the Dead by the Glory of the Father and that the Father raised him It is easily answered This was not by way of supplement to make up any defect of power in Christ but only by way of consent to Christs own Power and Action that so men might Honour the Son and the Father John 5.19,26 Or else by the Glory of the Father we may understand that Glorious Power which the Father gave unto the Son in the Flesh to have life from himself because that holy Spirit which immediatly quickned him was both his and the Fathers and so the Action was common to both Thus like the Pâ—…enix he goeth out of the Sâ—pulcher in the day of his Triumphs al lighted and environ'd with Flames of Triumphant Glory 3. Assuring others by his lights and sâ—…en or that they shall rise again 1. Cor. 6.14 He is called the first Fruits of them that Sleep The Triumphant Resurrection of our Lord is the Root and Hope of ours with this he sweetens the acerbities of our present life and replenisheth Hearts with the Antipast of their Immortality for he arose not barely in a Personal but Publick Capacity and though it were a Damnable Heresy of Hymeneus to say That the Resurrection was past already Yet it is a truth to say that it is begun He first and we at his coming 1 Cor. 15.25 By what is past in the head we are assured of what is expected in his Members for his Resurrection is a Pledge and Earnest of theirs He having paid our Debt Death cannot detain us in Prison for it Yea it is a beginning of ours as before is noted he being raised who is the Head the Body must also follow If the Elder Brother be sprung out of the Dust the Younger Brethren shall not stay there The Vine-Plant being in Heaven there the Branches must receive their Eternal Flourish Object 1. Is it not said 1. Cor. 15.2 By man came the Resurrection of the Dead A. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a man as is God also from whose Will this large Soul of Nature had its motion and who therein commandeth so universally as he seems to hold the Heaven and Elements under here to be instruments of his Wonders it is he that lighted Stars at his Birth and Eclipsed the Ancient Sun at his Death and walked on the waters as on a Pavement of Marble It is he that causeth the Earth to cast out her Dead Object 2. Have not men done it Answer 1. Stories of Men Raised by Men are either Lies and Illusions as the Pythonist of Endor raised the Devil in Samuels Shape and the Church of Rome maintain many Idle Stories of Dead men Raised to Walk and Live after Death Otherwayes Dead Men neither walk nor appear in Body or Soul after Death Or if there are any such They are extraordinary Permissions for Secret Ends only known to him that Permits them 2. The Prophets and Apostles have done it but in the Quality of Ministers So Elisha raised the Shunamites Son 2. Kings 4.34 And Peter raised Dorcas Acts 9.40 But not by their own Power It only belongs to Christ to do this work with an Original Power which hath its Fountain in his Bosom with an Absolute Command which receives no Modification in all Nature with a Simple Will which needs no other Instrument It was by Divine Influence and Assistance in those Prophets and Apostles to confirm their Doctrine and to draw the Church sooner to believe 3. It is the Divine Nature that is the Fountain of Life he gives takes restores to whom when and how he pleaseth As it is with the Sea for water and the Sun for light in the former all the waters are gathered together into an Ocean where they grow into swelling heaps and are the source of all the Streams that refresh the Earth and in the latter that great Luminarie is the Vessel wherein the Lord hath gathered all light which before was sattered in the Heavens but is now united in that bright Lamp which running like a fiery Chariot might rule the day and illustrate the earth making it fruitful Thus it is with the Deity for life John 6.63 The Spirit quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The words that I speak unto you are Spirit and Life And by this power he quickneth the Dead So that it 's clear the work is his who is Lord of nature and holds the Keys of life and death in his own hands His light only can dispel the darkness and his voice only can break the silence of the Grave The second Doctrine comes now to hand viz. Doct. 2. That this Divine Priviledge should be to us a ground of Faith Gen. 17.1 I am God all-sufficient walk before me c. Walk before me who am all-sufficient self-sufficient Original Universal Good the Pillar of Abrahams Faith And the Apostle speaks by way of wonder that any should not believe it Acts. 26.8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you That God should raise the Dead Therefore it is that the Sacred Scripture doth frequently mind us of his power to help our incredulitie Numb 23.19 God is not as man that he should lie nor the Son of man that he should repent hath he said it and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good And again Is there any thing too hard for God So Math. 19.27 With God all things are possible A main prop to an humble Suppliant That seeing his own vileness and the Divine Excellencies which are warming and enlightning cryeth out Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean as it is recorded Math. 8. â— 2. This is the Rock on which the weak Anchor of a Christians Faith may firmly fix You know Sampsons Riddle Out of the Eater cometh forth Sweet The reason why Christians should consider the power of God out of this strong comes forth sweetness In the application hereof may be found Vse 1. Matter of Correction and that of two sorts First of such that make it too hard denying the Resurrection in opinion As Pearls are dissolved in Vinegar so is Truth in hearts made bitter with Corruption Thus we find many wicked and irregular Spirits who having renounced the blessings of the other life against the voice of nature in the order of the World wherein we have the New Birth of Stars days Seasons Plants and Birds who make a perpetual Image of the Resurrection in the World nay against the touch of God and impressions of verity on the very Gentiles who have professed the happiness of the Soul in the other life and the Resurrection even on their Tombs to deny the Resurrection So the Saduces of old Acts 23.8 Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 18. which you may easily perceive is not only to crack the eye of a reasonable judgment but also to pull out the eye of Faith all pure and caelestial as it is Or in practice Let us eat
their being order and continuance Gen. 18.14 Is there any thing too hard for thâ— Lâ—rd Numb 23.19 God is not as mâ—n that he should lie neither the Son of Man that he should Repent hath he said and shall he not do it Mat. 19.26 With God all things are possible But what need of proof It is a truth written as with Rayes of the Sun confirm'd at least 70 times in the Scriptures of God as some have taken pains to reckon them Add we may 1. The Confession and practice of the Saints of God in all Ages 2 Chron. 20.12 O our God wilt thou not judge them 2 Chron. 25.9 God hath power to help and to cast down Flying from their Enemies both inward and outward to rest upon his Rock of Power Rom. 7.25 I thank God through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 O Death where is thy Sting Thanks be to God through Christ 2. The works of Christ Curing the Diseased Mark 5.26,27 Cleansing the Temple Math. 21.12,13 Which Jerom Attributes to his Omnipotency that he so mean should attempt a matter so considerable against so many proud insolent persons arm'd with Authority and at such a time and extolls it above raising of Lazarus from the Dead Restoring the Blind to sight and the Lame to their Limbs This was his Divine Work Not to omit the mentioning of his Changing Water into Wine John 27. Thus as the greatness of the Sun is measured by a small Shadow on the Earth so many times there needs but few words to illustrate a great Vertue The Reasons are many I shall chuse out and insist upon two only 1. The Unitie of Nature common to all the Persons John 17.22 As we are one Vnum per Vnitatem i. e. by the absolute simplicitie of Nature Phil. 2.6 Who Reckoned himself equal with God in that incomprehensible abundance of Perfection whereof the supream Adorable Nature is full as Life Goodness Immensity Eternity Holiness and all other Properties which it hath in an infallible manner Now from the purity and Perfection of that Infinite Being we may thus argue for Omnipotency viz. That which hath Being and is most distant from Passive Power being Ens Simplissimum Actus purissimus a most Simple Being and a most pure Act must partake Infinitely of Active Power which is Omnipotency Again In whom is found the Perfection of all things in him is also found the Perfection of Power But in Christ is found the Perfection of all things Eminently as is already proved therefore in him is the Perfection of Power which is Omnipotency to which nothing can be added 2. The Equality of Attributes as is his Knowledge so is his Will and Power Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven and Earth Now Knowledg and Power are according to the Condition of Nature Men know and can do something Angels know and can do more but God most of all his Knowledg is Infinite and so must his Power needs be The Second Doctrine from hence now comes to hand viz. That this is a Principal Ground of Faith See Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is Impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Gen. 17. When God would encourage Abraham he maketh himself known by the glorious Attribute of his Almighty Power I am God Alsufficient Math. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me Clean. There is no such proper Pillar to uphold a falling Spirit as this of the power of God No Shade like to this toward off the strokes of Evil. One Shine of this Attribute in its full Lustre of Glory is able to dispell in a moment all the nights of Fear Doubts Temptations which may at any time overspread the Heaven of the Soul it causeth them utterly to vanish Here 's the Adamantine Bulwark against all Adversary Power The Devil is Mighty but not Almighty as my God and Saviour is was that comforted Luther that Incarnate Seraphin and Champion of Christ How it is so will further appear if we consider 1. The Difficulty of things offer'd both for matter and manner As that all things should be ours again after they were lost that the Divine and Humane Nature should be united that a Virgin should Conceive and Bear a Son what great and admirable things are these Here are matters which the cleerest Understandings of Men and Angels entertain with Amazement things in a Sphere above Nature beyond all Humane Disquisition The deep things of God the Divine Omnipotency can only maintain Faith in the sense of their possibility 2. His Propriety in and over all He made all gave them a Being according to the Idea and Platform presented to the Divine Understanding and he hath absolute Right to dispose of all Rom. 9.18 To do with his own as he will His Power is independent and Prerogative illimited Psal 8.6 to be understood of Christ Thou madest him to have Dominion over the works of thine Hands Which Absolute Power floweth not from the nature of Communicative Bounty in bestowing Gifts to some more to others less and so hath more or less Right over them for then his Power should be finite and limited as Arminians hold only to cut off the Absolute Decree which the Lord past by vertue of his Right no Creature being capable of an Infinite measure of goodness But from the Excellency of his Nature being Omniscient Omnipotent Infinite Eternal c. 3. From the Irresistability of his power All things do obey him There is nothing from Heaven to Hell which boweth not under his Laws Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted his Will Luke 7.7,8 Say the words and thy Servant shall he Healed And this is true of Christ as appears Math 8.27 Even the Winds and the Seas obey him Xerxes the Persian Monarch threw Fetters into the Sea as if he would have Chained the unruly Waves but to little purpose but when Christ speaks The Winds and the Seas shall obey him By a word he unpins the Wheels and breaks the Axle-Tree of the whole Creation In short whatever the Divine Unerstanding can Comprehend so much the Divine Power can Execute 4. From the Incommunicableness of this Attribute No Creature is Capable of being Omnipotent quicquid recipitur ad modum Recipientis Recipitur Besides every Creature is Resistable in the Exercise of Natural Qualities In him we Live and move and have our Being he Supports Restrains and orders all But here we meet with Objections from some who Imitating the Sorcerers cast mists upon the Brightest Morning 1 Object May not this Omnipotency be Imputed to the Humane Nature of Christ Answ By Reason of the Union Hypostatical the Properties of both Natures may be Communicated to the Person and yet not mutually between the Natures The Natures were not Changed nor their Properties Confounded each Retaining after what was peculiar before Christ suffered and Dyed but according
in the Body into the Skin God hath been reforming the Land and our Wickedness appears the more Time was when Sin began to be ashamed to creep into Corners to be out of Fashion but now it is grown brazen faced walks in the open Streets seems to be in request more than ever Thus our Sins testify against us are grown up to Heaven and darken the Sun put out the Moon seal up the Constellations to intercept the passage of Prayer thither and to stop the influences of the light of Heaven from descending hither or to knock at the Gate to sollicite for vengeance upon us Secondly what the Lord hath done to others so offending even took away his Glory and gave them up into the Enemies hands bringing them into a Spiritual Egypt Witness the famous Asian Churches now under the Mahometan Tyranny There was a time when the Vineyard Isa 5.4 should have afforded red Wine and then it might have expected Watering every moment and Continued Preservation but this Vineyard Degenerating instead of Red Wine it brought forth Wild Grapes and then instead of keeping the Lord threatned to take away the Hedge and pull down the Walls thereof instead of Preserving it from hurt to let it be eaten up broken down instead of Watering to command the Clouds to yield it no Rain Thirdly Considering what he hath done amongst us how he goeth on by Degrees God is just and when the Number is up the rod will certainly fall when the Corn is ripe the Sickle is prepared Though he break not the Candlestick he may for ought we know remove it and not leave so much as any quality title or Property of a Church he may deal with us as he did with Ephesus and who knows but that the Lord hath said of us in this Nation as he did of the old Church of the Jews Deut. 32.32,33 Their Vine is the Vine of Sodom c. Sure I am he hath already begun to cut the Vine till it bleed and if Repentance steps not in to turn away Wrath he may be provoked to say to England as he once did to Palestina Jer. 2.21 I Planted thee a noble Vine wholly a right seed how then art thou turned a degenerate Plant of a strange Vine unto me And not only loan us out but set us to whole-sale and make the Kingdom an Holocaust to his just Indignation 2. On the prophane and ungodly in special This Doctrine is to them an Arrow sent from Heaven Feathered with Wrath and headed with Ruine It is a hand from Heaven an Alarm from thence Considering First what the Lord hath threatned Deut. 29.19,20 The Lord will not spare that man he shall not escape Do not think the Lord to be a God of Clou t s one that however he speak heavy words yet will not do as he saith say not with them in Isa 5.13 Words are but Wind and with them in the Gospel God forbid Do not fancy to your selves a God made up wholly of Mercy and so act arbitrarily living as you please for verily you will find he hath blows as well as words and that the cry of Sin will most certainly be followed with the eccho of Wrath. Clouds contains the showers of Rain that fall on the earth and so do Threatnings contain the Judgments that pursue Sinners As in the Revelations you never read that the Heavens opened but some great matter followed so it is here Hath the Lord spoken and shall he not do it Verily his word shall not pass away unfulfilled Secondly what he hath done to the Old World Sodom Achan Ahab Saul Herod and such like Sinners against their own Souls He hath made Arrows of all Wood and vengeance of all Creatures to punish their Demerit he hath fallen upon them more swift than Tempests Eagles or impetuous Storms They are so many visible Sermons and speak the determinations of God real Stories to be read by you that you may not become Stories for others to read Then shall he speak to them in his Wrath c. Behold these examples in a way of particular application as bringing Tidings of Ruine and saying Vnless you Repent you shall all likewise perish As Judges use to hang up notorious Offendor in Chains to be a terrour to all Spectators so hath the Lord done with many obstinate Sinners he hath Thundred and Lightned over their rebellious heads none of them were able to resist his Justice Thirdly Considering what you have deserved even to be delivered up to a reprobate sense Rom. 1.28 to Believe a lye 2 Thes 2.11 to be turned into Hell where your Horrour and Lamentations should be the Musick of Gods Justice and the Heraulds of his Righteous Severity to all Eternity Object But shall we be so dealt with Answ Yes without Repentance and speedy turning to God It is but as he is just he will find you out The Rocks and Mountains shall not be able to shelter you from the Wrath of him that sits on the Throne May the terrours of God prevail with you O be importunate with the most High to cut the thred of your Wickedness that you may not spin it out to a full Length Put to your own strength to break off the Match between you and Sin and Sue out a Divorce Break off thy Sins by Righteousness saith Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar Cut this Gordian Knot If you have any Generosity of Spirit any sparks of Sobriety consider your latter end now begin to found a retreat fold up your Ensigns It is not too late the door of Grace is yet open Protest not to persevere in Mischief like Devils There are none but enraged Spirits that will be healed by the Experience of their own ill and bury themselves in their ruin Wise men alwayes make a Medicine for themselves of others Folly Vse 2. This Doctrine sounds most incomparable Comfort to all the beloved of God and called unto Holiness Considering First what he hath promised Proâ— 28.13 Isa 1.18 Ezek. 18.22 25,26 1 John 1.9 c. These are a Nosegay of sweet Flowers taken out of the Scripture-garden make use of them Let your Meditation like the Bee suck the sweetness of them They 'le prove as Bezar-stone to keep you from fainting under your Sins and Sorrows Get more acquaintance with them O Ye Sons of Adoption Be not like unskilfull Lapidaries little valuing the worth of such Orient Pearls which are the Riches and the only Treasure of the Heirs of Glory on this fide Heaven Suck at these Breasts take Courage from those Heavenly Influences Secondly Considering what he hath done He hath been Mindfull of his Covenant neither will he forget Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love which you have shâ—wed towards his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister 2 Thess 1.6,7,8 You have three sure Foundations to build upon 1. You have his Attributes of Justiâ—… and Truth Whatever he
Christs Divine Property to be aâ— many places at once neither inclusively nor exclusively If it be said That the Omnipotency of God may extend the Dimensions of Christs Body that it may at the same time fill Heaven and Earth it may be easily replied This is to make Christ a Monster and to contradict the very Nature of a Created Body Yet Papists most confidently obtrude this Principle upon the Word and by this their Catholick Power make a Body to be at two places at once as the Body of Christ in Heaven and upon a popish Altar at once Which is a contradiction and therefore a lye Let God be true and every man a Lyar. Heaven is said to to receive Christs Body Acts 3.21 In Practice As they First who live as if they were Omnipotent Such there be in the World who endeavour to make their Will a Law and cause all to fall down before them Like Jezebel and Sennacharib confounding Elements and raising Stars with the Dust of the Earth whereby to come to the end of their exhorbitant pretensions Threatning to hew down Mountains and Thunder-strike Mortals supposing all the ample house of Nature to be Created for them Swallowing the World by Avarice and wasting it by Riot And not only so but according to the improvement of their Cruel Pride cry not with the Old Tyrant for another World to plunder but attempt the Invasion of the Intelligible World and commit Rapine upon Souls making havock of the Church of God to which Angels refer but as Ministring Spirits and Lording it over Gods Heritage which the Apostles besought to be Reconciled to God and never Commanded them any thing in their own name and only such things for which they could shew unquestionable Commission Such as these set themselves down in the Throne of God as Maximilian that good Emperour used to say this being one of those three things the Divine Power hath reserved to himself as his Prerogative viz. To Create to Foretel things to come and to Rule over Consciences Secondly Living as if they cared not for him that is Omnipotent indeed despising his Threatnings slighting his Promises as if he were able to perform neither Whence they dare to lift an Arm against the Omnipotent When as all power in Heaven and in Earth yea all Judgment is committed to Christ He hath Authority to relieve his Saints to Sentence all his Enemies unto Eternal Flames and Torments and will make some as bright as Stars and others like Burning Coals in Hell O Hear Consider Tremble 2. This Doctrine casteth a sharp Dart of reproof against all such that deny or doubt of it as those Israelites who said Can the Lord provide Flesh also And that Court-Favourite 2 Kings 7.2 Who when the Prophet Elisha by the Command of God foretold the great Plenty of Samaria dared to say If the Lord open the Windows of Heaven can these things be Such unbelieving hearts are among us to this day Can the Lord do this or that Is he able to accomplish what he hath promised can he Heal my Backslidings pardon my Sins and save my Soul As if the Lord Jehovah lived after the rate of Creatures This is to reproach the Holy One of Israel 3. Against such as rely altogether on the Power of God without the use of Means As the former sort Reproach God so these Tempt God The Lord could indeed Enlighten us without the Sun and afford us Fruit without the Earth but he will have the Creature Operate The very Heathen could say Admota manu Invocanda est Minerva and the Sage Greek Rebuked the foolish Carter who when his Waggon stuck in the Mud Cryed to God but never put his hand to help himself Meanes must be used Though men live not by Bread alone but by the word of Gods Blessing proceeding out of his Mouth yet that word is Annexed to Bread and not to Stones and that man should not Trust but Tempt God who would have Stones turned into Bread because God hath Power so to do And if God have provided stairs it is not Faith but Fury not Confidence but Madness to go down a Precipice Second Means must be used in Obedience to Gods order though not in Confidence of their help the Creature must be the Object of our Dilligence but God only the Object of our Trust Vse 3. Thirdly This Doctrine as it is sufficient to terrify the Wicked so it is to give occasion of Confidence to the Faithful since it hath an Eternal alliance with him that governs the World Read your matchless Consolation in the following particulars 1. Against Sin Satan and all Enemies of the Church that Christ is Omnipotent 2 Chron. 20.15 In the Words of King Jehosophat to the People of Judah Thus saith the Lord to you Be not afraid or dismayed because of this great Multitude for the Battel is not yours but Gods 2 Chron. 32.7,8 Hezekiah said to the People Be strong and Couragious be not Afraid or Dismayed for the Kings of Assyria nor for the Multitude that is with them for they are more with us than with them Whatever Power or Counsel shall be set up against Heaven shall not succeed against the design of Heaven The vast Numbers of men trouble him no more than those Millions of Waves in the Sea are a trouble to that great Ocean All Nations before him are but as one drop of the Dew He Causeth whole Countries to tremble under the Force of his Word as under Lightning Arrows and is attired with the Conquest and Trophies of Souls O the Wonders of God! He Causeth the Arrows of those that Invade his Kingdom to Return against them that shot them as in Julian's Case was apparent which we only mention Though he thought by the help of his false Gods to Command the Waves of the Sea and to walk upon the Stars yet was he buried in Execration and Horrours And as it is in Temporals so it is in Spirituals He can subdue the strongest Corruptions Break the hardest Heart relieve the most Fainting Graces Let all Christs People learn to look up and then you will 1. Patiently suffer and wait He is Omniscient and Omnipotent He knows all and can relieve all 2. You will learn to rest upon him Psalm 37.3 Trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the Land You will not trust in men and frame to your selves an arm of Straw but confide in him who with the Fingers of his Power sustains the whole Globe of the Earth You will not Adore the Favours of men which are like the Rainbow in Heaven which having made shew of many Splendours and varied Paintings leaves nothing but Water and Morter You will then no more build Fortunes on Foundations of Silver upon a Frail man who beareth all the Fingers of Vanity God is a Wall of Brass about his people Lo I am with you to the end of the World In all Conditions If Daniel be
