can make it that whatsoever Nation or Nations shall be discovered to the End of the World they are to be Evangelized and Baptised That also of the Apostle to the Gentiles seemeth plain irrefragable 1 Tim 2 5 6. There is One God and One Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus Who gave Himself a Ransom for all To be testifyed in due time Now although it had not been testifyed at that time to the Americans as it had been to Asians Europaeans and Africans yet there was a due time to come wherein it should be testifyed to Americans also Which through the Grace of God is now come to pass The Bible is made to speak Indian as well as other Languages And there are not only Converts but Churches and Preachers of their Own which are a First fruits to Christ Which should make us look for a Harvest and to pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth Labourers into that part of his Vineyard God promised to his Son the Heathen for his lot and the uttermost Ends of the Earth for his Possession not excluding America It is a part of Christ's Exaltation Honour that at the Name of Jesus things Under the Earth shall bow Philip. 2.10 Which although some interpret another way yet compared with Rev. 5.3 13. seemeth more fairly to be interpreted of the Americans that were Under the Earth to the Christians of the Eastern Nations God gave his Son for a Witness to the People not only to the People of the Jews but of the Gentiles also yea the most remote of them That in Isa 55.5 seems to bid fair for the Conversion of the Americans Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee Compare it with Psal 18.43 44. Thou hast made me the head of the heathen a people that I have not known shall serve me Assoon as they shall hear of me they shall obey me It cannot be literally more verified of any than of the American Nations Christ as God knew all Nations but as Man He did not He as Man had seen and known Asians Europeans Africans This cannot be doubted if you consider the Concourse of Jews and Proselytes that was annually at Jerusalem at the Feast of Pentecost Act. 2.5 10 11. Now as for the Americans Christ as Man had never seen or known any of them neither had any American ever seen or known Him But according to this Text He shall call them though He knew not Them and they shall run to him although they never knew Him The Strangers when they hear of Him shall submit themselves unto Him as is accordingly in part already come to pass I shall finish this Argument with an allusion to some passages in Luke 15. What ever any think of America If the great Shepherd have a lost Sheep in the American Wilderness He will go after it till he find it and the Angels of God will rejoyce at the finding of it what ever men do The great Housholder of the World will have every corner of it Swept before he will loose a Penny * Drachma a Roman Penny in value in English Money seven pennys half penny and at the finding of it expect that his Friends will rejoyce If the Merciful Father have a Prodigal Child gone into a far Country in esteem dead and lost When it shall appear that he is Penitent alive and found while he is a great way off his Father will run and meet him and kiss him He will call for the best Robe for this naked American Prodigal and Shoes for this bare-foot Son and the fatted Calf to fill his hungry belly and there will be Musick and Dancing what ever the Elder Brother think of it Others have conjectured that America will be the head Quarters of Gog and Magog and that it will be Hell it self This is worse and worse still But may be something alleviated by an opposite Conjecture For there are Others that ask why it may not be the New-Jerusalem or a part of it and this New World that is Under the Eastern Earth be the New Heaven and New Earth These Opinions are as wide from one another as Heaven is from Hell I count it sufficient to set them one against the other without saying which is widest from the Truth Only Who of an American though only so Natione non gente had not much rather if it may stand with the Counsel of God that it should be the New Jerusalem than the Old Tophet Known unto God are all his Works from the beginning of the World And He that made this New World knoweth why He made it and what to do with it though men do not It is certain Antichrist boasted in his American EYPHKA and Conquest when he began to be routed in Europe by the Reformation And who can blame him to provide a New World against he lost his Old One But the Son of GOD followed him at the heels and took Possession of America for Himself And this Province so far as I know is the very Turf and Twig He took Possession by as to the Reformation and Conversion of the Natives and gathering of them into Churches And I am not without Hope but that He will hold his Possession not only to the end of this World but to the end of the World if there be a difference as there may be for ought I know to the contrary And if any of the Indians should happen to read what hath been spoke concerning America I would commend to their Consideration that in Act. 17.24 26 27 30 31. God that made the World and all things therein hath made of One blood all Nations of Men for to dwell on all the face of the Earth and hath determined the Times before appointed and the Bounds of their Habitation i. e. in what Age or Place of the World men shall live That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him the times of this Ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Now as for New England if the First Planters of it had dream'd that the very Situation or Climate of this Land had been crime enough to make men aliens from the Covenants of promise they would not have Sold their Europaean Birtbright for a mess of American Pottage For ought I can see to the contrary our Declensions are the worst Omen and Objection against us and Reformation would be the best Answer to them and Hope and Prayer are powerful helps and inducements to it Quicken us and we will call upon thy nâ—â—e Turn 〈◊〉 again O Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to 〈◊〉 and we
good forwardness but to hope and pray for the accomplishment of all prophesied to be done in a way of Soveraign grace for the Church or World in the latter days If the Restaurations depended on the Antecedency of Reformation and Reformation depended upon mans free will it would be long enough before either would come to pass But God having foretold promised both our dependance ought to be on his Grace and Truth and Power If God can make Children to Abraham of the Stones of the Street and make a Church to himself out of the forlorn Gentiles When the boughs of the natural Olive were broke off God could graft in Gentiles wild Olives into the same stock therefore cannot be at a loss to graft in the natural branches again Isa 44.2 3 4 5. Fear not Jacob for I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit on thy seed my blessing on thine offspring The ruinous circumstances of Jews and many Gentile places are such as to Sin Misery that there is little hope either of Restauration or Reformation were it not for the Prophesy and the Promise But because of the Prophesie and Promise we must against hope believe in hope and though they and their circumstances promise little yet God in his word hath promised much Therefore we should hope for much