Thoughts And do not all these things commend unto us the Justice Wisdom Holiness Omnipotence Omniscience Perfection and absolute Soveraignty of the Law-Maker 'T is a Book that comprehends an Universal History of the World past present and to come Its Contents reach as far as the first Foundations of the Earth and Heavens give us an Account of God's Revelations to Man ever since his first make and the particulars of an Entercourse between God and the World for near upon two thousand and five hundred Years before they were any where extant upon Record What other Book since the World began so much as pretended to do this A Book which as it was sixteen hundred Years a writing for so long it was from the Time of Moses till John closed it with the Revelations so the Matters it treats of are of the most excellent Nature and highest Concernment To give the World a satisfactory Account not only of its Original but of its End too To bring Man acquainted with his true Soveraign Happiness and a most wonderful and astonishing method of Reconciliation with his Maker Its Promises are everlasting Glory and never-fading Crowns Its Precepts perfect †Gal. 3.10 Righteousness and altogether such as tend most to the Honour of God the Happiness of a Man's Self and the Quiet of the World Its Threatnings are of Miseries that are endless It s whole Tendency is to a Prospect beyond the Grave what Heathen ever so much as dream'd of the Resurrection Who but the Lord could be Author of such Laws that only can give eternal Life and inflict eternal Death These things can move the Conscience of none but such who acknowledg the Precepts thereof to be divine In a Word its General Subjects are Mysteries no where else to be heard of and without such a Manifestation unconceivable Now considering the Premises what less than Infinite VVisdom can be the supposed Author of such a Book 2. The Antiquity of the Holy Scriptures II. By its Antiquity The Books of Moses wherein in Promises Prophecies Types and Shadows the Sum and Substance of all the rest of the Bible is comprised were the first Writings in the World next to those by the Finger of God on Mount Sinai This is fully proved by Justin Martyr an ancient Writer that lived within one hundred and thirty Years after Christ in his Paroenetick to the Greeks who comparing the Times of all Human Writers Poets Philosophers Historians and Law-givers esteemed most ancient demonstrates them all to be but Punies to Moses Eusebius also who followed Justin Martyr at about two hundred Years distance in the 2d and 3d Books of his Evangelical Preparation prosecutes the same Argument at large and from abundance of Testimonies and Confessions out of the best and most authentick Heathen Authors themselves undeniably evinces That Moses was the most ancient of all the Writers that were known or named amongst them And Tertullian so confidently upbraids the Gentiles in this matter that we think it not amiss to recite his Words in the 19th Chapter of his Apology Our Religion saith he speaking to the Heathens far out-does all that you can boast of in that kind For the Books of one of our Prophets only viz. Moses wherein it seems God hath enclosed as in a Treasury all the Christian Religion preceding so many Ages together reach beyond the ancientest you have even all your Publick Monuments the Antiquity of your Originals the Establishment of your Estates the Foundations of your Cities all that are most advanced by you in all Ages of History and Memory of Times the Invention even of the Characters which are Interpreters of Sciences and the Guardians of all Things excellent I think I may say more they are elder than your very Gods your Temples Oracles and Sacrifices Have you not heard mention made of that great Prophet Moses He was contemporary with Inachus and preceded Danaus the ancientest of all that have a Name in your Histories 393 Years He lived some Hundreds of Years before the Ruine of Troy And Homer the eldest Writer amongst the Grecians lived as Pliny saith 250 Years after the Subversion of that City Every of the other Prophets succeeded Moses and yet the last of them was of the same Age as your prime Wise-Men Law-givers and Historians were So that 't is a Thing out of dispute that for Antiquity neither the Writings of Orpheus or Homer or Trismegistus or Pythagoras or Berosus nor any other can compare with the Pentateuch These Gray-Hairs shew them to be the Off-spring of the Ancient of Days for Truth is always the First-born And if we consider how low mean and imperfect all humane Inventions were in those Times and what foolish irrational and absurd Conceptions both the Egyptians and Grecians Nations most celebrated for Wisdom had of Things Divine and the Duty and Happiness of Man we cannot but conclude That so clear an Account of the World's Beginning Depravation Destruction by the Flood and Re-peopling such a most excellent Law and Doctrine in reference both to God and Man c. could not be of Humane Extract but must needs be in truth what it pretends it self to be a Divine Revelation Besides who can believe the first Religion should be the worst or the most timely Notions of God the falsest Were this so and the Bible not a Divine Book but composed by Impostors then it follows That the most primitive Account we have of Religion is counterfeit that the Devil set up his Chappel before God built his Church that in the earliest Notices we have of God of the World 's Original Man's Fall and the Way of his Recovery the World is deceived and abused and that God suffered the Devil in the first place and without any Thing publickly extant from him either before or since to contradict it in his Name and under pretence of his Authority to delude and mislead Mankind with a false Account of all those Things which they are most concerned to know and upon the right Knowledg of which their present and future Happiness depends All which as it is unworthy of God so it is no less repugnant to the Dictates of Reason But on the contrary 't is most rational to believe that God's Revelations were as early as Man's Necessities and that the Bible being the most ancient as well as the wisest Book in the World is also the truest and proceeded from the God of Truth III. This Royal Descent or Divinity of the Scriptures further appears 3. The Majesty and Strangeness of the Stile by that Majesty and Authoritativeness of the Spirit of God speaking in them and that extraordinary and inimitable Stile wherein they are written As 't is said of our blessed Lord Mat. 7.28 That he taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes So the Scriptures teach with an awful Authority †See the Epist to the First Volume The Stile of the Sacred Scripture is
Thess 1.3 3. It is called the Faith of God's Elect Tit. 1.1 4. It is called unfeigned Faith 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.5 5. It is called Faith that works by Love Gal. 5.6 6. It is called Faith of the Operation of God Col. 2.12 7. It is called precious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 8. It is called holy Faith 9. It is called the Faith of the Son of God It s excellent Names set forth its transcendent Nature 2. Faith is precious in respect of the Means of its procurement or the Price that was laid down for the obtaining of it viz. the precious Blood of Christ for had not Christ died we should never have had one dram of it it is given to us as the Fruit and Effect of his glorious Undertaking 3. Faith is precious in respect of the Fountain from whence it proceeds 4. Faith is precious in respect of the Means by which it is wrought in the Soul viz. by the Word and Spirit of God in a wonderful manner Eph 1.19 20. even like as God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead 5. Faith is precious in respect of the Object it takes hold of or fasteneth upon viz. God the Father the Holy Spirit but more immediatly Christ crucified Ye believe in God believe also in me 6. Faith is precious in that it joins or unites the Soul to Christ it makes us one with him as it were Flesh of his Flesh Bone of his Bone a lively Member of that Body whereof he is the Head 'T is that which ties the Conjugal Knot between him and every Believer 7. It is the Eye of rhe Soul no Man without it can behold Jesus Christ nor the fulfillings of future Promises Abraham by Faith saw the Day of Christ 8. Hereby a Christian is made a Child of God To as many as received him Joh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believed on his Name Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus 9. It is the only way or means God is pleased to take to deliver the Souls of Men from Sin Wrath and eternal Death 10. It is that which interests the Soul into all the sweet and precious Promises of the Covenant of Grace See Light 11. It is the Instrument of Salvation Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved 12. Faith is a most excellent and precious thing upon the account of the Fruits of it viz. Life Light Peace Purging Boldness at the Throne of Grace Joy in the Holy-Ghost Hope and good Assurance of eternal Life 13. Faith is precious in respect of that glorious Power and Virtue that is in it 'T is medicinable and the most Sovereign Antidote and Cordial in the World 1. It will expell Poyson 2. 'T will perfectly as it applies the Blood of Christ cure a wounded Conscience 3. It will bear up and revive a fainting Spirit Mat. 8.23 I had fainted unless I had believed 4. It is good against the Feebleness of the Knees and Weakness of the hands 5. It is a most excellent thing against Fear and Tremblings of the Heart But when he saw the Wind boysterous he was afraid and beginning to sink Luk. 8.23 Mat. 14.30 he cried saying Lord save me And immediatly Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him O thou of little Faith 6. Ezek. 36.26 It is a precious Remedy against the Stone of a hard Heart it will dissolve it break it in pieces and cure the Soul perfectly of it 7. It cures all manner of inward Deadness it may well be called lively Faith or Faith of the Operation of God 8. Col. 2.12 It is good against the Dimness of the Eyes it helps them that cannot see afar off 9. It is a most Sovereign Thing against evil Spirits it will resist the Devil and make him flie 10. It is excellent good to purge and work out all those noxious and evil Humors of the inward Man cleansing and purifying the Heart 11. It is good against the Falling-Sickness Believers stand by Faith but if through a Temptation they should fall Faith will help them up again David and Peter had not so much Faith as to keep them from from falling yet they had enough to raise them up again when they were fallen It is an universal Remedy it cures all the Diseases of the Soul so that we may say with the Woman let the Distemper be what it will If I can but touch the Hem of his Garment I shall be healed 14. Faith is precious because it shields and gloriously preserves the whole Soul from all Dangers it is that which works with and tends to the perfecting of all other Graces in us 15. It was by Faith that Saints in every Age of the Church Heb. 11. were enabled to undergo and suffer all those hard and bitter Tortures and Torments they met with for Christ's sake 16. It is that which helps the Godly to overcome the World 1 Joh. 5.4 He that is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory which overcometh the World even our Faith VI. Gold is often tried and refined in the Fire we read of Gold seven times refined The Refining-Pot is for Silver Prov. 17.3 and the Furnace for Gold VI. Faith is often tried in the Fire or Furnace of Affliction 1 Pet. 3.12 Think it not strange concerning the fiery Trial which is to try you c. He shall sit as a Refiner's Fire Mal. 3.2 3 and as a Purifier of Silver c. and purge them as Gold and Silver c. God this way tried Abraham's Faith together with the Faith of many others of whom we read I will bring the third part through the Fire and I will try them as Gold is tried Zech. 13.9 VII Tried Gold is much better than that which is not tried nor refined in the Fire VII Faith that is tried is of wonderful value much more to be prized than that which was never brought under Exercise How excellently did Abraham's and Job's Faith shine when tried The Trial of your Faith is much more precious than Gold tho it be tried in the Fire c. VII Gold tried in the Fire is of an enriching Nature if a Man has much of it it enriches him greatly We esteem him a very rich Man that hath great Store of tried Gold in his own Possession VIII So Faith that is tried in the Furnace is of a Soul-enriching Nature he that hath much of this Faith is a very rich Man a rich Saint James 1 5 God hath chosen the Poor of this World rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom See more of the Nature of Gold in the Metaphor Gold where the Word of God is compared to it Metaphor Disparity GOld is naturally an earthy Sort of Metal 't is from beneath and therefore corruptible Not with
to abide for many Years and then to be put to the greatest Tortures that Mortals can devise where he should suffer a long Time together always dying and yet cannot die and that on a sudden one should come to him with the joyful News of a full and perfect Deliverance would not this be the welcomest News that ever he heard Sinners may not the Tidings you hear cause your Hearts to leap in you for Joy Tho you have undone your selves by your wicked Works yet God hath devised a way to deliver and save you for ever Quest How by what means and by whom may some poor ignorant Soul say is Deliverance brought about Answ Deliverance out of this Bondage-State is by Jesus Christ only by him neither is there Salvation by any other If the Son therefore make you free Acts 4.12 Joh 8.36 ye shall be free indeed But further to answer the Question I say the Liberty is 1. By a great Ransom 2. By a Conquest 1. There was no other Way found out to bring Sinners out of this their miserable Condition but a great Sum must be laid down Ye are bought with a Price 1 Cor. 6.20 1 Pet. 1.18 But know this We are not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold c. All the Gold and Silver in the World and all the Riches thereof were there Ten Thousand Worlds more could not redeem one Soul out of this State of Bondage and Slavery to Sin and Satan The Redemption of the Soul is precious Psal 49.8 Mic. 6.7 and ceaseth for ever Nay if a Man should offer up his Son or Daughter the Fruit of his Body for the Sin of his Soul it would be utterly rejected Nothing could redeem us but the Price of Blood and that too the precious Blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.19 as a Lamb without spot See Surety Vol. 1. 2. Deliverance out of this Bondage is by Conquest Unless the Saviour of Mankind conquer those cruel Enemies of the Soul not one Sinner can be set at Liberty For 't is not the baâ—e Ransom or Price of Christ's most precious Blood I mean the laying down of his Life that could work a perfect Freedom for us for tho that made a full Compensation to the Justice of God yet Sinners being under the Power of Sin Satan and Death these Enemies take no notice at all of that Price for our Saviour did not capitulate with them neither will they give up their Prisoner till they are overcome and as I may say are forced to do it For as Christ saith When a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace Luk 1â— â—1 his Goods are in Peace But when a stronger than he shall come and overcome him he taketh from him all his Armor c. Satan is this strong Man armed and Jesus Christ the Person that is stronger than he and 't is our Mercy God sent us such a strong and mighty Saviour one able to subdue Sin conquer Satan overcome Death that so he might deliver us who were taken captive by them at their Will 1 J h. 3 8. To this end was the Son of God manifest that he might destroy the Works of the Devil He through Death and rising again from the Dead hath destroyed Death and him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil and delivered them who through Fear of Death were all their Life time subject to Bondage Heb. 2.14 15. Joh. 16 33 He bids us also Be of good cheer for he hath overcome the World This Conquest by the Lord Jesus is twofold 1. For us without us When he ascended on high he led Captivity captive He took him captive Eph. 4.8 Col. 2.15 that had taken Mankind captive Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a Shew of them openly the Work is already done triumphing over them in it 2. This Conquest is wrought by Christ also in the Soul for palpable it is that every unconverted Person is under the Power of these cruel Enemies as hath been already shewn and have they a sufficient Power of their own to encounter with them Is sinful weak and depraved Man a Match for Satan Is he able to subdue and overcome him Or can he by any inherent Power of his own destroy the Power of Sin and change his own Heart Can the Aethiopian change his Skin or the Leopard his Spots Isa 13.23 Is Man able to raise himself from the Power of the Grave Any of these things are too hard for Sinners to do and therefore it follows Christ must conquer these Enemies in us he must break our Bonds and burst our Chains in pieces c. Pray remember Christ is a perfect and compleat Saviour he alone doth the Work Isa 63.5 he doth it for us and also in us His own Arm brought Salvation He hath no Partner nor Competitor Secondly As this may serve to humble Mankind so also it may lift up their Hearts who are redeemed Job 7.17 in Praises to the Almighty O what is Man that God should be mindful of him What! regard such a deplorable Rebel Slave and Captive of Sin and the Devil And the rather considering the Nature of that glorious Freedom procured by Jesus Christ which is 1. A Freedom from the Guilt of Sin 2. A Freedom from the Filth of Sin 3. A Freedom from the Power of Sin Sin shall not have Dominion over you Rom. 6.14 4. A Freedom from the eternal Punishment of Sin a Freedom from Sin from Satan from the Law from Death and from Wrath and by this means made the Sons and Daughters of God making them nigh to him enjoying Union and Communion both with the Father and the Son having Peace and good Assurance of eternal Life Thirdly It may cause the redeemed Ones of God to pity Sinners pity their unconverted Relations what a deplorable Condition are they in How exceedingly are Persons concerned for their Relations who are in Slavery tho it extend but to the Body and what Ways and Means do they with all diligence make use of to procure their Liberty and Freedom And by how much the Bondage of Sin and Satan exceeds all the Slavery that Man can possibly be exposed unto by so much the more ought that Means to be improved that may effectually accomplish their Redemption Wicked Men Sluggards Prov. 6.9 How long wilt thou sleep O Sluggard when wilt thou arise out of thy Sleep HOw long wilt thou sleep Sleep is taken variously in the holy Scripture 1. For the binding or closing up the Senses to give the Body Rest The same Night Peter was sleeping between two Souldiers Acts 12.26 This is a natural Sleep 2. 'T is taken Metaphorically 1. For Death Hence 't is said David after he had served his Generation according to the Will of God he fell asleep For now shall I sleep in the Dust and thou shalt seek me in the Morning c. Job 7.21 This is
stead beyond any other thing to make us happy 2. A longing Desire after it There is always so much Desire of that we hope for that the thiâ—g hoped for is sometimes expressed by the Desire Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the Heart sick but when the Desire that is the thing hoped for cometh it is a â—ree of Life 3. Utmost and unwearied Endeavours to obtain it That which a Man makes his Hope he will make his Work and never ceaseth working till he hath attained it or is convinced there is no possibility of attaining it 4. To make Gold our Hope implieth much Trouble and Anxiety of Mind when once we see our Endeavours ineffectual and unsuccessful about the attaining of it If Hope deferred makes the Heart sick as was hinted before then when Hope dies or as Zophar speaks chap. 11.20 is as the giving up of the Ghost the Heart must needs die too 2. It is not Hope of Length of Days If I wait the Grave is my House c. But then 2. Positively it is a patient and well-grounded Expectation of the Accomplishment of what God hath promised Faith sees the Promise and beholds it tho afar off Abraham saw my Day saith Christ But then in comes Hope and keeps the Soul alive in a well-grounded expectation of the fulfilling and accomplishment of it See the Description of it where Faith is compared to an Helmet Why Hope is compared to an Anchor may appear by what followeth Metaphor Parallel AN Anchor is a good Stay and Security to a Ship in a Storm What would the Mariner do had he not an Anchor to cast out of the Ship when he is in danger of Rocks and Sands SO Hope in God through Christ is a most excellent Stay for the Soul of a Believer in a Day of Trouble and Persecution Heb. 10.34 They suffered joyfully the spoiling of their Goods knowing in themselves they had in Heaven a better and enduring Substance We are saved by Hope c. It stays the Soul as an Anchor does the Ship II. An Anchor takes hold of something which is out of sight II. So Hope the Anchor of the Soul takes hold of something which is not seen with carnal Eyes which is within the Vail c. III. An Anchor when it takes hold of a Rock or firm Ground fastens and stays a Ship more steadily preserving it from suffering Shipwrack III. So Hope the Anchor of the Soul taking hold of Christ who is called a Rock stays the Soul in a perilous Time most firm and steadily so that it is safe from spiritual Shipwrack IV. An Anchor would be of no use without the Cable to which it is fastened IV. So Hope without Faith is of no use nor can avail the Soul any thing in time of Need those two Graces always co-operate and work together for the help and succour of a Believer V. An Anchor that it may be of advantage to a Ship requires Skill rightly to cast it V. Hope the Anchor of the Soul must be rightly cast or else it will not profit a Saint any thing in the Day of Trouble It must be cast within the Vail Heb. 6. whither the Fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus c. Metaphor Disparity AN Anchor is cast down into the Sea River c. HOpe the Anchor of the Soul is cast upward the Saint's Hope is in Heaven II. An Anchor may let go its hold or be broke and so become useless to a Ship by which means the Ship may be lost II. Hope the Anchor of the Soul is both sure and stedfast hence it is said Hope maketh not ashamed If their Hope was not firm or were there any danger of its being lost or broke the Saints of God were in a sad Condition and they might turn away with their Faces ashamed If their Hope should fail them they would have no Refuge left If Hope holds all holds but it Hope be gone all is gone Neither is it to be thought that the Hope of holy Job Heman and others who in Trouble spake of their Hope being gone and perished from the Lord was indeed utterly lost and perished but that it was only so in their own Apprehension they being in great depths of Despondency and under sad Desertion of Spirit Like as the Church was when she said My God hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me which God himself graciously answers It was not so nor could be so A Saint's standing in Christ is firm the Covenant is ordered in all things and sure But to confirm this glorious Truth and make it yet more clear and that I may leave no room for an Objection that Hope is both sure and stedfast c. Consider the many strong Bars that are cemented together as so many Bars of Iron hammered by the Spirit to the making of this blessed Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast First The Love of God is a sure Ground of the Saints Hope Jer. 31.3 Psal 89.30 31 32 33. I have loved thee with an everlasting Love c. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgments if they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes Nevertheless my Loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing which is gone out of my Lips Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his Love he will joy over thee with singing I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life Rom. 8.38 39. nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. If the Love of God be from everlasting to everlasting to them that fear him if he rests in his Love if he will not remove his Loving-kindness from them notwithstanding their Sins and Infirmities if nothing can separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord then the Hope that Believers have in God is both sure and stedfast Secondly God hath chosen elected and predestinated Believers in Christ unto eternal Life For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate Rom. 8.29 30. to be conformed to the Image of his Son Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified The same Persons that are predestinated are called and the very same that are called are justified and the very same who are justified are or shall be glorified Therefore the Hope that Believers have is both sure and stedfast Thirdly Christ's Death is a sure Ground of Hope Who is be that
