Scripture proofes I need not range in any other fâ—elds In the second place I le give in some Scripture Reasons for confirmation of the point 2. Reas 1. From the excellency of justice The sirst reason shall be drawn from the excellencie of Iustice And this will appeare in these particular respects It derives its Originall from God Iustice is a communicable Attribute flowing from the fountaine to the streams and government which is that master-wheel to set the motions of Iustice in due order receives prime honour and excellencie from divine Institution By me Kings raigne and princes decree justice by me Princes rule and nobles even all the Judges of the earth Prov. 1. 15. 16. There 's a jus divinum to warrant your honourable calling Iustice is excellent in respect of that incomparable superexcellent price paid to make satisfaction to it and that was the blood of Iesus Christ It 's true that mercy is God's delight It 's above all his workes mercy is swift pac'd Iustice is slow pac'd its chariot wheels drive heavilie God was walking in the garden when he went to passe sentence on Adam But he ranne to meet the Prodigall here 's a walking in point of judgment but a running in point of mercy Yet notwithstanding Iustice will be no looser Mercy Iustice power goodnesse obiquitie c. are diversly according to our capacities apprehended by us yet they are all one in God As God is mercifull so he is just Iustice must be satisfied per se aut per alium Per se no man can it must be done per alium by a suretie See Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against my shephard and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shephâ—ard and the sheep shall be scattered and I will turne mine hand upon the little ones No lesse price was paid to satisfie Divine justice then the effusion of the precious blood of the sonne of God one drop whereof is of infinite dignitie price and value The excellencie of Iustice appeares in respect of its excellent effects and operations Iustice is the basis and supporter of the state Leâ—est corporis Politici nervus The great body of states would be paralitick and in a paroxisme and there would be a dissolution of the continuum if the sinewes of Justice should faile To justice under God we owe our lives liberties lively-hoods We could not sleep quietly in our beds for feare of massacres and robberies if lawes were not in force and the current of Iustice should be damnd up Iustice may be compared to the stakes of a strong hedge to keepe it from falling And a Iudg is a quick-set-hedg to keep off incursions into anothers Peculiar Iustice is the preserver of meum tuum It 's the life of our societie the bulwarke and buttresse of our safetie the fort-royall and strength of our Garrisons Should justice cease and there should be no reprover in the gate we should be resolved into an Anarchy a Chaos a confusion and destruction We should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 homo homini lupus nay homo homini Daemon By the execution of Iustice Government Magistracie Iudicatures those strong walls of a Kingdome remaine impregnable Religion learning trades traffiques lawes arts and scienâ—ss thrive and shelter themselves under the wings of government executing Judgment and justice Reas 2. From the Necessity of establishing justice The second reason shall be drawn from the apparent necessitie of establishing judgment and justice The necessitie is indispensible whether there be considered Necessitas Paecepti vel Medii For the first â— how frequently doth the Lord call for execution of Iustice It 's that which must be sought after Isay 1. 17. Learne to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judg the fatherlesse plead for the widdow It must be kept Isay 56. 1. Thus saith the Lord Keep ye judgment and dot justice for my salvation is neere to come and my righteousnesse to be revealed It must not be executed as a malefactour that 's a persecution not execution Iustice is executed upon delinquents not upon it selfe Zech. 7. 9. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying execute true judgment and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother So Zech. 8. 16. These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour executo the judgment of truth and peace in your gates It s promised as a mercy Isay 28. 6. And for a spirit of Judgment to him that sitteth in judgment and for strength to them that turne the battell to 〈…〉 gâ—te It s an argument of Gods love to a people I Kings 10. 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighteth in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee King to doe judgment and justice It 's that which hath God's approbation Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and love mercy and to walke humbly with thy God It s that which God loveth Psal 33. 5. He loveth righteousnesse and judgment the earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord. It 's that which in an especiall manner God commands Deut. 16. 18. Judges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee thorowout thy tribes and they shall judge the people with just Judgment There 's another jus divirum for your authoritie And Justice is that which God rewards Isai 33. 15. 16. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gaine of oppressions and shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evill he shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him his water shall be sure So Jer. 22. 15. shalt thou raigne because thou cloathest thy selfe in Câ—dar did not thy Father eat and drink and do judgment and justice and then it was well with him Justice is necessary necessitate medii A godly Magistrate dispensing justice and judgment reconciles meum tuum those two wrangling pronounes which are those Phaetons and grand incendiaries that set the whole world in a combustion Terminus was so much set by among the Romans that they paid homage to it tanquam Numini tutolari Without any tang of or compliance with their Idolatry we may safely say that the law is the Boundary of a common-wealth It s a good sence or mound to keep off beasts of prâ—y from making inrodes into my Severall It 's a good screne to keep off the scorchings of firy spirits who Salamander like live in the fire of contention It 's a strong bulwarke to desend a mans right from surprizall by violent enemies who lay seige and make batteries against it The law is Terminus
Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life This fountaine was opened for Manasseh a bloody sinner 2 Chron. 33. 12 13. And when he was in affliction he befought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers And prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him againe unto Jerusalem into his Kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God This fountain was opened for Saul a cruel persecutor Act. 9. 3 4. And as he journyed he came neere Damascus and suddenly there shined round about him a light from Heaven And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me This fountaine was opened for the poore woman a grievous sinner Luk. 7. 47. Wherefore I say un to thee Her sins which are many are forgiven for shee loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little The woman with the bloody issue believed it and shee will make triall Mat. 9. 20 21. And behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood 12 yeares came behinde him and touched the hem of his garment For she said within her selfe if I may touch his garment I shall be whole The woman when she had spent all upon Physitians which were of no value was cured by Christ both in body and soul Luke 8. 48. And he said unto her Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole go in peace And what 's the reason why is there such a fountaine opened No other but free love and bowels opened Sinne endeavours to lock up this fountaine free grace love mercy opens this fountaine But how comes such vertue in this fountaine A. This is the fountaine and originall of all vertue Q. But who are to wash in this fountaine A. All are invited none excluded but such as exclude themselves such as are not sensible of their sins who apprehend not their pollutions will never take the paines to come hither and wash My text is free grace exalted bowels opened mercy heightned gospell enlarged Here 's the Gospel Exchequer full of riches and pretious thinges Here 's the brazen serpent erected the golden scepter held forth If we come not to this exchequer look not up to this serpent take not hold of this scepter the fault is our own O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in mee is thine help Hos 13. 9. Q. But who are washt and cleansed A. The house of David and Ierusalem the children of God that are sensible of their misery mourners for sin such as apprehend themselves stunge looke to the brazen serpent Such as are humbled for sin are in a capacity of receiving Christ such as are mourners in Zion shall have beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning And those that have thus mourned as for an only son shall have the benefit of this fountaine The invitation is large Luke 14. 17. And he sent his servant at supper time to say unto them that were bidden Come for now all things are ready But read their shifting excuse in the verse following They all with one consent began to make excuse The first said I have bought a peice of ground and I must go and see it have me excused Jesus Christ is freely tendred and offered sermon after sermon and frequently in these gospell dispensations but how few embrace him Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him The fountaine is full enough large enough O come hither wash and be cleane But you cannot come unlesse you be drawne by the father neither will you come unless you be sensible of your owne vilenesse pollutions impurities and of the wondersull vertue Caâ— 1. 4. John 6. 44. that is in this fountaine to wash and cleanse you Of this more anon You heare my text is pure gospell It holds forth the pearle of the Gospell Jesus Christ My message from God to you is to perswade you to imitate the wise Merchant To fell all for the purchase of the Pearle of great price It s a fountaine and there 's no fcarcity at Math. 13. 46. the fountaine It s a fountaine opened and there 's riches of mercy My invitation from God this day is to humble sinners such as are sensible of their lost condition to come and wash in this fountaine Be thou never so much polluted yet this fountaine can cleanse thee Let not thy sins hinder and discourage thy comming but come quicklier and hasten thy pace This Exchequer will pay all thy debts This Fountaine will make thee cleane I doe not I dare not open a gap to Licentiousnesse But I enlarge the riches of free grace and mercy Dost thou thirst Here 's an invitation Art thou a godly mourner this day Here 's a fountaine opened Be thy sinnes crimson sinnes double dyed O now come in to Jesus Christ Here 's a plaister every way as broad as the sore Be they as scarlet Christ's blood will make them as white as wooll This fountaine doth miracles which none other can doe For it washeth the Aethiopian cleanseth the Leopard Will you then perish for want of water and there 's a fountaine Will you lie and die in your sinnes notwithstanding salvation is tendred and thewater of life offered freely O! desperate sottish sinners though God would heale them yet they wil not be healed though God would enrich them yet they looke not after his riches nor value them at all Though he would cleanse them yet they will not come to the fountaine It 's said Gen. 21. 19. God opened Hagars eyes to see a well It is God alone that can open thine eyes to see this fountaine The fountaine may be hard by us Christ may be tendered and yet we may not see nor heare him Let God be true and every man a Liar More I shall speak in this Kind when I come to the Application Methâ—d propounded For a more full and profitable handling of this precious Doctrine I shall propound this Method 1. I shall discover the Analogie and Resemblance between Christ and a Fountaine 2. How Christ may be said to be a Fountaine opened 3. For whom this fountaine is opened 4. The wonderfull benefits that flow from this fountaine to the Children of God Fiftly and Lastly I shall set all home unto your Consciences by particular application 1. What Analogy there is betweene Christ and a fountainâ— First What Analogie and resemblance there is between Christ and a fountaine The Analogie holds good in these ensuing particular respects 1. There 's fullnesse of water in a fountaine No want at the well spring the well
Root and brought death unto all his Posterity And Christ was a common Root and brought life unto all his Posterity They urge likewise Joh. 1. 29. Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world A. Those in the world whom he loveth washeth and justifieth it 's not universall not singula genâ—rum but genera singulorum Compare this with Mat. 1. 21. And shee shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for hee shall save his people from their sinnes The third false key is presumption of long life and mercy Neither A third false key Presumption of long life space nor grace are in thine own power God gave Jezabel space but denyed her grace Rev. 2. 21. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and shee repented not This presumption hath ruined many a soule Many neglect their opportunities run their swinge and career in sinne and presume of mercy but the dore of mercy is shut against them and this key cannot unlock it Now God affords foure true keyes 1. Knowledge The eyes are opened to see the fountaine to 1. True key knowledge look up to the brasen serpent The knowledge of the worth of Christ provokes us to come to him God's people have inlightned judgements they are renewed in the spirit of their minds Eph. 4. 23. 2. Faith to believe that ther 's virtue enough in Christ to cure all 2. True key Faith our diseases both of body and soule Matth 9. 21. For shee said within her selfe if I may but touch his garment I shall be whole 3. Love And this will make us take many journies long and dangerous through fowle weather and it will sweeten all The 3. True key Love beloved object when enjoyed will make amends for all the waiting for it 4. Repentance mourning for sinne Repentance in us causeth 4. True key Repentance God to repent and make his bowels like the sounding of an Harp Jer. 31. 18 19 20. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe thus Thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoake turne thou mee and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed even confounded I did bâ—are the reproach of my youth Is Ephraim my deare son Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. You must understand these clave non errante not as if the fountaine was merited for any of these duties for when wee have done all wee can we must acknowledge that wee are unprofitable servants But God hath afforded these meanes keyes and helpes we must make use of them but may not make them our Christs and our Saviours 5. I will adde a 5th Praier This is a key to open and shut 5th True key prayer Heaven James 5. 17 18. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not upon the earth by the space of three yeares and six months And he prayed againe and the hâ—aven gave raine and the earth brought forth her fruit Pray that God would wash thee and cleanse thee Psal 51. 10. Create in mee O Lord a cleane heart and renâ—w a right spirit within mee 3. I proceed to the third head propounded For whom is this 3. For whom is this Fountaine opened fountaine opened To give in my answer ' I le lay down this truth by way of corollary inferred from the premises That the fountaine of free grace is only opened to the adopted children of God This I shall open and apply briefly for opening whereof I shall propound these ensuing considerations 1. God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people unto himselfe Consid 1. God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people unto himselfe according to his owngood pleasure and purpose of his will Now election is of here and there one It 's an act of choice taking some and passing by others Jer. 3. 14. Turne O backsliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you and I will take you one of a City and two of a familie and I will bring you unto Zion Like gleaning grapes Isai 17. 6. Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it as the shakâ—ing of an olive tree two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough foure or five in the utmost fruitfull branches thereof saith the Lord God of Israel This election hath no other motive but free love and grace Wee were in our blood Ezek. 16. 5 When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live No provision of faith or Repentance mooved God to set his heart upon us as appeares Rom. 9. 11. For the children being not yet borne neither haveing done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workâ—s but of him that calleth c. This Postulatum being laid down for undeniable God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people Hence I frame this syllogisme only the elect have interest in the fountaine of free grace and mercy But only God's adopted children are elect ergo they only have interest in it 2. There are a peculiar people who alone are justified by the free grace of God in Christ Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith wee have Consid 2. There are a peculiar poople justified by free grace pâ—ace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Now thus I argue Only justified persons have interest in the fountaine of Christ's blood But the sons of God by grace and adoption are only justified persons Ergo they alone have interest in the fountaine of Christ's blood Psal 32. 1 2. Blessed is hee whose trangression is forgiven whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guilâ— Iustification is a forensicall terme took from an earthly Tribunal where a person arraign'd and condemned is afterward by virtue of a pardon acquitted 3ly Consider there are a peculiar people effectually called Many Consid 3. There are a peculiar people effectually called have an outward calling and take upon them an outward profession few are inwardly and effectually called This the Apostle presseth 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things you shall never fall There are a few and but a very few called out of the world partakers
