would People but consider this Mercy and Goodness Bounty and Compassion would Flourish more than they do There would not be I say so many Cubboards Empty Purses Moneyless and Wounds not Cured or Bound up Motive 2. Secondly Consider That the Eyes of God of Christ of Angels of Devils of Sinners of Saints of Good and Bad are alwayes upon you Therefore let this Motive above all the rest be as a Spur to all Vertue and a Whet Stone to all Duty God takes Notice of all thy Actions Thy Tears in Secret he Bottles up thy Prayers in Secret he Registers and what thou givest to Pious Uses he writes down in thy Memorandum Book The Good Angels and Saints Honour thee for this The Devil and his Children see hereby thy Faithfulness to God-ward and thy Goodness to Man-ward Motive 3. Thirdly I know not of a Better than this whereby to induce you unto a Publick Spirit viz. You shall have your Reward If there be Degrees of Torments in Hell then doubtless there are Degrees of â—…lory in Heaven And whose Glory shall be Multiplied but such that have done most Good when they were on Earth All the Seeds of Liberality that you Sow on Earth shall turn to a Fruitful Crop in Heaven You shall be paid with Overplus For a VVedg of Gold which you have parted with you shall have a VVeight of Glory For a Cup of Cold Water you shall have Rivers of Pleasure The End of the Salve for Soul-Sores together with the Duty of Such whom God has dealt Bountifully with FINIS SEVERAL SERMONS Preached upon Sacramental OCCASIONS By THOMAS POWEL Minister of the GOSPEL LONDON Printed by T. Milbourn for Benjamin Harris at the Stationers-Arms in Sweetings-Rents near the Royal-Exchange in Cornhil 1679. SERMON I. PSAL. 42. Vers. 1. As the Hart Panteth after the Water-Brooks so Panteth my Soul after Thee O God Introduction THE Author of this Psalm was David is Concluded on all Hands as well as other Psalms of the like Nature which have not his Inscription upon them Penned by him at some sad Time and in some sad Condition viz. His Exilement from Home and the House of God upon the Occasion of Saul's Persecution who Pursued him from Place to Place and followed him as a Patridge upon the Mountains as himself Expresses it 1 Sam. 26. 20. In the VVords of my Text the Prophet David intimateth his Ardent Affections towards God Illustrating the same by a Similitude of the Hart towards the Rivers of Water Wherein as in all other Similitudes besides there are Two Parts considerable The Proposition and the Reddition The Proposition we have in these VVords As the Hart Panteth after the Water-Brooks Now there is a Double Thirst in the Hart after the Water-Brooks The One is Natural arising from its Temper and Constitution and the Other is Occasional proceeding from the Different Case and Condition in which it is And even so it is in a Christian. The Reddition we have in these VVords My Soul Panteth c. In the Hebrew it is Brayeth More-over The Strength of the Psalmist's Desire is Exprest by another VVord in the Verse following the Text THIRSTETH We have here Represented by David the true Temper Frame and Character of a Christian Soul VVhat David sayes of Himself for his own Particular is true of all Believers in General The Doctrine from the VVords is this Doctrine The Soul of a Christian vehemently desires God In the Opening and Prosecution whereof Three Things will fall under our Consideration 1. The Object of a Christian's Desire and that is God 2. The Subject of a Christian's Desire and that is the Soul 3. The Exercise or Activity of a Christian's Desire and that is Pantâ—…h after First The Object of a Christian's Desire and that is God Himself Thee O God Other Texts of Scripture there are that fully declares this Psal. 84. 2. 86. 4. A Christian's Desire is 1. After God Chiefly 2. After God Simply First A Christian's Desire is after God Chiefly The Main and Principal Thing that he desires is God An Interest in God Union and Communion with ‖ God A Circle cannot fill a Triangle The whole World cannot fill the Heart of Man Nothing but God can satisfy the Desire of a Christian. God only is the Proper and most Adequate Object of it Nothing but the Water-Brooks can Satisfy the Thirsty Hart Nothing but Enjoyment and Fruition of God can Refresh the Gracious Soul whaâ—…ever comes short of this is Condeâ—…ned Whom have I in Heaven but Thee and there is none upon Earth that 〈◊〉 desire besides Thee Psal. 73. 