Gods book for the increase of knowledge and conscience Psal 1. â— Deut. 6 and add hereto meditation and prayer for these three saith Luther make a Divine all time thus spent is well redeemed As for lascivious and idle books shun them as rocks 2 Rejoyce in the good you know by another praise God for it pray for the increase of it But if you know any evil by any mourn for it and if you can by brotherly admonition amend it â—ob 31.1 â—sal â—59 â—7 3 Retrain your ears eyes mouth and hands from hearing seeing speaking or performing any wicked and vain thing knowing that death often entereth in at the windows S â—am 1.2 1 Stick to God as well in adversity as prosperity the one being as necessary as the other If you want necessaries humble your self for them if you have them bee humble with them and use them well lest you forfeit them â—at 5.23 â—sal 35.14 2 Seek Reconciliation with your Neighbour freely forgiving those that have offended you and earnestly desiring to be forgiven of all that have been offended by you â—at 23.25 â— 7.9 10 3 Study to approve both your heart to God and your Life to Gods Children in your particular calling and especially to such â—hes 5 â— 6. â— as to whom God hath joyned you as if a servant in obeying if a Master in ruling if an husband in loving if a wife in reverence for a good conscience a good name and good manners must go together T â—b 3.12 â— 1.11 â— 15 â— m. 1. â— 12. 1 Take heed of performing holy duties for fashions sake or without feeling and profit for this is hypocrisy or prophaneness 2 Thankfully requite at least with 1 Acknowledgement 2 Hearty affection 3 Prayer the good you get by any man for there is no member in the body but standeth in need of others mens gifts Cor. 11. â— 26 3 Think it the greatest work in the world to dye well which to do you must inure your self to dye before hand 1 by dying to your sins 2 Leaving the world in affection before it actually leave you 2 In your last leaving of it do it willingly yea Joyfully whensoever wheresoever or howsoever God shall call you V 1 Vow to God and keep it Eccl. 5.34 Psal 16.14 especially strive in performing the solemn vow of your baptism and the covenant which you renew in the Lords Supper 2 Vatiance and discord with men will not stand with your peace with God If you love God 1 Joh. 4 20 you will love men also for Gods image or else for his Commandements sake 3 Use the World as not using it and your prosperity and liberty to be bettered by them That is not gained 1 Cor. 7.31 Mat. 16.26 which is gotten with the loss of your soul and then is the soul exchanged with an handful of the world when it is not gotten and held 1 In Christ restoring it 2 With Christ the chief gain 3 For Christ the Lord of it W 2 Wait upon the Lord and he will direct your way becom his servant Psal 37.7 for this is the way to attain your truest liberty 2 Weep with them that weep Rom. 12.15 Jer. 13.17 Psal 69.9 and fellow-feel the afflictions of the brethren that are in the world Christ in Heaven accounteth the sufferings of his Saints his own and wee his members upon earth must do the same Religion and mercy are well matched by God and must not by man be divorced Ezek. 9.4 as for the miseries and sins of the age wherein you live mourn also for them and pray to God for remedy 3 Wish not a long life so much as a good life he hath lived long who hath lived well A short life in grace setteth into the everlasting life of glory The Analysis of Christs Temptations In Christs Temptations consider 1 The preparation parts three 1 Christs entring the lists here 1 Time Then 1 When he had been baptized 2 When he undertook his high office 3 When the Spirit had descended upon him The Sonne of God The Teacher of the Church 4 When hee had received testimony from heaven that hee was 2 Person Jesus 3 Guide of his way was lead of the Spirit Here 1 The Guide The Spirit 2 The manner was lead 4 Place into the wilderness 5 End To bee tempted of the Devil Here 1 Author The Devil 2 End it self To be tempted 2 His expectance of the enemy Here three things 1 How he was furnished Hee was filled with the Holy Ghost Luk. 4.1 2 His Company He was with the wilde beasts Mar. 1.13 3 His imployment 1 He was tempted within that time Luk. 4.2 with lighter on-sets 2 He fasted in his fast 1 time forty days forty nights 2 effect he was afterwards hungry 3 Entrance of the adversary where 1 The time Then when Christ had fasted and was hungry 2 The name of the adversary The Tempter 3 The manner of his entrance he came in an assumed shape externally 2 The Combate it self in three fierce on-sets First consist of an 1 Assault in it 1 The ground If thou be the Son of God 2 The inference Command these stones to bee made bread Here 1 Facility Command 2 Readiness of object these stones 3 Utility to be made bread 2 Repulse in it 1 The manner it was 1 reasonable 2 meek 3 modest 2 The affection negative But conjunction discretive 3 The matter a testimony of Scripture It is written 4 Parts of the testimony 1 Negative Man liveth not by bread only 2 Affirmative but by every word which proceedeth c. Second consists of 1 Preparation here 1 The time then 2 The place set down 1 In general the holy City Luke expresseth it to be Jerusalem 2 In special a pinacle of the Temple 3 The manner how Christ was conveyed thither in 2 things 1 Hee took him up 2 He set him on the Pinacle 2 Temptation in it 1 Assault in it 1 The ground If thou be the Son of God 2 The matter cast thy self down Here 1 The action Cast down 2 The agent thy self 3 The place whence from hence saith Luke where means of safety were 3 The argument to perswade him a testimony of Scripture in which 1 General consideration It is written 2 Special matter 1 As abused by Satan 2 In his right use here 1 Angels ministery keep thee 2 Who seals their commission Hee shall give his Angels charge 3 The limitation in all thy waies 4 The manner they shall bear thee in their hands c. 2 Repulse in it 1 Resistance Jesus said unto him 2 Reason 1 Scripture alledged for it is written to the contrary 2 in the allegation 1 who must not tempt thou 2 who must not be tempted The Lord. Thy God 3 action of tempting Third in it 1 Assault in it 1 preparation in it 1 choice of a fit place Here 1 what place
not a guard of men about him as the great Princes of the earth but a guard of Princes and not of Princes only but of principalities and powers rules thrones and dominations and therefore hee must deeds bee a mighty God advanced above all Creatures 2 The Angels are in Scripture every where spoken of as the excellency of the Creatures so as when the highest praise of any thing is to be given it is taken from the excellency of Angels Manna is called Angels food Psal 78.25 that is if Angels should need food they could not wish more excellent 1 Cor. 13.1 If I should speak with the tongues of Angels c. that is excellently Yea the most happy and glorious estate that our selves look for after the resurrection is hence extolled that we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Angels Now all this advancement of them is not so much in respect of themselves with whom we have no commerce but for the advancement of Christ the Lord of the holy Angels and that in their glory we may behold the glory of Christ to whom they are servants 3 The truth hereof was shadowed in the Ceremonial Law Exod. 25.20 The Cherubims signifying the Angels must lift their wings on high as attending upon God and their faces must be to the Mercy-seat which lively resembled Christ on whom their eyes must bee still cast as the eye of the hand-maid to the hand of her Mistris And chap. 26.31 the vail of the Tabernacle which covered the most holy expresly signifying the flesh of Christ which hiding his Divinity made way for us to Heaven must bee made of broydered work with Cherubims not without Cherubims for these noted the multitude of Angels serving Christ even as man for being in his lowest estate and apprehended to the death he gives this as a reason to Peter to put up his sword because if he would he might pray to his Father and have twelve legions of Angels to rescue him Obj. But this seems not Christs priviledge to have the Angels his ministers seeing all the godly have them ministring spirits for their good Heb 1.14 as Abraham Lot Elias Daniel Ans True they had but this impeacheth not Christs honour because they serve not us after the same manner they serve him for 1 Their service is due to Christ as their Creator and Lord of duty to us as Creatures of charge 2 Their service to him is immediate as the Head of the Church to us mediate only as members of the Head 3 Their service is proper to him and invested in him as his own right to us given by vertue of our communion with him 4 To him as the author and preserver of all the gifts and graces they have and equal it is that whatsoever is excellent in any kind be wholly ascribed to the author and giver of it to us only so farre as the owner hath put them in trust to employ those gifts for our good Faith in Christ interests us in this Ministery of the Angels who love the members because of the head They are his Angels and so called by special propriety Matth. 16.27 when the Son of man shall come in the clouds and all his holy Angels with him because by special prerogative they doe him homage and service And our Angels by special commission and direction from him 5 They never ministred to man but for the honour of Christ Rev. 22.9 Worship God Vse 1. Let us imitate the Angels Doe they honour Christ by their ministery and shall we refuse his service especially seeing hee took our Nature and bound us straighter to him than the Angels They are most expedite and ready having wings to fly withall Let their wings speed us in his service They are unweariable in performing obedience and shall wee bee so heavie and shrinking as to account every thing too much that we do for him They are in all things ruled and moved by his Spirit Ezek. 1.20 Whither the Spirit led them they went Let us also give up our selves to the leading of his Spirit not running of our own heads in any business unsent without our warrant They rejoyce in all good things and in Christs victory the benefit of which redounds to us more than to them and that men by the same are set out of the Devils power And why do not we more rejoyce in this victory of Christ why do we rejoyce in evil which is the Devils sin in sinful courses and company Why do we hate and scorn those who most partake in this victory How unlike is this to the Angels Vse 2. If the Angels be servants unto Christ then we see herein both his love to us and our own honour who hath vouchsafed us his own special servants to attend us For he hath not only charged them with the safety of Abraham Jacob Lot Elias Daniel and other extraordinary holy men but their commission is general Psal 91.11 they shall keep thee in all thy ways that is not only Christ himself but every member of Christ for this honour have all the Saints And what a comfort is it that we so weak Creatures and so beset with spiritual and invisible enemies have appointed to us by the Lord so many spiritual invisible and more powerful ayders and assisters What a comfort is it that no temporal enemy can so soon wrong us in our persons estates or names but the Angels of God are ready to turn it off and keep off the peril and then return to God to complain of the wrong-doers What a care should we have not to forfeit our priviledge to keep us in our ways and walk warily because of the Angels not grieving them by sin nor driving them from about us whose protection under Gods is more safe than if we lay under shield and spear Psal 91.4 with 11. And if our Lord himself received comfort from them how great may be our comfort from them Vse 3. Hence we are to ascribe the glory of Power Majesty and Kingdome unto our Lord Jesus who if he be able to command all the Angels in Heaven much more all the Devils in Hell who are farre weaker than they All power is his in heaven and earth And now we are no longer to esteem of him according to his base estate in the Wilderness in the World but according to his surpassing power manifested through all this History in vanquishing the Devil and in receiving the Divine honour from the most glorious Angels To this great Michael who even without his Angels hath in pitcht battel overcome the great red Dragon and all his Angels be ascribed all power might victory and triumph of all men Saints and Angels in earth and in the highest Heavens for all eternity Amen Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AN Alphabetical Index OR TABLE Pointing To the Principal Points in this Exposition A IN Christs lowest Abasement sparkles of Divinity fly out sundry instances page 233 Actions brought forward
but seeing he who is thy head is in Heaven thou that art a member of him must be there also And as Christ while hee continued upon earth after his resurrection lived a kind of supernatural and heavenly life so if thou be risen with him thou livest not the life of nature but hast begun the life of grace and an heavenly conversation Quest But how shall I know whether I live by this heavenly life or no Heavenly life disceâ—nâ—d by two notes Ans There be two special notes to discern this truth by the former is the dissimilitude and opposition which it hath with the life of sinful natural men upon earth the latter is the similitude and agreement it hath with the life of Saints and glorified men in heaven Concerning the former â— In the matters of this life the Natural man will follow and pursue things which tend to a sensual and natural life he will beat his brains for gold and silver meat and cloth goods and lands for himself and his as for Heaven he will have nothing to doe there till he be dead and for the way thither hee cateth not to know it till he be dying at the soonest But the Spiritual man hee coveteth after Spiritual things the power of Christs Spirit where it is present will lift up his heart be it never so heavie to seek the Kingdom and the righteousnesse or it and hee seeketh after the wisdome of God as for gold and treasures he accounteth of the graces of faith love hope humility and the fear of the Lord above all pearls and precious things he provideth for himself and his the food that perisheth not and thinketh hâ—mself warmly and comely arrayed when he hath put on the Lord Jesus Christ as knowing that only the garment of his righteousnesse can fence him from all the injury of wind and weather The Natural man doth not more seriously listen after great purchases of Lands and Fields as he doth cast with himself to purchase the pearl hid in the field for which he will sell himself as we say into his shirt nay and further how own self liberty life and if he had any thing dearer than that The Spiritual man as for the things of this life if he have them not hee wanteth not his portion If he have them his care is that they have not him or become his portion If riches increase he setteth not his heart upon them If they decrease his heart faileth not with them In abundance he carrieth himself warily and weanedly In want cheerfully and contentedly The things hee hath he useth as not using them the things hee hath not hee knoweth he hath no good use of them or else he should have them And thus as the Natural man bestirreth himself and all his motion tendeth to the bettering of his outward estate at home so contrarily doth an heavenly-minded man accounting himself from home while he is here in the body bend his chief care to settle his estate at home in heaven and all his trading and converse in this strange Country tendeth to the enriching of him in his own Country Further if we look to the Natural mans course in the matter of his religion we shall see as great difference between them For it is clear 2 In the matters of religion that whereas matters of religion are a burthen to the one they are the joy of the other The one as heavie to pray to hear to read and meditate on the Word and of his own estate as a Bear to the stake if Law of shame or some such by-respect moved him not if were all one to him to bee on his Horse-back as in the Church the other would account his life tedious were it not for these meetings of God and his people in the assemblies and those sweet refreshments they bring back from thence The one if he pray sometimes in publick hee maketh little conscience of private prayer in his family and so of other private duties to which God and a good conscience would bind him as straight as to the former The other walketh wisely and religiously in the midst of his house and preserveth the worship of God at home and maketh his house a little Church and house of God The one maketh little or no conscience of such sins as either in comparison of other or in his own corrupt conceit are smaller sins such as are inferior oathes idlenesse gaming sins of omission idle words of hurtful unclean or wandring thoughts words he thinketh to be but wind if he mean no hurt and if he mean hurt but doe none thoughts are free As for the sins of the time he will not be so undiscreet as to swim against the stream hee is here violently carried without resistance into a gulf of known evils and all is well he doth but as others doe and it were worse for him if hee did not The other maketh conscience of all sin lesser sins and secret sins hee can hate all even those which he cannot avoyd hee hateth the evil that himself doth and willingly will not displease God though all men bee therefore offended with him To conclude this point the one seeketh to appprove himself unto man the other to approve his heart to God because he knoweth he made it and knoweth what is in it And this shall serve for a tast of the opposite disposition between Natural and Spiritual life Agreement which it hath with the life of the Saints in Heaven in two things II. The second note to discern this heavenly life by is the similitude or agreement which it hath with the life of the Saints in heaven For the life of the Saints in Heaven must be a counterpane of the beleevers upon earth to which they must be daily framed in sundry regards 1 In respect of the things they are called from 2 In respect of the things they are called unto 1 The Saints in Heaven are called from three things 1 The world it self 2 The corruptions that are in the world through lust 3 The company of the wicked of the world Even so must beleevers in the world in their degree and measure carry themselves as those that are chosen out of the world and such as are bought from the earth Rev. 14.3 medling no more wich earthly things than needs must enjoying them so as they joy no more in them than in things which are not their own but borrowed only for a time using them so as they abuse them not because they are to be countable for them abiding in them earthly businesse and callings What the Saints are called from in three things so as they be never earthly minded in one word so desiring pursuing having holding and parting from the profits of this life as those to whom God hath shewed better things than any below yea and esteeming of their present life it self so indifferently as that they can account the day of their
death better than the day wherein they were born 2 As the Saints in Heaven being delivered out of the prison of the body have all the bolts and chains of their corruption struck off so the godly who have their parts in the first resurrection have after a sort changed their lives and put on a Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 they have bid farewell to the follies of their former times yea renounce and as farre as frailty will permit loathe their sins saying unto them as Ephraim to his rejected Idols get you hence what have I to doe with you they that were of the Synagogue of Satan are now in the Temple with true beleevers Thus is it said of the hundred forty four thousand that were bought from the earth that were not defiled with women but were virgins that is sanctified in part and washed from their filthiness and will have no more fellowship in the unfruitful works of darkness wherein sometimes they were chief actors 3 The Saints in heaven never joyn with the wicked of the world any more that being verified which Moses spake to the Israelites concerning the Egyptians The enemies whom your eyes have seen this day you shall never see more even to the faithful hate the company of the wicked with whom they can neither do good nor take any whereas before their calling they were mixt with them and ran with them to the same excess of riot Now their fellowship is dissolved they are no more Companions with them the light of the one admitteth no communion with the others darkness and that they are often forced to dwell in Mesech with them it is the woe and grief of their hearts Another part of this agreement What the Saints are called unto in five things standeth in the things to which the Saints are called which are sundry As 1 Look as their chief happiness standeth in the beholding of the face of God and seeing him as he is together with their rejoycing in his blessed communion and that most sweet fellowship they have one with another even so the chief blessednesse of the Saints in earth is their fellowship with God and Christ though it bee not so immediate as the former They see his back parts indeed rather than his face and rejoyce after a sort in his face but afar off and as in a glass of the Word and Sacraments not face to face nor in that brightness wherein they shall behold him when they are at home with him at his right hand but yet what they want in the thing they want not in desire to be where hee is that they may see his glory so as they may be satisfied with the fulnesse of it that they may so see him as they may bee like him that they may drink not of the streams but of the well of life and see light in his light And because loving him that begat they cannot but love him that is begotten the next happiness to the former do the godly justly esteem the communion of Saints placing under God their chief delight in such as excel in vertue Secondly as the heavenly life of the Saints is spent in the perfect praise of God wherein they imploy their eternity keeping in the presence of the Throne of God a perpetual Sabbath and serving him day and night Rev. 11.17 7.15 even so beleevers indeavour in their measure that the same mind bee in them which was in Jesus Christ who thought it as his meat and drink to do the will of his heavenly Father they bring free-will-offerings they esteem one day better in his Courts than a thousand besides and account these persons blessed that may dwell in his house because they ever praise him Not that much rebellion and corruption of nature doth not often dead and dul even the most sanctified but yet something they get forward and delight in the progress they make to the chearful praise and worship of God And this they do not by fits and starts but imitate that heavenly life in the continual indeavour to make the pleasing of God their principal delight and the chief thing that most soliciteth them Thirdly as the Saints in Heaven live according to the Law of perfect righteousness which is the Law and charter of Heaven and have obtained perfect sanctification so Beleevers on earth set the same Law before them to rule and direct every particular action by and begin the self same obedience they begin to weigh all they give out or take in by the weights of the sanctuary which God hath sealed as just they follow the Lamb whither-soever he goeth before them whether by voice or example Fourthly as the Saints in heaven enjoy God for the means of all their lives Rev. 22.3 5. for hee is their Temple their light their Tree of Life their Crystal river c. evenso the Saints in the World though they live by means and must not look to reap without sowing as once it was 2 Kin. 19.29 yet injoy they God above all means and acknowledge that hee is their life and the length of their daies that they live not by bread alone but by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God that it is hee that giveth them power to get substance and blesseth their children with increase that hee which cloatheth the Lillies and feedeth the Sparrows will cloathe and feed them yea and more that before they shall want that which is good for them it all means should fail hee would sustain them without means by Miracle that his Promise cannot fail them when the Indian Mines shall come to nought that his word is means enough which commandeth the Rock and it giveth water and the Winds and they blow Quails before his Host shall perish Fiftly as the Saints in Heaven would not for all the world forgo their Happiness for one day and yet are they not now so fully happy but that they still wait and long for further perfection of their glory saying Lord how long Holy and Just Rev. 6.10 so the godly would not for all the world be separated from their estate in Christ A cloud of Martyrs in all ages manifesâ—ed that all the World the sweet of it nor the sour the flattery of it nor the tyranny could draw the godly from the fruition of their priviledges in Christ And yet dwell they not in these first fruits but wait still for the perfecting of this their redemption Hence the Apostle describeth them by their inseparable property 2 Cor. 5.2 Rom. 8.23 which is to love the appearing of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 These notes laid together Examination of a mans self by the former notes will give witness with or against a man whether his conversation bee heavenly and consequently whether hee partake of all the former benefits of Christs resurrection Examine thy self by them Whether art thou called out of the World in thy affection whether art thou actually separated from the corruptions
down Here bee in these words three things further to bee considered 1 The action which the Devil would effect the casting down of Christ 2 The agent not the Devil but Christ himself must do it Cast thy self 3 Luke addes from hence where means of safety were Doct. 1 All the travel of the Devil is to cast down Christ and in him all mankinde The estate of the Church is militant while it is here below and the battle is maintained between Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels Rev. 12.7 and therefore as in a battel the contrary part by all the power and policy it can seeks to cast down and overthrow not the Captain onely but all the adversary power and discomfit the whole Host so is it here To clear this point wee must know there be three estates from whence Saan hath ever sought to cast men down 1 From the estate of innocency and grace created Adam was no sooner set up in this happy and glorious estate but Satan cast him down And from this pinacle wee are all cast down in him The second Adam himself was sundry waies assayld in these temptations and sundry others to bee cast down also from the same most innocent estate which had been the casting of us all not out of the earthly Paradise with Adam but a casting down from heaven unto hell 2 From the estate of regeneration and grace renewed Satans continual labour is either to keep men under condemnation from the state of grace or to cast them down if it were possible from that estate to which they are by Christ restored Hee worketh effectually in the sons of disobedience by hardning their hearts blinding their mindes and leading them hood-winkt at his pleasure to damnation 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel bee now hid it is hid to them that perish in whom the God of the world hath blinded their mindes that the light of the glorious Gospel which is the image of God should not shine unto them And for the elect hee sets upon them false Prophets and seducers hee is incessant in most malicious tentations by which hee soileth them often in foul manner and if hee cannot cast them down from their estate in Christ yet hee often casteth them down from the comfort of it both by inward and outward sorrows and persecutions Rev. 12. the Dragon when hee cannot kill the woman and her seed hee will cast out of his mouth waters like a floud to drown them and if that prevail not hee will stir up war with the remnant of the seed which keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ 3 From the Pinacle of their outward estate or office which they hold in the Church or Common-wealth for so hee did here with Christ when hee had gotten him to the Pinacle hee thought to get him down easily At least hee will do his best to cast him down for hee should fall with witnesse First If hee see a man on the Pinacle of the Temple a teacher in the Church listed up above others in gifts or place hee will leave no stone unturn'd to cast him down for hee knows that as if hee had here cast down Christ hee had cast down with him all his members so if he can cast down an eminent Teacher hee casts down with him as many as depend upon him And here no Teacher can secure himself if hee were in place above all the ministry of the New Testament nay the higher the pinacle the more slippery and dangerous to fall Judas his place was an higher place than any ordinary minister of the New Testament stands upon but yet how fearfully was hee cast down by the Devil who put it in his heart and prevailed first for the betraying of his Master and then the hanging of himself how did the Devill seek to winnow as wheat the rest of the Disciples that stood on the same battlements who had as certainly been cast down but for the power and prayer of their Master Luk. 22.31 How strongly may wee clear this truth if wee observe one experience which all the ages of the world have confirmed namely that the Devil hath ever striven to set men on the Pinacle of the Temple to cast them down and the Church in them How hath hee by wicked means as flattery mony and corruption advanced them into the highest places and pinacles of the Church whom hee might use as his chief Agents to ruinate and bane the Church as the false Prophets in the Old Testament that would ever with the Squirril build and have their holes open to the sun-side ever keep in with Princes and sing sweetly to the present times As also the false Apostles that would suffer nothing for Christ but under a colour of preaching Christ abolish Christ and his doctrin taught and maintained by the true Apostles How doth the Church complain that shee was never so wounded as by the watch-men who also robbed her and took away her veil from her Look into the Records of fifteen hundred years and wee shall not read almost of any persecutions of the Church but raised and with all heat pursued by proud persecuting and Antichristian Bishops who kept the chief places in the Church And ever since the Bishop of Rome hath been by the Devil lifted up into the highest Pinacle of the Temple his casting down and fall into so many monsters of doctrin and manners hath been in this Christian World the ruine and downfal of so many as whose names are not written in the book of life All this comes to pass by the malice of the Devil whose tayl draws the third part of the stars of Heaven and casteth them to the earth Rev. 12.4 Against these stars and lights of the World hee bendeth his forces If hee can cast them down to earthliness or service of any lust he hath his desire Secondly If hee see a man upon the Pinacle of his own house hee will if he can cast him down thence and for this purpose will lay his plots and objects David walking on his battlements was soon cast down thence by the sight of Bathsheba Especially if a man be a Magistrate or Governour standing on the pinacle of authority the Devil will cast him down if by any means hee can His example will cast down a great many with him hee stands high many eyes are upon him and so many see him If Rhehoboam commit Idolatry all Judah will sacrifice under every green hill If the Magistrate bee fearful negligent or any way noted for vice those under him will take it for a Licence Reasons The Reasons why Satan seeks thus restlesly to cast men down from every good estate are these 1 Because himself is cast down from Heaven to Hell Rev. 12.13 When the Dragon saw that hee was cast out into the earth hee persecuted the woman Hee would have and hold every man under his own condemnation 2 Because of
Isa 40.26 Lift up your eyes aloft and behold who created all these things This use David maketh Psal 8. When I see the heavens the earth and the works of thy hands then said I Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him and concludes the Psalm thus How excellent is thy name through all the World And why 1 The invisible things of God his Power and Divinity and Eternity were made visible to the very Gentiles by things created Rom. 1.20 And shall wee either not look on them or so look upon them as they to make us inexcusable shall wee onely injoy the natural use and no spiritual or Divine use from them 2 Consider that God for this purpose hath made the Countenance of man not as the Beasts groveling on the Earth but erected unto Heaven and he hath made the eye of man not as the Beasts but as Anntomists observe hath given it one muscle which they want whereby hee can turn his eye directly upwards with admirable quickness that it should not so fix it self upon any thing below as the Covetous eye doth but by occasion of things below turn it self upward to their Creator Yea hee hath compassed our eyes with brows and lids and fences from dust and earth that though wee look sometimes on the earth yet the least dust or earth should not get into them 3 Let us labour to use our senses in beholding Gods works as they in Joh. 2.23 that saw the works of Christ of whom it is said Many beleeved in the name of Christ seeing the works that he did So let the works which wee see God hath done bee at least inducements to beleeve him so much the more Fourthly God made our senses in respect of our brethren both to benefit them and our selves by them 1 Our eyes to behold their misery to pity them to releeve them Turn not thine eyes from thine own flesh Herein the unmerciful Priest and Levite were condemned by the pitiful Samaritan Our ears to hear the cry of the poor Prov. 21.13 Hee that turns his ear from the cry of the poor himself shallery and not bee heard Numbers never make this use of their ears but God hath a deaf ear for them 2 Our eyes to see the good example of our brethren to imitate them to glorify God for them Our ears to hear their Godly Counsels Admonitions Reproofs and so bee bettered by them 3 Our eyes to see and consider their danger to pull them out of their infirmities the fire and to cast out the more of their eyes Our ears to hear what is fit to bee spoken of them to defend their good names if they bee traduced For God hath given us two ears not rashly to receive every information but to reserve one for the party lest hee be condemned unheard unconvinced Fiftly and Lastly God made our senses in respect of ourselves not only to bee faithful keepers of the body but diligent factors and agents for our own souls as 1 That our eyes should ever bee looking homewards and to the end of our way as quick and expedite travellors and not fix themselves upon everything wee see here below This is done by heavenly conversation 2 Our ears should bee bored to the perpetual service and obedience of our God as our Lord himself was Psal 40.7 Thou hast bored mine ear alluding to that Ceremony in the Law Exod. 21.6 If a servant would not part from his Master his ear must bee bored and nailed to the Post of the house and thus hee became a perpetual Servant hee was nailed and fixed to that house and service So wee must yeeld an obedient ear as Solomon calls it unto the Counsels Will and Commandement of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ 3 Our eyes were made to bee Conduits of tears for our own sin and misery and for the sin and wretchednesse of other men Psalm 139.136 Davids eyes gushed out rivers of tears because men keep not the word how wept hee then for his own sins that wept so for others Good Lot his righteous soul was vexed in hearing and seeing the unclean conversation of the Sodomites Thus should our senses bee so far from conceiving pleasure in sinful obects as these must bee the continual grief of our souls And can wee indeed look upon our selves and not see something which is a brand of our sin or can wee behold any Creature and not see some express Prints and marks of our sin and vanity upon it Surely this one meditation would be effectual to keep us from casting our eyes upon unlawful objects and so from making our selves a prey to the Devil Vse 2. This serves to reprove such as fail in this watch of the senses for who doth not yet some far more dangerously Such as have in their houses Popish Pictures and Images which are alluring harlots corrupters of the heart which is an opening of the door to the Devil a sign of a man willing to bee seduced Experience shews that when a man is in love with such Images hee easily falls out with Gods Image in himself and Gods Children 2 Such as delight in lascivious Pictures and filthy portraytours of naked men or women in whole or such parts as may stir the corruption of the heart which should bee beaten down by all means Wee need bring no Oyle to this flame Yet the Devil hath gotten such pictures in request in this wanton age wherein every thing is almost proportional 3 Such are far from this watch of their senses as so attire and disguise themselves or lay open their nakedness to insnare the senses of others Let them not say they think no hurt in it unless they can bee sure that no other think hurt by it 4 Such as like the Images have ears and hear not eyes and see not care not to hear the Word or read it never taste Gods goodness in it neither doth the breath of heavenly life ever pass through their noses 5 Such as frequent wicked company and delight in the ungracious actions and speeches that they hear and see or can digest them without reproof or dislike manifested The Devil hath a thorow-fare among such companies who are conspired against God and goodness Add unto these such as read or have in their houses Lascivious and wanton books teachers of lewdness Adde also Stage-Players and their beholders that cast open all gates and walls to the Devil 6 The Covetous eye whereof Solomon saith Ecc. 4.4 his eye is not satisfied with Riches neither doth hee say For whom do I thus labour In that Satan would draw Christ to the love of the World and thereby makes no doubt but to insnare and cast him down wee learn that Doctr. 2 The love of the World easily maketh a man a prey and spoil to the Devil Satan well knew that if hee could get Christ to fall down to the World hee would easily fall down to him Where by the World I
