not as 't is for a Painter to draw a Picture in the Fire Did any one in that day believe at the rate that Mordecai did If thou at this time in holding thy peace Esth 4.14 holdest thy peace then shall respiration and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place Because it doth things impossible What is impossible to other things is possible to Faith Mark 9.23 All things are possible to him that believeth Now to see things invisible to hope things incredible to do things impossible these were Luthers wonders and are mine and may be thine But lest any should make a God of Faith I shall Subjoin this I do not take the Act without the Object not the Act of believing Heb. 12.2 without Christ the Object of Faith for as he is the Author of it so he is the Actor of it and as he is the Communicator of it so he is the Consummator of it Now if this be true that there is such a thing as a Gospel-Faith and this Faith be a great Faith then wonder not at that divine imposition of that divine duty of self examination universally incumbent upon true believers Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13.5 Here is a Duty and a Direction A Duty Examine your selves Here ye have the Act and the Object The Act. Examine 'T is very significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the word which is the first root signifieth to pierce thorough Now the word here to examine coming of it signifieth to make or to take Trial because by piercing thorough a thing it is tryed what it is within whether sound or no. Examine me oh Lord Psal 26.2 and prove me try my reins and my heart The Object Your selves That is your Souls Only take heed to thy self Deut. 4.9 and keep thy Soul diligently Here Self and Soul are the same in sense though not in Sound The Direction Whether ye be in the Faith or whether the Faith be in you Whether your Gold be not Dross Isa 5.24 whether your Silver be not Tin whether your Root be not Rottenness Come now to the Test to the Trial to the Touchstone examine thy Soul whether thou beest in the Faith But how shall I know whether I be in the Faith Qu. 1. how shall I know that I have Faith how shall I know that my Faith will go into vision when my time goeth into eternity Where there is Faith there is Love Sol. 1. Faith and Love do grow upon the same Tree which is the Spirit Faith and Love like Rebecca's Twins goe hand in hand Gal. 5.6 But Faith which worketh by Love Bellarmine Faith is not wrought by Charity as one perverteth this Text for then it will follow that Love by which Faith is wrought must needs be before Faith but Faith worketh by Love Though Faith be not Loves parent yet Love is Faiths partner The Soul that hath a Faith of the right Stamp hath also a Love of the same Stamp now this is a love to Christ a love to those that are Christs a love to those that are not Christs and a love to the Ordinances of Christ Those in the Faith have a Love to Christ Where there is Faith in the Person of Christ John 21.17 there is Love to the personal excellency of Christ Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Christ having asked Peter lovest thou me more than these v. 15. Lovest thou me more than thy nets more than thy Fishes more than thy Friends that are about thee Lovest thou me more than these more than thou lovest these or more than these love me Peter being asked of the measure of his Love answered only as to the Truth of it and being asked of the Quantity of it answered only as to the Quality of it that it was of the right Stamp and had his own Superscription upon it Peter will not be his own Judge but refers it to his Lord and Master to sit in Judgment upon it Lord thou knowest all things Can. 3.3 thou knowest that I love thee This is a Soul-Love Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Those in the Faith have a Love to those that are Christs He that loveth the Father loveth also the Child 1 Jo. 5.1 for the Fathers sake He that loveth Jonathan loveth also Mephibosheth for Jonathans sake He that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him And not only this Child or that Child but also every Child Col. 1.4 must be loved for the Fathers sake Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of the love which ye have to all the Saints Those in the Faith have a Love to those that are not Christs The cry of these under their retirements is Lord that not only this Husband or this Wife or this Child or this Servant but also this Neighbour who is an Enemy to Christ and the Call of Christ an Enemy to Christ and the Cause of Christ an Enemy to Christ and the Crown of Christ Mat. 5.44.46 were in Christ had Faith in the person of Christ Love your enemies If ye love them which love you what reward have ye Those in the Faith have a Love to the Ordinances of Christ There 's a Love to the Church for Christs sake a Love to the Pool for the Angels sake a Love to the Cabinet for the Jewels sake a Love to the Stream for the Fountains sake a Love to the Gallery for the Kings sake a Love to the Field for the Pearls sake Those that have met with God and Christ under Ordinances can as well tell how to be without Bread Job 23.12 as to be without Ordinances I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food That man is defective in his prudentials that thinks to keep up the Fire by withdrawing the Fewel He is under a great Temptation at least not without great Corruption that thinks to grow in Grace under the neglect of means Is Abstinence from meat the way to get Strength A man would think that none but Bedlamites should assert this 'T is the tree planted by the rivers of water Psa 1.3 that bringeth forth fruit in his season 'T is the Soul that wades in Sanctuary-waters that is a Cedar in Lebanon and a green Olive in the house of God Psa 42.1 2. May the sweet singer of Israel speak As the Heart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee Oh God! My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God He that to day turneth his back upon the Ordinances of God may to morrow turn his back upon the God of Ordinances Where there is Faith there is also a train of good works A Believer is not to be a Loyterer but a Labourer
