said of him in the Gospel and the Chains have been plucked asunder by him neither could any Man thus tame him He esteems as Iob saith of the Leviathan Iron as Straw and Brass as Rotten Wood It must be a Stronger than the Strong-Man that binds him and none Stronger but God the Father of Spirits The Devil lost indeed by his Fall much of his Power in relation to that Holy and Happy Estate in which he was Created but not his Natural Abilities He is an Angel still and hath an Angel's Power SECT III. Thirdly The Number of Devils adds to their Power What Lighter than the Sand yet Number makes it Weighty What Creature less than Lice yet what Plague greater to the Egyptians How Formidable then Devils be who are both for Nature so Mighty and for Number such a Multitude There are Devils enough to Beleague the whole Earth Not a Place under Heaven where Satan hath not his Troops Not a Person without some of these Cursed Spirits haunting and watching him where-ever he goes Yea for some special Service he can send a Legion to keep Garrison in one Single Person as Mark 5. And if so many can be spared to attend One to what a Number would the Muster-Role of Satan's whole Army amount if known And now tell me If we are not like to find our March difficult to Heaven if ever we mean to go thither that are to pass through the very Quarters of this Multitude who are scattered over the Face of the Earth When Armies are Disbanded and the Roads full of Debauch't Souldiers wandring up and down it 's dangerous Travelling we hear then of Murders and Robberies from all Quarters These Powers of Hell are that Party of Angels who for their Mutiny and Disobedience were cashier'd Heaven and thrust out of that Glorious Host and ever since they have straggled here Below endeavouring to do Mischief to the Children of Men especially them that Travel in Heaven-Road SECT IV. Fourthly Their Unity and Order makes their Number Formidable We cannot say there is Love among them that Heavenly Fire cannot live in a Devil's Bosom yet there is Unity and Order as to this They are all agreed in their Design against God and Man So their Unity and Consent is knit together by the Ligaments not of Love but of Hatred and Policy Hatred against God and his Children which they are filled with and Policy which tells them That if they agree not in their Design their Kingdom cannot stand And how true they are to this their Wicked Brother-hood our Saviour gives a fair Testimony when he saith Satan Fights not against Satan Did you ever hear of any Mutiny in the Devil's Army or That any of these Apostate Angels did freely yield up one Soul to Christ They are many and yet but one Spirit of Wickedness in them all My Name said the Devils not Our Name is Legion SECT V. Fifthly The Mighty Works that are Attributed to these Evil Spirits in Scripture declare their Power and these either respect the Elementary Sensible or Intellectual Part of the World The Elementary What dreadful Effects this Prince of the Power of the Air is able to produce on that see in the Word He cannot indeed make the least Breath of Air Drop of Water or Spark of Fire but he can if let loose as Reverend Mr. Caryl saith on Iob 1. go to God's Store-House and make use of these in such sort as no Man can stand before him He can hurle the Sea into such a Commotion that the Depths shall Boyl like a Pot and disturb the Air into Storms and Tempests as if Heaven and Earth would meet Iob's Children were Buried in the Ruins of their House by a Puff of his Mouth yea he can go to God's Magazine as the same Author saith and Let off the Great Ordinance of Heaven causing such dreadful Thunder and Lightning as shall not only Affright but do real Execution and that in a more dreadful Way than in the Ordinary Course of Nature If Man's Art can so sublimate Nature as we see in the Invention of Powder that hath such a strange Force much more able is he to draw forth its Power Again Over the Sensitive World his Power is Great not only the Beasts as in the Herd of Swine hurried by him into the Deep but over the Bodies of Men also as in Iob whose sore Biles were not the Breakings-out of a Distempered Nature but the Print of Satan's Fangs on his Flesh doing that suddenly which in Nature would have required more time to Gather and Ripen CHAP. VIII COntaining the Second Deduction SECT I. If it be so That such who are most Eminent and Renowned may Fall then this consequently follows Let him that Standeth take heed lest he Falls This is the same Exhortation that the Apostle makes use of in 1 Cor. 10. 