Gentiles was no prevailing Inducement to us to take your God to be our God we were as willing to keep our Distance in those times of our Ignorance as you your selves could possibly desire we should but such hath been the exceeding goodness of your God and our God as to make himself known unto us in this our day as clearly and fully to say no more as he did unto your Fathers Yesterday and as he was pleased to make a Promise that the time should come Es 11.1 Jer. 23.5 when this root of Jesse should shoot forth a Branch Whose name should be called the Lord our righteousness whom he would give to be a Covenant to the people and a light to the Gentiles and that in him should the Gentiles trust Es 42.6 so hath he made good his word unto us blessed be his Name unto us I say who were a foolish people a people that did neither understand nor seek after him He hath brought us into the bond of the Covenant avouching us to be his People and we have avouched him to be our God yea and He shall be our God for ever and ever and we will have no other God besides him If then there be such a blessed Change in us must there not bee a Change in the divine dispensation of Grace if we own your God for our God Is it not clear that there hath a Light appeared which was not of Yesterday And whence comes it that we who were sometimes Darkness are now Light in the Lord surely flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto us but we have received it by the hand of that true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World A Light that lightens the Gentiles as saith your Prophets and which alone must be the glory of Israel Now therefore O yee Jews I beseech you be as we are for in the knowledg of the true God according to the Scriptures we are as you are You have not injured us at all rather your I all hath been to our advantage neither will our Breaches be made up among one selves but by your conjunction with us O consider it is the purpose and decree of the Almighty to make you instrumental in bringing to pass his great Work which is the perfecting of his Church in these latter dayes for as your Fathers were not to be perfect without us so neither shall we be Perfect without you Behold this is that will make you as a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord Es 62 3 and as a royal Diadem in the hand of your God which when it is come to pass as it will surely come Oh how shall we flock together unto you Zech. 8.23 and hang upon you Ten of us taking hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Since therefore this honour is reserved for you What will you be still groping in the Dark will you be ever poring upon Yesterday shall the Day be almost spent before your Eyes be opened to see the Light that now shineth and the Glory that waiteth for you And if ever through the good Providence of God this paper may come to your perusal O let the good hand of God go along with it to rouze and quicken you This is not spoken to you with Disdain but with a hearty desire of your Restauration nor with any contempt or abhorrency at the appellation of Jew but with Pity For though the Name and Title of your Nation carrieth with it a reproach among us Gentiles because you Crucified the Lord of Glory yet we know it hath been a Title of the greatest dignity and honour upon earth and shall be so again unless as it is said by the Prophet you be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name Es 62.2 Yea so far is any shadow of scorn from this address unto you that I do here in the behalf of all the Churches that profess the Faith of Christ crucified declare unto you that upon your return unto that great Messiah whom you have hitherto rejected and besides whom it is in vain to seek for any other we will yeild unto you that Preheminence which is your due for though we were in Christ before you yet we must ever acknowledg you to be the First born the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power and as we have been first so we shall be contented according to the order and appointment that is given us to be Last and as you have been the Last so shall it be your lot and honour to be First again In the mean time we must confess that we poor Novices are grown up to be a wanton Generation quarelling and wrangling one with another oftentimes about trifles God knoweth to the blemishing of our holy Profession among those that are without and greiving of that good Spirit of the Lord that dwelleth in us and among us All which would undoubtedly be remedied if we had your Brotherly assistance to make us Wiser We know well what honourable Priviledges God hath of his abundant love graunted unto you Our great Apostle Saint Paul an Hebrew of the Hebrews who as you have heard was at first a bloudy Persecutour of the Disciples of the Lord Jesus yet afterwards even in the heat of his Fury was miraculously converted to the Faith which he before sought to destroy even he in his Epistles hath set us an Example to give you the Preheminence speaking in this manner once and again the Jew first and also the Gentile the Jew first and also the Gentile he hath also given us a Synopsis of your Prerogatives which we with gladness of heart are willing to look upon He hath told us that you are Israelites the noblest Generation in the World Rom. 9.4.5 a People that were wont to prevail like Princes with God himself even as Jacob your Father did whom therefore God was pleased to honour with the name of Israel which name was also by a special indulgence from God devolved upon you as the greatest blessing To you pertained the Adoption being the First born Exod. 4.22 upon whom the name of the Lord was called when we poor Strangers were not under his rule and governance neither were then called by his name Es 63.19 You had the Glory the Ark of the Covenant of your God the Symbol of his glorious presence in the midst of you You had the Covenants even those Tables written by the Finger of God To you was the Law given by the disposition of Angels that is the Oracles of God both Moral and Judicial The service of God was committed unto you which consisted in a Holy Typical use of Divine Rites and Sacrifices prescribed in the Ceremonial Law The Promises also were yours both Legal and Evangelical of this life and that which is to come You are
