is not the time of the Dragon but the red Dragon that is the Heathen Roman Emperor did persecute the Woman Rev. 12. standing before her to devour the man Child the Seed of the Church as soon as she was delivered verse 2 3. Yet this good and holy man thought that that must needs be the meaning of the forty two Months because the Interpretation came to him with such an impression Possibly therefore a good man may be much deceived by Impressions especially when they come with a particular word But where do we find in al the Scripture That we are to judg of Doctrines by Impressions No but by the written Word of God that is the only Rule whereby we must judg comparing Spiritual things Foxus in Apoc. 13. p 216. with Spiritual things and one Scripture with another Though there may be much comfort found in the way of Impressions especially coming with a word yet if the word be not set upon the heart according to the true sense and scope of it we have cause to fear that the Impression is not of God but an illusion of Satan For where do we find in Scripture That ever God did set a Word upon the Soul but in the true sense and scope of it The Devil brought a word to Christ and applied it not according to the true Scope thereof Cast thy self down saies he he shall give his Angels charge over thee this was not according to the Scope of the Scripture But if God set on a Scripture with a deep Impression it was alwaies according to the true sense and scope of the Scripture For example Nehemiah being at Prayer as ye read Chap. 1. God gave him a word with a sweet Impression and it was according to the true sense thereof So Acts 4. the Apostles were at Prayer and God gave a word to them out of Psal 2. and it was according to the true scope thereof Where do we find that ever God did set on a particular Word but according to the true meaning of it Have I therefore an Impression with a Word yet if the Word be not set on my Soul according to the true meaning and scope of it then have I cause to fear that it is rather a delusion of Satan than the Impression of God Though the Impression be of God yet if the Application be beyond the Impression I am stil in an Error There is an Impression of a Word and there is the Application of it the Impression may be Gods and the Application may be mine own The Lord gave Abraham a Word that his Seed should be as the Stars but he made a false Application thereof when he went unto Hagar for the fulfilling of that Word So the Lord gave a Word to Eliphaz Job 4.12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me and mine ear received a little thereof fear came upon me and trembling verse 14. Then a Spirit passed before my face it stood still but I could not discern it then I heard a Voyce saying Shall mortal man be more just than God verse 15. Here was an Impression with a Word and this was from God but he applies this to and against Job Chap. 5.1 the Impression was of God but the Application was his own Possibly then a man may have an Impression from God with a Word yet the Application may be his own but though the Impression be never so â—ul and deep yet if the Application be beyond the Impression he is stil in an Error And therefore seeing that it is an easie thing and usual even for the Children of Abraham to make Application beyond the Impression the safest sure I way is to keep cloâ—e to the written Word of God which is both the Judg of al our Doctrinâ—s and the only Rule of al our Practices and therefore above and beyond al Impressions whether with or without a Word And thus I have done with the Third Instance Instance 4 As for that Light and Law of Grace which is in the Saints the Light of the Scripture is beyond and more excellent than that For The Light and Law within us here is imperfect for we see but in part and know in part 1 Cor. 13.9 Now we see through a Glass darkly And lest any man should think that Paul spake this only of some Babes in Christ he speaketh out yet more expresly putting himself into the number ver 12. Now I know in part and this in part is set in opposition to what is perfect for saies he verse 9. We know in part and prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come c. verse 10. So that whatever Law or Light or Knowledg is within us now is imperfect but the Word of God written the Scripture and the Light thereof is perfect for saies the Psalmist The Law of the Lord is perfect Psal 19. The Law of Grace within and the Light within is not able to convince others If I feel a Light and Law within me and say this must needs be so for I find it thus within me I have a Light within me for it this wil not convince another But the Scripture by the breathing of the Spirit of God with it wil convince another and is able to convince another Tit. 1.9 Holding fast the faithful Word that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince gain-sayers How are gain-sayers to be convinced then what by the Light or Law within No but by sound Doctrine fetched from the faithful Word Quest Is there then no use of the Law and Light and Spirit within us doth not God speak and direct thereby Answ 1 Yea The Spirit of a man saith Solomon is the Candle of the Lord searching al the inward rooms of the Belly When God doth set up a Light or Candle in the Soul he may thereby go into al the inward Chambers of the Soul discovering those heaps of sin that are in the Soul Answ 2 Yea This inward Law and Light doth not only discover evil but it doth incline to good and strongly incline the Soul thereunto therefore it is called a Law not because it is a Rule to us for the body of death and sin is called the Law in your Members but because of its power and force to incline the Soul unto what is good Answ 3 Yea It doth not only incline a man unto what is good but it enables him thereunto It is that Principle upon which al his good actions grow and from whence they spring All true good must proceed from a good Principle and this Law and Light and Spirit within is that Principle whereby a man is enabled unto what is good But Secondly Though the Law and Light and Spirit within us be a Principle of good yet it is not the Rule of our Goodness or Lives For If the Law and Light and Spirit within be our Rule then what need the Scripture or the Word without any longer
Familiars according to that of the Psalmist Thou hast put mine Acquaintance far from me He that eateth Bread with me hath lift up his Heel against me Psal 41.9 John 13.18 Amongst his own Disciples one beâ—â—aid him another denied him and they al forsook him Thus were his Sufferings great and universal in regard of the Persons by whom and from whom he suffered Universal also they were as Aquinas observes in regard of the things which he suffered Wil ye instance in his Goods he is bereaved of his Cloathes and they cast lots for his Garment Wil ye instance in his Name and Honor he is crucified the Death of the Cross was a shameful Death therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 12. He endured the Cross and despised the shame Yea he was not only crucified but as matter of further shame he was crucified between two Theeves and as if al this were not enough they reproached and jeered him yea and he was reproached by al by Jews Soldiers and the Thief on the Cross the Jews spit in his Face before he came to the Cross as if Christs Face were the fowlest place for their Spit and when he was on the Cross they jeeringly put a Reed into his hand and said Hail Master King of the Jews with an Inscription on the Cross This is the King of the Jews Or wil ye instance in his Comforts He was troubled saith the Gospel began to be afraid and his Soul was heavy unto death Thus were his Sufferings great and Universal in regard of the thing suffered Universal also they were in regard of the Parts and Members of his Body wherein he suffered For what Part was there or Member of his precious Body which suffered not his Hands pierced with Nails and his Feet also his Back whipped and scourged his Side run through with a Spear and on his Head was a Crown of Thorns Al his Sences suffered also and that at the same time for in regard of his Feeling he was whipped pierced and wounded in regard of his Tast they gave him Vinegar and Gal to drink in regard of his Smel they crucified him in a filthy place the place of dead mens Skuls Golgotha in regard of his Hearing he was wearied with the Blasphemies and Derisions of the wicked Aquin. sum par 3. Q. 46. Art 5. and in regard of his Sight he saw his Mother and his Disciple whom he loved weeping Thus were his Sufferings Universal both in regard of the things that he suffered in regard of Persons from whom he suffered and in regard of his own Parts and Members wherein he suffered Surely therefore his Suffering was very great it was Vniversal As it was Universal so it was most extream the Schoolmen tel us That his grief was greater than al other griefs and indeed Dolor passionis Chrrsti fuit major omnibus doloribus Aquin. part 3. art 6. how could it be otherwise for the more excellent and worthy the Person is that doth suffer vile things from those that are vile the more afflictive is his Affliction to him Now Christ suffered vile things from the vile and he was the most excellent Person in the World the Lord of Life and of Glory who thought it no robbery to be equal with God And the more healthful that any man is the more afflictive is his death to him Sickness doth somtimes benumb a man and takes away the sence of his sickness but Christ suffered a painful cruel death in his ful strength and health being more free from Sicknesses and Diseases than any man yea the more sensitive the parts are wherein a man suffers Optime complexionatus erat cum corpus ejus fuit formatum miracuiose operatione spiritus sancti Aquin. ibid. the more extream is his pain Now those that were crucified were nailed to the Cross by their Hands and Feet which parts and places are the quickest and fullest of sence because there is a meeting of al the Ligaments and Sinews and to be racked in those parts where our sence dwels what extream torment is it Those that were crucified though they had somthing to stay their Feet did hang by their hands now to have the whol weight of ones Body hanging thus on our pierced hands and so to die by degrees what extream torment must it needs be Dum pais inferior in nobis patitur superior compatitur et dolorem quantum potest lenit et tolerabilius sit in Christo autem qui dominus Naturae erat ex voluntate sua fuit ista discontinuatio scil ut vires inferiores perfectissime et amarissime paterentur et partes superiores intellectus scil et voluntas toâ—a liter finirentur et nulla consolatio a deitate vel ab intellectu saltem naturaliter redundabat illo tempore in partem sensitivam et tunc potentiae sensitivae soli dolori vacantes acerâ—imum dolorem patiebantur ideo nullus homo tantum dolorem sensit in pâ—â—nalitatibus sicut Christus Abulens in Epist D. Hieron ad Paulinum Cap. 7. pag 41. Tom. 1. in Gen. The less succor the inferior part of Man hath from the Superior part of his Wil and Understanding the more doleful is the pain in the Sences Now when Christ suffered he did willingly suspend those Comforts from his Sence which by way of Sympathy might Naturally have flown in from his Understanding or supernaturally from the Love of God and therefore his Sence being left alone as it were to conflict with those pains they must be exceeding great and very dreadful exceeding doleful and extreamly painful 3. As the Sufferings of his Body were extream so they were long and lingering crucified Persons died a lingering Death they were two or three daies a dying indeed our Savior gave up the Ghost sooner But he suffered from the Cradle and though he sweat drops of blood in the Garden only yet he never was fully out of that Agony til he gave up the Ghost for a little before his Death he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Now if his Sufferings were Universal Extream and Lingering then surely his Travel was a sore Travel in regard of his Body Secondly As for his Soul His Travel was a sore Travel in regard of that his Travel was a Soul-Travel It is here in special manner called the Travel of his Soul the Soul and Life and Spirit of his Sufferings was in the Sufferings of his Soul there was the viol of the Wrath of God powred out and there especially The Papists would perswade us that Christ did not suffer in his Soul Bellarmin de Christi anima Cap. 8. Socinus de Christo servatore pars 2. pars 3. Crellius contra Grotium Cap. 1. p. 25. of the same mind also are the Socinians and others not a little their Friends fighting though it may be ignorantly with their Weapons and Arguments who are risen amongst us For the cleering therefore of this profitable Truth
Christ suffering in his Soul I shal deliver my self in these Four Propositions 1. That Christ did truly suffer in his Soul 2. That he did suffer in his Soul immediately 3. That he did suffer and encounter with the Wrath of God 4. That he did suffer and endure the very torments of Hel in this Life Prop. 1 Our Lord and Savior Christ did truly suffer in his Soul for it pleased the Father to bruise him and hath put him to grief Perspicuum est sicut Corpus flagellatum ita animam vere doluisse ne ex parte veritas et ex parte mendacium credatur in Christo Hierom. in Esa 53. Isa 53.10 And saith Christ himself My Soul is heavy unto Death he was in a great Agony Luk 22. insomuch as he sweat drops of Blood verse 42. Now an Agony signifies the sorrows of Combaterâ— entring the Lifâ—s with the sence of their utmost dangers of Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matthew tels us that he began to be very sorrowful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be berounded or besieged with Sorrow Chap. 26.36 37. My Soul saith Christ is exceeding sorrowful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Timorem significat sive metum impendentis mali et vixaliter inveniri apud bonos authores vereque Graecos Chamier Cap. 16. Lib. 5. Tom. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius Nam scopus loci est explicare infirmitates à Christo susceptas et quamvis aliquando 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cauâ—â—m genitivo notat internam causam motus vel actionis quae significatur verbo regente nunquam tamen significat causam externe impellentem ad actionem Ames Bellar. enervat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even unto death Mark tels us that he was sore amazed amazement notes an universal Cessation of the Faculties of the Soul from their several Functions he was afraid and he was sore afraid the Apostle saies that he was heard Heb. 5. in the thing that he feared ver 7. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used doth somtimes signifie Reverence or Piety but so it cannot be taken in this place for it 's said he was delivered or heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his Fear But Amazement is more than Fear And Mark tels us that he began to be sore amazed Chap. 14.33 Yea he was not only amazed but he was very heavy and he began to be very heavy so we read it but the English word is too short 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he began to be so affected with evil as that he was as it were disabled for the minding of any thing else the word is compounded of a privative and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 People as if he began to be out of the Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat maximam consternationem adeo ut nulla admittatur consolatio Nicol. Arnold Relig. Socinia pag. 501. it 's the same word that is used in Phil. 2.26 And was full of heaviness Now if our Lord and Savior Christ was thus sorrowful and exceeding sorrowful amazed and sore amazed heavy and his Soul heavy even unto death then surely he did truly suffer in his Soul But it may be that Crellius and the Socinians with their Friends wil tel us that his Soul suffered only by way of Sympathy and fellow-feeling with his Body Therefore Prop. 2 I ad in the Second place That as he did truly suffer in his Soul so he did suffer in his Soul immediately for look where the Disobedience of the First Adam began there the Obedience of the Second Adam did begin also Now the Disobedience of the First Adam was not only in his Body in eating with his mouth the forbidden Fruit but in his Soul likewise and he did eat with his Body because he did affect with his Soul to be like God there did his sin begin viz. in the Pride and Unbelief of his heart and therefore the Obedience of the Second Adam was not only to be performed with his Body but with his Soul and to begin there the Soul is not properly said to suffer when the Body suffers and by way of sympathy but when a grief is taken or an affliction Et sane nisi paenae fuisset particeps anima corporibus tamen fuisset Redemptor Calvin Institut Lib. 2. Cap. 16. which doth first arrest the mind and heart of men Now Christ did truly suffer in his Soul for as his active Obedience was Spiritual in his Soul as wel as Corporal in his Body so was and ought to be his passive also and if Christs Sorrow did not begin in his Soul why is it said that he troubled himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 11.33 When he saw her weeping and the Jews weeping he groaned in the Spirit and was troubled Quam pudenda fuisset haec mollities eousque torqueri ob communis mortis formidinem ut sanguineo sudore diffluerit neque posset recreari nisi Angelorum conspectu quod illa precatio ter repetita transeat caelix c. annon ex incredibili amaritudine animi profecta ostendit asperius et majus arduum fuisse Christi certamen quam cum morte communi Calvin ibid. but according to the Original and your Margent he troubled himself Why so but because this trouble of his did begin from within and upon this account he did sweat drops of Blood when his Body was in good health and free from every sickness the Body wil not sweat but when Nature is oppressed when it 's under some outward burden then it sweats Christ was under no outward burden of Disease only death was now approaching the fear of which alone simply considered could not make him sweat drops of Blood for saies he I have a Baptism to be baptized with and how am I streightened till it be accomplished Luk. 12.50 Surely there was some other evil the apprehension whereof did immediately fal upon his Soul which did run and flow over into his Body Christ did suffer in his Soul immediately That 's the Second Proposition Prop. 3 As Christ did suffer in his Soul immediately so he did suffer and conflict with the Wrath of God I do not say Neque tantum innuimus Deum fuisse unquam illi adversarium vel iratum quando enim dilecto filio in quo animus ejus acquievit irasceretur sed hoc nos dicimus Divinae severitatis gravitatem eum sustinuisse quoniam manu Dei percussus et afflictus omnia irati et punientis Dei signa expertus est Calvin ibid. that the Father was wroth or angry with his Person some do here distinguish of the wrath of God somtimes it is taken for the hatred of Persons so the Reprobates are called Vessels of Wrath Rom. 9.22 Somtimes it is taken for the execution of Corrective Justice so God is said to be wroth with his own People Deut. 4.21 Somtimes it 's taken for the execution of Vindicative Justice and
Either Christ hath suffered the Wrath and Justice of God for the Elect denounced against sin Gen. 2.17 Or God doth dispense with the execution thereof Or the Elect are stil to suffer it But the Elect are not stil to suffer it and God doth not wil not cannot by his ordinate Power dispense with the execution of it and therefore Christ hath suffered it for them but the execution of that Law did extend to the Wrath of God and Torments of Hel upon Soul and Body Certainly therefore our Lord and Savior Christ hath not only suffered in his Body but in his Soul too and that immediately Neither can the strength of these Arguments and Reasons be waved by saying That Christ did or might satisfie the Law by enduring somwhat equivolent to the punishment due according to the Letter of it For The Law is not satisfied unless the thing be paid or endured in the kind which the Law doth require although somthing be paid or endured which is equivalent to the dammage made by the trespass As in case the Law requiring an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth that a Jew did strike out his Brothers Tooth and the Judg did order that his Eye should be put out for it though the Eye be equivalent to a Tooth yet the Law should not be satisfied with that Judgment and in case that a man stole an Ox from another five Oxen being to be restored by the Law if the Judg had given the wronged person one Ox every way as good as his own yet the Law should not have been satisfied So that an equivalent may be paid or endured yet the Law not satisfied The punishment which the Law The day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death doth threaten is death and the Wrath of God paena sensus et paena damni Now those that oppose the Truth in hand say that Christ did not bear the Wrath of God nor was forsaken by God as to his Soul And is an outward forsaking being left to the malice of men equivalent to the Wrath of God Either Christ did bear the Wrath of God or not either he did endure the punishment of loss and sence upon his Soul and Body or not if he did then he did endure the same punishment in kind that we should have done if he did not but somwhat equivalent then there is some evil that is equivalent to the Wrath of God But there is no evil equivalent to the Wrath of God surely therfore he did endure our punishment in kind even the Wrath of God and the torments of Hel for us so far as they were due to us by the Threatning in it self considered And if Christ have thus suffered for us both in his Soul and body then his Travel was a sore Travel But Secondly As the Travel of Christ was a sore Travel so it was a long and tedious Travel he was in the pains of this Travel from his Cradle to the last breath of his Cross not only in his Death Locus Esaiae dicitur adimpleri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim docet quid speres uâ—i Lyranus litera gesta docet quid credas allegoria moralis quid agas quid speres anagogia cum enim multâ— miracula edere incipiebat Christus fieri potuisset ut vulgus exâ—stimasset Christum tamen excellentem et mirisicum esse chyrurgum ad hoc precavendum Matthaeus hominum mentes elevare per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de Christo altius quid sperare voluit but in his Life al along Upon which account Matthew doth apply those words of the Prophet Isaiah Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sins unto what Christ did and suffered in his Life for saith the Gospel of Matthew Chap. 8.16 When evening was come they brought unto him many that were possessed with Devils and he cast out the spirits with his Word and healed all that were sick Mark tels us that all the City was gathered together at the door Chap. 1.32.33 So that he did cure and heal them with his own Trouble according to that of John 11.33 when Lazarus was dead Chemnit harmon sic Rupertus Ferus Flaccius in glos super 8. c. Matth. 17. Per sanationes corporis animae sanationem representavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem absolute significat onerose portare Apoc. 2.3 cum molestia portare Matth. 20.12 Konick Disp 25. loc 83. and he saw them weeping he groaned and he wept and so he raised Lazarus wel therefore might the Evangelist apply that of Esai to this occasion for he took away the Diseases of the People by his own suffering with them and cast out the Devils by his conflicting with them and so though he did not come into the extremity of this Travel til the last yet he had many pains and pangs al along whilst he lived He wept and he wept and he wept again three times we read of his weeping once at the raising of Lazarus those were his Regal Tears once at his coming into Jerusalem when he said Thy House is left to thee desolate those were his Prophetical Tears once at the last in his Agony when he prayed with cries and tears Heb. 5. those were his Priestly tears his whol time was a weeping time a sorrowful time and therefore the Apostle counts of his Sufferings from the time of his coming into the World Heb. 10. 5. Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou would'st not but a Body hast thou prepared me This Travel then was a long and tedious Travel Thirdly As it was a long and tedious Travel so it was an helpless Travel helpless in regard of men and they all forsook him saith the Text. When a Woman is in Travel Friends come and Midwife comes and Helpers come But when Christ was in Travel even his very Friends forsook him yea God himself did forsake him no Friend nor Midwife nor Helper but in this matter he trode the Wine-press of his Fathers Wrath alone O! what an hard Labor was here yet thus thus in regard of his body thus in regard of his Soul Christ was in Travel for us Quest But suppose that Christ was in Travel and thus in Travel for us what then Answ Then it is our Duty to come in and behold this hard and sore Labor When Moses saw the Bush burning that was not consumed he said I wil stand stil and behold this wonder But behold a greater wonder is here Christ bearing our sins in the fire of the Wrath of God and yet not consumed shal we not then stand stil and behold this wonder of Love Hereby you see al the Attributes and Divine Perfections of God in Conjunction and meeting as in their dwelling place ye may see much of the Wisdom Power Justice and Goodness of God scattered up and down in the Creatures There is an Honey in every Flower which the Bee can find