and pray for much though there should be as little sign of Reformation as there was of Rain in the days of Elias when it had not Rain'd in 1260 days yet they that can believe and pray like Elias will in the word of God hear the sound of abundance of rain they will look out seven times and pray and pray again though there should not appear so much as a Cloud as big as a mans hand believing on and praying to the Lord till he send Rain on the earth till he come rain down righteousness on Asia Africa Europe and America and the Elect come from all parts and Quarters of the World from East West North South and Sit down in the Kingdom of God He that hath promised these things â—â—useth His Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and his rain to fall on the just on the unjust in a way of common bounty and goodness and he doth no less towards the Elect in a way of special Grace And when the time of Reformation is come he will cause the Sun of Righteousness to shine upon the evil and upon the good and the Rain of Righteousness to fall upon the just upon the unjust and then bad man will be come good and good men will become better and Restauration and Reformation will struggle like twins in the Womb which shall be born first a Nation shall be born at once and the earth shall bring forth in one day Isa 66.8 And deliverance and holiness shall be on mount Sion together Obad. 17. We may confide in this That all prophesies and absolute promises shall come to pass in that time order and manner that God hath ordained And the promised Good is more certainly known than the time and manner It is great Consolation that Restaurations and Reformations Blessings shall come Though we know not the time just when yet there are signals given whereby the Church of God may know that their Redemption draws nigh And as Daniel knew that the Seventy years of the Captivity was out or nigh out which made him set to Prayer So we know that some notable Restaurations and Reformations are nigh though it may be we can't tell just how nigh And I am perswaded one great reason why good mens faith is so wavering and their prayers so few and no more fervent is because they take it for granted that Reformation must needs considerably out-run Restauration For prevention of which Remissness of faith and prayer I desire the premisses may be considered that prophesies and the promises in them falling under the will of Gods purpose are all certainly future as certain to be as if they were already And it is utterly uncertain whether the Reformations will out-run the Restaurations Consider the Restauration out of Egypt Did the Reformation precede Did not the Lord say Let my people go that they may serve me Till some Pharaohs of the world are sunk as a Stone in the Sea No considerable Reformation can advance The Church must get out of the Wilderness as well as out of Egypt before the Glorious Reformation of it can take place Whilst the Church was in Aegypt God saw the affliction of his people and heard their Cry by reason of their Task-masters and he came down to deliver them Exod. 3.7 8. The whole Story shows there was no considerable Reformation antecedaneous to their Deliverance So for the Deliverance out of the Babylonish Captivity it is evident by the Books of Ezra Nehemiah Haggai Zechariah and Malachi that their Deliverance out run their Reformation And the Restauration of the Jews in the last days in the times of the Messias for ought appears to the contrary is like to be much after the same sort in a way that can be accounted for only by the Sovereignty of the Grace of God Mic. 5.7 The Remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord as the Showers upon the Grass that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the Sons of Men. What though the whole house of Israel say our bones are dried our hope is lost and we are cut off for our part yet I know no reason why Christians may not hope and pray for the Resurrection of those dry bones If God will have them prophesied over and hath promised to opâ—â— their graves and bring them up out of their graves put his Spirit in them and said they shall live Ezek. 27.11 12 13 14. He that hath spoke it will perform it even the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel What if the Four Horns of the Gentiles have scattered Judah Israel and Jerusalem Hath not God as many Carpenters to fray them away Zech. 1.18 19 20 21. and to cast out the horns of the Gentiles which have lift up their born over the Land of Judah to scatter it The good words the comfortable words which God hath spoken give us ground to believe that the Mahometan Imposture and Tyranny will not always last and that the Remnants and Fragments of the Graecian and African Churches will be gathered up and restored What if Antichrist Exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped and fitteth in the Temple of God and hath done so above a thousand years is not that Man of Sin a Son of perdition Doth not God see yea and his people too that his day is coming 2 Thes 2.3 4 8. It were Infidelity to conclude that God hath done with the Protestant People and his Witnesses in Germany Bohemia Hungaria France
New-Englands Duty and Interest To be an Habitation of JUSTICE AND Mountain of HOLINESS Containing Doctrine Caution Comfort WITH Something relating to the RESTAURATIONS REFORMATIONS and BENEDICTIONS Promised to the Church and World in the latter dayes With grounds of Hope that America in General New-England in Particular may have a Part therein Preached to the General Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay at the Anniversary ELECTION May 25. 1698. By NICHOLAS NOYES Teacher of the Church at Salem Published by Order of Authority BOSTON in New-England Printed by Bartholomew Green and John Allen. Printers to the Governour Council 1698. Isa 1. v. 26. Afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness the faithful City Luke 1. v. 75 In Holiness and Righteousness before Him all the dayes of our Life 2 Pet. 1.20 Knowing this first that no Prophesy of the Scripture is of any Private Interpretation Psalm 86.9 All Nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee O Lord. Si est Gens quam non fecit Deus Non adorabit eum nulla est autem Gens quam non fecit Deus quia fontem omnium Gentium Adam Evam fecit Deus Omnes ergo Gentes fecit Deus Omnes ergo Gentes venient adorabunt Augustin in locum Psalm 100. v. 1. Make a Joyful noise unto the Lord all ye Lands Jam jubilat Domino universa Terra et Quod adhuc non jubilat Jubilabit Augustin in locum The Epistle Dedicatory To His EXCELLENCY RICHARD Earl of Bellomont AND Lord COOTE Colooney in the Kingdom of Ireland GOVERNOUR Of New-England New-York New Hampshire and Vice-Admiral of those Seas May it Please Your Excellency IT is recorded in the Holy Scriptures that the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ though it was of great importance and concernment to all People yet it pleased God that it should by one of the Evangelists be directed in a special manner to a single Person called the most Excellent Theophilus as in Luke 1.6 I write unto thee most excellent Theophilus that thou mayest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Theophilus signifies A lover of God It is conceived by learned and pious Interpreters to be the proper Name of an Eminent Person who had