we should not be saved the Scripture would be broken First I say let us be exhorted to be much in blessing and praising of God yea and in admiring and adoring his infinite wisdom mercy and goodness that the Scripture being that which cannot be broken he should contrive and find out a way so as for man to be saved and yet his truth the Scripture what he had said upon mans sinning be salved and not be broken man had sinned and man must dye for sin according to what God had said Gen. 2. 19. for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye i. e. not only spiritually and temporally but eternally and now God out of his infinite wisdom and according to his infinite goodness contrives and finds out such a way by his Son becoming man that as man had sinned so man he doth dye for sin his Son becoming man and dying yea suffers what was equivalent to the second death even to eternal death and the pains of hell for ever the whole wrath of God due to the sin of man being poured forth upon him those sufferings though only for a short time yet being the sufferings of such a one of him who was God as well as man were more than if all the world had suffered for ever and did countervail everlasting death and damnation And thus man is saved and yet Gods truth salved and his justice satisfied the Scripture not broken and this it was the Lords own doing the contrivement of his wisdom and the product of his goodness and mercy and it is that which should be very marvellous for ever in our eyes and provoke us to be much in blessing and praising of his name And the more to provoke and stir us up hereunto consider but these few particulars 1. That according to what God had said we were all upon sinning in a lost and undone condition c. 2. That if God could not have saved us and withall have salved what he had said but that must have been broken he would never have saved us no he would rather break a whole world yea were it ten thousand worlds than have his truth broken he is Iehovah and cannot but give being to what he speaks Heaven and earth shall pass away but his words cannot pass away Again 3. Consider that it was beyond the Wisedom and contrivement of all the Creatures in Heaven and in Earth to finde out such a way as that Man might be saved and yet withall what God had said be salved the Scripture not be broken We find in the 6th of Daniel that Darius there signes a Writing and a Decree That whosoever should ask a Petition of any God or man for 30. daies save of him should be cast into the Den of Lions Daniel yet when he knew that the Writing was signed prayed as he did aforetime thrice a day And now when the King hears of this he is sore displeased with himself and sets his heart on Daniel to deliver him and he labeured it is said Verse 14. till the going down of the Sun to deliver him but his Statute and Decree being that which might not be changed he could not do it but Daniel is cast into the Den of Lions No more could all the Creatures in Heaven or in Earth have found out a way for Man to have been saved and Gods Word be verified no but he must for ever had it been left to them have been cast into Hell the redemption of their Souls though never so pretious must have ceast for ever as concerning such Wisdom we might say as Job 28. 12. Where shall it be found and where is the place of it man knoweth not the price of it neither was it to be found in the Land of the living the depth saith it is not in me and the Sea saith it is not in me c. And then consider 4. Fourthly that God now after all this should find out a way so to save man as that what he had said should not be dissolved nor violated O what thanks can we render unto God for this that he should do it when all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth could never have done it and yet when as if it had not been done if such a way had not been contrived man must have been undone for ever and that God should now do it O what thanks can we I say render to God for this how admirable should this be in our eyes especially if we consider the way he contrived and took to do it that we might be saved and the Scripture not be broken he is pleased to break his Son to bruise him Isay 53. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief c. That he might spare us he did not spare him no not his own Son his dear Son his beloved Son his onely begotten Son but delivered him up he comes down from Heaven becomes Man and being found in fashion as a Man humbles himself and becomes obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross and all that we might live and Gods truth not be violated For God so loved the Word that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. And in this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the World that we might live through him thus by the grace of God as the Apostle speaks Hebrewes 2. 9. Jesus Christ he tastes death for every man i. e. for all sorts of men for every of the Elect for every one who believes for every one who hath life and salvation he tastes Death he dyes for them in their place and in their stead Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us his Soul was in our Souls stead when he told his Disciples it was troubled and when he cryed What shall I say Father save me from this Joh. 12. 27. hour but for this cause came I to this hour my Soul is exceeding sorrowful Mat. 26. 38 even to Death And when he was in Luc. 22. 44 such an Agony as his sweat is said to be as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground then I say he was in our sted surely he hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borne as a Porter bears an heavy burthen borne our griefs carried our sorrowes it was for our transgressions that he was wounded and for our iniquities that he was bruised they were laid upon him or else they must have lain upon us and sunk us to all eternity But by the grace of God that the Scripture might not be broken in our being delivered from everlasting breakings Christ he is broken and dies and by the grace of God his death stands for ours and his pains though for a short time yet being
