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A89440
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A mystery which the angels desired to look into. 1 Pet. 1. 11. 12.
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1647
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Wing M3192; Thomason E386_15*; ESTC R201484
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11,645
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A Mystery which the Angels desired to look into 1 PET. 1.11.12 THe end why the Eternall Father did send the Apostles and now sends his Ministers is as St. Paul sets it down Ephes 3.9 To make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God Ephes 3.10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places i. to the Angels even of highest degree might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God But what was this manifold wisdom When God had suffered Adam to fall Gen. 3.24 that he might see his own pride and folly Divine Justice drave him out of Paradise and placed at the East end of the garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life that so flesh nor blood neither might nor could enter But Divine Wisdom hath found out a way whereby a re-entrance is made And yet the Decree of Gods justice stands unaltered His wisdom goodnesse and mercy manifested and miserably fallen men restored Which when the Angels saw they sang for joy saying Luk. 2.24 Glory be to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men The way and mystery was thus That as in pleasing the flesh the eyes and the minde Paradise was lost for so it was Eve seeing that the forbidden fruit was good for food pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise took and did eat and gave Adam and he did eat also And so both they and their whole posterity according to a Decree of Almighty God were cast out of Paradise left without God in a miserable world subject to labour and sorrow till death seized on them and then also were without hope of a resurrection or second life But Divine Wisdom out of a bottomlesse Fountain of love ordained that as in pleasing the flesh the eye and the minde Paradise was lost and consequently all misery wo and death it self purchased So in displeasing these three viz. the flesh the eye and the minde and passing by those fiery Cherubims suffering death for a good conscience or at least resigning our self thereunto Paradise with a second life might be regained But this when frail man because he was but flesh Rom. 8.3 could not do The Son of God was content to take our flesh upon him and in this flesh make his own life exemplary for all men shewing them how they must follow him in way of regradation that as they had lost Paradise by pleasing the flesh the eyes and the minde by which death had passed upon all So they should regain it by renouncing them and following him in a voluntary abased humiliation to the losse of all worldly things Rev. 2.7 They that thus overcome as he overcame shall go in and eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God and live for ever be with him live and reign with him for ever and ever This is that everlasting Gospel or glad tydings preached unto men But because for this work the Son of God was to leave his Fathers bosome and the glory which he had with him in the highest heavens and so descending upon the earth must take mans frail nature upon him and in that nature must be abased and abused suffering hunger cold nakednesse induring ignominy shame Heb. 2.5.10 reproach and at last dye the most cursed and painfull death even the death of the Crosse for this his great humiliation he obtain'd of his Father by way of reward an extraordinary exaltation It was decreed he should not onely be received up into glory Heb. 1.6 but in the highest heavens sit on the right hand of God Almighty where all the Angels of God should worship him And he should be Prince of this his Church which he had purchased with his own blood and should have all power put into his hands both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and should be judge of men and Angels Yea moreover it was granted that for his sake and for his great humiliation all his followers should have their sins forgiven them but the spots and stains thereof must be washed away by the water of affliction For there are foure things considerable in sin the act the guilt the stain the scandall The act is soon over the guilt remains till removed by repentance and then though in the Court of heaven atonement be made by Christs blood 2 Sam. 12. as in the case of Davids murther and adultery yet the stain and scandall continues and according to the nature of the offence is washed away by the water of affliction through the Word a figure of which was the Ark saving of eight persons in the old world by water Ephes 5.9 26. 1 Pet. 3.20 21 and the like figure whereunto doth Baptisme now save observed by St. Peter to be both figures Now this is performed either by a mortified life or the afflicting hand of God or both As appears by that example of David also of Miriam her murmuring against Moses and many that sinned in the wildernesse And therefore it is saith St. Paul that the Lord doth judge and chastise men that they should not be condemned with the world And that this should be the condition of Gods children Gen. 7. Exod. 3.2 Exod. 14 29. 1 Sam. 14. Dan. 3. Ioh 3.6 Matth. 