Labour for the practise of mortification and learne the divine lesson taught in the schoole of Christ to deny thy selfe Labour to bring thy selfe over to a sweet frame of resignation that thou canst willingly part with thy choicest pleasures and comforts for Jesus Christ As those in the Revelations cast down their crownes so cast down thy chiefest comforts at the feet of Christ It was an excellent speech of David 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me back againe and shew me both it and its habitation But if he say thus I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good to him so if it seeme good in the eyes of God he can wholy take thy heart off thy comforts or else give thee them in greater mercy in a more sanctified manner and so make thy comforts exceeding comfortable What canst not thou foregoe any outward pleasure any worldly delight now how wouldst thou resist unto blood undergoe the fiery tryall if Christ should call thee thereunto If thou hast runne with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how canst thou contend with horses And if in the land of peace wherein thou trusted'st they weariâ—d thee then how wilt thou doe in the swelling of Jordan Tertullian in his tract de cultu faeminarum hath this observation Timeo câ—rvicem ne margaritarum smaragdorum laqueis occupata Jer. 12. 5. Tertul. in Lib. de cultu Faeminarum lorum Spathae non det I feare saith he that neck that is used to pearles and chaines will not give it selfe to the sword Men of delicate appetites who pamper their flesh will find it a difficult taske to endure any hard-ship for Christ's name It was an inhumane practise of that Monster Nero who rejoyc'd when Rome was on fier None but beasts will enjoy their pleasures when the common-wealth is in jeopardy and religion and liberty lies at stake O then put on bowels of compassion and be alike affected one to another beare one anothers burthens Let your resolution run paralel with St Paul's who is afâ—licted and I burne not O that instead of burning in lusts you would burne in love one to another A blessed alteration Tudippus and Phocion being both condemn'd to die one of them was afraid the other recollected his spirits and in this wise comforted him Non satis est tibi Tudippe cum Phocione Mori Is it not sufficient for thee O Tudippus that thou diest with Phocion A commâ—nion with Christ's afflicted members in a suffering condition is accounted their crowne and glory Consider God hath cald us unto vertue and unto glory It 's the Gospels glory to set out unto us high and glorious things these we want and these are worthy of our search Let 's then no more seeke after lying vanities and forsake our own mercy The dehortation reacheth us home in my text Ne quaesuris seeke them not which is the Use and Application which I promis'd you the close of my paines and your patience Application Is 55. 2. Use 1. for Expostulation Let me expostulate the case with you as the prophet Isaiah doth wherefore do ye spend mony for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfies not There 's no created power which can be commensurate to the boundlesse desires of an immortall soule A glutton may fill his belly but he cannot fill his lusts A rich man may fill his barnes but he cannot fill his heart It 's triangular still one angle will be empty An ambitious man may have titles of honour enough to overcharge his memory but not to fill his pride The voluptuous may wallow in sensuall delights he may be a frequenter of prophane Theatricall interludes and yet the hell of his desires remaines unsatisfied why then should men be such fooles to seeke after other lovers besides Jesus Christ and to hunt after any other kingdome besides the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse how many mens hearts are in aequilibrio pendula indifferent to which side the ballance turnes When Mâ—rdecay was rays'd many became Jewes and it was the saying of Pamachius an heathen Fac me Pontificem ero Christianus Such u Platiram devi tis Portificum follow religion as the people did our Saviour for the loaves and so make it a stalking horse for the advancing of their ambitious designes but siniâ—ter respects never prove a sure bottome for the soule to be fixt upon If the maine question of a Minister be what 's the fleece of the sheep I much scruple whither he hath the heart to feed them For a man to be wedded to his revenues and incomes and not to the discharge of his duty what 's this but to marry the portion and not the wife What a great madnesse is there in men not to trust their honours dignities and riches with God in whose hands they are in the safest custody what folly is there in men to make their servants their Masters by Idolizing an arme of flesh and subjugating themselves unto the creatures as if they preferred a slavery before a freedome The Apostle tells us Col. 3. 3. that we are dead men and is it congruous for dead men to hunt after honours and the worlds goods wee are crucified to the world And we are Crucified with Christ O labour then to answere thy Originall As he minded not high things on earth as he was wrap't up in heavenly meditations so should we have rays'd spirits and sore aloft being carried with the wings of divine contemplation It 's reported of Lysimachus that for his staying to drinke one draught of water he lost his kingdome So if we stay for these waters drawn out of the broken cisternes of the creatures we may hazard our pretious soules had we eye-salve from Christ to iliuminate us we should discerne such transcendent beauty in the waies of holinesse so that we should enter an action and zealously commence a suite against the world and never let fall the suite till we have obtain'd a sequestration between our soules and these things here below You may remember that my errand is to you not to seeke after great things I meane such as are reputed so by the great ones of the world Who ever sought them and prospered Nimrod Haman Nebuchadnezzar Herod sought them out to the utter ruine of the seekers Let the streame be turn'd seeke the Matth. 6. 33. Kingdome of God and his righteousnâ—sse and all other things shall be added as supernumerar accruments O that I could prevaile with you to seeke those things that are above It 's the glory of the Gospell to set out glorious things We have a glorious God glorious graces glorious company glorious priviledges and a glorious reward Had'st thou but a glimpse of those superlative excellencies which are treasur'd up in Christ of those glorious things which are spoken of
amongst the greatest outward curses which can befall the sons of men Sometimes God takes away a mans tast so that he can rellish no more sweetnesse in these things then in the white of an egge Otherwhile God takes away a mans rest so that he lies all night tossing to and fro and can take no rest his sleep falls from him and his eyelids can take no slumber divitias invenisti requiâ—m perdidisti thou hast got riches and lost thy rest Stobaeus hath a story of one Anacreon who when Polycrates had give â—im five talents he could not sleep two nights together he immediatly restor'd them saying * Reddidit ea inquiens non tanta esse quauta ipsorum nomine curâ laboraret Stob. cap. 39. they were not so much worth as to countervaile that care which was undertooke to keepe them But admit thou art not yet blasted in thy estate though usually the great ones of the world feel this by wofull experience yet there 's a fierce lyon which a long time slept at thy dore which now being awakened flies upon thee this is thy conscience wâ—â—h presents unto thee the history of thy life in all its ugly deformities it paints thee out in thy proper colours and this mappe discovers a mare mortuum a dead sea even a sea of blood destruction and misery thy fatall period Quis tanti emet paenitentiam So Diogenes said concerning Lais the strumpet who then of any understanding would purchase thâ—sâ— worlds goods at so deare a rate to be thus in a restlesse condition never at quiet distracted with thoughts perplexed with cares and wounded in conscience Honour proves a torment To be degraded is the height of infelicity No disgrace parallel to that as to be advanc'd high and immediatly pul'd down in the dust It was Wolseyes complaint Had I been as carefull to serve the God of Heaven as I have been to serve my Lord and master on earth he would never have left me in my gray haires Riches prove the greatest crosse when God blowes upon them To be as Job one while the richest of all the sons of the East and then ere long become a proverb of poverty this is an exceeding misery Pleasures are vexations laughter is madnesse Eccl. 2. 2. Wouldst thou then have that which might quiet thy spirit thou must seeke it else where if thou seek'st it amongst the great things of this world thou seek'st all this while for the living among the dead No earthly thing can quiet the soule There 's much vexation in the greatest things of this world here below and therefore seeke them not But admit they have wearied us in vexatious suites tossing us from court to court and so by many delayes and troubles hath impoverish'd us yet if at the last they afforded any satisfaction this would make amends for all but no earthly thing can satisfie the soule This is my second consideration They bring us into suites 2 Consid Earthly things cannot satisfie the Soule weary us in them and at last cast us The world brings us into a lottery where we come with heads full of hopes but at the last return away with hearts full of blankes the Teraphim is a lye All the creatures may be compar'd to bags full of holes and deceitfull weights The Lord denounceth this as a fearfull judgment thou shalt eat but not be satisfy'd The world is an errand hypocrite like the painted Mich. 6. v. 11. 14. sepulchers gaudy without full of dead mens bones within or like the Egyptian temples where there were a stately Frontispice and a magnificent structure but naught within but an ugly Ape the ridiculous Idol of the people They are emptinesse it selfe and can emptinesse fill the soule The things of this world are wells without water and can these quench our thirst they are broken reeds and can they stay us from falling when you can hoard up grace in your coffers when you can replenish your bags with divine wisdome then and not till then can an immortall soule rest satisfyed in the fruition of the transitory things of this present life As Homer fancyed that the Gods sed upon Nectar and Ambrosia and not Hom. Iliad 1. upon such food as men doe so the soule of man being divinae particulâ—aurae having an heavenly borne beeing cannot be satisfied with any terrene things spirits and bodies heaven and earth admit no correspondence Had'st thou a Monopoly of the choicest delights under the sun these could not satisfy thee because they are but finite and thy desires are infinite and you know between finite and infinite there 's no proportion Solomon tells us Prov. 14. 14. A good man shall be satisfied from himselfe Inward peace and tranquility of conscience affords us true contentment and satisfaction unto the soule The light of Gods reconcil'd countenance reviv'd Davids spirit this was his onely desiderable good Lord list thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and wine encreas'd Psal 4. 6 7. Moses the man of God cries for mercy to satisfy him O satisfy us with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all the daies of our life Psal 90. 14. Only Christ and his comforts can fill up the soule The waters which he gives will never make us thirst againe whereas the well-springs of the world will the more inrage our thirst 3. Great things here below cannot helpe thee in the evill day 3 Consider Earthly things cannot helpe in the evill day An evill day will come a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse and for this day Solomon requires a memento Ecol 11. 8. But if a man live many yeares and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the daies of darknesse for they shall be many When sicknesses and diseases render thy life disconsolate and when death the King of terrours is approaching thy house and ready to lay his mace upon thee to arrest thee to appeare before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth Now can thy riches and friends bribe this serjeant and adde one moment unto thy life Aske thy joviall Comrades and boone Companions whether they can helpe thee the very sight of them brings thy sins to remembrance and makes thee sensible of the very flashings of hell-fier Aske thy bags whether they can helpe thee alas they are full of holes and let out all comfort Aske thy dignities and high places whether they can doe thee any good these all come and give evidence against thee on this manner Thou hast been a corrupt and carelesse Magistrate feare of men hath justled out the feare of God Thou hast bin a lazy and debaucht Minister thou hast sought thine owâ— things and not Christ Thus one day high places and promotions if abus'd will come in and witnesse against thee O how nearly doth this concerne all those whom God
evil entreaties and unfruitfulness of our labors Le ts not bauk our duty because we fear we shal do no good let 's put that to the venture fall a working In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not Eccles 11. 6. thy hands for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or â— King 22. 24. whether they both be alike good We read That a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the king of Israel between the joynts of the harness So though Ministers shoot at a venture personating no man yet it may please God so to direct the word that it may hit the right mark Now let 's all become Merchant-Venturers The Church is the Ship tost up and down with Tempests and Storms It 's exceeding great folly to trim up our Cabbin if the Ship be a sinking Fear not this Ship will at last come to a safe Harbor here then let us venture Counsels Pains Prayers Estates Liberties Lives and all Deliverance will come to the Church of God we have received earnest already let 's tug harder at the Oar and wrestle with Prayers and Supplications as we read Isa 62. 1. v. 6 7. When deliverance comes as a Samuel of our Prayers when we apprehend it the returne of prayers O how welcome will be that deliverance To see the ship so well fraught in the returne will be our rejoycing that we have ventur'd so liberally in the stock Fourthly A Merchant must be a man of singular Patience his Prop 4. A Merchant must be a man of Patieâ—ce stock is in a ship whose voyage is to the Indies he therefore must wait patiently for the returne So must every spirituall Merchant venturer wait patiently upon God Learne hence O Christian to wait upon the God of thy salvation the Charriot wheeles of deliverance are long a coming sense failes reason is non-plus't but faith bids thee wait longer It bids thee leave off disputing and reasoning and learn to believe But when faith a little flags then hope encourageth as it did Ezrah amid'st multitudes of teares But Ezrah 10. 2 hope sayeth I have hoped long and hope dâ—forr'd makes the heart sicke then comes patience and bids thee wait and stay Gods time his time is the best time Do not Limit the holy one of Israell to times or meanes this or that instrument Eligat Oppâ—rtunitatem qui libere August dat misericordiam O be perswaded to possesse thy soule with patience Ther 's need of patience Heb 10 36. Ther 's a certaine Period or Limit of time set downe by God though unknowne to us when Deliverance shall come Thirty yeares was appointed to the impotent Cripple which time expired Christ healed him Eighteene yeares to the daughter of Abraham and then was shee healed 70. yeares to the Jewish captivity and then deliverance came Wee are to observe that ther 's a great talke amongst the houshold of Christs coming the feilds looke white to harvest the Gods of Babylon are in disgrace ther 's great powring out of the spirit and a gracious answer of prayers ther 's earnest thirsting and longing after deliverance And these are usuall Harbingers of Deliverance But to determine the punctuall time 't is above all our knowledge we can say no more then with the Psalmist We see not our signes there is no more Ps 4. 9. any Prophet neither is there amongst us that knoweth hâ—w long Le ts imitate those who through faith and patience have inherited the promises Le ts resolve come what will come to wait on God as the Church professes Is 8. 17 and Mich 7. 7. God waits to do us good let us wait for the reception of his mercy Is 30. 8 5. 5 A Merchant frequents the places of Merchandize where he may Prop. 5. A Merchant must frequents the places of merchandise heare of his factors and receive intelligence of his Merchandize He 's frequently at the Exchange or such like meeting places So doth every spirituall Merchant frequent the publike Assemblies which are as it were spirituall Exchanges Places of concourse where he may heare news from heaven and receive Intelligence for the best Emolument of his soule Wait then O Christian at these Bethesdaes wait at the Posts of wisedomes gate Lie in this way where Christ frequently comes by Omit not through Negligence any Sermon that peradventure may be a convincing a converting and a confirming word unto thee It 's a mercy promised to an afflicted people Isay 30. 20. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers That you have publick Assemblies frequent opportunities inlarged meanes and that your eyes behold your faithfull teachers these are singular mercies vouchsafed to you your duty is to improve them to the glory of God and the best advantage of your pretious soules 6ly and lastly A Merchant must improve his estate to his best Prop 6. A Merchant must improve his estate to his best advantage Mat 25. 27. advantage He hath been at great paines cost and charges therefore hee 'l put off his commodities to his best emolument The Lord in the Parable expects his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with increase An honest gaine is commendable in the trade So a spirituall Merchant must improve all he hath his time Talents Graces Ordinances to the advantage of his pretious soule He must endeavour to gaine by various dispensations adversity as well as prosperity he must endeavour to prosit by every Sermon he heareth by every mans company with whom he converseth Hee 's skill'd in the soule thriving trade He stores up a stock of Divine graces faith love humility meeknesse c. And there with he would be adorned He stores up a stock of attributes he knowes there 's wisedom in God to counsell him mercy in God to pardon him power in God to defend him and with these he supports and stayes his spirit He stores up a stock of promises He reads and beleeves that they are pretious promises and that they are 2 Cor 11. 20. all in Christ Yea and Amen These he gathers up and applyes to his particular condition This spirituall Merchant this true beleever is the best Husband in all the world He not onely hath grace but is still a growing in more grace Hee 's a plant planted in Gods garden and therefore brings forth more fruit in his elder age Hee 's not contented with what grace he hath allready but with Paul he forgets those things which are behind and reacheth forth unto those things which are before pressing forward towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Hee 's still on the getting hand getting more Phil 3. 13. 14. accession unto his faith love and humility adding one degree