onely so far discouraged as to refuse comfort for soul and body but my soul refuseth Duty and casts off Duty too for the present Answ 3 Thirdly therefore It is possible that a good and gracious mans discouragments may extend thus far too You wil think it strange that I find an instance for this in that holy man Jeremiah yet if you look into Jer. 20.7.8 and 9. verses you find it made good Indeed saith he The word was as fire in my bones and I could not forbear But for the time he did resolve to forbear preaching in the name of God which was his duty which he had commission to do for saies he I wil not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name This Holy Gracious man was under temptation he was much discouraged and thereupon he said so Yet verse 13. he saith Sing to the Lord praise the Lord for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evil doers But then mark the next words Cursed be the day wherein I was born let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my Father saying A man child is born to thee What a sudden change was here even in the best of the Saints from incouragments to discouragements O! but I have not only cursed the day of my birth as Jeremie and wished that I had never been born But I am weary of my life and have sought after mine own death and was there ever any Godly Gracious man that was thus discouraged and cast down Answ 4 Yes What think you of Job I was weary of my life Job 10.1 And in the 3. Job pouring out his complaint in regard of himself he saith vers 20. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery and life to the bitter in soul vers 21. Which long for death but it cometh not and dig for it more than for hid treasures Now ye know that those which dig for Gold and Silver dig industriously and earnestly Thus it is with me saies Job I am so afflicted and distressed and in such bitterness of soul that I long for death and dig for it as for hid treasures O! what a mighty deep of discouragments may the Saints and people of God fal into and yet be Godly Gracious Quest 2 But why doth God suffer his own people and dearest children to be thus discouraged and their peace to be interrupted I know wil some say that al our present joy and comfort is but a creature and so may be ecclipsed and that Satan is near unto the best of Gods children thrusting and pushing them forward into these discouragments that they may be like unto himself who is a discouraged Spirit Answ Sic verus justitiae Sol nonnunquam oritur ad nos accedit a liquando rursus a nostro climaâ—e aberrat utrumque tamen benesicium nostrum est Frumentum in Terram jactum eget aliquo tempore ut congelatur induretur aliquo etiam ut molliatur neutrum illi obest utrumque nâ—cessarium est unum ut crescat alterum ut Radices agat Granat but why will God suffer it to be so In General It is for their good for their good they have and for their good they do want their Peace and Comfort The Star which led the wise men to Christ did not alwaies go before them but somtimes it appeared somtimes it was hidden from them but both appearance and hiding was for their benefit its first appearance invited them to Christ and its withdrawance made them more diligent in seeking after him So when Christ hid himself from his Mother Mary she sought him the more and when she found him she rejoyced the more but both his absence and his presence her fear and her comfort was for her good for his absence did encrease and draw out her desires and his presence did encrease and draw out her joyes When God is absent from us then we have testimonies of our Love to God by our desires after him and when he is present then we have testimonies of his Love to us by the shines of his Countenance so that whether God shines or not whether we have comfort or not both is for our good Thus in the General but yet more Particularly First Ye know it is Gods way and manner to deal with the Children of men according to their own dispositions to stoop and condescend unto their infirmities Therefore saies the Prophet Hosea Hos 11.4 He draws us with the Cords of a man Now it is mans disposition to come to God at the second hand So long as man can find a fulness in any Creature he comes not to God but first he sees an emptiness in the Creature Duty and Ordinance and then he saies O what a fulness is in God himself in Christ himself 1 Tim. 5.5 The Widdow that is desolate trusteth in God though a Widdow yet if not desolate somtimes she would not trust and therefore God suffers a desolation to come upon her Widdowhood When Davids men took up stones to have stoned him then the Text saies He encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 So long as man hath encouragement els-where he doth not encourage himself in the Lord his God This being mans Nature and God having a design of Love upon his own Children he suffers a damp and discouragement to pass upon all their Comforts their Peace to be interrupted their hearts disquieted and their souls discouraged that so they may encourage themselves in God alone Secondly This inward Peace and quietness of soul is so great a Commodity that God would have the price to be inhanced and raised Common and ordinary blessings once lost and found again are extraordinary It is a common and ordinary mercy that a man sits in his Shop and walks up and down in his Trade but if he be sick a while lose his health and not able for five or six weeks to look into his Shop if then he can get down but one day O saies he what an extraordinary mercy and blessing is it that I should go down again Thus the interruption of an ordinary blessing does raise it to an extraordinary So long as a man hath his health and strength though he be able to travel forty fifty three-score miles a day he is not much affected therewith but if he be sick a little and at deaths door and then begins to recover though he can but put forth his Hand or stir his Leg he blesses God and saies O Friends I can stir my self in my bed I can move my Hand or my Leg what an extraordinary mercy and blessing is this So in this caie So long as a man hath inward Peace and quietness of soul without interruption he looks upon it as a common mercy and blessing but if his Peace be a little interrupted and his soul buffeted by Satan
afflicted yet if the Body be well although the Body be afflicted yet if the Spirit be well it is some comfort but where both are down the Condition is sad and seldom doth any great Temptation befall a man but Soul and Body are both down at once though at first it falls upon the Spirit yet it descends into and fires the Body And therefore saith Paul I received a Messenger of Satan a thorn in my flesh buffeting of me As in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost though the Comforts be powred out upon the Soul and Spirit yet they run down upon the Body So in the troubles of Temptation though they seize first upon the inward man yet they â—un upon the skirts of the outward man also And thus you find it with Job Chap. 7.1 God had put Job into Satans hand only with this reserve See that thou spare his life The Devil having the power first he loads him with outward Afflictions and then with inward Temptations while he was under his outward Afflictions how sweetly did he carry it Blessing the Lord saying The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be his Name but when the Volly of Temptations came then see what a sad Condition the good man was in how he was all on fire as if Job could not be found in Job while he was under these Afflictions he rebuked his Wife for saying Curse God and die but now being under Temptations himself he wisheth to die and curseth the day of his Birth In Job 7.15 My Soul chuseth strangling and death rather than my life but had this Temptation any influence upon his Body too It seems his heart and soul and spirit was much disquieted for he saith Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee ver 20. But was his Body fired with it too yes verse 13 14. When I said my Bed shall comsort me my Couch shall ease my complaint then thou skarest me with Dreams and terrifiest me with visions As now we find by Experience many poor souls cannot sleep while they are under their Temptations and if you will see the Sum and up-shot of all read what he saies at verse 20. I am a burden to my self and so many now Why should I live any longer I am a burden to my Family I am a burden to mine Acquaintance a burden to all my Friends I am a burden to my self who knows the burden of a poor tempted soul but he that bears it Heb. 11.37 Temptations are ranked among the greatest Afflictions They were stoned sawn asunder were tempted and in Heb. 2. it is said of our Savior That himself suffered being tempted yet he sinned not under his Temptation So that there is somwhat of a suffering in every Temptation although one be free from Sin And in Revel 12.12 it is said Wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath And wherein is his wrath more seen than in his Temptations O! what a sad and woful condition is it then to lie under Temptations Yet let me tel you though there be some suffering in every Temptation and the least temptation is a great Affliction yet the Saints and People of God have no reason to be discouraged or cast down whatever their Temptations be Quest How may that appear Answ 1 Four Demonstrations of it First If Satan do therefore tempt the People of God that he may discourage them then have they no reason to be discouraged because they are tempted by Satan I say if Satans great design end and aim in all the Temptations of the Saints be to discourage them then they have no reason to be discouraged because they are tempted for then they should gratifie Satan and give him his end Now Satan doth tempt that he may tempt he tempts unto one sin that he may tempt unto another he tempteth a man to sin against the Law that he may make him sin against the Gospel and what greater sin against the Gospel than unbeleeving discouragements He knows or thinks such and such a person is gone from his Kingdom and he saith though I cannot hinder his Salvation but he will be saved do what I can yet I will hinder his Comfort and make him draw heavily and if I can but discourage him in his Duty I shall in time make him to cast it off His great design is to discourage and therefore whenever any Godly man is tempted he should say well through the Grace of Christ seeing Satans design is to discourage my design shall be to bear up my heart and spirit against all discouragements Answ 2 Secondly If God our Father doth pity his Children under their Temptations and the more they are tempted by Satan the more they are pitied by God then have they no reason to be discouraged whatever their Temptatioâ—â—â—e How is it with your own Bowels If you had two Childreâ— one that is in your house with you at home and another that is iâ— Spain or Italy abroad Quo gravior incumbit tentatio eo solet indulgentius agere cum suis Deus Brightm Apoc. 2.49 exposed to grâ—at Tempâ—â—tions is not your pity most towards that Child that is abâ—oâ—d and exposed to most Temptations Your Love may be expressed to him that is at home as much anothâ—◠〈◊〉 but your pitying love is most to him that is abroad As in the time of a Storm great Rain or Hail if you have one Child lie in youâ— boâ—om or sitting upon your knee and another that is abroad in the opâ—n fields though your love in one kind may run out to him thâ—t is upon your knee yet doth not your pitying Love run ouâ— more to him that is abroad in the open fields Thus it is with God he hath two sorts of Children Some that are exposed to more temptations and some that are exposâ—d to less though his Grace and Love may run out more in one kind to them that are less tempted yet his pitying Love runs out most unto those that are most tempted And upon this account you will find in Scripture that when God saw any of his Children were to go into any Sad Temptation he did either immediately before in or after more than ordinarily reveal himselâ— unto them the more you are tempted by Satan the more you are pitied by God it matters not whether your Temptation be great or smal if less you have the less pity if more you have the more pity why then should you be discouraged although your temptations be never so great Answ 3 Thirdly If all the Temptations of Gods People be overcome and broken before they do fall on them then have they no reason to be discouraged or cast down because they are tempted Now so it is Christ was a common Person not only in his death but in his life he did act and work and bear as a common person as our Second Adam all
Deity was the Word of Christs Patience Therâ— is alwaies some Truth or other the profession and owning whereof saith here is the Patience of the Saints Now if the Churches keep that word and overcome in the keeping of it the Lord Christ wil make every Member of them as a Pillar in the Temple of God that shal go no more out In case any Difficulty or Trouble do arise in a Church which is beyond their own Light and Strength they must cal in the help of other Churches For when there was such a knot as the Church of Antioch could not untie they sent to the Church and Apostles at Jerusalem Acts 15.16 who having setled the Matter they sent the result and Decrees unto other Churches concerned whereby they had Peace and Establishment But especially it is the Duty of al the Churches to pray and pray much for this great Mercy of Establishment for the Lord hath said Esai 62.6 Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Such a time as this there is a coming we are commanded to pray and to pray earnestly for it and the Lord hath not only promised the Mercy but to give hearts to pray for it for saith he I have set Watch-men upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shal never hold their peace day nor night wherefore let us give him no rest So shal the Churches have rest and be established Thirdly As for Particular Persons Would'st thou be established in the Truth and good Waies of God Then observe what those things are which do make others unsetled and take heed thereof In case a man doth decay or break in his Estate some great Merchant Tradesman or Farmer break you wil diligently look into the causes of it and say this man lived at too high a rate beyond his Estate or he was bound for others or he kept ill Company or he did not keep his Accounts wel and therefore I wil take heed of these things Now wil ye observe the Causes of an outward Break and wil ye not observe what are the Reasons that so many are unsetled break and decay in the Trade of their souls Surely 1. Either it is because they do want primitive breakings for the stony Ground comes to nothing at the last though it hath much joy at the first because it wants depth of Earth The stick that is thrust into the Earth is more easily pulled up than the Plant which is rooted in the Earth So are al those who have no root in themselves 2. Or because they take up great Resolutions withouâ— answerable pre-deliberations whereas we know that the Needle must play about the Polar Point before it comes to stand and sâ—ttle he that would hit the mark must take his level before he parts with his Arrow And if men resolve before they have fully considered they wil ere long be unresolved again 3. Or because men do not walk by a setled Rule â—e can never be setled that doth not walk by a setled Rule A mans own thoughts and apprehensions are unsetled things the Hebrew word for Thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cogitationes quae in corde sunt sicut ramus in arbore hinc inde diffusus comes from a Root which signifies to move as the tops of Trees because as the tops of the Trees waver and are in continual motion so are our Thoughts and Apprehensions But the Word of the Lord is setled as the Heavens Psal 119. Thy Word is for ever setled in Heaven So long as I want the Divine Counsel of the Word my heart is like a Vagrant that is most unstable said Bernard for whilst I am not subject to God I am contrary to my self 4. Or because they are divided in their own hearts a double minded man is unstable in al his Waies saith the Apostle and when men have an heart and an heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heart for the World yet a good mind to Christ how is it possible but thâ—y should be most unsetled 5. Or because they are too confident of their own strength and Judgment whereas the only way to be firm and stedfast is to be sensible of ones own Infirmity We read of a two-fold Confidence in Peter a Confidence in Christ and a Confidence in his own strength when he was confident in Christ saying Master if it be thou command that I come unto thee he did not miscarry but when he was confident in his own strength saying Lord though all men forsake thee yet will not I then he sel and fel fouly Hold thou me up said the Psalmist and I shall be safe Psal 119.119 and I will have respect unto thy Statutes continually But if men lean to their own Understanding are confident of their own strength and think that they are able to deal with al gain-sayers and so wil try al things God leaves them to their own Opinions and they scrabble upon the door and do change their behavior 6. Or because men do forsake the Ministry which Christ hath given to the Churches for their Edification Perfection and Establishment Ephes 4.11 12 13 14.7 Or because they have too fair an Opinion of those that are erroneous thinking that they may be Godly though they be never so unsound in their Judgments whereby they are drawn into Society and Communion with them and so fal from their own stedfastness whereas the Apost e â—els us of the error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3.17 and that men may be wicked upon the account of their errors in Judgment James 5.19 20. Bâ—â—thren if any of you do err from the Truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteâ—h a sinner from thâ— Eâ—ror of his way shal save a Soul from death and shal hide a multitude of sins And our Lord and Savior Christ calling upon us to beware of Falâ—e Prophets Matth. 7 15. tels us That they are corrupt Trees and cannot bring forth good Fruit verse 16 17 18. As if he should say if you would take heed and beware of them you must know them and not think that they are good men for if you think that they may be good notwithstanding their Errors in Doctrine you wil be mis-led by them and removed from your stedfastness 8. Or because that men do not improve their Christian Communion for the Life and Power of Godliness but for Light only and Discoursing Notions whereas the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy saith Keep that which is committed to thy trust avoiding oppositions of Science falsly so called which some professing have erred concerning the Faith 1 Tim. 6.20 21. And what is the reason that not only some but many have now erred concerning the Faith and have fallen from their stedfastness but because they have been thus affected 9. Or because they have not been built on the Rock Christ but on some