12. Oh Christians Consider though now you are in your Beauty Vigour and Strength yet a Time may come wherein your Strength may be over-Match'd and Satan may be too Hard for you Peter was Confident that he should keep close to his Master in the Face of all Difficulties whatsoever but Satan was too hard for him Peter presumed upon his own Strength 'T is Just with God that he who trusts to Himself should be left to himself Self-Iealousie is very good Man is a Proud piece of Flesh He is apt to be highly opinionated of himself That which is my aim at this time is That Christians would deny all Supercilious Thoughts of themselves and not as Peter who denyed Christ for want of denying Himself Not as Pendleton who was Confident of himself and said This Fat of mine shall melt in the Fire for Christ. But instead of that his Courage melted Not as these Clouds of Witnesses who for some time were Glorious Professors and shined as Stars in the Church-Hemisphear yet have been Falling Stars Porphyry Iulian Cardinal Pool Gardiner Iudas Nay some Saints through God's with-drawing the Influence of his Spirit have for a time Relapsed As Cranmer and Origen whose Heart fainted in the Seventh Persecution and he Offered Incense to the Idol Who that knows the Fierceness of a Tryal or the Falseness of his Heart will not Fear The Trembling Reed oft stands when the Confident Cedar falls There are certain Helps which if observ'd I am confident will Antidote many that now Stands not to Fall SECT II. First Try thy self O Christian throughly afore-hand If we would Iudge our selves we should not be Iudged 1 Cor. 11. 3. Though I cannot say If we would Try our selves we should not be Tryed Yet this I can say If we would Try our selves we should be the more likely to abide the Tryal of the Lord. 'T is for want of this that many times we are shaken when the Winds of Temptation or Persecution blow a little upon us How is it with thee now O Christian in thy present Course Art thou
admittere potest Impius sibi hoe persuadere conatur aut sibi aliter tamen sentienti convicto satis imponere satagit Non esse Numen verum hoc ipsum nequit 2. Impius dicit in corde suo id est ita secum tacite loquutus est Impius Non est Deus vel Utinam non esset Deus In corde dicere nihil aliud significat quam tacite secum contendere quasi murmurando quippiam proferre Nisi enim ea Phrasis ita acciperetur non potuisset Esaui cogitatio si tantum cordis fuisset non oris citra peculiarem Revelationem Rebeccae innotuisse 3. Impius dicit in corde suo non est Deus id est Deus non est Objectum cogitatioâ—…um ejus neque circa Divina solicitus est prophanis â—…ntentus praesertim cum ita vivat ac si non esset Deus ac nullo sensu aut reverentia Numinis tangeretur Pauli Voeâ—…ii Theolog. Naturalis Reformata c. 2. * The Insivibility of God brought as an Argument by Satan against his Existence ‖ Deus est quicquid vides Deus est quicquid non vides †The Foundations of all Religion lie in Two things That there is a God who Rules the World and That the Souls of Men are capable of subsisting after Death So that if these things be not supposed as most agreeable to Human Reason we cannot imagine upon what Grounds Mankind should embrace any way of Religion at all For if there be not a God whom I am to serve if I have not a Soul of an Immortal Nature there can be no sufficient Obligation to Religion nor Motive inducing to it Doctor Prideaux in his Eighth Lecture De Salute Ethnicorum and Doctor Stillingfleet's Origines Sacrae Caput est primum Divinae legis ipsum Deum nosse Lactantius * The Trinity cavilled at and brought as an Argument by Satan to prove that God is not ‖ Esquire Leigh's Treatise of Divinity The Mystery of the Trinity after a sort shaddowed out by Four Resemblances See Bishop Usher his Body of Divinity A Person is a distinct Subsistence of the whole God-head Nam plura infinita esse nequeunt quia sic forent plura summa prima Aug. In this Mystery there is Alius Alius Another and Another but not Aliud Aliud Another thing and Another thing The Doctrine of the Trinity is That there are Three Persons in one and the same Substance Nature and Essence What a Person in this Sense is I have shewed you already God the Father is the First Person God the Son is the Second Person God the Holy Spirit is the Third Person All these are Co-equal Co-eternal and Co-essential for though they are Distinguished yet not in their Natures and Being but in their Names Orders and Actions And that there is a Unity in Trinity viz. Three Persons yet One in Substance Nature and Essence we must believe let Reason suggest what it will though thâ—… same may be illustrated by Reason as above because Scripture which is Infallible doth so declare 1. See the Old-Testament where the Trinity speaketh in the Plural Number And God said Let us make Man in our Image after our Likeness Gen. 1. 26. Isa. 6. 3. The Angels iâ—… respect of the Three Persons do cry three times Holy Holy Holy And so in the New-Testament this Doctrine is mighty clear as Matth. 3. 