do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. It is he that makes me to differ 1 Cor. 4. 7. ut Totum Deo detur qui Hominis voluntatem bonam et praeparat adjuvandam et adjuvat praeparatam as the incomparable Champion of the Grace of God St. Austin speaketh That the whole work may be ascribed unto God who both prepareth the good will of man that it may be holpen and helpeth it being prepared And againe Certum est nos velle cumvolumus sed ille facit ut velimus It is certain that we will when we do will but it is he that maketh us to will And again nos volumus sed Deus in nobis operatur velle nos operamâ—…r sed Deus in nobis operatur operari we will but God worketh â—…n us to will we work but God worketh in us to woâ—…k also And again Ille facit ut nos faciamus quae praecepit nos non facimus ut ille faciat quae promisit He maketh us to do the things which he commandeth we make not him to do the things which he promiseth O that the wanton and proud wits of men would leave the Lord to do with his owne what it pleaseth him as he will certainly do notwithstanding all their passionate altercations Mat. 20. 15. and would let the difference between him that feareth the Lord and him that feareth him not be ascribed only unto the gift of grace without the which no man would feare him which rich grace a nullo duro Corde respuitur ideo enim datur ut cordis duritia primitus auferatur as the same Father speakes is not refused by any hard heart for it is therefore given that hardness of heart may be taken away Though man be free to resist grace yet he is not free to conquer it Gods mercy is victorious as well as his justice That which cometh into your mind shall not be at all that ye say we will be as the Heathen as the Families of the Countries to serve wood and stone as I live saith the Lord God surely with a mighty hand and with a stretehed out arm and with fury poured out will I rule over you Ezek. 20. 32 33. Where the Lord threatneth to conquer them with his mercy he will have mercy on whom he wil have mercy Si Deus miseretur etiam volumus ad eandem quippe misericordiam pertinet ut velimus Iâ—… men would be but contented that God should use his free will in giving his grace as well as they contend for their owne free will to accept it if the time which is spent in disputing for free will were spent in begging it or if when we beg free will of God that we may accept grace and not refuse it we would but allow it consonant to Gods power and goodnes to grant us our petition and to cause us not to refuse it and certainly lex supplicandi legem statuit Credendi as Celestinus speaks we may beleeve that God will gâ—…ant what we pray for according to his will the world would not be so continually troubled with the hot and passionate disputes in these arguments as we finde it is certainly every humble and holy man will not onely think it his duty to praise God for that he gave him a power to convert but that he gave him Conversion it selfe and the very work of willing and turning unto God 3. We may here observe the double most different effect of the Gospell of Christ upon proud and penitent sinners a savour of death to one of life to the other 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16. fire to the one balsome to the other as the same perfume kils the vulture which revives the Dove the same Red Sea a passage to Israel a grave to Egypt the same pillar light to one and darknes to the other the same sun makes the Garden smell sweet and the Dunghill stink Great therefore must our care be what affections we bring to hearing the word It is given for life but we may find it uâ—…to death according to the disposition of heart we bring with us thereunto an honest and good Heart a meek and quiet Spirit a melted â—…oul ready to be cast into the mould of the word is the best preparation to meetwith Christ in his Gospel II. We see here Healing promised to those that fear Gods name and thence we may certainly conclude that the Holiest men do want healing 1. As we are like unto Christ per primitias Spiritus by the first fruits of the spirit so we are unlike unto him per reliquias vetustatis by the remainders of corruption There is not a just man that liveth and sinneth not Though the guilt of sin be removed in our justification and the power subdued in our sanctification yet the sickness and remainders of it are not abolished till our dissolution Ista vitia gratiâ dei medicante curantur prius â—…t reatâ—… non teneant deinde ut constictâ—… non vincant postremo ut omni ex parte Sanata nulla omnino remaneant as St. Austin speaks These Evils are cured by the Grace of God first that they may not hold us by their guilt next that they may not conquer us in the conflict and lastly that being throughly healed none of them may remain And these remainders of corruption the Lord here leaveth in us to be matter of daily â—…onslict of deep humbling of earnest Prayer â—…t sit quod petâ—…ntibus largiter adjiciat quod confitentibus clementer ignoscat that he may bountisully give the things for which we pray and graciously pardon the sins which we confess 2. Besides our sins we are surrounded with Enemies and beset on every side with Temptations and though we have a promise of victory over them and sufficiency of grace against them yet we have no promise of absolute immunity that we shall be invulnerable by them The experience of our own Lapses and of the Holiest and greatest Saints sufficiently evidence unto us what poor and fraile Creatures we are when the Lord leaves us to tâ—…y us as he did Hezekiah 2 Cron. 32. 