hast faith Have there been no Pains nor Pangs and yet hast faith This faith may have the stamp of a Caesar but it hath not the stamp of a Christ upon it A true Faith is hardly come by it cost many Prayers and many Tears this spiritual Infant is not born without Pains Pangs When Peter had told the House of Israel that God had made that same Jesus whom they Crucified Acts 2.36 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leigh both Lord and Christ the Text saith They were pricked in their Heart The word signifieth to Rent Vex and Wound punctually even the least part and point of the Heart as if the sharpest points of many empoysoned Daggers in the severest manner had been fastned in their Hearts Now Soul hath thy faith a Train of good Works Hath it Christ for Object Did it cost thee dear Then 't is a true Faith though a little Faith A true Faith hath two Hands A false Faith hath but one Hand An Hypocrite would take Christ but not give up himself to Christ An Hypocrite would take Christ by way of Surety but not give up himself to Christ by way of Surrender but now a true Faith though it be but a little Faith takes Christ as a Saviour and submits unto Christ as a Soveraign True faith can say to Christ Rule thou in the midst of thine Enemies Psal 110.2 Not only in the midst of thine Enemies without but also in the midst of thine Enemies within Now Soul art as willing to be sanctified by Christ as to be saved by Christ As willing to be crucified with Christ as to be crowned with Christ Then thy faith though a little Faith is a true Faith A true Faith dreads not Trial. An honest Man is not afraid of the Bar. A false Faith dreads a coming to the Test to the Trial to the Touchstone An Hypocrite is like a Man that hath stoln Goods in his House the Man is unwilling that his House should be searched the Hypocrite is unwilling that his Heart should be searched but true Faith will come to the Trial. Psal 26.2 Examine me O Lord and prove me try my Reins and my Heart A true Faith will live in a Storm A false Faith will die in a Storm an Hypocrite is like those Hearers that had no Root Luk. 8.13 which for a time believed but in time of Temptation fell away When a Storm or Showr of Blood came their Faith died but true Faith will live in a Storm Col. 2.6 7. for as it hath Christ for Object so it hath Christ for Root Now Soul doth not thy Faith dread the Test and will it live in a Storm Then though a little 't is a true Faith But to conclude this first Section suffer the words of Exhortation Art not in Christ Come then to Christ. Art not in Christ Come then to Christ Joh. 8.24 or go to Hell If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins If ye die in your Sins ye will be Damned for your Sins Art out of Christ 'T is a wonder to me and may be to Thee that thou art out of Hell Art in Christ Welcome then two words Multiply Cries through Christ unto Christ for more Faith Luk 17.5 The Apostles said unto the Lord increase our faith Drink of the Brook by the way and lift up thy Head He that believeth Acts 13.39 is justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses The Compendium Versified PRose into Poem comes to welcome Those In Poem that no welcom found in Prose Faith subject is this leads the Van of Grace This goeth first within the Churches Race Faith subject is But what 's a Gospel-faith 'T is Heaven's Gift as one most truly saith The Spirit 's Fruit the Essence of it lies In taking Christ as sacred Truth complies On Gospel-terms which Terms are freely free In all his Offices now these are three Christ Jesus Lord who first and ever since Hath been the Churches Prophet Priest and Prince Thus taking there must be there also must Be resting solely by this mortal Dust On Jesus Christ the Lord for Grace and Glory This sweetly doth comport with Sacred Story If Faith then Love tho not about Romances To Christ and Christ's the Christless Ordinances A Gospel-faith 't is great 't is strong I see Its Symptoms also may appear to Thee No Famine fears this Faith but Christ doth take Without a l'awn and Earnings of him make In Famine Christ to great Faith is a Feast A Fragment is with Christ a Dish at least It s Logick also doth Conclusions make Of Light in Darkness Life in Death awake 'T is steady stedfast too let none controul Not shaken out though shaken in the Soul This swims ' gainst Wind and Tide it progress makes Bears great Delays and no Denial takes Great Act'on Pass'on Promises and all Great Providences Tempting Sinning call For Gospel-faith timely to take the Wall Which cannot stoop unto a final Fall Lend both Ears now and hear for Jesus saith Oh Woman great is thy Prophetick Faith THough Faith be little may it not be true A Spark and Drop the Fire and Water shew He teacheth well that doth distinguish well Now real Faith from false may Mortals tell True Faith of good Works hath a lovely Train Its Object 's true it costeth dear again It hath two Hands it dreadeth not a Test It liveth in a Storm that 's better best Art not in Christ Go then to him or go To Tophet dying unto endless Wo. But art in Christ beg down more of this Grace Be joyous also running of thy Race From all things hath a Surety freed Thee That Moses Law could not a Sinner free As there 's a great so there 's a little Faith In sacred Scripture this Jehovah saith SECTION II. Of HOPE CHAP. I. Whether there be a Gospel-Hope and what this Gospel-Hope is AS there is a Gospel-Faith so there is a Gospel-Hope Faith is the Christians Logick Hope is the Christians Rhetorick Faith is compared to a Doctor in the Schools Hope is compared to a Captain in the Wars Though there may be a difference between Faith and Hope in respect of Subject in respect of Object in respect of Office and in respect of Order yet as there is a Gospel-Faith so there is a Gospel-Hope Now as a Gospel-Faith so a Gospel-Hope hath a various acception and acceptation in the sacred Scripture By Hope sometimes understand Faith Be ready always to give an answer to every Man that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you with meekness 1 Pet. 3.15 and fear By Hope here understand Faith Faith as to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Gospel If the Glory of God and the good of those that ask a reason of Faith as to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Gospel be concerned otherwise we are not to cast
are sick They who are sensible of Sin and Sick of Sin see a need of a Physician Christ came not to call the righteous the conceitedly righteous but sinners unto repentance Christ is freely offered and thus he must be received Joh. 4.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is the Gift of the Father If thou knewest the gift of God He is not only a Gift but also the Gift yea the Gift of Gifts by way of Emphasis Eminency Excellency He is the Gift of Gifts from the God of Gods Here is the Giver and that is the Father is there such another Giver Here is also the Gift and is there such another Gift All gifts from the Cell of nature to the Chair in Glory meet in this Christ as in their proper Center If thou knewest the gift of God But Tit. 2.14 as Christ is the Fathers gift so he is his own gift who gave himself for us That is to Death Even the death of the Cross Oh Unparallelled Love It 's End This is Salvation There is a Reception of Christ and Recumbency upon Christ for Salvation yea upon him solely for Salvation now Salvation is a great thing He thought so Aug. who said Lord here beat me here banish me here bleed me here burn me so thou wilt but hereafter save me Ask a convinced Soul that hath been sailing by the Gates of Hell that hath been reflecting Sin as the way to Hell and that looks upon every thing less than Hell to be less than Sin and he will tell