Matthew 15 commentary

Additions to God's laws reflect upon his wisdom, as if he had left out something which was needed, and which man could supply; in one way or other they always lead men to disobey God. How thankful ought we to be for the written word of God! Never let us think that the religion of the Bible can be improved by any human addition, either in doctrine or practice. Our blessed Lord spoke of their traditions as inventions of their own, and pointed out one instance in which this was very clear, that of their transgressing the fifth commandment. When a parent's wants called for assistance, they pleaded, that they had devoted to the temple all they could spare, even though they did not part with it, and therefore their parents must expect nothing from them. This was making the command of God of no effect. The doom of hypocrites is put in a little compass; “In vain do they worship me.” It will neither please God, nor profit themselves; they trust in vanity, and vanity will be their recompence.

Christ shows that the defilement they ought to fear, was not from what entered their mouths as food, but from what came out of their mouths, which showed the wickedness of their hearts. Nothing will last in the soul but the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit; and nothing should be admitted into the church but what is from above; therefore, whoever is offended by a plain, seasonable declaration of the truth, we should not be troubled at it. The disciples ask to be better taught as to this matter. Where a weak head doubts concerning any word of Christ, an upright heart and a willing mind seek for instruction. It is the heart that is desperately wicked, Jer 17:9, for there is no sin in word or deed, which was not first in the heart. They all come out of the man, and are fruits of that wickedness which is in the heart, and is wrought there. When Christ teaches, he will show men the deceitfulness and wickedness of their own hearts; he will teach them to humble themselves, and to seek to be cleansed in the Fountain opened for sin and uncleanness.

The dark corners of the country, the most remote, shall share Christ's influences; afterwards the ends of the earth shall see his salvation. The distress and trouble of her family brought a woman to Christ; and though it is need that drives us to Christ, yet we shall not therefore be driven from him. She did not limit Christ to any particular instance of mercy, but mercy, mercy, is what she begged for: she pleads not merit, but depends upon mercy. It is the duty of parents to pray for their children, and to be earnest in prayer for them, especially for their souls. Have you a son, a daughter, grievously vexed with a proud devil, an unclean devil, a malicious devil, led captive by him at his will? this is a case more deplorable than that of bodily possession, and you must bring them by faith and prayer to Christ, who alone is able to heal them. Many methods of Christ's providence, especially of his grace, in dealing with his people, which are dark and perplexing, may be explained by this story, which teaches that there may be love in Christ's heart while there are frowns in his face; and it encourages us, though he seems ready to slay us, yet to trust in him. Those whom Christ intends most to honour, he humbles to feel their own unworthiness. A proud, unhumbled heart would not have borne this; but she turned it into an argument to support her request. The state of this woman is an emblem of the state of a sinner, deeply conscious of the misery of his soul. The least of Christ is precious to a believer, even the very crumbs of the Bread of life. Of all graces, faith honours Christ most; therefore of all graces Christ honours faith most. He cured her daughter. He spake, and it was done. From hence let such as seek help from the Lord, and receive no gracious answer, learn to turn even their unworthiness and discouragements into pleas for mercy.

Whatever our case is, the only way to find ease and relief, is to lay it at Christ's feet, to submit it to him, and refer it to his disposal. Those who would have spiritual healing from Christ, must be ruled as he pleases. See what work sin has made; what various diseases human bodies are subject to. Here were such diseases as fancy could neither guess the cause nor the cure of, yet these were subject to the command of Christ. The spiritual cures that Christ works are wonderful. When blind souls are made to see by faith, the dumb to speak in prayer, the maimed and the lame to walk in holy obedience, it is to be wondered at. His power was also shown to the multitude, in the plentiful provision he made for them: the manner is much the same as before. All did eat, and were filled. Those whom Christ feeds, he fills. With Christ there is bread enough, and to spare; supplies of grace for more than seek it, and for those that seek for more. Christ sent away the people. Though he had fed them twice, they must not look for miracles to find their daily bread. Let them go home to their callings and their own tables. Lord, increase our faith, and pardon our unbelief, teaching us to live upon thy fulness and bounty, for all things pertaining to this life, and that which is to come.

Matthew 15:1. Then scribes and Pharisees. As the fault that is here corrected is not only common but highly dangerous, the passage is particularly worthy of our attention. We see the extraordinary insolence that is displayed by men as to the form and manner of worshipping God; for they are perpetually contriving new modes of worship, and when any one wishes to be thought wiser than others, he displays his ingenuity on this subject. I speak not of foreigners, but of the very domestics of the Church, on whom God has conferred the peculiar honor of declaring with their lips the rule of godliness. God has laid down the manner in which he wishes that we should worship him, and has included in his law the perfection of holiness. Yet a vast number of men, as if it were a light and trivial matter to obey God and to keep what he enjoins, collect for themselves, on every hand, many additions. Those who occupy places of authority bring forward their inventions for this purpose, as if they were in possession of something more perfect than the word of the Lord. This is followed by the slow growth of tyranny; for, when men have once assumed to themselves the right to issue commands, they demand a rigid adherence to their laws, and do not allow the smallest iota to be left out, either through contempt or through forgetfulness. The world cannot endure lawful authority, and most violently rebels against enduring the Lord’s yoke, and yet easily and willingly becomes entangled in the snares of vain traditions; nay, such bondage appears to be, in the case of many, an object of desire. Meanwhile, the worship of God is corrupted, of which the first and leading principle is obedience. The authority of men is preferred to the command of God. Sternly, and therefore tyrannically, are the common people compelled to give their whole attention to trifles. This passage teaches us, first, that all modes of worship invented by men are displeasing to God, because he chooses that he alone shall be heard, in order to train and instruct us in true godliness according to his own pleasure; secondly, that those who are not satisfied with the only law of God, and weary themselves by attending to the traditions of men, are uselessly employed; thirdly, that an outrage is committed against God, when the inventions of men are so highly extolled, that the majesty of his law is almost lowered, or at least the reverence for it is abated.

Scribes who had come from Jerusalem. With what design those scribes came to Jesus is not stated; but I think it probable that their attention was excited by his fame, and that they came with the desire of receiving instruction, provided that they should approve of him as a competent teacher; “En cas qu’ils l’eussent trouve bon maistre a leur gre;” — “provided that they should find him to be a good master to their liking.” though it is possible that they were sent to spy. However that may be, as they had brought their haughty disdain along with them, they are easily provoked by the slightest offense to bite or snarl at Christ. Hence we see with what difficulty those who are influenced by ambition and the lust of power are brought to submit to sound doctrine. Those especially whose attachment to ceremonies has been strengthened by long practice cannot endure any novelty, but loudly condemn every thing to which they have not been accustomed. In short, any thing more haughty or more disdainful than this class of men cannot be imagined.

Both Evangelists mention that they were scribes and Pharisees; but Matthew puts the scribes first, and Mark puts them second. They convey the same meaning, that the scribes belonged to various sects, but that the Pharisees were the leaders, because they occupied an honorable station, and at that time held the government. That the Pharisees should be the first to take offense at disregard of the laws of which they were authors ought not to excite surprise; for, as we have said, though they boasted that they were expounders of the law, and though their name was derived from that circumstance, See Harmony, vol. 1, p. 281. they had corrupted by their inventions the purity of the word of God. All the traditions that then existed among the Jews had come out of their workshop; “Elles avoyent este forgees en leur boutique;” — “they had been manufactured in their workshop.” and this was the reason why they displayed more than ordinary zeal and bitterness in defending them.

2. Why do thy disciples transgress? When we speak of human traditions, this question has no reference to political laws, the use and object of which are widely different from enjoining the manner in which we ought to worship God. But as there are various kinds of human traditions, we must make some distinction among them. Some are manifestly wicked, for they inculcate acts of worship which are wicked and diametrically opposed to the word of God. Others of them mingle profane trifles with the worship of God, and corrupt its purity. Others, which are more plausible, and are not chargeable with any remarkable fault, are condemned on this ground., that they are imagined to be necessary to the worship of God; and thus there is a departure from sincere obedience to God alone, and a snare is laid for the conscience.

To this last description the present passage unquestionably relates; for the washing of hands, on which the Pharisees insisted, could not in itself be charged with wicked superstition; otherwise Christ would not have permitted the water-pots to be used at the marriage, (John 2:6,) if it had not been an allowable ceremony; but the fault lay in this, that they did not think that God could be properly worshipped in any other way. It was not without a specious pretext that the practice of washings was first introduced. We know how rigidly the Law of God demands outward cleanness; not that the Lord intended that this should occupy the whole attention of his servants, but that they might be more careful to guard against every spiritual defilement. But in washings the Law preserved some moderation. Next came teachers, who thought that they would not be reckoned sufficiently acute, if they did not make some appendage to the word of God; “Sinon qu’ils adioustassent a la parole de Dieu quelques repetasseries de leur invention;” — “if they did not add to the word of God some patches of their own invention.” and hence arose washings of which no mention was made in the Law. The legislators themselves did not give out that they delivered any thing new, “Les premiers autheurs de ces loix ne disoyent pas qu’ils voulussent commander rien de nouveau;” — “the first authors of these laws did not say that they intended to issue any new command.” but only that they administered cautions, which would be of service to assist in keeping the Law of God. But this was immediately followed by great abuse, when ceremonies introduced by men began to be regarded as a part of divine worship; and again, when in matters that were free and voluntary uniformity was absolutely enjoined. For it was always the will of God, as we have already said, that he should be worshipped according to the rule laid down in his word, and therefore no addition to his Law can be endured. Now as he permits believers to have outward ceremonies, by means of which they may perform the exercises of godliness, so he does not suffer them to mix up those ceremonies with his own word, as if religion consisted in them. “Qu’elles soyent meslees avec sa Parole, et mises en mesme rang, comme si quelque partie du service de Dieu gisoit en icelles;” — “that they should be mixed with his Word, and put in the same rank, as if any part of the worship of God lay in them.”

For they wash not their hands. The ground of offense is explained more fully by Mark; but the substance of his explanation is, that many things were practiced by the scribes, which they had voluntarily undertaken to keep. They were secondary laws invented by the curiosity of men, as if the plain command of God were not enough. God commanded that those who had contracted any defilement should wash themselves, (Leviticus 11:25,28;) and this extended to cups, and pots, and raiment, and other articles of household furniture, (Leviticus 11:32,) that they might not touch any thing that was polluted or unclean. But to invent other ablutions was idle and useless. “C’a este un amusement de gens oisifs, et qui ne scavoyent que faire;” — “it was an amusement of persons that were idles and did not know what to do.” They were not destitute of plausibility, as Paul tells us that the inventions of men have an appearance of wisdom, (Colossians 2:23;) but if they had rested in the Law of God alone, that modesty would have been more agreeable to Him than solicitude about small matters.

They were desirous to warn a person not to take food while he was unclean, through want of consideration; but the Lord reckoned it enough to wash away those defilements of which they were aware. Besides, no end or limit could be set to such cautions; for they could scarcely move a finger without contracting some new spot or stain. But a far worse abuse lay in this, that the consciences of men were tormented with scruples which led them to regard every person as chargeable with pollution, who did not on every occasion wash his body with water. In persons who belonged to a private rank they would perhaps have overlooked the neglect of this ceremony; but as they had expected from Christ and his disciples something uncommon and extraordinary, they reckoned it unbecoming that ceremonies, which were traditions of the elders, and the practice of which was held sacred by the scribes, should not be observed by the disciples of a master who undertook to reform the existing state of things.

It is a great mistake to compare the sprinkling of the water of purification, or, as the Papists call it, blessed water, with the Jewish washing; for, by repeating so frequently the one baptism, “Le Baptesme, qui suffit une fois receu;” — “Baptism, which is enough when once received.” Papists do all that is in their power to efface it. Besides, this absurd sprinkling is used for exorcising. “En apres, ceste badinerie d’eau beniste est appliquee a faire exorcismes et coniurations, et ils croyent fermement qu’elle a vertu d’effacer les pechez;” — “Besides, this foolery of blessed water is applied to exorcising and conjuring, and they firmly believe that it has power to blot out sins.” But if it were lawful in itself, and were not accompanied by so many abuses, still we must always condemn the urgency with which they demand it as if it were indispensable.

3. Why do you also transgress? There are here two answers that are given by Christ, the former of which is addressed, as we say, to the person; while the latter decides as to the fact and the question in hand. Mark inverts that order; for he first represents Christ as speaking on the whole subject, and afterwards adds the reproof which is directed against hypocrites. We shall follow the narrative of Matthew. When the Lord, in his turn, puts the question to the scribes why they break the Law of God on account of their traditions, he does not as yet pronounce a direct acquittal of his disciples from the crime charged against them; but only points out how improper and unwarrantable is this readiness to take offense. They are displeased when the commandments of men are not observed with exactness; and how much more criminal is it to spend the whole time in observing them, to the disregard of the law of God? It is manifest, therefore, that their wrath is kindled rather by ambition than by a proper kind of zeal, when they thus prefer men to God.

When he says that they transgress the commandments of God, the meaning of the expression is easily learned from the context. They did not openly or professedly set aside the law of God, so as to look upon any thing as lawful which the law had forbidden; but there was an indirect transgression of it, for they permitted duties which God had enjoined to be neglected with impunity. A plain and familiar instance is adduced by Christ. The commandment of God is, that children shall honor their parents, (Exodus 20:12.) Now as the sacred offerings yielded emolument to the priests, the observance of them was so rigidly enforced, that men were taught to regard it as a more heinous sin not to make a free-will offering than to defraud a parent of what was justly due to him. In short, what the Law of God declared to be voluntary was, in the estimation of the scribes, of higher value than one of the most important of the commandments of God. Whenever we are so eager to keep the laws of men as to bestow less care and attention on keeping the law of God itself, we are held as transgressing it. Shortly afterwards he says, that they had annulled the commandment of God on account of the traditions of men; for the scribes led the people to entertain so strong an attachment to their own injunctions, that they did not allow them leisure to attend to the word of God. Again, as they reckoned those persons to have discharged their duty well who obeyed these injunctions to the letter, hence arose a liberty to commit sin; for whenever holiness is made to consist in any thing else than in observing the Law of God, men are led to believe that the law may be violated without danger.

Let any man now consider whether this wickedness does not at present abound more among the Papists than it formerly did among the Jews. It is not indeed denied by the Pope, or by the whole of his filthy clergy, that we ought to obey God; but when we come to the point, we find that they consider the act of eating a morsel of flesh as nothing less than a capital crime, while theft or fornication is regarded as a venial fault, and thus, on account of their traditions, they overturn the Law of God; for it is utterly insufferable that the enactments of men shall withdraw any part of that obedience which is due to God alone. Besides, the honor which God commands to be yielded to parents extends to all the duties of filial piety. “Comprend tous devoirs d’obeissance, secours, et soulagement;” — “includes every duty of obedience, assistance, and relief.” The latter clause which Christ adds, that he who curseth father or mother deserves to be put to death, is intended to inform us, that it is no light or unimportant precept to honor parents, since the violation of it is so severely punished. And this is no small aggravation of the guilt of the scribes, that so severe a threatening does not terrify them from granting an extension of liberty to those who despised their parents.

5. But you say, etc. The mode of expression is defective, and is more fully exhibited by Mark, who adds, you suffer them not to do anything more to their father or to their mother The meaning is, that the scribes were altogether wrong in acquitting those persons who fail to perform their duties to their parents, provided that this deficiency be supplied, on their part, by a voluntary sacrifice, which might have been omitted without offending God. For we must not understand Christ’s words to bear that the scribes had forbidden men to render all proper obedience; “De faire aucune assistance au pere et a la mere;” — “to grant any relief to their father or mother.” but they were so eager to pursue their own gain, that children were allowed, in the meantime, to neglect their duties to their parents.

7. Well hath Isaiah prophesied concerning you. Our Lord now proceeds farther; for he decides on the question in hand, which he divides into two clauses. The first is, that they relied on outward ceremonies alone, and set no value on true holiness, which consists in sincere uprightness of heart; and the second is, that they worshipped God in a wrong way, according to their own fancy. Now though his reproof of pretended and hypocritical holiness appears hitherto to be restricted to persons, yet it includes the substance of this doctrine, from which the full conclusion was, first, that the worship of God is spiritual, and does not consist in the sprinkling of water, or in any other ceremony; and, secondly, that there is no reasonable worship of God but what is directed by the rule of his word. Although Isaiah (29:13) did not prophesy for futurity alone, but had regard to the men of his own age, yet Christ says that this prediction relates to the Pharisees and scribes, because they resemble those ancient hypocrites with whom the prophet had to contend. Christ does not quote that passage exactly as it stands; but the prophet expressly mentions two offenses by which the Jews provoked against themselves the divine vengeance. With their lips only, and by an outward profession, they made a pretense of godliness; and, next, they turned aside to modes of worship invented by men. First, then, it is wicked hypocrisy, when the honor which men render to God is only in outward appearance; for to approach to God with the mouth, and to honor him with the lips, would not be in itself evil, provided that the heart went before. The substance of what our Lord states on this subject is, that, since the worship of God is spiritual, and as nothing pleases him that is not accompanied by the inward sincerity of the heart, they who make holiness to consist in outward display are hypocrites.

9. But in vain do they worship me The words of the prophet run literally thus: their fear toward me has been taught by the precept of men. But Christ has faithfully and accurately given the meaning, that in vain is God worshipped, when the will of men is substituted in the room of doctrine. By these words, all kinds of will-worship, (ἐθελοθζησκεία,) as Paul calls it, (Colossians 2:23,) are plainly condemned. For, as we have said, since God chooses to be worshipped in no other way than according to his own appointment, he cannot endure new modes of worship to be devised. As soon as men allow themselves to wander beyond the limits of the Word of God, the more labor and anxiety they display in worshipping him, the heavier is the condemnation which they draw down upon themselves; for by such inventions religion is dishonored.

Teaching doctrines, commandments of men In these words there is what is called apposition; “C’est une figure et facon de parler que les Latins nomment Apposition;” — “it is a figure and mode of speech which the Latins call Apposition.” — “The Latin Grammarians employ the word Appositio to denote a figure, by which two words, denoting the same thing, are put in the same case, such as, Urbs Roma, Fluvius Sequana In the same sense the Greek word ἐπεξήγησις was often used. — Ed. for Christ declares them to be mistaken who bring forward, in the room of doctrine, the commandments of men, or who seek to obtain from them the rule for worshipping God. Let it therefore be held as a settled principle, that, since obedience is more highly esteemed by God than sacrifices, (1 Samuel 15:22,23,) all kinds of worship invented by men are of no estimation in his sight; nay more, that, as the prophet declares, they are accursed and detestable.

Matthew 15:10-20; Mark 7:14-23; Luke 6:39

Matthew 15:10-20

Mark 7:14-23

Luke 6:39

10. And having called the multitudes to him, he said to them, Hear and understand. 11. What entereth into the mouth polluteth not the man, but what goes out of the mouth polluteth the man. 12. Then his disciples approaching said to him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended when they heard that saying? 13. But he answering, said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. 14. Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. And if a blind man shall lead a blind man, both will fall into the ditch. 15. And Peter answering said to him, Explain to us that parable. 16. And Jesus said, Are you also still void of understanding? 17. Do you not yet understand that whatever entereth into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is thrown into the sink? 18. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart itself, and they pollute the man. 19. For our of the heart proceed wicked thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, calumnies. 20. These are the things which pollute the man. But to take food with unwashed hands polluteth not the man.

14. And when he had called to him the whole multitude, he said to them, Listen to me, all of you, and understand. 15. There is nothing from without a man which, entering into him, can pollute him; but those things which come out of a man are the things which pollute a man. 16. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 17. And when he had entered into the house, and withdrawn from the multitude, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18. And he saith to them, Are you also void of understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatsoever entereth into a man from without cannot pollute him? 19. Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the sink, purifying all the food? 20. And he said, It is what goeth out of a man that polluteth him. 21. For from within, out of the heart of man proceed wicked thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22. Thefts, evil desires, frauds, deceit, wantonness, an evil eye, calumnies, pride, foolishness: 23. All these evil things proceed from within, and pollute the man.

39. And he spoke a parable to them, “Pareillement il leur disoit une similitude;” — “in like manner he spoke to them a parable.” Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will not both fall into the ditch?

Matthew 15:10. And having called the multitudes to him. Here Christ turns “Christ laissant la ces orgueilleux, se retourne vers les dociles;” — “Christ, leaving there these proud men, turns towards the teachable.” to those who are ready to receive instruction, and explains more fully the truth at which he had formerly glanced, that the kingdom of God does not consist in meat and drink, as Paul also teaches us, (Romans 14:17;) for, since outward things are by nature pure, the use of them is free and pure, and uncleanness is not contracted from the good creatures of God. It is therefore a general statement, that pollution does not come from without into a man, but that the fountain is concealed within him. Now when he says that all the evil actions which any man performs come out of the mouth of man, he employs a synecdoche; “Au reste, quand il dit que les maux qu’un chacun fait procedent de la bouche, c’est autant comme s’il disoit qu’ils procedent de la personne mesme; et c’est une figure et maniere de parler qu’on appelle Synecdoche, quand on prend une partie pour le tout;” — “besides, when he says that the evils which any man does proceed out of the mouth, it is as much as if he said that they proceed from the person himself; and it is a figure and way of speaking that is called Synecdoche, when a part is taken for the whole.” for he says so by way of allusion to the subject in hand, and conveys this instruction, that we do not draw uncleanness into our mouth along with meat and drink, but that every kind of defilement proceeds from ourselves.

Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended? As the scribes were presumptuous and rebellious, Christ did not take great pains to pacify them, but satisfied himself with repelling their hypocrisy and pride. The offense which they had formerly taken up was doubled, when they perceived that—not through oversight, but seemingly on purpose—Christ despised their washings as trifles. Now when Christ did not hesitate to inflame still more, by keen provocation, wicked and malicious persons, let us learn from his example, that we ought not to be exceedingly solicitous to please every one by what we say and do. His disciples, however—as is usually the case with ignorant and unlearned people—no sooner perceive the result to be unfavorable, than they conclude that Christ’s reply had been unseasonable and improper. “Voyans que le propos n’avoit pas este bien prins, il leur semble avis que Christ a respondu peu autrement qu’il ne faloit;” — “perceiving that the discourse was not well taken, they conclude that Christ had replied somewhat differently from what he ought to have done.” For the object of their advice was, to persuade Christ to soothe the rage of the Pharisees by softening the harsh expression which he had employed. “En redressant ce qu’il avoit dit un peu trop asprement, comme il leur sembloit;” — “by correcting what he had said a little too harshly, as they imagined.”

It almost always happens with weak persons, that they form an unfavorable judgment about a doctrine, as soon as they find that it is regarded with doubt or meets with opposition. And certainly it were to be wished, that it should give no offense, but receive the calm approbation of all; but, as the minds of many are blinded, and even their hearts are kindled into rage, by Satan, and as many souls are held under the benumbing influence of brutal stupidity, it is impossible that all should relish the true doctrine of salvation. Above all, we ought not to be surprised to behold the rage of those who inwardly nourish the venom of malice and obstinacy. Yet we ought to take care that, so far as may be in our power, our manner of teaching shall give no offense; but it would be the height of madness to think of exercising greater moderation than we have been taught to do by our heavenly Master. We see how his discourse was made an occasion of offense by wicked and obstinate men; and we see at the same time, how that kind of offense which arose from malignity was treated by him with contempt.

13. Every plant. As the indifferent success of the doctrine had wounded their weak minds, Christ intended to remedy this evil. Now the remedy which he proposes is, that good men ought not to be distressed, or entertain less reverence for the doctrine, though to many it be an occasion of death. It is a mistaken view of this passage which some have adopted, that all the inventions of men, and every thing that has not proceeded from the mouth of God, must be rooted up and perish; for it was rather to men that Christ referred, and the meaning is, that there is no reason to wonder if the doctrine of salvation shall prove deadly to the reprobate, because they are always carried headlong to the destruction to which they are doomed.

By the persons that have been planted by the hand of God we are to understand those who, by his free adoption, have been ingrafted into the tree of life, as Isaiah also, when speaking of the Church renewed by the grace of God, calls it a branch planted by the Lord, (Isaiah 60:21.) Now as salvation depends solely on the election of God, the reprobate must perish, in whatever way this may be effected; not that they are innocent, and free from all blame, when God destroys them, but because, by their own malice, they turn to their destruction all that is offered to them, however salutary it may be. To those who willingly perish the Gospel thus becomes, as Paul assures us, the savor of death unto death, (2 Corinthians 2:16;) for, though it is offered to all for salvation, it does not yield this fruit in any but the elect. It belongs to a faithful and honest teacher to regulate every thing which he brings forward by a regard to the advantage of all; but whenever the result is different, let us take comfort from Christ’s reply. It is beautifully expressed by the parable, that the cause of perdition does not lie in the doctrine, but that the reprobate who have no root in God, when the doctrine is presented to them, throw out their hidden venom, and thus accelerate that death to which they were already doomed.

Which my heavenly Father hath not planted. Hypocrites, who appear for a time to have been planted like good trees, are particularly described by Christ; for Epicureans, who are noted for open and shameful contempt of God, cannot properly be said to resemble trees, but the description must be intended to apply to those who have acquired celebrity by some vain appearance of godliness. Such were the scribes, who towered in the Church of God like the cedars in Lebanon, and whose revolt might on that account appear the more strange. Christ might have said that it is right that those should perish who disdainfully reject salvation; but he rises higher, and asserts that no man will remain steadfast, unless his salvation be secured by the election of God. By these words he expressly declares, that the first origin of our salvation flows from that grace by which God elected us to be his children before we were created.

14. Let them alone. He sets them aside as unworthy of notice, and concludes that the offense which they take ought not to give us much uneasiness. Hence has arisen the distinction, of which we hear so much, about avoiding offenses, that we ought to beware of offending the weak, but if any obstinate and malicious person take offense, we ought not to be uneasy; for, if we determined to satisfy all obstinate people, we must bury Christ, who is the stone of offense, (1 Peter 2:8.) Weak persons, who are offended through ignorance, and afterwards return to just views, must be distinguished from haughty and disdainful men who are themselves the authors of offenses. It is of importance to attend to this distinction, in order that no one who is weak may be distressed through our fault. But when wicked men dash themselves through their obstinacy, let us walk on unmoved in the midst of offenses; for he who spares not weak brethren tramples, as it were, under foot those to whom we are commanded to stretch out the hand. It would be idle to attend to others, whom we cannot avoid offending, if we wish to keep the right path; and when, under the pretext of taking offense, they happen to fall off and revolt from Christ, we must let them alone, that they may not drag us along with them. “De peur qu’ils nous tirent en perdition avec eux;” — “lest they draw us to perdition along with them.”

They are blind leaders of the blind. Christ means that all who allow themselves to be driven hither and thither at the disposal of those men will miserably perish; for when they stumble on a plain road, it is evident that they are willfully blind. Why then should any one allow himself to be directed by them, except that he might fall into the same ditch? Now Christ, who has risen upon us as the Sun of righteousness, (Malachi 4:2,) and not only points out the road to us by the torch of his Gospel, but desires that we should keep it before us, justly calls on his disciples to shake off that slothfulness, and not to wander, as it were, in the dark, for the sake of gratifying the blind. “A bon droict retire ses disciples de ceste nonchalance et stupidite de suyvre les aveugles, et pour leur faire plaisir d’aller tastonnant en tenebres comme eux;” — “properly withdraws his disciples from that indifference and stupidity in following the blind, and—for the sake of gratifying them—in groping in the dark like them.” Hence also we infer that all who, under the pretense of simplicity or modesty, give themselves up to be deceived or ensnared by errors, are without excuse.

Matthew 15:15. And Peter answering said. As the disciples betray excessive ignorance, Christ justly reproves and upbraids them for being still void of understanding, and yet does not fail to act as their teacher. What Matthew ascribes in a peculiar manner to Peter is related by Mark, in the same sense, as a question put by them all; and this is evident from Christ’s reply, in which he reproves the ignorance, not of Peter only, but of all of them alike. The general meaning is, that men are not polluted by food, but that they have within themselves the pollution of sins, which afterwards shows itself in the outward actions. Is it objected that intemperance in eating is defilement? The solution is easy. Christ speaks only of the proper and lawful use of those things which God has put in our power. To eat and drink are things in their own nature free and indifferent: if any corruption be added, it proceeds from the man himself, and therefore must be regarded not as external, but internal. “Et pourtant le vice est tousiours interieur, et ne vient point d’ailleurs;” — “and therefore sin is always internal, and does not come from without.”

19. For out of the heart proceed wicked thoughts Hence we infer that the word mouth, as I have mentioned, was used by Christ in a former verse by way of allusion to the context; for now he makes no mention of the mouth, but merely says that out of the heart of man proceeds all that is sinful and that corrupts by its pollution. Mark differs from Matthew in this respect, that he gives a larger catalogue of sins, such as lusts, or irregular desires. The Greek word (πλεονεξίαι) is by some rendered covetousness; but I have preferred to take it in a general acceptation. Next come fraud and intemperance, and those which immediately follow. Though the mode of expression be figurative, it is enough to understand Christ’s meaning to be, that all sins proceed from the wicked and corrupt affections of the heart. To say that an evil eye proceeds from the heart is not strictly accurate, but it involves nothing that is absurd or ambiguous; for it means, that an unholy heart pollutes the eyes by making them the ministers, or organs, of wicked desires. And yet Christ does not speak as if every thing that is evil in man were confined to open sins; but, in order to show more clearly that the heart of man is the abode of all evils, “Que le coeur de l’homme est le siege et la source de tous maux;” — “that the heart of man is the seat and the source of all evils.” he says that the proofs and results appear in the sins themselves.

And pollute the man. Instead of the verb pollute, the Greek term is κοινοῖ, make common; as Mark, a little before, (7:2,) used the phrase, κοιναῖς χερσὶ, with common hands, for with unclean hands. “Les mains communes pour souillees et non lavees;” — “common hands for polluted and not washed.” It is a Hebrew phrase; “C’est une facon de parler propre aux Hebrieux;” — “it is a mode of speaking peculiar to the Hebrews.” for, since God had set apart the Jews on the condition that they should separate themselves from all the pollutions of the Gentiles, everything that was inconsistent with this holiness was called common, that is, profane.

Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30

Matthew 15:21-28

Mark 7:24-30

21. And Jesus departing thence withdrew into the territories of Tyre and Sidon. 22. And, lo, a woman of Canaan, who had come from those territories, cried saying, Have compassion on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously afflicted by a devil. 23. But he made no reply to her, and his disciples approaching implored him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24. But he answering said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25. And she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26. But he answering said, It is not seemly to take the children’s bread, and throw it to the dogs. 27. But she said, Certainly, O Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters. 28. Then Jesus answering said to her, O woman, great is thy faith; be it to thee as thou desirest. And her daughter was cured from that time. “Et des ce mesme instant sa fille fut guairie;” — “and from that very instant her daughter was cured.”

24. And he arose and departed thence into the borders of Tyre and Sidon; and, entering into a house, he wished that no man should know it, but he could not be concealed. 25. For a woman, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, no sooner heard of him than she came and fell at his feet, 26. (For the woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by birth,) and implored him to cast the devil out of her daughter. 27. And Jesus said to her, Allow the children to be first satisfied; for it is not seemly to take the children’s bread, and throw it to the dogs. 28. But she replied and said to him, Certainly, O Lord; for even the dogs “Car les chiens mangent, ou, mais aussi les chiens mangent;” — “for the dogs eat, or, but even the dogs eat.” under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. 29. And he said to her, On account of that saying go away, the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 30. And when she had gone to her own house, she found that the devil had gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

In this miracle we are informed in what manner the grace of Christ began to flow to the Gentiles; for, though the full time was not yet come when Christ would make himself known to the whole world, yet he intended to give some early manifestations of the common mercy which was at length offered indiscriminately to Jews and Gentiles after his resurrection. A remarkable picture of faith is presented to us in the woman of Canaan, for the purpose of instructing us by means of comparison, that the Jews were justly deprived of the promised redemption, since their impiety was so shameful.

The woman, whom Matthew describes as of Canaan, is said by Mark to have been a Greek, and a Syrophenician by birth But there is no contradiction here; for we know that it was the prevailing custom among the Jews to call all foreign nations Greeks, and hence that contrast between Greeks and Jews, which occurs so frequently in the writings of Paul. As she was a native of the territories of Tyre and Sidon, we need not wonder that she is called a Syrophenician; for that country was called Syria, and formed part of Phenicia. The Jews disdainfully gave the name of Canaanites to all the inhabitants of that district; and it is probable that the majority of them were descended from the tribes of Canaan, who when banished from their native country, fled to a sort of retreat in the neighborhood. Both agree in this point, that the woman was a native of a heathen nation, that she had not been instructed in the doctrine of the law, and that she came of her own accord to Christ, humbly to entreat his aid.

Matthew 15:22. Have compassion on me, O Lord. Though this woman was an alien, and did not belong to the Lord’s flock, yet she had acquired some taste of piety; “Quelque goust de piete et vraye religion;” — “some taste of piety and true religion.” for, without some knowledge of the promises, she would not have called Christ the Son of David. The Jews indeed had almost entirely departed, or at least had greatly turned aside, from the pure and sound doctrine of the Gospel; but a report of the promised redemption was extensively prevalent. As the restoration of the Church depended on the reign of David, whenever they spoke of the Messiah, it was customary for them to employ the name, Son of David; and indeed this confession was heard from the lips of all. But when the true faith had died out amongst them, it was an amazing and incredible display of the goodness of God that the sweet savor of the promises reached the neighboring nations. Though this woman had not been regularly educated by any teacher, yet her faith in Christ was not a notion adopted by her at random, but was formed out of the law and the prophets. It was therefore not less absurd than wicked in that dog, Servetus, to abuse this example for the purpose of proving that faith may exist without promises. I do not deny that, in this sense, there may sometimes be a sort of implicit faith, that is, a faith which is not accompanied by a full and distinct knowledge of sound doctrine; provided we also hold that faith always springs from the word of God, and takes its origin from true principles, and therefore is always found in connection with some light of knowledge.

23. But he made no reply to her. In various ways the Evangelists bestow commendation on the faith of this woman. Here they bring before us her unshaken constancy; for the silence of Christ was a sort of refusal, and there is reason to wonder that she was not cast down by this trial, but her continuance in prayer was a proof of her perseverance. This appears, however, to be inconsistent with the nature of faith and of calling upon God, as it is described by Paul, who assures us that no man can pray aright till he has heard the word of God.

How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? (Romans 10:14.)

Who then will say that this woman had faith, who takes courage from her own feelings, though Christ is silent? But as Christ has two ways of speaking and of being silent, it must be observed, that though he withheld at that time the words of his mouth, yet he spoke within to the mind of the woman, and so this secret inspiration was a substitute for the outward preaching. Besides, her prayer arose out of the hearing of faith, (Romans 10:17;) and, therefore, though Christ does not immediately reply, she continually hears the sound of that doctrine “Toutesfois ceste doctrine ne laisse pas tousiours de retentir en son coeur;” — “yet that doctrine does not fail to resound continually in her heart.” which she had already learned, that Christ came as a Redeemer. In this way the Lord often acts towards those who believe in him; he speaks to them, and yet is silent. Relying on the testimonies of Scripture, where they hear him speaking, they firmly believe that he will be gracious to them; and yet he does not immediately reply to their wishes and prayers, but, on the contrary, seems as if he did not hear. We see then that the design of Christ’s silence was not to extinguish the woman’s faith, but rather to whet her zeal and inflame her ardor. But if a small seed of doctrine in a woman of Canaan yielded such abundant fruit, it ill becomes us to be dejected, if at any time he delays and does not immediately grant a favorable answer.

Send her away. The disciples present no request in favor of the woman, but as they are annoyed by her importunity, they desire that, in some way or other, she may be dismissed. It is a childish contrivance, which the Papists have endeavored to support by means of this passage, that departed saints are allowed to plead for us; for, granting that this woman solicited the disciples to give her some favor or assistance — which, however, cannot be proved from the passage — still there is a wide difference between the dead and living. It must be also observed, that, if they really intended to aid her by their advocacy, they obtain nothing.

24. I am not sent. He informs the Apostles that his reason for refusing the woman of Canaan arises out of his desire to devote himself entirely to the Jews to whom alone he was appointed to be a minister of the grace of God. He argues from the call and the command of the Father, that he must not yield any assistance to strangers; not that the power of Christ was always confined within so narrow limits, but because present circumstances rendered it necessary that he should begin with the Jews, and at that time devote himself to them in a peculiar manner. For as I have said in expounding Matthew 10:5, the middle wall of partition (Ephesians 2:14) was not thrown down till after Christ’s resurrection that he might proclaim peace to the nations which were aliens from the kingdom of God: and therefore he prohibited the Apostles, at that time, from scattering anywhere but in Judea the first seed of doctrine. Justly therefore, does he affirm that, on this occasion, he was sent to the Jews only, till the Gentiles also followed in the proper order.

To the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He bestows the designation of sheep of the house of Israel not on the elect only, but on all who were descended from the holy fathers; for the Lord had included all in the covenant, and was promised indiscriminately to all as a Redeemer, as he also revealed and offered himself to all without exception. It is worthy of observation, that he declares himself to have been sent to LOST sheep, as he assures us in another passage that he came to save that which was lost, (Matthew 18:11.) Now as we enjoy this favor, at the present day, in common with the Jews, we learn what our condition is till he appear as our Savior.

25. And she came and worshipped him. We might be apt to think that this woman contends with some measure of obstinacy, as if she would extort something from Christ in spite of him; but there is no reason to doubt that she was animated by the conviction which she entertained as to the kindness of the Messiah. When Christ expressly declared that it did not belong to his office, she was not intimidated by that refusal, and did not desist from her purpose. The reason was, that she adhered firmly to that previous sentiment of faith which I have mentioned, and admitted nothing that was opposed to her hope. And this is the sure test of faith, that we do not suffer that general commencement of our salvation, which is founded on the word of God, to be in any way torn from us.

26. It is not seemly. Christ’s reply is harsher than ever, and one would think that he intended by it to cut off all hope; for not only does he declare that all the grace which he has received from the Father belongs to the Jews, and must be bestowed on them, otherwise they will be defrauded of their just rights; but he disdainfully compares the woman herself to a dog, thus implying that she is unworthy of being a partaker of his grace. To make the meaning plain to us, it must be understood that the appellation of the children’s bread is here given, not to the gifts of God of whatever description, but only to those which were bestowed in a peculiar manner on Abraham and his posterity. For since the beginning of the world, the goodness of God was everywhere diffused—nay, filled heaven and earth—so that all mortal men felt that God was their Father. But as the children of Abraham had been more highly honored than the rest of mankind, the children’s bread is a name given to everything that, relates peculiarly to the adoption by which the Jews alone were elected to be children The light of the sun, the breath of life, and the productions of the soil, were enjoyed by the Gentiles equally with the Jews; but the blessing which was to be expected in Christ dwelt exclusively in the family of Abraham. To lay open without distinction that which God had conferred as a peculiar privilege on a single nation, was nothing short of setting aside the covenant of God; for in this way the Jews, who ought to have the preference, were placed on a level with the Gentiles.

And to throw it to the dogs. By using the word throw, Christ intimates that what is taken from the Church of God and given to heathens is not well bestowed. But this must be restricted to that time when it was in Judea only that men called on God; for, since the Gentiles were admitted to partake of the same salvations—which took place when Christ diffused everywhere the light of his Gospel—the distinction was removed, and those who were formerly dogs are now reckoned among the children. The pride of the flesh must fall down, when we learn that by nature we are dogs At first, no doubt, human nature, in which the image of God brightly shone, occupied so high a station that this opprobrious epithet did not apply to all nations, and even to kings, on whom God confers the honor of bearing his name. This is probably an allusion to Psalm 82:6, I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH. — Ed. But the treachery and revolt of Adam made it proper that the Lord should send to the stable, along with dogs, those who through the guilt of our first parent became bastards; more especially when a comparison is made between the Jews, who were exempted from the common lot, and the Gentiles, who were banished from the kingdom of God.

Christ’s meaning is more fully unfolded by Mark, who gives these words, Allow the children first to be satisfied He tells the woman of Canaan that she acts presumptuously in proceeding — as it were, in the midst of the supper — to seize on what was on the table. “De vouloir ainsi mettre la main sur la table des enfans, au milieu de souper;” — “in wishing thus to put her hand to the children’s table in the midst of the supper.” His chief design was, to make trial of the woman’s faith; but he also pointed out the dreadful vengeance that would overtake the Jews, who rejected an inestimable benefit which was freely offered to them, and which they refused to those who sought it with warmth and earnestness.

27. Certainly, Lord. The woman’s reply showed that she was not hurried along by a blind or thoughtless impulse to offer a flat contradiction “Pour se rebequer et heurter directement;” — “to give a saucy and open contradiction.” to what Christ had said. As God preferred the Jews to other nations, she does not dispute with them the honor of adoption, and declares, that she has no objection whatever that Christ should satisfy them according to the order which God had prescribed. She only asks that some crumbs — falling, as it were, accidentally — should come within the reach of the dogs And at no time, certainly, did God shut up his grace among the Jews in such a manner as not to bestow a small taste of them on the Gentiles. No terms could have been employed that would have described more appropriately, or more justly, that dispensation of the grace of God which was at that time in full operation.

28. Great is thy faith. He first applauds the woman’s faith, and next declares, that on account of her faith he grants her prayer. The greatness of her faith appeared chiefly in this respect, that by the aid of nothing more than a feeble spark of doctrine, she not only recognized the actual office of Christ, and ascribed to him heavenly power, but pursued her course steadily through formidable opposition; suffered herself to be annihilated, provided that she held by her conviction that she would not fail to obtain Christ’s assistance; and, in a word, so tempered her confidence with humility, that, while she advanced no unfounded claim, neither did she shut against her the fountain of the grace of Christ, by a sense of her own unworthiness. This commendation, bestowed on a woman who had been a heathen, “Ceste femme, profane de nation;” — “that woman, a heathen as to her nation.” condemns the ingratitude of that nation which boasted that it was consecrated to God.

But how can the woman be said to believe aright, who not only receives no promise from Christ, but is driven back by his declaration to the contrary? On that point I have already spoken. Though he appears to give a harsh refusal to her prayers, yet, convinced that God would grant the salvation which he had promised through the Messiah, she ceases not to entertain favorable hopes; and therefore she concludes, that the door is shut against her, not for the purpose of excluding her altogether, but that, by a more strenuous effort of faith, she may force her way, as it were, through the chinks. Be it unto thee as thou desirest. This latter clause contains a useful doctrine, that faith will obtain anything from the Lord; for so highly does he value it, that he is always prepared to comply with our wishes, so far as it may be for our advantage.

Matthew 15:29-39; Mark 7:31-37, 8:1-10

Matthew 15:29-39

Mark 7:31-37

29. And Jesus departing thence, came near the sea of Galilee, and he went up into the mountain, and sat down there. 30. And great multitudes came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the dumb, the maimed, and many others, and laid them at the feet of Jesus; and he cured them: 31. So that the multitudes wondered, when they perceived the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, the blind to see; and they glorified the God of Israel. 32. And Jesus, having called his disciples to him, said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now remained with me three days, and have nothing to eat; and I do not choose to send them away fasting, lest they faint by the way. 33. His disciples say to him, Whence shall we obtain so many loaves in a solitary place as to satisfy so great a multitude? 34. And Jesus saith to them, How many loaves have you? And they say, Seven, and a few small fishes. 35. And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the ground. 36. And he took those seven loaves, and the fishes, and after that he had given thanks, he broke and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37. And they all ate, and were satisfied; and they took up of the fragments that were left seven baskets full. 38. And they who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39. And having sent away the multitudes, he embarked, and came to the borders of Magdala.

31. And again, departing from the territories of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the territories of Decapolis. 32. And they bring to him one who was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech, and implore him to lay his hand on him. 33. And when he had taken him aside from the multitude, he put his fingers into his ears, and spat, and touched his tongue; 34. And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35. And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke distinctly. 36. Then he enjoined them not to tell it to any person; but the more he enjoined them, so much the more the published it: 37. And were amazed beyond measure, saying, He hath done all things well; he maketh both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.

Mark 8:1-10

1. In those days, when there wa a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him, and said to them, 2. I am moved with compassion towards the multitude, because they have now remained with me three days, and have nothing to eat. 3. And if I shall send them home fasting, they will faint by the way; for some of them have come from a distance. 4. And his disciples answered him, Whence shall any man be able to satisfy those persons with bread in this solitary place? 5. And he asked them, How many loaves have you? And they said, Seven. 6. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground; and took the seven loaves, and, when he had given thanks, brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them, and they set them before the multitude. 7. And they had a few small fishes; and when he had blessed, he ordered these likewise to be set before them. 8. And they ate, and were satisfied; and of the fragments that remained they carried away seven baskets full. 9. And they that had eaten were about four thousand; and he sent them away. 10. And immediately embarking, he came with his disciples to the coasts of Dalmanutha.

Matthew 15:29. And Jesus departing thence. Though it is unquestionably the same journey of Christ, on his return from the neighborhood of Sidon, that is related by Matthew and by Mark, yet in some points they do not quite agree. It is of little moment that the one says he came to the borders of Magdala, and the other, that he came to the coasts of Dalmanutha; for the cities were adjacent, being situated on the lake of Gennesareth, and we need not wonder that the district which lay between them received both names. “Est nomme maintenant de l’une, maintenant de l’autre ville;” — “was named sometimes from the one, and sometimes from the other town.”

Decapolis was so called from its containing (δέκα πόλεις) ten cities; and as it was contiguous to Phenicia and to that part of Galilee which lay towards the sea, Christ must have passed through it, when he returned from Phenicia into Galilee of Judea. There is a greater appearance of contradiction in another part of the narrative, where Matthew says that our Lord cured many who labored under various diseases, while Mark takes no notice of any but of one deaf man. But this difficulty need not detain us; for Mark selected for description a miracle which was performed during the journey, and the report of which was no sooner circulated than it aroused the inhabitants of every part of that country to bring many persons to Christ to be cured. Now we know that the Evangelists are not anxious to relate all that Christ did, and are so far from dwelling largely on miracles, that they only glance at a few by way of example. Besides, Mark was satisfied with producing one instance, in which the power of Christ is as brightly displayed as in others of the same sort which followed shortly afterwards.

Matthew 15:32. I have compassion on the multitude. Here a miracle is related not unlike another which we have lately explained. The only difference is, that on the former occasion Christ satisfied five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, while, on the present occasion, four thousand men are fed with seven loaves and a few small fishes; and that twelve baskets were then filled with fragments, while out of a greater abundance a smaller portion is left. Let us learn from this, that the power of God is not restricted to means or outward assistance, and that it is all one with Him whether there be much or little, as Jonathan Instead of Jonathan, the French copy mentions Asa, whose words are similar, and were uttered on a similar occasion: Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power, (2 Chronicles 14:11.) — Ed. said when speaking of his own moderate army and the vast multitude of enemies:

there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few, (1 Samuel 14:6.)

As the blessing of God can make one loaf suffice as well as twenty for satisfying a great multitude, so, if that be wanting, a hundred loaves will not be a sufficient meal for ten men; for when the staff of bread is broken, (Leviticus 26:26,) though the flour should come in full weight from the mill, and the bread from the oven, it will serve no purpose to stuff the belly. The three days’ fasting, of which Christ speaks, must not be understood to mean that they had eaten nothing for three days; but that in desert places they had few conveniences, and must have wanted their ordinary food. Besides, in those warm countries, hunger is less keen than in our thick and cold atmosphere; and, therefore, we need not wonder that they should abstain longer from food.

33. Whence shall we obtain so many loaves in a solitary place? The disciples manifest excessive stupidity in not remembering, at least, that earlier proof of the power and grace of Christ, which they might have applied to the case in hand. As if they had never seen any thing of the same sort, they forget to apply to him for relief. There is not a day on which a similar indifference does not steal upon us; and we ought to be the more careful not to allow our minds to be drawn away from the contemplation of divine benefits, that the experience of the past may lead us to expect for the future the same assistance which God has already on one or more occasions bestowed upon us.

Matthew 16:1-4; Mark 8:11-13; Luke 12:54-57

Matthew 16:1-4

Mark 8:11-13

Luke 12:54-57

1. And the Pharisees, together with the Sadducees, came, and tempting desired that he would show them a sign from heaven. 2. But he answering said to them, About the commencement of the evening you say, It will be fine weather; for the sky is red. 3. And in the morning, There will be a storm today; for the sky is red and lowering. Hypocrites, you can judge aright of the face of the sky; but can you not judge of the signs of the times? 4. A wicked and adulterous nation demandeth a sign, and no sign shall be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed.

11. And the Pharisees came, and began to dispute with him, requesting from him a sign from heaven tempting him. 12. And he groaned in his spirit, and said, Why doth this generation ask a sign? Verily, I say to you, That no sign shall be given to this generation. 13. And he left them, and returned to the ship, and departed across the lake.

54. And he said also to the multitudes, When you see a cloud rising out of the west, you immediately say, A shower is coming; and so it is. 55. And when you perceive the south wind blowing, you say that there will be hot weather; and so it is. 56. Hypocrites, you know how to judge of the appearance of the sky and of the earth, and how comes it that you do not understand this time? 57. And why even of yourselves do you not judge what is right?

CHAPTER 15

Mt 15:1-20. Discourse on Ceremonial Pollution. ( = Mr 7:1, 23).

The time of this section was after that Passover which was nigh at hand when our Lord fed the five thousand (Joh 6:4)--the third Passover, as we take it, since His public ministry began, but which He did not keep at Jerusalem for the reason mentioned in Joh 7:1.

1. Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem--or "from Jerusalem." Mark (Mr 7:1) says they "came from" it: a deputation probably sent from the capital expressly to watch Him. As He had not come to them at the last Passover, which they had reckoned on, they now come to Him. "And," says Mark (Mr 7:2, 3), "when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen hands"--hands not ceremonially cleansed by washing--"they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft"--literally, "in" or "with the fist"; that is, probably washing the one hand by the use of the other--though some understand it, with our version, in the sense of "diligently," "sedulously"--"eat not, holding the tradition of the elders"; acting religiously according to the custom handed down to them. "And when they come from the market" (Mr 7:4)--"And after market": after any common business, or attending a court of justice, where the Jews, as Webster and Wilkinson remark, after their subjection to the Romans, were especially exposed to intercourse and contact with heathens--"except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups and pots, brazen vessels and tables"--rather, "couches," such as were used at meals, which probably were merely sprinkled for ceremonial purposes. "Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him,"

saying--as follows:

2. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

3. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?--The charge is retorted with startling power: "The tradition they transgress is but man's, and is itself the occasion of heavy transgression, undermining the authority of God's law."

4. For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother--(De 5:16).

and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death--(Ex 21:17).

5. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift--or simply, "A gift!" In Mark (Mr 7:11), it is, "Corban!" that is, "An oblation!" meaning, any unbloody offering or gift dedicated to sacred uses.

by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

6. And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free--that is, It is true, father--mother--that by giving to thee this, which I now present, thou mightest be profited by me; but I have gifted it to pious uses, and therefore, at whatever cost to thee, I am not now at liberty to alienate any portion of it. "And," it is added in Mark (Mr 7:12), "ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father or his mother." To dedicate property to God is indeed lawful and laudable, but not at the expense of filial duty.

Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect--cancelled or nullified it "by your tradition."

7. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying--(Is 29:13).

8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, &c.--By putting the commandments of men on a level with the divine requirements, their whole worship was rendered vain--a principle of deep moment in the service of God. "For," it is added in Mr 7:8, "laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do." The drivelling nature of their multitudinous observances is here pointedly exposed, in contrast with the manly observance of "the commandment of God"; and when our Lord says, "Many other such like things ye do," it is implied that He had but given a specimen of the hideous treatment which the divine law received, and the grasping disposition which, under the mask of piety, was manifested by the ecclesiastics of that day.

10. And he called the multitude, and said unto them--The foregoing dialogue, though in the people's hearing, was between Jesus and the pharisaic cavillers, whose object was to disparage Him with the people. But Jesus, having put them down, turns to the multitude, who at this time were prepared to drink in everything He said, and with admirable plainness, strength, and brevity, lays down the great principle of real pollution, by which a world of bondage and uneasiness of conscience would be dissipated in a moment, and the sense of sin be reserved for deviations from the holy and eternal law of God.

Hear and understand:

11. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man--This is expressed even more emphatically in Mark (Mr 7:15, 16), and it is there added, "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear." As in Mt 13:9, this so oft-repeated saying seems designed to call attention to the fundamental and universal character of the truth it refers to.

12. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?--They had given vent to their irritation, and perhaps threats, not to our Lord Himself, from whom they seem to have slunk away, but to some of the disciples, who report it to their Master.

13. But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up--They are offended, are they? Heed it not: their corrupt teaching is already doomed: the garden of the Lord upon earth, too long cumbered with their presence, shall yet be purged of them and their accursed system: yea, and whatsoever is not of the planting of My heavenly Father, the great Husbandman (Joh 15:1), shall share the same fate.

14. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch--Striking expression of the ruinous effects of erroneous teaching!

15. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable--"when He was entered into the house from the people," says Mark (Mr 7:17).

16. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?--Slowness of spiritual apprehension in His genuine disciples grieves the Saviour: from others He expects no better (Mt 13:11).

17-18. Do not ye yet understand that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, &c.--Familiar though these sayings have now become, what freedom from bondage to outward things do they proclaim, on the one hand; and on the other, how searching is the truth which they express--that nothing which enters from without can really defile us; and that only the evil that is in the heart, that is allowed to stir there, to rise up in thought and affection, and to flow forth in voluntary action, really defiles a man!

19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts--"evil reasonings"; referring here more immediately to those corrupt reasonings which had stealthily introduced and gradually reared up that hideous fabric of tradition which at length practically nullified the unchangeable principles of the moral law. But the statement is far broader than this; namely that the first shape which the evil that is in the heart takes, when it begins actively to stir, is that of "considerations" or "reasonings" on certain suggested actions.

murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies--detractions, whether directed against God or man; here the reference seems to be to the latter. Mark (Mr 7:22) adds, "covetousnesses"--or desires after more; "wickednesses"--here meaning, perhaps, malignities of various forms; "deceit, lasciviousness"--meaning, excess or enormity of any kind, though by later writers restricted to lewdness; "an evil eye"--meaning, all looks or glances of envy, jealousy, or ill will towards a neighbor; "pride, foolishness"--in the Old Testament sense of "folly"; that is, criminal senselessness, the folly of the heart. How appalling is this black catalogue!

20. These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man--Thus does our Lord sum up this whole searching discourse.

Mt 15:21-28. The Woman of Canaan and Her Daughter.

For the exposition, see on Mr 7:24-30.

23. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us--(Also see on Mr 7:26.)

24. But he answered and said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel--(Also see on Mr 7:26.)

25. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me--(Also see on Mr 7:26.)

Mt 15:29-39. Miracles of Healing--Four Thousand Miraculously Fed.

For the exposition, see on Mr 7:31; Mr 8:10.

The scribes and Pharisees - of Jerusalem - Our Lord was now in Galilee, Mat 14:34.

Elders - Rulers and magistrates among the Jews. For they wash not their hands - What frivolous nonsense! These Pharisees had nothing which their malice could fasten on in the conduct or doctrine of our blessed Lord and his disciples, and therefore they must dispute about washing of hands! All sorts of Pharisees are troublesome people in religious society; and the reason is, they take more pleasure in blaming others than in amending themselves.

The tradition of the elders - The word παραδοσις, tradition, has occupied a most distinguished place, both in the Jewish and Christian Church. Man is ever fond of mending the work of his Maker; and hence he has been led to put his finishing hand even to Divine revelation! This supplementary matter has been called παραδοσις, from παραδιδομαι, to deliver from hand to hand - to transmit; and hence the Latin term, tradition, from trado, to deliver, especially from one to another; - to hand down. Among the Jews Tradition signifies what is also called the oral law, which they distinguish from the written law: this last contains the Mosaic precepts, as found in the Pentateuch: the former, the traditions of the elders, i.e. traditions, or doctrines, that had been successively handed down from Moses through every generation, but not committed to writing. The Jews feign that, when God gave Moses the written law, he gave him also the oral law, which is the interpretation of the former. This law, Moses at first delivered to Aaron then to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar; and, after these to the seventy-two elders, who were six of the most eminent men chosen out of each of the twelve tribes. These seventy-two, with Moses and Aaron, delivered it again to all the heads of the people, and afterwards to the congregation at large. They say also that, before Moses died, he delivered this oral law, or system of traditions, to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders which succeeded him, They to the Prophets, and the Prophets to each other, till it came to Jeremiah, who delivered it to Baruch his scribe, who repeated it to Ezra, who delivered it to the men of the great synagogue, the last of whom was Simon the Just. By Simon the Just it was delivered to Antigonus of Socho; by him to Jose the son of Jochanan; by him to Jose, the son of Joezer; by him to Nathan the Arbelite, and Joshua the son of Perachiah; and by them to Judah the son of Tabbai, and Simeon, the son of Shatah; and by them to Shemaiah and Abtalion; and by them to Hillel; and by Hillel to Simeon his son, the same who took Christ in his arms when brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord: by Simeon it was delivered to Gamaliel his son, the preceptor of St. Paul, who delivered it to Simeon his son, and he to Rab. Judah Hakkodesh his son, who compiled and digested it into the book which is called the Mishna; to explain which the two Talmuds, called the Jerusalem and Babylyonish Talmuds, were compiled, which are also called the Gemera or complement, because by these the oral law or Mishnah is fully explained. The Jerusalem Talmud was completed about a.d. 300; and the Babylonish Talmud about the beginning of the sixth century. This Talmud was printed at Amsterdam in 12 vols. folio. These contain the whole of the traditions of the elders, and have so explained, or rather frittered away, the words of God, that our Lord might well say, Ye have made the word of God of no effect by your traditions. In what estimation these are held by the Jews, the following examples will prove: "The words of the scribes are lovely beyond the words of the law: for the words of the law are weighty and light, but the words of the scribes are all weighty." Hierus. Berac. fol. 3. "He that shall say, There are no phylacteries, though he thus transgress the words of the law, he is not guilty; but he that shall say, There are five Totaphot, thus adding to the words of the scribes, he is guilty." "A prophet and an elder, to what are they likened! To a king sending two of his servants into a province; of one he writes thus: Unless he show you my seal, believe him not; for thus it is written of the prophet: He shall show thee a sign; but of the elders thus: According to the law which they shall teach thee, for I will confirm their words." - See Prideaux. Con. vol. ii. p. 465, and Lightfoot's Hor. Talmud.

They wash not their hands - On washing of hands, before and after meat, the Jews laid great stress: they considered eating with unwashed hands to be no ordinary crime; and therefore, to induce men to do it, they feigned that an evil spirit, called Shibta שיבתא, who sits on the hands by night, has a right to sit on the food of him who eats without washing his hands, and make it hurtful to him! They consider the person who undervalues this rite to be no better than a heathen, and consequently excommunicate him. See many examples of this doctrine in Schoettgen and Lightfoot.

Why do ye - transgress the commandment - Ye accuse my disciples of transgressing the traditions of the elders - I accuse you of transgressing the commands of God, and that too in favor of your own tradition; thus preferring the inventions of men to the positive precepts of God. Pretenders to zeal often prefer superstitious usages to the Divine law, and human inventions to the positive duties of Christianity.

Honor thy father and mother - This word was taken in great latitude of meaning among the Jews: it not only meant respect and submission, but also to take care of a person, to nourish and support him, to enrich. See Num 22:17; Jdg 13:17; 1Tim 5:17. And that this was the sense of the law, as it respected parents, see Deu 27:16, and see the note on Exo 20:12.