had in honour when their lying legends shall rot There 's a famous History of the Waldenses of the people of Merindall and Cabryers and of the Parisian Massacre even this last century when the blood of the slaine ranne warme reeking down the streets Peruse the History of the late Marian quinquennium Looke upon the machâ—lesse cruelty of the blood-sucking Papists in Ireland And all these are ensamples to us we should not as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4. 12. Think it strange concerning the fiery tryall which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you Thus we may argue Did such worthies suffer must we looke to be scot-free are we better then they can we plead priviledge to escape others have began to us in Germany and Ireland how soone we may drink of the same Cup who can tell I would not be a Foecialis yet I dare not flatter A blackcloud hangs over our head how soon it may break and showre down blood and involve us in a new War we cannot tell All that I ayme at is to prepare you for what ever comes for the worst of times seeing a storme to make your garments fast about you and retire to a shelter to get your Arke built before the deluge come Praemâ—niti praemuniti it s the prudent mans practise to foresee evill and hide himselfe so saith Solomon In the second place I shall give in the confirmation of the point 2. The Doctrine confirmed by Reason Amongst others these foure Reasons may confirme the truth delivered 1. Because persecution and suffering is the ordinary lot and portion of true believers The way to Canaan is through the wildernesse and the way to Zion through the valley of Bachah In Reason 1. Persâ—cution and and suffering is the Lot and Portion of Believers the world saith Christ you shall have tribulations Joh. 16. 33. Many are the troubles of the Righteous Psal 34. 19. We must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdâ—me of God Act. 14. 22. Every Disciple of Christ must take up his crosse Matth. 16. 24. Non est Christianus qui non est Crucianus saith Luther The Saints are killed all the day long and accounted as sheep for the slaughter Rom. 8. 36. As soone as Paul was manifested to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vessâ—ll of choyce he was shewed how great things he must suffer for Christ Acts 9. 16. and upon experimentall knowledg he layeth down this positive truth That all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. Now this comes to passe 1. By the wisedome of God The Divine hand is in it Persecutors saith Bernard are Gods Goldsmiths to put the righteous into the furnace of affliction and take away their drosse so God permits persecutors to try the faith love and patience of his servants and oft times they doe a great deale of good even against their will Jer. 9. 7. Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts behold I will melt them and try them for how shall I doe for the daughter of my people The Sabaeans Chald ans and Satan were instruments of afflictions to Job but God wrought good out of all Jam. 5. 11. Behold we account them happy which endure Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that he is very pittifull and of tender mercy Had it not been for afflictions we had never read of the patience of Job we should not have left us upon record that excellent booke of Job 2ly This comes to pass by reason of Satan's rage and malice The great Dragon stands by ready to devoure the man-child of reformation Hee is the envious man the accuser of the Brethren the adversary the roaring Lion Pliny speakes of the scorpion that every moment it puts forth his sting the Devill is that Scorpion that every moment assayes to doe mischiese hee will cast some of you into prison Rev. 2. 10. 3ly This comes to pass by reason of the malice of wicked-men they are the Devils agents they have suckt the poyson of this old Serpent and swell with it and are greatly enraged against the power of godliness Ther 's a deadly Fewd and Antipathy in wickedmen against the powerfull workings and breathings of God's spirit in the Saints The great ones and Potentates of the world rages a the godly Psal 2. 1. Why dâ—e the heathen rage They hate them without cause Tygers as some report rage at the sent of fragrant spices so the wicked at the savour of Godliness As long as ther 's any left of the serpents brood there will not bee wanting opposition and persecution against the godly This is the first head of reasons The 2d reason is because Christ doth expect that the faith of his Reas 2. Christ expects that the faith of his servants should act extraordinarily servants should act so extraordinarily as the faith of hypocrites and Reprobates cannot come near it Temporizers will profess that they have faith but these follow Christ only for the loaves while the Sun shines warme upon them in Halcyâ—n dayes of peace and tranquility but when it come to fire and faggot or degradation and suspension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they take offence Now he that hath not learned Christ's Cross hath not learnt his Alphabet The Question was in another case ask't Matth. 5. 47 what doe you mâ—re than others and so in this case Christ will aske the question are you willing to glorisy mee both by doing and suffering are you willing not only to believe on me but also to suffer for my sake Such Questions as there will touch the quick Believers must study all advantages and take all opportunities to promote the honour of Jesus Christ they have a battle to fight they are to encounter with bâ—asts of Ephesus and sonnes of Anak they have a race to runne and many stumbling blocks are layd in the way They have a fiery tryall to endure a Cross to beare they must pass through hâ—nor and dishonor good report and evill report They must follow the Lambe where ever he goes through thick and thinne through a showre of blood Thy life must not be deare to thee when Christ cals for it Bee not afraid of venturing limbes liberty life it selfe for him that layd down his life for thee It was an heroicall speech of Luther that hee would goe to Wormes and preach the Gospel there though evâ—ry Tile was a Devill to oppose him and it was a gallant resolution John Fox Act Monâ— â—â— Maryes dayes of John Aâ—dly that holy Martyr that if hee had as many lives as hee had haires on his head hee would loose them all for Christ Thus you see how the saith of Believers acts extraordinarily A 3d Reason is drawn from the conformity of Believers unto Reas 3. Believers in a way of suffering are made conformable unto Christ Christ for Believers are
over me yet now having heard what God says unto me I am armed Cap-a-pee against them all Hence 1. Learn our duty to wait upon God with a quiet spirit whatever reproofs or oppositions we may meet withal from men or Devils And secondly To set an high estimate upon the word of God and stick close to it as the rule No matter what men say against thee if God be for thee And thirdly Not to follow any devised way of man but to make the Word of God the Umpire guide rule of thy life And lastly Though God speak not presently we must not be hasty but wait his time For when we wait for an answer then are we put in a capacity to receive it The Prophet waited for an Answer and an Answer he obtains ver 2. And the Lord answered and said Write the vision and make it plain upon Tables that he may run that readeth it Note how opportunely God answers the Prophet upon his watch An Angel revealed the welcome news of a Saviour to the Shepheards keeping their flocks by night And a Vision is revealed to the watching Prophet And because the Vision was principally for publick use and edification it was to be writ in legible Characters even Capital Letters that any one might read it in transitu and not stop Q. But when shall the Vision come to pass might some say When will it come Oh! it 's a long time a coming and hope deferred makes the heart sick The Caldeans may quite ruine our nation We may fall every one of us by the hand of the enemy â—efore this Vision may be accomplished Every minute is long When Oh when will the Vision be performed A. To such impatient querulous Speeches I oppose the reason or strong ground of incouragement from my Text For the Vision is yet for an appointed time c. Which words contains a Prophetical Promise incouraging and a Text divided special duty prescribed As first For the Prophetical Promise 1. You have set forth the matter of it A vision 2. The limitation thereof for an appointed time 3. The truth of it it shall not lie 4. The ingemination for the certainty it shall speak it will surely come it will not tarry 2. For the duty It 's set in opposition to hastiness of Spirit Wait for it The words need a Paraphrase Let 's review them apart Q. 1. It shall be asked What 's meant by Vision A. You know God spake at sundry times and in divers manners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1. 1. in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets Sometimes by dreams other times by Urim and Visions sometimes vivâ voce to the Fathers of old to us by his Son voce scriptâ in his written Word so that Dreams Visions and Revelations cease which were extraordinary and onely pro tempore We are to keep close to the written Word and take heed of being wise above what is written By the Vision some understand the Administration of the Gospel of Christ and his glorious Appearances But Calvin whom I follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as any Interpreter since the Apostles times by Vision understands Admonition and Instruction to the People of God And though this may be dark it shall speak and not lie not in vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 23. 19. so the 70. Not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Word of God shall fail God is the God of eternal Truth Mercenary Balaam gives this true attestation God is not a man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spòken and shall he not make it good God doth not delay his people on purpose to deceive them and frustrate their expectations but to exercise their faith and patience and to prepare them for the better reception and entertainment of a mercy when it comes Q. 2. But secondly Why is it said it 's yet for an appointed time A. 1. To shew that it is in the power of God alone to prefix a time He created time and limits time and seasons according to his pleasure He sets bounds and periods to all Kingdoms Nations Languages 2. And secondly For a Caveat to us to beware of limiting God to our times and seasons 3. To stop our running not to make more haste then good speed but to wait upon God in his own way who will accomplish his Vision in his own time for his own glory Q. 3. What 's meant by waiting here A. Be silent and murmur not because the Vision seems to linger Though sence fails yet let not Faith fail It 's the nature of Faith to wait for the execution of a promise though it be long a coming Faith hath a Prophetical vertue to see a Promise a great way off and a Magnetical vertue to draw it near to it So that if the Question be moved to a Believer What wilt thou do in these cloudy days How wilt thou behave thy self amidst these dark passages of Providence His answer is I 'le hope against hope wait with Faith and Patience and adhere unto the Word of God and am resolved not to let go my confidence However works of Providence may seem cross yet I 'le depend upon the truth and faithfulness of God I will wait and believe though sense be non-pluss'd and I can see no reason why I should wait on the Lord any longer And here 's the acting of Faith indeed in a true Believer who resolves I will trust my God depend upon his Word stay upon his Promises rely upon his Attributes Though he kill me yet I will trust in him as Job resolved Q. 4. Lastly Here seems to be a contradiction though it tarry it Job 13. 15. Argumentum ad hominem creaturas non ad Deum creatorem will not tarry How can these be reconciled A. This is an Argument to Men and Creatures and not to God and Creator There 's no tarrying in God Time past present and to come are all one in him A thousand years in his sight are but as yesterday We are then to distinguish between the Decree and the Mora resertur ad sestinationem nostram Caeterum si respicimus ad Dei coâ—silium nunquam moram facit Calv. in Loc. Execution thereof The Decree tarries not nor seems to tarry But according to the execution of the Decree as it falls under our apprehensions and manifestations it may seem to stay and linger There is then no tarrying in God but there is in the Creature And though flesh and blood cannot apprehend it yet in tarrying God makes haste You have here represented what Faith can do David told Achish when he was going to Battle Thou shalt see what thy servant can doe Behold here what Faith through the strength of God can do Faith meets with many Obstructions and many Repulses yet it will fall on
David so to be overwhelm'd in sorrovv for Absalom and in Jonah so to lament the loss of his Gourd The loss of Revenues profits in the Trade Liberty Oh how doth it stick near a man But where 's the acting of Faith Now the just shall live by faith and if any man draw back my soul Heb. 10. 38. shall have no pleasure in him A true Believer lives by Faith when Trading decays Lively-hood and Profit decays Now let 's learn to live by Faith Though thou shouldst loose all there is enough in the Promises to make up all with Interest if thou canst but make them thine ovvn by particular Application Much time is thrown away in passing our censures one upon another reviling this or that instrument I plead not in the least for any but utterly abhor any irregular practices or indirect ways but I press patience and submission unto Gods will to look thorow all instruments and secondary causes unto the first cause to hear the rod and who hath appointed it The Lords voice cryeth unto the city and the man of Micah 6 ◠wisdom shall see thy name heare ye the rod and who hath appointed it It 's a doggish quality to snarle at a stone and not look at the hand that throws it Pray then fervently and watch against infidelity and an impatient and murmuring spirit The Lord lay them not unto our charge We might have been in Canaan long ere this had we not been murmurers in the Wilderness I know well that our condition is so lamentable that we can neither bear diseases nor remedies And complaints finde no better entertainment then in those times wherein the best of Historians lived and said in his Presace That complaints Querclae ne tum quidem gratae cum sorsan necessariae Liv. Praef. are not pleasing no not then when they are necessary There 's much bitterness and implacableness upon mens spirits devouring and calumniating one another Such expostulations are rise where is the promise of his coming Where 's the reformation so much spoken of Where 's the removing of the burthens letting the oppressed go free breaking the bread to the hungry cloathing the naked such are peculiar duties for a Fast Is there not rather fasting for strife and debate to smite with the first of wickedness I aggravate these things no further but onely let me tell you as there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spots in your Fasting-days Let 's bewail them with tears of blood let 's fast for our former Fastings and be humbled for our out-side Humiliations and lay to heart our negligent services and deprecate that curse that hangs over our heads for performing the work of the Lord negligently The Lord may call us to an account as justly as he did the Jews Zech. 7. 5. Did ye at all fast unto me even to me In the second place I proceed to an Use of Exhortation Let me Use 2. For Exhortation press home the duty of the Text to wait for the fulfilling of the Vision in these concussions and commotions when men are at their wits end and wonder what vvill be the issue Oh let 's take heed of impatience and murmuring let 's bevvare of tumultuous murmuring spirits of tempestuous affections Though there be a storm abroad vve should endeavour after a serene quiet spirit at home A calmness upon our spirits vvill be of singular use for us amidst the fluctuating condition of the Kingdom Every one will be ready to ask What shall we doe How shall we demean our selves in these dark times Such questions as these require an answer and a word spoken in due season is like apples of gold in pictures of silver I will advise nothing as a States-man that 's out of my Sphere nor as a subtle Politician for such Policy is the bane of Religion but from direct warrant out of the Word of God By way of advice I commend unto your thoughts these ensuing Propositions which I take to be Propositions of Eternall Truth 1. It 's unlawful to do any evill that the least good may come Prop. 1. It 's unlawful to do evil that good may come thereof Rom. 3. 8. thereof And not rather saith the Apostle as we slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say let us do evil that good may come whose damnation is just God needs not our lies to maintain his cause This was Rebockah's and Jacob's fault for the compassing of a good end to betake themselves to indirect means This is a broken refuge Isa 28. 15 17. and will fail Because ye have said we have made a Covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement when the over flowing scourge shall passe thorow it shall not come unto us for we have made lies our refuge and under falshood have hid our selves Therefore thus saith the Lord Judgement will I lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies and the waters shall overflow the hiding place Augustine is resolute that if it was possible by an officious lie to compass the Redemption of the whole World yet so weighty and universal a good must be rather let fall then brought about by the smallesst evil 2. Another Proposition for confirmation is That no good intentions Prop. 2. Good meanings cannot justifie a bad action 1 Chron. 13. 10 and meanings can ever justifie the doing of any evill action Vzzah's intention was good but because against the rule he was punished with death He invaded the Priests Office and therefore the Lord smote him dead upon the place 3. It 's the duty of Christians to walk by rule and keep close to Prop. 3. We must walk by rule Isa 8. 20. it and that 's the written Word of God To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to these it is because they have no light in them Let 's not be a rule to our selves nor follow extraordinary impulses upon our spirits and revelations but bring all to the touch-stone Let 's try all things and hold fast that which is good and let the Scripture be the Umpire let 's acquiess altogether in its determinations As many as walk according to this rule peace be on Gal. 6. 16. them and mercy and on the Israel of God 'T is not any rule but this rule If an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Doctrine then what is contained in the Scriptures let him be accursed Whatever Seekers Familists Enthusiasts c. pretend to live above Ordinances and so they are indeed as much above Ordinances as a Swine is above a Pearl which it tramples under feet I say all their Lights however new are but Ignes fatui false Lights to lead us into dangerous destructive ways Let 's therefore for every action look unto the rule bring every thing to rule and square all by