my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God â—e will certainly be as good as his Word make good what he has said the Scripture sayes it and I will believe it and comfort my self in it for the Scripture cannot be broken Let us do as Abraham did the Father of the Faithful it is said of him Romans 4. 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving Glory to God As the promise was firm so was his Faith as the one could not fail so neither did the other In God sayes David I will praise his Word Let us do it really by relying thereon and so comforting our selves therein O what a singular means would this be to fill our Souls with joy as Gods promises are firm and cannot fail so to have our Faith firm to rest assured and fully perswaded of the accomplishment of what God hath premised why this is the very life of the Soul Is 38. 16. O Lord by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit by these things what things why by or in through the proÌ„ises therefore some read it by these words and in all these is the life of my spirit i. e. the joy and comfort of my spirit the joy of the spirit being indeed the life of the spirit and the Dutch Anot do therefore interpret it a merry and a quiet life while I believe them seal to them rest assured and am fully perswaded of the accomplishment of them thus it is said the just shall live by Faith Hab. 2. 4. God having promised deliverance after such a time as appears in the foregoing verse it might be demanded but what shall the just do in the mean time do why they shall in the mean while live i. e. they shall still be comforted and cheared but how by Faith by a sweet and firm dependance on God for the fulfilling of what he had promised in due time by sealing to what God had said by believing and relying on the promises thus the just should live comfort and chear themselves and stay up their soules And thus David lived this was that which bore up and supported him in all his troubles he lived by faith in Gods promises a blessed sweet and comfortable life this is indeed Psa 119. 50. this is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me i. e. what thou hast spoken and promised and unless thy word had been my delights I should then have perished in my affliction v. 92. and so often Psa 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living Ps 28. 11. the Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusted in him and I am helped so the people of God what comfort and help might they still have did they but trust in God and rely on his word The divine promises are saith Bernard panis cordis o Promissiones divine panis sunt cordis Scriptura sacra demulset animi affectus Bernard they are the bread of the soul and by Faith it is we do as it were feed on this bread and so come thereby to have our hearts strengthned Cant. 2. 5. stay me saith the spouse with flagons comfort me with apples now what are these flagons or apples but the pretious promises and comfortable doctrines of the Scripture and then do these flagons stay and support us when by Faith we do as it were drink of them and then do these apples comfort and chear us when by Faith we do as it were eat them And therefore to conclude this use yea and this whole discourse that which the Apostle prayes for in behalf of the Romans that shall I pray for in behalf of you Christians Now the Rom. 1â— 13. God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost why the Scripture-promises are full of joy and peace and they are such as cannot fail but are firm and shall certainly be performed and now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing for this is the way Christians to be fill'd with all Joy and peace to draw that joy and peace that is in the promises upon your selves it is to believe them to be thorowly perswaded of the truth of them and to rest fully assured of the accomplishment of them that they cannot be broken and the Scripture cannot be broken otherwise though the promises be full of joy and peace we may have little enough if we do not believe and seal to the truth of them if we believe 2 Tim. 2. 13. not saith the Apostle yet he abideth faithfull I but we may abide comsortless you know what the Prophet Isay said to Ahaz and his people Isay 7. 9. If ye will not believe ye shall not be established if ye will not believe i. e. the promise of God which I preach unto you if ye will not rest and rely on his good and gracious word whereby he ingages himself unto you surely ye shall not be established but your hearts and minds will still remain unsettled and disquieted though Gods word be for ever settled and established in heaven yet if you do not believe your hearts shall not be established much to the same purpose is that of Jehoshaphat 2 Chro. 20. 20. believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established believe his Prophets i. e. the truth of that word they deliver you from the Lord so shall you be established so shall you prosper And O fools saith our Saviour â—â—a slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spokâ—n O in being slow to believe what God hath said and promised is great folly for God hereby doth not only lose of his honour but we likewise of our peace and comfort what a foolish thing is it that God should say so much make so many sweet and gratious promises for to comfort and uphold us and we for want of believing them should both cause God to lose his glory and we our selves lose that comfort which otherwise we might have by them that he in and by the many gratious promises which he hath made should provide so abundantly for his peoples comfort and peace and they lose it for want of belief hence all the promises of God are said in Christ to be yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us p 2 Cor. 1. 20. Sicuti dixerat in Christo deum sanxisse omnium suarum promissionum sidem it a nunc nostrum officium esse admonet ejusmodi sanctioni accinere quod fit dum certa fide in Christo acquiescentes subscribimus signamus quod dens verax idque ad ejus gloriam quia hic finis est quo referri debent omnia Calâ— in locum i. e. while we believe them and seal to Gods truth in them else they are neither to the glory of God nor our comfort as it is said Rom. 4. 20. concerning Abraham he not staggering at the promise of God through unbelief but being strong in faith gave glory to God * Quod addit dedisse gloriam deo in eo Notandum est non posse deo plus honoris afferri quam dum fide obsignamus ejus veritatem Rursum nulla re gravins inhonorari quam diffidentia incertitudine Calv. in Rom. 4. 20. believing that God would and could do what he had promised and so setting to his seal that God is true and indeed as Calvin observes upon the place God cannot have more honour brought him than while by faith we seal to his truth and in nothing is he more dishonoured than by diffidence and unbelief q De promissionibus dei dubitare non aliud est quam deum vel mendacem vel infirmum facere Pet. Martyr in Rom. 4. 21. The God of hope therefore fill you with all joy and peace in believing that the word being that which cannot be made void for want of believing God may neither lose his glory nor you your comfort but that by believing and firmly relying on those promises which cannot fail but shall certainly in due time be fulfilled God may both have his glory and you live comfortably here till you come to live eternally hereafter Amen FINIS Some of the most material Faults escaped are thus to be corrected PAge 1 l. 2. for Scriptures read Scripture p. 54. l. 10. add a. p. 72. l. 21. for Stemmana r. Stemmana in the Margent 72. p. for Aemilias r. Aemilians p. 79. l. 16. for people joy ful read peoples joy full p. 91. l. 22. for Greeks r. Greek p. 93. Margent for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 93. l. 24. leave out the. p. 94. l. 25. add to to be p. 130. l. 3. for for r. sâ— p. 147. l. 11. after is add all p. 167. l. 21. â—ur our yet p. 177. l. 8. for eb read be
that the Scripture cannot be broken 3. To live continually in the sense of it which would be of singular use and advantage 4. To seal then and assent to what ever it saith and that really 5. To labour so to see and discern things as the Scripture saith of them for that cannot be broken that cannot erre or mistake 6. To be much in blessing and praising God the Scipture being that which cannot be broken 1. That God should contrive and find out a way for man to be saved and yet what he had said and threatned upon mans sining be salved and not be broken which if he could not have done he would never have saved him c. 2. That those things which are of so great importance and of such infinite concernment and afford so great cause ground of comfort yea upon which our whole happiness and comfort depends are according to Scripture which cannot be broken 3. That the Lord hath brought any of us into such a state and condition as that we may be saved and the Scripture not be broken nay in which if we should not be saved the Scripture would be broken 7. To try all doctrines by the Scripture for that cannot erre or be deceived 8. To judge so of things as the Scripture saith of them 9. Not to be offended not scandalized at the sufferings and afflictions of the Church and people of God 10. Several other duties which from hence we are to be exhorted and encouraged unto 4. Vse of warning and admonition to take heed of continuing in such an estate in which there is no being saved except the Scripture be broken A five fold state in which continuing therein there is no being saved except the Scripture be broken 1. A state of spiritual blindness darkness and ignorance 2. A state of unregeneracy 3. A state of unbelief 4. A state of impenitency 5. A state of fruitlesness and unprofitableness 5. Vse of terrour and trembling 1. To all wicked and ungodly men in general 2. To several in particular 6. Vse of Consolation to the Saints and all such as are Heirs of the promises THE SCRIPTURES STABILITY John 10. 