16 17. where the Father the First Person of the Trinity is Heard and Seen so that there is one The Holy Ghost in the Shape of a Dove is Seen and not Heard there is another And then Jesus Christ in his Assumed Nature is both Seen and Heard So that this is good Qui nescis Trinitatem ito ad Jordanem More-over we are Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Matth. 28. 19. Lastly the 2 Cor. 13. 14. The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you All. Those Scriptures may suffice to prove That there are Three Persons in the Divine Essence And now that these Three are One I prove from those two Places in Scripture The one is in the Old-Testament and the other is in the New Deut. 6. 4. Hearken O Israel the Lord our God is One Lord In the Hebrew thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah Elohenu Jehovah Echad It signifies thus much That the First Jehovah is God the Father the Second Word Elohenu our God is God the Son the Third Word Jehovah is God the Holy Ghost and the Fourth Word Echad that is One is to shew the Unity of Essence in the Plurality of Persons The Jews did own the Doctrine of the Trinity though now they deny it for their Antient Rabbies did prove the Trinity out of the Old-Testament and Rabbi Simeon the Son of Johai alledged this same afore-mentioned place for the Proof thereof And many other Passages might be taken out of the Writings of the Antient Rabbies to confirm this Truth but this is already performed by Galatinus in his Books De Arcanis Catholicae Veritatis The Place in the New-Testament is this which may serve for all 1 Joh. 5. 7. For there are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. To conclude Singula sunt in singulis omnia in singulis singula in Omnibus Unum omnia Aug. lib. 6. De Trin. Cap. ult O Deus est indivisè Unus in Trinitate inconfusè Trinus in Unitate Iustin. Who can saith Mr. Watson in his late Treatise of Self-Denyal with the Plum-line of Reason fathom the Trinity which is Puteus profundus a Deep Well * 'T is here to be noted That Satan labours to argue from the Wonderfulness of God's Attribute his Non-Existence or at leastwise that God is not so Wonderful as he is Revealed in Scripture to be and that you should not conceive of God aright †God is Truth it self and that he is Eternal is as True as himself Eternity is a Being without Limitation of Time Time is the Continuance of Things past present and to come All Time hath a Beginning a Vicissitude and an End or may have but God's Essence is bounded by none of these Hedges ‖ God's Immutability cavilled at * Christ's Incarnation cavilled at †Deus est Immutabilis mutans omnia nunquam novus nunquam vetus Aug. * Deus poenitere dicitur quando mutat factum Pet. Mar. †Deus mutat opera non mutat consilium Aug. Repentance in God is only to signify unto us his high Displeasure because when we Repent we are highly displeased at a thing ‖ Deus mutat sententiam sed non Decretum saith Profound Bradwardine in his Book De Causa Dei * God's Ubiquity cavilled at †Empedocles the Philosopher said well That God is a Circle whose Centre is every where ‖ Nusquam est Deus Ubique est
his entring Paradise that Day he Died with the Soul of his Converted Prodigal and of his Rising again in Body the Third Day being a certain Pledge of the Resurrection of thine hereafter and all this while gently rock thee in his tender Arms Shall his Angels stand waiting to convey thy departed Soul home with Songs of Tryumph And shall nothing of all this abate thy Fears silence thy Complaints and bring thee to a Chearful Submission Art thou still amazed and so affrighted as if so Gracious a Father and so Tender-hearted a Redeemer were but commanding thee to thy Hurt and treacherously alluring thee to thy Undoing as if he were about to Butcher thee and make thy Bed and Chamber the Sharnbles O wretched Unthankful Soul either mend this Behaviour or I will doubt whether thou ever hadst any Saving Knowledge of God or Iesus Christ For how canst thou be said either to know or love them when thou darest not trust them Fear not then my Soul but boldly throw thy self into his Arms who will certainly keep that safe which thou committest unto him I cannot omit also two or three Pregnant Lines which you may find in a Treatise of Famous Dreâ—…incourt that French Protestant Divine There are certain Pictures with two Faces the one Represents most ugly Features and the other Beautiful and Pleasant things This is the True Emblem of Death for it may be Painted with a fearful Face a Lean Body and Iron Hands that snatch from us our Goods and our Honours and that divide our Persons dragging our Bodies into a loathsom Sepulchre If we look upon Death in this manner we can do nothing less but Tremble and Fear But on the other Hand we may look upon it as a Powerful Deliverer that unlooseth all our Fetters breaks our Chains to pieces lifts up our Souls to the highest Glory and Happiness And if we consider this there is nothing more Lovely than Death and nothing more to be desired CHAP. VI. THus far touching Satan's Subtilty I shall now speak a little touching Satan's Malice As he is a Subtil Spirit so he is a Malicious Envious Spirit The several Names that Satan hath do declare how maliciously he is affected towards the Children of Men. 1. Satan because he Mortally hates Men. 2. Devil because he Slanderously accuseth them to God and Man Iob 1. â—…1 and 2. 