the Creatures have at times deviated from their first Rule and settlement is no derogation to the Doctrine of Gods Sovereignty but rather an illustration of it as shewing that the Creatures are still in His hand as Clay in the Potters Hence we find their innate propensions to be sometimes suspended Otherwhiles acted beyond and at times again quite contrary to the law of their nature and this not casually nor by the force of created powers nor yet for any private or self concern but to serve some special and superiour End which their Lord had to be done To instance a few And 1. Of Creatures without life As the windows of Heaven opening Gen. 1 6 7. Ps 10â— 9. and the fountains of the great deep breaking â—p Notwithstanding the Firmament above and the bounds beneath Exod. 14. 21. 22. Josh 10. 13. Judg. 5. 20. 2 K. 20. 11. to drown the world of ungodly men Gen. 7. 11 and 12. The Red Sea's dividing and standing up as a wall to make way for his Peopl's escape The Sun and Moon 's standing still till they were avenged on their Enemies The Stars to the same end fighting against Sisera The Suns going back in Ahaz his Dial to help Hezekiahs Faith Dan. 3. 22 27. The fiery Furnace devouring those at a distance who cast in those holy Confessors and not so much as touching them that were cast into it The winds and the Seas which are such turbulent and lawless Creatures they stir not nor breathe but to fulfill his word Ps 148. 4. Mark 4. 39. 2. Of living Creatures that have not the use of Reason How readily went they by pairs into Noah's Ark at Gods appointment The Frogs Gen. 7. 8 9. Lice Locusts c. with what supernatural boldness did they assault and perplex the Egyptians That the Magicians themselves confessed Exod. 8. v. 13. 31. Num. 21. 29. 2 Pet. 2. 16. the finger of God was in it and as strangely withdrew when their work was done Witnessed also by the dumb Ass's reproving the Prophets madness 1 K. 13. 24 The Lion's killing the seduced Prophet for breaking God's command yet not eating the carcass nor tearing his Ass 1 K. 17. 6. A Ravenous bird bringing Elijah food in his solitary condition The Whales receiving Jonah and at Gods command casting him on dry Land without harm Jonah 1. Dan 6. 22 24. 17. with ch 2. 10. And the Lyons not hurting Daniel in their Denn yet greedily devouring his accusers It must needs be a Sovereign power which thus Intends Restrains Inverts the course of nature at his will Thirdly Another Ensign asserting Gods supremacy and Rightful Dominion is the general Vote and subscription of Men especially the most knowing and such as best understood him They own it 1 In their Practise or Actions Abel offers the firstlings of hâ—s Flock to God Gen. 4. 3 Abraham leaves his native Country Gen 12. 4. Gen. 22 2. at Gods command to go he knew not whether He also offers his only and innocent son Isaac ver 10. in whose life and posterity all Nations were to be blessed Job when stript of all falls down and worships Job 1. 21. When his two sons were destroyed by fire from Heaven Levâ—t 10. 2 3. Aaron held his peace Eli when that tingling sentence was denounced against his house It is the Lord says he let him do as seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3. 18. David when driven from Gods Sanctuary and his throne usurp'd by Absolom Behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth good to him 2. Sam. 15. 26. The men of Nineveh their destruction was pronounced peremptorily of which they had no promise of Remission and consequently no visible ground of hope yet they believed God fasted lay in sackcloth and turned from their evil way Jonah 3. 5. 2 They likewise own it in their confessions and attestations Melchisedeck stiles him The Mâ—st High God Possessor of Heaven and Earth Gen. 14. 19. and Abraham doth the like verse 22. Job professeth that though he were Righteous yet if Gâ—d will contend with him he will not answer but make supplication to his Judge Job 9. 15. The Lord hath made all things for himself Prov. 16. 4. For his pleasure they are and were creaated Rev. 4. 11. We are the Clay and thâ—u our Potter Isa 64. 8. He worketh all things after the Councel of his own Will Eph. 1. 11. He giveth not account of any of his matters Job 33. 13. In his hand is the soul of every living thing chap. 12 â—0 He is the God of the spirits of all flesh Numb 16. 22. All Nations before him are less than Nothing and Vanity Isa 40. 17. He stils the tumult of the people Ps 65. 7. If it be of God ye cannot overthrow it Ps 33 11. Acts 5. 39. The Councel of the Lord that shall stand Pro. 19. 21. The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord Pro. 16. 33. The Kingdome is the Lords and he is Governor among the Nations Ps 22. 28. Thou Lord art exalted above all Gods Ps 97. 9. Nehuchadnezzar that proud and potent Monarch whose greatness reached unto Heaven and his dominion to the end of the Earth All Nations trembled before him whom he would he slew and whom he would be kept alive who said in his heart I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my Throne above the Stars of God I will be like the most high And who is that God that shall deliver out of my hand Yet even he this Child of pride is made to confess One higher than himself and to bow before him proclaiming to the World That the most High dâ—th according to his will in the Army of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him what dost thou Dan. 4. 22. ch 5. 19. ch 3. 15. ch 4. 34 35 and 37 verses and Isa 14. 13 14. It might farther be instanced in Cain Pharaoh Baalam and other wicked men how they were forced against their wills to acknowledge the Sovereignty of God as appears by comparing Exod. 5. 2. with ch 9. 27 28. and Nuâ—b 22. 18. Darius also in Dan. 6. 26 27 2. Fourthly Another evidence or witness we have from the Angels who are great in power Notwithstanding which they do perfectly own and submit to the Sovereignty of God Where Subjects are numerous wise and magnanimous and withall perfectly submiss to the will of their Lord it argues their Lord is an absolute Sovereign And such are the Angels 1. The Elect or Good Angels These shew it by their ready submission to any service He is pleased to appoint them Zach. 6. 5. 6 7. They are Gods Inetlligencers Not that he needs their advises but to manifest his Sovereign greatness They are also his Messengers He sends them on His errands to negotiate His affairs among men and
It is sometimes called The Way of life Prov. 12. 28. Sometimes the fountain and well-spring of life Chap 14. 27. And it tendeth to life Rom 11. 16. Chap. 19 22. For if the Root be holy the branâ—hes cannot be otherwise 'T is so likewise with Sin Death follows Sin not onely as a punishment for delinquency but as its natural off-spring Original corruption is the Root Pro. 23. 29 30. Sin the Stalk that grows next upon it and Death the finishing or full corn in the ear This pedigree of it ye have in James Chap. 1. 14 15. If there were no Justice to Revenge Sin Sin would be vengeance to it self Sinners lie in wait for their own blood Pro. 1. 18. Pro. 13. 21. It is their own wickedness that corrects them Jer. 2. 19. The way of Sin inclineth to death and its footsteps to the Dead Ch 2. 18. Ch. 5. 5. Its steps take hold on â—ell Vnbelief may be an instance for all as out of which all Sins else are derived This was the Root of Adam's apostacy Num. 14. 11. Rom. 11. 20. Heb. 3. 12. and of all that Peoples Rebellions in the Wilderness Faith is that which holds the Soul to God its life and blessedness Vnbelief its departing from Him or the letting go of its hold the loosing of the knot upon which the Soul falls off of its own accord And the first step from God sets in a way of Death As a branch breaking off from its Stock dies of itself This was Adam's unbelief In all Men since it is a Refusing to Return This Doctrine is still further confirm'd by the general unanimous consent and affirmation of Those best able to Judge Arg. 7. 1. They assert it Job a Man of great Wisdom and integrity Not his like in all the Earth Job 1. 8. and none so sorely afflicted yet sayes Elihu to him by way of Counsel as what himself would do in the like case I will ascribe Righteousness to my Maker Job 36. 3. And Surely God will not pervert Iudgement Chap. 34. 12. God is known i. e. He is known to be God by the Judgements which He executeth Psal 9. 16. The Lord is Vpright there is no Vnrighteousness in Him Psal 92. 15. He loveth Righteousness and hateth Iniquity Psal 45. 6 7. The Scepeer of his Kingdome is a Right Scepter ver 6. Righteousness and Judgement are the habitation of His Throne Ps 97. 2. Deut. 32 4. Rev 19. 2. That True and Righteous are his Judgements is the voice of those in Heaven 2 They submit to it even then when most provoked by Mens injurious dealings with them for His sake and when the Lord 's own hand hath been most severe towards them Aaron held his Peace Levit. 10. 3. It is the Lord saith Eli let Him dâ—as seemeth Him good 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2 K. 20 19. Hezekiah also Good is the word of the Lord. Yea they have done thus when by the light of natural Reason they could see no reason for it Witness Job who when plundred of all because he feared God and eschewed evill and could justifie himself to the height as to any hypocrisy Job 9. 15. yet sayes he I will make supplication to my Iudge Look on our Lord and Saviour Himself and see His confession Our father 's cried unto thee and were delivered But I Ps 222. 4. though day nor night I am not silent Thou hearest me not How does He close His complaint Not Thou dealest morâ— hardly with Me who less have deserved it but Thou art Holy Jeremy indeed began to object because the way of the wicked prospered and they were happy that dealt treacherously But he presently bethinks himself withdrawes his plea and yields the cause Ier. 12. 1. Bighteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee I might instance the Suffrage even of wicked Men and of the most obdurate among them whose Consciences at times have enforced their confession of this Truth and the testimony of an Adversary proves strongly â— haraoh subscribes to it The Lord is Righteous I and my People are wicked Exod. 9. 27. As also doth Adonibezek and Saul Judg. 1. 7. 1 Sam. 24. 17 19. 3 The Saints triumph in the Righteousness of God as well they may and call upon others to do the like The Lord Reigneth Let the Earth rejoyce Psal 93. 97. 99. O Let the Nations be glad and sing for joy Ps 67. 4. Ps 96. 11 13. For thou shalt judg the People Righteously Let the Heavens rejoyce and the Earth be glad before the Lord For He cometh For He cometh to judge the Earâ—h Rom. 53. c. And hence it was that Paul and the rest of them though the present sense of their suffering was grievous yet they gloried in them And Rejoyced greatly in hopes of that Glory 2 Tim. 4. 8. and Crown of Righteousness which God as a Righteous Judge had prepared for them Eightly Arg. VIII The Righteousness of God is yet further illustrated by The End and Event of his darkest dispensations Isa 10. 22. The consumption decreed shall overflow with Righteousness and Nothing else shall be in it His people though long under oppression He brought them forth at last with the greater Substance His leading them about in the Wilderness as it were in a Maze fourty years together and bringing them back again to the place they had bin at many yeares afore Ps 107. 7. yet it proved to be the Right way And it was for their good in the latter end Deut. 8. 16. Davids long persecution by Saul made him the fitter for the Kingdom and adapted him for the Office of principal Secretary to the Great King opportunely acquainting him with all the affairs of the heavenly State and Councel that are fit to be known of men And by his hand and experience they are Firmed to us and this amongst the Rest Blessed is the Man whom Thou chastenest Ps 94. 12. and teachest him out of thy Law We see it also by the end the Lord made with Job Job 23. 10. 42. 12. He brought him forth like gold and doubled His blessings upon him The Basket of good figs were sent into captivity for their good Jer. 24. 5. Phil. 1. 19 Paul's afflictions turn'd to his Salvation Even Christ himself whose temptations sorrows and sufferings where such as never were known by Men Heb. 2. 17 18. they were intended and accordingly did perfect and inable Him for His Office of Mediator Lastly Arg. IX Consider the Elect those precious Soules whom the Lord had loved from everlasting and determin'd to bring them to Glory yet having sinn'd Not one of them shall enter there without satisfaction first given to His Justice Ro 3. 26. Heb. 6. 20. with Ch. 9. 12 23 Even These He will not Justifie but in such a way as to be Just in so doing The Mercy-Seat it self must