been Converted to the Christian Faith at Antioch where the followers of Christ were first called Christians and the title Most Excellent given to him renders it very probable that he was in a chief place of Magistracy in that eminent City if not Governour of the whole Province for we read not of that style Most Excellent given to any but such as were Governours of Provinces such as Faelix Festus who were successively Governours of Judea as in Act. 23.25 Claudius Lysias to the most Excellent Governour Faelix c. So why might not this Theophilus be Governour of Syria by the special Providence of God raised up to such a Dignity that by the influence of his Example and Authority he might be a means under God for the Propagation and Progression of Christianity unto many others In like manner this Ensuing Sermon containing one great end of the Gospel of Christ viz. That all Christians should Serve the Lord in Holiness and Righteousness before Him all the dayes of our lives Luke 1.75 It is now presented to Your Self as to our most Excellent Theophilus in concurrence with all New England bowing down themselves before You as to our Governour sent from God and the King We give thanks to God for Your safe Arrival Per varios Casus Per tot discrimina rerum Now as God hath been with those Worthy men whom He hath graciously vouchsafed to bestow on this People to bear Rule over them particularly the Honorable William Stoughton Esq Lieutenant Governour and our Worthy Patriots assisting in Council whose Integrity we can't but remember at all times with Gratitude So we pray for Gods gracious Presence with Your Excellency and His more abundant Blessing upon Your Person Government that the end thereof may be attained that this People may live a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness Honesty The good report of Your Personal qualifications Your Publick appearing for Securing of the Liberties of our dear England and Your good beginnings of Reformation at New-York where You first landed have filled our hopes and raised our Expectations that You are sent from God and are coming amongst us in the Spirit and Power of that Excellent Governour Nehemiah of whom it was said He was a man that came to seek the Welfare of the Children of Israel Neh. 2 10. Wâ—â—ch was a grief to their Enemies but matter of great rejoycing to that good People in their afflicted and low condition This People of New England are a People whom God hath Signally owned blessed in our first former times our Fathers coming into these ends of the Earth not upon any Worldly design but meerly on the account of Religion they had much of the gracious Presence of God with them in their Planting and Building Work and in laying the Foundations in Church Common wealth and in the additional blessings of Heaven Earth and Sea Land So that from a day of small things New England in a few years was grown up to be a thriving and flourishing Plantation But alas we their Successors have not answered the Lords Expectation or our own Profession but as we have been multiplyed encreased so we have Sinned and provoked the Lord to anger against us so that of late years He hath Severely witnessed against us by the variety of His Judgments in a Successive way and for a long time So that we are at present an Afflicted poor People greatly diminished impoverished and brought very low through Oppression Affliction and Sorrow as it is in Psal 107. from v. 33 to 42. And as yet it was said of the People of Israel when they were in a distressed condition that the Lord gave them Saviours Neh. 9.27 And with respect unto the latter dayes it is foretold That Saviours shall come up on Mount Sion and the Kingdom shall be the Lords Obad. the last v. This hath been frequently done in these latter times in some degree as might be shewed in many instances it may Suffice to mention Your Grandfather of blessed Memory who was raised up under God with an Heroick Spirit to be the Saviour of Ireland in the day of their distress in 1641. and we hope in God that He hath sent Your Self amongst us as a Saviour to New England bringing with You an Olive Branch of PEACE as a good Omen that the deluge of our Calamities is abated and our hopes encreased that yet New England may live in the sight of God and that under the Shadow of Your Government we may yet be revived and the work of God amongst us be renewed by degrees unto a more flourishing Condition than hitherto that
a man and this is prefaced with The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth a new thing indeed for a Woman to be both a Mother and a Virgin at the same time a new thing in deed for a Woman to be the Mother of him that was God though not of the God Head yet of the Humane Nature received into Personal Union with the Son of God A woman shall compass a man viz. the man of Gods Right-hand for whose sake Redemption should come and with it Restauration Reformation and Divine Benediction not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles for God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing to them their trespasses and some of the Blessings promised were the manifestation of the New-Covenant the Gathering and Enlarging the Catholick Church writing the Law in the heart c. which the Apostle to the Hebrews refers to Gospel times Heb. 8 10 11.12 And the whole by way of Analogy and just accommodotion may be referred to Kingdoms Countries Places Nations professing the Christian Religion thus the New Testament teacheth us to inâ—erpret accommodate and apply to our selves Texts of the Old Testament See Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope So 1 Co. 10.11 Now all these things hapned unto them for ensamples and are written for our instruction on whom the ends of the world are come So also 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousness Thus having shewed how this text that nextly concerned the Jews comes to affect us and concern these last ages of the professing world I shall only for further Explication of the Text shew what intended by Justice what by a Habitation of Justice and then what by Holiness and what by a Mountain of Holiness and then proceed to give you the Doctrines Q. What intended by Justice A. Sometimes it is more strictly taken for that political virtue whereby such as are in Authority punish evil doers and praise and justify them that do well and that this sence is herein comprehended is without doubt but yet it is intended in a more large sence in this text for here it is joyned with holiness and yet distinguisht from it and when it is so it is taken for conformity to the second Table of the Decalogue or six last Commandments the word rendred Justice might as well be rendred Righteousness they are Synonimous and so the same word in the text rendred Justice is in many other texts rendred Righteousness See Isa 1.26 Afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness Q. What intended by Habitation of Justice or Righteousness A. By Habitation of Righteousness is intended a City or place that abounds in Righteousness and excelleth in it or that is full of righteous persons the Abstract being put for the Concrete Compare it with Isa 1.21 It was full of Judgment Righteousness lodged in it that is Equity Honesty Charity Chastity Truth Justice were not as Strangers in Jerusalem but Inhabitants they dwelt