transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was to be upon Him and by his stripes we were to be healed Esai 53 5 and so it was Rom. 4 25. 1 Cor. 15 3. 1. Pet. 2 23. His soul was to be made an offering for sin Esa. 53 10. and so it was for he offered up himself a sacrifice for sin yea all that He was to do by vertue of that covenant he did it perfectly so as he cryed out while hanging on the cross it is finished Iohn 19 30. and in his prayer Iohn 17. he told the Father vers 4. that He had glorified Him on earth and had finished the work which He gave him to do So that the Father was well pleased with Him Mat. 3 17. and 12 18 and 17 5. Mark 1 11. Luk. 3 22. Fourthly He is the Truth in respect of his Offices which He took upon him for our good for all the duties of these offices which He was to do what remaineth to be done He will perfect in due time Did He take upon him the office of a Prophet He did fully execute the same in reâ—…aling mediatly and immediatly the whole counsell of God Iohn 1 18. and 15 15. Ephes. 4 11 12 13. Act. 20 32. 1 Pet. 1. 10 11 12. Heb. 1 2. Did He take upon him the office of a Priest so did he fulfill the same offering up himself an expiatory sacrifice to God Heb. 9 14 28. and 2 17. and becoming a Priest living for ever to make intercession for us Heb. 7 25. And did He take on the office and function of a King so doth He execute the same calling a people to himself out of the world by his word and spirit Act. 15 14 15 16. Esa. 55. 4 5. Psal. 110. 3. erecting a visible Church a company of visible professors to professe and declare his name which as his kingdom he ruleth with his own Officers Lawes and Penalties or Censures so that the government is on his shoulders Esa. 9 6 7 who is the Head of the body the Church Ephes. 1 22 23. Col. 1 18. and this his kingdom He ruleth in a visible manner by his own officers c. Ephes. 4 11 12. 1 Cor. 12 28. Esai 33 22. Mat. â—…8 17 18. 1 Cor. 5 4 5. and further he executes this office by effectually calling the elect giving them grace Act. 5 3. rewarding the obedient Revel 22 12. and 2. 10. chastiseing the disobedient Revel 3 19. bringing his own home at length through all their temptations afflictions and overcoming all their enemies 1 Cor. 15. 25. Psal. 110. and at length He shall do the part of a king when He shall judge quick and dead at the last day 2. Thes. 1 8 9. Act. 17 31. 2. Tim. 4 1. Fiftly He is the Truth in this regaird that He fully answereth all the titles and names which he got As he was called Iesus so did He save his people from their sins Mat. 1 21. As He was called Christ so was He anoynted with the Spirit without measure Iohn 3 34 Psal. 45. 7. and separated for his work and endued with all power for that effect Iohn 6 27. Mat. 28 18 19 20 and established to be a Prophet Act 3 21 22. Luc. 4 18 21. a Priest Heb. 5 5 6. 7 and 4 14. 15. and a King Psal. 2. 6. Esa. 9 6 7. Mat. 21 5. Phil. 2 8 9 10. 11. Was He called Immanuel Esai 7 14. so was He indeed God with us being God and Man in one person for ever was he called wonderfull Esai 9 6. so was He indeed in his two distinct natures in one person at which the Angels may wonder Ephes. 3 10 11. 1 Pet. 1 12. 1. Tim. 3 16. was he called counseller so was He indeed coming out from the Fathers besome with the whole counsel of God concerning our salvation Iohn 1 14 18. and 3 13. and 5 20 and 15 15. was He called the mighty God so was He indeed Psal 110 1. Mat. 22 44. Heb. 1 13. Psal. 45 6. Heb. 1 8. Ier. 23 6. and 33 16. Mal. 3 1. Matth. 11. 10 Psal. 83 18. Luk. 1. 76. Iohn 1 1 14. 1 Iohn 5 20. Tit. 2 13. Rom. 9 5. was He called the everlasting Father so is He the father of eternity being as some interpret the word the author of eternall life which He giveth to all that beleeve in Him Ioh. 6. 39 40 47 51. and 8 51. and 10. 28. and 11 25 26. Heb. 5 9. and 7 25. was He called the Prince of peace so is He the Prince of peace indeed being our peace Mic. 5 5. Eph. 2 14. making up peace betwixt God and us Esa. 53 5. and 57 19. Eph. 2 17. Col. 1 20. Hence his gospell is the gospell of peace and his Ministers embassadours of peace Esa. 52 7. Rom. 10 15. 2 Cor. 5 19 20. Eph. 6 15. And he giveth peace to all his Zach. 9 10. Ioh. 14 27. and 16 33. Rom. 5 1. and 8 16. and 14 17. 2. Thes 3 17. was He called the Lord our righteousnesse Ier. 23 6. So is He the same indeed bringing in everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9 24. and being made of God to us righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1 30. making us righteous 2. Cor. 5 21. Sixtly He is the Truth in reference to the promises which 1. Centre all in Him and lead to Him as the great promise 2. Are founded all upon Him who is the only Mediator of the covenant of promises 3. Are confirmed all by Him and made yea and amen in Him 2 Cor. 1 20. He confirmed the promises made to the fathers Rom. 15 8. 