Niniveh Paul Mary-magdalen others repenting Upon these experiences an afflicted remnant may conclude that God will be gracious unto them See Joâ—l 2. 12. 13 14. Therefore now thus saith the Lord turne yee even to mee with all your heart and with fasting weeping and mourning And rent your heart and not your garments and turne unto the Lord your God for hee is gracious and mâ—rcifull slow to anger and of great kindness and râ—pâ—nteth him of the evill Who knoweth if hee will returne and repent and leave a blessing behind him even a meat offering unto the Lord your God Wee read in Scripture of the afflictions of Joseph as a proverbial spech alluding to Joseph the Patriarch who met with evill intreaties from his brethren and from Potiphars wise hee was cast into a pit bought and sold slandred cast into prison and the house of Joseph his posterity and not only his proper natural posterity but all the children of God must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdâ—me of God Act. 14. 22. That the whole house of Joseph that all the generation of men is not utterly consumed is a great mercy wee have cause to acknowledge it with thankfulness that there is a remnant yet left Now a through reformation a turning from sinne to God a hating that which is evill a loving that which is good an establishment of Justice may much prevaile with God to bee gracious to an afflicted remnant Though the number of the Church be few though Jacob bee small and Joseph bee but a remnant yet many promises are made to a remnant Isai 10. 21. The remnant shall returne even the remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God Jeremiah 15. 11. The Lord said verily it shall bee well with thy remnant verily I will cause the enemie to intreat thee well in the time of evill and in the time of affliction Ezek 6. 8 Yet will I leave a remnant that yee may have some that shall escape the sword among the Nations when yee shall bee scattered through the countries Eph 3. 12 13. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not doe iniquitie nor speak lies nâ—ither shall a deceitfull tongue bee found in thâ—ir mouth for they shall feed and lay downe and none shall make thâ—m afraid Rom. 9. 27. Though the number of the children of Israel bee as the sand of the sea a remnant shall be saved And for the remnant we must pray Isay 37. 4. It may be the Lord thy God will heare the words of Rabshakeh whom the King of Assyriah his master hath sent to reproach the living God and will râ—prove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left Jer. 31. 7. For thus saith the Lord sing with gladnesse for Jacob and shout among the chiefe of the Nations publish yee praise ye and say O Lord save thy people the remnant of Israel So then you may plainly discerne the summe and substance of these words That which they drive at is to ingage people to a through reformation as the only means to pacifie an incensed God Iudgments fall round about us thick and threefold many have been numbred out to the sword many to famine and pestilence Let the remnant lay these things to heart Let them humble themselves turne from the evill of their doings cease to doe evill learne to doe well execute judgment and Justice and it may be God may turne againe and repent and be gracious to the remnant of the house of Joseph The words thus divided and opened commend these principall Doctrine 1 Doctrines to your serious Practicall Observation That sinne alone ought to be the Object of our hatred and indignation So saith the Psalmist Ye that love the Lord hate evill Psal 97. 10. And the feare of God consists in hating of evill The feare of the Lord is to hate evill Prov. 8. 13. pride and arrogancie and the evill way and the froward mouth do I hate You have a short Catalogue of what things God hates in Prov. 6. 16. These six things doth the Lord hate yea seven things are an abomination to him a proud looke a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations feet that be swift in running to mischiefe a false witnesse that speaketh lies and him that soweth discord among brethren Nay further whatsoever is sinfull God hates and where God hates we should hate 2. That which is good ought only to be the object of our love It 's a Doctrine 2 character of the wicked Amos 3. 2. to hate the good and love the evill Holinesse hath Gods Image stamped upon it and we must love God's Image where ever we find it God requires publick establishment of Justice in a Kingdome It 's said in the gates where people went in and out There ministers of Iustice Doctrine 3 sate and the eyes of the whole land were upon them and in an especiall manner the eyes of God Iustice must not be dispensed in a scantling measure here and there a drop but judgmâ—nt must run down as waters and righteousnesse as a mighty streame Amos 5. 24. 4. In that there is such a connexion between these words hate Doct. 4 Deut. 5. 17 18 19. the evill and doe good and establish judgment hence observe In religious duties there is a sacred concatenation and harmonie It 's observed that all the commands of the Decalogue are copulative Thou shalt not kill neither shalt thou commit adulterie neither shalt thou stealâ— neither shalt thou beare false witnesse c. The same God that ingageth us to the obedience of one Command doth not dispense with us or give any exception for any other 5. The people of God his Josephs may be reduced to a very small remnant So they were in the Babilonish captivitie but 7000 that had Doct. 5 not bowed their knees to Baal and whether all these were upright hearted is doubtfull The primitive Christians in times of persecution were but a handfull a despised remnant in the eyes of the world And in the Arke which was a type of Christ there were but eight persons and Cham was one of them In Christ's own familie but twelve and one of them a Judas 6. Observe That the reformation of a people in hating evill and Doct. 6 loving good may prevaile with God to extend mercy and compassion towards them It shall suffice only to have named these unto you It concernes mee to fix upon the establishment of judgment which the Text specially points at and the aspect of a Venerable Iudicature in presence puts me in mind of that point of Doctrine which is genuine from the text and most seasonable to the Auditorie Thus I propound it to you Doctrine That the faithfull execution of Justice in a land is a probable
if unlawful happy art thou that God deprives thee of them 'T is a sign that the Parents have a tender love to their children when they take away a Knife from them for fear lest they should hurt themselves with it So 't is mercy when God cuts thee off and deprives thee of such Delights and Pleasures which if thou hadst liberty to enjoy therewith thou wouldst dishonor Almighty God Object 2. A second Objection is How are the ways of God ways of pleasantness when they require abundance of Humiliation brinish Tears sorrow for sin and is not this irksome and unpleasant A. There 's more sweetness in this which thou callest bitternesse I mean godly sorrow for sin then in all the pleasures of the world for as in the laughter of the wicked the heart is sorrowful so in the sorrow of the godly the heart laughs and rejoyceth Christ turns these Waters into Wine Call not the tears of repentance Marah but Naomi In the winding up we shall finde that the tears of repentance are not bitter waters but sweet refreshing waters Every tear in thy eye is a Pearl in Gods eye Every tear is exhal'd into Gods bottle All the laughter of the wicked is Risus Sardonicus Their greatest merriments are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luther hath an excellent saying Vna guttula malae conscientiae totum mare mundani gaudii absorbet But the godly rejoyce in their sufferings Rom. 5. 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations They have inward joy amidst outward sorrows VVhen their cheeks run down with tears they have a chearful spirit something they feel of comfort coming in They have a principle of Joy within them from the apprehension of Gods love in Christ and this swallows up all sorrows One glimpse of Christs countenance will swallow up an Ocean of sorrows And this will appear in two or three Particulars 1. The work of Humiliation hath the melting work of the Gospel The Law breaks but the Gospel melts the heart No such kindly working upon the heart as mercy bowels opened and the goodness of God To sin against these will deepliest affect the heart When a soul is humbled for sinning against mercy and goodness and the heart is melted and dissolved into tears there must be pleasantness and sweetness in these because they proceed from such a Principle even the Principle of the melting work of the Gospel and this cannot have much bitterness in it 2. The Soul in the work of Humiliation melting before the Lord easeth it self of abundance of sin We say Leves curae loquuntur Sen. Trag. ingentes stupent When people can shed tears thereby they ease their heart but when the heart is so opprest as the eyes cannot shed tears the sorrow or passion of the heart is greater and more dangerous By weeping for sin thou dost ease and rid thy self of abundance of sin thy heart feels some joy and draws and sucks some sweetness out of these bitter herbs 3. In the work of Humiliation there 's much delight because the soul hath much delight in looking back to that sorrow it hath had The wicked rejoyce in their pleasures the godly rejoyce in their tears Epaminondas went sad about the City when the Thebanes were a revelling when others have been in May-games and Merriments and lascivious Enterludes it will cheer up thy spirit that thou hast been sorrowing for thy sin Object 3. But thirdly it 's Objected That godliness puts us upon hard services we shall meet with many scandals great sufferings and persecutions for the name of Christ we shall meet with sore temptations and tryals Peradventure we may be brought to fry at a Stake for Christ How then can the ways of godliness be ways of pleasantness A. Notwithstanding the hardest sufferings that the heart of a godly man shall meet withal yet there 's that delight in the ways of godliness as to uphold the heart under all sufferings and carry it on sweetly How much did the Martyrs rejoyce They kist the Stake welcomm'd Fire and Fagot some of them leapt for joy wrote singular Letters for the confirmation of their Brethren Godlyness will carry thee chearfully through sufferings It will make thee account thy Chains as Ornaments thy Prison thy Palace thy Dungeon thy Paradise Gods people suck sweetness out of the bitterest hearbs They finde an Honey-comb in the carcass of Lyons They never see so much of God in prosperity as adversity Never do they feel more inward comforts then amidst outward sorrows for then God settles the tranquility of their spirits and the serenity of their consciences Christ appeared to Mary weeping to Jacob at Bethel to Elias after forty days fasting God brings forth his Cordials to his people in their forest tryals so that whatever sorrows hardships and troubles they meet withal abroad yet they have joy at home and though they may make many a hard meal yet a good conscience is to them a continual feast There 's one Objection more which I shall answer and then proceed Object 4. Some object from common experience When people come into the ways of godliness they do not finde that delight and joy as they had before The world observes them to be more melancholy and of a heavy dumpish spirit This is a meer calumny of the Devils raising to keep men off from the ways of God This is a great pull-back and Remora to the conversion of many souls I shall give a more full and I hope satisfactory Answer to the Objection in these following Considerations 1. Religion denys not civil courteous and affable behaviour Consid 1. Religion denys not civil behaviour Religion forbids not a chearful disposition Nay there 's a Judgement threatned to the contrary Deut. 28. 47. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies saith the Lord. A churlish Nabal is a dishonor to Religion Take heed therefore of discrediting the Gospel by your sad melancholy spirits lest the world bring an evil report upon the ways of godliness None have such chearful spirits as true Believers Their heart is full and must have a vent their tongues countenances carriages will shew that they have comfort in God But secondly consider thou maist mistake Gods children Thou Consid 2. Gods children are serious accountest that sadness and sorrow which is seriousness gravity and a stay'd compos'd carriage The carriage of Gods children must be sober and grave their words serious season'd with salt and their whole conversation must be such as may adorn their profession Phil. 1. 27. Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospell of Christ 3. Consider Gods people may appear sad because they are out Consid 3. Gods children are sad when out of their element of their element When the Fish is out of its element of Water it cannot enjoy it self Birds do not ordinarily sing upon the ground
c. No peace with lusts no peace in the ways of wickedness Isa 57. 20 21. But the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt Thâ—re is no peace saith my God to the wicked Whatever jollity and quietness wicked persons enjoy from without yet there 's war at home A tortur'd conscience will dash all thy sports But a childe of God though wars may be without yet he injoys peace at home with God and a good conscience I shewed formerly the causes of peace wicked men want all these God is their enemy Christ their enemy The Gospel thunders out Anathema's against them As for those mine enemies that would not have me to reign over them bring them out and slay them before me For Instruction 1. Be instructed in these particular Duties 1. Select the ways of godliness and walk close in them Turn neither to the right hand nor to the left Walk straight forward and square all your actions by the rule which is the Word of God When men relinquish their callings and walk out of Gods ways then troubles and calamities befall them and they can take no comfort in them But when thou walkest exactly and keepest close to God whatever crosses befall thee thou maist take comfort inward peace thou maist injoy in the midst of outward troubles 2. Get a spiritual acquaintance with God Job 22. 21. Acquaint thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee Job 34. 29. When he giveth quietness who can make trouble and when he hideth his face who then can behold him Get thy peace made in heaven 3. Prize at an invaluable rate the pearl of a good conscience and take heed of sinning against thy conscience Wouldst thou walk without trouble walk uprightly as was before mention'd for it 's undoubtedly true That he that walketh uprightly walketh truly but he that perverteth his ways shall be known 'T is true offences will come and many scandals and hardships we shall meet withal in our way to Heaven But if we can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall be as bold as Lyons Uprightness onely hath boldness The upright is as bold as a Lyon 4. Choose any affliction rather then wound thy conscience by the least sin Job 36. 21. Take heed regard not iniquity for this hast thou chosen rather then affliction To procure peace with men O do not hazzard thy peace with God and the serenity of a good conscience No peace like to the peace of a good conscience Here 's comfort to Gods people Amidst all their troubles they injoy abundance of peace The serenity of a good conscience quiets their spirits so that the fiercest turbulent Euroclydons cannot shake them Object O but I have many perplexities of conscience I go mourning all the day long God shooteth his keen Shafts at me and vexeth me in his sore displeasure 1. For answer I demand Art thou weary of the burthen of thy sins and art thou sensible of thy insupportable burthen Art thou acquainted with thy miserable condition and apprehensive of thy wretchedness 2. Dost thou willingly allow thy self in no sin though never so secret though sin of delight or constitution 3. Dost thou desire grace for to sanctifie thee as well as mercy to pardon thee Wouldst thou rather be rid of thy sins then the punishments due to them Then thy condition is full of hope And I shall propose these counsels to thee 1. To lie in the way where Christ comes by at the Pool of Bethesda 2. Unbare thy Wounds unto him Look unto the Brazen Serpent 3. Stand not in thine own light but hearken to Gods voice in his Messengers Psal 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will say for he will speak peace unto his people and to his saints but let not them turn again unto folly 4. Continue thy duties Adde more Oyl to the flame Be more swift to hear more fervent in the spirit When God holds up thy spirit to continue chearfully in the performance of thy duty there 's mercy in store for thee 5. Remove all hinderances of thy peace all murmuring discontented expressions If peace comes not as soon as thou wouldst have it take heed of Rachels passionate language Give me children or else I die 6. Cherish those motions of the spirit and feelings that Christ puts into thy heart When Christ gives thee one good look O make much of it 'T is mercy thou hast one good look O set a high prize of it Christ sometimes comes and dines and sups with his Spouse and then she is overjoyed other while he absents himself from her then she 's sick for him Now whenever Christ inspires a good motion into thy heart be sure thou cherish it When ever he smiles upon thee O! observe it and make much of it And seventhly and lastly VVait and resolve not to be driven from thy Fathers dore Though he slay thee yet put thy trust in him Though he be angry with thee yet still praise him Wrestle with him as Jacob did and at last thy desires will be granted and thy joy shall be full The dignity of the Soul Mark 8. 36. For what shall it profit a man if he shall gaine the Serm. 10. St Maries Oxon. March 10. 1650. whole world and lose his own soule OUr Saviour Christ in the verses immediately foregoing exhorteth his disciples to deny themselves v. 34. Hee lays down a Reason verse the 35th wherein he prevents a tacit objection Is it not good methinks to look to our selves and to sleep in a whole skin No thou mistakest thy selfe whilest thou thinkest to save thy life thou will lose it For whosoever c. But further they might say wee must bid adieu to the world our losse will be wonderfull great But compare thy losse and gain together If thou gainest the world O miserable gaine oh dreadfull losse if in the interim thou hazardest thy pretious soule For what shall it profit us c. The words are a weighty reason evidently convincing us of this truth That the gaine of the world is a miserable unprofitable gaine purchased with the losse of the soule The words are propounded by way of question and containe virtually a vehement negation As if he should say The gaine of the world will not profit there 's no comparison the world is base and contemptible the soule excellent and invaluable Is there any compare between gold and drosse excellency and baseness the soule and the world Wherein observe Division 1. The things compared the soule and the world 2ly The purchaser A man 3ly The price pay'd and shall lose c. 4ly 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The purchase The whole world 5ly The miserable bad bargaine What shall it profit c. I 'le a little insist in the explication of the words and then draw forth the Doctrines contain'd in them Here 's a question propounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Creatours commands And though the understanding be blinded and the will depraved the affections disordered by reason of Adam's fall yet Christ giveth his eye-salve to his people to cleare up their understanding and subdueth their wills unto his will These are noble faculties The memory conscience affections are reduced unto these two These faculties difference men from bruit beasts 6. Consider the invaluable price pay'd to purchase the soule Even Singul. 6. The price paid for the soule no less than the effusion of the bloud of Christ He pay'd his life for the redemption of his people the soule must needs be of invaluable worth that was bought purchased and pay'd for with the bloud of the Son of God O! invaluable price more worth than millions of worlds more then all Angels in heaven could doe more than if Adam and all his posterity had suffered unto eternity That the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eternal God should become a child the Antient of days should become the Infant of days the Divine person should assume an humane nature by an hypostaticall union that he should disrobe himselfe and weare the ragges of mortality come into the world not to reigne as a King but as a servant to dye a painefull shamefull and cursed death this was an incomparable price never to be parallel'd And what was the end of all but to save the soules of his people to pacifie God's wrath reconcile man to God by the death on his crosse 7. Consider the difficulty to save our soules Wee have a battle to fight a race to run we must be wrestlers warriours racers Singular 7. It 's a difficult matter to save the soule we are to enter in at a strait gate Few are saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's no easy taske as the ignorant world dreames of to make our peace with God when the Son of man commeth shall he find faith on the earth so shall he find Repentance and Love A common temporary faith a formall Repentance a pretended love are every where to be found as the sicamores in the valley for abundance but a justifying purifying faith a repentance not to be repented of a love without dissimulation are hard to be found rare hearbes which grow in few gardens The world cheates their soules with a shell a picture a fancy of faith they believe as their parents did before them and so they cheat their soules with a picture and fancy of repentance they think repentance enough if they can but mumble over that neck-verse Lord have mercy upon me but such lasy easy formall devotions will not serve the turne see 1 Thes 1. 3. There is a worke of faith a labour of love and a patience of hope Cheap easy lasy ways are suspicious ways It s the greatest work in all the world to work out our salvation some indeed have a sharper some an easier birth None are without pangs and throws one time or other Heart wounding goeth before heart healing Act. 2. 37. But whoever belongeth to God shall feele the gall and wormewood the bitterness of sinne Sinne cost David Peter Mary-Magdalen Paul deare Now then that it is such a weighty difficult worke to save thy soule hence the excellency of the soule is the more inhanced and raised On the contrary as I have inhanced the soules excellency in 7 singularities so I will debase and vilifie the world in as many aggravations 1. The world is a stye and sinke of impurity 1 Joh. 5. 