Judicial Astrology Delivered in Sermons on 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Christ in Travel Wherein 1. The Travel of his soul 2. The first and after effects of his Death 3. His Assurance of Issue 4. And his satisfaction therein Are opened and cleered in Sermons on Isa 53 11. 3 A Lifting up for the Cast-down in case of 1. Great sin 2. Weakness of Grace 3. Miscarriage of Duties 4. Want of Assurance 5. Affliction 6 Temptation 7. Dissertion 8. Unserviceableness 9 Discouragements from the Condition it self Delivered in thirteen Sermons on Psalm 42.11 His Four Sermons concerning 4 Sin against the Holy Ghost 5 Sins of Infirmitie 6 The false Apostle tried and discovered 7 The good and means of Establishment 8 The great things Faith can do 9 The great things Faith can suffer 10 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 11 Satans power to Tempt and Christs Love to and Care of his People under Temptaton 12 Thankfulness required in every Condition 13 Grace for Grace 14 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities 15 Evangelical Repentance 16 The Spiritual Life c. 17 The Woman of Canaan 18 The Saints Hiding place c. 19 Christs Coming c. 20 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances 21 Grace and Love beyond Gifts Twelve Books of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs lately published also the Texts of Scripture upon which they are grounded 1 Gospel Reconciliation Or Christs Trumpet of Peace to the World Wherein is Opened Gods exceeding willingness to be Reconciled to Man And Gods sending his Embassadors to that End From. 2 Cor. 5 19 20 21. 2 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment on Phil. 4.11 Wherein is shewed 1 What Contentment is 2 It is an Holy art and Mystery 3 The Excellencies of it 4 The Evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring and the Aggravations of it 3 Gospel-Worship on Levit. 10.3 Wherein is shewed 1 The right manner of the Worship of God in General And particularly In hearing the Word Receiving the Lords supper prayer 4 Gospel-Conversation on Phil. 1 17 Wherein is shewed 1 That the Conversations of Beleevers must be above what could be by the Light of Nature 2 Beyond those that lived under the Law 3 And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those Men that have their Portion in this Life only on Psal 17.14 5 A Treatise of Earthly-mindedness Wherein is shewed 1 What Earthly-mindedness is 2. The great Evil thereof on Phil. 3. part of the 19. verse Also to the same Book is joyned A Treatise of Heavenly-mindedness and walking with God on Gen. 5.24 and on Phil. 3.20 6 An Exposition on the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of the Prophesie of Hosea 7 An Exposition on the eighth ninth and tenth Chapters of Hosea 8 An Exposition on the eleventh twelfth and thirteenth Chapters of Hosea being now compleat 9 The Evil of Evils or the exceeding sinfulness of sin on Job 16.21 10 Precious Faith on 2 Pet. 1.1 11 Of Hope on 1 John 3.3 12 Of Walking by Faith on 2 Cor. 5.7 Mr. Burroughs his fifty nine Sermons on Matth. 11.28 29 30. Are Printing A Godly and Fruitful Exposition on the first Epistle of Peter By Mr. John Rogers Minister of the word of God at Dedham in Essex Mr Rogers on Naaman the Syrian his Disease and Cure Discovering the Leprosie of Sin and Self-love with the Cure viz. Self-denial and Faith Mr. Rogers his Treatise of Marriage The Wonders of the Loadstone By Samuel Ward of Ipswich An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Matthew By Mr. VVard The Discipline of the Church in New-England By the Churches and Synod there Eleven Books by Nich. Culpeper Gent. Student in Physick and Astrologie 1. The Practice of Physick containing seventeen several Books Wherein is plainly set forth The Nature Cause Differences and several sorts of Signs Together with the Cure of al Diseases in the Body of Man Being a Translation of the Works of that Learned and Renowned Doctor Lazarus Riverius now living Councellor and Physitian to the present King of France Above fifteen thousand of the said Books in Latin have been sold in a very few Yeers having been eight times printed though al the former Impressions wanted the Nature Causes Signs and Differences of the Diseases and had only the Medicines for the cure for them as plainly appears by the Authors Epistle 2. A Sure Guide to Physick and Chyrurgery That is to say The Arts of Healing by Medicine and Manual Operation Being an Anatomical Description of the whol body of Man and its parts with their Respective diseases demonstrated from the Fabrick and use of the said Parts In Six Books of Riolanus translated and adorned with a hundred eighty four Figures cut in Brass 3 Veslingus Anatomy of the Body of Man Wherein is exactly described the several Parts of the Body of Man illustrated with very many larger Brass Plates than ever was in English before 4 A Translation of the New dispensatory made by the Colledg of Physitians of London Whereunto is added The Key to Galens Method of Physick 5 The English Physitian enlarged being an Astrologo-Physical Discourse of the vulgar Herbs of this Nation wherein is shewed how to cure a mans self of most Diseases incident to Mans Body with such things as grow in England and for three pence charge Also in the same Book is shewed 1 The time of gathering al Herbs both Vulgarly and Astrologically 2 The way of drying and keeping them and their Juyces 3 The way of making and keeping