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
the zeale love constancy knowledge of those noble Patriarches and those constant Martyrs in the Primitive times every drop of whose bloud bred and sprung up a new Saint if thou wert glorious as an Angell thy meat as Manna thy garments as Aarons Ephod thy breath as sweete as the perfume of the Tabernacle from the life of Nature to the life of Grace and so to the life of Glory all is from this Fountaine which is God Nay even that thou art not wicked as the most debauched creature in the world it is from the supporting and restrayning grace of God upon whom thou leanest in the wildernesse of this world as the Spouse upon her beloved Cant. 8. Or as Moses hands were supported by Aaron and Hur Exod. 17. 12. Or as the Altar of the Sanctuarie at the base thereof had Lyons for supporters so thou the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah else how is it in man to direct his wayes aright without this Though Peter à Petra a Rocke surnamed Cephas for his stedfastnesse yet fell into a fearefull Apostacie Godly David moulded in the mint of Regeneration into Adultery and Murther these and much more hadst thou committed if God had not prevented Marshall then all thy guifts and graces together let them face one another as the Cherubins upon the Mercy-seate and all looke upon God For of him and through him and for him are all things Rom. 11. 36. Because it is a great part of Gods worship and even the most of that service which he requires at the hands of silly Men David in his Quaere makes it the summe of all Psal 116. 12. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me but onely this I will take the cuppe of thanksgiving and call upon the name of the Lord. For this purpose it is called a sacrifice of praise Heb. 13. 15. The calves of our lippes and the first fruite of faith Acts 2. 46. It is his honour and that hee will not give to another Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise from the end of the earth c. Esay 42. 10. To teach us not onely to condemne in ourpractise that ingratitude which is a monster in nature As we call the gratefull man a kind man so the ingratefull an unnaturall an absurd soloecisme in manners consisting of two foule vices falshood in not acknowledging iniustice in not requiting a benefit Alexander the Great and Iulius Caesar both renowned the one for liberality the other for patience the one would not give nor the other forgive an ingratefull person Not onely this but forasmuch as every one arrogates a due performance of this duty To teach us how to tread right in the steps of his service And to this purpose consider that God is praised 1. vocally as sing to the Lord 2. Chordally praise him upon the Harpe 3. Pneumatically with Trumpets Shawmes Cimbals c. when our breath is the bellowes 4. Allegorically in our actions contemplations words works life death being not only temples 1 Cor. 3. 16. but also timbrels of the Holy Ghost Know then that thy right praising magnifying of God is thy obedience to his voyce his law his Gospell c. Never boast saith Augustine that thou blessest with thy mouth when thou cursest with thy life and conversation It is not only thy breath but thy breast thy song but thy soule thy voyce but thy life that must be this Davidicall trump of praise thanksgiving 1 Pet. 2. 12. Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles and by this meanes they which are yet without and strangers from God shall have occasion to glorifie God in the day of their visitation Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Our praise is our obedience and our obedience is nothing else but a subiecting of our will to God So that it is with every disobedient person though he can marshall his words adorne his phrase that they be like apples of gold with pictures of Silver Prov. 25 11. as with a secretly disloyall traytor who in the chamber of Presence is highly extolling and commending the King the State Government but being without the Court gate is opening his poysonous jawes and casting whole Seas of contumelious reproches and outragious slanders against the same who will take this for a true subject and who will account a wicked man the servant of God though with his tongue he praise God when he speaks nothing but contradiction in his life and conversation This false and pseudo-christianity makes the Gospell and sincere professors thereof and even God himselfe to be traduced and as Iacob was accounted with the Sichemites Ye have troubled me speaking to his cruell sonnes to make me stincke among the inhabitants of the land Gen. 34. 30. For this cause Rom. 2. 24. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you professing to knowe God but in workes denying him being abhominable disobedient and to euery good worke reprobate Tit. 1 16. And hence wee see plainely the reason and ground-worke of those foule aspersions daily slanders and Ismaelitish songes of Turkes Iewes Infidels and Papists which are daily cast as dirt into the face of Christianity to be onely our dissolute lives disobedient carriages and disordered conversation Christiani hoc ipso deteriores quo meliores esse deberent Christians are so much the worse as they ought to be better Either then be as thou seemest or seeme as thou art else thou art but like the little bird with the great voyce which the Fowler onely hearing and thinking her to be some great fowle took paines to take her and seeing her little body ill able to countervaile his paines he said Thou art a voice an Eccho an empty outward sound and nothing else Know then that all thine orall profession superficiall adoration and Pharisaicall sepulcher-like guilded outside is in Gods account without the inward subjection of the heart to his holy lawes no better than to cut off a dogges necke to offer swines flesh or to blesse an Idoll Esay 66. 