you that Salvation is a great thing Ask a deserted person that hath been days and nights in the Deep that hath been crying out of the Depths that hath been without Sun-light without Moon-light withhout Star-light whose Soul hath been like a troubled Sea and he will tell you that Salvation is a great thing There is a generation in this last of the latter days O Tempora O Mores and day of greatest Debauchery guilty of Imprecation wishing Damnation to themselves I have read of one who reflecting those words of Moses If thou wilt not forgive their sin Exo. 32.32 then blot me out of thy book which thou hast written which probably at least may be nothing else but a rasing his Name out of the Records of Israel Rom. 9.3 Reflecting also those words of Paul I could wish my self accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen Corn. a Lapide Firmin's real Christian p. 20 according to the flesh which probably also may be nothing more than wishing himself cast out of the Church that they might be brought to Christ draweth unhappily this Inference That 't is lawful for a man in order to the Salvation of many to wish his own Damnation I am not of his Opinion but must take leave to dissent from him I cannot believe that he who hath a sense of Hell though he hath not a Sight of Heaven is to wish his own Damnation I would not be put off without Salvation though I went thorough a Rack or by a Stake for it and if there were but ten men in a Kingdom to be saved I would if I could put in to be one of those ten saved Ones Salvation is a great thing for 't is not only a Step unto but also a State of Felicity and that for an Eternity which hath its Commencement here and its Completion hereafter Now this Salvation is by Christ Luk. 2.11 That Christ is a Saviour is evident Unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. The Greek word for Saviour is a word that cannot be fully expressed in one Latine word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it signifieth as much as a most absolute Deliverer from all Danger and Evil such a person as doth not onely once deliver but is also the Author of perpetual Salvation Now this Salvation is worth the Hearing worth the Heeding worth the Having worth the Holding That Christ is the Saviour John 4.42 is as evident Now we believe now but not until now Now we believe not because of thy saying Thy voice could not reach our Hearts though it reached our Ears it was Christs own voice that reached our hearts Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world But as the believing Soul receiveth Christ upon Gospel-terms and resteth upon him for salvation so solely upon him for salvation There is salvation in no other Acts. 4.12 Thus have I according to my Stature being at most but a Dwarf to others got thorough the Definition at least the Description of a Gospel-Faith which is the Gift of God and Fruit of the Spirit of God whereby upon Gospel-terms there is a Reception of Christ Jesus the Lord and a Recumbency upon him solely for salvation CHAP. III. Of a great and strong Faith THat there is a Gospel-Faith hath been already evinced beyond all modest contradiction That a Gospel-Faith is a great Faith Mat. 8.10 is evident I have not found so great Faith no not in Israel Christ as God knew his Faith before he spake for he was the Donor of it but as Man he marvels at it not finding the like among the Jews And as a Gospel-Faith is a great Faith so 't is a strong Faith Rom. 4.20 'T is said of Abraham that he staggered not at the promise thorough unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God Here is a strong Faith but it was a strong God in a strong promise that gave strength to his Faith and made it strong A Gospel-Faith appears a strong and a great Faith upon a divine reflection of three reasons Because it seeth things invisible As Faith is the Souls Hand so 't is the Souls Eye This is the will of him that sent me that he which seeth the Son and believeth on him John 6.40 may have everlasting life and I will raise it up at the last day Faith makes things absent present Faith makes a God visible Heb. 11.27 who is invisible The Apostle records this concerning Moses as seeing him who is invisible Heb. 11.1 He gives also this Definition of Faith to be the substance of things hoped for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the convincing demonstration of things not seen It signifieth a demonstration that convinceth a Soul thoroughly of the Certainty and Verity of such things as by reason and natural parts are not seen Because it hopeth things incredible 'T is said of Abraham Rom. 4.18 that he believed in hope against hope He believed besides and above all Causes Arguments and Appearances of natural hope Every thing stood in the way of Abrahams hope that he should have a Son and yet he believed this Faith goes before Hope follows after 'T is as possible for a man to hope for that which he believes
Peripatetick Great Corruptions call for a great Faith As there are great Services great Sufferings great Promises great Providences great Temptations and all these call for a great Faith so more than all most of all worst of all there are great Corruptions which also call for a great Faith Corruption is the Sting this is the evil of evils the plague of plagues the poison of poisons There are Achans within to be stoned to death Sauls within to fall upon the point of the Sword of the Spirit There are Agag's within to be cut in pieces There are Goliahs within to be destroyed the Sons of Zerviah within that are to be subdued and these call for a great Faith Pro. 20.9 Was that Question ever answered Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my Sin Ah Soul look within and see new worlds of Sin now do not these call for a great Faith May it not be said of Sin Malum complexum what is said of War to be a Complex and a complicated Evil As there is the nature of Sin so there is the sin of the Nature And doth not this call for a great Faith As there is no Sin in Grace so there is no Grace in Sin Sin is evil all evil Sin is so bad that we cannot call it worse than it is It s name is Evil. Rom. 7.21 When I would do good evil is present with me As there is the evil of Suffering so there is the evil of Sin and this is the worst Evil. But as the name of Sin is evil so the nature of Sin is evil Rom. 7.