19. Agrav 1. The world is a sink of impurtly What 's pure religion see Jam. 1. 27. To kâ—ep ones selfe unspotted from the world The world is the mother pollution the daughter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 20. The world may not be loved 1 Joh. 2. 15. You may soone know that all the world hath 1 Joh. 2. 16. The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 2ly The world is a grand impostor an arrant jugler There Agrav 2 The world is a grâ—â—d Imposter are three words Eph. 4. 14 which describe the world to the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it courts and complements as Joab did Abner and Amasa as Jaâ—l served Sisera as the Panther leaves a sweet sent and allures the passenger to come to her and presently hee 's devoured as they say the Syrens songes first lull men asleep then devoures them The world puts a gaudy faire vizzard on the soulest actions it calleth drunkenness covetousness whordome by mincing plausible appellations The lewd strumpet tels of her bed of ornaments and braveries Prov. 7. 16 17 But mentions not a syllable of the dart striking through the liver vers 23. So the wine wherewith the drunkard is intoxicated allures him with it's colour Prov. 23. 31 but forewarnes not of it's biting vers 32. The world never represents sinne in it's proper colours but sub specie boni Take heed of the world it will serve thee as Jacob served Laban change thy wages 7 times It will serve thee as the High-Priests served Judas Matth. 27. 4. When an anguish came upon his spirit and hee restored the thirty peeces of silver saying I have sinned in that I have bâ—trayed the innocent bloud and they said what is that to us see thou to that Then thirdly the world is a merciless cruel tormentour Solâ—mon found it to be so by lamentable experience Ecclâ—s 1. 14 The covetous man is upon a Rack his bed is a bed of thornes his bread gravell for the losse of his God Mammon The ambitious man loseing honour and preferment is disquieted that he cannot enjoy himselfe so was Haman nothing could satisfie him so long as he wanted Mordâ—caie's bended knee The want of a complement more vexed him than all his honours contented him At what a great losse was the young man when he must foregoe all his possessions At what a losse were the foolish Gadarens when their swine were drowned they even preferred their swine before a Jesus 4. The world in it's best estate is vanity Eccles 1. 2. The riches Aggrav 4. The world is vanity honours and pleasures in this world are empty broken cisternes trees without fruit bare leaves or apples of Sodome which as Historians relate are goodly to the eye but being touched dissolve into cinders and ashes Isai 55. 2. Not bread The worlds goods are things which are but shadows pictures shels emptiness vanity nothing in reality and truth Chimera's entia rationis brain fancies Great expectations we have Parturiunt montes c. The world is a meere lottery we come to it with heads full of hopes but returne back with hearts full of blankes 5. The world is unsatisfying and unsuitable to the soule The Aggrav 5. The world is unsatisfying world is materiall corruptible earthly the soule immateriall incorruptible heavenly How can these be reconciled What agreement can there be between them Ther 's no proportion nor
ten thousand pounds for a good conscience nay all his estate riches c. but all these cannot bribe death to stay one minute longer nor can they all make any atonement for the soule Riches honours c. are not a suitable proportionable price sor these are materiall and corruptible the soule immateriall and incorruptible and between these there 's no proportion Thirdly The price paid to redeem our soules is infinitely superlatively more worth then millions of worlds what 's that see 1 Pet. 1. 18. The soul was redeemed with the price of bloud even of him who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one soule saved any other way not the richest in the world nor the poorest can come any other way to heaven but by Jesus Christ The soule of the poorest saint though his person be trampled on by the world is bought by so great a price as the effusion of the bloud of Jesus Christ Hence it evidently appeares that the soul is more worth then the world Christ died not for the world he prayed not for them John 17. 9. but he died for his own whom his father had given him out of the world O Consid 2. Jesus Christ alone and the graces of his spirit can adorne the soule pretious heavenly-born-being soule 2ly It 's Jesus Christ alone the graces of his spirit that can beautifie enrich and adorne the soule Aske a covetous Mammonist where lies his riches he 'll tell you in such a stock of cattell such lands revennues gold silver c. Aske a child of God where are his riches he 'll tell you his riches are in Christ his treasures are in heaven his high place and preferment is in his fathers house Aske your stately Gallants whâ—re their ornaments are They will shew you their necklaces and bracelets of pearles their Diamond-Rings Gorgeous apparrell But what 's all these to the soule The soule is not beautified with golden chains costly raiment pretious jewels I le tell you of a chaine of pearls which will adorne your soules and enrich you more then all the pretious gemmes the Universe can afford read 2 Pet. 1. 5. Ps 45. 13 14. Ezek. 16. 9 10 11 c. Thou mayest be rich in the world yet poor in grace thou mayest have a beautifull face and a polluted soule goodly brave stately apparrell and a foule rotten conscience outward beauty inward deformity fair without foule within Now Christ his graces can alone make thy soule beautifull His graces are the best ornament and therefore beseech him to beautifie thy soule and to adorne thee with faith love and the rest of the Graces of his spirit Thirdly Consider God out of the riches of his free grace and mercy Consid 3 God puts a price into our hands to improve for our souls puts a price into your hands by the Gospell dispensations which he expects you should improve for the best advantage of your soules Force not the Lord to complaine as Prov. 17. 6. you have sermon upon sermon Manna falls frequently round about your tents will you not stir out of your doores to gather it you have the ordinances frequently dispensed amongst you you have bread in the morning and bread in the evening many occasionall sermons All these helpes and meanes are afforded by God for the good of your soules you have publick assemblies continued your eyes behold your teachers you enjoy Sabbaths dayes of humiliation dayes of thankesgiving wherein Gods keeps open market for the good of your soules and it s your duty to husband them all for the eternall welfare of your soules The Spirit knocks at your hearts by the sermons you hear by all the mercies you enjoy to take care of your pretious soules The salvation of your soules is the intention and end of all our preaching It 's the only designe we have upon you to win you to Jesus Christ all the Ordinances are the food of your soules to keep your soules in heart the sabbaths are the market of your souls you have soule-fatting Ordinances Oh take heed lest a leanenesse enter into your soules The markets will not alwaies last the shops will not alwayes be open now come and buy wine c. Improve the Sabbaths Sermons all your Gospel-opportunities for the eternal benefit of your soules Fourthly Consider This present time of life whilst you are in this Consid 4. This is the present time to regard our soules world is the only season and opportunity offered to make provision for your pretious soules see John 9. 4. This is the time to worke out your salvation in as Phil. 2. 12. The time of seeking God Isa 55. 6. This is the time of working the worke of faith the labour of love and patience of hope 2 Thes 1. 3. This is the time of making our peace and reconciliation with God Now we presse upon you the Doctrine of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 20. If thou livest and diest in an unregenerate and unreconciled estate to God thou wilt remaine so even to all eternity Now thou must run otherwise thou shalt never obtaine now thou must fight the good fight of faith otherwise thou shalt never obtain the end of thy faith the salvation of thy soule Now thou must wrestle otherwise thou wilt never obtein the blessing Now thy peace must be made whilst thou art on this side hell otherwise it will never be made hereafter There 's no time for purgation in another world for perfecting thy faith and hope this time of life is the seed time and according as a man soweth so shal he reape This time of life is a time of working in heaven there will be a resting from our labours As therefore thou tendrest the eternall welfare of thy soule whilst thou hast life breath space opportunity whilst thou art on this side the grave on this side of eternity set seriously upon the businesse of greatest weight and consequence to make thy peace with God to make thy calling and election sure that so when death separates thy soule from thy body nothing may be able to separate it from the love of Jesus Christ Consid 5. This present life is but for a moment Fifthly Consider This present life is but for a moment and upon this moment depends eternity The longest life is but a moâ—ent if compared with eternity and this moment is a short moment compared in Scripture to bubbles vapours spans weavers shuttles flowers things of shortest continuance And this moment is a shortning moment each day each hour each minute shortneth thy life and makes thee nearer eternity each step thou treadest is a step nearer thy Grave each moment thou breathest is a drawing on to thy home And further this moment when once past is irrecoverable all the world cannot call back one minute of time and when this little inch and moment of time is past thou shalt be in eternity in that condition which is unalterable as long
he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price A second is Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest A third invitation is John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22. 17. A 4th is The Spirit the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the waters of life freely The lâ—st I shall name is the most prevalent obtestation in all the world Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Put forth thy labor to make a Catalogue of the mercies of God they exceed all Arithmetick measure them their dimensions are infinite The Apostle makes four dimensions breadth length heighth and depth Eph. 3. 18. The mercies of God reach to the Heavens his faithfulness to the clouds All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his covenant and testimonies Psal 25. 10. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting his mercy is above all his works Had we the tongues of Men and Angels we could not sufficiently set forth the mercies of God yet let us summon up all the members of our Bodies and all the faculties of our Souls to praise the Lord for his mercies and tell the wonders which he hath done for the children of men How many National mercies and signal deliverances have we received and we yet are in peace even to a miracle of mercies our fleece is yet dry whil'st others are wet with blood Thousands have faln beside us and ten thousand at our right hands and no evil comes nigh our dwelling What variety of personal mercies do we receive How many deliverances have we received from the Grave being ready to fall in and yet we are reprieved and have space to repent How many deliverances have we received from Fire Water Pobbers unreasonable men and all the plots and projects of Malignant Enemies unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ Further What mercies do we receive for our souls Do we not injoy Sabbaths Ordinances publick assemblies Blessed be God our eyes yet behold our teachers and our Gospel is not driven into corners How many mercies Quot misericordiae tot ora Isa 30. 20. so many mouthes All these mercies have so many mouthes calling upon us to thankfulness and amendment of life Now the holy Spirit of God strives by all these mercies to win us to repentance It is our obliged duty as God strives with us in mercy and loving kindness so we should strive with him in our return of thankfulness and reformation of our lives Every mercy should be a Lord-stone to draw us up to Christ Every mercy should be as a foot-stool to raise us up higher to Heaven Every mercy should be as a Looking-glass wherein we should behold the visible resemblances of the loving kindness of God O then take heed of neglecting the voice of the Spirit when he calls by mercies For if he be neglected when he speaks in the sweet musick of mercies he will speak terrible things in the thunder of judgement 5. The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience 5. Yet further The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience forbearance and long sufferance towards sinners God is not willing that any should perish but that they should repent and be saved O the unwearied patience of a merciful Father How long did God bear with the old world with the Amorites Jerusalem The Lord waits to be gracious he delights in mercy It is his nature to be merciful Judgement is called his act his strange act Isa 28. 21. The Lord will rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act This is to shew his unwillingneâ—s to punish sinners till needs must He is said to hyer a Razour to shave them as if he had none of his own Isa 7. 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired namely by them beyond the river by the King of Assyria the head and the hair of the feet See and admire the wonderful patience of God though we provoke him every day O wonderful patience that the Drunkard dies not in his vomit that the Swearers Blasphemers tongues fall not presently out of their heads Still the Lord waits knocking at the doors of our hearts exercising infinite patience and forbearance towards poor sinners He whets his Sword and bends his Bow Psal 7. 12. He might cleave us asunder presently but there we have experience of singular patience God was but six days in creating the world yet as Chrysostome observes he was seven days in encompassing the Walls of Jericho before he destroyed it Patientia laesa fit furor but let us take heed of abusing patience patience abused breaks forth into extremity of fury Mercy pleads I am slighted I am abused I will no more have mercy on them then patience interposeth I will wait longer but patience being abused it pleads I will be no longer tired out nor abused At last comes long-suffering I am gentle and merciful and I will wait longer and longer but if long-suffering be wearied out What will plead for us What will become of us The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah whilest the Ark was preparing as the apostle Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance We should account the long-suffering of the Lord our salvation Rom. 2. 4. or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance 6. The Spirit of God strives by many signal exemplary Judgements 6. The spirit strives by many signal and exemplaâ—y Judgements inflicted upon others inflicted upon others We have read of the Wars of Jerusalem in Josephus but more pathetically set forth in the â—ook of the Lamentations We have read of the heavy Judgements of God upon Germany and Palatinate We have read of the barbarous butcherings of those blood-sucking Caribals in Ireland upon the Protestant Party We hear now of a Sword letting out blood in Scotland good blood and bad blood being let out together the Sword destroying one as well as another We hear of sad breaches and heart-divisions widened more and more in England You hear a general complaint of poverty and decay of Trade By all these Judgements the Spirit of God strives with us and woes
A new understanding 2. 20. when Saul was converted he had a new understanding he was another manner of man he was inspired from heaven and had divine illumination 3. There 's a new Will Psal 110. 3. Paul askt Lord what 3. A new will wouldst thou have me to doe after Christ met with him by the way 4. New Affections Col. 3. 2. 4. New affections 5. A new heart 6. A new life 5. A new Heart It 's commanded Ezek. 18. 31. and promised Ezek. 36. 26. 6. A new Life there are new paths there are new waies the fruit of Regeneration is newnesse of life and conversation the fruit of a regenerate man is to holynesse he brings forth fruits meet for repentance as we are commanded Mat. 3. 8. I proceed to another Use for Exhortation to exhort and excite Vse 4. For Exhortation every one to search and enquire and let every one ask his own heart whether or no he be regenerated This is a matter of eternal consequence and therefore we should make it a Question and ask every one himself particularly Am I regenerated yea or no. For Motives consider 1. The necessity Joh. 3. 3. No comming to heaven withou Mot. 1 Regeneration 2. All the Actions Services and Duties performed by unregenerate Mot. 2 men can no waies be acceptable and pleasing unto God For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Now the most gaudy specious pretences of unregenerate men arise not from a Principle of Faith there 's Self-love Vain-glory at the bottom Now without Faith â—ere is an utter impossibility of pleasing God Heb. 11. 6. 3. Nothing defiled shall ever enter into heaven Now an unregenerate Mot. 3 person is unwasht left to lye in his blood and pollution his wayes are foul his mind and conscience are defiled No sink so filthy as the state of unregeneracy The fift Vse is for Direction Vse 5. For Direction First Pray hard for Divine Wisdome Jam. 1. 17. All Secular Learning all the accomplisht knowledge in the Arts and Sciences are not able to teach this Mystery of Regeneration It comes from heaven it 's the work of the Spirits illumination to open the understanding to bring a soul from darkness unto light 2. Wait upon God in his Word the Word is the â—eed of Regeneration it 's immortal incorruptible Seed 3. Pray for the Spirit the Spirit causeth this Seed to fructifie The sixth Vse is for Consolation O how happy are their conditions Vse 6. For Consolation Rev. 1. 5. who are savingly wrought on by the Spirit of God! It 's God that hath loved them and washt them and made them Kings and Priests unto God They are new born and are of the family of the First-born Not flesh and blood not the greatest birth nor accomplisht parts hath revealed this Mysterie of Regeneration this is onely the work of Gods Spirit Now what 's the Duty of regenerate persons 1. To praise God and tell of his goodness So did Paul reciting the History of his Conversion break forth into Praises 1 Tim. 1. 17. 2. To walk as becommeth converted children Eph. 5. 8. Regeneration must be evidenced by the fruits of a sanctified conversation 3. To set an high price on so great a distinguishing love and mercy That God should change thy heart and purifie thy nature This is 1 a work of an Omnipotent God 2. In instanti 3. Ex nihilo it 's a pure Creation pray then with David Psal 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Unconverted must pray for Regeneration and Converted must pray foâ— further Manifestations and Evidences there 〈…〉 that this great work is effectually wrought upon their soules The Feasts of Purim OR Two Solemn Festivals instituted ordained in remembrance of that wonderfull Deliverance from Hamans bloody Plot applyed to our Anniversary Commemoration of Gods gracious Deliverance from the GUN-POWDER TREASON upon Esther c. 9. v. 27 28. The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed and upon all such as joyned themselves unto them so as it should not fail that they would keep these two dayes according to their writing and according to their appointed time every year And that these daies should be remembred and kept throughout every Generation every Family every Province and every City and that these dayes should not faile from among the Jews nor the memoriall of them perish from their seed THE Text and Solemnity of this day of Thanksgiving answer Serm. 6. at St. Maries Oxon. Nov. 5. 1654. each other as in water face answers face The Jews having obtain'd a signall deliverance from a barbarous Massâ—cre plotted and contrived by Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the Agagite their inveterate and implacable Adversary set apart by way of gratulatory Commemoration the foâ—rteenth and fifteenth day of the Month Adar that they should make them daies of feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor Ver. 22. And wee of this Nation being wonderfully delivered from a Romish Devillish design of the Gun-powder Treason are here on purpose met to commemorate with thankfulnesse this fifth of November when the Blow was intended to be given but through Mercy was disappointed Some Parallels might easily be drawn between Hamans hortid Assassination and the bloody Butchery intended this day though in many things this Popish Plot wants a parallel Haman was an old enemy to the Jews he was an Agâ—gite of the Family of Agag King of Amalek and therefore upon an old grudge the greater enemy And this Haman was a â—avoâ—rite in the highest degâ—ee of King Ahasuerus and so in a fitter capacity to bring his mischief to â—ass The occasion of the first quarrel was but a petty trissing inconsiderable matter Mordecai did not bow nor do reverence to Haman The want of a bended knee first blew Esâ—h 3. 2. the coâ—l of contention firâ— incensed Haman against Mordecai Several Questions are raised whether Haman expected from Mordecai more than a civil worship or whether Mordecai refused to do reverence because Haman was a Persian and as their custome is had the Sun pictured in his breast or because he was of the Family of Amalck with whom God would have War from generation to generation Exod. 17. 16. Hence there are raised several disputes and many coÌ„jectures neither is it necessary to be too peremptory in our determination seeing the Scripture is silent but Human thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone Esth 3. 6. Aquila non â—aptat muscas he aims at the utter ruin of Mordecai and all his people Tutum est nescire quod tegitur Ambr. He complains to the King against the Jews pleads an argument ab inutili that it 's not for the Kings profit to suffer them Esth. 3. 8. The King gives Haman his â—ing and gives the Jews into his hand ver 10. The Scribes write the Letters the Posts