25. These two Places Heaven and Earth do take in the whole Compass and Latitude of Things Desirable but Nothing in any of them less than God will content a Christian God chiefly Nothing but God and only God doth the Gracious Soul desire Nothing but God in the Ordinances and Nothing but God in the Creatures First Nothing but God in the Ordinances as Prayer Hearing and Receiving First T is God in Prayer that the Gracious Soul only desires He reckons Prayer not Prayer unless he meâ—…ts with God Therefore he Prayes that he might Converse with God Speak to God and Rest in God Vision of God Communion with God and Supplies from God is the End of Prayer No Climbing up to Heaven but by this Iacob's Ladder Secondly T is God in lest God in Judgment should say Sleep on If a Judg give a Charge all Listen if a King Speaks all give Attention When Samuel knew it was the Lord that spake to him he lent an Ear 2 Sam. 3. 5. Speak Lord thy Servant Heareth If God does not Speak to a Soul in a Sermon it Profiteth nothing God must come down in and by the Word upon a Sinner or else the Word will be only as Seed upon Thorny and Stony Ground But if God goes along Powerfully with the Word then it is Effectual even unto the Salvation of the Soul Thirdly 'T is God at a Sacrament that the Gracious Soul only desires He comes not to a Sacrament to Feed upon Bread only but to Feed upon God in Christ. If God be Absent at such a Time his Stomach is lost and he cannot Eat because the Founder of the Feast is not there to Invite and Help him God's Presence is the Heaven of Heaven's and every Ordinance of Divine Institution is a Heaven to the Soul because of the Enjoyment of God in and thereby Therefore God and Christ is the Sweetness of an Ordinance Finally All the Ordinances without God and Christ are but Dead and Lifeless Things very Shadows Secondly Nothing but God in the Creatures satisfies a Gracious Heart God Sweetens a Husband a Wife a Child God in these it is that makes a Believer in Love with them All Outward Comforts are but Skin and Shell without Enjoyment of God All Things to a Christian without God is Nothing
Practical Improvement Which 〈◊〉 much Respect are Presented unto you as well as unto my Former Friend whom I have known longer than youâ—… Worthy Self and by whom undâ—… God I was Preserved for an Objecâ—… of your Kindness and at last to bâ—… Related unto you in the Bond of Affinity Being verily perswaded thâ—… you as well as him will Pardon the many Faults and Consent unto the manâ—… Blessed Truths contained herein which may suit Christians of all Ranks Fathers and Strong Men as well as Babes and Children And so you wil further Oblige From my Study in Bartholomew-Close London Febr. 22. 1678 9. SIR Your most Affectionate Kinsman and Servant Thomas Powel A SANCTUARY FOR THE TEMPTED BEING A Discourse on Christ's Friendly Admonition to PETER Wherein the Fall and Rising of Peter is at large considered The Craft Potency and Malice of Satan that Arch-Enemy of our Salvation discovered His various Wiles Stratagems and Machinations invalidated Several choice and excellent Gospel-Truths handled and cleared from the Calumnies and Objections of Gainsayers Here is also Milk for the Weak Meat for the Strong Musick for the Melancholly and Wine for the Wounded Here the Tempted may be succour'd the Oppressed relieved the Mourner comforted and the Wanderer directed Delivered in sundry Sermons at first and now Published for the Benefit of God's Church in general To which is added Four Sermons Preach'd upon Sacramental Occasions By Thomas Powel Preacher of the Gospel and One whom Satan hath Winnowed London Printed by T. M. for B. Harris at the Stationers-Arms in Sweetings-Rents near the Royal-Exchange in Cornhil 1678. A Sanctuary for the Tempted BEING 〈◊〉 Discourse on Christ's Friendly Admonition to Peter Luk. 22. 