not Dispair looks on things through black Spectacles and gives all for lost Hope doth the contrary Q How is it possible to hope against Hope Answ 1. Because of the Power of Christ upon which the Soul doth in great Straits rowl it self Whatever Lets and Impediments do arise between the Promise and the fulfilling of it though they be as high as Mountains and as the Gates of Hell yet the Believer can by Faith look upon them all but as Difficulties which cannot check the Power of Christ but only Magnifie it For as jealous Thoughts of the Divine Arm or fear that it may be encountred with some insuperable opposition makes the Hope of Promised Good to be weak and uncertain so the faithful and serious consideration of Gods Power a resting upon it produceth Hope against Hope it turns every Valley of Achor into a door of Hope administers Manna in the Wilderness and draws water out of the Rock brings light out of darkness comfort out of every Tryal Thus Miconius wrote to Calvin upon view of the Churches Enemies reflecting upon the Power of Christ Gaudeo quod Christus Dominus est alioquin totus Desperassem I am Glad that Christ Reigns otherwise I should utterly despair So the Believer in the midst of Straits rejoyceth in the Power of Christ who lives and Reigns for ever and ever 2. The Spirit of Christ inwardly works and nourisheth some Sparks of Hope always in the Hearts of his people Thus it was with Job David Paul and a vast number of other faithful Souls who sparkling with the lightning Rays of Hope have lift up their Palms in the midst of Hazzards and Gain'd Heaven by Violence still laying the degrees of their Honour in the depth of suffering This like an Anchor holds the Ship of the Soul in her greatest Storms and like an Helmet keeps off the Blows of the Sword or Arrows from entring 1 Thessal 5.8 Let us who are of the day be sober putting on the Breast-Plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation In time of publick Calamities the Righteous have Hope Joel 3.16 The Lord will roar out of Zion the Heaven and Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the Hope of his People So that if all outward hope be taken away their hope in God is not taken away Upon this account it was that the Jews being Prisoners in Babylon are called Prisoners of Hope Zech. 9.10 If Heaven and Earth be ready to come together yet through the strength of the Divine Spirit working in their Hearts Believers have Hope which as a Bow in the Heavens all furnished with Emeralds never loseth it force 3. Their former Experiences are a Foundation of Hope against Hope Rom. 5.4 And Experience Hope Hos 2.5 I will give the Valley of Achor for a door of Hope This Valley of Achor so called from Achans Sacriledge to deter men from Sin some think to be the same with Engeddi mentioned so often in the Canticles however both are neer to Jericho and in it they tasted the first Fruits of Canaan as an earnest of the rest in it they saw abundance of Plenty and were Delighted and Refreshed therewith all that the Lord did then for his People and now saith he will give it to the Church for a door of Hope A Believer brings in a Catalogue of Experiences Psal 119.65 Thou hast dealt well with thy Servant In how many Cases hath he had Experience of God when Sin and Temptation have been strong he hath come in with Auxiliary Forces and his Grace hath proved sufficient When the poor Soul hath been even sinking under Fear God hath recovered him out of the Quick-Sands and lifted his head above the deep Water Psal 33. O Lord thou art my Glory and the lifter up of my Head When David was in the Mouth of Danger the Lord delivered him I was pluckt out of the Mouth of the Lyon so Saint Paul The Believer hath many Experiences and these beget Hope Thou hast and wilt Deliver saith Experimental David 4. By looking on things not as they are at present or in their own power but as they shall be by the Lords promise Surely saith the poor Believer He is faithful that hath promised As he is able to fulfil the least Iota of whatever he hath spoken so he is infallible in what he promiseth As no impediment can arise to hinder his Power so no contingency can fall out to alter his Will all his Promises being in Christ Jesus yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 These and such like Meditations serve to uphold and keep Believers from being injurious to God or themselves and to believe in Hope against Hope Vse 2. This Doctrine administers incomparable Comfort whosoever is Christs is enabled to believe in Hope against Hope When Comfort can neither be seen felt nor apprehended when Fears and Distresses are on every side and all hope of safety is taken away when nature affords no ground of Hope or encouragement to expect the fulfilling of a Promise but suggesting many posing arguments to impede and gainsay the Truths of it and to make Faith as feeble as their Bodies when old and Crazy then to hope against Hope 1. That the Church shall be raised and preserved from so many Enemies is against Hope 2 Chron. 20.12 O our God wilt thou not judg us for we have no Might against this great Company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2. That a Wound shall be Healed It is against Hope Prov. 18.14 A Wounded Spirit who can bear 3. That many and strong Lusts shall be vanquished and subdued Rom. 7.24 O Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death 4. That an impure Soul shall be prepared for and received into Heaven it is against hope yet see Isa 1.18 Come let us reason together saith the Lord though your Sins be as Red as Crimson I will make them white as Snow To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Oh strive for this Heavenly Hope Q. How may it be Attained A. As other Graces are wrought so is this It is the work of God wherefore he is called The God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5.10 He is the first Planter the Promoter and Finisher of Grace God is called the Father of Lights and he must light up this Candle in your Souls More particularly it is obtained 1. By Experience Rom. 5.4 as David argued 1 Sam. 17.37 And Holy Paul 2 Cor. 1.20 Experience breeds Confidence Thou hast thou shalt is the ordinary argument used by the Psalmist And so the Church comforted her self and Nourisheth her Hope Lament 3.21,24 This I Recalled to mind therefore I hope in thee And The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul therefore will I Hope in him The observation of Gods Merciful Acts of Providence to his Church in general as to any of his People in
Soveraignty of Christ comes next to be Considered viz. Calling things that are not as though they were An Effect or peculiar Property of the Deity whereby God with special Reference to Christ the Son who appeared to Abraham and in whâ—m he believing was justified is described The words are few the Sentence short and hard to be understood not how it is a ground of Faith that easily follows but how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be in the Divine Understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how the God of Truth should Congruously and truely call things that are not as though they were this is difficult to conceive For the Clearing and Opening of it to the weak Capacity of man some have and may provided it be done with Reverence Sobriety and Reference to the Scripture chiefly for we cannot speak of God but as he hath spoken of himself take Occasion to discourse 1. Of the Infinite Essence Comprehending and Representing all that ever should have being to the Divine Understanding 2. Of the Infinite Presence and drawing together the whole Succession of time as if present not Imaginarily but really and Coexisting with all time I am that I am i. e. The Absolute Being the Independent and first Original of all Essences Jehovah the Alpha and Omega But while they have gone about in their own words to bring this Infinite Mystery under mans finite Capacity they have left it more Obscure I conceive it safer to be Contented with Scripture Phrases not as Moulded this or that way by humane Reason but as they lye in the Text viz. in Vniversalibus Large and General Expressions and not descend to curious Particulars rather falling under an awful Adoration and Beleif than an exact Extrance on any such Subject beyond what we may be assured is Revealed This is to be wise to Sobriety Especially Considering First Our great Apostles Admiration Rom. 11.33 O the Depth of the Riches of the Wisdom of God! where observe a Difference between Wisdom and Knowledg Knowledg is of things to come though Inconvenient and Disallowed Wisdom of things convenient and approved As the excellent Dr. Twiss Contr. Jackson hath noted And also his Imposed Silence 2 Cor. 12.4 His unspeakable words not Lawful for any to utter It is not for you to know Acts 1. Secondly The rash and presumptuous Adventure of some School-Divines who affecting Novelty and Obscurity deliver things hard to be understood if not Impossible to be so about the Divine Attributes those scorching and Peircing Beams that others may fear to hear or read Such curious Pries there have been into this Ark and Cabinet of Gods Secrets not measurable by the line of Humane Reason or fashionable by the Plummet of any Created Understanding And therefore we should still cry out with that great Doctor of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly Considering how difficult a Passage it is Nature helps little and God hath spoken little of himself How dangerous is it to Err Homo sum non Intelligo secreta Dei Investigare non Audeo hoc ipsum Temeritatis genus est saith Salvian Lib. 3. de Guber Dei And it was a grave and serious Speech of Seneca worthy the Consideration of the greatest Divines Nunquam nos Verecundiores esse debemus quam de Deo Agitur It should not seem strange if strucken with those Rayes which dazle the Eyes of Seraphins we yeild to his Greatness and discourse in the Secret Mysteries of the Scripture with great Moderation and take heed that neither our Thoughts nor