up after their deliverance Votivas Tabulas as Monuments of gratitude for their deliverance VVhat are we to offer but Thanksgiving Ps 50. 14. what are wee to render but the Calves of our lips Hos 14. 2. Noâ— if wee thus I bour to eternize Gods name he will have regard unto our names if we honour him he will honour us so he declares Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. Secondly a gratefull commemoration of Mercies and Deliverances Reas 2. Thankfulnes is Gods Tribute is that Tribute that God requires that Homage due unto him VVe are all indebted to God nec solvendo sumus whatever we can doe at the best holds no proportion with the mercy received yet the Lord is pleased to accept of a thankfull heart and where it is graciously rewards it VVhat speciall notice doth Christ take of the thankfull Samaritan and the Apostle joynes unthankfull and unholy together what a brand of infamy lyeth on the ungratefull Impudence and Ingratitude goe together How many are like Swine that eat the Acorns but never look up to the Tree what great ingratitude was charged on Ieshurun to forget the Roâ—k that made them and lightly esteem of the Rock of their salvation Now what a poor pittance is this Rent-penny and acknowledgment to vouchsafe unto the father of Mercies Shall we not return a drop of Praises for an Ocean of Mercies where 's Davids Quid retribuam What shall I render c. Psal 107. 8. A third Reason shall be drawn from the excellency of the duty Reas 3. From the excellency of the duty to record Mercies to speak good of God and blesse his name to tell what God hath done for thy self and for others what national what personal mercies he hath heaped on thee and to be exuberant in the praises of the Lord this is an excellent service To set thy Hosannahs and Hallelujahs on the highest Key and to break forth into the praises of God This is a good thing Psal 92. 1. and as it is a good thing so it is a pleasant thing Psal 147 1. further it 's a comely thing to tell of Gods mercies and to say blessed be God is in discourses a comely Parenthesis The Apostle tels us Eph. 5. 14. that filthiness foolish talking and jesting are unseemly and inconvenient but what 's to be used in their room it followeth but rather giving of thanks but adde further praise is permanent for praise is to all eternity we shall for ever be praising of the Lord we shall sing praise honour and glory unto him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore David professeth Ps 146. 2. that he will praise God whilst he hath any being we should thus exercise our selves in that language on earth which will be our employment unto all eternity Reas 4. Drawn from many obligations 1 A Bond of Creation A fourth Reason shall be drawn from those many obligations that lye us upon As 1. Vinculo creationis God it is that made us and not we our selves Psal 100. 3. Now we should be to the praise of God and set forth his praise we should be thankfull unto him and blesse his name as Rivers return unto the Sea whence they first came so wee should returne all wee have to the praise and service of God Auius Fulvius said to his Sonne when he found him in Catilines conspiracy Non ego te Catilinae genui sed patriae So doth God say I gave thee not a soul and body to serve sin withall but to serve me withall Quot membra tot ora So many members of our body and so many faculties of our soules are as so many mouths to call upon us to praise the Lord. 2. Vinculo Redemptionis here 's matter of praise for ever and eternity 2 A Bond of Redemption will be too little to praise God for Jesus Christ our Redeemer who hath delivered us from our enemies to this purâ—ose That we might serve him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives Luk. 1. 74 75. So that Thanksgiving is a special service due unto God Quot inimici tot ora so many enemies as we are delivered from by Christs death call upon us to serve Christ for ever and to blesse God for the riches of his mercies in Jesu Christ 3. Vinculo Gratitudinis Quot beneficia tot ora wee receive mercies 3 A Bond of Gratitude at our lying down and riâ—ng up we are compassed about with varieties of mercies mercies on the right and mercies on the left hand mercies for our bodies mercies for our souls so that every mercy is a mouth to call upon us to be thankfull Haman plotted most mischief and was counterplotted and the Jews accounted themselves bound even by the bond of gratitude to keep a solemn remembrance of so great a deliverance so the Romish â—un-powder â—raytoâ—s plotted the destruction of Protestants and layed their designes as low as Hell God hath vouâ—hsafed a gracious deliverance unto the land of our Nativity wherefore the very bond of Gratitude engageth us to keep this day and offer unto God praise and thanksgiving dâ—e unto his name 4. Vinculo gloriae divinae promovendae What lyeth in us we should 4 A Bond to promote Gods glory unite all our members and faculties to advance the glory of God Now this is a way of gloryfying God he is glorysied by the praises of his people â—or he that praiseth God glorisieth him Psal 50. 23. Now put all these together and you 'll conclude what good reason we have to keep in memory divine Deliverances and ascribe unto the Lord the praise and glory of his Deliverances I shall insist no longer in this proof of the Doctrine but make a Applicat seasonable improvement thereof in some usefull Application I shall onely insâ—st on three â—ses for Infoâ—mation Caution and Exhortation and accordingly apply the point unto the solemnity of the day Lend me I pray your patient attention whilst I make a suitable application of all 1. This serves to inform us of the warrantablenesse of our present Use 1. For information meeting upon this day and what good grounds we have to set apart this day for an Anniversary Thanksgiving Gods people formerly upon like occasions kept a day of remembrance so did the Jews here in the Text keep the Feast of Purim and truly we of this Nation have as great cause as ever any had to keep this memorable day wherein the hand of God was eminently seen in our deliverance wherein his own right arme wrought a glorious salvation for us Now to make you more sensible of the greatnesse of the deliverance I conâ—eive it very proper to my businesse that lies before me to make a brief Narrative and acquaint you with the â—istory of this day In pursuance whereof I shall observe two heads into which I shall cast my following Narration 1.
shall I tell you further of their seven Sacraments and other Trent Doctrines viz Justification by workâ— Purgatory Indulgences Transubstantiation the Masse praying to Saints I would not at this time conjure up these devils unlesse I had more time to lay them down by a particular confutation I referre you to the learned confutations of Chamier Dr. Whitaker and Dr. Reynolds each one the glory and oâ—nament of his â—niverâ—ty and our Nation One of them kills his enemy and hewes him to peeces Another buries him I will give in a few Principles which are not my judgment only though I heartily subscribe thereunto but of many others whose â—ookes I am not worthy to carry after them One is that the Pope is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist let 's not be afraid 1. The Pope is the Antichrist v. G. Downham to give him his right name aâ—d call a spade a spade a Whore a Whore Antichrist Antichrist Learned Downham in severall demonstrations abundantly proves the Assertion it s a book worthy your perusâ—ll K. James ask'd Sir Francis Bacon whether the â—oâ—e were Antichrist he returned this answer that if a hue and cry were made after Antichrist and he should apprehend the Pope he would make him clear himself of the markes of Antichrist before he would let him goe A Second Principle is this that a Papist cannot goe beyond a 2. A Papist cannot goe beyond a Reprobate v. Mr. Perkins Reprobate I referre you to the Learned and satisfactoâ—y tract of judicious Mr. Perkins who will give you if you be as willing to reâ—eive abundant satisfaction in this particular A 3 d. Principle is that there ought to be no Peace no â—econciliation with â—ome I am herein fully of that Reverend Drsâ—oâ—inion 3. There ought to be no peace with Rome B. Hall thâ—t there ought to be no peace with â—ome though I cannot agree with him in saying that Rome is a true Church no more then I can say that a womâ—n is honest who is knowâ— to be a common Whore As for Cassander of old Sancta Clara of late who would be reconcilers and joyn the Ark and Dagon Rome and England together for ought I know they may as well reconcile the two Poles as unite those that differ in severall fundamentals A Pottle of Tyber and a Pint of Thames will make a strange Medley Ballderdash Gallimaufrie what shall I call it Christ and Antichrist will not bee thus yoaked Protestantisme and Popery Rome and Geneva can agree no more than fire and water Frigida cum calidis pugnant humentia siccis Lead and Gold cannot agree in the same Furnace no union with Antichrist no peace with Jezabel no reconciliation with Babylon A fourth Principle is this That a Papist living and dying in 4. A Papist living dying in the trusting to his Merits cannot bee saved 5. Babylon is Rome the opinion of his own Merits cannot be saved because he overthroweth the Foundation cuts off that Bough whereon he should lean he overthroweth the Righteousnesse of Christ and without Christs righteousnesse no salvation 5. That Babylon is Rome Vrbs septicollis and shall bee destroyed Rome is that Mother of Fornications and Witchcrafts and herein you have the consent of the most Orthodox and learned Interpreters of the Revelation who concurre in this principle These are the Principles which I am not afraid to own and I am persâ—â—ded that few or none of you differ from my judgment but beleeve these Principles to be true I will have but one word more for a close of all in my last use Vse 3. For Exhortation which is for exhortation and then I shall dismisse you My Brethren you have heard of the Mercies of this day singular Deliverances singular Testimonies of the loving kindness of the Lord Now what eminent things shall we doe for God What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits Let me be your Remembrancer after what manner we should remember the mercyes of this day and then I shall commend you to the grace of God 1. Remember to transmit the memory of this day to your Posterity Let this Anniversary solemnity be kept in record let it bee told by the Father to the children and to the childrens children from Generation to Generation Because some question the truth of the day and look upon it but as a politick invention and Trick of State let us bee more diligent to keep it in memory let us speak one to another of the mercies of this day be well acquainted with the History of the day and let us speak of this deliverance in the house in the field at our down-lying and rising up what things of old what ancient mercies the Lord hath vouchsafed to our Fathers and to us in them May this day be wrote in the Kalendar in Letters of Gold which the Papists would have wrote in letters of blood 2. Remember and praise God for this miraculous deliverance 2. Praise God for the Mercies of this day let our mouthes be filled with the praises of the Lord Ps 107. 8. Le ts take up the Ps 124. and make application let our lips praise the Lord and let us say the name of the Lord be praised let our hearts praise the Lord let all that is within us bless his holy name 3. Remember and be vigilant watch against Papists trust them 3. Remember and be watchfull not we know their equivoâ—tions we know their blood-thiâ—styâ—ess le ts ever deprecate and â—bhorre any Toleration any connivance or compliance with them no moâ—e trusting to them than to Simeon and Levi Brethren in Iniquity in whose habitations were instruments of cruelty Gen. 49. 5 6. Be cuâ—telous come not near the brinke venture not upon Arminiâ—n Fâ—milistical and other mungril opinions which partly speaks in the language of the Jews and partly in the language of Ashdod Give the Devil his Option he would have for his Agent a. Familist as soon as a Papist for a Familist can aequivocate and tell you he means Christ and him crucified when as he means not the Christ crucified at Jerusalem but a phansie of his own addle brain a Christ in him or a Platonick Christ 4. And lastly shew some tokens for good of your joy and rejoycing 4. Shew some token of thankfulness in the mercy of this day This day is a day of Thanksgiving let it be a day of Almes-giving to cloath the naked and feed the hungry that their loyns may bless you send to such for whom nothing is prepared This day is a feasting day and there ought to be a sending of portâ—ons one unto another I come in a good day I hope you will not say me my there are many pooâ—e Housholders and poor Scholars too it 's farre more charity to help them than your wandring Peggars In Florence as I have read there was speciall provision made for such housholders as were poor and
c. O! consider seriously there will be a day of Judgment wherein thou shalt be called to an account for all by thoughts words and deeds It 's excellent counsell which Basil gives Cum senseris te ad aliquod peccatum provocari ad mentem revoca formidabile illud judicium hoc quasi fraeno paedagogo utere i. e. when thou art tempted to sin call to mind the dreadfull day of Judgement and this will be as a bridle to curb sinne and as a School-master to instruct us in our duty Let this be a Monitor a Frontlet before thine eyes a perpetual vade mecum In all places and companies consider there will be a day of an account a day of Judgement will come O that this consideration were more frequent in our thoughts Through the grace of God it would be a special preservative against sin 2. Let the consideration of the day of Judgement engage you to Less 2. Labour to be holy holyness of life and conversation That 's the practicall use which the Apostle commends to our practise 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. Onely holy persons shall be able to stand in judgement This consideration moved the Saints to have their conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. 3. This consideration should read us a Lecture of Patience Amidst Less 3. Learn Patience all sufferings persecutions losses crosses hardships evill entreaties amidst all perils at home abroad and among false brethren Let us consider that a day will come which will make amends for all sufferings Be patient saith the Apostle for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh Jam. 5. 8. Let us therefore bee patient under crosses yet a little while and the day of the Revelation of Christ will come when the righteous shall be delivered out of trouble and the wicked shall come in their stead Learne hence by patience to possesse your souls 4. Hence let us be put upon continual watchfulness The time Less 4. Learn watchfulness of Christs coming is like a theif in the night We know not the time to the intent we should alwaies keep strict sentinel alwaies stand upon our watch and be in procinctu like the wise Virgins with our Lamps trimmed and oyle in our Lamps Watchfulness is commended at all times Mark 13. 33 34 35 36. Shake off all security and drowsiness If the Watchmen sleep the City will soon be surprized Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam Let our Saviours caution ring aloud in our eares Luk. 21. 34. Take Less 5. Learn to fear God heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged c. 5. Hence learn to fear God Rev. 14. 7. Ungodly men though Preachers amplifie these things looke upon them but as so many Scare-crows But that which they now fear not shall make them tremble and wish that some Rock would so much favour them as to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of a sin revenging God O Christian fear God and walk in his fear all the day long tremble at the consideration of this day and let it be thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work out thy salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. Less 6. Learn compassion and charity 6. And lastly hence learn compassion and exercise of Charity towards the poor Members of Christ Not a cup of cold water but shall be rewarded in that day The visiting the sick the cloathing of the naked the releeving of the distressed shall be all remembred in that day Christ brings them all to remembrance Mat. 25. Let us then cast our bread upon the waters and after many dayes we shall finde it Eccl. 11. 1. The Apostle prayeth for Onesiphorus his benefactor that he might find mercy in that day 2 Tim. 1. 18. What day was that but the day of Judgement and recompense Then God will remember all the Saints good deeds but all their bad deeds shall be blotted out of the Book of Remembrance or brought in only like a cancell'd bond for the further manifestation of the riches of Gods mercy And now here 's onely one Vse more of the Doctrine which shall Use 3. For Consolation be for consolation unto the godly In these respects the consideration of the day of Judgement administers unto them abundance of consolation I shall name a few particulars and so conclude this Doctrine 1. From the nature of the day the Saints reap comfort for that 1 Comfort from the nature of the day day is a day of Redemption a day of restitution a day of deliverance Wherefore in expectation of this day they lift up their heads Luke 21. 28. This is the day of the appearance of Christ and this is the foundation of the Saints comfort Col. 3. 4. 2. Here 's comfort in respect of the Judge and that is Jesus Christ who is their Head their Husband their Elder Brother their 2 Comfort in respect of the Judge Advocate their Intercessour He is their Judge who is their Saviour and he will pronounce the sentence of Absolution Christ is their Judge who hath loved them and washed them in his blood Rev. 1. 5. Christ is their Judge who is their peace and reconciler Eph. 2. 14. 3. Here 's comfort in respect of the sentence which Christ shall pronounce Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared 3 Here◠comfort in respect of the sentence for you before the foundation of the world 4. And lastly their happynesse shall be to all eternity Psal 16. 11. 4 This comfort shall be to all eternity And of this presence the godly shall be partakers They shall see the blessed vision enjoy an uninterrupted communion with the holy Trinity I le close up the first Doctrine with leaving you to meditate upon 1 Thes 4. 16 17 18. And so much for the first Doctrine I proceed to the second Doctrine That at the day of Judgement the secrets of all mens hearts shall be judged Though men digge never Doct. 2 so deep yet shall they never bee able to hide any thing from God God will bring every work to judgement Eccles 12. 14. The reasons of the Doctrine may be drawn 1. From the Omniscience of God Psal 44. 21. Hee knew the secret whoredomes of Aholah and Aholibah all the chambers Reas 1. From Gods Omniscience of imagery and all their wickednesses done in the darke Ezek. 8. 12. Darkness and light are both alike to him Psal 139. 12. All things are naked unto him with whom we have to deale Heb. 4. 13. God knoweth all things 1 Joh. 3. 20. So that words secretly whispered actions secretly done nay more thoughts purposes intentions before ever they are thought purposed and intended are fully known to God Thou hast set saith the Psalmist our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance Psal 90. 8. A second Reason shall be drawn from the Justice of God which is to render