31 32. And the Lord said Simon Simon Behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not and when thou art Converted strengthen thy Brethren A Porch or Entrance into the Words together with the Propositions resulting there-from MAN'S Life saith St. Iames is a Vapour but a Christian's Life saith St. Paul is a Warfare We are no sooner born Christians but we Enter our selves Souldiers and fight we must against the Devil the World and our own Selves There is not one Saint buâ—… what has experienced more or leâ—… the Tempations of Satan the Flatterâ—… of this World and the Deceitfulneâ—… of their own Hearts David must bâ—… dejected Paul must be buffetted anâ—… Peter winnowed and all before theâ—… go hence and be seen no more Thâ—… latter of which Renowned Worthieâ—… scil Peter is Him whom our Saviouâ—… in the Text call'd Simon Simonâ—… Putting him in mind of three thingsâ—… First Of his Fall to humble himâ—… Secondly Of his Rising to comforâ—… him Thirdly Of his Duty to quicken him to Christ. First Peter iâ—… put in mind of his Fall in thesâ—… Words And the Lord said Simon Simonâ—… Behold Satan hath desired to have yoâ—… that he may sift you as Wheat Wherein you may for Explication'â—… sake observe 1. The Person speaking 2. The Person spoken to 3. The Matter spoken of First The Person speaking who is described by his Title Lord And the Lorâ—… said The Lord Who is this Lord I answer He is Iesus Christ who is stiled Lord not only here but elsewhere He is frequently in Scripture called The Lord our Righteousness and The Lord our Saviour So that this Lord who speaks unto Peter is Iesus Christ the Eternal Son of God And the Lord said Secondly The Person spoken to in these Words Simon Simon His Name is repeated twice a Figure that we call an Epizeuxis which notes unto us the Singular Affection and Good Will of the Mind Simon Simon signifies thus much Mi Charissime Simon My most dear Simon This Ingemination and Doubling of his Name is to stir him up to a serious Attention But doth our Saviour speak only unto Peter I Answer He speaketh unto All though Peter's Name is only instanc'd the reason whereof is thought to be this Our Saviour by speaking unto Peter doth also admonish the rest of the Disciples being such as were to be tryed sifted and winnowed as well as Peter But Peter's Fall according to our Saviour's Prediction was to be more than ordinary in regard that his Self-Confidence was more than ordinary Therefore our Saviour speaks particularly unto him he being particularly and specially eyed in the Prediction Thirdly The Matter spoken of and that is Peter's Fall which our Saviour sets forth by a Metaphorical Speech Behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat Or the Words may be read thus Behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat or to sift you as Wheat The Word Behold is variously accepted Here it is to be taken as a Note of Attention to a Matter of great Importance Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat That is Satan hath asked Leave of God to try sift and winnow â—…hee O Peter even as Wheat which â—…s shaken up and down in the Sun â—…carce ever lying still Here is the Malice of Satan principally aiming â—…t the Ruin of the Best He passeth â—…y Wicked Men as his own Slaves â—…nd Vassals of whom he is already â—…ure He is ambitious to cast them â—…own whom he seeth standing Secondly Peter is put in mind of his Rising to comfort him And this is done by our Saviour's giving â—…ut the Promise of Perseverance as a present Comfort unto him upon this sudden sad News and as a future Comfort unto him whensoever it should be with him as it was Predicted But I have Prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Or Be wholly Eclipsed as it is in the Original Thirdly Peter is put in mind of his Duty to quicken him unto Christ. When thou art Converted strengthen thy Brethren That is When thou returnest again For we must note That Peter was Converted from the state of Sin before but now from a particular Fall Strengthen thy Brethren That is Confirm all the Faithful Piscator upon these Words Strengthen or Confirm thy Brethren Paraphraseth thus That Peter ought by his Example to comfort the Weak in grief and those that fear lest the Magnitude and Multitude of their Sins should hinder their obtaining Remission of God For as Peter fell foully in that he denyed his Lord and Master yet by flying to Repentance and the Grace of God in Christ had his Sins remitted so they that have fallen foully with Peter may by flying to Repentance and the Grace of God in Christ find the same Mercy as Peter did From the Words thus opened result these five Propositions Propos. 1. That no Christian is so Eminent but at some time or other may be remarkably foil'd by Satan See this made good in Peter the Basis and Foundation of the Proposition Was Peter an ordinary Christian a weak Believer a small Instrument in