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful Or that Sin by the Commandment might appear hyperbolically sinful Or according to the Greek that Sin by the Commandment might appear a Sinner unto an Hyperbole Now doth not this call for a great Faith Sin is a darkning of the Glory of God a defacing of the Image of God a crucifying of the Son of God a grieving of the Spirit of God a wounding of the Soul of Man And doth not this call for a great Faith Is there a Day without Clouds A Moon without Spots A Garden without Weeds A House without Rubbish A Soul without Sin A Heart without Leaven Now doth not this call for a great Faith They look like perfect Strangers to their own Hearts who pretend unto a personal Perfection Paul was cried up for an earthly Angel Rom 7.17 yet not without Sin 'T is no more I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me There is but one thing in all the World that is the object of God's abhorrence that makes Man truly miserable that caused the Maker of Man to repent of Man's making that necessitates Mercy that called for Christ's Sufferings and caused Tears to stand in his Eyes that God looks upon with a vindictive Eye that Christ came to destroy that made Angels Devils that makes a Hell within and that is Sin Now doth not this call for a great Faith CHAP. IV. Of a little and a weak Faith AS there is a great and a strong Faith so there is a little and a weak Faith Why are ye fearful Mat. 8.26 oh ye of little faith I would not discourage an Infant-Faith That God who bids us receive him that is weak in the Faith will not himself reject him but God bids us receive him that is weak in the Faith Rom. 14.1 Fides periculis secura securitate periclitatur Aug. Him that is weak in the Faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations By one that is weak in the Faith the Apostle may mean a young Convert a Babe in Christ or a Person not sufficiently instructed concerning the Use of things indifferent Though thy Faith be not grown to a Cedar if it be a Shrub or a bruised Reed 't is too good to be broken A weak Faith may lay hold upon a strong Christ A Palsical hand may tie the knot in Marriage 'T is con-natural unto Man to desire Salvation rather under the notion of Doing than of Believing Dream not of the same Favour with Saints unless thou hast the same Faith with Saints but 't is Faith of the same Stamp not of the same Stature the same as to Quality though not as to Quantity the same as to Truth though not as to Degree A spark of Fire is true Fire the Furnace is no more A Drop of Water is true Water the Ocean is no more Now as a little Fire may be true Fire and a little Water true Water so a little Faith may be true Faith But how shall I know that I have true Faith Qu. I fear my Silver is Tin my Gold is Dross my Faith is Fancy Ah! I fear that my Faith is not a true but a false Faith How shall I know a true Faith from a false Faith That 's the Question A true Faith goeth not alone Sol. 1. As it is said 't is not good that Man should be alone so it may be said that Faith is not good that is alone The Leper under the Law was to dwell alone but true Faith goeth not alone 'T is written Wo to him that is alone so Wo to that Person whose Faith is alone Unless a corn of Wheat falleth into the Ground and dieth it abideth alone thus Faith if it hath not Works is dead Jam. 2.17 being alone or by it self so the Greek A false Faith goeth alone an Hypocrite speaks of his Faith when his Works are speechless or speak nothing but Unbelief An Hypocrite is all Creed but no Commandment he saith he believeth but continueth in Sin 'T is a false not a true Faith that goeth alone A true Faith hath a train of good Works Jam. 2.18 Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works A true Faith hath a true Object A false Faith hath a false Object an Hypocrite believeth the lying Vision of his own Heart but a true Faith hath a true Object this hath the Person of Christ for Object a Christ in all his Offices as the Churches Prophet Priest Acts 16.31 and Prince Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved A true Faith is not easily come by A false Faith is easily had this Faith Mark 4 5. is like the Seed in the Parable which sprung up suddenly 't is without Convictions and Heart-woundings Though there may be many Convictions without out Conversion yet is there any Conversion without Convictions It may be said to a Person that hath a false Faith concerning his faith as Isaac did to his Son concerning his Venison Son how camest thou by thy Venison so soon So Soul how camest thou by thy Faith so soon Hast not been wading in the Waters of Marah and of Meribah and yet hast faith Hast not been sailing by the Gates of Hell and yet
his which is a heaven here and carry his up to God which is a heaven hereafter Here is suffering and here is satisfying for here is bringing unto God into reconciliation and communion with God A sinless one suffered and satisfied for sinful ones Christ was Man that he might suffer and God that he might satisfy Heb. 9.12 He hath by his own blood once entred into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us As the High Priest entred with blood into the holy of holiest so Christ by his own blood hath entred into the holy place which is Heaven of which the holy of holiest was a tipe and hath obtained eternal redemption for us Now if Christ by his Action and Passion hath obtained eternal redemption certainly then he hath given by these unto divine Justice a plenary and perfect satisfaction for all given unto him and unto whom he is given CHAP. II. Inferences and Motives concerning a Gospel-Hope I. Inferences concerning a Gospel-Hope 'T is the Duty Infer 1. and Mercy of the Israel of God to make the God of Israel the Object of their Hope To these distinctly 'T is their Duty When the Psalmist found amazing and amusing strivings and struglings within his heart he reflected this incumbent duty upon his heart Why art thou bowed down O my Soul Psal 42.5 and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God Did he so do thou so 'T is undoubtedly thy duty to keep Hope acting upon it's Object Oh write after this Copy and walk after this path in this matter 'T is their mercy Oh what a mercy is it to have something in hope when there is nothing in hand Both the Duty and the mercy of the Israel of God are legible together in making the God of Israel the Object of their Hope Let Israel hope in Jehovah there 's the duty For with Jehovah there is mercy Psal 130.7 and with him is plenteous redemption there 's the mercy The Psalmist and the Prophet are not Two but One as to their Opinion herein and Imposition hereof Trust ye in Jehovah until eternity Isa 26.4 there 's the duty For Jah Jehovah is a rock unto Eternity there 's the mercy As there is a true Infer 2. so there is a vain hope 'T is said by Bildad old love Spes vera vana or without love as the word signifieth That the hope of the hypocrite shall be cut of Job 8.14 and his trust shall be as a spiders web or house margent The hypocrite clings about the object of his hope as a man that is ready to drown takes hold of any thing within his reach though a twig or a broken stick but this shall be cut off and his trust shall be a spider's house The web is the house of the spider There is some curiosity in the web of a spider but there is no stability in the web of a spider The spider fetcheth her web out of her own bowels having no extrinsecal materials to build her house with The web also of the Spider doth perish when the house comes to be cleansed down