 8. 20. This day are these Scriptures fulfilled in our eares Thus much for confirmation of the Doctrine the uses follow First to teach us to magnifie the glorious name of God who hath called us out of darknesse into the marveilous light of the saving knowledge of Christ If we should make a quare with David concerning the generall estate of man What is man that thou art so mindfull of him or of himselfe What am I and what is my Fathers house Why we were even a refused people in whom there was neither favour nor beauty without hope without God in the World children even whose profession was disobedience drowned in the sinke of abhominations Our religion if we had any was mere idolatry Quicquid humus pelagus coelum mirabile gignit Id dixere Deos colles freta flumina flammas What'ere the God of nature hath made strange In Sea in earth in hill floud fire
dead whilst they live 1. Tim. 5. 6. Was the Word able to raise the Gentiles suffer it then to conquer thy lusts to mollifie thy hard heart to wash thee to supple thee in the fountaine of Israel the Spring of living waters to be a lanthorne unto thy feet and a light unto thy pathes Psal 119. It is worthy the consideration of the most considerate that CHRIST is come unto thee Ioh. 1. 14. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us And if thou continue a wicked Cham a cursed Canaan a prophane Esau a flowting Ismael and comest not unto him by prayer and obedience and he into thee by his Spirit Iohn 14. 17. be sure he will come to thee and against thee in his judgements to thy most fearefull ruine and destruction as he came to Herod Iulian Antiochus like a Lionesse bereft of her whelpes and to the rest of his enemies Luke 19. 27. Those mine enemies That would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and stay them before me Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish in the way Psal 2. Inflame my heart O Lord with zeale to desire thee desiring thee to seeke thee and give me grace by seeking to finde thee in the word Sacraments c. To teach us that untill a mans eyes be opened his heart touched and his soule enlightned and hee by the Gospell endued with the power of grace from above he seeth no glory nor excellency in religion and Christianity like those Gentiles so long as they wallowed in their sinnes and superstitious vanities the pretious word of reconciliation was to them but as pearles cast before Swine Math. 7. 6. Or the childrens bread unto doggs Math. 15. 26. But when the unsearchable riches of CHRIST was preached unto them a mysterie which from the beginning of the world was hid in God and not opened to the sonnes of men nor to very Angels principalities and powers Eph. 3. 5. 8. 9. the accomplishment of which riches is the glory and joy of heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. the Angels desire and delight to looke into it we see how inwardly they are affected with it and they see no glory in any thing else as the wife of Phineas 1 Sam 4. 21. calling the arke the glory of Israel As Saul before an Herod a Iulian persecuting CHRIST with as much fury as any tyrant breathing out nothing but fire and faggot yet when he was smitten downe to the ground by the powerfull voyce of CHRIST he became a most zealous Preacher of the trueth in which formerly hee saw no glory and a pillar of that Church which even now he would have pulled downe and desires to know nothing but CHRIST and him crucified Gal. 6. 14. he joyes in nothing else Those also Acts 2. 13. that were mocking the gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles affirming the heate of too much wine to cause that volubility of straÌ„ge languages among them Yet when Peter had taught them that it was the accomplishment of Gods faithfull promise prophecyed by Ioel chap. 2. 28. of the powring out the bottomlesse Ocean of Gods Spirit in the gifts and graces thereof upon all flesh and had applied a corrasive of redargution and reproofe unto them for crucifying CHRIST they are changed and pricked in their hearts longing after the way of salvetion vers 37. Men and brethren what shall we doe The like wee see Acts 16 in the laylor when hee heard Paul and Silas praying and singing Psalmes in the Prison he is presently like King Saul 1 Sam 10. 9. when the Spirit of God came upon him changed into another man So in him was a strange alteration being cast downe by the miraculous earthquake and the cohibition of Paul verse 29. his backwardnesse into forwardnesse he called for a light and sprang in his pride into humility he came trembling and fell downe his cruelty in his former insulting over them into compassionate mercy he brought them forth his desire which was formerly to persecute them to be saved by them What shall I doe to be saved So the sinne-sunke citizen woman that had a long time almost rotted in the Dead Sea and sulphureous Asphaltites of loathsome lust hearing of a IESVS a Saviour though in a proud Pharisies house Luke 7. 