It is a gift - קרבן korban, Mar 7:11, an offering of approach; something consecrated to the service of God in the temple, by which a man had the privilege of approaching his Maker. This conduct was similar to the custom of certain persons who bequeath the inheritance of their children to Churches or religious uses; either through terror of conscience, thus striving to purchase the kingdom of glory; or through the persuasion of interested hireling priests. It was in this way that, in the days of popish influence, the principal lands in the nation had fallen into the hands of the Church. In those charters, multitudes of which have passed through my hands, a common form was, pro salute meae, et pro salute antecessorum meorum, et pro salute successorum meorum, et pro solute uxoris meae, etc., etc., do, et concedo Deo et Ecclesiae, etc. "For my salvation, and for the salvation of my predecessors, and for the salvation of my successors, and for the salvation of my wife, etc., etc., I give and bequeath to God and his Church, etc."

Though a world of literature was destroyed, and fine buildings ruined, by the suppression of the monasteries in England, yet this step, with the Stat. 23 Hen. VIII. c. 10, together with the Stat. 9 Geo. II. c. 36, were the means of checking an evil that had arrived at a pitch of unparalleled magnitude; an evil that was supplanting the atonement made by the blood of the covenant, and putting death-bed grants of land, etc., in the place of Jesus Christ, and throwing the whole secular power of the kingdom into the hands of the pope and the priests. No wonder then that they cried out, when the monasteries were suppressed! It is sacrilege to dedicate that to God which is taken away from the necessities of our parents and children; and the good that this pretends to will doubtless be found in the catalogue of that unnatural man's crimes, in the judgment of the great day, who has thus deprived his own family of its due. To assist our poor relatives, is our first duty; and this is a work infinitely preferable to all pious legacies and endowments.

Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you - In every place where the proper names of the Old Testament occur, in the New, the same mode of orthography should be followed: I therefore write Isaiah with the Hebrew, not Esaias, with the Greek. This prophecy is found Isa 29:13. Our blessed Lord unmasks these hypocrites; and we may observe that, when a hypocrite is found out, he should be exposed to all; this may lead to his salvation: if he be permitted to retain his falsely acquired character, how can he escape perdition!

Their heart is far from me - The true worship of God consists in the union of the heart to him - where this exists not, a particle of the spirit of devotion cannot be found.

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth - This clause, which is taken from Isa 29:13, is omitted by several excellent MSS., and by several versions and fathers. Erasmus, Mill, Drusius, and Bengel, approve of the omission, and Griesbach has left it out of the text; but as I find it in the prophet, the place from which it is quoted, I dare not omit it, howsoever respectable the above authorities may appear.

In vain they do worship me, etc. - By the traditions of the elders, not only the word of God was perverted, but his worship also was greatly corrupted. But the Jews were not the only people who have acted thus: whole Christian Churches, as well as sects and parties, have acted in the same way. Men must not mould the worship of God according to their fancy - it is not what they think will do - is proper, innocent, etc., but what God himself has prescribed, that he will acknowledge as his worship. However sincere a man may be in a worship of his own invention, or of man's commandment, yet it profits him nothing. Christ himself says it is in vain. To condemn such, may appear to some illiberal; but whatever may be said in behalf of sincere heathens, and others who have not had the advantages of Divine Revelation, there is no excuse for the man who has the Bible before him.

Hear and understand - A most important command. Hear - make it a point of conscience to attend to the ministry of the word. Understand - be not satisfied with attending places of public worship merely; see that the teaching be of God, and that you lay it to heart.

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth - This is an answer to the carping question of the Pharisees, mentioned Mat 15:2, Why do thy disciples eat with unwashed hands? To which our Lord here replies, That what goes into the mouth defiles not the man; i.e. that if, in eating with unwashed hands, any particles of dust, etc., cleaving to the hands, might happen to be taken into the mouth with the food, this did not defile, did not constitute a man a sinner; for it is on this alone the question hinges: thy disciples eat with unwashed hands; therefore they are sinners; for they transgress the tradition of the elders, i.e. the oral law, which they considered equal in authority to the written law; and, indeed, often preferred the former to the latter, so as to make it of none effect, totally to destroy its nature and design, as we have often seen in the preceding notes.

That which cometh out of the mouth - That is, what springs from a corrupt unregenerate heart - a perverse will and impure passions - these defile, i.e. make him a sinner.

The Pharisees were offended - None so liable to take offense as formalists and hypocrites, when you attempt to take away the false props from the one, and question the sincerity of the other. Besides, a Pharisee must never be suspected of ignorance, for they are the men, and wisdom must die with them!

Every plant - Every plantation. So I render φυτεια, and so it is translated in the Itala version which accompanies the Greek text in the Codex Bezae, omnis plantatio, and so the word is rendered by Suidas. This gives a different turn to the text. The Pharisees, as a religious body, were now a plantation of trees, which God did not plant, water, nor own: therefore, they should be rooted up, not left to wither and die, but the fellers, and those who root up, (the Roman armies), should come against and destroy them, and the Christian Church was to be planted in their place. Since the general dispersion of the Jews, this sect, I believe, has ceased to exist as a separate body, among the descendants of Jacob. The first of the apostolical constitutions begins thus: Θεου φυτεια η καθολικη εκκλησια, και αμπελων αυτου εκλεκτος. The Catholic Church is the plantation of God, and his chosen vineyard.

Let them alone - Αφετε αυτους, give them up, or leave them. These words have been sadly misunderstood. Some have quoted them to prove that blind and deceitful teachers should not be pointed out to the people, nor the people warned against them; and that men should abide in the communion of a corrupt Church, because that Church had once been the Church of God, and in it they had been brought up; and to prove this they bring Scripture, for, in our present translation, the words are rendered, let them alone: but the whole connection of the place evidently proves that our blessed Lord meant, give them up, have no kind of religious connection with them, and the strong reason for which he immediately adds, because they are blind leaders. This passage does not at all mean that blind leaders should not be pointed out to the people, that they may avoid being deceived by them; for this our Lord does frequently, and warns his disciples, and the people in general, against all such false teachers as the scribes and Pharisees were; and though he bids men do that they heard those say, while they sat in the chair of Moses, yet he certainly meant no more than that they should be observant of the moral law when read to them out of the sacred book: yet neither does he tell them to do all these false teachers said; for he testifies in Mat 15:6, that they had put such false glosses on the law, that, if followed, would endanger the salvation of their souls. The Codex Bezae, for αφετε αυτους, has αφετε τους τυφλους, give up these blind men. Amen! A literal attention to these words of our Lord produced the Reformation.

Probably the words may be understood as a sort of proverbial expression for - Don't mind them: pay no regard to them. - "They are altogether unworthy of notice."

And if the blind lead the blind - This was so self-evident a case that an apter parallel could not be found - if the blind lead the blind, both must fall into the ditch. Alas, for the blind teachers, who not only destroy their own souls, but those also of their flocks! Like priest, like people. If the minister be ignorant, he cannot teach what he does not know; and the people cannot become wise unto salvation under such a ministry - he is ignorant and wicked, and they are profligate. They who even wish such God speed; are partakers of their evil deeds. But shall not the poor deceived people escape? No: both shall fall into the pit of perdition together; for they should have searched the Scriptures, and not trusted to the ignorant sayings of corrupt men, no matter of what sect or party. He who has the Bible in his hand, or within his reach, and can read it, has no excuse.

Declare unto us this parable - Is it not strange to hear the disciples asking for the explanation of such a parable as this! The true knowledge of the spirit of the Gospel is a thing more uncommon than we imagine, among the generality of Christians, and even of the learned.

Are ye also yet without understanding? - The word ακμη, which we translate yet, should be here rendered still: Are ye still void of understanding? and the word is used in this sense by several Greek writers. The authorities which have induced me to prefer this translation may be seen in Kypke.

Cast out into the draught - Εις αφεδωνα, - And beeth into the forthgoing a sent - what is not fit for nourishment is evacuated; is thrown into the sink. This I believe to be the meaning of this difficult and variously translated word, αφεδρων. Diodati translates it properly, nella latrina, into the privy. And the Persian translator has given a good paraphrase, and appears to have collected the general meaning her teche der dehen ander ayeed, az nusheeb beeroon rood, we ber zemeen aftad: "Whatsoever enters into the mouth goes downward, and falls upon the ground." Michaelis, and his annotator, Dr. Marsh, have been much perplexed with this perplexing passage. See Michaelis's Introduction, vol. i. note 35. p. 458.

Out of the heart - In the heart of an unregenerate man, the principles and seeds of all sin are found. And iniquity is always conceived in the heart before it be spoken or acted. Is there any hope that a man can abstain from outward sin till his heart, that abominable fountain of corruption, be thoroughly cleansed? I trow not.

Evil thoughts - Διαλογισμοι πονηροι, wicked dialogues - for in all evil surmisings the heart holds a conversation, or dialogue, with itself. For φονοι, murders, two MSS. have φθονοι, envyings, and three others have both. Envy and murder are nearly allied: the former has often led to the latter.

Blasphemies - I have already observed, Mat 9:3, that the verb βλασφημεω, when applied to men, signifies to speak Injuriously of their persons, characters, etc., and, when applied to God, it means to speak Impiously of his nature, works, etc.

These - defile a man - Our Lord's argument is very plain. What goes into the mouth descends into the stomach and other intestines; - part is retained for the nourishment of the body, and part is ejected, as being improper to afford nourishment. Nothing of this kind defiles the soul, because it does not enter into it; but the evil principles that are in it, producing evil thoughts, murders, etc., these defile the soul, because they have their seat and operation in it.

Departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon - Εις τα μερη, towards the coasts or confines. It is not clear that our Lord ever left the land of the Hebrews; he was, as the apostle observes, Rom 15:8, the minister of the circumcision according to the truth of God. Tyre and Sidon are usually joined together, principally because they are but a few miles distant from each other.

A woman of Canaan - Matthew gives her this name because of the people from whom she sprung - the descendants of Canaan, Jdg 1:31, Jdg 1:32; but Mark calls her a Syrophenician, because of the country where she dwelt. The Canaanites and Phoenicians have been often confounded. This is frequently the case in the Septuagint. Compare Gen 46:10, with Exo 6:15, where the same person is called a Phoenician in the one place, and a Canaanite in the other. See also the same version in Exo 16:35; Jos 5:12.

The state of this woman is a proper emblem of the state of a sinner, deeply conscious of the misery of his soul.

Have mercy on me, etc. - How proper is this prayer for a penitent! There are many excellencies contained in it;

1. It is short;

2. humble;

3. full of faith;

4. fervent;

5. modest;

6. respectful;

7. rational;

8. relying only on the mercy of God;

9. persevering.

Can one who sees himself a slave of the devil, beg with too much earnestness to be delivered from his thraldom?

Son of David - An essential character of the true Messiah.

He answered her not a word - Seemed to take time to consider her request, and to give her the opportunity of exercising her faith, and manifesting her fervor.

I am not sent but unto the lost sheep - By the Divine appointment, I am come to preach the Gospel to the Jews only. There are certain preachers who should learn a lesson of important instruction from this part of our Lord's conduct. As soon as they hear of a lost sheep being found by other ministers, they give all diligence to get that one into their fold: but display little earnestness in seeking in the wilderness for those that are lost. This conduct, perhaps, proceeds from a consciousness of their inability to perform the work of an evangelist; and leads them to sit down in the labors of others, rather than submit to the reproach of presiding over empty chapels. Such persons should either dig or beg immediately, as they are a reproach to the pastoral office; for, not being sent of God, they cannot profit the people.

The wilderness of this world is sufficiently wide and uncultivated. Sinners abound every where; and there is ample room for all truly religious people, who have zeal for God, and love for their perishing follow creatures, to put forth all their strength, employ all their time, and exercise all their talents, in proclaiming the Gospel of God; not only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but to a lost World. Nor can such exertions be unsuccessful. There the pure truth of God is preached, many will be converted. Where that truth is preached, though with a mixture of error, some will be converted, for God will bless his own truth. But where nothing but false doctrine is preached, no soul is converted: for God will never sanction error by a miracle of his mercy.

Lord, help me - Let me also share in the deliverance afforded to Israel.

The children's bread - The salvation provided for the Jews, who were termed the children of the kingdom. And cast it to the κυναριοις, little dogs - to the curs; such the Gentiles were reputed by the Jewish people, and our Lord uses that form of speech which was common among his countrymen. What terrible repulses! and yet she still perseveres!

Truth, Lord - Ναι κυριε, Yes, Lord. This appears to be not so much an assent, as a bold reply to our Lord's reason for apparently rejecting her suit.

The little dogs share with the children, for they eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. I do not desire what is provided for these highly favored children, only what they leave: a single exertion of thy almighty power, in the healing of my afflicted daughter, is all that I wish for; and this the highly favored Jews can well spare, without lessening the provision made for themselves. Is not this the sense of this noble woman's reply?

O woman, great is thy faith - The hinderances thrown in this woman's way only tended to increase her faith. Her faith resembles a river, which becomes enlarged by the dykes opposed to it, till at last it sweeps them entirely away with it.

Her daughter was made whole - Persevering faith and prayer are next to omnipotent. No person can thus pray and believe, without receiving all his soul requires. This is one of the finest lessons in the book of God for a penitent, or for a discouraged believer. Look to Jesus! As sure as God is in heaven, so surely will he hear and answer thee to the eternal salvation of thy soul! Be not discouraged at a little delay: when thou art properly prepared to receive the blessing, then thou shalt have it. Look up; thy salvation is at hand. Jesus admires this faith, to the end that we may admire and imitate it, and may reap the same fruits and advantages from it.

Went up into a mountain - Το ορος, The mountain. "Meaning," says Wakefield, "some particular mountain which he was accustomed to frequent; for, whenever it is spoken of at a time when Jesus is in Galilee, it is always discriminated by the article. Compare Mat 4:18, with Mat 5:1; and Mat 13:54, with Mat 14:23; and Mat 28:16. I suppose it was mount Tabor."

Those that were - maimed - Κυλλους. Wetstein has fully proved that those who had lost a hand, foot, etc., were termed κυλλοι by the Greeks. Kypke has shown, from Hippocrates, that the word was also used to signify those who had distorted or dislocated legs, knees, hands, etc. Mr. Wakefield is fully of opinion that it means here those who had lost a limb, and brings an incontestable proof from Mat 18:8; Mar 9:43. "If thy hand cause thee to offend, Cut It Off; it is better for thee to enter into life (κυλλον) Without A Limb, than, having thy Two hands, to go away into hell." What an astonishing manifestation of omnific and creative energy must the reproduction of a hand, foot, etc., be at the word or touch of Jesus! As this was a mere act of creative power, like that of multiplying the bread, those who allow that the above is the meaning of the word will hardly attempt to doubt the proper Divinity of Christ. Creation, in any sense of the word, i.e. causing something to exist that had no existence before, can belong only to God, because it is an effect of an unlimited power; to say that such power could be delegated to a person is to say that the person to whom it is delegated becomes, for the time being, the omnipotent God; and that God, who has thus clothed a creature with his omnipotence, ceases to be omnipotent himself; for there cannot be two omnipotents, nor can the Supreme Being delegate his omnipotence to another, and have it at the same time. I confess, then, that this is to me an unanswerable argument for the Divinity of our blessed Lord. Others may doubt; I can't help believing.

The multitude wondered - And well they might, when they had such proofs of the miraculous power and love of God before their eyes. Blessed be God! the same miracles are continued in their spiritual reference. All the disorders of the soul are still cured by the power of Jesus.

I have compassion, etc. - See a similar transaction explained, Mat 14:14-22 (note).

Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, etc. - Human foresight, even in the followers of Christ, is very short. In a thousand instances, if we supply not its deficiency by faith, we shall be always embarrassed, and often miserable. This world is a desert, where nothing can be found to satisfy the soul of man, but the salvation which Christ has procured.

They did all eat, and were filled - Εχορτασθησαν - they were satisfied. The husks of worldly pleasures may fill the man, but cannot satisfy the soul. A man may eat, and not be satisfied: it is the interest therefore of every follower of Christ to follow him till he be fed, and to feed on him till he be satisfied.

Four thousand - Let the poor learn from these miracles to trust in God for support. Whatever his ordinary providence denies, his miraculous power will supply.

He sent away the multitude - But not before he had instructed their souls, and fed and healed their bodies.

The coasts of Magdala - In the parallel place, Mar 8:10, this place is called Dalmanutha. Either Magdala was formed by a transposition of letters from Dalman, to which the Syriac termination atha had been added, or the one of these names refers to the country, and the other to a town in that neighborhood. Jesus went into the country, and proceeded till he came to the chief town or village in that district. Whitby says, "Magdala was a city and territory beyond Jordan, on the banks of Gadara. It readied to the bridge above Jordan, which joined it to the other side of Galilee, and contained within its precincts Dalmanutha." The MSS. and VV. read the name variously - Magada, Madega, Magdala; and the Syriac has Magdu. In Mark, Dalmanutha is read by many MSS. Melagada, Madegada, Magada, Magidan, and Magedam. Magdala, variously pronounced, seems to have been the place or country; Dalmanutha, the chief town or capital.

In this chapter a number of interesting and instructive particulars are contained.

1. We see the extreme superstition, envy, and incurable ill nature of the Jews. While totally lost to a proper sense of the spirituality of God's law, they are ceremonious in the extreme. They will not eat without washing their hands, because this would be a transgression of one of the traditions of their elders; but they can harbour the worst temper and passions, and thus break the law of God! The word of man weighs more with them than the testimony of Jehovah; and yet they pretend the highest respect for their God and sacred things, and will let their parents perish for lack of the necessaries of life, that they may have goods to vow to the service of the sanctuary! Pride and envy blind the hearts of men, and cause them often to act not only the most wicked, but the most ridiculous, parts. He who takes the book of God for the rule of his faith and practice can never go astray: but to the mazes and perplexities produced by the traditions of elders, human creeds, and confessions of faith, there is no end. These evils existed in the Christian as well as in the Jewish Church; but the Reformation, thank God! has liberated us from this endless system of uncertainty and absurdity, and the Sun of righteousness shines now unclouded! The plantation, which God did not plant, in the course of his judgments, he has now swept nearly away from the face of the earth! Babylon is fallen!

2. We wonder at the dulness of the disciples, when we find that they did not fully understand our Lord's meaning, in the very obvious parable about the blind leading the blind. But should we not be equally struck with their prying, inquisitive temper? They did not understand, but they could not rest till they did. They knew that their Lord could say nothing that had not the most important meaning in it: this meaning, in the preceding parable, they had not apprehended, and therefore they wished to have it farther explained by himself. Do we imitate their docility and eagerness to comprehend the truth of God? Christ presses every occurrence into a means of instruction. The dulness of the disciples in the present case, has been the means of affording us the fullest instruction on a point of the utmost importance - the state of a sinful heart, and how the thoughts and passions conceived in it defile and pollute it; and how necessary it is to have the fountain purified, that it may cease to send forth those streams of death.

3. The case of the Canaanitish woman is, in itself, a thousand sermons. Her faith - her prayers - her perseverance - her success - the honor she received from her Lord, etc., etc. How instructively - how powerfully do these speak and plead! What a profusion of light does this single case throw upon the manner in which Christ sometimes exercises the faith and patience of his followers! They that seek shall find, is the great lesson inculcated in this short history: God is ever the same. Reader, follow on after God - cry, pray, plead - all in Him is for thee! - Thou canst not perish, if thou continuest to believe and pray. The Lord will help Thee.

Mark 7:1.

The elders - The chief doctors or, teachers among the Jews.

They wash not their hands when they eat bread - Food in general is termed bread in Hebrew; so that to eat bread is the same as to make a meal.

Honour thy father and mother - Which implies all such relief as they stand in need of. Exod 20:12; 21:17.

It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest have been profited by me - That is, I have given, or at least, purpose to give to the treasury of the temple, what you might otherwise have had from me.

Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying - That is, the description which Isaiah gave of your fathers, is exactly applicable to you. The words therefore which were a description of them, are a prophecy with regard to you.

Their heart is far from me - And without this all outward worship is mere mockery of God. Isaiah 29:13.

Teaching the commandments of men - As equal with, nay, superior to, those of God. What can be a more heinous sin?

Every plant - That is, every doctrine.

Let them alone - If they are indeed blind leaders of the blind; let them alone: concern not yourselves about them: a plain direction how to behave with regard to all such. Luke 6:39.

Are ye also yet without understanding - How fair and candid are the sacred historians? Never concealing or excusing their own blemishes.

First evil thoughts - then murders - and the rest. Railings - The Greek word includes all reviling, backbiting, and evil speaking.

Mark 7:24.

A woman of Canaan - Canaan was also called Syrophenicia, as lying between Syria properly so called, and Phenicia, by the sea side. Cried to him - From afar, Thou Son of David - So she had some knowledge of the promised Messiah.

He answered her not a word - He sometimes tries our faith in like manner.

I am not sent - Not primarily; not yet.

Then came she - Into the house where he now was.

Thy faith - Thy reliance on the power and goodness of God.

The sea of Galilee - The Jews gave the name of seas to all large lakes. This was a hundred furlongs long, and forty broad. It was called also, the sea of Tiberias. It lay on the borders of Galilee, and the city of Tiberias stood on its western shore. It was likewise styled the lake of Gennesareth: perhaps a corruption of Cinnereth, the name by which it was anciently called, Num 34:11. Mark 7:31.

They continue with me now three days - It was now the third day since they came. Mark 8:1.

He gave thanks, or blessed the food - That is, he praised God for it, and prayed for a blessing upon it.

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Mark relateth this piece of History more largely, Ch. 7.1.2, 3, 4, 5. Then came together unto him, the Pharisees and certain of the Scribes, which came from Ierusalem. And when they saw some of his Disciples Eat Bread, with defiled (that is to say with unwashen) Hands, they found fault, For the Pharisees, and all the Iews, except they Wash their Hands oft, Eat not, holding the Traditions of the Elders. And when they come from the Market, except they Wash, they Eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold as the Washing of Cups, and Pots, Brasen Vessels, and of Tables. Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked him, Why walk not thy Disciples according to the Tradition of the Elders, but Eat Bread with unwashen Hands? This Portion of Scripture cannot be well understood, without understanding something of the Iewish Government, as to matters Ecclesiastical. In which the High Priest was the Chief, Num. 11.25. God addeth seventy Men more to Moses and Aaron, to bear a share in the Government, these were called the Sanhedrim, and this was the Supreme Court of Judicature amongst the Jews, as to all things which respected the Laws of God, whether Moral, Iudicial, or Ceremonial, and every one was bound to abide by their Determination. These Sate in Ierusalem, but had their inferiour Courts in other places, from which they appealed to the Sanhedrim, who finally determined, Deut. 17.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. It was the great business of this Court, to take care that there should be no Corruption in Religion. These were they therefore that sent Messengers to Iohn, when he began to Preach to inquire what he was, and by what Authority he Baptized, Iohn 1.19. The Pharisees, (as we before heard) had charged our Saviours Disciples with Violation of the Sabbath, by plucking and rubbing Ears of Corn, and himself also with the same Crime for healing the Sick. It is very like these Accusations were got to Ierusalem, and that these were Emissaries sent from the Sanhedrim, to watch our Saviour, or possibly they came out of their own Curiosity. They could find in our Saviour no Guilt, as to any Violation of the Law of God, but they pick a quarel with him for some Rites and Ceremonies of their Church, which he, and his Disciples were not so strict in the Observation of. They say, why do thy Disciples, Transgress the Traditions of the Elders. The Word Traditions signifies only things delivered, and is as well applicable to the Law of God, as any thing else. Thus the whole Law of God, was but a Tradition, a Doctrine of Life, delivered to the Jews by Moses from God: thus the Apostle bids the Thessalonians. 2. Thessel. 2.15. Hold the Traditions which you have been taught, whether by Word or our Epistle. But the Term of the Elders, is that which restraineth it, for as the Papists in our time hold that besides, what we have in the New Testament, the Apostle delivered many things to the Primitive Church only by word of Mouth, which have since that time been imparted to succeeding Churches, to the Observation of which Christians, are as much obliged, as to the written Word. So the Jews did formerly. For tho, for some Tract of time, they kept to the Divine Law, yet in process of time they abused that Text, Deut. 4.14. to found a new invention upon it. That while Moses was in the Mount of God forty Days, and forty Nights, God in the Day time revealed to him, the Law written in the five Books of Moses, and in the Night, he revealed to him several other things, as to which his Will was, they should not be written, for fear the Heathens should Transcribe them, but he delivered only by word of Mouth to the Sanhedrim, and be to them as much a Rule of judgment, as any part of the Law, which was written. By which means they gained themseves a liberty, of making the Law of God, what they pleased, for their Traditions were of several sorts. Some wer[illegible: 1 letter] Determinations of what in the Law seemed doubtful. Others were Determinations of what [illegible: 1 letter]he Law left at Liberty, O[illegible: 1 letter]hers they called Sepimenta Legis, Rules they gave under pretence of a Guard to the Divine Law. For the more Caution, that they might not trangress it. These things at first were not imposed as Laws, but commended by way of Advice and Counsel, afterward they came to be lookt upon as Laws, and grew almost infinite. They tell us that Ezra was he who gathered those Traditions together, and made the Cabbala in seventy two Books, which was kept by Gamaliel, and others till the Destruction of Ierusalem. An hundred and twenty years after they tell us, Rabbi Iudas, the Son of Simon composed a Book of them called Misna. Three hundred years after this, they tell us R. Iohanan found more, and he and others his Colleagues, collected them into a larger Book, called the Ierusalem Talmud. And an hundred years after this, another Rabbi made a Collection of the Traditions amongst the Iews, that remained in Babylon, which he called the Babylonish Talmud, by which two the Iews are governed in Ecclesiastical matters, all the World over at this day. Their whole Talmud is divided into six parts. The sixth is about Purifications, it containeth twelve Books, and every Book hath twenty or thirty Chapters, all treating about the purifying of Houses, Cloths, Vessels, Humane Bodies, and their several parts. The Iews after the Destruction of Ierusalem, were in such an afflicted State, that tho their Talmud was not perfected of five hundred years and more after Christ, yet it is probable, they added not much to what they had in use in Christs times. The Pharisees were very severe as to these Traditions. The Sadduces kept more to the written Law. But the Pharisees were in far greater Credit, with the Iews, therefore Paul called them the strictest sect of the Iewish Religion, Acts 26.5. The Iews have several ordinary Sayings, that shew in what Esteem they had, these Traditions, as, If the Scribes say our Right hand is our Left, and our Left hand, our Right, we are to be-believe them. And, There is more in the Words of the Scribes, then the Words of the Law, &c. These Scribes and Pharisees, accuse our Saviour's Disciples, for the Violation of one of these Traditions. Mark saith, That the Pharisees and all the Iews, (that is the Major part of these that followed the Pharisees Faction) except they wash their Hands oft, Eat not. They thought it sinful to Eat, unless they often washed their Hands. The Foundation of this Tradition, was doubtless in the Levitical Law, God by that Law had declared him unclean, that should touch the Carcass of any unclean thing. Levit. 5.2, 3. upon this, (as some think) they had superstructed a Tradition of washing their Hands, Pots, Cups, Vessels, when they had been at the Market, or almost any where for fear, they, or their Pots, Cups, &c. should have touched any unclean Person, or thing. In this they were Guilty of several Errors, 1. Extending the Law to the touching of things and Persons, of whom the Law had said nothing. 2. In Cases where such Touches happened Accidentally and were not made on purpose. 3. In thinking that the stain of sin could be washed away by a ritual Action, which God never commanded. We must not think, that they Charge the Disciples here, with a neglect of a Civil washing for Cleanliness, but of a Religious superstitious washing. Mark saith, [non-Latin text not transcribed] that is with common Hands. We translate it, Polluted, so Acts 10.14. & 11.8. Hands not first separated to God by the Religious Rite of washings.

3 But he answered, and said unto them, Why do you also transgress the commandement of God by your traditions?

Mark hath the same, Ch. 7.9. tho a little of the Order in which Matthew hath it. Full well you reject the Commandement of God, that you may keep your own Traditions. Our Saviour could have answered them, had he pleased more strictly to their Questions, but he must then, either, have incurred Danger, or Odium; he therefore chuseth to answer them by another Question, which struck at the Root of the matter. Admit, saith he, my Disciples culpable in not observing Traditions, which indeed you call the Traditions of the Elders, but are your own, devised by you, or some like you, meerly to uphold your Power and Authority, and to keep People in a needless Subjection to you: I am sure you are far more Guilty, in making Traditions contrary to the Law of God, or rejecting Gods Law, to keep your Traditions: And indeed this is the common Guilt of those, who are great Zealots for Traditions and Rites, not commanded in the word of God. The Jewish Rabbi Iose saith, He sinneth as much, who Eateth with unwashen Hands, as he that lyeth with an Harlot. The Papists make it a greater sin, for a Priest to Marry, than to keep a Concubine; and commit Fornication: They make it a lesser Transgression, than to Eat meat on a Friday.

6 And honour not his father or mother, he shall be free, Thus have you made the commandement of God, of none effect by your tradition.

Mark hath much the same, 7. v. 10, 11, 12, 13. Mark saith Moses said, which is the same with God commanded. God commanded by Moses. Mark saith: It is Corban [that is, a Gift] Mark addeth, v. 12. And you suffer him no more to do ought for his Father or Mother, which more fully sheweth their Crime, and expoundeth what Matthew had said more shortly. Mark adds, And many such like Things do you. This is an instance, by which our Saviour justifieth his Charge upon them, that they had made void the Law of God by their Traditions. The Law he instanceth in, is the fifth Commandement, Exod. 20.12. Deut. 5.16. which the Apostle calleth the First Commandement with Promise, Eph. 6.2. which God had fortified with a Iudicial Law, wherein he had commanded, That he who Cursed his Father and Mother should be put to Death, Exod. 21.17. Levit. 20.9. he had also further threatned the Violaters of this Law, Prov. 20.20. By the way our Saviour here al[illegible: 1 letter]o lets us know, that the fifth Commandement obligeth Children to relieve their Parents in their necessity, and this is the Sense of the term, Honour, in other Texts of Scripture. A Law of God, which hath approved it self to the Wisdom almost of all Nations. Liberi Parentes alant aut vinciantur. Let Children relieve their Parents, or be put into Prison, was an old Roman Law. Nor did the Pharisees deny this in terms, but they had made an Exception from it, which in Effect made it of no use, at least such as wicked Children ea[illegible: 1 letter]ily might, and commonly did elude it by: They had taught the People to say to their Parents, Corban: It is a Gift, by whatsoever thou mayst be profited by me: And in that Case, tho they did not give their poor Parents any thing wherewith they might relieve their Necessities, yet they should be Guiltless as to the fifth Commandement. There is a strange Variety of Interpreters as to this Text. Some making the Sense this, That which I should relieve you with, I have dedicated unto God, and therefore I cannot relieve you: Others thus, I have dedicated my Estate to God, and that will be as much Good, and benefit to you, as if I had given it unto you. Others think that Corban was the form of an Oath, from whence they form other Senses. But the most Free, and unconstrained Sense seemeth to be this. The Pharisees were a very Courteous Generation, and had a share in the Gifts, that were brought unto God, for the use of the Temple or otherwise, thence they were very Zealous, and diligent in perswading People to make such Oblations, when any pretended the need that their Parents stood in of their help, they told them, That i[illegible: 1 letter] they told their Parents, it was a Gift that they had vowed, such a Portion of their Estate to a sacred use, that would before God excuse them for not relieving their Parents; so as the Precept of Honouring their Parents, and relieving them in their nece[illegible: 1 letter]sities, obliged them not, if they had first given to God the things by which their Parents might, or ought to have been reliev[illegible: 2 letters]. Thus he tells them, that by their Traditions, under pretence of a more Religion, and expounding the Divine Law, they had indeed destroyed it, and made it of no E[illegible: 1 letter]fect at all.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandements of men.