high presumption This is for men to disparage Religion as a cheap commodity This is to undervalue the Medicine of Christs blood by thinking it easie to be had This is to presume of Mercy at last though in the mean time men live as they list But be not deceived God is not mocked The work of salvation is not so easie to work out it will cost sweat and blood watchings fastings humblings repentings and when thou hast done all thou must deny thy self and acknowledge thy self an unprofitable servant Take heed of presuming and blessing thy selfe in carnall security There 's one maine Scripture which should bee as a Looking-glasse set before presumptuous sinners Deut. 29. 19 20. 4. To give God that which is vile and reserve a better to themselves 4. There is sacriledge in this sinne to present God with any thing at a venture when thou hast a better by thee it plainly proves thee guilty of Sacriledge The best thou shouldest consecrate to the Lord the best in thy flock the best of thy services the best of the best of thy heart memory understanding will and affections Now if thou dost keep back the best from God thou art guilty of the highest kind of theft even sacriledge as we may read Mal. 3. 8. upon this Scripture a good old Disciple layeth down this Doctrine That it Mr. Stock on Mal. 3. 8. is a sacrilegious and impious thing for them to with-hold and withdraw the Ministers maintenance Suum merito vocat ac censet quod destinat in cultum suâ—m saith Calvin And if it be a great sinne as it is questionlesse to defraud Gods Ministers and rob them of their maintenance how much greater is it to rob Christ of his Deity as much as in Blasphemers lyes and to rob God of his Day and Worship The Papists would take away the second Commandement the Anabaptists the fifth the Antisabbatarians the fourth and some Antinomian and Familistical spirits would cut the whole Decalogue off at one blow these are sacrilegious in a high manner Consid 6. Notwithstanding all failings all will be accepted through Jesus Christ who rob God of his Law and Worship â—ut I come to a 6. Consideration When we have done the best offered the Male in the flock though there are many faylings yet all will be accepted through Jesus Christ Two things I must premise 1. That there are faylings in our best services There are iniquities of the holy things Exod. 28. 38. The Prophet confss eth himself a man of unclean lips Is 6. 5. The best of us all had need be humbled to the dust for those very sins that cleave to our duties for our distractions deadness coldness in hearing praying when we have done our duty we had need fall upon our knees to pray for the forgivenes of our faylings in the doing of that duty We had need fast for our fastings be humbled for our humiliations because we have performed spiritual services in a Carnal and Careles manner But 2. If we doe our utmost from a sincere heart and offer all up in the name of Christ through him we shall be accepted of the Father Christ is that high Priest that hath entred into the holy of holies and there he bare the Iniquity of our holy things He takes away our filthy garments and cloaths us with the immaculate robes of his righteousness Our prayers are raw and cold but Christ mends them in the carriage Our services are imperfect Christ presents them perfect to the Father Our duties have many staines and defilements by our formal slight performance of them But the Lord Jesus washeth them and so presents them to the Father So then in all our services we must act in the strength of Christ We must offer all our sacrifices upon this brazen Altar Christ is the onely high Priest that can offer all for us Nothing of our selves as of our selves we can doe in an acceptable manner All we must doe must be in the strength of Christ without him we can doe nothing but we can doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth us 7. And lastly The last Consideration shall be drawne from the Consid 7. From the dreadfull curse in the Text. dreadful curse in the Text The hypocrite the deceiver that offers a corrupt thing unto the Lord is under a dreadful curse It was a heavy jâ—dgement for Cain and Cham to be under a curse And an Anathema with a Maranatha at the end of it is the highest Gospel Curse How dreadfull must the condition of Hypocrites be who deal deceitfully with God who as it is in the Text make vows and keep mental reservations who vow under pretence of Zeal and yet give God the worst This dissembled Sanctity is double iniquity But what did Cain meet withall but a curse for his sleight sacrifice what did Ananias and Saphira meet withall for their hypocritical juglings and defalcations from the price but death in the place a signal judgement What shall carelesse Ministers meet withall but a dreadfull woe Zech. 11. 17. What shall they all meet withall which doe the work of the Lord deceitfully but a dreadfull curse Jer. 48. 10. Gods curses are terrible and light heavy upon hypocrites Though men oftimes cannot find them out yet God will take them into his own hand and it 's a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God This Deceiver in the Text is an accursed person his sinne will find him out his juglings pretences hypocrisieâ— are all naked unto God and the vengeance of God will overtake him Having dispatched this Use of Exhortation I come now to a second Use which shall be for Reproof of that grand Hypocrite and Deceiver in the Text who hath in his flock a Male c. Within the verge of this Reprehension come severall sorts of Vse 2. For Reproof persons whom I shall single out and cry aloud against them As for instance 1. The Hypocrite who makes a shew a shaddow a pretence of 1. The Hypocrite Religion without the truth â—eality and substance thereof The Hypocrite is odious to God and man Men hate him because hee seems so good God hates him because he is not what he seems He may goe a great way and deceive men and his own heart for a time yet he cannot escape the knowledge of a holy omniscient Lord God It s the observation of a Reverend Divine that a Hypocrite is usually discovered before he dye But though he escape undiscovered and unpunished by man yet the hand of God will reach him The Psalmist sets him out Psal 36. 2. 3. Psal 55. 21. No man gives smoother words than a Hypocrite no man more full of complements none will pretend more friendship and none will doe lesse Joab came after such a hypocritical manner to Abner and Amasa and made his flattering speeches but a Preface to his Murther Ishmael came weeping as he went
* Eph. 5. 9. Eph. 5. 9. Viz. Goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth and he mentions another much larger †Gal. 5. 22 23. Gal. 5. 22 23. Viz. Love joy peace longsuffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance Here then is the great triall whether the life and conversation be ordered aright Whether the conversation be in †all holy conversation and Godlinesse Whether the new Creature exert it selfe through a mans whole life Whether a holy profession be adorned by a holy conversation Now if in truth and sincerity affirmative answers can be given to these Questions then without doubt such Persons have Interest in this Reconciliation by Jesus Christ But I shall adde no more to these Characters I conceive that whosoever can produce these tokens hath a sure and undoubted title What yet remains is as I promised you to excite you all by some moving considerations to make it your grand work and businesse to get assurance of your reconciled estate which is the businesse of the greatest concernment Motive 1. Consider the riches of mercy and bowells opened towards fallen man and denyed to the fallen Angels As for Motives 1. Let us consider of the riches of mercy and bowells opened towards fallen man which were utterly denyed towards fallen Angells And this consideration heightneth the great contrivance of this Reconciliation in that it was from all eternity Adde hereunto that God himselfe was first in the tender and contrivance of this great work Man neither could nor would make up so great a breach It transcended the Sphere of his capacity Had Adam and all his posterity joyned all their heads together they could not understand what way and means to undertake to make up so great a breach But God the Father out of the riches of his mercy found out a way even a new and living way by Jesus Christ The Angels were past by they fell once and that irrecoverably without any hope of reinvesting themselves in their first estate For Christ shed not one drop of bloud for them He * Heb. 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat arripere apprehendere manum injicere B. Andrews Cura sollicitudo labor festinatio pro salute generis humani ea una voce significatur Hyperius in loc took not upon him saith the Apostle the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Yet notwithstanding the riches of Gods mercy are inhanced toward fallen man because the promised seed even that †Gen. 3. 15. the seed of the woman should break the Serpents head was proclaim'd in Paradise and appropriated unto mankind Secondly consider the great and inestimable price paid to purchase Mot. 2. Consider the great price paid to purchase peace and reconciliation peace and Reconciliation And what was that price but the price of bloud And this is called in Scripture * Act. 20. 28. the Bloud of God Yet in such expressions we are to understand a communication of Idioms This bloud was the bloud of sprinkling which †Heb. 12. 24. Speaketh better things then the bloud of Abel This was the bloud of the immaculate Lamb slaine from the Foundation of the World Because * Rev. 13. 8. without shedding of bloud there was no remission Christ therefore took upon him humane nature There are two great significant words which evidently declare his humane nature one word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Joh. 1. 14. Joh. 1. 14. He pitcht his Tent or Tabernacle amongst us The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Phil. 2. 7. Vers 8. Phil. 2. 7. He emptyed himselfe or made himselfe of no reputation And Vers 8. we read of the highest degree of Christs humiliation in that he became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Thus Christ hath made a compleat satisfaction by doing and suffering all that the Father required And now Christ †Rom. 8. 34. sitteth at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us And we have a ground of strong consolation further laid down * Heb. 7. 25. Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them There 's a word of great importance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as a †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnimodam significat perfectionem Camero in Myroth learned Authour observes signifieth all manner of perfection This sheweth such an absolute perfection that nothing else can be desir'd nothing can be added And wherein doth this all-sufficient Saviour shew himselfe to be so We have an answer and strong proofe drawne from Christs intercession in the following words where it is said That he ever liveth to make * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non dicit ut offerat hoc enim semel fecit sed superest altera sacerdotii pars nempe Interpellatio Beza Intercession for them This Scripture is a fort Royall and impregnable notwithstanding all the batteries that Socinian Hereticks make against it But I proceed to a third motive drawn from the willingnesse Motive 3. Drawn from the willingness of God to be reconâ—iled of God to be reconciled Wherefore he sends his messengers upon this errand to perswade people to embrace Articles of peace The Lord entrusts his Ministers with the word of reconciliation which is the Doctrine of the everlasting Gospell And they spend their Spirits and lay forth their strength to the uttermost woing intreating exhorting people to submit unto Christs Scepter and through him to make their peace with God the Father Now the Spirit of God strives in the Ministery of the word It 's a most terrible judgment when Gods Spirit refuseth to strive any longer with a people And this is threatned * Gen. 6. 3. Gen. 6. 3. And the Lord said my Spirit shall not alwaies strive with man i. e. The Lord will not alwaies dispute chide and argue the case with a people the Lord will not alwaies strive by the Ministery of his servants such as were Enoch Noah Methusalah who lived the longest and died but the year before the flood God will not alwaies suffer his Spirit to be grieved the motions thereof slighted Neither will God alwaies suffer the faithfull labours of his Ministers to be neglected * Some †Pagninus Grotius render the word Lo-jiddon non vaginabit He will not alwaies put his sword into the scabberd but he will draw it out and fight against his Enemies And oh that you would all consider in your most serious composed thoughts that now you hear as it were a voice behind you saying This is the way walk in it This voyce is the Spirit speaking in the written word for the Spirit speaks according to the word Now by all the woings and whispers of the Spirit and by the unwearied labours of the faithfull Ambassadours of the Gospell you are entreated to
hand upon the Lad neither do thou any thing unto him We â—hould consider as * Nostrum est intent is mentibus considerare quam mirabiliter in ipso Articulo Deus Isaac revocaver â—â— Ã morte in vitam Calv. Gen 33. 4. Calvin observes how God helpt in the very Article of time and delivered him from death to life What preservations and speciall Providences did Jacob meeâ— withall being delivered from Esau's rage when bloody intentions were turned into embraces Jacob feared least he would â—lay the Mother and Children yet by speciall Providence Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept In Joseph there is a Series of Providences a concaâ—enation of preservations His brethren hated him and threw him into a pit And in that pit there was no water He was bought and sold by the Ishmaelites and Poâ—ipher cast in Prison and in the same Prison where were the Kings prisoners The chiefe Buâ—ler and Baker were in the same prison They dreamed Joseph gave the Interpretation But yet Gods time of deliverance was not come Pharaoh dreames Joseph interprets his dreame and is advanced and made Ruler over all the Land of Egypt A fâ—mine fâ—ll out Joseph's brethren came to buy corne Joseph supplies them Stephen recites the History and acknowledgeth a speciall hand of Providence The Patriarchs mooved with envy sold Joseph into Egypt Gen. 50. 20 21. Acts 7. 9. but God was with him The History of Eliah is remarkable sometimes a Brook sometimes a Widdow woman sometimes the Angells themselves were his Pâ—rveyors and the very Ravens those greedy Birds of prey brought him meate The History of the Jewes delivered from Haman is especially remarkable Haman utterly plotted their ruine He had the royall assent granted the day set Haman on purpose went to beg Mordecai for the Gallowes but see what intervened by the speciall hand of Providence On that night the King could not sleep and Esth 6. 1. he commanded to bring the book of records of the Chronicles and they were read before the King after reading whereof the King advanced Mordecai and made Haman his desperate Enemy to make the Proclamaâ—ion And Esther being entertained Qâ—eene in the roome of Vasthi shee supplicated for her own life and the life of her people And the mischievous devices of Haman were turned â—pon his own pate and as he meated to others the same measure he received the Text expresly shewes So they hanged Haman upon the Gallowes Esth 7. 10. that he had prepared for Mordecai Then was the Kings wrath pacified The three Children in the fiery furnace Daniel in the Lions den Peter out of Prison were all miraculously delivered by the Ministery of Angells The Apostle Paul delivered when above forty had bound themselves with an oath in a conspiracy against him And Acts 21. 30 31. especially Acts 21. 30 31. We read of a wonderfull deliverance as we say between the cup and the lip And all the Citie was moved and the people ran together and they took Paul and drew him out of the Temple and forthwith the dores were shut and as they went about to kill him tidings came unto the chiefe captaine of the Band that all Jerusalem was in an â—proare By this Diversion the Lord wrought a signall deliverance for his servant Paul What deliverances had David at Keilah En-gedi even when Saul had heÌ„m'd him in and as I may say had him in a Pound not likely to escape yet then by way of diversion he was delivered and Saul went 1 Sam. 23. 26 27. on this side of the mountaine and David and his men on that side of the mountaine and David made hast to get away for feare of Saul for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them But there came a messenger unto Saul saying hast thee and come for the Philistines have invaded the Land In that needfull Instant the Lord made a plain way for his servants escape I might Instance in many remarkable passages of Providence rerecorded in humane Authors The tide brought in shel-fish for the besieged Rochellers There was one Merlin who at the Parisian Massacre hid himselfe in a Hay Mow and every day a Hen laid an egge there by which he was kept alive Another was hid in a close hole and a spider weaved a web at the dore so the Persecutors went away But there is no necessity of lighting a candle to the Sun that went before No example may be compared to those which are recorded in the Word of God To Scripture examples I 'le adde Scripture reasons why doth God extend such speciall Providences towards his own people 1. Let us consider the high estimate and value God puts upon R. 1. The high Value God puts upon his Children Mal. 3. 17. Is 28. 5. Exod. 19. 5. Zech. 2. 8. them They are his Jewells They shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my Jewells and I will spare them as a man spareth his Son that serveth him They are a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty They are a peculiar treasure they are as deare unto him as the Apple of his eye 2. Consider the relations between God and the godly R. 2. Drawn from the Relationâ— between God and the godly They are his Children he their Father They are his adopted sons and daughters Now it is the duty of a Father to take speciall care for the preservation of his children They are his spouse and he their Husband For so the Lord professeth Turne O backsliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you and Jer. 3. 14. I will take you one of a Cittie and two of a family and will bring you to Zion 3. All the promises of God are made unto the godly For R. 3. All the Promises belong to the godly Isa 43. 1 2. saith the Apostle all the promises of God are in Christ yea and Amen unto the glory of God by us Promises of Protection belong to Gods children Thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel feare not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy Name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Promises of direction are made to Gods children Thou shalt guide me with Psal 73. 24. thy counsell and afterward receive me to glory 4. All the Attributs of God put forth themselves for the good R. 4. All Gods Attributes belong to the godly Isa 51. 14. of Gods people viz. His mercy to pardon them his wisdome to counsell them his power to defend them as the Prophet Isaiah saith Feare not thou worme Jacob and yee men