37. stickes neither for costly oyntment to annoynt him nor sâ—aâ—e to stand behind him nor plenty of teares to wash his feete who was watering her soule with the dewe of Grace nor her haire which sometime like Nauplius his lights to bring the Grecian fleet to destruction in revenge of his sonne Palamedes was as a baite to ensnare the hurtlesse passenger to wipe his feete which was to wipe her soule with the immaculate sacrifice of his owne bloud Iohn 1. 29. Thus we see Publicans and sinners when once they are touched in remorse for finne how deepely they are affected and inwardly touched Rom. 7. 24. Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death even with Ezekiah Esay 38. 14. To chatter like a Crane or a swallow and mourne like a dove with David Iob and the children of God with prayers teares watchings mournings to fill heaven and earth for the pardon of theyr sinnes their reconciliation with God the peace of conscience the comfort of the Spirit of comfort and the Salvation of their soules When the civill honest man is scarcely moved with any sence or feeling of the need of his conversion he feeles no sweetnesse in the word which is sweeter than honie or the honie combe Psal 19. 10. He feeles no need of it and yet Iob esteemes it above his ordinary food we have our spirituall life by it 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being borne anew not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever We have Gods benefits for his words sake 2 Sam. 7. 21. For thy words sake and according to thy promise hast thou done all these great things The preaching there of makes Saâ—an fall downe as lightning Luke 10. 18. Witnesse those new found Indiâ—â— lamaica Iappo Virginia which have formerly had a strange familiar commerce with Satan and have sacrificed unto him though not for love yet for feare of heart as the Pigusians every morning runne with baskets full of rice to pacifiâ— him in the shape of a blacke dogge with many more brutish benevolences to him So soone as Christopher Columbus and others had discovered them and planted the Gospell in some parts of them how deepely have these poore Pagans bin affected the kingdome of Satan demolished that now seldome or never he appeares among them He sees no power in it he accounts of the threatnings denounced out of the Word but as Morbasan the Turke did of the Excommunication of Pius 2. when he sent him word to call in his Epigrams Thus doe wicked men and civil honest men
dreames of nothing but peace making God the approoving Parron of his villanies and if hee were not acknowledged Heb. 11. 6. To be a rewarder both of the righteous and of the wicked rendering to the one honour glory and immortall life and to the other indignation wrath tribulation and anguish Rom. 2. 7. hee might justly be reputed as the wicked themselves but it is as possible to change and alter the nature and essence of God as for the obstinate unjust person to escape the instruments of death prepared for him Psal 7. 12. Even the iust shall reioyce when he seeth the vengance Psal 58. in the performance of this truth Consider then what danger it is to weare the livery of disobedience to treade upon the egges of a Cockatrice to hatch their poysonous egges which who so eateth dyeth and that which is crushed breaketh into a viper to weave the Spiders webbe Isa 59. 5. to have any thing to doe with the unfruifull workes of darkenesse but to inherite shame and confusion Be ye then like the kine of Beth-sheemosh drawing the Arke 1 Sam. 6. 12. though their calves lowed to them and they to their calves yet being yoaked to the Arke they could not turne backe so resolve with thy selfe that though thy calves thy brutish affections cry after thee and thy deareling sinnes like so many swarmes of Bees troupes of beloved friends or dearest children as Augustine confesseth of himselfe upon his conversion from a dissolute Manichey incompasse thee on every side for reentertainement yet being tyed to the Aâ—ke by thy covenant of obedience refuse renounce shake them off and cast them away as Ephraim his Idols If thou wilt needs follow thine imaginations which are evill Gen. 6. 5. and suffer thy selfe to lye sottishly chayned in the inchaunted Castle and fooles Paradise of sinne Pitching thy tents in the Bethaven and house of vanity drowned in the Soporiferous Nepenthick dregs of the cyrce and bewitching corruption of thine owne heart silencing the thoughts and vailing the eyes both of sinne and punishment the very visions of thy head will one day make the affraid Dan. 4. 