al manner of useful Compounds made of those Herbs The way of mixing the Medicines according to the Cause and Mixture of the Disease and the part of the Body afflicted 6 A Directory for Midwives or a Guide for Women Newly enlarged by the Author in every sheet and illustrated with divers new Plates 7 Galens Art of Physick with a large Comment 8 A New Method both of studying and practising Physick 9 A Treatise of the Rickets being a Disease common to Childrenâ— wherein is shewed 1 The Essence 2 The Causes 3 The Signs 4 The Remedies of the Disease Published in Latin by Dr. Glisson Dr. Bates and Dr. Regemorter translated into English And corrected by N. Culpeper 10 Medicaments for the Poor Or Physick for the Common People 11 Health for the Rich and Poor by Dyet without Physick The Idea of Practical Physick in twelve Books are Printing The London Dispensatory in Folio of a large Character in Latine The London Dispensatory in twelves a smal Pocket Book in Latine The Royal and Delightful Game of Picquet written in French and now rendred into English Octavo The Golden Rule of Justice Advanced Six Sermons preached by Dr. Hill Viz. 1 The Beauty and Sweetness of an Olive Branch of Peace and Brotherly Accommodation budding 2 Truth and Love happily married in the Church of Christ 3 The Spring of
hearts this Angel shall pass away from us This is another fruit of our Peace with God namely protection from the wrath of God when it spreads abroad as Lightning in the world The twelfth Consequence 12. Again Hence all that is in Gods word speaks Peace to us both the Law and the Gospel the very Law it self comes to speak Peace to us because it is now fully satisfied there is nothing in the word of God but is at Peace with those that are at Peace with him The threats that are in the word of God bring no evill at all to him that is reconciled to God every part of Gods word doth do good to them that walk uprightly according to that in Mic. 2.7 Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly When thou readest any part of the word of God though never so terrible if thou art Reconciled to God thou mayest read it with comfort Many people dare not read somwhat of Gods word they scarce dare come to hear somwhat of Gods word but if thou beest at peace with God thou needest not fear the reading or the hearing of any part of Gods word What is the Reason that many people when there is an argument preached that hath any terror in it they will come no more to hear it It is whatsoevever their pretences be a sign that there is some guilt in their hearts they look upon the word of God as if it were their enemy and it is a sad thing for a man to look upon any part of Gods word as his enemy Certainly if any part of Gods word be thy enemy God is thy enemy for there is no part of the word of God but there is Gods mind and Gods heart in it and therefore if thou beest at peace with God there is nothing in that word of God which is thine enemy Indeed a man that is on the Sea if storms and Tempests arise he may peradventure be afraid to look out he may not dare to stir out of his Cabbin But if he be on shore he can stand and look upon all the waves of the Sea and upon all the boysterousnesse of it without any trouble to him So when men are in their natural Condition when they are not converted unto God then when they come to hear of the terrors of the Law alas they cannot enter into Consideration of that wrath of God which the Law threatneth and which they apprehend is due unto them because of sin but their very hearts shake they do even shut their eyes against those truths But when they are once got upon the shore when there is a Peace made between God and them then they may look upon al the terrors of the Law and upon al that wrath that is threatned therein with joy and Comfort and bless the name of God for ever that they are freed and delivered from them These are the blessed and happy fruits of our Peace and Reconciliation with God And now before we go any further we must abide a while in the Application of what hath been thus far opened unto you concerning the excellencies and glorious fruits of this Peace and Reconciliation CAHP. 6. VSE 1. Wherefore in the first Place From hence it must needs follow that if there be such a blessed peace between God and a true Christian as hath been opened Then he must needs be very peaceable in the world he must needs be of a very peaceable disposition before men You wil say How doth this follow Thus. There is so much sweeteness in this Peace with God that it must needs so quiet the spirit of that man in whom it is that whatsoever is without shal never be able to make any great disturbance in his Spirit so great and so excellent is the sweetness of this Peace A Merchant that hath al his estate in one Bottom he is upon every stirring of the winds or upon the hearing of any storme afraid that all is cast away But if he hear news that the Ship is safe and that al is come securely into the Haven his Spirit that was afraid before wil be now so quieted and sattisfied with this newes that it wil not be a very easie matter at such a time to anger such a man There is nothing that is more able to keep the heart of a man from passion and frowardness and disturbance than a ful sattisfaction within ones own spirit Now if there be any thing in the world that is able to sattisfy the spirit of a man surely it is the Peace with God it is Reconciliation which is made between a man and God The Scripture