3. so long as thy heart is unsanctified wanting the salt of Grace and remaining unwholesome as the poysonous waters of Bethel Christ reiecteth thy lip-praises and outward service as the sacrifice of fooles Psal 50. 16. Vnto the wicked saith God Why doest thou preach my lawes and takest my covenant into thy mouth wheras thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my wordes behinde thee Christ will not suffer the Devill the father of lies to beare witnesse of his truth Mar. 1. 24. and Paul will not suffer the Pythonesse to proclaime the truth Acts 16. 18. O then the rottennesse of our times how is our obedience if we have any cut short and wee are become like that
Bullocke was burnt without the Campe Levit. 6. 12. And further the remooving the Scepter from Iudah which came to passe at the Idumean Herod entring to the Kingdome by the favour and furtherance of Antonius and afterward more strongly seated and setled by Augustus when he cruelly slaughtered their Sanhedrim as Philo their owâ—â— Countreyman doth witnesse and their owâ—â— Rabbins in their Talmud cry out Wee unto us for the Scepter is now taken away from Iudah and the Lawgiver from betweene his feet This might also be shewed by the generall ceasing of the Iewish Sacrifices the multitudes of Hecatombes among the Gentiles which all gave place and died with the great Heathenish Pan when this immaculate Lambe was slaine Also by the ending of the yeare of Iubile with Christ himselfe upon the Crosse proclaimed to be ended Ioh. 19. 30. It is finished the ending of the Monarchies prophecied by Daniel which should have their full Period when the Stone should be cut out of the mountaine without hands which ended in that lascivious Egyptian Queene Cleopatra all being brought under the yoke and subjection of the Romane their owne Simeon in whom they say the spirit of the great Sinagogue did cease hee testifieth Luke 2. 26 27 c. Also their owne Prophetesse Anna of the tribe of Asher Luke 2. 38. Also the ancient Sibyls as that Erithraea which spake so excellently of CHRIST that she seemes to Saint Augustine to have beene a Citizen of the Citie of God which bookes were had in that reverend esteeme that when Augustus Caesar searching up their ancient Prophecies throughout Africa Sicilia and the Colonies of Italie to be brought to Rome to examine the true from the false He caused 2000. to be devoured by fire yet he preserved the Zibillian Oracles and caused them to be locked up into golden chests at the foot of the Image of Apollo in mount Pallatine in Rome but these are copiously handled by that Hammer of the Iewes and Mahumetanes Philip Morney Lord of Plesse and others Thus must we provoke the seed of holy Sem to embrace the Gospell by shewing them that it is in vaine to expect any other to come in great power but that great mystery is already made knowne which is God manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles c. according to the Scriptures 1 Tim. 2. 16. That they may acknowledge Davids sonne and Davids Lord whom they must kisse in obedience or perish everlastingly Heare then yee sonnes of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made unto our Fathers Acts 3. 25. Heare I say the kingly David sweet singer of Israel calling you forth of your blindnesse to joyne with the Gentile to praise God in this Hallelu-jah you must be one in the bond of the Spirit and the unity of peace be no more the deafe Adder that stoppeth their eares though the Charmer charme never so wisely Psal 58. 4. This is the CHRIST whose blood hath beene so long required at your hands Matth. 27. 25. Answere not with your elders Mar. 11. 33. Wee cannot tell you have had both your Patriarks and your Prophets pointing at him the Vale of the Temple is rent and now you have vs Gentiles to preach him unto you Luke 23. Heb. 9. The Lord therefore for his CHRISTS sake the sonne of his love and the ingraven Image of his Person remoove the vaile from your hearts that with us you may have your eyes opened to see the way into the holy or holies made open by the great High Priest of our Calling that you may come at the found of this silver Trumpet of your owne David that as your diminishing hath beene the riches of the world so your restoring may be life from the dead and that it may be in due time accomplished and performed we shall daily powre out our prayers in the name of IESVS CHRIST to the Father by the blessed Spirit to which three glorious Persons and but one onely wise God be all honour and glory for evermore Amen Here endeth the first part being verse 1. VERSE II. PSAL. 117. 