4. are all dispensed and given out by Him who is the executor of his own testament and the great dispensator of all that we need so that what we ask of the Father He giveth it himself Iohn 14 13 14. Seventhly He is the Truth in that He fully answereth all the hops and expectations of his people He shall not be found a liar unto them whatever Satan may suggest unto them or a misbeleeving heart may prompt them to conceive and their Iealousie may make them apprehend and whatever his dispensations may now seem to say In end they shall all finde that He is the Truth fully satisfying all their desires and granting all that ever they could hope for or expect from Him They shall at length be satisfied with his likenesse Psal. 17 15 yea aboundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house Psal. 36 8. and with his goodnesse Psal. 65 4. and that as with marrow and fatnesse Psal. 63 5. One sight of his glory will fully satisfy and cause them cry out enough Ieremiah is not now saying as once he did in the bitternesse of his soul through the power of corruption and temptation Cap. 15 18. will thou be altogether unto me as a liar and as waters that fail Eightly He is the Truth in opposition to all other wayes
truth should no more be mentioned are promoveing his work His wheel is the great wheel that ordereth all the lesser and subordinate wheels whatever contrary motions they may have the one to the other and all or many of them may seem to have to this great wheel So that do they what they will the work of our Lord goeth on Their opposition is setting his work forward though they intend the contrary However their faces look they row to the port He would be at This is an undoubted truth and confirmed in all ages and yet is not firmly beleeved and a truth it is which if beleeved would do much to settle our staggering souls in a stormy day 10 That at last He shall come to be glorifyed in his saints 2 Thes. 1 10 when He shall be revealed from heaven with all his mighty angels vers 7. Then shall it be seen whose shall counsel stand His or mens and whose work shall prosper His or Satans Cautions Yet let me adde a few words for caution and direction here 1. The consideration of those things mentioned should not make us slacken our diligence in prayer and other duties and when they are a right considered they will rather prove a spurre and a goad in our side to set us forward than a bridle to hold us aback 2. We would not think that Christ's work and interest is going backward alwayes when it seemeth so to us Even when He is casting downe what He hath built up and plucking up what He hath planted his work is prospering for all that is in order to the laying of a better foundation and to the carrying on of a more glorious work when He shall lay all the stones with faire colours the foundations with saphires and make the windowes of crystal c. Esai 5 4 11 12. 3. Though his work be alwayes going on and his truth prospering yet we would not think that it will alwayes prosper alike in our apprehensions many times we judge by rules of our own making and not by the rule of truth and hence it is that we mistake oftentimes We walk little by faith and too much by sense and hence we judge too much by sense and so passe a wrong judgement to his dishonour and the sadning of our own hearts 4. Nor would we think that His Truth and interest is ruined and gone because it is sore oppressed in this or that particular place of the world as if his work were not of an universal extent and in all the churches If his truth thrive and prosper in some other place of the world shall we not say that his kingdome is coming Or shall we limite all his work and interest to one small part of the world 5. We would not think the worse of his work because it is carryed on with so many stops and doth meet with so many Impediments in its way We are not acquanted with the depths of his infinite wisdome and counsel and so we see not what noble ends He hath before Him in suffering those impediments to lie in the way of his chariot We think He should ride so triumphantly all alongs that none should once dar to cast the least block in his way but we judge carnally as unacquanted with the many noble and glorious designes which He hath in ordering matters As Himself was for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence so will he have the way of the carrying on of his work prove in his holy and spotlesse justice a stumbling stone to many that shall stumble thereat and fall and never rise any more 6. We would beware to think that Christ-hath forgotten his work because He seemeth to take no notice of our prayers which we are putting up now and then for his work He may be doing that which we are desireing in the general and yet not let