them My Eye saith Ieremy the Prophet affects my Heart Some read it thus My Eye hath Sacked or Rifled my Soul How Genuine that Reading is I stand not on only this A Careless Eye may quickly make a Graceless Soul The same might be said for another of our Ports viz. our Hearing It is a double Wicket and hath a double Lock Not that we should be ready to Hear Much but Well Generally we account Hearing the Sense of Discipline and so it is either of Good or Evil But Naturally more open to Syren's Songs than to Heavenly Ditties to Ziba's Slanders Doeg's Informations to Flatteries to Evil Counsels Speeches Seductions rather than to the Precepts and Afflictions and Reproofs of God And therefore not without Cause doth Christ double the Guard at this Port Take heed what you Hear and Take heed how you Hear He Watcheth well at this who delights to Hear the Voice of Christ and to follow it Thirdly The Out-works to be Watched The Out-works are our Conversations These Works of ours are that Part of our Camp which faces towards the World the Eyes of Men. There are some Internal Operations of the Soul as the Thoughts and Desires c. which only God can see and our own Consciences And there are other Operations as Words and Actions which are External which all the World may see And according to the Difference of our Relation to God and Condition of Place with Men they are more or less Conspicuous or Observable Christ gives this general Advice Let your Light he meaneth principally that Light of Life so shine amongst Men that they may see your Good VVorks and Glorify your Father Answerable to it is St. Pauls Admonition to the Philippians Let your Conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Men judge of our Inward Temper by our Outward Pulse Not what we are but what we do is the Object of their Eye and the Copy of their Imitation I will say no more of this but let your Conversations be as straight a Line as may be still drawn by the Rule As Fair a Letter as may be still written without Just Rebuke or Spot As even a Ballance as may be hanging without Fraud and Injustice As Fruitful a Grape as may be dropping out into all the Good Works of Piety and Charity And as Sober a March as may be without Vain Excesses and Boisterous Luxuriousness And thus you have heard touching Christian VVatchfulness and Vigilancy what it is they are to VVatch and how they must VVatch it SECT IV. Secondly Adventure not upon Occasions of Sin lest thereby you Tempt the Devil to Tempt you It is our Wisdom as we would shun Sin to avoid all Occasions of all Sins what-so-ever Stand therefore at a great Distance from Satan Take heed of Nibling and Playing with the Devil's Golden-Bait lest the Hook catches you Go not near the House of the Harlot but Fly from all Appearance of Evil 1 Thes. 5. 22. The best Course to prevent Falling into the Pit is to keep at the greatest Distance Such that do adventure to Dance upon the Brink of the Pit may by the Just Judgement of God fall into the Pit Would you not be Infected by the Plague Come not near those Houses then in which the Plague is Would you avoid a Snare Come not near the Snare then SECT V. Thirdly Delight not so much as in One Sin Reserve not One Beloved Lust Cherish not One Dalilah upon the Lap of thy Soul for if thou dost it will break thy Peace and give thee as Sampson into the Hands of the Philistines One Sin is enough to entice the Devil to entice thee One Flaw in a Diamond takes away the Lustre and Price One Puddle if we wallow in it will Defile us One Turn may bring a Man quite out of the VVay One Hole in a Ship will Sink her One Dram of Poison may poison a Man One Stab at the Heart may kill So One Sin Allowed Retained Cherrished and Practised will certainly undo a Man Satan can hold a Man sast enough by One Sin that he allows and Lives in as the Fowler can hold the Bird fast enough by One Wing or by one Claw One Sin is enough to make the Devil run after you One Sin I say is enough to make the Devil adventure upon you it is enough to Encourage him in Assailing you For Sins are the Devil's In-mates and if you give way to them they will make way for him Say therefore unto all your Sins as Ephraim to his Idols Get ye hence I have no more to do with you Cast them out and shut the Doors against them and if they make Signes for Admittance give them none at