Tongues proceed any further than the Bounds of Gods word do extend We should be willing to be Ignorant where our great Master would not let us know And Nescire velle quae Magister maximus nos scire non vult Erudita Inscitia est as Scaliger hath expressed it To all which I shall add that weighty Consideration of Renowned Calvin who Lib. 1. Instit cap. 13. Sect. 21. Speaks to this Effect How may the Mind define the Immeasurable Essence of God unseen and therefore with Moulin Haec Perobscura sunt et iimide et Religiose Tranctanda I shall therefore in handling this Text before us do as Men use to do in great Rivers or deep Waters keep close to the shoar and Labour to have firm ground to walk by both in Explaining and after in concluding those plain Truths thence arising most useful for us For Explication we may take Notice of three things 1. The Subject implyed He the Messiah the Mediator Christ was he that appeared to Abraham Christ it was in whom he believed He gave being to things that had no beings in the Creation He blew the Universe into an Existency by the Breath of his Mouth and by his Fiat reared the Heaven and Earth with all therein and he preserveth them in being and Restoreth them in and by the Resurrection An Invincible Argument of Christs Divinity against the Arrians and Servetians with other Enemies who will not that Christ should Reign over them and will not Honour him with any personal Existence till he was born into the world of the Virgin-Mary they not being able to bear so Resplendent a Light have endeavour'd to obscure it by the Fumes of their Brains 2. The Work Call Taken especially three wayes in the Holy Scriptures And so 1. For the Knowledge of God Isa 42.6 I the Lord have called them in Righteousness Chap. 43.1 Fear not O Jacob I have Redeemed thee I have called thee by my Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vocavit is used in both Texts And so in the 147 Psal 4. He telleth the Number of the Stars he calleth them all by Name And this either of things in Act that have been or shall be called Scientiam Purae Visionis or of things Possible Called Scientiam pro Simâ—licis Intelligentiae so far as they are knowable 2. It is taken for the Power of God â—alling i. e. Causing not only things â—hat have no actual Existence to apâ—ear as being but giving them beâ—ng in time So in the Creation he â—alled for Light Fiat and there was Light and so of other things he calleth them into being by his Noble and Divine manner of working which the Scripture calleth Creation bringing them from not being to a being producing the matter of which they consist preparing and sitting it as now it is Investing it with all those Forms and Admirable Qualities or which all the Motions of their Nature do depend And else-where it iâ— said he called for Famine and the Sword i. e. he Commanded and Effectuallâ— Caused them Psal 105.16 Jer 25.29 3. It is taken for the Manifestatioâ— of both in dispensing Means and diâ—posing his Creature according to thâ— Right and Dominion he hath oveâ— them as Creatures Rom. 8.30 9. â—… I will call them my People which were â—… my People c. 3. Here is the Effect of this Wor◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Things that are â— as though
as the Fire necessarily burneth and the Sun shineth Free to this or that Act as the reasonable Creature is Contingent beyond Expectation producing Effects accordingly but all known to the first Cause before they were as if they were So that there is no Room nor need for any Scientia Media Thirdly we are Informed how this Divine Omniscience is a ground of Faith viz. On a Three-fold account 1. As it is known to be infallible his Priviledge that cannot deceive nor be deceived 2. As it is known to be Immutable subject to no Alteration or Variation Jam. 1.17 he is described to be withâ—ut variableness or Shadow of Change As the Sun he Shines always with the same Rayes of Brightness Eclipses only excepted an Attribute that runs through all the rest his Mercy Council Love are all immutable his Heart is the same to day and for ever We may be Changed in our opinions and Estate but the Divine Nature never Changeth 3. As it is Incommunicable Every Creature is Finite and this is Infinite The Gods of the Gentiles were often herein challenged and found wanting The first Angels would have had it but sunk under the weight of that desire and Adams Candle aspiring to be a Sun hath burnt the dimmer ever since All these laid together will prove a strong Motive to believe In the Second Vse of this point is discovered the folly of men in two things viz. First In endeavouring to prevent Gods Omnisciency by sinning securely because secretly and digging deep to hide their Plots Hear the Language of the Prophet Isa 24.15,16 We to them that digg deep to hide their Counsels from the Lord. They think no eye seeth them not his who can do nothing but see How vain The Eyes of God are like two Flaming Torches more resplendent than the Sun it self none can steal from his Lightning Flashes Screetch-Owls may find Holes and Nights to keep them from the day which they cannot abide but he that flies from the Face of God where can he find darkness enough to hide himself O blind and insensible Fugative from the Sovereign Essence in the Region of Nothing whither wilt thou go not to find the reproaches of thy Crimes Be Confident he that can save from the deadliest extremities can also see in the darkest obscurities Secondly In endeavouring to usurp it and that 1. By manifest falshood not only of the Pope and his adherents defining and concluding things that are not as though they were but others also who daringly call their Sins Gods Temptations The Woman thou gavest me c. And many have laid the Bastards of Heresie to the door of the Sanctuary and called Diabolical Seductions Evangelical Revelations as if the Father of Lights could bring forth the Issues of Death This is to usurp the Royal Prerogative of Heaven and to invade the Lords Incommunicable Property 2. By Flattery and that either of our selves or others Of our selves calling Carnal Contents Pleasure Dissolute Passions true Mirth Covetousness Providence Vain-Glory Curiosity Presumption Hope Fading Creatures true Riches against our Knowledge Solomon calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that are not in comparison of true Riches Contentment and Duration for they make to themselves Wings and flie away as the Eagle towards Heaven Of others especially the Great and the Rich for sooner will an hot May want flies than such want Flatterers calling them to be what they are not Such was that Parasite who endeavoured to puff up King Canutus by telling him that all his Dominions nay the Seas themselves were at his Command And Onuphirus the Popes Biographer praised Hildebrand or Gregory the Seventh for notable Acts and great Vertues whom Cardinal Pembo truely described to have been a Murtherer an Adulterer a Conjurer every way as bad as might be Mark Anthony was a Prince extreamly dissolute yet was by his Flatterers called God Bacchus and he soon came to that shameful impudence as to have that title engraved on his Statute Such servile Souls there are who bind themselves like Fishers Angling Lines seeing their advantages to depend on impertinent Discourse and that the false Altars of Worldly Greatness will be served with such Smoke spare it no more than a man would water in a River No Age but has been pestered with such Cattle Nero's Courtiers would sooth him up for his singing though it were exceeding ill with a Quam pulcher Caesar Apollo Augustus Like the Flatterer in the Fable who accomodating himself to the time gave the Ape many specious praises saying He was a Vermilian Rose and that those that environ'd him his Young Ones were the Leaves that he was the Sun and those about him were the Raies that he was as Valiant as a Lyon all his off-spring were a Race of Young Lyons With a multitude among our selves who call the niggard Bountiful the Voluptuous Chaste the Proud Humble the Civil Man Religious above their Knowledge they are not so we see it neither can we make them so and therefore should not call them so Vse 3. In the third place this Doctrine yeilds singular comfort to all the Faithful Your Saviour 1. Knows all your enemies to prevent them He that sits in Heaven Laughs them to scorn the Lord will have them in Derision be they never so cunning and politick the Divine Providence shut up in a Cloud Roareth over their heads and in a moment will overthrow the Mountains of Wind which the Tyrants of the World raise one upon the other and make their silly wisdom appear like an Owl unfeathered and asham'd at the Raies of Noon-day though their alâ—itudes may be so many Ravishments to dark the Earth As it was once said of Anthony concerning Augustus so it may be of Christ and the Enemies of his people His Geinus goes beyond theirs 2. He knows all our wants to supply them inward outward of Soul Body for Present for Future Cheer up your drooping Spirits in the Consideration of your Saviour In him dwelleth all fulness as he is Mediatour established and destinated for your Salvation so that all Perfection Riches Grace and Excellencies meet there together Divinity and Humanity fill'd with all the Qualities and Properties that pertain to them there concur which Christ hath not for himself but for his People as the Sea hath Water to Convey unto the Earth and the great Luminary hath Brightness to Enlighten the Heavens and the Earth that from it as from a Common source might Stream forth into all things all the Flame and Warmth they want 3. Christ knows all your Sins to Pardon and Subdue them He calleth you now what you are not Cant. 4.7 Thou art all fair my Love and there is no Spot in thee You shall be because he will make you so Your Light shall be without any Shadow your Beauty without the least Spot to disgrace it Those Roses that are now in their Blossom shall be fully blown and those Stars which are now