Day so was the Law before the Gospel in Reference unto this Day When therefore the Night is spent and the Day come we may conclude that a great Light greater then what was before hath appeared in the World and as it was foretold so can we say It is fulfilled The People that walked in Darkness have seen a great Light Es 9.2 they that dwell in the Land of the shadow of death upon them hath the Light shined so then it is a great Light Thirdly It is likewise a marvellous Light as Saint Peter calleth it 1 Pet. 2.9 Leading its followers into a knowledge that passeth knowledge either Humane or Angelicall So Zanchy interprets the Place Eph. 3.19 Revealing such things which Eye never saw nor Eare ever heard 1 Cor. 29. nor could have entred into any heart to conceive Marvellous to the Blessed Angels whose Glory and Crown though it be to be Angels of Light alwayes beholding the face of God in Heaven yet perceiving a Light here also in this Day of the Gospel Mat. 18.10 whereby they might come to have more experience of the manifold Wisdome of God they are said with much greediness of Speculation to stoop down and to gaze upon it Marvellous to the Children of the Day who are on all sides filled with Admiration of the glorious appearance of that shining Light which they constantly behold in the dispensations of Grace and wherein they conceive themselves ten thousand times happier then if they had the Glory of the world laid at their feet Marvellous also to the Children of this World it being the Astonishment of Nations that all their Projects and Attempts to put out the Light of this Day have ever been frustrated and blown away like the Spiders web for loe the powers of the Earth and the Gates of Hell were Assembled they passed by together they saw it and so they marvelled they were troubled and hasted away Ps 48.4.5 Ps 48.4 5. Veniunt vident vanescunt they come and see and vanish together Yea fourthly so invincible is the light of this day that all the powers of darkness shall never be able to extinguish it To illustrate this particular let us take into consideration the invincible nature of that light whatsoever it is which God who is the Authour of Lights hath set up among the Creatures in this World And to this purpose give me leave to intersert a very pithy and pertinent Meditation of an Anonymous Authour that I have met with in a late Writer which may lead us farther into the knowledge of the Light of this day we see and prove saith he by dayly Experience how powerfull and dreadfull a thing the darkness of the Night is for when it falleth it covereth and muffleth up the face of the whole World it obscureth and hideth the hue and fashion of all Creatures it bindeth up all hands and breaketh off all employments it arresteth and keepeth Captive all living Wights Men and Beasts that they must be still and rest there where it arresteth them yea it maketh them fearfull and faint-hearted full of fancies and much subject to frights It is of all other such a powerful and unconquerable Tyrant as no man is able to withstand And yet nevertheless it is not of that Might that it is able to overwhelme or to quench the least Light in the World For we see that the darker the Night is the clearer the Stars shine yea the least candles-Candles-light that is lighted withstandeth the whole Night and not only suffereth not the darkness to cover or to smother and oppress it but it giveth Light also even in the midst of the Darkness and beateâ—h it back for some space and distance on every side of it So that which way soever it is borne or wheresoever it cometh there must Darkness depart and give place unto Light all the power and dreadfulness of it cannot help or prevaile ought against it And though the Light be so weake that it cannot cast Light far about or drive the Darkness far from it as in the sparkle of an hot Coale yet cannot the the Darkness cover or conceale and much less quench it but it giveth light to it self alone at least so that it may be seen afar off in the darke and it remaineth unconquered of the dark though it cannot help other things nor give light unto them Yea that that is yet more wonderful a rotten shining piece of wood which hath the faintest light that can be found yet remaineth invincible of all the power of darkness and the more it is compassed about with darkness the clearer light it giveth so little is darkness able to overcome or keep down any light but that it ruleth and vanquisheth and expelleth the darkness which else overwhelmeth and snareth and fettereth and putteth all things in fear Now if this natural light be so powerful and so able to prevail against the darkness of the night why should not the glorious light which now shineth in this day of the Gospel continue still in its Brightness notwithstanding all the attempts that are made by the Prince of Darkness and his Adherents to put it out Continue doubtless it shall and remain invincible to the end of the World Yea according to that measure and proportion of the darkness of errour which in sundry Generations