35. And the Scriptures cannot be broken The occasion of this discourse on these words THese words are brought in here only occasionly and are as it were but a Parenthesis and yet I think I may safely say of them that they are such as are as I hope afterwards to make appear of as great consequence and of as infinite concernment as any whatsoever Nay what indeed were all other Scripture were it not for what is said of it in this Scripture what is this but that which gives life and being to all that it speaks whether it â—e that which it promises or that which it threatens or that which it foretels or Prophesies that what ever it be it is that which cannot be broken but shall certainly come to pass and therefore expounding upon John and meeting with this Scripture and finding on a more slender view thereof to be of so singular use and concernment I afterward resolved for to take a more thorow view and to frame a more large discourse thereof which accordingly I did and that I must needs acknowledge not without much acceptance and I hope not without some success and so much briefly for the first occasion of this discourse The coherence scope and explication of the words themselves It is said in the 31. verse then the Iewes took up stones again to stone him again to stone him they are at their old trade as formerly Iohn 8. 59. they Habenâ—es corda lapidea ad lapides currebant 〈◊〉 lapidem â—ngularem impingâ—bâ—nt Tossan in locum had stony hearts and the stones in their hearts were they which put the stones into their hands against him who is the corner stone v. 32. Iesus answered them many good works have I shewed you from my Father for which of these works do you stone me as if Christ should have said seeing you can justly object no evill against me for what good is it that you thus deal with me many good works have I done for which of them is it that ye stone me and thus may God say to every impenitent sinner that goes on still by his sins as it were to stone God and to vex and grieve him and even as it were to cuâ— him to the heart as Psal 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved or vexed and cut with this generation as some render the Hebrew they did as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cut the Lord to the heart and now may God say for which of my kindnesses for which of my good works do you thus deal with me behold I at first made you and gave you your being and ever since have I preserved you and susteined you and taken care of you daily multiplying my benefits upon you and for which now of my good works do you stone me O me thinks the serious consideration hereof should help to melt the hardest hearted sinner Jer. 18. 20. Shall evil be recompâ—nced for good Deut. 32. 6. Do you thâ—s reqâ—itâ— the Lord O foolish people and â—nwise c. Prov. 19. 6. Every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts Rom. 2. 4. or despisest thou the riches of his goodnes c. Even sinners do good to those that do good to them Luke 6. 33. Many good works have I shewed you from my Father or as some of my Father whereof my Father is the first Author I many good works indeed hath Christ shewed us of his Father many good works or excellent glorious works as the Greek signifies as his work of election 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to life and salvation before the world was his work of infinite great and unparalleld love in giving â—is only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish c. his work of justifying us freely from our sins of reconciling us to himself of adopting us to be his Sons and daughters of sanctifying us by his Spirit of glorifying us for ever with himself good works indeed yea stupendious such as will be matter of admiration and exultation to all eternity But it follows v. 33. The Jâ—â—s answered him saying for a good work we stone theâ—â—ot but for blasphemy and because that thou bâ—ing a man makest thy self God The fowlest practices want not a shew of fair pretences But v. 34 35 36. Jesus answered them is it not written in your law I said ye are Gods If he called them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Sâ—riptâ—re cannot be broken Say yee of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God Princes and Psal â—â— 6 Magistrates are said in some sense to be Gods not truly and properly but allusively not by nature but by office and because of their superiority and
Johannis dicitur acsi ipse dubitasset quam totius ecclesiae Tossan in Loc. which may much comfort us both as concerning whatever prophecies remain yet to be fulfilled as to the weale of the Church as also as to the downfall and destruction of all its implacable enemies 3. In regard of its promises so the 3. Promises Scripture cannot be broken no look upon all the promises thorow out the whole Book of God as indeed there are very many yea and exceeding great and pretious promises they shall all be performed there shall not any thing fail of all the good things which the Lord hath spoken for all the promises of God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 20. in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us i e. they are all constant and sure in him and shall be performed all by him the promises are as infallible true as God is true and as Christ is true God shall as soon fail and Christ shall as soon fail as any promise made in the Gospel Rom. 9. 6. the Apostle speaking of the word of promise which God made to Abraham saith not as though the word of God i. e. the promises of God made to Abraham and his posterity and relaced every where by the Prophets had taken none effect the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should fall or be fallen to ground so the Dutch Annot. and it is opposed or set against standing or remaining in the 11. verse by which is signified firm stediness when the effect follows the promise so that to fall or fall to the ground is to be frustrate become voyd of none effect when the promise is not kept like as an earthen Pot or Glass being let fall by any is broken apieces but this cannot be as to Gods promise for it follows they are not all Israel i. e. true Israelites to whom Gods promises properly had respect which are of Israel that is descended from Jacob q. d. k Q. d. quicquid hic obstrepant judaei impossibile est promissionem excidisse exciderit pro factus sit irritus opponitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 11. firmum ratum manere quo sensu 1 Sam. 3. 