all But say to them I know you not than God to say to you I know you not Finally Be not like Herod who though he heard Iohn the Baptist yet Respecting and taking Delight in Herodias he was spoyl'd SECT VI. Fourthly Hide with David the VVord of God in thy Heart Psal. 119. v. 11. Thy Word have I hid in mine Heart that I might not sin against thee I have hid it as a Treasure that I might not lose it and as a Rule that I might not Sin against thee No VVeapons but Spiritual VVeapons will be Useful and Serviceable in Fighting and Combating with the Devil The VVeapons of your VVarfare are not Carnal but Mighty through God to the casting down of Strong Holds Now the VVord of God is one of these Spiritual VVeapons viz. The Sword of the Spirit And there is no Sword but the Two-Edged-Sword of the Spirit that will be found to be Metal of Proof when a Soul comes to Fight with the Devil 'T is not a Spitting at Satan's Name nor Crossing your Selves nor Leaning to your own Resolutions that will get you the Victory 'T was not David's Sling nor Stone that gave him the Honour and Advantage of setting his Feet upon Goliah but his Faith In the Name of the Lord of Host. The VVord of God Read Heard and Meditated is a Sovereign Remedy against the Devil's Temptations The VVord that Sword well handled in its Preceptive Promissive and Threatning Part will send the Devil packing A few big Words of our own will not make this Mighty and Crafty Foe to fly the Field It must be done by the Word which is mighty through God Learn of Christ saith Luther to have our Bible at command and Satan will not dare to stay For all the Devils in Hell cannot stand before the Breath of the Lords Nostrils But for thy Instruction in managing of this Spiritual Weapon and that thou may'st not err or be mistaken I shall Transcribe a Pregnant Line out of Mr. Capel in his Book of Temptation viz. I speak not as though we were to turn the Text of Scripture into a Charm as though to repeat a Place by Rote and in a heartless manner would prove a Bug-Bear
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
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
Wait at the Gates of Wisdom to Read the Bible to Pray to make Conscience of their Wayes by the constant Example of the Holy Humble Diligent Conscionable Growing Christian. These are the Words to them that have Faith in a Great Measure They must not be at a Stand but Grow SECT VI. I shall now direct my Speech to Such that have Faith but it is only in a Little Measure First Be Thankful for what thou hast and that is the way to get more He that is most Thankful shall be most Thriving What though thy Faith is Little yet art thou not in a better Condition than those who have None at all All Men have not Faith It is a Rare Iewel When Christ comes shall he find Faith on the Earth Secondly Be Fervent in your Prayers and Supplications unto God As the Apostles were Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith Thirdly Get your Weak Faith Strengthened by a Holy and Frequent Application of God's Promises Meditation on God's Fatherly Affection and Unspeakable Goodness Psal. 104. 34. Fourthly By maintaining and keeping-up a Holy Communion with the Saints of God Ioh. 20. 19. 25. Fifthly By leading a Sincere and Sanctified Conversation Psal. 112. 6 7 8. 1 Ioh. 3. 19. Sixthly By a Holy Care to shun all Sin with all Occasions leading there-unto Iam. 1. 27. 1 Thess. 5. 22. Seventhly and Lastly By a Patient Waiting on God Psal. 40. 1 2 3. Quest. But will a Weak Faith Save me Answ. Yes For it Ingrafteth us into Christ maketh us Just in God's Sight gathereth us into the Family of God's Children and giveth us Victory over Sin and Satan Ioh. 15. 1. Ioh. 1. 12. Gal. 3. 7. Isa. 42. 3. Isa. 40. 11. 1. Ioh. 5. 4. A Weak Faith may lay hold on a Strong Christ. If your Faith be not Grown to a Cedar yet if it be a Bruised Reed it is too Good to be Broken Only let not Christians rest in Low Measures of Grace but Aspire after Higher Degrees The Stronger our Faith the Firmer our Union with Christ and the more Sweet Influence we draw from Him A Weak Faith Christ Chides very much SECT VII I now come to speak unto such that have no Faith And there are Three Things that I shall do 1. Lay down some Motives whereby you may be perswaded to get Faith 2. Directions whereby to attain it 3. Signes whereby you may know whether your Faith be True or False CHAP. XV. I Am to Lay down some Considerations or Motives inducing to get Faith which shall be derived from the Misery of such that are Faithless and that in these following Sections SECT I. First You cannot please God Heb. 11. 