saith that a good man shal be satisfied from himself Prov. 14.14 Ex sese at Mercerus expresseth it i. e. from himself Although he meeteth with those without that are troublesome and wil not sattisfy him that he hath so much within that he sattisfies and quieteth his own spirit Therefore a Christian needs not be beholding to the world for Peace for he hath Peace enough within his own bosome That which is the greatest Jewel in the world a Christian hath the ful pofession of within his own heart Al the Storms and tempests that are abroad in the world can never make an Earthquake if there be not some vapors within to do it So that which doth shake the hearts of men and make a Combustion in their Spirits it is more the inward disturbances that are there than any thing from without We may Complaine of outward things and of this matter and of this occasion and the like But the truth is if al be examined and the true ground of our disquietness searched into we shal find that the Cause of al our disturbance is rather from within than from without and if al were wel within we should never be troubled with any thing which doth befal us from without Now then if any thing in the world wil make al quiet within if any thing in the world wil beget a serenity and Calmness in the spirits of men it is this Reconciliation with God No marvel then that the Gospel speakes so much of the peaceable disposition of those that entertaine it that it tells us of the Wolses dwelling with the Lamb of the Lyons eating straw with the Oxe that is though men were formerly of such Wolfish and Lyon-like natures yet having received the Gospel and accepted of the tearmes of Reconciliation with God they shal be as Lambs they shal agree one with another And the reason is because there is so much in the Peace of the Gospel as wil quiet the heart so that a man may wonder when he Considers of the excellency of the Peace that is between God and man how it is possible for a Christian to be put into a passion You Complaine of the troubles you meet withal in your world that your Husband is froward or that the Wife is froward that you have perverse Neighbours but
preaching to you How do you think that Christ himself would preach if he were here upon the Earth That which comes neerest to what Christ would preach that you must favor cerrainly Christ would not preach to defend superstitious vanities for Christ when he came to preach preached so as the people many times derided him and scorned him One time when he had done his Sermon they carryed him to the brow of the hil of the City and would presently have broken his Neck Do but read that Sermon of Christ in the 5 6 7. Math. What preachers would you think your Courtiers to be if Christ were preaching to you that that comes nearest to that that Christ would preach that you must most favor and affect Secondly That kind of preaching you think in your consciences doth most prevaile in the authority of the word hath humbled most hearts and converted most souls that Christ hath set his seal unto I appeal unto you what kind of preaching hath humbled most souls and done most good Hath not some poor country preacher that hath preached in the evidence and demonstration of the spirit converted more souls unto God than an hundered Bishops so that he may be able to say at the great day of judgment according to his measure as our blessed Savior said Here am I and those whom thou hast given me Thirdly Examine of what side you be those that be of Gods side they know his voice my sheep hear my voice but a stranger they wil not follow take any town and divide the people and see how the Minister is liked some are for and some against him But now look into the difference of their lives of both these kinds of men of those that are for and those that are against the Minister see their different walkings come into such a place as this Because they say there is a thousand ale-houses belonging to this place of Stepny I think there be hardly five that do savor the Ministery of the word and al your prophane ones generally they speak against the Ministers Now I appeal to your consciences if you were to stand before God at the day of judgment of which side would you be either of the side of those that are drunkards swearers uncleane persons and raylers at the Ministery of the word or of the side of those that are willing to take paines to heare the word of God and bless God for the Ministery of his word Certainly that preaching hath most of Christ in it that those that have most of the Spirit of Christ do most savour fot they know the voice of Christ and a stranger they wil not hear they can understand it though wicked and ungodly ones cannot That is the Second use CHAP. 53. USE 3. We should delight in the Word A Third Use of the point is this Is the ministry of the word such as hath God and Christ speaking in it Oh then How should we delight in it How should we bless God for it With what greediness should we come to hear at any time What is not the voice of Jesus Christ sweet unto us We have Christ wooing of us Christ exhorting of us and Christ comforting of us When we come to the Word O! with what readiness and cheerfulness should we come to hear the voice of Christ If you be Godly Christ doth delight in your voice when you are gotten alone in your Closets and can speak but brokenly O then your voice is delightful to him Therefore the voice of Christ should be very delightful unto you I wil give you a Text or