for sin Not that God is indeed Wrath with the Elect sinner as he is with the Reprobate who hath no share or part in his Sons Redemption But Satan and carnal Reason do represent God as a wrathful Enemy to the sinner this the poor sinner fully concludes to be so and from hence he feels a miserable Hurricane within himself as if God were indeed his Enemy and design'd to damn him for transgressing his Just and Righteous Law That the elect sinner as Adams Child is born Heir of the Curse Partaker of a Nature as polluted and vile as Hell it self can make it and likewise obnoxious to the Wrath threatned for the breach of the Law and that according to do and live sin and die is and must be granted But that he being Elect and chosen of God in Christ is under the Curse and in danger of being seiz'd by the Wrath of God is no less than Blasphemy to think or say and that for these Reasons following First Because of the Compact and Agreement between the Father and the Son concerning the Elect in Eternity By virtue of which Agreement the Elect are not only secur'd from the Curse of God's Law by Christ their Vademony and Surety being made a Curse for them according to Esa 53.5 Gal. 3.13 But they are also secur'd in Christ their Head and covenanting Representative of eternal Life according to 2 Cor. 5.21 6 Cor. 1.30 Secondly Because of the Plenary and full Payment by way of Purchase and Redemption which Christ the Elects Undertaker hath made to Gods Justice for them Concerning which I am not afraid to affirm that neither the strict Law of God nor yet his Justice can demand more by way of Satisfaction for the sins of the Elect than is to be found in that one Oblation which he offered to God when he through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God c. Heb. 9.14 Heb. 10.14 Thirdly Because of the declared Satisfaction of God the Father with that his Sons Mediatorial Performance according to Esa 53.11.12 Mat. 3.17 Jo. 16.10 Fourthly Because it would be a charging God the Father with Injustice to hold or say that he looks that the same Debt should be twice paid First by Christ his Son whom he himself chose and anointed to this very Work of redeeming his Elect Captives And secondly by the Elect Personally themselves such a practise as this would be hiss'd at by graceless Moralists and shall Man be more Just than God Job 4.17 Fifthly Because it would be an everlasting Stain and Reflection on the Name and Honour of the Lord Jesus Christ as if he had engag'd in a work which he prov'd not able to accomplish viz. to redeem God's Elect and to secure them from the Curse of God in case the Elect be still under that Curse and Wrath. The Point then which I conclude upon is this viz. That God's Elect are either secur'd from the Curse of the Law and deliver'd from the Wrath of God or else there must be some defect in the Justice of God or in the Mediatorial Satisfaction of the Son of God the Elects Surety but there is there can be no Defect in the Justice of God nor yet in the Mediatorial Satisfaction of the Son of God the Elects Surety Therefore the Elect of God are secur'd from the Curse of the Law and deliver'd from the Wrath of God Rom. 8.23 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us 1 Thes 1.10 Even Jesus who hath delivered us from the wrath to come From what hath been said it will necessarily follow that the Storm and Hurricane occasion'd by the fear of the Wrath of God in the Soul of an Elect sinner is rather from the sentence of the Law not rightly understood than from any actual Execution of the Curse and Wrath of God upon him for sin Whatever Thoughts or Apprehensions the Elect sinner hath concerning the Wrath of God which raiseth such a terrifying storm in the Conscience this is an undoubted Truth that nothing but flying to the Shadow of Christs Mediatorial Satisfaction can allay that storm and give the troubled Soul inward Comfort Job 33. Then he is gracious unto him and saith deliver him c. Heb. 6.18 Who have fled for refuge to the hope set before them c. A fifth storm wherewith the Elect sinner will frequently meet in the World is the scorching Heat of Tribulations and outward Persecutions of this our Lord himself hath had large Experience none more and of this he hath forewarn'd all his following Members who are to follow him in the Regeneration In the World ye shall have Tribulation c. Mat. 10.22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake c. 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution This was the Path wherein the now Triumphing Martyrs follow'd the Captain of their Salvation who was made perfect through suffering Heb. 2.10 These kind of storms are very uneasie and frightful yet they must be gone thorow by those who follow the Lamb to the Kingdom of Heaven It is here as it is with those Merchants who covet to partake of the Riches in the Indies They must expect to meet not only with contrary Winds but with fearful storms and dreadful Hurricanes too before they can come to possess the desired Riches of that Country And of all storms the Hurricane is most frightful and dangerous the same being occasion'd by a meeting of all the four Winds together opposing each the other with all their strength When but one of the Winds blow tho' it blow not only fresh but boisterously yet if the Ship hath but Sea-room enough she will weather the Point yea albeit the Wind chop about from one point to another But when all the four Winds blow in their full strength together the Ship knows not which way to steer her course All she can do is to commit her self to the Mercy of the restless Sea which like a Gulph is ready with open Mouth to swallow her up When it comes to this the Mariners hope of escaping with their Lives is at a very low Ebb if any Hope at all be left them And surely did not the over-ruling Providence of Heaven watch over poor Mortals in such Hurricanes the great Deep must be their Tomb. As there are natural Storms which attend the Children of Adam threatning the Life and Comforts of their Body so there are spiritual Storms which as design'd and manag'd by the Devil strike at and threaten the very Life and Comfort of the Soul As the former of these so also the latter they admit of degrees some Souls as well as some Bodies they meet with and pass thorow far greater and sharper storms than others And as the common Care and