of his love so every promise of Satan is a token of his malice An example of the Devils faithfulness we have in our own Chronicles In the reign of Edward the first when the Welch-men rebelled their Captain resorted to a Conjurer for counsel whether he should goe on in the intended warre against the King or no yes said the Devil goe on in thy purpose for thou shalt ride through Cheap-side with a Crown on thy head and so he did indeed but it was cut off and he was carried in triumph as a prey to the King This may justly reprove and shame many professed Christians that will scarce give Gods promises of grace and life the hearing though they are founded in Christ in whom they are all yea and amen flowing from his love and tending to our eternal happiness with himself Many will not bee brought to hear them many hardly when they have nothing else to do and many hear them as things not concerning themselves for then would they take more delight in them But if Satan promise any earthly Kingdome or profit hee hath our ears our hearts at command all our speech runs upon the World our desires and hopes are for earth and earthly things and being thus earthly-minded how expose wee our selves to Satans assaults and offer our selves to bee won by his most treacherous promises Vse 2. This teacheth us what to think of that Doctrin and Religion that teacheth men to be Promise-breakers what may we think of it but to bee a treacherous unfaithful Diabolical Religion But such is the Romish Religion as wee may easily see in two or three instances 1 In that Article of the Council of Constance That Faith is not to bee kept with Hereticks that is Protestants and so brake promise with John Hus who had not the Emperours onely but the Popes safe-conduct Against the Examples of good Joshua who kept Promise though rashly made with the Gibeonites and with the Harlot of Jericho and of David who kept Truth and Promise with Shimei a seditious and cursing wretched Traytor 2 The Church of Rome teacheth by the Doctrin of Equivocation to break the Promise of a lawful Oath before a lawful Magistrate and teacheth the lawfulness thereof But the Scripture condemneth a double heart and the deceitful Tongue and proclaimeth woe against them that trust in lying words In lib de fide cum haretic is servanda Jer. 7.8 and that make falshood their refuge Yea Molanus a great and learned Papist concludes syncerè faedera juramenta sunt intelligenda all leagues and especially Oathes are sincerely to bee understood and condemns plainly such mockeries and dalliance with Promises and compacts by one or two instances as of him that made truce with his enemy for thirty daies and wasted his Enemies Countrey and Camps only in the night and of Aurelianus the Emperour who comming afore a Town Tijana and finding the Gates shut to animate his Souldiers with great anger said I will not leave a Dog in the Town they hoping for the spoil beestirred themselves to Ransack the Town but being won hee would not give them leave to spoil it but bad them leave never a Dog in it and let the goods alone This was but a dalliance condemned by the Papist himself and yet had more colour of truth than Popish Equivocation can have 3 The Romish Church teacheth men to break Promises and Oaths with lawful and Christian Princes exempting subjects from obedience and putting Swords Dags Daggers Powder and all deadly plots into their heads and hands against the Lords anointed A treacherous and Devillish Doctrin Vse 3. Wee see also what house treacherous and deceitful persons descend of such as care not how much they promise and how little they perform men most unlike unto God and resembling their Father the Devil who is most lavish and prodigal in his promises when hee knows hee hath neither power nor purpose to perform men of great tongues which swell as mountains but of little hands not performing mole-hills Of these Solomon speaks Prov. 25.14 Hee that glorieth of a false gift that is speaketh of great things that hee will do for his Neighbour but failes in the accomplishment is like a cloud and wind without rain A Cloud seems to offer and promise Rain but the winde takes it away and frustrates a mans expectations And the same is true of all windy Promises Which wee must carefully avoid and use these rules against slipperiness in promise 1 If a man would bee like God who cannot lye in his promises hee must strive against it But Satan is a Lyar from the beginning and the Father of Lyes and Lyars 2 Faithfulnesse in contracts is the sinew of humane society which Satan would have crackt that hee may bring all to confusion 3 The Heathens that were given up by God to a reprobate sense are branded with this mark they are truce-breakers Rom. 1.31 4 It is a mark of a man in the state of grace who hath obtained remission of sins that in his spirit is no guile Psal 32.2 5 A note of a man that shall dwell in Gods holy and heavenly mount is this hee speaks the truth from his heart Psal 15.2 and Revel 14.5 They onely shall stand on Mount Sion and sing before the Throne who have no guilt in their months Especially wee must bee careful of two promises whereof God and the Congregation have been witnesses as 1 That of Baptism which wee must have a special care to look unto for if wee fail in keeping touch with God no marvail if wee fail with men 2 That of Marriage which the Prophet calls the Covenant of God Mal. 2.14 THE second thing in this profer is the reason annexed Luk. 4.6 For it is delivered unto mee and to whomsoever I will I give it The Devil like a desperate man that is sure in this bout to kill or bee killed laies about him with all the skill and strength hee hath yea hee is put to his shifts so as no base or mischievous devise comes amiss by which hee may either in fair combat or cowardly attempts oppress his adversary and that which hee cannot do by strength and power hee will attempt by falshood and lies which hee heaps up here together most like himselfe the Father of lies that stood not in the truth And here he challengeth the power and glory of the World to bee his 1 In Possession 2 In disposition First Hee affirmeth it to bee his but not directly but indirectly by Gift It is delivered unto mee But this is a most notorious lye for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is the world and all that dwell therein Psal 24.1 and Deut. 10.14 Behold the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords thy God and the earth with all that therein is And where read wee that ever hee committed these into the hand of the Devil Object 1. Joh. 14.30 Hee is called the Prince of
the World therefore hee speaks true Answ 1 Hee is called the Prince of the World not simply but as it is corrupted the Prince of this World saith the Text which world this which lyeth in malice and hostility against the Son of God and the means of salvation 2 Hee is not so a Prince as having any right unto any creature for hee cannot possess a Pig without leave but by tyranny hee forceeth and commandeth as a Prince the wicked World unto his obedience for the World departing from God to his Adversary God in justice giveth Satan leave to prevail and rule in the Sons of disobedience But will it follow that because hee ruleth in the world by sin and death being the prince of darkness and having the power of death therefore the parts of the world must needs bee his Object 2 He is called the God of the World 2 Cor. 4.4 Ans True not in respect of dominion over things created but 1 In respect of Corruption for hee is the God of the evil in the world the Author Ring-leader and Nourisher of all evil 2 In respect of Seduction for hee is bold to use all earthly things which are made to Gods glory to serve to set forward his temptations and wicked mens lusts and so to set up his own kingdom 3 In respect of opinion or estimation because the people of the world make the Devil their God But this no more proves him to bee indeed the God of the World than an Idol is proved to bee a true God onely because Idolaters so esteem and make it Secondly The Devil affirms it to be in his disposition that hee may give it to whom hee will which must needs bee another lye because it is not his in possession for nothing can give that which it hath not 2 The Scriptures ascribe this to God as a perogative and peculiar to him By him Kings reign Prov. 18.15 All powers that are are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 Hee maketh low and hee maketh high It is the most high that beareth rule over the Kingdomes of men Dan. 4.22 The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away Job 1.21 3 Another notorious lye is that having them to dispose of hee will dispose them to Christ which is impossible seeing Christ had them already disposed unto him and had received them of his Father so as he only could say Matth. 11.23 All things are given to mee of the Father and Joh. 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hands Therefore the Devil offering him the Kingdomes of the World must needs lye Psalm 2.8 Ask of mee and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession If then Satan say All this power will I give thee it is a lye for all power was given him in Heaven and in earth of his Father Matth. 28.18 So as in this profer hee belies the Fathers gift and the Sons right and derogates from the glory both of the Father and of the Son 4 Another lye is his false boasting making himself Lord and Casar of all when hee hath not one foot of all hee speaks of like Solomons Bragadocio There is one that maketh himself rich when he hath nothing and when hee pretends his unjust usurpation in the World to bee a just possession and title to the World And thus wee have examined the substance and truth of this Reason and have found neither substance truth nor reason in it Here note that Doct. Bad causes must ever bee thrust forward by bad means Satan had a naughty matter in hand as no better can beseem him namely the overthrow of the Son of God and all the salvation of mankinde and the means by which hee would effect his purpose is suitable lying and falshood and boasting and hee is no changeling never a true word comes out of his mouth 1 King 21. Jezabel had a wicked end to bring to passe namely the dis-inheriting of Naboth and setting Ahab into his possession and what means doth shee use but bribery perjury and murther of Naboth and his Children and all this under a colour of Religion and revenge of Gods cause a fast being proclaimed before it Matth. 26. the Jews had as wicked a cause as ever was undertaken viz. the oppressing and murther of the Son of God and what means must they use for what had the just man done They must accuse falsly and suborn false witnesses and deprave his words and make him speak what they list And what other means used they to falsify and suppress the truth and glory of his resurrection In this place Satan aims to bring Christ to Idolatry and the means is covetousness Peter had an ill cause in hand to hinder Christ from being apprehended and his means was bad unwarrantable striking Reasons And this must needs bee 1 In respect of God when a bad action is undertaken hee leaves it and as hee permits the action onely so hee permitteth bad means but never appoints or approves any means to bad and VVicked purposes which therefore must bee Wicked and Unhappy 2 In respect of Satan who seeks to make every action as sinful as possibly may bee hee knows that all instruments of falshood are hateful to God and therefore the more wicked means are used the more detestable and damnable the action is 3 In respect of men themselves for those that make no conscience of bad ends maâ—e none of the mâ—ans as we may see in David himself whose conscience being so sleepy as to take another mans wife he will make no bones to hide it by murther of his faithful Captain 4 In respect of the means themselves which are near enough at hand bad means are easily sound and attempted What might be more difficult than to pick matter against the Son of God to bring him not only under disgrace but unto death Yet the Jewes could easily find a Law by which Law he was to dye or if they had had none they could easily make one If they wanted true witness they could suborn false If they wanted witness from others they could make use of his own We our selves have heard him what need wee any other witness Vse 1. This teacheth us to suspect those causes and actions that are brought about by bad means as 1 When men run out of Gods Ordinances and will not live by some honest calling and means of life but by Cards Dice Bowls Bets Cousnage and such instruments and means of injury and wrong they are convinced to live a lewd and wicked life for a good and honest life is blessed by God and carried by good and lawful and honest means such as these be not 2 All such goods as are gotten by lying swearing deceiving Sabbath-breaking over-reaching or helping forward sin in any man are here not only to be suspected but condemned and sentence passeth against them as such which the Devil hath
the time of his infirmity needing a breathing time and a refreshing by which hee knows what wee weaklings have need of and is become a merciful High Priest to give us some rest in the midst of our conflicts which else would bruise and break us 2 Hee goeth but for a season because of his invincible malice who cannot afford us a good hours rest if hee may have leave to disturb us because hee maliceth our Lord and Saviour with an inveterate and deadly malice so that although hee bee in himself out of his reach yet hee still continues to tempt him being in heaven in his members upon earth This deadly malice in his nature our Saviour noteth in Matth. 12.44 The unclean spirit when hee is cast out seeks to re-enter and return again and where hee findes a fit house hee brings in seven Devils worse than himself Hee is diligent to watch our mischief and if hee cannot prevail at one time hee will assay another 3 God sees it good to stir us out of our security who are ready to expose our selves to temptation especially after we have out-stood a temptation and never are wee easier made a prey for Satan than when the pride of heart tickles us and so wee grow secure because wee have out-grown some temptation If our estate of corruption did not necessarily require changes and aâ—mies of sorrows wee should find the Lord not delighted in afflicting the sons of men but hee sees how prone wee are to surfeit of fulness and as a field of Corn the rancker it is the easier it is laid down with every storm and violent wind of temptation and therefore hee changeth hurtful prosperity with wholsome though bitter potions of afflictions and like a good Physician prescribes us a thin dyet and abstinence after our surfeit and excess 2 God sees these changes good for us to season and stir up our prayers In affliction wee can seek the Lord diligently Isa 26.16 Oh Lord in trouble they have visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Hee knows his Church is never so fitly disposed to fervency and efficacy in prayer as when the cross is on her shoulders whereas in her peace shee is sleepy cold negligent roving and remiss in her seeking after Christ Psal 55.19 3 God sees these changes good for us to lift us up from this evil world for were our prosperity not interrupted wee would dote too much upon the World and would wish no other Heaven than this upon earth for if wee bee so hardly and heavily gotten out of so miserable a World as is full of sorrows and heart-griefs how hardly or rather impossibly should wee get out of an unchangeable earthly happiness though to injoy our heavenly inheritance 4 God sees it good for us to bring these changes into our estate and to entermixe with afflictions comforts and breathings to help our patience and perseverance for else all our sorrows would exceed our strength if they were without intermission The Lord will not have us swallowed up of sorrow and therefore doth so temper and blend our estate as wee bee not quite tyred out with the instance of our skirmishes and conflicts but after our skirmishes retires us for a while where we may breath and refresh our selves and recover our strength and fitness for further service whensoever our great commander shall imploy us 5 God sees these changes good for us that by them wee might prize his mercies to praise the giver doth not the night make the day more delightful would wee so prize and praise God for health if it were not sweetned with sicknesse plenty is endeared by want and an honey-comb hath no sweetness to a full stomack whereas hee that hath been pinched with penury and need knows what a benefit abundance is 4 God for his own great glory brings these changes into our estate thereby manifesting 1 His Wisdome in upholding his Church by contrariâ—s which fight one against another as the frame of the World standing on four contrary Elements 2 His power that bringeth to the grave and back again 1 Sam. 2.6 that supporteth his Children to stand under so great burdens without fainting thereby magnifying his omnipotent power in such weakness 3 His goodness in suffering his children to bee afflicted on every side but not drowned in the waves of them to bee persecuted but not forsaken to bee cast down but not to perish yea to bee killed but not overcome 2 Cor. 12.9 and 4.7 Nay his goodness is such as turneth all these changes to good bringing good out of evil sweet out of four life out of death and his own order out of earthly confusions 4 His glory in the strange and miraculous deliverance of his Church in its most desperate estate and in the powerful overthrow of his enemies And of all the persecutions of his Church it may be said as of Lazarus his sickness It is not to death but that God may bee glorified Vse 1. Then let us not dream of so stable a peace in our Church and Land as mens security every where hath seemed to lay hold of looking at the peaceable disposition of our gracious King at his hopeful Successor at our union among our selves at our league with all other Nations at the continuance and undisturbed estate and liberty of the Gospel for these sixty years For 1. God seeth not good to give any Church on earth an unchangeable estate that is the Churches expectation in Heaven 2 Our peace hath brought in a general security prophaneness intolerable pride of all fashions and colours beside modest and white a deluge of drunkenness daily drowning the brains and souls of thousands a weariness of this Mannah a dangerous Apostasie from the first beginnings of the Gospel and a falling back of many great ones into the professed Idolatry of Antichrist and in the most a contempt of religion yea and of a formal profession that denies the power and life of godliness Adde to these execrable swearing unpunished soul adulteries unrevenged or slightly punished the Sabbaths of God horribly and generally violated and prophaned by games and practices unlawful upon any day And now will God continue a peace to so unthankful a people that doe put it to no other use than to arm themselves against God and fight against his grace and glory 3 Consider how God dealt with his own people they had as long peace under David and Salomon as wise and excellent a King as ever was being an eminent type of Christ yet we see what long ease and peace brought him to which was the overthrow of his Kingdom and the renting of ten parts of twelve from him to his servant he was a King of peace as his name imported had posterity had made a league with all neighbour-nations yet God being provoked brings a woeful change on him and his Land So may it be to us 4 Consider how God hath threatned us of
be preserved so long seeing Lazarus his body and our bodies in that time enter into many degrees of it Ans Christ was indeed balmed and sweetned with Odours but all this could not have preserved him if his soul and body had not now been â—aced from sin the mother of corruption Obj. But he had sin imputed unto him Ans Yea but he had overcome all that and slain it on the Crosse for had he not destroyed it himself had been destroyed by it and subdued for ever under the corruption of it In all which regards that is verified which himself being risen affirmed Luke 24.46 Thus it is written and thâ—â— it behâ—eveth Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead the third day Other things the Evangelists observe in this circumstance as that it was the first day of the week that is the first day wherein hee had created the Heavens and the Earth and wherein he would create now a new Heaven and a new Earth and as before he had set up a marvellous frame of the world but sinâ—e exceedingly shaken and defaced by sin he would now restore the world again and repair the ruines of it by abolishing sin as formerly he had filled Heaven and earth with the glory of his power in Creation so would he now fill them with the glory of his power in Redemption which is a second creation Hence is it that that day is now converted into the Christian Sabbath and called the Lords Day Revel 1.10 or if you will Sunday but not as the Heathen Christ rose early and what we learn thence in honour of the Sun but as Christians in honour of the Sun of righteousnesse Again the Gospel noteth that this our glorious Son â—â—sâ— about Sun rising early in the morning or a little before it Matth. 28.1 To shew unto us 1 The power of his God-head who could while his body was dead perform the promise which he had made alive even in the instant of which hee had spoken 2 The impotency of his enemies who although they watched him fâ—â—lâ—â—â— him up laid an heavie stone upon him were every way cautelous to keep him dâ—wn till the third day was past and he not stealing away secretly in the dâ—â—d time of the night but â—ose with noyse and warning even in the morning yeâ— could they no more stay him than they could the Sun from rising and running his course 3 The benefit which the world of beleevers obtain by his rising again set down by the Evangelist Luke 1.78 Through the tender mercy of our God the day-spring from an high hath visited us 79. To give light to them that sâ—â— in darknesse and to guide our feet into the way of peace The Chronologers further observe that this was the day wherein Moses led the Israelites through the Sea wherein all the troops of Pharaoh and his Host were drowned Even to our Lord Jesus this third day led all the Israel of God out of the spiritual Aegypt of blindnesse and filthinesse but gloriously triumphed over all the bands of Satan Sin and Death all which were sunk like a stone into the bottomless pit of Hell Other observations concerning this day might be inserted out of Authors which because I see no sound ground for them out of the Scriptures I will omit them that I may now come to the lessons which out of this circumstance we may draw for our further instruction First we learn hence All the promises of God are accomplished in their duâ— season that all the promises of God shall be in due season accomplished whatsoever may seeme to come between them and us For seeing Christ being dead both could and did perform his promise to his Church will not hee much more being alive and in his glory doe it The Israelites had a promise of a good Land they must in the mean time suffer much oppression in Aegypt for the space of four hundred and thirty years together but the self-same night Exod. 12.41 when the term was expired they went out against the heart and yet at the entreaty of Pharaoh and his people In like sort Joseph had a Dream that the Sun and Moon and the twelve Starrs should worship him in the mean time he must be cast into the Pit and Dungeon where hee can see neither Sun Moon nor Starre many days and years passed wherein he saw nothing but the clean contrary and yet in the due season of it this dream was accomplished And the reason is because 1 God is true of his word he cannot lye nor repent and 2 He is able to fulfill whatsoever passeth from his mouth for shall any thing be hard or impossible to God or shall any power or death or the grave it self falsifie it Lean thy self then upon this truth of God hast thou a promise of outward or inward peace health wealth or any other good thing which thy heart can wish hold this promise fast in the midst of thy heart wait for the accomplishment of it it shall not fail thee so farre as thy Father seeth good for thee if it be delayed and deferred even this also shall turn to thy best Hast thou a promise of life everlasting hold it by the faith of thy soul as the aym and end of all thy faith and religion for all the miseries of this present life shall not be able to defeat thee of it Hast thou the promise of the resurrection of the body after death stick to this Article of thy faith also nothing could hinder the rising of thy head no more can let but the members shall be where the head is not the grave not fire not water not the bellies of beasts or fishes but they shall give up their dead and further the accomplishment of the word of their Creator The second observation is The Lâ—â—â— denieth n t to help his children although he delay them till his own due time be come that as the Lord of life raised not his Son as soon as he was dead but he must lye in the grave two days yea and the third also till his case seemed desperate to the Disciples themselves even so may the members of Christ lye long in the graves of their misery yea so long as their case seemeth desperate and all that while the Lord not only deferreth but seemeth to deny their help and utterly to neglect them Abraham had the promise of a Son by Sarah he looked every year for him ten twenty years together nay till the thirtieth year till it was not with Sarah as with childing-women in so much as she laught when she heard it the case in nature was desperate who would have thought but that God had forgotten his promise which Abraham himself in all that time if God had not shoared up his faith might have forgotten but though long first yet at length the Lord found out a time fit enough to bring his word to passe David in like
Friers plea we are exempted Lord will doe no good here no not that which all mens Courts must needs excuse absence by that the party is dead for this Judgement Seat is set up for the quick and the dead God must for his glory truth and justice bring every man to this tribunal that if he have been good and faithful hee may have his time of refreshing and be put into the perfeâ—t state of happiness in soul and body And contrarily if hee have been hard-hearted and impenitent hee may know the weight of Gods justice and power and bee in full state of endlesse and easelesse misery both in soul and body Oh then what great cause hath every man to fore-cast this day and expecting it to prepare for it rather than to betake themselves to that Epicurean and profane practice of mockerâ— who put farre from them this evil day saying Where is the promise of his comming we see all things alike since the beginning he makes but small haste And thus because judgement is not speedily executed they resolve themselves on a most wicked course not knowing that as a snare it shall come upon them when they least look for it and that though slowly yet he will come surely and make them know what it is to abuse his patience which should lead them to repentance Now followeth the manner of this Judgement and that is comprehended in three things 1 It shall bee glorious and powerful 2 Just and righteous The glory of the last judgement described 3 Strict and accurate For the first it is said that the Son of man shall come with power and great glory yea in the glory of the Father that is such as belongeth to his Father with himself but to no creature else The clouds and the air shall be as a fiery Chariot to carry him with admirable swiftnesse his train and attendants shall be the Arch-angel making his way by the sound of a trumpet which the very dust and ashes shall hear and follow and all the other Angels of Heaven from whose multitude power and glory this coming shall be wonderfully glorious and yet the Judge himself shall surpasse them all in glory and brightnesse and as the Sun doth darken all the lesser Starres so shall his most admirable glory obscure them all This aâ—pearance may be shadowed by the coming in of earthly Judges to hold Assizes through their Circuit attended with the Honourable Nobles Justicâ—s and Gentlemen of the Country yea with the High Sheriffs power besides all their own followers by which great state and attendance they are both honoured and aided as becometh such publick Ministers of Justice as also are made formidable to daunt and quell malefactors Or rather look as Princes going to their Parliament to make Laws put on their royal robes and shew themselves in their greatest glory even so shall this great King of glory coming to require the obedience of his Laws cloath himself with such a robe of glory as the brightest Sun shall not endure to behold neither the Heavens nor the Earth shall be able to see this glory but shall shrink at it and melt away with a noyse Revel 20.11 John saw a great white Throne and one that sate upon it from whose face fled away both the earth and heaven and their pla e was found no more Thus may we in some dark resemblance something conceive of this glory of the Judge of all the world unto which the consideration of the persons that shall bee judged by him addeth not a little moment for not only small but great must stand before him It is indeed a great honour among men to bee deputed the Lord high Steward under a King whose office is to sit in Judgement upon a noble man what an height of glory then is it for the Son of God to sit in Judgement and call personally before him not nobles only but all the Kings and Monarchs that ever the earth bare If there be such preparation and state amongst men for the trial but of some one noble man what glory may wee conceive must attend the mighty God whilest he bringeth to their trial not only meaner persons but all the most powerful Monarches and Potentates that ever were or shall be to the end of the world This consideration ministreth comfort to the godly seeing hee cometh to Judgement who is able perfectly to free them from all misery able to strike oft their bolts of sin to acquit them from terrours of conscience fears of death the Grave the Devil and Hell it self the cometh from Heaven for their release who hath trodden down all his enemies under his feet and all this glory is for their safety and happinesse who wish and wait for the appearing of this mighty God Tit. 2.13 And on the contrary it serveth to strike the wicked and ungodly with terror and dread seeing the Lord Jesus shall come from Heaven in such power and majesty and all to judge and condemn them whom when they shall see arrayed with vengeance against them no marvail if they be driven to their wits ends yea as it is with guilty Malefactors when they see the Judge coming in so honourably attended so shall it bee here this very glory of Christ shall strike them with fear horror and an azednesse and force them to all miserable and unavaylable shifts and to wish if it were possible that the rocks would fall upon them and crush them to peeces so as they might never come before his presence for the great day of the Lord which is to all the wicked of the world a black day a cloudy day a dismal day this day is come and they cannot abide it Secondly this Judgement shall bee righteous and according to the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.2 We know that the judgement of God is according to truth Heb. 1.8 Thy throne O God is for ever the scepter of thy Kingdom is a righteous scepter The righteousness of the Judge and judgement Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest iniquity Hitherto is to bee referred that of Daniel 7.9 who saith that this Judge shall sit upon a great white throne alluding to the white Ivory throne of Salomon but infinitely more glorious the whitenesse betokenning the purity and righteousness both of the Judge and the judgement for every man shall receive according to his works Here shall be no concealment of things for he will bring every secret into judgement Eccles 12. He will lighten all things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the hearts manifest 1 Cor. 4.5 Here shall bee no daubing or salving up of bad matters in corners no pleading of Lawyers who craftily cloud the truth of Causes for gain no respect of persons no favouring for the sake of any friends nor fear of foes or any displeasure Here shall be no inducement by gifts which blind mens eyes to pervert judgement the purest gold of Ophir