who disbelieve the Doctrine of Perseverance have given the Flesh its full Range and liberty Needs no proof But That any Believer hath made that impious improvement of it will never be made-out 2. The Objection deserves no Quarter because it highly Reproaches the Goodness and Faithfulness of God as if for a Fish He had gâ—ven His People a Scorpion For so it would be If His Giving them Absolute Promises should prove an Indulgence to the flesh 3. It also Contradicts the known and constant way of holy Men's Arguing and Inferring from Absolute Promises and the highest Assurance See a few Instances of this Col. 3. 4 When Christ our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory The Result of it is Mortifie therefore your Members which are upon the Earth 1 Ioh. 3. 2 We know That when He shall appear We shall be like Him And what is the fruit of this knowledge Every Man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as He is pure The like ye have in 2 Cor. 5. 1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens and what the effect of this great Knowledg was ye have in the 9. v. Wherefore We labour That whether present or absent we may be accepted of Him In 2 Cor. 6. 18. is repeated the Sum of the New Covenant I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty See now the use he makes of it And all Believers have the same Mind Having therefore these Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthyness of flesh and spirit perfecting holyness in the fear of God Job knew That his Redeemer lived and that he should live with him and yet as to holiness and integrity Not a man like him in all the Earth And that holy Man Asaph was fully assured of Persevering infallibly Psal 73. 24 Thou shalt guide me by thy Counsel and afterward Receive me to Glory This did not loosen the Reigns but made him cleave closer to God Renouncing all but Him and His service Whom have I in Heaven but thee v. 25 And It is good for Me to draw nigh to God v. 28. The like frame of Spirit we find in David Psal 23 Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life His Result also is I will dwell in the house of God for ever And that these were not temporary fits and flashes but from a stled Principle is further apparent by his manner of Reasoning in Psal 27. 5 6 In time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavillion no safer place on Earth nor in Heaven Luke 12. 19. and now shall my head be lifted up above mine Enemies round about me What follows upon this Mounted Assurance Soul take thy ease eat drink and be merry O No! But Therefore will I offer Sacrifices of Joy I will sing yea I will sing praises unto the Lord He was now upon his high-places out of the Reach of danger but did not grow Remiss upon it Restrain Prayer and give-over Calling upon God but falls the more servently upon that which shall be the Upshot of all in Heaven He would rather have been Remiss without this Assurance as himself confesseth at the 13. verse I had fainted unless I had believed to see the Goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Paul s assurance of obtaining what he ran-for was a Mighty strengthening to him in his Race Who so Crucified to the World as Paul so abundant in all kind of service or more ready to dye for Christ than he Who yet had the fullest Assurance of holding-out and of Receiving the Crown of Righteousness at last And that Nothing should separate him from it By these ye may gather That Believers are of a Nobler Extract than to love God the less because He loves them so Much and that 't is no trivial Slaunder to Insinuate That Believers especially such as have Assurance are most exposed and given to backsliding Which is sure an Unnatural consequent of their being Sealed to the day of Redemption Such objections do also argue the Authors of them Not well-acquainted with the good ways of God Nor with that spiritual obligeing sweetness that is found in them Which any One who hath tasted thereof in truth would not Turn-from altho his future happiness were not concern'd in it Nor do they Consider the frame and nature of the New Creature which hath spiritual senses fitted to discern what makes for its own preservation and what makes against it Had you Fifteen years added to your life and a Certainty of it Would you therfore forsake your food and disuse the ordinary means of preserving life The Jews had an Absolute Promise That God would save Jerusalem from the King of Assyria who then besieged it Did they setope their Gates and draw off their Guards upon it Sense and Reason would teach them Otherwise Which Grace does not destroy but perfect It is a sparkle of that Heavenly fire which cannot live out of its Element nor can all the Waters under Heaven quench it It is a part of the Divine Nature and so loves and hates as the Father of it doth and It will cleave to Him in every State If He save me Alive I 'l Serve Him If He kill me I 'l yet trust in him In life and in death I will be the Lord's This is the natural disposition of the New Creature It favours only the things which are of God And the higher-tasted They are by Assurance the more is he Aloft and above the lure of carnal Divertisements Not to be Reigned or led by them Therefore Let God be true and His Prophets and Apostles be reckoned for faithfull Witnesses And every one that speaks Otherwise a lyar The next thing in course is To consider What improvment may be made of this Doctrine Which one would surely conclude of very great usefulness since the Scriptures are so greatly concern'd about it In the General it affords Matter of eminent Support to Believers especially in difficult Cases It also evinceth Matter of Duty on the Believers part And from the Examples forequoted somthing of Direction in reference to both Which I shall here put intermixedly together First Infer I. Stand still and behold the Salvation of the Lord And at the sight of this great thing Say in your hearts with an holy Astonishment What hath God wrought Let your Souls be filled and inlarged with everlasting admirings of that Grace that Sovereign Grace which has thus impregnably secur'd the Salvation of His Chosen That no Manner of thing whether with in them or without them shall be able to hinder them of it Even the Gates of hell shall not prevail against it No Not so much as one of the stakes thereof shall be Removed and that for
you all the service it can even the whole of what it was ordained-for But shall I say That Faith will then be dissolv'd and go-to-nothing I would rather express it as the Apostle doth the state of the saints that shall be found alive at Christ's coming 1 Thes 4. 17. They shall not die but they shall be changed Faith shall Then be turned into Sight and we shall have the Real presence Full possession and Perfect immixed fruition of that Blessedness we have believed and hoped-for 7. Gather hence Phil. 1. 23. both the Reason and Rationality of the Saints desires to be dissolv'd They knew that when this Earthly Tabernacle went-down 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. they had a better and more capacious building in Heaven They also found That spirits whiles dwelling in Flesh are too-much streightned and infirm either to bear the Glory they were made-for or to express an answerable thankfulness for it And for this they groned Not to be unclothed as weary of their present state but to be Clothed-upon with their House from Heaven 1 Joh. 3. 2. They were NOW the sons of God but what they should be and fain would be-at did not appear to them Nor could till the vail were Rent which hung as yet twixt them and the Holy of Holies Rom. 8. 23. 2 Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 1. 14. Rom. 8. 21. The first-fruits of the Spirit which were both an Earnest and Foretast of future Glory inspired them with servent desires of liberty that glorious liberty which belong'd to them as being the Sons of God They had by faith laid-hold on Eternal life This they had still in their eye and earnestly pursued And so intent they were upon it that they even forgot what was behind tho very Memorable in its time The Much they had attain'd they counted for Nothing to what was coming Nor reckon'd for any Cost to gain that inestimable Pearl viz. The prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Phil. 3. 14. This they knew was a thing too-big for Mortal senses tho as highly Refin'd and sublimated as capable of whiles Mortal and therfore long'd for that day when Immortality should be their clothing The love of God shed-abroad in their hearts had given such a Divine Tincture Rom. 5 5. Cant. 5. 4. and so Transform'd and Wid'ned their souls as nothing could satisfie but that Immense Deep from whence it came Coll. 3. 4. They knew That when Christ their life should appear they should see Him as He is Not under shadows as of old Nor in a state of humiliation as when upon earth nor as since under Memorials and Representtations but in His state of glory The sight of which would make them like himself till Then they could not say It is enough They knew that the very Quintessence of Heavenly beatitude consists in the vision of God and that Heaven it self with all that Innumerable company of Angels and spirits of just Men made perfect tho' a very glorious and desirable society would not satisfie Heaven-born Souls if their Lord Himself were not there in His Glory Hence those holy exclamations and out-cries Psal 73. 25. Psal 42. 2. Whom have I in Heaven but Thee and When shall I come and appear before God! Good Jacob would go and see his Beloved afore he died and These would die to go and see Theirs This is the second time that the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence from the heirs of Salvation Math. 11. 12. They know it is theirs and that they were wrought for that self same thing 2 Cor. 5. 5. and being theirs they might lawfully take it by force 8. Infer VIII 2 Pet. 3. 12. And for a close of all ye have seen what Paul and others did Go you and do likewise Hasten to the day of God and wait for it as they that watch for the Morning 1. Affectionately as a thing greatly desirable especially after a dark and toilsom night 2. Patiently and with Quietness Not precipitating but as knowing it will come and that in the duest season 3. Attentively as not willing to loose the smallest sound of your Master's feet 4. With Diligence also and Preparedness that neither Oyl nor Lighting may be to-seek when the Cry is made Be always Ready and Then Grone Grone I say for that day of Glory when life and Immortality shall be brought to light in Perfection When your self with all the Elect of God meeting in that Great and General Assembly Heb. 12. 23. the Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven may be intirely vniversally and everlastingly taken-up in admiring Electing love which so gloriously and happily shall have wrought all our works for us and brought us to the ultimate End it designed us for which was To be ever with the Lord To see Him as He is and to experiment the sum of that great Petition in the 17. Joh. 17. 21. Iohn That they may be One in us And in your way thither Carry this assurance still afore you That the same hands which laid the Foundation will also lay the Top-stone and that with shoutings And you shall lift-up to Eternity Zach. 4. 7 9. Deut. 33. 29. that loud and joyfull acclamation Grace Grace unto it Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the shield of thine help and the sword of thine Excellency 2 Sam. 22. 1 7. All thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places And which is more than Angels and Men can utter besides GOD shall be all in All 1 Cor. 15. 28. To proclaim which was the End of this work Amen FINIS