31. 3. Sorrow is the naturall Off-spring of sinn and temptation a sick and a wounded man cannot but feel the paine of that which weakneth him There are not any men more men of sorrow and acquainted with grief then they whose eyes are most open to see whose hearts most tender to feel the weight of sinn the terrors of God and the Assaults of temptation Being therefore subject to sins to wounds to sorrows no wonder if they stand in need of healing And indeed none call out so importunately for healing either for themselves or for the Châ—…ch of God as they that feare â—…is name Jer. 8. 22. Psal. 51. 8. 18. Psal. 38. 3â—…9 He that â—…hall read the dolefull complaints of Job of Heman of Hezekiah and others mourning under the weight of sin and wrath of Je
remy Daniel and Nehemiah bewailing the breaches and desolations of Sion will finde it one principall evidence of a Godly man to poure out his complaint before the Lord when he is overwhelmed Psal. 102. 1. no desires so strong in tâ—…m as to have their eyes opened their hearts purged their sin removed their peace enlarged the truth of God vindicated his worship restored his ordinances preserved his presence continued in the midst of his people Promises of healing in God do awaken prayers for healing in them Isai. 19. 22. Jer. 31. 8 9 10. 33. 6. Hos. 6. 1. Isai. 57. 15. III. The Auâ—…hor of this healing is here the Sun of Righteousness who came purposely to binde up the broken hearted to appoint to them that mourn beauty for ashes c. Isai. 61 1 2 3. Concerning him let us consider 1. The reason of his Appellation 2. The manner of his healing For the Appellation he was called by Balaam a Star one that was to have dominion Num. 24 17 19. A great Light Isai. 9. 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the day Spring or Sun rising Luke 1. 78. A Bright Star of the morning Rev. 22. 16. an everlasting light that never goes down Jsai 60 20. That takes away all night Rev. 22. 5. The Apostle tells us that by Christ the Worlds were made Hâ—…b 1. 2. The old visible world wherein is the natural Sun and a New heaven and earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. unto which belongeth this Son of Righteousness And therefore the time of the Goâ—…el is called a day of Grace and Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. Rom. 13 12 13. And Beleevers children of the light and of the day 1 Thes. 5 5. Wâ—…erein darkness of Error and Ignorance is dispelled and glorious things which had been hidden from ages and generations manifested unto the World Christ is the Light of the World to come as the Evangelical Church seemeth to be called Heb. 2 5. That Light John 1. 8. 3 19. An heavenly Light so Evangelical Doctrines are called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heavenly things John 3 12 31. Heb. 9 23. A full Light John 1 14. In him did all fulness dwell Col. 1 19. An Indeficient light which endures for ever as a faithful Witness in Heaven Psal. 89 36. Isai. 60 19. A primitive Independent Light which deriveth not his righteousness fâ—…om any oâ—…her fountain he sanctified himself by his own spirit John 17 19. A diffusive light which sheddeth it self on every other Vessel of Light of his â—…ess we all receive He silleth all in all John 1 16. Eph. 1 23. A moveing Light which goes through all the Earth to the ends of the world Psal. 19 3. 6. He came and preached peace to those afar off and to them that were nigh Eph. 2 17. An Operative influential and beâ—…gne Light which cometh with Life as well as with Lustre and therefore it is called the womb of the morning Psal. 110 3. 3. reviving restoring ripening the fiuits of the Earth Psal. 36 9. The means and manner of his Healing is by his Arising unto us There is a Sun extant at midnight as well as at noon but he comforts not us but by his rising Now this rising notâ—…th 1. His Incarnation the word which is translated 〈◊〉 Oriens the day-spring or sun-rising Luke 1 78. is in the original 〈◊〉 a Branch Zach 3. 8 And as here a Sun of righteousness so elsewhere a Branch of Righteousness Jer. 23. 5. 33 15. A Sun of Righteousness so he is the Lord from Heaven the Lord of David a Branch of Righteousness so he is the son and the Off-spring of David This is our comfort that he is as well Germen springing out of the Earth as Oriens looking down from Heaven Psal. 85 11. 2. His manifestation in spirit and power by the Gospel to the consciences of his people by the beauties of his Grace and Holiness illightning the mind inclining the will healing the affections converting the consâ—…ience discovering to the Soul the deep things of God which is called the rising of the Day-star in the heart 2 Pet. 1. 19. 3. His rouzing men out of ignorance and security unto the businesses of an holy life for the sun riseth that men may go forth to their labours Psal. 104. 22 23. The light saith awake thou that sleepest Eph. 5. 14. Rom. 13. 11. 