The Greek is, [non-Latin text not transcribed], teaching Doctrines, the Commandements of men. You Hypocrites, who put on an outward Vizard, or appearance of Holiness, but have nothing in your Hearts of true and severe Piety, Well did Isaiah prophecy of you. Isaiah spake to the Iews, that were then in being, but what he then said of your Fore-Fathers, that lived in his Age, is true of you who are their Children, Saying, This People, &c. The Evangelist doth not quote the Words of the Prophet exactly, but his Sense, and teacheth us this Lesson, That whatsoever outward shew, and Profession of Religion be in, and upon Men, if their Hearts be not right with God, and what they outwardly do, proceed not from an inward Principle of Faith, Love and Obedience, in and to God, they are but Hypocrites. In vain do they Worship me, &c. That is, idly, and unprofitably, and to no purpose: I will not accept what they do. Teaching Doctrines, the Commandements of Men: He means in the Worship of God, for other Commandements of Men, are not the Preachers Texts, nor doth he here mean by Commandements of Men, such as back'd the Commandements of God, and only served to enforce them, but such as he had been speaking of, humane Traditions, of which God had said nothing, as washing of Hands: Or such Traditions, a[illegible: 1 letter] enervated the Commandements of God, such were the la[illegible: 1 letter]t mentioned.

Marginal references: Col. 2.18.22.

11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Mark hath the same, Ch. 7.15. Our Saviour turns off his Di[illegible: 1 letter]course from the Pharisees and Scribes, who he saw were in[illegible: 1 letter]oc[illegible: 1 letter]ble, to the multitude in who[illegible: 1 letter] he discerned a m[illegible: 1 letter]re teachable Temper; he useth the Preface Hear and u[illegible: 1 letter]d[illegible: 2 letters]stand, as well knowing how they had been taught, and w[illegible: 1 letter]at an advant[illegible: 1 letter]ge Error in Posse[illegible: 1 letter]sion hath. That which h[illegible: 1 letter] tells them, and that before the Scribes and Pharises (as will a[illegible: 2 letters]ear by the following Verses) was▪ That that which goeth into a M[illegible: 1 letter]n do[illegible: 1 letter]h not defile him, but that which cometh out of [illegible: 1 word]. He speaketh not of a Levitical Pollution, for so he t[illegible: 1 letter]at did eat of an unclean thing, might by it▪ be defiled, b[illegible: 1 letter]t even in such an E[illegible: 1 letter]ting, it was not the Flesh of the unc[illegible: 1 letter]ean Bird, or Beast that de[illegible: 1 letter]iled the M[illegible: 1 letter]n, but his sinful Lusting after it, and E[illegible: 1 letter]ting it in D[illegible: 1 letter]sobedience to the Comm[illegible: 2 letters]d o[illegible: 1 letter] God.

Marginal references: A[illegible: 1 letter]t. 10.15. Ro[illegible: 1 letter]. 14.17.2[illegible: 1 letter]. T[illegible: 1 letter]t. 1.15.

12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were o[illegible: 1 letter]fended, after they heard this saying?

The Pharisees offence was without Question, at his making so light a Matter at their Washings, not that they understood our Saviour, as speaking against the distinction of M[illegible: 2 letters]ts, which was E[illegible: 1 letter]tablished by the Ceremonial Law, not as yet abrogated. There's nothing doth more offend Hypoc[illegible: 2 letters]tes, than pre[illegible: 1 letter]sing spiritual Worsh[illegible: 1 letter]p and Homage to God, and the [illegible: 1 letter]lighting of all external Rites and Actions, not attended with a sutable inward Homage, and Devotion of Heart.

14 Let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Every Plant, may be understood of Doctrines, Practices, or Persons. These Scribes and Pharisees, are a wretched Generation, that a[illegible: 1 letter]e got into the Sheep-fold, not at the Door, my Father never sent them, they are crept in at the Windows, they are Plants got into my Garden, which my Father never Planted there, and they must be Rooted up Let them alone, they are incorrigible, and blinded by their own Interest against any Conviction, or Instruction, as Hos. 4.17. Ephraim is joyn'd to Idols, let him alone. So these Men are joyned to their Superstitious Traditions: I will not concern my self with them: They are pretended Leaders of the Blind, Rom. 2.19. but themselves are Blind. I pity the poor People, for whilst the Blind lead the Blind, they both fall into a Ditch. An ignorant and unfaithful Ministry is the greatest Plague God can send amongst a People.

Marginal references: Chap. 23.14.16. Luk. 6.39.

16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

Mark saith, His Disciples asked him concerning the Parable, Peter probably began, the rest follow[illegible: 1 letter]d. Or, Peter speaks in the Name of the rest, for our Saviour in his Answer, doth not say, Art thou, but are ye. They did well, in that they desired to be instructed what the meaning was of the Parable, that is, the dark saying, which he used (for the Hebrews called all dark Sayings, Parables) possibly they might also stumble at what our Saviour said, as tending to the Destruction of the Ceremonial Law, about the difference of Meats. But that they were no better instructed, than not to understand a thing so plain and obvious, this was their Fault, and argued their small improvement of our Saviours Company. God expects a proficiency in knowledge from us, proportionate unto the means he giveth us.

Marginal references: Chap. 16.9.

20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands, defileth not a man.

Mark hath this▪ with very small difference in Words, Ch. 7.18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. only he specifieth some more sins, than Matthew enumerateth. The Sum of what our Saviour [illegible: 1 letter]aith is this. That all sin proceedeth from Lust, some desires in the Heart of man after things forbidden in the Law of God. All the t[illegible: 1 letter]cklings of our Hearts, with such Thoughts, all the Willings, and De[illegible: 2 letters]res of such things, tho they never issue in Over-Acts, yet de[illegible: 1 letter]ile, and pollute a Man, and from these inward Motions of the Heart, proceed those Overt-Acts (mentioned by Matthew or Mark) of Murders, Adulteries, Fornication, Theft, False-witness, Blasphemy, Deceit, L[illegible: 1 letter]scivousness, an Evil Eye, Pride, Foolishness, now these things take them in their Nest, which is the Heart, they defile, and pollute that. Take them in their passage through our Lips, into the World▪ they pollute that, take them in their Overt-Act, they pollute the Man. But to eat with unwashen Hands, a thing no where forbidden by God, only by the Pharisees, who had no such Authority given them from God, to command any such things, this doth not pullute a Man. It is po[illegible: 1 letter]sible, that Men may sin in not obeying the Commandements of Men, but it must be than in things, in which God hath Authorized them to command, and to determine our Practice in, for the pollution lyes in a Disobedience, to the Commandement of God, not of Men.

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

Mark Ch. 7.24. addeth, and entred into an House, and would have no Man know of it, but he could not be hid: Some here make a Question, whether our Saviour did go into Phoenicia (of which Tyre and Sidon were the principal Cities) or only into the Coasts of Palestina next to it; those that think he did not go into Phoenicia, are guided by his Prohibition of his Disciples, to go into the way of the Gentiles, Mat. 10.5. and the Consideration, that the time was not yet come, for his manifestation to the Gentiles. I rather incline to think, that he went into Tyre and Sidon; and that this was a kind of a Praeludium to the calling of the Gentiles, and a Prediction of what should be done more fully afterwards: It is manifest he did not go with a design to make himself publick there, for Mark saith, he would have no Man know of it. But for privacy withdrew himself thither, and shewed some of his miraculous Operations there, and v. 22. Saith the Woman that came to him was a C[illegible: 1 letter] naanite, Mark saith, she was a Greek a Syrophenician by Nation. Nor is here any Contradiction, for ever since the Grecian Monarchy, prevailed over so great a part of the World. The Name of Greeks had obtained, so as they called all Greeks who were not Iews, Rom. 1.14.16. & 10.12. a Syrophenician saith Mark by Nation: That is, one that was a Native of that part of Phoenicia, which is joyned to Tyre and Sidon. Matthew calls her a Canaanite, or a Woman of Canaan, by which tho some would understand one of Cana, yet as the Orthography will not agree, so Mark calling her a Greek and a Syrophenician, inclines us rather to judge her of the stock of the Old Canaanites.

23 But he answered her not a word, And his disciples came, and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she cryeth after us.

Mark saith, A certain Woman whose young Daughter had an unclean Spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his Feet▪ The Woman was a Greek a Syrophenician by Nation, and she besought him, that he would cast forth the Devil out of her Daughter. But Iesus said unto her, let the Children first be filled, for it is not meet to take the Childrens Bread, and to cast it to Dogs. Mark 7.25, 26, 27. Tho the Woman appears to have been a Pagan, yet living so near Galilee, she had doubtless heard of Christ, both what he had done in casting out Devils, and also that he was lookt upon as the Son of David, and usually called by that Name, by those who went to him for any Cures; she therefore gives him that Title: Others, think her to have been more specially inlightned, and to have called him the Son of David, not as an usual Compellation given him, but as believing him to have been the true Messias promised to the Iews, nor [illegible: 1 letter]s that impossible, for tho the Gospel at this time had not shined out upon any Considerable number of the Heathen, yet God in all times had his number amongst them, and this Woman living so near to the Iews, and so near to Galilee, where our Saviour hitherto had most Conversed, and Preached, it is not improbable, that she might have received the Grace, as well as the sound of the Gospel, so God might have kindled in her Heart, a true Faith in the Messias. Our Saviours Commendation of her Faith in the following Discourse, maketh this very probable. Matthew saith, that he answered her not a Word, Mark saith, that he said to her, Let the Children first be filled, &c. To the observing Reader, this will appear no Contradiction. For by Mark it should appear, that she first came to our Saviour into the House, into which he went, that he might be private, and there fell at his Feet Here Christ answered her not a Word; took no notice of her at all, But it appeareth by Matthew, that Christ soon left the House, and she followed after him upon the way. The Disciples said, send her away, for she cryeth after us. Then it was that our Saviour said to her, Let the Children be first filled. His Disciples [illegible: 2 letters]rst interposing, saying, send her away, for she cryeth after us. How any of the Papists think that this Text Patronizeth their Invocation of Saints departed, I cannot tell, for these Disciples were alive, and we do not read, that she spake to any of them, to intercetrans for her▪ It is certain they did move Christ on her behalf.

24 But he answered, and said, I am not sent, but to the lost sheep of Israel.

Our Lord by these Words doth not deny, but that he was sent as a Redeemer to more, but not as a Minister or as an Apostle, as he is called, Heb. 3.1. The Apostle Rom. 15.8. saith, That Iesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision, for the Truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the Fathers. Our Lords Ministry was confined to the Jews, so was the Apostles, Matth. 10.5. Till some time after our S[illegible: 1 letter] viours Ascension, the Gospel was not Preached generally to the Gentiles, tho some particular Persons might, and did both in Christs time, and in the time of the Ap[illegible: 1 letter]stles, before they did go to the Gentiles, hear, receive, and imbrace the Gospel, as we shall hear this Woman did.

Marginal references: Chap. 10.5, 6.

25 Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

She here acknowledgeth his Divine Power, and imploreth his Help. Thus shewing that she believed him to be the Son of God, and a rewarder of those that sought him, and continues her request after two Repulses.

26 But he answered, and said, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to cast it to dogs.

Mark saith, Chap. 7.27. Iesus said unto her, Let the Children first be filled, for it is not meet, &c. By the Children, here he means the Iews, by the Dogs, he meaneth the Heathen. The Jews are called the Children of the Kingdom, Israel is called Gods Son, his first Born, Exod. 4.22. the Apostle, Rom. 9.4. saith, to them belong'd the Adoption. By Bread here our Saviour means, the Publication of the Gospel, and the Miracles by which the truth of the Doctrine of it was confirmed, by Dogs, he means the Heathen, whom the Jews did count as Dogs, no Members of the Houshold of God, it was a Term of Contempt, 2 Sam. 3.8. and 16.9. 2 Kings 8.13. When our Saviour saith it is not Meet, he means it is not just, nor equal, Obj. How came it then, that the Gospel was ever carried to the Gentiles? Mark Expounds our Saviours meaning, or rather gives us an account of our Saviours Words more perfectly. Let the Children be first filled. It is not Meet, &c. The Jews are Gods Children, a People whom he chose out of all the Nations of the Earth, to whom he gave many Priviledges. It is his Will the Gospel should be first Preached to them, and then to the Gentiles. Gentiles are as Dogs, of whom God hath not taken such a care, but they shall have their time. Only it is not Consonant to my Fathers Will, that the Gospel, and the Miracles by which it is confirmed, should be Exhibited unto you Gentiles, till it hath been fully Preached to the Jews, and they be first filled with the Sound, and with the Confirmations of it.

27 And she said, Truth Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs, which fall from their masters table.

Mark reports it to the same Sense, Chap. 7.28. She goeth on after a third Repulse. The last of which was not without a reproach, for our Lord had implicitely call'd her a Dog. These words are as much, as if she had said, Lord, I confess the Jews are Children. I am a Dog, a poor Heathen, no proper Member of the Houshold of God, and it is Truth, that it seemeth unreasonable, that I being a Dog, should be served before all the Children are filled. Lord, I do not beg such a full Manifestation of thy power, and goodness for the Gentiles, I beg but a Crumb of Mercy for my self, and poor Child, and Lord, tho we do not use to give our Loaves prepared for our Children, to the Dogs that feed under our Table, Crumbs of our Childrens Bread, as Mark expresseth it, yet we Suffer our Dogs to gather them up. Lord, I know thou hast a plenty of Grace, and Blessing, the Children may be filled, and yet I may have some Crumbs. Three things are Remarkable in her Answer, besides her Faith so eminently expressed. 1. Her Humility, she owneth herself a Dog. 2. Her Modesty, she beggeth no more than a Crumb. 3. Her Fervency, and Importunity after three Repulses. By this we Learn our Duty in Prayer, to go to God Humbly, to implore him modestly, and to be instant in Prayer, going on in our Duty, tho we have not presently such an Answer as we desire. These things conjoyned with Faith, make an acceptable Prayer,

28 Then Jesus said unto her, O woman! great is thy faith; be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Mark saith, Chap. 7.29. And he said unto her, for this saying, Go thy way, the Devil is gone out of thy Daughter. And when she was come to her House, she found the Devil gone out, and her Daughter laid up[illegible: 1 letter]n the Bed. O Woman! for this saying, shewing the greatness of thy Faith. Be it unto thee, as thou wilt. Go thy way, the Devil is gone out of thy Daughter. And her Daughter was made whole that very Hour, as she understood, when she came home to her House, for she found the Devil was gone out of her Daughter, and her Daughter was laid upon the Bed. Thus the Words of both the Evangelists Compounded, make but one entire and perfect Sense. The greatness of her Faith appeared in two things. 1. In that she had so little means, so small a Revelation, being a Pagan, she ordinarily had not heard the Gospel, nor seen so many of Christs mighty Works, Confirming the Truth of the Doctrine of it. Hence it is o[illegible: 1 letter]served, that Christ admired the Faith of none but Pagans. Matth. 8.10.2. In that she would not give over, tho he gave her three Repulses. So as she said like Iacob. I will not let thee go, until thou Bless me. And as he like a Prince, so she like a Princess ▪ prevailed with God, and obtained the thing which she desired, But will some say. Where was her Faith? What promise? what Word of God had she to assent to? God doth not speak to us outwardly, but inwardly, as undoubtedly he had to this Woman, giving her some inward assurance, that he was the Son of God, and both able, and willing to grant her the thing she asked. Now a f[illegible: 1 letter]rm and fixed assent to any Divine Revelation is Faith: whether the Revelation be Internal or External. We from hence learn, the mighty Power of True Faith and Fervent Prayer.

31 Insomuch that the multitude wondred, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see, And they glorified the God of Israel.

Mark gives us an account of this motion of our Saviours, Chap. 7. v. 32. and mentioneth a particular Miracle, which our Lord wrought, either in the way, or when he came to the place where he rested, which not being mentioned by our Evangelist, I shall consider when I come to that Chapter in Mark. Matthew only tells us in general, that he healed many, some Lame, some that were Blind, some that were Dumb▪ &c. such a general Account of the Miracles wrought by our Saviour, we had Ch. 4.24. & 8.16. & 11.5. The Evangelist not largely setting down every particular Miracle wrought by our Saviour. And they glorified the Lord God of Israel. The Pharisees ascribed these operations to the Devils Power, but the poor People owned them as the Works of God, and gave praise unto God.

39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

Mark gives us an account of this Mircale, Ch. 8. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c. There is very little difference in their Relations, only Mark saith, our Saviour went into the Coasts of Dalmanutha, Matthew saith, in the Coasts of Magdala, most think that it was the same place which had two Names, some think one was the Name of the Country, the other, of the City or Town. Others that they were two Towns near together. There are no difficulties in this History, so[illegible: 1 letter]e question how they could fast three Days, but the Text doth not say so, only that at that time they had nothing to eat, having spent wh[illegible: 1 letter]t they brought with them probably in their Baskets, which Answers another question also, how they could get Baskets in the Wilderness. The Miracle was of the same Nature, with that which we met with, Chap. 14. Only there were 5000 Men fed with five Loaves, and two Fishes, here 4000 were fed with seven Loaves, and a few Fishes, there they took up twelve, here but seven Baskets full. Our Lord worketh sometimes without means, sometimes by means, and those differently proportioneth to his end, as it pleaseth him. The Miraculous Operations of our Saviour, are amongst his Miranda et Adoranda, not his Imitanda. These Actions of his, which we are in reading to admire, and adore, but are not concerned to imitate, yet something we may observe from them, both for our Instruction and Imitation. For our Instruction, we may from this History observe the Extent of Christs Compassion to his Disciples, which tho it is most Eminently seen in what he doth for their Souls, yet reacheth also to their Bodies, and more External wants. It also teacheth us to trust God in the doing of our Duty. Those that are in a Wilderness hearing Christ, shall not faint by the way, before they get home. His course of giving Thanks before he brake, and made use of the Bread (which we observed before in the other Miracle) commendeth to us, the religious Custom of begging a Blessing before our Meat, and giving Thanks to God for good things, of that Nature, when we have received them.

Jesus Reproves the Scribes and Pharisees.

1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Evil manners, we say, beget good laws. The intemperate heat of the Jewish teachers for the support of their hierarchy, occasioned many excellent discourses of our Saviour's for the settling of the truth, as here.

I. Here, is the cavil of the scribes and Pharisees at Christ's disciples, for eating with unwashen hands. The scribes and Pharisees were the great men of the Jewish church, men whose gain was godliness, great enemies to the gospel of Christ, but colouring their opposition with a pretence of zeal for the law of Moses, when really nothing was intended but the support of their own tyranny over the consciences of men. They were men of learning and men of business. These scribes and Pharisees here introduced were of Jerusalem, the holy city, the head city, whither the tribes went up, and where were set the thrones of judgment; they should therefore have been better than others, but they were worse. Note, External privileges, if they be not duly improved, commonly swell men up the more with pride and malignity. Jerusalem, which should have been a pure spring, was now become a poisoned sink. How is the faithful city become a harlot!

Now if these great men be the accusers, pray what is the accusation? What articles do they exhibit against the disciples of Christ? Why, truly, the thing laid to their charge, is, nonconformity to the canons of their church (v. 2); Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? This charge they make good in a particular instance; They wash not their hands when they eat bread. A very high misdemeanor! It was a sign that Christ's disciples conducted themselves inoffensively, when this was the worst thing they could charge them with.

Observe, 1. What was the tradition of the elders—That people should often wash their hands, and always at meat. This they placed a great deal of religion in, supposing that the meat they touched with unwashen hands would be defiling to them. The Pharisees practiced this themselves, and with a great deal of strictness imposed it upon others, not under civil penalties, but as matter of conscience, and making it a sin against God if they did not do it. Rabbi Joses determined, "that to eat with unwashen hands is as great a sin as adultery." And Rabbi Akiba being kept a close prisoner, having water sent him both to wash his hands with, and to drink with his meat, the greatest part being accidentally shed, he washed his hands with the remainder, though he left himself none to drink, saying he would rather die than transgress the tradition of the elders. Nay, they would not eat meat with one that did not wash before meat. This mighty zeal in so small a matter would appear very strange, if we did not still see it incident to church-oppressors, not only to be fond of practising their own inventions, but to be furious in pressing their own impositions.

2. What was the transgression of this tradition or injunction by the disciples; it seems, they did not wash their hands when they ate bread, which was the more offensive to the Pharisees, because they were men who in other things were strict and conscientious. The custom was innocent enough, and had a decency in its civil use. We read of the water for purifying at the marriage where Christ was present (John ii. 6), though Christ turned it into wine, and so put an end to that use of it. But when it came to be practised and imposed as a religious rite and ceremony, and such a stress laid upon it, the disciples, though weak in knowledge, yet were so well taught as not to comply with it, or observe it; no not when the scribes and Pharisees had their eye upon them. They had already learned St. Paul's lesson, All things are lawful for me; no doubt, it is lawful to wash before meat; but I will not be brought under the power of any; especially not those who said to their souls, Bow down, that we may go over. 1 Cor. vi. 12.

3. What was the complaint of the scribes and Pharisees against them. They quarrel with Christ about it, supposing that he allowed them in it, as he did, no doubt, by his own example; "Why do thy disciples transgress the canons of the church? And why dost thou suffer them to do it?" It was well that the complaint was made to Christ; for the disciples themselves, though they knew their duty in this case, were perhaps not so well able to give a reason for what they did as were to be wished.

II. Here is Christ's answer to this cavil, and his justification of the disciples in that which was charged upon them as a transgression. Note, While we stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, he will be sure to bear us out in it.

Two ways Christ replies upon them;

1. By way of recrimination, v. 3-6. They were spying motes in the eyes of his disciples, but Christ shows them a beam in their own. But that which he charges upon them is not barely a recrimination, for it will be no vindication of ourselves to condemn our reprovers; but it is such a censure of their tradition (and the authority of that was what they built their charge upon) as makes not only a non-compliance lawful, but an opposition a duty. That human authority must never be submitted to, which sets up in competition with divine authority.

(1.) The charge in general is, You transgress the commandment of God by your tradition. They called it the tradition of the elders, laying stress upon the antiquity of the usage, and the authority of them that imposed it, as the church of Rome does upon fathers and councils; but Christ calls it their tradition. Note, Illegal impositions will be laid to the charge of those who support and maintain them, and keep them up, as well of those who first invented and enjoined them; Mic. iv. 16. You transgress the commandment of God. Note, Those who are most zealous of their own impositions, are commonly most careless of God's commands; which is a good reason why Christ's disciples should stand upon their guard against such impositions, lest, though at first they seem only to infringe the liberty of Christians, they come at length to confront the authority of Christ. Though the Pharisees, in this command of washing before meat, did not entrench upon any command of God; yet, because in other instances they did, he justifies his disciples' disobedience to this.

(2.) The proof of this charge is in particular instance, that of their transgressing the fifth commandment.

[1.] Let us see what the command of God is (v. 4), what the precept, and what the sanction of the law is.

The precept is, Honour thy father and thy mother; this is enjoined by the common Father of mankind, and by paying respect to them whom Providence has made the instruments of our being, we give honour to him who is the Author of it, who has thereby, as to us, put some of his image upon them. The whole of children's duty to their parents is included in this of honouring them, which is the spring and foundation of all the rest, If I be a father, where is my honour? Our Saviour here supposes it to mean the duty of children's maintaining their parents, and ministering to their wants, if there be occasion, and being every way serviceable to their comfort. Honour widows, that is, maintain them, 1 Tim. v. 3.

The sanction of this law in the fifth commandment, is, a promise, that thy days may be long; but our Saviour waives that, lest any should thence infer it to be only a thing commendable and profitable, and insists upon the penalty annexed to the breach of this commandment in another scripture, which denotes the duty to be highly and indispensably necessary; He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death: this law we have, Exod. xxi. 17. The sin of cursing parents is here opposed to the duty of honouring them. Those who speak ill of their parents, or wish ill to them, who mock at them, or give them taunting and opprobrious language, break this law. If to call a brother Raca be so penal, what is it to call a father so? By our Saviour's application of this law, it appears, that denying service or relief to parents is included in cursing them. Though the language be respectful enough, and nothing abusive in it, yet what will that avail, if the deeds be not agreeable? it is but like him that said, I go, Sir, and went not, ch. xxi. 30.

[2.] Let us see what was the contradiction which the tradition of the elders gave to this command. It was not direct and downright, but implicit; their casuists gave them such rules as furnished them with an easy evasion from the obligation of this command, v. 5, 6. You hear what God saith, but ye say so and so. Note, That which men say, even great men, and learned men, and men in authority, must be examined by that which God saith; and if it be found either contrary or inconsistent, it may and must be rejected, Acts iv. 19. Observe,

First, What their tradition was; That a man could not in any case bestow his worldly estate better than to give it to the priests, and devote it to the service of the temple: and that when any thing was so devoted, it was not only unlawful to alienate it, but all other obligations, though ever so just and sacred, were thereby superseded, and a man was thereby discharged from them. And this proceeded partly from their ceremoniousness, and the superstitious regard they had to the temple, and partly from their covetousness, and love of money: for what was given to the temple they were gainers by. The former was, in pretence, the latter was, in truth, at the bottom of this tradition.

Secondly, How they allowed the application of this to the case of children. When their parents' necessities called for their assistance, they pleaded, that all they could spare from themselves and their children, they had devoted to the treasury of the temple; It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, and therefore their parents must expect nothing from them; suggesting withal, that the spiritual advantage of what was so devoted, would redound to the parents, who must live upon that air. This, they taught, was a good and valid plea, and many undutiful, unnatural children made use of it, and they justified them in it, and said, He shall be free; so we supply the sense. Some go further, and supply it thus, "He doth well, his days shall be long in the land, and he shall be looked upon as having duly observed the fifth commandment." The pretence of religion would make his refusal to provide for his parents not only passable but plausible. But the absurdity and impiety of this tradition were very evident: for revealed religion was intended to improve, not to overthrow, natural religion; one of the fundamental laws of which is this of honouring our parents; and had they known what that meant, I will have justice, and mercy, and not sacrifice, they had not thus made the most arbitrary rituals destructive of the most necessary morals. This was making the command of God of no effect. Note, Whatever leads to, or countenances, disobedience, does, in effect, make void the command; and they that take upon them to dispense with God's law, do, in Christ's account, repeal and disannul it. To break the law is bad, but to teach men so, as the scribes and Pharisees did, is much worse, ch. v. 19. To what purpose is the command given, if it be not obeyed? The rule is, as to us, of none effect, if we be not ruled by it. It is time for thee, Lord, to work; high time for the great Reformer, the great Refiner, to appear; for they have made void thy law (Ps. cxix. 126); not only sinned against the commandment, but, as far as in them lay, sinned away the commandment. But, thanks be to God, in spite of them and all their traditions, the command stands in full force, power, and virtue.

2. The other part of Christ's answer is by way of reprehension; and that which he here charges them with, is hypocrisy; Ye hypocrites, v. 7. Note, It is the prerogative of him who searcheth the heart, and knows what is in man, to pronounce who are hypocrites. The eye of man can perceive open profaneness, but it is only the eye of Christ that can discern hypocrisy, Luke xvi. 15. And as it is a sin which his eye discovers, so it is a sin which of all others his soul hates.

Now Christ fetches his reproof from Isa. xxix. 13. Well did Esaias prophesy of you. Isaiah spoke it of the men of that generation to which he prophesied, yet Christ applies it to these scribes and Pharisees. Note, The reproofs of sin and sinners, which we find in scripture, were designed to reach the like persons and practices to the end of the world; for they are not of private interpretation, 2 Pet. i. 20. The sinners of the latter days are prophesied of, 1 Tim. iv. 1; 2 Tim. iii. 1; 2 Pet. iii. 3. Threatenings directed against others, belong to us, if we be guilty of the same sins. Isaiah prophesied not of them only, but of all other hypocrites, against whom that word of his is still levelled, and stands in force. The prophecies of scripture are every day in the fulfilling.

This prophecy exactly deciphers a hypocritical nation, Isa. ix. 17; x. 6. Here is,

(1.) The description of hypocrites, in two things.

[1.] In their own performances of religious worship, v. 8, when they draw nigh to God with their mouth, and honour him with their lips, their heart is far from him. Observe,

First, How far a hypocrite goes; he draws nigh to God, and honours him; he is, in profession, a worshipper of God. The Pharisee went up to the temple, to pray; he does not stand at that distance which those are at, who live without God in the world, but has a name among the people near unto him. They honour him; that is, they take on them to honour God, they join with those that do so. Some honour God has even from the services of hypocrites, as they help to keep up the face and form of godliness in the world, whence God fetches honour to himself, though they intend it not to him. When God's enemies submit themselves but feignedly, when they lie unto him, so the word is (Ps. lxvi. 3), it redounds to his honour, and he gets himself a name.