I. SCRIPTURE-LIGHT THE MOST SURE LIGHT In compare with 1. Revelations and Visions 2. Natural and Supernatural Dreams 3. Impressions with and without the Word 4. Light and Law within 5. Divine Providence 6. Christian Experience 7. Humane Reason 8. Judicial Astrologie Delivered in Three Sermons on 2 Pet. 1.19 II. CHRIST IN TRAVEL Wherein 1. The greatness of his Travel both in Soul and Body 2. The first and after Effects of his Death 3. His Assurance of Issue 4. His Satisfaction therein Are opened and cleered in Three Sermons on Isai 53.11 III. A LIFTING UP for the DOWN-CAST In case of 1. Great Sins 2. Weakness of Grace 3. Miscarriage of Duties 4. Want of Assurance 5. Affliction 6. Temptation 7. Desertion 8. Vnserviceableness 9. Discouragements from the Condition it self Delivered in Thirteen Sermons on Psal 42.11 Four several Sermons concerning 1. The Sin against the Holy Ghost 2. Sins of Infirmity 3. The False Apostle tryed and discovered 4. The Good and Means of Establishment Preached by VVilliam Bridge somtimes Fellow of Emmanuel Colledg in Cambridg and now Pastor of the Church of Christ in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk Sine gratia sordet Natura London Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold in his Shop at the Sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. To the Worshipful Maurice Thompson Esquire George Thompson Esquire William Thompson Esquire Sheriff of London Robert Thompson Esq S R John Wittewrong Knight William Ofield Esquire Samuel Champnes Elias Roberts and William Hawkins Esquires With their Wives and Children Grace and Peace Honored and Beloved in our Lord Jesus IT is not want of respect that I seem thus to crowd your Names together I owe more than an Epistle to each of your Names but because God hath made you one though branched into several Habitations I take the boldness to present this work to you as unto one Family It is written of the Stork Ciconiae mos est unum è pullis relinquere Domui qua nidulata est Ludo Vives that she useth to leave one of her Young ones to the House where she made her nest and upon that account some of my labors do belong to your Family where I studyed and from whence I Preached them some of you and yours have often desired the Publishing of these Notes and being Printed whither should the Press send them but to your Door you are the Family with whom I have had the honor to converse much whilst living and now the Blossoms of the Grave are upon me I dedicate these Notes unto you that by them I may live and speak with you when my Head shal lie under the Clods you are a Family whom the Lord hath blessed and raysed not only to a great estate in the world but to the saving knowledg of his Son our dear Savior and whom should I serve and honor but those whom God honors and blesseth 1. That Family is not far from blessing which hath Godly Children Children trayned up and seasoned with the Grace of Christ from the Cradle The Lord blessed the House of Obed-edom and wherein did that blessing consist the Scripture tells us 1 Chron. 26. That some of his Children were Porters in the House of God others were mighty Men of Valor able Men for strength and service and the reason is given ver 5. For the Lord blessed him So that Children useful and serviceable both in Church and State are a great blessing unto a Family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia filius est aedificium patris The Hebrews say that Children are the Fathers building and indeed he builds wisely that doth lay the Foundations of his House in a Godly Seed Loe Children saith the Psalmist are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the Womb are his reward as Arrowes in the Hand of the mighty so are Children of the youth blessed is the Man that hath his Quiver ful of them Especially where these Arrowes are wel headed wel hearted too And upon this account it is good for great Families to have good Servants For corrupt Servants do debauch Children and debauched Children do scatter Brimstone upon the House of their Fathers 2. Neither is that Family an unblessed Family which is strict in the observation of the Sabbath or the Lords day God hath blessed that day that he might bless them who do keep that day hereby England hath been blessed with the power of godliness more than other Nations My Sabbath saith God shall be a sign between me and thee Servasti diem Daminicam Christianus sum ' intermittere non possum And in the Primitive times when a Christian was asked whether he had kept the Lords day his answer generally was I am a Christian I cannot neglect it as if the observation of the Lords day were the badg of a Christian this is the Girdle of al our Duties and in respect of this Girdle I may say Ungirt unblessed the vallies of the week day are blessed by the upper springs of this day and as the Commandement doth especially poynt at and look wishly upon the Master of the Family saying Neither thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter c. So doth the blessing also 3. Blessed is that Family which doth industriously seek to build the House of God and the House of the Poor David did but intend to build Gods House and the Lord promised him to build his House The Egiptian Midwives spared the Israelites Children whereby the Poor Families and Houses of the Israelites were built And the Lord dealt wel with the Midwives and made them Houses Exod. 1.20 4. Neither is that Family far from blessing which is a friend to the Ministry Receiving hiding and refreshing the paynful and faithful Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel The Lord give mercy saith Paul to the House of Onesiphorus for he hath refreshed me Not once and no more but he hath oft refreshed me nor did he do this because I followed him and sought him out but he sought me out very diligently and found me And in the day of my greatest affliction he was not ashamed of me for he was not ashamed of my Chains wherefore the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy in that day and give mercy unto the House of Onesiphorus 2 Tim. 1.16.17.18 He that receiveth a Prophet saith our Savior in the Name of a Prophet shal receive a Prophets reward and what is the reward of a Prophet but to profit by the Prophet and to have a share in his Venture and in al that good which he doth by his Ministry 5. A praying Family also is a precious Family and blessed Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum frustra laborat quisquis eam aedificat Psal 127. Non enim dicit Dominus aedificat domum nomine scilicet laborante sed ita nisi Dominus aedisica verit frustra laborat perinde ac si diceret labore
who heard them Preached raised them from that Death Mine own Notes were not legible enough for the Press In answer therefore to their desires I have corrected these some things I have altered some things added and some Repetitions fit enough for the Pulpit I have filed off what is wanting let thy goodness supply I have also joyned with them some other Sermons of more doctrinal concernment these being mostly practical that so thy mind and Heart may be at once exercised wherein I have rather applyed my self to the Jnstructive part of Preaching than to Scholastical disputation For I know the Universities have able and faithful Men more fit for that work Neither have I undertaken any English Adversary and if I have troaden upon any Mans Toes I hope he wil excuse me for I can say truly Sir I saw you not And if any Man shal say to me as Davids Brother Eliab spake to him 1 Sam. 17.29 I know thy pride and Malice of thine heart that thou art come down to see the battle I might answer as David did Is there not a Cause When strange Opinions and Errors are dayly Published is there not a Cause that every man who loves the truth should bear his Testimony for it In performance therefore of mine own Duty and for thine Establishment I have spoaken somthing to many truths which are now questioned Hold fast what thou hast lest another take thy Crown And the Lord Jesus Christ and our God even the Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting Consolation and good Hope through Grace Comfort thine heart and Stablish thee in every word and good work Thine in the Service of the Gospel WILLIAM BRIDGE The Names of several Books Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall London and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-press in Corn-hil neer the Exchange Nineteen several Books of Mr. William Bridge Collected into two Volumns Viz. 1 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 2 Satans Power to Tempt and Christs Love to and Care of His People under Temptation 3 Thankfulness required in every Condition 4 Grace for Grace or the Overflowing of Christs Fulness received by all Saints 5 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities 6 Evangelical Repentance 7 The Spiritual Life and In-being of Christ in all Beleevers 8 The Woman of Canaan 9 The Saints Hiding-place in time of Gods Anger 10 Christs Coming is at our Midnight 11 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances 12 Grace and Love beyond Gifts 13 Scripture Light the most sure Light compared with 1. Revelations and Visions 2. Natural and Supernatural Dreams 3. Impressions with and without Word 4. Light and Law within 5. Divine Providence 6. Christian Experience 7 Humane Reason 8. Judicial Astrology Delivered in Sermons on 2 Pet. 1.19 14 Christ in Travel Wherein 1 The Travel of his soul 2. The first and after effects of his Death 3. His Assurance of Issue 4. And His satisfaction therein Are opened and cleered in three Sermons on Esay 53.11 15 A Lifting up for the Cast-down in case of 1. Great sin 2. Weakness of Grace 3. Miscarriage of Duties 4. Want of Assurance 5. Affliction 6. Temptation 7. Dissertion Unserviceableness 9. Discouragements from the Condition it self Delivered in thirteen Sermons on Psalm 42.11 His Four Sermons concerning 16 Sin against the Holy Ghost 17 Sins of Infirmities 18 The False Apostle tried and Discovered 19 The Good and means of Establishment Eleven Books of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs lately published also the Texts of Scripture upon which they are grounded 1 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment on Phil. 4.11 Wherein is shewed 1 What Contentment is 2 It is an Holy Art and Mystery 3 The Excellencies of it 4 The Evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring and the Aggravations of it 2 Gospel Worship on Levit. 10.3 Wherein is shewed 1 The right manner of the Worship of God in general and particularly In Hearing the Word Receiving the Lords Supper and Prayer 3 Gospel Conversation on Phil. 1.17 Wherein is shewed 1 That the Conversations of Beleevers must be above what could be by the Light of Nature 2 Beyond those that lived under the Law 3 And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those men that have their Portion in this Life only on Psal 17.14 4 A Treatise of Earthly Mindedness Wherein is shewed 1 What Earthly mindedness is 2 The great Evil thereof on Phil. 3. part of the 19. Verse Also to the same Book is joyned A Treatise of Heavenly Mindedness and Walking with God on Gen. 5.24 and on Phil. 3.20 5 An Exposition on the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of the Prophesie of Hosea 6 An Exposition on the eighth ninth and tenth Chapters of Hosea 7 An Exposition on the eleventh twelfth and thirteenth Chapters of Hosea being now compleat 8 The Evil of Evils or the exceeding Sinfulness of Sin on Job 36.21 9 Precious Faith on 2 Pet. 1.1 10 Of Hope on 1 John 3.3 11 Of Walking by Faith on 2 Cor. 5.7 Ten several Books by Nich. Culpeper Gent. Student in Physick and Astrology 1 The Practice of Physick containing seventeen several Books Wherein is plainly set forth The Nature Cause Differences and Several Sorts of Signs Together wtth the Cure of all Diseases in the Body of Man Being chiefly a Translation of The Works of that Learned and Renowned Doctor Lazarus Riverius Now living Councellor and Physitian to the present King of France Above fifteen thousand of the said Books in Latin have been Sold in a very few Yeers having been eight times printed though all the former Impressions wanted the Nature Causes Signs and Differences of the Diseases and had only the Medicines for the Cure of them as plainly appears by the Authors Epistle 2 The Anatomy of the Body of Man Wherein is exactly described the several parts of the Body of Man illustrated with very many larger Brass Plates than ever was in English before 3 A Translation of the New Dispensatory made by the Colledg of Physitians of London Whereunto is added The Key to Galen 's Method of Physick 4 The English Physitian Enlarged being an Astrologo-Physical Discourse of the vulgar Herbs of this Nation wherein is shewed how to cure a mans self of most Diseases incident to Mans Body with such things as grow in England and for three pence charge Also in the same Book is shewed 1 The time of gathering all Herbs both Vulgarly and Astrologically 2 The way of drying and keeping them and their Juyces 3 The way of making and keeping al manner of useful Compounds made of those Herbs The way of mixing the Medicines according to the Cause and Mixture of the Disease and the part of the Body afflicted 5 A Directory for Midwives or a Guide for Women Newly enlarged by the Author in every sheet and Illustrated with
one thing to cite Scripture and another thing to take heed thereunto The Devil cited Scripture to our Savior Christ but he did not take heed unto it as to his Rule of life If we take heed thereto then we shal be kept and preserved by it even from the power of that darkness which we may labor under And thus now I have done with the Fourth General Thing propounded and have cleered the Doctrine Applic. 1 If this Doctrine be true then what cause have we to bless God and not to despise Humane Learning Mistake not I shal not go about to preach up Humane Learning in the Church of God but though I do not preach up the Excellency of Meat Drink and Cloathing or outward Blessings yet I may cal upon you and my self not to despise the same but to bless God for them So though I do not preach up the excellency of Humane Learning yet I may cal upon you and my self not to despise the same but to bless God for it For if Scripture-Light be so excellent a Light and the Word of God written that whereunto we are all to take heed then what a Mercy and Blessing is it that this Word and Scripture is translated into the English Tongue it was not first written in English but in Hebrew and Greek it could not have been brought forth into English but by the help of Humane Learning and wil ye then deâ—pise Humane Learning and not bless God for it O! ye wanton hearts remember how the poor Martyrs in Queen Maries time did bless God for the English Translation and how could that be without Humane Learning Then let us bless God for it and not despise it Applic. 2 If this Doctrine be true viz. That Scripture-Light is so great a Light which al are to take heed unto then what a sad condition are those in who do deny and forsake the Scripture they are in the dark indeed I confess a good man may be tempted as to other sins so to this To doubt of the Truth of the Scripture But do I hear a man that hath been a Professor one that hath known God and his Waies one that is under no Temptation Do I hear such an one denying the Scripture as any Rule to him Write that man Childless write him Faithless without Christ and without God in this World Ah! poor soul here is one whose Foundations are plucked up twice dead plucked up by the roots O! the sad condition of this poor Creature he hath forsaken the Light and now is under the power of darkness Whither should he go for he hath left the words of Eternal life yet Lord how many have these times brought forth that are come to this height of wickedness But beloved I do not only hope but am assured better things of you only hear the word of Exhortation and that is Applic. 3 Take heed and attend to the Scriptures for they are our great and most sure Light whereunto ye do wel if ye take heed as unto a Light shining in a dark place O! then take heed thereunto Quest What must we do that we may take heed and attend unto Scripture Answ Ye must do three things 1. Ye must attend to know and understand it 2. Ye must attend to keep it 3. And ye must attend to walk by the same And First For your knowledg in and understanding of the Scripture and the written Word of God ye must Observe keep and hold fast the Letter of it for though the Letter of the Scripture be not the Word alone yet the Letter with the true sense and meaning of it is the Word The Body of a Man is not the Man but the Body and Soul together make up the whol man the Soul alone or the Body alone is not the Man So here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in lego sine Scripturis non est litera a qua non pendent magni montes Doctrinarum Rabbim though the Letter of the Scripture alone do not make up the Word yet the Letter and sense together do and if ye destroy the Body ye destroy the Man so if ye destroy the Letter of the Scripture you do destroy the Scripture and if you deny the Letter how is it possible that you should attain to the true sense thereof when the Sense lies wrapped up in the Letters and the words thereof Object But if I attend to the Letter in my Practice then I shall be a Professor of the Letter and if a Preacher do attend to the Letter then he shall be a Minister of the Letter Answ Not so For when the Apostle saith We are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit his meaning plainly there is not of the Law but of the Gospel for in that 2 Cor. 3. he cals the Ministration of the Law the Letter and the whol Ministration of the Gospel the Spirit Those therefore that preach or walk according to the Ministration of the Law are Ministers and Professors of the Letter those that preach or walk according to the Ministration of the Gospel are Ministers and Professors of the Spirit And therefore those that depart from and despise the Ministration of the Gospel do depart from and do despight to the Spirit It 's one thing for a man to keep the Letter of the Scripture so as not to deny the same another thing to keep to the Letter only for the meaning of it It 's one thing to preach from the Letter another thing to preach the Letter Our Lord and Savior Christ when he expounded that Esai 61. as ye read Luke 4. did not preach the Letter yet he preached from the Letter So now we may preach from the Letter of the Scripture yet not preach the Letter or be Ministers of the Letter and you may practice the Word from the Letter of the Scripture and yet not be Professors of the Letter that is of the Law and the Ministration of it Quest How can we hold and keep fast the Letter of the Scripture when there are so many Greek Copies of the New Testament and those diverse one from another Answ 1 Yes well For though there are many received Copies of the New Testament yet there is no material difference between them The four Evangelists do vary in the Relation of the same thing yet because there is no contradiction or material variation we do adhere to al of them and deny none In the times of the Jews before Christ they had but one Original of the Old Testament yet that hath several readings there is a Marginal reading and a Line reading and they differ no less than eight hundred times the one from the other yet the Jews did adhere to both and denied neither Why Because there was no material difference And so now though there be many Copies of the New Testament yet seeing there is no material difference between them we may adhere to all
Lord give you a cleer understanding in al things CHRIST IN TRAVEL Wherein is shewed I. The Travel of Christ or Christ in Travel II. His Assurance of Issue III. The Contentment that he doth and shall find therein By William Bridge Preacher of the Gospel at Yarmouth LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. CHRIST IN TRAVEL Sermon I. ISAIAH 53.11 He shall see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied IN this Chapter we have a ful Treatise of the Sufferings of Christ wherein the Prophet Isaiah speaks with such cleerness as if he rather were an Apostle after Christ than a Prophet before him Bernard tels us that there are three things which we are especially to mind and behold in the Sufferings of Christ the Work the Manner and the Cause thereof In the Cause he was Innocent in the Manner Patient and in the Work excellent saith he But the Prophet Isaiah doth insist on four things 1. The greatness of Christs Sufferings which he expresseth in many Words That he was despised and rejected of men a man of Sorrows and acquainted with Griefs that we hid our Faces from him despised and esteemed him not ver 3. that he was stâ—icken smitten and afflicted of God ver 4. Wounded and bruised ver 5. Oppressed afflicted and brought as a Sheep to the slaughter ver 7. Imprisoned and cut off from the Land of the Living ver 8. bruised by his Father and put to grief ver 10. In travel of Soul and numbred amongst Transgressors ver 11 12 2. The Cause of his Sufferings which aâ— the Prophet 〈◊〉 â—aâ— for our sins he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities verse â— 3. The Manner of his Sufferings He is brought aâ— a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before the Shearers is dumb so opened he not his mouth verse 7. 4. The Fruit Issue and Success of his Sufferings For he shall see his Seed and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand verse 10. And he shall see the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied verse 11. So that these words do plainly hold forth the fruit and issue of our Lords Sufferings and the certainty thereof The Sufferings were great for they are here called a Travel and the Travel of his Soul the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a toylsom painful and wearisom Labor such a Labor say some as is used by those that grind in a Mil Mercerus such a Labor say others as Adam was to use in the sweat of his Brows after the Fal Avenarius as a Curse of sin unto which the Holy Ghost doth here relate because our Savior in these Sufferings was made a Curse for us Forerius Es 53. such a Labor say others so great so painful as women do endure in their sore Travel English Annotations and indeed the word signifies as much and so it 's used in Psal 7.14 Behold he travelleth with iniquity and hath conceived mischief alluding to the pains of a Woman in Travel and so it may be wel translated in this place for the word Soul is a Feminine term as if the Holy Ghost would decipher the Sufferings of Christ by the pangs of a Woman in Travel Now this Travel is also said to be the Travel of his Soul not only because it was a great and sore Travel but because it did extend to his Soul The word Soul is indeed somtimes used for ones Life and somtimes for the Person of a Man But then it doth not exclude the Soul but include it rather So here he shal see the travel of his Soul that is that travel which is not only in his Body but his Soul too This he is promised to see He shall see the Travel that is the Fruit thereof So Psal 128.2 Thou shalt eat the Labor of thine hands that is the Fruit of thy Labor what thine hand hath labored for seeing doth note enjoyment and the enjoyment of the thing desired So Psal 54.7 Mine Eye hath seen its desire upon mine Enemy the word Desire is not in the Hebrew but the Original runs thus Mine Eye hath seen upon mine Enemies We ad Desires because that is the Sense thereof for Seeing notes enjoyment of ones desires and therefore in that the Prophet saith he shal see the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied the meaning is That Christ shal so enjoy the issue and fruit of his Sufferings as he shal have ful content and delight therein And so the Doctrine from the whol is this Doct. That Christ shall certainly see the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied He did not lay down his Life at a venture nor suffer so many things at uncertainties but he had assurance of success He shall see saith the Lord by way of Promise both to him and us the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied For the opening and cleering hereof three great Arguments wil fal under our Consideration 1. The Travel of Christ or Christ in Travel 2. His Assurance of Issue 3. The Contentment that he doth and shal find therein As for the Travel of Christ His Sufferings were very painful a Travel and an hard Labor Acts 2.24 it 's said that he was somtimes in the pains of Death some Books read it in the pains of Hell but the word rendred Pains signifies the Pains and Pangs of a Woman in Travel Haec vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et partum significat et dolorem parturientem Vict. Strigil Perk. Gal. 4. It is the same word that is used by Paul Gal. 4. My little Children with whom I travel in Birth and it signifies not only the Travel of the Woman at the Birth of the Child but the painful bearing thereof before the Birth these Pains and Pangs did as it were fal on Christ in his Sufferings So that in al the Sufferings of Christ ye may see Christ in Travel He was in Travel for us and this Travel was an hard Labor For It was A sore Travel A long and a tedious Travel And An helpless Travel First It was a Sore Travel both in regard of his Soul and Body First As for his Body His Sufferings were very painful For they were Universal Extream and Lingering They were Vniversal for he suffered from al hands Somthing he suffered from the Jews and somthing from the Gentiles somtimes from Men and somtimes from Women from and by the hand of Magistrates Kings and Princes from and by the hand of Priests from and by the hand of the Common People and the Soldiers Why do the Heathen rage and People imagine a vain thing the Kings of the Earth stood up and the Rulers took Counsel against the Lord and against his Christ Acts 4.25 26. He did not only suffer by the hand of strangers but from his own Friends and