goes the web of the spider Thus the works of an Hypocrite are unstable they are fetched out of himself but when a showr of blood cometh his hope goeth to wrack Is not this now a vain hope The Prophet hath a Dialect in Consort Jer. 3.23 Truly in vain is salvation looked for from the hills and from the multitude of mountains truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel Whether by hills and mountains we understand formidable Forts and humane Help as some interpret or Idols as others interpret in vain is salvation looked for from these Well may it be said in this critical hour with the greatest confidence and innocence truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of England and of his Israel in England All the Salvation of the Israel of God hath been from the God of Israel and written as with a Beam of the Sun witness those detections disappointments and defeats of a beastly and bloody merciless and murderous generation of Men Did I say men I may say miscreants and monsters armed Furies and incarnate Devils within our Bowels and upon our Borders I shall therefore Seal what the Psalmist hath written to my hand He that is our God Psal 68.20 is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death Those that are Hopeless are Christless Infer 3. and Godless Art without a Gospel-Hope read then thy misery in capital and text letters for thou art Christless and Godless too Ah soul what pensil is able to delineate thy misery Thou art Hopeless and so consequentially Christless and Godless Ah! what hopeless person should with dry eyes read that text and truth At that time ye were without Christ Eph. 2.12 being aliens from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world Here are five withouts and they are all sad ones indeed Without Christ Is this nothing He is All and in All All things and in all things so the greek Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel They had no right to that and yet was there ever such a Common-wealth before or since They were strangers from the Covenants of promise They had no propriety in the promise of Life for they had no propriety in the Prince of Life They were without Hope As they were without these so they were without hope of these Without God 'T is sad being in the World without God and yet these were without God in the World Ah Soul mayst not thou read thy misery in red letters in letters of blood To be without Christ the Ground of Hope to be out of the Church the place of Hope to be without the Covenant the reason of Hope and to be without God as to Reconciliation and Communion the end of Hope is not this sad and at the hearing of it may not thine ears tingle Who is able to say what it is to be without any of these but what is it then to be without all these The great Doctor of the Gentiles speaking of Christians of Christs making saith If in this life only we have hope in Christ 1 Cor. 15.19 we are of all men the most miserable If Faith and Hope should not stretch themselves beyond this life then there would be no life like a Christians life such are the Crosses and Losses here such are the Pains and the Pangs here such are the Trials and the Travels here but we have in this life hope for another life for a better life for a life incapable of these things They had hope but thou art without it Jam. 2.19 Luke 8.30 31. and is not this sad Hope in some sense excelleth believing trembling and praying the Devils believe and tremble yea they besought Christ but they
of thy Hope Do not rack thy thoughts and Anticipate Providence for Mat. 6.34 sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof Do not live like a person in the Tombs dig not thine own grave and bury as it were thy self alive for God is the Object of thy Hope and will be so in a day of evil Jer. 17.17 Be not a terror unto me thou art my hope in the day of evil Ah but mine eyes fail in waiting for God! in waiting for Good Object 2 Enjoyment Sol. will compensate all thy Hope and fruition will be a Compensation unto all thy expectation Hope deferred Prov. 13.12 maketh the heart sick but when the desire commeth it is a tree of life Ah but I may say as the Church did Objec 3 Lam. 3.18 My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. I am clean out of Hope Dost say as the Church did Sol. then do as the Church did But what did the Church 1. She seeketh the God of Gods Remembring remember that 's a better reading Remember my affliction v. 19. and my misery the wormwood and the gall As if she would give unto that God a memento that needeth no memento's 'T is true God needeth no memento's and memorandums but yet to do these things he will be enquired of by the house of Israel She senseth her Heart as with her own misery so with Gods mercy With her own misery My Soul hath them still in remembrance v. 20. and is humbled in me or bowed in me This I recall to mind reduce v. 21. or make to return to my heart Margent therefore have I Hope With Gods mercy It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not v. 22 23. They are new every morning great is thy faithfulness As if she had said 't is a wonder of mercy that things are no worse seeing we are no better but are so bad She sealeth this with her own experience v. 25 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the Soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. The experience of the Church is here produced We are not to make experience the Rule of Scripture but to make Scripture the Rule of experience 'T is said of Luther Experientia docet optimaque Magistra est that he felt what he spake and had experience of what he wrote therefore greatly qualified to express to the life both the Sore and the Salve the malady and the medicine the Assault and the Assistance the Order of the Battel and the means of the Conquest Ah but I question whether my hope be a true hope Object 4 Ah my fear is that my hope hath the Stamp of a Caesar but not the Stamp of a Christ upon it A true Hope Sol. may be known from a false Hope A false Hope hath a false Object Some make pleasure their Hope some make profit their Hope and some make the World their Hope Job declaimeth against this Job 31.24 If I have made gold my hope or have said unto the fine gold thou art my confidence Thus false Hope hath a false Object but true Hope hath a true Object Paul 1 Tim. 1.1 an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ which is our Hope A false Hope goeth alone A counterfeit Hope is without a Train this hath no Graces going along with it but true Hope hath a Train of Graces We glory in tribulation also Rom. 5.3 4. knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experiencee Hope The Apostle in the context having asserted Rom. 5.2 we glory in Hope of the glory of God the Glory of God was the Object of their Hope and they gloried therein for so the greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we glory in hope of the glory of God subjoineth this And