and Comfort to poor fainting desponding Souls Esa 50.4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary c. The Spirit of God by Solomon tells us that a word fitly spoken is like Apples of gold in Pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 Here we are to understand that a word in due time and place and pertinent to the purpose As beyond all dispute it is Amiable and Ravishing to the Eye to behold so orient and dazling a sight as Apples of Gold drawn to the Life in Pictures of Silver So undoubtedly a word of Counsel and Comfort brought Home to the Conscience of a doubting wounded Sinner ravisheth and gladdeth the broken Heart As cold water to a thirsty Soul so is good news from a far Country Prov. 25 25. When the word suited to a poor tempted Souls Distress is brought home in the nick of time as we say Oh! how sweet is it then Thirdly A third thing which bespeaks the Word of Christ sweet to a real Believer is the Holy Ghost his Efficiency and quickening Power accompanying the same what we say of corporal Bread Rayment Physick Drink c. what can they avail to comfort and nourish the Body without the Spirit of God bless and sanctifie their use to the end for which they are appointed The same may be truly said of the Word and Sacraments c. what can they avail for the Souls good if the Efficiency and quickning Influence of the Spirit of God go not along with their use It is for want of this quickening Virtue of the Spirit of God that so many Sermons are Preached and so few sinners really Converted It is for want of this quickning Efficacy of the Spirit that so many Ordinances of Religion are attended and enjoy'd by thousands of Professors without any sensible or visible Growth in Grace The Word of God is like a well made Knife or Razor tho' never so keen and sharp yet without a living Agent they can neither Cut nor Shave So the Word of God neither the Law can awaken convince or wound the Conscience for sin Nor yet the Gospel Heal or Comfort a Soul in Distress without the Energy and quickening Efficacy of the Spirit of God There are two sorts of People who hereby appear to be in a woful Condition First such as frequently hear and read the Word Receive Sacraments and go the Round in all external Acts of Religious Duties and yet without any motion of spiritual Life from the Spirit of God in their Souls These are like blind Horses in a Mill going round all day long alway treading in the same Tract not seeing or considering where they are or what they are doing These keep to the Form in a Customary way but heed not the inward Power which is that which renders all Acts of Religious Worship both pleasing and acceptable to God and which proves the Soul to be in Reality a living Member of Christ's Mystical Body Esa 29.13 2 Tim. 3.5 Rev. 3.17 Secondly There be others who in pretence of internal Motion and Power in the Soul from the Spirit who to avoid the Damning Formality of the others now mention'd will not only neglect but even slight the Word and Ordinances reflecting on the Word as a dead Letter and the Holy Institutions of Christ in his Churches as carnal poor empty and beggarly Elements Some of these are Seekers in plain English Quakers who are always learning But never come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 3.6.7 Others are super-ordinanced who have gotten above all ordinary Means These in their own Conceits at least are so near Perfection that they need not the use of outward Ordinances These are gotten in outward Shew and Profession above Ordinances but never yet were they acquainted with true Piety Both these sorts are under the powerful working of an Infernal Spirit of Delusion which feeds their Souls with Chymerical Whimsies and Enthusiastical Dreams instead of the Doctrin which is according to Godliness These wretched Extreams are to be carefully shunn'd and avoided as the as the Paths which lead to Hell and Eternal Ruin The sure way hereto is to keep within sight and hearing of the Shepherds Tents Cant. 1.8 Beâ—are of false Teachers and avoid the Doctrin which hath not God's Word for its Foundation Esa 8.20 In hearing and reading and all other Ordinances of Religious Worship see that the outward Form and the inward Power be not separated Those things which God hath joyned together must not be put asunder Esa 59.21 Mat. 19.6 That great Man Augustin us'd to call the Word of God Creating Words Verba Divâ—na saith he sunt verba creativa And that on the account of the quickening Energy and Power that goes along with them This is a Truth which hath been acknowledged â—s well by Enemies as by Friends to the Truth Jo. 7.46 The Officers answered never Man spake like this Man Luke 24.32 And they said one to another did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures He that brags of the Word of God and is a Stranger to the Power thereof in his own Soul he is an hypocritical Formalist He who boasts of the Power of the Spirit within and holds not the Form of sound Words indited