is raised up to obscure and deface it It shall certainly encrease into a greater Glory And though this may carry with it the sound of a paradox in the ears of some people unacquainted with the ways of God yet it will be found to be a most certain truth because this day of the Gospel is not a day of small things of things to be despised of things easy to be reduced to a non-entity as if they never had been such as the designes of Men oftentimes to their shame prove to be but excellent things they are surpassing the comprehensions of Angels which are the fruit and ofspring of this day even the Arcana Coeli Magnalia Dei The secrets of Heaven and the great things of God things which many Prophets and righteous men in the generations of old have desired to see but could not are now clearly made known to the Church in this day which is therefore called the Day of the Lord's power Ps 110.3 Ps 10 3. Dies exercitus dies successus dies victoriae A day of assembling his armies that is his Apostles and Ministers to subdue the World A day wherein his mighty acts have appeared unto men and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom ruling in the midst of his enemies and making himself known to his Church not onely by the name of God Almighty but to be the faithful Jehovah giving such a being to all his promises as never could be the like in the Generations that were before and therefore whensoever any adverse power shall now rise up against him to hinder or interrupt him in the
be able with Comfort to enjoy the Blessings which God gave them under the Sun if they knew nothing of a Way and Mean of escape from the wrath and urse which Sin had brought upon them and who could be able to reveal it but this Wonderful Counsellour No man saith the Evangelist hath seen God at any time that is since the World began The onely begotten Son who is in the Bosome of the Father John 1.18 he hath declared him The original Word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is exposuit is very Emphatical implying that Jesus Christ hath been the Father's Interpreter to the Sons of Men for exegesis is an exposition or Interpretation of things that are obscure So then Christ it was as he saith of himself that was the Light of the World Joh. 8.12 Joh. 1.9 That true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World And whosoever they were in all Ages that spake not according to his Word as he dictated to them it was because there was no Light in them He was the Prophet and Preacher of righteousness to the old World for as the Apostle Saint Peter witnesseth 1 Pet. 3.19 He did then in the Spirit of Quickning preach unto the People of that Generation 1 Pet. 3.19 and because there were then disobedient spirits that would not be quickned by him therefore they were afterwards by the just judgment of Judgment of God shut up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is imprisoned in Hell thrown into the Dungeon where the bright beams and gracious Quicknings of this Spirit should never come at them This office indeed he then executed by the Ministery of Men that were his Servants Ps 68.11 in the same manner as he doth now in this Time of the Gospel The Lord gave the Word and great was the Company of those that Published it as the Psalmist saith in another case He spake by the mouth of all his Holy Prophets which have been since the World began and to him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Even those Patriarchs that were before the Floud Jud. v. 14 what were they but Prophets of his Order When Henoch Prophecyed concerning him he spake as he was moved by his Spirit for as no Man can discern the sun without the Light of the Sun and what Man saith St. Paul knoweth the things of a Man save the Spirit of Man which is in him even so the things of Christ knoweth no man without the Spirit of Christ 1 Pet. 1.11 yea the Apostle St. Peter testifieth expressly that it was the spirit of Christ which was in the Prophets of old 1 Pet. 4.6 and that the Gospel was preached to them that were dead that is as Mr. Calvin conceiveth very probably by comparing this with that which went before to those of the old world who were alive in the days of Noah but dead in the time of the Apostle's writing All which considered it appeareth clearly that Jesus Christ was the Prophet of his Church from the beginning in making known the Minde of God concerning the Salvation of his Elect and in the Promuâ—gation of the Doctrine which hath alwayes been one and the same Now as touching Sacraments the Institution whereof belongeth to the Prophetical office of Christ when the Divine Wisdom brought them on by degrees and ordained them for the People's Incorporation into the Body and their Corroboration in it what Grace or Spirituality soever they had in them and without which they had been altogether in vain it was not originally nor determinately in themselves but derived from Jesus Christ Rom. 4.11 and in effect wholly depended upon him what was Circumcision but a seal of the Righteousness not of the Law but of Faith that is of Christ's Righteousness which is the proper object of Faith whereby Abraham and his seed were ever justified before God And what was the Paschal Lamb but a Passeover to Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin of the World without which Divine Justice would never have distinguisht between Israelites and Egyptians Jesus Christ was the Spirit of Life of the Sacraments of old as well as of those that are now in use amongst us 1 Cor. 10.4 Yea the Apostle saith plainly of the Israelites in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10 4 that They did all eat the same spiritual