4. His Heavenly conduct and direction shewing us the way wherein we should walk and leading us therein discovering Enemies and temptations behinde us precipices gulfs snares and pits before us Luk. 1. 79. whereas he who walkethin darknes knoweth not whither he goeth Joh. 12. 35. The Sun of Righteousness thus rising doth heale us by his light and by his influence 1. By the light of his Heavenly Doctrine whereby he convinceth of sin and so discovereth our disease and then of Righâ—…snes in him to pardon our sin and of Judgment to rescue us out of the dominion and power of Satan 2 By the Infuence of his â—…lessed Spirit efficaciously enforcing the word an â—…educing that vertue out of it by which it restoreth health and beauty to the Soul This is called the revealing of the arme of the Lord Isa 53. 1. and the hand of the Lord being with the word Act. 11. 23. 4. But Christ is in Heaven and we in Earth how shall we bring these together that the Medicine may be applied to the disease Oâ—…ne agens agit per Contactum and this must be either Immediatione suppositi or Immediatione virtutis as Philosophers speak And we have both here his person being Divine is Immense omnipresent He filleth All in All His vertue is further conveyed unto us by his Wings the Beams of this sun of Righteousnes most swiftly and suddenly flying with his truth and grace into the Soul And these Wings are 1. His word and ordinances in which Christ is present with his Church Math. 18. 20. and presented to it Gal. 3. 1. The holy Doctrines of the Gospell and duties of worship are if I may so speak the Drugs and Materials the Balme of Gilead whereby spirituall diseases sinn and sorrow are cured As we find usually in the Gospell he did but speak the word and diseases were gon Hâ—… cures were Commands His ordinances arâ—… the Leavs of the Tree of Life which are foâ—… healing of Nations Rev. 22. 2. 2. Any Illustrious providence sent down 〈◊〉 it were from Heaven when he doth terrâ—… things which we looked not for Thus he healed the fears of Israel by opening a way in the Red Sea and their murmurings in the wildernes by giving them Waters out of the Rock Thus he strengthned the faith of Constantine newly converted by the signe of the name of Christ in Heaven with this inscription in hoc vinces Wonderfull providences which bring any healing to discomposed and dilacerated Nations are as so many beames of the
with the Shadows and 〈◊〉 of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 misled by the 〈◊〉 glosses of Sâ—…ibes and Pharisees sold and devoured by their own shepherds wofully oppressed under Alexander Janneus Hircanus Aristobulus subâ—…ued by Pompey into the form of a Roman Province and then sorely afflicted under the Tyranny of Antipater and Herod that after such a night of darkness and distress the promised Messiah should come to break the yoke and rod of their oppressor and assert his people into Light and Liberty again That he should come as the warm and welcom beams of the Sun after a dead winter or a gloomy and tempestuous night to heal and remove all the sins and sorrows of his people In the words we have these particulars considerable 1. The discriminating grace of God between a Remnant that feared his name and the body of a coâ—…upt and prophane people 2. The supposition of a State of sickness and soreness of sin and sorrow under which even this Holy Remnant did lie with a gracious promise of healing unto them 3. The Author of this healing expressed metaphorically by the name of the Sun of Righteousness as before by the name of the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant 4. The means of deriving this healing from this Sun of Righteousness 1. His rising 2. His wings or beams which are the Vehicula of all the light and vertue which flow eth forth from him 5. The proper and peculiar Subject of this Healing singled out by way of gracious compellation unto you that fear my name 6. The effects and fruits of this Healing and they are three 1. Going forth as recovered men use to do out of their bed or chamber when the Sun shineth in a warm and beautifull day to take the aire and refresh themselves 2. Grewing up in stature in strength speedily as fatted Câ—…lves luxuriating in a full and pleasâ—…nt pasture 3. Treading down and crushing the wicked as Grapes in the Press as ashes under their Feet in a full and triumphant victory I shall handle the words thus distributed after a double manner 1. In the spiritual proper and theological sense of them as they are a promise of Christ and Hâ—…aling by him to an afflicted remnant of men that fear Goâ—…s name 2. In an Applicatory and particular sense as they are suitable to the present solemnity and occasion 1. The Church of God was at this time in a most defaced and corrupted condition Gods worship prophaned his name blasphemed his treasuries robbed his Judgments que stioned his reproofs despised yet in the midst of all this rubbish there is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace Though the Church be not alwaies visibly Glorious yet in the most collapsed state thereof in the worst times it is â—…ever without visible professors who have stood up to beare witness unto persecuted Truth The Lord had Seven thousand in Israel that had not