19 dioitur verbum Jehovae nullum cecidit super terram asseritur ergo dei veracitas constantia in servandis promissis impossibile enim est Deum qui ipsa est veritas mentiri aut verbum ejus excidere hoc est impediri ne consequatur eventum Caelum terra transibunt verbamea non transibunt haec sit basis fidei consolationis nostrae Pareus in locum however the Jews may murmur and complain against God charging him with breach of promise if they were cursed and separated from Christ yet it cannot be that God should be unfaithful or his word fail or fall to the ground no it 's absolutely impossible it was kept to the true seed of Abraham the true Isralites and that was sufficient to vindicate the truth in that the promise was fulfilled to the elect however many thousands of others were lost so 1 Cor. 15. 54. there it 's said so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written i. e. the promise the comfortable saying and thus shall all the saying that are written be brought to pass and many sweet and comfortable sayings there are which is and may be matter of singular comfort and support to the people of God both as in reference to the Church in general as also themselves in particular O how many exceeding great and pretious promises do we find in the word and in none of them can the Scripture be broken there is a comfortable promise as to these present times Matth. 15. 13. every Plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up and was ever a Nation more over-run with plants which are not of our heavenly Fathers planting than England is at this day O how many plants have sprung up amongst us alate which are not of Gods planting but the devils planting such are all false Doctrines Errors Heresies Blasphemies and the broachers and defenders of them and how are our Churches over-run with them may not God say to England as sometimes to Judah Jer. 2. 21 yet I Isaiah 5. 2 had planted thee a noble Vine wholly a right seed how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto me I looked it should have brought Deut. 32. 33. forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes their Vine is of the Vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrha their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter their wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruel venome of Aspes which may be understood of evill and noysome Doctrines but now this may comfort us that there is a promise that every plant which our heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted Eccles 3. 2 up there is saith Solomon a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted Satan hath had a time to plant and God according to his promise will have a time to pluck up that which he hath planted So 2 Tim. 3. 8 9. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the Faith But they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest to all as theirs also was So another comfortable promise we have Matth. 16. 18. I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it so for our own particular Heb. 13. 5. for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Rom. 8. 28. and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose John 10. 28. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hands and so I might instance in many others but of these I shall speak more hereafter in the application of the point 4. In regard of what it threatens so 4. Threatnings the Scripture cannot be broken and indeed there are many sad and gricvous threatningsin the word against wicked and ungodly men Psa 9. 17. the wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God Psa 11. 6. upon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest c. Isay 3. 11. Woe unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him So 1 Sam. 2. 9 10. the wicked shall be silent in darkness and the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces Psa 68. 21. But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his
be acceptable unto thee and break off thy sins by righteousness c. that is by repentance shewing forth the happy signs and fruits thereof and how often doth the Lord call and invite sinners to this not only as being most acceptable to him but as knowing full well how much it concerns themselves Prov. 1. 23. Hosea 14. 1 2. Isay 55. 7. Ezek. 33. 11. turn ye turn ye from your evill wayes for why will ye dye God doubles his call for they must if they do not turn inevitably dye and that eternally and therefore why will ye be so sottish as through your wilfull impenitency to bring eternal destruction upon your selves for if ye still go on as you have begun nothing can betide you but that you must needs dye and perish in your sins Again secondly cannot the Scripture be broken can it not err or mistake then this it further informs us gives us to see who are indeed blessed and who cursed who are indeed happy and who miserable who why those whom the Scripture pronounceth so and why why because the Scripture it cannot be broken and therefore they whom the Scripture pronounceth blessed must needs be blessed and those whom the Scripture pronounceth cursed must needs be cursed what Balack said of Balaams blessing or cursing I am sure I may truly say of this Book 's blessing or cursing of the Scriptureâ— blessing or cursing Numb 22. 