meate and did all drink the same spiritual drink 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same Meat the same Drink not onely the same together amongst themselves as some would have it but the same with us for that is according to the scope of the Apostle in that place and the Reason following enforceth it for they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them and that Rock was Christ their Rock therefore is the same with our Rock the Apostle himself being Judge Christ was their Saviour 1 Cor. 10 9. and when they sinned they sinned against Christ for so saith the Apostle v. 9. Christ a King Yesterday Secondly As the People of God Yesterday that is in the times of old had Jesus Christ for their Propher so they had him for their King I speak not now of his Natural Kingdom as he was God Equal with the Father but of his Oeconomical as he was Mediatour between God and Man He was the Head of his Church from the beginning and so consequently was it ruled ordered and guided by him in all things the Government was laid upon his Shoulders for otherwise he could not well have quitted himself in the great work of Salvation as a Prince can never be able to Defend and Protect his Subjects unless he have a Supreme Power and Authority over them and therefore doth the Apostle put forth these together as inseparable Concomitants calling Christ the Head of the Church Eph. 5.23 and the Saviour of the Body Eph. 5.23 Hence it is that He is called by the Apostle Rom. 8.29 The first-begotten among many Brethren Many in that place signifying All all that ever had been are or shall be for albeit he was born of his Virgin-Mother some thousands of Years after the Creation and in that respect viz. of time was made flesh taking upon him our Nature after many millions of Brethren that were before him born into the World yet nevertheless he was immediately upon that great Turn of Providence in the Violation of the first Covenant by Adam's Transgression begotten of the Father according to his eternal Decree to be the Mediatour at the very instant of God's gracious reconciling himself to poor man that was then ready to perish So that in this regard he might well say as he doth before Abraham was I am Joh. 8.58 for before Adam himself was that is received into the Brother-hood and made a Childe of Grace in being actually reconciled unto God through his Mediation
as possibly he can and consequently that he might by degrees totally eclipse the glory of the Lord Jesus for he hates him with a perfect hatred and utterly frustrate in the end the great work of Redemption From this Forge it is I doubt not to say it that this old Antichristianisme now newly revived concerning the needlesness of the Knowledge and Faith of Christ under the Law hath had its forming and contrivance wherein some of late have exceeded above measure It would be too tedious here to intersert all that is written of this matter in a Book called Theologia Veterum and to give answer thereunto this onely would I know how the Lord Jesus could Quatenus Mediatour be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yesterday If all that is said concerning Justification and Salvation not onely of the Fathers that were of old taken into Covenant with God but of the very Heathen not in and through Jesus Christ but onely by a general knowledge of God the maker of Heaven and Earth be true Doubtless there cannot be truth in both these assertions and if any shall assert Doctrines contrary to the express Word of Scripture whether it is better to hearken to the Holy Ghost or them judge you But I shall leave this matter to their second thoughts who have been too rash in spreading about these Anti-scriptural Paradoxes hoping that those who continue still too pragmatically Active therein will now find Cause to repent them betimes of their errour and retract it Onely I must here add if this Errour be to be repented of how much more that other which is made the ground of it and which doth indeed snatch the Crown off from the head of Christ not suffering him to have any thing to do at all in the salvation of his people from the beginning of the World to the end thereof viz. That God was pleased to make choice not of the Object but the Act of faith The T◠Credere as it is called to be imputed to his people for Justification And what I beseech you doth this signifie but that God was not so well pleased with his Son as with us poor sinful Creatures Or as if it stood with the Wisdom and Justice of God to make choice and accept of that which was imperfect for so is Faith in the strongest Believer considering it in the Act to make sinful man Rectus in Curia righteous in his Sight and to reject that which was most Perfect If this be not to dishonour both the Father and the Son I know not what is But as the Holy Martyr said of old in retam sancta Deliberatio non habet locum When such affronts as these are put upon the Almighty God we must not be mealy-mouthed how dares any man utter such a notorious untruth as this God was not pleased to make choice of the Object of Faith for our Justification If an Angel from Heaven should come and preach this Doctrine we should spit in his face and hold him accursed Can there be any thing in this world dearer to us then this that the Lord is our Righteousness Is not this the foundation of our Comfort here and of our hope that we may lift up our heads with confidence hereafter at the great day of Retribution against all the pleas of the Law and the clamours of the great Accuser of the Brethren what Doctrine is there that the Apostle Saint Paul doth more clearly and more frequently insist upon in all his Epistles then this