begotten of the Father full of grace and truth And this is the great mystery of Godlinesse mentioned 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without controversy great is the mistery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angells preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory Christ was God from all Eternity Joh. 8. 58. Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am There he speaks of his Godhead A further proofe we have Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the forme of God thought it not robbery to be equall with God Compare this with Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against my shepheard and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered and I will turne mine hand upon the little ones This is love unparrelleld unexpressible 4. Christ himselfe voluntarily undertook this great work of Proposit 4. Christ voluntarily undertook the worke of our Redemption our redemption he laid down his own life freely And because the Godhead could not suffer death he united our nature unto himselfe and took flesh upon him There are two words setting forth his humiliation Phil. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made himselfe of no reputation c. Joh. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he dwelt among us c. He took the man hood as if he should unite a clodde of dust unto himselfe who was God from all Eternity As if the Antient of daies should become the infant of daies the Eternall God become a Child As if he that the heaven of heavens could not containe should be inclosed nine months in the wombe of a Virgin Thus it was in respect of his humane nature he was born of Virgin wrapt in swadling cloathes laid in a manger He who had heaven and earth at his command was laid in a manger Herein appeares the singular love of Christ in condescending to take mans nature to take a body that he might accomplish the great work of our redemption by suffering upon the crosse Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt offerings and sacrifice for sinne thou hast had no pleasure Then said I loe I come in the volumne of the book it is written of me to do thy will O God 5. Christ by his active and passive obedience made full compleate Proposit 5. Christ by his obedience hath made full satisfaction and absolute satisfaction to his Fathers Justice for all those that were given him by the Father Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God To the same effect the Apostle speaks Eph. 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus yee who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Col. 1. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or in heaven Christ gave himselfe a sacrifice to expiate for sinne He trod the winepresse of his Fathers sury By his stripes we are healed who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that we 1 Pet. 2. 24. being dead to sinne should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed He is the reconciler Col. 1. 20. The price of our redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6. 20. For yee are bought with a price Matth. 20. 28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many See Christ's great end of coming into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give his life a ransome for many Christ is the high Priest that entred into the holy of holiest and offered up himselfe a sacrifice Thereby as a surety he paid our debt satisfied his Fathers justice to the utmost Isai 53. 5 11. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed He shall see of the travell of his soule and be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall beare their iniquities And this is a thorough satisfaction 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity and purify unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Hereby we are justified Rom. 5. 9. Much more being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Hereby we are sanctified Rev. 1. 5. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood Feare not we are now made nigh Eph. 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus yee who were farre of are made nigh by the blood of Christ By him we are reconciled Col. 1. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or in heaven By Christ we are blessed Gal. 3. 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us And that Christ doth fully satisfy is evident because he continually interceds for his people and pleads the vertue and benefit of his perfit satisfactionion Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the utmost that come unto God through him seeing he ever liveth make intercession for them And what was the motive that moved him to do all this for his people to be incarnate to live on earth amongst sinners to suffer reproaches contempts and infamies what moved him to drinke that bitter Cup to poure his blood out of his side and become obedient unto the death of the Crosse Nothing moved him but his love his good will his compassion moved him to heale bodily diseases and his compassion love and mercy moved him to heale soule diseases 6. This love of Christ is a distinguishing speciall love for a peculiar Proposit 6. The Love of Christ is a distinguishing Love sort of people He sweat drops of blood in the garden he was afflicted smitten wounded but all this he endured for the transgression of his own people Isai 53. 8. He was taken from prison and from judgment and who
This sinne labours to cut of the whole Gospell by denying of Christ his Word falsifying his promises accounting him an unsufficient Saviour undervaluing the price of his blood and contemning that great salvation tendred in the Gospell but this particular will fall in amongst the Reasons of the Doctrine which follow now in the next place to be handled for the further confirmation of the point we have strong reasons drawn from Scripture contributing further evidence to the Doctrine amongst many I le reduce them unto these demonstrative Arguments 1. Because unbeliefe refuseth Gods remedy offered to heale Arg. 1. Vnbeliefe refuseth Gods remedy and rejecteth a pardon tendred by despising Jesus Christ the only mediatour the only Saviour and price paid for our redemption God offereth the pearle of price the Lord Jesus an unbeliever cares not for it and bids God take againe his commodity Exod. 5. 2. unto himselfe Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce so an unbeliever saith who is Christ that we should believe in him these are those Gadarenish Mammonists who all petitioned that Christ might depart out of their coasts they preferred Mar. 5. 17. their swine before Christ There were three predominant sinnes in those Gadarenes viz Ignorance covetousnesse and Infidelity these are they that will not have Christ to raigne over them see their doome Luk. 19. 27. These are they that despise Christ and in despising of Christ they despise God the Father Luk. 10. 16. God would heale them and they would not be healed Jer. 15. 18. Christ invites them they all with one consent make excuses Luk. 14. 18. Christ would gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but they would not Luk. 13. 34. Christ sendeth Embassadors to entreat them to be reconciled but they will not 2 Cor. 5. 20. Christ tenders a great salvation to them but they neglect it Heb. 2. 3. And how shall such escape their perdition is from themselves Hos 13. 9. Their condemnation is Just they are their owne murtherers The riches of Gods mercy is Jesus Christ unbelievers despise the riches of Gods mercy the blood of Christ is the only soveraigne plaister and healing Remedy unbelievers throw away this plaister trample under feet this medicine and thus they judge themselves unworthy of eternall life 2. Unbelievers accuse God and his Word of falshood wherefore Arg. 2. Vnbelievers accuse God and his word of falshood the sinne of Infidelity must needs be a grand God-provoking sinne To give a man the lye is accounted a great reproach and indignity what is it then to put the lye upon the God of eternall truth And so unbelievers endeavour to doe 1 Joh. 5. 10. An unbeliever makes the Gospell a Fable what in him lyes and Christ an Impostor The comminations and Judgments against sinners are lookt on by unbelievers but as so many scarre-crowes they blesse themselves and promise to themselves peace notwithstanding all their rebellions and as for the promises they look upon them but as flattering and deceitfull they believe no further then sense guides them As for a reward to come a resurrection a day of Judgment they are in their hearts Sadduces either absolutely denying the thing or else wishing in their hearts and hoping that there shall be no such thing 3. Unbeliefe after a sort may be said to binde the hands of Arg. 3. Vnbeliefe binds the hands of God God God will have his word believed and he workes faith in those whom he makes objects of mercy though the fore sight of faith doth not move him to set his heart on them that 's his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone which moves him to set his heart on any yet those whom he loveth he washeth and whom he elects unto happinesse and eternall salvation he elects unto faith and repentance and perseverance in them both Now Infidelity damnes up the streame barres and bolts the dore and hinders mercyes and puts them in an incapacity of receiving any mercyes Christ would do no mighty workes at Nazareth because of their unbeliefe Christ Mat. 13. 58. would not suffer Pearles to be trampled under feet he would not loose the glory of a Miracle and cast away great workes upon an unbelieving people The unbelieving Jewes entred not into rest because of unbeliefe Unbeliefe barr'd multitudes out of Heb. 4. 6. temporall Canaan and it barres multitudes out of the eternall Canaan 4. Unbeliefe makes the Ordinances unfruitfull and ineffectuall Arg. 4. Vnbeliefe makes Ordinances unfruitfull Jam. 1. 6. Jam. 5. 15. For instance it makes the Word Heb. 4. 2. Prayer unfruitfull Mat. 21. 22. Jam. 1. 6. Jam. 5. 15. To pray formally in a rode as a lip-labour only without faith and fervency so farre an Unbeliever may goe and reape no fruit from such formall services Unbelievers hinder the working of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for indeed that is a distinguishing Ordinance and appertaines not to unbelievers It is childrens bread It s a holy Sacrament and holy things belong to holy persons as in the Primitive time they were wont to speak with a loud voyce before the receiving of the Sacrament But what do Unbelievers get by this Ordinance 2 Cor. 11. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they will thrust in and participate thereof it prooves but common bread common wine to them and further they eate and drink Judgment to themselves 5. And lastly Unbeliefe causeth dreadfull Judgments Temporall and Eternall to the profane Prince 2 Kings 7. 2. vers ult To the Israelites how many of their Carcasses perished in the wildernesse Moses himselfe was shut out of Canaan Psal 106. 33. Comp. with Numb 20. 10. which words heare now yee rebells betrayed some distrust of God and eternall Judgments are the portion of all unbelievers Luk. 12. 40. More I shall not adde to the Doctrinall part but through Christ that strengtheneth me I intend to make six Uses of this Doctrine 1. For Reproofe 2. For Caution 3. For Exhortation 4. For Examination 5. For Direction And 6. For Consolation 1. For Reproofe and Terror unto all unbelievers how dreadfull Vse 1. For Reproofe is their condition and they are not sensible of it nor a whit affected with it their Doome is terrible in the Text they shall dye in their sinnes Their sinne of Infidelity is enough of it selfe to damne them but this is never alone it hath a fraternity of sinnes and abominations joyn'd with it as Pride unthankfulnesse earthly-mindednesse Atheisme and many such like fruits issuing out of the womb of Infidelity What sinne is there that hath not some spice some tincture of Infidelity As for instance the sinne of lying in Abraham and Isaac was mixt with Infidelity Abraham denied Sarah and Isaac denied Rebeccah to be their wives they were afraid of their lives and that feare exposed their wives to sad temptations Did not God tell Abraham that in him should all
not be bitternesse in the end but where God is the most bitter pill of affliction is sweet and pleasant St Bernard hath a speciall Bernard Orat de bonis deserendis observation in a declamation de bonis deserendis non Isaac sed aries morietur c. If you be willing to sacrifice your Isaac which signifies laughter i. e. your pleasure your Isaac your pleasure shall not dye it is the Ramme the stubbornesse of spirit which shall dye but your Isaac shall live you shall have pleasure still Wherefore cast downe all your joyes comforts and pleasures at Gods feet in an humble submission saying Lord here they are do with me and them what seemes good in thine eyes When the heart is thus took of the world it 's in a fit temper and is best qualified for the comforts of God and over and above when thy spirit is in this frame of resignation of all unto God he in mercy may vouchsafe unto thee the comfortable fruition of them Thus you have heard what Demonstrations I have propounded for the evincing of this pretious Doctrine that all joy and comfort amidst the greatest discomforts is to be found in God Now that I may presse what hath been said home unto your Applicat practice 1. I shall inferre something by way of comfort unto those that make the Lord the joy of their soules 2. In the next place I shall exhort you unto so excellent and necessary duty 3. In the last place I shall lay downe some Directions how this sacred duty of rejoycing in God ought to be exexercised within these limits I shall confine my ensueing Application In the first place this discovers unto us the comfortable condition Vse 1. For Comfort of the Children of God O blessed men whose hope and comfort the Lord is comfort yee comfort yee my people saith the Lord to these comfort appertaines as their peculiar right and interest let them amidst greatest calamities lift up their heads for their redemption draweth nigh All the sufferings of Christ his sweating of drops of blood were for them Christ wept that they might rejoyce he drunk a cup of gall and vinegar that they might drink a cup of new wine in the Kingdome of Heaven and he wore a Crowne of Thornes that they might weare a Crowne of Glory Oh! be not dismayed at any evill tydings and mourne not as men with out hope notwithstanding the confusion and troubles of the Land of our Nativity Let faith hope and patience be exercised Hope is the propp of the righteous that stayes the soule from falling were it not for hope the heart would breake in these conflicting daies of sin where there are such sad thoughts of heart for the afflictions of Joseph and for the divisions of Reuben We know not what to do we have no strength of our selves but let me tell you as Nehemiah did the Jewes Neh. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is your strength Hee 's a fountaine inexhausted though the Cisternes of the Creatures are drawne dry he continues a God of strength though all sublunary things are as weak as water when Parents forsake a man then the Lord takes pitty upon him when riches make themselves wings and flye away as an Eagle towards heaven God becomes thy riches and inricheth thee with grace and so thou gainest by thy lossesse As Joseph told Pharaoh God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace so say I God shall answer thy doubts and let in peace and tranquility into thy soule Melchior Adamus records this observeable passage in Melchior Adamus In vita Oecolampadii the life of Oecolampadius when some of his friends askt him whether the light did not offend him Tangens pectus inquit abunde lucis est he clapt his hands upon his breast and said here 's light enough When the light of God shines in thy bosome and thou discernest Gods reconciled countenance in Christ thou hast enough Strive therefore to exterminate all thoughts of doubtting and diffidence feare not stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord. However things go with thee though clouds hang over thee and they resolve and melt thy heart into abundance of teares and sorrowes yet let my Prophets resolution set thy affections a working yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation 2. In the second place suffer I beseech you my brethren the Vse 2. For Exhortation word of Exhortation Oh! that I could perswade you to your duty I shall branch it out into three particulars 1. To make God your joy 2. To account him your treasure 3. To have recourse to him as your refuge 1. Make God your joy There 's no man but hath some principle Dut. 1. Make God your joy of joy or inward working motion within his own bosome and according to the variety of fansies and humours the joyes and comforts are bottom'd upon a various and different ground 1. One man fixeth his joy upon his riches A 2. Upon his honour and reputation A 3. Upon his delights and pleasures But the Godly mans honours riches pleasures are wholly terminated upon the Lord his God When the man in the Gospell had bought the field wherein he found the pearle of price he was ravisht with joy beyond expression and apprehension The grace of God revealed to the soule of man is this Gemme of superlative estimation thou must part with all thy riches pleasures and comforts nay with all the world for this and thou hereby makest the wisest bargaine that ever was made For by the losse of earth thou gainest heaven what joy possest the spirit of the Eunuch after Phillip had baptized him and brought Christ home unto him the Text saith he went away rejoycing Such is the joy of a spiritualliz'd man whose God is his joy and Consolation though troubles and miseries come thick and threefold yet his heart is fixed upon Mount Zion that it cannot be removed nay upon the God of Zion There 's some inward working principle that will swallow up all discomforts whatsoever This spirituall joy dasheth all carnall joyes This is the only true sollid joy arising from Gods reconciled countenance in Christ which makes a man rejoyce in the Holy Ghost with joy unspeakable and full of glory It 's said in Judges that the young Levites heart was glad when the children of Dan proffer'd promotion to him much more joy resides in the spirituall mans soule and conscience when he thinks of his Crownes and of the joyes of Heaven and of the sweet uninterrupted Communion with Jesus Christ unto all eternity Oh! then make God thy joy The serenity of his countenance will dissipate all these clouds the refreshings and those soule ravishing comforts of Christ will infinitely exceed the greatest discomforts in the Universe The joy of the world may be took from thee by the men of the world There are many Anabaptisticall Antiministeriall spirits