indure not their lusts to be pricked in the ministery and much less crucified 336 Minister must bee careful to remove what may hinder his Doctrin 284 Ministers must expect Gods calling as Christ did 307 Ministers must urge themselves to diligent preaching why 371 Miracles of Christ had a threefold use 313 Motion of sin in the regenerate is in letting the life of it go 344 Motives to the practise of Righteousnesse 292. N NEcessity of preaching evinced by sundry reasons 369 Necessity of remission of sins in three points ibid. Neither the person nor any of the offices of Christ could suffer him long to abide under the power of death 340 New miracles not needful to confirm old doctrin 316 No less in to sin by others as by our selues 329. No need of a dumb or blind ministery 371 No man can avoid the last â—udgement unless his power be above Christs 377 No man can bee too precise seeing the judgement shall bee so precise and strict 383 None capable of Christs office because none is so annointed as he 309 No peace by Moses 295 O OBjections against preaching answered 374 Objections against special faith answered 409 One way only to salvation 299 Opening the mouth what it meaneth 282 Open the eyes to see the happinesse of the Saints 416 Offences are of sundry sorts 402 Ordinaâ—y Ministers must be beleeved as Apostles while they teach things heard and seen by the Apostles 363 Ordinary Pastors now called by Christ though hee bee now in heaven 368 Outward things cannot bring into Gods acceptance 287 P PAttern of special grace in Peter 284 Peace wha by it usually meant 294 Peace by Christ with God man creatures how ibid. Peace wanting how to obtain it 296 Peace of conscience floweth from remission of sin 407 Person what it meaneth 284 Phrase of quick and dead what is meaneth 377 Plain preaching of Christ wherein it standeth 373 Popery a novelty 298 Popery turneth the doctrin of Christ crucified into crucifixes 336 Popish doctrin teaâ—heth not true faith to this day 392 Popish doctrin assenteth not to the article of free remission of sins 413 Preaching the ordinance of Christ 367 Preaching of Christ wherein it standeth 373 Priviledge of a Godly man what it is 292 Promises of God all accomplished in due season 355 Prophetical office of Christ. 312 Publike persons must give accounts for themselves and others in the judgement day 381 Q QUalities of â—hrists raised body are not divine properties they beautify but not deify it 343 R REasons against seeking to witches 325 Reasons why it was necessary Christ should rise again 340 Reasons why God delayeth to answer his children 356 Reasons why Christ must so manifest his resurrection 358 Reasons why the Apostles were specially commanded to teach the doctrin of the last judgement 374 Reasons to grow up in the strength of faith 401 Religion what and wherein it standeth 288 Remembrance of judgement to come a notable means to further godliness 374 Remission of sins what 402 Remission of sins how received 413 Resurrection of Christ not only removeth evils but procureth all our good as in five instances 346 Right and posâ—ession of eternal life issueth from remission of sins 407 Righteousnesse of the Judge and last judgement described 379 S SAlvation assured beleevers from Christs resurrection 347 Saints in Heaven wholly called from three things and the Saints in earth in part from the same 350 Saints in heaven enjoy five things which the Saints in earth do also in part 351 Satans tyranny over the souls of men more fearful than that hee exerciseth over their bodies 319 Scriptures ascribe that often to the instruments which belongeth to God the principal efficient why 400 Sermons which plainest teach Christ are the best 373 Sin set out in the most ugly visage of it 333 Sins carries never so secretly shall come into a clear light 38â— Sins compared to debts 403 Sorâ—ery of sundry kinds condemned 324 Spiritual possession very common proved at large by sundry instances 321 Strictnesse of the last judgement laid open 380 Sure grounds that God loveth a man 411 T TEmptations of sundry sorts foiled by holding the Article of remission of sins 408 Tender affection to forgive our brethren a good sign that God hath forgiven us 413 The tyranny of Satan over those whom hee bodily possesseth discovered five waies 318 The touchstone of tryal of our words and deeds is the word of God 380 Three actions of faith helping forward the free confession of it 398 Thoughts must be judged of as well as our works 382 To beleeve in the name of Christ what 406 Two things especially hinder the care of the la t judgement 384 Truth of faith as much to bee laboured for as salvation it self 400 V. VErtue of Christs death applyed two waies 334 Unbeleevers damned already how and why 400 Unregenerate men have all the mad properties of mad or possessed persons proved 320 Use of Christs crucifying at large 333 W WHy God suffereth the devil to possesse the bodies of men in all ages four reas 317 Why God suffereth the Devil so to tyrannize abuse and torture them whom he possesseth reas four 319 Why God permitteth a power of curing to them of whom we may not seek cure 326 Why the wicked prevail against Christ who had prevailed against the Devils themselves 328 Why Christ was rather to bee hanged on a tree than to dye by any other kinde of death reas four 331 Why Christ must dye in Jerusalem the theatre of the world 332 Why Christ would still vail his glory after his resurrection 343 Why Christ rose no sooner nor would defer his riâ—ing again no longer than the third day 353 Why Christ would not shew himself to all the people after that he rose agaâ—n 362 Why Christ chose such mean men for his witnesses 363 Why the Apostle inferreth so many testimonies together concerning Christ 387 Whosoever would have his works words abide the tryal of the last day must try them before hand 380 Wicked men shall bee judged by him against whom all their villanies have been committed 376 Wicked men already judged five waies 377 Wisdome of God in every thing to be subscribed unto 360 Witches and all seekers to them condemned 325 Witnesses of Christs resurrection of sundry sorts 360 Witnesse of the Apostles to be beleeved as infallible 359 Word preached what use it hath both to the unconverted and converted 369 Word preached opposed by the Devil and all wicked ones and therefore is from God 370 Working righteousness what and wherein 190 The manner of it in four things 191 CIRCUMSPECT VVALKING DESCRIBING Several Rules As so many STEPS in the vvay of VVISDOM BY Thomas Taylor D. D. Preacher of Gods VVord at Aldermanbury London GALAT. 6 16. As many as walk according to this Rule Peace shall be upon them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God LONDON Printed for A. K. and R. I. and are to
4 Your loving respect of me and mine hath been as a continual shadow and refreshing Phil. 2.2 unto mee who may and must truely say with the Apostle I have found no man in these Parts Like-Minded And out of my answerable respect I would set by you for your refreshing a little vessel of comfortable water drawn out of the Scriptures Isa 12.3 the wells of consolation by which you may allay and cool the heat of that fire which every sprig of the bush shall be scorched withall and which perhaps you have not altogether or shall not escape I would also express my desire to put into your hands a weapon against the like fiery assaults of Satan who spareth neither head nor members which while you buckle fast unto you as you have your honourable Fathers name and resemble him in other vertues so herein also you shall imitate his wisdome and prudence of whom I have heard that living in the Court to a great age and usually wearing his weapon about him one asked why he being so weak burdened himself with his weapon his Noble answer was Hee would not lay off his weapon so long as he knew one Papist in the Court A resolute answer of a grave and noble Counsellor This will be also your wisdome so long to buckle your weapon unto you as you know one enemy left to tempt and assault you And now in leaving you let mee leave with you a medicine or receipt against the sting of that fiery Serpent Rabi folia superjecta serpenti interimunt eum Amb. Hexam lib. cap. 9 of power to drive him away For as Ambrose speaks of the leaves of the bramble bush that being cast upon one kinde of Serpent they kill him so much more true it is that the leaves of Gods word which properly belong to the bush of the Church and opposed to Satans poysoned temptations overcome and Master them Deut. 33.16 And thus as Moses requested that the blessing of him that dwelt in the bush might come upon the head of Joseph even so the good will of him that dwelt in the bush come upon your head upon the head of your vertuous Lady upon the heads of your children to the sweetning and crowning of your age vers 13. And blessed of the Lord bee your portion vers 23 for the sweetness of Heaven and for the sweetness of the earth till you be satisfied with favour and filled with the blessing of the Lord. Amen Reading Octob. 28. 1618. Your worships in the Lord to bee commanded THO. TAYLOR A Threefold Alphabet of Rules concerning CRISTIAN PRACTICE The First Precept of every Letter concerning Duty towards God The Second towards our Neighbours The Third towards our Selves Gathered at a Friends request in this order for the helping of the Memory First AWake with God in the morning and before all things give him your first fruits and calves of your lips in 1 Confession of sin 2 Petition of necessaries for body and soul 3 Thankfulness for mercies received especially your late preservation rest and protection of you and yours Josh 24.15 Psa 101.2 Gen. 14.14 18.19 Esth 4.15 2 Account it not enough that your self serve God unless that you see all in your charge do the same 3 Arm your self against whatsoever the day may bring forth and upon all occasions think on your happy redemption with much thankfulness for so happy conjunction of Justice and mercy B 1 Beware of occasions of sin and wisely inure your self in subduing the least that at length the greater may be foiled 2 Beleeve all that God speaketh unto you out of his word but not all that man telleth you 1 Sam. 10.16 Eccl. 3.7 nor tell to any other all that you hear but only the truth and that neither all nor always 3 Before you take in hand any thing Luk. 2.19 2 Sam. 2.1 1 Sam. 30.8 counsel with Gods word if it be lawful and then perform it with prayer that it may bee as successful as lawful C 1 Carefully set your self in Gods presence all the day long that setting him at your right hand you may not fall 2 Carry your self unto all as the weak may be won 1 Cor. 1â— 32. Col. 4.5 the strong comforted and the wicked ashamed 3 Consider the dignity of your soul how beautiful it is to God and his Angels so long as you keep it unspotted Mat. 15.18 Eph. 4. â—3 31. Col. 3.5 â— that so you may cleanse your heart from the first motions of sinful thoughts as lust anger envy pride ambition covetousness fullenness and the rather because the least sin deserveth death D 1 Daily morning and evening at least solemnly on your knees make confession and requests with thanksgiving first preparing your heart to seek the Lord in the morning think that that day may bee your last day and when you go to bed you know not whether you shall rise unless it be to judgement It is safest therefore to use prayer as a key to open the morning and as a bar or lock to shut in the evening 2 Delight to do all the good you can to Gods Children Gal. 6.10 and to receive all the good you can from them 3 Distrust not Gods providence in any matter 2 Chr. 16.3.9.12 2 Cor. 3.5 1 Cor. 3.7 Rom. 1.25 although you see the means wanting neither when you have them let them bee relyed on more than God himself but let him be prayed unto for the prosperous use of them E 1 Exercise your mind in meditating often on the works of God Jer. 12.2 Hâ—b 1.13 Mat. 15.31 as his creating and governing of the world his prospering and punishing the wicked his blessing and correcting his children his preparing of unspeakable Joy for the one and unutterable torment for the other Exod. 10.8 But especially on the Sabbath add to these meditations the holy exercises of prayer Preaching Sacraments holy conference and such like 2 Esteem of every one better than your self Rom. 12.16 and the more you excel another be so much the more humbled Phil 2.3 Rom. 14.23 Prov. 6.14 Zac 8.17 Psa 49.3 3 Examine your thoughts well whether they tend before you fulfil your own desires if you find them unprofitable curious vain or such as you cannot yeild a sufficient reason to God or man for kill them in the shel let them not live or breathe longer in you F Eccl. 12.13 Prov. 5.8 6.27 28 1 Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man 2 Fly and avoid places and persons infectious wanton idle unthrifty and bad company which are to the soul as poysoned and infected air to the body Eccl. 1.13 Gen. 3.19 2 Thes 3.6 3 Follow with faithfulness and diligence your own business in the lawful and particular calling wherein God hath placed you only be careful in your earthly business to carry an heavenly mind
can expect immunity from the Tempter Reason 1 This life is the time of warfare and the world is the great field of God in which Michael and his Angels fight against the Dragon and his Angels and can the Captains and Leaders of the rest that go before them in grace in strength in knowledge in holiness escape the onset seeing the sharpest and most keen assaults of every battel is upon the fore-ward and forelorn hopes 2 Satans malice being the greatest sin in the world and the sin against the Holy Ghost is directly and professedly against God and consequently against those that appertain to God 〈…〉 venâ—â— self 〈…〉 od in 〈◊〉 â—nts 〈◊〉 22. because they do so That hee hateth the Godly it is because hee hateth God and in us would bee revenged on him in the servants hee persecutes the Master in the members the head whereas his chief quarrel lyeth against the Master and Head This cannot bee new to him that considereth either Christs prophecy Yee shall bee hated of all men for my sake that is of all wicked men that carry Satans image and properties or else the Saints experience of the accomplishment of it For thy sake are wee killed all the day long Psalm 44.22 Whence it must follow that the nearer any man is to God more graced or more like him the more is Satans malice kindled against him and hee is lesse exempted from temptation the nearer Christ the more desirous is hee to winnow him 〈…〉 grea◠〈◊〉 â—se 3 Gods Providence so ordereth the matter that where hee gives greater strength and grace there should bee greater exercise to prevent pride to keep grace on work and to make his gifts known to the world Vse 1 If Satans malice and impudency set upon the green tree what will hee do to the dry If hee dare make tryal of Christs strength will hee fear our weaknesse If bee dare encounter with perfection can wee impotent and infirm Creatures look for exemption No wee had more need arm our selves and expect our adversary and the rather because the Prince of the World comes upon Christ and findeth nothing to help his temptations by but to us hee needs bring no weapons hee findes in our selves a whole armory of weapons by which hee may fight against us bee findes a rebel within us an old Adam of our corrupt nature that giveth him strength and help against us and therefore his boldnesse will bee so much the more against us when hee sees our own wicked inclinations yielding strength to his wicked temptations Many men say they are of so strong a faith and of such grace that they defie Satan they were never troubled with him 〈◊〉 â—ce â—ouble hee hath nothing to do with them Alas poor soules the more grace the more trouble If strength of faith and grace had given priviledge from temptation our Lord Jesus had not been tempted hast thou more than hee or hast thou more than Adam in innocency yet Adam in innocency was tempted Oh take heed lest the strong man have carried all away and so thou hast peace thinkest thou that hee durst assault Christ and dares not come neer thee dares hee encounter with a Lyon and will hee stand in fear of a fearful Hare 〈…〉 â—on 〈…〉 deâ—â—d not 〈◊〉 Vse 2. Temptation is no sign of Gods hatred but of the Devils It is the weaknesse of flesh to think that a mans own or other mens temptations proceed from an angry God and thence to give false witnesse against himself or others being assailed by Satan See wee not here Christ proclaimed the Son of God and in whom his Father is well pleased yet subject to temptations by the Devil wilt thou now conclude that Christ is suddenly cast out of favour Nay our Duty is if wee see any buffered by Satan rather to pray for them and pitty them than pass sentence as Judges upon them considering that our selves also may bee tempted And if our selves bee not molested and troubled let us take heed wee have not given Satan peaceable possession which makes him now fawn upon us Many will spit at the mention of the Devil who are linked to him sure enough and lulled asleep with the pleasures and profits of this world and are never diseased or disquieted because they go on pleasantly with full sail and gale to destruction Vse 3 This Doctrin confutes that Romish delusion of driving away the Devil and exorcising him with holy water of Baptism The holiest water that ever was did not drive away the devil For the holiest water that ever was was that which washed the holiest Son of God and yet the Devil was never a whit afraid of that but immediately Christ must go forth to bee tempted Papists use the name of Jesus uttered in so many letters and syllables to bee powerful to hinder the entrance of Devils and to drive them out being entered For say they when it is uttered the authority of Christ is present which they cannot resist But I answer 1 Never did the Apostles acknowledge any great miracle or work to bee done by the name Jesus but as Peter saith Act. 3.6 13. By Faith in his name which goes beyond the bare repeating of it 2 Satan delights to see silly people being deluded to abuse both this name and all the names of God to sorcery which is the cause that when hee is raised by the Sorcerer bee is content to bee adjured by all the holy names of God in the Scripture as though they bound him whereas hee deludes them the more and exerciseth his malice against God in an high measure and his holy titles If Satan fear not the person of Jesus he less fears the name of Jesus 3 If Satan fears not the person of Jesus but dares set upon him certainly hee fears not the name and word Christ might easily according to Papists have shaken off the Devil and said What knowest thou not that my name given mee in my circumcision is Jesus how darest thou bee so bold with mee And surely if that Name in the mouth of a wretched man would by any vertue in it make him fly then much more in the mouth of Christ himself But all this is but diabolical and Antichristian delusion Object But must not every knee bow at the name of Jesus Phil. 2.10 even of things under the earth by which are meant the Devils Ans They wickedly abuse that place for the name Jesus is not only a title of Christ but of his Power Majesty and Authority sitting now at the right hand of his Father which if they had to command they might command all creatures in heaven earth or hell Whence wee see that the literal understanding of that place is the ground of Magick The like they speak of the reliques of Saints bones apparel c. which the Devil cannot abide I answer 1 They have few or no true reliques of Saints but false collusions
day of Tryal to take heed of admitting any thing against our conscience which the Apostle compares to a ship fraughted with precious wares such as faith love joy with other graces Now if wee crack our ship of conscience wee make shipwrack of faith and the other graces which good conscience had preserved 4 Faith being the free gift of God who is the author and finisher of it a means to stablish it is fervent and continual prayer as the Apostles knew well enough Luk. 17.5 saying Lord increase our faith and that good man Mark 9.24 Lord I beleeve help my unbeleef Christ praies for the not failing of thy faith wilt not thou pray for thy own The least faith can pray for more A special mark of the least measure of faith is that it can pray for more III. When thou feelest Satan assaulting thy faith and hiding from thine eyes the love of God then set before thine eyes Gods gracious promises made and to bee made good to thee in Jesus Christ both because 1 of the generality of them which run without excepting thee if thou doest not except thy self as also 2 Because they are built and grounded not upon thy sense and feeling but upon Gods unchangeable love as also 3 Because hee hath commanded thee to beleeve Object Oh but would you have me beleeve when I feel nothing but corruption in my self and correction and displeasure in God Answ Yes for faith must bee where is no feeling and may bee one thing is the being of a thing another the discerning of it Doth not the sun shine though a cloud or some other thing bee between our sight and it Nay then when sense and feeling cease faith begins her chief and most glorious work Was it not Abrahams commendation that hee beleeved against beleef and hoped against hope when all nature and sense was set against him hee held the word of promise against sense and nature Nay our blessed Saviour in whom was no grudgings of infidelity but assured faith in his Father yet in respect of his present sense and feeling cryed out My God My God why hast thou forsaken mee David beleeved in the word of God and not his eyes and so must thou that thou hearest God speak and not that thou seest Thomas when hee would beleeve no more than that hee saw and felt our Saviour said to him Bee not so faithless but faithful In the strongest encounter wait still till Christ come to case thee hee is not far off and commit thy self in well doing into his hands as into the hands of a faithful Creator say with Hester I will go to the King if I perish I perish it may bee hee will reach out his scepter graciously and I shall live but if I must needs perish I will perish under the wing of my Lord and Husband So much of Satans second drift in the first temptation In the third place he seeketh to make Christ doubt of his Divinity and call in question whether he was the Son of God or no from his present necessity as if he had said Seest thou not in what famine and need thou art thou hast fasted here these forty days of my knowledge VVhat is become of thy Father and of his providence whose Son thou art proclaimed Is this the care thy father hath of thee Doth he think thou canst live of air or feed of winde or digest stones Art thou weak creature and starven he that must prevail against the gates of Hell Art thou the Messiah that hast not a morsel of bread to put in thy mouth No if thou wert the Son of God he would care a little more for thee no natural father that had a drop of affection would leave his child so destitute VVhence we may learn that Satans drift is to make men call in question the truth of their adoption in their 〈◊〉 Doct. 3. Satan seeketh to make the members of Christ as well as the Head call in question their adoption and salvation for present adversity and want A notable instance hereof we have in Job whom when the Devil by Gods permission to bring him to blaspheme God had robbed him of his goods had slain his children had afflicted his body with most painful and loathsome botches then he sets upon him and sets all his friends upon him to make him beleeve that God also is his enemy and hath brought his sin upon his head And this he taught his instruments the wicked rulers or rather raylers Matth. 27.41 when Christ was in most extream torments and terrours of body and soul hanging on the Cross they said in scorn If he be the Son of God let him come down from the Cross and we will beleeve on him He trusted in God let him now deliver him if hee will have him for he said he was the Son of God As if they had said Is not this a notable deceiver to say hee was Gods Son and now is in extreame danger ready to perish shamefully and no hope of any deliverance If he were the Son of God would hee suffer him to perish So it is his ordinary temptation to any beleever Doest thou not see thy self poor and despised in want and sorrow Seest thou any one sign of Gods favour Art thou not deprived almost of all the pleasures of the world Seest thou not that God cares for beasts and fowls which he feedeth in due season but thou art neglected Reasons 1 This comes to pass because of Satans malice towards God himself hee would not only falsify his word who hath said that No man knoweth love or hatred by all the things afore him Eccles 9.1 but also impeach his providence and care over his children who whatsoever their outward estate seem to bee are still as dear unto him as the apple of his eye and when they be as most unknown yet are they known 2 Because of Satans malice to piety and religion which by this means hee seeks to chase out of the earth for the world keeps it under and commonly it riseth to no great matters Now if God respect it not neither who would bee godly what profit were it to serve the Lord 3 Satan herein hath much strength from our own corruptions and ploweth often with our own heifers for we desire rather to walk by sense than by faith we hardly beleeve without pawns and pledges every man trusts his own eyes and thinks wisdom good with an inheritance Hence this temptation finds the easier entrance and better entertainment 4 Satan ever in these temptations hath a further reach than he shews namely that he may hence perswade men by some unlawful means to releeve themselves and better their estate no longer to depend upon God who hath cast off the care of them but to shift for themselves and as hee moved Christ himself to make stones bread 5 Satan hath gotten no small advantage against Gods dear children by this kind of temptation and
Obj. 1. But it is in vain to serve the Lord and what profit is there in his ways Word cutteth off temptations to presumption the worse the man is the better is his estate and the more godly the more crossed in the world Ans It is written It shall be well with them that fear the Lord not so to the wicked and again that the light of the ungodly shall be put out when the light of the godly shall rise brighter until perfect day and the end of the just is peace Obj. 2. What need so much fear of Condemnation seeing there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Ans It is written that such must walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh and that such must work out their Salvation in fear and trembling Obj. 3. But if thou beest predestinate what needest thou care and if thou beest not all thy care will not avail thee Ans It is written that I must study to make my election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 and that I must beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ and bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Obj. 4. But what needest thou be so strict shall none come to Heaven but such strict persons thinkest thou why God requires no such strictness Ans It is written that the Master is a hard man who will stand strictly for justice and that we must walk precisely Ephes 5.15 Obj. 5. But why shouldest thou respect these Preachers so much doest thou not see how they take upon them to disgrace thee for such and such courses and they are men as well as others no better many of them worse Ans It is written 1 Thess 5.12 Have them in singular love for their works sake and that our Saviour said He that heareth you heareth me and that the least Minister in the New Testament is greater than John Baptist who yet was greater than any Prophet Matth. 11.11 and that God did send two Bears and destroyed forty two of those wanton children that mocked and reviled the Prophet Elisha 2 King 2.23 Obj. 6. But thou art young thou mayest swear and game and swagger and be wanton these are but tricks of youth and sowing the wilde oats c. Ans It is written As a man sowes so shall he reap and remember that for all this thou must come to judgement Obj. 7. Oh but thinkest thou that God sees or takes notice of every thing or if he should hee is merciful and easily entreated and thou hast time enough to repent Ans It is written that all the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and to him day and darkness are alike and that to abuse the patience of God is to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Obj. 8. Oh but thou hast now a fit opportunity and occasion to take thy delight the Husband is gone a farr journey Bathsheba is at hand and now it is twilight why shouldst thou deprive thy self of thy pleasure take thy time thou canst not have it every day Ans It is written Prov. 5.3 8. The end of a strange woman is more bitter than worm-wood and keep thy way farr from her and come not neer the door of her house and that neither fornicators nor adulterers shall enter into heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 and Ephe. 5.3 but fornication and all uncleanenesse and covetousnesse let it not once be named among you as becometh Saints III. The third rank of instances is in motions to pride and self-conceit The word cutteth off temptations to pride wherein sin hath great strength Obj. 1. You are a man rich and high well friended well monied why should you stoop to such a one this were a base thing indeed let him seek to you or doe you crush him Ans It is written God resists the proud 1 Pet. 5.5 and in giving honour goe one before another and pride goes before the fall and that the haughty eye is one of the six things which the Lord abhorrs Prov. 6.17 Obj. 2. But you are a man of knowledge wise and learned what need you be so diligent in hearing Sermons especially of such as are farr your inferiours you can teach them not they you Ans It is written Isa 5.21 Woe be to them that are wise in their own conceits and Christ hath said Hee that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10.16 and that Job despised not the counsel of his maid much less must I of the least Minister and that we know but in part and are to consider not who but what is spoken and that the same Spirit is mighty in one and in another Obj. 3. But you are a man of gifts and authority and these will carry you through all and you may rise and tread such and such under your feet who dare say any thing to you Ans It is written Matth. 18.6 Whosoever offendeth any of these little ones that beleeve in me it were better for him that a Milstone were tied about his neck and he cast into the midst of the Sea and He that doth wrong shall receive according to the wrong that hee hath done and there is no respect of persons Coloss 3.25 Obj. 4. But you may follow the fashions of the world in strange apparel ruffian behaviour monstrous tyres who may else how else should you be known to be a gentleman or a gentlewoman Ans It is written 1 Pet. 3.3 That even womens apparrelling must not bee outward as with broydered hair and gold c. but the hid man of the heart must be uncorrupt for Sarah and other holy women trusting in God did so attire themselves and again Fashion not your selves according to this world but bee renewed in the spirit of your mind Bee ever of the newest fashion there Obj. 5. But it is a small matter and of great credit to swear and curse and speak bigge words it is away to get reputation and bee respected as a man of spirit Ans It is written Levit. 24.16 Hee that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall be put to death all the Congregation shall stone him and Jam. 5.12 Above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven nor earth nor any other oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay IV. The fourth instance is in motions to wrong and injustice The word cutteth off motions to injustice Obj. 1. Thou art a great man thou hast Tenants thou mayest and must live by them they are thy Servants and thou must enrich thy self by them rack their rents bind them to sute and service they cannot resist thee Or thou art a Master keep thy Servants wages from him make thy use of it weary him poor Sneak what can he doe pay him at thy pleasure hee will endure any thing rather than lose thy work Ans It is written Jam. 2.13 Judgement mercilesse belongs to them that shew no mercy and those that grinde the faces of the poor shall one day bee
quantity as base in quality and yet have by this word an extraordinary blessing as the coarse fare of Daniel II. Without means Gods word causeth man to live as Moses Elias II. Without all means and Christ himself who had immediately before seen the word of God preserving him already forty daies and nights and could further if hee pleased III. Against means as the Disciples sent out III. Against all means were promised if they drank any deadly poyson it should not hurt them so fire burnt not the three children though cast into it when it burnt their enemies and their own bands All this is meant by that our Saviour saith every word and thus most aptly hee returneth the temptation Man lives not onely by bread that is the ordinary means but by extraordinary also even above and beyond means yea without and against means And therefore where thou sayest I must have means Gods word saith there is no absolute necessity of them my Fathers word can still sustain mee without bread as hee hath done these forty daies already 1 The word of God is it Reasons which gave being and beginning to all things when they were not and much more doth it continue the being of them now when they are Psal 104.30 If thou send forth thy spirit they are created By Spirit here is not meant the essence of God but a power and secret vertue proceeding from God all one with this word of God by which things were not onely created at the first but are still renewed and that daily and yearly as it were again created Joh. 1.3 In that word was life that is not onely inherent in the Son of God himself but as an efficient to communicate life to all living things 2 The Word of God is as it were the prop and stay of the world without which all things would fall into confusion Every man knows by nature that God maintains and preserves all things that it is he that stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain that hee sends forth the winds out of his treasure and raiseth the waves of the Sea like mountaines which are great things but nature teacheth not how God doth these things by what means only the Scriptures teach that hee doth all this by his word that as in the creation God said Let there bee light and there was light and so of all other things Gods word was his work so in upholding and preserving it hee doth it by his word as Heb. 1.2 who upholdeth all things by his mighty word which word when God calls in the Creature falls to nothing Act. 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being 3 The same word of God which gives vertue and force to the Creatures in themselves doth also sanctifie them unto us every creature is sanctified by the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.6 the word shews how to get them how to use them and prayer obtains of God a right tenure and a pure use which indeed is the blessing or sanctification of them 4 The same word carries them beyond the strength of their nature to doe us good Bread and VVine in their own nature can but nourish and feed the body but Gods VVord in the institution of the Sacrament makes them feed the soul to eternal life Quest But how may we conceive of this Word whereby God doth govern and preserve the creatures Ans By Gods VVord we must not only conceive his decree and will but a powerful Commandement and effectual to which all his Creatures yeeld free and willing obedience This commanding word was put forth in the Creation Psal 148.5 He commanded and they were all created Men when they attempt and perform any great matter because their power is small must use great labour and many instruments and helps But by the word of the Lord the heavens were made Psal 33.9 He said the word and all things were done This commanding word is put forth in the daily government of God Psal 147.15 He sends out his Commandement upon the earth his word runneth very swiftly that is nothing can withstand and hinder the power of his word here the VVord and Commandement are all one The senslesseness and deadness of the Creatures their vastness and fierceness hinder not his word but without delay yea with marvellous celerity and swiftness they execute his word Psal 148.8 If God speak to the Heavens they shall hear and cover themselves with darknesse at noon day as in Christs passion If hee command the Sun it shall hear his word and goe back or stand still If hee command the VVinds or Sea to be still they shall be still and presently there shall be a great calm If he send forth his VVord the Mountains of Ice shall melt Psa 147.18 If he command the VVhale he shall set Jonah on dry land cap. 2. ver 10. If he command the solid and sensless earth it shall hear and rend to swallow up Corah Dathan and Abâ—ram If hee command the fire not to burn it shall hear and not burn the three Children If he command dead men they shall hear and come out of their Graves as Lazarus c. and all men at the general judgement But as God can see without eyes and reach without hands so also doth he speak without a tongue as the Light the Firmament the Heavens and other his VVorks can hear his voyce without ears neither wanteth he a means to make his mind known and his pleasure manifest to the most sensless creatures Use 1. This should teach us to depend upon this Word of God for our lives and means of maintaining them for so our Lord Jesus did in this barren wilderness he would not sustain himself but by Gods Word Doest thou want means of living and maintenance Consider that man lives not by bread alone The word of God made the 〈◊〉 light without the Sun and the earth fruitful without the rain This word can make the Air light without and before either Sun Moon or Star Gen. 1.3 This word can make the earth fruitful before the rain had ever fallen upon it Gen. 2.5 Wantest thou bread God hath not locked up thy life in bread it may be hee hath another word which if thou hearest with Moses and Elias thou shalt live without bread Asa when hee was in a great straight 2 Chrp. 14.11 for he was with five hundred and fourscore thousand to encounter with an Army of ten hundred thousand and three hundred Chariots hee looked up to this word of God and said that the Lord could save by many or few or by none Hast thou means of living yet depend on this word thy life stands not in bread or in abundance if God with-draw his word neither restorative Quails nor heavenly Manna if thou hadst them shall preserve thy life How often doth God blow upon the second means to bring us to this word Vse 2. The faith of this truth doth fence the heart