that It is the Righteousness of Christ and Christ alone that is imputed to us for our Justification Rom. 5.19 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 2.16 1 7 To give some instances Rom. 5.19 By the obedience of one that is Christ many shall be made Righteous 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ Jesus is of God made unto us Righteousness 2 Cor. 5.21 We are made the Righteousness of God in him Gal. 2.16 17. Knowing this a man is justified by the faith of Jesus Christ that is by Christ himself as is plain in the Verse next following Yea and the Apostle for himself particularly professeth saying I live not but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 for I live by the faith of the Son of God See how he glorieth in the Object of his Faith as that which is the staff of his Life viz. of his justification in the sight of God without which he confesseth himself to be a dead man True it is Rom. 4.5 that he saith elsewhere viz. Rom. 4.5 Faith is counted for righteousness but that must be understood relatively as faith is fixed upon the object and as the object puts virtue into it otherwise we should make the Apostle to contradict himself and it is very observable that whensoever Saint Paul speaketh of faith in this point of justification he still renders it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is through faith or by faith as implying somewhat that we receive by faith but never thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for faith as if Righteousness were a recompense given unto us for the bare Act of believing Neither is it ever said in an active sense faith justifieth but by faith we are justified that is Passively by a forein Righteousness which by faith as the recipient onely is applied unto us When a beggar puts forth his hand to take an almes from a liberal man should he say mine own hand or the sense of my poverty that made me beg hath releived me in my want and have no regard to the Giver or to the Alms it self whereby his Life is sustained When our Saviour tells his Disciples Mat. 5.14 They were the Light of the World Math. 5.14 Joh. 1.9 did he then deny himself to be that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World Joh. 1.9 A power is given unto Ministers of the Gospel in many places of Scripture such as properly belongeth unto God himself and his Son Jesus Christ As for example the works of Regeneration Conversion Remission of Sins everlasting Salvation what are all these but works far beyond the reach of man or Angel being such as hath been said belong unto God and Christ yet we know all these are by the Gospel ascribed unto Ministers 1 Cor. 4.15 Act. 26.18 Joh 20.23 1 Tim. 4.16 for they are said to beget men unto God as also to convert them opening their eyes turning them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God to remit their Sins yea to save them but now because these things are spoken of Ministers in a way of subserviency unto Jesus Christ will any man be so void of reason therefore as to exclude Christ himself and say not Christ but Ministers do regenerate convert forgive and save those that do believe Yet thus do our adversaries argue in this case because it is said faith is counted for righteousness and we are justified by faith
compleating of his most glorious design in this day of his power he will most certainly get himself a name in casting it down and having commanded his Light to shine out of Darkness Joh. 1.5 though the darkness of mens hearts will not receive it yet his Commandment still continueth in force and his word runneth very swiftly In a word true and great and marvellous and invincible is the light of this day concerning which much might be spoken from the predictions of the Prophets who prophecyed of this day and much might be added from the triumphant exultations of the Apostles whose eyes were first opened to see the light of this day but there is no need to undertake any further the clearing of the truth of this point for the day it self doth declare it the Sun which is the light and life of this day being not onely risen but ascended and not onely risen and ascended but fixed in his Meridian never more to descend till time be no more Nescit occasum Let us therefore now come to improve it by some close Applications unto us all whose lot it is to live under this Light First Seeing that this time of the Gospel is such a Lightsome day we then that are the Children of the day are to take notice of those Duties which the day requireth of us First whereof is that we rejoyce and be glad in it Truely Light is sweet saith Solomon and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 1. Duty Ec. 11.7 How sweet then and pleasant a thing is it to behold the light of this day wherein the Glory of the Lord is risen upon the Church Es 60.1 as the Prophet foretold it should Es 60.1 That glory which since the beginning of the world was out of the reach and apprehension of any Creature which yet notwithstanding was earnestly longed for by the Holy and faithful Servants of God of old How happy would Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses David Hezekiah Josiah Esaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel c. have accounted themselves to have seen that Glory which is now revealed How full of joy would they have been in the light of this day wherein with open face we behold as in a Mirroir the Glory of the Lord saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 3.18 Nay wherein all flesh seeth the Salvation of God wherein the Word of God comes with power and evidence and Demonstration wherein the Spirit is shed forth abundantly in the hearts of