2. For his mercifull kindnesse is great toward us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever Praise yee the Lord. THe tres-noble branch of Iesse king David having by a propheticall spirit not onely summoned but enjoyned both Iewes and Gentiles to the joyntpraising of God declaring the boundlesse compasse and unlimited circuit of the kingdome of CHRIST not onely King of the Iewes as Pilate stiled him Iohn 19. 19. but even the heathen are his inheritance linked into the society of faithfull Abraham by the bond of faith and obedience elsewhere as Psal 19. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke c. Even insensible creatures as Sunne Moone Starres Meteors Thunder Haile Snow c Psal 148. are called upon for the performance of this dutie every creature be it never so base in the sight of Man bearing upon it the workemanship of his hands even by silence loudly proclaimes it's Maker but he is praised of Man in a more lively and louder straine a shriller and sweeter Diapason sounding from an heaven-sprung soule which in the internall externall superiour and inferior powers and faculties thereof doth manifestly beare the Image of God and the characteristicall badge and stampe of the Divinitie as Calvin saith is invested and inriched with such a measure and furnishment of Graces as it pleaseth the Olimpian love to distribute to every one as Homer in the twylight of nature could say the ditty of whose duty in this vers 2. is composed of Gods mercy and truth and so this brings us to the reason for his mercifull kindnesse c. In which are considerable 1. His Mercie 2. His Trueth in performing his promises 3. The certainty of both confirmed in the object toward us 4. The Epiphonema and conclusion of this Psalme which is accounted the last of the Iewes Hallelu-jahs which were appointed to be sung at their Passeover ending in the same cadence in which it begun Praise yee the Lord. Mercifull kindnesse the first motive injoyning the dutie is a common place in which as in a Maze or Labyrinth we may loose our selves and make an easie entrance but no end for all the wayes of God are mercie and truth Psal 25. 9. The Almighty hath stepped no where beneath or above the circle of the Moone but he hath left plaine prints and characters of his mercies that he that runnes may reade them and that we may take notice of the tendernesse of them sometime they are expressed in the love of Parents to Children Psal 103. 13. As a father pittieth his children so doth the Lord pitty them that fear him sometime in the love of Eagles to their young Is 49. even exceeding the love of a woman to her sucking child verse 15. hee hath
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.
Countrey they are Christened by a new name called Ignatiani in Spaine Theatin◠in Italy Iesuini Campania Scosiotti in Ferrara Presbyteri in St. Luciae in Bononia reformati Sacerdotis in Mutina with many more And as in their names so in their natures ambiguous for being asked what a Iesuite is they answere Every Man they have two Soules in one body as is confessed in their Catechisme besides all these and their severall projects in themselves and their darke Disciples what tortuous Leviathans are they in their amphibolous amphibious enigmaticall ennuciations and mungerill propositions like so many Colour-changing Camelions as doubtfull as Proteus or Vertumnus Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo In what strong Chaine can any tie this Changelings face to know him by Wee may well say of their Labyrinth-like windings and crooked Heterogenials as Ierome sometime spake of the darke abstruse riddles of Iovinian No man can reade these Letters except the Prophetesse Sybill or as Martiall in the like case None but some learned Apollo can vnfold these Mysteries these Maeanders or as Plautus in the like case Has equidem pol credo nisi Sybilla legerit interpretari alium possi neminem which hollow equivocating hath translated vpon them the ancient infamie of the Spartanes called by Andromache Kings of Lyers and that which Apuleius layes vpon the Scicilians triple-tongued these be the Gibeonites the Iebusites the Iesuites onely in Hypocrisie bearing the name of IESVS though often shadowed under the winges and shrowded as poysonous Vipers in the bosome of Kings have shewed themselves to bee the onely underminers of States and Kingdomes advancing themselves by perverting the Truth against the God of truth who will smite them for whited Walls and painted Sepulchers but leaving them to themselves let us which are the children of Light love the Truth and when all Lyers and dissemblers shall have their portion with the Father of lyes the Truth which maketh not ashamed shall translate us and carry us upon his unconquered wings from these dirty and dusty Cottages of clay into everlasting habitations to the innumerable company of holy Angels and hie Saints for ever Now followes the object of Gods unutterable Mercy and uncontroleable Truth Toward vs which though David seeme to speake in the person of the Iewish Church and Nation the Patriarkes and Fathers of that time who had already and did continually taste of his favours though not so fully as we doe they having in promise wee in full performance that great mystery God manifested in the Flesh the matriculation and incarnation of our blessed Saviour IESVS CHRSIT yet no doubt hee had an eye vnto all succeeding Generations both of Iew and Gentile which were Gods elect and chosen and in time to bee brought into his Chambers Cant. 1. 