Death Secondly the Grave Thirdly Coals and Flames of Fire Which shew forth the vehement Power and Force of Divine Love to Jesus Christ Which cannot be quenched First Love is compared to Death and the Grave Metaphor Parallel DEath and the Grave overcome the strongest Men it prevails over the most powerful wise and learned in the World neither can the most mighty Monarch encounter Death or stand before it there is no discharge in that War SO Love that is in the Heart of a sincere Christian prevails against all Difficulties and Oppositions Temptations Afflictions and most cruel Sufferings and Torments that can be exercised upon them as appeared by the blessed Martyrs Nothing is too hard for Love it cannot be subdued it overcomes all Sin and Suffering whatsoever II. Death and the Grave seize upon every part of the corporal or mortal Body II. So Love when shed abroad in the Heart seizeth upon all the Faculties of the Soul Hence it is that true Christians are said to love Christ with all their Hearts and with all their Souls Metaphor Disparity DEath and the Grave put an end to natural Life and so cause all Motions or Actions from thence to cease BUt Love hath that Virtue as it is a Grace of the Spirit that it sets all the Faculties of the Soul upon Acts of a spiritual Life None are so lively as those that truly love Jesus Christ II. Death overcomes and destroys that which we would if possible keep viz. our Lives that are most dear to us II. Love only overcomes that which is offensive and contrary to us or that stands in opposition to the Soul's Union with Christ making that which would be injurious to Flesh and Blood to become profitable and advantagious yea tho it be to the Loss of Life yet Love takes away the Fear of Death and makes the Soul willing to part with Life for Christ's sake Love is also compared to Coals and Flames of Fire Metaphor Parallel COals and Flames of Fire are of a burning and consuming Quality THe Grace of Love kindled in the Soul of a Believer burns up and consumes that inordinate Desire which is naturally in the Heart after the Things and Vanities of this World it eats up and consumes all carnal and sensual Lusts whatsoever all fleshly and combustible Stuff or Things that stand in the way are burnt up and destroyed by it II. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a purging and purifying quality II. So the Grace of Love purgeth cleanseth and purifieth the Soul the Dross and Filth of the Heart and Life being wasted away a Christian is made holy sanctified and heavenly thereby III. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a melting and softning Nature they make things tender and pliable meet to receive the Impression of a Seal c. III. So the Grace of Love softens the Heart and melts it making it pliable and very fit and capable to receive the Impression and Divine Image of God IV. Some Fire is so vehement that Water thrown upon it will not quench it but rather cause it to burn more fierce and vehemently IV. The Grace of Love is of such a strong and vehement Nature thâ—t it is impossible utterly to quench or extinguish it in the Soul tho the Devil daily useth all his Strength and Skill to do it Many ways he continually assaults Believers when Temptations of one sort fail he trieth others he offers worldly Pleasures Honours Riches yea all the Goods as I may say of his House but all is in vain nothing will quench this Divine Flame the true Christian utterly contemns him with all he hath The grand Design of Satan's courting a Man with all his Offers All this will I give thee c. is to gain his Love or draw off his Affections from Jesus Christ If this Way will not do he tries another and brings Afflictions and Crosses upon the Soul but over these likewise is a Saint a Conqueror Which makes the Apostle break forth into this holy Triumph Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distress Rom. 8.35 36 37 38. or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword No none of these things can For I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. V. Fire hath Light with it V. So the Grace of Love is attended with the Knowledg of Christ who is the Object of Love Ignoti enim nulla cupido VI. Coals and Flames of Fire afford Heat they are of a warming and reviving Nature VI. So the Grace of Love heats our cold and frozen Hearts it warms and revives them with sweet and blessed Love and Zeal for God and his Glory VII Flames of Fire ascend or tend continually upwards See more of the Nature and Quality of Fire where the Word of God is compared to it VII So the Grace of Love darts the Desires of the Soul Heavenwards Such have their Affections set on Things above Col. 3.1 2. Metaphor Disparity FIre is from beneath it is earthy and one of the four Elements THe Grace of Love is from above it is a supernatural Grace it grows not in Natures Garden But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love c. II. A violent Fire may be quenched and all natural and elementary Fire shall be put out Mount Aetna shall not burn always II. But the Grace of Love this Divine Fire can never be quenched it shall burn to Eternity Charity never faileth c. Inference BY these Things Works and Operations we may try whether we have true Love to Jesus Christ or no. And for a further Help therein see the following Metaphor Christ's Love compared to Wine Cant. 1.2 For his Love is better than Wine WHereas Christ's Love is preferred to Wine it is to be understood Synecdochically so Ainsworth Wine here is put for the most pleasant joyful refreshing and cordial Things as Bread by the same Figure is frequently put for such things as strengthen c. The Love of Jesus Christ is better than Wine or whatsoever Men esteem to be good or to excell in Nature and Virtue Metaphor Parallel VVIne is the Fruit of a good Tree a choice and precious Plant and 't is the best of natural Liquors THe Love of Christ is the Fruit of the choicest Plant that ever was planted Men and Angels are not to be compared to him See Vine And his Love is the best and choicest of Love Wine is natural but his Love is Divine and supernatural None ever loved as Christ loved II. Wine is pleasant delectable and sweet to the Taste II. There is nothing so pleasant and delectable to a believing Soul as the Manifestation of Christ's Love it excells all things for sweetness III. Wine is to be
or Life it self in his Cause but he can restore it with great Advantage Joh. 12.25 He that loveth his Life shall lose it but he that hateth his Life in this World shall keep it unto Life eternal III. Souldiers are armed with carnal Weapons and fight with Men like themselves and yet many times are overcome and lose the Victory III. But Saints fight with spiritual Weapons and not only with Men like themselves but with the Devil and his infernal Crew and yet through Christ their Captain they get the Victory For the Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal Eph. 6. but mighty through God c. For we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities and Powers c. Inferences THese things being so let all true Christians take Heart and be valiant and fear not the Face of Enemies 1. Consider the Worth and Dignity of your Captain Christians have the best Captain and Leader in the World 1. He is of a most honourable Extraction of a most high and noble Descent the Heir of all things the Father's First-born the express Image of his Person He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and he is saith one Generalissimo of all his Majesty's Forces in Heaven and Earth 2. Consider his Strength and Valour He hath an Omnipotent Arm and is of a most valiant undaunted couragious and heroick Spirit What was Sampson Gideon David Alexander Julius Caesar Scanderbeg or any other mighty Warrior to the Lord Jesus This is he who cuts in pieces the Gates of Brass and breaks asunder the Bars of Iron that hath the Keys of Death and Hell that flew Rahab Isa 51.9 and wounded the Dragon who is terrible to the Kings of the Earth and will come upon Princes as upon Mortar This is He that is the Terror of Devils the Dread of Mortals who will make other Captains tremble and cry out to the Rocks and Mountains to hide them in the Day of his Wrath. 3. Consider his Wisdom His Skill and Policy far exceeds the Craft and Subtilty of all the Machiavellian Politicians in the World He knows how to assault and harm his Enemies and to carry on and bring off to preserve and defend his People and faithful Souldiers Let Men and Devils be never so skilful and politick Christ knows how to outwit them and over-reach them all He knows where all their Mines are digged where all their Forces Flankers and Ambuscadoes do lie He knows their Plot and how laid this day against his Interest Gospel and Covenant-People in this and other Nations He knows how to confound them and catch them in their own Craftiness and to bring them to Shame He is wonderful in Counsel and mighty in Working He hath an Omniscient Eye as well as an Omnipotent Hand He makes his Countermines and blows them up or burieth them in the Pit they have digged He outshoots the Devil and the Wicked in their own Bow He will bring down the Beast and Whore and all their Abettors and make them ashamed of their Hope Mark the Issue of this present Dispensation See Captain in the First Volume and God a Man of War 2. Consider the Excellency of your Cause which is just and righteous 3. The Goodness of your Call against which nothing can be objected 4. For your further Encouragement consider the Strength of your Fortifications They are all impregnable and impenetrable of most invincible Strength Your Out-Works your Walls your Bulwarks your Forts and Towers all your Defence is admirable The Name of the Lord is a Strong-Tower Prov. 18.10 Isa 26.1 Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks O how formidable and terrible are the Attributes and Threatnings of God to his Enemies 5. Consider Tho your Number be the fewest yet your Side is the strongest God is for us and on our Side With them is the Arm of Flesh but with us the Lord our God to fight for us How many said Antigonor will you reckon me for Poor Mortal How many then may we reckon God Christ the Holy Ghost for The whole Trinity is engaged for us 6. Consider Tho your Service be hard and Conflict sharp yet it will be short It is but a little while and your Enemy shall trouble you no more 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light Afflictions which are but for a moment c. 7. Consider the Devils and all other Enemies tho never so potent cruel and malicious yet they are all conquered and spoiled Col. 2.15 Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a Shew of them openly triumphing over them in it The Romans were wont in a triumphant manner to carry those they had conquered about with them and to brandish their Swords and display their Colours and carry their Arms in open View as Trophies and Emblems of Victory So the Lord Jesus having conquered Satan and the Powers of Hell rode as it were in Triumph through their Kingdom the Air and made a Shew of them openly as a glorious Victor 2. Again the World is subdued Be of good cheer saith Christ Joh. 16. Rom 8. I have overcome the World And we through him are hereby made more than Conquerors Come Tribulation Distress Persecution c. with all their Blackness Darkness Threats and Terror what will they do Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Rom. 8.35 or hinder us of eternal Life 3. Death is subdued Christ hath got the Victory over that What Joy and Comfort is this to Believers to hear that all their Enemies are conquered your Captain-General hath broken them all to pieces 6. The Enemy cannot hurt you Rom. 8.28 the worst you can meet with will work for your Good 9. Consider Tho you meet with hard Things Christ can and will make them easy to you All your Wounds he can heal and all your broken Bones he can set The more you suffer for Christ the greater your Reward will be 10. Consider what great and glorious Pay you shall have in the end Is not a Kingdom a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away worth fighting and striving for 11. Look to Christ remember what he hath done and suffered for you and consider what many Saints have endured for his sake before you that were most precious in God's sight Is it not better to suffer here than to suffer in Hell What is the Pain and Sorrow of the Godly in this Life to the everlasting Pains and Torments of the Damned in the World to come Get much Faith and provide your selves with all your Armor and the right Use of it the Nature of which is opened under the Fifth Head Get your Hearts loose from the World No Man that warreth 2 Tim. 2.4 entangleth himself with the Affairs of this Life Labour for much Love to God It was a notable Saying of Mr. Bland the Martyr when he was at the Stake This Death saith he is more dear to me than Thousands of Gold
corrupted the whole Lump of Mankind Adam had no sooner sinned against God but the spiritual Poyson and Venom thereof struck to his Heart corrupting every Faculty of his Soul and not only so but also the Souls of all his Posterity See Wounds IV. 'T is noted by Plutarch that when an Asp stings a Man it doth first tickle him and makes him laugh till the Poyson by little and little gets to the Heart and then it pains and torments him more than ever it delighted him before So doth Sin it may please a little at first Though Wickedness be sweet in his Mouth Job 20 12 tho he hide it under his Tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keepeth it still within his Mouth Yet his Meat in his Bowels is turned it is the Gall of Asps within him Forbidden Profits and Pleasures are very delightful to carnal Men and many love to be medling with these poysoning Morsels of Sin Many eat that on Earth which they digest in Hell Men must not think to dine and dance with the Devil and then to sup with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in God's Kingdom V. Poyson in a Toad or Serpent suits and agrees well with their Nature but Poyson in a Man's Stomach makes fearful Work it being of a contrary Nature So Sin in a wicked Man one that hath no spark of true Grace in him seems to be suitable and agree well with him his whole Nature being so grievously corrupted and changed into the evil Nature thereof he having used himself so long in sinful Ways that Sin viz. open Prophaneness Superstition and Error is habitual and become natural to him as Poyson to a Toad Naturalists say That if a Man take a little quantity of Poyson at a time and so accustom himself to it ☜ it will at length become so natural to him that he may take it as Food Even so wicked Men by a continual Course and evil Custom in Sin drink it down as pleasant Liquor like as the Fish drinks Water But now Sin to a true Christian is like much Poyson in a Man's Stomach 't is contrary to that new Nature and divine Principle which is wrought in him by the Spirit of God he cannot bear nor endure it he hates every false Way Rom. 7. That which I hate that do I. VI. Poyson is deadly in its own Nature and of a killing and destroying Quality if not timely vomited up by taking some fit and proper Antidote c. So Sin whether fleshly or spiritual viz. sensual Debauchery or Heresy will kill and destroy all where-ever it is both Body and Soul eternally except by true Repentance it be vomited up Tho Men take it down as sweet Wine Prov. 23.31 and are not presently sensible of any harm yet at last it will bite like a Serpent and sting like an Adder VII Oil will expel Poyson and it is often given to Persons who have taken it to cause them to vomit it up So the Oil of Gladness viz. the Spirit of God is the best Antidote in the World to expel and work out the Poyson of Sin in the Soul See Oil of Gladness in the First Volume Book 2. Inferences WHat do Sinners mean will they poyson themselves are they void of Understanding to take down the Poyson of Dragons Will they wilfully murther themselves What Blindness and Folly is in their Hearts II. O how should this stir up the Godly to pity wicked Men and to strive as much as lieth in their Power to prevent their sinning and endeavour to turn away their Wrath III. It may also caution Believers to take heed of Sin and of the Venom of an evil Tongue as also of the Poyson of Heresy and Error IV. Let Sinners also learn from hence timely to look out for Help O get a fit Antidote to save you from this Poyson Ah! what is Sin 't is Poyson in a Cup That 's gilt without and Men do drink it up Most earnestly with joy and much delight Being pleasant to the carnal Appetite Sin 's sweet to him whose Soul is out of taste But long alas its Sweetness will not last Sin 's sweet to th' Flesh that does it dearly love But to the Soul it doth rank Poyson prove Hast thou suck'd this most deadly Venome in And dost not see thy vital Parts begin To swell Art poyson'd Soul Look look about To get an Antidote to work it out Before it be too late the Poyson 's strong Don't stay a Week twelve Hours is too long One drachm of Grace mix'd with repenting Tears The Grace of perfect Love that casts out Fears Mix'd with that Faith which kills all Unbelief Took down with speed will ease thee of thy Grief 'T will purge the Soul and work by Vomit well And all vile Dregs of Venome 't will expell Unless thou vomit up each Dreg be sure No hope of Life one Sin will Death procure Eternal Death Repentance is not right 'Till Sin nay every Sin 's forsaken quite Not only left but as a poysonous Cup Thou must it loath 't is hateful spue it up Sin a Sickness Isa 1.5 The whole Head is sick and the whole Heart faint c. Mat. 9.12 The whole need not a Physician but they that are sick SPiritual Sickness is twofold 1. To be sick with Sin 2. To be sick of Sin as Sin wounds the Soul so it makes sick and this is Man's Misery but to be sick of Sin viz. to be sensible of the Evil and cursed Nature thereof this is a Mercy Parallels THE Causes of Natural Sickness are divers sometimes it arises from some inward and sometimes from some outward Cause to know from whence the Distemper grew or did arise is very necessary whether it be Chronical or Acute i. e. that which hath seized on the Patient on a sudden by Heats Cold or from the Corruption of the Blood by an infectious Air c. which an able Physician is diligent to pry and search into Now as touching the Sickness of the Soul 't is evident the Original Cause thereof was by eating of the forbidden Fruit which surfeited the whole Lump of Mankind or if you please it was occasioned by Poyson by the Poyson of the old Serpent Deadly Poyson makes a Man very sick and corrupts the whole Mass of Blood And as 't is needful to find out if possible the Cause of Sickness so 't is as necessary to find out the Cause of Spiritual Sickness the Cause being discovered the Cure is easy If a Man doth not see what his state is as considered in the first Adam nor the evil and damning Nature of Sin in general nor the particular Plague of his own Heart he is in no hopeful way of help and healing II. Some Sicknesses or Diseases are Epidemical Sin is a Sickness or Disease so universal and a Contagion so catching that none have escaped nor are totally free from it III. Some are so sick that they have
no place free Sin is a Disease that afflicts every part Isa 5. the whole Head is sick and the whole Heart faint IV. The Distemper which we call the Sickness or Pestilence is very mortal and sweeps away thousands Sin is such a Sickness no Pestilence like it Sin is the Plague of Plagues That which is most opposite to God is the greatest Evil but Sin is most opposite and contrary to God and therefore the greatest Evil. That which separates Man from and deprives him of the greatest Good must needs be the greatest Evil or the Plague of Plagues but Sin doth this therefore the greatest Evil. That which is the greatest Judgment to be left unto is the worst of Evils but 't is the greatest Judgment in the World to be left or given up to the Lusts of our own Hearts Ergo c. When God designs to bring his severest Wrath upon a People or a particular Soul when he resolves to afflict them to the uttermost he doth not say I will bring Plague or Sickness or Famine upon them but I will deliver them up to their Sins Israel would have none of me c. and what then Psal 81.11 Rom. 1.26 â—8 So I gave them up to their own Hearts Lusts c. Thus he gave up the Gentiles to vile Affections That Sickness Plague or Pestilence that destroys most that kills Millions which is so infectious that none amongst Thousands nay Millions of Thousands can escape is the Plague of Plagues but such a Sickness is Sin More shall be damned than shall be saved nay but few comparatively enter in at the strait Gate and so find Life Now all that are damned are damned or destroyed by Sin and therefore it is the worst of Evils That which kills or destroys Body and Soul too is the Plague of Plagues but Sin destroys Body and Soul too Ergo Sin is the Plague of Plagues V. Many of those who have the Disease we call the Sickness have Spots upon them which are of two sorts one of which are called the Tokens and when they appear they look upon themselves as dead Men So Sin this spiritual Plague and Sickness of the Soul Deut. 31.4 marks some Men out for eternal Death Their Spot saith the Lord is not the Spot of my Children that is their Sin is not a Sin of Infirmity such as appear upon the Children of God Any Spot is bad but some are worse very bad they are deadly Spots they have the Tokens of Death and Wrath upon them 1. The Sin or Spot of a godly Man is rather a Scar or Wound that is healed or almost healed But Sin in some of the Ungodly is like a rotten putrifying Sore in the Flesh 2. The Spots of the Godly are not so contagious or infectious as the Sins or Spots of the Wicked The Sins of the Ungodly make their very Persons and Prayers loathed and hateful in God's sight now God tho he hates the Sins of his own Children Psal 109.7 yet he loves their Persons 3. Sin in a Saint is his Sorrow 't is that which he hates it wounds and grieves his Soul Rom. 7.3 he is sick of his Sin but the Wicked love their Sin Sin is in a godly Man's Conversation and that is his Trouble but Sin is in a wicked Man's Affection which renders it to be a deadly Spot 4. Sin reigns and predominates in the Hearts of the Wicked But Sin tho it may sometimes tyrannize in a Saint yet he obeys it not he is not the Subject or Servant of Sin The one yields and subjects to Sin the other opposes and resists it every Faculty of his Soul is set against it and not only so but against every Sin VI. Sickness brings oft-times utter Weakness upon the Body So Sin brings Weakness upon the Soul I am feeble c. It makes a Christian very faint See Leprosy VII Some Sickness is very grievous to be born So Sin is grievous to a true Christian who is made sensible of it VIII A Man that finds himself very sick and like to die will soon look out for Help or send to a Physician So the Soul that is sin-sick will seek for Help viz. hasten to Jesus Christ for none else can cure the Sickness of the Soul Inferences ARt thou sick and ready to die and insensible of any Illness doth nothing ail thee This is sad II. Art thou sick and greatly afflicted is thy Soul weary of its Groanings Haste to the Physician go to Christ 1. The more sick the more need of Physick the greater Sinner thou art the more need of a Saviour thou hast 2. The longer thou delayest the more hard and difficult will thy Cure be besides the Danger thou runnest Death may be at thy Door 3. Consider you must have a Cure and be freed from this Sickness this Stone in the Heart this Unbelief or what-ever else the Disease be or else be damned 4. Christ came from Heaven on purpose to be thy Physician He came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance 5. Soul let me tell thee as it was once said to blind Bartimeus Be of good cheer Mat. 11.28 29. Christ calls thee Come to me all ye that are weary c. Luke 10.30 6. Thou mayest have Physick and Cure very cheap Tho thou hast no Money Christ will do all freely if thou wilt cast thy self upon him 7. Christ is able to cure all Diseases Tho thou art never so sick he is able to make thee whole Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him 8. Christ is willing as well as able See Mat. 8.2 Mark 1.41 9. Christ can do the Work when all other Means fail Mark 5.26 when Purposes fail good Desires fail Prayers fail and good Works and Moral Righteousness fails c. 10. Christ is such a Physician that rather than thou shouldest go without Cure he hath shed his own Blood to make thee whole and free thee from thy Sickness 11. If Christ undertakes the Cure he will never leave thee till he hath perfectly restored thee to Health again But remember there is no Cure but by his precious Blood He died that we might live Canst thou be sick and such a Doctor by Thou canst not live unless thy Doctor die Strange kind of Grief that finds no Med'cine good T' asswage the Pain but the Physician 's Blood Fr. Quarles Sin compared to Vomit Jer. 48.26 Moab also shall wallow in his own Vomit c. 2 Pet. 2.22 The Dog is turned to his Vomit again c. A Wicked Man or one who turns to his old evil and wicked Courses is compared to a Dog and Sin to Vomit which a Dog licketh up Parallels A Vomit is a very loathsom Thing but a Dog's Vomit is most detestable So Sin is a very loathsom Thing but Apostacy is the worst of Sins no Sin is more abominable in God's