bowed the knee to Baal When our adversaries challenge us to shew where our Church was before Luther we answer That in the midst of the greatest darkness and superstition there were such fundamentall truths of faith and repentance and holy Life râ—…tained as the Lord no doubt did sanctifie to the Salvation of many who lived in the body of the Roman Church and were by their very Ignorance preserved from the dangerous superstructions which the Doctors of that Church built upon that foundation as the Renowned Bishop Usher hath observed 2. There were in no age wanting Holy and zealous men who did boldly appeare against the prevailing Erroâ—… of the times as our learned men have largely proved in their Historico-polemical writings and large volumes have been written of the Catalogues of such witnesses in every age of the Church who have declared against many Corruptions of the times wherein they lived But that there hath alwaies been a visible conspicuous Glory in the maine Body of the Church is evidently disproved by the persecutions which prevailed from time to time against it How did the Arian Heresâ—…e overspread the world when such glorious lights is Athanasius and Hilary were persecuted for professing the truth â—…ngemuit totus orbis saith Hierom Arianum se esse miratus est It is not less easie for us to finde out our Religion and the professors thereof in the corrupt ages of the Church then for them to find out theirs in the pure and primitive Sure we are in the worst times the Lord hath ever had a people that feared his name whose hearts he hath by select promises and Comforts supported against the terror of those curses which he hath denounced against the corrupt body of the people Say to the Righteous it shall be well with them Isai. 3. 10. â—…inde the Testimonie seale the Law among my Disciples Isai. 8. 16. There is a remnant according to the election of grace when the rest are blinded Rom. 11. 5. 7. Hence that usuall intermixture of Threats and Promises in the Prophets as a president â—…nto Preachers of the truth in all ages who ought with such prudence and tendernes to manage this part of their Ministry as neither to harden the wicked in their sins by undue application of mercy nor to make sad the hearts of those whom the Lord hath not â—…ade sad by a promisâ—…uous denunciation of wrath but righâ—…ly to divide the word of truth â—…nd to give to every one their own portion 2. Nor must we here pass by unobserved that discriminating Grace of God whereby the Jewels and the Stubble the Godly for healing and the wicked for burning are distinguished the one from the other The Lord indeed doth most righteously dispence both healing to those that feare him according to the Grace of his covenant and burning to those that hate him according to the Justice of his Law And it is true the wicked make themsâ—…lvs fit for the burning for their destruction is of themselves Hos. 13. 9. Their way and their doings have procured it Jerâ—… 4. 18. it is a choice of their owne making Isai. 66. 3. But they that are healed are not the Authors or originall procurers either of the grace whereby they fear God or of the mercâ—… wherby God heales them God alone by his free Grace makes the difference between those that serve him and those that serve him not He reveales to babes what he hides from the wise and prudent and that because it seems good to him Math. 11. 25. 26. To you it is given to them it is not given Math 13. 11. Iâ—… is nâ—… of him that willeth â—…nor of him that runeth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9 16 If I be one of that Remnant that feare Gods name I have no reason to glory in my selfe it is God that gives me an heart and away to feare him Ier. 32. 39. It is by his grace that I am what I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. It is he that works in me to will and to
Joy to grow up in duty to tread downe our Enemies we learn 1. The freeness of his grace nothing on Earth can deserve the shining of the Sun nothing in us can deserve the grace of Christ it shines most freely without preceding merit without consequent reâ—…ibution who bath first given to him and it shall be recompenced to him again Rom. 11. 35. 2. The fulness of his Grace he is a Sun If we want wisedome there are Treasures in him Col. 2. 3. If Spirit it is without measure in him Joh. 3. 34. If any spirituall Grace or Gift there is unsearchable riches an inexhausted Fountain in him Ephes. 3. 8. Col. 1. 19. Zach. 13. 1. And he hath it all as a Magazin and Officer for the supply of his servants 3. The communion and dependance of the Church upon this his fulness our light our righteousness our grace our comfort come from the influence and depend upon the presence of Christ with us The House doth not receive a stock of light to stay in it though the Sun were gone but hath it by immediate dependance on the light of the Sun So every measure of Grace in us dependeth in esse operari upon the influence concurse and presence of Christ by his Spirit with us Every good work of ours hath its beginning continuance and consummation in him Non mihi sufficit quod semel donavit nisi semper donaverit saith Jerome He that begins perfects Phil. 1. 6. gives will and work Phil. 2. 