5. Rev. 12. 8 9 10. 3. The Old Serpent for his Subtil Temptations 4. The Great Dragon for his Destroying of many Rev. 12. 8 9. Further-more The Malice of Satan appears by those Evil Offices which he performeth in Common against the Godly and the Wicked And they are either such as respect the Body and the things belonging thereunto or such as respect the Soul SECT I. Now the Devil many times for Man's Sin is permitted First To â—…urt the Creature that should serve â—…or our Comfort as the Air Sea â—…rees c. Rev. 7. 1 3. Secondly To â—…buse the Bodies both of Men and â—…easts for the effecting of his wickâ—…d Purposes Thirdly to delude the â—…enses making Men to believe things â—…o be such as they are not as he â—…id by Iannes and Iambres in Egypt â—…nd by the Witch of Endor Fourthly To Inflict Sickness and Evils upon the Bodies of Men and to Torment and Pain them as in Iob and the Egypâ—…ians Fifthly To strike some Dumb. Sixthly To Enter-into and really to Possess the Bodies of Men using them â—…n most fearful sort as Matth. 8. 16. and 12. 28. Seventhly To Inflict Death upon the Bodies both of Men and Beasts SECT II. The Devil many times for Man's Sin is permitted to hurt the Soul First By depriving some of the Use of their Reason by Frensie and Madness Secondly By troubling and tormenting some with Grief and Vexation of Soul Thirdly By Abusing some with Passions and Melancholy Fits as Saul 1 Sam. 16. 14. Fourthly By Seducing others 1 King 22. 21 22. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Fifthly By manifold and fearful Temptations to Siâ—… and Wickedness Sixthly By Prevailing in such Temptations Seventhly By Accusing before God those with whom they have so prevailed Eightly By Hind'ring Men from doing Good things CHAP. VII IN the Third place Satan is a Potent Enemy which appears from 1. His Names 2. His Nature 3. His Number 4. His Order and Unity 5. The Mighty Works that are Attributed to him SECT I. First Satan by reason of his Power Might and Strength hath Names which denotes the same unto us Hence it is that he is called The Strong Man Luk. 11. 21. The Prince of the Air Ephes. 2. 2. The God of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. All which Titles do shew that the Devil is a Potent Spirit and an Enemy not to be Contemned either by Godly or Ungodly Whence it is that we are all Commanded to Watch 1 Pet. 5. 8. SECT II. Secondly The Devil's Nature shews his Power 'T is Angelical Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in Strength Psal. 103. 20 Strength is put for Angels Psal. 78. 25. They did eat Angels Food Hebr. The Food of the Mighty In two things the Power of Angelical Nature will appear In its Superiority and in its Spirituality First Its Superiority Angels are the Top of the Creation Man himself made a little lower than the Angels Now in the Works of Creation the Superiour hath a Power over the Inferiour the Beasts over the Grass and Herb Man over the Beasts and Angels over Man Secondly The Spirituality of their Nature The Weakness of Man is from his Flesh His Soul made for great Enterprizes but weighed down with a Lump of Flesh is forced to Row with a Strength suitable to its weak Partner But now the Devils being Angels have no such Incumbrances no Fumes from a Fleshly Part to cloud their Understanding which is Clear and Piercing no Clog at their Heel to retard their Motion which for Swiftness is set out by the Wind and Flame of Fire Yea being Spiritual they cannot be Resisted with Carnal Force Fire and Sword hurt not them The Angel which appear'd to Manoah went up in the Fire that consumed the Sacrifice though such hath been the Dotage and is at this Day of Superstitious Ones that they think to Charm the Devil with their Carnal Exorcisms Hence the Romish Reliques Cross Holy-Water yea and among the Iews themselves in Corrupter Times who thought by their Philacteries and Circumcision to scare away the Devil which made some of them Expound that Cant. 3. 8. of Circumcision Every Man hath his Sword on his Thigh because of Fear in the Night By Sword on the Thigh they expound Circumcision which they will vainly have given as a Charm against Evil Spirits that affright them in the Night But Alas the Devil cares for none of these no not for an Ordinance of God when by Fleshly Confidence we make it a Spell He hath been often bound with these Fetters and Chains as it is