by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost to be a Rule of Faith and Holy Life he is a deluded Enthusiast From both these Extreams the Care and Faithfulness of the Great Shepherd will keep all who are given him by the Father Thirdly The Works of Christ are all sweet to the true Believer By Works here I intend the Works of his Mediatorial Undertaking Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy Works Psal 86.8 Besides the Works of Creation and Providence which are common to the whole Trinity there are Works which are Peculiar to Christ as Mediator I will reduce them to six Heads First His Work of Incarnation or his Assuming the Human Nature into Unity with his Sacred Godhead This is the Mystery of all other Mysteries and of this the Temple and Tabernacle of old were shadowy Types To this Mystery that in Prov 8.31 had reference even before Christ came in the Flesh yea before the Birth of Time it self if I may so speak rejoycing in the habitable Parts of his Earth c. The then intended Union between the Godhead and our Flesh is in that Scripture pointed at and this is chiefly intended by John Jo. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us c. And by Paul in 1 Tim. 3. last And without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh c. There are three things especially which bespeak the Incarnation of Christ to be sweet and delightful to the true Believer
THE Only REFUGE OF A Troubled Soul In time of Trouble Affliction OR The Sweet and Soul-Ravishing MYSTERY of the Apple-Tree Explained and laid open in Two Discourses from Cant. 2.3 for the Comfort and Encouragement of the True Believer in the midst of the worst and sorest Afflictions which can possibly befal him in this World And the Awakening the most secure Sinner who is yet a Stranger to the said Mystery Publish'd at the earnest and importunate Request of several Godly Persons who heard the same Preached Come Trembling Sinner hasten taste and see What Fruit grows on the Spouses Apple-Tree By J. Barry an unworthy Minist of the Gospel LONDON Printed for the Author 1700. To his Highly Honoured Friends Doctor John Tarlass Physitian to St. Thomas his Hospital in Southwark and his truly Religious Consort Honoured Sir and Virtuous Madam I Do sincerely own and ingeniously Acknowledge my self so highly oblig'd to you both for your great Kindness and Respect shewn to unworthy me and my Family since we Providentially came as Pilgrims and Strangers into England that I am really concern'd that I can hitherto but Retaliate in verbal Acknowledgments The Divine Providence seeing it best for me to keep me low in outwards and by that means to render me uncapable of that Duty which the Care Pains and constant Diligence of an Able and Faithful Physitian obliges to It is well known both to your selves and my Friends and Relations who were Eye and Ear Witnesses of the near Approaches I made towards the Grave How that I owe my Life under God several times over and over to the great Skill Care and Faithfulness of Ingenious and Faithful Doctor Tarlass And I do now own and Acknowledge the same to the Praise of Jehova the Great and Chief Physitian and the deserved Commendation of Doctor Tarlass his worthy Instrument I hope dear Sir I shall be Enabled to carry to the Grave a becoming Remembrance of your Christian Kindness and Tender Respect shewn and exprest on all Occasions towards the most unworthy of Christs Ambassadors who through special Grace can say in truth that he prizes and values his present Poverty and Reproach occasion'd by his Love to and Zeal for the Gospel of Jesus Christ more than he doth all the Honour and Riches which this vain flattering and bewitching World is capable of advancing to And I greatly hope and sincerely pray that the ever Blessed God who hath endowed you with so Excellent a Gift of Understanding and discerning the State and Condition of Human Bodies and of distinguishing between the manifold and various Maladies and Distempers to which they are obnoxious even to an Excelling the most of Physitians now in London and who hath Crown'd your Labours with such Success as bespeaks you preferrable and desirable above all of your Function by those Patients who have experienc'd your Skill and Faithfulness That this ever Blessed God I say who hath done for you what is now mention'd above what I am capable of expressing may prove your spiritual Physitian in that needful Hour when decaying Nature is breathing out its Vltimum Vale to the present World is and shall be the Prayer and Cordial Wish of your highly oblig'd and thankful Patient who shall not cease whatever others think or say of you to Trumpet out your deserved Fame and real Worth while I enjoy the Faculties of Memory and Speech And what I pray and wish God may be to you in a dying Hour the same I pray and wish he will be to your dear and Religious Consort in whom you are so greatly Blest And for both your sakes to whom I own my self for ever obliged I heartily pray that God may work out for his own by the effectual Call of his own Spirit your dear Posterity that when you are call'd off and they by Providence are call'd on the Stage of publick Service they may be Actted by the same Spirit whereby ye are both Acted so as their Usefulness in their Day and Place may render and bespeak them as serviceable and desirable as their Parents the which if God vouchsafe them as I hope he will they will then live truly Honourable and die lamented as I am confident you will whenever you go hence My prefixing your worthy Names to the ensuing Treatise will I hope be lookt on as a making Amends for my great Deficiency and shortness in Handling so sweet and excellent a Subject