Spirit of God is present to pour out his treasures of wisdome and grace by means of the word and Sacraments which are his chariot and which not accompanied with the Spirit are but dead and ineffectual to regeneration where the Holy Angels are present to assist the ministery to repel hinderances to behold our order but especially desirous to look into the mysteries of our salvation where the Holy Saints upon earth are met together to seek and see the face of the Lord joyning together in all the parts of his pure and holy worship in hearing his holy word receiving his holy Sacraments preferring publikely their holy prayers greatly by this means glorifying God and inriching their own selves Surely this is Bethel the house of God and the gate of heaven Vse 1. This teacheth us not to despise our Assemblies nor to think out Churches unholy for some corruptions Look upon Jerusalem Matth. 23.37 you shall see the eleven Tribes were Apostates there were in it dumb dogs Isa 56.10 there were Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites nay at this time the Doctrin of the Law was corrupted by the false glosses of the Pharisees and the Temple almost a den of Theeves full of buyers and sellers Yet for all this the Evangelist calls it the holy City even when it had more corruptions in it than the Church of England hath at this day Why 1 Because there was the service of the true God set up in the Temple the word preached and sacrifices offered and the meetings of the Church of God 2 Because as yet they had not received a bill of divorcement Have not wee the Word truely Preached and the Sacraments for substance truely administred And for discipline I will say I wish wee had the execution of so much as the Church alloweth Or when did the Lord give us a bill of Divorce Or what Church hath convinced us that wee cannot bee acknowledged for a true Church If they say they of the Separation have I answer 1 They have laboured to discover some errors but none fundamental in us nor without as many in themselves 2 Wee may well doubt whether they bee a Church or no seeing by the profession of some of their Teachers they will not joyn themselves to any Church at this day upon the face of the earth and so renounce all Communion with all the parts of the Catholike Church in the world But wee must not think much if some unstable persons forsake our Communion seeing in the golden and flourishing age of the Apostles themselves some such there were Heb. 10.25 As for our selves wee may strengthen our selves against them by these conclusions 1 Wee know that the word of Truth is truly preached amongst us which appeareth by the daily conversion of thousands whereas never was man converted by a word of error Jam. 1.18 2 Wee know that our Ministers are of God because by them so many are begotten to God Our Saviour thought this a good reason when hee said Beleeve mee that I came out from the Father for the works sake The blinde man had good insight into this matter Joh. 9.30 saying If this man were not of God he could do nothing and a wonderful thing it is that yee know not whence hee is and yet hee hath opened mine eyes So may I say to the separatist Doest thou not know whence that Minister is who hath opened thine eyes 3 We know that our meetings are holy meetings 1 Our people is outwardly called by an holy calling and to an holy end 2 They profess faith in Christ which is an holy profession and in charity if wee see no open raigning sin are to bee judged Saints 3 Congregations are called holy in the Scripture from the better part not from the greater as an heap of wheat mingled and covered with chaffe yet it is called wheat 1 Cor. 6.11 Now yee are sanctified washed and justified but in Epist â— chap. 12. I fear that when I come among you my God will humble mee and I shall bewail many of them that have sinned and have not repented of their uncleanness and fornication and wantonness which they have committed Diverse other abuses there were yet among Saints and beloved ones 4 Mixt Congregations are holy in Gods acceptation esteeming them not as they are in themselves but as members of Christ When Israel was at the best it was a rebellious and stifte-necked people yet Balaam said Hee saw no iniquity in Jacob nor transgression in Israel not that there was none but that none was imputed 4 Wee know that wee have no warrant to separate from holy things neither for some defects cleaving to them nor for ill men either handling them or communicating in them The Prophets never made any separation in times of greatest corruption even when they cried out of their wickednesse 1 Sam. 2.24 Do so no more my sons said Eli yee make the people trespass how By making them loath the service and sacrifice for your wickedness verse 17. And when many abuses were among the Corinths in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper yet a man that did carefully examine himself might communicate of it with comfort yea our Saviour Christ was often in the Temple teaching and praying and so were his Disciples though it was a most corrupt place Object 1 How may I pray with an evil man seeing God heareth not sinners Nay his prayer is abominable Ans 1 The speech in John 9.31 is not universally true for God heard the poor Publican confessing himself a sinner 2 Though God hear him not for himself yet hee hears him for the people as Balaam blessing Israel being both a wicked man and speaking against his heart God heard him for the people Numb 23. Object 2 But how may I communicate with a wicked Minister or with what comfort Answ The wickedness of the Minister may somewhat lessen the comfort but neither diminish the perfection of the Sacrament in it self nor hinder the efficacy thereof to us seeing the efficacy depends onely upon the promise of God and the faith of the receiver and is no more to bee refused than the gift of a King though the conveyance bee drawn by a wicked Lawyer Object But how can hee bee a means of conveying grace to mee that is a graceless man Answ Grace is compared to water now may not water that passeth through a wooden or stony channel which it self is so undisposed that it cannot receive or have any benefit of it make a whole garden fruitful It is Augustines simile Besides I would ask whether any could with comfort refuse Judas his Baptisme John 4.2 even when hee was a Devil incarnate If it bee said They knew him not so to bee then belike a man may receive the Sacrament fruitfully of a secret prophane man or infidel and the wickedness of a Minister if it bee secret pollutes not the Sacrament and then it must follow necessarily that no comfort and truth of the Sacrament
evening solemnly on our knees making confessions of sins and requests to God together with thanksgiving Psalm 55.17 Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and make a noise Daniel three times a day prayed and praised God in his house as hee was wont chap. 6. v. 10. The excellent use of which is the opening of the door of Gods treasury to the family by which it is inriched with the best blessings of God Besides the Lord shall hereby have some honour that is due to his mercy upon the family 5 In edifying the family with Psalms and melody to the Lord as it is Col. 3.16 In these daily duties doth the sanctification of a family consist Whereunto wee may bee perswaded by these motives 1 In that they are the practises of men fearing God such as Joshua and his house Cornelius and his houshold 2 In that by these exercises the family shall not only be sanctified but also blessed as Obed Edom and his house for the presence of the Ark. 3 What madness is it to reject and banish Gods word and worship out of doors and yet think God is there Nay where found grace comes there is the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication in every family apart Zach. 12.14 and where the worship of God is not set up in families there is nothing but a conspiracy of Atheists and a wicked brood bringing Gods judgements on themselves and the business passing through their hands Use 3. Jerusalem is called holy being once sanctified to the Lords use which teacheth us that wee should reverently both conceive and speak of all such things as are set apart to the Lords use 1 Some persons are consecrate to the Lord as the Tribe of Levi of whom the commandement was Thou shalt not forsake the Levite all thy daies And the Prophets Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harm So in the New-Testament The Minister that rules well is worthy of double honour Yea if the widows which were set apart to inferiour offices about the poor must be honoured 1 Tim. 5.3 much more the Minister that standeth in Gods place and stead Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the oversight of you Thus Cornelius reverenced Peter and the Eunuch Philip. Nay not onely the Minister but every beleever is separate to God and sanctified to carry the Covenant and hath the annointing of the Spirit which the Lord acknowledgeth on them and speaketh reverently and lovingly of them calling them his holy ones yea the apple of his eye They see not this who can persecute and revile them for hypocrites and count them as the Apostles whose doctrin they profess the scum of the world 2 Some places are for their use to bee accounted holy because God is there present in his worship as the places of our meetings not that any inherent holiness is annexed to the place or cleaveth to it out of the action of Gods worship but while God is present in his Worship wee must account it holy ground and the house of God When God appeared in Bethel to Jacob hee said How fearful is this place surely it is no other than the house of God Wee must therefore put off our shooes with Moses that is our base and vile our sinful and sensual affections yea our lawful if earthly thoughts when wee come to this holy place Look wee bring no thoughts with us unbeseeming the place where God is separated from other common places to holy uses Look that in this place wee use no gesture or behaviour unbeseeming a man that hath business with God being present To sit talking or sleeping or laughing or gazing sutes not with this place And further if God please to account the very places holy for the use and presence of God in this use what shall wee think of them that conceive so basely of them as they would love a Parish better in which is no Church Others prophane them with base practices and unconscionably suffer them to fall or decay and will bee at no charge to make or keep them handsome sweet and beautiful Styes were fit for such swine As their affection is so is their devotion 3 The holy Ordinances of God must not bee touched but with holy respect and reverence of which it is said It is not safe to play with holy things 1 The word must bee received read heard spoken as the holy word of God To make jests of Scripture is a wicked practice God looks graciously on him that trembles at his word Isa 66.2 as good Josiah whose heart melted hearing the words of the Law So the names and attributes of God are never to bee used in frivolous admirations but every knee must bow unto him Phil. 2.10 Neither ought wee to laugh at Gods judgements on others 2 An Oath is one of the holy Ordinances of God and to swear in common talk vainly is not to shew reverence to this holy Ordinance Swear not at all that is uncalled Mat. 5.34 35. neither being called but in truth justice and judgement for an Oath is appointed to decide controversies which other means cannot How few consider whether the matter bee worth an Oath or whether they bee called to it or whether it might not have been better passed by Yea or Nay or by a bare asseveration A wicked man is described by being a Swearer Eccl. 9.3 but a godly man not only not swears from which a man by education or civility may abstain but also fears an oath in what company soever hee is or what occasion soever hee hath 3 A Lot is another special Ordinance of God to decide a controversy from heaven by God himself when all means on earth fail Therefore Lots must not be used without great reverence and prayer because the disposition of them commeth immediately from the Lord Pro. 16.33 and not but in great matters not for recreation for it is said to cause contentious to cease among the mighty Prov. 18.18 neither do wee read that it was ever used but in very great things as the dividing of the land of Canaan the election of High Priests and Kings and the surrogation of Matthias into the place of Judas Hence it follows if dice and cards bee Lots as I think they bee that all play by them is unlawful 4 Some times are sanctified above other as the Sabbath day all which must bee passed holily with much reverence and respect both remembring it before it come yea rejoycing in the approach of it and when it is come to sanctify it 1 In our hearts for external observation of the Sabbath without inward holiness and affection to the duties of Gods service is hypocrisy 2 We must not meddle with any part of the duties of our ordinary calling for that is no holy thing 3 Much less travel to Markets or Fairs but every man must stay in his own place Exod. 16.29 Neb. 13.15 to 19. 4 Least of all must wee set any part of it apart
reprove and convert sinners yet by ordinary office hee was no Prophet neither did he prophecy But what is this to those mental reservations Are you a Priest Garnet No saith hee meaning not a Priest of Apollo or Jupiter Were not you in England at such a time No not as the Sun in the firmament or as a King in a Kingdome A strange madness that men professing knowledge and zeal should so dally with lies and oaths which tricks of theirs were they justifiable and sound wee should have little use of Magistracy or tribunals especiall where matters are determined by mens oathes hee were a very block that would suffer any thing to bee fastened upon him The murderer might swear hee never slew man namely with the jaw-bone of an Ass as Sampson did The Drunkard might swear hee drunk never a drop if hee can inwardly conceive of water or aqua coelestis or the Poets nectar or what hee can feign The Adultress might swear shee was never toucht if shee can inwardly conceive of any creature as of a Bull or a Swan as the Poets feign of Pasâ—phâ—â— and Lada And were it lawful to dally with God and mens Consciences after this manner wee could pay them home in their own kinde for suppose a man were in their Inquision and were asked if the Pope were Supream over all Kings if a man were disposed to equivocate hee might say and swear yea reserving his secret meaning not by right but onely in his own proud and ambitious desire and thus delude them II. In matters of practice you shall have no sinner but he hath a Scripture reached to him to lye safe under in the holding of his sin but robbed and turned out of the right sense The Atheist that cares for no Scripture yet hath one text for himself Eccl. 7.18 Bee not just overmuch nor overwise and so hee hath enough to cast off all care of knowledge and conscience The Image-munget hath a Text to let nothing bee lost hee hath a good use for his Images if they cannot serve to worship they may serve for ornament The Swearer hath a Text in Jeremy Thou shalt swear in truth righteousnesse and judgement therefore hee will swear so long as hee sweareth nothing but that which is true The Sabbath-breaker hath his Text The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath The Murderer and Adulterer think themselves safe seeing they finde David in both these sins and yet commended of God The Drunkard hath his lesson Drink no longer water but a little wine for thy stomack and often infirmities sake The Covetous person knows that hee that provides not for his family is worse than an Infidel which through many mens wickednesse is a ground of much covetousnesse The lazy Protestant hath his Text Wee are saved by grace and justified by the blood of Christ freely what can his works do what need they The idle person hath his Text Care not for to morrow let to morrow care for it self The Usurer hath his plain place Matth. 25.27 That I might have received mine own with Usury The Theef hath the Theef on the Cross repenting at the last The carnal Gospeller cares not what sin he venture on because where sin hath abounded there grace hath abounded much more The careless Libertine is predestinated to life or death do what hee can and do what hee list hee cannot change Gods Decree and so he will do what hee list The obdurate and hardned sinner saith At what time soever a sinner repents God will put all his sins out of his remembrance and therefore hee will not repent till hee bee dying Lastly the unjust person hee hath his rule in the unjust Steward who was commended by Christ who was indeed commended for his providence not for his injustice In all these thou mayest hold this for a good rule It is the Devils divinity to confirm thy self in any sin by whatsoever thou hearest or readest in Gods book all which in Gods meaning is direct and the only preservative against all sin NOw wee are to consider this comfortable Scripture in the holy use of it not as wee have it wrested and mangled by Satan but as wee find it set down by the Holy Ghost Psalm 91.11 For hee shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy waies They shall bear thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone In which words the godly are secured and assured of safety in danger not onely because the Lord himself is become their refuge and protection as in the words going before but in that to his own fatherly care and providence hee hath added a guard of Angels to whose care also hee hath committed the Godly Wherein for explication wee will note these particulars 1 What is the ministery of the Angels namely to bee the godly mans keepers 2 Who sealeth their Commission He hath given them charge 3 The limitation of it In all thy waies 4 The manner They shall bear thee up in their hands 5 The end lest thou dash thy foot against a stone Which is a borrowed speech taken from Mothers or Nurses who lead or carry their tender children in their hands that they stumble and fall not to hurt or endanger themselves The word Angel is a name not of nature for so they bee spirits but of office ministring spirits to God to Jesus Christ and to Gods Elect His Angels that is the good and Elect Angels called his 1 By Creation for they had not being of themselves 2 By more immediate ministery they assist him and stand before his face whereas the wicked Angels are cast down from Heaven from enjoying his presence 3 By grace of perseverance for they fell not from their estate as the wicked Angels did and are now confirmed by Christ that they cannot fall and hence is Christ called the Head of men and Angels in whom all things in heaven and earth consist Coloss 1. v. 17. that is are preserved sustained and governed whether visible or invisible and consequently a mediator of the Angels in respect of special grace of confirmation by which they inseparably adhere to God although in respect of that mediation which is restrained to redemption the Angels have no need of it Charge This charge is not a general Commandement over the Church in general but a special charge over every godly man over thee And the charge is directed to many Angels to keep one man for the word affords us more comfort than that Popish and ungrounded conceit of every mans having his particular Angel Quest Why doth God give this charge to the Angels or why doth he use their Ministery Answ Not for any necessity for hee by his word and beck doth sustain Heaven and Earth and without them can keep his own but out of his good will to us hee declares his love and care of us who hath so abundantly provided for our safety and
made far more glorious natures than our selves our keepers To keep thee This custody of the Angels standeth 1 In observing and watching their persons souls bodies and estates and therefore are called watchmen Dan. 4.10 And I saw a watchman and an holy one come down from Heaven 2 In propulsing and averting evil so here There shall no evill come near thee for hee will give his Angels charge over thee 3 In defending them in good as Elizeus and his servant being compassed with enemies 4 In comforting them in trouble as Hagar Gen. 21.17 and Jacob Gen. 32.1 2. and Christ in this place In all thy waies Namely in such courses as God hath appointed and in all these in all times and in all places in all estates and conditions In the way into the world in birth and infancy the good Angels keep Gods little children Matth. 18.10 In the way thorow the world they keep us as the Israelites in the Wilderness Exod. 33.2 In the way out of the World their charge is to keep us as wee may see in Lazarus who when hee dyed the Angels carried his soul into Abrahams bosome In all our waies by day and by night they keep us so long as wee are in our callings They shall bear thee in their hands This is a borrowed speech for Angels have no hands nor bodies sometimes they assume bodies in their ministery to others but these bodies are not theirs neither were they naturally and hypostatically united unto them but for the time created and assumed but from what beginning they were taken or into what end after the ministery they were resolved it is idle to inquire Here hands are ascribed to them as elsewhere wings both improperly one shews the speediness of their motion the other their fitness and tenderness in our keeping For their charge is not onely to foresee danger and admonish us but they must bee actual helpers to bear us up from ground when wee are ready to fall and get knocks as a tender mother or nurse if they see the little child falling will haste and catch it before the head comes to the ground That thou dash not thy foot against a stone That is that thou hurt not thy foot against any rub or occasion Angels are nurses wee are as infants in spiritual matters on every occasion ready to fall into sin and by it into all dangers spiritual and temporal Now the Angels keep us not onely from hurt by others but from bringing hurt on our selves even the least they keep us from hurting our Head yea our Foot Object But how do the Angels perform their charge when some of Gods children not onely stumble but fall spiritually and bodily and take great harm Answ The reason is because no man keeps his way so diligently and uprightly as hee ought If wee did never fail God would never fail us no more would his holy Angels nay such is their love as they would not have us to take the least hurt in the world while wee walk faithfully in the waies and commandements of God Doct. The Angels of God are the tender keepers of Gods children in Gods waies that no hurt can beside them Gen. 32.5 When Jacob was in great fear of his brother Esau the Angel of God met him to comfort and defend him When Sodome was to bee destroyed the Angels came to Lot to forewarn and haste him out of that wicked City Psal 34.7 The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his tents round about them that fear the Lord and delivereth them 1 Because of Jesus Christ our Head Reasons to whom they are subject as to their Lord and Head who hath reconciled things in Heaven and Earth Angels and Men Col. 1.20 In our selves and our own vileness wee could not bee indured by these blessed spirits but now Christ becomes our head and for him they tend us as his members 2 Their love to us is another ground of their custody of us manifested in that they are compared to Nurses neither can they but love those whom they see God loveth now they see God loving us so dearly that hee spares not his own Son but gives him to the death for us and therefore they dearly love us and our good they desire our salvation and promote it they rejoyce that our salvation is wrought and are glad of our repentance by which wee lay hold on it 3 And specially this charge and commandement of God is the cause hereof so as now it is not out of curtesy or the goodness of their nature only that they do us good but by vertue of this charge and commandement of God whom they love as their chief good and to whom they are bound in absolute obedience by the eternal law of their nature so as although they are charged by God yet are they not forced or co-acted but out of their perfect love of God they watch over us for our good Vse 1. This doctrin affords a use of great consolation for when we consider our own weakness and impotency on one hand and the multitude power and policy of our enemies on the other when wee see a whole Army of sins besiedging us and a whole legion of dangers behinde them to oppresse and swallow us now this Doctrin touching Gods providence in the ministery of Angels will be able to support us when wee shall consider not only that Gods protection is as a wall of fire round about us but that he hath set and pirched his Angels round about us as a guard of whom we may say with Elisha for their multitude They are more that are with us Ordo gratiae praeponderat ordini naturae Th. Aqu. than they that are against us and for their power they are called the Angels of Gods power farre stronger than the wicked Angels and Powers that are against us And when wee shall consider that God hath given a charge and that not to one or two Angels but to the whole blessed company of them over every godly man how can wee but assure our selves that wee shall be defended and protected If a man were to pass by ship over a dangerous sea full of gulfs sands rocks and robbers if the King should give him letters of safe conduct it would much comfort him and help him through his voyage but if this King should send a great Navy to conduct him over yea and should not onely go in his own person but call out all his men of war to see him safely arrived this were so comfortable as hee could not wish more But thus doth the Lord with his children not onely himself going with them through the world but guarding them with his holy Angels who willingly afford their ministery because of their love to man but in respect of Gods word and charge much more willingly that of Gods Angels they become our Angels Matth. 18.10 What an unspeakeable comfort is it that when wee lose the watch over our selves many waies
through sleep of soul or body the Angels watch over our safety Matth. 2.13 Joseph was a sleep and thought not of that danger which was even upon him by means of Herods cruelty but even in that sleep the Angel watched and admonished him by a dream both of the danger and the means to escape How great a comfort is it that when wee see such difficulties between us and our desires as wee can never overcome then wee have Gods Angels present to do it to our hands Mark 16.3 when the good women that came to imbalme Christs body were very much troubled how to come to his body and asked who shall roul away the stone for it was a very great one when they looked they saw the stone rowlled away and it was done by the Angel as Matthew hath it Gods Angels rowl away all stones and impediments and make our way smooth to all good duties No less comfort is it that when Satan begins to insult and makes as if hee would trample upon us wee have a stronger guard about us any one of the Angels being as able to shut the mouth of this roaring Lyon as they were to shut the mouths of those hungry Lyons into whose den Daniel was cast And for the further strength of our faith and comfort in this Doctrin the Scripture notes three things further concerning Angels worth observing 1 Their wisdome and providence in pitching about us so as wee lye open no where Exod. 14.19 when Israel was gone out of Egypt the Angel of the Lord who went before them to lead them out now removed and went behind them because now Pharaoh and his people pursued them The power of the Angel was no lesse if hee had stayed before them as hee was being Christ himself but for the comfort of Israel and our instruction the Angel changeth his place and stoppeth between them and the danger 2 Their uniting of themselves and strength for our safety one of them readily will help another in helping us Dan. 10.13 one Angel being resisted by the Prince of the Kingdome of Persia Michael one of the chief Princes came to help him who whether hee were an Angel or as it is more likely the Prince and Lord of the Angels even the Angel of the great Covenant Christ himself it is every way full of comfort 3 Their patience towards us who if they should bee gone from us as often as wee by sin provoke them wee should perish every moment But as God is long-suffering so hath hee charged his Angels to bee and therefore they wait still for our return and rejoyce in the repentance of sinners Luke 15.10 and abide in their charge and ministery still Vse 2. Again this doctrin is a ground of manifold instruction 1 Hath God afforded us the Ministery of Angels then note the priviledge and preheminence of Gods children whose nature being assumed by the Son of God gives it dignity above the Angels who are the ministers of our humane nature in the head and members Angels are indeed called the Sons of God but that is by creation Christ never gave them this honour to call them brethren Nay there is a nearer conjunction between Christ and us than between Christ and the Angels which conjunction doth priviledge us with their attendance 1 By reason of his conception and incarnation taking on him the seed of Abraham and not of the Angels by which hee becomes flesh of our flesh 2 By reason of his Spiritual contract taking us to be one with himself by which we become flesh of his flesh and so nearly set into him as the Angels cannot be who are not members of this Head as the elect be Christ indeed may bee called their Head but as a Lord and Commander nor by such Spiritual union as is between Christ and the Christian Herein we may see the love of God in setting his Angels to be our keepers The more noble potent numerous and diligent the custody is the more is the care and love of the thing kept How great thanks therefore owe wee unto our God who notwithstanding he is daily offended with our sins yet affords us the ministry of his Angels Who and what am I that God is so mindful of me that he should give so many glorious Creatures charge over me that he should give me such a priviledge that even the holy Angels whose dwelling is in Heaven and see the face of God who are all spirit and no flesh who are free from all sin and misery should so narrowly attend me a lump of earth a peece of flesh compassed with so many sins and miseries as I can look no way either before or behind them David in the eighth Psalm burst out into the praise of God when he considered that God had afforded man the use of Birds Beasts and Fishes O Lord saith he what is man that thou art so mindful of him and hast preferred him over the works of thy hands How much more should we when we see our happiness by the ministery of the glorious Angels 2 Let us learn hence to look to our conversation because of the Angels 2 Cor. 11.10 for they are our keepers and observers they see all the good and bad we doe and we doe not speak any thing without many witnesses Sin makes God take away our hedge Isa 5.5 it grieves the Angels of God and lays a man naked to all his Judgements Shall we willingly offend them from whom under God we receive so great and daily comforts If we did beleeve or weigh this doctrine we would not but because wee see not God nor his Angels we love neither nor fear to offend either 3 Let us beware of wronging the Children of God even because they have the protection of the Angels To rise up against any of them is to rise up against the Angels their keepers Offend none of these little ones for their Angels behold the face of their heavenly Father and thou provokest the Angels against thee It the Sodomites rise up against Lot the Angels will save him and destroy them It Balaam will goe to Curse Gods people he shall have an Angel against him with a sword drawn ready to kill him 4 Learn wee to give God the honour of our salvation and safety when wee have avoyded any danger publick or private It is not by chance nor by our providence and policy but Gods charging his Angels to save and keep us Daniel did rightly ascribe his deliverance to God by the ministery of the Angel chap. 6.22 My God saith he sent his Angel and shut the Lions mouth 5 To be partaker of all this comfort these means are to bee used 1 Become a godly man Psal 34.9 The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that fear the Lord. Heb. 1.14 They are ministring Spirits to the heirs of salvation 2 Hold on in a godly course keep thee in thy ways in the duties of thy Calling general and