blessing you most desire for them But be not Over-solicitous and east down because you see not yet the Marks of Election upon them The Lord doth not indeed bind himself to take all a Believers Children Nor doth He limit Himself from taking any others There is Nothing declared â—ouching His Purpose to Take All the One â—â—est they should from thence take occasion to be Remiss in their Duty which still Conversion is very natural to us nor doth He exclude the Children of others For that â—ight discourage and weaken their hands to that as is good In this various dispensing of His everlasting love He is pleased 〈…〉 His liberty and sovereign Prerogative That 〈◊〉 greatly manifests his love to Believers in so frequent 〈◊〉 Choosing of their Seed And the Freeness of His Grace in Not-rejecting altogether the Seed of Others Inference 3. Thirdly How happy and sovereignly blessed are Those who have an Interest in this Great and Sovereign Lord Which Every One is blessed with that has in truth taken hold of His Covenant For That takes in all between the Two Eternities and Eternity it self withall And the spirits or strength of the Whole lies in those few but very Compendious Words I will be your God When the Lord would comfort His People to purpose and pâ—t on their Eagles wings What a glorious Narrative doth he make of His Power and Sovereign Greatness in Isa 40. from v. 12. to v. 26. And then tells them That all this is Theirs v. 27. And if God be yours All things are yours Who and where is he that can supplant you of His blessing yâ—u may rejoyce in His Highness the thoughts whereof are Matter of terroâ—r to other Men. After the rehearsal of all the happiness and Glory that Men or Angels are capable of it shall all be comprised in this as the Original thereof and summ of the whole Blessed are they whise God the Lord is Psa 144. 15. Inference 4. Fourthly We may see here the Reason Why God doth sometimes defer to Answer the Doubts and Querie's we stick at and most desire to be Resolv'd about It is not only to shew His Sovereignty But to bring our hearts to a submiss and practical acknowledgment of it Moses was very unwilling to go on his Message to Bharaoh Many pretences he had to put it by when as the danger he might be in for killing the Aegyptian was the bottom-Objection though he speaks it not Out Indeed the men who sought his life were now dead Which if the Lord had told him of at first all those excuses had probably been spared But He was pleased to conceal it from him until He had brought him to a full compliance with His Will Exod. 3. 11. with Ch 4. 10 13 19 and then reveals it to Him Vnask'd So likewise He would not take off His hand from Iob until He had well learn'd him this lesson Job 42. 2 6 7. Say not therefore because you hear not from God so soon as you would The Lord hath â—orsaken me My Lord hath forgotten Me But follow that good Resolution recorded in Isaiah I will wait upon the Lord who hâ—deth his face for the present from the House of Jacob Isa 49. 14. and I will look for Him v. 17. Inference 5. Fifthly Let no Man then who will Say The Lord He is God presume to intrench on His Sacred Royalty by seeking a Reason of His Decrees beyond or besides the Good pleasure of His Will Even Sovereigns of dust will not admit it in Subjects though of the same Mould with themselves It is an Imperial Secret The Chief of the wayes of God It belongs to himself alone to know it and the knowledg thereof would not profit us Now. Besides There is enough revealed of great importance to us at present On which to imploy the utmost of our time and strength By Over-grasping we may sprain our hands and unfit them for service which lies within their Compass But we gain Nothing Therefore go not about to fathom this Great Deep Who but one of shallow understanding would think to measure the Sea by handfulls or to give a Demonstrative Reason of its various and convertible Courses Remember That you Magnifie His Work Job 36. 24. but lessen it Not by pretending to Comprehend it Eccles 8. 17. Sanctifie the Lord in your heart and fear before Him Inference 6. Sixthly This gives a Reason why Men of the largest Capacity for Learning and Natural understanding are so mightily Puzzelled and Labyrinth'd in Spiritual Matters particularly The Doctrine of Election Why they do so strongly oppose it and are so hardly Reconcil'd with it They are not in truth subdued to the Doctrine of God's Sovereignty And therefore whiles in discussing those points of Faith they judge as their Natural Optick represents them they lose both themselves and the Truth Which yet in some degree is made known unto Babes Men of low stature to them whose spirits the Lord hath subdued to rest contented with what their Father is pleased to tell them And for the Rest as namely the Manner and Reason of God's Disposements and Dispensations they live by Faith in His Righteousness Waiting for the day that shall Reveal all things when the Tabernacle of God which yet is in Heaven shall be let down among Men or They taken up into it and these hidden things of Sovereignty shall be more openly known amongst them Inference 7. Lastly This Doctrine of God's Absolute Dominion Clears away all that Made-ground and Rubbish which the Principles of Free-Will-Grace do found their Election upon and shews us the only true and Proper foundation of Scripture Election with those other Important Truths which hold upon it or are Consequents of it All which have their Head in the Sovereignty of God and Derived thence as Rivers are from the Sea As through his blessing and Grace may appear afterwards And so I shall close up this first particular with that holy Rapture of the Psalmist Be thou Exalted Lord in thy own strength so will we sing and praise thy Power The Lord hath prepared His Throne in the Heavens and His Kingdom ruleth over all Bless the Lord ye His Angels that Excel in strength Bless the Lord all ye His Hosts ye Ministers of His that do His pleasure Bless the Lord all His works in all places of his Dominion Bless the Lord ô my Soul OF THE RIGHTEOVSNESS of GOD. HAving founded this Discourse on the Sovereignty of God as the best and most natural ground of Satisfaction or captivation to Reason touching Election So now as a means to qualifie our Spirits and Reconcile them with the Doctrine of Sovereignty it seemeth expedient to annex that of His Righteousness and I think there is not a more evident Proposition than That there is no Vnrighteousness with God Prop. This as we are indispensably bound to believe So to be well grounded in the faith of it
whom they appertain Levit. 20. 26. Ye shall be holy unto Me For I have severed you from other people that ye should be Mine Deut. 7. 6 The Lord thy God hath Chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are on the face of the earth Chap. 26. 18 19 The Lord this day hath Avouched thee to be His peculiar people and to make thee high above all Nations Deut. 10. 15 The Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them and He Chose their Seed after them even you above all people c. But were they as farr above other Nations in goodness in greatness or excellent demeanor And was that it which intituled them to this honour No such matter As appeares 1 by the Reason there assigned Exod. 19. 5. Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people For all the Earth is Mine It is as if the Lord had said There is no difference between you and other Nations All the earth is Mine and I may take where I will I am not tyâ—d to any I might take of them and discard you They cannot carry it more unworthily than you have done and will do I looked from Heaven and considered their works and yours I see that your hearts are fashion'd a like And 2 Their afterâ—demeanour did abundantly verifie it and the Lord foresaw it I know that thou wouldst deal treacherously Isa 48. 8. ver 4. and wast called a transgressâ—r from the womb That thou wouldst to obstinate thy Neck an iron sinew Jer 32. 30. and thy brow brass and that thou wouldst do only evill from thy youth up c. What then was the Cause or Motive of God's choosing them above others It was His undeserved love and favour to them Deu 7. 8. â—h 9 4. He loved them because He loved them Come to David God had provided Him a King among Jesse's Sons and Samuel must go to anoynt him but it must be Him whom the Lord should Name to him 1 Sam. 16. 1. 12. Not the eldest or good liest person And therefore sayes he when they pass before him The Lord hath not Chosen this Nor this Nor these But David 'T is true the Lord did not mention David's name to Samuel but He did what was equivalent for when David comes in He tells him This is He Anoynt him And observe This he was the youngest the meanest and most unlikely scarse reckon'd as one of the family for he was not brought in among the Rest Then Note his Circumstances Hâ—s employment was to keep the shéep His exercise what was it but such as is reckon'd effeminate He addicted himself to Musick see also his Complexion or Constitution of body White and Ruddy no promising character of a Martial Spirit And yet this Man or rather this lad and stripling thus qualified and thus educated he must be the Captain of the Lord's host who yet had the greatest enemies to deal with and therefore had need of a Man of courage and conduct to be over them Well! let David's birth complexion employment education be what it will Never so unlikely in all humane respects yet this David is and he must be the man whom the Lord will honour to Rule his people to fight their battels and to do exploits In this choice the Lord was pleased to set-by whatever is taking with men He seeth not as Man seeth i. e He regards not Men for their Natural accomplishments If for any thing it must be probably for some excellent endowment of the Mind and that of Wisdome is of as weighty consideration in the choice of a Prince as any other But this is no Inducement or Motive to God He respects not any that are wise of heart Job 37. 24. And if He did it Was not here to be had David had no Prince-like qualities above his brethren until afterwards Which thing is plainly intimated in the thirteenth verse where it is said The Spirit of the Lord came upon Him from that day forward Then for Jeremy The Lord ordains him to be a Prophet sets him over Nations and Kingdoms commissionates him to Root out and pull down To build and to plant c. Why what had Jeremy done that the Lord should call him to so Imperial a work Sure no great matter for this he was ordained to before he was born Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee I sanctified thee and ordained thee a Prophet Jer. 1. 5. It also appears by his own Confession how unmeet he was for such a work and how unwilling I cannot speak for I am a Child ver 6. Another Instance may be Cyrus This man was decreed to a great and noble work Isa 44. 28. Ch. 45. 1. 6. v. 13 It was in brief to destroy the Golden Monarchy To break in pieces the hammer of the whole Earth To Release God's people out of Captivity and to build His Temple and this more than an hundred years before Cyrus was born The Lord styles him his Anoynted His Elect Hâ—s Shepheard and One that should perform His pleasure ver 4 5. And He calls him by his Name too which is twice repeated as a thing to be remark'd And to inforce it the more He adds a note of Narrower observance I have called thee even by thy Name Was Cyrus thus chosen because he would be a puissant Prince Or did the Lord make him puissant and victorious because appointed to such a work Hear what the Lord Himself who best knows the ground of His own Designation says of him Ch. 45. 1. Thus saith the Lord to His anointed to Cyrus whâ—se right hand I have holden i. e. I gave him strength and taught him how to use it I will loose the loyns of Kings and open to him the two leafed Gates I will go before him ver 2. I will break in pieces the Gates of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron c. But what shall Cyrus have done That the great God should do him this honour He did not so much as know the Lord which also is twice repeated as a matter worthy our observation Lastly Paul The Lord from Heaven commissionates him His Preacher General among the Gentiles to bear His Name before Kings To Mawl and Ransack the devil's kingdom and to turn the World upside-down Witness his doings at Ephesus Athens and other places And this he was called to even whiles in the heat of his persecuting fury against that Name which now he is sent to preach And that there was no motive on Paul's part himself is witness where speaking of that his Call he ascribes it to the pleasure and power of God as much as he doth his natural birth Gal. 1. 15. I might also bring in the Stories of Sampson Josiah John Baptist and others to the same effect but that time would fail Now These instances may not be valued as Historical