not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience Hope Graces have as it were a generation one from another though all Graces have but one generation from Christ at once We have here the Genealogy of Hope in three Descents Experience is the next or immediate Parent of Hope and experience hope A false Hope is short-lifed The hypocrites Hope shall perish Job 8.13 As all the Hope of hypocrites perish when they dye so while they live their hopes are dying They have no hope when they dye yet all their hope is to dye and that is a miserable hope The Hopes of hypocrites they are as the Life 's of many Popes have been very short Job 20.5 The triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the hypocrite is but for moment Did the Psalmist say remember how short my time is I may say to the hypocrite remember how short thy Hope is And as the Apostle saith Brethren the time is short so the hypocrite may say my Hope is short Thus a false Hope is a transient Hope but a true Hope is a permanent Hope a false Hope is a fleeting Hope 1 Cor. 13.13 but a true Hope is an abiding Hope Now abideth faith hope and love Motives concerning a Gospel-Hope Would ye have God to take pleasure in you Live then and dye in the Act Mot. 1. and exercise of Hope There are vessels in whom God taketh no pleasure but what infinite Condescention is it that he which doth all things according to his pleasure and who only hath right to say my will is my Law my will Sic volo sic jubeo stat pro ratione voluntas is my rule should take pleasure in Dust and Ashes in undeserving yea in ill deserving creatures We may resolve the reason of Gods actions into Gods will He is the Lord. The first Cause needeth not to shew second Causes God hath the reason of all things in himself and therefore we are not to call upon him to give a reason God is the only Line and Rule to Himself and to all besides himself We must do the will of God because it is the Will of God his will must not be only the Rule of what we do but also the very reason why we do it Was there ever any Cain or Esau Any Achitophel or Jezebel any Judas or Julian but did the will of God though they went to Hell for their pains Luth. Fiat voluntas mea mea Domine quia tua Psal 147. â—â— Luther praying for an useful Friend cried out my will be done oh Lord but he comes off with this mine oh Lord because Thine Jehovah taketh pleasure in those that fear him in those that hope in his mercy God hath the People of his Pleasure a peculiar people a peculiar treasure a People very near unto himself Would ye not be
Christ is a Gospel-Love which now falleth under discussion But what is this Gospel Love Qu. Gâ—spel-Love Sol. is a supernatural Grace and expansion of the Soul towards the personal excellency of Christ Deserâ—tio as its proper object There are four things indispensably necessary in order to the constituting of a Gospel-Love the Nature of it the Original of it the Soil of it the Object of it To these distinctly The Nature of it Gospel-Love is a Grace As Faith and Hope so Love is a Grace a chief one a choice one That Love is a Grace if not the chiefest and the choicest one is evident for 't is in conjunction with Faith and Hope bearing the Garland from them both When those three Goddesses say the Poets strove for the Golden Ball Paris adjudged it to the Queen of Love There are if I may so write three celestial Graces three theological Virtues in an holy emulation striving for the Chiefdom and the great Doctor of the Gentiles gives it to Love There abideth Faith Hope 1 Cor. 13.13 and Love these three but the greatest of these is love That Love is greater than Faith or Hope will appear beyond all modest contradiction by an induction and reflection of these following particulars Love is greatest as to Title Reflect the Titles of Love and so it appears greatest Love For 1. 1 Jo. 2.8 9 10. that 's called the new Commandment A new commandment write I unto you Where is Faith or Hope so called 'T is called a new commandment Because it was an excellent commandment Because imposed upon such as are renewed Because renewed by the Lord after it had been as it were antiquated and almost extinguished Love that 's called the bond of perfection Above all things put on charity Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek-Text which is the bond of perfectness Above all things put on love for this is as a garment put upon all others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this is the bond Not such a bond as tyes one thing to another but properly such a bond as doth couple and conjoyn bind and unite many things together which is the bond of perfection Col. 3.14 or integrity Now where hath Faith or Hope such a Title Love that 's called the fulfilling of the Law Gal. 5.14 All the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Where is Faith or Hope so called This seemeth to be opposed to the doctrine of the false Apostles which urged Ceremonies alone Some restrain the law to the second table others take it absolutely for the whole law because none can love his Neighbour as himself but he must needs love God now the love of God and our Neighbour contains in it the whole Law Love is greatest as to Dignity Love seems to be more noble than Faith or Hope the reason is obvious because 't is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20.35 Faith and Hope are on the taking hand but Love gives The property of Faith and Hope is to receive into themselves but the property of Love is to lay out it self for others Love is greatest as to manifestation Faith and Hope are unseen Rev. 2.19 and may be dissembled but Love appears visibly upon the Stage I know thy works and thy charity that is thy love Love is greatest as to Similitude Faith and Hope do not make a man like unto God but Love doth God can never be said to believe or to Hope but we know that he loves yea we know that he is Love God is love 1 Joh. 4.16 and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Love is greatest as to Latitude Faith and Hope are under restriction but Love is not Faith and Hope are restrained within the Limits of our particular persons The just shall live by his Faith Hab. 2.4 Rejoycing in Hope Rom. 12.12 but Love is like the Firmamental Sun which shines upon all good and bad and throws his beams upon all not forbearing to warm the Earth which beareth weeds Love is greatest as to Longitude Faith and Hope are shorter lifed than Love Love outlives Faith and Hope Love is the longest lifed Grace Beatus qui amat te amicos in te inimicos propter te Our Love shall not end with our Life but our Faith and our Hope shall As Love transcends Faith and Hope under the notion of Latitude for Faith and Hope are within the bounds of a mans person but Love is to God himself and from him to our Friends yea our enemies so love transcends Faith and Hope under the notion of Longitude Mat. 5.8 for Faith shall go into Vision Heb. 12.23 and Hope shall go into Fruition when Time goeth