us know that He is answering our prayers that for wise and holy ends to keep us humble diligent He may seem to misregaird our suites and yet be carrying on his work and granting us our desires upon the matter 7. Hence we â—…ould beware of desponding and growing heartlesse and fainte when we see few owneing truth Or standing upon Christ's side for He needeth not mans help to carry on his work though He sometimes thinketh good to condescend so far as to honour some to be instrumental in setting of it forward who yet have nothing but as He giveth let us not then think that his work cannot prosper because great ones and meane ones oppose it and such as should stand for it and owne it are few and fainting without strength courage or Zeal CHAP. XV. How to make use of Christ for stedfastness in a time when truth is oppressed and borne downe WHen enemies are prevailing and the way of truth is evil spoken of many fainte and many turne aside and do not plead for truth not stand up for the interest of Christ in their houre and power of darknesse many are overcome with base feare and either side with the workers of iniquity or are not valient for the truth But being faint-hearted turne back Now the thoughts of this may put some who desire to stand fast and to owne Him and his cause in a day of tryall to enquire how they shall make use of Christ who is the Truth so as to be inabled to stand in the day of temptation and to keep fast by Truth when it is loaded with reproaches and buryed under an hâ—…pe of obloquy For satisfaction to this question I shall shortly point out those directions which if followed may prove helpful to keep the soul from fainting misbeleeving doubting quarrelling at the Lord's dispensations and from yeelding to the temptatitions in such a day 1. The beleever would live in the conviction of his hazard through the slight of Satan the strength of the temptation the wickednesse and treachery of the heart the evil example of others and the want of sanctified courage Zeal and resolution and this will keep the soul humble and farr from boasting of its own strength which was Peter's fault 2. They would live in the faith and perswasion of this That it is Christ alone who is the Truth who can help them to stand for truth in a day of temptation and that all their former purposes vowes resolutions solemne professions and the like will prove but weak cables to hold them fast in a day of storme and that only the rock of ages must save them and their being a ley ward of Him and partaking of his warme and saife protection will do their businesse That all their stock of grace and knowledge and that confirmed with resolutions and sincere purposes will helpe but little in that day and that new influences of grace and truth from the fountaine that is full of grace and truth will only prove establishing to the soul and confirme it in the truth in that day 3. Therefore they
reason whose Rule is the law of nature as explained in the scriptures whose use and end is acceptation with God and justification before him which is pure impure Pelagianisme propagat now in Brittan where it had its unhallowed birth a tremenduous signification of the high displeasure of God against these huffeing arrogants of this age who because they have not received the truth in love are left to soul-murthering delusions and for their dispiseing the unsearchable riches of Christ held forth in the gospel are left in stead of embraceing Christ Jesus into their soul as altogither lovely whom God hath made unto us wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption to embrace in their bosome and hug between their brests this hell-borne and after all the cost they have bestowed upon it wherein they are at the expence of their precious soul if repentance prevent it not hell-blake brate morality in opposition to that gospel holinesse wherein conformity to God consists It concernes thee Christian Reader whoso ever thou art carefully to observe that the great designe the Devil this day drives in the world i◅ how to introduce a Religion amongst these called Christians which for the soul and substance of it is an Antichristian masse and medly substitute and obtruded in place of the marrow of the gospel mysteries of salvation And though Christ be named amongst these perverters of the gospel yet he is really exautorat and robbed of his offices and while false ends are assigned the great end of his comeing in the world is denied and the blessed intendment and designe of the gospel of the grace of God is defeat Now because Satan finds no mids so propper for his purpose nor mean so certain to accomplish his end as to corrupt the minds of men with perverse principles for they are more then halfe way to hell when their principles state them in an opposition to thē Prince of life he perverts them