Believer but their Personal Names Reuben Simeon Levi So had our Great High Priest or He could not have made attonement for us And that place Rev. 13. 8. points at the same time for both Those words From the foundation of the World do refer as well to the writing of their Names in the Book of life as to the Lamb 's being slain And if it be said It must referr to that as was last named then let ver 8. of the 17. Chap. speak for it where deciphering those who shall wonder after the beast he sayes they are such whose Names were not written in the hook of life from the foundation of the World what can be more express II. The Design of God in the death of Christ Arg. 2. could not otherwise be secur'd Had the design been To Purchase Salvation for Believers without ascertaining the Persons that should believe it had been uncertain Whether any should be saved because uncertain Whether any would believe If Certain That some would believe This Certainty must be Decreed For Nothing future could be certain Otherwise And if it was Decreed That Some should believe The Individuals of that Some must be Decreed also For Faith is the Gift of God and could not be foreseen in any but whom He had Decreed to give it unto Which laid together are a good demonstration That those Christ should die for were as well Pre-ordain'd as That He should die for them and that definitely and by Name III. It may further be Argued Arg. 3. from the Fathers preparing a kingdom from the foundation of the World and Mansions or Places in it To prepare the way of this Argument Consider the Punctuality of God's disposements in things of a Lower Moment He did not Create the Earth in vain i. e. To stand empty and void as at its first formation Nor the several quarters thereof to be Inhabited indefinitely by some Nation or Other who should happen to get possession of them But He divided to the Nations their inheritance and the bounds of their Habitation Deut. 32. 8. Mount Seir was given to Esau Acts. 17. 26. and Ar to the Children of Lot Each Nation had its limits staked out Deut. 2. 5 9. and this from the dayes of old And if we may distinguish of Acts in God and of Time in Eternity His Purpose to firm and bring forth those Nations must needs be as early as to Create and furnish those parts of the World which they should Inhabit Now Earthly Settlements being of trivial Moment to the Heavenly Mansions it seems a good Consequent That if yet particular Nations were fore-appointed for particular Provinces on Earth Much more should particular Persons be design'd for those particular Mansions in Heaven And if either were appointed afore the other It must be the Persons For the Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath The Domestiques of God's House or Place of Glory are a sacred State and Order of Kings and Priests and Each individual Person hath his place or Appartiment set out for him Those Glorious Pallaces were not prepared for Believers indefinitely but for certain Determinate Persons particularly The Twelve Apostles shall have their Twelve Thrones and every One his Own This is evident by our Saviour's answer to the Mother of Zebede's children Math. 20. 23 To sit on my right hand and on my left is not Mine to give but it shall he given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father If for Believers indefinitely why not for these two Brethren as soon as any other especially since they first made request for them The Truth is those Places were not now to be disposed of it was determined who should have them long before even From the foundation of the World Matt. 25. 35. The scope of this Answer was not to shew That the places requested for were prepar'd for Believers for these were Believers who made request for them but that they were Appointed for Certain particular Persons and they must have them Much might be added in confirmation of these two branches But by these I hope it is clear That Election is Personal and from Eternity V. Election is in Christ. OR The Elect are Chosen in Christ It was requisite the New Covenant should have an Head and Mediatour as well as the Old That Righteousness and life might flow from Him into all the Elect Seed as sin and death had done from Adam In which respect Christ and He are set forth as Parallels in Romans 3. from ver 12. to 21. The benefits which the Elect are Chosen unto they are made partakers of by their Union with Christ He is the Root in whom the Fulness dwels Not only the Foundation on which the Church is built but the Rock which affords all the Spiritual Materials of the Heavenly Temple Even the Cement that holds one part to another and the whole to Himself and this by virtue of the Decree For we are to Consider that there is a Decretive Union before the Actual and That influenceth This into Being and that as really as the determined death of Christ did the Salvation of Those who died before Him Though Christ be not the Cause of Election yet He is the Grand Means by whom we obtain the blessedness we were Chosen unto By Him it is That We have Access into that Grace Rom. 5. 2. wherein we stand And we shall find that the Epistles generally when they speak of the Great things relating to Salvation do still bring in Christ as the Person principally concern'd about it Salvation indeed is a Gift Tit. 3. 6 it is perfectly Free yet not to be had Rom. 5. 18 19. but in Christ It comes upon us through His Righteousness As by One's disobedience many were made sinners so by the Righteousness of One by means of their Oneness with Him shall many be made Righteous Mankind by their Apostacy in Adam had destroyed in themselves the whole of that Principle which would have lead them to God as their life and blessedness And had withal contracted such an Eumity against Him and Repugnancy to all Overtures for Returning to Him And this Gulph was so fixed as would for ever have kept God and us asunder had not that blessed Project of Choosing in Christ been set on foot to dissolve it It could not be done by any Created Power Nor could Creatures so much as propound a Way for it And if they could who durst so harden himself as to Mention the Thing which onely could do it But The Great God blessed for ever He findes out a way for it And the same Love that ordain'd to Eternal life would also put it in such a way as should surely take effect And to this end viz. That Those Ordain'd to Salvation might be both Rightfully entituled to that Salvation and successefully brought into it They were put into Christ by Election He was the
if left to the wisdom of Men. But I shall not doubt to affirm That this Doctrine of Election's Absoluteness is much afore-hand with that which teacheth it to be Conditional both in point of Encouragement and otherwise And that as well Afore believing as Afterwards 1. Before a Man comes to believe supposing him to be Notionally instructed therein Before For being under conviction of the Greatness and Multitude of his Sins and finding the power of indwelling corruption so Insuperable Having also a sight of the Holiness of God It needs must prove a difficult Matter to believe that there is Mercy and Pardon for such a One as he Or that ever those domineering lusts should be made to submit But then considering 1. That Electing Love pitches on the Chief of Sinners 2. That it flowes not from nor is sounded upon any condition to be performed by Men And 3. That Election has in it All that conduceth to life and Godliness These things I say considered it cannot but have a farr greater influence on the Soul to cleave unto God and follow hard after Him than if his Election were suspended upon his Doing that which he finds in himself no power to pâ—rform For he sees by woful and yet through Grace happy Experience That as the Law is made weak through the weakness of the flesh so also setting aside the Absoluteness of Electing love all the meanes of Grace which are given in Common among Men would be wholly ineffectual to Salvation Which difficulties Electing love in the Absoluteness of it will Supersede and set him above them all 2. After a man comes to Believe this Doctrine of Absolute Election is of singular use and benefit to him both as tending to keep him on his feet and to raise him when he is down 1 It is a great Preservative in time of Temptation The Remembrance of that love which looked upon him when he was in his blood and said he should live and hath now also made good its Word to him must needs operate strongly with a gratious heart against what ever might be unworthy of such love Let the bait be never so aptly suited he will turn from it in a holy disdain as good Joseph did How can I do this Wickedness Gen 39. 9. and sin against God who hath dealt so bountifully with me 2 Nothing more tends to Recovery after a fall than the Consideration of the Freeness of God's Love at first and His Mighty Power in Quickening when altogether dead And that both these viz. This Love and this Power are engaged by an Absolute Covenant to bring every one that takes hold thereof unto Glory and therefore will receive him not only After upon his Return to his Duty but in the Midst of his backslidings He will come and heal him The Lord's way of dealing with Ephraim ver 17 18. ver 21 22. set down in the 57. of Isaiah is an instance pertinent to the case in hand And in the 44. Chap. He doth as it were Clench and fasten this Nail in a sure place Remember O Jacob I have formed thee Thou shalt not be forgotten of Me I have bloted out thy sins Therefore return unto Me And Jer. 3. 14. Return O backsliding Children for I am married unto you to wit by His Covenant of Election To this purpose also is the edge of Samuel's Argument applied in 1 Sam. 12. 20 22 Fear not ye have done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord As if he had said your wickedness indeed is great ye have highly provoked the Lord by your casting Him off yet be not discouraged as if the Lord would therefore cast off you For the Lord will not forsake His people But why Because it hath pleased the Lord to make you His people And in ver 24. he further backs it with the remembrance of the great things God had done for them aforetime Than which there is nothing of stronger tendency to a Soul's recovery III. From the Personality of Election and IV. From the Eternity of its Original I gather in general That since the Scriptures have so highly Renouned these two Circumstantial parts of Election Inference by so frequent a mentioning of them and that on occasions of the solemnest import We ought not to pass them by as things of indifferent notice But as being diversly Instructive Worthy to be kept and soberly contended for The Holy Ghost doth not use to inculcate matters of Ordinary observance or little import But as Noting to us some great importancy in them as taxing also our sloth and aptness to neglect them and to stir up our minds to make the more diligent search What and what manner of things they are and how to be improv'd In particular From the Personality of Election I Infer I. Inference That it ought to be minded as matter of the highest honour to the Parties concern'd The Lord illustrates Moses at no ordinary rate when He tells him I know thee by name and doubtless intended that Moses himself should so account of it and be highly sâ—tisfied therewith though deny'd in some other things he would fain have had Thuâ— also Paul signalizeth those eminent Saints who were his fellow-Labourers in the Gospel Phil. 4. 3. That their names were in the Book of Life And our Saviour propounds it to His Disciples as matter of highest Exultation That their names were written in Heaven That our poor insignificant names should be written in God's book and lâ—id up among His Treasures in Heaven when the Generality of Names even Names of Note are written in the Dust let it not seem a light matter to us Isa 56. 5. For this is that Everlasting Name which never shall be cut-off II. Inference The knowledge of this thing namely that God has thus taken Notice of our Names is a great Priviledge It enlarges the heart to higher expectations it gives boldness or freedom of speech towards God as if Nothing were too great for such a One to ask See how Moses grows upon it No sooner Exod. 33. 17. sayes God I know theeby name But Moses as rapt into the Second and fain would be in the Third Heaven presently replies I beseech thee shew me thy Glory III. Inference As it is matter of Honour and Priviledge So it will prove one of your best Titles to your Heavenly inheritance It will signifie something one day however by some too lightly esteemed Now when it shall be the great distinguishing character between you and the World Whoever he be that derives not his Genealogie from this Register Nehe. 7. 64. will be put from the Heavenly Priest-hood The New Jerusalem admits None Rev. 20 15. but whose Names are written in the Book of life yea every One that is not found written there Ch. 21 27. shall be cast into a lake of fire Therefore Give all diligence to make yâ—ur Election sure IV.