first it seems to bear no such thing So Mat. 13. Christ expounds that Parable or Allegory for tho Rhetoricians make a difference between Metaphors Similes Parables and Allegories yet in Divinity there is none but that Allegories are more large and continued calling the Seed the Word and the Sower the Son of Man c. This way of expounding such dark Scriptures is both useful and necessary and was often used as edifying by our Lord Jesus to his Disciples Now 't is this we speak of which teacheth how to draw plain Doctrines out of Metaphors Allegories c. and not to draw Allegories out of plain Histories Secondly it may be asked When we are to account a Place of Scripture figurative or allegorick and seek some other meaning than what at first appears Answ 1. When the literal proper meaning looks absurd-like or is empty nothing to Edification as when 't is said Unless ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man c. This is my Body c. And so those Scriptures that command to pluck out the right Eye and cut off the right Hand take up our Cross c. All which if literally understood were absurd and ridiculous and therefore the mistaking such Scriptures hath occasioned many grievous Errors as that of the Anthropomorphites attributing Members viz. Head Hands Feet c to God and Passions yea Infirmities as Anger Repenting c. because the Scriptures in such places speaking after the manner of Men metaphorically attribute such things to him 2. Those Places of Scripture are to be accounted Metaphorical or Allegorick which reach not the Scope of Edification intended by them if literally understood as when Christ spoke of Sowing Mat. 13. the Disciples thought something more was intended than at first appeared for his Aim could not be to discourse of Husbandry to them 3. When a literal Sence would obtrude some Falsity on the Scripture then such Places are to be taken Allegorically as when Christ said Destroy this Temple and I will build it up again in three Days Which if understood of the Material Temple Christ's Words would not have had their Accomplishment But he spoke figuratively of his Body So when Christ said Except a Man eat my Flesh and drink my Blood he cannot live it cannot be understood literally because many who have obtained Life never did so eat his Flesh c. 4. Any Scripture is to be accounted Figurative or Allegorical when the literal Sence agrees not with other Scriptures and is repugnant to the Analogy of Faith or Rules of good Manners as when we are commanâ—ed to heap Coals of Fire upon the Head of our Enemy now we being required not to avenge our selves it followeth clearly this Scripture is not properly or literally understood 5. When a literal Sence answers not to the present Scope of the Speaker and the Speaker would be thought impertinent if his Words were properly taken then it ought to be expounded in a figurative Sence So Mat. 3.10 when John is pressing Repentance he saith Now is the Ax laid to the Root of the Tree c. And the Parable of Christ Luk. 13.7 If these Places were only properly to be understood they would not enforce Repentance And now Reader had we not had good Encouragement from divers worthy Ministers in this City this as well as the former had never seen the Sun but the readiness of divers Persons upon the coming out of the First to subscribe for this hath midwiv'd it into the World where we expect it will meet with different Entertainment but I hope by this time through the Grace of God I have learned not to be concerned either about the Praise of some on the one hand or Dispraise and Contempt of others on the other hand not doubting but that this or the succeeding Age may receive Advantage by it and many bless God for it And if it bring Glory to God and Profit to his Church I have my chief End and shall be content tho I pass under the Censures of captious Men c. I must confess it is not all of my own compiling I have made use of some help from others partly to expedite the Work and partly for want of some Literature And now Reader that I may not retain thee longer at the Door I shall commit Thee and the Work to the Blessing of the Lord heartily begging an Interest in thy Prayers engaging not to forget thee in this evil and perilous Hour subscribe my self Thy Servant for Jesus's sake BENj KEACH London August 9. 1682. A TABLE OF The Heads of those Metaphors Similes borrowed Terms Types Figures and other chief Things insisted upon in this Book THe Divine Authority of the Holy Scripture asserted and vindicated Page j to xvj The Fifth HEAD of Metaphors Similes c. GRace compared to Salt Page 1 Truth compared to a Girdle Page 3 Righteousness a Breast-plate Page 9 Faith a Shield Page 13 Faith more precious than Gold Page 15 Hope an Helmet Page 22 Hope an Anchor Page 25 Love compared to Death and the Grave and to Flames of Fire Page 30 31 Love compared to Wine Page 32 Baptism a Burial Page 35 The Lord's Supper Page 38 Christ our Passeover Page 45 The Sixth HEAD c. concerning Angels and the Soul of Man Angels Watchers Page 50 Angels Morning-Stars Page 52 Angels Sons of God Page 53 Angels God's Host Page 55 Angels compared to the Face of a Man a Lion an Ox and an Eagle Page 57 Angels compared to the Wind and Flames of Fire Page 61 Angels called Horses red white speckled c. Page 63 64 Soul of Man compared to a Ship Page 64 Spirit of Man a Candle Page 67 Conscience a Witness Page 69 The Seventh HEAD c. concerning God's Church CHurch a City Page 76 to 85 Church compared to the Moon Page 86 Church the Temple of God or the Anti-type of Solomon's Temple Page 87 Church the Anti-type of the Second Temple Page 89 Church called an Olive-Tree Page 91 Church compared to an Inn Page 92 Church a Vine Page 93 Church compared to a Dove Page 94 Church compared to the Body natural Page 97 Church a Vineyard Page 99 Church called a Virgin Page 102 Church a Wife Page 103 Church compared to a Bush on fire Page 106 Church compared to a Mother Page 109 Church a Garden Page 112 Church a Lilly among Thorns Page 115 Church compared to a Merchant-Ship Page 118 Church a Golden Candlestick Page 120 Church called a Flock of Sheep Page 121 Church compared to an House Page 123 Church a Family Page 128 The Eighth HEAD c. concerning 1. Men in general 2. Good Men 3. Wicked Men. MAn compared to Earth Page 133 Man compared to a Worm Page 135 Man compared to a Flower Page 138 Concerning the Saints or Good Men. Saints called Babes Page 140 Saints Children Page 142 Saints Heirs Page 145 Saints Eagles Page 146 Saints Souldiers Page 148 to 161 Saints Runners
proceed from one and the same Ground viz. a wicked Pretence that the Scriptures tho divine Truths and the Word of God yet do not contain all God's Will but that there are these other unwritten Verities handed down one says from Moses and the other says from St Peter c. by Word of Mouth Since therefore the Bible hath thus wonderfully surmounted all Difficulties and Oppositions for so many Generations and in so many Dangers and against so many Endeavours to root it out of the World we may according to that Maxim in Philosophy Eadem est Causa procreans conservans The procreating and conserving Cause of Things is one and the same conclude That the same God is the Author of it who hath thus by his special Providence preserved it and faithfully promised and cannot Lie that Heaven and Earth shall pass away but one Iota or Tittle of his Word shall not pass away X. The Scriptures did not only Survive but have Triumph'd over 10. The Success of the Scriptures in converting the World all the Oppositions of the Devil and the World That Success wherewith the Gospel was attended even in its Infancy the mighty and marvellous prevailings of it where-ever it came notwithstanding the many and great Disadvantages it was to encounter are a strong and irresistible Argument that it was from Heaven That a Doctrine directly opposite to the whole corrupt Interest of Human Nature and to the Wisdom and VVill of Man (p) 1 Cor. 1.21 Rom. 8.7 carried on and published by but a few and those to outward appearance weak ignorant and simple Persons Illiterate Fishermen Tent-makers c. without any Force of Arms or Temporal Support but on the contrary against both VVind and Tide the Cruelties of raging Powers and Affronts of vaunting Wisdom A Doctrine against which the whole World Jews and Gentiles perfectly concurr'd those hating it as a Stumbling-block and these counting it Foolishness that such an improbable and unpleasing such a friendless unwelcome slighted opposed Doctrine by such Instruments and under such Circumstances should make its way in the World and subject so many Nations to the Obedience of the Cross and make those who to Day persecuted it to Morrow ready to lay down their Lives in Defence and Justification of it evidently shews it to be owned by Omnipotency and not to be of Human Extract XI But besides these outward and more visible Trophies of the Sacred Scriptures 11. Their inward Efficacy how marvellous is their Empire Efficacy and Power within upon the Hearts and Consciences of Men 't is this that Converts the Soul Enlightens the Eye (q) Psal 19.7 Discovers Sin (r) Rom. 7.7 Convinces Gainsayers (Å¿) 2 Tim 3.16 Killeth and Terrifieth (t) 2 Cor. 3.6 Rejoiceth the Heart (u) Psal 19.8 Psal 119.103 Quickneth (x) Psal 119.50 Comforteth (y) Rom 15.4 Manifesteth the Thoughts (z) 1 Cot. 14.52 Overthrows false Religions Casteth down Strong-holds and subverts the whole Kingdom of Satan What Consolations at some Times What Terrors at others do proceed from this Sacred Book How are the poor Souls of Men by it mightily refresh'd Their weak Hearts wonderfully strengthned Their dead Spirits raised and made to live again Those that sate in Darkness and the Shadow of Death are Enlightned Many that were in Chains and Fetters of Fears and Terrors of Soul are delivered and set at Liberty Is it reasonable to conceive that a Tree that bears such wonderful Fruit was planted by any other Hand than that of God Who can speak Words that shall restrain and repel all the Powers of Darkness when falling in to make Havock and Desolation in the Souls of Men That shall be able to give Laws to the Terrors of Death nay Eternal Death when they have taken hold of the Consciences of Sinners Are not all these Wonders perform'd by the holy Scriptures And do they not often on the other side breath Thunder and Lightnings throw down the Mighty from their Seats and destroy the Thrones of the Proud and Confident Do they not turn the Security of many into Trembling and Horrour and make their Consciences to burn as if the Fire of Hell had already taken hold of them These Things are evident from the Experience of Thousands that have felt and undergone such powerful Effects of the Word Nay I verily believe there are few that have read the Scriptures with attention and seriousness but can more or less witness the same And whence should such Mighty Operations proceed but because the Almighty Author has endued them with such Vertue through the Spirit whereby they become the Power of God unto Salvation 12. The Testimony of the Church and Martyrs XII Add to all these Arguments the Testimony of the Church and her Holy Martyrs who have sealed this Truth with their Blood By the Church we do not mean the Pope whom the Papists call the Church Virtual nor his Cardinals Bishops c. met in General Council whom they call the Church Representative But the whole Company of Believers in all Ages who have professed the true Faith The Pen-Men of the Scriptures good pious honest holy Men delivered it out as the Word of the Lord and ever since there have been Thousands and Hundreds of Thousands that have believed and testiâ—ied the same down from Age to Age in a continual uninterrupted Succession The Church of the Jews to whom were committed the Oracles of God (a) Rom. 8.3 professed the Doctrine and received the Books of the Old Testament and testified of them that they were Divine and in great Misery they have constantly confessed the same when as by the only denying thereof they might have been partakers both of Liberty and Rule And remarkable it is both that notwithstanding the High Priests and others of that Nation persecuted the Prophets while they lived yet received their Writings as Prophetical and Divine as also that since the Spirit of Blindness and Obstinacy is come upon Israel and notwithstanding their great hatred to the Chriâ—tian Religion the Holy Scripture of the Old Testament is kept pure and uncorrupt amongâ—t them even in those places which do evidently confirm the Truth of the Christian Religion as Isa 53.3 And as for the Christian Church it hath with great Constancy and sweet Consent received and acknowledged the Books of the Old and New Testament for the Universal Church which from the beginning thereof until these times professed the Christian Religion to be Divine did and doth also profess that these Books are of God And the several Primitive Churches which first received the Books of the Old Testament and the Gospels the Epistles written from the Apostles to them their Pastors or some they knew did receive them as the Oracles of God and delivered them afterwards under the same Title to their Successors and other Churches And all the Pastors and Doctors who being furnished with Skill both in
and abstain from it from right Principles and not only to leave it but to loath it Again it consisteth in keeping up all holy and religious Duties viz. Reading Hearing Praying Distributing to the Poor Conforming to all moral and positive Precepts to be holy at home in the Family in the Church in the World to exercise a good Conscience towards God Acts 24.16 and towards Men. This is to put on the Breast-plate of Righteousness I might give many Directions about putting it on and also shew some of Satan's cunning Stratagems in endeavouring to make useless this blessed Piece of the Christian's Armor in laying Discouragements in the way of true Piety or by persuading Persons they have this Breast-plate on when 't is a counterfeit one He persuades Men that Moral Righteousness will serve their turn and sufficiently preserve them from eternal Death But this shall suffice in this place The Shield of Faith Ephes 6.16 Above all take the Shield of Faith c. FAith is a Grace a most precious and excellent Grace of the Spirit of God whereby the Soul is enabled to believe or go out of it self and wholly to rely and rest upon Christ crucified or on his active and passive Obedience upon the Warrant of the Promise for Justification and eternal Life Metaphor Parallel A Shield is a Piece of Armor that Souldiers were wont to carry with them into the Field when they were to engage their Enemies FAith is a part of a Christian's spiritual Armor All Christ's Souldiers ought to carry this Weapon into the Field with them when they engage the Enemy of their Souls Above all take the Shield of Faith II. A Shield is a Piece of Armor made for Defence II. Faith is of excellent use to defend the Soul from all spiritual Dangers of Sin and Satan and other Enemies III. A Shield is not for the Defence of any particular part of the Body as almost all other Pieces are The Helmet is fitted for the Head the Breast-plate is designed for the Breast so others have their several Parts which they are fastened to But a Shield is a Piece that is intended for the Defence of the whole Body It was wont to be made very large for its broadness called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gurnal a Door because so long and large as in a manner to cover the whole Body to which that place alludes Psal 4.12 Thou Lord wilt bless the Righteous with Favour thou wilt compass him about as with a Shield III. So the Grace of Faith defends the whole Man every part of a Christian 1. Sometimes Satan's â—emptations are levell'd against his Head and if he can hit him there he wounds sorely He will be disputing against this Truth and that Truth and make a Christian doubt concerning them if possible because his own Reason cannot comprehend them As perhaps it may be about the Deity of Christ or the Holy Trinity how they can be three and yet but one or about Satisfaction How the Debt is paid and yet the Sinner freely pardoned c. Now Faith is as a Shield to a Saint at this time and interposeth between a Christian and this Arrow of Satan it comes in to the relief of the Saints weak Understanding as seasonable as Zerviah did to David when the Giant Ishbibenob thought to have slain him I 'le trust the Word of God saith the Soul rather than my own purblind Reason what I cannot comprehend I will believe Thus Abraham not being weak in Faith Rom. 4.19 considered not his own Body now dead c. Sense and Reason would have made sad work at such a dead Lift but Faith brought him off victoriously Secondly Sometimes Satan strives to hit the Conscience all his Assaults and fiery Darts are at another season aimed at that to wound that to cause Horror and Terror within by setting the Evil of Sin and of his own Heart and the Infirmities of his Life before him Satan sets our Sins before us not to humble us but to wound us he shews our Sins to us but hides a Saviour from us Satan hath sometimes tempted gracious Persons to lay violent hands upon themselves when the heinous Nature of their Sin hath appeared to them and the Danger they are in thereby as it was with the poor Jailor Acts 16. Acts 16. But now Faith prevents and keeps off all the Danger and quencheth this fiery Dart. Christ died for Sinners for the chiefest of Sinners and tho thou art a Sinner a great Sinner the worst of Sinners yet saith Faith Thou art but a Sinner and there is Mercy for such Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved if thou canst believe and throw thy self on Christ thy Sins shall not be thy Ruin Thirdly He labours to ensnare the Affections of the Soul or deaden its fervent Love to Jesus Christ by presenting the Pleasures and Profits of this World to it Thus he served our Saviour himself But now Faith shields off this Dart also by shewing the Excellency of the Lord Jesus to the Soul and that all things without him and in comparison of him are nothing nay less than nothing and also by setting the World to come and the Glory thereof before the Eyes of the Soul Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen IV. A Shield tho heavy and somewhat unwieldy to such as have not skill and strength to use it yet it is a moveable Piece of Armor which an expert Souldier with a watchful eye can turn this way and that way to stop a Dart or Blow from lighting on any part that they were directed to by the Enemy IV. Faith is a piece of Christian Armor which unskilful Professors are not ready to use but an experienced Soul can turn it any way to keep off the Arrow and fiery Darts of Satan from hurting or wounding him He observes what part the Enemy aims to hit or how the Temptation is laid It is a great point of Christian Wisdom rightly to exercise the Shield of Faith A Man must be sure to have a watchful Eye upon his Adversary or else for all his Shield he may soon be wounded V. A Shield doth not only defend the whole Body but it is a Defence to other parts of a Souldier's Armor also it keeps off the Dart from the Helmet and Breast-plate likewise V. Faith doth not only defend the whole Soul but also 't is a Safeguard to all the other parts of a Christian's Armor it is that which secures Hope the Helmet of Salvation for without Faith Hope would soon be broken in pieces Also it secures the Breast-plate of Righteousness for neither Christ's Righteousness nor any inherent Holiness in the Soul will avail any thing without Faith VI. A Shield hath been of wonderful advantage to Souldiers in former Times when it was in use it hath preserved them in the
the Judgment of some Divines notes God's chusing or taking Christ from among Men to be a Sacrifice for our Sins II. Christ blessed the Bread He took the Bread and gave thanks II. Christ sanctified himself he was set apart to that glorious Work and Office he came to do III. Christ brake the Bread Corn we know is bruised or ground in a Mill that so it may become meet Bread for our Bodies III. Christ was bruised or pierced for our Sins he was broken as it were in the Mill of God's Wrath which was due to us for our Sins that he might become meet Food for our Souls Isa 53. It pleased the Father to bruise him IV. Christ gave the Bread to his Disciples He took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his Disciples IV. Signifying not only his giving himself for us but his giving himself freely with all his Benefits to us V. The Disciples took the Bread Note by the way 'T is called Bread when Christ took it 't is called Bread after he blessed it and it was Bread the Disciples took V. Which holds forth our taking or accepting of Christ the Bread of Life as the only Food of our Souls VI. The Disciples eat the Bread Bread will do us no good unless it be taken and eaten VI. Unless we receive Christ by a lively Faith and feed upon him that is fetch all our Comforts from him relying wholly by Faith upon him he will avail us nothing to eternal Life Joh. 6.53 Vnless ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you VII Bread is the Stay and Staff of Man's natural Life I 'le break the Staff of Bread Ezek. 4.16 It is that which preserves the Life of the Body VII Christ is the Stay or Staff of the Life of our Souls When Christ Col. 3 3. who is our Life shall appear c. Christ preserveth the Life of our inward Man Because I live ye shall live also VIII Bread is the best of earthly Blessings Isa 55.1 2 hence in Scripture it is sometimes put for all good things VIII Christ is the best and chiefest Blessing that ever God gave to his People he comprehends all other Good He that hath Christ hath every thing 2 Cor. 3.22 All things are yours why so because they had an Interest in Christ Christ was theirs Cant. 5.10 Hence he is called the chiefest among ten thousand IX Bread is of a satisfying Nature hence God saith He will satisfy his Poor with Bread IX Christ received by Faith most sweetly fills and satisfies the Soul of a Believer Joh. 4.14 He that eateth of the Bread of Life and drinketh of the Water of Life shall hunger or thirst no more Such have what they desire X. Bread is made of Seed or Corn which before it riseth or becomes fruitful or yields encrease it is sowed Joh. 12.24 and dies Verily verily I say unto you Except a Corn of Wheat fall to the Ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much Fruit. X. The Lord Jesus like a Seed of Corn was sown did die that so he might not remain alone in the perfect enjoyment of himself but for great encrease viz. to raise up with him all his Elect he was content when his Hour was come to yield himself up to Death He died and rose again and thereby bringeth forth much Fruit. All that ever were or shall be quickned and raised out of a State of Death by Sin were and shall be quickned by the Death and Resurrection of Christ Such hath been the Fruit of the preaching of Christ crucified that Multitudes of Sinners thereby through the Spirit have been converted to God whence also hath sprung forth a Seed to serve him whom he hath accounted to the Lord for a Generation of all which he will not suffer one Grain to be lost but will raise it up at the last Day A Parallel much like this might be run in respect of the Cup or Spirit of the Wine See Wine Inferences THe Apostle saith That what he received of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25. he delivered to the Saints How the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread and blessed it c. And in like manner took the Cup when he had supped c. From whence we infer That whatsoever we do in the Worship of God we must see we have a Command from God to warrant our Practice and also exactly to do it according to the Pattern he hath left us or Directions he hath given us we must not add to nor diminish from nor alter any thing of the Words of the Institution if we do God will not hold us guiltless II. This rebukes the Papists who deny the People the holy Cup of our Lord and give the Sacrament or holy Ordinance only in one kind when that nothing is more clear than that Jesus Christ gave his Disciples the Cup as well as the Bread Quest Why did Christ institute this holy Ordinance and give it to his Disciples the very Night in which he was betrayed Answ 1. To strengthen their Faith in an Hour of Temptation that was just at the Door and ready to come upon them When is a Cordial more necessary than when the Patient is ready to faint and his Spirits fail Christ saw what a sad Qualm was coming upon his poor Saints and therefore gives them this Soul-reviving Cordial to bear up their Spirits 2. Because the last Words of a dying Friend are mostly kept in mind or Tokens of Love given by him are chiefly born in remembrance Quest Who ought to partake of the holy Eucharist Answ 1. None but such who are true Converts or who sincerely believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for this is an outward Sign of an inward Grace received Those who have not spiritually received Christ by Faith ought not to come to the holy Supper of the Lord. 2. It appertaineth to none but such Converts as are baptized Acts 2.40 41 42. Those that received the Word were baptized and They continued in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in breaking of Bread and Prayer We read of none that received the Lord's Supper but baptized Persons 3. Such who are fallen into any gross and scandalous Evil and under the Suspension or Sentence of the Church ought not to partake of the holy Supper of the Lord until they have repented and given satisfaction to the Church and are received again into Fellowship 4. Those who cannot discern the Body of the Lord broken so as to look unto and behold Jesus Christ crucified for them but eat it as common Bread ought not to come to this Ordinance such amongst others if they come are unworthy Receivers Quest What is required of Persons who come to partake of this holy Ordinance Answ They ought to examine themselves it requires