but an Almighty Power There is no Power below that Power which Rais'd Christ from the Dead and Made this World can Raise the Heart of a Man to Believe When God Made the World there was nothing to Oppose He had only then to do with Simple Nothing But when God comes to make the Heart Believe he finds Opposition and Rebellion It is a Miracle for a Man to Believe Nay What is Faith but a Mystery Secondly Faith is very useful to such that have it It s Usefulness appears in these Three Particulars First In Repelling Temptations Without Faith we cannot Resist so much as one Temptation Ephes. 6. 16. By Faith we can Resist Temptations by Faith we Bear Afflictions by Faith we Foil Corruptions by Faith we Endure Persecutions by Faith we Over-come the World and by Faith we Subdue Sin in its Conception and do even make Sinful Thoughts Abortive No Wrestling with the Devil no Entring the Lists with him but by having this Shield of Faith which is so exceeding Useful therein Secondly Faith is Useful in an Art of Spiritual Extraction that it hath Faith can Extract Good out of Evil. An Unbeliever can see nothing in Affliction but a Lump of pining Grief and Sorrow But a Believer knows that there is a Blessing in it The Sharpness of it may let out his Corruption the Suddenness of it may Alarum his Spiritual Watch and the Bitterness of it may Wean him from the Breast of the Creature Faith explains that Paradox Can a Man gather Grapes of Thornes or Figs of Thistles Yea out of Tryals and Persecutions Faith can Extract Ioy and Peace Thirdly Faith is Useful in that it hath a Mighty and Universal Influence upon all our other Graces The Spirit of God indeed doth infuse all the Seeds and Habits of Grace But Faith is the Fountain of all the Acts of Grace It is as the Spring in the Watch that moves the Wheels and sets them all a-going How doth Love work but by Faith and How doth Humility work but by Faith and How doth Patience work but by Faith SECT V. Secondly Cherish Faith This is as I have told you the Cardinal Grace For the Sake of God and for the sake of your Soul Water this Root Now there are Two Ranks and Degrees of Persons that I shall take occasion to speak unto 1. Such who have Faith in a Great Measure 2. Such who have Faith in a Little Measure First Such who have Faith in a Great Measure And that which I have to say unto you is Grow Though you have a great deal of Faith yet you have need of more and it is possible for you to have more For God hath allotted unto every Believer such a Degree of Grace unto which he must attain before he is to be taken up in Glory The more Strong you are the more Formidable you shall be to the Devil Sirs Dream not of a Perfection in this Life Though you have much Faith yet you have need of more and therefore go Forward because not to go Forward is to go Backward Could the Heathen-Painter be so intent and industrious upon his Trade of Painting that he could say Nulla Dies sine lineâ Not a Day without a Line and all that he might Excel in that Art and Shall not Christians be more intent upon in their Attendance to the Work of Grace in their Souls Several Motives I shall lay down that you may thereby be excited to Growth Motive I. First God calls for it And shall we deny it 1 Thes. 4. 1. Further-more Then we beseech you Brethren and Exhort you by the Lord Jesus That as ye have Received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so you would abound more and more The Winds and Seas Obey God Shall We be Rebels Let us rather give an Answer like the Eccho Lord we will Grow Do thou Bless thy Word and Sacraments to us Purge us Cleanse us Water us Manure us make us Capable of Growth and let us Dayly Grow in every Grace and never give over till our Dying Day Say Lord make us every Day Better and Best of all at last Motive II. Secondly God is Honoured by our Growth A High-grown Faith Glorifies God The Husband-man is Honoured when his Field and Orchard is Fruitful Let God be Honoured by our Fruites of Piety Charity Righteousness Patience and Obedience that Men may say It is a Good God and a Good Gospel that hath wrought on this People Motive III. Thirdly God gives his Word and Ministers and Sacraments for this End All our Preachers call for Growth Let not God say I have given them the Great Things of my Law but they esteemed them as a Vain Thing Let not the Preachers say We have Laboured in vain and have been beating the Air and Plowing upon the Sea-Shore Motive IV. Fourthly If you Grow not you will Perish by the Hands of Satan that is The Devil will get the Advantage of you The Tree that Grows not must be Hewn down and cast into the Fire And is it not better to be Flourishing than Perishing If we take not pains to grow Better we must suffer Pains for being Worser Motive V. Fifthly The Truth of your Faith appears by the Growth of it Faith may be Little but if it be True it will not alwayes be Little Those that are of God's own Planting are Flourishing in their Old Age. If you begin in Hypocrisie you will end in Apostacy A sound Young Convert proves an Old Disciple O let it not be said Ye did Run well You had Good Affections You were once Zealous Let your Soundness appear by your Growth and Perseverance Motive VI. Sixthly A Growing Christian hath most Comfort There is Ioy in Knowledge The more Knowledge the more Comfort Let him that Glorieth Glory in this That he knoweth Me Jer. 9. 