in this sense say they God is said to be wroth with Christ But I rather chuse to say that Christ is considered two waies 1. Either in regard of his own Person or as he did stand for us being our Surety 2. There is a difference between the affection of Gods Wrath and the Dispensation of it Now Christ standing for us and in our room and stead did suffer and conflict with the Wrath of God that is the Vindicative Dispensation of it for he was made a Curse for us and a Curse is a Vindicative Dispensation of Wrath. It may be the Socinians and their Friends wil say that he was made a Curse for us because he died that cursed Death on the Cross for our good but if ye look into the words ye shal find that he was made a Curse for us so as that there was a Translation of the Curse from us unto him which Curse was due for our Sin for saies rhe Apostle Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree for it is written again verse 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written the Book of the Law to do them verse 10. Which Curse saith the Apostle Christ is made for us we being thereby redeemed from it verse 13. Now is it possible that Christ should thus be made a Curse for us but he must suffer and conflict with the Wrath of God which was due to us and if he were smitten of the Father then did he bear the Dispensation of the Fathers Wrath and Anger Now it is said expresly in Isaiah 53. It pleased the Father to bruise him verse 10. He was smitten of God and afflicted verse 4. Prop. 4 As our Lord and Savior Christ did suffer and conflict with the Wrath of God so he did endure the torments of Hell whilst he was in this Life Christus mortem gehennalem pro nobis sustinuit Calvin in Matth. 26. ver 39. in cap. 27.46 Institut Lib. 2. 16. Chamier Tom. 2. l. 5. Cap. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. Sib. Lubbertus contra Socinum lib. 1. c. 1. Jon. Piscator contra vorstium notae ad Amic duplicat Sect. 1. 24. Amos Bellarm. enervat Lib. 2. de Christo Maccovius de Mediator Disp 17. Willet Synops part 4. quest 3. Cartwright Harmon pag. 985. 988. Nico. Arnold Relig. Socinian pag. 502. I do not say with the Papists that he descended into Hell after his death nor that whilst he lived here he was damned for us that were Blasphemy for a man is said to be damned that doth for ever bear the weight of his own sins nor do I say that Christ did bear al that misery of Hel which we should have born and which the Reprobates do and shal bear in Hel for they lie blaspheming and despairing But though Christ was in a great Agony yet he did not despair for said he My God my God and though God did forsake him yet that was not in regard of Vnion as it is with the damned in Hel but only in regard of Vision yet he did endure and suffer for us the very torments and misery of Hel for there are two things concurrent to the misery of Hel the punishment of loss and the punishment of Sence now both these did our Savior bear whilst he was in this Travel The punishment of Loss for he did lose Est genus paenarum quod patiuntur damnati in inferno qui omni solatio carent quidam huic simile Redemptor noster sustinere dignatus est qui omni à se solatium et consolationis remedium in passione abdicavit Medina in Thom. part 3. q. 46. a. 6. and was for a time suspended from that sweet and comfortable Vision and Fruition of God therefore he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me which cannot be understood of his outward Afflictions as being left to the violence of men for saies Paul 2 Cor. 4.9 We are persecuted but not forsaken they were left to the violence of men and persecutors yet they were not forsaken and therefore when Christ saith Why hast thou forsaken me Videmus alios homines non tamen sine dolore et motu sed etiam cum magno gaudio et laetitia mortem obire ex quo sequitur aut Christum qui est Dominus caeli et terras minus animi minus roboris minus fiduciae minus fortudinis et minus constantiae tabuisse quam gregarios homines aut sustinuisse mortem multo acerbiorem et hoâ—â—ihiliorem quam quâ—mvis martyrum sed illud dicere est impium sustinuit itaque aliud genus mortis quam alii homines et atrocius et sita fuit illa atrocitas in sensu irae Dei in propossione execrationis Sib. Lubbert contra Socinum Lib. 2. Cap. 1. p. 115. he doth not mean so as to be left to the Persecution of men for thus saies the Apostle We may be and yet not forsaken And as he did bear the punishment of Loss so of Sense also for he sweat drops of blood not Blood only but drops of Blood nor a few drops only but many insomuch as they fel to the ground in so great a quantity as ran through his Cloathes as some conceive to the ground Now can we imagine that he should be in this Agony sweating these drops of Blood heavy in his Soul unto death and to sore amazement crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me only from the fear of death what was our Savior more afraid of death than the Martyrs They went triumphing and some of them singing to their more cruâ—l death and clapped their hands in their flames had they more Courage Faith or Resolution than our Savior If it were only a Corporal Death that Christ thus feared then they should suffer with more boldness and courage than our Savior but come Gerard Harm Quod autem ad pios attinet sciendum est longe alia in arena versari quam Christus nam rem habent cum morte et inferis devicti et profligatis Christus autem cum illis jam vegetis et armatis ira divina luctatus est Cartw. Harm p. 985. saies Gerard and I wil tel you what is the Reason that our Savior was thus afraid and they so bold Our Savior saith he drunk of the Brook in the way but their drink was sweetened with his Death Christ did conflict with Sin Satan Death and Hel Enemies whose force was never broken before but the Martyrs only grappled with death a broken Troop of Sorrows that rallied again but was broken and overcome before Christ did sustain the Malediction and Curse of the Law There was a Curse in his Death but the Curse was taken out of the death of Martyrs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in mortibus suis Esai
and discern but in the Hive doth the several Honeys of the Creatures meet and dwel that is the House thereof So there is a sweet tast of the several Attributes of God in al the Creatures but in Christ doth his fulness dwel bodily and in his suffering you may see the Wisdom Power Justice and Mercy of God in Conjunction and so know God indeed which knowledg was more worth to Paul than al other Knowledges for saith he I desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified Hereby also I mean by the consideration of this great and sore Travel you wil prize and value Christ more and have your hearts drawn out with Love to him for shal I not prize him that suffered the Wrath of God and the torments of Hel for me The more you see his Love to you the more wil your hearts be inflamed with Love to him Now the greater his sufferings for you do appear to you the more you see his Love to you When I am lift up saith he I will draw all men after me that is when I am lift up on the Cross he doth not say when I am transfigured at Mount Tabor I wil draw al to me yet there was a drawing glory which made Peter say It is good for us to be here But his Love is the most drawing Object and that was glorious in suffering Thereby you wil learn to prize al your enjoyments for thus you wil see what they cost what rate they are at in the Kings Book there is no blessing or mercy which ye do enjoy but was bought in by Christ he laid down his Life for you and in him are you blessed with al Spiritual Blessings But did Christ suffer such hard things for my enjoyments O! what infinite cause have I then to prize them al Hereby also you wil be made willing to suffer any thing for Christ to become low and mean for him to endure the reproach anger and wrath of men for him For shal Christ suffer so hard a Labor for me in his Body in his Soul and shal not I suffer in my Estate and Name for him Shal he suffer the Wrath of God for me and shal not I be willing to suffer the wrath of man for him Shal he endure the very torments of Hel for me and shal not I be willing to suffer a little on Earth for him Thereby you wil be made unwilling to put him to a new Suffering for you those that fal away and decline do crucifie the Lord afresh saith the Apostle and put him to an open shame when Professors walk scandalously they put Christ to an open shame to a new Suffering But is this true That Christ hath suffered so great things for me and shal he now suffer by me what hath he not suffered enough already He hath suffered in his Body in his Soul the Wrath of God the very Torments of Hel and is not this enough God forbid that ever I should so walk that Christ should yet suffer by me who hath suffered such things for me Hereby also you shal be able to overcome your Temptations Corruptions and to be more fruitful and profitable and gracious in your lives here is the Shop of Vertues Officina virtutum whatever Grace or Vertue you want you may have in this Shop if you wil come for it Dost thou want hatred of sin here you may see it in its own colors and the reward thereof for if God spared not his own Son but he endured the Wrath of God and the very Torments of Hel when sin was but imputed to him O! what an Hel and flaming Fire shal those endure who have sin of their own and must bear it themselves And saies Gerard would you see the Torments of Hel the true punishment of sin Ito ad Montem Calvariae Go to Mount Calvary Or dost thou want Patience in thine Afflictions behold the Travel of Christ as a Lamb he opened not his mouth before the Shearer Or dost thou want a tender broken heart truly his heart is hard indeed which the sight of these breakings of Christ wil not break Hereby also you wil be engaged unto his Commandements and Ordinances For what are the Ordinances which now we enjoy but the Representation of a Suffering Christ whereby we hold forth the Lords Death til he come What is al our Preaching and your Hearing but of Christ crucified What is Baptism Lords Supper or any other Ordinances but that Bed wherein we have communion with a suffering Christ and shal Christ suffer such bitter things for us in his Soul and Body and shal we throw up those Ordinances whereby we are to have Communion with him in these Sufferings God forbid And hereby also you that are of a fearful heart may fully conclude the willingness of God to save Sinners For if God the Father had not been very willing he would never have put his own only Son to so great a Suffering for their Salvation What can be more abhorrent from the heart of a tender Father than to put his own only and obedient Son unto Death it goes to the heart of a tender Father to see his Child die I will not see the death of the Child said Hagar and she sate down over against him and lift up her voyce Gen. 21.16 and wept but to lay his own hands upon him in reference to his Death this is a grief beyond al expression yet this did God the Father do for he bruised his Son he put him to grief he smote him and he laid on him the iniquities of us al. Surely if God the Father had not been infinitely willing to save Sinners he would never have done a thing so contrary to him and if Christ himself were not willing he would never have suffered such hard things for their Salvation What is not a Woman willing to do for that Child whom she hath had a sore Travel for Now Christs Travel was a sore Travel surely therefore he is infinitely willing to save sinners and if God the Father be willing and Christ be willing then why should not every poor doubting drooping Soul say Lord I beleeve help thou mine unbelief I once doubted of thy Love because I doubted of thy willingness to save such as I am yea often have I put an If upon thy willingness saying with the Leper Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean But now I see thou art willing to save sinners why should I then doubt again And upon this account al poor sinners may be encouraged to come to Christ for if Christ did come down from Heaven for you wil he refuse you when you come to him If he have suffered such hard and bitter things for sinners do ye think he wil cast them away that do come to him surely he wil not O! what great encouragement doth this Doctrine proclaim unto al poor and great sinners for to come to Christ And hereby also your
Savior give this as a Reason why they did not beleeve because they were not of his Sheep 5. The Apostle Paul saith Rom. 10.14 How shal they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shal they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent But now al the particular men in the world have not heard of a crucified Christ by the preaching of the Gospel And if it be said Yes but the Sun Moon and Stars do preach Christ as the Apostle saith in the same Chapter Their sound and words is gone forth into all the Earth I answer It 's true indeed that the Apostle doth here allude to that 19. Psalm where it 's said that the Voyce of the Sun Moon and Stars is gone forth unto al the Earth but the Apostle doth not contradict himself for he saith How can they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how can they hear without a Preacher and a Preacher sent If men can hear of Christ by the Preaching of the Sun Moon and Stars then they can hear of Christ without the preaching of one sent which he denies ver 14 15. And if the Sun Moon and Stars do preach Christ crucified then is the Matter of the Gospel no Divine Revelation And then why might not Adam beleeve in Christ in the state of Innocency the Sun Moon and Stars preach the same Doctrine now that they preached then and then the same that they preach now if therefore they do preach Christ crucified now then also they preached him in the state of Innocency and so Adam in the state of Innocency had a power to beleeve on Christ which the Maintainers of this Opinion deny Neither can it be said That if al men have not a Power to beleeve Quando homo non potest si volit propter voluntatem impossibilitas non imputatur si autem non vult propter impossibilitatem voluntas non excusatur Hugo de St. vict L. 2. de Sacr. part 14. Cap. 6. Cornel. Jansen August lib. 3. de gratia Christi salvatoris then God should be unjust in punishing so many for Unbelief for besides that al had a Power in Adam God doth punish and damn men for their will not for their want of Power for as Hugo observes wel when a man cannot if he wil for the wil the impossibility is not imputed but if he wil not for impossibility the wil is not excused Eightly Some again do think that Christ died to obtain a Power Dominion Smalcius Cateches Racov. de officio Christi Regio Theses Francis Davidis Thes 5. and Lord-ship over al things especially a power to forgive sins which he had not before his Death and that the next Effect of his Death was the obtainment of this Power and Dominion But this cannot be for if Christ had this Dominion Power and Lordship over al by vertue of the Hypostatical Vnion then it was not meri ed by his Death but this he had by that mysterious Union and therefore as soon as he was born the Angel said unto the Shepheards For unto you is born this day in the City of David the Savior which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.11 2. Christ did not merit for himself as the Protestants speak against the Papists for if Christ should merit such a glory and Dominion for himself then the Love of Christ to man in his Death would be much lessened it 's said indeed Dio non causam sed ordinem et consequentiam notat Acts 20.26 Heb. 3.7 2 Pet. 1.10 sic Luc. 24 26. oportuit illum pati et sic intrare sic sancti per multos tribulationes debent regnum ingâ—odi quae tamen hujus non sunt Causae Quistorp Annot. Bibl. in Psal 110. that upon his Suffering as a Consequent thereof or by way of Declaration say some God gave him a Name above every Name c. Phil. 2. but that relates to the former words also Who thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet took on him the form of a Servant verse 7. which notes the Hypostatical Union 3. If Christ bought in this Power and Dominion by his Death then he purchased it with his blood but his blood iâ— propitiatory and satisfactory not procuring Lordship and Dominion 4. The Power Lordship and Dominion which Christ hath is either Essential or Dispensatory and â—ediatorian His Essential Power and Lordship was not merited by his Death for he hath that as he is God and he had it before his Incarnation for Esaiah saw his Glory and did see him chap. 6. verse 5. For mine Eyes saith he have seen the King what King Even the Lord of Hosts verse 5. the holy holy holy Lord of Hosts which the Evangelist John doth apply unto Christ and tels us plainly that this Lord whom Esaiah saw was Christ Chap. 12.41 These things said Isaiah when he saw his Glory and spake of him His Mediatorian Power and Lordship could not be merited by his death for he was Mediator before he died and therefore had his Mediatorian Power before his Death 5. We find him actually possessed of this Power and Lordship over al before his death witness his casting out of Devils commanding Winds and Seas which obeyed him and his answer to the Owner of the Ass which he sent for Say the Lord hath need of him And 6. As for his Power to forgive sins as if he would on purpose obviate the Doctrine of the Socinians he doth declare it in so many words But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on Earth to forgive sins c. Matth. 9. Now if he had this Power on Earth then the obtainment of it was not the great and next Effect of his Death no nor any thing which his Soul travelled for in his Death Quest If these things be not the next and immediate Effects and Fruits of Christs Death and Sufferings what are and what is that Issue of his Death which he did presently see and was possessed of Answ Affirmatively Look what the first Adam destroyed that the Second Adam did build up again for his Seed the Second Adam recovered and gained that in a better Edition for his Seed which the first Adam lost from his Seed Therefore First As the first Adam by his Sin and Disobedience did break the Law of God affront his Justice and provoked the Anger and Wrath of God against his Posterity so the Second Adam did by his Obedience and Death satisfie the Law and Justice of God for al his Seed whom he died for which Satisfaction he did perform immediately For 1. When he died our sins were imputed to him and laid and charged on him for he was made sin for us who knew no sin 1 Cor. 5.21 that is the guilt of our sin was imputed to him The meaning of the words is not He was made a Sacrifice for it 's said that he knew
Testator Heb. 9.17 4. Then also the Miracles that Christ wrought and the Apostles preaching with the Gifts that Christ gave to them upon his Ascention should confirm the Covenant for saith the Apostle Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be preached by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost verse 4. It seems then that the Truth of the Goâ—pel was confirmed to us by Miracles and the Apostles preaching yet the Miracles and preaching of the Apostles are not said in Scripture to confirm the Covenant which yet might very wel be said if Christs Death should confirm it by way of Testimony 5. If the Death of Christ doth confirm the Covenant by way of Testimony then the blood of Buls and Goats might have confirmed the Covenant for when God testified the Truth of his Promise to Adam Gen. 15. He said to him Take thee an Heifer of three years old and a shee Goat of three yeers old and a Turtle Dove and a yong Pidgeon and he took them and divided them in the mid'st ver 9 10. But the Apostle tels us plainly Heb. 9. That the blood of Buls and Goats could not confirm the Covenant 6. The Ordinance of the Lords Supper doth testifie Gods willingness to forgive sinners That Cup is the New Testament in Christs blood shed for many for the remission of sins But though the Lords Supper be a Seal of the Covenant sealing to us evidencing testifying and assuring us of Gods Love bâ— Christ yet it is not a Seal of the Covenant as Christs blood was which did not only â—eal to us but was a Seal of the Covenant it self as it lay between God the Father and him But if Christs death did only confirm the Covenant by way of Testimony then the Lords Supper might as wel be said to confirm the Covenant which is no where affirmed in the Scripture But 7. Look how the Obedience of the first Adam should have confirmed the Covenant in case he had stood and look how he broke that Covenant by his Disobedience so did the Death and Obedience of Christ the Second Adam confirm the new Covenant Now if the first Adam had stood and confirmed that Covenant he had confirmed it by performing the Condition of it and he brake it by not observing and not doing the Condition of it so the Second Adam Christ did confirm the new Covenant by his Death and in that by his Obedience he did perform the Condition of the New Covenant for his Seed Thus I say he confirmed the Covenant of Grace even by performing the Condition of it and this confirmation of the Covenant was the next and most immediate Fruit and Effect of his Death And thus you have seen both Negatively and Affirmatively what are not and what are the next and immediate Effects of the Death of Christ Secondly As for the remote Effects of the Death of Christ they are many As 1. Freedom from the Law Curse and the Wrath of God Gal. 3.13 1 Thes 1.10 2. Our Effectual Vocation or Calling 2 Tim 1.9 3. Our Justification and actual Reconciliation with God Rom. 5.1 Ephes 1.8 4. Our Sanctification and holiness of Soul and Life Ephes 5.25 26 27. Heb. 9.14 1 John 1.7 5. Our Adoption and al those Spiritual Priviledges whâ—ch belong to the Sons of God Gal. 4.4 5. 6. Our Peace Comfort and Freedom from Fears 1. Luk. 74.2 Heb. 14 And to name no more but this 7. Our Salvation in the World to come Heb. 9.15 Al which I cal the more remote Effects of the Death of Christ which though he did not presently see the obtainment of yet he shal surely see them And so I come to the Second thing propounded to be cleered and evidenced Viz. The Assurance of his Issue and the sight thereof Quest Having therefore seen what are the Fruits and Effects of the Death of Christ How may it appear that Christ shal certainly see the obtainment of these last Effects and what assurance had or hath he thereof Answ He had the Assurance of the Pre-salvation of many thousand Souls for when Christ died on the Cross many thousands were in Heaven upon the account of his Death God the Father took Christs word promising to die for sinners and so saved many aforehand As the Son died and took the Fathers Word for the Salvation of many after his Death so the Father took the Sons Word and saved many before his Death upon the account thereof Now when Christ died this pre-salvation of so many thousands was a great Assurance to him of the accomplishment and obtainment of al those things which he travelled for Secondly He had the Assurance also of his own Merit and his Fathers Faithfulness Merita Christi sunt causae omnium auxiliorum et totius gratiae quae in Natura lapsa conferuntur hominibus et idem dicendum de omnibus dispositionibus tam proximis quam remotis justificantem gratiam antecedentibus et de augmento gratiae Meruit gratiam et gloriam Thom Aquin. quest Q. 29. de gratia Châ—isti art 7. ad arg 8. Scotus Lib. 3. dist 19 qu. unica Altissiod Lib 3. Tract 1. quest 7. Aâ—uarez de anxil disput 29 Conclus 1. Molina de Lib art 6. concord qu. 23. ar 4 5 disp 2 conclu Vasquez in 3 part Thom. Tom. 1. disput 77. cap. 2. 3 4. Suarez in 3. part Thom. disput 41. Sect. 2 3. Astunicens de gratia Christi q. 5. 2 conclus Râ—ph Aversa pars prima qu 23. sect 15. Aureolus Lib. 3. in sent dist 20 q 1. Roder. de Ariaga in part 3. Thom. Tâ—â— 6 477 Zumel in 1 part Thom. qu 23. art 5. Bâ—nner in 1 part Thom. qu 23 art 5. Tâ—nnerus disput de incarnat q. 6 dub 5. Tom 4. T B Medina in 3. part Tho. 9. q 19 art 4. â—â—râ—aâ—iens in â— qu. contra Gent. Lib. 4 Cap. 55. Si qâ—is dixâ—â—it eandem gratiam Dâ—i â—eâ— Jâ—â—um Christum Dominum nostâ—um propter hoc taâ—uÌ„ nos acjuvaâ—e ad noâ— peccandum quod pâ—r ipsâ—m nobis revelatur â—t â—peâ—â—tur intelligentâ—a mâ—ndâ—toâ—umâ—â—â— sciamus quid appeâ—â—re quid vitare dâ—beanâ—us non autem per iliam nobis prâ—staâ—i ut quod fâ—ciendum cognovâ—timus etiam facere diligamus atque valeanius anathema â—it cum enim dicit Apostolus scientia â—â—slat charitas vero edificat valde impium est uâ—câ—edamus ad eam quae inslat nos habere gâ—atiam Christi ad eam quae edificat non habere cum sit utrumque donum Dei et scire quae facere debeamus et diligere ut faciamus Concil Milevitan 2. can 4. Bin. Tom. 1. For 1. He did not only merit Heaven and Salvation for those whom he died for but he merited Grace Holiness and Regeneration