especially in the Esteem and Judgment of those who have the same value for you both as I have The Method I have taken in owning your Kindness will I greatly hope be no way displeasing seeing I know not how otherwise to do it to my own Satisfaction I conclude this short Dedication with my hearty well Wishes and Prayer to God for you both that the Subject of the Appletree so weakly handled in the ensuing Treatise may be through the Powerful Influence of the Holy Ghost in both your Souls made as delightful to you in reading it as it was to me in Studying and Preaching it and as Ravishing as it was to those at whose earnest Request I have been prevailed with to Publish the same I am Honoured Sir and virtuous Madam Your ever obliged Friend James Barry THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader Courteous Reader WHen first I Preacht on this sweet and delightful Subject the Appletree I little thought or expected to have been seen in Print So far was I and still am from judging my self capable of handling so Mysterious and Profound a Subject as it really deserves to be handled That which induc'd me to a Willingness to Publish my Thoughts and Conceptions about it I lay down in two Particulars First The real Sweetness and Soul-ravishing Delight which with the Spouse I found under the Shadow of the Sweet and Precious Jesus who is Allegorically set forth in this Metaphor whose Fruit hath often reviv'd and exhilerated my fainting Soul while I continu'd sitting under his Divine Shadow to keep and secure me from being scorched to death by the violent Heat of the tempestuous Storms which have been rais'd against me by the powers of Darkness and which have incessantly followed me since I was effectually called out of a State of Nature especially since I was call'd to the Work of the Ministry The only Wise God saw it good to permit Satan and his Instruments not only to commence but even to maintain and keep up a sharp War against me that I might know experimentally what a shadow this Appletree affords to poor Bewildred Soule and how that there is no other shadow than can secure a poor 〈…〉 Secondly The delightful Sweetness which several Savory-spirited Christians declared they met with to the Joy and rejoycing of their Spirits in the handling this Subject Since when I have been often and more than ordinarily importun'd by several both in City and Country to Publish in Print what they heard me deliver on the Appletree Subject They
not doubting but that the Spirit of Christ which made it so delightful and ravishing to themselves would make it the same to other Believers if once Printed At their earnest Request I did make a Promise of Publishing the same when I found my self thereunto Encouraged by Providence All the Harm I wish thee kind and charitable Reader is that the Spirit of Truth who Inspir'd Solomon the Penman of that Glorious Mystery handled in this short Treatise may graâ—iously vouchsafe unto thee such a measure of the Anointing from above as may Render thee capable of understanding and applying thy self by Faith the things held forth and contain'd in it that so thou may'st Experimentally come to taste and feel the sweet Joy and Delight wherewith the unworthy Author met in Studying and Preaching the same And wherewith those godly Believers who heard it Preacht did meet at whose Importunity I have now Publisht the same for the publick Good If thou findest any Comfort and Soul Advantage by reading it let it be a Motive to stir thee up to joyn with me in heartily requesting the more Learned and Experienced of the Bridegrooms Friends and faithful Ambassadors to supply my great Deficiency and shortness in setting forth the Commendation of this Incomparably Excellent Appletree in whose Shadow and Fruit consists the very Life and the Ail of all true Believers both here and hereafter If it happens thou think me too sharp and too bâ—ld in handling the Papist the Quaker and Arminians c. In this Treatise I heartily desire thee to consider but two things for preventing Prejudice in thy Spirit either against the Truth herein discover'd or against the Instrument by whom the Providence of God sees fit to make the Discovery to thee First The apparent Disparagement which the Principles and Practises of the above mention'd Hereticks put upon the â—hurches Appletree in that they hold and teach that Christs Righteousness alone is not sufficient to justifie a Sinner at the Bar of God without the Sinners Qualifications as concauses with Christs Righteousness in Justification This is a disparagment to Christ the Churches Appletree which the God of Love and Patience himself cannot bear Deut. 18.18 Jo. 5.23 And should not I herein Patrizare that is Imitate my Father in decrying and condemning such a Christ debasing and Soul damning Principle I should not by being silent herein evidence my self to be the Adopted Son of God Secondly Boldness for God and Zeal for the Honour of his Son are some of those blessed Effects which the Shadow and Fruits of the Appletree produce in all true Believers who sit under the shadow and feed on the Fruit of the Churches Appletree Acts 4.13 Gal. 4.18 To convince any hereof who question the Truth of what I now assert Let such but once get saving Acquaintance with this Appletree by sitting under its comfortable and delightful shadow in time of the most raging Storms they meet with and by feeding believingly on its Fruit And in case they become not bold and zealous for God and Christ I shall be willing to bear the ignominious Brand or Character of a false Prophet Acquaint now thy self with him and be at Peace thereby God shall come unto thee Job 22.21 O taste and see that the