Believers wherein knowledg covereth the earth even as the waters covers the seas so that God's people now need teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother the sense and meaning of the Shadows and Ceremonies of old saying Jer. 31.34 Know the Lord the Lord whom these things do typifie and so far as such carnal Ordinances are able make known unto you for now is fulfilled that which then the Lord promised saying they shall all know me from the least of them to the Greatest of them The whole Mystery of Godliness is now clearly revealed in so much that they who are endued with the Spirit of God know all things yea 1 Job 2.20 Act. 2.17 even Children and Handmaidens people of all sorts and Sexes understand more fully the Doctrine of Salvation then the Prophets and great Rabbies of old could be able to reach into And therefore it is worth our considering how emphatically the Spirit of God in scripture doth found out this word now in reference to the great glory of this day of the Gospel to that very end that all who are I say Children of the Day may see the Light and rejoyce in it Observe some instances Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 Now is manifested the Righteousness of God Rom. 3.22 2 Cor. 6 2. Rom. 3.22 Eph 3.10 Eph. 3.5 Col. 1.26 1 Joh. 2.8 Now is made known the manifold Wisdom of God Eph. 3.10 The Mystery which was hidden from Ages and Generations is now revealed Eph. 3.5 Col. 1.26 The Darkness is past the true Light now shineth 1 Joh. 2.8 Now Now Now implying that now and never before the dawning of this day there was a light in the world to be reckoned of the highest value O blessed and happy Day And for ever and ever blessed be that good Providence of Heaven that hath brought us to see the Light of this Day making it unto us a good Day A Day of good tidings A day of Reconciliation with the God of Heaven A Day of joy and gladness Let us therefore I say again and again rejoyce and be glad in it Let the Children of the World glory some in their carnal wisdom some in their strength some in their riches But let us glory in this that we underl and and know the Lord. Now in this serene and joyful day of his gracious visitation did Abraham with great pleasure and rapture of spirit rejoyce to see this day afar off and shall not we now rejoyce when it is at hand yea when it comes upon us and the Light of it shineth round about us Surely we are not Abrahams Children unless we do the works of Abraham and if herein we do not rejoyce we are not of the Faith of Abraham and consequently shall not be blessed with him Objection But alas you 'll say this day is a day of trouble of rebuke and blasphemy of trouble to the Churches of Christ throughout the world of rebuke for God is angry with the world for sin of Blasphemy the Provocations wherewith God is provoked every day being very great reaching up into Heaven And should we now rejoyce Answer I Answer It is indeed a day of trouble to the people of God and possibly if they had rejoyced more for the consolation which their eyes have seen they had not seen so much trouble upon them as they do this day But nevertheless albeit there be so great and sore afflictions lying upon the Churches which all the Children of the Day must be sensible of yet in the midst of all this sorrow there is cause of rejoycing for why it is not a Night of trouble wherein no succour or comfort can be found but the Light of the Lord so shineth out before his people that they may plainly see his good works which with an out-stretched arme he hath wrought and still doth for their deliverance Ps 112.4 Vnto the Righteous saith the Psalmist Ps 112.4 Ariseth Light in Darkness that is in the darkest times of trouble then hath their light of comfort been wont to arise most And therefore though in some respect the day be somewhat cloudy yet it is not a Dismal Day though the Affliction be great yet the consolations of God are not so small with us but we may glorifie God in this day and rejoyce before him True you 'll say But alas we remember
the day requireth of them In the next place seeing the Time of the Gospel is such a lightsome Day let this serve to awaken the World that lyeth asleep in the darkness of Ignorance and Profaness And oh that I were now a Boanerges that I might with the Thunder and Lightning of this day rouze and startle such Sleepers out of their sloth and security wherein they are willing to lie down like those the Prophet speakes of Es 56.10 Loving to slumber miserably stupified with the Delusions of the Noone-day Devil scarcely so much as dreaming of their imminent danger till it comes upon them with the dreadfull Alarmes of Gods Insupportable Vengeance Look up O ye poor Creatures behold and see the Night is past and the Day is come the Morning is not onely spread upon the Mountains and the Day Star in his Course driving before it the shadowes of the Night but the Sun hath shined out in his full strength What Are you not ashamed thus to turne Day into Night and to lie snorting in your sinfull Security whiles so glorious a Light shineth round about you If you will still shut your Eyes let your Eares yet be open to that Gospel-Thunder clap Joh. 3.19 and let them tingle to heare it Joh. 3.19 This is the Condemnation the very damning Sin which sinkes men deepest into Hell that Light is come into the World and men love Darkness rather then Light But let us a little take these sleepers apart one from another and proclaime before them the Day of the Lord. First you that are wilfully ignorant who know not nor will understand but take Pleasure to walke on in Darkness and will not see the Light very apt to learn how to carry on a Design to