those very sins that he hath died and satisfied for Corvinus is not ashamed to speak it out and it or worse must needs follow from that Doctrine for many shal be damned not only for their Unbelief and sins against the Gospel but for their sins against the Law Rom. 2.12 2 Cor. 6.9 Either then Christ satisfied for these sins when he died for them or not if not then it seems that men possibly may have their sins against the Law pardoned which Christ hath not satisfied for for the Maintainers of that Doctrine say That it 's possible that al may be saved and so have their sins pardoned and if mens sins may be pardoned which Christ hath not satisfied for then is the Satisfaction of Christ made void according to the Doctrine of the Socinians and if Christ did bear and die and satisfie for these very sins which men are damned for then shal God punish the same sin twice which even a just man wil not do and then wherein doth our great Gospel Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross exceed the Sacrifices of the old Testament for the Apostle tels us Heb. 10.3 That in those Sacrifices there was a remembrance again made of sins every yeer but here shal be a remembrance again of sins made not every yeer but unto al Eternity O! how unsatisfying is this to the heart of Christ that instead of seeing the Travel of his Soul he shal see those damned that he died for yea damned for those sins that he satisfied for al which must needs follow upon the Doctrine of universal Redemption According to that Doctrine Christ may miss the ends of his Death and Sufferings for he died not only for the Salvation of those whom he died for but for their Sanctification Ephes 5.26 1 Pet. 1.18 Tit. 2.14 but al the men of the World are not sanctified clensed and redeemed from their vain Conversation and from al Iniquity Surely therefore if he should die for al particular men he should miss his Ends yea according to that Doctrine Christ may not obtain that which he hath merited and purchased for he hath not only merited Salvation but Grace and Holiness for those whom he died for as hath been proved already if therefore he died for every particular man of the World then al the men of the World must be gracious and holy or Christ must never come into his purchase nor obtain what he hath merited and can that be satisfying to the heâ—rt of Christ Sciendum est ita Christum Dominum pro peccatis totius generis humani satisfecisse donaque omnia gratiae quae illi post lapsum pâ—imorum parentum conferuntur infinitaque alia promeruisse et nihilominus applicationem effectuum suorum meritorum certis quibusdam legibus alligatam reliquerit Molina lib. arb Concord qu. 23. art 45. disp 2. Talis â—uit satisfactio Christi ut ea posita liberum fuit Deo obtinendae salutis eam conditionem ponere quam vellet ipse vero Deus posuit conditionem fidei Arnol. Corvin contra Molinâ— Cap. 28. p. 442. Impetravit Christus omnibus â—econciliationem et remissionem sed ea conditione Remonst Collat. Ha â—â—â—s Art 2. Licet satiâ—factio Christi sit praestita â—eatus noster non statim aboletur nisi prius fidei et poenitentiae conditionem impleamus Conr. Vorsrtius schol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad 54. Object But our Lord and Savior Christ did die conditionally and merited the blessings of the New Covenant conditionally to be given out upon condition of Faith and Repentance which are the Condition of the New Covenant and therefore though men do not obtain all the blessings of the Câ—venant yet Christ shal not lose his Ends nor the thing purchased by his Death because if men do not perform the Condition he never did intend they should have the blessing or the thing purchaâ—ed Answ But did Christ merit Grace and Holiness condâ—tionally the Question now is not about Salvation or Justification but about our Sanctification If you speak of our Salvatiâ—n in remission of Sin you speak not to the matter in hand and if you speak of our Sanctification what Condition can be performed before that 1. And if Christ did merit and intend that our Holiness and Sanctification should be bestowed on us upon condition of Faith and Repentance then a man may repent and beleeve before he be Sanctified and before he have any true saving Grace and Holiness 2. No Condition can be performed before Grace and Holiness but a work of Nature and hath Christ â—erited that Grace shal be bestowed upon a work of Nature the Apostle speaks directly contrary 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our Works but according to his own purpose and Grace And 3. If Christs Merits were thus conditional then the Will of God the Father must be also conditional for there is a correspondency between the Merits of Christ and the Wil of the Father the Father wils that to us which the Son hath merited for us and as the Son merited so doth the Father wil the bestowing of the blessing but the Father doth not wil our Grace Holiness and Sanctification upon condition for the Maintainers of that Doctrine of Universal Redemption say That Gods secret Wil and his revealed Wil are one and the same nothing different if therefore God doth wil our Sanctification and Holiness upon Condition then when he commands us to beleeve repent and obey his Commandement must be Conditional and when he commands us to forsake our sins his Command for that is Gods Wil must be Conditional and if those Commandements be conditional then they cannot be resisted nor his Wil resisted yea then it wil be no sin not to keep Gods Commandement for if his Commandement be to be observed upon Condition then if I do not perform that Condition I do not transgress his Commandement as if you command your Servant to do a thing if he will if he wil not he doth not transgress your Commandement Surely therefore the Wil of God and his Commandements are absolute such therefore is the Merit of Christ But Secondly If Christs Merits were thus Conditional relating to the performance of some Condition as of Faith Repentance and Obedience then Faith Repentance and our Obedience were not merited by the Death of Christ the contrary hath been proved already look whatever Christ laid down his life for that he merited but he laid down his life to redeem us from our vain Conversation and from al Iniquity therefore from Unbelief hardness of heart and from al the Disobedience of our Lives and therefore he merited our Redemption from these Thirdly If Christs merits were thus Conditional then the Wil of God the Father must be pendulous wavering uâ—certain and undetermined til it be determined by some act of Mans for if man do perform the Condition then he is to give out the blessing
shal see their perseverance and Salvation Vse 3 But more practically This Doctrine looks wishly upon both Godly men and Ungodly It cals upon those that are ungodly to delight themselves in the Lord and to satisfie themselves in Christ in the things of Christ and in the Seed of Christ Doth Christ delight in his Seed and wil you hate despise and scorn his Seed Is he satisfied in seeing the Travel of his Soul in the saving effects of his Death justifying sanctifying and comforting the Children of Men and wil you be displeased therewith Wil you be pleased and satisfied in your sins and vain Conversation when Christ is satisfied in the Redemption of Men from their Iniquity and vain Conversation The Conversion of a Sinner is the Fruit of Christs Travel wherein he rejoyces and is delighted with a great delight and doth it grieve you to see a sinner turned from the evil of his waies Take heed how you walk contrary to Christ for if you walk contrary to him he wil walk contrary unto you and either he wil rejoyce and be satisfied in your Conversion or he wil be satisfied in your Damnation and if you do not convert and turn unto God how can you think that you are the Seed of Christ whom he hath travelled with But This Doctrine looks wishly also upon the Godly such as are the visible Seed of Christ and to you it saith 1. Why should you not be contented and satisfied with Christ alone al his delights are in you why should not al your delights be in him Is he satisfied in you why then should not you be satisfied with him and with that Condition which he carves for you Through him the Father is satisfied for your sins and he is satisfied in your person why then should not you be satisfied about your Condition 2. Why should you not labor to convert and draw others unto Christ Thereby he sees the Fruit of his Travel which is his delight wil you not do what you can to advance Christs delights And 3. If Christ be satisfied and delighted in you why should you not improve his Affection for the good of the Church King Ahasuerus was taken with and did delight much in Esther and she improved his Affection for the good of the Church have you gotten the heart of Christ the affections of Christ and will not you improve them for the good of the Church surely it is your Duty And 4. Upon this account why should you not labor to excel in Vertue his delights are in his Seed and they are such saith the Psalmist as do excel in Vertue Psal 16. Now therefore that you may in some measure answer the delights of Christ O labor more and more to excel in Vertue Quest What excellent things shall we that are the visible Seed of Christ do that we may answer the delights contentments and satisfactions which he doth take in us Answ 1 Many First in reference to Christ himself and his Service It is an excellent thing to have and bear the same mind to Christ that he had and bare unto us he did neglect his own Glory to procure our Comfort so for us to neglect our own Comfort to procure his Glory is excellent in time of Temptation to look upon Christ as our Gift and in time of presumption to look upon him as our Example to trust in Christ as if we had no works and yet to work as if we had no Christ I mean for a man to be so obedient to the Commandement as if he would be saved by the Law and yet to rest on the Promise as if he would be saved by Grace and in al our Service to God in Christ to walk by a Law without us and yet by a Law within us by a Law without us as our Rule and by a Law within us as our Principle These are excellent things in regard of Christ and his Service As for the Ordinances and means of Grace It is an excellent thing so to use the publick Ordinance as we may be more fit for private Exercise and so to use our private Exercise as we may be the more fit for publick Ordinances to wait upon God in the use of al means yet not to tie the workings of the Spirit unto any one particular to observe what that Ordinance is that is most decried and dispised by the World and to advance and honor that to worship Christ in a Manger These are excellent things in regard of the Ordinances and Means of Grace As for your Graces Gifts and Comforts An excellent thing it is for a man so to exercise one Grace as he may be fit for another so to exercise his Faith as he may be fit for Repentance and so to exercise his Repentance as he may grow up into more Assurance to make al your Graces Parents to your Comforts and your Comforts Hand-maids to your Graces that your Gifts may beautifie your Graces and your Graces sanctifie your Gifts to be of high Parts and a low Spirit to know much and yet to love respect and honor those that know less These are excellent things in regard of our Gifts Graces and Comforts As for your Condition It 's an excellent thing for a man to be thankful for his present Condition and yet not to be in love therewith nor to live thereon it 's ill to murmur in any Condition it 's good to be content in some but in every Condition to be thankful is excellent To fear the Lord in Prosperity and to love him in Adversity never to think that my condition is extraordinary to trust God with my condition by Experience and yet to trust in God for my condition over and beyond al experience These are excellent things in reference to our Condition As for your Converse and dealing with men An excellent thing it is to use no Company but such as you may receive sâ—me good from or communicate some good unto to take no offence and to give none being very unwilling to give offence and very backâ—ard to take it to rejoyce in anothers Graces and to grieve for anothers sins to be a Lamb in ones own Cause and a Lyon in Gods of a sweet and meek disposition yet zealous and active for God and in al our dealings with men to deal with God through men saying if they curse or bless God hath bid them do it and in case that any man offend you to be more ready to forgive than he is to acknowledg his offence that your forgiveness may rather draw out his acknowledgment than his acknowledgment draw out your forgiveness These are excellent things in regard of our converse or dealings with men As for your Callings and outward Estates It is an excellent thing for a man so to use his particular Calling as he may be fit for his General and so to use his General as he may be fit for his particular To make your Sail fit for your
work Thus I say the Father is ingaged by vertue of his Commandement He is ingaged also by vertue of his promise And therefore if ye look into Psal 29. ye shal see what the Lord hath promised vers 11. The Lord wil give strength unto his people the Lord wil bless his people with peace Here is the promise the Lord wil bless his people with peace Yea if ye look into Isa 26. ye shal find there that the Lord hath promised to keep the peace of his people for them vers 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee So ye read the words but according to the Hebrew â—hey ought to be read thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou wilt keep peace peace twice peace Thou wilt keep peace peace for him whose mind is stayed on thee So that the Lord is not onely ingâ—ged to gâ—ve peace unto his people but he is by promise also ingaged to keep their peace for them Yea the Lord is ingaged by Purchase Christ hath purchased peace for his people and what Christ hath purchased for them God the Father is ingaged to give unto them Read the purchase in Eph. 2.13.14 But now in Christ Jesus ye who were somtimes afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wal of partition between us Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of commandements for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace vers 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross having slain the enmity thereby and came and preached peace unto you that were a far off and to them that were nigh So that thus ye see its the purchase of Jesus Christ this inward peace and quietness of soul it is Christs purchase and what Christ the Son hath purchased God the Father is engaged to give Yea the Father is engaged to give peace unto his people by al those Chastisements that they do meet withal And therefore in Isa 40. which I named before The Lord commands us to comfort and speak comfortably unto his people upon this account For she hath received of the Lords hand double for al her sins Even because a fullness of Chastisement had been upon them Thus I say God the Father by vertue of his Prerogative by vertue of his Commandement by vertue of his Promise by vertue of Christs Purchase by vertue of Chastisements that are laid upon his people is engaged to give peace unto his children II. But now proceed a little and ye shal see That as the Father is engaged So the Son also is engaged to give peace inward peace and quietude of soul unto his Servants He is engaged by those Qualifications and endowments that he received from God his Father for this end and purpose The spirit of the Lord is upon me saies he and he hath anointed me Isa 61. Why that I might comfort those that mourn That is one end But I pray look into Isa 50. and consider the 4. vers 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 he wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned They are plainly the words of Christ as wil appear to you if you read but the following words The Lord God hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious neither turned I away the back I gave my back to the smiters and my cheekes to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my face from shame and spitâ—â—ng So that these are the words of Christ Wel what doâ—h Christ say hear He tells us that he hath received the tongue of the learned to comfort those that are distressed and troubled in conscience for to help poor wearied souls Why doth he say the tongue of the learned The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned All men desire to hear the Learned and it is the greatest piece of learning in the world to speak a word in due season by way of comfort to those that are weary this is the greatest piece of Ministerial learning and sayth Christ he hath given me the tongue of the learned Wel but al learned men have not Wisdom to speak in season Mark what follows He hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary But hath Jesus Christ such skil at this work in comforting those that are troubled Yes He wakeneth morning by morning As a Master is early up in the morning to teach his Schollers So hath God the Father been teaching of Christ from al eternity this great skil morning by morning He wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learn'd This is the piece of learning saies Christ which I have been learning morning by morning of my Father from eternity and this is that great learning which he had attained unto So that in regard of this endowment which he hath received from the Father he is engaged to give peace unto his people for he hath received the tongue of the learned for this end and purpose that he might speak a word in season to them that are weary He is engaged also by his own Disposition his sweet loving and tender disposition He is a Lyon indeed of the Tribe of Judah but not that roaring Lyon seeking to devour He is a King indeed but he comes meekly riding upon an Asses Colt He doth not lift up his voyce in the streets When our Lord and Savior Christ left the world he saies unto his Disciples My Peace I give unto you my Peace I leave with you Joh. 14.27 not as the world gives Peace but my Peace I give unto you And assoon as ever Christ rose from the dead again and met with his Disciples what doth he say unto them When they were all met together Peace be unto you Joh. 20.19 As it was his last words when he left them so it is the first word that now he useth when he seeth â—hem again But O Lord we have sinned greatly since we saw thee Be it so yet Peace be unto you But O Lord here is Peter among us that hath denied thee since thou sawest us Be it so I know it very wel yet Peace be unto you Peace when he went away and Peace when he came again this is his Language and this is his disposition still Thus he is engaged Yea He is engaged by Office to give Peace unto his People Ye know the Apostle calls him our great High-Priest It was the work of the High Priest in the Old Testament to bless the People and when he did bless the People What did he say But The Lord bless ye and give ye Peace Now then If Jesus
that came at the latter end he did not murmur nor say surely my penny is naught because I have a penny given me as wel as he that hath born the heat of the day If any should complain those that have born the heat of the day that have been so much troubled should in reason be the persons but hath the Lord taken you and given you a penny the same peace with him who bare the heat of the day and wil you complain and say surely my penny is falâ—e coyn and my peace naught because I have not born and indured so much trouble as another hath you know some children are born into the world with more pain than others some with less pain should the Child that is born with less pain say I am a Bastard because I was not born with so much pain as the other was When Christ is formed in the souls of men women some are regenerate and born again with more pain some are regenerate and born again with less pain should he that is born with less pain say I am a Bastard and not a true Son because there was not so much pain at my first regeneration as such a one had you know how it was with Zacheus Christ comes unto his house and the same day that he came he said to Zacheus This day it Salvation come to thy house He had assurance the first day But Paul is converted and he lyes troubled and is three dayes blind Should Zacheus now say Surely I am not Converted for I never lay three dayes blind nor was so much troubled as Paul was No surely no more may you say that your Peace is false because you have not such abundance of trouble as others have you are not to make anothers Measure your Rule God goes several waies with his People as well in regard of Peace as in regard of Grace This therefore I say unto you Look unto your Peace it self Have you peace and quietness of soul Then bless and praise the Lord for that peace of yours Yea do not only praise the Lord for your peace and quiet but praise the Lord that ye came so sweetly by it in a way of Free-grace and if for any thing you are to be troubled it is for this That you should nick-name the Grace of God and call it little or false Christ calls it free and you call it false O be humbled for this and praise the Lord for any measure of quiet and peace that he hath given unto thee Object But wil another say All this doth not come up to my case for I have no Peace nor Quiet in my soul to be thankful for Some there are that have Peace and Quiet indeed and they no question ought to be very thankful for it but my poor soul hath been long afflicted troublâ—d and I never yet had assurance of Gods Love in Christ I have not this Peace and Quiet within What shall I dâ— that I may attain unto it or what should a poor soul do to get and attain this Peace and Quiet within Answ Ye know what the Psalmist saies I will hear what the Lord will say for he will speak Peace unto his People Psal 85.8 It is not in my power or in the power of any poor Creature to speak Peace unto you but it is the Lord only that must speak Peace unto thy soul and the Lord speaks Peace in the way of an Ordinance Quest But what does the Lord say what does the Lord speak from his Word in the way of an Ordinance that I who was never yet setled may attain unto this inward Peace and Quietude of soul Answ 1 First He wills you to study and consider much the Death Sufferings and Fulness of the Satisfaction made by Jesus Christ Go down into the Grave of Christ Christs Blood is the Object of Faith and Faith brings Peace Unbelief is a painful sin and Faith is an easing and quieting Grace Being justified by Faith we have Peace c. Rom. 5.1 The more you see the free and infinite Love of God the more will your heart be at rest and quiet within you And where shall you see the Love of God but in the Death of Christ By seeing Christ on the Cross you see Divine Love in triumph All true Peace within arises from sight of Peace made without Where shall you read of that but in Christ's Death And therefore saies the Prophet The Chastisement of our Peace was upon him In Psal 41. ye have a Promise made of great Blessing unto him that considereth the Poor Blessed is he that considereth the poor Who is this poor Tarnovius tels us from the 10. verse That it is Christ in his Sufferings for as he observes this Psalm is a Psalm of Christ verse 9. Yea mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread hath lift up his heel against me They are the words of Christ and Christ speaks this Psalm and this poor to be considered is Christ in his Sufferings Saies he I will not here debate the truth of this Interpretation but if true the Lord promised here a blessing to him that doth wisely consider the Death and Sufferings of Christ And wherein doth that blessing he and consist Pauper hic Christus est et beatos istos predicat qui dolores et cruciatus ipsius quos pro nobis sustinuit grato et fideli animo recte considerant Tarnovius in Psalmum 41. The Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the evil day or in the day of evil saith the Chaldee Paraphrase In the day of vexation saith Symmachus Now the day of Temptation Doubts and great Fears is an evil day and a day of vexation This Day will God deliver him from who doth wisely ponder on the death of Christ Could we see the heart of Christ we should doubt no more and in his death you may see his heart in his Blood you may see his heart Ye know what the Prophet Isaiah saies Lord wilt thou not ordain Peace who hast wrought all our works for us And where shall ye find that God hath wrought all our works for us but in Christs Grave and Death Secondly Ye must not only go unto the Grave of Christ and study his Death but you must go unto Christ Himself for Peace He is the great Peace-maker hath a Commission to take up all Differences without us and within us Ye know his words The Lord God hath given me the Tongue of the Learned saies he that I may speak a word in due season to him that is weary Go then to Christ and press this engagement and say Lord thou hast therefore received the Tongue of the Learned that thou mayest speak a word in due season to him that is weary And O Lord I am one of those wearied souls wearied with my Temptations wearied with inward trouble now Lord speak a word