Lord is goodâ— blessed is the Man that trusteth in him Psal 34.8 Sermon I. Cant. 2.3 As the Appletree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sat down under his Shadow with great Delight and his Fruit was sweet to my taste AMong all the Metaphors whereby the Wisdom of God hath seen sit to set forth the Excellency and Commodiousness of Christ his Son as he is design'd for the Happiness and Comfort of poor elected Sinners None so sets him forth to the life as this of the Appletree as will most plainly appear by two things First By explaining or unfolding the Sense and Meaning of the Spirit of God in this Allegory or Metaphor Secondly By a due and scriptural Application of the same to the Souls of poor weak tempted Believers for the Relief and Comfort of whom the same is left upon Record I begin with the first viz. to Explain and unfold the Sense and Meaning of the Spirit of God in this Allegory or Metaphor The design of the Spirit of God in this Allegory is I humbly conceive to set forth the incomparable and transcendent Excellency of Jesus Christ above all other of Adams Children and that on a twofold Account First On the Account of what he is in himself Secondly On the Account of the great Work he is design'd and call'd to by his Father First On the Account of what Christ is in himself he far and unspeakably transcends all the Children of Adam so witnesseth the Spirit of God concerning him Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer than the Chlidren of Men Grace is poured into thy Lips therefore God hath Blessed thee for ever To this also witnesseth the Church of God the true Spouse of Christ which is acted and guided by the Spirit of God Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand and ver 16. His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This transcendent Excellency of Christ in himself on which account he Excells all the Children of Adam is to be considered with respect to two things First In respect of his Godhead as Christ is God he is blest with an uncreated essential Excellency above all Created Beings from whom as such all created and communicated Excellency in Angels and Saints flows and springs Zach. 13.7 Jo. 17.5 Phil. 2.9 Heb. 1.3 Secondly In respect of his Humanity Christ is transcendently more Excellent than all the Children of Adam and that on a twofold Account First On the account of the Spotless Purity and perfect Integrity of his Human Nature whereby a Foundation was laid for uniting the elect World to God in a Bond of an Everlasting Union Had not the Humanity of Christ been spotless and free from all Stain of sin it could not possibly have been capable of Union with thâ— Divine Being Psal 5.4 Mal. 1.13 2 Cor. 5.21 It is on this Account that Christ is stil'd the Lamb of God Jo. 1.36 John speaks with Allusion to the Pascal Lamb under the Law which was to be a Lamb without Spot or Blemish Exod. 12.5 To this also alludes the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.19 But with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot The sinless Purity of his Human Nature and the exact Conformity of all his Human Actions to the demand of Gods Law are here intended Secondly On the Account of the extraordinary Anointing of the Spirit poured out on the Humanity of Christ to sit and meeten him for the great Work of Mediation between God and elect Sinners Of this Christ himself gives an Account by the Evangelical Prophet Esa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me
Luke 2.24 compared with Lev. 12.8 I marvel which of all the wise Men or the Professors of this Age would freely make such a Choice for themselves or theirs Christ had regard to the Promise not to Riches or Honours Fourthly His taking on him the form of a Servant Psal 40.6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine Ears thou diggedst thorow David personating Christ speaks with Allusion to to Exod 21.6 where the Law for Servants is set down that Ceremony of Boring the Servants Ear thorow with an Aull did prefigure Christs perpetual Servitude to his Father until he should finish the Work he had undertaken to go thorow with Jo. 17.4 I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Phil. 2.7 And made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant c. Fifthly The Objects of his Choice whom he loves and delights in viz. the poor and despised ones of the World The design of the Scriptures now quoted is not to assure us that all poor ones in this World are to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven or that all who are richly or nobly born after the Flesh shall die damned But the design is to shew that very few comparatively of the rich and noble of this World are saved Worldly greatness and saving Grace very rarely meet together in the same Person when they do none on Earth prove more lowly minded and abundant in Love to and Zeal for God than such Ja. 1.9 10. Let the Brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is made high But the rich in that he is made low c. A second thing in the Appletree which Allegorically sets forth the Excellency and Usefulness of Christ to the Elect is its spreading and shadowy Nature As the Appletree is of singular Use and Advantage to Human Bodies to shelter them from Storms and Showers so the Lord Jesus spiritually fled or run to by Faith is useful and advantagious to the Souls of Gods Elect in time of spiritual Storms Christ is set forth in Scripture as the only Shadow of Security to the Children of God in time of all their Distress and Tribulations Esa 4.6 And there shall be a Tabernacle for a Shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a Covert from storms and