Pardon when God absolves a poor Sinner he not only forgives but also forgets their Sins and Iniquities he remembers no more 3. Because it is a Freedom from the Guilt of it 4. Because it is a Freedom from the Power and Dominion of it 5. It is a Freedom from the Punishment of it Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.1 1 John 5.24 6. Because 't is a purchased Freedom it was obtained by a great Sum viz. the Sum of God's great Love and Grace with the Sum of Christ's Blood Remission is through Christ's Atonement 7. Because it is a sealed Freedom it is made over to the Soul by the King 's own Seal the Spirit of God Eph. 1.13 14. that great Seal of Heaven 8. Because it is a lasting Freedom the Sins of Believers are forgiven for ever they shall never be laid to their Charge The second Privilege of this City is Gospel-Fellowship free Access to the Lord's Table and Communion with the Saints Eph. 2.6 They are made to sit down together in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus The third Privilege is Right to the Ministry they may all lay claim to the Ministers and Ministry of the Word Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas all are yours 1 Cor. 3.27 28. They and all their Gifts and gracious Endowments are the Saints The fourth Privilege is their undoubted Right to the City-Stock or the Churches Patrimony 1. The Stock of Prayers sincere Souls have a Right to all the Prayers of the Church 2. To that Store and spiritual Provision viz. the Bread of Life Psal 132 15. c. that is laid up in her God will bless the Provision of Zion and satisfy her Poor with Bread 3. The Stock of Promises God hath promised to bless comfort strengthen beautify build up and save Sion and consequently every Saint and Member thereof for all those and many more like Promises are directly made to every sincere Soul or Citizen of Sion The fifth Privilege is free Access to the Throne of Grace Eph. 2.18 Sixthly a Dwelling-place there This is a glorious Privilege they dwell near the King behold him in the Galleries every day they dwell in God's Courts nay in his House Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be still praising thee Psal 84.1 Psal 92.13 Selah They that are planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth Fruit in old Age c. 1. 'T is a strong and sure Dwelling-place He shall dwell on high Isa 32.18 Isa 33.16 his Place of Defence shall be the Munition of Rocks 2. 'T is a rich and glorious Dwelling-place 3. 'T is a pleasant Dwelling-place 4. 'T is an honourable Dwelling-place 5. 'T is and shall be a peaceable Habitation Look upon Zion Isa 33.20 the City of our Solemnities Thine Eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet Habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the Stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the Cords thereof be broken Seventhly They have a Right and Privilege to chuse their own Officers every free Citizen hath his Voice at every Election No Minister Bishop or Deacon may be imposed upon them without their own free Consent Eighthly They have Right to all the Blessings and privileges of the River the Streams whereof make glad all the Inhabitants the Nature of whose Water you have heard Ninthly They have a Right to the City-Guard which always attends them whithersoever they go or whatsoever they do when they are about their proper Work which are the good Angels Tenthly The last Privilege I shall mention is Sonship Joh. 1.12 Gal 4.6 But to as many as received him to them gave he Power or Privilege to become the Sons of God Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father XIII Some Cities have a common Stock in them out of which the poor decayed Citizens are often supplied and helped in their Distress and thereby delivered from utter Beggery XIII The Church hath a common Stock or Storehouse belonging to it called the unsearchable Riches of Christ Eph. 3 8. out of which all poor decayed Christians have their Wants supplied That Grace that is treasured up in Christ is always ready to be given forth to his poor Children and by this means they are kept from Ruin and being utterly undone My God shall supply all your Needs according to his Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4.19 XIV A City hath also a strict Watch appointed to keep the Gates and to see that no Accident happen in it to the hurt and detriment thereof XIV The Church or City of God hath also a strong and faithful Militia or spiritual Watch which are the holy Angels These are called Watchers Dan. 4.23 or Watchmen and in other places the Lord's Host or the Armies of Heaven who are mighty in Power one of them being able to destroy all the Churches Enemies These keep the Saints day and night they encamp about them and see that no Evil comes unto them Besides them God is said to watch over his People continually who is called the Watchman of Israel and the Saviour thereof in the Day of Trouble Psal 127.1 2. Vnless the Lord keep the City the Watchman waketh but in vain Besides Psal 127.1 See 6th head of Metaphors there are the Ministers of the Gospel who are called Watchmen XV. A great and famous City hath Towers and Battlements belonging to it not only for Ornament but also for Strength and Security from Evil. XV. The City of God is famous in respect of its Towers and Places of Security Walk about Zion Psal 48.12 13 14. and go round about her mark well her Bulwarks consider her Palaces that ye may tell it to the Generation following For this God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our Guide until Death The Name of the Lord is a Strong-Tower c. Everyone of the blessed Attributes of God are as so many Towers of Safety to his Church See Strong-Tower in the First Head of Metaphors XVI In a City notwithstanding the many noble and honourable Personages or worthy Patrons that dwell therein yet there are some ill and unworthy Members that get a being there which tends much to its Blemish and Reproach XVI So the City of God notwithstanding all the holy and eminent Saints and Servants of God who dwell therein yet hath in it some wicked and ungodly Ones who by Craft and Hypocrisy get a being there tho when known they are turned out as the incestuous Person Hymeneus and Alexander was 1 Cor. 5. 1 Tim. 1.20 Jud. 4. For there are certain Men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation ungodly Men turning the Grace of God into Lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ These
Mother of Harlots for putting to Death such as she calls Hereticks is deemed by the Law of God and Nations a Murtherer and as such must and shall in God's due time die Her Plagues shall come upon her in one day Death Rev. 18.8 Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with Fire for strong is the Lord God that judgeth her XIII It is a great and high Honour to a Mother that her Children and Family are well governed having their Food in due Order and that her Children and Servants are all at her Beck and dearly love one another and when none of them are missing at Dinner or Duty-time XIII So 't is the Honour of the Church of Christ when all her Children humbly and faithfullly submit themselves to good Order and Discipline when all of them carefully attend their respective Duties and do not absent themselves when she calleth them together at Times of publick Worship or upon any other occasion as to rectify Disorders or chuse Officers c. O how lovely and amiable is it Psal 133.1 2. and how doth it tend to the Glory of the Church to see Saints live together in Love and Unity always making Conscience of those Laws that respect the well ordering and religious Government of the Family or Houshold of God! XIV Some Mothers have Daughters who have Children XIV So the Universal Church hath many Daughters many particular Churches which are very fruitful to Christ There are many Disparities wherein the Church excelleth other Mothers which I leave to the ingenious Reader to find out Inferences THis should teach Believers to reverence and obey the Church of God as dutiful Children do their godly Mother in all things 2. And take care they do not grieve her 3. To have relenting Bowels towards her in all her Troubles Shall our Mother be in Distress and ready to be devoured by hungry Lions and shall not her Children be in bitterness of Soul for her When Sion is afflicted we should be afflicted when her Eyes are wet shall ours be dry when she is sad should not we be sad too 4. How doth this greatly reprove them who instead of comforting of her in her Widowhood State add to her Sorrow The Church compared to a Garden Cant. 4.12 A Garden enclosed is my Sister my Spouse c. Verse 16. Awake O North Wind and come thou South Wind and blow upon my Garden c. Cant. 5.1 I am come into my Garden my Sister my Spouse THe Church of Christ is or may fitly be compared to a Garden Metaphor Parallel A Garden is a Piece taken out of common or waste Ground appropriated to more special Use than the rest THe Church of God and every Believer or Member thereof is taken out of the common Mass of Mankind to be a chosen and select People to Christ II. The Ground of a Garden before it is planted is as barren and as unprofitable as the rest out of which it was taken II. The People of God and Soul of every Believer naturally were as barren blind sinful Enemis to God and every way as vile and rebellious as any other Sinners in the World Eph. 2.2 3 And were by Nature the Children of Wrath as well as others Who hath made thee to differ from another c. III. In a Garden no choice or rare thing cometh up naturally of it self until it is sown or planted therein III. So no spiritual good Thing can grow or spring up in our Hearts until the Seed of Grace is sown in us or a Divine Principle of Life be implanted IV. A Garden before it be sown or planted must be digged purged and well prepared IV. So must our Hearts like fallow Ground be digged up with powerful Convictions of the Word and Spirit that so Grace may the better take Root in us Hence 't is said of God's Vineyard when he was resolved to bring Judgment upon it It shall not be pruned nor digged Isa 5.6 Jer. 4.3 Hence God calleth upon them to plow up their fallow Ground and sow not among Thorns V. A choice Garden is walled or well fenced about for its Security from Danger and Spoil V. So the Church of God or every Christian is hedged or walled in Job i. 10. Hast thou not made a Hedg about him and about all he hath on every side c. God is said to be a Wall of Fire round about Jerusalem See Vineyard Zech. 2.5 VI. A choice Garden hath in it many Plants Herbs and Flowers of great Worth and Value both for Pleasure and Profit VI. So in the Church are many choice pleasant and profitable Plants of God's own right-hand planting Jer. 5.8 'T is sown with holy right Seed ye Men of Israel are his pleasant Plants All choice and saving Graces and Gifts of the Spirit are found in God's Garden VII A Garden must have much Cost bestowed upon it and much Pains taken with it or it will soon decay VII So must the Church of God have much Pains bestowed upon it Prov. 4.23 it must be kept diligently As God spares for no Cost and Pains so should his Servants be industrious or else the Church will soon decay VIII A Garden hath some Weeds in it which must as they appear be pluck'd up or they will spoil and hinder the Growth of the precious Flowers and Herbs that grow therein VIII The Church is not without some corrupt Members in it which injure it like as Thorns and Nettles do a Garden which as they are discovered are pluck'd up and cast out And also in the Hearts of the best Christians Weeds are apt to spring up from that Root of Bitterness that naturally is within them whereby many are troubled and defiled which if not pulled up will hinder their Growth in Grace IX A choice and fruitful Garden is valued highly by the Owner thereof he esteems it above an hundred times so much fruitless Land One Acre made into a curious Garden is prized above many Acres of common barren Ground IX The Church of God tho it be as it were but a little Spot a small Remnant in comparison of the World is highly prized by Jesus Christ he esteems of his own People above all the People of the Earth 1 Pet. 2 9. Hence he calleth them his Inheritance his Jewels his peculiar Ones I gave Egypt for thy Ransom Isa 43.3 4 Aethiopia and Seba for thee Since thou wast precious in my Sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee Therefore will I give Men for thee and People for thy Life Wicked Men are like barren Mountains they are the King 's Waste such whom he sets but little by X. A rare and fruitful Garden will afford Fruit to plant others many Gardens upon this account have as it were sprung out of one X. So from the Church of God that was first planted in Judea many blessed Churches proceeded in a little
I dwell for I have desired it And as for sanctified Ones they are not only Dwellers in it but the very Materials of it so that it can never be without them It being also founded upon a Rock cannot fall Mat. 16 1â— The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it IV. Other Houses are liable to be destroyed either by Fire or razed by an Enemy so that one Stone may not be left upon another IV. But the House of God hath stood ever since it was erected notwithstanding the many Plots and Designs of Satan and his Instruments by one means or other if possible to have destroyed it so as that there might not have appeared so much as the Dust or Stones no nor so much as any Sign left in any Part or among any People in the World whether there had been such a Building or no. But blessed for ever be Jehovah that it may yet be said Walk about Zion Psal 48.12 13 14. and go round about her tell the Towers thereof mark well her Bulwarks consider her Palaces that ye may tell it to the Generation following For this God is our God for ever and ever He will be our Guide even unto Death Inferences THis calleth aloud upon all the Members of God's House to strive more and more not only to be a meet Habitation for God but to beautify and adorn this House by their holy and heavenly Conversations Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever 2. Let all take heed how they defile or deface this House either by plucking out a Stone or a Pin or touching a Hair of the Head of any that are of this Building 3. Let all God's People examine what their Zeal is for God's House or whether they do truly prize the very Dust and Stones thereof The Church compared to a Family or Houshold Amos 3.2 You have I known above all the Families of the Earth 1 Tim. 3.15 The House of God which is the Church of the Living God Gal. 6.16 As we have Opportunity let us do good unto all Men but especially to the Houshold of Faith Eph. 2.19 Now therefore ye are no more Strangers and Foreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God A HOUSE in the holy Scripture is sometimes put for the Family or Houshhold and sometimes for the Structure or Building it self In both these respects the Holy-Ghost runs the Parallel in respect of the Church Metaphor Parallel 1 Tim. 2.20 IN a great House are not Vessels of of Gold and of Silver only but of Wood and of Earth some to Honour and some to Dishonour SO in the Church of God there is a Mixture of Good and Bad Sheep and Goats sincere Christians and Hypocrites like as in a Eield there is a Mixture of Wheat and Tares and in a Floor of Grain there is Chaff as well as Corn tho when any appear unsound drossy and ungodly she turneth them out When the Family of Christ consisted but of twelve Men there was a Judas amongst them II. In a great Family there are Persons of different Ages of different Strength of different Relations to the Master of the Family and of different Employments II. So in the Church of God there are little Children young Men 2 Joh. 2.12 14. Heb. 5.11 12 13 14. and Fathers there are weak and stronger Christians some that stand in need of Milk some that are fit for strong Meat some that need to be led and carried in Arms some that are Teachers and Rulers and others that are taught and ruled III. The Master chief Head or Governor of a Family provides and takes care of all that belong to him 1 Tim. 3.8 hence the Apostle saith He that provides not for his Family is worse than an Infidel and hath denied the Faith III. So God the great and good Master of this heavenly Family doth and will provide for all and every Soul that belongs to him Mat. 6.25 to 30. Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on Why take ye thought for Raiment Consider the Lillies of the Field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin Therefore if God so cloath the Grass of the Field which is to day and to morrow is cast into the Oven shall he not much more cloath you O ye of little Faith The young Lions do lack and suffer Hunger but they that fear the Lord Psal 84.11 shall want no good thing He will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly My God shall supply all your Wants c. Phil 4.19 Casting all your Care upon him for he careth for you c. IV. A Family is also under the Government of him who is the chief Head and Ruler thereof IV. So is the Church under the Government of Christ and every Member is subject to that Authority Order and Rule which he hath left therein V. The Master of a Family defends his Family to the uttermost of his Power against all Enemies V. So doth the blessed God defend and preserve his Church whose Power is infinite So will the Lord of Hosts defend Jerusalem defending Zech. 9.15 also he will deliver VI. Every Person in a Family is privy to all such things as are publickly done in the House many of which ought to be concealed and not divulged to others It is a Reproach to a Person of an honourable Family to make known any thing that is done in the House which ought by all means to be kept secret VI. So each Member of the Church is privy to all such things as are done publickly therein and many things done therein do so particularly relate to the Family that it is an evil thing and justly to be reproved for any Member to divulge or make such private Matters known to others The Church of God in this respect as well as in some others should be as a Spring shut up Cant. 4.12 as a Fountain sealed c. VII It is a great Honour to a Family when it is well governed It was this very thing that the Queen of Sheba was so much taken with when she came to see Solomon 2 Kings 10.1 2 3 4 5. It is said When she saw his Wisdom and the House which he had built and the Meat of his Table and the Sitting of his Servants and the Order of his Ministers and their Apparel and his drinking Vessels and his Burnt-Offerings that he offered in the House of the Lord she was astonished c. In a Family the Governor ought to know his Place and all the rest to be in subjection or else great Confusion and Disorder will break forth Hence a Bishop ought to be one that rules well his own House having his Children in subjection with all Gravity What is more lovely in a Family than