way of beleeving and then Christ wil give you more Ye know how it was with Nathaniel When Nathaniel beleeved upon what Christ had spoken saies Christ unto him Beleevest thou because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree I wil shew thee greater things thou shalt see the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man So wil the Lord Christ say to a poor soul I have spoken a word unto thee and I gave thee a little peace and doest thou beleeve because of the word I have spoken unto thee thou shalt see greater things and I wil give thee abundance of peace Look into Isa 48. vers 18. and there you shal find the Lord speaking thus O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea When the Lord speaks and cals upon people to beleeve if then they do hearken to him then shal their peace be like a river And when does the Lord cal in a special manner upon people to beleeve When he gives out a word and when he gives them a little peace then he is calling upon them to beleeve now return and now beleeve saies the Lord. Ye know how it was with Eliah when they wanted rain and had wanted rain for a long time Eliah sends his servant towards the Sea to see if he could perceive any rain coming and Eliah fals down upon his face in prayer his servant goes but no sign of rain he goes again and no sign of rain and the seventh time Eliah's servant perceives a cloud of the bigness of an hand and he comes down unto his Master and tells him he had seen a cloud the bigness of a mans hand Whereupon Eliah concludes and saies Come let us up I hear the noise of many waters So say I you have been upon your face and have been much discouraged yet if you have been at prayer and a little refreshment comes though it be but the bigness of an hand yet conclude and say surely there is more rain a coming Come O my soul Why art thou cast down and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God and wait on him I hear abundance of rain a coming When our Savior Christ sometimes speaks peace he doth at the first speak by a smal word and if that be improved then he speaks more Ye know how it was with Mary she was at the Sepulcher and had been enquiring after her Lord and saies she to the Angells they have taken away my Lord and the Angells talked â—o her and could not comfort her But at last comes our savior Christ and he speaks to her and then she was comforted But what does he say to her onely one word Mary so when a man is in trouble the Lord comes sometimes and speaks but a word he takes a promise it may be and sets on a word thereof upon the soul and the heart answers Rabboni my Lord. Doth the Lord therefore speak but one word unto thee yet stir up thy self in beleeving and hearken to him for he wil speak yet more fully and playnly onely when he speaks listen hearken diligently unto him and improve what he sayth so shal your peace be as a River and your righteousnes as the Ocean And thus I have done with the first Argument TRUE PEACE MAY BE INTERRUPTED Sermon II. PSALM 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul Stepney April 23. 1648. and why art thou disquieted within me c. Doct. 2 IT is possible that the Saints and People of God may be much discouraged and cast down Though there be an inward Peace and quietness of Soul which they are ordinarily indued with yet possibly this Peace may be interrupted and themselves much discouraged and cast down Here are two words in the Text speak as much Cast-down Disquieted And three times in this Psalm the Psalmist saith His Soul was cast down within him yet this David was a man of great Peace and Comfort ordinarily And as with David so it was is and will be with other Saints This is so ordinary a case that â—he Holy Ghost hath provided a standing Psalm or Prayer on purpose for such as are in this condiâ—â—on Psalm 102. the Title A Prayer or Psalm of the afflicted when he is over-whelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. In Psal 119.25 he saith My belly cleaves to the dust and that is low indeed And vers 28. My soul melteth for heaviness I am not only sad and heavy but my soul melteth for heaviness Canticles 5. The Spouse saith Her heart was gone or my soul failed within me And if we look into Psalm 143. we find at the 4. vers that the Psalmist saith My Spirit is over-whelmed and my heart within me is desolate What do all these expressions high great and many speak but this Truth that is now before us For the more full cleering and opening of it I shall labor to shew First How far it is possible for a good man to be discouraged or cast down Secondly How it doth come to pass that he is so discouraged Thirdly How those Discouragements can stand with his Grace and goodness Fourthly How they may be healed and cured Quest 1 And First If you ask How far the Discouragements of the Saints may reach For will some say I know it is possible that the most gracious holy man may be much discouraged but not with such discouragments as mine are Answ 1 I Answer What are yours Are you so far disquieted discouraged cast down as to refuse the word promise or consolation that is brought unto you So far may the discouragments of the Saints extend Psal 77. vers 3. I remembred God and was troubled He doth not say I remembred my sin and was troubled but God Yea I was not onely troubled but I did complain and my spirit was overwhelmed within me But when the promise came and mercy came and comfort came did he refuse that too yes vers 2. my soul refuseth to be comforted Answ 2 Secondly Are you so far discouraged disquieted cast down that your very body feeleth the smart of your discouragements that you do not onely refuse the promise and al comfort for your soul but even for your body Then look into Psal 102. and see if your case may not be paralleld vers 4. My heart is smitten and withered like grass so that I forget to eate my bread vers 5. By reason of the voice â—f my groaning my bones cleave to my skin vers 6. I am like a Pelican of the wilderness and I am like an Owl of the desâ—rt vers 9. I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping vers 10. Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down vers 11. My dayes are like a shadow that declineth and I am withered like grass O! but I am not
SOmtimes the discouragements of the Saints and people of God are drawn From their Duties the failings and successlessness of their Duties For they reason thus Through the Lords Grace and Mercy I have been kept from great and gross sins yet if the Lord loved me indeed he would draw my heart neer unto himself but when I come to prayer or duty I find so much deadness dulness and awkness of heart and spirit that I fear the Lord wil never accept such a one as I am nor such duties as mine are when I go to prayer either prayer is altogether absent from me or I have no life therein if I go to hear the word I am not attentive but filled with distractions and whatever duty I perform I want life and love in it O! my heart is like a rock or stone and therefore I fear the Lord wil not accept my duty and the rather because I find that I have been long at prayer and I am never the better the Lord hears me not the Lord regards me not and have I not just Reason and Cause to be discouraged now Answ No Here is reason indeed why you should be afflicted but no reason yet why you should be discouraged I confess indeed here is cause and reason of grief and of affliction for take Prayer to instance only in that and it is That act and work of the soul whereby a man doth converse with God God conversing with man and man with God And is it not a sore affliction for a poor creature to be shut out of Gods door such a freind as God is O! saith Chrisostome it is more bitter than death to be spoiled of Prayer and hereupon as he observes Daniel chose rather to run the hazard of his life than to lose his Prayer Prayer is the souls Weapon and is it not a grief to want a Weapon in our spiritual warfare Prayer is the souls Ornament the excellent Garment of a Christian and is it not an affliction to be without this Garment and to be found naked Prayer is the Christians Element And as the fish lives in the water as in its Element and dyes when it is out so a Christian lives in prayer as in his Element and his heart dies when he is out of it Prayer is the souls Provisioner fetcheth in Provision for the soul and for al its Graces The old bird the Dam goes abroad and fetcheth in meat for the young ones and they lye in the nest gaping to receive the meat upon its return and if the old one be kild abroad the young ones wil die presently at home So here Prayer goes abroad and fetcheth in provision for al our Graces and they al lye gaping to receive this provision from the mouth of Prayer if this be killed how can those other Graces live The truth is The more sweetness a Christian finds in any work the greater is his affliction if he want that work now what abundance of sweetness doth a Gracious soul find in Prayer therefore when a man is narrowed or shut up in Prayer it cannot but be a great affliction to him But though it be a matter of great affliction yet a good man hath no reason to be quite discouraged yea though he meet with many failings therein and cannot pray as he would nor perform duty as he should Quest How may that appear Thus. Answ First Every Godly Gracious man is in Covenant with God by Jesus Christ and that Covenant is a Covenant of Grace which is the great Charter the Magna-Charta of al his spiritual Privilidges and Immunities Now in this great Charter the Lord doth proclaim this That sincerity shal go for perfection That a little done for God in the time of temptation shal be counted much In this great Charter the Lord doth proclaim unto al his people That he doth rather regard the bent of the heart than the inlargment of the heart That he dorh rather regard the wil to do than the doing In this great Charter the Covenant of free Grace the Lord proclaims unto al his people That if they do fail in prayer and other duties for I speak not of prayer only though I instance in that He wil not cast them off but he wil rather be moved to pity them for the Covenant that the Lord makes with his people is as the Covenant that a man makes with his wife I wil betroth thee unto me for ever saith the Lord. Hos 2 Now a man wil not put away his wife for every failing neither wil the Lord put a way his people nor cast them off because he is betrothed to them though they do fail in duties Again in this great Charter and Covenant of Grace the Lord doth proclaim unto al his Children That what they want in performance he wil make up in indulgence He proclaims this unto them That he wil require no more than he gives he wil give what he requires and he wil accept what he gives Now therefore am I in that Covenant of Grace and are there many failings in al my duties yet if this be true That the Lord is more moved by my failings to pity me than to cast me off then I have no reason for to be discouraged And thus it is with every child of God he is in this Covenant of Grace and so the Priviledges and Immunities of al this great Charter belongs unto him Secondly Though there be many failings in a Godly mans duty yet so long as it is a duty there is som-what of Christ therein there is som-what of God therein Now God wil not cast away his own becauâ—e it is mixt with ours but he wil rather pardon ours and accept ours because it is mixt with his The Husband-man doth not cast away his wheat because it is mixt with chaff he brings it into his barn and there is a time when he wil seperate the chaff from the wheat but he doth not cast away the corn because it is mixt with chaff yet this grain of wheat hath nothing of the Image of the Husband-man upon it but there is never a duty of a Godly man but hath somwhat of the Image of Christ upon it and therefore I say he wil not cast away His because it is mixt with Ours but he wil rather pardon and accept of ours quamvis odibilis detestabilis et execrabilis sit causa mea in ore meo nihilominus in ore tuo benedicto in ore tuo sacratissimo et in labiis tuis quibus tanta gratia diffusa est est favorabilis Parisiens de Rhetor. Div. cap. 21. Est et alia firmitas et confirmatio meae partis quod tu ipse advocatus es et propitiatio qui es et Judex meus et propter hâ—c non est possibile ut patiaris causam meam periclitari in manibus meis Apud homines enim non est possibile ut advocatus fidelis et justus permittat
periclitari causam cujus patrocinium suscepit ibid. because it is mixt with his Thirdly If our acceptance of duty do not come in by the door of performance but by another door and that door is Christ then a Godly man hath no reason to be discouraged though there be many failings in his performance Now al our acceptance of duty comes in by Christ because our Sacrifices are mingled with Christs perfumes Revel 8. vers 4. And the smoak of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand Our prayers go unto God the Father through the hand of Christ did our prayers go immediatly out of our own hands into the Fathers hand we might have causâ— to fear but it goes by the hand of Christ Christ takes it and hath it into the preâ—ence of God the Father As it is with your soul or your body when you die through your body be crooked or deformed and your soul defiled yet when you die Christ meets your soul and invests it with Glory and so brings it into the presence of God the Father so it is with your duty your duty it may be deformâ—d defiled or a crooked duty but Christ meetes your duty and he clothes it with his Glory and so hath it into the presence of God the Father and thus it is with al the Saints and people of God surely then though they have cause to be afflicted by reason of their failing in duty yet they have no reason at al why they should be discouraged Object But I have no Parts or Gifts in duties therâ—fore I am thus discouraged some there are that have great abilities in duty they pray and can pray with great abilities they go to a sermon and can bring away every word and have a great Gift in conference but as for me I am a poor creature who want al these Gifts I have no utterance in conference I have no abilities in prayer I have no memory for a Sermon my memory is even as a sieve good things run out presently I have no Gifts at al a poor Sea-man or Trades-man I am that have no Parts no Gifts in duty and have not I just cause and reason now to be discouraged Answ 1 No For whosoever you are that make this objection Do ye not know That the Glory of the second Temple was greater than the first Solomon you know built a great House and it was a Glorious building much Gold and Silver in it the second Temple was not so ful of Gold and Silver and yet it is said of the second Temple That the Glory of it was beyond the Glory of the first why this reason is given because The desire of al Nations should come into it That is Christ who is indeed The desire of al Nations De facto Gold and Silver is the desire of al Nations but De jure and by right the Lord Jesus Christ is the desire of al Nations and because that Christ the desire of al Nations should come into the Second Temple therfore the Glory of it was beyond the Glory of the first Now thy soul is the Temple of the Holy-Ghost it may be thou hast not so much Gold and Silver not such Golden Parts and Golden Gifts as another hath but if the desirâ— of al Nations the Lord Jesus Christ be come into thy soul hast thou any reason to complain Thus it is with every child of God though he hath not those Parts and Gifts that another hath yet the Lord Jesus the desire of al Nations is come into his Temple into his soul and therefore he hath no reason to be discouraged Answ 2 If the want of Parts and Gifts be better for you then you have no reason to be discouraged for the want of them Now you know that it is better for a man that hath but a little stock to have a little farm than to have a great farm and a little stock a man that hath but a little stock and a great farm may for the present brave it out and converse with company that are in estate beyond him but at last he wil decay and break better that a man who hath but a little stock should have a little farm sutable to his stock Now God our Father sees that thou hast a little good there are some good things found in thee but these good things this little stock is not big enough for a great farm of Parts and Gifts and because the Lord sees that thy stock of Grace is not great enough for such a great farm of Parts therefore in design of mercy he hath thus ordered it that thou shouldest have a less farm of Gifts Answ 3 If our Parts and Gifts do not commend our services and duties unto God then have you no reason to be discouraged for the want of them Now so it is that they do not commend us nor our services unto God When you have good meat in a dish possibly you wil lay flowers upon it cut Oranges and Lemons and lay upon the side of the dish but a wise man knowes that the meat is never the better for tho e flowers or for the sugar that lies on the side of the platter a wise man knowes that if those were wanting the meate were never the worse Beloved God our Father is of infinite wiâ—dom these Parts and Gifts are flowers indeed and they help to cook ouâ— a duty and to make it more acceptable to men but the Lord who is wisdom knowes that the duty is never the beâ—ter and he knows that when these flowers are wanting the duty is never the worse All flesh is grass and the flower thâ—reof and it fades away Parts and Gifts are but flesh and our wise God knows the â—eat is never the worser when these flowers are wanting Yea if I had al Parts and al Gifts that I were able to preach and speak like an Angel and that I were able to cast out Devills yet notwithstanding if I have not Christ and Grace within my Parts and Gifts will but sink me deeper into Hell Two men suppose do fall into the River one man hath bagâ— of Gold about him and the other none he that hath none makes a shift to swim and get away but he that hath the bags of Gold about him sinks by his Gold and he cries out as he sinks O! take away these bags of Gold this Gold undoeth me this Gold sinks me So these Golden Parts and Golden Gifts if a man hath not Grace withal hath not Christ within shall but sink him the deeper into Hell These commend us not I say nor our Service unto God nor doth the want thereof discommend us unto him Answ 4 You say and complain That you have no Parts or Gifts but I pray hath not the Lord recompenced the want of them some other way unto you Phylosophy saith of Nature Vbi deficit in uno abundat
never have a Promise take heed you do not say I shall never be Comforted take heed you do not say I shal never have the Testimony of the Spirit bearing witness with my Spirit that I am the Child of God do not say thus I shal never be helped I am in a sad condition and I shal never be better I am in an uncomfortable condition and I shal never be comforted I want Assurance and I shall never have Assurance Beloved this ye cannot say for who knows what God will do whose waies are in the deep and whose foot-steps are not known You know how it is with a sick person If the Physitian come and tels him there is hope of life then his heart dies not but if the Physitian saith to him Sir you are in a great and dangerous Feaver and I would wish you to settle your Estate and look out for comfort for your soul for the truth is you will never be recovered then his heart dies So here take a poor soul that wants Assurance If he saith there is hope that I may be assured he is not discouraged but if he saith I have no Assurance and I shall never have it then he is quite discouraged it is this word Never that doth discourage O! I shal never be encouraged and I shall never have Assurance and I shall never have the Testimony of Gods Spirit Take heed that you do not say I shall never be Assured that is a Temptation take heed of the word Never in this case Answ 5 Fiftly and lastly Carry this for a Rule with you and remember it much That the less Assurance you have the more precious your obedience may be and the more kindly God may take it at your hands It is no great matter for a man to write and to work by the Day light or Candle light but for a man to write or to work in the dark is hard So here it is no great matter comparatively for a man to pray and to work spiritually while he is in the light but for a poor soul to pray and to work towards God and to be obedient when he is in the dark and hath no Assurance of the Love of God is somthing I confess indeed that the more Assurance you have the more full your Obedience will be but the less Assurance you have the more ingenuous may be your Obedience I say The more full your Assurance is the more full and large your Obedience will be but the less Assurance you have the more ingenuous your Obedience may be Every Child will serve his Father for his Portion and for his Inheritance but when a Child shall doubt of his Fathers Love yea when a Child shall conclude and say I know that my Father will dis-inherit me I know that my Father will bestow nothing upon me yet I will serve him because he is my Father will not all men say Here is ingenuity indeed in this Child So between God and you It is good for a Christian to be obedient at all times and the more Assurance you have the more you are bound to obey but doth thy soul fear that God will dis-inherit thee and yet doest thou say However it be I will obey God for he is my Father though I cannot see him yet wil I serve him and though I have no Comfort from God yet will I be obedient to him for it is my Duty he is my Father The Lord will take this kindly at thine hands and what thou wantest in the largeness shal be made up in the ingenuity of thine Obedience Wherefore then doest thou want Assurance of the Love of God Comfort thy self with this and say within thine own soul well though I do want Assurance I hope through Grace I am in some measure Obedient and the less Assurance I haâ—e the more kindly God takes my Obedience at my hand and therefore why should I be discouraged or cast down Think and think often of this Rule and it will help you to be obedient and bear up your hearts also in the want of Assurance And thus I have done with the Fourth Instance A LIFTING UP In case of TEMPTATION Sermon VIII PSALM 42.11 Stepney May 28. 1648. Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me c. Instance 5. SOmetimes the Discouragements of the Saints are drawn From their Temptations And thus they Argue with themselves I am a poor Creature that hath labored under many Temptations never any so tempted as I have been These two three four five six or many yeers that I have lyen under these Temptations and no relief comes no help comes have I not reason then to be discouraged and cast down Answ No No reason yet I grant That the least Temptations are great Afflictions for the more a man is unfitted by Affliction for Gods Service either in doing good or receiving good the worser and more heavy is that Affliction to a gracious Spirit Now though God doth so over-rule the Temptations of his People that they receive good thereby as appeareth afterward yet the Temptation in it self doth indispose a man unto what is good The more a man is tempted unto what is evil the more a man is hindred from what is good It is an Affliction to a gracious heart to be conflicting fighting and combating with a man but in Temptations we do combate and conflict immediately with Satan who is the Prince of the Air with Principalities and Powers with that evil One who for his devouring Nature is called a Lyon for his Cruelty is called a Dragon and for his subtilty an old Serpent and in every Temptation a poor soul goes into the field with Satan and fights a Duel with him Satan hath saith Christ to Peter desired you in which Duel and Combat a man doth not miscarry for this present Life barely but if he miscarry he miscarries to all Eternity he dies is killed and slain to all Eternity O! what a mighty hazard doth a poor soul â—un in every Temptation The Chast and good Woman counts it an Affliction to her so long as she lives if she be but once violenced if a filthy person meet her in the field and violence her though she do not consent unto him she wrings her hands and saith I am undone for ever Now these Temptations are the Solicitations of an unclean Spirit and what though a man do not consent unto them yet thereby his soul suffers violence O! saith a gracious soul what though I do not consent yet what an infinite misery is it to be thus abused defiled and violenced by these Temptations The more any affliction doth seize on soul and body the greater it is it is Comfort in a Family that the Wife is well when the Husband is sick or that the Husband is well when the Wife is down where both are down at once it is a sad Family indeed So though the Soul be