from rain Esa 25.4 Thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a blast against the wall The Prophesies now mentioned are to be understood of and apply'd to Christ and the Elect and none else Christ is a Shadow to them and to none else and none in Earth or Heaven can secure them from the dreadful Storms they meet with but he and none besides him The doctrinal Observation which Naturally Results from the former part of the Text is That Christ the Son of God Allegorically set forth by the Apple-Tree is a shadow of Protection to the weakest Believer let what storms will come on him in this World Or thus in the most distressed and deplorable Case and Condition a Believer can Possibly be in in respect of Sin and Misery He is for ever secur'd from perishing being found under the shadow of Christ's Protection Besides the words of the Text that in Esa 25.4 is a full and convincing Proof of the Observation now laid down To which many other Scriptures may be added out of both the Old Testament and the New But omitting many Quotations I shall proceed to a more clear and convincing Demonstration of the truth of Doctrine now Asserted And that by an Enumeration of the several particular Storms wherewith the weak Believer must look and expect to meet before he Arrives at Heaven And out of all which Christ will most certainly deliver him There are six sharp and dreadful Storms wherewith Gods Elect meet be ween the Cradle and the Crown in Glory from all which the shadow of Christ's Mediatorship covers and secures them for ever First The storm of the Laws damnatory Sentence which thunders out Curses and eternal Death on all Adams Children none excepted Rom. 3.19 Now we know that what things the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Gal. 4.10 For as many as are of the works of the Law they are under the Curse for it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Law to do them Here 's a Storm which is like the Avenger of Blood under the Law it will never be laid till the awakened convinced Sinner be either in Hell or shelter'd under the shadow of Christ's mediatorial Satisfaction given to off nded Justice for the sinners of God's Elect From this Storm none can secure but the Lord Jesus Jo. 8.36 If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed Rom. 10 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth When the elect sinner flies for Refuge to the shadow of Christ's mediatorial Satisfaction from the terrifying sentence of the Laws Malediction and Curse the Law sounds a Retreat It ceaseth to pursue the sinner or to threaten him any more with Damnation As the Avenger of Blood was not to follow the Man-slayer into the City of Refuge so neither will the Law pursue with Curse and Vengeance the believing sinner who hath gotten under Christs shadow Secondly The bitter Agonies of a wounded Conscience when the Laws Terror reaches the Soul and like fire drinks up the very Spirit of a poor sinner so that he knows not which to go or what to do for Ease and Healing Oh! who but Christ's mediatorial shadow can shelter such a wounded Soul It is marvellous to think what various and pitiful shifts the bewildered sinner makes to shelter himself from this storm and to lick the Wound whole which the killing Terrour of the Law hath given the Soul and Conscience within The distressed sinner lying bound in the Laws Prison and ready every moment to sink into final Desperation under the insupportable burden of its own Guilt according to that in Pro. 18.14 But a wounded Spirit who can bear of this Job seems to complain most bitterly Job 6.4 The Arrows of the Almighty are within me the Poyson whereof drinketh up my Spirit the Terrors of God do set themselves in array against me He is filled with perplexing Thoughts what he had best to do in this sad and deplorable Condition Do and live being the Principal derived from the first Adam to the Trade of working he goes thinking and hoping with his Father Adam to hide and cover from the Eye of God's All-seeing Knowledge his spiritual Nakedness and Deformity with the Fig-leaves of his
own Performances Somewhat he must do in order to help and save himself but how or where to begin he finds himself at a loss Hence those Queries what shall we do Acts 2.37 Mark 10.17 Acts 16.30 which plainly shews that all Adams Children when awakened by the Terrors of God's Laws do seek for Life and Salvation in a way of Works this is further confirm'd by Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God One while the Sinner resolves with himself he will amend his sinful Course and be for time to come a better Man He will say his Prayers he will confess and break off his sins he will forsake his vain Companions and sinful Pastime and the Church and serving God he resolves he will frequent and constantly attend He will now take on him a strict Profession a Church Communicant he must be to the Sacrament he goes and from that to other Duties such as Fasting and Almsdeeds and keeping up a strict Watch over himself in all his ways He is now not the same Man he was before he can with the Pharisee boast of his negative and positive Righteousness Luke 18.11.12 And now he thinks and hopes the work is done albeit he was never nearer Hell and eternal Ruin than by these acts of Morallity Negative and Possitive he hath brought himself He hath been all this while but scouring and making clean and bright the outside of the Cup and Platter not heeding or regarding the Filth and Nastiness which cleaves to the inside A change of State he is a Stranger to External Reformation he takes to be the Conversion which must fit him for Heaven tho' most certain it is that no Reformation but