to his Humanity Christ was Omniscient and Omnipotent but according to his Deity 2 Object Is raised from that Passage of Christ himself Math. 28.18 All Power is given me in Heaven and in Earth which say some cannot be understood of his Deity for so he was not Capable of any Addition Answ It is spoken of Christ as Mediator Omnipotency was given to him for Intercession and Aplication of his Merits for the Governing and gathering of his Saints That all things shall work together for good so John 5.22 The Father judgeth no man but hath Committed all Judgment to the Son and for other Places of that Nature they are to be understood not Simply of Power but of Authority according to that 1 Cor. 15.24,25 Then the End shall come when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power for he must Reign till he hath Subdued all his Enemies under his Feet Which establisheth the former answer 3. Object Is it not Communicated to Believers Answ Christ hath given very great Power to Believers in so much as 1. Believers can do all things but then see whence their bow hath such a back of Steel viz in and from Christ by a derived Power Christ leaves on such as have received him some footsteps and Impressions of his Omnipotency for whereas Divine Power Consists especially in two things viz. In Gods being able to do all things that are Regularly possible and his not being able to do any thing Sinful so we find some Prints of both upon Christians I can do all things saith Saint Paul And whosoever is born of God cannot Sin saith Saint John this I say is by a derived Power Communicated to them according to their Capacity 2. All things are possible to them i. e. all things as Christ was to do for them or they receive from him as Mediator all things are possible to them not Simply but Respectively to that Power unto which all things are Referr'd and Subjected Well then to apply the whole Vse 1. First Diverse Corolaries may be deduced from the whole by way of Information viz. 1. That he in whom we believe Jesus Christ God blessed for ever was before all things that now have being and gave being to all John 8.58 Before Abraham was I am John 1.2 The same was in the Beginning in the Instant of Creation therefore also before the Creation and therefore from Eternity Indeed Arrius Corrupts the Greek Text reading it thus The Lord Created me in the Beginning and thence Blasphemously Inferr'd that Christ was no more than a Creature But the Scripture saith He was set up from Everlasting Prov. 8.23 and he is called The Antient of Days Dan. 7.9 And as he was before all things so he gave being to all things 1 John 3. He was not Idle with the Father as some Blasphemously speak but by him as a Principal Efficient co-Agent the Father and Holy Ghost all things were made 2. That all things Creatures which we see and know once were not and are in the Power of God to be Reduced into nothing or to be Disposed by him as he shall please according to his Absolute Soveraignty God hath Power over every Created being and over every part of being He being Jehovah that gave being to all and received being from none He Confirms Scepters and Crowns he Raiseth Cities Provinces and Monarchies he erects States preserves Laws and Travels through-out all Nature without takeing pains and can as easily Reduce them all to nothing 3. That there is an exact Conformity between the Decree and the Execution Things that had no being were called as iâ— they had been and in time they were as they were before called There is no depending Freedom in any Creature God sustains the Agent and determins the Action his Power reacheth over all 4. That God cannot Sin for he is Omniscient and cannot err he is Omnipotent and hath no passive Power to receive from without that might change his will Ever is to be abhorred the Blasphemous Doctrine of the Marcionites Manichees and Libertines who would make this Dreadful and Sacred Majesty the Cause of most detestable Errours yet with as much absurdity as they who make the Sun Guilty of Darkness by whom the Heaven is enlightned and the Sea of Driness by whom the whole Earth is Moistned And therefore Conclude against Bellarmin who Wickedly Imputed to Protestant Divines that which they Detest with greatest Loathing 5. That we have the same ground for our Faith as Abraham had viz. the Omnipotency of Christ seen in the Creation of the World and Sustentation of all in bearing with all in the great Empire and Defence of the Church and Gospel in the midst of Enemies in Converting Pardoning Sin and Preserving all his House from Apostacy In all which you have a Marvellous Discovery of his Divine Power who maketh Light to break out of Darkness and Traces the Rays of his Glory upon an heap of Dirt using base and Inferiour Persons and things for the good of his People 6. Therefore we should not Finally doubt nor despair of our selves or others Math. 19.26 With God all things are possible Rom. 11.32 God is able to Graft them in again Saint Augustine in his third Epistle to Volusian and else-where give Rules against distrustful Reasonings Tota ratio facti Potentia Facientis Consecra Authorem tolle Dubitationem We must grant God to be able to do some things the Reason of which we are not able to Comprehend the whole Reason of doing being the Power of the Doer it is God that doth them Consider the Author and all doubts will cease Let us Remember Paul Mary Magdalen Maâ—…sses and other Monuments of Gods Power which hath Crowned Plants with Flowers and Fruits that were Barren and Accursed fill'd Desarts and the most Desolate Heaths with Exquisite and Delicate Trees which Examples had never come to our Hearing had it not been for our Encouragement With these should every Sound Penitent be Revived and Comforted God can turn Noisom Dunghills into a Mine of Gold Brands of Hell into Lightsome Stars in the highest Firmament Slaves of Daemons into Angels Doubt not Despair not of the Church and State Ezek. 37.11,12 O my People I will open your Graves and cause you to come out of your Graves What cannot God do who can Create Nothing can stand before a Creating Power He needeth no existing Matter to work upon nor Instruments to Work with O what a great thing is nothing in the Hand of God! Vse 2. Seâ—ondly this Doctrine sounds sharp reproof against those 1. Who abuse this Atribute either in opinion or practise In Opinion as they who argue a Posse ad esse because of the power of God and Attribute that to it which implies a Contradiction as to be a Finite Body in Substance and yet Infinite in Presence to be every where It is
Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against all the Wiles of the Devil For we wrestle not with Flesh and Blood c. 2. We observe hence The growth increase and Final Victory of True Grace Against Hope he believed in Hope Math. 13.32 The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Grain and to Leaven that leaveneth the whole Lump Grace is of a spreading nature it swells it self into the whole man and makes the Soul rise as high as Heaven Grace lies not in the Heart as a Stone in the Earth but puts it self forth in vigorous Actings To this refers that exhortation 2 Pet. 3.17 Fall not from your Stedfastness but grow in Grace c. The first appearance of it on the Soul may be but as the Wings of the Morning spreading themselves upon the Mountains yet it is still rising higher and higher upon it Chasing away all filthy Mists and Vapours of Sin till it arrive to its Meridian height such is the strength and force of Divinity in it Though at first when it enters on the Soul it may seem to be sowen in weakness yet it still raiseâ—h it self in Power As Christ was in his Bodily appearance still increasing in Wiâ—dom and Knowledg and Favour with God and Man till he was perfected with Glory so is he also in his Gracious Appearance in his Saints who shall go from strength to strength till they appear before God in Sion The Reasons hereof are taken 1. From the Principle or Fountain whence Grace Floweth And that is Christ and his Spirit of Infinite Value and irresistable Efficacy so that unless Christ be overcome Grace cannot