4. To be made partakers of his Mercy and Truth as when hee stood arraigned hee stood not in his owne place but in ours making his personall appearance on our behalfe so in his resurrection the whole Church arose in him Ephes 2. 6. hee hath raised us up together and made us fit together in the heavenly places in CHRIST IESVS where we plainely see the Mercies and promises of God especially this concerning the promised seede called The truth of the Father were performed to the fathers before and after the flood in the worke of redemption and salvation and now confirmed in the same title unto us who live after the incarnating of that immortall word from which we gather this truth There is but one way of Salvation and Happinesse to the Fathers and also to us and that by the same IESVS CHRIST For confirmation of this we see the unchangeable purpose of almighty God in gathering his Church Hebr. 13. 8. IESVS CHRIST yesterday to day and the same forever Rom. 15. 8. Now I say that IESVS CHRIST was a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the Fathers c. Rev. 13 8. The Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world which though manifested in the latter times and afternoone of the world like a Roe or young Hart comming skipping over the Mountaines of Bether Cant. 2 vlt. yet all the holy Men and women from Adam inclusively were saved by his blood many of which as Noah Isaac Ioseph c. were tipes and shadowes of him the Ceremonies and Leviticall sacrifices tending to little other purpose but to nourish them in hope of the Messiah the slaughter and death of which beasts was to acquaint them with the mysterie of redemption which stood as under a vaile shadowed in the auncient complement of the Law Iohn 8. 56. Abraham saw my day and rejoyced Luke 1. 47. that hee might shew mercy towards our Fathers Acts 26. 6. the Apostle Pauls religion was concerning the hope of the promise made unto the Fathers Cephas the Pillar of truth Acts 15. 10. joyneth the Fathers faith with ours wee beleeve even as they so to them that lived before his Incarnation hee was crucified in the sacrifices and to us hee was likewise crucified in the word and Sacraments Galath 3. 1. CHRIST IESVS evidently set forth and crucified among you not in Roods Masses and Crucifixes but in his Holy and Sacred Ordinances To confirme and teach us in the first place that no length of time is able to disanull abrogate or make voyde the counsels of the Ancient of dayes or extenuate and make lesse the worth efficiacie and powerfull enargie of CHRISTS sacrifice the same which was Preached to Adam in Paradise Gen. 3. 15. promised to Abraham and David and the Church of the Iewes foretold by all the Prophers concerning CHRIST belōgs to us by faith they looked upon CHRIST as up to the Serpent in the wildernesse Iohn the 3. 14 as he was to bee crucified by faith wee looke upon him as he is crucified like the two Cherubins at the two ends of the Mercie-seate having their faces one toward another and both upon the Arke Exod. 25. 18. So the age primitive which is past and all our after-gatherings of all-measuring Time looke either on either and both upon CHRIST there is no other way nor hath or can be Salvation in any other Acts 4. 12. Secondly it serves to comfort every true beleever though never so base dejected rejected dispised and dispited though he lye among the pots Psal 68. 13. or behind the Ewes with young Psal 78. 72. though hee be Lord and Master of few or none of these outward things as Lazarus Luke 16 yet is he by CHRIST called to the same Salvation admitted into the same fellowship made partaker of the same Heaven with those auncient worthies Mat 8 11. sitting downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of happinesse The contrary whereof viz. a deprivation and losse of that Heavenly Vision called by the Schoolemen
The second is shewed in forgiving the pâ—ecept of which is laid downe Eph. 4. 32. Forgiue one another as God for CHRISTS sake forgave you when our Saviour CHRIST had laid it downe in that methodicall Prayer commended and commanded to his Church Mat. 6. 12. And that vnder paine of excommunication from God retaliating vpon vs the same measure we offer to others knowing our backward perversnesse in performing those duties of love especially this of forgiving he begins a fresh Sermon Verse 14. Drawne from the law of equity by which we shal be measured If you will not forgive men their trespasses no more will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses In the parable of the vnmercifull servant Mat. 18. 34. How sharpely doth our Saviour reprehend him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst mee shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow as I had pitty on thee and his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors c. Pro. 19. 11. It is the glory of a man to passe by offences Yet not in a foolish pitty as Ahab with Benhadad 1. King 21. letting him escape whom the Lord had commanded to be slaine or to take away the sword from the secular Magistrate the Kings owne Sonne borne of his Grace and soveraignety for he is appointed to punish offenders whose ordinance is from God Rom. 13. 