23. There is Joy in Believing Rom. 15. 13. The more Faith the more Ioy. The Growing Christian gets the strongest Evidences of God's Favour of God's Spirit working in him His Acts of Growth and Fruites of Obedience are Seeds of Ioy and the Ground-work of Consolation Motive VII Seventhly The Growing Christian wins Others Those which Decline do make as if there were not that Power in God's Ordinances that Sweetness in the Promises as was expected As if a Godly Life had not the Contentments nor God's Rewards were so Sure nor his Wayes so Happy as Men take them to be And therefore they give over But he that Grows Better and Better and holds on notwithstanding Opposing Heresies Schisms Reproaches and Pleasant Baits and Sweet Allurements He proclaims Vanity in the Creature Satisfaction in God Power in his Word Amiableness in Grace He brings Credit on God's Family Honour to the Truth Others see something in him which is Supernatural They desire to be like him They are Almost yea sometimes Altogether perswaded to become Professors They are drawn to Taste of God's Goodness to
Now Who can Speed better in this Suit than God's own Son Iesus Christ is the Son of God Two manner of wayes 1. By Eternal Generation according to his Godhead Psal. 2. 7. 2. By Grace of Personal Union according to his Manhood Luk. 1. 35. If You who are Earthly Parents can find in your Hearts to Give unto your Children when they Ask How much more then shall God Give unto us his Heavenly Children when we Ask of him But I shall ascend higher If God our Heavenly Father can Give unto us his Adopted Children his Children that are only made so How much more will God Give unto Iesuâ—… Christ his Son by Nature and Generation If we the Children by Grace can prevail so much with God the Father How much more then his Soâ—… by Generation betwixt whom there iâ—… an Unity not only of Nature but Wiâ—… also Ioh. 10. 32. More-over see whaâ—… God himself says to Christ Psal. 2. 8. Ask of me and I will Give thee SECT IV. Secondly If we consider the Intercession it self 1. In its Nature 2. In its Perpetuity First In its Nature which is a Presenting his Person Sufferings and Merits unto his Father for what he desires Father sayes Iesus Christ let such a Soul Persevere Why so may the Father Reply Because sayes Christ I Suffered to this end So that God the Father according to his Iustice which is Unspotted sayes to his Son Be 〈◊〉 unto thee as thou wilt So that Matter of our Saviours Request is but Just and Reasonable What Christ desires is not desired Gratis upon Terms unbecoming the Holiness and â—…ighteousness of God to grant Iesus Christ can Plead Merit in his Prayers â—…inally God the Father is under a Coâ—…enant Tye and Bond to do what he â—…ks For he Promised us to Christ on Condition of his Dying for us 〈◊〉 be his and Ruled by Him as he pleased Where-upon Christ Accepted and a Body was Prepared for him and so he became Obedient unto Death even unto the Death of the Cross. So that this Number for whom Christ Dyed is really his according to the Faederal Transaction between the Father and Him Accordingly also the Mercies that Christ Intercedes for are as due to him as the Hire of the Labour is when the Work is Faithfully done Secondly Let us consider our Saviours Intercession in the Perpetuity oâ—… it He ever Liveth to make Intercessioâ—… for us Heb. 7. 25. Our Names are alwayes upon thâ—… Heart and Shoulders of this our Greaâ—… High-Priest before God Christ's Intercession is Importunate and Perpetual From hence we may draw saitâ—… Mr. Flavel abundant Encouragemenâ—… against all Heart-Straitnings and Dead ness of Spirit in Prayer Thou complainest thy Heart is Dead Wandring and Contracted in Duty 〈◊〉 but remember Christ's Blood speaks when thou canst not Though the Vigour of thy Affections may sometimes Decay in Duty yet know then even then Christ maketh Intercession When thy Prayer is done Christ's Prayer is still going on His Praying is a Praying without ceasing Yea he Incessantly Prays for us Christ is a Mediator for Ever and his Intercession is a Daily Intercession It is the Business of Christ now in Heaven to Intercede for us Behold Christ Intercedes for you in Heaven And therefore question not the Duration of your Faith Many things here occur that hinder the Permanency and the Potency of our Prayers But Christ in Heaven meets with nothing that interrupts his Praying to and Interceding with the Father on our Behalf Christ Iesus is