two for proof of this Cant. 2.14 It is a speech of Christ to the Church O my dove that are in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comly O! let me hear thy voice my dove O! thou that art in the secret places of the stairs Art thou got alone into a hole to prayer got alone behind the dore in the secret places for it is spoken here of the estate of the Church in times of persecution that they dare not come together openly howsoever wicked men wil raile at them and say they get into corners to do thus and thus but saith Christ thou that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stairs let me hear thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance is comely Against in the 4. Cant. 11. Thy lips drop as the hony-combe O my Spouse When the Saints speak of Christ or speak to Christ their lips do drop before Christ as the hony-comb Now what an argument is this Shal thy lips be so sweet to Christ and shal not Christs lips be as sweet to thee the Ministry of the word is as if Christ did entreat thee and beseech thee O! how sweet should it be to thee if thou hast the Spirit of Christ the Church of Christ doth answer what Christ said of her lips and of her Voice and of her Mouth so the Church doth answer to Christ in the 5. Cant. mark what the Church saith of his Mouth what an Eccho is here and an answer to prayer saith Christ to the Church Thy lips O my Spouse are as the hony-comb And thy mouth O my Saviour is most sweet In John 3.29 he saith there That the friend of the Bridegroom which stands and hears the Bridegroomes voice rejoiceth greatly If thou be the spouse of Christ thou wilt rejoice to hear the voice of the Brdegroom and every time thou comest to hear a conscionable Sermon thou do'st come to hear the very Voyce of the Bridegroom and thou canst not but rejoyce in it O! how sweet is one word of Christ to a gracious heart and the spiritual communion with Christ here upon earth it is in his ordinances we shal hereafter be alwaies in his presence and see his face But if he would have any evidence that we shal have communion with him in heaven we must Rejoyce in the hearing of his word CHAP. 54 VES 4. If God and Christ speak in the word how dreadful ought it to be to the Neglectors Disobayers and Contemners of the word IF God and Christ do speak in the ministry of his word Then O! what a dreadful point is this to al the neglecters disobeyers and contemners of the ministry of the word Thou neglectest the word O! what dost thou do when thou neglectest the word thou turnest thy backe upon Jesus Christ and wilt not hear him and therefore I suppose you know the place He that turns away his ear from hearing the law his prayers shal be abominable what dost thou turn away thine ear from hearing the word God professes that he wil turn away his ear from hearing thy prayers and thy prayers shal be abominable for thou turnest away thine eare from hearing of Christ speake to thy soul For
41. Why God wil not himself immediatly dispute this Gospel Reconciliation BUT further it may be said why wil not God immediately himself preach this Doctrine of the Gospel The Mistery of Reconciliation we see many infirmities in men Men are ready enough to stumble at al infirmities of the Ministers of the Gospel which by the way should teach Ministers of the Gospel to have a care how they walk but because there are so many things to be excepted against men we would be ready to think if God would himself preach the gospel from heaven men would regard it more No but God wil not do so though God wil assist the Ministery to make it effectual in the hearts of those that shal be saved yet he wil not speak himself from Heaven but he wil send men like themselves and let men hear or not and howsoever though men think if God should speak himself they would hear him yet if they heare not men they would not hear God God spake himself from heaven in the delivering of the Law but men did not keep the Law but now God wil rather speak by men because he doth delight to make use of every creature according to the capacity of it The Lord takes a wonderful delight in the use of almeans that is suiteable to a creature And therefore you shal find which is very observeable that though God did begin to speak from Heaven to Saul that he did convert who afterwards was called Paul Christ spake at first from Heaven but mark he would not do the whol work himself immediately but before the work should be accomplished there should be meanes used in Acts 9.4 There Christ speaks from Heaven but I beseech you observe it what doth Christ speak from Heaven he doth not preach the gospel it is only the word of conviction Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me This was enough to strike Saul with astonishment so that he fell upon the earth and said Lord what wilt thou have me to do But mark what answer is given him Go into the Citty and it shal be told thee You must not think though I begin to speak from Heaven to you but that you must be content to set upon means and so he did with Saul he arose from the Earth in verse 8. God made him stay a good while before he would tel him what he should do he was three dayes and nights and eate nothing and was praying al the while unto the Lord and then in vers 10. Saith the Lord to Ananias a Minister of his Go to such a place and there thou shalt open to Saul my Mercy this Doctrine of Reconciliation It is true I begin to think upon him but I wil not go on in the work you