be overcome Grace being a Creature is in its own nature perishing for ours is no better Coin than Adams but in Christs Keeping it can never perish The Saints Graces of themselves like Glass may break but being held in the Hand of Christ they can never be broken 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the Power of God through Faish unto Salvation The small Mustard-Seed shall not be killed the little Spark of Fire shall not be quenched there is an overflowing Power to draw them forth and perfect them Where-ever the frame of Grace is begun it shall be brought forth to a compleatness and Christs Kingdom in that Soul shall be victorious over all opposition of Corruption 2. From the Nature of the Opposers of Grace They are finite and mortally Wounded Our Lord led Captivity Captive Heb. 2.14 And through Death hath Destroyed him who hath the Power of Death So that upon serious Consideration I may say to all the Faithful as Elisha sometime spake 2 Kings 6.16 Fear not for they that are with you are more than they with them Though inward Corruption and outward Enemies be Numerous and strong yet they shall not Finally prosper Where Christ promotes his Kingdom it is so established that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Assaulted it may be but Conquered it can never be As it is said of the old Romans they lost some Battels but never lost a war Christians may have some Foils but they shall be finally Victorious Vse 1. In the Application hereof I shall endeavour a little further to Discover the Nature of this Grace of Hope c. 1. By way of Information the Enquiry will be First What it is Answ It is a Divine Vertue Infused by the Spirit into the Understandings and Wills of Actual Members of the Militant Church whereby they certainly and patiently wait for those good things God hath promised Rom. 8.24,25 We are saved by Hope but Hope that is seen is no Hope for what a man sees why doth he yet hope for but if we hope for that we see not then we do with Patience wait for it In which Description we have exprest or Implyed four things 1. The Principal Author The Spirit of God 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his Abundant mercy hath Begotten us again unto a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead 2. The Subject inclusive partly the Understanding partly the Will the one Informed the other perswaded to expect 3. The Object about which it is Imployed either Formal which is God alone his Power Truth and Help to obtain the promised Good or Material and that is Glory considered three wayes viz. First of the Soul which is Grace and is the Object of Hope either in the Preparatives whilst the Lord is Disposing the Subject for Grace Or in Regard of a Fuller Measure of Degrees thereof it not being with the Trees of Righteousness as it was with the Trees of Paradise made perfect at once Secondly of the Body and so all the good things that a member of the Church Militant is capable of are a Secondary Object of Hope Thirdly the Glory of both which is perfect Beatitude in the Heavenly Kingdom as the end whereunto all other means lead the Elect. 4. The Conditions of this Material Object which Aquinas describes to be Good Hope looks at some good so it differs from Fear whichlooks at Evil. Future Good so that the Saints in Heaven have no need nor use of it their Expectation is drowned in Fruition Difficult Hope looks on and considers upon one side Pearls which yet are in the shell and on the other side Roses which yet it may enjoy with some Labour Such was Abrahams Hope that he should be the Father of such a Posterity being as it were Dead that he should enjoy a Land flowing with Milk and Honey yet he was to suffer Famine and wait for it forty years And Lastly Possible So there is no Hope in the Damned It is in those on this side the Grave quickned by the Living Spirit of God Though the things they hope for are hard to come by yet they are possible and this is like Cork to the Net keeps the heart from sinking into Dispair it being the Balm of all Grief the Coffin of Fear and Cradle of Patience Secondly What are opposites of this Grace Answ Two 1. Presumption the Unbeliever hopes without ground and will be invincibly followed by an ill success of his pretensions The Rayes of Abrahams Hope were grounded on a good Title but men of another Stamp act otherwise their Hope is an Imposture a Golden Dream Like a dying mans Will that hath neither Seal nor Witness to it Therein he bequeaths such and such Lands and Legacies to one and to another but the Will being thus left naked it signifies little Such is the hope of a wicked man it promiseth him great matters that all in the Covenant of Grace is his Christ and Heaven but alas all is a meer Delusion a Presumption of his own Heart 2. Despair not Legal which was in Abraham and others But Evangelical notwithstanding all ground of Hope So Abraham did
Elihu was somewhat Faulty yet because he was right in the main all was taken well Noting How apt even good men are to mingle Sin with their best Actions To Plow with an Ox and an Ass but the Lord is pleased to Consider whereof we are made and Graciously to lay the Finger of Mercy on the Scars of our Sins as that Limner in the Story He looks over what is his and overlooks what is ours Where there are no Sins of Allowance in us there shall be Grains of Allowance to us he will not cast away his Pearls for every Speck of Dirt. The Ground of Elihu's Anger and Heightned Zeal is mentioned Chap. 32. vers 2. because Job justified himself rather than God This he did not directly and in so many words but by a seeming Consequence and Elihu was kindled at it It is a Blessed thing to have a Stomach for God to be blown up in his Cause as were Moses Elijah Phineas David Christ and the Angel of Ephesus to be all on a Light Fire with Love to God and Indignation against all that doth him any Dishonour All true Zeal is of a Masculine Spirit Job had utter'd some Discontented Speeches against God which Reflected on his Honour and Justice he had despaired of a Restauration and most earnestly wished for Death and thereby seemed to Justify himself rather than God and this Elihu could not brook and therefore Continues his sharp Rebuke in this Chapter to the humbling of Job and Vindicating of God Job was not so Righteous but that he deserved this Affliction as there may be Cause in the very best as well by Reason of their Actual Prevarications as of their Birth-Sin God cannot do Wrong It is Inconsistent 1. With his Nature Vers 10. Far be it from God to do Wickedness He cannot Sin In which Sense only it is said he cannot do this or that not through Want but through Height and Abundance of Power He cannot do Wickedly because he is Omnipotent It is for poor Creatures to be Lyable to such Imperfections the Divine Vnderstanding cannot be a Principle of Dirâ—ction and the Divine Will cannot be a Principle of Injunction and therefore the Divine Poweâ— cannot therein shew it self to be a Principle of Execution 2. It appears from his Actions Ver. 11. He is so far from doing Wrong to any that every man shâ—ll find according to his way And although this is not done forthwith yet we may write upon it and Reckon that Non dum Omnium dierum soles Occiderunt as sure as the Night follows the Day Account will come and God will Reward unto each man according to his Works His Providence like a well-drawn Picture that Eyeth every one in the Room observeth all things Although one Man may not know another nor any man know himself yet God following as it were all men hard at the Heels doth with his eyes narrowly observe and mark what way every man Wolks in he seeth all his â—oings And let none please themselves in their Sinful Practices as if God did not see them because for a time they escape unpunished for Sin and Punishment are tied together with Chains of Adamant and cannot be long asunder 3. His Will doth evince it Vers 12. God will not do wickedly He can do whatever he will do but he cannot do Wickedly because for want of good in Sin it cannot become the Object of his Will. Job had said as much before but then he seemingly dasht all again with his Inconsiderate Complaints and Murmurings and this Elisha could not bear but again and again Celebrates the Righteousness of God This whole Chapter is a Golden Flood of Grave Discourse an Elegant Oration if we Consider the matter or the manner It is a Diamond set in Gold Each line in its place is adorn'd with the Enamel of Divine Affection which breathes through the Discourse Here as in a Mirrour is the Lords Righteousness presented his Justice is displayed in most orient Colours And when Elihu hath done all he can he seems to say as Cicero once did of Crassus and Antonius Roman Orators If any man thought he had spoken too much in Commendation of them he must needs be such a one as either knew them not or was not able to judge of their worth The Text is one single demonstration of Gods Justice carried on in an excellent Metaphor taken from binding up the Wounded after the manner of