6. for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is indeed cursed so may I truly say of the Scripture he whom the Scripture blesses is indeed blessed and he whom the Scripture curseth is indeed cursed and therefore O it's good getting among the number of Scripture-blessed-ones the Lord make us of the number of those blessed ones and keep us from being among the number of Scripturecursed-ones for they whom the Scripture pronounceth blessed or cursed are indeed so the Scripture being that which cannot be broken as the Apostle Iames saith in another case so say I Do not err my beloved Brethren nor mistake as concerning who are blessed for 1. Who are blessed not such who it may be think and apprehend themselves blessed no men may think themselves blessed and happy and yet be miserable enough as Christ tells the Angel of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. 17. thou sayest thou art rich and increased with goods and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable poor blind and naked and that rich man in the 12th of Luke he no doubt thought himself wise and happy but God called him fool and shews him that he was miserable vers 20 21. A man may bless himself in his own heart though he be such a one as against whom God threatens all the curses that are written â—n his Book Deut. 29. 18 19 20. And therefore he is not the blessed man who meerly thinks and accounts himself so neither secondly is he blessed whom others count and will say are blessed for others may count and call us happy and blessed and yet for all that we may be miserable and cursed as it is said of the wicked he blesses the covetous whom God abhorreth Psal 10. 3. and Malachy 3. 15. and now we call the proud happy c. And men will praise thee when thou doest well to thy self saith the Psalmist as the men of the world count well dost well or dost good that is pamperest cherishest makest much of thy self so good is sometimes used for worldly pleasure and emoluments Psal 4. 6. Ainsworth I but what follows though whil'st he lived he blessed his soul and men will praise thee when thou dost well to thy self it follows Psal 49. 19. he shall go to the generation of his Fathers they shall never see light he shall go whither wicked men are gone before him and shall never see the light of life the light of glory Thus it is not that we account our selves blessed or others account or call us so that indeed speaks us so but it is when the Scripture calls and pronounceth us so when we are among the number of the Scripture-blessed-ones for that cannot be broken that cannot err or mistake so that if we be but indeed and in truth such as that doth pronounce blessed we are indeed blessed for we are sure that the judgement of the Scripture is according to truth and therefore as not he that commends himself is approved so not he that blesses himself or others bless is blessed but he whom the Scripture blesses Now the Scripture pronounces several blessed and it 's good observing who they are and never to rest till we come to be and to be in truth of the Number of them for the Scripture being that which cannot be broken such and indeed only such are truly blessed Now the Scripture pronounceth such blessed 1. Who find wisdom and who get understanding Prov. 3. 13. n Qui sapiâ—ntiam veram inveniunt qui intelligentiam factis exprimentes coram in medium afferunt Cartw in loc i. e. true wisdom who attain to the saving knowledge of God in Christ and produce it into practice so as to fear God and depart from evill Iob 28. 28. 2. Who believe in Christ who close with him and put their trust in him Psa 2. 11. blessed are all they that put their trust in him or that shrowd themselves under him that rely confidently on him or that betake themselves for refuge and safety to him so Ainsworth o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est recipere se aliquò tanquam in locum â—â—tum deinde etiaâ— in â—o secure conquiescere where indeed is their safety but only in him Acts 4. 12. So Gal. 3. 9. So then they which be of Faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham now to be of Faith it is to believe and apply the promise of Righteousness and life and Salvation by Jesus Christ and to rest on him alone for Justification and Salvation as they are said to be of works who look to be justified by works so they are said to be of faith who believe in Christ and look to be saved and justified by Christ alone So Psa 72. 17. men shall be blessed in him that is in believing in him and so in getting interested in him who is the blessed one and in whom the promise of blessedness and all blessings is made these the Scripture pronounceth blessed living and these the Scripture pronounces blessed dying Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence forth yea saith the Spirit they rest from their labours and their works follow them 3. Who are turned away from their iniquities Acts 3. 26. Unto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities then are people indeed blessed and that with the blessedness of Christraised from the dead when