He was an eminent type of our Jesus or Joshua whose voyce speaking in the Scripture the Book of the Law we must attend unto in all things Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures and our Saviour said to the Sadduces Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures plainly affirming that the Scriptures rightly known were a sufficient fence from all errour Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Matth. 19.4 Christ by Scripture refuted the Pharisees abuse of that Scripture of Moses for putting away their wives Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony 1 This is true by reason of the perfection of the Scripture Psal 19.7 Reasons The Law of God is perfect so perfect as man and Angel are accursed that shall adde unto it Prov. 30.5 6. Every word of God is pure a shield to those that trust in him put nothing unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lyar It is a perfect Canon or rule which as a straight line shews the crookedness of that which is not strait It is a touch-stone and trial of all truths It is a perfect Law which is an universal Judgement to direct all and for all to bee led by which live under it It is perfect in the effect 2 Tim. 3.16 It is profitable to teach to improve to correct and instruct in righteousness and to make the man of God perfect Obj. The Apostle saith it is profitable but not that it is sufficient alone Ans We say not it is therefore sufficient because he saith it is profitable but because it is profitable for all purposes of teaching improving and makeing the man of God perfect therefore it is sufficient and perfect 2 In the Scripture we have the voyce of God speaking from Heaven than which voyce no voyce of man or Angel can be more clear or manifest Prov. 2. â— Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding His wisdom in the Scripture is above Salomons in answering all dark and deep questions and no caâ—e can be propounded which hath not there his satisfaction and determination Object But the Scriptures are a dumbe Judge and cannot determine Controversies Ans 1. We give earthly Kings leave to give definitive sentence and judgment in cases by their writing by which numbers who never heard their voyce but read the writing understand their meaning and shall we now call them â—â—mb Judges or shall we deny this priviledge to the King of glory to determine by writing but wee must blasphemously account him a dumb Judge 2 The Scriptures are not a dumb Judge but a speaking Judge Rom. 3.19 That which the Law speaketh it speaketh to them that are under the Law Heb. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yee have forgotten the consolation which speaketh to you as children Joh. 7.42 Doth not the Scripture say and what saith the Scripture so as it is a speaking Judge and gives to it self a mouth and a voyce and that a loud one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.27 the Apostle quoting the Prophet Esay saith Esay cries out concerning Israel c. 3 How doth their Speaking-Judge determine all Causes in Christendom delated unto him at Rome but by Writing and Bulls and Breves and yet hee scorns to be counted a dumb Judge 3 That is the noble and infallible Judge of all Controversies to which all flesh must stand which hath his authority of himself no way delegate but the Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it self to bee beleeved because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by God from whom lies no appeal whose judgement can by no means within or without it self be corrupted whose voyce alone cannot erre or be led by passion affection or respect of persons but is an unchangeable truth as God himself is the Author of it In every Common-wealth the fittest decider of a Controversie in the Law is the Law-maker the King himself the same is also true in the Church 4 Christ himself decided all Controversies by Scripture so did the Apostles so the ancient beleevers brought all their doubts to the Scriptures after their example Vse 1. This serves to discover the wickedness of the Church of Rome who 1 That they may be Judges in their Causes and 2 To avoyd the light of Scripture which they see so direct against them flie the Scriptures as an incompetent Judge of the Controversies of Religion between us and in stead of the Scriptures they appoint us four Judges the authority of all which is superiour by thâ—ir doctrine to the authority of Scripture ¶ I. The first Judge is the Church for that say they is to judge of the meaning of Scripture and but for the authority of the Church wee could not know which were Scripture Ans 1. We ask what they mean by the Church They say the Catholick Church But that is impossible to be Judge upon earth because it is a company of all the elect in Heaven and Earth which never was on earth at one time Then they say the visible Church But what if the Church bee not visible sometimes as in Elias his time or be in the Wilderness Then they say the Roman Church which hath ever been visible these fifteen hundred years Now we know our Judge and how our cause is like to goe in which it is a party But 1 It is not the Catholike Church unless a finger can bee an hand or an hand the whole body or a part become the whole and falsly and ridiculously call themselves Catholikes 2 That is no true Church which disagreeth from Christ the Head as Augustine saith and is fallen off Christ by many fundamental errors as Idolatry Justification by works and the like which yet are maintained by Romanists 3 Wee hold that the Orthodox and true Church is 1 A witnesse and keeper of the Scriptures but a jewell hath his price and excellency from it self not from the keeper 2 Having the Spirit of Christ the Church can discern true Scripture from false and supposititious writings but this by the help of Scripture as a Goldsmith by the touch-stone can discern gold from other metals but hee makes it not gold but onely tries it so to bee 3 It is to publish and declare the truth of Scripture without adding or diminishing as an Herald or Cryer manifests the Kings pleasure but it receives no authority from him 4 The true Church is a ministerial interpreter as having the gift of Prophecy but tyed to interpret and judge of Scripture by Scripture Christ is a magisterial interpreter But that the Church on earth should have authority over Scriptures is too unreasonable 1 It is to prefer mens voice and testimony above Gods 1 Joh. 5.9 If wee receive mans testimony the testimony of God is greater Joh. 5. ult If yee will not beleeve Moses his writings how will yee beleeve my sayings as if hee should say If yee beleeve not Scriptures my testimony will do you no good
nothing to his salvation So Psal 110.1 Sit at my right hand till I make thy enemies thy foot-stool If wee would know whom this is meant of compare it with 1 Cor. 15.25 For Christ must reign till he have put all his enemies under his feet Psal 2.7 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee this place is explained by the like Heb. 1.5 For to whiâ—h of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my son c. Psal 97.7 Worship him all yee Gods What is meant by Gods and whom must the Gods worship see Heb. 1.6 When he brought his first born into the world hee said Let all the Angels of God adore him Concerning unlike places we have this rule That they speak not either of the same thing or manner or time and by wary observation of the circumstances this will easily appear in examples 1 Joh. 16.13 The Apostles after the gift of the Spirit were led into all truth and freed from error Yet Peter greatly erred after that Gal. 2.11 Answ The Apostles were led into all truth of doctrine and erred not but were not free from all error in life and conversation now Peters error was not directly in doctrine but in conversation with the Gentiles So as the opposition is not in the same thing 2 Isa 59.21 My word shall not depart from thee nor from thy seeds seed for ever saith the Lord yet Matth. 21.43 the Kingdom shall bee taken from you Answ The Prophet speaketh of the whole true Church of God which shall be perpetual upon earth our Saviour of the Nation of the Jews So as the seeming opposition is not in the same 3 Luk. 17.19 Thy faith hath made thee whole here Faith is greater than Charity but in 1 Cor. 13.13 Charity is greater than faith Ans They speak not of the same faith the former place speaks of justifying faith considered with his object Christ which not absolutely as a quality but relatively as apprehending Christ is greater than Charity the latter of miraculous faith which is less 4 Rom. 7.22 Paul delights in the Law of God yet vers 23. Paul resisteth the Law of God Ans This is indeed an opposition in the same person but not in the same part Paul stands of spirit and flesh according to the former part he delights in the Law according to the later he rebelleth against it 5 Luk. 10.28 Life is promised to the worker This doe and live Rom. 4.3 Not to him that worketh but to him that beleeveth is faith imputed to righteousness Ans Both speak of the word but not of the same part of the word which standeth of two parts the Law and this promiseth life to the worker and the Gospel which promiseth life to the beleever 6 Joh. 5.31 If I give testimony to my self my testimony is not true Joh. 8.14 If I testify of my self my testimony is true Ans Consider Christs testimony two ways 1 As the testimony of a singular man and thus considering himself as a meer man he yeelds to the Jewes that his testimony were unfit and not sufficient in his own cause because by the Law out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word must stand but 2 Consider him as a Divine person coming from Heaven and having his Father giving witness with him thus his testimony is infallible not subject to passion or delusion And of this later the place speaketh 7 Matth. 10.8 Freely yee have received freely give Luke 10.7 The workman is worthy of his wages Ans The places speak of the same persons but not of the same works the former of miraculous works which are not to bee bought and sold for money the use of them being only to forward their ministery the later of the Function of Preaching and labour in building the Church equity requires that he that laboureth in the Ministry should receive recompence for his labour Gal. 6.6 8 Hos 13.9 God is not the author of evil Amos 3.6 There is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Ans It is not the same evil but that the evil of fault this the evil of punishment 9 Prov. 20.9 Who can say my heart is clean Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart Ans 1. A man absolutely considered in himself is all impure so the former place speaketh but relatively considered in Christ he is pure so the later 2 No man is pure in respect of the presence of corruption but the godly are in respect of the efficacy and rule of it 10 Mark â—â— 15 The Apostles must goe out into all the world Matth. 10.5 They must not goe into the way of the Gentiles Ans Distinguish times and the Scripture will bee consonant enough the former place is meant of preaching after Christs time the latter wâ—iâ—e hee was living on earth Both are true because the times are diverse 11 Joh. 3.17 God sent not the Son to judge the world Joh. 5.27 The Father hath given all judgement to the Son Ans The time of his abasement at his first coming when hee came not to judge but to be judged must bee distinguished from his second coming in Glory and Majesty to judge the quick and the dead of this the later 12 Exod. 20.15 Thou shalt not steal Chap. 11.2 Robbe or spoyl Aegypt Ans A special Commandement of God never opposeth a general but is only an exception from it So of Abrahams mental slaying of his son If a man of himself should steal or kill it is sin but if God bid it is not 13 Malac. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not yet it seems he is changeable Jer. 18.7 Ans The Scripture speaks not in the same respect God changeth not in himself but in respect of us he is changed as the Schools speak non affectivè sed effectivè in respect of his work not of his affection for so there is no variableness or shadow of change in him 14 Psal 18.20 Judge mee according to my righteousness Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant Answ There is a twofold Righteousnesse one of the cause another of the person by this later hee will not bee justified by himself but in the other hee desires to bee justified his cause was good there was no such thing as they laid to his charge If Job would dispute with God his own cloathes would make him unclean but when he dealeth with his calumnious friends hee saith I will never let go mine innocency till I dye 15 Luk. 1.33 Of his Kingdome there shall bee no end 1 Cor. 15.24 Hee shall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father Answ Luke speaketh of Christs Kingdome in respect of it self the Apostle in respect of the administration of it In the former respect it shall never bee abolished Christ shall alwaies have a people to rule alwaies a Lordship and Headship but hee shall give up his Kingdome in respect of the manner and means of administring
understand not the goodly Workmanship of God in the frame of the Heavens and Earth which wee must love and admire but all the Riches Honours Pleasures Profits and Allurements of it without God or before God as when men are willing Servants and Slaves to Worldly Desires and Corruptions 1 Tim. 6.10 The desire of money is the root of all evil a fruitful mother of much mischief There is no sin so impious so unnatural and barbarous that a man in love with the Profits of the World will stick at And more plainly vers 9. They that will bee rich fall into manifold Temptations and Snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction which in sense is all one with this That such a one makes himself a willing spoil and prey to the Devil Hence they are called deceitful Riches because they easily lead us out of the right way Matth. 13.22 and Job 18.8 The wicked walks upon snares and the grin shall take his heel Reasons 1 The love of the World banisheth the love of God out of the Soul Hee that is a lover of the World is an hater of God Jam. 4.4 Know yee not that the amity of the World is enmity to God Whosoever therefore will bee a friend of the World maketh himself an enemy to God now what sin will an enemy of God stick at And the Apostle John plainly divorceth these two which can never agree in one 1 Joh. 2.15 If any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him And if the love of God â—way not the heart Satan will easily incline it to any sin 2 Where there is the love of the World that heart hath already renounced God in Heaven and given it self to bee possessed ruled and commanded by the God of the World For look what a man chiefly loves hee not so much possesseth it as is possesseth by it Whence the Apostle is not afraid to call Covetousness Idolatry Eph. 5.5 and Coloss 3.5 not onely because the chief love but the chief trust hope and confidence goeth with them They say to the wedge of gold thou art my hope And further as the Heathen Idolaters worshipped and served gods of Gold and Silver so these serve and obey their golden and silver god wherein they take up their chief desires and contentment Now having denyed the God of Heaven and thrust himself out of his protection a man becomes to be in the power of the Devil and ruled at his will 3 The love of the World spoiles us of our armour and strength by which wee should bee fenced from Satans subtleties For 1 Whereas our chief fence is in Gods Word it First intercepteth the Word and estrangeth the heart from it as Ezek. 33.31 They sit before thee and hear thy words but their hearts go after their covetousnesse Secondly it choaketh the Word that it becomes as seed cast among Thorns which choak it presently Thirdly it scorns the Word as may appear Luke 16.14 These things heard the Pharisees which were Covetous and mocked Now is not such an one easily snared by the Devil who is thus dis-affected to Gods Word Is not hee easily bound that wants yea scorns his weapons 2 The love of the World whether the Pleasures Profits or Glory of it as a Theef steals and robs our graces which are another chief part of our strength Good Hezekiah a little tickled with vain-glory made himself and his Land a prey and spoil to the Enemy Wise Solomon loved too much the unlawful pleasures of the World and how did it rob him of his Wisdome The Disciples while yet Christ was with them were stirred with love and debate for superiority and greatness which did much hinder them and took up their thoughts when they might have attended to better things How many for love of the World and Preferment fall from their first love abate their zeal become cold and indifferent as the times are 4 The love of the World where it is rooted delivers a man so far into the hands of Satan as hee easily falls from all shew of goodness and dangerously revolts from all the goodness that seemed to bee in him The young man that came to Christ with many good shews and desires hearing of selling all and giving to the poor goeth away heavily and wee hear no more of him Demas once a Companion of Paul but easily forsook the truth when hee embraced the present World Judas an Example almost without example a Disciple at Christs elbow indued with excellent gifts Apostolical of Doctrin of Miracles c. having his heart glewed to the World for a trifle fell from his place from all the affection hee had sembled to his Master from the society of his fellow Disciples and stood with them that betrayed him 5 Experience shews how when Satan hath thrust the love of the World into a mans heart hee hath power enough 1 To binde that mans hands from the works of Piety and Mercy Hee is a bad Tenant the more land he holds the less homage hee doth unto God And as for works of Mercy hee will not part with his crums like the rich man in the Gospel And as hee lives altogether unprofitable to others so to himself hee hath no care of his salvation Thou fool This night shall they take away thy soul 2 As hee hath no power to do any good for God or man so he will suffer nothing A man loving the World flies affliction for Christ Matth. 13.21 when the Sun riseth hee withers when persecution comes hee is offended and falls away to the hinderance of many They that minde earthly things are enemies to the cross of Christ Phil. 3.19 Vse 1. Oh therefore Love not the World nor the things in the World 1 Joh. 2.15 A necessary exhortation to us to whom it is as natural to love the World as for water to run down a Hill And who can hardly affect it without being infected with it Hereunto lay hold on these motives 1 Consider how hard it is to love God and the World too even as hard as to look with the same eye saith Augustine up to Heaven and down to the Earth at the same time The more love a Woman bestows upon a stranger the less shee loves her Husband whence S. James is bold to call worldlings Adulterers and Adulteresses chap. 4.4 whom the Lord will not indure to dally and sport Eph. 2.3 and go a whoring after the World Yee cannot serve God and Mammon 2 Consider that a course lead in lusts is fitter for the Gentiles than those that profess the teaching of Grace Tit. 2.11 For the grace which hath appeared teacheth us to deny worldly lusts Our relation to Christ of whom wee are called Christians must draw our affections out of the World for 1 He hath chosen us out of the World so that now hee professeth of us They are not of the World Job 15.19 2
shalt not make to thy self any graven image of any thing in heaven or earth for Thou sawest no image only thou heardest a voice Deut. 4.12 And what will ye liken mee to saith the Lord Yet this was a rude people and needed all the books that might bee Consequently God is not to bee worshipped in any Image 2 Hee is dishonâ—ured when any corruptible thing is conceived to bee like him Rom. 1.23 3 God is uncircumscriptible and infinite therefore an Image of him is a lye 4 God is every where present therefore every Image is vain 5 Gods curse is on him that makes a carved image and puts it in a secret place Deut. 27.15 6 God will not bee worshipped in any Image but of his Son Joh. 5.23 All men must honour the Son as they honour the Father Let Image-mungers shew us what Images God will bee worshipped in besides Jesus Christ the engraven form of his person and wee will worship as many Images as they can 7 It is vain and very inconsiderate to make an Image and worship it the makers thereof want common sense and are blockish as the Images themselves as appears by the Prophets Ironical narration Isa 42.19 and 44.19 No Man saith in his heart Half have I burnt or eaten or warmed my self withall and shall I worship the other half as a God Are not as good blocks as this every where and as good stones in the pavement Is not one as worthy to bee worshipped as the other How hath one deserved to bee burnt and the other to bee reserved for Adoration The same folly is in the Church of Rome one piece of the Hoast they eat another they set up to bee worshipped and want consideration to say Was not the piece that is eaten as worthy to bee Worshipped as this Is this better than that So that that of the Prophet is verified of these Idolaters They that make them are like unto them even as blockish as the very blocks which if they could reason would surely say Am not I as worthy to be worshipped as my fellow am I baser than my equal Obj. 1 But they have gotten a late distinction by which they put on a cloak to hide the filthinesse of their Idolatry Worship say they is either that high and great worship proper to God which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or less and inferiour Worship called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or service the former they cannot without Idolatry give to Angels and Saints the latter they may Ans 1. But 1 God cannot bee deluded by a distinction of words seeing the thing it self is Idolatry let them call it what they will to delude the World and themselves withall the thing is as gross Idolatry as ever was among the Heathens let them lessen it as they can and call it a less worship consisting in external reverence and inferiour to that which is given to the sampler For so long as they bow to Saints which they cannot for shame say is for civil reverence unless they had eyes to see them they go directly against the Commandement which saith Thou shalt not bow down to them And the Lord hereby distinguisheth his true worshippers from Idolaters I have reserved seven thousand which never bowed the knee to Baal And so long as they invocate them vow unto them swear by them knock their breasts before them creep unto them c. do they think they have ears and hear not nay do they not ascribe the seeing of their hearts and wants omnipotence and power to help them Are they not in the midst of that woe of them that say to the wood Arise and to the dumb stone Come and help us And so long as they imitate the Heathen in erecting Temples Altars statues in appointing them religious daies Feasts Falls several worships c. can they by an idle word put out all mens eyes so as wee can see nothing beyond civil worship in all this because they call it douleia what is there now in all Gods worship which they cannot do to them They say wee may not sacrifize to them that is due to God only but invocate them we may Answ 1 A silly shift as though all Gods proper worship were in sacrifices 2 What are Prayers but sacrifices of the New Testament 3 What is it but to offer sacrifice to them to offer them Candles Incense and the like 2 The new-found distinction argueth their gross ignorance both in the Scriptures and in other secular learning if not wilful blindness the words both of them in both being used for the same and promiseuously ascribed both to God and men I. For the Scriptures They may say they give douleia to men and Angels but then may wee give all the service due to the Lord Jesus to them for under this word is it all comprehended Rom. 16.18 They serve not the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Apostle condemns the giving of douleia to things which by nature are no gods Gal. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20.18 serving the Lord with all modesty and many tears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is douleia proper to God which their distinction makes peculiar to man 1 Thess 1.9 having turned from Idols 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serve the living and true God Col. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for yee serve the Lord Christ And might they not in the Scripture observe how the Angel refused douleia Rev. 22.7 because hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow Servant Yet they say it is due to Angels and Saints And that latreia is not onely taken in Scripture for Worship due to God but for works belonging to men is plain by Lev. 23.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt do no servile work II. For sâ—â—â—lar learning Ludovicus Vives a learned man of their religion in his commentaries upon Augustâ—ne de civit Dei hath proved out of Suidas Xenophon and Valla that these two words are usually taken one for another And yet upon this confused distinction stands all the frame of their confused Idolatry at this day 3 This distinction fighteth not only against antiquity but against themselves Jerome against Vigilantius saith Nos non Angelos non Archangelos non Cherubim non Seraphim colimus adoramus And Augustine epist 44. Scias à Christianis Catholicis nullum coli morinorum No Christian Catholike worshippeth any of the dead And some of themselves as Holcot and Durand write that no worship at all is to bee given to an image neither is it lawful to worship it And yet Aquinas and others say plainly that the Crucifix and Image of Christ must bee adored with the same honour as himself is yea that honour stayeth in the very image which I hope is more than douleâ—a that is given to the image of Christ But enough of this idle distinction They must as the Midianites fight against themselves and one another that fight against God and
power ruling all Creatures and over-ruling in all things The latter is the power of his Office as hee is Mediatour and King of his Church and this power differeth from the former 1 in that it is a power received Matth. 28.18 All power is given mee in heaven and in earth Phil. 2.9 God hath given him a Name above all Names whereas Christs power as God is not received but his own proper power being God 2 That power is essential infinite and incommunicable to any creature this is personal communicated by dispensation of grace after a singular manner unto Christ as God-man and our Mediatour 3 That power is immutable unchangeable everlasting this power shall after a sort bee determined for hee must give up his Kingdome to his Father 1 Cor. 15.24 not that Christ shall ever cease to bee a powerful head of his Church nor that hee shall cease to reign with his Father for all eternity but look as the Father now doth not rule the Church namely as Mediatour but the Son so the Son shall not then rule his Church in the manner as hee now doth as Mediatour but in the same manner as his Father shall Now hee rules and puts forth his power in fighting against his enemies but then all his enemies shall bee trodden under his feet and made his footstool Now hee manifesteth his power in gathering a Church by the Word and Sacraments but then all the elect shall bee gathered Now at his Fathers right hand hee puts forth his power in making intercession for us but then hee shall intercede no more 〈◊〉 us At the end of the World hee shall declare his mighty power in raising all the dead and sitting in judgement on them but then there shall bee no more need of this power when death shall bee swallowed up into victory and a final sentence is given on all flesh So as Christ shall not reign as now hee doth but as his Father Whence it followeth that the power by which Christ subdueth the Devils is not onely that essential power of his Divine nature but the power of his Office whereby even in our nature and flesh hee subdueth them And this power may bee distinguished according to the subjects into two kindes first that power by which hee sweetly ruleth the Church as the head the members or a King his Subjects and this is either directive or coercive Secondly that coercitive and judiciary power which hee exerciseth against his enemies wicked and ungodly men as a King against rebells and foes to his state and person And this power is properly raised against the Devils and his instruments against which they cannot stand Reasons 1 Christ was prophecied to bee the seed of the Woman that must bruise the Serpents head which prophecy plainly shews that Christ as Mediatour in our flesh must disperse all Satans forces planted against us and for this end the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the Devil and the work doth properly and singularly belong unto Christ although the fruit and benefit of it by communication of grace flow unto the Church as the body of Christ Object But did not others beside Christ command the Devils Act. 8.7 when Philip preached in Samaria unclean spirits crying came out of many and Act. 16.18 Paul turned about and commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the maid Answ 1 Christ did it by his own power they by his 2 The power of Christ is one thing faith in his power is another they did it not so much by power as by faith in this power whence S. Paul chargeth the foul spirit In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to come out 3 Common men were able to discern a difference between Christs power and others in casting out Devils Mar. 1. and Luk. 4.36 fear came on them and they said among themselves With authority he commands foul spirits and they come out that is by his power and divine authority and not as other Exorcists did 4 Hee did work his as a person that was God other his Disciples as persons with whom God was working and confirming the doctrin with signes and wonders that followed Mar. 16. ult 2 All things are given him and put under his feet Joh. 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand Heb. 2.8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet And as if that were not plain enough hee setteth in the next words a large Comment upon it And in that he hath put all things in subjection under him he left nothing that should not be subject only except him which did put all things under him as it is 1 Cor. 15.27 So as it is plain that excepting God himself nothing is not subject to Christ as Mediatour Now this may bee enlarged by a special induction of all things Angels are subjected to his word 1 Pet. 3.22 to whom Angels and Powers and might are subject with a reason For hee is the Lord of the holy Angels and set far above all Principalities and Powers Eph. 1.21 Unreasonable Creatures hear his word and obey him Luke 8.25 Who is this that commands the winds and the Seas and they obey him Diseases obey him to the Leper hee saith I will bee thou clean and hee is clean immediately Matth. 8. To the Lame man hee saith Take up thy bed and walk and hee doth so Matth. 9.6 Hee meets a blind man Joh. 9.7 and bids him go wash in Siloam and hee comes again seeing Yea death it self heareth and departeth at his word Joh. 11.44 At that word Lazarus came forth bound hand and foot and the time commeth when they that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and come forth In one word the Apostle ascribeth to Christ that he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 All Creatures all Enemies sin Satan the Grave Hell Death Damnation and whatsoever resisteth his glory in himself or any of his members 3 Christs Kingdome must bee set up against and above all the Kingdoms of the World Dan. 2.45 The little stone cut out of the Mountain without hands breaks in pieces the Clay the Iron Brass Silver and gold that is the Kingdome of Christ shall break all those great Kingdomes and the God of Heaven raiseth a Kingdome to his Son which shall never bee destroyed And therefore for the upholding of this Kingdome hee must bee invested with power which neither the Tyrants of the World nor the god of the World can ever prevail against For never were all the Kingdomes of the World so opposed by the World and the Devil as the poor kingdome of Jesus Christ but this power of Christ is as an hook in Nebuchadnezzars jaws and a chain in which hee holdeth Leviathan limiting him how far he shall exercise malice against the Church and no further 4 Christ as Mediatour was to perform those works which no other creature
against all their vows promises and resolutions to admit them into firmer favour and league than ever before and being of neer kindred with Satan will then go away when they can stay no longer The most hard-hearted Pharaoh can do all this to get out of Gods hands but hee must not so carry it at length Vse 5. Lastly let us comfort our selves in our trouble for this also is changeable our Lord knows wee have need of a refreshing and wee shall bee refreshed The rod of the wicked yea of the wicked one shall not alwaies rest on the lot of the righteous lest they put forth their hand to vanity And although it may seem hard that Satan goes but for a season yet is not this without much comfort For although it were a great mercy for Satan not to come unto us yet to come and go away foiled is a far greater as hee doth from all the members of Christ who in expectation of this joyful and seasonable event may encourage themselves to hold out with patience unto the end And behold the Angels came and ministred to him In these words is laid the triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ after his victory which is set down not without a star or note of special observation Behold being held over this point following for special purpose For this particle noteth 1 Sometimes a strange thing as Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son 2 A long-desired thing and much expected as Behold oh Sion thy King commeth c. 3 An excellent thing now set before the eye and present as Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world and so it is a note of admiration 4 A true and certain thing so it is set before many promises and threats 5 It is ever a note of attention and argues intention and weight in that matter where Gods Spirit hath prefixed it It hath all these uses in this place noting a strange triumph such as never was met withall in all the monuments in all the world besides It was but shadowed in that strange triumph sung to David 1 Sam. 18.7 when David had returned from the slaughter of the Philistim the women came out and sang by course Saul hath slain his thousand but David his ten thousand why hee slew but one man True but in that one enemy hee did as much as if hee had slain ten thousand others But here in one enemy this Son of David hath slain his legions and millions not ol men but of Devils not Philistims but hellish powers which had defied the Host of Israel This note also calls us to behold as expetible certain and excellent a triumph as all the notes of attention which are in the Scripture all the Selahs in the world are too little to gain sufficient attention or set out the greatnesse of this Divine mystery It calleth us as the parenthesis of our Saviour Matth. 24.15 speaking of the certain strange signes of Jerusalems overthrow Let him that readeth consider so Let him that reads behold that is consider meditate remember prize this great and most glorious work of the Son of God And it checketh and rebuketh our heaviness dulness and want of affection in the beholding and due regard of so material and comfortable a point of heavenly doctrin so neerly concerning out selves But what must we behold Two things 1 the comming of the Angels unto Christ 2 their ministring unto him In the comming of the Angels note 1 when they came 2 to whom 3 the manner of their comming I. When in the first word namely when the Devil had left him and not before For 1 The good Angels have little joy to bee where wicked Angels and Devils are especially whiles their Commission stands in force to molest the Children of God 2 They were ready enough to attend upon their Lord but Christ permitted them not for the time of temptation 1 Lest their presence should have driven Satan away before the temptations had been ended 2 Hee had no assistance of man or Angel but alone in the wilderness sustains all the brunt of the temptation hee must tread the wiâ—e-press alone as none must share with him in his conquest and victory 3 Satans mouth must bee stopt who would have said hee had overcome by their aid if they had been present 4 The Text saith not the Angels came in to help him in the time of temptation but when the Devil had left him they came to minister to him II. The person to whom they came to him now plainly manifest to bee God and man man tempted by the Devil like us in all things except sin God who had overcome the Devil and now riding in a Chariot of glorious triumph man in the hands of Satan carried and recarried at his pleasure God to whom the Angels as Ministers and the Squires of his holy body do homage and attendance III. The manner of their comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they now came in unto him standing before a far off as in war when the enemies are scattered the friends come in with joy for so it was when David had foyled and slain Goliah the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and applauded that noble victory Quest But how did they come in Answ 1 By moving themselves from the place were they were to that place were Christ was and they were not before for the same Angel cannot bee in two places at once because 1 His essence is finite and therefore limited 2 They are definitively in place although not repletively for the Angel is in a place onely by applying his vertue to the place by which vertue hee rather contains the place than the place him as it doth bodies But when a Legion of wicked Angels are said to bee in one man it is necessary that spirits defined to bee in one place cannot at the same time bee without that place till they bee moved thence into another Good Angels are not in heaven and earth at once much less every 〈◊〉 Now whereas they are truly in place and truely moved in place both without bodies as also in assumed bodies it would make much for the clearing of the Angels manner of comming to Christ to know whether they came in a bodily shape or without bodies at this time I answer I doubt not and yet I will not contend about it but that they came in bodily shapes Quest Have Angels bodily shapes to appear in Answ No not proper to their nature being meer spiritual substances without corporal matter or physical composition But yet they have bodily shapes 1 ascribed to them by way of description for our capacity 2 assumed by way of dispensation for our consolation I. For our comprehension Isa 6.2 the Angels with two wings cover their face and feet this signifieth that their nature is hid and removed from the knowledge of man And with twain their bodies are covered Ezek.