13. Heart and way Jere. 32. 39. is the Author and the Finisher Heb. 12. 2. Without him we can do nothing in all things we must grow up in him Joh. 15. 5. Ephes. 4. 15. From him is all our fruit found Hos. 14. 8. We must pray with David Take not away thine holy Spirit from me Psal. 51. 11. We must take heed least by our quenching or grieving of him we provoke him to withdraw himself 4. The conjunction between the Righteousness of Christ and his healing where he receives into grace he takes away iniquity and healeth backsliding Hos. 14. 2 4. He came not onely to pardon sin but to destroy it 1. John 3. 8. His Mercy is never without his Grace his Offices go together his Sacrifice and his Scepter cannot be divided This is one of the greatest comforts that a believer hath that at length his lusts shall be consumed Even Heaven it self would not be a place of glory if a man were to carry his sin along with him thither I have thus done with the General and Theological Tractation of the words I now proceed very briefly unto such an Application of them as may come closer and be more seasonable and suteable to this Honorable Solemnitie That this great Council and Colledge of Physitians hath a dangerously sick Patient to look after Three Nations and the Church of God in them like the man between Jerusalem and Jericho wounded and halâ—… dead we have had these many years the best oâ—… rather worst assurance that may be by feeling the sickness so that there need be nâ—… further proof of it We have seen and felâ—… with sorrow and amazement the honor oâ—… the Parliaments of England shamefully assaulted Princes bleeding out their Souls sojourning in Mesech and in the Tents of Kedar Peers and Patriots secluded from their Honorable and Rightful Trust the great Council of the Nation sesquidimiated a learned and faithful Ministry reproached ready to be sacrificed brought to the brow of the precipice Ordinances decried Errors and Heresies cumulated the Publick worship of God interrupted the Assemblies of his people on his own day profanely affronted by Mechanicks working their ordinary works in our Churches and Pulpits We have seen and felt our Laws and our Foundations threatned our Ships broken our Trade obstructed our Treasures exhausted our Merchants discouraged our Religion crumbled our Church-Congregations shamed and defiled with the impure and obscene intrusion of naked persons cloathed with nothing but dung and impudence We have heard of families raised upon the ruines of others and of families ruined by perjurious criminaâ—…ons Indeed we have seen and heard of more evils and confusions then the hour of a Sermon or the length of an History can well enumerate If sins if sorrows if shame if fear if dangers if frenzies if quakings if convulsions if breach upon breach if change upon change if divided mindes if dis-joynted hearts if inconsistent interests if incoherent designs if vicissitudes of Government as mutable as the courses of the Moon if Altar against Altar Doctrine against Doctrine Worship against Worship Post by post threshold by threshold be symptoms of a sick body certainly this great Colledge of Physitians hath a very sick patient to look after Nay which is much to be bewailed even they who fear the name of the Lord onevery hand of every perswasion if they will impartially review their own ways will finde that by their mutual jealousies breaches disaffections distances animosities affectations of preheminence and domination pursuance of interests preserving of stations and new raised estates and many other the like miscarriages have contributed a great share to the sicknesses and sorrows of the common body and caused the name of God and the honor of Religion to be evil spoken of Your proper work Right Honorable Patriots is to be Healers so Rulers are callâ—… Isai. 3. 7. Healers to these three Nations We have looked long for peace and there came no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble If the Lord have reserved you for such a time for such a work as this to be eyes to the blinde feet to the lame Fathers to the poor as one that comforteth the Mourners as Job speaks the ear that hears you shall bless you the eye that sees you shall bear witness to you It shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord for you The Lord shall make you the head and not the tail you shall be above onely and not beneath Deut. 2â—… 13. It is a weightie enterprise the cure difficult the disease complicate great skill and wisdom great Love and Caution great Patience and tenderness is required unto it There may be danger of miscarriage by clashing of Councils by partialitie of Interests by mis-judging of Cases by the acrimonie of Purgatiyes by the heighth of Cordials by inequalitie and disproportionate Applications by minding the parts asunder as divided from the whole O come with none but healing Resolutions with none but closing and uniting affections let one Heart one Soul one End one Spirit animate your whole Body If this precious ointment of unity and peace be first upon you iâ—… will fall down to the skirts of the Nation The Patients will not fall out if the Physicians be agreed Think with your selves that you hear the life and being the ancient honor and renown of these