2 an evill conscience will be unto thee as Iobs messenger Ioh 1. 19. a disasterous nuncio to torment thee Prov. 28. 1. cause thee to flye when no man pursueth thee smite thee with astonishment of heart Deu. 28. 28. Lev 26. 17 give thee the oyle of sadnesse in stead of gladnesse cause thee to say of laughter thou art madde when the best of thy comforts is buâ— from the teeth forward with Nero thou may est change thy chamber but not thy chamber fellowe for the eyes which sinne hath shut punishment doth open the whole world of the damned sufficiently testifying as we see in Bal tazar Dan. 5. in the time of Gods silence what a Iolly fellow he was God gave him a Kingdome Majestie and honour all Nations tremble before him he put downe and exalted whom he would securely carrowfing with hi Queenes and his Concubines his Princes and proceres in the sacred bowles of the Temple praysing the Gods of golde and silver but the God in whose hands his breath was he regarded not his counsels and hests he obeved not tell me now when his countenance châ—ngeth and his knees knocke one against another what an unquiet house is here when his Iudge is but writing against him with a little finger thus it is with wicked men in the time of their disobedience and Gods patience as cold congealeth together things of quite contrary natures as wood stones Iron c. till the fire come to dissolve them so the soule of man hath frozen together sinnes of all sorts and because man is Sathanically blinded God hath appoynted the fire of his judgement to dissolve them letting them see what a horrid confusion they have brought upon their owne heads and what a confused Babel and disordered heape of enormities they have piled and compiled together against the day of wrath the just Judge of the world is not like Phillip of Macedon who heard the poore womans cause while he slept and so gave sentence against her but true and just in all his sayings whether they be Menaces or Mercies even the word which I have spoken unto you shall judge you at the last day Iohn 12 48. Eodem constanciae firmitatis elogio ornabitur clementia veritas The mercy and trueth of God are commended in the same title of constancy and stabilitie both grounded upon himselfe if hee be thy Master then where is thy dutifull feare and if thy father then where is thy filiall obedience Mal. 1. 6. If thou expect his promises looke to thine owne vowe squaring thy obedience by the rule of his law which must be thy compasse Cynosure and loadstarre to guide thee to the inherritance which is sealed by his promises in Heaven to be the happy portion guerdon of all obedience respected more than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15 22. Eccles 4. 17. Hos 6. 6. Ier. 7 22. This unmeasurable truth of God teacheth us as dutifull children in this matter to imitate the father of truth in our awfull and lawfull oathes our promises and simple asseverations let truth be the character and image of the inward affection of our hearts and our tongues the true ambassadors of our Soules the mouth and the minde are coupled together in an holy Marriage Math. 12. 34. Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and doth a fountaine send forth at one conduit bitter water and sweete water Iam. 3. 11. so when the tongue speaketh that which the heart never thought it is conceived in Adultery and he that bringeth forth such bastards offends not onely the rule of charity but infringes the inviolable bond of chastity makes a dangerous breach in that morall verity which is incomparably more beautifull among Christians than the farre-admired Helena was accompted among the Grecians for she crownes all those that dye her Martyrs The King is strong women is strong wine is strong but the truth is above all it liveth and conquereth for evermore 1 Esd 4. 38. Fidelity in keeping promises is a fruit of the Spirit and called Faith Gal. 5. 22. a property of him that is qualified to dwell in Gods Tabernacle and rest upon his holy Mountaine Psal 15. 4. It is Gods owne precept Ephes 4. 15. Put away lying and speake truth every man to his neighbour it is our armour of proofe able to abide the fiery tryall to make truth our proposition honesty our assumption and conscience our conclusion In this wee are like to God himselfe whose wayes are mercy and truth hee whose soule is fraught with this may safely with undaunted boldnesse launch foorth into the depth of his enemies set saile and direct his course to the haven of Heaven to the father the God of truth Psal 30. To the Son which is truth it selfe Iohn 14.