a fault and a man takes the one and correct him and let the other go it argues rather that he is his Father than not So though Chastisements do not alwaies argue God to be our Father yet it doth rather argue his Fatherly Love than not Answ 2 And is there any thing in God that is not a friend to all the Saints When a man is a friend to another not only his Purse is his Friend his Estate is his Friend his Staff is his Friend but his Sword is his Friend So if God be a Friend to a man then not only his Love is his Friend and his Mercy his Friend but his Sword is his Friend his Anger is his Friend Now God is a Friend to all the Saints and therefore his very Anger and Justice is a Friend too But Answ 3 In the third place What are those visible Characters of Love which are engraven upon an Affliction First If Affliction be a blessing to one then it doth come from Love and if a man can bless God under Affliction then it is a blessing to him Jobs Affliction was a blessing to him Why Because he blessed God under it The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be his Name c. Secondly If an Affliction do end in our Love to God then it comes from Gods Love to us for our Love is but a reflection of Gods Love and it doth flow from his and if I can say I love God never the worser for this Affliction then I may say God loves me never the lesser notwithstanding this Affliction Thirdly If an Affliction teacheth the mind of God then it doth come from Love As many as he loveth he chastiseth And blessed is the man whom thou chastiseth and teachest out of thy Law So that if Affliction be a teaching Affliction then it doth come from Love Fourthly If it be laid on in measure and imposed in due and seasonable time so as a man may grow thereby then it doth come from Love When a man intendeth to kill and destroy a Tree or to bring it unto the fire he cuts it at any time so as it shal grow no more but if he cut it in a due time it argueth that he intendeth it for growth So when God pruneth and cuts by Afflictions in such a time as men may grow in Grace it argues his Love Fifthly When God is especially present in Affliction and more present in an Affliction than at another time it argues that the Affliction doth come from Love Now whoever you are that make this Objection and fear the Affliction doth not come from Love are you not able to say Thus I find it indeed though I have been much afflicted yet through Grace I have bâ—en able to bless the Lord under my Affliction and to say The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away c. I love the Lord never the lesser for mine Affliction and the Lord hath taught me much in this mine Affliction I have gained more by my sickness than by many a Sermon yea and he hath cut me in due time for if I had not met with such an Affliction at such a time I did not know what evil I should have fallen into and this I must needs say I have had more of Gods Presence in my Affliction than ever I had before Well then be of good Comfort though your Affliction be very grievous yet it doth come from Love And thus it is with all the Saints and People of God and therefore why should they be discouraged whatever their Affliction be Object 8 But though a Christian have no reason to be discouraged in regard of his own private Affliction yet hath he not reason to be discouraged when it goes ill with the Publick And thus it is now with us we see how it is with this poor Nation Troubles and Calamities from every Part therefore I am thus discouraged and have I not cause to be cast down and to be much disquieted now Answ Indeed this is a sad thing and O! that we could weep day and night and pray too for this poor bleeding Nation If ever Gods People here in England had cause to be afflicted troubled and humbled under the hand of the Lord and to run together in Prayer surely they have reason now yet saith the Scripture Say to the Righteous in evil times it shall go well with him Did ever any Calamity come down like a storm upon a Kingdom but God did provide some hiding for his own Children Did he not provide an Ark for Noah in the time of the Flood and a Mountain for Lot in the time of the fire of Sodom The worst that man can do is but to kill his neighbor Death is the worst that can fall and what is death but an in-let to Eternal Life unto the People of God When the Saints in the Primitive Times came to bear witness by their deaths unto the Truth of Christ then they said Now we begin to be Christians indeed now we begin to be like to Christ There is a Three-fold Death Spiritual Death in sin Eternal Death for sin And Temporal Death which came in by sin If God spare me from the two former Deaths the Spirituâ—l Death and Eternal Death and only inflict the Temporal Death have I any cause to complain Thus it is with the Saints though they die Temporally yet they are free from the Spiritual and Eternal Death and what Godly man may not say I could not live long in Nature and shall I now bear witness unto the Truth with this little spot of time that remains Christ died for us the Just for the Unjust and shal not I that am unjust be willing to die for the just The worst of all is Death the worst of Death is gain When my Body is broken may I not say if Godly now a poor Pitcher is broken and shall go no more to the Well now a poor Prisoner my soul is delivered and I go home unto my Father But if you look into Rev. 7. you shal â—ind what a glorious issue God doth give unto al his People in the times of publick troubles ver 9. After this I beheld and so a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations Kindreds and People stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their hands A Robe is a Garment of Majesty Palms are an Ensign of Victory and saith he I saw them with Robes and Palmâ— The world looks upon my Servants as poor and of low spirits but saith Christ I look upon them as under a royal Princely Garment in Robes and of a Princely spirit And though the world look upon them as discomforted yet saith Christ here they shal overcome for they have Palms in their hands but who are these This Scripture tels ver 14. These are they which come out of great Tribulations and have washed their Robes and made them
out your skil and strength and hath no design but of Love upon you wil you then be discouraged Thus it is with all the Saints surely therefore they have no reason to be cast down in this respect Object 3 O! but I am not so much troubled about my outward Condition as about the condition of my Soul the Lord knows my Souls Condition is very sad for somtimes I am under the Ordinances and somtimes not somtimes I can stir out to an Ordinance but somtimes oppositions keep me at home I am not under a setled Ordinance and when I am under the Ordinance I get little good thereby I hear and I do not remember my heart is hard and dead and dull and it is little that I profit and therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No not yet For â—iâ—st As for your want of Ordinances if God lead you to the want of an Ordinance he wil make the very want of an Ordinance to â—e an Ordinance to you When the Children of Israel came into the Land of Canaan where there was ordinary food then Manna ceased but when ordinary food could not be had as in the Wilderness then they had Manna Bread that was baked in the Clouds then they had Angels Food immediately from God and immediate Mercies that come immediately out of the hand of God are the sweetest Mercies God doth alwaies give some opportunities of good unto his People either of doing good or receiving good and the less opportunity they have of receiving good usually the more opportunity they have of doing good what though your hand be empty of receiving opportunities yet if your hand be full of doing opportunities have you any cause to be discouraged God knows how to give the comfort of an Ordinance in the want of an Ordinance When Jonah was in the Whales belly he prayed and in his prayer he looked towards the Temple though he was absent from it and the Lord heard his prayer And Beloved if the Lord do remember your carriage labor of Love Longings Groanings Mournings after the Ordinances as much when you want them as he remembers your enlargements under them then you have no reason to be discouraged in this respect Now look into Psal 132. and you shal see how David presseth the Lord to remember him verse 1. Lord remember David and all his afflictions he was in great Afflictions and he desired the Lord to remember him but under what Notion would he have the Lord remember him why saith he remember him How he sware unto the Lord verse 2. and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my House nor go up into my Bed I will not give sleep to mine eyes or slumber to mine eye-lids until I have found out a place for the Lord an Habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. He wanted the Ordinance and his heart was restless after it and now he desires the Lord to remember him for this So that I say God wil in a special manner remember your carriage labor of Love longings and groanings after Ordinances when you want them O! but though the Lord do remember us in due time yet what shal we do in the mean time Mark what follows at verse 6. Lo we heard of it at Ephrata we found it in the fields of the woods What is that Lo we heard of it at Ephrata we heard of it that is we heard of the Ark which he had spoken of before and the Habitation of the mighty God of Jacob. We heard of it at Ephrata as if he should say it was commonly reported and thought that the Lord would settle his Ark and his House and Habitation at Ephrata at Bethlehem a plentiful place but now we have found it in the fields of the Wood. Now we find that the Lord wil settle his House and his Ark at Jerusalem which is compassed about with Hills full of Woods in the Fields of the Forrest have we found it Beloved our eye is all upon Ephrata upon Bethlebem upon the plentiful place but the Lord doth so order things in his Goodness that when he brings his People into the Woods the Fields the Forrest there they find his Ark his Presence and his Habitation in the midst of it And what godly man is there whom God hath called at any time from the Ordinance but he may say thus Lo we heard of it at Ephrata but we have found it in the Fields of the Woods and if you do not find the Presence of God and the Ark of God and his Habitation at Ephrata yet if ye find him in the Fields of the Woods in the barren Forrests have you any cause to complain No surely you have not O! but I am in a plentiful place for the present I am at Ephrata I am not in the barren Fields I am under plentiful and precious Ordinances but I do not remember I hear and I remember not Answ 2 Secondly Therefore ye must know That as for your want of Memory there is an Head-Memory and there is an Heart-Memory Some have an Head-Memory whereby they are able to give an account presently of all they have heard in their due order but they want an Heart-Memory to suggest the things to them when they should use the same Some again have an Heart-Memory so as they can remember the things when they should use them but they have no Head-Memory Now if you can remember the things as you are to use them though you forget the words and Method have you any cause to complain 〈◊〉 â—â—ugh the words heard do depart from you yet your heart 〈◊〉 â—e kept sweet by the hearing of them Water is often poured into a Vessel and runs out presently yet it keeps the Vessel sweet So now though you hear and hear and hear again and you cannot remember and the things heard do not stay by you as you desire yet your soul may be kept sweet thereby Answ 3 Thirdly As for your Deadness It is some life to feel ones own deadness for there is a Death and a Deadness as I may so speak There is a Life and a Liveliness a man may be alive and yet not lively as a sick person So a man may be under some deadness and yet not be dead unto death There is a deadness that is opposite to liveliness and there is a deadness that is opposite to life Now you complain O! my heart is dead my heart is dead this argues that it is but a deadness that is opposite to liveliness else you could not feel your own deadness A man that is stark dead cannot feel that he is dead I say therefore in that you feel your own deadness it argues that it is but a deadness that is opposite to liveliness and not that deadness that is opposite to Life it self and if you be alive in opposition to death though you have a
deadness in you that is opposite unto liveliness have you any reason to be quite discouraged and cast down The Trades-man complains that his Trade is dead and you complain that your heart is dead this argues that your Trade is there and that your Trade is in the matter of your heart Answ 4 Fourthly As for your unprofitableness and unfruitfulness under the Means and Ordinances ye know that there is a difference between Unfruitfulness and less Fruitfulness the good Ground brings forth Fruit in some thirty in some sixty in some an hundred fold thirty is less than sixty yet this is not unfruitfulness sixty is less fruit than an hundred fold yet this is not barrenness A good man may be less fruitful than another or thâ—â— he was formerly yet he may be fruitful and it may be thus with you But suppose you cannot profit under the means and be indeed unfruitful yet there is a great deal of difference between the unfruitfulness of the good Tree and the barrenness of the barren fig-tree 1. Though a good man be unfruitful yet he is very sensible of his unfruitfulness O! saith he there is not a more barren vile wretched unprofitable heart in all the world than mine 't is not so w th the barren soul 2. Though a good man may be too unfruitful yet he doth not cumber the ground the barren fig-tree doth Luke 13. that is he doth eat out the heart of the soyl from others doth hinder others he is a cumber to the place family where he growe and lives the good man is not so but though he is unprofitable in his own eyes yet in truth he is profitable to the souls of others 3. Though a goo◠〈◊〉 doth not profit so much as he should and would yet he is 〈…〉 that any means should be used with him for his profit and growth even to be digged about and dunged And I will dig about it Luke 13. and dung it Upon which words saith Bernard Non refugit faeditatem medii qui expectat facunditatem animae Dung is a means unsavory and he that desires the growth of his Grace wil not refuse the foulness of the means that means which to flesh and blood is unsavory 4. Though a good man may be very unfruitful yet God wil not cut him down he wil prune him and cut him in such a time as he may grow thereby but he will not cut him down But the barren Fig-tree he will cut it down cut it down saith the owner why should it cumber the ground any longer But however it be Art thou unfruitful unprofitable under the means then have you cause to be humbled Humble your self therefore before the Lord your God yet be you not diâ—couraged Object 4 O! but yet this is not my case only for I do not barely complain of my unprofitableness under the Means and Ordinances though that is much but I fear that my Spiritual condition is not right and if my spiritual condition be not good and right after I have lived thus long under such searching means and Ministry I fear it will never be right I do not read in all the Scripture that ever an Hypocrite was converted Publicans and sinners I read of but I do not read of an Hypocrite converted and having lived under the means of Grace thus long if now my c ndition be unsound then I am an Hypocrite and indeed this I fear and therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason for it Answ 1 No For though you have lien long under the means of Grace and are not converted yet there is hope there is hope concerning this When our Lord and Savior Christ rose from the dead the stone was rouled and removed away and when the Lord Christ doth raise up a poor soul he will rowl away the stone though it be as heavy as death though it be as heavy as Hypocrisy though the stone be as heavy as Hell it self yea Christ wil rowl away the stone though it hath lien long upon you And I pray what think you of Paul was not Paul an Hypocrite before his Conversion Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites saith our Savior and saith Paul concerning himself concerning the Law I was a Pharisee our Savior saith that the Scribes and Pharisees were Hypocrites and Paul saith concerning himself he waâ— a Pharisee and yet he converted There is one Hypocrite then converted and you may read of orhers Answ 2 But is not this usual with Gods own Children do they not speak it somtime out thâ—t they are but Hypocri es I am but an Hypocriâ—â—e Ye read of that blessed Martyr Mr. John Bradford that being in Prison and writing to a friend he Subscribes his Letter thus Yours in Christ a mâ—st unprofitable haâ—d-hearred mi erable sinner And another Letter he subscribes thus Yours in Christ a very pa nted Hypocrite John Bradford Some here are that think their souls are sincere and yet they are most unsound Some again think they are unâ—ound and yet they are most sincere Answ 3 But to come a little neerer and yet I must but touch upon it Did ever Hypocrite long and mourn after the Preâ—ence of Goâ— in Christ as the best thing iâ— al the world Did ever Hypocrite dwel and abide in the work or private examination of his own soul Did ever Hypocrite love Grace better or more than Gift oâ— that most which is the most Spiritual most savory Did ever Hypocrite desire Peace Comfort for Grace sake not rather Grace for Peace sake Do Hâ—pocrites ordâ—narily think they are Hypocrites where do you find that in the Scripture that Hâ—pocrites ordinarily think they are Hypocrites If Hâ—pocriâ—ie be a mans burden it is not his condition Did ever any Hypocrite walk contrary to himself to his former self when men were truly converted they did So you read of Zacheus before he was converted he was a grâ—â— Oppressor and a covetous man but being oâ—ce converted saith he Lord behold the half of my goods I give unto the poor and if I have wronâ—ed any man I'â—e restore fourfold here he walks contrary to himself So the Jaylor before he was converted he imprisoned the Apostles and whipped them till the blood ran down upon their backs but being converted he hath them into his houâ—e sets meat before them and washeth thâ—iâ— wounds he walks contrary to his own former self So Paul before he was converted he persecuted the Saints and the Gospel after converted then he did preach the Gospel which before he persecuted thus he walked contrary to his former self I have read or heard of a yong man that was given much to jeering and scoffing and his Mother being godly he would frequently jeer and scoff at his own Mother it pleased God at the last to work savingly upon him and then he would never come into the presence of his Mother but he would fal down upon his