Secondly, Where he rests and takes up; this is done but with his mouth and with his lips. It is piety but from the teeth outwards; he shows much love, and that is all, there is in his heart no true love; they make their voices to be heard (Isa. lviii. 4), mention the name of the Lord, Isa. xlviii. 1. Hypocrites are those that only make a lip-labour of religion and religious worship. In word and tongue, the worst hypocrites may do as well as the best saints, and speak as fair with Jacob's voice.

Thirdly, What that is wherein he comes short; it is in the main matter; Their heart is far from me, habitually alienated and estranged (Eph. iv. 18), actually wandering and dwelling upon something else; no serious thoughts of God, no pious affections toward him, no concern about the soul and eternity, no thoughts agreeable to the service. God is near in their mouth, but far from their reins, Jer. xii. 2; Ezek. xxxiii. 31. The heart, with the fool's eyes, is in the ends of the earth. It is a silly dove that is without a heart, and so it is a silly duty, Hos. vii. 11. A hypocrite says one thing, but thinks another. The great thing that God looks at and requires is the heart (Prov. xxiii. 26); if that be far from him, it is not a reasonable service and therefore not an acceptable one; it is the sacrifice of fools, Eccl. v. 1.

[2.] In their prescriptions to others. This is an instance of their hypocrisy, that they teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The Jews then, as the papists since, paid the same respect to oral tradition that they did to the word of God, receiving it pari pietatis affectu ac reverentiâ—with the same pious affection and reverence. Conc. Trident. Sess. 4. Decr. 1. When men's inventions are tacked to God's institutions, and imposed accordingly, this is hypocrisy, a mere human religion. The commandments of men are properly conversant about the things of men, but God will have his own work done by his own rules, and accepts not that which he did not himself appoint. That only cones to him, that comes from him.

(2.) The doom of hypocrites; it is put in a little compass; In vain do they worship me. Their worship does not attain the end for which it was appointed; it will neither please God, nor profit themselves. If it be not in spirit, it is not in truth, and so it is all nothing. That man who only seems to be religious, but is not so, his religion is vain (James i. 26); and if our religion be a vain oblation, a vain religion, how great is that vanity! How sad is it to live in an age of prayers and sermons, and sabbaths and sacraments, in vain, to beat the air in all these; it is so, if the heart be not with God in them. Lip-labour is lost labour, Isa. i. 11. Hypocrites sow the wind and reap the whirlwind; they trust in vanity, and vanity will be their recompence.

Thus Christ justified his disciples in their disobedience to the traditions of the elders; and this the scribes and Pharisees got by their cavilling. We read not of any reply they made; if they were not satisfied, yet they were silenced, and could not resist the power wherewith Christ spake.

What Defileth a Man.

10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Christ having proved that the disciples, in eating with unwashen hands, were not to be blamed, as transgressing the traditions and injunctions of the elders, comes here to show that they were not to be blamed, as having done any thing that was in itself evil. In the former part of his discourse he overturned the authority of the law, and in this the reason of it. Observe,

I. The solemn introduction to this discourse (v. 10); He called the multitude. They were withdrawn while Christ discoursed with the scribes and Pharisees; probably those proud men ordered them to withdraw, as not willing to talk with Christ in their hearing; Christ must favour them at their pleasure with a discourse in private. But Christ had a regard to the multitude; he soon despatched the scribes and Pharisees, and then turned them off, invited the mob, the multitude, to be his hearers: thus the poor are evangelized; and the foolish things of the world, and things that are despised hath Christ chosen. The humble Jesus embraced those whom the proud Pharisees looked upon with disdain, and to them he designed it for a mortification. He turns from them as wilful and unteachable, and turns to the multitude, who, though weak, were humble, and willing to be taught. To them he said, Hear and understand. Note, What we hear from the mouth of Christ, we must give all diligence to understand. Not only scholars, but even the multitude, the ordinary people, must apply their minds to understand the words of Christ. He therefore calls upon them to understand, because the lesson he was now about to teach them, was contrary to the notions which they had sucked in with their milk from their teachers; and overturned many of the customs and usages which they were wedded to, and laid stress upon. Note, There is need of a great attention of mind and clearness of understanding to free men from those corrupt principles and practices which they have been bred up in and long accustomed to; for in that case the understanding is commonly bribed and biassed by prejudice.

II. The truth itself laid down (v. 11), in two propositions, which were opposite to the vulgar errors of that time, and were therefore surprising.

1. Not that which goes into the mouth defileth the man. It is not the kind or quality of our food, nor the condition of our hands, that affects the soul with any moral pollution or defilement. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, Rom. xiv. 17. That defiles the man, by which guilt is contracted before God, and the man is rendered offensive to him, and disfitted for communion with him; now what we eat, if we do not eat unreasonably and immoderately, does not this; for to the pure all things are pure, Tit. i. 15. The Pharisees carried the ceremonial pollutions, by eating such and such meats, much further than the law intended, and burdened it with additions of their own, which our Saviour witnesses against; intending hereby to pave the way to a repeal of the ceremonial law in that matter. He was now beginning to teach his followers to call nothing common or unclean; and if Peter, when he was bid to kill and eat, had remembered this word, he would not have said, Not so, Lord, Acts x. 13-15, 28.

2. But that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. We are polluted, not by the meat we eat with unwashen hands, but by the words we speak from an unsanctified heart; thus it is that the mouth causeth the flesh to sin, Eccl. v. 6. Christ, in a former discourse, had laid a great stress upon our words (ch. xii. 36, 37); and that was intended for reproof and warning to those that cavilled at him; this here is intended for reproof and warning to those that cavilled at the disciples, and censured them. It is not the disciples that defile themselves with what they eat, but the Pharisees that defile themselves with what they speak spitefully and censoriously of them. Note, Those who charge guilt upon others for transgressing the commandments of men, many times bring greater guilt upon themselves, by transgressing the law of God against rash judging. Those most defile themselves, who are most forward to censure the defilements of others.

III. The offence that was taken at this truth and the account brought to Christ of that offence (v. 12); "The disciples said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, and didst thou not foresee that they would be so, at this saying, and would think the worse of thee and of thy doctrine for it, and be the more enraged at thee?"

1. It was not strange that the Pharisees should be offended at this plain truth, for they were men made up of error and enmity, mistakes and malice. Sore eyes cannot bear clear light; and nothing is more provoking to proud imposers than the undeceiving of those whom they have first blindfolded, and then enslaved. It should seem that the Pharisees, who were strict observers of the traditions, were more offended than the scribes, who were the teachers of them; and perhaps they were as much galled with the latter part of Christ's doctrine, which taught a strictness in the government of our tongue, as with the former part, which taught an indifference about washing our hands; great contenders for the formalities of religion, being commonly as great contemners of the substantials of it.

2. The disciples thought it strange that their Master should say that which he knew would give so much offence; he did not use to do so: surely, they think, if he had considered how provoking it would be, he would not have said it. But he knew what he said, and to whom he said it, and what would be the effect of it; and would teach us, that though in indifferent things we must be tender of giving offence, yet we must not, for fear of that, evade any truth or duty. Truth must be owned, and duty done; and if any be offended, it is his own fault; it is scandal, not given, but taken.

Perhaps the disciples themselves stumbled at the word Christ said, which they thought bold, and scarcely reconcileable with the difference that was put by the law of God between clean and unclean meats; and therefore objected this to Christ, that they might themselves be better informed. They seem likewise to have a concern upon them for the Pharisees, though they had quarrelled with them; which teaches us to forgive, and seek the good, especially the spiritual good, of our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers. They would not have the Pharisees go away displeased at any thing Christ had said; and therefore, though they do not desire him to retract it, they hope he will explain, correct, and modify it. Weak hearers are sometimes more solicitous than they should be not to have wicked hearers offended. But if we please men with the concealment of truth, and the indulgence of their errors and corruptions, we are not the servants of Christ.

IV. The doom passed upon the Pharisees and their corrupt traditions; which comes in as a reason why Christ cared not though he offended them, and therefore why the disciples should not care; because they were a generation of men that hated to be reformed, and were marked out for destruction. Two things Christ here foretels concerning them.

1. The rooting out of them and their traditions (v. 13); Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Not only the corrupt opinions and superstitious practices of the Pharisees, but their sect, and way, and constitution, were plants not of God's planting. The rules of their profession were no institutions of his, but owed their origin to pride and formality. The people of the Jews were planted a noble vine; but now that they are become the degenerate plant of a strange vine, God disowned them, as not of his planting. Note, (1.) In the visible church, it is no strange thing to find plants that our heavenly Father has not planted. It is implied, that whatever is good in the church is of God's planting, Isa. xli. 19. But let the husbandman be ever so careful, his ground will cast forth weeds of itself, more or less, and there is an enemy busy sowing tares. What is corrupt, though of God's permitting, is not of his planting; he sows nothing but good seed in his field. Let us not therefore be deceived, as if all must needs be right that we find in the church, and all those persons and things our Father's plants that we find in our Father's garden. Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits; see Jer. xix. 5; xxiii. 31, 32. (2.) Those that are of the spirit of the Pharisees, proud, formal, and imposing, what figure soever they make, and of what denomination soever they be, God will not own them as of his planting. By their fruit you shall know them. (3.) Those plants that are not of God's planting, shall not be of his protecting, but shall undoubtedly be rooted up. What is not of God shall not stand, Acts v. 38. What things are unscriptural, will wither and die of themselves, or be justly exploded by the churches; however in the great day these tares that offend will be bundled for the fire. What is become of the Pharisees and their traditions? They are long since abandoned; but the gospel of truth is great, and will remain. It cannot be rooted up.

2. The ruin of them; and their followers, who had their persons and principles in admiration, v. 14. Where,

(1.) Christ bids his disciples let them alone. "Have no converse with them or concern for them; neither court their favour, nor dread their displeasure; care not though they be offended, they will take their course, and let them take the issue of it. They are wedded to their own fancies, and will have every thing their own way; let them alone. Seek not to please a generation of men that please not God (1 Thess. ii. 15), and will be pleased with nothing less than absolute dominion over your consciences. They are joined to idols, as Ephraim (Hos. iv. 17), the idols of their own fancy; let them alone, let them be filthy still," Rev. xxii. 11. The case of those sinners is sad indeed, whom Christ orders his ministers to let alone.

(2.) He gives them two reasons for it. Let them alone; for,

[1.] They are proud and ignorant; two bad qualities that often meet, and render a man incurable in his folly, Prov. xxvi. 12. They are blind leaders of the blind. They are grossly ignorant in the things of God, and strangers to the spiritual nature of the divine law; and yet so proud, that they think they see better and further than any, and therefore undertake to be leaders of others, to show others the way to heaven, when they themselves know not one step of the way; and, accordingly, they prescribe to all, and proscribe those who will not follow them. Though they were blind, if they had owned it, and come to Christ for eye-salve, they might have seen, but they disdained the intimation of such a thing (John ix. 40); Are we blind also? They were confident that they themselves were guides of the blind (Rom. ii. 19, 20), were appointed to be so, and fit to be so; that every thing they said was an oracle and a law; "Therefore let them alone, their case is desperate; do not meddle with them; you may soon provoke them, but never convince them." How miserable was the case of the Jewish Church now when their leaders were blind, so self-conceitedly foolish, as to be peremptory in their conduct, while the people were so sottishly foolish as to follow them with an implicit faith and obedience, and willingly walk after the commandment, Hos. v. 11. Now the prophecy was fulfilled, Isa. xxix. 10, 14. And it is easy to imagine what will be in the end hereof, when the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means, and the people love to have it so, Jer. v. 31.

[2.] They are posting to destruction, and will shortly be plunged into it; Both shall fall into the ditch. This must needs be the end of it, if both be so blind, and yet both so bold, venturing forward, and yet not aware of danger. Both will be involved in the general desolation coming upon the Jews, and both drowned in eternal destruction and perdition. The blind leaders and the blind followers will perish together. We find (Rev. xxii. 15), that hell is the portion of those that make a lie, and of those that love it when it is made. The deceived and the deceiver are obnoxious to the judgment of God, Job xii. 16. Note, First, Those that by their cunning craftiness draw others to sin and error, shall not, with all their craft and cunning, escape ruin themselves. If both fall together into the ditch, the blind leaders will fall undermost, and have the worst of it; see Jer. xiv. 15, 16. The prophets shall be consumed first, and then the people to whom they prophesy, Jer. xx. 6; xxvii. 15, 16. Secondly, The sin and ruin of the deceivers will be no security to those that are deceived by them. Though the leaders of this people cause them to err, yet they that are led of them are destroyed (Isa. ix. 16), because they shut their eyes against the light which would have rectified their mistake. Seneca, complaining of most people's being led by common opinion and practice (Unusquisque mavult credere quam judicare—Things are taken upon trust, and never examined), concludes, Indeista tanta coacervatio aliorum super alios ruentium—Hence crowds fall upon crowds, in vast confusion. De Vitâ Beatâ. The falling of both together will aggravate the fall of both; for they that have thus mutually increased each other's sin, will mutually exasperate each other's ruin.

V. Instruction given to the disciples concerning the truth Christ had laid down, v. 10. Though Christ rejects the wilfully ignorant who care not to be taught, he can have compassion on the ignorant who are willing to learn, Heb. v. 2. If the Pharisees, who made void the law, be offended, let them be offended: but this great peace have they who love the law, that nothing shall offend them, but, some way or other, the offence shall be taken off, Ps. cxix. 165.

Here is, 1. Their desire to be better instructed in this matter (v. 15); in this request as in many others, Peter was their speaker; the rest, it is probable, putting him on to speak, or intimating their concurrence; Declare unto us this parable. What Christ said was plain, but, because it agreed not with the notions they had imbibed, though they would not contradict it, yet they call it a parable, and cannot understand it. Note, (1.) Weak understandings are apt to turn plain truths into parables, and to seek for a knot in a bulrush. The disciples often did so, as John xvi. 17. Even the grasshopper is a burthen to a weak stomach, and babes in understanding cannot bear and digest strong meat. (2.) Where a weak head doubts concerning any word of Christ, an upright heart and a willing mind will seek for instruction. The Pharisees were offended, but kept it to themselves; hating to be reformed, they hated to be informed; but the disciples, though offended, sought for satisfaction, imputing the offence, not to the doctrine delivered, but to the shallowness of their own capacity.

2. The reproof Christ gave them for their weakness and ignorance (v. 16); Are ye also yet without understanding? As many as Christ loves and teaches, he thus rebukes. Note, They are very ignorant indeed, who understand not that moral pollutions are abundantly worse and more dangerous than ceremonial ones. Two things aggravate their dulness and darkness.

(1.) That they were the disciples of Christ; "Are ye also without understanding? Ye whom I have admitted into so great a degree of familiarity with me, are ye so unskilful in the word of righteousness?" Note, The ignorance and mistakes of those that profess religion, and enjoy the privileges of church-membership, are justly a grief to the Lord Jesus. "No wonder that the Pharisees understand not this doctrine, who know nothing of the Messiah's kingdom: but ye that have heard of it, and embraced it yourselves, and preached it to others, are ye also such strangers to the spirit and genius of it?"

(2.) That they had been a great while Christ's scholars; "Are ye yet so, after ye have been so long under my teaching?" Had they been but of yesterday in Christ's school, it had been another matter, but to have been for so many months Christ's constant hearers, and yet to be without understanding, was a great reproach to them. Note, Christ expects from us some proportion of knowledge, and grace, and wisdom, according to the time and means we have had. See John xiv. 9; Heb. v. 12; 2 Tim. iii. 7, 8.

3. The explication Christ gave them of this doctrine of pollutions. Though he chid them for their dulness, he did not cast them off, but pitied them, and taught them, as Luke xxiv. 25-27. He here shows us,

(1.) What little danger we are in of pollution from that which entereth in at the mouth, v. 17. An inordinate appetite, intemperance, and excess in eating, come out of the heart, and are defiling; but meat in itself is not so, as the Pharisees supposed. What there is of dregs and defilement in our meat, nature (or rather God of nature) has provided a way to clear us of it; it goes in at the belly, and is cast out into the draught, and nothing remains to us but pure nourishment. So fearfully and wonderfully are we made and preserved, and our souls held in life. The expulsive faculty is as necessary in the body as any other, for the discharge of that which is superfluous, or noxious; so happily is nature enabled to help itself, and shift for its own good: by this means nothing defiles; if we eat with unwashen hands, and so any thing unclean mix with our food, nature will separate it, and cast it out, and it will be no defilement to us. It may be a piece of cleanliness, but it is not point of conscience, to wash before meat; and we go upon a great mistake if we place religion in it. It is not the practice itself, but the opinion it is built upon, that Christ condemns, as if meat commended us to God (1 Cor. viii. 8); whereas Christianity stands not in such observances.

(2.) What great danger we are in of pollution from that which proceeds out of the mouth (v. 18), out of the abundance of the heart: compare ch. xii. 34. There is no defilement in the products of God's bounty; the defilement arises from the products of our corruption. Now here we have,

[1.] The corrupt fountain of that which proceeds out of the mouth; it comes from the heart; that is the spring and source of all sin, Jer. viii. 7. It is the heart that is so desperately wicked (Jer. xvii. 9); for there is no sin in a word or deed, which was not first in the heart. There is the root of bitterness, which bears gall and wormwood. It is the inward part of a sinner, that is very wickedness, Ps. v. 9. All evil speakings come forth from the heart, and are defiling; from the corrupt heart comes the corrupt communication.

[2.] Some of the corrupt streams which flow from this fountain, specified; though they do not all come out of the mouth, yet they all come out of the man, and are the fruits of that wickedness which is in the heart, and is wrought there, Ps. lviii. 2.

First, Evil thoughts, sins against all the commandments. Therefore David puts vain thoughts in opposition to the whole law, Ps. cxix. 113. These are the first-born of the corrupt nature, the beginning of its strength, and do most resemble it. These, as the son and heir, abide in the house, and lodge within us. There is a great deal of sin that begins and ends in the heart, and goes no further. Carnal fancies and imaginations are evil thoughts, wickedness in the contrivance (Dialogismoi poneroi), wicked plots, purposes, and devices of mischief to others, Mic. ii. 1.

Secondly, Murders, sins against the sixth commandment; these come from a malice in the heart against our brother's life, or a contempt of it. Hence he that hates his brother, is said to be a murderer; he is so at God's bar, 1 John iii. 15. War is in the heart, Ps. iv. 21; James iv. 1.

Thirdly, Adulteries and fornications, sins against the seventh commandment; these come from the wanton, unclean, carnal heart; and the lust that reigns there, is conceived there, and brings forth these sins, James i. 15. There is adultery in the heart first, and then in the act, ch. v. 28.

Fourthly, Thefts, sins against the eighth commandment; cheats, wrongs, rapines, and all injurious contracts; the fountain of all these is in the heart, that is it that is exercised in these covetous practices (2 Pet. ii. 14), that is set upon riches, Ps. lxii. 10. Achan coveted, and then took, Joshua vii. 20, 21.

Fifthly, False witness, against the ninth commandment; this comes from a complication of falsehood and covetousness, or falsehood and covetousness, or falsehood and malice in the heart. If truth, holiness, and love, which God requires in the inward parts, reigned as they ought, there would be no false witness bearing, Ps. lxiv. 6; Jer. ix. 8.

Sixthly, Blasphemies, speaking evil of God, against the third commandment; speaking evil of our neighbour, against the ninth commandment; these come from a contempt and disesteem of both in the heart; thence the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost proceeds (ch. xii. 31, 32); these are the overflowing of the gall within.

Now these are the things which defile a man, v. 20. Note, Sin is defiling to the soul, renders it unlovely and abominable in the eyes of a pure and holy God; unfit for communion with him, and for the enjoyment of him in the new Jerusalem, into which nothing shall enter that defileth or worketh iniquity. The mind and conscience are defiled by sin, and that makes every thing else so, Tit. i. 15. This defilement by sin was signified by the ceremonial pollutions which the Jewish doctors added to, but understood not. See Heb. ix. 13, 14; 1 John i. 7.

These therefore are the things we must carefully avoid, and all approaches toward them, and not lay stress upon the washing of the hands. Christ doth not yet repeal the law of the distinction of meats (that was not done till Acts x.), but the tradition of the elders, which was tacked to that law; and therefore he concludes, To eat with unwashen hands (which was the matter now in question), this defileth not a man. If he wash, he is not the better before God; if he wash not, he is not the worse.

The Canaanite's Daughter Healed.

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

We have here that famous story of Christ's casting the devil out of the woman of Canaan's daughter; it has something in it singular and very surprising, and which looks favourably upon the poor Gentiles, and is an earnest of the mercy which Christ had in store for them. Here is a gleam of that light which was to lighten the Gentiles, Luke ii. 32. Christ came to his own, and his own received him not; but many of them quarrelled with him, and were offended in him; and observe what follows, v. 21.

I. Jesus went thence. Note, Justly is the light taken from those that either play by it, or rebel against it. When Christ and his disciples could not be quiet among them, he left them, and so left an example to his own rule (ch. x. 14), Shake off the dust of your feet. Though Christ endure long, he will not always endure, the contradiction of sinners against himself. He had said (v. 14), Let them alone, and he did so. Note, Wilful prejudices against the gospel, and cavils at it, often provoke Christ to withdraw, and to remove the candlestick out of its place. Acts xiii. 46, 51.

II. When he went thence, he departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon; not to those cities (they were excluded from any share in Christ's mighty works, ch. xi. 21, 22), but into that part of the land of Israel which lay that way: thither he went, as Elias to Sarepta, a city of Sidon (Luke iv. 26); thither he went to look after this poor woman, whom he had mercy in reserve for. While he went about doing good, he was never out of his way. The dark corners of the country, which lay most remote, shall have their share of his benign influences; and as now the ends of the land, so afterward the ends of the earth, shall see his salvation, Isa. xlix. 6. Here it was, that this miracle was wrought, in the story of which we may observe,

1. The address of the woman of Canaan to Christ, v. 22. She was a Gentile, a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel; probably one of the posterity of those accursed nations that were devoted by that word, Cursed be Canaan. Note, The doom of political bodies doth not always reach every individual member of them. God will have his remnant out of all nations, chosen vessels in all coasts, even the most unlikely: she came out of the same coasts. If Christ had not now made a visit to these coasts, though the mercy was worth travelling far for, it is probable that she had never come to him. Note, It is often an excitement to a dormant faith and zeal, to have opportunities of acquaintance with Christ brought to our doors, to have the word nigh us.

Her address was very importunate, she cried to Christ, as one in earnest; cried, as being at some distance from him, not daring to approach too near, being a Canaanite, lest she should give offence. In her address,

(1.) She relates her misery; My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil, kakos daimonizetai—She is ill-bewitched, or possessed. There were degrees of that misery, and this was the worst sort. It was common case at that time, and very calamitous. Note, The vexations of children are the trouble of parents, and nothing should be more so than their being under the power of Satan. Tender parents very sensibly feel the miseries of those that are pieces of themselves. "Though vexed with the devil, yet she is my daughter still." The greatest afflictions of our relations do not dissolve our obligations to them, and therefore ought not to alienate our affections from them. It was the distress and trouble of her family, that now brought her to Christ; she came to him, not for teaching, but for healing; yet, because she came in faith, he did not reject her. Though it is need that drives us to Christ, yet we shall not therefore be driven from him. It was the affliction of her daughter, that gave her this occasion of applying to Christ. It is good to make the afflictions of others our own, in sense and sympathy, that we may make them our own, in improvement and advantage.

(2.) She requests for mercy; Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David, she owns him to be the Messiah: that is the great thing which faith should fasten upon, and fetch comfort from. From the Lord we may expect acts of power: he can command deliverances; from the Son of David we may expect all the mercy and grace which were foretold concerning him. Though a Gentile, she owns the promise made to the fathers of the Jews, and the honour of the house of David. The Gentiles must receive Christianity, not only as an improvement of natural religion, but as the perfection of the Jewish religion, with an eye to the Old Testament.

Her petition is, Have mercy on me. She does not limit Christ to this or that particular instance of mercy, but mercy, mercy is the thing she begs: she pleads not merit, but depends upon mercy; Have mercy upon me. Mercies to the children are mercies to the parents; favours to ours are favours to us, and are so to be accounted. Note, It is the duty of parents to pray for their children, and to be earnest in prayer for them, especially for their souls; "I have a son, a daughter, grievously vexed with a proud will, an unclean devil, a malicious devil, led captive by him at his will; Lord, help them." This is a case more deplorable than that of a bodily possession. Bring them to Christ by faith and prayer, who alone is able to heal them. Parents should look upon it as a great mercy to themselves, to have Satan's power broken in the souls of their children.

2. The discouragement she met with in this address; in all the story of Christ's ministry we do not meet with the like. He was wont to countenance and encourage all that came to him, and either to answer before they called, or to hear while they were yet speaking; but here was one otherwise treated: and what could be the reason of it? (1.) Some think that Christ showed himself backward to gratify this poor woman, because he would not give offence to the Jews, by being as free and forward in his favour to the Gentiles as to them. He had bid his disciples not go into the way of the Gentiles (ch. x. 5), and therefore would not himself seem so inclinable to them as to others, but rather more shy. Or rather, (2.) Christ treated her thus, to try her; he knows what is in the heart, knew the strength of her faith, and how well able she was, by his grace, to break through such discouragements; he therefore met her with them, that the trial of her faith might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. This was like God's tempting Abraham (Gen. xxii. 1), like the angel's wrestling with Jacob, only to put him upon wrestling, Gen. xxxii. 24. Many of the methods of Christ's providence, and especially of his grace, in dealing with his people, which are dark and perplexing, may be explained with the key of this story, which is for that end left upon record, to teach us that there may be love in his face, and to encourage us, therefore, though he slay us, yet to trust in him.

Observe the particular discouragements given her:

[1.] When she cried after him, he answered her not a word, v. 23. His ear was wont to be always open and attentive to the cries of poor supplicants, and his lips, which dropped as the honeycomb, always ready to give an answer of peace; but to this poor woman he turned a deaf ear, and she could get neither an alms nor an answer. It was a wonder that she did not fly off in a fret, and say, "Is this he that is so famed for clemency and tenderness? Have so many been heard and answered by him, as they talk, and must I be the first rejected suitor? Why so distant to me, if it be true that he hath stooped to so many?" But Christ knew what he did, and therefore did not answer, that she might be the more earnest in prayer. He heard her, and was pleased with her, and strengthened her with strength in her soul to prosecute her request (Ps. cxxxviii. 3; Job xxiii. 6), though he did not immediately give her the answer she expected. By seeming to draw away the desired mercy from her, he drew her on to be so much the more importunate for it. Note, Every accepted prayer is not immediately an answered prayer. Sometimes God seems not to regard his people's prayers, like a man asleep or astonished (Ps. xliv. 23; Jer. xiv. 9; Ps. xxii. 1, 2); nay, to be angry at them (Ps. lxxx. 4; Lam. iii. 8, 44); but it is to prove, and so to improve, their faith, and to make his after-appearances for them the more glorious to himself, and the more welcome to them; for the vision, at the end, shall speak, and shall not lie, Heb. ii. 3. See Job xxxv. 14.

[2.] When the disciples spake a good word for her, he gave a reason why he refused her, which was yet more discouraging.

First, It was some little relief, that the disciples interposed on her behalf; they said, Send her away, for she crieth after us. It is desirable to have an interest in the prayers of good people, and we should be desirous of it. But the disciples, though wishing she might have what she came for, yet therein consulted rather their own ease than the poor woman's satisfaction; "Send her away with a cure, for she cries, and is in good earnest; she cries after us, and is troublesome to us, and shames us." Continued importunity may be uneasy to men, even to good men; but Christ loves to be cried after.

Secondly, Christ's answer to the disciples quite dashed her expectations; "I am not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; you know I am not, she is none of them, and would you have me go beyond my commission?" Importunity seldom conquers the settled reason of a wise man; and those refusals are most silencing, which are so backed. He doth not only not answer her, but he argues against her, and stops her mouth with a reason. It is true, she is a lost sheep, and hath as much need of his care as any, but she is not of the house of Israel, to whom he was first sent (Acts iii. 26), and therefore not immediately interested in it, and entitled to it. Christ was a Minister of the circumcision (Rom. xv. 8); and though he was intended for a Light to the Gentiles, yet the fulness of time for that was not now come, the veil was not yet rent, nor the partition-wall taken down. Christ's personal ministry was to be the glory of his people Israel; "If I am sent to them, what have I to do with those that are none of them." Note, It is a great trial, when we have occasion given us to question whether we be of those to whom Christ was sent. But, blessed be God, no room is left for that doubt; the distinction between Jew and Gentile is taken away; we are sure that he gave his life a ransom for many, and if for many, why not for me?

Thirdly, When she continued her importunity, he insisted upon the unfitness of the thing, and gave her not only a repulse, but a seeming reproach too (v. 26); It is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs. This seems to cut her off from all hope, and might have driven her to despair, if she had not had a very strong faith indeed. Gospel grace and miraculous cures (the appurtenances of it), were children's bread; they belonged to them to whom pertained the adoption (Rom. ix. 4), and lay not upon the same level with that rain from heaven, and those fruitful seasons, which God gave to the nations whom he suffered to walk in their own ways (Acts xiv. 16, 17); no, these were peculiar favours, appropriated to the peculiar people, the garden enclosed. Christ preached to the Samaritans (John iv. 41), but we read not of any cures he wrought among them; that salvation was of the Jews: it is not meet therefore to alienate these. The Gentiles were looked upon by the Jews with great contempt, were called and counted dogs; and, in comparison with the house of Israel, who were so dignified and privileged, Christ here seems to allow it, and therefore thinks it not meet that the Gentiles should share in the favours bestowed on the Jews. But see how the tables are turned; after the bringing of the Gentiles into the church, the Jewish zealots for the law are called dogs, Phil. iii. 2.

Now this Christ urgeth against this woman of Canaan; "How can she expect to eat of the children's bread, who is not of the family?" Note, 1. Those whom Christ intends most signally to honour, he first humbles and lays low in a sense of their own meanness and unworthiness. We must first see ourselves to be as dogs, less than the least of all God's mercies, before we are fit to be dignified and privileged with them. 2. Christ delights to exercise great faith with great trials, and sometimes reserves the sharpest for the last, that, being tried, we may come forth like gold. This general rule is applicable to other cases for direction, though here used only for trial. Special ordinances and church-privileges are children's bread, and must not be prostituted to the grossly ignorant and profane. Common charity must be extended to all, but spiritual dignities are appropriated to the household of faith; and therefore promiscuous admission to them, without distinction, wastes the children's bread, and is the giving of that which is holy to the dogs, ch. vii. 6. Procul hinc, procul inde, profani—Off, ye profane.