Pro. 16. 16 4. 7. principal thing therefore get Wisdom and with all thy gettings get Vnderstanding Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace so shall good come Job 22. 21 unto thee There is sayes Elihu a Spirit in Man and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them Vnderstanding Job 32 8. Go to God therefore for it For it is he that is a God of Knowledge 2 Sam. 2. 3. There is a promise the earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea O desire the Isa 11. 9. Lord to fill thy Soul with Knowledge 2. Again Secondly if continuing in a state of Unregeneracy thou be saved the Scripture must be broken you cannot continuing in such an estate be saved except the Scripture be broken for the Scripture in several places speaks quite contrary as to such being saved continuing such As John 3. â— And again the 5. Verse Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God and except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God I say unto theâ— I who am the Amen the faithful and true Witnesse yea truth it self and cannot lie I who came to open and give an entrance into the Kingdom of God yet I say yea he does as good as swear Verily verily I say unto thee except a Man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God So Heb. 12. 14. Without Holinsse no Man shall see the Lord. No Man no without being sanctified ther 's no being saved Blessed indeed are the pure in heart for they shall see God but without purity ther 's no seeing God No however it may be at present thou maist scoff at Purity and Holinesse and call it Preciseness yet know it is that without wch thou canst never be saved except the Scripture be broken And rather than the Scripture should be broken God will break ten thousand such as thou art the Scripture cannot be broken And therefore canst not thou but be broken continuing such So Iohn 13. 8. If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me i. e. If I make thee not clean from thy sins freely pardoning them and sanctifying thee if I wash thee not from sinsguiltiness by my blood and from sinsfilthiness by my Spirit thou hast no part with me in Heaven in eternal happinesse in glory in everlasting life in that celestial Paradise And therefore let such harken to that sovereign counsel of the Apostle in Heb. 12. 14 Follow Holinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follow hard press with an eager pursute after Holinesse as one who will not leave till he hath what he followes h Est magno studio annit ut assequaris to follow as a Hunter his prâ—y who persues it till he take it and is there not cause when as if ever without it we see God the Scripture must be broken 3. Again Thirdly if continuing in a state of Unbelief if not coming to Christ and believing on him you be saved the Scripture must be broken for the Scripture absolutely and indispensably requires Faith in all that are saved and excludes all such from salvation who do not believe Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned and that though he be baptized so Iohn 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him and he that believes not is condemned already verse 18. and Iohn 8. 24. If ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins a sad threatning Rev. 21. 8. The Vnbelieving shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the Second Death so that if thou continuing still in Unbelief shouldest see life or be exempt from the wrath of God abiding on thee which is a burthen so exceeding grievous and intollerable or shouldest not be damned and dye in thy sins the Scripture must be broken if continuing shut up in Unbelief thou shouldest not be shut out of Heaven and have thy part in the lake which burneth with fire brimstoné which is the second Death the Scripture must be broken therfore harken to that blessed Counsel our Saviour gives Jo. 12. 36 Whilest you have light believe still in the light while ye have the light of the Gospel believe in the light who is the Son of God while ye have the light of the Word of God believein the Word which is God let these beams lead you to that Sun these streames to that Ocean this is the great Gospel-work Ioh. 6. 29. and the great Gospel-command 1 Ioh. 321. This is the great business both of the light of life Joh. 11. 26. and the light of the Gospel except while we have the light we believe in this light we must unless the Scripture be broken be cast into utter darknesse 4. Again Fourthly if continuing in a state of impenitency you should be saved the Scripture must be broken for the Scripture is absolutely and indispensably for repentance in all that are saved affirms except we repent we shall certainly perish Luke 13. 3. Except you repent you shall all likewise prish and again V. 5. Except you repent you shall all certainly perish aut poenitendum aut pereundum there is no way but repenting or perishing according to what the Scripture holds forth we must either repent of our sins and turn from them here or burn in Hell for them for ever hereafter So that though you now it may be make a mock of sin you must come to mourn for it though you now it may be sport with it you must come to be in pain with it and for it or else if you do not perish the Scripture must be broken though thy heart now be never so stony never so hard and impenitent yet this stony hard and impenitent heart of thine must come to relent must become an heart of flesh it must come to be broken for sin and from sin or else if ever thou beest saved the Scripture must be broken And therefore sovereign Counsel is that which God gives to sinners Ezek. 18. 30. Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine else it will and James 4. 8 9 10. Clense your hands you sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded be afflicted and mourn and weep c. And that of the Apostle Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord This made John the Baptist and our Saviour and his Disciples so much to preach and press Repentance making it the Sum of their preaching because though