Chirurgeons And then the words are translated by some thus An qui odit justitiam Chirurgos imitaretur Would he that hateth Righteousness do as Chirurgeons use to do Would God if He were Unrighteous bind up the Broken-Hearted or receive into favour as he doth a Sinner that Repenteth doing him good again as if there had never been any breach between them It is noted that a King hath his name in the Greek Tongue from healing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Medela and that Isa 3.7 A Governour is called Healer or Binder up it s the same word here in the Text. But how unfit for such an Office must he needs be who doth not only not do Right but hates it As did Nero Caligula Commodus and others enemies of Heaven and Earth And wilt thou Condemn him that is most Just None in his right Wits will do so This were for man to exalt himself above the Divine Majesty and for the dribling River to vye with the Drowning Ocean And yet what do they less then this who grudg at Gods proceedings and are ready to think if they had the ordering of things in their own hands they could dispose of them a fair deal better As Alphonse King of Castile the Ointment of whose name is marr'd with the dead flie of his Atheistical Speech That if he had been in Gods stead he would have disposed the World better than it is Christians beholding the Lords severer Dispensations against them their budding Flowers opened in a warm day shut again in a Cold one and their flowing Tides to become ebbing Waters God cloathed as it were with darkness and they not able to cleave the Clouds to behold him walking on the Vault of his Palace nor trace him in his beamy walk through the midst of the Sanctuary among these Golden Candlestâ—cks which hâ—ve long suffered a dimness are apt to conceive that the Lord deals not well with them and they deserve better from him God might have been a wiser and a better God Blasphemy is the fruit of Discontentment Let none charge God foolishly The Text will teach us to be better Commentators upon Providence viz. Even to justifie God in all his sayings and to give him glory in all his doings by our silence or Admiration The Summa totalis or sense of all falls into this entire proposition viz. Whatever mens apprehensions are God in all the ways of bis Providence towards the whole World is a most just God God is most just A universal
convenient mean to manâ—fest Mercy and Justice an excâ—llent Temperament so that one doth noâ— opposâ— the o her God will not let Sin 〈…〉 therefore he provâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…m to be Sacrificâ—d for Isaac a Mediatour to come between us and Wrath. However Reason do most gainsay this Mystery we must say Taceat ista Mulier in Ecclesia Let this woman hold her Peace in the Church Hear what the word saith and believe Christ suffered that God might be just Rom. 3.26 If this will not Satisfie I answer farther 2. Christ may be considered two wayes viz. as he is in himself a Natural Body without any Relation to us and so no action of his concerned us nor any of ours concerned him or as he iâ— part of a Body Mystical in which Consideration his Actions and ours concern us jointly for if the hand be Wounded the â—…ad will say you â—urâ— me Thus we read 1 Cor. 12.26 If one M mber suffâ—r all the Meâ—bâ—rs sâ—ffer with it For in this Râ—lâ—… Câ—…sâ— stands to his People by Verâ—… of 〈◊〉 graciouâ— Covenant mâ—de â—…ween God the Father and Châ—…â—…e Son and secretly transâ—… beâ—ween them beâ—…re the Creaâ—ion of the World From which Union between Châ—… and his Members is produâ—…â—word wâ—iâ—h Divines call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mutual Communication of Properties which work extends it self so far as that the Perfections and Excellencies which are Originally peculiar to the Person of Christ are Communicated unto and truely affirmed of holy men 1 Cor. 1.30 and so the Infirmities yea the Sins of his Members are Communicated unto and Affirmed of and Imputed to Christ He was made Sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 though in the same Breath the Apostle saith He knew no Sin both which are most true because our Sins are his Sins by Reason of this Union as the Debt of the Principal is also the Debt of the Surety In which Sense Christ is said to be slain from before the Foundation of the World Revel 13.8 even before he was Incarnat because of Abel who was his Member and Type Christ suffered for the Sins of his People which are his Sins in that himself and Members are one and no Injustice doth appear as to this Ministration 7. It is objected Good men are swept away in common judgments as the wicked are Answ Outward things come alike to all So Solomon to Saints as well as Sinners What they say of Tempers that Non datur purum elementum there is no pure unmixt Temper that is strained and sublimated and as it were framed into such an Harmony that it hath always an healthful Predominancy but mixt and whereby Diseases break in the like may be said of Divine Dispensations towards the best of people there is a mixture in them the Saints are not ever singled out as Objects of sensible Mercies Their Sun oftentimes sets in a Cloud their Ship in common Tempests is overwhelmed But 1. It is not so always Noah and Lot shall be standing Witnesses thereof so long as the World shall stand They were standing Monuments of Gods Preservation in the then Ruins of the Worlds Desolation Though an Housholder spend and sell the greatest part of the Harvest Crop yet he will be sure to preserve a little Seed-Corn to sow his ground for a new Crop Though Sodom be utterly destroyed by Fire yet Jerusalem is as a Brand pluckt out of the Fire God maketh a light account of a whole City full of Sinners he takes away the ungodly of the earth like dross Psalm 119.119 which is put into the Fire to be consumed His own people shall be preserved Though he make a full end of all Nations yet he will not make a full end of his people but correct them in measure He will have some to be Monuments of his Mercy for in the midst of Judgments he will beloved as well as feared in his smiles 2. Never as the wicked are though in Afflictions and National Calamities especially God oftentimes seems to make no distinction between the Objects of his Compassion and Fury indiscriminately involving them in the same destiny yet his Intention makes a vast difference where his infliction seems to make none As when on the same test and with the self-same Fire Chymists do urge the Gold as well as the blâ—anded Lead but withal foreknowing and designing such a disparity in the Events as to consume the ignoble Minerals or blow them off into Dross and Fumes and make the Gold more pure and full of Lustre Even so doth God in his severe Dispensations towards his people in common with the wicked to the one they are destructive to the other Purgative Isa 27.9 By this shall the Iniquity if Jacob be purged c. When the evil of Affliction overtakes a wicked man it is to take away their Soul when it comes to a godly man it comes only to take away his Sin A rotten cloath if it be scour'd and rub'd it breaks and tears but a piece of Brass well scoured will shine the brighter Judgments on wicked mens false hearts break them but the same on good men amend and better them Thus you see the Objections are but as opposing the shadow to the light and a lye to truth and how they who go about to put out the truth of God by snâ—ssing make it burn the brighter Neither indeed was it ever possible for the enemies of Gods Righteousness by all their Engins to compass their Design all the vapours of mens Brains are not able to cloud so bright a Sun The use of all follows And 1. This Doctrine like a direful Comet which carries with it Blood and destruction speaks dread and terrour and it hath a double aspect 1. On the whole Land in general and so it sadly threatens Considering First What is done by us Sinful we are to astonishment that of the Prophet may be applied to us Hear O Heaven and Hearken O Earth I have brought up Children and they have Rebelled against me Secure we are fearing no evil setting light by the means vapouring out the good Spirits of a pleasant Land in a vain Conversation Our Calm and peaceable Gospel dayes have brought forth in us Spiders and Caterpillars and the like Vermine even Pride Luxury Prophaneness Atheism Spirits averse to the power of Godliness and a sound Reformation Witness that general Apostacy to Formality Will-worship and strange Inclinations to Popery and such-like innovations and which is a great aggravation to shew our inexcusableness God hath been correcting us to amend us but we have been the more vile and sinful Hos 7.1 When I would have Healed Israel then the Iniquity of Ephraim was discovered c. Zeal is exceedingly decayed the word suppressed and Religion meets with much snarling and opposition every where How impudent is Sin grown God looked for purging of the Land and behold it is more defiled When the Pot boyleth the Scum is discover'd Baths bring forth Corruption if it be