House of the Lord all the days of my Life c. XII A dear Child will strive to imitate his Father and walk in his Steps in all things that are just and right Thus Solomon was exhorted to follow the good Example of his Father David XII So a dear Saint takes care to follow God Be ye Followers of God Eph. 5.1 as dear Children Be ye holy for I am holy That is the Precept and a sincere Soul labours so to be it is his great desire to be like God and Christ as near as he can Be ye Followers of me as I am of Christ Jesus 1. A Saint strives to follow God and Christ in Love We are taught of God to love one another 2. In Humility What a Pattern hath God in Christ laid before us herein Mat 11.28 Phil. 2.5 6 Learn of me saith our Saviour for I am meek and lowly in Heart c. Let the same Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus 3. In being merciful and kind to all Be ye merciful Mat. 5.45.48 as your Father that is in Heaven is merciful 3. In hating and abominating that which is evil God loaths Sin and so doth every sincere Christian 5. In Forgiveness they strive to be like God in this He is ready to pardon forgive and forget Injuries done to him and so ought his Children Eph. 4.34 And be ye kind one to another and tender-hearted forgiving one another as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you God forgiveth freely universally and for ever so must they Inferences LAbour to follow God as dear Children 1. Sincerely not in Hypocrisy not for Loaves 2. Speedily do not defer it I made haste saith David c. 3. In whatsoever he commands you 4. Diligently 5. Follow him through all Difficulties and Hardships as Caleb did c. and as Ruth followed Naomi 6. Follow him humbly 7. Follow him joyfully 8. Follow him when others leave him 9. Follow him constantly even to the end 10. And lastly follow none but him forsake all those that would lead you astray Christ's Sheep will not follow Strangers they will follow God and not Baal II. From hence every one may perceive whether they are God's Children yea or no. III. This shews also what great Dignity God hath conferred upon Believers Behold what manner of Love is this God hath bestowed upon us 1 Joh. 3.1 2 that we should be called the Sons of God If David thought it no small thing to be Son in Law to an earthly King what an Honour hath God conferred on us Rom. 8. IV. Saints may from hence read their Privileges If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-Heirs with Christ. Saints compared to Heirs Rom. 8.17 If Children then Heirs c. Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall be Heir of all things Note The Saints of God are Heirs Heirs of God Heirs of all things c. Heirs Parallel THe First-born had a Princely Power and Dominion over their Brethren who bowed down before them they were next their Fathers in Honour THe Saints are made Kings to God are called Kings and Princes Isa 32.1 A King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall decree Judgment They shall have Dominion over the Mighty of the Earth in their Day They are next to Christ in Honour Rev. 3.21 and shall sit upon the Throne with him II. The First-born were Priests in their Father's Family till the Levites came in II. The Saints are Priests as well as Kings to God Rev. 1.6 1 Pet. 2.5 He hath made us Kings and Priests c. They are called an holy Priesthood to offer up a holy and acceptable Sacrifice unto God III. The First-born had the Inheritance the rest had but a Piece of Money And to this day we see that Men use to make their Inheritance over to the First-born and besides the Inheritance they had a double Portion of Goods III. The Saints have the eternal Inheritance made over to them the World hath but a small Allowance for all they have amounts to no more than Vanity God giveth himself and all he hath to Believers they have a double Portion an Hundred-fold in this Life and in the World to come Life everlasting IV. An Heir sometimes stays a great while before he comes to the full Possession of the Inheritance and until then he is under Tutors and Governors and differeth but little from a Servant IV. The Saints patiently wait a while being under Age before they come to the full Possession of the Inheritance purchased for them by Christ and until they come to full Age they are under Tutors and Governors who deal hardly with them and they seem not to differ from Servants V. The First-born had a peculiar Sort of Apparel whereby they were distinguished from others such was Esau's goodly Raiment which Rachel put upon Jacob. V. The Saints are cloathed with a goodly Raiment viz. the Righteousness of Christ Holiness is the Saints Livery whereby they are distinguished from the rest of the World VI. The First-Born had the Blessing annexed to them and unless they were supplanted as Esau was by Jacob they were blest of their Father especially when their Fathers were at the point of Death VI. The Saints are the Blessed of the Lord none can take either Birth-right or Blessing away from them they are blessed and shall be blessed The Lord Jesus blessed them at his Departure and that Blessing shall never depart from them Heirs Disparity AMong Men all a Man's Children are not Heirs nor can they fully possess the same Estate entirely to themselves as if but one had it BUt all the Saints are Heirs together they are all Joynt-heirs and yet every one hath all to himself They have all one and the same Father one and the same Christ one and the same Spirit the same Apparel the same Grace all one Faith Hope c. all the same Promises same Attendance viz. the holy Angels the same Crown Kingdom and Eternal Inheritance II. Heirs among Men have but a small Inheritance What is all this World Luther called all the Turkish Empire but a Crust God casts to a Dog II. But the Saints are Heirs of all Things Heirs of Heaven and Earth too Heirs of God And what is there more what can a Man ask or desire to have would he have more than all III. An Heir among Men is often deprived by Force or Craft of his Title and turned out of all III. But the Saints cannot by Force or Fraud be deprived of their Title to Eternal Life That it may be sure and firm to them it is made over to them by the Oath of God See Light in the First Volume Saints compared to Eagles Isa 40.31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength they shall mount up with Wings as Eagles Psal 103.5 Who satisfieth thy Mouth with good Things so that thy Youth is renewed like the
that God had brought upon them was the Cure But why saith God should I afflict or chastise you any more or use Means for your Help and Healing when under the Use or Exercise of that Sovereign Means I have used you grow worse and worse 'T is said of the Man that went from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among Thieves Luk. 10.30 that he was not only stript of his Raiment but wounded also My Wounds stink and are corrupt saith David and in another place he cries out Lord Psal 88.51 have mercy upon me and heal my Soul for I have sinned against thee From whence it appears Psal 41.4 that a godly Man may be wounded by his Sin and that sorely too Every Sin makes a Wound in the Soul what a fearful Case are unconverted Souls then in O that Sinners would but consider this See Sin a Wound and Sickness X. Some Persons that have been taken captive and brought into Prison and Bondage besides other sad Circumstances they have been under they have been brought under the Sentence of Death nay and for their horrid Rebellions Treasons c. under a fearful and painful Death as to be torn in pieces or burned alive X. The Ungodly who remain Captives to Satan being under the power of their Lusts or abiding in the State of Unregeneracy are not only under all the sad Circumstances you have heard but to render them every way miserable as in truth their present State is they are under the Sentence of Death Perhaps some would conclude that Death to such Persons I have given the Character of is better than Life and with Job they had better chuse it Alas it would be so indeed were it to die the common Death of all Men. Death puts an end to all the external Miseries of Mortals but the Death of Sin 's Captives is quite another thing They are condemned to be burned to be burned alive too but this is not all to lie burning in the Fire of God's eternal Wrath for ever where they shall be always dying but cannot die Where the Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched Captive Disparity CAptives that are so only to Men are but externally enslaved BUt wicked Men that are Slaves to Sin and Satan are captivated in their Souls notwithstanding as to the Body they may be at Liberty as to outward Thraldom II. Some Persons may be free and at Liberty in their Souls at the same time when they may be Captives as to their Bodies and so their Captivity may seem less grievous to them II. But it cannot be so said of a wicked Man for whatever Misery befalls his Body 't is abundantly aggravated by and from the Captivity and Slavery of his Soul nay in the enjoyment of his greatest outward Liberty he is in dreadful Thraldom by Sin and Satan III. Captives that are so only to Men may and have been redeemed with Money III. But spiritual Captives such as are in Bondage to Sin and Satan cannot be redeemed with Money It is not Silver or Gold that can purchase the Redemption of one of Satan's Slaves for the Redemption of the Soul is so precious that nothing can make a Compensation for it but the precious Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1. IV. If no other Means can procure the Liberty of Captives that are so only as to their Bodies yet Death sets them free and those to whom they are in Bondage have no more to do with them IV. But wicked Men living and dying in Bondage to Satan and their own Lusts cannot be free by Death but are thereby put into an irrecoverable State of eternal Misery from which there can be no Redemption being delivered up to Satan V. Some that are Captives only in their Bodies are so sensible of their Misery and Thraldom that they seek and desire to improve all Means imaginable for their Deliverance V. But some wicked Men are not only insensible of their Bondage to the Devil and their own Lusts but are lifeless as to any ways or means of Deliverance Tho Means be used daily to convince them of the dreadful Danger of their Bondage-State and of the Way and Means of their Redemption yet through the Blindness and Hardness of their Hearts they rest at quiet in the Devil's Prison where they are shut up as Captives And that which declares their greatest Thraldom and Misery is they refuse all the Tenders of Grace in order to their Redemption nay set light by Jesus Christ who came to proclaim Liberty c. VI. Captives to Men only may may be redeemed and set at Liberty and yet so captivated by them again as that they may die in Slavery VI. But wicked Men tho the saddest Captives imaginable in respect of Misery and Thraldom yet if set free by Jesus Christ they shall be no more the Slaves of Satan Joh. 8.36 For those whom the Son makes free are free indeed free from the Dominion and Power of Sin and Satan here and free from the Wages of Sin which is eternal Death hereafter Inferences Quest SOme may say If this be the State of unconverted Men and Women they are miserable Objects indeed But is there no Relief nor Help for these poor Captives must they perish inevitably and be damned for ever Answ God forbid There is good News for these Slaves and Captives of Sin and the Devil a Gospel to be preached to them God is full of Bowels were there no Deliverance to relieve it would be sad beyond what any are able to conceive But to prove that there is Salvation and Relief for the vilest Sinners consider these three things following 1. The Lord Jesus hath purchased Deliverance for them he hath laid down a satisfactory Price or Ransom for those Captives who through Faith in him shall obtain Deliverance 2. Christ is ordained and anointed to preach glad Tidings to them Luk. 4.18 Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor He hath sent me to heal the Broken-hearted to preach Deliverance to the Captives and recovering Sight to the Blind and to set at Liberty them that were bound 3. Many who have been in the like State of Captivity and Bondage have been set at Liberty Thousands that have been Slaves of Sin and Satan through the infinite Mercy of God are now in a perfect State of Freedom Such were some of you 1 Cor. 6.11 saith the Apostle but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Sirs what blessed News is this for poor Sinners Suppose a Man who is a Slave or Captive and suffereth justly for his Sin were stript naked and put into a Dungeon bound with cruel and heavy Chains wounded in a most fearful manner from Head to Foot and only fed with Ashes and Gravel-stones and in this Condition were condemned
a mortal Sleep 2. For a dead or senseless State in Sin i. e. Sin ruling and over-ruling in Mens Hearts before Conversion Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the Dead and Christ shall give thee Life Eph. 5.14 This is a spiritual Sleep 3. For a drouzy and slothful Frame of Heart which often attends the Godly I sleep but my Heart waketh Cant. 5.2 Thou Sluggard or slothful Person There is a threefold Sluggard 1. One that is idle loving Ease and bodily Rest neglecting his worldly Concerns I went by the Field of the Slothful c. Prov. 24.30 2. One that is spiritually idle wholly careless and negligent of his Soul and the great Concernments thereof The Sluggard saith there is a Lion in the Way 3. One that hath been formerly awakened in a spiritual Sence and is fallen into a cold drouzy and negligent State again I shall run the Parallel with respect had principally to that Description Solomon gives of a Sluggard Simile Parallel A Sluggard is a Person that makes Excuses The slothful Man saith Prov. 22.13 There is a Lion without I shall be slain in the Street SO the Sinner or spiritual Sluggard hath many Excuses If I should arise saith he and follow Christ I shall suffer in my Name be reproached suffer in my Estate nay it may come to pass saith he that such as are religious indeed may be put to Death There are many Romish Lions without persecuting and devouring Beasts of Prey that I fear will flie upon me in the Street and hence he resolves to keep himself in a whole Skin II. A Sluggard Solomon saith is like a Door that turneth upon its Hinges Prov. 26.14 As a Door turneth upon its Hinges so doth the slothful Man upon his Bed II. So a Sinner or spiritual Sluggard seems to move this way and that way He reads God's Word and hears Sermons and perhaps prays too but still is where he was he is not renewed in his inward Man no Change hath passed upon him he is one that loveth his Lusts this and the other Sin and is not taken off of his old Hinges he is still in the State of fallen Man not taken off of the old Root and transplanted into Christ III. The Sluggard is a Man of Desires but not of Endeavours The Sluggard desireth Prov. 13.4 and hath nothing but the Soul of the Diligent shall be made fat compared with Prov. 22.25 The Desire of the Sluggard killeth him because his Hands refuse to work III. So the Wicked Man or spiritual Sluggard is full of Desires he with Balaam desires to die the Death of the Righteous he desires to be saved Numb 23.10 and hath many faint Desires to be forgiven he cries out sometimes when Conscience flies in his Face and rebukes him God forgive me the Lord help me c. but never strives with all his Might against his Sin and the Temptations of the Devll hence his Desires are said to slay him Desires without Endeavours will deceive the Soul nay eternally ruin and damn the Soul What avails it a Man that is hungry to wish for Bread when he never labours for it Prov. 10. â— 2 Pet. 1.5 10. The Promise runs to the diligent and industrious Person he shall be fed but the Sluggard shall suffer Hunger and pine away IV. The Sluggard neglects his Vineyard and lets his Field run all over with Nettles and Weeds I went by the Field of the Slothful Pâ—ov 24.30 31. by the Vineyard of the Man void of Vnderstanding and lo it was all grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the Face thereof and the Stone Wall thereof was broken down IV. So the Sinner or spiritual Sluggard neglects his Soul and the Souls of his Family tho he provides for the Body and takes care what he and his shall have to eat and what to put on yet his Soul and the Souls of such as are about him are neglected nothing but Weeds and Corruption grow there Sin and filthy Lust predominate Pride Passion Jam. 3.16 Covetousness and every evil Work V. The Way of the Sluggard seems to be barr'd or hedg'd up that he cannot go on he cannot find the Path. Prov. 15.19 The Way of the slothful Man is a Hedg of Thorns but the Way of the Righteous is plain V. So the Sinner's Way is as it were hedged up For like as a Hedg obstructs or hinders a Man sometimes in his Way that he cannot pass along so the Wicked by one Temptation Obstruction or another are hindred from going on in the Ways of God Perhaps the Snares that attend their Trade are as a Hedg to them or the Fear of displeasing a Father or Uncle or some other Relation lest they should be left out of their Will or dispossessed of an Estate or a Landlord or some great Man or Neighbour by whom they may possibly have their Livelihood may be as a Hedg or Bar to obstruct them in their following of Christ and by this means is the spiritual Sluggard discouraged VI. The Sluggard doth not enjoy the Good that is in his hand The slothful Man roasteth not that which he took in hunting Prov. 12.27 that is when he hath got Food he doth not prepare it nor make it meet to be received nor feed upon it VI. So the spiritual Sluggard doth not enjoy the heavenly good Things that seem to be in his hand Prov. 17.16 Wherefore is there a Price in the hand of a Fool to get Wisdom seeing he hath no Heart to it Some Men hunt as it were after Knowledg go from one Place to another will hear this worthy Minister and that worthy Minister and at last when they have found the Venison I mean come to understand the Will of God they do not subject to it they know what the Threatning is but fear it not and know what the Precept is but obey it not and know what the Promise is and yet believe and apply it not And thus they roast not that which they have taken in hunting they feed not upon the Word they are forgetful Hearers and not Doers of the Word Jam 1.22 and thereby deceive their own Souls VII The Sluggard is one that loves not to encounter with Difficulties he cannot abide to think of enduring a little Hardship The Sluggard will not plow by reason of the Cold. Prov. 20 4 VII The Spiritual Sluggard loves his Ease If Religion cannot be owned professed and stuck to unless a Man offer some Force as it were unto himself and expose the Flesh to some Hardships he presently grows weary of it He cannot in the Morning go to Prayer because his worldly Business calls for him or perhaps 't is cold or he is indisposed c. And perhaps he cannot pray at Night because it doth not agree with the Flesh the Body is weary and would fain go to Bed And he cannot go to Church to hear the
any should take it away from him VII So a covetous Man doth not enjoy what he hath without fear he is afraid of every one lest they should rob him or lest by one means or another his worldly Pelf should be wasted or taken away VIII The Hog tho he should be washed yet in a little time he will turn again to his wallowing in the Mire and become as filthy as ever he was VIII So if an unregenerate Man should by the Light of Nature or other Helps that God is pleased to afford escape many great Pollutions and reform in many things and seem to be a true Convert and to be clean washed from his Filthiness yet for want of a thorough Work of Grace upon his Heart he will at last turn again to his former Course and be as vile and wicked as ever he was nay oftentimes much worse Mat. 12.43 Luk. 11.25 as our Saviour intimates by the unclean Spirit 's going out of a Man c. And in him is that Word made good The Sow that was washed is turned to her wallowing in the Mire again IX A Swine cries out exceedingly or makes a great Noise when he is took hold of and had away to be killed IX So wicked Men when God takes hold of them by Sickness and they come to have Apprehensions of Death upon them they cry out unless their Consciences are asleep or seared being afraid of Death and Hell X. The Wild-Boar is of a more stubborn and mischievous Nature and commonly doth more hurt being very strong than any other Swine Naturalists tell us that the Wild-Boar is almost as strong and cruel as a Lion and that he will often whet and sharpen his Teeth and run upon the Huntsman X. So Antichrist who may fitly be compared to a Wild-Boar I mean his Un-holiness that First-born of Satan is and hath been more mischievous than any other of the Herd he having got a great degree of Power which he hath from time to time exercised against God's People to the wasting and spoiling of his spiritual Vine and Vineyard Psal 80 1â— The Boar out of the Wood doth waste it and the wild Beast out of the Field doth devour it XI The Swine under the Tree in a greedy manner eat up the Acorns but never look up to the Tree or Oak from whence they fall XI So wicked and graceless Men tho they enjoy all this World 's Good never look up in a due manner to God who is the Tree of Life and is the Author and Giver of it XII Swine will refuse Pearl for Pease if ye cast Pearls before them they will tread them under their Feet XII So wicked Men will refuse Grace for Gold give them but this World and let who will take the Pearl of great Price the Love and Favour of God Give them Counsel to leave their Sins or cast the Pearl of good Instruction before them and they will tread it under their Feet they will cast that at their Heels which they should apply to their Hearts Mat. 7.6 and revile you if they do not tear and rend you into the Bargain Metaphor Disparity SWine were created such they were Swine from the beginning MAn was created holy and upright at first this swinish and brutish Nature came in by the Fall II. Swine retain their own Nature and it is impossible for them to cease being Swine II. But wicked Men may be changed and become gracious it is possible for them to become Sheep and Lambs of Jesus Christ so as to hate that which they once loved Grace when infused into the Soul makes a real and wonderful Change Inferences THis shews the brutish and base Nature of sinful Man what is more contemptible in our Eyes than a Swine 2. It shews what a vast difference there is between a true converted Soul and a brutish Sinner God esteems of the one as of his choicest Treasure but ungodly Men are meer Swine and brutish Creatures in his Sight Wicked Men Debtors Mat. 5.25 26. Agree with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him lest any time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judg and the Judg deliver the to thee Officer and thou be cast into Prison Vers 26. Verily I say unto thee Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost Farthing Mat. 18.24 And when he had begun to reckon one was brought unto him which ought him ten thousand Talents IN both these Places Sin is called a Debt and the Sinner a Debtor The Reason of which is shewed under the Head of Metaphors concerning Sin where Sin is compared to a Debt unto which we refer you Metaphor Parallel A Debtor is one that oweth Money Duty c. to his Neighbour also one that is a Trespasser an Offender or guilty Person A Man may be a Debtor by Office Gal. 5.3 by Duty Rom. 8.12 by the Law of Charity Rom. 15.27 by trespassing or offending whether God or Man Mat. 6.12 MAn oweth all that he is hath or can do unto God he having received his very Being and all other good Things that he enjoys from God as so many Talents lent him which he must be accountable to God for in the great Day c. Man is a Trespasser Mat. 25.19 an Offender or a guilty Person having broken the Law the Penalty of which is eternal Death so that as a Traitor or flagitious Person by his hainous Crimes he is become a Debtor to everlasting Punishment II. An evil Debtor is unwilling to be called to an Accompt nothing is worse to him than to hear the News Give an account of thy Stewardship Mat. 18.24 Hence 't is said One was brought that owed ten thousand Talents as if it were by Force he was haled before his Master to reckon with him II. So wicked Men do not love to think upon the Day of Judgment care not to hear of those large Bills and Hand-writings that are against them How grievous will that Voice from Heaven be to ungodly Men Luk. 16.2 Give an Account of your Stewardship Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment Give an Account of all the Oaths you have sworn the Lies you have told the Times you have been drunk the Days of Grace you have neglected give an Account of all the hard and reproachful Words you have spoken against your godly Neighbours and of all the Wrongs and Injuries you have done them give an Account of all those Talents that were lent you what Improvement have you made of your Knowledg and Parts your Seasons and Sabbaths and of those many Years you have had in the World This I say is grievous to wicked Men to think upon They shall be brought forth in the Day of Wrath they will not come willingly Job 21.30 but shall therefore be as it were haled before the Judg of Heaven and Earth III. Ill Debtors are attended with Shame Ambrose speaketh