in the deep nor at the mountain not so destitute but we find some supports But were the case with us as it was here with our Lord if we were in the world as in a wilderness our food nothing but stones our company wild beasts ready to devour us no friend near us but the Devil tossing and tumbling us with his temptations wee should assuredly see the Lord extraordinarily providing for us and working out for us unexpected comfort our extremity would be Gods opportunity God sent not Moses to deliver Israel from under Pharaoh till their burdens were at the heaviest and their oppressions intollerable God might have sent his Angel to preserve the three Children from being cast into the fire but he did not till they were in the flames this was Gods time wherein he was more glorified his children more gloriously delivered and his enemies more mightily confounded than if the Angels had come before Even so when this Land was like that fiery Furnace made seven times hotter than ever before to consume the bodies of Gods Saints in Queen Maries days in the midst of those flames God sent that happy Queen now a blessed Saint to quench those fires and deliver our whole Church from that tyrannical and Papal oppression Thus the Lord himself waits and stays for the fittest time of our deliverance and so must we Never shall the faithful soul fail of a day of refreshing And ministred unto him We have spoken of the Angels coming Now the last thing considerable in this History is their ministery unto Christ wherein are two things 1 How they minister to him 2 Why they minister I. 1 They ministred in adoring the Son of God the only conquerour of the Devil and honouring him as the victorious destroyer of the Prince and Commander of all hellish powers For the Angels rejoyced in Christs victory in the Devils overthrow and the salvation of the Church of God The goodness of their nature carries them wholly to the glory of God in all their actions and motions and the good of the Church as at the birth of Christ they sung Glory to God on high on earth peace and good will to men And there is no doubt but now upon this victory they did much more honour him and congratulate his glorious triumph 2 They ministred to him in comforting him being in his soul extreamly afflicted and molested with Satans temptations for how could the Son of God but utterly abhorr and with fiery zeal detest such blasphemous temptations as that hee should not only distrust his Fathers providence but even fall down and worship the Devil himself with which temptations a sinful man yet in his corrupt nature would be exceedingly distracted and disturbed It is no doubt therefore but as in his Agony before his Passion the Angels came to comfort him so likewise in this conflict and perturbation so soon as they might they came in to the same purpose 3 They ministred to him in releeving his body which was now broken with hunger and watchings having already fasted forty days and forty nights and brought him food to allay his hunger spreading as it were a table for him in the wilderness For if they neglected not the servant of God Elias in the wilderness being ready to starve for food but provided him a meal in strength whereof he went forty days and forty nights 1 King 19.5 much less would they neglect the Son of God who was now in the same necessity 4 They ministred to him standing about him and giving attendance waiting as it were at his table and ready to be employed in any further service hee had to command them Psal 103.20 Yee Angels ready to execute his will Whence in Ezek. 1.11 the Angels are described with wings stretched upward noting their propensity and readiness to the Commandements of Christ II. Why the Angels do thus minister to Christ Ans Not for any necessity of his for 1 He was able to have sustained himself and held out for ever against the Devil 2 He was able to have confounded the Devil 3 He was able to have created food in the wilderness without them which they could not do for although they could fetch food elsewhere provided yet could they not create any but 1 It was their duty to attend him as their Lord called the Lord of the holy Angels 2 Christ would now use their ministery and did not help himself by Miracle as he might if he had pleased But we read not that he used his power for himself or his Disciples Himself being hungry and weary at Jacobs Well he created not food but sent his Disciples into the City to buy bread And when his Disciples were faint and hungry they were fain to pluck ears of Corn and eat it But yet he used not his miraculous power For Miracles were wrought for the edification of others and commonly done in the presence of many whose faith was to be strengthned as the Disciples was in part already 3 This was so for our instruction and consolation that we also in our wants standing in the Lords battels may expect the presence and comfort of the Angels Doct. The priviledge of Christ whereby hee is exalted above all creatures hence appeareth in that the Angels minister unto him Heb. 1.6 the Apostle proves Christs divinity and eminency above all things out of that testimony of the Psalm And let all the Angels of God worship him For he must needs be greater than all who must bee honoured of all Job 1.51 Christ himself proves himself the Son of God because notwithstanding he is the Son of man which plainly notes him to be 1 A true man and 2 A weak man yet they should see the Heavens opened and the Angels ascending and descending upon him as was figured in Jacobs Ladder Gen. 28.12 For Christ is the Ladder and only way by which we ascend into Heaven It reached from earth to heaven signifying his two Natures God of his Father in Heaven man of Jacobs loyns in earth Angels ascending and descending are the ministring spirits attending him for in that phrase is meant their sending out their emission and commission to their office descending to their work and ascending to give account of it Now according to this Prophecie of Christ two of his Disciples saw the heavens open upon him in his transfiguration Matth. 17.1 2. In his resurrection those keepers of the Sepulcher saw the Angel of the Lord that descended from heaven and had rolled away the stone from the door and sate upon it so as they were afraid and as dead men Matth. 28.4 The women also saw the Angel and talked with him that had attended him in his Resurrection vers 5. And in his Ascension all his Disciples saw the Heavens opened unto him and two Angels standing by them who attended him Acts 1. Reasons 1 The more honourable the attendants and ministers the greater is the Personage so attended But our Lord hath
Christ as well as they they seek peace even with the worst and shall obtain it so farre as God seeth good who when a mans ways please him doth so over-rule his enemies hearts as they shall become friendly unto him 3 By setting every Christian at peace with himself who before had no peace 2 With a mans self but now hath obtained 1 Peace of Conscience when his Conscience being pâ—rswaded of his reconciliation with God through Christ it ceaseth to wound and accuse and beginneth to excuse and comfort and so bringeth quietnesse and tranquillity of minde into the soul which passeth understanding 2 Peace in his will and affections which by grace cease to be rebellious and become daily more pliant to the Commandement and obedient to the mind enlightned by the Spirit 3 Peace in Christian combate in that grace getteth daily victory corruption receiveth daily foyls and consumption and so the heart every day more quiet than other from the power and molestation of it Thirdly whereas so long as God himself is our enemy 3 Peace with the Creatures all his Creatures are armed against us to take his part and revenge their Creators wrong upon us by Christ even this curse is also removed and it is an expresse branch of the New Covenant that the Lord will work our peace with the Creatures Hos 2.18 And in that day will I make a Covenant for them with the wild beasts and with the fowls of the heaven and with that which creepeth upon the earth For God being in league with us even the stones in the field and the beasts in the field shall be at league with us also Job 5.23 And the reason is because as then the Creatures rebelled against man when hee became a rebel against God so when men by Christ are reconciled unto God and become his sons by adoption and grace then is their ancient right and rule over the Creatures lost by the fall restored in part so as his children never receive hurt from them but such as the Lord sanctifieth both for the furtherance of his owne glory and their salvation which are the main ends which God respecteth in all his ways with his elect Thus we see what is this peace and how Jesus Christ procureth it us whence wee may observe sundry profitable points of doctrin Observ 1. That there is no sound peace without Christ he is the Prince of peace his doctrin is the message of peace and himself the Messenger of the great Covenant of peace There can be no peace with God by Moses nor by the works of the Law whatsoever dotages Popish teachers hold to the contrary only the obedience and merit of Christ is the matter of it which made the Apostles always pray not for peace from merit but for mercy and peace or grace and peace because it only floweth from the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ Secondly it is as clear as the former That there can be no peace to the wicked man Isa 57.21 because he is out of Christ 1 No inward peace in his Conscience the which howsoever it may slumber for a while or become feared benummed and past feeling yet like a wild beast will it hastily waken and pursue him and make him restlesse as Cain and fly when none pursues him 2 No true outward peace for although their houses may seem peaceable and without fear and all things passe according to their hearts desire yet this iâ— but a truce for a time or rather a respite of a condemned person who where ever he goeth carrieth his sentence of death with him and woe must needs be the end of that peace that maketh men most quiet when their sins cry the loudest for vengeance in the ears of God Thirdly this point affordeth some main differences between true and false peace Difference between true and false peace by which every man may be helped in the examination of his estate For 1 sound Christian peace is always a fruit of righteousnesse and by unrighteousnesse is unsetled and disquieted but the peace of the wicked is for most part a fruit of iniquity and by it is never disturbed but for the time the more sin the more peace as in a number of sinners might bee instanced 2 Peace by Christ ariseth from sorrow for sin whence our Saviour counteth mourners blessed but worldly peace from the fruition of some worldly delight or other 3 The former is rooted in the heart and stablisheth it the latter is a rejoycing in the face not in the heart 2 Cor. 5.12 in the midst of such laughter the heart is heavy or may well bee so it being not unlike the laughter of the theef upon the gallows 4 As none can give the former save the Spirit of God so none can take it away it hath no end because hee that is the Prince of it is also Father of eternity Isa 9. neither can it bee but lasting having such soundness in it self but especially in respect of that infallible promise my peace shall none take from you Whereas the latter though never so faiâ— for the time is as unlasting as unsound Job compareth it to a dream Job 20.5 Solomon to the crackling of Thornes under a Pot Eccl. 6 7. God snatcheth it suddainly from them and as Baltazâ—r was taken at his banquet so God maketh their Sun fall even at noon day and darken them in the clear day Amos 8.9 And which addeth to the misery of the wicked their earthly happiness not onely endeth but the end of it is fulness of woe and heavinesse it self Prov. 14.13 the issues of such pleasing waies are death according to that of the wise man Prov. 9.17 Stoln waters are sweet but they know not that the dead bee there Whosoever then would not bee deceived in his peace let him not own any out of Christ let him look that his joy bee helped out of sorrow that it bee a fruit of righteousness and rooted in the heart for then it is lasting for ever and ever comfortable But let thy peace bee never so great and the light of God shine never so bright upon thy habitation and yet thou hast never been troubled with the sight of thy sin as many profess they never were if it can dwell with iniquity as many jolly fellows who make bold Covenants with Hell and Death if it stablish not the heart with assured hope and comfort in all well doing all this is but a brawn of heart a laughing madness and frenzy and even in the crying of this peace commeth destruction 1 Thess 5.3 and let all that fear to bee at war with God beware of this ungodly and dishonourable peace which is the most general peace in the world at this day the guise of which is then to laugh and rejoyce most when Christ is departed as himself witnesseth Joh. 16.20 The best way to come by peace in the want of it Fourthly In the want
all other mens And here is to be observed a plain difference between Christs anointing and all mens besides For whereas all other shadowed anoyntings were imperfect and some had more gifts bestowed and some lesse but none all nor all in one degree Christ was perfectly anoynted and even in his Human nature was adorned with gifts without measure for God gave not him the Spirit by measure Joh. 3.34 and not only with gifts but all gifts in the highest degree above all his fellows Psal 45. men or Angels in none of which ever dwelt the fulnesse of the God-head bodily as it did in him Coloss 2.10 2 Whereas all other received gifts only for themselves and could not by their gifts make others Kings as they were or Priests or Prophets Christ was so anoynted with the Holy Ghost and with power that he could impart his gifts to others in such manner and measure as they might become like unto himself that look as the oyl which was poured out upon Aarons head run down by his beard even to the skirts of his garment and so sweetned his whole body even so such abundance of grace was poured as out of a full horn upon Christ the head of his Church as it distilleth from him to the sweetning and perfuming of all his body to make the same acceptable in the sight of God This the Evangelist expresseth Joh. 1.16 Full of grace of truth and of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace Coloss 2.10 In him dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and yee are compleat in him Quest But when was Christ thus anoynted Ans The anoynting of Christ is two-fold 1 In respect of his gifts and with these he was anoynted by the very union of his two Natures into one Person in the Wombe of the Virgin from the first moment of his conception for being admirably conceived by the Holy Ghost his Humane nature was anoynted by the Divine uniting it self thereunto 2 In respect of his calling to the exercise of those gifts and this was then compleat when in the thirtieth year of his age at his Baptism he was solemnly inaugurated by a voyce from Heaven by the opening of the Heaven and the descending of the Spirit of God in a visible shape abiding upon him not that be wanted the Spirit before but that herein as in the former respect also a main difference might be put between his and the anoynting of all that went before who neither were anoynted in the Wombe nor by the union of the Deity nor by any other than material oyl whereas hee was anoynted with the Holy Ghost lighting upon him And this was that which was prophesied before of him Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because hee hath anoynted me that I should preach c. In the exposition of which place when Christ begun his Ministery in Galilee he said This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luk. 4.17 Hence we learn None can bee capâ—â—le of the Office of a Redeemer or Mediator but Châ—ist because none was so anoynted as he 1 That Christ was and is an all-sufficient Saviour and Redeemer for being to this purpose anoynted with the Holy Ghost and with power he cannot but be able fully to work and absolve the work of mans redemption This is not a work to be committed to any King or Emperour nor the greatest state and Potentate in the earth no nor to any Angel or Archangel in Heaven none of these are fit for it because none are capable of this anoynting with the Holy Ghost and with power but hee alone who therefore is able to subdue all the Devils of Hell though they come rushing upon him all at once to overthrow all the armies of Hell Sin Death and Damnation assaulting himself and members with all their might and force in a word able to make his enemies although principalities and powers never so mighty and never so cruel his very foot-stool 1 A greater King than Salomon is here who not only can tread down his enemies but give us strength also so to doe who not only can give us Laws but of his fulnesse grace to keep them God hath anoynted him King and set him upon his Throne and endued him with rare Gifts fit for government in all which regards wee owe unto him simple and absolute obedience 2 A farre more excellent Priest also than Aaron is here he is not anoynted to offer the bloud of Bulls or Goats but to offer himself a sweet smelling Sacrifice and that not often but once for all Heb. 8.6 neither doth he offer only this sacrifice but by this spirit and power with which he is anoynted he applieth it to his Church neither need he offer for himself as they because he was a holy harmlesse and undefiled High Priest Heb. 7.26 neither doth he only pray for his Church but meriteth also to be heard is never denied neither ever dyeth but liveth for ever to make intercession for them vers 25. 3 A more famous Prophet than Moses is here anoynted he was but a servant in the house this is the Son Moses was but the Instrument this is the Author of the word he delivereth Moses could teach but the ear this Prophet teacheth the heart Moses was a Minister of the outward Circumcision this Circumciseth or rather baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and with fire let not us therefore despise him that speaketh from heaven for if they escaped not which refused Moses that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven Heb. 12.25 And can we want reason 1 In his anoynting we are commanded by a voyce from Heaven hear him Mat. 17.5 2 He delivereth the whole will of his Father we shall therefore be perfectly taught if we hear him 3 We may safely rest in his Doctrin because with him are the treasures of wisdome 4 In a word hee hath only the words of life everlasting and whither should we goe Joh. 6.68 Secondly hence we learn That seeing every beleever is anoynted with Christ Every Christian must partake of Christ his anoynting and in Christ we must all be careful to find this holy oyl running down from the head upon us the members 1 Joh. 2.27 The anoynting which yee receive of him dwelleth in you And indeed our very name of Christians putteth us in minde that we must have our measure of that oyl of grace which was poured on Christ without measure so as if we carry the name and title of Christ wee must see that the nature and gifts of Christians appear in our lives Revel 1.6 hee hath made us Kings and Priests unto God And it was long before prophesied of the Church of the New Testament that the sons and daughters of it shall Prophesie Joel 2.28 and all this by vertue of this anoynting Adde hereunto that Christ is not perfectly anointed till his Church bee for Christ
wickedness with tears pray for pardon promise amendment beg prayers of others as Pharaoh one would think them very penitent themselves think they are so also but the Moon changeth not so often as these spiritual lunaticks who hence may know that the evil spirit hath taken possession of them because they are never long in a good minde These few notes instead of many I thought good to set down to help men that are desirous to see how secretly Satan worketh in their souls and how hee can cunningly most forceably keep possession when hee seemeth most to disclaim it that thus they comming to perceive the disease may run out of themselves to seek for remedy Which what it is wee are now in the next point to declare The third point in the words to bee considered is The mighty power of Jesus Christ who onely could heal those that were thus oppressed and enthralled by the Devil and here consider 1 The ground 2 The proof or manifestation of it The ground was because God was with him How God was with his Son and how with his Servants It will bee objected that God is said to have been with many of his servants who yet had not this power as with Joseph Joshuah Moses and others Answ God was indeed with them onely by manifesting his presence in some powerful or loving effect which hee wrought in by or for them But never was God present with any of his Saints as hee was with his Son who had not the vertue onely and power of the God-head effectually and energetically working with him which was all they had but the god-head it self was after a sort bodily with him yea the fulnesse of the God-head was not only with him but in him bodily Col. 2.9 as elsewhere God is said not onely to bee with Christ but in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 So as hee of himself performed the works which proceeded from him which they did not and his actions as from himself were divine Quest Why then doth not the Apostle more shortly and plainly say that Christ was God as that God was with him Answ Hee might indeed have so said as truely but for the time spareth the weakness of his hearers contenting himself to deliver Doctrin as they were able to receive it in great wisdome by little and little instilling into their minds the knowledge of Christ and by degrees laying such grounds and foundations as whereby themselves might more easily rise to that high point of Divinity which the Apostle calleth a great mystery namely God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.26 Secondly For the proof or manifestation of this Divine power of Christ Christ powerfully treadeth Satan under his feet â—n overthrowing the power of Satan and treading him under his feet is evident in the Scripture The first promise that ever was made to man fallen is That this seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head According to which prophecy hee not onely put Satan to flight in his own person Mat. 4. but took also his strongest holds where hee had strongly fortified himself in the persons of others as every where the History of the Gospel recordeth Hee rebuked the unclean spirits and made them cry for grief and anger Mark 9.25 Hee forced them to silence and would not suffer them to confess him Mar. 1.25 By his very word hee chained and bound them whom no bolts could hold nor any other means subdue such was his power and glory though men saw little of it that the Devils could neither fly from him nor yet abide his presence A whole legion of them ran to meet him a far off and worshipped him Mar. 5.6 most submisly intreated him that hee would not torment them and earnestly sued unto him that seeing they could no longer inhabit the man they might have power over the swine By all which examples and many more that might bee added appeareth what command Jesus Christ hath over the Devils and that by his onely word hee healed all those that were oppressed by them Quest It is true that Christ hath this power and glory in himself How the power of Christ foyleth Satan for us because God is with him but how commeth this power to bee so saving and soveraign unto miserable creatures who are held under the power of the Devil and that most justly Ans In healing all our diseases Mat. 8.16.17 among which this cute is numbred wee must knit and combine those two things which in Christ were inseparable namely his glory and his grace the latter of which makeeth the former soveraign unto us and appeareth in two actions in removing from us the next causes of all our diseases namely our sins For as the Physician in working a cure first removeth the distempered humours of his patient which are the matter of the disease so doth our heavenly Physician imply that this is the beginning of his cure and therefore often his first word is Thy sins are forgiven thee and his last word is goe and sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee 2 By taking our diseases upon himself which 〈◊〉 Physician doth or can do but this Lamb of God taketh away the sins of the world by taking them upon himself for he bare our infirmities Col. 2.22 and carried our sorrows and sins in the body of his flesh even to the cross where they were fastned with him buried them in his grave yea cast them into Hell and there left them by which most glorious triumph of his the snares and letters wherewith wee were chained to death and the Devil are broken and our souls as a bird are escaped Christ onely by his Pâ—opes power casteth out Devils Hence note 1 That no man can cast a Devil out of a possessed party or ever did as a principal efficient cause but as an instrument and that onely by this power of the Lord Jesus to whom all power in heaven and earth is given and to whom all the honour of this power must bee ascribed for what power can countermand Satans but onely Gods I grant Satan may give place to beelzabub and depart his habitation for his greater advantage and forsake a body to get faster hold upon the soul or to delude many beholders but such hostile conquest over Satan argueth a mighty power of God which all the Devils in hell cannot resist Secondly That whosoever finde themselves any way molested of Satan must hasten themselves to Jesus Christ who onely can batter down the holds of the Devil In all thy spiritual captivity repair unto Christ and work their deliverance Feelest thou thy self held under any spiritual captivity or bondage doth the Law of evil present with thee toyl thee with heaviness and unchearfulness to any thing that is good seest thou in any measure Satans secret trains working against thy salvation Oh come unto Christ not faintly as the Father of the possessed child Mark
with him The words of the verse contain two things 1 The assertion of Christ his resurrection Him God raised up the third day 2 The manifestation or evidence of it and caused that hee was openly shewed The former part is laid down in four distinct points 1 The person raised him 2 The person raising him God 3 The action it self raised 4 The time when the third day First the person raised is Christ where First It will bee demanded how Christ can bee said to bee raised How Christ can be said to rise seeing neither his Deity nor the soul of his humanity arose seeing hee consisted of a Divine and a Humane nature whereof the first could neither fall nor rise and for the second that also consisted of soul and body the former of which being the principal part dyed not but was in Paradise Seeing then neither the Deity nor the soul of his Humanity nor his person did rise but only his body how can Christ bee said to bee raised Answ In sundry other places of Scripture besides this wee meet with such synechdochical phrases and forms of speech wherein somewhat is attributed to the whole which is proper but to one part and that ascribed to the whole person which belongeth but to one nature which cometh to pass by reason of that straight and personal union of the two natures in Christ Thus wee read that God purchased his Church by his own blood Act. 20.28 and that the Lord of glory was crucified 1 Cor. 2.8 of the sons being in heaven and in earth at one time Joh. 3.18 of Christs being before Abraham was Joh. 8.58 of his being omnipotent c. All which are spoken of the whole person but properly are to bee referred to the several natures to which they do agree Thus the Apostles sometimes expound them and teach us so to do 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ was mortified according to the flesh and quickened according to the spirit 2 Cor. 13.4 Hee dyed according to the infirmity of his flesh and was quickned according to the power of God and to help our conceit herein serveth that school distinction Lords Christus non totum Christi which saith that whole Christ is said to do this or that which the whole of Christ did not yea our own common form of speech saith a man is dead whose soul liveth and a man is asleep when his body only sleepeth 2 Wee have hence to note that the same body was raised which had been laid down in the Grave and no imaginary body neither any other body for it for never was any other laid there before Of all which himself against all Hereticks giveth sufficient evidence as in the manifestation following remaineth to be cleared 3 That this person raised was not a private person but the same who had as a publike person been abused accused condemned and executed and now as a publike person also raised from the dead in whom all his Church and every member of it rose again for whosoever have interest in his death have their part also in his resurrection 4 Here is a further thing in this person to bee noted than ever was in any the first Adam was a root also and a publike person when hee sinned hee sinned for himself and us and having sinned and we in him he dyed away and left us in that sin and being dead wee hear no more of him and the Scriptures though they record at large the Histories of the holiest men that have lived yet when once they come to this that such or such a man dyed wee hear no more of him but with Christ it is not so who was not onely as another Sampson who bewrayed the greatest power in his death but herein unmatchable and peerless that hee did greater things after his death than ever hee did in all his life Contra. Faust lib. 16. insomuch as Augustine was wont to say that the faith of Christians was Christs resurrection Wee must not then content our selves with common people that Christ is dead for all and no more but fasten our eyes upon his resurrection so much the more diligently by how much it is easier to beleeve that hee was dead than that hee rose again And what other thing can more fitly bee collected from that practice of all the Evangelists who in other things while some of them omit one History some another or else some of them briefly point at and lightly touch and pass over some other Histories all of them set themselves of purpose to bee copious and large in this of Christs resurrection that the faith of Beleevers might bee firmly grounded herein and the rather because no benefit of his resurrection none of his death and without the certain apprehension hereof all Preaching and Hearing and Faith were in vain and wee our selves were yet in our sins To which Apostolical practice this of our Apostle is not unsuitable in this place in hand 1 Cor. 15.17 18. who while hee almost in one word maketh mention of the death of Christ hee at large prosecuteth and proveth the truth of his resurrection The second point is to consider the person that raised Christ Him God raised that is God the Father Act. 2.24 And have crucified and slain whom God had raised 3.15 Ye have killed the Lord of Life whom God hath raised from the dead More plainly is this work attributed to the mighty power of the Father of glory working in Christ and raising him from the dead Eph. 1.17 20. and to him at whose right hand hee sitteth so Rom. 4.24 Wee beleeve in him which raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead Object But Christ raised himself Joh. 2.19 Destroy this Temple and in three daies I will raise it again and hereby was hee mightily declared to bee the Son of God by raising himself from the dead Rom. 1.14 In like manner is this resurrection of his ascribed to the Holy Ghost Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him which raised up Christ c. therefore the Father raised him not Answ Here is no contrariety the Father raised him and hee raised himself For 1 There is but one Deity of the Father Son and Holy Ghost which is the common foundation of all their actions 2 There is but one power common to them all three and this is the power that Christ challengeth hee hath to lay down his life and take it up again Opera ad extra communia tribus personis 3 There is but one common act in them all three for the putting out of this power unto any external action without themselves of which Christ speaking Joh. 5.19 saith whatsoever the Father doth the same things doth the Son also In these respects holdeth the speech of the Apostle These three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 that is these three 1 In the true and real distinction of their persons 2 In their inward proprieties as to beget to bee begotten and proceed
the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 and for this cause our Saviour was careful after his departure hence to send out his Spirit in more plentiful and abundant manner than before that hee might continually inspire his people with ardent desires after the beginnings of that life eternal unto which Christ himself is risen who then manifest themselves members of such an advanced head when this new life manifesteth it self in them Thirdly our perfect salvation is also hence fully assured us for if our Lord Jesus hath soyled all the powers of Hell Death and Darkness in himself when hee was yet dead how much more doth hee it for us his members being now alive if hee could drive back and disperse all spiritual enmitles even when hee was in Hell it self after a sort how much more now being ascended far above all moveable and aspectible Heavens Eph. 4.10 for wee must not behold the victory and triumph of Christ What or who shâ—ll separate us from the love of God seeing it is Christ that is dead or rather risen from the dead as performed onely in and for himself but as the ground and pledge of the victory and conquest of all the Beleevers in the World Look upon this Son of David prostrating the great Goliah of Hell for all the Israel of God casting out the strong man not only out of his but of our possessions that he might take us up for his own use spoyling him of his kingdome and weapons for us yea and in us And hence as out of a well of consolation wee shall draw this comfort to our selves that look as the gates of Hell could not prevail against him our head no more shall they ever be able to prevail against us his members although they never so fiercely and forcibly assayl us And it spiritual enmities shall not be able to cut us short of our Salvation much less shall temporal dangers for by vertue of this resurrection also even in the most troublesome deeps when the waves of sorrows overtake one another and go over our souls when with Jonas we are ready to say We are cast from the face of the Lord Jonah 2.4 even then we have hope to rise out of such evils and because out head is above in short time comfortably to swim out Adde hereunto that death itself nor the grave shall stand between us and home for this rising of Christ is both the cause and confirmation that we shall rise again If the head bee risen so shall also the members if Christ the first fruits of them that sleep be raised so shall also the whole bulk and body of beleevers if we beleeve that Christ is risen from the dead even so them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thess 4.14 and if the same spirit which raised Jesus from the dead dwell in us then he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies Rom. 8.11 for Christ hath not redeemed the soul alone from death but the body also else had this second Adam been interiour to the first if not able to save by his rising all that which was lost by the fall of the former Oh how would this meditation well digested sweeten the remembrance of death and the grave when a Christian shall consider that look how it was with Christ when his soul and body were separated yet both of them were united to the Deity which brought them together again even so I am taught by the Scriptures that when my soul and body shall bee separated yet shall neither of them be sundred from Christ my head but he will reunite them like loving friends that they may participate in his own glory How would this meditation bring the soul not only to be content but to desire to bee dissolved and bee with Christ accounting that the best of all Phil. 1.23 III. The third benefit befalling us by the resurrection of Christ iâ— that because Christ is risen we know it shall not only goe well with us but with all the Church of God the prosperity of which so many as would prosper must rejoyce in for hence it is that Christ calleth a Church out of the world which after a sort riseth even out ot his own grave hence is it that being ascended on high he gave gifts to men for the gathering and preserving of his Church hence is it that the Church shall alwaies have the light of the Gospel Pastors Teachers and the Ministry till we all meet to a perfect man hence is it that this Church shall bee defended from Wolves and Tyrants seeing â—one is stronger than he nor able to pluck any ot his sheep out of his hands Let the Church be pressed it shall never be suppressed Let the Kings of the earth band themselves and forces against it the Lord hath set his Son upon his holy Mountain and he shall crush them like a Potters vessel Let Hereticks and Antichâ—ist send armies of Locusts Jesuites and seducing vagrants to waste the Church and bereave it of the truth and light leading to life they shall only seduce such as whose names are not written in the Book of life and of the Lamb for seeing Christ is risen so long as hee who can dye no more liveth he will preserve his darling he will send out the Stars that are in his right hand for her relief who like Davids Worhies shall break through the Hosts of the enemie and bring the pure waters of the Well of Life as we are for ever thankfully to acknowledge in those worthy restorers of our religion Lastly let flouds of persecution rise and swell so as this Dove of Christ cannot find rest fo the sole of her foot one means or other Christ will use for her help for he will either send her into the Wildernesse or the earth shall help the Woman and drink in the waters that they shall not hunt her or he will provide for her one of the chambers of his providence as he did for Joash against the rage of Athaliah wherein she shall be safe till the Storm bee blown over These are the principal benefits procured us by Christs resurrection which belong not unto all but only to such as are risen with him Quest How shall we know that we are risen with Christ How to know that we are risen with Christ that they mat assuredly belong unto us Ans The Apostle setteth himself to resolve this question Col. 3.1 where he maketh the seeking of things above where Christ is and infallible mark of our rising with him for as when Christ was risen he minded not things below any more but all his course was a preparation to his ascension to which all things tended so now if thou be risen with him Heaven will be in thine eye and thine affections are ascended thither where Christ is if Christ were on earth thou mightest fix thy soul and senses here on earth and yet be a Christian