Consequent of Redemption so Election is the Root of them both as ye have it in 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ To be Holy is to be sacred selected and set apart for holy uses by appointment of God And they were Actually sanctified by the sprinkling of blood Heâ— 9. 19. 23. In both which respects the People of Israel the Tabernacle Temple Priests Altars c. are all said to be Holy In Luke 1. 72. God's sending of Christ is said to be In performance of His Holy Covenant Gen. 3 15. which was first proclam'd in Paradise as made with the Womans Seed and afterwards renewed with Abraham Gen. 12. 3. and is therefore term'd The Merâ—y promised to Abraham and to His Seed And who are Abraham's Seed Not the World but Believers that is The Elect For These onely obtain Faith Rom. 11. 7. And Gal. 3. 29. Saith plainly If ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed and Rom. 9. 8. In Tit. 2. we read That it was a Peculiar People that Christ gave Himself for and purchased i. e. A People peculiarly His Own It denotes some special propriety He hath in Them above Others and so a special Cause for His giving Himself for them We also find That Peculiar and Purchased are so nearly allied that one word is used to signifie both 1 Pet. 2. 9. According with this is that in the 1 Pet. 1. 20 where Christ is said to be Manifested for those He writes that Epistle to That they were persons Elected is evident by the 1. â—nd 2. ver And Elect unto the sprinkling of His blood And as they were Elected to it so in the 17. John He professes to make it good ver 19. ver 11 15. For their sakes sayes Christ I sanctifie my self and twice in the 10. John That He laid down His life for the Sheep Which is perfectly exclusive of others as where He saith My Righteousness extendeth unto the Saints and he that believeth shall be Saved that is Such and None else It also appears from Acts 20. 28. That it was the Church of God that He purchased with His own blood Now the Church and the World are plainly distinct as a Garden inclosed is from the Common Fields That the Church consists of Elect persons is proved afore and that it was the Church He dyed for is proved by this Scripture As also from Eph 5. 25 Where Husbands are required to love their Wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it which shews That as the Husband's love to his Wife is another kind of love than what he bears to others of the same Sex So is Christ's love to His Church and therefore His death which was the special effect of that His love is peculiar to the Church only In Revel 5. we Read that the Elders sing a New Song to the Lamb because He Redeemed them to God by His blood ver 9. Among other Reasons for that Stile of Elders this may be one That they were Chosen from the dayes of old For their Names where written in His book of life from tâ—e foundation of the World Rev. 1â— 8. They are also said to be Redeemed out of every Kindred and tongue and People and Nation which Rationally implies That the Bulk of those People and Nations were not Redeemed with them And again in the 1â— Ch. A certain Number are said to be Redeemed from the Earth and from among Men If Some from among Others It follows of course That those Others were exempted Here note by the way That these Elders were now in Heaven above the Clouds of misconception and prejudic'd Opinion and therefore no Reason to misdoubt their testimony And further These Redeemed Ones are there also stiled The First Fruits unto God and to the Lamb which appellation insinuates That they were seperated from the Rest as the First Fruits under the Law were by God Himself Who took them for His Own portion Numb 2. 13. and Chap. 8. 16. They are likewise said To have the Father's name written in their Foreheads Rev. 14. 1. Election marked them out for Christ And to be written in the Lamb's Book of life and that as a Lamb slain Rev. 13. 8. And on that account sayes to His Father Thine they were and Thou gavest them Me Joh. 17. 6. Where also in His prayer for those whose Sacrifice He was now to offer He stiles them The Men which the Father had given Him out of the World And in ver 10 All Mine are Thine and Thine are Mine i. e. All that were Christ's in order to Redemption were first the Father 's by Election It is as if He had said All that I undertake for are Thine Elâ—ct And All Thine Elect I undertake for He therefore reciprocates the terms of Relation Turns them to and again To shew the Sameness of the Persons concerned in both From all which it seems undeniably evident That as a certain Number were Elected so a Certain Number and Those the very same Persons were Redeemed The Ground and Truth of this Assertion is further confirm'd by such Arguments as these I. The Levitical Sacrifices were offered for the House of Israel Arg. 1. exemptive of other Nations Save only such as became Proselytes And These being a Type of the Spiritual Election It followes That this Sacrifice of Christ typified by Theirs was also Peculiar to Jews in Spirit or Spiritual Jews So Aarons's making atonement for his Household and bearing the names of the twelve Tribes on his breast-plate were typical of our Great High Priest's bearing the Names and sustaining the persons of those for whom He offered Himself on the Cross Of all those legal shadows Christ and the Church of the first-born are the Body and Substance II. The Right of Redemption among the Jews which shadowed this was founded on Brotherhood Arg. 2. Hence I infer That that Relation spiritually taken was both the Ground and Limit of Christ's office as a Redeemer The Apostle's discourse in Heb. 2. seems to point at this where he sayes They were Brethren Children and Sons whom Christ should deliver from bondage Make Reconciliation for their Sins and bring to Glory But how came they to be God's Children and Brethren to Christ above others It was by Predestination and That was it entituled them to Redemption as is evident by comparing the 5 and 7 verses of Eph. 1. Having predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ In whom we have Redemption through His blood And 't is worthy your notice That by the law of Redemption a stranger that is One that was not of the Brotherhood might not be Redeemed Levit. 25 46. 48. with 41. 54. But One that was though he were not Redeemed must yet go free in the year of Jubile which shews the peculiar respect the Lord has for his peculiar People III. The Saving benefits of
state can never be lost And the Reason is because Grace hath out-done Sin and gone beyond it Grace hath abounded much more Rom. 5. 20. Which super-abounding of Grace cannot referr to the Subjects of Grace as if they were more in number than the Subjects of Sin for sin came upon All and Grace cannot come upon more than all But 't is meant of the prevalent efficacy of Grace and the permanency of its effects towards all that are the Subjects of it Rom. 5. 21. And thence it is that Grace is said to Reign and that to Eternal life IV. If the End of Christ's death might possibly be frustrate Arg. 4. as possibly the very end of God's making the World might suffer disappointment All things were made for Himself and by this scale they ascend to Him The World for the Elect 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. The Elect for Christ and Christ for God All His works praise Him but above all that of Redemption as of highest note and eminency Most conspicuously doth the Glory of God shinâ—-forth in the face of Christ as Dying and as dying for such an End viz. the Salvation of His People It is the chief of the wayes of God the very Meridian and height of His Glory not essential but manifestative both in this world and that to come It therefore behoved Him so to lay it that of all his designments This might be sure to succeed For do but subtract the sureness of its Effect and leave His Redeem'd in a perishable condition and it draws a blemish instead of beauty upon all the Divine Attributes 1. The end of God's setting forth Christ a Propitiation Rom. 3. 25 26. was to declare His Righteousness in the Remission of sins which it does doubly 1. That without satisfaction sin could not justly be remitted 2. That satisfaction being given it could not justly be imputed Who shall condemn It is Christ that dyed Rom. 8. 34. But if those for whom this plenary satisfaction has been given should not be justified and effectually saved Divine Justice would be as liable to impeachment as if He had saved them without And so the thing designed for the honour of His Righteousness would turn to its disparagement 2. It would not accord with the love and goodness of God towards His Elect that That which was meant for their Recovery Joh. 3. 19. and was also a price well-worthy their Ransom should possibly turn to their deeper condemnation for so it must if they be not effectually saved This could not be that Pleasure of the Lord which should prosper in the hands of Christ 3. It would not be according to the Faithfulness and Truth of God that Christ should fail of That He was promised and earnestly looked-for as the fruit of His Sufferings which was a Seed to serve Him Isa 49 6. ch 53. 10. Prov 8. 31. The thoughts of which were matter of complacency to Him from Everlasting But if those He died for should not only abide in the same condemnation He came to deliver them from but under a much sorer vengeance than if He had not undertaken for them How grievous would it be to Him and contradictious to the Faithfulness of God! 4. Another End of Redemption was That the manifold Wisdom of God might shine-forth in the sight of Angels and Men. Christ crucified is the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. But if it were so contrived that the Thing chiefly design'd might possibly miscarry it would be no illustration of Wisdom Will one of common prudence part with His Jewels and choycest treasure and that in such manner as never to be regain'd and leave his purchase knowingly under hazzard Men â—â—deed may possibly waste their Estates in Tryals and Essayes that come to nothing but did they foresee the success they would not so expose their prudence to reproach 5. The Greatness and Power of God would suffer an eclipse if it were in the power of Creatures to defeat His most wise and holy Designments and hinder the accomplishment of His greatest work What would the Aegyptians say but that He destroyed them because not able to go through with what He undertook Numb 14. 16. 6. Lastly If the end of Christ's death might possibly be frustrate Then that blessed project for glorifying the Grace of God might possibly be disannulled and come to nothing For None but Saved Ones do or can glorifie that Grace V. Another Argument for the Sure effect of Christ's death Arg. 5. is because He hath the Management of the whole work committed to Himself as well the Application or Redemption as the procurement of it He is the Repository Root and Treasury wherein all the benefits of Redemption are laid up and the Great Almoner by whose hand they are dispensed Adam was no more a publique Person after his fall The new Stock was not intrusted with him but put into the hands of Christ who will give a better account of it For VI. There is Nothing wanting to Him who is our Redeemer which might any way conduce to the final Compleatment of His Work Arg. 6. There are Five things mainly requisite to make a great undertaking Successeful viz. Authority Strength Understanding Courage and Faithfulness All which the Captain of our Salvation is eminently invested with Joh. 3. 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand 1. Authority He was appointed to His Office For as Mediatour the Father is Greater than He He came not of Himself but the Father sent Him Joh. 9. 42. He was called of God Isa 42. 6 Heb. 7. 21. Heb. 5. 4 5. It was laid on Him and undertaken by Him in the way of a Covenant And Confirmed hy an Oath Never to be Reversed which also may partly be the Meaning of God the Father's Sealing Him Joh. 10. 18. Isa 61. 1. Joh. 6. 27. The Government is laid upon His Shoulder He hath the Key of David committed to Him Rev. 3. 7. Which shewes the absoluteness of His Authority Gen 41. 44. Without Him No man can lift up his hand or his foot in all the Earth 2. Strength or Power These cannot be wanting to Him if All in Heaven and Earth be sufficient for it Matth. 28. 18 And this he hath That He might give Eternal life to as many as He dyed for Joh. 17. 2. Which if they should miss oâ— it would be said That all power was not able to Save them He that made the World is surely well able to Govern it and to over-rule whatever comes into it He would never have suffered sin the onely enemy to invade it if He could not have quell'd it at pleasure Isa 63. 1. Ch. 9. 6. Their Redeemer is strong The Lord of Hosts is His name He shall thorowly plead their cause Jer. 50. 34. He must reign until He shall have put all enemies both under His own feet and ours 1 Cor.