in the Temple in the Courts in the Gates in the Streets in their Houses in their Shops and in all their converse commerce And of the New Heaven and the New Earth it is said Righteousness shall dwell therein that is be not only resident but eminent prevalent permanent and aâ—â—â—dant Q. What intended by Holiness A. Some times it is taken in so large a sence as to comprehend in it conformity to the whole Decalogue but when it is joyned with and yet distinguished from righteousness it intends conformity to the first Table of the Law or four first Commandments and with respect to the Holiness and Righteousness mentioned in the text once for all for preventing mistake I declare I intend not only that which is commonly called Morality but conformity to the whole Doctrine which is according to Godliness that Obedience to which men are Created in Christ Jesus that Grace which men derive from him through the holy Spirit in Regeneration and Sanctification whereby they are enabled to live to God and serve him in Holiness and Righteousness Q What intended by a Mountain of Holiness A. As it respect Jerusalem it meaneth that it should regain its ancient purity and be as renowned for Holiness as ever it was that had not only been beautiful for its Situation but for its Sanctification wherein not only Holy men had dwelt but the Holy God there was the holy Temple the holy Oracle the holy Ordinances and holy Assemblies the beauty of holiness the habitation of Gods holiness the Throne of his holiness the Courts of his holiness and where his anointed ones ministred unto him something like as the Angels do in Heaven it was a Comparative Heaven for holiness and a Type of the real Heaven it had been so and should be so again When it is applyed to Christian Countries it means that they should abound in holiness and excel other places therein as much as Judea did other lands and Jerusalem did other Cities in the day that they were Holiness to the Lord So you have the meaning of the Text its words phrases both in the literal sence as it nextly concern'd the Jews and also in its Analogical sence as it concerns Christians of all Kingdoms and Plantations to the end of the world We come now to the Doctrines that result from the Text thus explained which are three The first from the doctrinal hints in the Text the second from the historical hints the third from the Text as it is a Prophesy DOCT. I. That it is the duty of all People or Places professing the Christian Religion to abound and excel in Holiness and Righteousness or to be an Habitation of Righteousness and Mountain of Holiness DOCT. II. That such People and Places as profess the Christian Religion may expect to be Happy or Miserable according as it goeth with them as to Holiness and Righteousness DOCT. III. That although Places that have been Habitations of Righteousness and Mountains of Holiness should become very degenerate and for their Sin be made very desolate yet there is ground of hope that God will again Restore Reform and Bless them The first DOCTRINE Confirm'd by Reasons Reason 1. Because the Moral Law obligeth all mankind to holiness and righteousness from the beginning of the world to the end of it for it was no ways suitable to the Wisdom and Holiness of God to make man a rational Creature which is a cause by counsel of his own actions and so capable of honouring or dishonouring of obâ—ying or disobeying him that made him and then leave it to his liberty whether he would own and honour his maker yea or no whether he would worship God according to his Institution or his own or anothers invention Can it
to have cast off a professing people yet he may chuse them a second time it is no more than he hath done in the like case Zech. 2.12 The Lord shall inherit Judah and choose Jerusalem again 4. Notwithstanding wrath is come upon the Jews to the uttermost because they sinned to the uttermost in rejecting and crucifying the Son of God yet not without cause we believe and expect that God will again restore reform and bless them Though they are Unchurched and Unpeopled and have been miserable as misery can make them yet the Oracles of God give incouragement to believe that they shall again be recovered It were endless to quote all the old Testament texts brought by those that write on this Subject among which my Text and Context is improved by Dr. Gouge others Paul in Rom. 11.27 renders it indisputable Obj. If it be granted concerning the Jews what is that to the Christian Gentiles This text speaks of the Jews Thus saith the God of Israel A. That this and many other texts of like import do nextly belong to the Jews I have already granted but that doth not prove that by way of Analogy this and such like texts do not belong to Christian Churches consisting of Jews or Gentiles or both I pray consider who are the Israel of God now Are not all that believe Children of Abraham and heirs according to promise Is not the Blessing of Abraham come upon the Gentiles Is God the God of the Jews only is he not of the Gentiles also Rom. 3.29 Although the Ephesians during their Heathenism were Strangers to the Covenants of promise and aliens from the common wealth of Israel yet I hope they were not so after they were Converted and Christianized No they who before were afar off were made nigh by the blood of Christ who broke down the middle wall of partition and made both one and now they were no more Strangers and Forreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and were built upon the foundation of the Prophets as well as Apostles c. What is there Jew and Greek Scythian and Barbarian still surely they are all one in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.12 13 Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 5. There be Prophesies in the New-Testament that contain in them promises of Restauration Reformation and Blessing to Churches that were formerly Eminent for Christianity Habitations of Righteousness and Mountains of Holiness but become in time very degenerate and very miserable and desolate first over run with sin then with misery that are either buried in their own ruins or if they flourish it is with Antichristian or Mahometan Inhabitants for the most part yet do Prophetick Scriptures speak of their Resurrection and Restauration What else can be the meaning of the Resurrection of the Witnesses the Spirit of life from God entring into them after they are overcome and stain their standing on their feet and their ascending into Heaven Rev. 11.11 12. The like may be said of the Congratulatory Acclamations of Voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 See also Rev. 15.4 All Nations shall come and worship before thee Past all peradventure there is implyed in these Texts that Kingdoms that belong'd to our Lord in Constantin's Time but for their Degeneration were over run with the Romish Idolatry and Tyranny and the Imposture and Oppression of the Mahometans so that they ceased to be the Kingdoms of the Lord as they were before and became the Kingdoms of Antichrist of Mahomet shall again be rescued out of the hand of those cruel Lords and again profess their Subjection unto Jesus Christ which implyes Restitution Reformation and Divine Benediction The Lord Jesus field some kind of possession of the West Empire during the 1260 years of Antichrist's Reign by his Witnesses that