14.24 was long ago plainly prefigured by Noahs Ark floating upon the roaring floods by Moses burning bush by the Israelites passing thorow the Red sea by the taking of the Ark of God by the uncircumcised Philistines by the three Children walking up down in the fiery fornace Again under the Gospel by John baptizing the people in Jordan By St. Peters ship tossed to and fro with a winde which was contrary Rev. 12. Exod 2.3 and by the Dragons persecuting the woman in the wildernesse It was so in the time of the Law Moses no sooner born but layed in the flags by the river side Gen. 37.26 Isa 53.4 Exod. 13. Joseph sold into Aegypt David a man of sorrows The Children of Israel no sooner from under Pharaohs hard bondage but they are in the wildernesse where they must wander fourty yeers It were too long to run through all their miseries besides their two captivities Yet all this they hoped would end when Messiah came then they expected Halcyon dayes But it 's no better yet for since the dayes of John the Baptist Matth. 11.12 the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and onely the violent take it by force His Disciples indeed thought that he would have restored the Kingdom to Israel Act. 1.6 but he tels them they were deceived in looking for a kingdom here They that would be his followers Luk. 10 13. must carry a Crosse upon their
caused Jerusalem to swim with innocent blood and had no works of righteousnesse Exod. 23. 2 King 11.16 Thou declaredst thy great mercy in pardoning him Thou restoredst Israel from captivity which had lived like beasts 2 Esds 8.29 30 The Thief upon the Crosse had nothing but sins to present thee with yet thou pardonest him for thou art a God of mercy art call'd mercifull Ier. 3.12 Exod. 34. and delightest in mercy and hast treasures of goodnesse layed up for them that have none for themselves O Lord hear and consider Look not upon the sins of thy people but look on thy Sanctuary and worship which lyeth waste Defer not to help for thy Names sake for thy honour sake In pitie for thy Christs sake look upon our miseries for there is no healing nor help left and we grow worse and worse Our sins increasing are grown up unto the heavens We have committed this great evill and that Jesuitically by blood we think to build our nests on high above the stars Hab. 2.9 that so in this world we may escape the Crosse of our Lord and be free from the power of evill But O Lord in so doing we have refused our own health the waters of Shiloh Isa 56. and put from our selves that holy Cup of Salvation of which our Lord himself drank and himself with his own blood tempered and seasoned for such as will be his Disciples O Lord in judgement remember mercy Ier. 6.16 and bring us once again to that ancient old good way that walking therein we may find rest to our souls Amen The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psal 25.14 And if any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God Joh. 7.17 THat you might the better think of that which you and I lately spake of touching the sufferings of Christians Postscript I have committed the same to writing and have here according to my promise sent it you Think upon it for it 's no vain thing Deut. 32.47 but it 's that whereby our lives shall be prolonged in the Land beyond Jordan whitherunto we are going The necessity of the serious thinking on this doctrine appears in that our Lord took such pains with his disciples to inculcate radicate and settle it in their hearts For having spoke of their sufferings Luk. 21. Settle it in your hearts saith he ver 12 13 14. In another place saith he Let these sayings sink down into your hearts Luk. 10. And again These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended and that when the time cometh you may remember I told you of them Joh. 15.20 Joh. 16.14 By all which and many other places this appeareth a matter of great concernment and of some difficulty to be beleeved And of this doctrine or this report Isa 53. we with the Prophet may well say Lord who hath beleeved unto such is the power of God manifested and they shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground And without doubt the highest favour that the Almighty bestowed upon the sons of men is ability to suffer for his Name It is that great feast Luk. 14. to which all are invited The riches that accompany it exceed all the treasures of Nations and the people that endure are such as God esteemeth the world not worthy of And therefore the holiest of men even the Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer I have now done The Lord settle these sayings in our hearts and grant us to be those spirituall worshippers Joh. 4.23 24 not to worship the Father with bodily sacrifice but in spirit and truth instead of Burnt-offerings to offer up our bodies and souls a living sacrifice and so to account of our selves but as sheep appointed to the slaughter and to prepare for bonds and afflictions which Act. 20.23 as the holy Ghost witnesseth abide us in every place for that through much tribulation and violence the kingdom of heaven must be entred Act. 14.22 And that as the grace of flowers fade so may our carnality and worldly pomp glory and honour decay decrease Iam. 1 11. Phil 3.3 8. yea that we may attain to the high price set before us let 's account those things dung and that we may so do let us watch Luk. 16. fast pray give alms as good Souldiers endure all hardnesse that so being faithfull in small things we may be trusted with great Which is the earnest prayer of your faithfull Friend Imprimatur Joh. Downame FINIS