15. 25. Rom. 16. 20. 3. Vnderstanding or Knowledge This cannot be wanting to Him who is the Wisdom of the Father The Lord hath given Him the tongue of the Learned that He might speakwords in season to him that is weary Jsa 50. 4. He knows His work what it is How to effect it and who they be that are concern'd in it 1 He knows what His work is that it is To seek and to save that which was lost Not to bring Men into a salvable condition as some speak but to Save them Mat. 1. 21. His work was To open the blind eyes To bore the deaf ears To restore the withered Limbs To cleanse the Lepers To heal the Sick To raise the Dead To cast out Devils To preach the Gospel and to cause those it belongs unto to hear and receive it he knows they are Dead and He knows as well that He is to Quicken them and thence we have it in Joh. 5. 25 The Dead shall hear and live And Chap. 10. 16 Other Sheep I have Them also must I bring and they shall hear my voice He is also to keep them Joh. 17 12. 22. Ch. 6. 39. and look to them so as that one be not lost and sinally To raise them up at the last day and to take them to Heaven with Him All which He is perfectly acquainted with His work is before Him Isa 40 10. 2 As He knows His work what it is so the best season and method for its performance He came in the fulness of time when things were ripe for His coming He came Then when there was most need of Him the Devil's Kingdom at the highest his Oracles in greatest credit the World most oppressed by the Roman Power and the true Religion near quite depraved among the Jews It argues a Dextrous understanding To take an enemy in his Ruff at his highest pitch of strength and confidence and throw him on his back To succour a distressed Friend or Ally when brought under foot and set him on his high places This the Scripture calls A strengthening of the Spoiled against the Strong Amos 5. 9. And thus doth our Lord Jesus Christ Who is partly therefore said to be of Quick understanding Isa 11. 3. Ch. 52. 13. In all His Vndertakings He deals prudently And to This it is that Hannah ascribeth success The Lord is a God of knowledge and His Purpâ—ses come to pass 1 Sam. 2. 3. 3. He knows Who they are for whom He is to do it The fruits of his death are not as things to be given in common They fall not indifferently upon Men as Rain upon all sorts of ground He knows Whom he came to Redeem Not their Number only but their Names They were all written in his boâ—k And so well is He vers'd in it Joh. 10. 3. That He calleth them all by their Names He does not omit any nor call One for Another He knows Whom the Father hath Chosen and Given to Him ch 13. 18. He can neither forget them Nor Mistake them They are written in His breast and on the palms of His hands Isa 49. 16. 4. To a Great undertaking is required Courage or Greatness of Spirit to confront opposition and cutthrough difficulties And if this be wanting all other Endowments will signifie little as to success And how was our Lord and Redeemer qualified as to this When He was entring into his passion against which He prayed If it were possible that Cup might pass from Him He then needed Courage in the Abstract and we find That He had it answerably In Isaiah 50. 7 the Prophet brings Him in as putting on His Armour of proof Therefore have I set my face as a Flint and I know that I shall not be confounded In the greatness of this His strength did He travel through all those Contradictions of Sinners Temptations Reproaches Blasphemies c. And when His hour was come He did not Recoil nor hide Himself from them No nor stay till they came where he was Joh. 18. 4. but goes to meet them And though He might have had more than twelve Legions of Angels for asking He waives their assistance and in His own single person Undertakes both this World and the Powers of darkness yea and the Wrath of His Father too which was much more grievous and of far Greater terrour than all the Rest And in all this He was Alone there was None with Him And that an Angel appear'd to Him from Heaven strengthening Him It was rather a Token and Part of His deep humiliation That the Mighty God should seem to want and so admit the profered service of His Creature than a lessening of His sufferings Luke 22. 43. Now all this was for the Procurement of Redemption And can He then be wanting to the Effectual application of it He cannot shrink at the sight of stragling parties that hath Won the pitcht battel and remains absolute Master of the Field For this also we have a sure word of Prophecy in Isa 42. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged until He have set Judgment in the Earth 5. Faithfulness This also is a grand and Necessary qualification for an high Undertaking And for this our Redeemer is also signally Eminent To do the Father's Will was That He came for from Heaven And this was His Will Joh. 6. 38 39. That of all He had given Him He should loose nothing but should Raise it up at the last day that is That He should give them Eternal life as it is in the 17 John 2. And we find Him professing That He had done it accordingly v. 12. and that He will do it v. 26. according to His Promise so often repeated in the 39 40 44 54. v. of John 6. And He keeps them in Faithfulness to His trust viz. That the Scripture might be fulfilled Joh. 17 12. Judas was let-go to fall by his own transgression Whom doubtless He could and would have kept as He did the Rest had he been as they were committed to His Charge For He gives to every one according as He received for them as is seen by comparing Psal 68. 18. with Ephes 4. 8. In the one place it is said He received Gifts for Men and in the other which is a quotation of the former He gave Gifts to Men Those therefore for whom He Received Eternal life cannot fail of it unless He should fail of His Trust which indeed He cannot do for He is Faithful in all His house and That as a Son Heb. 3. 5 6. and joynt-interest you know is a Natural and prevalent Obligation to Faithfulness If any should offer to dispossess Him He would answer as Naboth did Ahab 1 Kings 21. 3. God forbid that I should part with the Inheritance of my Father And His Faithfulness further appears in that He makes it a Main part of His business now in Heaven to have this work perfected He
that it receives into its own Substance and kind You may Plant and Prune and dig and Dâ—ng an evil Tree bestow what cost and pains you will upon it it does all but enable the more pregnant Production of evil fruit Just so doth the Natural Man Jude ver 4. even turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness As to the Pure all things are pure Tit. 1. 15. Psal 119. 67. 2 Chr. 28. 22. so to the Impure all things are defiled David by his afflictions learned to keep God's Law but Ahaz trespassed yet mâ—re Good Josiah his heart melts at the reading of the Law ch 34. 27 31. Jer. 36. 23. Rom. 7. 8 10. he humbles himself and fals to Reforming but wicked Jehoiakim he cuts the Roll in pieâ—es and burns it Thus Sin i. e. Corrupt Nature workes death by that which is Good II. The New Creature is not wrought by the Concurrence of Divine and Natural Power together For 1. The Holy Ghost needs no assistance in His work I. Who and Where is he that stood up for his help when He moved on the Waters Job 38 4. and brought forth this World into form When He weighed the Mountains in Scales and the hills in a ballance Isa 40 12 15. He that made all things of Nothing cannot be supposed to need the aid of any As Man had nothing to do in the Conception of Christ's humane Nature but the Power of the Most High was alone in that work so also it is in forming Christ within us Why should He call in the aid of another unless deficient of Himself And He must greatly be streightened that takes-in the help of an Enemy 2. If the Holy Ghost had need of Help II. the flesh affords Him not the least For 1 The Natural Man is without strength Rom. 5 6. The best-Natur'd Man in the World until Regenerate is but Flesh And all flesh is grass 1 Pet. 1. 24. Job 26. 2. and the glory of it as the flower of grass which fades in a Moment It is an Arm that hath no strength And it is not onely so in it self but it renders weak and impotent what ever Relyes upon it or may be used by it for any spiritual End A Straw in the hand of a Giant will make no deeper impression than if in the hand of a Stripling The Law it self Rom. 8. 3. which was ordained to life is made weak through the flesh 2 The Flesh is an opposite principle at perfect enmity against the Holy Seed as you see afore It answers as Pharaoh Exod. 5 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey Him It 's whole business is to crush the workings of the Spirit and the Conflict ceaseth not but in the total Overthrow of the one party The Flesh and the Spirit alwaies have been are and will be Two Yea even where the Enmity hath lost its dominion it will maintain a Conflict to the last And if the one fights against the other after the New Creature is formed it will doubtless oppose the first formation of it 3 If we should suppose the flesh able in any respect to give assistance in this work the Holy Ghost would none of it 2 Cor. 5. 16. Deut. 22. 10 Deut. 22 9. What Concord hath God with Belial such Mixtures are Abomination to Him He would not permit His people to yoke an Ox and an Ass together in pâ—oughing Nor to sow their Land with divers seeds And if in building an Altar their Tool were lift up upon it the Lord reckons it defiled Exod. 20. 25. 4 Suppose a possibility of Conjunction What would be the issue of it When the Sons of God went in to the daughters of men Gyants were born to them Gen. 6. 4. If Creatures of several kindes should couple together what can be produc'd but a Monster in Nature such Monsters in Spirituals are hypocrites and temporary believers In whom there is something begotten on the will of Man by the Common strivings and inlightenings of the Spirit which attains to a kind of formality but proves in the end a lump of dead flesh It never comes to be a New Creature as you sâ—e in Herod and Agrippa An Owl's egg though hatcht by a Dove or Eagle will prove but a Night-bird The Seed of the bond-woman will be Carnal though Abraham himself be the father of it A little further to illustrate this Truth let us briefly review What things in the world that are Common to Men can be supposed to influence their hearts so as to bring them to God They may all be Reduced to five A prosperous Condition Afflictions The Word of God The strivings of the Spirit and Miracles 1. Prosperity This we find hath not done it How many have been the worse and how few if any the better for it Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked In the time of the Judges Deut 32. 15. when ever they had respite from trouble they presently fell to idâ—aâ—ry when Vzziah was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction 2 Chr. 26. 16. The Papacy at this day and for Centuries past who in such splendid prosperity and who so wicked They are not in trouble like other Men their eyes stand out with fatness c. But are they bettered by it Ps 73. No Pride compasseth them about like a chain and they set their Mouths against the Heavens Let favour be shewed to the wicked Isa 26. 10 yet will he not learn Righteousness 2. Afflictions and Judgments will not do it It appears by Amos Ch. 4. ver 6-11 That that people were loaded with variety of judgments yet they turned not to Him that smote them Isa 1. 5. â— ch 57. 17. The more they were stricken the more they revolted The Lord was wroth with Ephraim and smote him He hid His face from Him and was wroth which if any thing should have Moved him But what cares Ephraim He went on frowardly in the way of his Heart The Jewes continue to this day in their unbelief though wrath be come upon them to the uttermost The Antichristian world when vials of wrath were powred forth upon them they blasphemed God Reâ— 16. 9 11 Hos 7. 9. Pro. 27. 22. and Repented not Bray a fool in a Mortar yet will not his foolishness depart from him 3. The Word of God and his Ordinances Neither is it in these to turn the heart back again Of this the people of Israel are a pregnant example Rom. 3 2. Deut. 4 7. To them were Committed the Oracles of God No Nation had God so nigh them as they and yet the most stubborn stiff-necked people that ever the earth bore 2 Chr. 36. 15 16 Jer. 25. 3 4. The Lord sends them His prophets rising early and sending And see how they 'r used First they sleight His Messengers and send them away empty Then they fall to beating and imprisoning of them
Jer. 37. 15. yea they proceed further for this enmity knows no bounds Some they Stoned Others they slew with the Sword Lu. 20. 10-15 When was there One that escaped them At last He sends them His Son Surely they 'l Reverence Him No This is the heir Come let us kill Him And thus they went-on Till there was no remedy 4. The World of Ungodly in Noah's time Gen. 6. 3. After warning of the flood they had the Spirit of God striving with them Sixscore years together And yet Not a Man in the whole Universe prevailed-upon The people in the Wilderness How many wayes did the Lord strive with them by mighty deliverances terrible Appearances Merciful Providences Dreadfull Judgments And this Fourty years together and yet still they went-on Rebelling against Him and vexing his holy Spirit Isa 63. 10. 5. Miracles will not do it What a Multitude of These mingled with Judgment where shewn upon Pharaoh All which did but further harden him Exod. 7. 14 22. Ch. 8. 19. Ch. 9. 7 c Then the People in the Wilderness Take but that one Instance of Korah and his Company The Earth clave asunder and swallowed-up the chief of the Mutineers with all that they had They went alive into the Pit Num 16. 32. ver 35. Two hundred and fifty more were consumed by fire from Heaven Which one would think should cause them to fear the Lord and do no more presumptuously and yet the next thing we hear of them ver 41 on the very Morrow they are at it again And that v. 41. not a Party of them but the whole Congregation All which considered and laid together It follows with much evidence III. That the New Creature is the Product of Divine Power alone The Evangelist John is clear on our side touching this Original and Pedigree of it Both Whence it is not and whence it is Joh. 1. 12. It is born 1 not of blood It belongs not to nor is brought forth in any as they are Men made of flesh and blood Ro. 9. 7. Nor as they are Abraham's feed according to the flesh Nor 2 is it born of the will of the flesh The carnal and sensual affections have nothing to do in the spiritual birth Nor 3 of the will of Man The rational faculties by which Men are set above the Rank of other Creatures these do not contribute towards our Divine Sonship But 4 It is of God i. e. It is His Work alone and the Natural Man has nothing to do in that birth he is perfectly unactive in it Ezek. 37. 5 9 14 even as the Dry bones in causing themselves to Live Or as Lazarus in Reviving himself of whom it is said Joh. 11. 44. He that was dead came-forth bound hand and foot Which was such a Demonstration of Divine Power that the Pharisees themselves acknowledge v. 48. If they now let Him alone all men will believe in Him And if it were not so the Lord alone should not be exalted And with this falls-in that other beloved Disciple James James 1. 18. 2 Pet. 1. 3. Of His own will begate He us i. e. By His Own Divine Power He forms and brings-forth the New Creation without any assistance from the Old or Co-operation of it Peter he also tells us It is born of Incorruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. John 3. 8. And John agen That It is born of the Spirit which is plainly to be of the Off-spring of God Of like tenour is that of the Prophet Isa 26. 12. Thou hast wrought all our works in us Eph. 2. 