now in the Exaltation of his Prophetical Sacerdotal and Regal Office and therefore what he Wills is Granted He Christ ever Liveth to make Intercession for us SECT V. Thirdly If we consider the Persons for whom Intercession is made being such whom God the Father has a Kindness for Did Iesus Christ indeed Intercede for such that the Father was no Well-wisher unto it were something But now these for whom Christ Intercedes are the Friends of God and the Children of God and the Brethren of Christ Therefore these must Persevere Iesus Christ Prayes not for the World which is Enmity to God but for a Select Number whom God the Father has determined to bring to Everlasting Life through this Prevalent and Successful Intercessor in Heaven SECT VI. Having Finished the Doctrinal Part viz. Christ's Intercession which is an Act of his Priestly Office is on Grounds of a Believers Perseverance in Faith I shall only Answer this Inquiry that may be made about the Intercession of Christ. But why doth Christ Pray now seeing he is in Heaven and can do all Things Answ. 1. Christ could do all Things when he was upon Earth and yet he Prayed 2. Christ Prayeth now in Heaven because as Man he Rejoyceth both to be Subject unto God and to Acknowledge him as the Greater and the Author of all Good As Christ is Man he ought not to omit those Things which are proper to Men viz. Prayer SECT VII For-as-much as I have only been admitted to make use but of one Argument for the Asserting of Believers Perseverance viz. Christ's Intercession which the Doctrine only contained I shall therefore furnish you only with some Scriptures that may Evince this Truth now in the Close For loath I am to leave such a Comfortable Doctrine as this is Dark Although what has been said already about it might suffice yet in regard that the Holy Scriptures do abound with Arguments for it I shall just touch upon them and that shall be all CHAP. XIX Containing Eleven Arguments from Scripture for Believers Perseverance with the Iudgement of the Learned Antient and Modern about it SECT I. Arg. 1. First The Father in his Election is Insallible Matth. 24. 24. For there shall arise False Christs and False Prophets and shall shew great Signs and Wonders Insomuch that if it were possible they shall Deceive the very Elect. Those whom God hath Determined to be Saved shall be Saved let the Power of Devils Power of Corruptions and Power of this World work joyntly together against the Children of God The Elect cannot be Deceived There is an Impossibile in the Case Rom. 8. also and vers 30. More-over whom he did Predestinate them he also Called and whom he called them he also Iustified and whom he Iustified them he also Glorified 2 Tim. 2. 19. Neverthess the Foundation standeth Sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth them that are his Arg. 2. Secondly The Son in his Redemption shall not be frustrated Heb. 2. 14. Isa. 42. 7. Rev. 3. 7. Matth. 1. 11. Tit. 2. 14. Certainly Christ Dyed to some purpose He would not have Deserted his Father's Bosom and Palace for nought Arg. 3. Thirdly The Spirit in Application of the Benefits of Christ's Passion is Irresistible and Unchangeable Zach. 36. 25 26 27 28 29. Isa. 11. 6. Luk. 3. 5. SECT II. Arg. 4. Fourthly The Regeneration of God's People is Perpetual 1 Pet. 1. 2 3. 1 Ioh. 3.
Endures to the End shall be Saved Be Faithful to the Death and c. But he that hath Ordained we shall be Saved hath Ordained our Perseverance as a Mean to this Salvation and hath appointed these sharp Advices as the Means and Motives of our Perseverance So as he that shall be Saved shall also Endure to the End Because no Man shall pluck them out of my Hand saith Christ. How evidently doth the Spirit of God proclaim our Certainty against these Doubt-Mongers Every where is he as full of Assurance as these Men of Dis-comfort He that is Born of God sinneth not neither can sin because he is Born of God and the Seed of God remains in him What an Invincible and Irrefragable Consolation is this The Seed of Life is Sown in the Hearts of the Elect â—…ho they could be Dead to themselves yet to God they cannot And what a Supposition is that of Christ That if it were possible the very Elect should be Deceived Desponsabo te mihi in perpetuum and a Thousand of this Strain which your Exercise in those Holy Leaves hath I doubt not abundantly furnisht you withal Hold fast then my Dear Friend this Sure Anchor of our Undeceivable Hope And Spit in the Face of Men or Devils that shall go about to slacken your Hand Let thesâ—… Vain Spirits sing Despair to themselves For us We know whom wâ—… have Believed Thus hath my Pen run it seâ—… out of Breath in this so Important a Demand and much ado have 〈◊〉 had to Restrain it Neither woulâ—… I give you one Hour's Intermissioâ—… to my Answer which I knowâ—… your Love cannot but accept all that which comes from