have paid the utmost Farthing Inferences HOw may this humble sinful Mortals What little cause have any of the Chrildren of Men to boast of their Riches Alas they are whether they know it or no exceedingly in Debt they are worth nothing and whether they believe it or not Death will convince them of it 2. It may stir up the Hearts of the Godly to pity Sinners when you see poor Prisoners that are in Prison for Debt crying out of the Grates Bread Bread for the Lord's sake how ready are you to pity them but how more doleful is that Cry of the rich Glutton in Hell for a drop of Water to cool his Tongue and none is given to him 3. It speaks much Comfort to Believers who have through that redemption that is in Christ obtained the forgiveness of all their Debts Oh! what a Blessing these things being considered is pardon of Sin Let thy Soul with David Bless the Lord and all that is within thee praise his holy Name who forgiveth all thine Iniquities Psal 103.1 2 3. who healeth all thy Diseases who hath freed thee from thy Sins and the Punishment of them Wicked Men the Rod of God Isa 10.5 O Assyrian the Rod of mine Anger THe Ungodly and bloody Persecutors of the Lord's People are called his Hand his Rod and his Sword Deliver my Soul from the Wicked which is thy Sword from Men of the World which are thy Hand O Lord Psal 17.13 14. Parallels I. A Man smites such as have offended him with his Hand and with a Rod or Sword So God makes use of the Wicked as an Instrument to chastize his Children when they transgress his Law and grievously sin against him II. As a Hand or Rod lays on harder or softer Blows according to the Pleasure and Purpose of him that strikes So God lets the Wicked out upon his own People to oppress and afflict them as he fees good either in a milder or more severe manner III. When a Father hath chastized his Children sufficiently and throughly humbled them he sometimes casteth the Rod into the Fire So when God hath by the Wicked who are his Rod throughly humbled his People and taken away their Sin he will throw the Wicked their bloody Persecutors into the Fire of his Wrath For yet a very little while Isa 10.25 and the Indignation shall cease and mine Anger in their Destruction Wicked Men compared to Tares Mat. 13.38 The Tares are the Children of the Wicked One TAres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Varineus quia amet triticum illud ut umbra corpus sequitur imitatus simul arescit ac si esset de tritici genere i. e. Because it loveth the Wheat and imitates it as the Shadow imitateth the Body and groweth up with it as if it were of the same kind with the Wheat It should not saith one be translated Tares but evil Seed It is that which we call the deaf Ears that grow up with the good Corn and cannot be discerned till the Harvest Liegh's Crit. Sacr. and then it proves naught for Tares and Fitches are soon discerned and pluck'd up The Enemy sowed Tares v. 15. i. e. corrupted Ungodly Men are compared to Tares Tares saith a noted Writer is a Sort of Grain that groweth in the Eastern Country therefore those that are called Tares amongst us I suppose are not the Tares our Saviour alludes to Metaphor Parallel TAres are a low and base Sort of Grain of little worth or esteem in comparison of Wheat and some other Grain SO the Children of the Wicked One are a base and contemptible Sort of People in comparison of the Children of God II. If Tares are sown amongst Wheat it is done by the Hand of an Enemy out of spite and malice to the Injury and Loss of the Owner of the Field II. So the spiritual or metaphorical Tares viz. the Children of Belial that grow in the Field of this World were first sowed by the Devil he is that Enemy who did it i. e. He infused by his Spirit through the Corruptness of Mortals that evil Seed into their Hearts from whence these Tares spring out of spite and Malice to God himself whose is the Field and also out of spite and malice to Mankind III. Tares growing among Wheat do hurt and prejudice the Wheat hindering its growth and flourishing III. So the Ungodly or Children of the Wicked One dwelling with or among the Saints hurt and greatly prejudice them hindering their Growth in Grace and Godliness Saith David Psal 120.6 Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar It is a hard Matter to keep our Garments clean and no way to defile them living in the midst of a wicked and ungodly Generation Who can touch Pitch and not be defiled therewith The Israelites dwelling among the wicked Natives of the Land of Canaan Psal 10 6.35 36. 't is said learned their Works and served their Gods IV. Tares as Wilson observes are so like Wheat whilst they are in the Blade as hardly the one can be discerned from the other IV. So Hypocrites seem so like true and sincere Christians that for a while the one can hardly be known from the other V. The Man who had Tares sown amongst the Wheat in his Field whilst Men slept would not suffer his Servants to pluck them up lest some of the Wheat should be pluck'd up with them but let them grow together until Harvest and then commands the Reapers to separate the one from the other and the Wheat to gather into his Barn but the Tares to cast into the Fire from whence it appears that those Tares were good for nothing but Fuel for the Fire c. V. So the Almighty tho there be many Hypocrites Hereticks and Reprobates in the World would not have Magistrates or others to pluck them up for their Errors or Heresy only that is destroy them or take them away by corporal Punishment and Death lest they pull up and destroy some of his precious Saints with them instead of those Children of the Evil One but would have them live or grow together in the Field of the World until the Harvest that is the End of the World The Field is the World Mat. 13.38 39 40 41. the good Seed an the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares the Children of the Wicked One. The Enemy that sowed them is the Devil the Harvest is the End of the World and the Reapers are the Angels As therefore the Tares are gathered and burnt in the Fire so shall it be in the End of the World The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels to gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that do Iniquity And shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Inferences THis may put every Christian upon the Search and Examination of
c. Zech. 4.7 Who art thou O great Mountain c. Parallels MOuntains are high and lifted up and seem to have the Preheminence So the wicked Princes and Potentates of the Earth are high in Power and seem to be lifted up in Pride and Arrogancy and to have Preheminence over the Righteous II. Mountains are hard to be removed out of their Places So the Wicked having taken such Root in Sin c. 't is very hard and difficult to remove them and make them become plain Luk. 3 4. This was 't is true one great Design of the Ministry of John Baptist Every Valley shall be filled and every Mountain and Hill shall be brought low c. But this Work is not done upon the Spirits of wicked Men but by the mighty Power of God III. Mountains and Hills are commonly barren and unprofitable Ground So the Wicked who are lifted up in Pride and Arrogancy c. are spiritually a barren useless and unprofitable Sort of Men. IV. Mountains were accounted Places of Defence whither Men used to flie in time of Danger tho many times they failed them So Men oftentimes flie to the lofty Enemies of God the oppressing tyrannical Powers of the Earth to secure themselves from approaching Dangers but in vain alas is Salvation looked for from these Mountains and Hills in the Day of God's Anger Inferences IN this Saints have cause to rejoice God hath promised to throw down all the Hills and Mountains of the Earth that are lifted up Who art thou O great Mountain Zech. 4 7. Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a Plain Wicked Men compared to the Troubled Sea Isa 57.20 But the Wicked are like the troubled Sea c. Jer. 51.4 The Sea is come up upon Babylon with the Multitude of the Waves thereof Caldee the King with his numerous Hosts in Plenty like the Sea is come up against Babylon c. Note The Wicked are compared to the Troubled Sea and to many Waters c. Parallels THe Sea is a great Convention as one words it or a Multitude of Waters The gathering together of the Waters called he Seas Gen. 1. So the Wicked are a Multitude of People II. The Sea sometimes swells roars and rises very high threatning the Earth as if it would swallow it up immediatly So the mighty Concourse of the wicked and tyrannical Powers of the Earth many times swell in Pride and Arrogancy and make a fearful Noise as if they would in a moment swallow up the Lord's People III. The Sea hath its Bounds set by the Almighty He hath shut up the Sea with Doors Job 38.8 11. c. and hath said Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shall thy proud Waves be stayed So the Lord sets Bounds to the Wrath and Rage of the Ungodly no Creatures can go further than God permits them As he that made the Sea can master it so he can soon put a Stop and Curb to the proudest Oppressor and Persecutor in the World Let Men be as angry as they will let them be as stormy as the boisterous Seas yet the Lord hath said Hitherto shall ye come and no further Psal 65.7 He stilleth the Noise of the Seas the Noise of the Waves and the Tumult of the People Nay the Devil himself is like a Sea shut up he cannot do what he would he hath Bounds set him c. IV. The Sea at God's command is still The Wind and Seas oby him So with one Word speaking as it were he can quiet the Wicked and make them silent in Darkness Psal 107.29 He can make this Sea and frightful Storm a Calm and cause the proud Waves to be still V. The Sea produces or brings forth many strange Monsters So the Multitude of the Wicked this metaphorical Sea hath brought forth many a vile and strange Monster See Dan. 7.3 And four great Beasts came up from the Sea diverse one from the other the first was like a Lion and had Eagles Wings c. These four Beasts signified the four Monarchies of the Earth what a Monster the fourth hath been all the World hath had full Experience of that had great Iron Teeth c. What Devils incarnate were many of the Roman Emperors particularly Nero who ripp'd up the Belly of his own Mother c. And what a Monster hath the little Horn been I mean the Papal Power what a mighty Mass of innocent Blood hath the Beast and Whore devoured c. VI. The Sea is very restless it ebbs and flows and seems to be continually troubled So the Ungodly are always restless in their Spirtis like wicked Haman they never cease Plotting against the Just Tho they have very great Power Riches and Honour yet because God's Mordecai's will not bow down their Souls for them to go over all seems as nothing to them they have Riches much Gold and Silver but not satisfied they enjoy all the Delights and Pleasures the World can afford them but yet are like the troubled Sea Many times also their Consciences sorely disquiet them What Rest soever they may have yet certainly they are continually void of the true Peace of God and in this Sence there is no Peace to the Wicked c. Isa 57.21 VII The Sea continually casteth forth Mire and Dirt So the Ungodly never cease casting forth their abominable Wickedness Inferences LEt not the Saints fear the Ungodly What tho they swell and roar God hath set Bounds to them The Wrath of Man shall praise thee Psal 76.10 and the Remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain No more Wrath of Man shall be let out no higher shall these Seas swell than shall tend to the Glory of God the Over-plus that Wrath that would indeed prove hurtful to the Godly and to the dishonour of the Almighty the Lord will restrain II. Pray hard that God would keep the Doors and Bars of these troublesom Seas fast and prevent the Danger I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel Ezek. 36.37 to do it for them 1. Pray that God will keep the Sea of Man's Wrath within its limited Bounds 2. Pray that God would not suffer Satan to break forth too furiously upon us If God did not set Bounds to him no Man could live quiet one hour 3. Pray that God would set Bounds to the Sea of Prophaneness 4. And also that he would set Bounds and drive back the Sea of Error and false Doctrine c. III. This shews the woful Condition of ungodly Men They have no Peace true Peace whilst they live and be sure shall have none at Death Peace is the Portion only of the Lord's People Great Peace have all they that love thy Law c. My Peace I give unto you Wicked Men dead in Sin John 5.25 The Hour is coming and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Eph.
pardon of God tho they die by the Law of Man But Wicked Men living and dying in Sin after the last Judgment and Sentence of Eternal Death cannot repent neither have they any time so to do but must be damned without Remedy Inferences HEnce we may see how easily Men may mistake themselves by condemning others when they are in as bad or a worse state themselves who is it but will readily cry out against a Thief and use their utmost endeavour to apprehend him but how few are there of the same kind viz. Thieves as hath been shown will lay Hands upon or condemn themselves who are as you have heard worse than Thieves 2. How doth it warn the Godly to look to themselves for if the good Man of the House had known at what time the Thief would have come he would have watched Wicked Men naked Ezek. 16.8 And covered thy Nakedness c. Verse 22. Thou hast not remembred the Days of thy Youth when thou wert naked and bare c. Rev. 3.17 Poor and blind and naked c. THere is a twofold Nakedness viz. an external and an internal Nakedness the Nakedness of the Soul as well as of the Body Parallels I. NAkedness since the Fall doth not only import not having of Clothes but the Want of Clothes As Adam before he fell had no Clothes so he needed none his Nakedness was an Ornament to him but no sooner had he sinned but he saw the want of a Garment So all ungodly Men are not only without spiritual Clothes but they exceedingly need them as they have no Righteousness to cover them so 't is their Misery 'T is a lamentable thing to be naked and 't is a far more grievous thing to be spiritually naked to have no real and divine Cover for the Soul II. The Shame Deformity and all natural Filthiness of a naked Person doth appear 't is visible and he is thereby exposed to Reproach So the Shame Deformity and Vileness of wicked Men who are spiritually naked having not the Righteousness of Christ to cover them doth appear and this exposeth them to Shame and Reproach Sin is the Shame of any People To see a Man naked Prov. 10 â— that hath a rotten and polluted Carcase full of Sores and stinking Ulcers is a loathsom Sight But such is the State of the Souls of ungodly Men they are naked and their inward Filthinâ—ss lies fully open to the Eyes of the great God nay and much of it appears to the Sight of Men spiritually there is no Soundness in them from the Crown of their Heads to the Soles of their Feet Isa 1.6 nothing but Wounds Bruises and putrifying Sores III. A naked Person is exposed to the Extremity both of Cold and Heat Clothes keâ—p the Body warm in Winter and defend from the parching Heat in Summer and he that is without them from hence is in a miserable Condition every Blast pinches him the Sun scorches him c. So wicked Men lie open to the dreadful Wrath of God which is set forth in Scripture by Things extreme in their Nature both in respect of Heat and Cold. O how unable will these naked Souls be to abide the Day of God's Wrath or to stand before him who is a consuming Fire The Righteousness of Christ will be as a Cover and Screen between the Saints and the devouring Flames of God's Anger but wicked Men have no Defence no Screen nor Cover they are naked exposed not only to the Shame of every Eye but to the direful Effects of God's dreadful Wrath and Vengeance c. whilst they live and when they die and for ever IV. A naked Man is exposed to great Danger by his Enemies every small Blow may wound him who hath nothing on to defend him from it every small Prick will make him bleed But much greater Danger is he in by great Strokes and Thrusts of Swords and Spears and by Arrows and Darts that Enemies may let flie against him his Condition is not full of Shame but also full of Danger So wicked Men who are spiritually naked are exposed to great Danger from the Enemies of the Soul 1. Sin nay every Sin wounds him the least Sin makes a Wound in his Soul what Wounds then do great Sins make 2. Conscience wounds him and lashes him sorely 3. Satan lets flie his fiery Darts and Arrows against him and wounds him to the very Heart and like an hungry Lion tears his Soul as it were to pieces 4. Death and Wrath wound him he having nothing to defend him from any of these c. V. A naked Person is not fit for any Employment he is not fit to fight nor fit to labour So such who are spiritually naked are not fit for any spiritual Service they can neither work for God nor suffer for God nor resist Sin and Satan they are not fit for any Society of spiritual Men but are unspeakably miserable every way Disparity NAked Men desire Clothes they will beg hard for something to cover their Nakedness But the Wicked are unsensible of their Nakedness and therefore seek not to be cloathed nay like mad Men refuse Raiment We read Luke 8.27 of a Man possessed with a Legion of Devils and the Text saith he wore no Clothes his Madness is evidenced by that he would suffer no Clothes to be put upon him 'T is a Sign Men are spiritually possessed with a Legion of Devils that refuse to put on the Garment of Faith and Holiness to cover their Nakedness These Garments are held forth every day to be sold without Money and without Price in the Ministry of the Word but so mad are ungodly Men they had rather go naked than lay hold on them and put them on And is it not just that such Men should be buried in Hell Isa 55.1 2 Rev. 3. in their own Rags that will not embrace Christ and Holiness that they may be cloathed with eternal Salvation Wicked Men compared to Vipers Mat. 3.7 O Generation of Vipers c. JOhn Baptist calls the Scribes and Pharisees and other wicked Men of the Jews Vipers not only Vipers but a Seed and Generation of Vipers Some think he alludes to the Devil that old Serpent whose Off-spring they were Ye are of your Father the Devil John 8. c. But others rather think he compares them to the Serpent called the Viper upon consideration of divers Properties wherein there is a fit resemblance between it and them c. Parallels THe Viper is a most poysonous Creature Act. 28.5 when the Barbarians saw the Viper stick on Paul's hand they looked upon him as a dead Man their Biting is accounted mortal So the Wicked are a very destructive and murderous Generation of Men their bitter Words and cruel Slanders are like deadly Venom The Poyson of Asps is under their Tongues David complains of the Ungodly upon this account Whose Tongue saith he is as a sharp Sword Sin is
Church of God and help them by their Counsel and Prayers at all times and not to weaken but strengthen their Hands and protect them from the Scorn Reproach and Oppression of the Enemy as much as lieth in them c. XIII When a Prince finds his Ambassadors cannot succeed in their Business but that all Terms of Peace are rejected he calls them home and then bloody Wars commonly follow XIII So when God sees that the Messenger and Message he sends by his faithful Ministers is slighted and that Sinners remain obstinate after long patience he calls home his Ministers perhaps takes them away by Death and resolves to treat with that People or State no more but contrary-wise to let out his Wrath upon them And thus it fared with Israel of old The Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising early and sending them c. 2 Chron. 36.15 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his Word and misused his Prophets until the Wrath of the Lord arose against his People till there was no Remedy Inferences THis shews what great Dignity God hath conferred upon his faithful Ministers and this Title should procure an honourable Esteem of them in the Hearts of all Persons to whom they are sent And this is more necessary to the good Success of their Message than is generally thought tho 't is evident what Ministers speak upon this Subject is misconstrued as if they herein rather sought themselves than to befriend the Gospel or advance the Honour of their Master Men are ready to interpret it as a Fruit of their Pride and an Affectation they have of some outward Grandure and worldly Pomp which they design to gain by such a magnificent Title The Apostle himself was sensible of this and yet would not desist to magnify his Office 1 Cor. 4.5 and therefore saith he Let Men so account of us as Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God and that they should judg nothing before the Time Object But some may say If God will use Ambassadors to treat with Sinners why doth be not use Angels c. 2 Cor. 4.7 Answ 1. The Apostle answers this We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us 2. Ministers being Men have the Advantage many ways above Angels for this Work 1. They are more concerned themselves in the Message they bring than Angels are What greater Argument for a Man's Care than his own Interest 2. They have a more deep Sense arising in their Hearts upon the account of the Temptations they are subject to c. 3. The Sufferings which Ministers meet with for the Gospel's sake are of great advantage to their Brethren had Angels been the Ambassadors they could not have sealed to the Truth of their Doctrine with their Blood they cannot die c. 4. Besides the Presence of Angels might terrify and afrighten us their Glory is so great c. II. This shews that Ministers have a special Commission How shall they preach except they are sent Rom. 10. They must have a lawful Call to this Office as Ambassadors have III. Let poor Sinners from hence be persuaded to hearken to them and carefully receive the Message Ministers bring from the great God and accept of Terms of Peace and close in with Jesus Christ IV. It shews the wonderful Love of God and the great Care he hath of Men's Souls V. It shews what an intolerable Affront is offered to the Majesty of Heaven by those that abuse or deride the Ministers of the Gospel and much greater by them that persecute and imprison them for delivering their Message Paul was an Ambassador in Bonds c. VI. It shews the Weight and Importance of the Preachers Message it is not a slight or sleeveless Errand they come about Deut. 30.15 Joh. 3.36 Mark 16.15 16. I set before you this day Life and Death Hear and your Souls shall live He that believeth not the Wrath of God abideth on him Go into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Ministers compared to Rulers Heb. 13.7 Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God c. MInisters of the Gospel are Rulers or Governors c. Rulers Parallel RUlers are Men in high Place endued with Power and Authority over others 't is a Name of Dignity SO Ministers are the chief of God's People such as have great Power committed to them as the Deputies and Ambassadors of Christ II. Rulers or Governors have a Law by which they ought to rule and govern in all things II. So Ministers are to rule the House and Church of God by the Rule of God's Word III. 'T is an evil thing and justly reprovable in Rulers to exceed the Limits and Bounds of the Law by which they are to rule and govern or to carry things according to their own Wills and Lusts not regarding the fundamental Laws of the Land where they live III. So 't is an abominable Evil in Ministers to rule according to their own Wills violating the Law of God Ministers may exceed their due Bounds and be arbitrary and tyrannize over the People in things spiritual as well as Civil Rulers or Magistrates in things temporal IV. Rulers in some places are chosen by the People whom they govern 't is the People's Privilege to chuse their Magistrates IV. So Ministers ought to be chosen by the Church 't is the Privilege of the People to chuse their own Pastors and other Officers according to the Qualifications laid down by the Spirit of God 1 Tim. 3.1 2 3. Acts 6.3 Wherefore Brethren look ye out among your selves c. V. Rulers ought to be wise Men Men fearing God See Jethro's Counsel to Moses Exod. 18.21 Thou shalt provide out of all the People able Men such as fear God Men of Truth hating Covetousness 2 Sam. 23.4 c. The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake unto me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the Fear of God What a sore Rebuke doth God give covetous Rulers by the Prophet Ezek. 22.27 Her Princes in the midst thereof are like Wolves ravening the Prey to shed Blood and to destroy to get dishonest Gain V. So Ministers ought to be Men wise holy and of a blameless Conversation such as are given to Hospitality 1 Tim. 3.2 3. and not greedy of filthy Lucre. 'T is an odious thing to see a Minister covetous who is required to open the Nature of and preach against that Sin as well as all others and ought to live accordingly How can he preach against that Sin he is guilty of himself or if he doth what good effect can he think it will have upon other Mens Hearts when