your Advantage in things of this World but starke fooles in the mystery of Godliness Consider Is this a time to be Ignorant when the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God hath shined out not in the vailed face of Moses as it did Yesterday but in the glorious face of Jesus Christ Is this day of the great things of God so illustriously visible to be despised Or is there such Comeliness and Beauty in the Black hue and prodigious feature of darkness that men should so much delight in it The times of former ignorance God was pleased to wink at but now he commands all men every where to repent Awake Awake therefore you that have hitherto despised knowledge Awake I say open your eyes now if ever you will see for if this Gospel which this day hath so demonstratively made known to the World be as a Hidden thing unto you it is an evident token of your everlasting perdition But if this Day doth produce such Terrour and prove so Dismal for those that are ignorant oh what a black Day is it like to be unto those that are Profane Let Swearers and Liars and Drunkards and Oppressours and unclean Adulterers and cruel Mockers and Despisers of Gospel-Ordinances with all the rest of that Rabble that lie down in the Lethargy of Sin tremble and be horribly afraid at the Apparitions of this Day Since you will not open your Eyes to see the Light of it you must and shall abide the evil that attends upon it The evil I say how strange soever it sounds in the eares of men unacquainted with God and his Word who think of this Day as if there were nothing but calmnes and serenity in it And truely to a Believer that walks in the light of it It is a day as hath been said of rich and abundant Grace A joyful day Mal. 4.2 To such as fear the Name of the Lord saith the Prophet Malachy shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings bringing in his rayes the cheerful and comfortable light of life that health and salvation which shall keep them safe in the midst of all dangers But will it shine forth thus alike unto all to those that serve God and to those that serve him not hear the Prophet in the words before-going proclaiming the contrary Behold let the world take notice of it the Day cometh that is Mal. 4.1 this very Day we now speak of as appeareth clearly by the context that shall burn as an Oven and all the proud yea all that do wickedly shall be as stubble You 'll say perhaps as those Scoffers did 2 Pet. 3 4. Where is the promise of his coming So where is the terrour of this day For since we are fallen asleep in our sins as you tell us we are safe and secure even in this day that you would have us believe to be so terrible we see no sorrow at all but thrive and prosper in the World according to our hearts desire and to morrow shall be as this day yea much more abundant But O poor deluded people is this indeed your presumption Wo unto you that ever you were born if you suffer this delusion to prevail upon you What Do you think to be safe in the day of the Lord's Vengeance Es 61.2 For whatsoever you vainly dream of it such it is to all obstinate impenitent sinners as it will appear more hereafter For the present let me expostulate the Case with you Are you indeed so safe from the evil of this day as you do pretend If you be Scelus tutum aliquis nemo securum tulit Sen. Hyp. Tuta esse scelera secura non possunt Bern. yet as one said surely you cannot be secure Or rather secure say I with another you may sometimes be but you can never be safe A miserable safety that is surrounded with so much danger And the security that you boast of is a sure token of your imminent Destruction 1 Thess 5.3 You may I confess prosper in the World and encrease in riches yea you may come in no misfortune like other folke nor be plagued like other men and yet notwithstanding this day of the Lord's Vengeance have a terrible influence upon you There is an Vltrix misericordia an avenging mercy giving freedome from trouble in Anger and Displeasure Solo auditu contremisco saith Holy Bernard sweetly I tremble at the very hearing of it God keep me from such mercy These blessings are beyond all wrath But what talke you of prosperity and security Did you never hear that God rains down snares here upon his enemies as well as fire and brimstone storme and tempest And that the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them What advantage then have you by these outward things wherein you so much pride your selves and applaud your own happiness When they shall be instrumental in bringing you to utter ruine In the mean time oh how doth the Soul lie scorching under the burning heat of this day Which though it be by some but little felt yet it is the forest judgment of all other for as the Lightning never pierceth more fiercely then when it melteth the sword and
as if he could not have been perfect without his Creatures for he was from all Eternity ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficiently pleased with his own Perfection but willing he was that other things might have a Being to the end he might communicate his Goodness unto them And as he began this Work for that end so he continued still the same for his Goodness extended over all the World He is good unto all saith David and his tender mercies are ever all his works Ps 145.9 Psal 145. His Power in like manner was the same from first to last without Diminution or Augmentation without weariness or fainting he rested not that is He ceased not till he had finished all and then pleased himself upon the Sabbath-day rejoycing in all the Works that he had made And now to sum up this whole matter Jesus Christ we see is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same