an Heart Zealous both of God and You. I shall now add the Testimony of Another who speaking of a Believers Perseverance the Grounds of it tells us thus There are some Grounds on Goâ—… the Father's Part viz. His Everlasting Love and All-sufficienâ—… Power 2. There are Grounds oâ—… Christ's Part His Everlasting Merit and Close Union between hiâ—… and us and Constant Intercessionâ—… 3. On the Spirits Part there is 〈◊〉 Continual Influence so a to maintain the Essence and Seed of Grace c. Another also sayes this Are you in Christ Iesus Here 's Comfort as to your Perseverance Stability and Fixedness in the State of Grace Another also sayes speaking of Believers Union with Christ Here we may consider the Main Foundation and Reason of the Saints Perseverance CHAP. XX. Containing a Use of Information anâ—… Reprehension SECT I. Use 1. Of Information IS it so then That the Faith of Elect Believers is so Secure by Vertue of Christ's Intercession as that iâ—… shall never Totally and Finally fail leâ—… the Devil strike never so hard or ofteâ—… at it Then hence may be infer'd thâ—… Excellency of the Gospel above thaâ—… of the Law of the Second Adam above that of the First of the Evangelical Righteousness above that of thâ—… Legal Sirs Adam was created Perfect but he could not keep himselâ—… so for being left in that State to the Freedom of his own Will he sooâ—… fell But we that are under the Gospel-Dispensation are not left to the Freedom of our own Will Here 's our Excellency Here 's our Happiness and Here 's our Unspeakable Priviledge That if once we can but get into Christ we need not fear a Final Apostacy I do not disswade from the Duty of Fear but from the Sin of Fear 'T is not here in and out in to Day and out to Morrow But 't is Once in Christ and Ever in Christ Once a Believer and ever a Believer â—…ve hath Thrown us down but Christ hath Rais'd us up Eve's Tree â—…f Knowledge of Good and Evil hath Thrown us down but Christ the Tree of Life hath Rais'd us up St. Gregory is no afraid to say O â—…ppy happy happy Man was Adam â—…hat ever he so Sin'd and Transgress'd â—…cause by this Means both He and We â—…ve found such Plentiful Redemption â—…ch Inestimable Mercy such Superâ—…undant Grace such Felicity such Eternity and such Life by Christ's Death As the Death of the Lion was Sampson's Sustenance so Christ's â—…all is our Honey and the Bitter Death of Christ on the Cross is the Sweet Life of Man and the Basis of 〈◊〉 Believer's Perseverance SECT II. Use 2. Of Reproof and Terrour Secondly If this be so Then this strikes Terrour to the Devils and Reproof to such who-ever they be that do Oppose this Soul-Chearing Doctrine Terrour unto the Devils in that they may strike hard and again and again yet the Faith oâ—… Elect Believers shall not Fail Reproâ—… unto such who are not ashamed to say That God may Crown a Man one Day and Un-crown him the next Such who blush not to say That a Man may be Happy and Miserable under Love and under Wrath an Heir of Heaven and a Fire-brand of Hell a Child of Light and a Child of Darkness and all in an Hour's time What Miserable Comforters are these And What Soul-disquieting unsettling and distracting Doctrine is this CHAP. XXI Containing a Use of Caution Comfort and Counsel SECT I. Use 3. Of Caution THirdly By way of Caution Take heed of Presuming in saying 〈◊〉 thy self Thou art Secure and therefore mayest do as thou lists Let not this Doctrine open a Gap to â—…iousness and puff you up with Pride Such that take this to be the Scope of this Doctrine do much mistake it This is just as if a Man should say I am now in the Bosom of Grace but I would be cast down into Hell Who would argue thus 'T is the Devil's Divinity and just as if a Man should say Because God hath decreed how long I shall Live Job 14. 5. therefore I will not eat Bread but live in the Neglect of all Means that preserve Life We must remember this That God hath joyned the End and the Means together 2 Thess. 2. 13 But we are bound to give Thanks alwayes to God for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the Beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth Though your Time here below is an Appointed Time yet you must carefully avoyd Poison and Eat and Drink and use Physick to Preserve your Life We do not say saith Dr. Manton That a Believer is so sure of his Conservation in a State of Grace as that he needeth not to be wary and jealous of himself 1 Cor. 10. 20. Let him that Standerh take heed lest he Fall There is a Fear of Caution as well as a Fear of Diffidence and Distrust And there is a great deal of Difference between weakning the Security of the Flesh and our Confidence in Christ. None more apt to suspect themselves than they that are most sure in God lest by Improvidence and Unwatchfulness they should yield to Corruption Christ has Prayed That Peter's Faith might not fail yet he