that are in it through lust whether dost thou contemn and avoid vile and graceless persons dost thou rejoyce in the fellowship with God and communion of his Saints spendest thou thy daies in the constant praise and worship of God framest thou thy life according to the Word of God the rule of all Righteousness enjoyest thou all things in God and God in all things prizest thou thy present estate above all the World and yet longest thou for the perfecting of thy happiness saying Come Lord Jesus Come quickly this is to converse in Heaven while thou art on earth and to seek the things above where Jesus Christ sitteth Which if it bee then how few have their conversation there or are risen with Christ How few are set free from the power of sin witnesseth the general reign of it every where How many mind onely earthly things how many minde them principally How do most men swim with the stream drinking in the corruptions of the World most insatiably as the fish doth water How do sinners combine themselves against God to run to all excess of riot How unpleasant and unwelcome a voice is it to call men to delight in God and his Children How heavy are they to the parts of his Worship comming unto them as if they went to some punishment How are mens Lusts become their Laws instead of the perfect Rule and Law of God every man almost living as Israel when there was no King among them How do men rest in the means of their warfare with-drawing their hearts from the author of it How few prize the life of Christianity how many scorn it in themselves and others How many wish in their hearts there were no other life to come and that they rather had good assurance of this which is present and instead of wishing and waiting tremble at the mention of Christ his comming again Yet most of these men professors of Christ all of them baptized into his name and all of them will bee reputed as good Christians as the best But all this forenamed course hath no savour or rellish of Heaven all that take it up minde nothing but earthly things and the end of it without timely repentance will be damnation Phil. 2.19 IV. The fourth general point is the time of Christs resurrection set down in the Text to bee the third day To understand which wee must know that Christ lay not in the grave three whole natural days each of them standing of twenty four hours for then hee should have lain seventy two hours and have risen also on the fourth day whereas hee lay not in the Grave above thirty nine hours and rize on the third But the Scripture useth a grace or form of speech Synechdoche whereby two parts of daies are called by the whole and three daies put for the time which passed in three several daies every day having his night belonging unto him The first day of the three saith Augustine is to bee reckoned by his latter part in which Christ was dead and buried not passing three hours of the four and twenty yet so as both the night before when the Jews day begun and the most of that day was spent in taking examining whipping misusing condemning and executing him The second day is to bee accounted wholly and perfect from the evening of the day before the Passeover to the evening of the Sabbath following standing of full four and twenty hours The third day is to bee accounted from the former part of it beginning at the evening of the Jewish Sabbath for Christ lay all night neer twelve hours in the grave and rose in the morning betime about the midst of that natural day standing of four and twenty hours And thus is Christ truely said to have risen the third day Now that Christ should rise the third day and no sooner nor later these reasons shew Why Christ would rise no sooner than the third day 1 Hee must rise the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.4 For they had foretold this to bee the particular time Hos 6.2 After two daies he will revive us and in the third day hee will raise us up namely in his own person for wee also were raised with him as wee have seen The Scriptures had also further figured this distinct time in the type of Jonas who having lain three daies and three nights in the belly of the Whale was the third day cast on the dry land as our Saviour himself while hee was yet alive expounded of himself Matth. 12.40 As Jonas was in the belly of the Whale three daies and three nights so shall the Son of Man bee three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth 2 It pleased him not to rise sooner hee would not presently come down from the Cross nor revive himself before hee was buried nor rise presently after hee was laid down as hee easily could because hee would manifest that hee was truely dead as also because hee would lead his Church into some suspence therefore hee rose not till the case seemed desperate Luke 24.21 Wee trusted that it had been hee that should have delivered Israel and as touching all these things this is the third day that they were done Again hee would no longer defer his rising Why he would no longer defer his rising 1 Lest hee should utterly have endangered the faith of the Disciples which in that short time was sore shaken as not onely the former example but the heavinesse of the Disciples themselves to beleeve the news of it and wilfulness of Thomas plainly bewraveth 2 Because upon this event and keeping touch in this very circumstance of time hee had laid all the credit of his Person Ministry Doctrin Miracles Life and Death For when they come to ask him a sign to prove himself the Messiah hee referreth them to this event after his death that when they had destroyed the Temple of his body if hee did raise it either after or before the third day or did not on that day raise it they should never take him for the Messiah And of this very circumstance Angels and men had taken notice from his own mouth Luke 24.7 when the women came to the Sepulchre to seek Christ after he was newly risen the Angels told them he was risen he was not there and further wisheth them to remember what he had said to them while he was with them that the third day he must rise again nay not only his friends but his very enemies had got this by the end and therefore came to Pilate saying Sir we remember that this Deceiver said that he would rise the third day let us take such order that the last error become not worse than the first 3 The blessed body of Christ was not to enter into the least or lowest degree of corruption and therefore he would lye no longer in the house of corruption Quest But how could his body
hee also seasonably deliver us What if wee seem to be dead in our graves despised neglected and forgotten one day yea the second yet the third day commeth Hos 6.2 After two daies hee will revive us and in the third day hee will raise us up and wee shall live in his sight This made Abraham hope above hope In waiting I waited saith David that is I continued waiting on God Job after darknesse hoped for light It may bee the third day is not yet come Thou art not yet come to the Mountain where God will provide nor thou art not yet in that extremity which is Gods opportunity Isaac must not sit at home but take a journey of three daies to bee slain hee must not bee sent back the first of second day but the third day yet not before hee bee bound on the altar and the stroke of death a fetching is hee taken from off the wood Is the Lord a killing thee yet trust in his mercy God seemeth indeed not to know his own Children sometimes but to bee deaf at their prayers to have broken the bottle wherein hee was wont to preserve their tears but hee knows us well enough saith Paul 2 Cor. 6.9 though wee think our selves unknown and therefore wee are sometimes as dying but yet wee live chastened but not killed yea killed but not overcome Hee seemeth now to know none better than the wicked but the third day commeth and putteth as great a difference between them as it did between Pharaohs Baker and Butler Gen. 40.13 19. the third day shall lift up the head of the one and restore him to his office but the same third day shall take the head from the other and shall hang the body on a tree for the birds to eat the flesh from it And caused that he was shewed openly Vers 41 Not to all the people but unto the witnesses chosen before of God even to us which did eat and drink with him after hee rose from the dead NOw wee come to the manifestation of Christ his resurrection Which is described first by the persons to whom hee was so manifested set down 1 Negatively not to all the people 2 Affirmatively but to us who were chosen of God to bee witnesses Secondly by the facts of Christ towards these witnesses which are two the former in this verse in that hee admitted them to eat and drink with him after hee rose from the dead the latter in the next verse in that hee sent out his Disciples with commandement to preach unto the people and especially to acquaint them with the Article of Faith concerning his comming again to judge the quick and the dead In which two actions namely of sending out his Disciples and judging of the world his Kingly office doth notably put forâ—h it self And caused that hee was shewed openly 1 It behoveth Christ to make open shew and manifest knowledge of his resurrection It was necessary that Christ should manifest his resurrection for these reasons 1 Because as hee had been openly put to death and openly buried that none could doubt of the truth of either so this being as main a beam as lyeth in all the frame of our Religion it was meet that it should bee as sufficiently cleared and as litâ—le liable to exception as any of the former which it had not been if it had not been as openly confirmed and therefore he would for the space of forty daies Act. 1.3 by many bodily appearances to many credible persons at once and by many other infallible tokens make it evident that the same body which was crucified having the same hands feet and side which were peirced and wherein the prints yet remained even the same finite and circumscribed body which was to bee seen and handled and no other was now raised from the grave and loosed from all the bands of death 2 Because some things remained to bee done by Jesus Christ between his Resurrection and Ascension which craved his manifest presence As 1 Hee was further to instruct his Disciples in the things which appertained to the Kingdome of God namely in all the Doctrin they were to teach and all the Ordinances they were to observe in the external government of the Christian Churches unto the end of the World and therefore the Evangelist sheweth us how Christ begun at Moses and all the Prophets and opened unto them in all the Scriptures the things that were written of him Luk. 24.27 32. and not onely the Scriptures but their eyes and their hearts to understand and bee warmed and affected with the same 2 Hee was to establish and send out into all the world in his own person the Apostles to Preach the Gospel which hee pleased to defer till this time when by his glorious resurrection they might see that all power was given him in heaven and in earth Mat. 18.19 3 Hee was to confirm this their extraordinary Ministery by an extraordinary Sacrament namely breathing upon them and giving them the Holy Ghost Joh. 20.22 that is some smaller measure of gifts as a pledge for the time but directing them also when and where to expect the plentiful pouring out of the Spirit upon them after his departure as it was most miraculously performed in the day of Pentecost after they had a while waited at Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father Act. 1.4 4 Hee was by Miracle to confirm to his Disciples the truth of his Resurrection that they might bee the better fitted to the testimony of it as hee did by that miraculous draught of fish whereby they knew that hee was the Lord Joh. 21.7 12. 5 In that also hee was according to that which the Scriptures had foreprophecyed of him and himself also often foretold to ascend up bodily and visibly into Heaven whence he descended so to shew himself the Son of God and our High Priest lifted up higher than the Heavens Luk. 14.33 cum 51. to open Heaven for us and carry our flesh before hand thither where in the mean time hee maketh requests for us it was meet in the presence of all the eleven Act. 1.9 and they all beholding that hee should openly and according to his body bee visibly and locally taken up as the Angels witnessed Act. 1.11 Now though in these and other regards it was meet hee should shew himself openly yet would hee not so openly shew himself as to all the people but only to such as his wisdome thought fit to behold him Quest But why did not Christ after his Resurrection ride in an open triumph before all the People In all reason it would have made much to the confusion of his enemies and the comfort of his friends It could not have been but if he had risen in the sight of the Souldiers and had gone into Jerusalem among the Scribes and Pharisees into the Temple among the Doctors into Pilates Palace they would all have been stricken down and confounded in the
shall gild no matters here for what shall gold or silver pearls or jewels doe when Heaven and earth shall bee on a light fire Here shall be no sanctuaries nor priviledged persons or places to hinder the course of justice hence shall be no appeals but every person shall receive an eternal sentence of every cause according to the truth and equity of it for else the Judge of all the world should not doe right Vse 1 To comfort Gods children Gods children who here have all sentences pass agaiâ—st them shall have justice at this day who in this world are herein conformed unto Christ for the most part causes and sentences passe against them and their light is darkned their innocency by the might and malice of the wicked troddeâ— down but then shall they be sure of the day God will cause their uprightnesse to break out as the Sun in his strength for when wickednesse shall ruin the sinner into Hell righteousnesse shall deliver their souls from death 2 To teach them to possesse their souls in patience when they see the confusions that are in the world to beware of revenge but commit all as Christ himself did to him that judgeth righteously Wee must be content for a while to see our righteous waies depraved our good repaied with evil by evil men and bee so far from thinking hence that there is no providence oâ— care in God over his Children as that wee must necessarily conclude hence this judgement day Observe the rule Eccl. 3.16 When thou seeest in the plaâ—e of judgement wickednesse and iniquity in the place of justice think in thy heâ—rt surely God will udge the just and the wicked for there is a time for every purpose and work and Chap. 5.7 If in a Countrey thou seest oppression of the pâ—or and the defraudâ—ng of judgement and justice bee not astonied at the matter for hee that aâ— higher than the highest regardeth it The same ground do the Apâ—stles â—ftâ—n lay to raise this same exhortation unto patience in induring wrongs as Phil 4.5 Let your patient mind bee known unto all men the Lâ—rd 〈◊〉 at hand Jam. 5.7 Bee yee also patient and settle your hearts for the câ—mming of the Lord dâ—aweth neer As if these holy men had said with one mâ—uth look not to havâ— your right here in this World as neither the wicked have their livâ—e but wait the appointed time as the Husband-man doth for the weâ—ks of Harvest and this time is the comming of the Lord before which tiâ—e neither is the full recompense of righteousnesse given to the Saintâ— not punishment rendred unto the wicked in the full measure of it Grow nâ—t weary of well doing though yee meet with nothing but discouragements not out of love with the practice of piety although the world haâ—e you fâ—r it as it did your head before you for in due season ye shall reap â—f yee faint not 3 This teacheth men carefully to look to all their works and waies that they bee just and justifiable The works and words of men which shall abide the tryal of that dâ—y must now be tryed before hâ—nd such as will hold water as wee say For there is a day of tryal when all those causes which they have by Mony Friends or wicked policy contrived and over-wayed in shall be brought about again into a clear light and put into the ballance of equity it self where they shall bee found too light And think seriously with your selves how those causeâ— words and actions will abide the tryal of that day which even for the present can bring no sound comfort to the heart but rather heaviness to the heart accusation and guiltinesse to the conscience fear in the thoughts and shame in the face if any man should know how impiously and injuriously they have been contrived how many Oppressions Wrongs Cruelties Usuries Revengeful sutes onely commensed to make men spend their goods and lose their peace how much of many mens estates would give a loud witnâ—ss against their owners but that men will not so long before hand trouble themselves with such thoughts Well look to thy self whosoever thou art If thy conscience now accuse thee or can accuse thee but thou wilt either stifle it or stop thine ears against the cry of it know that it hath a voice and will do good service to this Judge one day a thousand witnâ—sses cannot do more than it will do it will bring back old reckonings which Christ hath not reckoned for and set them in order before thee when thou that canst find none now shalt have leisure enough to look into them but all to the breaking of thy heart and increase of thy torment that thou didst not till too late look into thy reckonings Now to all such as mind hereafter to look into so main a business as this is The touchstâ—ne of this tryal is the word of God I will for the present commend onely one rule whereby they may discern wheâ—her their actions will abide the tryal that abideth them and that is this If the Word of God do now approve them they will then bee justifiable but whatsoever word or action hath passed from thee for which thou â—aâ—st not bring thy ground thence the same will cast thee in judgement This is that our Saviour telleth the Jews The word that I speak shall judge you at the last day Jâ—h 12 48. The strâ—ctneâ—s of thâ— l st jâ—dgement 1 In regard oâ— peâ—sons judged Thirdly This judgement of Christ shall bee most strict and accurate 1 In regard of the persons that shall bee judged who shall bee inquired into and brought to give accounts of themselves not onely generally as men or Chriâ—tians but in special according to the particular places and courses of life wherein they were set in this world For example publike persons must give account for themselves and others that have been committed unto them Magistrates for their People Ministers for their Flocks both of them how they entred how they ruled how they walked in and out before their people what faithfulness they used in discovering and discountenancing sin and ungodlinesse how diligent they have been to draw and force men to the keeping of the two tables how they have acquitted themselves from communicating in other mens sins and whether they have faithfully in their places denounced and executed the judgements of God whilest both of them have stood in the room of God In like manner private men must bee countable not onely for themselves but or all those that are under their charge as Fathers for the education of their Children Masters for the instructing and governing of their Servants and Family Tutors for their care or negligence towards such as are committed unto them for the rule of the Law is general and will take fast hold upon many a soul that think it enough to look to themselves that whosoever hindreth not that sin which hee can hinder
by good means commâ—tteth it Bee now thine own Judge whether thou hast well looked to one when thou hast neglected to reform the disorders of such as God hath put under thy power Thou hast not a person in thine house but if it any way perish under thy hands thou must give account of the life of it to the Parents of it or to the Magistrate the Parent of the Country in like manner there is not the meanest soul in thy Family but if it perish by thy default for want of instruction correction or wise government of it thou shalt bee called before the God of the Spirits of all flesh and shalt bee arraigned and condemned for the blood of that soul And this is not to bear the burden of that soul which beareth the weight of it own sin but to bear thine own sin in not preventing that evil from him which by thy negligence came upon him Secondly it shall bee strict in regard of the things either received of us 2 In regard of things 1 done 2 received or done by us Account must bee made what goods of our Masters wee have received both for the kinds and measure What number of Talents were committed to our trust If one or more how wee have laid them out what wee have gained whether wee have faithfully returned this gain to our Master as having sought his advantage and not our own how wee have Husbanded our opportunities and redeemed our times how wee have imployed the gifts of our Minds Understanding Judgement Wisdome Learning Memory how wee have used or abused to sin the strength health and beauty of our bodies how wee have justly and charitably received in and retailed out the matter of our maintenance and revenew And in all these lesser things if our unfaithfulness bee found out let us never look to have greater matters committed unto us for the things that are done by us they shall all bee straightly judged whether they are conformable to the Law the rule of Righteousnesse or acceptable by the Gospel the restorer of our Righteousness Eccl. 12.14 God will bring every work into judgement good or evil open or secret for all things are naked before him with whom wee are to deal hee planted the ear and must needs hear and formed the eye and therefore must needs see things secret and covered with darkness Hence is hee said to have books and to open them because all things are as certainly recorded and registred by him as if hee had registers in Heaven to keep roles and records of all that ever were or shall bee to the end Yea hee hath not onely his own books of judgement in Heaven but for more surenesse that nothing escape him hee hath millions of books of record in earth that shall all help forward his judgement and give testimony to the righteousnesse of it so as every mouth shall bee stopped at that day and these are the boâ—ks of every mans particular conscience which howsoever they bee now shut or as roles folded up yet shall they also then bee opened and unfolded to give witness of whatsoever any man hath spoken or done in the flesh be it good or evil 3 In regard of words 3 This judgement shall bee strict in regard of every mans words Jude 15. In this judgement hee shall rebuke all the ungodly of all the cruel speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him For if of every idle word wee must give account to God Matth. 12.36 much more of every wicked word Every man thinketh words are but wind and hee may speak his minde and hee hath done but in this judgement by thy words thou shalt bee justified or by thy words thou shalt bee condemned and though thou when thou hast spoken thy mind against thy brother hast done the Judge hath not done with thee 4 In regard of thoughts to be judâ—ed 4 It shall bee strict in regard of every mans thoughts for even these are not so free as men say they are nor shall go scot-free for even they are bound to the conformity of the Law as well as our words and actions The commandement is very express Thou shalt worship the Lord with all thy hears and all thy thoughts and all thy strength and when the Apostle Paul would note the damnable estate of the Ephesians before they were called to the Faith Eph. 2.3 hee setteth it forth in this that they then followed the will and counsel of their own thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adde hereunto that the Lord Jesus is the seâ—â— the sâ—archer and judge of the heart and therefore hereby shall the Throne of his judgement bee advanced above all the tribunals in the World in that the most secret thoughts and reasonings of mens hearts cannot escape him which the highest seats of justice amongst men can take no notice of at all Sin carried never so secretly shall come into a clear light Vse 1. Let this Doctrin abate somewhat the pleasure of sin which most men swallow up so delightfully yea and glory in their iniquity when they can carry it so close and clear away that men see it not and can stopp the cry of their scared conscience for the present but remember that God hath written it up and the time hasteneth when that conscience of thine now in a dead sleep and scared up shall bee awakened and become as a thousand witnesses against thee that if all other accusers should fail thy self should not fail to do that office against thy self but shalt bee both a servant to Gods justice as also the subject of it Be admonished then in time whosoever thou art to beware of all secret sins as close cousenage lying uncleanness whisperings and all other cunningly-contrived wickedness seeing there is a clear light into which they shall bee brought and by which they shall be reproved True it is that open shame of the World restraineth many one from committing open and gross sins but where conscience is wanting the same sins if they can cleanly convey them are made no bones of Hence is it that the Adulterer watcheth for the twi-light before hee go into his Neighbours house hee careth not for his chastity so bee hee may charily and cauteously compass his uncleannesse If a child of four or five years old stood by hee would forbear his sin but the presence of the mighty God that standeth at his elbow who seeth and recordeth his soul sin to bring it into judgement moveth him never a whit Would a felon commit burglary if he thought the Judge himself looked upon him would Gehezi have run after Naaman if hee had thought his Masters eye and spirit had run after him would Ananias have lyed to the Apostles if hee had thought they had known hee did so Even so is it a shame to speak what is done of many Christians in secret because their eye is not upon the judge whose eye is upon them and who
are eaten up with dissolutenesse and profaneness casting away sobriety and watchfulness so as their Master cometh unexpected and in an hour they know not How doth it theâ—â—fore stand every man in hand to awake from his sleep and stand up from the dead with wisâ— Virgins to prepare and trim theâ—â— Lamps with oyl before hand and so wait for the coming of the Bride groom to take heed of every â—iâ— thought word and deed to watch narrowly their own lives to provo â—â—hemselves to the best duties What is not sin a fearful thing which made the Son of God cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Is not the greatness of them like the mountaiâ—â— and the number of them â—ike the sand of the Sea-shoar which is numbâ—â—lâ—sâ— Is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God whose wraâ—h and justice against the least sin all Creatures in Heaven and earth 〈◊〉 stand undâ—â— â—â—t be oppressed and shaken in peeces Is not the night past and the day â—â—me the Sun of righteousnesse risen so as if ever wee mean to 〈…〉 of this deadly sleep and walk as the children of light it is more than t me Wouldst thou be taken lying or swearing or gaming or drinking or rayling or breaking the Sabbath or stealing or whoring wouldst 〈◊〉 have thy Master finde thee in any of these practices and distempâ—â— oâ— no I mâ—an to repent But he cometh suddenly as a Thief in the n ght and this sâ—dâ—aâ—â—â—oming at least to thee in particular may cut off all thy purposes f â— it is just with God that they who take not his time of repâ—ntance shall never attain to their own What will now be the issue of thy delays surely thou â—adst better been a Dogge or a Toad or the vilest Creature of all the Creation than a secure sinner overtaken in thy wickednesse The second thing that hindereth this expectation of the last Judgement as carefully to be avoyded as the former are the cares of this present life and the greedy desire and thirst after the world which by this consideration also may be abated For if this day of Judgement whether general or particular to thy self were to morrow what were thy Gold Silver Plate Jewels worth to thee they were all one with the stones in the street Tell me now whether thou wouldst not then esteem Christ and his merit thy chiefest commodity or if thou couldst but conceive with thy self the truth and say to thy soul I shall certainly shortly come to answer the Judge of all the world câ—uldst thou goe on to lade thy Conscience with iniquity for so short a possession of vanishing profits No thou wouldst begin to husband thy time which worldlinesse hath hitherto ingrossed thou wouldst not suffer thy soul to bee so surcharged with earthlinesse as to forget treasuring in Heaven making ready thy account and the finishing of thy reckoning thou wouldst not suffer the thorny cares of this life to choak all the seed of thy salvation neither could it be that the Oxe or Faâ—m should so still fill up thine eyes as that the supper of the King should be despised Buâ— in truth men live generally as though there were no Judgement to come or as though they had stricken a covenant with it to passe over them for when we preach and men hear or read of the Judgement to come who trembleth at it as Felix an Heathen did to hear Paul dispute of it When we teach that the Judge is at the door who seeth all the facts of men and drawâ—th them into bills of remembrance and of them all is drawing a bill of inditement who feareth more who sinneth lesse who is it that smiteth his thigh or saith what have I done Who forsaketh his wilful ignorance his contempt of the Word his abuse of Gods Servants his Blasphemies his pride uncleannesse unlawful games or lawful unlawfully used his Sabbath-breaking his swearing his oppression his usury or the like Wee like Lot fore-warn men of the evil to come but men like Lots cousins and kinsmen entertain our words as a jest we are as though we mocked and so they sit out the summons to their further danger yea more than this when the Lord thrusteth his fearful judgements into the eyes and sences of men as fore-runners of this general men shut their eyes and will not see the brightnesse of them nor the danger of sin by them nor the special anger of God bewraying it self and broken out in them but still live as they did in the days of Noah and will lay none of these things to heart till it bee too late The second thing whereby every man must addresse himself to this judgement is to use the best means that he may happily passe through it And the only means is set down by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.31 If wee would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. Judging of our selves afore-hand standeth in four things Now this judging of our selves before hand standeth in four things First in arraigning our selves before Gods Judgement Seat that is when by serious consideration we summon our selves before this Judge to whom we are to be countable This is the memento that Salomon giveth the young man who is set upon his pleasure Remember that for all this thou must come to judgement And if the young man must sawce his pleasures with this remembrance much more the older had need as being in the ordinary course of nature nearer it than they some of the ancients have so acquainted and accustomed their hearts to this meditation that one of them professeth of himself that wheresoever he was or whatsoever he was doing he thought he heard always this voyce in his ears Arise yee dead and come unto judgement Secondly in examining of our selves and this is when we search and fanne our selves when wee sift the secret corners of our hearts and enquâ—re narrowly and without partiality What have I done that look as the Kings Attorny sifteth out and exaggerateth every circumstance of the Crime agâ—inst a Traytor at the Bar to make his offence as foul as can be so should wee become the King of Heaven his Attorney against our selves not â—â—ssening or minâ—ing and much lesse excusing hiding or defending any 〈◊〉 labour to see our sin in every circumstance and make it as vile as wee can at our hearts may be convinced and beaten down in the sence of our misery For this purpose lay thy life and every particular action of it tâ— the Lâ—w of God that as a straight line will shew thee all thy crookednesse and 〈◊〉 â—hee in by such circumstances as whereby thou shalt not content thy sâ—â— wâ—th a câ—nfession in grosse that thou art a sinner but shalt confesse thy sin t◠〈◊〉 â—â—t of measure sinful But many a Christian is like a desperate Bankcrupt who being afraid to look into his reckonings goeth on till he be clapt up
it for this being as Queen among the vertues goeth not alone but with all the train of vertues as hand-maids attending upon her The chief of them are these four 1 A true knowledge of the Word of God acknowledging it in part and in whâ—le to bee the truth of God and that himself is straightly bound to believe and embrace the same and that hee hath a special part in the promise of grace and life by Christ in which grace he resteth himself daily growing up in the certainty and assurance of his salvation 2 A sound â—oy of the heart which the Apostle Peter calleth unspeakable and glorious breaking out into thankful praises in that the Lord hath begun 〈◊〉 â—iness by making Christ his Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and 〈◊〉 â—tion The Poor Blind and Lame persons of whom wee read in the 〈◊〉 never leaped more joyfully when they had met with Christ and had 〈◊〉 â—s opened and their limbs restored by him than hee that hath met with him and received him into his heart to enlighten him to quicken him and to heal him of all his infirmities How gladly did Zacheus receive Christ with what joy of heart findeth any man the hidden pearl Mat. 13.44 how did the Eunuch converted go away rejoycing Act. 8. And all this is because they can value such a commodity as this is which they see God hath made their own for if they either knew it not or not to bee theirs they could not thus joy in it 3 Christian Hope is another hand-maid of Faith for so the Apostle teacheth Rom 5.2 Being justified by Faith wee have peace c. wee rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God For this is the special work of hope to wait for and rejoyce in the expectation of the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesu And hence is it that whereas unbeleevers are glewed to the earth and cannot think of Heaven but either with sorrow of a formal and false joy and what marveil is it that those who have no better should set their hearts upon the worse beleevers have preserved in them a willingness to leave this World and to bee with Christ which is best of all yea so sweet is their present tast of Christ through Faith and Hope that they are unquiet till they bee filled with the fruition of his fulness being often in his absence sick of love and pine away till they bee with him whom their soul loveth 4 An assured trust relying upon God beleeving hiâ— word of promise to raise and feed the heart of threatning to shake it and cast it down and submitting it seâ—f to the counsel and good pleasure of God because his faith hath let him see the truth the wisdome the equity and righteousnesse of all these Such a mans heart setteth nothing above God in prosperity it distrusteth not but hath God for his God in adversity it indeavoureth in all things to walk with God it is a sweet usher and disposer of the whole life so as it is most obedient to the word and most full of comfort and sweetness to it self The fourth mark or note or true Faith is taken from the infallible fruits IV. The infallible fruits of it four and effects of it which are many I will onely note four of the principal First it frameth and fitteth the own habitation it purifieth the heart Act. 15. it suffereth not unclean thoughts unlawful lusts or wandring motions to harbour there it guideth the affections of Love Hatred Joy Sorrow and the rest that a man love nothing more or so much as God and his Image hee hateth not mens persons but their sins and no mans sin so much as his own hee rejoyceth in nothing so much as in doing the will of God this is as his meat and drink hee sorroweth for nothing in the world so much as for offending so good and patient a God This pure heart also guideth the words with wisdome and maketh it his chief study how to preserve with faith good conscience in every thing Act. 24.16 Secondly Faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 boâ—h towards God and towards man towards him that begat and him that is begotten yea and him that is yeâ— not begotten This love of God expresseth it self 1 In much thankfulness unto him who hath loved us first Our love of God expressâ—d in three things who hath given so much even his Son and all things with him pertaining to life and godliness who hath forgiven us so much and to whom many sins are forgiven they must love much who hath done so great things for us by becomming our portion our treasure and our chief good 2 In shame for our unkindness unto him both before and even since we knew this his love in Christ and have been acquainted with his waies taking up with shame in our faces sorrow into our hearts for the sins of our youth and of our age against the law the rule of righteousness but especially against the glorious Gospel which of all other are least of served 3 In desire of that blessed fellowship of his when and where wee may never sin against him any more accounting one day within his holy of holies better than a thousand besides and much more to bee ever with the Lord and to injoy the pâ—easures at his right hand for evermore to bee at home with him and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob yea with Jesus Christ himself should make us groan in our souls and say with David Oh when shall I appear in this thy presence The Spirit saith Come and the Spouse saith Come Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly The love of men by which Faith worketh discovereth it self not onely in just dealing with them as wee would bee dealt by which many civil men indued onely with civil righteousnesse have excelled in nor onely in merciful distribution of outward comforts for the releeving of the bodies of our brethren yea and of our enemies which hardlier goeth down with the unconverted than the former but also in shewing most love unto their souls in helping forward their conversion and salvation For so soon as any man is converted hee will strengthen the brethren Faith wheresoever it liveth it loveth and love being an hand giving out moveth men converted to counsel exhort rebuke admonish comfort pray and wait when God will give unto others the grace of Repentance As soon as Andrew was called hee bringeth his brother Simon to Christ No sooner had Christ found Philip but Philip finding Nathaniel hee bringeth him to â—hrist The woman at the well no sooner heareth that Christ was the Messiah but shee bringeth all the City In finding this treasure the Christian cannot hide his joy neither can any mans joy bee so full unlesse hee with others rejoyce together For it is not here as in earthly things which the more they are communicated the more are they diminished and every mans share is the less but heavenly