into Eternity but Love shall go with the Soul and be with the Soul in an Eternity There is no need of Faith in Heaven for that is a place of Vision nor of Hope for that is a place of Fruition If ever I be graciously arrived at this Harbour at this Haven at this Heaven if ever I be graciously passed thorough the gates into this city which hath foundations the builder and maker whereof is God I shall not find Faith there for that is gone into Vision nor Hope there for that is gone into possession but I shall find Love there yea there I shall find nothing but Love The Original of it Gospel-Love is a supernatural Grace As Faith and Hope so Love is an outlandish Plant and of a divine extract As Faith and Hope so Love is not a Slip growing in our own garden it is born above it comes down from Heaven into the Soul The Affection of Love is natural Gal. 5.22 but the Grace of Love is supernatural It is the Fruit of the Spirit But the fruit of the Spirit is love The Soil of it The Soil for this Seed is the Soul Can. 1.7 Tell me oh thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon This grace of Love is a Seed cast into the Soul it is an expansion or going out of the Heart Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Can. 3.3 The Object of it This is the personal excellency of Christ That is counterfeit but not currant love false but not true love to follow Christ for loaves Love that is true is rather taken with the Fountain than with the Stream with the Hand than with the Token with the Jewel than with the Cabinet I will love thee Psal 18.1 Jehovah my strength Love that is true is rather taken with the Giver than with the Gift with what Christ is rather than with what Christ gives with the God of Mercy than with the mercy of God The personal excellency of Christ the Beauty of Christ the purity of Christ the perfection of Christ c. they are
the Objects of this Gospel-love Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee As if the Psalmist had said Lord Jesus not thine but Thee not thine without Thee not thine in compare with Thee not the Token without the Hand not the Stream without the Fountain not the Gift without the Giver Lord Jesus not the Field without the Pearl not the Cabinet without the Jewel not the Shadow without the Substance Lord Jesus not the Pool without the Angel not the Gallery without the King not the mercy of God without the God of the mercy I have been prolix but pardon the prolixity for some may be as long in going one mile as others may be in going two miles and resent the Sentiment that Gospel-Love is a supernatural Grace and expansion of the Soul towards the personal Excellency of Christ as its proper Object CHAP. II. How this personal Excellency of Christ appears that is the proper Object of this Gospel-Love THat Christ is an excellent person an excelling person is evinced to my hand and none will deny that acknowledg his Deity Did any understand Christ better than the Church so well as the Church Now she writes him white and red These are the best Temperature of Man they are the natural and the native Badges of Beauty Can. 5.10 But what follows The Armour-bearer among ten thousand Did Luke write most excellent Theophilus Luke 1.3 certainly then I may write most excellent Jesus Was Felix written by the chief Captain most excellent Governour then Christ may be written the most excellent person Acts 23.26 The great Doctor of the Gentiles was so graciously taken with a Christ that he accounted all things but loss Phi. 3.8 for the excellency of the knowledg of this most excellent person Was it said of Joseph and that by Pharaoh is there such a man as this is Gen. 41.38 in whom the Spirit of God is What may then be said of a Jesus Job 1.8 Was it said of a Job and that by a God that there was none like him in the earth What then may be said of a Jesus Was it said of David Mar. 2 Sam. 18.3 thou art worth or as ten thousand of us what then may be said of a Jesus whose personal Excellency is the proper Object of Gospel-Love certainly he is of more worth than ten thousand Josephs Jobs Davids But wherein doth the personal Excellency of Christ appear Qu. Christ is excellent in Name Some Sol. 1. have a great name but not a good name thus Sennacherib had Isa 36.13 hear ye the words of the great King the King of Assyria Others have a good name but not a great name Jam. 2.5 God hath chosen the poor of this world to be rich in Faith and heyrs of the kingdom Christ hath both a great and a good name God in paradise lapt up the name of Christ in the seed of the woman Jacob in Shiloh Daniel in a certain one c. That the name of Christ is great is evident His name shall be called wonderful Isa 9.6 Counsellor the mighty God the Father of eternity the prince of peace The name of Christ is great Thou shalt call his name Emmanuel Mat. 1.23 God with us And as the name of Christ is great so the name of Christ is good Jer. 23.6 In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby he shall be called Jehovah tsidkenu Jehovah our Righteousness so the Hebrew Christ hath a good as well as a great name Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins A great name with the Earth is better than a good name but a good name with Heaven is better than a great name One name in Heaven is worth ten thousand names on earth Christ excels in name the name of Christ 't is Honey in the Mouth 't is musick to the ear 't is a Jubile to the Heart Had it not been for this name we should not have had a name at least a name not worth the having That must needs be an excellent name when there is no other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby they can be saved Acts 4.12 'T is still evident Being made so much better than the Angels Heb. 1.4 5 6. as he hath obtained a more excellent name than they Heb. 1.4 5 6. for unto which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son And again when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Angels are not to be worshipped for Angels are to worship Christ is excellent in Nature as god never had a son without suffering so god never had but one son without sin now this son was christ who was made the son of man that men might be made the sons of god he was made sin for us who knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 'T is not for want of ignorance of their own hearts that there is in some a pretension unto personal perfection Who can say I have made my heart clean Prov. 20.9 I am pure from my sin When was there a Soul without sin Did not Adam the Emperor of the Universe disobey The woman gave unto me and I did eat Gen. 3.12 Did not Abraham the Father of the faithful and the Friend of God dissemble Say I pray thee thou art my Sister Gen. 12.3 Did not Jacob a prayer and prevailer with Christ supplant his Brother Gen. 27.22 The voice is Jacob's voice but the hands are the hands of Esau Had not Moses though a Minister of Righteousness and mediator of the old Covenant his passion Num. 20.10 Hear now ye rebels must we fetch you water out of this rock Had not David though a man after Gods own heart a pang of forbidden fear I shall one day perish 1 Sam. 27.1 or be consumed by the hand of Saul Had not Jonah though his name signifieth a Dove and Doves they say are without a Gall his pettish humour Jon. 4.3 Lord take my life from me for it is better for me to dye than to live Had not Peter though of a Fisherman made a Fisher of Men a plague sore Then began he to curse Mat. 27.74 and to swear saying I know not the man I might multiply instances I shall add but one more Had not Paul though a tall if not the tallest Cedar in Lebanon sin running in his veins Rom. 7.23 I have a law in my members warring against the law of my mind These all these had weeds in