shal do it and he shal attend upon your Ministery to let him know what my mercy in Christ to his Soul is and I wil bless your Ministery unto his Soul And thus you see how God stands upon the making use of the meanes I make no question but it is something like to Gods dealing with many of you though God at first begins himself and strikes some terror into your hearts A man when he is going about his business he hath some suddaine thought dents into his heart Lord where am I What if I should now die how can I answer for such and such things before God And thus perhaps he comes to be troubled in his Conscience by some immediate work of God but he wil not go on in this work immediately but he sends him to the Ministers of his word and there he shews him what he must do concerning his good I wil give you a notable text to shew you how God stands upon means in Act. 10.2 He had some kind of the fear of God but understood little of Christ he was a souldier a Centurion of the band called the Italian band he had a greate many souldiers that were wicked but yet he had some that were godly But though he was in that place yet he was a devout man and ful of prayer as it is commendable for Souldiers to be much in prayer because carrying his life in his hands he had need carry Grace in his heart and then in the 3. verse it is a very observable Scripture first God accepts of his prayers and appeares in a Vision to him and sends an Angel to him and tels him that his prayers were accepted wel but God had revealed so much of Christ to him which he was very ignorant of Object You wil say seing God did send an Angel to him why did not God reveal Christ by the Angel No he would not he sends an Angel to Cornelius to this end to bid him send for Peter that was a Minister of the Gospel This should be the message of the Angels to tel him that God regarded his prayers and almes I but as if the Angel should say God hath other things to tel you but the truth is I have no commission to tel you my commission is to tel you that you should send for a Minister he sent for Peter and Peter came and Preacht Christ unto him as you may see in verse 34. so that you may see that God doth use to work upon men by means and surely herein God wil honor humane nature in taking it upon himself and for Gods honoring of the Minister of his word take this one note which is likewise very observable that Christ himself when he Preacht upon the Earth we never read that his preaching was so efficatious to convert so many Souls as the Ministers of the Gospel did Peter when he came to preach the Gospel Converted three thousand Souls at one Sermon and you never read that Christ converted so many at a Sermon Christ himself preaching immediatly the Gospel did never convert so many as Peter did The reason is to shew that we must not expect so much the immediate preaching of God unto us as God and Christ preaching to us by the Ministery of Man that is the meaning of it so that now you have had the point opened unto you that God committs unto us the Ministery of Reconciliation I shal endeavour to apply it CHAP. 42. Use 1. The sending of the Ministers of the Gospel is to be accounted a glorious blessing FIrst If this be the great work of the Ministers that are sent amongst you to dispence the Ministery of Reconciliation to you O! then certainly the sending of any of the ministers of the gospel among you you are to account a glorious and a wonderful blessing of God upon you at any time why what is their errand They come to treat with your souls about Reconciliation with God and God hath appointed this the greate means of bringing souls unto himselfe to be reconciled unto himselfe and therefore it is one of the greatest blessings in the world to have the minestry of the gospel in any congregation Blessed be your eyes saith
so troubled with them as to say that the Town or place is troubled and we could never be at quiet since there was such and such preaching were there not infinite mallice it could never enter into the hearts of men such a conceit as this is You speak about treating of peace with God but they are severe and denounce the Judgments of God against us I appeal to you how doe wee denounce them do we denounce them absolute or only in order to the bringing of the souls to faith and repentance what do wee plead against It is but against your sin that is your enemy your deadly enemy that would certainly undo you that would destroy you eternally Ahab speakes of the prophet hee never speakes good unto me and yet saith Ahab have I found thee O mine enemy he looks upon the prophet as an enemy so wicked carnal hearts though we come to open the misteries of the gospel to them yet when we shew them upon what termes it runnes they think we do not speak good unto them Certainly whatsoever your thoughts are we are enemies to nothing but your sins that would destroy you that is your enemy and would any one think it hard to have his deadly enemy to be hardly dealt withal Al that we desire is but to break the league between your souls and Sin that there may bee a league between God and your souls certainly love of sin and peace with God they cannot stand together at the same time it cannot possibly be that there should be a league between sin and your soules and yet a league between God and your soules now which of the two do you thinke is the best and who is your greatest friend either he that seekes to maintain a league with sin or to break it that you may have a league between God and your souls this is the intention of the gospel But you wil say if this be the commission of the ministers that God hath put into them the word of Reconciliation why do they preach the law so much as they do why do they preach terror so much for this is their commission the word of Reconciliation To that I answer certainly he is a minister that knows not his commission that preaches the law or any terror any other way but in order to this word of Reconciliation any other way but to make you to understand this word of Reconciliation though there be in some respects a great deale of difference betweene the law and the gospel yet most people thinke it greater than it is for the substance of the law is that that is implyed at least in the gospel implied as thus when we say the word of Reconciliation it is impossible to open this unto you without shewing you somthing that the law tends to Reconciliation why Because that wee are enemies to God Enemies to God How how can we be enemies to God yea by your sins How shal we know that sin doth bring enmity between God and us The Law tels you cursed be every one that abides not in every thing that is written in the booke of the law to do it When we speake of Reconciliation there is implied enmity I appeal to any of you considering that God works with creatures according to the nature of creatures he doth use to worke though above reason yet in a rational way he begins the work with those whom he intends to save therefore how can wee in a rational way tel what Reconciliation is until we understand what an enmity sin hath made between God and our souls Is it possible to understand the sweetnes of peace with God until we understand the danger of our estats that that we speake of the law it is that that is implyed in the gospel and that the revealing of the gospel may come with a more sweetness and fulness into your hearts O! that you would but carry this along with you ever when you hear any of the ministers speak any thing to you that hath any terror in it do but perswade your souls of this O! but this is in order to my peace with God in order to shewe what a blessed and sweet savior Jesus Christ is But others wil say the word of peace is committed unto you why do you speak of war then Tâ— that I answer but in a word when we speak to you concerning war what is our aime what doth it tend to But only this that you may be willing to venture your selves your lives and estates to maintain among you this word of Reconciliation here is the end were it not for this we could quickly hold our mouths we should not hazard our selves so as we do to speake to you of such an argument we are apparently and any man whose eyes are but halfe open may see that if we be sluggish and cowardly now farewel the word of Reconciliation the word of the Gospel is gone we must not expect that that must be amongst us and the posterity that is comming after It may be some of you may know that since God hath called a Parliament and blessed it as he hath don never was the word of Reconciliation opened so clearly as it hath been there hath Been some kinde of preaching before with a deal of mixtures but for that clear way of Reconciliation your consciences may tel you that is hath not been so cleerly opened Obj. But you wil say the Apostles they had the word of Reconciliation and preached it to the people but they did not preach to the people that they should maintain it by force of armes But they taught people to suffer and to lay downe their lives and not to take the sword into their hands Ans This hath been answered again and again and it is a most vain objection of the people This objection seemes to be strengthned partly from the thing it selfe They say religion should not be maintained by the sword and secondly the example of the primitive tims First for religion know that the maintenance that is now by the sword in this cause it is not meerly for religion but it is for our civil right that we have to our religion And this answer wil answer both For the Objection that Religion should not be maintained by the sword and that of the primitive time I say the maintenance now of Religion it is not for that only that the sword is taken up the sword is not taken up meerly for that as Religion but for the civil right that we have to our Religion which in the the primitive times the Apostles had not nor the Christians then but now we live in such a Country wherin we have civil right unto our Religion as wel as to our estates we have not only right unto the profession of our Religion because God gives it us out of his good wil but we have it too by vertue of a civil right by vertue of the Law of our