10. and that of Paul We are his workmanship Ps 100. 2. As also That of the Psalmist It is He that hath made us and not we our selves His people We find it here and in John expressed both Negatively and Positively as purposely and for ever to exclude what-ever is in Man from being so much as thought contributary to the New Creation and that the whole Work might be Father'd upon God only Which is indeed the natural Result of all those Scriptures which speak of this Work under the Notion of a Creature which necessarily implies That the whole of It both Matter and Form is from the Creatour For in truth a Creature 's foundation is Nothing besides the good pleasure of God It may further be Noted That in James The Father of Lights is said to beget it and in the Galathians Jerusalem which is above is said to be the Mother of it and in John as afore that It is born of the Spirit And if Father and Mother Begetter and Bringer-forth are both in Heaven what shall the Man of Earth found his pretensions upon as to the Parentage of the New Creature And further It is worthy of Remark 1. What sort of Instruments were mostly used in this Work Not the Learned but Illiterate Men And of These such most eminently as had neither elegancy of Speech 2 Cor. 10. 10. Nor Majestick presence And the End of this was That it might appear and Men might be Convinced That their Faith stood not in was neither made nor maintain'd by the wisdom of Men 1 Cor. 2. 3 4 5. but the Power of God 2. The natural unaptness of the Persons commonly wrought upon to Receive those high-born Principles Not many of the Wise and Noble but the poor base and foolish i. e. In comparison of Others And why These Truly it was to make good the Truth that 's here asserted viz. That no flesh might Glory in His presence ◠Cor 1. 26 27. And yet likewise take Notice That the Wise and Noble were not excluded Witness the wife of Herod's Steward Joseph Nicodemus and Sergius Paulus Acts 13 7. a Prudent Man Which further illustrates the Power of God in that He did by those weak and contemptible Means bring-in also such as These 3. The Scripture's so emphatically ascribing the Work unto God which kind of ascription were very improper if Faith and Holiness were things so Common and easily attain'd and the Natural Man so Able and Virtuous an Engine in that Work as most Men imagine Paul siles it The Faith of the Operation of God 〈◊〉 2 12. Isaiah makes it dependant on the Arm of the Lord Revealed i. e. Made-bare Isa 53. 1. and put-forth to the utmost Our Saviour He attributes it to God the Father as Lord of Heaven and Earth And Paul agen To the exceeding Greatness of His Mighty Power even the same by which He raised Jesus Christ from the Dead Even Then when the sins of all His People lay upon Him And all the Malice Strength and Subtilty of the Powers of Darkness were up in Arms against it Which was indeed the highest Indication of Divine Power that ever was put-forth or shall be III. Our next Enquiry is Who those blessed Ones are to whom these Requisites to Salvation do belong and
them in Egypt When opprest by the Egyptians and all means used to destroy them and that both with craft and cruelty Exod. 1. 12. the Lord so orders the Matter that the more they were oppressed the faster they grew and by an high hand brings them out at last In the Wilderness they carry themselves as unworthily towards God as ever People did doing all that in them lay to cut off the intail of that good land by their unbelief and dayly repeated Rebellions insomuch that the Lord threatens to dispossess them But for his Promise sake made with Abraham withdraws his hand and spares them I might instance also the great streights and dangers they were in at the Red-Sea which the Lord divided for them Afterwards for want of water which he brings them out of a Rock Then for Bread which also he gives them from Heaven How they were denied passage by some and way-laid by Others and yet carried on and delivered and at last how the Lord drove out those Gyants whom they despaired of Overcoming and so gave them the land in possession accord-to his promise hundreds of years afore There failed not ought of any good thing the Lord had promised It all came to pass Josh 21. 45. 2. Joseph Little Joseph is one whom the Lord will honour Gen. 37 7 9 11. which in several dreams he intimates to him His brethren do therefore hate him and to frustrate his dreams which signified their subjection to him they conspire to kill him v. 18. And how shall Joseph escape They are ten to one against him and he the least Reuben who being the eldest was most concernd v. 22. in point of honour to hinder Joseph's advancement he shall relent at the very motion of making him away and out of respect to his Father shall deliver him Well though they will not presently kill him they 'l cast him into a pit v. 24. where in all likelihood he must perish But in the good providence of God v. 28. the Ishmaelite Merchants pass by in the very nick of time ere any wild beast shall have found him or his brethren determin'd worse against him To them they sell him and by them he is brought into Egypt far enough out of Jacobs inquiry and sold to the Captain of Pharaoh's guard a person likely enough to deal roughly with him Gen. 37. 2 3 4. But here the Lord ownes him and to bring him into favour makes all that he doth to prosper which his Master observing puts the management of all his estate into Joseph's hands Now there 's fair hopes of his coming to honour But v. 7. how soon is it dash'd Joseph being a goodly person his lascivious Mistress tempts him to folly v. 9. Which the fear of God keeping him from v. 17. the misreports him to his Master charging her own wickedness upon him v. 20. Hereby Potiphar's favor is lost and Joseph cast into Prison and dealt so hardly with Ps 105. 18. that The Iron entred into his soul Now all hopes of preferment are gon and what will become of his dreams Yet still the Councel of the Lord that shall stand and this downfal of Joseph Gen. 40. shall prove another step to his rising And to make way for it two of Pharaoh's Servants shall fall under their Lord's displeasure be put in prison and committed to Joseph's keeping Here they shall dream Joseph shall interpret and the event shall answer it Now the day begins agen to dawn upon Joseph and by the chief Butlers restorement some hopes of his inlargement but this agen is soon overcast for the Butler forgate him Notwithstanding all which the providences of God do still pursue his Decree Gen. 41. chap. 42. 6. and cease not till Joseph is Lord over Egypt and his brethren bow down before him 3. David 1 Sam. 16. 12. God promiseth David to give him the Kingdom and anoints him to it What notwithstanding all possible interveniences Yes for the promise is absolute Hath the Lord said it and shall he not do it If therefore Saul cast a Javelin at him unsuspected to nail him to the Wall a sharpeness of eye and agility of body shall be given him to discern and avoid it If he determine evil against him Jonathan shall advertise him of it 1 Sam. 19. 20 24. If he send Messengers to Naioth to apprehend him they shall forget their errand and fall a prophecying And if he send others and others after them they shall do likewise yea Saul himself shall turn prophet for a day and a night together that David may have time to escape If he be in a City that will betray him and not a friend among them to advise him of it the Lord Himself will be his intelligencer 1 Sam. 23. 12. and send him Out If Saul's Army have encompass'd him and no way left to escape the Philistines shall invade the land v. 26 27. and tidings shall come in the very instant and take him off If an hoast do encamp against him Ps 27. 3. he 'l not be afraid Why so The Lord had made an absolute promise and therefore if no help on earth He shall send from Heaven and save me Ps 57. 3. Yea David's wavering at times and the weakness of his Faith shall not hinder it and the Reason of all we have in 1 Chron. 17. 7. and 8. The Lord took him to be Ruler over his People and therefore he was with him where ever he went 4. Josiah A Child shall be born to the house of David Iosiah by name 1 Kings 13. 2. who shall offer the bones of Jeroboam's priests upon his Altar If therefore Athaliah determine to destroy all the seed-Royal Joash shall be stollen from among the rest 2 Kings 11. 2. and reserved and by him Davida's line shall be continued Hezekiah though sick unto death he shall not dye 2 Kings 20. 6. with ch 13. 16. but be healed as it were by a miracle and fifteen years added to his life rather then Manasseh who must be Josiah's Grand-father shall be unborn 5. Paul Paul was a chosen Vessel appointed to preach Christ to the Gentiles and at last to bear witness of Him at Rome And this must be done altho' Bonds Imprisonments and Death it self do attend him in every place If they lye in wait for him at Damascus and watch the gates night and day Acts 9. 23-25 to kill him he shall be let-down by the Wall in a basket and so escape them If all Jerusalem be in an uproar to kill him the chief Captain shall come with an Army and rescue him chap. 21. 31-33 tho' no friend to Paul nor to his Cause If more than Fourty Men have bound themselves with an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have kill'd him his kinsman shal hear of it Acts 23. 14 23 and by
virtually in them According with this is that of our Saviour John 3. 36. Ps 37. 31. He that believeth hath everlasting life It argues the certainty of their Perseverance The law of his God is in his heart None of his steps shall slide Isa 65. 8. And therefore he saith Destroy it Not there is a blessing in it III. Another proof rises from the Nature Arg. III. extent and design of Providence or from the Intent and Purpose of God in that great variety of things which believers are exercised with in the world There are three things considerable to make out this Argument 1. That there is a Divine Providence which Governs the World As in dividing to the Nations their inheritance and bounding their habitations at first so by continuing them in possession or Outing them at his pleasure and this oftentimes by very unlikely means and over-ruling things accordingly Seir being given to Esau and Ar to the Children of Lot and their term not being yet expired the Lord inclines them to let Israel pass thorow and to give them meat for their money whereas the Amorites who were destinied to destruction He hardens their spirits and makes them obstinate that they deny them passage and come out against them in battel Deut. 2. 29 30. So when he would translate the Chaldean Monarchy to the Persians He enfeebles the one Jer. 51. 11. Isa 45. 1 5. but stirrs up the Others spirits and Girds them with strength How oft doth the Scripture repeat That the Lord reigneth Ps 93. 1. 97. 1. 75. 7. That He puts down One and sets up another That He doth according to His Will in the Armies of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the earth Dan. 4 35. How evident is it in his humbling of Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar and others This Providence reacheth to all manner of Persons times and things and Circumscribes them It leaves not the least thing to a Contingency Even Ravens Sparrows and Lillies yea and the hairs of your head are all numbred and under the Conduct of the Providence of God Matth. 6. 26. 2. That the design and course of God's Providence Eezk. 24. 25. is to accomplish His Purpose As Providence governs the World so Purpose is the Director of Providence He is a Provident Man that orders his affairs prudently i. e. so that nothing is wanting nor any thing spent in waste Both these are in the Providence of God eminently for 1. It is All-sufficient supplies all needs Gives all things pertaining to Means and End 2. It does Nothing in vain Nothing superfluous or impertinent to His Purpose Things most casual to Men are levelled at a set and Certain End What the Lord speaks with His Mouth He fullfills with His Hand 1 Kings 8. 24. and His Act shall not vary a tittle from His Decree which is clearly the meaning of that in the Acts Known unto God are all His Works from the beginning of the world Whence was it that Esau tarried so long at his hunting that he was overfainted That Jacob was making pottage just when Esau comes home which set his appetite on edge after it But that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand The Elder must serve the younger which now came-to-pass by the sale of his birthright And thus the Providence of God makes even the prophaness of Men subserve to His End The Lord had determined to cast Judah and Jerusalem out of His sight for their obstinacy And to this end that is To make way for it it came-to-pass 2 King 24. 20. that Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babylon It was to fullfill the word of the Lord declared in the 2 Chron. 36. 21. tho that was farr from the Rebellers intent So He gave Cyrus all the Kingdoms of the Earth that he might build His Temple at Jerusalem and it was to fullfill His Purpose before recorded by Jeremy the Prophet as ver 22. 23. In like manner Herod Pilate and the Jews they all conspire the death of Christ and each party on a several account not thinking in the least to fulfil the determinate Counsell of God yet That was it which Providence intended in permitting the Thing to be done as is plain by Acts 2. 23. As also the Soldiers in parting His garments and piercing His side It was their barbarous rudeness which put them upon it But Providence designed to make-good a Prophecy These things therefore the Soldiers did John 19. 24. All that God doth in the World is the Transcript or Impression of His Decrees 3. That the Providence of God never fails of Its End Our God is in Heaven and doth whatsoever He will Ps 115. 3. He will Work and who shall let it And what will He work The things that are coming and shall come Isa 44. 7. He hath both devised and done it Jer. 51. 12. His Purpose is To preserve His People Isa 54. 17. and therefore No Weapon that is formed against them shall prosper Whosoever gathers together against them shall fall for their sake Isa 54. 15. And As He hath purposed so shall it stand Chap. 14. 24. The Scriptures abound with instances to prove it As on the Contrary When the Lord will execute Judgment it shall be performed albeit the Means be never so weak and improbable Tho' the Army of the Chaldeans were all wounded men yet shall they burn Jerusalem with fire Judges 3. 31. ch 15. 15. Jer. 37. 10. SHAMGAR shall kill six hundred Men with an Ox-goad and SAMPSON a Thousand with the Jaw-bone of an Ass These things considered and laid together though chiefly referring to Temporal things doe strongly inforce the Argument for things of spiritual Concernment Inasmuch as things of Eternal Moment are worthy of more peculiar regard and security Now All a Believer's exercises which may seem to endanger him are either from the guilt of sins committed From the power of indwelling corruption From Satan's temptations or Persecution from the World None of which come on them accidentally but as things fore-appointed of God and for a good intent It is for the Elects sake that all things else have their being 2 Cor. 4. 15. And are all caused to work together for their good Rom. 8. 28. As namely to humble them for sin To wean them from the World To indear JESVS CHRIST to them To shew them the usefulness of Ordinances To exercise and try their Graces To purge out their dross To enable them to succour others To demonstrate the Wisdom Power and Faithfulness of God towards them To meeten them for Heaven And to make them groan and long to be clothed upon with their house from thence As might plentifully be made out by the Scriptures and the visible effects thereof upon those who have been exercised thereby To instance a few particulars David after that great miscarriage in the matter of Vriah with his broken bones upon it