6. And wherefore are you Made if not to Please God This is the End of your Creation and Beings The Creatour would fain take Complacency and Delight in you but while you are Faithless he cannot Unbelievers are not the Objects of God's Desire because such can give no Credit to the Report in the Gospel Faith Pleases God but Unbelief Displeases him First It puts the Lye upon God It calls in question his Power Mercy Truth 1 Joh. 5. 10. He that Believeth not hath made God a Lyar. Secondly Unbelief hardens the Heart Mark 16 14. He upbraided them with their Unbelief and Hardness of Heart Unbelief and Hardness of Heart are linked together Thirdly Unbelief is the Root of Apostacy Heb. 3. 12. An Evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God Unbelief Virtually includes all other Sins It is a Big-bellied Sin Finally As Faith is the Chiefest among Graces so Unbelief is the Chiefest among Sins SECT II. Secondly You cannot Resist one Temptation Let Satan shoot his Bullets as fast as he can one after another and for want of True Faith you shall remain still as so many Butts for the same All of the Devil's Temptations shall find Acceptation with thee be they what they will If Satan suggesteth to thee that there is no God thou wilt with the Fool say in thy Heart There is no God Yea where Faith is not the Devil's Temptations in all kind shall be clos'd with His Temptations to Diffidence and Distrust in the Promises will be clos'd with His Temptations to Lust will be clos'd with His Temptations to Avarice will be clos'd with His Temptations to Pride will be clos'd with What is there not but a Faithless Soul the Devil may Allure unto There is not Hereticks never so much yet our â—…ith shall remain Firm. Though he may Shake it yet he shall not Overthrow it Though he may Darken it yet he shall not wholly Eclipse it The Believer all this while shall be Safe and as Mount Sion which cannot be Removed Again Let the Devil raise up a Multitude of Persecutors and though they may Strom us to some purpose by their Threats and Blows yet our Faith being Sheltered under the Wing of Christ supported and held up by the Intercession of Christ it shall never Totally and Finally fail Lastly Let the Devil raise up Schismaticks and by them breed Schism Division Dissension and Discord among the Children of God as not long ago in this Nation he did and indeed I know not any thing that tends more to the Extirpation of True Zeal and Piety than the same But yet notwithstanding all these Things the Faith of God's Elect is whole and entire in its Seed still There are divers Arguments whereby the Saints Perseverance is clearly Evinc'd and Prov'd against the Opposers thereof but I am only confined to make use of one among them and therefore to use any of the rest would be justly deemed a Digression Arg. What-so-ever our Lord Iesus Christ hath Prayed for shall certainly come to pass But he hath Prayed for the Saints Perseverance or that they may not fall away Totally and Finally from Grace Ergo The Saints shall Persevere The Major is proved from Iohn 11. 42. And I know sayes Christ to the Father that thou hearest me alwayes That Christ now doth Pray for Saints Perseverance is evident from my Text. But I have Prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Now the great Thing that remains in the Agitation of this Blessed Truth though much Controverted is to Illustrate the Potency of our Saviour's Intercession on which depends the Perseverance of our Faith Now the Potency of it appears if we consider these Three Things 1. The Person that Intercedes 2. The Intercession it self 3. The Persons for whom this Intercession is made SECT III. First If we consider the Person that Intercedes being the Lord Iesus Christ himself who is Admirable for his Excellent Qualifications and Great Interest that he hath in Him with whom he Intercedes As to his Qualifications He is an Advocate that is Wise Faithful Just and Tender-hearted and therefore doubtless will Plead for us after a Perfect Exquisite and Infallible Manner As to his Interest in Heaven it is Great For God with whom he Intercedes is his Father