in the work of Creation First The same with the Father in that eternal Counsel and Decree from whence all things had their first Rise and Original Secondly The same with the Father in the execution of that Decree framing and fashioning every Creature in his Rank placing them all in their several Stations exactly according to the primary Pattern and Tenour of that Decree Thirdly The same without any Coadjutour in the mighty Work that he undertook his own and only Omnipotent Fiat gave a Being to the World and all the parts of it without which they had never been Finally The same from first to last without any variableness or shadow of turning exercising his Divine Wisdom Goodness and Power throughout the whole Creation Many are the Inferences that might be derived from this Consideration but we shall not extend our Discourse beyond the due boundary of the Text Only somewhat we will observe that may be for further edification First then this Doctrine may lead us to a further knowledge of our Lord and great Redeemer JESUS CHRIST for saith the Apostle Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead Walk we therefore about this Creation go round about it tell the parts thereof mark well the beauty of the Frame the admirable Order of this great and goodly Fabrick consider the several Palaces that are set therein for Angels for Men and the various lustre which the Lights do transmit there being one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and another glory of the Stars that we may know it for our selves and tell it to the Generations following that Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised his Greatness is unsearchable Ps 145.3 It is indeed unto all the faithful people of God whose hearts are raised up to a spiritual elevation a most pleasing kind of Geography as a reverend Bishop of our Church calls it in this large Map of the created World Bishop of Chi. in the Celestial and Terrestrial Globe to contemplate the Creatour for the works of the Lord are great saith the Psalmist sought out by all them that have pleasure therein Ps 111.2 But when in their search they happen to light upon the soot-steps of the Creatour by the whisperings of his Spirit which is very frequent and common unto them O what an incomparable pleasure is it then to pursue the Tract Hos 6.3 and to follow on to know the Lord So doth the Psalmist in the fore-cited place His work saith he is honourable and glorious Ps 111.3 and then followeth His righteousness endureth for ever Which way of Divine Speculation through the Creatures whereby we may ascend in our Meditations above every name that is named Ps 83.19 to the knowledge of him whose Name alone is Jehovah hath God himself caught us As when he instructed Job and would convince him of his rashness and folly in his peremptory Argutations making him also sensible of his own Almighty Power he brings the work of his Creation into remembrance before him Job 38 39 40 41. viz. Things in Heaven things in Earth and things in the Deep When we shall now therefore consider the Heavens not only this lower Heaven which in some sense may be called our Heaven wherein we and other poor mortal Creatures do breath which we may feel with our hands and wherein the Arm of the most High is many times stretched forth in mighty Winds and roaring Thunders and blazing Comets able to make the very Pillars of the World to tremble yea and to cool the courage and daunt the Spirits of all Atheistical Caligula's But those above especially which we see with our eyes at a greater distance so great that it is a wonder saith a Contemplative Divine we can look up to so admirable a height Bishop Hall and that the very eye is not tired in the way ascribed unto God by David as his Peculiar with this distinguishing term of Appropriation Ps 8.3 Thy Heavens Psal 8.3 Those which are the curious and exquisite Master-pieces of God's fingers Amos 9.6 for there saith the Prophet hath he built his Stories that is his Spheres or Ascentions from the Moon which is the lowest to the Stars which is the highest that can be discerned by men on Earth in which regard it may be though it be commonly taken for David's Night-meditation these two are only mentioned Ps 8.3 comprizing all the rest When we consider further the wonders of God in the Deep wherein saith the Psalmist Ps 104 25 26. are things creeping innumerable both small and great Beasts There go the Ships those moving Islands which bring the several Nations of the World into acquaintance one with another which suck the abundance of the Seas Deut. 33.19 Es 23.3 and Treasures hid in the Sand which reap the Harvest of the Water far surpassing the harvest of the Ground the artificiallest Wonder that ever was framed There goeth that Leviathan the wonder of that Nature the King over all the children of Pride made to play therein Job 41. whose wonderful parts and comely proportion is admirably described by the Tongue of the Learned Bishop King upon Jonas even the learnedst Tongue that the Holy Ghost had as one skilful in Scripture-learning sweetly expresseth it Yea there are the goings of the great God himself whose Name is Wonderful for the Sea is his and he made it Ps 95.5 and his Spirit still moveth upon these waters as it did formerly For as a King he sitteth upon the Water-floods saith the Psalm his power and providence walking constantly in state upon the Surface of them Ps 29.10 And though the proud Waves do rage that the very Mountains shake at the swelling thereof because they are stinted in their Current Job 38.10 11. Ps 104.9 and cannot with a full carrere turn again to cover the Earth yet he still keeps them under