4. of such Deut. 19. 13. Their eyes must not spare the offenders whose escapements by their negligence shal be required at their hands but of revenge for private wrongs to take the sword of Iustice into our owne hands how dare we when God hath threatthreatned by the mouth of truth it selfe that their shal be iudgement without mercy to him that sheweth no mercy and he that forgiveth not must never be forgiven how many woes then lye vpon this Iron age wherein we live how many of those barbarous Scythians which seeke no iustice but by bloody cruelty sword and revenge to right themselves say not then I will recompence evill but waite vpon the Lord and he shall save thee Prov. 20. 22. How many are there whose hearts are as hard as the nether mill-stone and whose hands are withered like the hand of Ieroboam which they cannot stretch forth to give any thing If they give it is for their owne ends and not for the affliction of Iosoph Amos 6. 6. Which with many more showes that we are but emptie barrels sounding but holding no liquor our professions like the bird with the great voyce but almost no body and as we know not how to give no more doe we how to forgive our private grudges heart-burnings and continuall suits which makes one cluster of humane Lawe more esteemed then the whole Vintage of divine Law proclaime that our profession is nought but policie our cases in Law more worth than the cases of Conscience Lastly this doctrine serveth as a Counterplea to a false Challenge made by the wicked and vnregenerate Man daring in his presumptuous security to challenge those mercies of God as his owne by free Charter like the Divels lay claime to the whole World Mat. 4. 9. All these things will I give thee pretending them all to be his owne free Lordship but Dan. 4. 21. It is Iehovah the most high God that beareth rule over all the Kingdomes of Men giveth them vnto whom he will Or like the deepe Lunatike who dreames of Kingdomes and greatnesse being poore or like the Foole in Athens who challenged all the Ships in the port and all the riches that came to the Citty to he his when in the meane time hee had scarce a rag to cover himselfe withall or like Isaiahs Dreamer dreaming of eating drinking but waking his soule is emptie hungry and thirsty Or like Charles the 7. king of France being by our victorious English and that warlike Edward named the Blacke-prince almost expelled and expulsed his whole Kingdome was called King of the poore Biturgians a King without a Kingdome So doe the wicked claime an interest in Gods mercies CHRIST indeed is sufficient for all but not efficient to all Ioh. 1. 12. To as many as received him he gave power to be called the sonnes of God He came to all but all receives him not The mercies of God Psal 120. Are from ever lasting to everlasting Great are thy tender mercies Psal 119. 156. but it is vpon them that feare him Mal. 4. 2. Vpon such the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall shine with healings in his wings as the Sunne is cheerefully pleasant to eyes that be found so it is troublesome to the sore so is CHRIST IESVS in his rising and even as a halfe blind man passing over a narrow bridgevsing spectacles which make the bridge seeme broader then it is the blind man being thus deceived falls headlong into the water So by the spectacles of corrupt naturall reason and presumption which the wicked man lookes through the mercy of God which is the bridge is made too broad his iustice shruck too narrow leaning vpon the one forgetting the other till he tumble downe into the brimstone Gulfe of perdition so that thou must know saith Stella that as he is mercifull so is he iust and of most exact integrity Zeph 3. 5. The iust Lord is ia the middest of his Temple he will doe no iniquity every morning doth he bring his iudgement to light Therefore doth he punish most heavily in regard of the weight and greatnesse of sinne most justly because of the holinesse of his Law and most certainely because of his integrity truth In this regard Nehemiah Chap. 9. 33. acknowledgeth Thou O lord art iust in all that is come vpon vs for thou hast dealt truely but we have done wickedly Mercy and justice walking in a iust Paralell with God humble thy heart than and examine thy selfe if thou lye with Moab corrupted vpon the lees and dregs of Swearing Lying Stealing c. Thy claime to Gods mercies is nought thou art in the gall of bitternesse having neither part nor portion in this businesse Act. 8. 21. Be ye not deceiued 1. Cor. 6. 9. The vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God No vncleane thing is written in the Booke of the Lambe Reu. 21. 27. Be thou then obedient to the Heavenly vocation and the mercie of God shall imbrace thee on every side The second motive inioyning us to the duty of praise is drawne from the truth of the Lord that is the stedfast mutability and the vnchangable constancie of his promises the most certaine and continuall testimonies of his Grace in sending CHRIST and in him performing all those Covenants betwixt him and his people Sometime truth is taken as opposed to all the outward Leviticall cerimonies onely shaddowing the Messiah to come Ioh. 4. 23. The time shall