a great Help in Suffering times Now it is Faith and only Faith that can gather up and mannage Experiences The Lord saith he that delivered me from the Lyon and the Bear it was Faith that did gather up this Experience and did mannage it So in Psal 56. When I cry unto thee at verse 9. then shall mine Enemies turn back how do you know this saith he this I know how for God is for me this I know for God is for me I have this experience of God that he is with me and for me and therefore I know it But Thirdly The more that any man is able to apply the Promise the more able he wil be to suffer to incounter with Sufferings the Promise is a great Shelter in a rainy day Now there is nothing but Faith that can apply the Promise the Promise is the Plaister that none but the warm hand of Faith can lay on upon the Sore if it be laid on by any other hands it wil not stick I have heard of a poor doubting Soul drawiâ—g neer to her Death and the Minister pressing one Promise after another O Sir saith she these are gracious Promises but they wil not stick upon my heart And what is the Reason that the Promise indeed doth not stick upon many hearts but because it is laid on by the chil and cold hand of Unbelief Remember Faith hath a warm hand and only Faith hath a warm hand to lay on the Promise But then again Fourthly The more that any man doth see his Call cleerly his Cal to Suffer the more able he wil be to encounter with his Sufferings Now it is Faith only that doth Trade with the Call of God Gods Call is a great Wal a strong Wal Gods Call can make a Wal of Water When the Children of Israel went through the red Sea the Water stood like a Wal on each side it was Gods Cal that made those Wals there is nothing but Faith that doth converse with the Call of God and makes out the Cal of God Three things cal us to suffer 1. The Commandement of Christ If thou wilt be my Disciple thou must deny thy self and take up thy Cross 2. The Example of Christ for thereunto are we called in 1 Pet. 2.5 Christ hath left us an example of Suffering And 3. Suffering strength with suffering opportunity Now there is nothing but Faith is able to discern these things and therfore Faith and Faith alone is that Grace under Christ which can carry us through our affliction and Suffering although they be never so great Object But you wil say We have heard and read of many that have suffered hard things and yet had none of this Faith no true saving Faith and yet have suffered great and hard things Answ True you have heard it may be of some Jesuites dying for their Religion it is possible that a wicked man may suffer much and that upon the account of his Religion too but as Austin speaks There is an unlikeness of suffering in the likeness of Suffering As saith he Gold is in the same Fire with the Wood and with the Straw with the same Fire the Straw is consumed and the Gold is refined Things suffered may be alike and yet a great unlikeness in the suffering And to cleer up this to you that you may see that Faith alone is able to do this First Though a wicked man may suffer very great and hard things yet he may also suffer as an evil Doer If ye suffer for evil doing saith the Apostle what thanks have ye But Faith true saving Faith it doth wel and suffers ill And Secondly Though a wicked man may suffer much and very hard things yet he doth not suffer upon choyce he would chuse rather if it were at his choyce to make a breach upon Conscience than a breach in his Estate for to lose his Conscience than to lose his Life he doth not suffer upon choyce Faith doth By Faith Moses chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God True saving Faith it suffers great and hard things and that upon choyce And Thirdly Though a wicked man may suffer much yet he doth not lay the stress of al upon the word of Faith the stress of al is laid upon somwhat else Faith loves to suffer and it laies the stress of al a mans Sufferings upon the word of Faith Fourthly Though a wicked man may suffer much and that upon an account of Religion yet it may be he is sullen or froward or discontented not cheerful but Faith suffers cheerfully Paul and Silas sung in the Stocks and the Primitive Christians took with joyfulness the spoiling of their Goods And so the Martyrs in Queen Maries daies It is reported that when Mr. Philpot was in the Dungeon the Bishop sent to him to know why he was so merry Seeing a pair of Stocks in the Dungeon saith he there 's a pair of Organs that I have not played on yet making himself cheerful in the time he was in the Dungeon And meeting with a Minister that had recanted and informing him better the Minister made a Recantation of his Recantation and was as cheerful as any others Faith suffers cheerfully Fiftly Though a wicked man may suffer much and that upon the account of his Religion yet he wil rest upon his Sufferings Faith wil make one suffer and keep one from resting upon ones Suffering As in regard of Duty Faith wil make one perform a Duty and it wil keep one from resting upon that Performance So in regard of Sufferings Faith wil make one suffer and it wil keep one from resting upon ones Suffering In case that a man hath done much Faith wil put him on to suffer as if he had done nothing and in case a man hath suffered much Faith wil put him upon doing as if he had suffered nothing according to that of our Savior He that will be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me follow me when after a suffering not to sit down and rest there but to follow me after a Suffering Again Sixtly Though a wicked man may suffer much and that upon the account of his Religion and be very confident yet he wil give in at last I have read of a great Atheist that was burnt to Death in Paris for blaspheming of Jesus Christ and as he was going to the Stake saith he to the Fryars and Priests that followed him Behold how boldly I go to the Fire as for your Lord and Master Christ he went trembling to his death and sweat drops of blood but I in the strength of Reason under which I sacrifice my Life go with boldness unto these flames But when he came there and his Tongue was cut out for Blasphemy the Story saith that then he cried out and roared out like a Bull vidi ego hominem saith the Author I saw the man I saw him when he was at the Stake In
it I. For understanding the Scripture ibid. Hold fast the Letter of it for if you deny the Letter how can you understand the true sense ibid. An Objection answered ibid. Quest How can we keep fast the Letter when there are so many Greek Copies of the new Teâ—â—amâ—â— Page 47 Answ 1 There is no material difference between them ibid. 2 You must diligently enquire out the true meaning of the Scripture ibid. Object One Scripture hath many Senses c. Page 48 Answ Negatively Nay one Scripture hath but one intire sense though it hath divers parts and applications ibid. 2 The Scripture is to be understood somtimes literally somtimes figuratively yet alwaies spiritually ibid. 3 For Direction Page 49 1 Al fundamental Doctrins of our salvation are laid down literally ibid. 2 When the literal sense must be lest ibid. 3 Mystery doth not destroy the History ibid. 4 Nothing in Scripture set down mystically but is literally expressed in another place of Scripture Page 49 50 Object When a Scripture lieth under con rovâ—â—sie what must be done ibid. Answ Somthing by way of Observatiâ—n somthing by Practice ibid. 1 Observation if you be able câ—nsult the Original if not able consult those that are able ibid. 2 Coherence and Scope and Context good means to open the true sense Page 51 3 Compare one Scripture with another ibid. 4 Sâ—veâ—ve not from the proportion of Faith ibid. II. More Practically Page 52 1 Go to God for the spirit ib. 2 Take heed of a fleshly mind ibid. 3 Study your Condition by Scripture and the Scripture by your Condition ibid. 4 Be not too indulgent to your own Condition Disposition or Opinion ibid. 5 Joyn nothing in Commission with the Scripture for your Rule Page 53 2 You must keep the Scripture if you will attend to understand it ibid. Directions how to keep the Word Page 54 1 Observe the things whereby men have been drawn from it and those are chiefly three ibid. 1 The corruption of mans Nature ibid. 2 Corrupt Principles ibid. 3 Playing with the Scripture Page 55 2 Rules to keep particular Truths of Scripture in your heart are ibid. 1 Many Saints have suffered willingly the loss of all to maintain them ibid. 2 Consider that the Saints have generally maâ—ntained these Doctrines in opposition to the world ib III. To take heed to the Scripture is to walk thereby Page 56 1 Therefore prize it much ib. 2 Love the truth you know ib. 3 Let it be your continual Companion ibid. Christ in Travel ON Isaiah 53.11 Sermon I. THe Text Opened Page 61 62 DOCT. Christ shall see the Travel of his soul and be satisfied Page 63 The opening of this by three Arâ—uments ibid. 1 The Travel of Christ or Christ in travel 2 His assurance of Issue 3 The Contentment that he doth and shall find therein His travel was very painful For ibid. 1 It was a sore Travel 2 A long Travel 3 A helpless Travel ibid. I. It was a sore travel in regard of Soul and Body ib. 1 For his Body ibid. 1 It was universal in regard of the parts in which he suffered and persons he suffered from ibid. 2 It was most extream Page 65 3 They were long and lingering Page 65 2 For his Soul His was a sore Travel Page 66 Proved in four Propositions 1 Christ did truly suffer in his soul 2 That he suffered in his soul immediately 3 That he did encounter with the wrath of God 4 That he did suffer the very torments of Hell in this life ibid. The first Proposition proved ibid. The second Proposition proved Page 67 The third Proposition proved Page 68 The fourth Proposition proved Page 69 Quest Whether one can endure the very torments of Hell in this Life Page 70 Answ Affirmatively Christ did not endure al the misery we should have done ib. Arg. 1. He suffered al the threatening produced but not what proceed from the disposition of our persons Page 71 Arg. 2. What Christ delivered us from that he endured for us Page 72 Arg. 3. Christ established the Law by his death ibid. Arg. 4. Christ hath suffered Gods Wrath and Justice for the Elect ibid. Reasons 1 The Law is not satisfied unless the debt be paid ibid. 2 Christ satisfied the Law in his sufferings Page 93 3 No evil is equivalent to the wrath of God ibid. II. Christs Travel was long and tedious not only in his death but in his life all along ibid. III. It was a helpless Travel for he trode the Wine-press of his Fathers wrath alone Page 94 Quest Suppose Christ was thus in travel for us what then ibid. Answ Our duty is to come in and behold this hard labor he suffered ibid. Observations 1 All the Attributes and Perfectionâ— of God are here in Commission in Christ crucified ibid. 2 We shall hence value and love Christ more Page 95 3 We shall hence prize all our enjoyments more ibid. 4 Men are hereby made more willing to suffer any thing for Christ his sake ibid. 5 We shall hereby be made more unwilling to put Christ to a new suffering ibid. 6 Hereby we are more enabled to overcome all our temptations and corruptions and to become more profitable and gracious in our lives ibid. 7 Hereby we are more enagaged to his Commandements and Ordinances ibid. 8 Hence conclude the willingness of God to save sinners Page 96 9 It is an encouragement for poor sinnerâ— to come to Christ Page 97 10 Hereby our hearts are confuâ—ed and our faith confirmed ibid. Sermon II. Christs Assurance of Issue Page 99 The Introduction ibid. Oâ—ening of the words ibid. 1 What this Issue is Page 100 2 What assurance he had ib. I. It is all the effects of his sufferings whereof some are immediate some remote ib. Quest What are the immediate effects ibid. Answ Negatively 1 Not to make God reconcilable to man-kind ibid. 2 That actual reconciliation and justification is not the next effect of Christs death is proved by five Reasons ibid. Object But we were discharged from our sins when they were charged on Christ Page 101 Answ Negatively 3 Christ died not to reconcile man to God proved by seven Reâ—sons ibid. 4 The next â—ffect of Christs death is not the forgiveness of original sin to all the woâ—â—d proved by five Reasons Page 102 5 The obtainment of this Decree that whoâ—oever beleeveth shall be saved not the nâ—xâ—â—ffect of Christs death proved by four Arguments ibid. 6 It was not to bring all the world unto the Covenant of Grace proved by three Reasons Page 104 7 Christ hath not by his death obâ—ained sufficiency of Grace for all men proved by five Reasons Page 105 8 Christ died not to obtain a Dominion over all things proved by six Reasons Page 107 Quest What was the next effect of his deaâ—h Page 108 Answ affirmatively 1 He satisfied the Law and Justice of God for us learnedly proved by six Arguments ibid. 2 He sanctified
us Page 112 3 He merited Heaven for us Page 113 4 He recovered the lost Image of God in us ibid. 5 He destroyed the power of Satan Page 114 6 He sanctified all things to us Page 115 7 He confirmed the Covenant of Grace Page 116 II. The remote effects of Christs death are many whereof seven are set down Page 118 Quest What assurance had Christ to see these fruits and effects ibid. Answ 1 He had the assurance of salvation of many thousand souls before his death Page 118 2 He had assurance of his own merit and his Fathers fai hfulness Page 119 3 He did not only merit the impetration of our Redemption but the application of it also Page 120 4 He merited not only sufficiency of Grace for us but the efficacy of Grace Page 121 5 He merited not only some blessings of the Covenant but the Condition of the Covenant ibid. Application 1 Christ did not die for al men Page 123 2 Consolation for those he died for ibid. Object I fear he died not for me ibid. Answ He died for his Sheep ibid. Sermon III. Christ's Contentment which he doth and shal find in his Assurance of Issue Page 127 The Introduction Page 128 Quest Wherein doth Christ express this Con entment ibid. Answ The Issue is what he travelled with or what be tâ—avâ—lled for ibid. I. For his Seed the Issue he travelled with his de ight is proved by eight Aâ—guments ibid. Quest Why doth Châ—ist take such contentment in his Issue Page 133 Answ 1 They are his own ibid. 2 They are given him of his Father ibid. 3 They have all relations to him ibid. 4 They are one with him ibid. 5 They are suitable to him ib. 6 By them also he liveth Page 134 II. For the Issue he travelled for his delight must be great 1 He sees the good pleasure of God prosper in his hands ib. 2 Thereby the reproach is â—owled away from his sufferings 3 He thereby obtains the end of his sufferings ibid. Quest How shall this appear that Christ â—aw this Page 135 Answ 1 It hath been cleered already 2 It is proved further by Scripture ibid. 3 Nothing can hinder Christ from it ibid. An Objection answered proving that Christ died for all Page 136 Application Use 1. Vniversal Redemption is false Doctâ—ine Page 137 Object Christ died c nditionally Page 138 1 Aâ—â—w negatively and consâ—med by three Arguments 2 Pâ—â—of that Christs mâ—rits were not conditional Page 139 3 Proof c. ibid. 4 Proof ibid. 5 Proof ibid. 6 Proof Page 140 7 Proof Page 141 8 Proof Page 142 9 Proof The Covenant of Grace is free absolute and without Condition ibid. 1 The Lord delivered it without Condition ibid. 2 It is like the Covenant made with Noah ibid. 3 In the Covenant of Grace there is a converting mercy promised ibid. 4 The Spirit is promised in the Covenant ibid. 5 The Covenant of Grace is easier than the Covenant of Works Page 143 Object All Divines say Faith and Repentance are the Condition of the Covenant ibid. Answ Not all not Luther Zanchy Junius Dr. Ames ibid. Use 2 The Saints cannot be Apostates Page 144 Use 3. This Doctrine looks upon Godly and Vngodly men Page 125 1 It cals on the Godly to be satisfied in Christ ibid. 2 The Godly are called upon to be contented with Christ and to endeavor all for him Page 146 Quest What must the Godly do to answer Christs love ibid. Answ Many things 1 To bear the same mind to Christ he bear to us ibid. 2 To use the means of Grace in publick and private Ordinances Page 147 3 To use one Grace so as to make us fit for another ibid. 4 To be thankful for our present Condition ibid. 5Vse no comâ—any but what you may receive some good from ibid. 6Vse yâ—ur particular Calling so as to be fit for a general Calling Page 148 7 Be merry yet so as you may not grieve afterwards for your mirth ibid. 8 It is excellent to know what Gods design is yet we must admire what we cannot understand ibid. 9 So mind the Truth of the Times as not to neglect the power of Godliness Page 148 149 10 Desire to die yet be contented to live ibid. FINIS A LIFTING UP FOR THE DOWN-CAST The Contents Sermon I. THE Words opened in two Branches Page 1 1 The sad Discouragements of a gracious Spirit Page 2 2 The Remedies ibid. Three Doctrines observeâ— in the first Branch ibid. 1 That the Saints have an inward Peace ibid. 2 This Peace may be interrupted ibid. 3 The Saints have no reason to be diâ—couraged This is the main thing aimed at ibid. Doct. 1. proved 3 The Father Son and Holy Ghost are engaged for their peace Page 4 1 The Father is engaged 1 By his Prerogative ib. 2 By his Commandement ibid. 3 By Vertue of his Promise Page 5 4 By Purchase ibid. 5 In regard of the Chastisements of the Saints ibid 2 The Son is engaged Page 6 1 By his qualifications he received from his Father ibid 2 By his own disposition Page 7 3 By his Office ibid. 3 The Holy Ghost is engaged As Christs Executor be it spoken with Reverence ibid. As our Advocaâ—e in some sence though Christ alone be our Advocate ibid. Object Experience sheweth the contrary by the unquiet Condition of the Saints Page 8 Answ Doct. 2 Their quiet may be interrupted Some distinctions â—herein â—o be considered ibid 1 There is a Fundamental Peace naturally flowing from Justification 2. There is an additional peace flowing from the sence of their Justification the former cannot be lost the latter may ibid. 2 There is great difference between peace comfort and joy Page 9 3 There is a peace in opposition to what one hath been and a peace that lies in opposition to what one would be ibid. 4 There is a dormant peace and there is a wakâ—ned peace ibid. Quest What is the Issue of this Page 10 Application 1 See what a blessed Condition the Saints of God are in ib. 2 Thankfulness of the Godly called for ibid. Object May be the Peace I have is not right wherefore I cannot praise the Lord for it Page 11 Answ 1 I grant that there is a false Peace that wicked men have but there is a true Peace to thâ— Godly Page â—â— Tâ—e diâ—â—ereâ—ce of true and false Peace ibâ—â— Common Peace ariseth from the apprehension of Gods common Goodness Special Pâ—ace ariseth from the apprehension of Gods sâ—ecial favor Fâ—â—se Peace is â— Guard to our Sins True Peace is a Guard to our Graces ibid. 2 True Peace is wrought by Faith ibid. 3 Truâ— Peace will live in the sight of Sin ibid. 4 True Peace loves to be tried ibid. 5 True Peace is spoken by God ibid. An Appeal to any that doubt of their Peace Page 13 Object I fear my inward Peace because it doth not continue â—â—id Answ The second Doctrine answers this ibid. Object I fear my
If you love God the more for your imp oyment it came from Gods love to you ibid. 2 If God dâ—th any way acquaint me with his design therein he doth imploy me in love to me ibid. 3 He that is imployed in love hath high thoughts of the imployment bâ—t low thoughts of his own actings under it ibid. 4 He that is imployed in love is very tender of the Name of God Page 298 5 He that is imployed in love doth grow in grace ibid. 6 He will not pockâ—t up much for himself in Gods Service ibid. 7 He will do Gods work without any great noise of himself Page 299 8 He is willing to be used and contemed to be laid by ibid. 9 He will do Gods work fully though he do his own work by haâ—fs ibid. 10 When God calls a man in judgment he haâ—h ordinarily more skil to destroy what is mans than to set up what is Gods ibid. Quest Suppose that God shall not use me â—n his Seâ—vâ—ce or if he do I meet with such difficulties what must I do then not to be discouraged Page 300 Answ 1 If you are not called to publick Service then 1 Consider you have the more time to mind your own soul ibid. 2 If you be not called to work and yet be willing to work you shall be paid for that service you never did ibid. 2 In case you be called forth Page 301 1 Consider the greater the difficulties are you meet withal the more is your obedience in carrying on the work ibid. 2 The more assistance mâ—y you look for ibid. 3 In case you have no success in your work ibid. 1 Consider that the less success you have the more are you free from envy Page 302 2 Hereby are you kept from that great temptation of resting on your own labor Page 302 Sermon XII INSTANCE IX My afflictions are seated in my condition it self therefore c. Page 304 Answ negatively For 1 A good mans outward condition may be very bad Page 305 2 It may be worse in regard of the world than the condition of a wicked man ibid. 3 It may be worse after his conversion than it was before ibid. Yet a godly man must not be discouraged For 1 I demonstrate If a good mans condition be carved out by the hand of his Teacher he hath no reason to complain ibid. 2 If a man doth not live upon his condition it self but upon his call to it he haâ—h no reason to be discouraged Page 306 3 If there can be no condition of a godly man without mercy Christ hath paid for then he may nâ—t be discouraged Page 307 But I am a poor man in so mean a condition that I cannot serve God as the rich may therefore c. ibid. Answ Negatively For Do you know the burden of prosperity Bâ—rden and Service go together Numb 4. Page 308 Luther did a greateâ— woâ—k in way of Faith than Alexander did in conquering the world The more riches the more debts Page 309 Object 2. I am in an unsetled condition somtimes high somtimes low therefore c. ibid. Answ Negatively 1 For what settlement would you have in this world of vanity Page 310 2 If God loves you in your unsetled condition you need not be discouraged ibid. Object 3. I am troubled not for my outward condition but for the condition of my soul have I not cause now to be discouraged Page 311 Answ Negatively For 1 If you want Ordinances God will make that want to be an Ordinance to you ibid. 2 If you want memory know that there is a head memory and a heart memory the last is the principal and wil suffice if the other be wanting Page 313 3 As for yoar deadness it is some life to feel ones own dâ—adness ibid. 4 Aâ— for your unprofitableness under means there is great difference beâ—ween less fruitful and unfruitful for ib. 1 Though a g od man be unfruiâ—ful he will be sensible of it Page 314 2 Though a good man may be too unfruitful yet he doth not cumber the ground ibid. 3 He desires to use means to bring forth fruit ibid. 4 God wil prune him but not cut him down ibid. Object 4. I fear I am an Hypocrite therofore c. Page 314 Answ Negatively For 1 Though you have lain long dead under the means Christ may at length rowl away the stone ibid. 2 Gods Children usually think they are Hypocrites Page 315 3 Did ever Hypocrite long for Gods presence in Christ as the best good ibid. Object 5. But a few are elected and I fear I am not one therefore c. ibid. Answ Negatively For This is no prejudice to the growth of your comfort Page 317 1 As for Election It is true that there is a certain number only that are elected ib. 2 This number is unalterable ibid. 3 God knows them all certainly ibid. 4 A man may know himself to be one of those Elect. ibid. Three things here to be noted Page 318 1 That some are elected ib. 2 That a man may be assured he is one of them ibid. 3 The way to know it is not to begin aloft but at your Vocation as Paul did putting Election last ib. 2 Christ died for al men both Jew and Gentile but not for every particular man with intention to save him ibid. Vniversal Redemption is an enemy to an afflicted soul Page 319 I shal cleer this Point thus 1 This Doctrine makes void the satisfaction of Christ for actual sins for they that hold Vniversal Redemption say That thousands are damned for those sins which Christ hath satisfied for ib. 2 The intercession of Christ joyned with the death of Christ is a great comfort to a Christian but this Doctrine parts Christs death and intercession telling us Christ died for all but that he doth not intercede for all Page 320 3 This Doctrine is an enemy to free Grace ibid. 4 It destroys the assurance of Salvation Page 321 5 The mercy of God is made by it to depend on our performance of Conditions Page 322 Object 6. If Christ did not die for all how can I know he died for me ibid. Answ They that make this Obiection holding Vniversal Redemption do answer it themselves Yet to know further Page 323 1 There is a faith of Relyance and a faith of Assurance I have ground to rely on Christ because he died for sinners ibid. 2 The act of Reliance is below the act of Assurance but he that relies on Christ shall be saved ibid. Object 7. I am perswaded that never any good man was in my Condition Page 323 324 Answ Negatively For 1 The Saints usually think so ibid. 2 If it were so God works new things ordinarily ibid. Application 1 What great necessity we have to consider our condition whether we be in Christ or no for every one will say he beleeveth ibid. 2 If you do not beleeve you are here invited to it by this