of your hand at first may rise and spread to cover the whole Heavens Therefore keep-off sin at staffs end 4. Be diligent and industrious in it Think not because it is God who performeth all things for you that therefore you may sit-still or be Remiss in your duty your Arms and Armour were not provided to Rust in your Tent. There may be indeed such a Juncture in Providence that it may be your duty and so your strength to sit-still as was theirs at the Red-sea Exod. 14. 13. This is when all farther Motion is shut-up to you and then the Lord will doe His Work without you But usually There is something to be done on our part Tho' the Lord would go-forth before David and smite the Philistims yet David must bestir himself This thing is constantly to be affirm'd 2 Sam. 5. 24. That they who have believed in God be careful to maintain good Works Tit. 3. 8. And do it the rather To cut-off occasion from them which desire occasion that wherein they glory they may be found even as we 2 Cor. 11. 12. 5. Cleave to Jesus Christ and to Him only and trust not to your holding of him but to His holding of you This did David when he says Psal 73. 23. Thou holdest me by my Right hand Follow Him as Men whose dependence is upon it follow the Court Whiles following Him you cannot do amiss nor want any good thing whether for Councel Strength or Otherwise 6. Forget what is behind and press on towards perfection That if possible you might attain to the Resurrection of the Dead i. e. To be perfectly holy Tho' Perfectness in the perfection of it is not attainable here yet the higher you aim the higher shall your Attainment be and the farther-off from losing what you have Keep the Mark still in your eye and shun whatever might intercept your Sight of it These are some of the ways to make your Calling and Election sure And if ye do these things ye shall prove this Doctrine to be true And either Prevent or Retort those Carnal and groundless Calumnies that are brought against it Fourthly Infer IV. Since there are such Arguments for Believers Invincible Perseverance Let us all so demean our selves That we may have them all stand on our side for proof and evidence That we are of that happy Remnant whom the Great God hath set-apart for himself And whom He hath made and wrought for this self same thing And as it was His purpose so let it be our Spirit and practice to glorifie His Rich Grace 1. If born of God let us shew-forth the virtues of our Father and bear our selves as His Children both towards Him and towards the World Let us live upon Him and live to Him Rejoycing always before Him first for His Own blessedness and then for our own as derived from His and by Him reserv'd in Heaven for us And all as designing to honour Him as our Father 2. If we have Faith let it appear by our Works It must be some singular thing that must distinguish us from other Men It is not profession Nor Words Nor Actions neither as to the Matter of them and so farr as visible to Men that will approve us Believers but the Principle whence they grow and the End they drive at The Result of Abraham's faith was To give Glory to God 3. Let us carry our selves under all dispensations not only quietly but thankfully and so as to Answer God s End Walk humbly Hate the thing that 's evil Have the World under your feet Esteem preciously of Christ Honour His Ordinances let every Grace have its perfect work and Rejoyce in hopes of that glory which all these things are preparatory to 4. If One with Christ and He our Mediator Then let us walk as He walked who held His own Will alwaies subject to His Father's Reckoning it His Meat to do His Will and to finish His Work Let us also wait His Advice and Counsel in every business and follow it Commit our Cause to Him and Interest Him in all our Concernments 5. Apply our selves to every Attribute of God according to the present occasion and dwell upon them and leave them not until we have the Grace and Help intended by them They are all made over to the heirs of Salvation to live upon Let it not be said That in the midst of our abundance we are in streights 6. If made for the Glory of God Make-good your End He is glorious in Holiness and by Holiness onely can you glorifie Him Bear therefore on the forehead of your Designs and Conversation that Royal Inscription Holiness to the Lord By this you will set-to your seal That God is true and approve your selves to be Children that will not lie 'T will also be of singular use and service to your selves as to that other End of your Being That you have glorified God on the Earth will be a substantial argument That He will glorifie you in the World to come Joh. 17. 14. For tho your personal Righteousness be not your Title to the Heavenly Inheritance yet your constant progression in Holyness will be your best evidence next the immediate witnessings of the Spirit that you have a Title and that your Title is good Since therfore we were made for and expect such things 2 Pet. 3. 11. What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and Godliness 7. If under the Covenant of Grace let us reckon our selves strengthened with all might and hold to it as having all our salvation in it Both Keeping Support Recovery and Settlement Grace and Glory Not Minding so much how any thing looks or feels at present but what is the End it tends-to For if the End be good the Means as such cannot be otherwise And truly we cannot have a better evidence of our Interest in this Covenant Isa 56. 4 6. than a total Devolving of our selves upon it And well it is for us who find in our Selves such a proneness to backslide That our Eternal condition doth not depend on our selves 2 Tim. 2. 19. but upon that foundation of God mentioned in Timothy where the Apostle speaking of some who had made Ship-wreck of the faith lest true Believers should faint in their minds at the sight and apprehension of it he tells them That Nevertheless that is Notwithstanding this wofull backsliding of some perhaps of eminent profession yet the foundation of God standeth sure q. d. They that are of this Foundation are sure to be kept And he firms it with this Seal The Lord knoweth them that are His He knows whom He hath Chosen and concerning whom He hath Covenanted That they shall not depart from Him and therefore He will not let them go They shall be kept as those Seaven thousand were from bowing the knee to Baal Adding this Caution withall That every one which nameth the Name of the
and Prun'd-off Joh. 15. 2. the true Branches are preserved and Cherished They shall bring-forth fruit in their old age Pâ— 92. 14. 1 Joh. 3. 2 9. chap. 2. 27. 2 ep Joh. v. 2. They that are Now i. e. Once They that are Once the Children of God shall never be Otherwise save only in a greater likeness to their Father And tho' their living on Him and their likeness to Him be very weakly especially at times as the Natural life of Infants is yet being born they must be kept And the Will and Care of their Father is Eph. 4. 13. To Nurse them up to a Perfect Man You ' I say perhaps That never had any such cause of Complaint as you and possibly it may be so To be sure you know not that They had And those you compare your self with have said as much of themselves and they had the like Cause for our hearts are fashion'd alike Onely each one best knows the plague of his own Agur a Man of great Wisdom and Holiness says of himself That he was more brutish than any Man Prov. 30. 2. But suppose it be true That Others corruptions have not broke-out as yours have done yet May not this put your faith to a â—tand Much less Make you weary Recoil or to faint in your Minds For the same Grace that prevented them can pardon you and will if you cast your self upon it Ye may indeed be allow'd to complain of your sins for Nothing els have ye to complain of Therfore Complain and Cry-out as loud as you will Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death But withall Betake you to the same Refuge that he did ver 25. abide by it I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Here you may triumph over all both Complaints and the Causes of them It must always be granted That to Overcome Sin Combin'd Intrench'd and fortifi'd as it is is a great Undertaking and must be gon-through with There is no Retreit to be sounded Nor Armour provided for your back Every Mother's son must either kill or be kill'd in this Combate There 's no Compounding the Difference Nor discharge in this Warfare till the day be perfectly Won But What a Recruit is there levied and always stands ready as a sure Reserve viz. That though the Conflict be sharp the success is sure In order whereto amongâ—t other Rules and Articles of War bear in mind these few following 1. Intangle not your self but shun and avoid whatever may prove a clog or unfit you for duty 2. Exercise yourself in things that will teach you to handle your Arms and tending to Nourish your faith 3. Stand on your Guard watchfully that ye be not surprised by sudden excursions or under pretence of friendship 4. Arm your self with the same Mind that was in Christ set your face as a flint and conclude That ye shall not be confounded 5. Submit to the place your General hath set you in It must have been some bodie 's lot and why not yours and the hotter it is the more honourable 6. Look that ye fight with proper weapons which are onely to be had at the Covenant of Grace and the Cross of Christ And There they are never wanting And be sure ye go not down to the Philistines either to forge or sharpen 7. Fight not as one that beats the ayr but as having indeed a sturdy adversary to deal-with whom yet you are sure to Overcome 8. Look still on your Captain to observe what He says and Does and do likewise To take-up your Cross and endure hardship are necessary accoutrements to a Soldier of Christ 9. Wait on the Lord to Renew your Strength who then bestirrs Himself most when your strength is gon Then He lays hold upon Shield and Buckler Ps 35. 2. and stands-up for your help 10. Lastly and to Influence all Mind the Lord of his Covenant even Then when it may be your self think on it with trouble as doubting your interest in it Pray Him to remember it for you and with the same Good-will wherewith He made it Beseech Him to look-on His Bow in the Cloud which Himself hath set there as a sure sign between God and you That tho' the skies be Red and lowring The Clouds return after the Rain and the Billows go-over your head you shall not be deluged by them By this it is that ye are hedged-about and walled-up to Heaven Therefore Stand not like Men in suspense as unresolved to fall-on or doubtful how to come-off But On On the day 's your Own The Lord of Hosts pursues them And let all the Sons of God shout for joy Sixthly Infer VI. since Believers onely are interessed in the Covenant and that Faith is a Necessary Instrument which the Covenant wil not work without without which you cannot work with it Nor see your Interest in it Look-well to your Faith first That it be of the right kind viz. such as Renounces Self lives upon Grace And then having found it such Be sure ye keep it well and improve it to the utmost Two uses especially are to be made of it 1 As your Shield to supply the place of all other peeces of your Armour when broken or loose as well as to safeguard them when they are whole and Tite about you If your helmet be out of the way and fiery darts come pouring down Hold up your Faith between your head and them Faith is the truest quench-coal to the fire of hell If your Sword be forgot or laid-aside or wants an edge c. your Shield if well applyed will Retort your enemies weapons on his own Pate 2 Faith is your spiritual Optick which shews you things of Greatest Moment and Not Otherwise Visible Even Chariots and horsmen of Fire are not discernible without it If temptations from the World do indanger you Turn your Faith that way and through it view and consider how Shallow and short-liv'd the pleasures of it are and how Momentany your sufferings Then look-at the World to come The Glory of it and your interest in it And how much your Crown will be Brightened by the scowrings you have pass'd-under here and dwell on the contemplation of it Bend not your eye so much on the peril or length of your passage as on the long'd-for shore that lies beyond it And reckon the Surges of that dreadfull gulph which is yet betwixt you and It but as so many strokes to waft you Thither Heb. 11. 26. This was the course that Moses took and Christ Himself Nothing so blunts the edge of Satan's temptations Chap. 12. 2. or the World's as this Faith of God's Elect. Therefore see that you hold-fast your Faith Keep it as your life keep That and it will keep you and let it not go until ye die Then indeed it will leave you because then it will have done