Pena damni is an aggravation of the misery and materiall poynt of the torments of the damned Luke 13. 28. Yee shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God thou mayest justly heere say with David being the man whom the King will honour 1 Sam. 18. 18. in the acknowledgement of Gods free mercy and truth toward thee Who am I and what is my life or my fathers family in Israel that I should be not onely sonne in law but even lawfull heire to the King of Kings to enjoy the same glory with those famous Patriarks and Worthies what shall then become of all those that neglect so great Salvation who being invited to this heavenly banquet of mortall Ambrosicall junckets do still lie groveling in the myeric and nastie sinkes of Iniquity eating the filthy dust of the earth with the Serpent Gen. 3. 14. selling themselves with Ieroboaâ—â— to doe wickedly soules and bodies with Esau to hell for a messe of Pottage or with Demas for a few of the transitory temporals of the world but if wee expect the same happinesse with the Fathers wee must go the same way and tread in the same steps not expecting to enjoy the poysonous pleasures of sinne and the felicity of Gods chosen with Moses Heb. 11. 25. refusing to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasure of sinne for a season esteeming the rebuke of CHRIST greater riches then the pleasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of reward knowing if he had the one he must misse the other thus our Saviour CHRIST endured the Crosse dispised the shame for the joy that was set before him Heb. 12. 2. Thus the Christian Hebrewes in the Primitive Church suffered with ioy the spoyling of their goods the reason is rendered they knew in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance Heb. 10. 37. or as David Psal 106 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen and reioyce with thine inheritance Heere is propounded vnto thee that double pathway of Hercules the one the straight foot-path of Vertue which ascending may seeme hard and difficult Non est a terris mollis ad astra via Faire vertues war hard and vneasie is that leades from Earth to endlesse happinesse The other is broad easie and even which is the inchanted way of sinfull pleasure Facilis discensus Averni The often-troden path of fi lt hy Vice is easie plaine and leades from Paradice Thus tracing the Patriarkes in the footing of holy Duties Religion and Pietie there is layd vp for thee a Crowne of immortality but traversing thy steps in the pleasing wayes of voluptuousnesse thou shalt be sure to finde nothing but horrid paines tumultuous horror fiery chaines scorching darknesse tormenting Divels and a full draught of the scalding Cup of the vnmeasurable wrath of an angry incensed and revenging God who is a consuming Fire Heb. 12. 29. Seeing the Fathers received the Promises assuredly having the mercies of God confirmed and performed vnto them by their Faith Heb. 11. 33. even to their severall deliverances even that from Babels Captivity which long expected inlargement was vnto them as a dreame Psal 126. 1. and preventing his servants beleeving on him as David with blessings abundantly Psal 21. 3. So will hee deale with vs if wee have Faith Ephes 3. 20. For hee is able to doe for vs exceeding abundantly above all that we aske or thinke promising to heare our Prayers even while we aske or speake as hee did with Cornelius Act. 10. 4. or Daniel chap. 9. 23. While they are yet speaking I will heare Isa 65. 24. So by Faith wee must receive the Promises Hence wee see the apparent reason and cause why so many after so long Preaching of the Word receiving the Sacraments and frequenting Gods holy ordinances which he hath made as the instruments to worke and nourish Faith in vs and the Conduit-pipes to convey his Graces unto us doe still receive so little profit remayning obdurate and hardened in prophanenesse Idolatry ignorance c. and are not healed of the sinne-wounds of their Soules nor obedient to the heavenly vocation that the Minister may justly take vp his complaint with the Prophet I have laboured in vaine and spent my strength in vaine Isa 49. 4. When men goe from the word of Exhortation as Caine from Gods owne admonition Gen. 4. 7. Worse then hee came or as Iudas from CHRIST fuller of Sathan than before Ioh. 13. 27. Our hearts are not opened Act. 16. 14. Our eares not boared our eyes not illuminated but like the deafe Adder or like the poore Begger wanting his hands that hee can receive no almes or like an empty vessell cast into the Sea which can receive no liquor because the orifice is shut Even so vnbeliefe frustrates the promises of God wee may aske pray and receive nothing because wee want Faith Iam. 1. 6. the Word is vnprofitable vnto vs For because of the vnbeliefe CHRIST did but few Miracles in Galilee the two Olive branches cannot emptie the Goldenoyle out of themselves through the two golden pipes because they are stopped Zach. 4. 12. And this is that which Sathan once strove to bring our Saviour CHRIST unto to distrust the providence of God Math. 4. 3. causing the stones to be made bread and this is that by which he works upon the weaknesse of man to distrust Gods care over him bringing him by this meanes to the shame of stealing and from this distrust even to the height of Apostacy for this God will destroy us Iudeth 5. Let us then 2 Cor. 7. 1. seeing we have such promises not loose the performance of them through unbeleife taking heede least at any time there be in any of us an evill heart of unbeliefe Heb. 3. 12. but learne to say with the man in the Gospell Marke 9 24. I beleeve Lord helpe my vnbeliefe and with the Disciples Luke 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith and if oppressed with deadnesse of heart stirre up our faith with David Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee for he that beleeveth shall not make hast Isa 28. 16. saith maketh not ashamed Isa 26. The iust man shall live by his faith Hab. 2. 4. All things are possible to the beleever he may remoove mountaines he is an omnipotent creature as Barnard sayth Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things by faith thou receivest the pro. mises thine eternall life and happinesse have their dependance thereon Iohn 3. 16. hee that beleeveth in the Sonne hath everlasting life but if yee will not beleeve ye shall not be established Isa 7. 9. Seeing this Mercy and truth of God is confirmed and upon our faith so assured toward us that it cannot be frustrate