3. Here is the strength of her faith and resolution, in breaking through all these discouragements. Many a one, thus tried, would either have sunk into silence, or broken out into passion. "Here is cold comfort," might she have said, "for a poor distressed creature; as good for me to have staid at home, as come hither to be taunted at and abused at this rate; not only to have a piteous case slighted, but to be called a dog!" A proud, unhumbled heart would not have borne it. The reputation of the house of Israel was not now so great in the world, but that this slight put upon the Gentiles was capable of being retorted, had the poor woman been so minded. It might have occasioned a reflection upon Christ, and might have been a blemish upon his reputation, as well as a shock to the good opinion, she had entertained of him; for we are apt to judge of persons as we ourselves find them; and think that they are what they are to us. "Is this the Son of David?" (might she have said): "Is this he that has such a reputation for kindness, tenderness, and compassion? I am sure I have no reason to give him that character, for I was never treated so roughly in my life; he might have done as much for me as for others; or, if not, he needed not to have set me with the dogs of his flock. I am not a dog, I am a woman, and an honest woman, and a woman in misery; and I am sure it is not meet to call me a dog." No, here is not a word of this. Note, A humble, believing soul, that truly loves Christ, takes every thing in good part that he saith and doeth, and puts the best construction upon it.

She breaks through all these discouragements,

(1.) With a holy earnestness of desire in prosecuting her petition. This appeared upon the former repulse (v. 25); Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. [1.] She continued to pray. What Christ said, silenced the disciples; you hear no more of them; they took the answer, but the woman did not. Note, The more sensibly we feel the burthen, the more resolutely we should pray for the removal of it. And it is the will of God that we should continue instant in prayer, should always pray, and not faint. [2.] She improved in prayer. Instead of blaming Christ, or charging him with unkindness, she seems rather to suspect herself, and lay the fault upon herself. She fears lest, in her first address, she had not been humble and reverent enough, and therefore now she came, and worshipped him, and paid him more respect than she had done; or she fears that she had not been earnest enough, and therefore now she cries, Lord, help me. Note, When the answers of prayer are deferred, God is thereby teaching us to pray more, and pray better. It is then time to enquire wherein we have come short in our former prayers, that what has been amiss may be amended for the future. Disappointments in the success of prayer, must be excitements to the duty of prayer. Christ, in his agony, prayed more earnestly. [3.] She waives the question, whether she was of those to whom Christ was sent or no; she will not argue that with him, though perhaps she might have claimed some kindred to the house of Israel; but, "Whether an Israelite or no, I come to the Son of David for mercy, and I will not let him go, except he bless me." Many weak Christians perplex themselves with questions and doubts about their election, whether they are of the house of Israel or no; such had better mind their errand to God, and continue instant in prayer for mercy and grace; throw themselves by faith at the feet of Christ, and say, If I perish, I will perish here; and then that matter will by degrees clear itself. If we cannot reason down our unbelief, let us pray it down. A fervent, affectionate Lord, help me, will help us over many of the discouragements which are sometimes ready to bear us down and overwhelm us. [4.] Her prayer is very short, but comprehensive and fervent, Lord, help me. Take this, First, As lamenting her case; "If the Messiah be sent only to the house of Israel, the Lord help me, what will become of me and mine," Note, It is not in vain for broken hearts to bemoan themselves; God looks upon them then, Jer. xxxi. 18. Or, Secondly, As begging grace to assist her in this hour of temptation. She found it hard to keep up her faith when it was thus frowned upon, and therefore prays, "Lord, help me; Lord, strengthen my faith now; Lord, let thy right hand uphold me, while my soul is following hard after thee," Ps. lxiii. 8. Or, Thirdly, As enforcing her original request, "Lord, help me; Lord, give me what I come for." She believed that Christ could and would help her, though she was not of the house of Israel; else she would have dropt her petition. Still she keeps up good thoughts of Christ, and will not quit her hold. Lord, help me, is a good prayer, if well put up; and it is pity that it should be turned into a byword, and that we should take God's name in vain in it.

(2.) With a holy skilfulness of faith, suggesting a very surprising plea. Christ had placed the Jews with the children, as olive-plants round about God's table, and had put the Gentiles with the dogs, under the table; and she doth not deny the aptness of the similitude. Note, There is nothing got by contradicting any word of Christ, though it bear ever so hard upon us. But this poor woman, since she cannot object against it, resolves to make the best of it (v. 27); Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs. Now, here,

[1.] Her acknowledgment was very humble: Truth, Lord. Note, You cannot speak so meanly and slightly of a humble believer, but he is ready to speak as meanly and slightly of himself. Some that seem to dispraise and disparage themselves, will yet take it as an affront if others do so too; but one that is humbled aright, will subscribe to the most abasing challenges, and not call them abusing ones. "Truth, Lord; I cannot deny it; I am a dog, and have no right to the children's bread." David, Thou hast done foolishly, very foolishly; Truth, Lord. Asaph, Thou hast been as a beast before God; Truth, Lord. Agur, Thou art more brutish than any man; Truth, Lord. Paul, Thou hast been the chief of sinners, art less than the least of saints, not meet to be called an apostle; Truth, Lord.

[2.] Her improvement of this into a plea was very ingenious; Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs. It was by a singular acumen, and spiritual quickness and sagacity, that she discerned matter of argument in that which looked like a slight. Note, A lively, active faith will make that to be for us, which seems to be against us; will fetch meat out of the eater, and sweetness out of the strong. Unbelief is apt to mistake recruits for enemies, and to draw dismal conclusions even from comfortable premises (Judges xiii. 22, 23); but faith can find encouragement even in that which is discouraging, and get nearer to God by taking hold on that hand which is stretched out to push it away. So good a thing it is to be of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, Isa. xi. 3.

Her plea is, Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs. It is true, the full and regular provision is intended for the children only, but the small, casual, neglected crumbs are allowed to the dogs, and are not grudged them; that is to the dogs under the table, that attend there expecting them. We poor Gentiles cannot expect the stated ministry and miracles of the Son of David, that belongs to the Jews; but they begin now to be weary of their meat, and to play with it, they find fault with it, and crumble it away; surely then some of the broken meat may fall to a poor Gentile; "I beg a cure by the by, which is but a crumb, though of the same precious bread, yet but a small inconsiderable piece, compared with the loaves which they have." Note, When we are ready to surfeit on the children's bread, we should remember how many there are, that would be glad of the crumbs. Our broken meat in spiritual privileges, would be a feast to many a soul; Acts xiii. 42. Observe here,

First, Her humility and necessity made her glad of crumbs. Those who are conscious to themselves that they deserve nothing, will be thankful for any thing; and then we are prepared for the greatest of God's mercies, when we see ourselves less than the least of them. The least of Christ is precious to a believer, and the very crumbs of the bread of life.

Secondly, Her faith encouraged her to expect these crumbs. Why should it not be at Christ's table as at a great man's, where the dogs are fed as sure as the children? Observe, She calls it their master's table; if she were a dog, she was his dog, and it cannot be ill with us, if we stand but in the meanest relation to Christ; "Though unworthy to be called children, yet make me as one of thy hired servants: nay, rather let me be set with the dogs than turned out of the house; for in my Father's house there is not only bread enough, but to spare," Luke xv. 17-19. It is good lying in God's house, though we lie at the threshold there.

4. The happy issue and success of all this. She came off with credit and comfort from this struggle; and, though a Canaanite, approved herself a true daughter of Israel, who, like a prince, had power with God, and prevailed. Hitherto Christ hid his face from her, but now gathers her with everlasting kindness, v. 28. Then Jesus said, O woman, great is thy faith. This was like Joseph's making himself know to his brethren, I am Joseph; so here, in effect, I am Jesus. Now he begins to speak like himself, and to put on his own countenance. He will not contend for ever.

(1.) He commended her faith. O woman, great is thy faith. Observe, [1.] It is her faith that he commends. There were several other graces that shone bright in her conduct of this affair-wisdom, humility, meekness, patience, perseverance in prayer; but these were the product of her faith, and therefore Christ fastens upon that as most commendable; because of all graces faith honours Christ most, therefore of all graces Christ honours faith most. [2.] It is the greatness of her faith. Note, First, Though the faith of all the saints is alike precious, yet it is not in all alike strong; all believers are not of the same size and stature. Secondly, The greatness of faith consists much in a resolute adherence to Jesus Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour, even in the face of discouragements; to love him, and trust him, as a Friend, even then when he seems to come forth against us as an Enemy. This is great faith! Thirdly, Though weak faith, if true, shall not be rejected, yet great faith shall be commended, and shall appear greatly well-pleasing to Christ; for in them that thus believe he is most admired. Thus Christ commended the faith of the centurion, and he was a Gentile too, he had a strong faith in the power of Christ, this woman in the good-will of Christ; both were acceptable.

(2.) He cured her daughter; "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt: I can deny thee nothing, take what thou camest for." Note, Great believers may have what they will for the asking. When our will conforms to the will of Christ's precept, his will concurs with the will of our desire. Those that will deny Christ nothing, shall find that he will deny them nothing at last, though for a time he seems to hide his face from them. "Thou wouldst have thy sins pardoned, thy corruptions mortified, thy nature sanctified; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And what canst thou desire more?" When we come, as this poor woman did, to pray against Satan and his kingdom, we concur with the intercession of Christ, and it shall be accordingly. Though Satan may sift Peter, and buffet Paul, yet, through Christ's prayer and the sufficiency of his grace, we shall be more than conquerors, Luke xxii. 31, 32; 2 Cor. xii. 7-9; Rom. xvi. 20.

The event was answerable to the word of Christ; Her daughter was made whole from that very hour; from thenceforward was never vexed with the devil any more; the mother's faith prevailed for the daughter's cure. Though the patient was at a distance, that was no hindrance to the efficacy of Christ's word. He spake, and it was done.

Four Thousand Men Fed.

29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: 31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. 32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. 39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

Here is, I. A general account of Christ's cures, his curing by wholesale. The tokens of Christ's power and goodness are neither scarce nor scanty; for there is in him an overflowing fulness. Now observe,

1. The place where these cures were wrought; it was near the sea of Galilee, a part of the country Christ was much conversant with. We read not of any thing he did in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, but the casting of the devil out of the woman of Canaan's daughter, as if he took that journey on purpose, with that in prospect. Let not ministers grudge their pains to do good, though but to few. He that knows the worth of souls, would go a great way to help to save one from death and Satan's power.

But Jesus departed thence. Having let fall that crumb under table, he here returns to make a full feast for the children. We may do that occasionally for one, which we may not make a constant practice of. Christ steps into the coast of Tyre and Sidon, but he sits down by the sea of Galilee (v. 29), sits down not on a stately throne, or tribunal of judgment, but on a mountain: so mean and homely were his most solemn appearances in the days of his flesh! He sat down on a mountain, that all might see him, and have free access to him; for he is an open Saviour. He sat down there, as one tired with his journey, and willing to have a little rest; or rather, as one waiting to be gracious. He sat, expecting patients, as Abraham at his tent-door, ready to entertain strangers. He settled himself to this good work.

2. The multitudes and maladies that were healed by him (v. 30); Great multitudes came to him; that the scripture might be fulfilled, Unto him shall the gathering of the people be, Gen. xlix. 10. If Christ's ministers could cure bodily diseases as Christ did, there would be more flocking to them than there is; we are soon sensible of bodily pain and sickness, but few are concerned about their souls and their spiritual diseases.

Now, (1.) Such was the goodness of Christ, that he admitted all sorts of people; the poor as well as the rich are welcome to Christ, and with him there is room enough for all comers. He never complained of crowds or throngs of seekers, or looked with contempt upon the vulgar, the herd, as they are called; for the souls of peasants are as precious with him as the souls of princes.

(2.) Such was the power of Christ, that he healed all sorts of diseases; those that came to him, brought their sick relations and friends along with them, and cast them down at Jesus' feet, v. 30. We read not of any thing they said to him, but they laid them down before him as objects of pity, to be looked upon by him. Their calamities spake more for them than the tongue of the most eloquent orator could. David showed before God his trouble, that was enough, he then left it with him, Ps. cxlii. 2. Whatever our case is, the only way to find ease and relief, is, to lay it at Christ's feet, to spread it before him, and refer it to his cognizance, and then submit it to him, and refer it to his disposal. Those that would have spiritual healing from Christ, must lay themselves at his feet, to be ruled and ordered as he pleaseth.

Here were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, brought to Christ. See what work sin has made! It has turned the world into a hospital: what various diseases are human bodies subject to! See what work the Saviour makes! He conquers those hosts of enemies to mankind. Here were such diseases as a flame of fancy could contribute neither to the cause of nor to the cure of; as lying not in the humours, but in the members of the body; and yet these were subject to the commands of Christ. He sent his word, and healed them. Note, All diseases are at the command of Christ, to go and come as he bids them. This is an instance of Christ's power, which may comfort us in all our weaknesses; and of his pity, which may comfort us in all our miseries.

3. The influence that this had upon the people, v. 31.

(1.) They wondered, and well they might. Christ's works should be our wonder. It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous, Ps. cxviii. 23. The spiritual cures that Christ works are wonderful. When blind souls are made to see by faith, the dumb to speak in prayer, the lame to walk in holy obedience, it is to be wondered at. Sing unto the Lord a new song, for thus he has done marvellous things.

(2.) They glorified the God of Israel, whom the Pharisees, when they saw these things, blasphemed. Miracles, which are the matter of our wonder, must be the matter of our praise; and mercies, which are the matter of our rejoicing, must be the matter of our thanksgiving. Those that were healed, glorified God; if he heal our diseases, all that is within us must bless his holy name; and if we have been graciously preserved from blindness, and lameness, and dumbness, we have as much reason to bless God as if we had been cured of them; nay, and the standers-by glorified God. Note, God must be acknowledged with praise and thankfulness in the mercies of others as in our own. They glorified him as the God of Israel, his church's God, a God in covenant with his people, who hath sent the Messiah promised; and this is he. See Luke i. 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. This was done by the power of the God of Israel, and no other could do it.

II. Here is a particular account of his feeding four thousand men with seven loaves, and a few little fishes, as he had lately fed five thousand with five loaves. The guests indeed were now not quite so many as then, and the provision a little more; which does not intimate that Christ's arm was shortened, but that he wrought his miracles as the occasion required, and not for ostentation, and therefore he suited them to the occasion: both then and now he took as many as were to be fed, and made use of all that was at hand to feed them with. When once the utmost powers of nature are exceeded, we must say, This is the finger of God; and it is neither here nor there how far they are outdone; so that this is no less a miracle than the former.

Here is, 1. Christ's pity (v. 32); I have compassion on the multitude. He tells his disciples this, both to try and to excite their compassion. When he was about to work this miracle, he called them to him, and made them acquainted with his purpose, and discoursed with them about it; not because he needed their advice, but because he would give an instance of his condescending love to them. He called them not servants, for the servant knows not what his Lord doeth, but treated them as his friends and counsellors. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do? Gen. xviii. 17. In what he said to them, Observe,

(1.) The case of the multitude; They continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat. This is an instance of their zeal, and the strength of their affection to Christ and his word, that they not only left their callings, to attend upon him on week-days, but underwent a deal of hardship, to continue with him; they wanted their natural rest, and, for aught that appeared, lay like soldiers in the field; they wanted necessary food, and had scarcely enough to keep life and soul together. In those hotter countries they could better bear long fasting than we can in these colder climates: but though it could not but be grievous to the body, and might endanger their health, yet the zeal of God's house thus ate them up, and they esteemed the words of Christ more than their necessary food. We think three hours too much to attend upon public ordinances; but these people staid together three days, and yet snuffed not at it, nor said, Behold, what a weariness is it! Observe, With what tenderness Christ spoke of it; I have compassion on them. It had become them to have compassion on him, who took so much pains with them for three days together, and was so indefatigable in teaching and healing; so much virtue had gone out of him, and yet for aught that appears he was fasting too: but he prevented them with his compassion. Note, Our Lord Jesus keeps an account how long his followers continue their attendance on him, and takes notice of the difficulty they sustain in it (Rev. ii. 2); I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience: and it shall in no wise lose its reward.

Now the exigence the people were reduced to serves to magnify. [1.] The mercy of their supply: he fed them when they were hungry; and then food was doubly welcome. He treated them as he did Israel of old; he suffered them to hunger, and then fed them (Deut. viii. 3); for that is sweet to the hungry soul, which the full soul loathes. [2.] The miracle of their supply: having been so long fasting, their appetites were the more craving. If two hungry meals make the third a glutton, what would three hungry days do? And yet they did all eat and were filled. Note, There are mercy and grace enough with Christ, to give the most earnest and enlarged desire an abundant satisfaction; Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. He replenisheth even the hungry soul.

(2.) The care of our master concerning them; I will not send them away fasting, lest they should faint by the way; which would be a discredit to Christ and his family, and a discouragement both to them and to others. Note, It is the unhappiness of our present state, that when our souls are in some measure elevated and enlarged, our bodies cannot keep pace with them in good duties. The weakness of the flesh is a great grievance to the willingness of the spirit. It will not be so in heaven, where the body shall be made spiritual, where they rest not, day and night, from praising God, and yet faint not; where they hunger no more, nor thirst any more, Rev. vii. 16.

Here is, 2. Christ's power. His pity of their wants sets his power on work for their supply. Now observe,

(1.) How his power was distrusted by his disciples (v. 23); whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness? A proper question, one would think, like that of Moses (Num. xi. 22). Shall the flocks and the herds be slain to suffice them? But it was here an improper question, considering not only the general assurance the disciples had of the power of Christ, but the particular experience they lately had of a seasonable and sufficient provision by miracle in a like case; they had been not only the witnesses, but the ministers, of the former miracle; the multiplied bread went through their hands; so that it was an instance of great weakness for them to ask, Whence shall we have bread? Could they be at a loss, while they had their Master with them? Note, Forgetting former experiences leaves us under present doubts.

Christ knew how slender the provision was, but he would know it from them (v. 34); How many loaves have ye? Before he would work, he would have it seen how little he had to work on, that his power might shine the brighter. What they had, they had for themselves, and it was little enough for their own family; but Christ would have them bestow it all upon the multitude, and trust Providence for more. Note, it becomes Christ's disciples to be generous, their Master was so: what we have, we should be free of, as there is occasion; given to hospitality; not like Nabal (1 Sam. xxv. 11), but like Elisha, 2 Kings iv. 42. Niggardliness to-day, out of thoughtfulness for to-morrow, is a complication of corrupt affection that ought to be mortified. If we be prudently kind and charitable with what we have, we may piously hope that God will send more. Jehovah-jireh, The Lord will provide. The disciples asked, Whence should we have bread? Christ asked, How many loaves have ye? Note, When we cannot have what we would, we must make the best of what we have, and do good with it as far as it will go; we must not think so much of our wants as of our havings. Christ herein went according to the rule he gave to Martha, not to be troubled about many things, nor cumbered about much serving. Nature is content with little, grace with less, but lust with nothing.

(2.) How his power was discovered to the multitude, in the plentiful provision he made for them; the manner of which is much the same as before, ch. xiv. 18, &c. Observe here,

[1.] The provision that was at hand; seven loaves, and a few fishes: the fish not proportionable to the bread, for bread is the staff of life. It is probable that the fish was such as they had themselves taken; for they were fishers, and were now near the sea. Note, It is comfortable to eat the labour of our hands (Ps. cxxviii. 2), and to enjoy that which is any way the product of our own industry, Prov. xii. 27. And what we have got by God's blessing on our labour we should be free of; for therefore we must labour, that we may have to give, Eph. iv. 28.

[2.] The putting of the people in a posture to receive it (v. 35); He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. They saw but very little provision, yet they must sit down, in faith that they should have a meal's meat out of it. They who would have spiritual food from Christ, must sit down at his feet, to hear his word, and expect it to come in an unseen way.

[3.] The distributing of the provision among them. He first gave thanks—eucharistesas. The word used in the former miracle was eulogese—he blessed. It comes all to one; giving thanks to God is a proper way of craving a blessing from God. And when we come to ask and receive further mercy, we ought to give thanks for the mercies we have received. He then broke the loaves (for it was in the breaking that the bread multiplied) and gave to his disciples, and they to the multitude. Though the disciples had distrusted Christ's power, yet he made use of them now as before; he is not provoked, as he might be, by the weakness and infirmities of his ministers, to lay them aside; but still he gives to them, and they to his people, of the word of life.

[4.] The plenty there was among them (v. 37). They did all eat, and were filled. Note, Those whom Christ feeds, he fills. While we labour for the world, we labour for that which satisfieth not (Isa. lv. 2); but those that duly wait on Christ shall be abundantly satisfied with the goodness of his house, Ps. lxv. 4. Christ thus fed people once and again, to intimate that though he was called Jesus of Nazareth, yet he was of Bethlehem, the house of bread; or rather, that he was himself the Bread of Life.

To show that they had all enough, there was a great deal left—seven baskets full of broken meat; not so much as there was before, because they did not gather after so many eaters, but enough to show that with Christ there is bread enough, and to spare; supplies of grace for more than seek it, and for those that seek more.

[5.] The account taken of the guests; not that they might pay their share (here was no reckoning to be discharged, they were fed gratis), but that they might be witnesses to the power and goodness of Christ, and that this might be some resemblance of that universal providence that gives food to all flesh, Ps. cxxxvi. 25. Here were four thousand men fed; but what were they to that great family which is provided for by the divine care every day? God is a great Housekeeper, on whom the eyes of all the creatures wait, and he giveth them their food in due season, Ps. civ. 27; cxlv. 15.

[6.] The dismission of the multitude, and Christ's departure to another place (v. 39). He sent away the people. Though he had fed them twice, they must not expect miracles to be their daily bread. Let them now go home to their callings, and to their own tables. And he himself departed by ship to another place; for, being the Light of the world, he must be still in motion, and go about to do good.

CHAP. XV.

Verse 1. Then came to Jesus. THen, when the men of Genne sareth favoured and observed him. Satan stomacketh the prosperity of Gods Kingdom in any place, and stirreth up his to oppose it. Esau began with Iacob in the womb, that no time might be lost. As soon as ever the Churches childe was borne, the devil sought to drown him, Rev. 12. Scribes and Pharisees] Learned and lewd; these are Christs greatest enemies, hypocrites especially, those night-birds, that cannot bear the light of true religion, but, as bats, beat against it. Which were of Ierusalem] That faithfull City was now becomeIsa. 1. 22, [illegible: 1 word]. an harlot, her silver was degenerate into drosse, her wine mixt with water. The sweetest wine turns into the sowrest vineger, the whitest ivory burnt, into the [illegible: 1 word] coal. So about the year 1414 Theodoricus [illegible: 1 word] in Germany, an Augustine Frier complained, not without cause, Ecclesiam Romanam ex aureâ factam Joh. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]: 6 argenteam, ex argenteâ [illegible: 1 word], ex ferreâ terream, superesse [illegible: 1 word] in stercus [illegible: 1 word]. Machiavil observed, that there was no where [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] de rep. lib. 1. cap [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] piety, then in those that dwelt nearest to Rome.

Verse 2. Transgresse the tradition of the Elders?] They cryed up aloud Traditions, and the authority of Antiquity. Similem hodie dicam Papistae nobis scribunt. For as the Philosophers fled and hid themselves in the haereticks, as one saith, so did the Scribes and Pharisees in the Popish Doctours. Non tam ovum ovo simile: One egge or apple is not so like another, as Pharisees and Papists. The Pharisees deemed it as great a sin to eat with unwashen hands, [illegible: 1 word]. Antiquit. Heb. [illegible: 1 word]. 49. as to commit fornication. Semblably, the Papists count it worse to deface an Idol, then to kill a man, to eat flesh or eggs on a fasting day, then to commit incest, and for a Priest to have one wife then ten harlots. [non-Latin text not transcribed], say some, is the number of the beast, 666.Parcus in [illegible: 1 word].

Verse 3. He answered and said unto them] He shapes them an answer by way of Recrimination: which is a singular means of conviction to the adversary, but hard to be done by us without some [non-Latin text not transcribed]. mixture of [illegible: 1 word], such as was that in David to Michal, 2 Sam. 6. 21. Transgresse the Commandment of God by your tradition?] Gods commands should be kept as the apple of the eye, Prov. 7. 2. They are broken by omissions, commissions and failings in the manner: like as a man may miss: the mark by shooting short, or beyond, or wide. These Pharisees, as those Athenians of old [illegible: 5 words] (whereas they had most excellent Laws, but most [illegible: 1 word] natures) chose rather to live by their lusts, then by their laws. They had many traditions, and unwritten verities, pretended to be invented and prescribed them by their [illegible: 1 word], that by the [illegible: 1 word] thereof they might be the better [illegible: 1 word] to keep Gods Commandments. These traditions they stiled, Mashlamnathoth, Completions or Perfections: because [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] thereby they conceited, that the written law was made more complete and perfect. And say not the Papists as much of their traditions?

Verse 4. For God commanded, saying] This is called the first [illegible: 1 word] 6. 2. [non-Latin text not transcribed], [illegible: 2 words] an [illegible: 3 words]. Commandment with promise, viz. the first affirmative Commandment, or the first, in the second Table: or the first of all the tea with promise. For that in the second Commandment is rather a [illegible: 1 word] of Gods justice and mercy, and that to the observers of [illegible: 1 word] D Gouge of [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. the whole Law: but here is a particular promife made to them, that keep this particular commandment. Honour thy father and mother] Among other good offices, nourishGen. 47. 12. and cherish them as Joseph did Jacob and his family, [illegible: 1 word] Ruth 4. 15. [illegible: 2 words] 5. 4. [illegible: 1 word], as a man nourisheth his little-ones, lovingly and tenderly: [illegible: 2 words]. [illegible: 1 word]. c. 23. Be unto them as Obed was to Naomi, A restorer of her [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word] b. [illegible: 1 word]. and a nourisher of her old age. This the Apostle commends to us, as [illegible: 1 word] c. 6. a [illegible: 1 word] not only good before men, [illegible: 1 word] acceptable before God. This the Stork and the Mouse teach us, by their singular love to their aged [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] was the staff of his fathers age, and thereby merited the honourable name of Scipio among the Romans. Epaminondas rejoyced in nothing more, then that he had lived to chear up the hearts of his aged parents, by the reports of his [illegible: 1 word]. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Our parents are our houshold gods, said Hierocles. AEneas is sirnamed Pius, for his love to his father, whom he bore upon his [illegible: 1 word] out of the fire of Troy. And Aristotle tels how that when from the hill AEtna, there ran down a [illegible: 1 word] of fire that consumed [non-Latin text not transcribed]. [illegible: 2 words]. [illegible: 2 words]. all the houses thereabouts, in the midst of those fearfull flames Gods speciall care of the godly shined most brightly. For the river of fire parted it self, and made a kinde of lane for those who ventured to rescue their aged parents, and pluck them out of the [illegible: 1 word] of death. He that curseth father or mother] That giveth them an ill [non-Latin text not transcribed]. word, or but an ill look; for, Vultu saepe laeditur pietas. TheProv 30. 17. [illegible: 2 words] veret [illegible: 1 word] gutture corvus. Catul. eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young Eagles shall eat it. Now they are cursed with a witnesse, whom the holy Ghost thus curseth in such emphaticall manner, in such exquisite terms.

Verse 5. But ye say, whosoever, &c.] The intollerable covetousnesse [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Sands his [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. 4. of the [illegible: 1 word] bred this abominable corruption of this Commandment, as it did many other like. See my Notes on John 2. 14, 15. By the same arts at this day the Lady of Loretto, as they call her, hath her Churches so stuffed with vowed presents and memories, as they are fain to hang their cloisters and Churchyards with them. The [illegible: 1 word] of grace in this Kingdom, had a man within it [illegible: 1 word] with an hundred wiers to make the image goggle with the eyes, nod with the head, hang the lip, move and shake his jaws according as the value was of the gift that was offered. If it were a small [illegible: 1 word] of silver, he would hang a frowning lip: if a piece of gold, then should his jaws go merrily. The Act. and Mon. fol., 084. like was done by the bloud of Hales, brought afterwards by the Lord Cromwell to Pauls crosse, and there proved to be the bloud of a duck. It is a gift by whatsoever, &c.] Some read it thus, by Chorban, [illegible: 1 word] by this gift, if thou receive any profit by me: understand, then letGodw. Antiq. [illegible: 1 word]. God do thus, and much more to me, q. d. by Chorban thou shalt receive no profit by me. Others thus, Chorban, Anathema [non-Latin text not transcribed], si [illegible: 1 word], ut Mat. 10. 14. & 23. 18. [illegible: 1 word]. sit, Be it a devoted thing whatsoever I may profit thee by, q. d. Being consccrated to God, it shall be beneficiall to us both, and not here only in this life, but hereafter in that to come: wheras cost bestowed upon parents soon vanisheth, and reacheth no further then the life presents.

Verse 6. And honour not his father and his mother] Supple, insons erit. Our Saviour contents himself to relate [illegible: 1 word] words only of the tradition, as Lawyers use to do the first words of the Statute or Canon, they [illegible: 1 word] te or argue upon. Thus have you made the Commandment of none effect] Ye have [non-Latin text not transcribed] of [non-Latin text not transcribed] & [non-Latin text not transcribed] rule, authority. sought to shoulder God out of his throne, to devest and spoil him of his rule and authority, to ungod him as it were, by making his Commandment void and invalid. And do not Papists as much as all this, whiles they teach that a Monk [illegible: 1 word] not leave his cloister, to relieve his father, but must rather see and suffer him to die for hunger in the streets? Lyra hath these very words, Filius [illegible: 1 word] professionem factam in religione, excusatur à subveniendo parenlibus. This Lyra was a famous English Jew, but an arrant Papist, as, for most part, all were then: for he flourished, Anno 1320.