into a nauseating of the plain path way of salvation by a slain Saviour for the preaching of the crosse what ever they pretend is really to them foolishnesse and seduceth them into a satisfaction with and pleading for this pagan piety as preferable to pure Religion and undefiled before God And then under this maske of morality and disguise of vertue doth Abaddon muster all his several legions and mannage his opposition against the Mediator in the comeing of his kingdome in the world and conquering the souls of men It is true there may be some small differences betwixt his forces when gathered in the field in their manner or method and marke some attacqueing the gospel in the very substance of it with a flouting and fierce insolency others with a subtile and snarkeing fullenness but all of them concenter in the designe and bewray such a keenness and diligence in driveing it as showes both under whose banner they fight and how true they are to their collours and Captain herein Papists Pelagians Socinians Arminians and the compound of all abominations Quakers are unite And r◅uely if I might be heard I would beseech also our pepper corne men to consider how far the Adversary of mans salvation hath improved their assertions and concessions and how much advantage the common enemies of the truth have got thereby Take notice therefore I say Christians of this being Satans main designe and how and by whom it is mannaged lest yee be seduced into the same conspiracie for many who seemed to be of understanding have fallen and fallen because the did not feare to fall O beware lest yee also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness but study to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour for there is none other name given und◅ heaven whereby men may be saved Jesus Christ I know that every Reader and serious Christian in order to his own establishment is not able to purchase nor is at leisure to peruse what Godly men have written for this end and whose praise because of their pains is in the Church of Christ such as that large discourse of learned and truely religious Doctor Owen upon the Holy Spirit◅ wherein that worthy Author as he hath given proof to the world of Christs being formed in him and that his working and walking and witnessing to the truth proceeds from the same noble principle Christ dwelling in him and walking in him so he hath with a profound perspicuity and convinceing plainnesse discovered the nature pedegree discent and tendency of this monster and then haveing discovered whence it came and for what end he hath given it a mortal blow whereby he hath laid it all alongs and left it sprawling and gnawing its tongue and gnashing its teeth for which learned elaborat and judicious discourse as all the lovers of that truth which is according to godlinesse are obliged to blesse the Lord so are they under the obligation of thankfulnesse to him and by this I returne him my poor insignificant thanks And I have the allowance of the Author to do the same in his name But I would recommend to you who can neither purchase nor peruse what is more voluminous how worthy soever the serious perusal as of the whole of that savoury grace-breathing peece The fulfilling of the Scriptures so therein that short but sweet digression against blake-mouthed Parker wherein the gracious Author takes out his own soul and sets before thine eye the image of God impressed thereon for while he deals with that Desperado by clear and convinceing reason flowing natively from the pure fountain of divine revelation he hath the advantage of most men and writers too in silencing that blasphemer of the good wayes of God with arguments taken from what he hath found acted upon his own soul. And likewise I would recommend as a soveraigne antidot against this poison the diligent peruseing and pondering of what is shortly hinted against the hellish belchings of the same unhallowed Author in the preface to that piece of great Mr. Durham upon the Commands by a disciple who besids his natural acuteness and subactness of judgement in the deepth of gospel mysteries is known by all who know him and for my self I know none now alive his equal to have most frequent accesse to lean his head on his Masters bosome and so in best case to tell his fellow disciples and brethren what is breathed into his own soul while he lives in these embraces and under the shedings abroad of that love of God in his soul which drew and did dictat these lines against that flouter at all such fruitions Nor can I here omit to observe how when the devil raised up Parker that Monster to barke and blaspheme the Lord raised up a Merveil to fight him at his own weapon who did so cudgel and quell that boasting Bravo as I know not if he be dead of his wound but for any thing I know he hath laid his speech