thou opened that is one Lo I come and then I delight to do thy will and thy Law is within my heart There are these four Lo I come saith Christ to do it It appears plainly that there was a Covenant between the Father and the Son from al eternity that Christ should come in due time into the world and take our natures upon him Now the time was for Christ to come There is many that wil agree to do such a thing beforehand but when it comes to be done if they see there wil be any difficulty in it and that they shal endure some hardship they hang back But Christ had agreed from al eternity with his Father that at such a time he would come into the world and take the nature of man upon him and be in the form of a servant and be made a curse for mans sins and al that he might reconcile sinners unto himself This was the agreement Now the time approaches for him to come and undertake this great work when the time came Observe now how Christs heart was in it He did not hang back he did not repent him of the Covenant But I come I come saith Christ as we use to express our selves when we are called to do a thing that we love to do we say I come I come now the time is come for you to do that which you undertook to do to go into the world to take the nature of man be made in form of a Servant and to bear my wrath and to satisfie my Justice for the sin of man I come I come saith Christ and he doth not only come but come with delight to do thy Will and what was this wil It was that Christ should be humbled to the death of the Cross Though I knew it would cost my life yet I delight to do it because my heart is so much set upon reconciling Sinners unto thy self and not only so but thy Law is in my heart it hath gotten a deep impression in my heart thy Law that iâ— that Law of thine whereby I am tyed to this that I have undertaken for it is within my heart in the very midst of my bowels that I should do it And then Fourthly Mine ears hast thou opened the words are mine ears hast thou boared The meaning of that Phrase must be understood by comparing it that way which was of God in the time of the Law commanding that if a servant would not goe out of his service in the years of Jubilee that his master should take an awle and boar his ear and so he should be a servant forever This Phrase hath allusion to that as if Christ should say thus I am content that I might do this work to be as a servant whose ear is boared who must be a servant for ever so saith Christ that I might accomplish the work of reconciling sinners to thy self I am content to be as a servant whose ear is boared thereby signifieing that he would be willing to listen to any thing that should be commanded him His masters commandements are not grievous but it is his meat and drink to do the wil of his Lord. Wel might the Apostle say As in Christs stead we beseech you as if he should say Christs heart is much towards sinners that he might bring them to be reconciled unto God and we in his name come to prevail with sinners no get them in unto God Secondly Observe what was the first Sermon that ever Christ preached For the the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is the first Sermon calling sinners to repent because the Kingdome of grace wherein the Gospel of God should reign that is at hand saith Christ and then Christ would preach so as to gain most when he had the greatest Auditors What was it that he preacht when he was amongst the Jews at the Feast of dedication In the great day of the Feast saith the Scripture Christ lift up his voice and cryed Hoe every one that is a thirst A Minister when he is to preach to a great Congregation and he is not like to come to them again he should speak on such a subject that his heart is most in Now Christ at the Feast of dedicaton he was not like to come to them sodainly again to use such an argument to them he cryed Hoe every one that is a thirst come and Christ further doth profess that it is the end why he came into the World To save to seek that which was lost Not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance That is the great end that he came into the world about it was the great subejct of his preaching the great errand that he came into the world about And further observe with what lovingness gentleness and sweetness he doth it what a gratious invitation we have in Math. 11. Come unto me al you that are weary and heavy leaden and I wil give you rest and he professes in John 6.37 None that comes to me wil I cast of I wil not cast of any that do come to me Yea he tells us that he wil not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised reede to encourage sinners he tells them if there be but any stirrings of the heart unto him but as the smoaking flax and as the bruised reed yet he wil not break one nor quench the other but he wil encourage new beginnings though never so smal in sinners coming unto him These are the expressions of Christ towards sinners to shew them how tender he is over them and when the time drew neer for Christ to suffer then if ever one would think if the heart of Christ were not much in it Christ would draw back not only when he was to come into the world but in the work of his Mediation when he was to suffer the violence of the wrath of his father to be poured out upon him But mark how he doth express himself in Luk 22. verse 15. And he said unto them with desire I have desired to eate this passover with you before I suffer Why did Christ desire he desired that is strongly desired to eat this passover why because he knew that assoon as ever he had eaten it he should be called to suffer for mans sin and to accomplish the great work of redemption for sinful men Then it was to be done Why Was there any such cause that Christ should be so strongly upon it to desire this passover One would have thought that above al passovers Christ should have been afraide of this because this was to put a period to his life for then Christ was himself to be made the passover to suffer when this passover came once he knew that he was to be made the paschal Lamb and yet he doth desire above al to eate this passover thereby shewing what a minde he had to finish the work whereby sinners might come to be reconciled unto God And