Prophesied all that time though in Sackcloth He hath held possession likewise in the East Empire notwithstanding the fury and cruelty of the Arabian and Saracen or Mahometan Harpyes for the Christian Religion is professed there to this day though not with that power purity and glory that it some time was and shall be again Dr Goodwin makes the 144000 mentioned Rev. 14 1. to be the Witnesses that prophesied in Sackcloth and held possession of the West Empire for Christ the 144000 mentioned Rev. 7.4 to be the Witnesses of Christ in the East Empire to be Seal'd for Preservation during the Mahometan Tyranny concludes that our Lord hath all along held possession of both East and West Empire and expects glorious Restaurations and Reformations in both I have done with the Explication and Proof of the three Doctrines and shall croud the Application together with what brevity the present Occasion requires which will not permit a full Application of such copious Theams howsoever useful it might be USE I. Of Instruction To teach us That Holiness and Righteousness have an everlasting amiableness and excellency in them In God they are the Essence of God in Angels and men they are the Image of God they are Essential to the Being of God and they are Essential to the Well-being of Angels and men they are the best adjunct and Epithete that rational creatures are capable of Take Holiness and Righteousness from Angels and they become Devils take them from men and they become like Beasts yea worse not only earthly sensual but devilish also The dignity of mans first Estate consisted in holiness and righteousness after the Image of God the ignominy and damnableness of mans lost Estate consists in his sinning and coming short of the glory of God that is of his glorious Image consisting in holiness and righteousness The sanity and felicity of mans best and last Estate consists in being recovered to the image and favour of God by Jesus Christ Whilst man was holy and righteous God loved him as his Friend and when man became unholy and unrighteous God loath'd him as his Enemy and although God may love him with a love of Benevolence of Beneficence yet â—e cannot love him with a compleat love of complacency and delight till he is recovered to holiness and righteousness again As Sin is a reproach to any person people or place on the contrary holiness and righteousness are a credit and honour to them it was the glory of the City that was the joy and praise of the whole earth that it was a habitation of righteousness mountain of holiness yea it is the glory of the New Jerusalem it is called the Holy City and the Holy Jerusalem Rev 21.2 10. 't is the peculiar excellency of the New Heavens and New Earth that righteousness dwelleth therein 2 Pet. 3.13 The unconceivable glory of the Heaven of Heavens consists more in its holiness than in its heighth though it transcend in both It is the throne of Gods holiness the holy of holyes was but a Type of it The highest excellency
of the heavenly Courtiers that wait round the throne of God is their holiness and yet that is dim in comparison of the HOLY JESUS who is the Fountain of all the holiness righteousness the Saints on earth have There are some few Saints whose bodies as well as Souls are already glorifyed and the Spirits of just men made perfect who have received perfection of holiness Oh! what a holy place is heaven that is full of holiness yea so full that it doth as it were run over The skyes pour down holiness and righteousness there is none upon earth but what comes down from Heaven even from the God of all Grace and the God of Glory who is glorious in Holiness 2. To teach us what a wicked and woful estate man fell into in the primitive Apostasy He fell from a state of holiness and righteousness into a state of unholiness and unrighteousness If man had continued in the state wherein he was created every Man and Woman and Child had been a habitation of righteousness and mountain of holiness Every Family every Society had been a habitation of righteousness and mountain of holiness for God made man upright or right that is holy and righteous Eccles 7.29 Man was then a Vessel of honour sanctified and meet for the masters use Holiness and Righteousness were Concreated with and Connatural to him but alas it is far otherwise now Though it be our duty to be habitually and actually holy righteous yet we are stript of the moral Image oâ— God empty of Gâ—aâ—e bent to act according to the corrupt Bials we have derived from the first Adam which warps us away from God and his holy ways and strongly inclines us to Unholiness and Unrighteousness Instead of being a habitation of righteousness the heart of man is become a cage of every impious unclean and hateful lust Mat. 15.19 Men ate by nature since the fall full of enmity against God inordinately and idolatrously in love with themselves and uncharitable and injurious unto others How miserably were our first Parents deceived Under a pretence of being like to God they lost his image and favour 3. To teach us That the grace and love of God towards fallen man is very wonderful in that God gave his only Son to recover poor lost sinners out of that wicked and woful estate of unholiness and unrighteousness that such as believe on him may be pardoned and justifyed freely through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus and that by the Grace of God bestowed on them in Regeneration and Sanctification they might be recovered to the Image of God again to put off the old man the corrupt nature derived from the first Adam to put on the new man the grace and holiness that is from Jesus Christ the second Adam whereby they become again after the Image of God in holiness and righteousness Eph. 4 22 23 24. There had never been among the Posterity of fallen man a habitation of righteousness and mountain of holiness had it not been for this wonderful love of God in Christ Jesus for mankind was all gone aside they were altogether become filthy there is none that doeth good no not one Psa 14.3 If therefore any of the race do become holy and righteous and do good again we may conclude that they were created in Christ Jesus to good works for by nature they are dead in trespasses and sins 4. To teach us That it is a vile abuse of Christ and his Gospel and the doctrine of the free grace of God to make as if Câ—â—â—stians were thereby freed from the direction and authority of the Moral Law or that the motives to Obedience to it were abated by the Gospel It is certain that Christ did not Obey the law that we might have liberty to Break it nor did he suffer that we might have liberty to violate it with impunity but that we might be saved from the Curse of the law and from the dominion of sin and might be the Servants of God and have our fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Although the law was never given to fallen man as a Covenant whereby he could be justifyed yet doth it continue as a Rule of life And the Lord Jesus is so far from abolishing it that he puts it into the inward parts of believers and writes it in their hearts Jer. 31.33 It was the error of the Jews in the Apostles time to think the law was given as a Covenant of Works by the keeping of which they might be justifyed and have eternal life Against this the Apostle argues that the inheritance was by Promise and that God gave it to Abraham by promise and the law which was given at Sinai 430 years after could not disanul it and makes it an absurd thing for any to think that righteousness comes by the law and if so saith he then Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2.21 Gal. 3.17 18 21. The Jews took the law in that sence as when Luther calls it Moses Mosissimus a strict Covenant of works but had lost that sence of it wherein Luther calls it Moses Aaronicus A â—â—arker dispensation of the Covenant of grace a Schoolmaster to bring them to Christ The Apostle knew now to urge Obedience to the moral law and to lay men under obligation to holiness and righteousness by its authority and motives without urging a necessity of perfect and personal Obedience to it in order to Justification and eternal life He could and did urge it as a Rule of life without making it a Covenant of life and rule whereby men could be justifyed Acts 13.38 39. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that belive are justifyed from all things from which you could not be justifyed by the law of Moses He could deny the law to justify and yet not make Christ the Minister of sin He could preach the free grace of God without casting any blemish upon the law or incouraging Sinners to continue in sin because grace had abounded Rom. 6.1 Compared with the foregoing Chapter and did maintain that the grace of God which bringeth Salvation agreeth with the law in this it teacheth men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and Godly in this present world Titus 2.11 12. 5. To teach us That Christians in the times of the Gospel may and ought to make use of the Scriptures of the Old Testament for their Instruction Example Comfort Although the Ceremonial law be totally abolisht as to its Practice yet forasmuch as it typed out or prefigured Christ his Graces Actions Sufferings and benefits and was some way instructive about moral duties the understanding of it is many ways useful to Christians as might be shewed in Apostolical argumentations So Heb. 9. throughout 1 Cor. 9.8 9 13 14. The judicial law so far as it was local and peculiar to the Jews binds not yet
so far as it was of moral Equity it ought to be observed in Christian States and Caeteris paribus and Consideratis Considerandis is of Excellent use to all Lawgivers and Judges to the end of the world for that People were under a Theocrasy and their judicial Laws were of divine legislation for the most part If any were otherwise they had at least divine approbation The moral law is all of it of everlasting equity and amiableness as we have shewed as Holy Righteous and Good in Paul's time as in Moses's time Rom. 7.12 And in our times as in Moses's or Pauls For till heaven and earth pass one jot or title of the law shall in no wise pass Math. 5.18 The Assemblies reflection on this text is How much more needful is this Doctrine when men would make all the law void and not obligatory to believers Its Historys are our Examples either of imitation or caution 1 Cor. 10. Now these things were our Examples that is saith the English Annotations God set the punishment of those Israelites as a glass or image before us that we in them might see what we may expect if we sin as they did In the following verses the Apostle dehorts from Idolatry â—ornication Tempting Christ and the sin of Murmuring from â—â—amples of caution written of old But saith the Apostle they were written for our Admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come v. 11 So Heb. 3.19 compared with Heb. 4.1 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief Let us therefore â—â—ar c. So Esau's Example of selling his birth right for one morsel is urged by way of caution Heb. 12.16 We have also Examples of Imitation taken out of the Old Testament improv'd in the New So in Heb. 11. The Examples of Antediluvian Patriarchs and Postdiluvian Patriarchs and Kings Priests and Prophets Judges and Military Commanders all famous for Exploits of Faith Worship and Obedience are set before Christians for Imitation And the Apostle argues from them Heb. 12.1 That Cloud of Witnesses are to be followed by Christians as the Cloud was followed by the Israelites in the Wilderness So Peter urgeth the Example of holy Women of old and of Sarah in Particular for to teach Christian Women Subjection to their Husbands Conjugal Chastity and Modesty of Apparel So Abrahams faith and his justification by it is set forth for an Example to Christians for their imitation Rom. 4.4 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe The like may be said of Promises and Threatnings which are found Originally in the Old Testament but improved in the New Testament Of Promises some that seem National others Personal are by way of Analogy transferred to Christian People as if they had been made nextly and directly to them So Eph. 6.1 2. The Apostle Exhorting Christian Children to obey honour their Parents urgeth them to this duty 1. By the Intrinsical Goodness and Immutable and Eternal Equity is in what he Exhorts them to Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just 2. By the Authority of the fifth Commandment 3. By the Promise annexed for this is the first Commandment with promise i. e. the first of the Second Table for the second Command hath promise annexed to it Showing mercy to thousands viz. of Generations of them that love me and keep my Commandments i. e. Ordinances and Institutions means of Worship free from Superstition mens Inventions and Will worship When the Apostle saith the first Command with promise he refers to those words that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Which words in their next intention are directed to Jewish Children and mean a long and happy life in the Land of Canaan but the Apostle writing to the Children of the Church at Ephesus that had nothing to do with the Land of Canaan alters the words by Analogy and makes the promise run that it may be well with thee and that thou mayst live long upon the Earth So the promise made nextly to Joshua Josh 1.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee is by way of Analogical Accommodation transferred to Christians Heb. 13.5 So Davids confident conclusion Psal 118.6 The Lord is on my side I will not fear What can man do unto me is drawn into argumentation Heb. 13.6 And the words that Solomon spâ—ke to his Son Prov. 3.11 is said to speak to the Christian Hebrews Heb. 12.5 Ye have forgotten the Exhortation or that consolatory Exhortation which speaketh unto you as Children My Son dispise not thou the Chastening of the Lord. Of Threatnings also applied by Analogy Heb. 4.7.9 11. I shall on this head only further show that Prophesies in the Old Testament are of use to Christians they help us in the belief of New-Testament Prophesies many of them being already accomplisht others also of them agree with Those in the Revelation and illustrate one another as the Text and the interpretation So also 2 Pet. 3.13 We according to his promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness and many Prophesies in the Old Testament that flourish in expressions literally expressing temporal felicity yet were intended as Prophetick Types of Spiritual Blessings under the Messias And they had some kind of accomplishment in Temporal Deliverances Peace Plenty c. before the Coming of Christ but were more fully accomplisht in Spiritual Redemption and the Spiritual Priviledges Benefits and Graces Enjoy'd in the Churches of Christ If we consider what cognation there is between History and Prophesy it will not seem strange For Prophesie is History antedated and History is Postdated Prophesie the same thing is told in both If therefore the History of the Old Testament is Example to us and instructive to us so must needs be Prophesy And many things in the Old Testament are first set forth in Prophesy and afterward in History either of them yea both of them beneficial to the Church Besides Prophesies for the most part contain Promises or Threatnings in them And therefore if Old-Testament Promises and Threatnings are of use and may be by way of accommodation applied to us so may the Prophesies also I have insisted the larger on the foregoing head not only to show how genuine the Doctrines raised from the Text are and to strengthen the foundation on which I build the Superstructure of the Application I further intend but to vindicate the just Reputation of the Sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament from the indignity done them by those that speak of them as of things formerly useful but now antiquated and out of date as also for the benefit of those that esteem them by way of Direction how to use them that the Old and New-Testament may be used by us as two breasts of Sacred
Consolation and we may suck and be satisfied out of both of them and milk out and be delighted with the abundant Consolations they afford I conclude this Use with saying only this further that to deny the fore-mentioned usefulness of the Old-Testament Doctrine Promises Threatnings History and Prophesy is to Apocrypha the Old Testament at once and to confront the New in a thousand instances and to charge Non sequitur upon the Apostolical Argumentation U. 6. To teach us That by how much more similitude there is between the State History or Circumstances of the Jews and the State and Circumstances of any Christian people or Plantation so much the more apt and easy will accommodations be of Doctrinal Historical Promissory Minatory and Prophetical Passages This is self evident for where there is par ratio where the reason is the same the consequence will be more evident and the conclusion the more cogent And if so I conclude such accommodations will be easy to New England seeing there is such considerable similitude and agreement in the circumstances of both Some of which circumstances and instances of similitude I shall modestly propound in hope that they will be as candidly taken as they are honestly intended 1. The first Planters of the Israelitish Vineyard or the first Plants therein were a noble Vine a right Seed Jer. 2.21 The twelve Patriarchs were all Godly and God led them like a flock by the hand of Moses und Aaron Israel was Holiness to the Lord. So the first Undertakers Planters the Foundation men of New-England were Holiness to the Lord though not universally yet generally so This Land was planted with choice Vines Men Eminent in Piety and Vertue that Served God and their Generation according to the Will of God 2. The great End for which Israel went into the Wilderness and the Land of Canaan was that they might Worship God according to his own Institution with more purity and less peril than they could do in the Countrey where they were Exod. 8.1 Let my people go that they may Serve me Exod. 8.27 We will go three days Journey into the Wilderness and Sacrifice to the Lord our God as He shall command us The first Text sheweth they went out for the Worship of God the second shews it was for purity of Worship according to Gods Institution See v. 26. of the same Chapter and you will see it also to be that they might so Worship God with more liberty and safety than where they were For Pharaoh would have let them Sacrifice to their God in the Land but Moses said It is not meet so to do c. Will they not Stone us So then that they might worship God purely without giving offence to others or endangering themselves they were willing to go further a field Even so was the Design of our Predecessors in coming more than three days Journey viz. three thousand miles into this Wilderness that they might Serve God with pure Worship according to his own Institution without offence to others and with more liberty and safety to themselves than at that time could be had in their own Countrey The World knows that our Predecessors did not leave their Native Soil that dulce solum Patriam for better Accommodations in worldly respects they did not come into the Wilderness for Worldliness but for Godliness sake and that the first Rulers Teachers and Churches had the Glory of God and the liberty and purity of his Worship in their Eye And their Memory will be precious in Ages to come notwithstanding their Ashes have been polluted and that with an unusual degree of Impudence and falshood by the Rabshakeh Raileries Lyes of some nameless and shameless Hereticks 3. As the Israelites underwent many hazards hardships in that Enterprize and had special assistance preservation provision and protection from the good Providence of God that was very peculiar about them for good So did the first Comers into New-England run many great risks and grapple with many difficulties both of Sea and Land too many to enumerate in all which the good Providence of God was very circumspect about them in sending suitable and seasonable succours and supplies They cried to the Lord in their troubles and he saved them out of their distresses as the brief Histories of New-Englands Affairs show 4. As God made room for the Israelitish Vine and caused it to take root and spread and flourish so that its boughs went to the Sea and its branches by the rivers its Shade covered hills Whilst Religion and Righteousness flourisht among them they were both numerous and prosperous And so it was in New-England in a good degree God blessed them and caused them to multiply greatly No Out-going of the English Nation for the time can compare with it 5. As there grew declension and degeneration among that people notwithstanding all God had done for them and notwithstanding all done for maintaining and transmitting pure Religion to succeeding Generations so hath it befallen New-England We may with grief and shame read over and meditate upon some Texts spoke of Israel as Hos 4.7 as they were increased so they sinned so Josh 2.7 The people Served the Lord all the days of Joshua and the Elders that out lived Joshua c. and there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord. 6. As they chang'd their ways from Good to Evil and walkt contrary to God so God chang'd his ways from ways of Mercy to ways of Affliction and walkt contrary to them And as was threatned did them evil after that he had done them good So hath it also been with us As for our Degeneracy it is too palpable to be denied and too gross to be excused It calls for Lamentation Humiliation and Reformation rather than proof and demonstration though that also be needful enough in order to the former And the Servants of God have in this place as well as in others offered conviction of that to which I refer you As to Gods change of his Dispensations towards his people from a way of Mercy to a way of sore Affliction and Judgment he is a very great stranger to the affairs of New England or one that considers not the Operations of Gods Hand that knoweth not this Who knoweth not that our Fields which use to smell as the Fields which the Lord hath blessed have of a long time been blasted that a Fruitful Lord hath been turned into Barrenness Instead of Plenty we have had Scarcity instead of Health Sickness instead of Peace War and have been thereby diminished impoverished and brought low Instead of remarkable divine favour direction and protection we have had such trouble from Heaven and Hell from Earth and Sea and such desertions frustration and rebukes from God in things of greatest importance that who shall consider well of these things will with grief and shame say The countenance of our God and Father hath not been