their Garden but Christ had none had Dross in their Gold but Christ had none had Seams in their Coats but Christ had none had Rubbish in their Houses but Christ had none had Leaven in their Hearts but Christ had none had Sin in their Souls but Christ had none Heb. 4.15 He was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Christ is excellent in Love The Love of Christ that 's a sweet Monosyllable indeed As Sin is the worst so Grace is the best Monosyllable As Lust is the worst so Love is the best Monosyllable The Love of Christ that is a sweet Dish indeed Do I write a Dish indeed I may write a Feast indeed It is no wonder that the Jews said John 12.35 Behold how he loved him Did ever any one live as Christ lived for he lived and sinned not Rev. 1.5 Did ever any one love as Christ loved for he loved and washed from sin in the blood of himself Christ's feet were washed with Mary's tears such was her love to him but Mary's heart was washed with Christ's blood such was his love to her Shall I suggest the love of David to Absalom of Jacob to Benjamin of Jonathan to David as a spark to the Furnace and as a Drop to the Ocean so is the love of a Christian to the love of a Christ Christs looks are loves his life was a life of love and his love was love to the life Did he not come into this world rather to love than to live rather to dye than to stay Christ is excellent in Light A dark state is a dismal state a dungeon state is a dreadful state Man naturally is a Bartimeus he is blind born blind May it not be said of any one as they said of their Son That this is our Son we know and that he was born blind we know If Christ Jesus shines not in our Horizon we are in the dark yea we are darkness it self in the very Abstract Eph. 5.8 And ye who were sometimes darkness are now made light in the Lord. Now Abstracts in Scripture and common Dialect are emphatically significant and carry more than an ordinary sense in them As the Sun in the Firmament is the worlds bright eye so Christ the Sun of righteousness is the Churches bright eye As the eye is the light of the body so Christ is the light of the soul Christ stiles himself the light of life John 8.12 He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life Did a Job say I was eyes to the blind What may a Jesus then say who is the life of light as well as the light of life Christ is excellent in wisdom Satan is subtle and so are his Servants The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light but they are wise unto damnation not unto Salvation they are wise to do evil to do good they have no knowledg Christ is wiser than all wisest of all he can turn their wisdom into folly and out-shoot them in their own Bow This barbarous and brutish this beastly and bloody this murderous and merciless generation upon our Borders and in our Bowels shall one day know that there is no inchantment against Jacob neither is any divination against Israel according to this time it shall be said concerning Jacob Num. 23.23 and Israel what hath God wrought The wisdom that man hath is a poor pittance a poor moity Col. 3.3 but in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg That mans wisdom is but conceit who is wise in his own conceit Solomon was wiser than all men but Christ is wiser than all Angels Christ is the wisdom of men the wisdom of Angels the wisdom of God the God of wisdom I am understanding Pro. 8.14 Is not this a lofty Dialect evincing the truth of his Deity Christ is excellent in Wealth As Christ is most wise so he is most wealthy There are mines of Gold but Christ is a mine of Grace He is full of grace and truth Christ is an Ore indeed he is able to enrich a Beggar that is worth nothing yea a Bank-rupt that is worse than nothing John 1.14.16 Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace As the paper from the press receiveth letter for letter as the Wax from the Seal receiveth print for print as the Glass from the Image receiveth face for face so the Christian from Christ receiveth grace for grace Luther would not be put off with Gold without Grace and Glory Christ must needs be rich Mat. 13.45.46 must needs be richest for he is the pearl of great price Christ is a pearl of that value that he can pay all thy debts and bear all thy charges Christ is excellent in Counsel Counsel is mine and sound wisdom Achitophel was the Counsellor of David but Christ is the Counsellor of Sion the Counsellor of his Jedediah's Isa 9.6 His name shall be called wonderful Counsellor Apollo was the Oracle of the Heathen but Christ is the Oracle of the Christian Is not that a Dialect becoming a Deity My counsel shall stand Isa 46.10 and I will do all my pleasure As Christ commands so he counsels Rev. 3.18 I counsel thee to buy of me But what Gold the most excellent and the most estimated of all Mettals Yea Gold tried in the fire not counterfeit but currant coin the graces of the Spirit And rayment the righteousness of Christ Yea white rayment white being a natural colour and beyond all artificial colour Christ is excellent in Comfort There is no solid spiritual and substantial comfort to the soul unless Christ be the Preacher and the Text too I even I Isa 51.12 am he that comforteth thee Not I or another but I and none other 'T is purely the voice of Christ that stilleth the voice of desperation Christ saith to a person whose soul is like a troubled Sea as Jethro did to Moses go in peace as Eli did to Hannah go in peace as Jonathan did to David go in peace as David did to Absalom go in peace as Elisha did to Naaman go in peace Thus Christ said to the Woman that had the plague Go in peace Mar. 5.34 and be whole of thy plague Luke 7.50 Thus Christ said to Mary Magdalen that City-sinner Thy faith hath saved thee go in peace And thus Christ said unto the woman that touched him Be of good comfort Luk. 8.48 thy faith hath made thee whole go in peace Christ is excellent in Conduct Christ is the Shepheard and he leadeth the Sheep That Christ is the Leader of the Church is evident Prov. 8.20 I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgment He leadeth in Summer and in Winter too in fair weather and in foul weather too in the streets of Sion