Family the next of our Kindred and therefore of right belongeth to him to recover our weak estate as was figured in that Law Levit. 25.25 If thy brother be impoverished and sell his possession then his redeemer shall come even his near kinsman and buy out that which his brother sold 3 He only was deputed of God to derive life and grace into us as the head into the members and therefore most meet it is that whosoever would suck and draw of his fulnesse should beleeve in his name Now from these words we learn two instructions 1 What is the chief thing which every Christian must strive to obtain while hee liveth in his world namely remission of sins 2 What a his estate and condition that hath attained it The chief duty of every Christian while he is in this world For the first it is grounded in the text because howsoever remâ—ssion of sins is here only named yet in it are included all the other gracious mercies of God not only all deliverances and freedom from the evils and punishments that attend upon sin but even all our redemption and salvation with the means of it and blessings accompanying the same And indeed this is the sum or epitome of all Gods mercy in which the Lord crowneth his Saints with compassion a mercy which reacheth up to heaven and draweth them out of the most miserable thing in all the world which is to lye under the curse and danger of sin and consequently under the endlesse displeasure of the Almighty Which point being even as the one thing necessary to be known and attained I will stand a little longer upon it hoping to spend my time well in setting down these five points 1 The necessity of remission of sins 2 The benefits of it 3 The Letters of it 4 The helpes to it 5 The companions of it by which as by so many notes we may know we have it and so we will adde the use of the whole doctrin 1 Necessity of remission of sins in three points First the necessity of it will appear if wee consider 1 The multitude and abundance of our sins which are to bee remitted being for number as our hairs and as the sand of the Sea which is numberlesse which cannot bee other seeing we drink in sin as the Fish doth water Job 15.16 that is incessantly for the Fish ceasing to drink in water ceaseth to live neither can we cease to sin till we cease to live Nay seeing our very best actions hold no correspondence with the Law of God and in strict justice are no better than so many sins this consideration exceedingly multiplieth our sins in that not only in fayling in but in doing of our duties wee sin incessantly against our God 2 If we look upon the danger of sin we shall better see the necessity of remission It is a filthy Leprosie which infecteth the body and soul the thoughts speeches and actions it maketh a man a loathsome creature in the eyes of God it maketh God our enemy who is the fountain of life and whose lightsome countenance is better than life yea it maketh God depart from his Creature and destroy the works of his own fingers it layeth the sinner open and naked to all the wrath of God to all the Curses of the Law in this life and in the life to come It setteth him as a butt against whom the Lord in anger shooteth out of his quiver all the arrows of his displeasure It is the only thing which unremitted maketh the sinner absolutely unhappy and every way most accursed Neither doth the whole heap of sin only make the sinner so miserable but any one sin even the least unpardoned would for ever hold the sinner under perdition And more all the men that ever were or shall be in the world were never able to rise from under the burthen of one sin if it were imputed unto them and yet the most of the world see no part of this danger of sin and therefore no such necessity of the remission of it 3 Consider thy own insufficiency if thou hadst the strength and power of all men and Angels to satisfie for the least sin and if we cannot satisfie for any what remaineth but a fearful perdition from the Lord and from the glory of his power if all be not remitted In one word the sinner who hath not got his discharge sealed is without all safety in his life all sound comfort in his death and at the Judgement Day shall have the sentence of everlasting torment with the Devil and his Angels awarded him before men and Angels The second point is the benefits issuing from it and these are Benefits flowing from remission of sin four 1 Peace of conscience an immediat fruit of our justification by faith and reconciliation with God Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God and it was ordinary with our Saviour to joyn them together as Luk 7.47 Thy sins are forgiven thee goe in peace This benefit the most know not what it meaneth but he that hath the feeling of the wrath of God against his sin and seeth nothing but an angry face of God burning like a consuming fire hee that is so straitned as hee can think no other thing but that the Lord in his just judgement hath cast him quite away this man as of all other torments that can be suffered in the world he lyeth under the greatest so nothing in the earth can content or comfort him but only the sence and perswasion of Gods favour Now the conditions of peace with his God are the most joyful tidings in all the world as is the unexpected news of a Pardon to a Malefactor ready to execution for high Treason against his Prince 2 The right and possession also of life everlasting For if wee bee estated unto life eternal by our justification and righteousnesse before God then are we so also by remission of sins because these two are confounded in the Scriptures and are the same Whence it is that the Apostle Rom. 4.7 being to prove the point of justification of a sinner before God without the works of the Law citeth the text Psal 32.1 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered And further If our whole redemption put us in possession of everlasting happinesse so doth also remission of sin seeing the Apostle in sundry places confoundeth these two and expoundeth one by the other Ephes 1.7 By whom we have redemption through his bloud even the forgivenesse of our sins Col. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his bloud that is the forgivenesse of sins And it must needs follow that if they who are justified and sanctified are also glorified then they have attained the beginnings of their glory who have attained remission of sins 3 The benefit of Christs intercession which meriteth all our good for hee prayeth not for the world but those that
〈◊〉 elder 〈…〉 wee can carry away the blessing and 〈◊〉 text teacheth â—s 〈…〉 of â—â—ns standeth n t in the doing of any thing but in the recâ—â—â—â—ng of 〈◊〉 the hands of Christ by so many as beâ—eeve in his name All diligence must be given to 〈…〉 pâ—â—d 〈◊〉 sin 〈◊〉 to our selves Vse 2. Iâ— this so wortâ—y a grace of so excellent use and swâ—etnesse thrâ—ugh the whâ—le life then it standeth every man in hand 〈◊〉 labâ—uâ— and â—ive all dâ—ligence to make sure unto himself the pardon of his 〈…〉 But lamâ—â—table it is to 〈◊〉 the general careâ— snâ—sse of men in a mattâ—◠〈…〉 and consequâ—nâ—â— as this is Anâ— surely it will provâ— tâ—◠〈…〉 the world that whereas the whole lives of men are thâ—ugâ—t too 〈◊〉 and all their â—ime tâ—o liâ—â—â— to be eaten up in worldly cares which brâ—ak their sleep their strength and often their brains yea and thâ—ir vâ—ry 〈◊〉 â—nly the last day of all and their dying-day is scarcely devoted to this 〈◊〉 of seeking remissi n of sin and the way to life everlasting See wee 〈…〉 hâ—w busy and â— rnest m st men are in the infinâ—te incumbrances of the world whilest this one thing is the only thing neglected May wee not observe how sure mâ—n devisâ— by learned counsel at their great charge to make to themselves their Deedâ— Leases Bonds and other instruments and assurances of the things of this life who in all their lives scarce ever dreamed of this assurance Oh how wilfully herein doe men forsake their own mercy how carelesly doe they cast out of their hands the only comfort of their life and death Whosoever therefore thou art that hast hitherto despised so great salvation that hast set light by Gods gracious invitings to repentance and that hast frowardly rejected his kindest offers of mercy now at length begin to take up shame in thy face and sorrow into thy heart in earnest accuse the security of thy soul the deadnesse of thy spirit the hardnesse of thy heart the unthankfulnesse of thy whole life say with thy self Ah my folly that have neglected my mercy so long alas how have I hated instruction how unkindly have I dealt with so loving and patient a God I see now that it is high time to look to the main businesse of my life to make up my peace with God to get my pardon sealed I will live me to the Throne of Grace I will henceforth lay hold of eternal life I see now that there is one thing necessary and that is the good part which I will chuse and which shall never bee taken from me Now we come to the second point propounded which is the last of this worthy Sermon namely what is the condition of every one that hath attained this excellent grace of remission of sins Whosoever hath attained remission of his sins is an happy man and that is to bee a blessed and happy man for such a one hath part in Christ and with him of forgivenesse of sins in which David Psal 32.1 placeth blessednesse Quest But how can this man be a blessed man seeing hee is compassed with a body of sin and death and subject unto infinite afflictions than whom no man is in this life more miserable no sort of men more perplexed inwardly with sence of sin none more outwardly disgraced for well-doing Answ There be three degrees of blessednesse 1 In this life Degrees of blessednesse when God bringeth his children into the kingdom of grace and giveth them his Son and with him their whole justification and sanctification in part 2 The second degree is in the end of this life when God brings the souls of the faithful to Heaven and their bodies to the earth safely to be kept until the last day 3 The third in and after the Day of Judgement when he bringeth both soul and body into the glory prepared for the elect Of this last which is happinesse by way of eminency the two former are certain fore-runners and hee that hath attained the first hath also assurance of the last and must needs bee a blessed man not only in time to come but even for the present whether wee respect his outward estate or inward For his outward estate Gods blessing never faileth him but affordeth him all good things and that in due season and in due measure his riches are often not great but ever precious and his little shall nourish him and make him as well liking as the water and pulse did the Jewish children in Chaldea The same providence which watcheth to supply all his good keepeth him from all evil it pitcheth the Angels round about him to guard his life let him be persecuted he is not forsaken his losses become his gain his sickness is his phisick his heart is cheared even in trouble which maketh that part of his life comfortable his soul is bound up in the bundle of life with God death shall not come before hee can bid it heartily welcome yea let violent death come it shall not be to him deadly slain he may be but not overcome victory attendeth him and blessednesse every where abideth him But all this is the least part of his blessednesse for if we look yet a little more inwardly into him we shall see the boundlesse extent of his happinesse farre more large whether we respect the spiritual misery hee hath escaped or else the spiritual good which with the pardon of his sins hee hath attained for on the one hand he hath escaped the heavie wrath of God due to sin and so is discharged of an infinite debt healed of a most deadly poyson and pardoned from a fearful sentence of eternal death and perdition ready to bee executed upon him and on the other hee hath obtained a plentiful redemption hee hath purchased the pearl received Christ with his merits and graces such as are Wisdome Faith Hope whence issue our peace and joy of heart which is Heaven before heaven for in these stand the Kingdome of God and the comfort of a good conscience which is a continual feast By all which it appeareth that hee is no small gainer that hath got his part in Gods mercy reaching to the remission of his sins Open thine eyes and see the happiness of the Saints Vse 1 Wee are here admonished to open our eyes that wee may more clearly see and grow in love with the felicity of the Saints which the most see not because 1 It is inward the glory of the Spouse is like her Head and Husbands glory shee is all glorious within 2 Because of their infirmities and frailties which wicked eyes altogether gaze upon 3 Because of their Afflictions wherewith they are continually exercised If the Tower of Siloam fall on any of them they are thenceforth greater sinners than all other men holy Job because hee was afflicted cannot avoid the note of an Hypocrite even among his own Friends and Visiters And no
That God is to bee loved above all and that for himself being the chief good This is the scope of the whole first Table the first and the great Commandement Mark 12.33 To love God with all the heart all the understanding all the soul and all the strength is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices as the Scribe confâ—ssed whereupon the Text infers hee answered 〈…〉 cordate discreetly wisely and that in Christs Judgement This is wisdome to give God the first place first thoughts first service chief praise and precedency for of him and through him Rom. 11.36 and from him are all things 2 Anâ—ther chief point of spiritual wisdome in the things of God is 2 Purchase Christ above all gain to purchase Christ and Remission of sins above all things in the World The sound Christian is that wise Merchant that sells all to buy the Pearl that is Christ and his Righteousness that wise builder that lays Christ a sure foundation in his heart Hee is of the number of those Wise Virgins that will bee sure what ever they lack to furnish themselves of Oyl in their Lamps to meet their Bridegroom Wisdome will procure the best commodities and chief gain which is Christ both in life and death Phil. 1. â—1 Paul was a wise Merchant who esteemed all things as dross and dung in comparison of Christ So were the Disciples saying Master wee have left all and followed thee John 6.63 So were the Martyrs whom the world accounted simple fools in following Christ with the loss of life and all Happy is that soul and filled with sound and saving Wisdome that comes to Christ with this resolution Master thou hast the words of eternal life and whither shall I go 3. Let us prefer in our election and choise things of higher nature 3 Chuse best things first before things of inferiour for wisdome keeps a method by which it ever subordinateth lower things to higher This rule our Saviour prescribeth Matth. 6.33 First seek the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and then the things of this life First provide for heaven and then for earth By which rule of wisdome 1 All profits and pleasures must give place to piety for all is but pidling gain to godliness 2 By this rule of wisdome the special calling and trade of life must give place to the general calling which is the trade of Christianity 3 By this rule a Christian must chuse to bee rich in God and good works rather than in the world which because the Rich man in the Gospel neglected hee is called fool for his labour Luke 12.10 4 By this rule we must with David Psalm 4. more affect one glimpse of Gods favour and countenance than all Corn Wine and Oyl that is the most necessary and delightful profits in the World 5 By this rule wee must make more account of pardon of sins looked up in our breasts than of the whole treasury of a Kingdome in our chests 6 By this rule wee must esteem a grain of grace above a million of gold And 7 a poor godly man above a wicked Prince Eccles 4.13 Better is a wise Child than an old foolish King which will not be admonished 4 Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man 4 Fear God keep his Commandements Eccles 12.13 This is to apply our hearts to Wisdome to set our hearts to keep Gods commandements and do them This is our Wisdome Deut. 4.5 Who is a wise man among you indued with knowledge Let him by good conversation shew his works in meekness of wisdome Jam. 5.13 A Wise man will attend the mouth of the King and will fear the danger of the Law So a wise Christian will walk in the Law of the Lord Psalm 119.1 and will bee sure to keep him to this rule and warrant contained in the word of God Gal. 6.16 And as a Wise man is careful to keep his Assurances and Evidences for the certainty of his Lands and earthly Livelihoods and is loath to forfeit any of them by failing in any of the conditions So it is the Wisdome of a godly man to keep the word safely in his heart which assureth him of his estate in heaven and which hee is loath to forfeit by failing in the conditions and clauses of it CHAP. VIII Containing Rules of Wisdome concerning the Inner man and first of the Mind Thoughts and Will BEing to entreat of the Rules of Wisdome concerning man and the things of man good order requireth that wee bâ—gin with such as concern first Ones self And secondly others They which concern a mans self respect either the inner man of the outward The inner man in five particulars 1 In his Mind 2 Thoughts 3 Will. 4 Conscience And 5 Affections Rules for the Minde 1 To inlighten it For the Minde these rules of wisdome are necessary to bee remembred 1 To furnish it with necessary profitable and humble knowledge The wise mans eyes are in his head Eccles 2.14 This is a wisdome to sobriety Rom. 12.13 where also the Apostle condemneth curiosity and conceitedness which wastes our time and brings infinite idle questions wherein men presume above that which is meet The Prophet David professed hee medled not with things too high for him Psalm 131.1 1 Cor. 2.2 And the Apostle Paul desired after his conversion to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified As for humbleness in knowledge Solomon saith The way of a Fool is right in his own eyes Prov. 1â— 15 and A wise man in his own conceit is more hopeless than a Fool Prov. 26.12 16. Our rule therefore must bee to grow up in wisdome and as wee grow in knowledge so to grow in humility for the more sound knowledge a man attains the more shall hee see in himself to humble him 2 To deck 2 To deck and adorn the minde with humility holiness modesty shamefastness c. 1 Pet. 3.4 5. and Col. 3.12 As the Elect of God put oâ— tender mercy kindness humbleness and meekness but above all things put on love verse 14. Rules for the Thoughts The second sort of Rules concerns a mans Thoughts The general is in Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for it is slippery and deceitful more than necessary to watch and suspect it and to set time apart to check and reclaim it But for the better keeping of thy thoughts in order think on these particulars 1 Give God the first thoughts 1 Give God thy fiâ—st thoughts that hee may hold the chief part in thy heart and this will sweetly rellâ—sh thâ— heart and by estranging it from worldly impediments fit it and keep it in preparedness for all good occasions Psa 108.1 2 3. David prepares his heart and will awake early to praise the Lord The way to walk safely and comfortably all the day is first to reform that which is
within 2 Examine them whence they come and whither they go 2 Examine thy thoughts whence they come and whither they go and what they do in thee By which means thou shalt banish a number of idle and wandring thoughts which like roaving vagrants being worth nothing come â—ver to steal something either time or grace and so shalt thou make and keep room for better And do this betime because the first motions of sinful thoughts defile a man This rule is in 2 Cor. 10.5 to draw weapons against every strong imagination that is exalted against the knowledge of Christ 3 If thy thoughts concern the world pull them back keep them from the world 3 Pull them from the world save as much as needs must for the moderate maintaining of thy self and thine lest heavenly thoughts be drowned and hindred 1 Tim. 6.9 The reason is because our hearts being earthly do presently conceive a sweetness in earthly things and are presently distracted from the love of the Creator to the love of the creature Now spiritual wisdome requireth that wee diminish the love of the creature that wee may increase our love of the Creator But if they will run upon the world then turn the course of them a little to consider the vanity and misery of this evil world the painted vizor of the pleasures of it the uncertainty of life the deceitfulness of riches how they bee not ours what evils and incumbrances wee have received from the world what fools they have made us in treasuring on earth whose home and expectation is in heaven 4 If thy thoughts concern thy self or others thy brethren If they concern thy self or others see they be humble labour to think better of others than thy self for thou seest no such thing in them as in thy self Phil. 2.3 Let every one esteem better of another than of himself Yea the more thou seemest to excel others in gifts the more humble labour to bee An hard rule and difficult to bee practised and therefore it is often commended to us as Rom. 12.16 Make your selves equal to them of the lower sort and elsewhere For this purpose conceive not onely what thou hast received but what thou wantest and what good things thou art without and then with Paul say thou hast not yet attained to perfection Phil. 3.12 5 If they concern sin be sure it be to haâ—e it 5 If thy thoughts concern any sin bee sure it bee to hate and renounce to bewail and mourn for it in thy self or others For there is a sliness and subtilty in sin which while wee think of it easily gaineth some tickling and consent which at least hindreth that thorow-hatred that wee ought to maintain against it The third rule for the inner man concerneth the Will namely Rules for the will that our care must bee there bee but one will between God and us for so hath the Lord taught us to pray Thy Will bee done Concurrence of our wil with Gods will 1 Revealing 2 Determining 3 Prescribing 1 Wherein soever God hath revealed his will to us in that wee must rest 2 Whatsoever his will determineth of us that wee must account holie and just whether with us or against us 3 Whatsoever his will prescribeth to us whether obedience to the Law or faith of the Gospel wee must hold our selves fast bound in conscience unto it let it seem never so cross to us or contrary to his Law as Abrahaâ— â—â—id in offering his son 4 Whatsoever his will disposeth to us 4 Disposing prosperity or adversity sickness or health life or death or whatsoever else all is from a most wise hand disposing every thing for the good and salvation of his Elect and so should bee entertained Thus Eli said 1 Sam. 3.18 Isa 39.8 It is the Lord let him do what is good in his eyes And Hezekiah The word of the Lord is good even when it threatned the overthrow of his house and Kingdome So David Psal 39.9 I held my tongue and said nothing because thou Lord didst it And Job The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh Chap. 1. v. 11. blessed be the name of the Lord. CHAP. IX Rules for the Conscience THe fourth sort of rules for the inner man concerns the conscience Rules for the conscience 1 Beware of a blinde conscience Joh. 16.2 1 Beware of doing any thing with a blinde Conscience A blinde man swallowes many a gnat and a blinde conscience swalloweth any sin This is a wicked conscience to which no sin so great shall come but a man shall think hee doth God good service in it as Christ speaks of them that would slay his Disciples Why do Heathens persecute Christians and Papists pursue Protestants even to death but out of blinde zeal and conscience that they root out a false Religion And whatsoever a man doth by an erroneous and seduced conscience is sin The rule of conscience to Heathens being the Law of nature and to the Church the Law written even the whole word of God as a pillar of cloud and fire to direct it in all the way to Heaven Therefore let the Word of God dwell plentiously in you in all Wisdomâ— Col. 3.16 2 Do nothing with a doubting conscience Conscientia nobis anima Tertul. 2 Do nothing with a doubtful conscience for whatsoever is done with a scrupulous conscience is sin and is not onely an offence of God but of the conscience too which is as a little God within us for it is not of faith nor obedience to the known will of God Rom. 14. ult Hee that doubteth is condemned because his action is not of faith Therefore verse 5. hee saith Let every man bee fully perswaded in his minde 3 Get a good conscience above all things 3 Labour to get a good conscience above all things Act. 23.1 I have endeavoured in all good Conscience till this day A pure conscience by nature hath no man but made pure by the blood of Christ sprinkled upon it by faith in that hee hath obtained full remission of sin and by his blood also merited the Spirit of Sanctification by which the conscience of the beleever is daily cleansed 4 Aim 〈◊〉 a pure conscience 4 Labour to get a pure conscience in all things A man by observing many things may get himself good credit but a good conscience must bee in all the things of God Joh. 1â— 28 The Pharisies might not go into Pilates Judgement Hall lest they should bee polluted and yet at the same time they could dispence with their conscience to crucifie the Son of God a sin defiling Heaven and earth whiles the Sun was ashamed and the earth trembled at it The Papists may not eat flesh in Lent their consciences will not suffer them but to kill Kings and blow up Parliament-Houses their consciences give them good leave Many Protestants will not steal kill commit the act of adultery but
their conscience can dispense with covetousness unbridled anger wantonness filthy speeches c. But if Gods word bee the same so must the conscience and hee that serves God as Paul did in Pure Conscience 2 Tim. 1.3 will do so at all times in all places and things and will avoid sin in his Closet as much as in most publike meetings yea small sins as well as great 5 Keep diligently the goodness and purity of conscience by two things 5 It is great wisdome to keep things well as to purchase thâ—â—â— therefore wee must if wee would walk wisely bee as careful to keep good consciences as to obtain them and thereunto observe two things 1 Daily take away matter of accusation which is sin by repentance 2 Rather displease all men than thine own conscience thy friends thy family thy rulers nay thy own self before thy conscience So did Daniel and his fellowes So did Cyprian as Augustine relates it when the Emperor in the way to his execution said Now I give thee space to consider whether thou wilt obey mee in casting a grain into the fire or bee thus miserably slain Nay saith hee In retam sancta deliberatio non habet locum there needs no deliberation in this case The like wee read in the History of France in the year 1572. presently after that tragical and perfidious slaughter massacre of so many thousands of Gods Saints by treacherous Papists Charls the ninth King of France called the Prince of Condo and proposed to him this choice Either to go to Mass or to die presently or to suffer perpetual imprisonment His noble answer was that by Gods help hee would never chuse the first and for either of the two latter her left to the Kings pleasure and Gods providence Thus a good conscience makes a good choice for it self chusing any thing rather than to offend God CHAP. X. Rules of Wisdome concerning the Affections THe fifth sort of rules for the inner man concerneth the Affections Rules concerning the affections 1 Give God the chief affections and hath these particulars 1 Delight thy self in the Lord and make him thy chief joy Psalm 37.4 For the object of our joy must not bee carnal but the Lord himself apprehending him as Gen. 17.1 El shaddi All-mighty to save All-sufficient to supply and a large portion our Sun our Shield Grace and Glory Psalm 84. Solomon having tried his heart with all other delights came at last to a recantation and so do all Gods children and say Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Psalm 4. 2 Labour to affect all other things in God and for God nothing like him 2 Affect all other things in God and for God much less above him or against him Psalm 34.8 Taste and see how good God is that is in all things labour to finde the sweetness of God in all his creatures and all his actions A wise man will not insist in the gift but look to the giver whose love hee prizeth more than the token of it If any affection make us unfit to pray or any way thrust us from God it is carnal 3 Let us labour to get our affections more to Heaven than earth 3 Fix them more upon Heavenly things than earthly Matth. 6.24 Col. 3.2 Set your affections on things which are above and not on things which are on earth where wee see plainly that these two cannot both have the affections set on them no more than two Masters served at once as also that it is not enough to affect heavenly things but also with chief affection and care in the first place Hence is that ordinary rule Verse 33. That spiritual things must bee affected and asked simply being simply good but temporal with limitation as being but conditionally good 4 Fear the evil of sin more than the evil of punishment 4 Fear evil of sin more than of suffering because the evil of sin is more evil Sin is simply evil and so is nothing else no not the punishment of it A wise man should rather chuse Hell than Gods offence for there is nothing but sin which God hateth and wee ought to hate nothing so much sin directly resisteth Gods glory but punishment makes for it in the manifestation of his justice 5 Bee affectionate one in the case and condition of another 5 Commiserate the afflicted estate of our brethren In case of spiritual misery sin weakness humane frailty Bee tender hearted one to another even as God for Christs sake forgave you Eph. 4.32 So Col. 3.12 Now Beloved as the Elect of God put on tender mercy kindness c one to another And in the temporal miseries of our brethren put on bowels of compassion bee not without natural affection forget not Josephs affliction Amos 6.6 but lend give cloath feed protect from violence and turn not thine eyes from thine own flesh The phrase Bowels of mercy shews that all our mercy must bee from within even from the tender compassions of the estate of our brother And the same in Isa 58.10 That wee pour out our souls to the needy that is our souls must first bee merciful and then our mercies will bee plentiful which is noted in the word Pouring CHAP. XI Rules of Wisdome for the outward man and first concerning his Calling NOw wee come to such rules of Wisdome as whereby the outward man is to bee ordered that wee may walk both toward our selves and others not as unwise but as wise and that by the Wisdome which is from above And these rules concern 1 His Calling 2 His Estate 3 His words 4 His actions Rules for the special calling 1 Live in a lawfull Calling Directions to walk wisely in his course and calling are these 1 Seeing the Calling is a part of Christian obedience and duty to God a Christian may neither live out a Calling nor in any Calling not warranted by Gods word For if God set us in our Callings hee promiseth both to bee with us in them and to give us good success and to help us against the tediousness of them Jos 1.8 Therefore sanctifie thy Calling and every part thereof 1 Tim. 4.5 1 Shew all good faithfulness in it by the Word and Prayer 2 In the whole exercise of our Calling wee must shew all good faithfulness 1 To God Hab. 1.16 Deut. 8.18 2 To our selves 1 To God by depending on him who hath made our Calling a chief means of our maintenance and not sacrificing to our own Nets For it is the Lord that gives power to get substance 2 To our selves by walking diligently and abiding in our Calling that wee may eat our own bread and provide for our selves and ours and give to him that needeth Eph. 4.28 For by idle and inordinate living through the neglect of the Vocation by Gods just judgement men fall into the depth of sin Drunkenness Gaming Whoredome Theeving and nothing
the prâ—servation of peace better than his own right This rule is grounded upon the common law of nature which seeks the common good and is as careful of the neighbours good as his own Contrary whereunto is that devillish and carnal speech Every man for himself and God for us all and yet it is come into common practice against all rules of nature and Scripture CHAP. XIX Rules of Wisdome for Justice First Commutative Secondly Distributive Thirdly Promissive Fourthly Retributive COncerning Justice commutative in contracts and bargains some rules concern the seller and the buyer 1 Justice commutative The seller must not abuse or wrong the buyer neither in the kind nor quantity nor quality of his commodity concealing the defeâ—t with that prophane protestation Caveat emptor Nay the caveat is for the seller who would not bee deceived in his bargains with oathes lies tricks and so is bound to do to others 1 Thess 4.6 Let no man oppress or defraud his Brother in any matter Here thâ— holy Apostle condemns fraud by two reasons 1 From the near conjunction wee have one with another hee is our bâ—other in flesh and in faith 2 From the certainty of Gods wrath For the Lord is the avenger of all such th ngs Lev. 19.11 Yee shall not steal nor deal falsly nor lye one to another And in Ezek. 22.12 13. a fearful destruction is threatnâ—d against Jerusalem for bribes usury fraud and oppression Where by the way Usurers may do well to consider amongst whom the Lord there rankâ—s them The buyer also must not entertain the seller with words of dissimulation vilifying the thing to buy it beneath the worth Prov. 20.14 nâ—r detain the price beyond the agreed time as many do whose care is to get into debt and take up more commodity in one year than they mean to pay in twenty and when aâ—l is done pay pounds scarce with crowns A little mâ—re safe Theevery than by the high-way never a whit more honest or just In Justice distributive never forget that golden rule to do as wee would bee done untâ— Matt. 7.12 2 Justice distributive Whatsoever yee would that men should do unto you that do yee unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets the Royal Law Jam. 2.8 that is the Kings Law and the chief of all Laws which concern our neighbours Obje t. But here the Usurer hath a Text for himself saying I would willingly pay ten in the hundred if I had need and therefore I may take so Answ 1 This must bee ordered by Grace and the word of God not by mens blinde and depraved judâ—â—ment 2 This general rule must guide us where wee want a special word which wee have in the case of Usury 3 It is false that thou sayest thou wouldest not pay use if thou couldest borrow freely therefore if in thy need thou wouldest borrow freely lend freely Others having over-reached their neighbours say they may and must make the most of their own and they forced not their wares on them But tell mee wouldest thou bee over-reached or deceived or wouldest thou have another to make advantage of thy necessity or simplicity I know thou wouldest not Luke 10.37 â—o thou and do the like Concerning promissive Justice in promises and covenanâ—â— he rule is this 3 Justâ—ce promissive That all lawâ—ul promises must bee kept suppose they were 〈◊〉 never â—â—rashly to persons never so bad though to the very great hindrence of the party making them I explain it thus First I say a laâ—ful promise nor such as Herod made to Herodias Jucamâ—ntum non si 〈◊〉 non sum â—â—quâ—tatis to give her john Baptists heaâ— in a pratter for of such it is well said Rescinde fidem In turpi voâ—â—mura decretum break thy word and change thy determination so did David in Nâ—â—â—ls case 2 Sam 25. But if it bee lawful thou must not bee perfidious or slippery as many like Ecâ—es can slip out of most fair and cauteious contracts for their own advantage Object What if I have done it rashly Ans Repent of thy rashness but perform thy promise Object What to a leâ—d fellow or an heretick Answ Papists say no. A position that hath covered and coloured more horrible treachery and perfidiousness than ever was found among the heathens Con. Constan Fides non servandâ— cum haereticis But Joshua when hee was circumvented and drawn in by lies and deceit to make a rash covenant with the Gibeonites strangers to the covenant of grace did faithfully keep it And when Saul many hundred years after did break their contract hee was plagued with sore famine which could never be asswaged but by the death of his sons 2 Sam. 21.6 14. So in the Turkish History the story of Ladislans suddenly breaking the Truce made for ten years with Amurathes the great Turk by the counsel of Pope Eugenius sheweth in the event the wickedness of that position and practice by the effusion of much Christian blood and the confusion of as many as had hand in that treacherous counsel Object But I shall bee greatly hindred Answ Acknowledge thy cross make a good use of it but perform thy promises Who shall dwell on Gods Holy Mountain Hee that sweareth to his own hindrance and changeth not Psam 15.4 Take heed of forfeiting Heaven for a little earth 4 Justice retributive Concerning Justice retributive in borrowing and lending Rom. 13.8 Owe nothing to any man save love Doth not nature teach us to give every man his due And doth not grace teach us to deal justly a main point of which justice is to pay debts But our rule aimeth at two things First To keep out of debt as much as may bee Owe nothing and that is by avoyding the meanes of debt As 1 To live above ones degree and ability to neglect frugality and moderation 2 Drinking Gluttony Wine Tobacco 3 Building Purchasing Wardrobe 4 Suretiship and rash undertaking of others payments 5 Gaming Dicing Whoring 6 Usury All which directly make against this rule of justice Secondly To get out of debt being in and make due and timely satisfaction and not as many who force their Creditors to recover by Law what was in love lent them What is the general voice of men in their trades but complaints of mens unfaithfulness whiles many make no conscience of paying debts others can pay some to keep their credit or all to bee trusted again but few pay any of Conscience because of the Commandement Object But I am not able to pay my debts Answ Then go and humble thy self to thy Creditor Prov. 6.3 purpose and promise to pay all when thou art able Object So I shall utterly impoverish my self Answ 1. Is not a little with righteousness and peace with God and thy conscience better than a great deal with iniquity 2 Consider how God blessed a little to that poor Widow that sold all to pay her debts 2 Kings