what flows from an effectual change of State will evidence or prove a Man to be a real Convert Such an External Reformation may qualifie a Man for Church Communion but never for Heaven And it is to be feared that there is but very little even of this visible Reformation in some Churches who seem at least in their own and other Injudicious Peoples Conceits to be far purer and holier than their Neghbour Churches who make not so much a Noise and Blunder as they themselves do There are some Churches so called who for want of Charity monopolize a pure Church State to themselves as if Christ had no true Gospel Church in this day besides themselves whose Preachers and Rulers are of so impetuous a Spirit as drives them to the very Precipice of Anathematizing all but themselves As if the Doctrin of God's Grace and the Form of a true Gospel-Church State were to be found no where but among them these are like violent Storms and Showers which will not hold long and indeed 't is pity they should All I shall further say of such is the Lord rebuke their furious and Bedlam-like Spirit and give them to see and in time to be convinced how far wide they are from what they fancy they have attain'd to viz. a Christ-like Spirit and a true Conformity to the Pattern of God's House a thing so much boasted of and gloried in and that without cause The Word of God assures us up and down that no Works or Duties which sinners are capable of performing can possibly give Ease or Peace to that Conscience which the Law of God set home by the Spirit of Bondage hath wounded Healing and Peace are to be found no where but under the shadow of Christ's Satisfaction there being nothing short of what satisfies Divine Justice for the violation of the Moral Law which can satisfie and quiet the Conscience of a wounded sinner Job 5.18 For he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest A third Storm wherewith the elect meets is the fiery Assaults and Temptations of the Devil They are call'd fiery from their sad and dreadful Effects in the Soul and Conscience of the poor distressed sinner they being to the Soul what Poyson and Fire are to the Body Ephes 6.16 Above all taking the shield of Faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked The Darts here intended are the Assaults and Temptations of the Devil which are injected or cast into the Soul suddenly and invisibly as Darts are cast or shot by an unseen Enemy which when they find Entrance they immediately inflame the Soul as poyson'd Darts or Arrows hardened in Fire Invenom or Poyson the Body These Temptations or satanical Injections are numberless and of various sorts sometimes to Presumption sometimes to Desparation sometimes to Atheism sometimes to Blasphemy against the Majesty of God sometimes to one Wickedness and sometimes to another Satan is a busie Enemy and a Restless Enemy always tempting and that all Men and to all manner of Folly and sin on which very Account he is by the Spirit of God stil'd in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tempter who is always busie at his Trade piercing to know what is in Men that so he might accordingly suit his Baits to the Disposition and Temper of Adams Children whom he seeks to prey upon Yea so restless and unwearied is he at his Trade of throwing or injecting his fiery Darts into the Soul that he will not loose the time of Men's sleeping Satan in this case is like an Enemy that surprizes in the dead of the Night when Persons are bury'd in Sleep and Security And as in Nature no Alarm is so amazing and frightful as that which is given in the dead of the Night so as Experience teacheth no Temptation makes a sadder Hurricane in the Soul than the night Sallies which he makes on the Soul when the Person is buried in sleep Now in such Storms as these what can poor tempted Souls do were it not for the shadow of Christs Cleansing and Healing Virtue herein the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness did eminently type out the Lord Jesus Christ his Virtue to heal and cleanse the Sting and Pollution given and occasion'd by the infernal Serpents stinging temptations No way possible for Help or Cure in this Case but flying by Faith and Prayer to the shadow of Christ's healing and cleansing Virtue It is on this very Account that the Grace of Faith is preferr'd above all the other Parts of the Christians spiritual Armor in that it looks and flies to Christ immediately for Help and Cure No sooner hath the Devil cast in his Soul affrightning Dart into the Soul of a True Believer but the Grace of Faith like an expert and experienc'd Soldier who whips up the Granado thrown in by the Enemy and throws it back on the Enemy again repels and throws back the fiery poyson'd Dart injected by Satan A fourth Storm wherewith the Elect soul meets is the Wrath of God seared
Providence of God is to be seen and acknowledg'd in preserving the Bodies of Men from perishing by the former So his special Care and saving Providence is to be seen and thankfully acknowledg'd in preserving the Souls of the Elect from perishing by the latter And as the storms at Sea are occasion'd by the four Winds East West North and South Winds so the spiritual Storms which threaten and endanger the Soul they proceed from and are occasioned by a fourfold Party First The Devil who ever since his Apostacy is become an implacable and an irreconcileable Enemy as to the Majesty of God so also to the Souls of Men who hath on this very Account the names given him both in Hebrew and in Greek which signifie and import the same thing with his Nature viz. Destroyer So the Names of Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek signifie as the Learned know Rev. 9.11 Secondly the World I mean the wicked of the World which is not only at Enmity with God but a real Hater and Persecutor of all that love God and bear his Blessed Image These the Devil makes use of in his service The Devil makes use of these in his Service as they are his Children and Servants Jo. 