towards us as formerly Might not much of this have been prevented if we had considered what was like to follow upon the degeneration of Gods Covenant-people if we had considered that it must needs be after this sort if God should deal with us as of old he was wont to deal with his Covenant-people in like cases as it was most likely he would so likely that we had no ground to think it should be other wise It is an awful saying of Dr. Goodwin As you look for Storms in Autumn and Frosts in Winter so expect Judgments where the Gospel hath been Preached for the quarrel of the Covenant must be avenged 7. We know how that People dealt with God for many Generations and how God dealt with them and what things came to at last for their Apostacy for their Idolatry against the first and second Commandment their impiety prophaness iniquity impenitently and incorrigibleness and unbelief They were â—roke off Unchurched Unpeopled and seemingly made irreversibly miserable But we know only how we have dealt with God and how God hath dealt with us to this present time and know not how we shall deal with God or how God will deal with us for the future Secret things belong to God Certainly we have cause to fear and tremble lest in the issue our line should run paralel with theirs also seeing there hath been such agreement in the premisses And this brings in sight a two-fold danger which I would not mention without fear and trembling and hope that all good men will joyn with me in praying to the most Merciful God that we may escape them both and that the Warning now following may be one means of it U. 7. Of Premonition forewarning to the People of New England of two Eminent Dangers they are in 1. Of being more sinful yet As sinful as New-England hath been or yet is which is very sinful yet there is great danger lest New-England should yet be much more sinful than ever it was or yet is 2. Of being much more miserable then ever yet they were or yet are The first Danger demonstrated 1. Israel Gods Professing and Covenant People grew from bad to worse and notwithstanding all warnings and methods used to stop their defection yet they were bent to backsliding till the holy People and righteous Nation became a Sinful Nation a People laden with iniquity They went away backward they revolted more and more there was no stopping of them or reclaiming of them Their Reformations were partial and at best but of Short continuance they quickly returned to folly and did worse than their fathers We have reason to fear by their Example least it should be so with us also for we as well as they have principles of revolt connatural to us The Apostle mentioning of their sin and folly saith Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall how much more may we that are sensibly falling already take heed lest we fall utterly and take it kindly that we are warned before the things that concern our peace are hid from our eyes 2. Successless attempts for Reformation are more than presages of worse declensions for that obstinacy that renders such attempts successless sheweth that they are very far gone already and also merits more divine desertions and derelictions and the more persons are left of God the easier a prey they are to every Temptation Although it may be all hath not been done by Magistrates Ministers Churches and Synods that should have been done to promote Reformation and Stopping the progress of Impiety and Iniquity yet one that did not know what hath been done by Courts Synods Ministers and Churches in a publick way besides all private Prayers Tears Counsel and Reproof would not think one half hath been done that hath so little fruit of it appears Nor is it easy to do so much again although the event show much more is needful to be done 3. Notwithstanding all the Judgments of God that have come upon us for our sins yet we are unreformed Irreligion and prophane neglects of the Worship of God Vain and vile Swearing prophaning the Name of God and his Sabbaths Disobedience to Parents and family disorders Violence unrighteousness sensuality pride contention coveteousness and all manner of carnality and carnal security rather increase than decrease There is the less hopes of growing better the more fears of growing worse when mens endeavours for Reformation are fruitless but least of all is the hope of growing better and most of all the fear of growing worse when Divine Endeavours seem frustrate that aim'd at our Reformation and take not that effect that might be expected Isa 26.9 When thy Judgments are abroad in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness That is it may most rationally and justly be so expected and how much more may it be expected of those places on which such Judgments fall But when after various sore Judgments God may say I have smitten you so and so yet have you not returned to me as Jer. 2.30 in vain have I smitten your Children they have received no correction that is are never the better as Isa 9.13 The people turneth not unto him that smiteth them and as Isa 1.5 Why should ye be smitten any more ye will revolt more and more if things be thus with us Oh! that they were not so with us are we not in great danger of being more sinful yet 4. When great and good men die thick and fast it portends declension Little doth this ingrateful world know how much of the Religion Equity Peace Order of a Place is under God owing to the Piety Zeal Prudence Activity Fidelity of a few men that God raises up brings into Office in Church and Common wealth and spirits for his Service however let them guess at it by the following texts Deut. 31.16 The Lord said to Moses thou shalt sleep with thy fathers and this people shall rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the Strangers of the land And Moses saith v. 21. While I am alive with you this day you have been rebellious against the Lord how much more after my death Judg. 2.7 The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua 2 Chron. 24.2 Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehojadah the priest v. 17 18. Now after the death of Jehojadah c. they left the Lord God of their fathers I have no design for Funeral Sermons on any in particular but have with Sorrow observed such deaths of Magistrates Ministers and Military Commanders and so many of them that I am afraid of the Omen For such deaths are to a people as Micaiah to Ahab they never prophesie good but either great declension or great judgment or both Religion hath one the less friend on earth for every godly man that dyeth and sin hath one the less enemy And