than Rome Heathen or Babylon ever was And then what a fine Church do the People make themselves 10. If the Place Seat and City of Rome was not utterly ruined so as to be no more for ever as a Place of Commerce Trade and Human Society when the Heathen Power ceased then Rome Heathen cannot be this Babylon because at the Ending and Downfall of this Babylon the Place Seat and City is utterly ruined so as to be no more a Place of Trade Rev. 17.16 Commerce or human Society And the ten Horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and shall eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire Verse 18. And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth for her Sins which God hath remembred Rev. 18.8 which have reached unto Heaven therefore shall her Plagues come in one Day Death and Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with Fire For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Ver. 11 12 13. All Sorts of Merchandize Traffick Trade and Commerce with humane Society shall cease so as to be no more in her at all and the good Things which she in Fulness enjoyed before even all Things that were dainty and goodly are now departed from her and she shall find them no more at all vers 14. for in one Hour is she made desolate And a mighty Angel took up a Stone like a great Mill-stone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with Violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all Verse 21. And the Voice of Harpers and Musicians and of Pipers and Trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee and no Craftsman of whatsoever Craft he be shall be found any more in thee and the Sound of a Mill-stone shall be heard no more at all in thee Verse 22. And the Light of the Candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the Voice of the Bridegroom and of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee Verse 23. But the Place Seat and City of Rome was not so utterly ruined as to be no more for ever a Place of Trade Traffick Merchandize and humane Society when the Heathen Power of Rome ended Ergo Rome Heathen cannot be the Whore of Babylon under present Consideration whose Seat or City hath since had a powerful Government reigning in Pride and Pomp for some hundreds of Years 11. If Rome Papal be Mystery Babylon the City of Pride and Confusion that is set forth by St. Jobn in the Apocalypse then neither the City of Jerusalem the Seat of the Turks and Saracens nor Rome Heathen is or can be the same But Rome Papal is the Mystery Babylon set forth by St. John in the Apocalypse Ergo neither the City of Jerusalem the Seat of the Turks and Saracens nor Rome Heathen can be the same The last Proposition is thus proved If all the Marks and Characters left us upon Divine Record to prove Mystery Babylon by do more aptly and fitly agree to Rome Papal than to the City of Jerusalem the Seat of the Turks or Rome Heathen Then Rome Papal and not any one of them is Mystery Babylon But the Marks and Characters left upon Divine Record to distinguish and know Mystery Babylon by do more aptly and fitly agree to Rome Papal Ergo Rome Papal and not the other is Mystery Babylon For the clearing up of this Argument we shall distinctly state the Character of Mystery Babylon and run the Parallel betwixt her and Rome Papal in this Method following 1. Babylon is a Woman which imports either a single Person rank'd in the Feminine Gender or a Body of People related to some Head Husband or publick Person to whom she is joined in Wedlock by Covenant or Matrimonial Contract as Eve was related to Adam and therefore called Woman or as Judah and Israel who were joined in Covenant with God and therefore called a Woman or as the true Church now is married or joined to Christ and therefore called a Woman A single Person as Eve was she cannot be because the Character given of her in respect of her State and Actions doth no way comport with it She must therefore be a Body of People related to some Head Husband or publick Person as Judah and Israel of old was who are often called by the Title of Woman and in like manner Babylon before her Degeneracy were a People joined in Matrimonial Contract by a Gospel-Covenant and Profession to the Son of God Metaphor Parallel BAbylon imports a Body of People that was once united to the Son of God and hence Metaphorically called a Woman And I saw a Woman sit c. And the Woman was arrayed c. And I saw the Woman Drunk c. Rev. 17.3 4 6. ROme Papal or the Church of Rome is a Body a great Body a famous Body of People and which were before their Apostacy a true Church by Gospel-Covenant and Profession united to the Son of God as her publiâ—k Head and Husband Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ To all that be in Rome Rom. 1.6 7. beloved of God called to be Saints Grace be to you and Peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ II. Babylon is a City a very great City so called in a threefold respect Rev. 17.18 18.10 16 18 19 21. 1. In respect of Power 2. In respect of People 3 In respect of Place and Residence where this Power and People is seated Psal 121. Isa 14.31 Acts 19.28 City being indefinitely taken for either of these or comprehending all as in these Instances II. Rome Papal or Church of Rome is a City a very great City so called in a threefold respect 1. In respect of Power which is twofold 1. Civil 2. Ecclesiastical Reâ— 13.1 signified by two Horns like a Lamb. 2. In respect of People which are great in Number 3. In respect of Place and Residence where this Power and great People is seated and indeed it is as worthily called by way of Eminency a City as any Power People or Place in the Christian World because there is nothing so much spoken of or gives sadder occasion to be so much spoken of as Rome in respect of Power People and Place which shall be further cleared by Argument c. The Fame of this People as a Church was great before the Power and chief Dominion of the Place was joined with it as appears Rom. 1.8 First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your Faith is spoken of throughout the whole World III. Babylon is not only a Woman and a City but a bad Woman and a City of Confusion for so the Word Babel Gen. 11.1 to 10. or Babylon signifies viz. Evil or Confusion III. Rome Papal or Church of Rome is not
wounded in every Faculty of his Soul or rational part so likewise he is in his sensitive part his Eyes are full of Adultery his Lips are unclean Râ—m 3. â—3 his Throat is like an open Sepulchre the Poyson of Asps is under his Tongue his Ears are deaf and dull of hearing that which is good IV. As some Wounds a Man receives are very deep and reach to the Heart so Sin makes a deep Wound Man is not only wounded in every part but very deeply wounded Jeâ— 4.18 Gen. 6 5. This is thy Wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth to thine Heart Their Heart deviseth Wickedness c. Every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually Jer. 4.14 Hence saith God Wash thine Heart from Wickedness c. V. Some Wounds are corrupt filthy and very loathsome the Wounds Sin makes in the Soul Isa 1.6 are very filthy and abominable From the sole of the Foot even to the Head there is no soundness in it but Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores they have not been bound up neither molified with Ointment My Wounds stink and are corrupt VI. Some Wounds smart and are very painful causing the Patient to cry out in great anguish Sin makes such a Wound in the Soul that it causeth such who have their Spiritual Feeling to cry out the pain is so great that a Christian cannot without Divine Help Psal 38.8 9. bear up under the smart and torture of it I have roared saith the Psalmist by reason of the disquietness of my Heart Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Lev. 13.2 3 4 5 6. VII Some Sores or Wounds are infectious like Plague-Sores or the Leprosy they infect the Cloaths and Garments of the wounded and diseased Person and not only so but the very House where he dwells and the People also that come near him or converse with him Sin is of an infectious Nature no Plague more catching and infectious than the Sore or Plague of Sin it defiles all a Man's best Actions and makes all our Righteousness like filthy Rags If ye daily converse with or are frequently in the Company of some wicked Men 't is a thousand to one if you are not the worse for it Who can touch Pitch and not be defiled therewith We are commanded to keep our selves unspotted from the World 't is a hard matter to keep clear of these Spots and Pollutions wicked Men are defiled with Sin is of such an infectious Nature that it hath corrupâ—â—d the Earth Isa 24.5 The Earth is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof c. Nay some conceive the Sin of Man hath darkned in some respect the glorious Heavens Job 25.5 with the Sun Moon and Stars that they shine not so splendidly as they did at the first VIII Some Wounds are of a festering and spreading Nature whilst the Patient is under Cure they grow worse and worse The Wounds or Sins of some Men tho they are under Cure i. e. sit under a powerful and Soul-searching Ministry fester as it were 2 Tim 3.13 they instead of growing better grow worse and worse like as the Apostle speaks of Deceivers IX Some Sores Wounds and Scabs bring Shame upon such who have them Sin is such a Sore and so hateful a Scab that it causes Shame and Confusion of Face Sin is the shame of any People Phil. 3 19. and yet how do some glory in it They glory in their Shame Sin is the soul Disease the Hurt nay all the Hurt Sorrow and Shame Sinners meet with came in originally by Sin by yielding to the Devil and by adulterating from God no running Sore no Scab no breaking out in the Flesh like Sin in the Heart and Life of a Sinner Ezek 18. Joh. 8.22 Rom. 8.13 X. Some Wounds are Mortal Sin makes a mortal Wound The Soul that Sins shall die and unless ye believe that I am he ye shall die in your Sins If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die c. I do not say there is no Help nor Cure for these Spiritual Sores and Wounds yet I must say they are incurable as to Man no Man can find by all his Skill and Art any healing Medicine And upon this account the Lord said of Judah and Israel their Wound was incurable they had brought themselves into such a Condition that none could help them nor bring them out O Israel thy destruction is of thy self but in me is thy help Indeed some Men are so desperately and dangerously wounded that there is little hope of them they have all the signs of Ruine and Eternal Death upon them imaginable Quest It may be you will say When may the state of a Person be said to be desperate and almost if not altogether past hope or wounded even unto Death Answ 1. If a Man sins and is sorely wounded and yet continues in his Sinful Course the Sting is not pulled as it were out of his Flesh I mean out of his Heart nor is he willing it should there is little hopes at present of this Man Can a Wound be healed and yet the venemous Sting stick fast in him A continual course or custom in Sin tho they be small Sins comparatively may prove deadly 2. When â—in is in the Affection 't is dangerous You know when the Heart is wounded and corrupt there is no hopes of Life if in times of Infection you can keep it from the Heart you are well enough Physicians tho they have Medicines to keep Infection from the Heart yet they have no Medicine to cure the Heart if once the Distemper gets into it When a Man closes in with his Sin likes it loves it and makes Provision to fulfil the Lusts of it 't is a dangerous sign 3. When the Wound spreads and increaseth or a Person grows more vain carnal and filthy 't is a sad sign Some Men have been for a time cautions and somewhat tender their Consciences have restrained them from yielding unto Sin but afterwards they came to grow more hard and bold and have adventured on this and the other Evil and so by degrees from little Sins make no Conscience of greater till they are notorious in Wickedness and this after common Illuminations this is a sign they are near Hell 4. When a Person is sorely and grievously wounded and yet is unsensible does not cry out nor feel any pain 't is a sad sign Come to some wounded Persons and ask them how they do they will answer you Very well I ail nothing then Relations begin to weep so some Sinners through a custom of Sin grow insensible they are past feeling they are not only without pain themselves but laugh at such who complain of their Sores upon the Head and mourn for their Sin of this Man you may write in Red Letters Lord have Mercy upon him 5. When a Man is dangerously wounded
us also endeavour to improve the Opportunity of Time I mean those gracious Advantages God is pleased to afford us for the everlasting Good and Well being of our Souls when Time and Days shall be no more Men of the World take great Care to improve all Opportunities to enrich themselves or increase their outward Substance They will not lose their Market-time nor Change-time nor Fair-time They will be sure to come early enough and every Way to bestir themselves with Wisdom and Diligence And shall not we be as wise and as diligent for the enriching our Souls Shall we slight Seasons Sabbaths Sermons Convictions c. Let all remember now is the accepted Time 2 Cor. 6.2 Now is the Day of Salvation now whilest it is called to Day or never Now Sinners may get an Interest in Christ Union with God the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit Now they may obtain Pardon of Sin and Peace of Conscience Now there is a Prize put into their Hands they may be made for ever if they look wisely about them Now they may be made Heirs of God Heirs of a Kingdom Heirs of a Crown of a Crown of Life of a Crown of Glory of a Crown that fadeth not away But if they lose the present Opportunity they may never have the like again Time is but in a very short Space it may be said Time was nay Time is past Will it not be sad to hear God tell thee and Conscience tell thee on thy Death-bed Now Time is past 't is too late now these Things shall be denied you now you must perish for ever and be damned in your Sins Of Death The Body of Man in the Grave compared to Seed that is sown 1 Cor. 15.36 Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die THE Apostle compares the Body of Man that is laid in the Grave to Seed that is sown Parallels SEed that is sown lies some considerable Time in the Earth before it rises or springs up So the Bodies of Men lie some Time in the Grave before the Resurrection tho some lie much longer than others as such who lived in Adam's Noah's and Abraham's Days yet generally all lie and shall lie some Time in the Grave before they rise again II. Seed that it may not abide alone is first sown and dies and then it rises again Verily Joh. 12.24 verily I say unto you except a Corn of Wheat fall to the Ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much Fruit. So the Body of Man must die or be changed or it can never arise nor be made glorious to bring forth the eternal Fruit of Praise to God As Seed loses nothing by being sown So the Bodies of the Saints shall lose nothing by Death Death I mean vvill be no vvays to their Disadvantage but contrarivvise to their great Benefit III. The Body of the same Seed or Corn of Wheat that is sovvn rises again Every Seed hath its own Body 1 Cor. 15.38 So the same numerical Body that is laid in the Grave shall rise again If it vvas not thus the Dead rise not he that denies this denies the Resurrection of the Dead And tho after my Skin Worms destroy this Body Job 19.26 27. yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold and not another tho my Reins be consumed within me Death compared to a Sleep Dan. 12.2 And many of them that sleep in the Dust of the Earth shall awake 1 Thess 4.14 Even so them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him DEath is often called a Sleep in the holy Scripture Sleep is a Figure or Image of Death a fit Resemblance of Death as vvill appear by the follovving Parallels Parallels SLeep is Rest or gives Rest to the Body So Death is or doth give Rest to the Body And hence Job Job 3.13 saith speaking of Death I should have lien still and been quiet I should have slept then had I been at Rest We usually say vvhen a Man goes to sleep he goes to rest There is a fourfold Rest vvhich vve obtain in Death 1. From Labour and Travel no vvork there 2. There is a Rest from Trouble and Oppression There the Wicked cease from troubling Job 3.17 and the Weary be at rest 3. There is a Rest from Passion and Sorrovv no Grief shall afflict us there 4. Which is better than all there is a Rest from Sin a Rest from the Temptations and Drudgery of Satan a Rest from the Lavv in our Members II. In Sleep the vvhole Body resteth but many Times the Spirits of some Men are troubled tho the outvvard Man is at rest yet the invvard Man is sorely disturbed vvhereas the Bodies and Spirits too of others are at rest and quiet So in the Death of the Wicked tho their Bodies be at rest yet their Souls are tormented 'T is the Opinion of some Men that the Soul sleeps vvith the Body and is vvholly senseless of Joy or Mysery until the Resurrection But that doubtless is a great Errour For tho it be granted that many Operations of the Soul do cease when it departs from the Body yet the Soul sleeps not There are some Acts of the Soul which are organical and there are other Acts which are inorganical or immaterial The Organical Acts that is whatsoever the Soul acts by the Members of the Body those Acts must needs cease at Death but the Soul can act of it self without the Assistance of the Body Caryl as we may collect by many Experiments while our Bodies and Souls are joined together How often do we find our Souls at work when our Bodies lie still and do nothing When Sleep binds up all our Senses and shuts up the Windows of the Body close that we can neither hear nor see yet then the Soul frames to it self and beholds a thousand various Shapes and hears all Sorts of Sounds and Voices the Soul then sees and hears and deviseth discourseth grieves rejoices hopes fears chuseth and refuseth all this the Soul doth in Dreams and Visions of the Night when deep sleep falls upon Man What Meditations have some good Men had in their Sleep they have had Scriptures wonderfully opened to them and have been grieved when they waked to find the Matter gone from them God seals up Instruction sometimes to his People in their Sleep Also in Ecstasies and Ravishments the Body is as it were laid by as useless and uninstrumental to the Soul I knew a Man in Christ fourteen Years ago so the Apostle saith whether in the Body I cannot tell 2 Cor. 12.2 3. or out of the Body I cannot tell God knoweth c. Now if the Soul was not capable of a Separation from the Body and in that separated State capable of such divine Ravishments Paul might easily have resolved the Case and said he was taken up
in the Body but he could not tell whether the Soul acted with his bodily Organs or without them He had mighty Operations in his Soul his Spirit wrought strangely and then took in such Revelations of God and from God as his bodily Organs could never fashion into Words or represent by Speech He heard quae fando explicari à quoquam homine non possunt unspeakable Words Beza which it is not lawful or possible for a Man to utter The Soul hath an Ear to hear such Words that the Body cannot find a Tongue to express So John in his divine Ravishment saith I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day as for his Body that was as to that Business laid aside and suspended as useless in that Day and his Spirit called up to that angelical Work viz. the receiving of Visions and Revelations from on high c. Now as the Souls of good Men whilest they are in this World in Sleep and in Trances or Ecstasies are capable of such glorious Ravishments c. So when their Bodies dy or fall asleep their Souls are with Christ in Heaven and the Souls of the Wicked they go into Chains of Darkness Torment Luk. 16.22 2◠and Misery The rich Man died and was buried and in Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torment III. Sleep is not perpetual we sleep and wake again So tho the Body lie in the Grave yet Death is but a Sleep as it were the Man will awake and rise again IV. The going to sleep and sleeping of some Men greatly differs from others So the Death of the Saints greatly differs from the Death of the Wicked 1. In the Preparation the one makes to go to rest over what the other doth Some go to sleep before their Work is done So some die before their Work is done As no Saint dies before his Work is done So there is no wicked Person that dies but he dies or goes to sleep before his Work is done This is our Working-day when the Sun of our Life is set no more Work can be done The Time comes saith Christ when no Man can work All a Godly Man's Care is to be ready when Night comes to go to rest But the Wicked take little Thought about it 2. Some Men fall asleep in an hurry of Business and in great Distraction when others in a sweet Manner lay their Heads down upon their Pillows So some wicked Men die in great Distraction and under sad Horrour of Conscience when many a Godly Man dies in a sweet and heavenly Manner declaring to all he hath nothing to do but to die 3. Some Men dread the Thoughts of going to sleep for that it is dangerous in some Cases for some Persons to sleep So some wicked Men dread the Thoughts of Death like him who cryed out I am so sick I cannot live and so sinful that I am afraid to die But most Godly Men are delivered from the Fear of Death they go willingly to Bed Luk. 2.29 Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace c. Saints are many times willing to go to rest because they are quite wearied out 1. Sin wearies them and even wares them out and makes them groan 2. The World wearies them and makes them willing to go to Bed Eccl. 5.12 3. The Devil the God of this World wearies them with his Temptations 4. Their bodily Weaknesses and disquieting Pains wearie them 5. The Absence of Christ also makes them willing to go home 4. Some Men fall asleep in a dangerous Place nay and sometimes in the midst of their Enemies So wicked Men die in a dangerous Place being far from God and out of the Covenant of Grace and besides are surrounded about with evil Angels who stand ready to devour their Souls But a godly Man falls asleep in Jesus O that 's a sweet Place to sleep in 1. He sleeps in the view of Jesus Christ knows his Grave and will preserve his Dust 2. He falls asleep in the Love of Jesus 3. He falls asleep in the Covenant of Jesus I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. 5. Some Mens Sleep is much more sweet and comfortable than others as we shewed before some Mens Sleep is very troublesom their Spirits are troubled So the Death of the Godly is sweet they have Peace and heavenly Joy being with Christ but the Death of the Wicked is troublesom their Spirits being in Torment whilst the Body lies in the Grave I might also shew you the great Difference there shall be in the awaking of the one and the other but that I will leave to its proper place V. A Man that is asleep taking his natural Rest may be easily awakened and called up by the Power of Man So the Body when it is dead can with infinitely more ease be raised up by the Power of God 't is but a Call from Heaven and we are awakened out of the Dust The Day is coming when all that are in the Grave shall hear his Voice and come forth c. John 5.28 Inferences WHat a blessed Condition are Believers in They are not only happy whilst they live but shall be blessed when they die their Bodies have not only quiet Rest but their Souls also rest in Peace and Quiet 2. It may stir up all Christless Souls to labour after an Interest in the Lord Jesus for if they are not in Christ whilst they live they are not like to fall asleep in Christ when they die 3. We may learn also from hence what little ground there is for a godly Man to be unwilling to die when his Work is done Are any unwilling to go to sleep at Night that have laboured hard all Day 4. Let us labour hard whilst the Day lasts whilst we have Health and Life that we may have done our Work and be ready to go to sleep Death a Departure Phil. 1.23 Having a desire to depart c. WE at Death leave one Place to go to another If godly we depart from our Place here on Earth and go to Heaven we depart from our Friends on Earth and go to our Friends in Heaven we depart from the Valley of Tears and go to the Mount of Joy we depart from an howling Wilderness to go to an heavenly Paradise Who would be unwilling to exchange a Sodom for a Sion an Egypt for a Canaan Misery for Glory Death a Rest Rev. 14.13 And I heard a Voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord from henceforth Yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them Parallels REst is a desirable Thing to a labouring Man Paul desired to die Death or to depart was greatly desirable in his Sight II. Rest is sweet and therefore desirable to a weary Man So will Death be to a poor weary Saint one that is weary of Sin weary of the World weary of the Temptations