Verse 7. Well did I saias propheey of you] Of such as you, and so of you too. The Prophets and Apostles then spake not of them only with whom they lived, and to whom they wrote (as the Jesuites blaspheme) but their oracles and doctrines do extend still to men of the same stamp and making. In the volume of thy book Psal. 40. 7. it is written of me, saith David: he found his own name in Gods book. And where he spake with Jacob at Bethel, there he spake with us, saith Hosea, Chap. 12. 4. And, Whatsoever was written, was written for our learning, saith Paul, Rom. 14. 4.

Verse 8. This people draweth [illegible: 1 word] unto me, &c.] And they are no changelings: For at this day, although they know better, and can [illegible: 2 words] the walls of their Synagogues this sentence, Tephillah [illegible: 2 words] cheguph belo neshamah, that is, Praier without [illegible: 1 word]. Abbreviat. p. 186. the intention of the minde, is but as a body without a soul; yet shall not a man any where see lesse intention then in their orisons. The reverence they shew (saith Sr Edwin Sands, who [illegible: 1 word] it) is in standing up at times, and the gesture of adoration, in the bowing forward of their bodies. For kneeling they use none (no more do the Grecians) neither stir they their bonnets in their Synagogues to any man: but remain still covered. They come to [illegible: 1 word] Europe. it with washen hands, and in it they burn lamps to the honour of God: but for any shew of devotion or elevation of spirit, that yet [illegible: 1 word] posset [illegible: 3 words], [illegible: 3 words] pro [illegible: 2 words] quam pro [illegible: 2 words]. [illegible: 2 words] S [illegible: 1 word] epist. 1. [illegible: 1 word] 1. in Jews could I never discern: but they are as reverend in their Synagogues, as Grammer-boyes are at school, when their master is absent. In summe, their holinesse is the very outward work it self, being a brainlesse head, and soullesse body. Thus he. And honoureth me with their lips] But prayer is not the labour of the lips, but the travel of the heart: the power of a petition is not in the roof of the mouth, but root of the heart. To give way to wilfull distractions, is to commit spirituall whoredom in Gods presence. Is it fit to present the King with an empty cask? or to tell him a tale with our backs towards him? Behold, I am a great King, saith God, and they that stand before him, must look Eccles. 7. 1. to their feet, saith Solomon, that they stand upright, and that they offer not an heartlesse sacrifice, for that is the sacrifice of fools, and ever held ominous. But their heart is farre from me] And so, all they do is puted hypocrisie. God loves truth in the inward parts, Psal. 41. 6. and calls for the heart in all services, as Joseph did for Benjamin, as David did for Michal, Thou shalt not see my face, unlesse thou bring it. In all spirituall Sacrifices we must bring him the fat and the inwards. The deeper and hollower the belly of the lute or viol is, the pleasanter is the sound; the fleeter, the more grating and harsh in our ears. The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet, as that which cometh from the depth of the brest, Eph. 6. 5. Do the will of God from the heart. But woe be to all carelesse [illegible: 1 word], to all loose and ungirt Christians: the Lord will make all the Churches to know that he searcheth the hearts andRevel. 1. 23. reyns, and that he will kill with death all such as had rather seem to be good, then seek to be so.

Verse 9. But in vain doe they worship me] For they loose their labour, and which is worse, they commit sinne. Displeasing service is double dishonour, as dissembled sanctity is double iniquity. Teaching for doctrines the commandments of men] So do Papists.Host c. 4. The Pope can do all things that Christ can do, saith Hostiensis. HeBellar. de pont. can of [illegible: 1 word] make righteousnesse, saith Bellarmine, of [illegible: 1 word], Rom. l. 4. [illegible: 1 word], of nothing, something. His determinations are ipsissimum [illegible: 1 word] verbum, the very word of God, saith Hosius. Murders, treasons, thefts, &c. ther's no command of the morall Law, but they can dispence with it; but none of their ceremoniall Law. Let God, say they, look to the breach of his own Law, we will look to ours. Heathen Socrates and Cicero, shall rise up againstSocrat. ap. Xe. nophon. these Pseudochristians, and condemn them. God, said Socrates, will be worshipped with that kinde of worship only which himself [illegible: 1 word] non superstitione coli [illegible: 1 word] pietate. hath commanded. He will not be worshipped, said Cicero, with superstition, but with piety.

Verse 10. And he called the multitude] The Pharisees, those [illegible: 2 words], [illegible: 1 word] they would not be charmed, Christ will lose no more sweet words upon them; but turns them up as desperate with this inscription on their fore heads, Noluerunt [illegible: 1 word]; I would have healed these hypocrites, but they would not be healed. Yea, When I would have healed Ephraim, then (to crosse me) their iniquity was discovered, as the leprosie in their fore-heads. And [illegible: 1 word]. 7. 1. from such uncouncellable and [illegible: 1 word] hearers, if a Minister depart, he doth but his duty: the desertion is on their [illegible: 1 word], and not on his, The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withall, 1 Cor. 12. 7.

Verse 11. Not that which goeth into the man, &c.] Whether with clean or [illegible: 1 word] hands, taken meat [illegible: 1 word] not the [illegible: 1 word] guilty of Gods wrath. What? Not if abused to surfeting and drunkennesse? saith Bellarmine, who is angry with Christ for this doctrineOb. (as making against theirs directly) and therefore seeks to disprove him. We answer for and with Christ: that he speaks here of the moderate use of meats, which is indifferent. As for the abuse of it to [illegible: 1 word] and excesse, this is an evil that cometh out of the heart, and defileth the man, as being a flat breach of the law of God, who every where condemns it. But that which cometh out of the mouth] That is, out of the heart that muck-hill, thorow the mouth, as thorow a dung-port, that defileth a man worse then any jakes can do. Hence sin is called filthinesse, abomination, the vomit of a dog, the devils excrements, &c. The very visible [illegible: 1 word] are [illegible: 1 word] by it, and must therefore be purged by [illegible: 1 word], as those vessels were that held [illegible: 1 word] sin-offering. As for the soul, sin sets such engrained stains upon it, as nothing can fetch out, but the bloud of Christ that [illegible: 1 word] lamb.

Verse 12. Knowest thou that the Pharisees &c.] q. d. why dost thou then thus call the people to thee, and exclude them? It was a commendable charity in the [illegible: 1 word], to desire the better information of those that had [illegible: 1 word] accused [illegible: 1 word], v. 2. and to tender their salvation. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Speciosiùs aliquantò injuriae [illegible: 1 word] sicijs vincuntur, quam mutni odij pertinacia pensantur, saith a [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] l. 4. cap. 2.

Verse 13. Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted] viz. By election, and watered by vocation. These Pharisees were reprobates, designed to detection here, and to destruction hereafter. Therefore as it is no wonder, so it is no matter, though they stumble at the Word, being disobedient, sith hereunto they were appointed, 1 Pet. 2. 8. Let them stumble and fall, and be broken, and snared, and taken, Isa 8. 15. Christ is to reprobates a rock of offence: but such a rock as that, Judg. 6. 21. out of which goeth fire and consumeth them.

Verse 14. Let them alone] A dreadfull doom; like that, Hos. 4. 14. I will not punish your daughters, when they commit whoredom, &c. No so great punishment as not to be punished. And vers. 17. of that same Chapter, Ephraim is joyned to idols, let him alone, q. d. He hath made a match with mischief, he shall have his belly-full of it. Never was Jerusalems condition so desperate, as when God said unto her, My fury shall depart from thee, I will be quiet, and no more angry, Ezek. 16. 42. A man is ever and anon medling with his fruit-trees, paring and pruning, &c. but for his oaks, and other trees of the forrest, he lets them alone, till he comes, once for all, with his axe to fell them. Both shall fall into the ditch] Though the blinde guides fall undermost, and have the worst of it.

Verse 15. Declare unto us this parable] It was no parable, but a plain [illegible: 1 word], and easie to be understood, had not they been dull of hearing, and somewhat soured with the Pharisaicall [illegible: 1 word] of the necessity of washing hands afore [illegible: 1 word]: though for that time, by a singular providence of God, [illegible: 1 word] neglected; which both gave [illegible: 1 word] to the Pharisees quarrell, and to this question, whereto [illegible: 1 word] Saviour maketh a most plain and plenary [illegible: 1 word].

Verse 16. Do not ye yet understand?] What? Not at these1 Tim. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. years, and after so long standing? Will ye stand, till ye waxe [non-Latin text not transcribed] adhuc pro [non-Latin text not transcribed], at these years; now that you are ut full stature, and in your full vigour? sour again, and not give your selves wholly to these things, that your profiting may appear to all? Is it not a shame to have no more wit at sixty year old, then at six? to be alwaies learning, yet never [illegible: 1 word] to the knowledge of the truth? God expects a proportion of skill and [illegible: 1 word] according to the time and means men have had, Heb. 5 12.

Verse 17. Whatsoever entereth in at the mouth] In nature, Animantis cujus que vita est fuga: Life, were it not for the repair by daily [illegible: 1 word], would be soon extinguished. Hence it is called, [illegible: 1 word]. 5. 7, 10. The life of our hand, because maintained by the labour of our [illegible: 1 word]. But that which our Saviour here driveth at is, to set forth the ridiculous [illegible: 1 word]: of the Pharisees, whiles they placed a kinde of [illegible: 1 word] in those things that were evacuated and thrown into [illegible: 1 word] ad Episc. [illegible: 1 word]. de [illegible: 3 words], the draught. And do not Papists the very [illegible: 1 word]? Qui gustavit ovum trahitur in carcerem, cogitur que de haeresi causam dicere, saith Erasmus. To eat flesh, or but an egg in Lent, is punished with death. Whereas in the year of Christ, 330, Spiridion a godly Bishop in Cyprus, having not what else ready to set before a guest that came to him in the Lent, set him a piece of porke to feed on. And when the stranger made scruple of eating flesh in Lent, saying I am a Christian, and may not do it: Nay therefore thou maistR m 14 do it said he, because to the pure all things are pure, and the [illegible: 1 word] of God consisteth not in meats and drinks, &c.

Verse 18. Come foorth from the heart] That source of sinne, and fountain of folly: for as a fountain casteth forth her waters, so doth the heart of man cast out it's wickednesse, Jer. 6. 7. and if the [illegible: 1 word] be a world of wick dnesse, Jam. 2. what is the heart, [illegible: 1 line]. that seminary of sinne, wherein is a [non-Latin text not transcribed] as Empedocles saith in Aristotle. In this sea are not only that Leviathan the devil (who there sets up his forts and strong holds, 2 Cor. 10. 4. and doth entrench and incage himself) but creeping things innumerable, Psal. 104. 26. making that which should be the Temple of God a den of theeves, a pallace of pride, a slaughter-house of malice, a [illegible: 1 word]-house of [illegible: 1 word], a raging sea of sinne, Isa. 57. 20. a little hell of black and [illegible: 1 word] imaginations. The [illegible: 1 word] man [illegible: 1 word] rotting in the grave of corruption, wrapt up in the winding-sheet of hardnesse of heart, and blindenesse of minde; and ([illegible: 1 word] a [illegible: 1 word] crawleth with wormes) swarming with those [illegible: 1 word] lusts, that were able to poison up an honest heart.

Verse 19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts] These are the first and immediate issue of the sinfull soul: words and [illegible: 1 line]. deeds, Borborology and enormity follow in their order. And I dare be bold to say (saith a reverend Divine) that though the act contract the guilt, because the lust is then [illegible: 1 word] up to an height, so that it is come to an absolute will in execution, yet the act of adultery and murther is not so abhominable in Gods [illegible: 1 word], as the [illegible: 1 word] of the spirit: for it is the spirit that he mainly looks to, &c. Think not then that thought is free, for as inward bleeding will kill, so [illegible: 1 word] concupiscence, whatever the Papists say in favour of it, [illegible: 1 word] a condition of nature: and [illegible: 1 word] flow most of their most [illegible: 1 word] opinions, as justification by works, state of perfection, [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word], &c.

Verse 20. These are the things which [illegible: 1 word] a man] Make him a [illegible: 2 words] in Gods sight, his heart being a filthy [illegible: 1 word] of all [illegible: 1 word] vices, his life a long chain of sinfull actions, a very continued web of wickednesse. And whereas Repentance is the souls vomit, and Confession the spunge that wipes out all the blots and blurres of our lives, that cunning manslayer holds the lips elose that the heart may not disburden it self by so [non-Latin text not transcribed]. wholesome evacuation, and doth what he can to hinder the birth of Repentance, that fair and happy daughter of an uggly and odious De Pompeio Romani ap. [illegible: 1 word]. in vita Hist. of holy War. mother, sinne.

Verse 21. Into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon] That royall exchange of the world, as one calleth it. Hither retired our Saviour, as tired out with the Jews perversenesse. And here it's like he did much good, according to that was prophesied, Isa. 23. 18. Sure it is, that whereas here he would have hid himself, he could not, for the woman of Canaan came and fell at his feet as a suppliant for her daughter.Mark 7. 24. [non-Latin text not transcribed], a tergo [illegible: 1 word].

Verse 22. And cryed unto him] One coppy hath it, And cryed behinde him: which implies either that Christ had turned his back upon her, seeing her now coming towards him; or [illegible: 1 word] that she was abashed to come into his presence, as being of an accurfed kindred, devoted to destruction. Have mercy upon me, ô Lord] She acknowledged her own sinne in her daughters sufferings. So did that other good woman, 1 King. 17. 18. Her son was dead, her sinne was called to remembrance. And so must we see our selves beaten on our sick childrens2 [illegible: 1 word]. 12. 16. backs, as David did, and be humbled, labouring to mend by education, what we have marred by propagation. Thou son of David] Thou that wast thy self born of a woman, pity a woman: thou that hast the bowels of a man in thee, hide not thine eies from thine own flesh. My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil] The devil doth his worst to her, therefore help. Misery makes men eloquent, beyond truth many times: But surely this womans case was very dolefull. It was her daughter, dear to her as her ownLambin in Menech Plauti Act. soul. Filia quasi [non-Latin text not transcribed]. The Greeks call children [non-Latin text not transcribed] the Latines Chara. And those at Rome, that prayd and sacrificed whole daies that their children might be superstites long-lived, these were1 [illegible: 1 word]. 1. first called superstitious persons. Quod nomen patuit poste à [illegible: 1 word], Domi domitus [illegible: 5 words]. saith Cieero. The word aftsrwards came to be of larger signification. This (perhaps only) daughter, was vexed and grievously De nat. [illegible: 1 word]. vexed, and that of a devil: who ever busie enough to do mischeif, yet then cheifly [illegible: 1 word] him to set up his kingdome, when Christ came to pull it down. And as he oncestrove with Michael about a dead mans body, but it was that he might thereby set up himself in living mens souls: So he still seeks to possesse himself of our bodies, that thereby he may the better winde and work himself into our hearts.

Verse 23. But he answered her not] Tacet ore, sed loquitur ei spiritu, ut fortiùs clamet, saith an interpreter. Christ answereth her not with his mouth, but speaketh unto her by that sweet and secret voice of his spirit, to cry louder. No man prayes heartily but he hath so much comfort at least, that he will come again to God, who secretly supports his suppliants, and by [non-Latin text not transcribed]. that peace unconceivable guards their hearts and mindes that theyPhilip 4. 7. pray and faint not. Send her away, for she cries] Men may be tired out with uncessant suites, as the unjust Judge was, and as these Disciples were weary to hear the poor womans outcries, repeating the same request over and over: Give her therefore, say they, either an almes or an answer; that she may be silenced and we eased. But it is otherwise with God, the oftener we come to him the better welcome: the louder we cry, the sooner we are heard: and the often repetition of the self-same petition, till we put the Lord out of countenance, put him (as you would say) to the blush, and even [illegible: 1 word] a blot in [illegible: 1 word] face, as the Greek word signifies, Luk 18. 5. [non-Latin text not transcribed] this is the best melody we can [illegible: 1 word] him. He looks out of the casements of heaven on purpose to hear it.

Verse 24 But unto the lost sheep, &c.] He was properly the Apostle of the Circumcision, Rom. 15. 8. Heb. 3. 1. till the wall of partition was broken down by his resurrection. Then the [illegible: 1 word] rent, and it was open-tide. Then he became light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as he was the glory of his people Israel.

Verse 25. Then came she and worshipped him] She will not be said nay, or set down, either with silence or sad answers; but, like another Gorgonia, she threatens heaven, and is (as her brother [illegible: 1 word]. speaks of her) modestly impudent and invincible. She will believe, as a man may say with reverence, whether Christ will or no. And to bring her to this it was, that he so long held her off, for, [illegible: 1 word] dilata crescunt: at [illegible: 1 word] data, vilescunt. Minnah, that light meat, was but lightly set by, because lightly come by. But they that earn it before they eat it, and that know how they come by that they [illegible: 1 word], will set an high price upon it, and know how and why they part with it. Lord, help me] Few words, but very forcible. When thouEccles. 5. 1. comest before God, let thy words [illegible: 1 word] few, saith Solomon. This St Peter calls to be sober [illegible: 1 word] prayer, [illegible: 1 word] Pet. 4 7. without trifling, Orationis [illegible: 3 words] [illegible: 1 word] in loc. or vain babling, which the wise man calls the sacrifice of fools. The Baalites prayer was not more tedious, then Eliah's short, and yet more pithy then short: charging God with the care of his covenant, truth, glory, &c. It was Eliah that praid loud and long, though in few words, yet very effectuall. Fratres AEgyptiaci brevissimis & raptìm jaculatis orationibus uti voluerunt ([illegible: 1 word] Augustine) ne per moras evanesceret & habetaretur intentio. Those ancient Christians of Egypt were very brief in [illegible: 1 word] prayers. Help me] The word properly signifieth to run at ones cry that [non-Latin text not transcribed] [illegible: 1 word] [non-Latin text not transcribed] al [illegible: 6 words] [illegible: 3 words]. [non-Latin text not transcribed] [illegible: 6 words]. [illegible: 2 words]. calls for help, as the tender mother doth to her hungry child, when he sets up his note, and cries lustily.

Verse 26. [illegible: 1 word] to cast it to dogs] To whelps, saith St Mark, So he calls her, Bitch, her daughter, whelp. This might have easily [illegible: 1 word] and discouraged her. But she was that well resolved Christian, whose part Luther saith it is to believe things invisible, to [illegible: 1 word] for things deferred, and to love God when he shews himself most angry with him, and most opposite to him. Our Saviour was no sooner gon from this Canaanitesse but he heals the [illegible: 2 words], [illegible: 1 word] dilata, & a [illegible: 1 word] Deu [illegible: 2 words] contrarium Luth. [illegible: 1 word]. 30. 18. [illegible: 1 word] and dumb man (though far weaker in faith then her) at first word, Mark. 7. 33. and vers. 30 of this chapter the Galileans no sooner laid then sick and lame friends at [illegible: 1 word] feet, but he cured them [illegible: 1 word] any more a do. He is a God of judgement, and knowes how and when to deal forth his favours. He laies heaviest [illegible: 1 word] on the strongest backs, and proportions our afflictions to our [illegible: 1 word], holding us off for deliverance, till [illegible: 1 word] finds us [illegible: 1 word] for it: and giving us hearts to wait, and want it till his time is come.

Verse 27. Truth Lord] [illegible: 1 word] [non-Latin text not transcribed]. This is particula assentientis & obsecrantis. How strangely doth God enable and enlarge his weak people many times in prayer? they are carried beyond themselves in a wonderfull manner, and though otherwise rude in speech and [illegible: 1 word], yet then they have words at will, far above naturall apprehension, and such as they are not able to repeat again: being for the time, lost in the endlesse maze of spirituall ravishments, and ascending, with the Church, in those pillars of incense, out of this wildernesse of the World. [illegible: 1 word]. 5. 6. Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs] Loe she picks an argument of speeding out of a repulse; she gathereth one contrary out of another by the force of her faith. See the like, Deut. 32. 36. 2 King. 14. 26. Going into captivitie was a signe of the Israelites returning out of captivitie. Be it that I am a dog saith this brave woman, yet some crumbs of comfort, Lord. Dogs, though they may not eat the childrens meat (if they offer to do it, they are shut out of doors) yet if children full-fed crumble their meat, and make wast of it, as they will, and as the Jews now do, may not the Gentile-dogs lick up those leavings? Thus she reasons it, and thus she makes use of any thing she can lay hold of, whereby she may hope the better to prevail. Those that are hunger-starved are glad to feed upon hedge-fruit, and will make hard shift rather then perish. So, faithfull hearers are not delicate, but can suffer an exhortation, bear a reproof, yea suck hony, with the bee, outHeb. 13. of bitter thime.

Verse 28. O woman, great is thy faith] Our Saviour had both reproached and repulsed her. Now he both graceth and gratifieth her; grants her request and more, together with an high commendation of her heroicall [illegible: 1 word], which is here found [illegible: 1 word] to praise and honour and glory, 1 Pet. 1. 7.

Verse 29. And came nigh to the sea of Galilee] Where though he had lately been tired out, yet he'l try again. Ministers must have patience with a perverse people, not resolving, as Ieremy once in a pelt, to speak no more to them in the name of the Lord, but proving if at any time God will give them repentance to the acknowleging of the truth, &c. 2 Tim. 2. 25. I beseech you (said Mr Bradford to one with whom he had taken great pains, but to no great purpose) I pray you, I desire you, I crave at your hands with all my very heart; I ask of you with hand, pen, tongue, [illegible: 1 word]. and [illegible: 1 word]. and minde, in Christ, for Christ, through Christ, for his name, blood, mercy, power and truths sake, my most entirely beloved, that you admit no doubting of Gods finall mercies toward you, howsoever you feel your self, &c. Of this good Martyr it is said, that in travelling with his own heart he would never give over till he had made somewhat of it, as in confession, till his heart melted, in seeking pardon till quieted, in begging grace, till warmed Aug de [illegible: 1 word]: Christ: & in, [illegible: 2 words]. and quickened: so in dealing with others he practised that which St Austin perswadeth every preacher to do, so long to beat upon and repeat the same point, till by the countenance, but especially by the conversation of his hearers, he perceive that they resent and rellish it. Knowing the terrour of the Lord, saith Paul, [illegible: 1 word] perswade men; we give them not over till we have prevailed2 Cor. [illegible: 1 word] 1. with them and subdued them, though never so knotty and knorly. And went up into a mountain] Either to pray, or to preach, or to rest and repose himself; but that would not be: for great multitudes resorted to him. The Sun set on high cannot be hid, no more can Christ in the mount.

Verse 30. Having with them those that were lame, blinde, &c.] All these infirmities are fruits of sin (which hath made the world an Occumeniall Hospitall) and accidents of life; for that which Cu [illegible: 2 words] contingere quod [illegible: 1 word] quam contigit. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] plures sunt [illegible: 3 words] positivae. Gerson. befalleth any man, may befall every man. The privative favours that God shews us here (saith Gerson,) are more then the positive: meaning by privative, Gods preserving us from manifold mischiefs and miseries by his manutension, They that are got to heaven are out of the gunshot: for there's no more sicknesse, nor sorrow, no crying, nor pain, for the former things are passed, Revel. 21. 4. All corruptions, temptations, afflictions, which stand, some above us, some about us (as the insulting Philistims about blinde Sampson) shall end with the same blow, fall with the same clap with our selves. At Stratford bow were two Martyrs burned at one stake (in the dayes of Q. Mary) Hugh Laverock an old lame man, and Iohn A Price a blinde man. At their death, Hugh, after he was chained, casting away his crutch, and comforting the other, he said to him, Be of good comfort my brother, for my Lord of [illegible: 1 word] is our good Physitian: he will heal us shortly, thee of thy Act. and Mon. [illegible: 1 word] 1733. [illegible: 1 word], and me of my lamenesse. And so patiently they suffered.

Verse 31. They glorified the God of Israel] They saw God in those miraculous cures, and gave him his due praise. He is content that we should have the comfort of his benefits, so he may [illegible: 1 word] the glory of them; that's all the rent and return he looks for. All the [illegible: 1 word] Christ required for his cures was, Go and tell what God [illegible: 2 words] for thee, Go shew thy self to the Priest and offer, &c. But we, insteed of being temples of Gods praise, become many times graves of his benefits. This made good David so oft to put the thorn to his breast, Psal. 103. 1,2,3. and King Alphonsus not so much to wonder at his Courtiers ingratitude to him, as at his own to God.

Verse 32. I have compassion on the multitude] My bowels yearn towards them. Neither is he [illegible: 1 word] loving now that he is in heaven, towards his poor pennilesse [illegible: 1 word] people on earth: but when they are hardest put to't, and haply have not a crosse to blesse themselves with, as the proverb is, he so graciously provides, that though the young lions (or the strong ones, as the Septuagint [illegible: 1 word]. 34 10. have it) doe lack and suffer hunger, yet they that seek the Lord want nothing that's good for them. Aaron though he might not bewail the death of his two sons, Lev. 10. because he was High-priest, yet his bowels of fatherly affection towards them, could not be restrained. Christ retaineth still compassion, Heb. 45. [illegible: 1 word] 9. 5. though free from personall passion: and, though freed from feeling, [illegible: 3 words]. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. hath [illegible: 1 word] yet a fellow-feeling. Manet compassio etiam cum impassibilitate, saith Bernard. Because they continue with me now three dayes] The Lord takes punctuall and particular notice of all circumstances, how far they came, how long they had been there, how little able they were to hold out fasting to their own homes, &c. And so he doth still, recount how many years, daies, hours we have spent with him: what straits, [illegible: 1 word], hears, colds, dangers, difficulties we have [illegible: 1 word] with and passed thorow; all is exactly registred in his book of remembrance: I know thy work, and thy [illegible: 1 word], saith he, [illegible: 1 word] 2. 19. Rev. 2. Men take much pains many times, and none regard it, reward it. But Christ takes notice, not of his peoples works only, but of their labour in doing them, that he may [illegible: 1 word] recompence their labour of love, their losse of goods, &c. the godly shall know in themselves, not only in others, in books &c. that they have a better, and an enduring substance, Heb. 10. 34.

Verse 33. Whence should we have &c.] See their stupidity [illegible: 2 words] ut [illegible: 3 words], [illegible: 1 word]. and diffidence, yet still budging and [illegible: 1 word] out, upon all occasions. What a life hath Christ with the best of us, ere he can bring [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] us to any thing? Corruption will have some slurts, some out-bursts. [illegible: 1 word] cleaves to us more [illegible: 1 word] then this evil heart of unbelief: like a fretting leprosie in our cottages of clay, though the walls be well scraped, yet it will never utterly out, till the house be demolished.

Verse 34. Seven, and a few little fishes] Before, he had fed five thousand with fewer loaves. God can as easily maintain us with a little, as with more; witnesse Daniels pulie, and Eliah's cake on the coals, and cruse of water; Luthers herring, and Iunius his [illegible: 2 words]. 19. 6. one egge a day, when means was short with him, by reason of the civil wars in France, so that he could not hear from his friends. It is not by bread only that man liveth, but by the word of GodsMelch. Adam. in vita Lutheri. Iun. in vita sua. blessing, that maketh it nourishable. As if he break the staffe of bread, that is, his own blessing, which is the staffe whereon bread (that staffe of life) leaneth, it can neither feed nor fill, make men neither fuller, nor fatter.

Verse 35. To sit down on the ground] He intended them not only a running-banquet, a slightcome-off, but a full feast, a good meal, and therefore bad them sit down, and feed their fill. It was indeed on the bare ground that they sate: but so doe the greatest Turk. Hist. fol. 713. Lords in Turky at this day: they sit at meat, with their legs gathered under them, flat upon the ground; and their chear, when they feast most sumptuously, is only rice and mutton, with fair water out of the river.

Verse 36. And gave to his Disciples] So confuting their unbelief, and confirming their faith for the future. And the like he doth for us every time we receive the Sacrament of his Supper. He bespeaks us there, as he did peremptory Thomas, Joh. 20. 27. And the Disciples to the multitude] This is Christs course to this day: by the hands of his faithfull Ministers, to deal forth his favours, to give his holy Spirit (which is, to give all good things, Matth. 7. 11. with Luk. 11. 13.) by the preaching of faith. ThisNum. 11. 9. Manna comes down from heaven in the dews of the Ministry. If1 Pet. 1. 22. our eyes see not our teachers, we cannot expect to hear the voice behinde us, Isa. 30. 20.

Verse 37. They did all eat and were filled] They did eat to [non-Latin text not transcribed], Hoc proprie [illegible: 1 word] de armentis. [illegible: 1 word] [non-Latin text not transcribed] [illegible: 2 words] gramen aut pabulum. Bez[illegible: 1 letter]. saturity, as men use to doe at feasts, where the tables seem to sweat with variety. The Greek word here is, in its proper signification, used of fatting cattle, that have grasse up to the eyes, such as is that in some parts of Ireland, where they are forced to drive out their cattle sometimes from the pastures into the commons, lest they should surfet and spoil themselves. Seven baskets full] These baskets were bigger and of larger capacity then those coffins. Matth. 14. 20. we read of Paul let [non-Latin text not transcribed]. down by the wall in a basket. Acts 9. 20. It was such a vessel then, that a man might sit in it: as the former may seem to have been no larger then a pye or pasty, the outside whereof, from the Greeks, we call a coffin.

Verse 38. And they that did eat] See the Notes on Chap. 14 21. Herein was the majesty of the miracle, that there was no proportion between the men, and the meat.

Verse 39. And he sent away the multitude] Not without a blessing, and a great deal of good counsell. Labour not for the meat that perisheth &c. Amend your lives, for the Kingdom of heaven is come home to you: Now that you have eaten and are full, beware that you forget not the Lord your God, &c. Be not as children, with whom eaten bread is soon forgotten. This was wholesomeDeut. 8, 10, 11. counsel, and far better then their good chear; for this would stick by them. Deal we so by our guests. And came into the coasts of Magdala.] This is held to be Mary Magdalens country, better known by her then she was by it, as the Island of Co was by Hippocrates, and Hippo by Austin.

See also Mk 7:1-9.

Then came to Jesus, etc. Mark says, that they saw the disciples of Jesus eating with hands unwashed.