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do Gal. 4.29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Thirdly Corrupt Nature which i◠the worst Enemy a Man hath and which is that which gives the Devil the greatest Advantage against a Man's self of any thing in the World This Corruption of Nature lies in two things First The sad and wretched Aversion of the Heart to God and all things spiritually good Secondly The Devil◠like Propensity of the Heart and Soul to what is hateful to God and really Destructive to the Man 's own self Were it not for this Corruption o◠Nature the Devil and his other Auxiliary Forces could do nothing which would prove of any Avail to Ruin or undo a Soul but herein lies his great Advantage that he hath within a Man's self a Party or a Principle which i◠the Spirit and Grace of God prevent not he can by his serpentine Craft and Lyon-like Fury stir up and draw forth to such a degree as will cause the Man to cry out and say that his worst and most destructive Enemy is within himself and that were it not for that he need not value or fear all the Storms and overwhelming Hurricanes which all the Legions of Apostate Angels in Hell and all the Pollitick and Mallicious Persecutors in the World could possibly devise or raise against him Were it not for the Tinder of Heart Corruption the Devil would soon grow weary of throwing into the Soul the poysonous Sparks of his Infernal Temptations The Prince of this world cometh saith Christ and hath nothing in me Jo. 14.30 No Immorality in Practise whereof to accuse him neither any Pollution or Corruption in the assumed Nature on which his Temptations could possibly catch hold and herein lay Christ's and the Elects Advantage For had the Tempter found the least matter in Christ on which his Temptations could fasten the Elect for whom Christ undertook as Vademony and Surety would have been over and over miserable and wretched to endless Eternity The fourth Party who hath a Hand in those Storms wherewith Elect sinners do meet in this Life is God himself who by the Methods his wise Providence takes with the Elect seems t◠outward appearance to design thei◠utter Ruin this the Devil frequently 〈◊〉 suggests to the Soul and this the poo◠bewildred sinner is easily perswade◠to credit And when matters come t◠this pass that when the Poor sinner i◠surrounded with perplexing Trials o◠all hands the Billows and Waves o◠all kind of Temptations being read◠even to cover his Head and swallow him up He concludes that God himself is his Enemy it must needs be very dismal with the poor sinner in such 〈◊〉 Condition There are four things especially i◠respect whereof the poor sinner may be said to be in a Storm in each of which the four Parties above mention'd may have a hand First Extream Poverty and outward Streights which is a very sore Trial◠and a Burden so heavy especially to those who have sometimes enjoy'd Plenty and Fulness that many have sunk under its Weight some hanging themselves some drowning themselves and others cutting their own Throats not able to bear the Reproach of outward Poverty Secondly Black Reproach upon the Name and Reputation this is a Storm harder to go through than most Men think till they come to be try'd thereby Oh! how doth the Spirit that is in Adam's Children lust to Envy and Revenge when they meet with Affronts in their good Name and Reputation To be miscall'd and misrepresented among Men to be accounted not fit or worthy to live among Men Proud Nature cries out Flesh and Blood cannot bear it What! to be so and so abused to have my good Name taken away I 'll die before I 'll pocket or put up such an Affront such an Abuse Either Arrest the Person in an Action of Slander or Peg him to the Wall And in case any peaceable Friend disswade from such revengeful Practices What 's the Reply What! unman my self be accounted a Coward to be laugh'd at by every body this is the Language of the first Adams Nature Ja. 4.1.5 But where the work of Renovation hath past on a sinner his Note is changed His unman my self is turned into undog my self undevil my self Let but the Experience of the most mortified Believer be call'd in to speak to the Point and it will be readily acknowledged that Reproach and Slanders on the Name and Reputation are not easily gone through it is a sharp and a trying Storm Reproach and Contempt from Men especially from Inferiours was a part of Jobs Trials Job 30.1 And had he not been Blest with such an extraordinary stock of Patience he could never have born it as he did Reproach hath broken mine heart said Holy David Psal 69.20 And others had Trials of cruel Mockings c. Heb. 11.36 Thirdly To be smitten in the Body with Sickness and wasting Distempers when the sad Symptoms of Death and Mortality invade languishing Nature This goes close to the very Root it being a stroke at the very Being of Nature threatning its Dissolution this is a storm which will cause the Face of the strongest and stoutest of Adam's Children to gather Paleness and will put the Sons of Men into sorer Frights than any of the former Storms which were so uneasie when Death that all-conquering King of Terrours looks the dying Man full in the Face it is a difficult thing to go through the Pangs and Agonies of a dying Hour Fourthly Soul Desertion When the Clouds from above interpose between the sensible Manifestations of God's