or Believer wants the Father commands them to go to Jesus and to hear him in every thing that he shall say unto them This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. hear ye him Moses a Type of Christ MOses was a Type of Christ in his Person 1. He was of mean Parents and Birth So was Christ in respect of his Flesh or human Nature of a poor decayed and driâ—d Stock being born of a poor Virgin 2. Moses was no sooner born but he was exposed to the Wrath of Pharaoh King of Egypt who sought to put him to death So Christ in his Infancy was sought by King Herod to be slain but both by God's extraordinary Providence were delivered 3. Moses was of a meek and sweet disposition above all that dwelt upon the Earth yet full of Zeal and Indignation against Sin So Christ was a Pattern of Meekness and Humility Learn of me c. Mat. 11.28 29. II. Moses in his Office and Function was a Type of Christ 1. He was appointed by God and sent to deliver Israel out of Pharaoh's cruel Bondage So Jesus Christ was appointed and sent to deliver all the Israel of God from the cruel Bondage of Satan and heavy Oppression and Burthen of Sin 2. Moses was sent to lead Israel towarâ—s Canaan So Jesus Christ leads us to Heaven the Anti-type of Canaan But in this there is a Disparity Moses led Israel but unto the Sight of the promised Land but Jesus Christ leads us quite into Heaven or the Land of Promise 3. Moses was learned in all the Learning of Egypt Christ was learned to admiration his Enemies cried out From whence hath he all this Learning 4. Moses gave the Law having first received it from the hand of God So Jesus Christ hath given us the Law of the Gospel as he received it from his Father 5. Moses was Mediator of the First Covenant and as so considered was both King Priest and Prophet Jesus Christ is Mediator of the Second Covenant and as so also both King Priest and Prophet 6. Moses wrought many mighty Miracles in Egypt at the Red Sea and in the Wilderness to confirm the Law and to shew Israel that he was really sent of God So Jesus Christ wrought many strange and wonderful Miracles by Sea and Land in Towns and Deserts to manifest his Glory to shew he was sâ—nt of God and to confirm his Doctrine 7. Moses instituted the Passeover So Christ the true Moses instituted the Supper III. Moses in his Faithfulness was a Type of Christ he was faithful as a Servant he did all things exactly according to the Pattern shewed him in the Mount Heb. 3.5 So Christ in all things was faithful as a Son IV. Moses being to deliver the Law fasted forty Days and forty Nights in the Mountain alone Christ being to preach the Gospel fasted so long in the Wilderness V. He was a Type of Christ in many particular Actions of his Life 1. Moses married an Ethiopian a Stranger a Black So Christ espoused the Gentiles who were Strangers to God and by reason of Sin as black as Hell could make them 2. Moses sweetned the bitter Waters of Marah by a Tree cast into it So Christ sweetens all our Afflictions by the means of his Cross 3. Moses led Israel through the Red Sea Christ leads his Church through a Sea of Tribulation 4. As Moses was transfigured on Mount Sinai and seem'd so glorious that the Children of Israel could not behold his Face So Jesus Christ also was transfigured in Mount Tabor so as his Disciples were amazed and wist not what they said Joshua a Type of Christ Parallels JOshua or Jesus he was a Saviour as his Name signifies he saved Israel from temporal and external Enemies and Calamities So Christ saves us from all spiritual and internal Enemies and Miseries as well as he will from all external II. Joshua led Israel quite into Canaan not only unto the sight of it but into it So Christ leads us as we said before into Heaven What Moses could not do Joshua did do upon this account So what the Law could not do being weak through the Flesh Christ our Joshua hath done III. Joshua was a mighty Conqueror So is Christ Joshua overcame and utterly destroyed many Kings that so he might give Israel the peaceable Possession of the Land of Canaan So Jâ—sus Christ overcame and totally vanquished divers mighty Kings and Enemies of our Souls that so he might give us a certain Assurance of the eternal Inheritance viz. 1. Satan the great King of the Bottomless-Pit 2. Sin who like a cruel and merciless King and Tyrant reigned over all the Children of Men. 3. Death the King of Terrors c. IV. All the good Promises God made to Israel were fulfilled by the hands of Joshua So all the gracious Promises of God to his Elect were fulfilled in and by Jesus Christ V. Joshua saved Rahab's House that had the red Cord hung out at the Window So Jesus Christ saves all poor penitent Sinners that express Faith in his Blood VI. He accepâ—ed also the Gibeonites who humbly entreated Peace of him So doth Christ all sincere Converts who wisely seek to him for Mercy Sampson a Type of Christ Parallels SAmpson's Nativity was foretold by an Angel of God So was the Conception and Nativity of Jesus Christ foretold by an Angel 2. Sampson was sanctified from the Womb So was Christ much more II. Sampson in respect of his great Strength as some conceive was a Type of Christ III. He conquered a stout Lion in the Desert hand to hand as it were So Christ overcame the roaring Lion the Devil in the Wilderness and made him flie IV. He slew many of God's Enemies by his Death So Jesus Christ by Death overcame Sin Satan Hell and the Grave David a Type of Christ Dr. Taylor AS all the Kings of Israel were express Types of Jesus Christ the Head of his Kingdom and of all the People of God c. So were there two of them that were more manifest Figures of him than all the rest I mean David and Solomon of both which we shall enquire wherein the Resemblance consisteth David was so special a Type of the Lord Jesus as scarce is any thing noted of Christ but some Shadow of it might be observed in David some of which we shall briefly touch upon in the following Parallels Parallels Isa 11.1 I. For his Person David the Son of Jesse Christ the true Rod out of the Stock of Jesse Both of obscure and low Parentage both out of dry and despicable Roots II David was a King of Israel and had his Kingdom raised out of Humility Christ is a King King of Saints and King of Nations and yet at first his Kingdom was small and rose by degrees much after the manner as David's did whose Kingdom was the Figure of it III. David was a Man after God's own Heart
only gives Direction how we should pray and that we should in Prayer only design the Glory of God 10. After the clearing of the Lamps of the Candlestick Evening and Morning then the Incense was burnt shewing that all our Prayers and Duties must be according to the Directions of God's Word and Spirit 11. The Incense was made of divers Spices Psal 51. So must the Prayers of the Godly be seasoned with divers Graces viz. true Repentance lively Faith and unfeigned Love 12. The Incense was offered up in the Holy Place without the Veil of the Holiest near to the Testimony before the Mercy-Seat So we must always have an Eye to Christ in our Prayers who is the true Mercy-Seat we must come to God by him c. 13. Once a Year the Altar was sprinkled with the Blood of the Expiatory Sacrifice signifying how Christ is by shedding of his Blood consecrated our blessed Mediator and that no Prayer is acceptable to God but through Faith in the Blood of Christ The Altar of Burnt-Offering Exod. 27.1 to 9. a Type of Christ Parallels ALtar in Hebrew Mizbeach in Greek Thusiasterion Ainsworth so named of Sacrifices offered thereon it was anointed dedicated sanctfied to be most holy that it might sanctify the Gifts offered thereon This Altar and Sacrifice signified Jesus Christ sanctifying himself for his Church and People that so he might sanctify them II. This Altar was but one and in one place and the Sacrifice only to be offered upon it signifying thereby that we have but one Altar of Redemption and Salvation viz. Jesus Christ alone who only once and in one place offered up a sufficient and unreiterable Sacrifice for the Sins of Mankind III. This Altar had four Horns also See Altar of Incense IV. It had a brazen Grate in the midst of it which let the Ashes and like things fall through c. whereon the Fire was put which might signify two things 1. The Humanity of our Saviour who bore the Fire of God's Wrath for our Sins thus Guild 2. Isa 53.12 It signifieth saith Ainsworth the place wherein the Holy Fire always burneth that is the Heart which sustaineth also the Sacrifice 2 Tim. 1.3 Rom. 1.1 2. Heb. 7.14 and where all Ashes and Excrements of Corruption are inwardly conveyed away as they are discovered by the Word and Spirit of God as also our Sanctification by Affliction V. In that the Altar was to be made of Shittim Wood and overlaid with Brass that it might endure the Fire it might figure out the Human Nature of Christ supported or sustained by the Diety to endure God's Wrath for our Sins VI. They that served at the Altar lived of the Altar So they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Disparity THE Altar was one thing and the Sacrifice another But Christ is both the Altar Sacrifice and Sacrificer too he offered up his Body by the Eternal Spirit as a Sacrifice acceptable to God the Father The Brazen Laver Exod. 30.18 to 25. what it was a Type of THE Brazen Laver served for the Priest-hood to wash their Hands and Feet in before they ministred before the Lord typifying that inward washing by Christ's Blood wherewith all the Holy Priesthood of Christ must be sanctified in Heart and Life before their Services can be accepted in the sight of God and that none ought to minister the Word of Life but Godly Persons who are washed in the Laver of Regeneration Psal 50. Vnto the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to take my Words into thy Mouth c. II. After the Priests had washed themselves clean and arrayed themselves they entred into the holy Place So after the Godly are inwardly washed by the Blood of Christ and have received by Faith his Righteousness to adorn them they become fit Members of the true Gospel-Church III. They shall wash themselves saith the Lord lest they die to shew that all Persons must be purged by Faith in Christ's Blood Mark 16.16 or die eternally IV. He that toucheth or washeth in the Laver it being anointed with the holy Oil as all other Things in the holy and most holy Place were shall be holy saith the Lord signifying that all they who by Faith touch the Lord Jesus who is anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows shall be spiritually sanctified accepted and accounted holy before the Lord likewise The Sacrifice of Beasts a Type of Christ THe Beasts that were appointed for Sacrifice were to have Horns signifying the Kingly and Priestly Office of Christ Horns as we have elsewhere shewn being a Symbol of Power c. II. They were to be of a tame sort not wild and savage Beasts who by force are brought to the Slaughter signifying the Meekness and Mildness of Jesus Christ who was patient like a Lamb led to the Slaughter Isa 53. III. They must be of the Male Sort which generally are the strongest signifying the Excellency and Strength of Jesus Christ IV. They ought to be without blemish and the best of the Flock or Herd and presented of voluntary Will noting two Things 1. That Christ should be perfectly holy and that he should willingly lay down his Life 2 That we should dedicate to God the best of our Days Time and Strength and not offer unto the Lord a corrupt Thing and also perform all our Services to him with a free and willing Mind V. They were to be presented at the Door of the Tabernacle to be slain signifying that Christ s Blood makes our entry into the Church of God here and into Heaven it self hereafter VI. They must lay their hands upon the Head of the Beast who brought him noting thereby our Sins being laid upon Jesus Christ and that we must lay the hand of Faith upon him if we would have Benefit by his Death VII Then the Burnt-Offering was slain signifying that so it behoved Christ the great Anti-type to be slain or crucified for our Sins Mark 16.15 Mâ—t. 28.18 19. VIII The Blood thereof then was sprinkled about the Altar noting the All-sufficiency of Christ's Death and Plenty of his Bloodshed with the large spreading or preaching thereof universally throughout the whole World IX The Skin thereof was plucked off and the Flesh cut in pieces thereby shewing the Grievousness of Christ's Sufferings X. The Body the Head and the Fat and all was laid on the Fire signifying how Christ should suffer for us both in Body and Soul Isa 53.12 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death XI This Burnt-Offering was called a sweet Savour unto the Lord which in Christ's Death is solely and only accomplished for 't is thereby God's Wrath is appeased and his Justice satisfied XII The Ashes were to be carried without the Host and put into a clean Place shadowing thereby how Christ should be buried without the Gates of Jerusalem in a Tomb wherein never Man lay and that his Body should not
see Corruption XIII The Fire which consumed the Burnt-Offering came down from Heaven signifying that that Wrath which seized on Jesus Christ in the Garden and on the Cross came from Heaven or that it was God's Wrath due to us for our Sins that consumed him Or as others it may be on better reason give it that that which moved Christ to suffer for Mankind was wholly his heavenly sacred and divine Love XIV This Fire was to be continually upon the Altar signifying the Unchangeableness of Christ's Love to his Elect and recâ—nt Virtue of his Death and Merits The Burnt-Offering of Fowls Levit. 1.14 a Type of Christ THe Fowls that were appointed for Burnt-Offerings were to be Turtles or Pigeons signifying the Meekness and Innocency of Christ II. The Neck of the Fowl was to be pinched with the Nail that the Blood might go out but not that the Head should be pluck'd off from the Body signifying how Christ should die and shed his Blood yet thereby his Deity as the Head or principal Part should not be divided from his Humanity nor yet by his Death should he who is our Head Joh. 14. be taken from his Church but should rise again and be with them by his Spirit forever III. The Blood thereof was strained or pressed out at the side of the Altar before it was pluck'd and laid upon the Altar to be burned signifying thereby the straining or pressing out of Christ's Blood in his grievous Agony in the Garden before he was taken Luke 24.44 and stripp'd to be crucified c. The Daily Sacrifice a Type of Christ THe Daily Sacrifice was a Lamb So our Saviour not daily but once for all was offered unto the Father himself as a Lamb without spot II. It was slain in the Morning and in the Evening to shew that Christ was a Lamb slain from the Morning of the Creation or in the Decree of God from the Foundation of the World tho not actually till the Evening of the World or latter Days III. It was to be offered up with fine Flower beaten Oil and Wine to shew that Christ by his Death and Oblation becomes not only a Redemption for us but also spiritual Food Gladness and cheering Comfort IV. Where this Sacrifice was offered Exod. 24.42 the Lord promised and appointed to speak unto Israel and shew himself signifying that in Christ and through his Death and Bloodshed the new Appointment or Covenant of his Grace and Manifestation of his Love and Favour is established to his Church and faithful People The Sin-Offering a Type of Christ THe Blood of the Sin-Offering was to be poured out shewing how the Blood of Jesus Christ our true Sin-Offering should be poured forth II. The Priest saith the Lord shall dip his Finger in the Blood of the Beast and sprinkle thereof seven times before the Lord shadowing the Perfection of that Expiation and Satisfaction for Sin which Christ should make in the virtue quality and perpetuity thereof the Number of Seven being the Number of Perfection Heb 9.29 III. The Priest shall bring in the Blood of the Bullock into the Tabernacle of the Congregation shewing thereby how Christ should enter into Heaven by his own Blood Heb. 9 1â— having obtained eternal Redemption for us IV. The Priest was to take some of the Blood Mark 16.15 Mat. 28. and put it upon the four Horns of the Altar signifying thereby that the preaching Remission of Sins by the Atonement of Christ's Blood should be proclaimed to the four Corners of the Earth V. The Bodies of those Beasts whose Blood was brought into the Sanctuary by the High-Priest was burnt without the Host or Camp signifying that Christ should suffer without the Gate teaching us also to go forth into a publick Profession Heb. 13.11 12. and bear his Reproach VI. The Priest was to eat the Sin-Offering in the holy Place whose Blood was not brought into the Tabernacle of the Congregation signifying that Jesus Christ doth not only reconcile us to God but also feed and nourish the Souls of all his Royal Priesthood unto eternal Life VII The Priest shall make Atonement still this is repeated always signifying that 't is Christ our High-Priest and his Sacrifice only that makes a real Atonement and Reconciliation for our Sins The Meat-Offering Lev. 2. what it was a Type of THe Meat-Offerings as Ainsworth observes were nine and all of them came to the Altar 1. The poor Man's Meat-Offâ—ring Lev. 5.11 2. The Jealousy-Offering Numb 5.15 3. The Meat Offering of Initiation which every Priest offered when he first entred into his Service Levit. 8.26 28. 4. The Meat-Offering which the High-Priest offered every day Lev. 6.20 5. The Meat-Offering of fine Flower 6. The Meat-Offering baked on a Plate 7. In a Frying-Pan 8. In an Oven 9. Wafers 1. The Minchah or Meat-Offering saith he was primarily a Figure of Christ's Oblation Eph. 5.2 who gave himself for us an Oblation and Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Savâ—ur Sacrifice and Oblation Minchah thou wouldest not but a Body hast thou prepared me c. Above Heb. 10.5 8 9 10. when he said Sacrifice and Oblation and Burnt-Offerings for Sin thou wouldest not c. Then said he Lo I come to do thy Will O God c. by which Will we are sanctified through the Offering of Christ once for all So that in the Oblation of Christ's Body this Legal Service was accomplished and ended 2. It figured saith he the Persons of Christians who through him are cleansed and sanctified to be pure Oblations unto God 3. It figured saith he the Fruits of Grace and good Works that Christians are to perform both towards God and Men. 1. Towards God Let the lifting up of my Hands saith David Psal 141.2 be as the Evening Minchah or Oblation So when God told the Jews I will not accept a Minchah or Meat-Offering at your Hands he addeth For from the rising of the Sun Mal. 1.10 11. even to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every Place Incense shall be offâ—red unto my Name and a pure Meat-Offering Which is fulfilled when Men pray every where lifting up holy Hands c. 2. Towards Men see Heb. 13.16 Phil. 4.18 4. All the Meat Offerings were of Wheaten Flower except the Jealousy-Offering and the waved Sheaf yea and ought to be of fine Flower signifying the Purity and Perfection of Christ as also that we should offer our best Things to the Lord. Eph. 5 2. Rom. 12.1 5. Oil and Incense was put thereon The Oil saith he signified the Graces and Comforts of the Holy-Ghost and the Incense or Frankincense shewed how acceptable Saints and their Services are unto the Lord. 6. It must be brought to the Priest and he shall bring it to the Altar shadowing that 't is by Christ and his Oblation that we and our Works and Duties are
and Silver such Love O Lord hast thou laid up in my Breast that I hunger for thee Take heed you consult not with carnal Reason rely wholly upon Christ and never consult thy present Strength with thy future Sufferings Take heed you do not overvalue your Lives Alas you cannot live long what if you die a little sooner than you might do according to the Course of Nature Also consider is it not better if God calls you to it to glorify him by dying than to die otherwise Remember You are not your own let God therefore make what Improvement of you he pleases Lastly Pray continually pray always for this is the way to overcome Prayer hath done wonderfully And this is one great Thing that is enjoined on the Christian Souldier Ephes 6.18 Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all Perseverance and Supplication for all Saints and for me c. HEre are two Things to be noted 1. A Duty enjoyned Prayer 2. Blessed Directions about it Viz. 1. The Time Always 2. The Kinds All Prayer and Supplication 3. How viz. 1. In the Spirit 2. With Diligence 3. Constantly 4. For whom 1. For all Saints 2. More particularly for the Preachers of the Gospel Note Souldiers of Christ ought to pray to be much in Prayer to pray always to pray in the Spirit to pray for themselves and to pray for others also First Tho we are to pray always Yet there are some special Times for this Duty Prayer is twofold 1. Ordinary 2. Extraordinary We must in some Seasons more especially be at this Duty to pray hard to pray mightily c. Quest What is meant by praying always Answ 1. It is as much as to say Pray in every thing according to that Word Phil. 4.6 In every thing by Prayer and Supplication let your Requests be made known to the Lord. Some pray in nothing they do In all thy Ways acknowledge him 2. In all Conditions in a full State in a naked State in Poverty in Plenty in Sickness in Health in Prosperity and in Adversity 3. For every Thing we need for Spirituals for Temporals so far as God seeth them good for us 4. Daily frequently Morning and Evening David said to Mephihosheth Thou shalt eat Bread at my Table continually 2 â—am 7 7 He cannot mean thou shalt do dothing but eat he would not have him to be such a Cormorant but commonly every day c. 5. To have a Heart always for this Duty to be always fit and ready for this sacred Ordinance Quest What are those special Times and Seasons for Prayer Or when is extraordinary Prayer to be made Ans 1. When a Saint hath any great Work to do for God or eminent Business and Service for his Church See Nehem. 1.5 Acts 4.2 9. When Abraham's Servant had special Work to do for his Master he was much in Prayer 2. When a Saint is in the dark concerning any one Truth of God and cannot get Satisfaction Dan. 9.1 2 3 c. then 't is a Time for extraordinary Prayer When Daniel was at a loss about the Time of Deliverance out of Captivity how much did he give himself to Prayer 3. When a gracious Soul is under any sore and grievous Affliction David in his Distress and Affliction cried mightily to God Is any afflicted let him pray that is let him be more abundantly in that Duty James 5.13 4. When Sin abounds or in a Day of great Rebuke and Blasphemy When Hell seems to be let loose or the Flood-gates of Wickedness opened wide in a Nation then it is a Time for the Godly to be much in Prayer Jer. 13.19 Isa 37.23 5. In Times of great Distress upon the Church when the Danger is imminent as at this Day this is a Time for extraordinary Prayer See Isa 22. When many Nations came up against Judah then Jehoshaphat cried mightily to Heaven 2 Chron. 20.12 When Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews and cut off Israel at once and the Writings were sealed and sent forth then Esther and the godly Ones pray mightily Thus did Jacob when his Brother was coming to meet him fearing he would cut off the Mother with the Child Gen. 33. how did he then wrestle with God! 6. In Times of Temptation When Christ was assaulted and his Hour was come he prayed hard he spent a whole Night in Prayer Mat. 26.44 And what saith he to his Disciples Mat. 26.40 41. 2 Cor. 12. Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation When Paul had that Thorn in the Flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet him he besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him That three times as some conclude might be threescore times 7. Lastly In a Time of great Expectation when great Things are near and much look'd for When Daniel expected great Things understanding by Books Deliverance to the Church was at hand he set himself to seek God Dan. 9.2 Secondly Consider Prayer is a great Ordinance And that doth appear 1. In respect of God it gives him the Glory of three great Attributes 1. Of his Omnisciency We hereby acknowledg that he knows our Wants and Necessities Psal 39 9. All my Desires are before thee and my Groanings are not hid from thee 2. His Omnipotency We acknowledg in our crying to God and relying upon him in this Duty that he is able to help us and supply all our Wants 3. It gives him the Glory of his Goodness O thou that hearest Prayer A Saint knows and confesseth hereby if he pray aright that God is willing and ready to help and save him 2. Prayer is a great Ordinance if we consider the Power and Prevalency of it Luther ascribed to Prayer a kind of Omnipotency It hath prevailed over Fire Water and Earth it hath stopp'd the Sun in its Course It hath prevailed over evil Angels it hath cast the Devil out and broke his Kingdom down It hath had Power over the good Angels as appears in the Case of Elisha it fetched them from Heaven to be his Guard and Protection 2 King 9.6 17. Nay it hath prevailed with Christ himself the Angel of the Covenant as appears in Jacob's Case As a Prince thou hast wrestled with God and hast prevailed It hath healed the Sick raised the Dead stopp'd the Lion's Mouth and hath subdued and put to flight the Armies of Aliens Heb. 11. hath opened Prison-Doors and broke in pieces Chains Gates and Bars of Iron and Brass There is none of the battering Rams or Artillery of Hell can stand against it 'T is like an Engine as one observes that makes the Persecutors tremble and wo to them that are the Buts and Marks that it is levell'd at when it is fired with the Fire of the Spirit and discharged in the Strength of Faith 'T is said Mary Queen of Scots dreaded more the Prayers of Mr. Knox than an Army of Twenty Thousand