(a) "Then came" Mk 7:1

Transgress the tradition of the elders, The word elders means, literally, old men. It here means the ancients, or their ancestors. Tradition means something handed down from one to another by memory: some precept or custom not commanded in the written law, but which they held themselves bound to observe. The Jews supposed that when Moses was on Mount Sinai, two sets of laws were delivered to him: one, they said, was recorded, and is that contained in the Old Testament; the other was handed down from father to son, and kept uncorrupted to their day. They believed that Moses before he died delivered this law to Joshua; he to the judges; they to the prophets; so that it was kept pure till it was recorded in the Talmuds. In these books these pretended laws are now contained. They are exceedingly numerous, and very trifling. They are, however, regarded by the Jews as more important than either Moses or the prophets. One point in which the Pharisees differed from the Sadducees was in holding to these traditions. It seems, however, that in the particular traditions here mentioned all the Jews combined.

The Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, Mk 7:3. Mark has also added, that this custom of washing extended not merely to their hands before eating, but in coming from the market; and also to pots, and cups, and brazen vessels and tables, Mk 7:3,4. They did this professedly for the sake of cleanliness. So far it was well. But they made it a matter of superstition. They regarded external purity as of much more importance than the purity of the heart. They had many foolish rules about it: as, the quantity of water that was to be used; the way in which it should be applied; the number of times it should be changed; the number of those that might wash at a time, etc. These foolish rules our Saviour did not think it proper to regard; and this was the reason why they found fault with him.

Mt 15:1

But he answered, etc. They accused him of violating their traditions, as though they were obligatory. In his answer he implied that they were not bound to obey their traditions. They were invented by men. He said also that those traditions could not be binding, as they violated the commandments of God. He proceeds to specify a case where their tradition made void one of the plain laws of God. And if that was their character, then they could not blame him for not regarding them.

Mt 15:1 (b) "your tradition?" Col 2:8, 23, Tit 1:14

For God commanded, etc. That is, in the fifth commandment, Ex 20:12, 21:17. To honour is to obey, to reverence, to speak kindly to, to speak and think well of. To curse is to disobey, to treat with irreverence, to swear at, to speak ill of, to think evil of in the heart, to meditate or do any evil to a parent. All this is included in the original word.

Let him die the death. This is a Hebrew phrase, the same as saying, let him surely die. The Jewish law punishes this crime with death. This duty of honouring and obeying a parent was what Christ said they had violated by their traditions. He proceeds to state the way in which it was done.

Mt 15:1

(c) "saying, Honour" Ex 20:12, De 5:16 (d) "He that curseth" Ex 21:17, Lev 20:9

It is a gift. In Mark it is corban. The word corban is a Hebrew word, denoting a gift. It here means a thing dedicated to the service of God; and, therefore, not to be appropriated to any other use. The Jews were in the habit of making such dedications. They devoted their property to him, for sacred uses, as they pleased. In doing this they used the word corban, or some similar word; saying this thing is corban, i.e., is a gift to God, or is sacred to him. The law required that when a dedication of this kind was made, it should be fulfilled. "Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God," Ps 76:11. See De 23:21. The law of God required that a son should honour his parent; i.e., among other things, provide for his wants when he was old, and in distress. Yet the Jewish teachers said that it was more important for a man to dedicate his property to God than to provide for the wants of his parent. If he had once devoted his property--once said it was corban, or a gift to God --it could not be appropriated even to the support of a parent. If a parent was needy and poor, and if he should apply to a son for assistance, and the son should reply, though in anger, "It is devoted to God--- this property which you need, and by which you might be profited by me, is corban, I give to God,"--the Jews said the property could not be recalled, and the son was not under obligation to aid a parent with it. He had done a more important thing, in giving it to God. The son was free. They would not suffer him to do anything for his father after that. Thus he might in a moment free himself from the obligation to obey his father or mother. In a sense somewhat similar to this the chiefs and priests of the Sandwich Islands had the power of devoting anything to the service of the gods, by saying that it was tabu, or tabued. That is, that it became consecrated to the service of religion; and no matter who had been the owner, it could then be appropriated to no other use. In this way they had complete power over all the possessions of the people, and could appropriate them to their own use under the pretence of devoting them to religion. They thus deprived the people of their property under the plea that it was consecrated to the gods; the Jewish son deprived his parents of a support under the plea that the property was devoted to the service of religion. The principle was the same and both systems were equally a violation of the rights of others.

Besides, the law said that a man should die that cursed his father; i.e., that refused to obey him, or to provide for him, or spoke in anger to him. Yet the Jews said, that though in anger, and in real spite and hatred, a son said to his father, "All that I have which could profit you, I have given to God," he should be free from blame. Thus the whole law was made void, or of no use, by what appeared to have the appearance of piety. No man, according to their views, was bound to obey the fifth commandment, and support an aged and needy parent, if either from superstition or spite he chose to give his property to God, that is, to some religious use.

Our Saviour did not mean to condemn the practice of giving to God, or to religious and charitable duties. This the law and the gospel equally required. He commended even a poor widow that gave all her living, Mk 12:44. But he meant to condemn the practice of giving to God, where it interfered with our duty to parents and relations: where it was done to get rid of the duty of aiding them; and where it was done out of a malignant and rebellious spirit, with the semblance of piety, to get clear of doing to them what God required.

Mt 15:1

Mt 15:1

(e) "honour not" De 27:16

Ye hypocrites. Mt 7:5. Hypocrisy is the concealment of some base principle under the pretence of religion. Never was there a clearer instance of it than this--an attempt to get rid of the duty of providing for needy parents under an appearance of piety towards God.

Esaias, That is, Isaiah. This prophecy is found in Isa 29:13.

Prophesy of you. That is, he spoke of the people of his day--of the Jews, as Jews--in terms that apply to the whole people. He properly characterized the nation in calling them hypocrites. The words are applicable to the nation at all times, and they apply, therefore, to you. He did not mean particularly to speak of the nation in the time of Christ; but he spoke of them as having a national character of hypocrisy. See also Isa 1:4.

Mt 15:1

Draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, etc. That is, they are regular in the forms of worship. They are strict in ceremonial observances, and keep the law outwardly; but God requires the heart, and that they have not rendered.

Mt 15:1 (f) "This people" Isa 29:13

In vain they do worship me. That is, their attempts to worship are vain, or are not real worship--they are mere forms.

Teaching for doctrines, etc. The word doctrines, here, means the requirements of religion--things to be believed and practised in religion. God only has a right to declare what shall be done in his service; but they held their traditions to be superior to the written word of God, and taught them as doctrines binding the conscience.

Mt 15:1

(g) "for doctrines" Col 2:22

See also Mk 7:15-17. And he called the multitude. In opposition to the doctrines of the Pharisees, the Saviour took occasion to show them that the great source of pollution was the heart. They supposed that external things chiefly defiled a man. On this all their doctrines about purification were founded. This opinion of the Jews it was of great importance to correct, he took occasion, therefore, to direct the people to the true source of defilement--their own hearts. He particularly directed them to it as of importance:--Hear and understand!

Not that which goeth into the mouth, The disciples were charged with being sinners for transgressing the tradition of the elders, in eating with unwashed hands. Christ replies, that what they should eat could not render them sinners. The man, the moral agent, the soul, could not be polluted by anything that was eaten. What proceeds from the man himself, from his heart, would defile him.

Defileth. To pollute, corrupt, to render sinful.

Mt 15:10

(h) "Not that" Acts 10:15, Rom 14:14,20, 1Timm 4:4, Tit 1:15

The Pharisees were offended. They were so zealous of their traditions that they could not endure that their absurdities should be exposed.

Mt 15:10

Every plant, etc. Religious doctrine is not unaptly compared to a plant. See 1Cor 3:6-8. It is planted in the mind for the purpose of producing fruit in the life, or conduct. Jesus here says that all those doctrines, of which his Father was not the Author, must be rooted up, or corrected. The false doctrines of the Pharisees, therefore, must be attacked; and it was no wonder if they were indignant. It could not be helped. It was his duty to attack them. lie was not surprised that they were enraged. But, notwithstanding their opposition, their doctrines should be destroyed.

Mt 15:10

(i) "Every plant" Jn 15:2,6

Let them alone. That is, do not be troubled at their rage. Be not anxious about it. The thing was to be expected. They were blind; they were in some respects sincere. They are greatly attached to their traditions, and you are not to wonder or interfere when they are indignant. They lead also the blind. They have a vast influence over the multitude, and it is to be expected that they will be enraged at any doctrines that go to lessen their authority or influence. By commanding them to let them alone, he does not mean to suffer them to remain in error, without any attempt to refute or correct them--for this he was doing then; but he meant to charge his disciples not to mind them, or to regard their opposition. It was to be expected.

If the blind lead the blind, etc. This was a plain proposition. A blind man, attempting to conduct blind men, would fall into every ditch that was in the way. So with religious teachers. If these Pharisees, themselves ignorant and blind, should be suffered to lead the ignorant multitude, both would be destroyed. This was another reason for confuting their errors, or for rooting up the plants which God had not planted. He wished, by doing it, to save the deluded multitude.

God often suffers one man to lead many to ruin. A rich and profligate man, an infidel, a man of learning, a politician, or a teacher, is allowed to sweep multitudes to ruin. This is not unjust, for those who are led are not compelled to follow such men. They are free in choosing such leaders, and they are answerable for being led to ruin.

Mt 15:10

(k) "they be blind" Mt 23:16, Lk 6:39

See also Mk 7:17-23. Then answered Peter--declare this parable. Mt 13:3. The word parable sometimes means a dark or obscure saying, Ps 78:2. Peter meant, Explain to us more fully this obscure and somewhat novel doctrine. To us, now, it is plain: to the disciples, just coming out of Judaism, taught by the Jewish teachers, the doctrine of Jesus was obscure. Mark says that the disciples asked him. There is no contradiction. The question was put by Peter in the name of the disciples; or several of them put the question, though Matthew has mentioned only one. An omission is not a contradiction.

Are ye also yet without understanding? He appeals, in explaining this, to their common sense; and he wonders that they had not yet learned to judge the foolish traditions of the Jews by the decisions of common sense, and by his own instructions.

Mt 15:15

Do not ye yet understand, etc. The meaning of this may be thus expressed: The food which is eaten does not affect the mind, and therefore cannot pollute it. The doctrine of the Pharisees, that neglect of washing and of similar observances defiles a man, cannot be true. Those things pertain to the body as much as food does, and they cannot affect the soul. That must be purified by something else than external washing; and it is polluted by other things than a neglect of mere outward ceremonies. The seat of corruption is within. It is the heart itself; and if men would be made pure, this must be cleansed. If that is corrupt, the whole man is corrupt.

(l) "mouth goeth" Lk 6:45, Jas 3:6

Christ proceeds to state what does defile the man, or render him a sinner:

(1.) Evil thoughts. These are the first things. These are the fountains of all others. Thought precedes action. Thought, or purpose, or motive, gives its character to conduct. All evil thoughts are here intended. Though we labour to suppress them, yet they defile us. They leave pollution behind them.

(2.) Murders. Taking the life of others with malice. The malice has its seat in the heart, and the murder therefore proceeds from the heart, 1Jn 3:15.

(3.) Adulteries, fornications. See Mt 5:28.

(4.) Thefts. Theft is the taking and carrying away the goods of others without their knowledge or consent. They are produced by coveting the property of others. They proceed, therefore, from the heart, and violate at the same time two commandments--the tenth in thought, and the eighth in act.

(5.) False witness. Giving wrong testimony. Concealing the truth, or stating what we know to be false, contrary to the ninth commandment. It proceeds from a desire to injure others, to take away their character or property, or to do them injustice. It proceeds thus from the heart.

(6.) Blasphemies. Mt 9:3. Blasphemy proceeds from opposition to God, hatred of his character, Rom 8:7 and from a desire that there should be no God. It proceeds from the heart. See Ps 14:1. Mark adds,

(7.) Covetousness, always proceeding from the heart--the unlawful desire of what others possess.

(8.) Wickedness. The original here means malice, or a desire of injuring others, Rom 1:29.

(9.) Deceit; i.e. fraud, concealment, cheating, in trade. This proceeds from a desire to benefit ourselves by doing injustice to others, and thus proceeds from the heart.

(10.) Lasciviousness. Lust, obscenity, unbridled passion--a strong, evil desire of the heart.

(11.) An evil eye. That is, an eye sour, malignant, proud, devising or purposing evil. See Mt 5:28, 20:15, 2Pet 2:14, "Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin."

(12.) Pride. An improper estimate of our own importance--thinking that we are of much more consequence than we really are--always the work of an evil heart.

(13.) Foolishness. Not want of intellect. Man is not to blame for that. But moral folly, consisting in choosing bad ends, and bad means of gaining them; or, in other words, sin and wickedness. All sin is folly. It is foolish for a man to disobey God; and foolish for any one to go to hell.

These are the things which defile a man. What an array of crimes to proceed from the heart of man! What a proof of guilt! What strictness is there in the law of God! How universal is depravity!

Mt 15:18

(m) "out of the heart" Gen 6:5, 8:21, Prov 6:14, 24:9, Jer 17:9, Rom 3:10-19 Gal 5:19-21, Eph 2:3, Tit 3:3

This narrative is also found in Mk 7:24-30.

The coasts of Tyre and Sidon. These cities were on the sea-coast or shore of the Mediterranean. Mt 11:21. He went there for the purpose of concealment, Mk 7:24 perhaps still to avoid Herod.

(n) "Then Jesus" Mk 7:24

A woman of Canaan. This woman is called also a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, Mk 7:26. Anciently the whole land, including Tyre and Sidon, was in the possession of the Canaanites, and called Canaan. The Phoenicians were descended from the Canaanites. The country, including Tyre and Sidon, was called Phoenicia, or Syro-Phoenicia. That country was taken by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, and those cities, in the time of Christ, were Greek cities. This woman was therefore a Gentile, living under the Greek government, and probably speaking the Greek language. She was by birth a Syro-Phoenician, born in that country, and descended, therefore, from the ancient Canaanites. All these names might with propriety be given to her.

Coasts. Regions, or countries.

Thou Son of David. Descendant of David. Mt 1:1. Meaning the Messiah.

Is grievously vexed with a devil. Mt 4:24. The woman showed great earnestness. She cried unto him, and fell at his feet, Mk 7:25.

(o) "Son of God" Lk 18:38,39

But he answered her not a word. This was done to test her faith, and that there might be exhibited to the apostles an example of the effect of persevering supplication. The result shows that it was not unwillingness to aid her, or neglect of her. It was proper that the strength of her faith should be fully tried.

(p) "not a word" Ps 28:1, Lam 3:8

But he answered---I am not sent, etc. This answer was made to the woman, not to the disciples. The lost sheep of the house of Israel were the Jews. He came first to them. He came as their expected Messiah. He came to preach the gospel himself to the Jews only. Afterwards it was preached to the Gentiles; but the ministry of Jesus was confined almost entirely to the Jews.

(q) "I am not sent" Mt 10:5,6, Acts 3:26

She came and worshipped. That is, bowed down to him, did him reverence. Mt 8:2.

Lord, help me. A proper cry for a poor sinner, who needs the help of the Lord Jesus.

But he answered and said, It is not meet, etc. That is, it is not fit or proper.

Children's bread. The Jews considered themselves as the peculiar children of God. To all other nations they were accustomed to apply terms of contempt, of which dogs was the most common. The Mohammedans still apply the term dogs to Christians, and Christians and Jews to each other. It is designed as an expression of the highest contempt. The Saviour means to say that he was sent to the Jews. The woman was a Gentile. He meant, that it did not comport with the design of his personal ministry to apply benefits intended for the Jews to others.

Our Saviour did not intend to justify or sanction the use of such terms, or calling names. He meant to try her faith. As if he had said, "You are a Gentile. I am a Jew. The Jews call themselves children of God. You they vilify, and abuse, calling you a dog. Are you willing to receive of a Jew, then, a favour? Are you willing to submit to these appellations, to receive a favour of one of that nation, and to acknowledge your dependence on a people that so despise you?"

It was a trial of her faith, and not lending his sanction to the propriety of the abusive term. He regarded her with a different feeling.

(r) "to dogs" Mt 7:6, Rev 22:15

And she said, Truth, Lord, etc: "What you say is true. Let it be that the best food should he given to the children. Let the Jews have the chief benefit of thy ministry. But the dogs, beneath the table, eat the crumbs. So let me be regarded as a dog, a heathen, as unworthy of everything. Yet grant one exertion of that almighty power, displayed so signally among the Jews, and heal the despised daughter of a despised heathen mother."

Great is thy faith. That is, thy trust, confidence. The word here seems to include, also, the humility and perseverance manifested in pressing her suit. The daughter was healed then. Going home, she found her well and composed, Mk 7:30.

(s) "Then Jesus" Job 13:15, 23:10, Lam 3:32 (t) "be it" Ps 145:19

Sea of Galilee. That is, the lake of Gennesaret. For an account of the principal diseases mentioned here, Mt 4:24.

Maimed. Those to whom a hand or foot was wanting. See Mt 18:8. To cure them--that is, to restore a hand or foot-- was a direct act of creative power. It is no wonder, therefore, that the people wondered.

And they glorified the God of Israel. To glorify, here means to praise, to acknowledge his power and goodness. The God of Israel was the God that the Israelites or Jews worshipped.

(v) "And Jesus" Mk 7:31

Mt 15:29

(w) "he healed them" Ps 103:3, Is 35:5,6

The miracle recorded here, the feeding of the four thousand, took place on a mountain, near the sea of Galilee. The same account is recorded in Mk 8:1-10. The circumstances of the miracle are so similar to the one recorded in Mt 14:14-21, as to need no particular explanation.

Three days and have nothing to eat. This is not, perhaps, to be taken literally, but only that during that time they had been deprived of their ordinary, regular food. They had had only a very scanty supply, and on the third day even that began to fail.

(x) "Then Jesus" Mk 7:1

Mt 15:32

(y) "his disciples" 2Kgs 4:43,44

Mt 15:32

(z) "And he commanded" Mt 14:19

Mt 15:32

(a) "and gave thanks" 1Sam 9:13, Lk 22:19, 24:30

Coasts of Magdala. Mark says, "The parts of Dalmanutha"." These were probably small towns on the east side of the sea of Galilee, and near to each other. The evangelists do not say that he went to either of those towns, but only to the coasts, or parts, where they were situated.

(b) "and came into the coasts" Mk 8:10

REMARKS ON MATTHEW CHAPTER 15

We learn from this chapter,

(1.) That men are often far more attached to traditions, and the commandments of men, than the law of God, Mt 15:1-6.

(2.) That men are strongly disposed to explain away the law of God, if possible. It is too strict for them, and too spiritual. They dare not often attack it directly, but they will explain it and dilute it so as to make it mean nothing. Wicked men do not love God's law, Mt 15:4-6.

(3.) Men are prone to introduce foolish rites into religion. They do not love what God has commanded, and they attempt to compensate for not loving his doctrines by being great sticklers for their own, Mt 15:2, Mk 7:3,4.

(4.) All addition to the law of God is evil, Mt 15:3. All ceremonies in religion, which are not authorized by the New Testament, are wrong. Man has no right to ordain rites to bind the conscience, where God has commanded none, Co 2:23. Men come the nearest to that which is right when they live nearest to just what God has commanded in the Bible.

(5.) Hypocrites should be unmasked and detected, Mt 15:7. He does a great service to men who detects their hypocrisy. That close and faithful preaching which lays open the heart, and shows men what they are, is that which comes nearest to the example of Christ. It may pain them, but the wounds of a friend are faithful, Prov 27:6 and we should honour and love the man that, by the grace of God, can show us our heart. We always honour most the physician of the body that is most skilled in detecting and curing disease; and so should we the physician of the soul.

(6.) We should be exceedingly cautious of formality in worship, Mt 15:8,9. It is hypocrisy. God requires the heart. To render to him only the service of the lips is to mock him. Nothing can be acceptable but true piety, genuine love, and hearty obedience. Nothing more hateful than an appearance of worshipping God, while the heart is in sin and the world.

(7.) The duty of honouring parents, Mt 15:4-6. Nothing can explain away this duty. It is binding on all. Parents should be obeyed, loved, respected. God requires it, and we cannot be free from the duty. Under age, a child is bound always to obey a parent, where the parent does not command anything contrary to the Bible. But when the parent commands anything contrary to the Bible, the child is not bound to obey, Acts 5:29. After the child is of age he is to respect, love, and honour the parent; and if poor and needy, to provide for his wants till he dies. It is certainly proper that we do all we can to comfort those in old age, who did so much for us in childhood. A child can never repay a parent for his kindness to him.

(8.) We are not at liberty to give to anything else--not even to religious uses--what is necessary to render our parents comfortable, Mt 15:4-6. They have the first claim on us. And though it is our duty to do much in the cause of benevolence, yet our first duty should be to see that our parents do not suffer.

(9.) Men easily take offence when they are faithfully reproved, and especially when their hypocrisy is exposed; and especially if this exposure is about some small matter, on which they have greatly set their hearts--some ceremony in worship, or some foolish rite, Mt 5:12.

(10.) Every false doctrine is to be opposed, and shall be rooted up, Mt 15:13. It is to be opposed by arguments and candid investigation, and not by abuse and misrepresentation. Christ never misrepresented any man's doctrine. He always stated it just as it was, just as they held it; and then, by argument and the word of God, he showed it was wrong. This is the proper way to manage all controversies.

(11.) It is of great importance to search the heart, Mt 15:19,20. It is a fountain of evil. It is the source of all crime. External conduct is comparatively of little importance. In the sight of God the heart is of more importance; and if that were pure, all would be well.

(12.) The doctrine of man's depravity is true, Mt 15:19. If the heart produces all these things, it cannot be pure. And yet who is there from whose heart, at some time, these things have not proceeded? Alas! the world is full of instances where the heart produces evil thoughts, etc.

(13.) In our distress, and the distress of our children and friends, we should go to Jesus. We should, indeed, use all proper means to restore our friends; but we should feel that God only can grant returning health and life, Mt 15:22.

(14.) We should not be discouraged that our prayers are not immediately answered. God knows the proper time to answer them, and it may be of great importance to us that the answer should be deferred, Mt 15:23.

(15.) We should still persevere, Mt 15:24-27. We should not be discouraged. We should not be disheartened, even by the appearance of neglect or unkind treatment.

(16). Our prayers will be answered if we persevere, Mt 15:28. They that seek shall find. In due time--in the best and most proper time --a gracious God will lend an ear to our request, and grant the thing we need.

(17.) We should come with humility and faith, Mt 15:27. We can never think too little of ourselves, or too much of the mercy and faithfulness of Christ. Prayers of humility and faith only are answered.

(18.) Christ will take care of his poor and needy followers. We may be assured that he has power to give us all we need; and that in times of necessity he will supply our wants, Mt 15:32-38.

(19.) The great number of poor in the world is no reason why he should not supply them, Mt 15:38. He daily supplies the wants of nine hundred millions of human beings, besides countless numbers of the beasts of the field, of the fowls of heaven, and the fishes of the sea. It is a small thing to supply the wants of the few poor on the earth; and He who feeds the world will take care of us in the time of want.

(20.) We should be grateful to God for our daily food. We should render to him proper thanksgiving, Mt 15:36

[Why do they transgress the tradition of the elders?] How great a value they set upon their traditions, even above the word of God, appears sufficiently from this very place, verse 6. Out of infinite examples which we meet with in their writings, we will produce one place only; "The words of the scribes are lovely above the words of the law: for the words of the law are weighty and light; but the words of the scribes are all weighty."

"He that shall say, 'There are no phylacteries, transgressing the words of the law,' is not guilty; but he that shall say, 'There are five Totaphoth, adding to the words of the scribes,' he is guilty."

"The words of the elders are weightier than the words of the prophets."

"A prophet and an elder, to what are they likened? To a king sending two of his servants into a province. Of one he writes thus, 'Unless he shew you my seal, believe him not': of the other thus, 'Although he shews you not my seal, yet believe him.' Thus it is written of the prophet, 'He shall shew thee a sign or a miracle'; but of the elders thus, 'According to the law which they shall teach thee,'" &c. But enough of blasphemies.

[For they wash not their hands, &c.] The undervaluing of the washing of hands is said to be among those things for which the Sanhedrim excommunicates: and therefore that R. Eleazar Ben Hazar was excommunicated by it, because he undervalued the washing of hands; and that when he was dead, by the command of the Sanhedrim, a great stone was laid upon his bier. "Whence you may learn (say they) that the Sanhedrim stones the very coffin of every excommunicate person that dies in his excommunication."

It would require a just volume, and not a short commentary, or a running pen, to lay open this mystery of Pharisaism concerning washing of hands, and to discover it in all its niceties: let us gather these few passages out of infinite numbers:

I. The washing of hands and the plunging of them is appointed by the words of the scribes: but by whom, and when, it is doubted. Some ascribe the institution of this rite to Hillel and Shammai, others carry it back to ages before them: "Hillel and Shammai decreed concerning the washing of hands. R. Josi Ben Rabbi Bon, in the name of R. Levi, saith, 'That tradition was given before, but they had forgotten it': these second stand forth, and appoint according to the mind of the former."

II. "Although it was permitted to eat unclean meats, and to drink unclean drinks, yet the ancient religious eat their common food in cleanness, and took care to avoid uncleanness all their days; and they were called Pharisees. And this is a matter of the highest sanctity, and the way of the highest religion; namely, that a man separate himself, and go aside from the vulgar, and that he neither touch them, nor eat nor drink with them: for such separation conduceth to the purity of the body from evil works," &c. Hence that definition of a Pharisee which we have produced before, The Pharisees eat their common food in cleanness: and the Pharisaical ladder of heaven, "Whosoever hath his seat in the land of Israel, and eateth his common food in cleanness, and speaks the holy language, and recites his phylacteries morning and evening, let him be confident that he shall obtain the life of the world to come."

III. Here that distinction is to be observed between forbidden meats, and unclean meats. Of both Maimonides wrote a proper tract. Forbidden meats, such as fat, blood, creatures unlawful to be eaten (Lev 2), were by no means to be eaten: but meats, unclean in themselves, were lawful indeed to be eaten, but contracted some uncleanness elsewhere: it was lawful to eat them, and it was not lawful; or, to speak as the thing indeed is, they might eat them by the law of God, but by the canons of Pharisaism they might not.

IV. The distinction also between unclean, and profane or polluted, is to be observed. Rambam, in his preface to Toharoth, declares it.

Profane or polluted denotes this, that it does not pollute another beside itself. For every thing which uncleanness invades so that it becomes unclean, but renders not another thing unclean, is called profane. And hence it is said of every one that eats unclean meats, or drinks unclean drinks, that his body is polluted: but he pollutes not another. Note that, "The body of the eater is polluted by unclean meats." To which you may add that which follows in the same Maimonides, in the place before alleged: "Separation from the common people, &c., conduces to the purity of the body from evil works; the purity of the body conduceth to the sanctity of the soul from evil affections; the sanctity of the soul conduces unto likeness to God, as it is said, 'And ye shall be sanctified, and ye shall be holy, because I, the Lord that sanctify you, am holy.'" Hence you may more clearly perceive the force of Christ's confutation, which we have verses 17-20.

V. They thought that clean food was polluted by unclean hands, and that the hands were polluted by unclean meats. You would wonder at this tradition: "Unclean meats and unclean drinks do not defile a man if he touch them not, but if he touch them with his hands, then his hands become unclean; if he handle them with both hands, both hands are defiled; if he touch them with one hand only, one hand only is defiled."

VI. This care, therefore, laid upon the Pharisee sect, that meats should be set on free, as much as might be, from all uncleanness: but especially since they could not always be secure of this, that they might be secure that the meats were not rendered unclean by their hands. Hence were the washings of them not only when they knew them to be unclean, but also when they knew it not.

Rambam in the preface to the tract of hands, hath these words; "If the hands are unclean by any uncleanness, which renders them unclean; or if it be hid from a man, and he knows not that he is polluted; yet he is bound to wash his hands in order to eating his common food," &c.

VII. To these most rigid canons they added also bugbears and ghosts to affright them.

It was the business of Shibta. Where the Gloss is, "Shibta was one of the demons who hurt them that wash not their hands before meat." The Aruch writes thus, "Shibta is an evil spirit which sits upon men's hands in the night: and if any touch his food with unwashen hands, that spirit sits upon that food, and there is danger from it."

Let these things suffice as we pass along: it would be infinite to pursue all that is said of this rite and superstition. Of the quantity of water sufficient for this washing; of the washing of the hands, and of the plunging of them; of the first and second water; of the manner of washing; of the time; of the order, when the number of those that sat down to meat exceeded five, or did not exceed; and other such like niceties: read, if you have leisure, and if the toil and nauseousness of it do not offend you, the Talmudic tract of hands, Maimonides upon the tract lavers, and Babylonian Beracoth: and this article, indeed, is inserted through the whole volume entitled cleanness. Let this discourse be ended with this canon; "For a cake, and for the washing of hands, let a man walk as far as four miles."

[It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, &c.] I. Beside the law alleged by Christ, "Honour thy father and thy mother," &c., they acknowledge this also for law, A son is bound to provide his father meat and drink, to clothe him, to cover him, to lead him in and out, to wash his face, hands and feet. Yea, that goes higher, "A son is bound to nourish his father, yea, to beg for him." Therefore it is no wonder if these things which are spoken by our Saviour are not found verbatim in the Jewish pandect; for they are not so much alleged by him to shew that it was their direct design to banish away all reverence and love towards parents, as to show how wicked their traditions were, and into what ungodly consequences they oftentimes fell. They denied not directly the nourishment of their parents, nay, they command it, they exhorted to it; but consequently by this tradition they made all void. They taught openly, indeed, that a father was to be made no account of in comparison of a Rabbin that taught them the law; but they by no means openly asserted that parents were to be neglected: yet openly enough they did by consequence drawn from this foolish and impious tradition.

II. One might readily comment upon this clause, "It is a gift" (or, as Mark, "it is Corban") by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, if we have read the Talmudic tracts Nedarim and Nazir, where the discourse is of vows and oaths; and the phrase which is before us speaks a vow or a form of swearing.

1. Vows were distinguished into two ranks, vows of consecration, and vows of obligation, or of prohibition. A vow of consecration was when any thing was devoted to holy uses, namely, to the use of the altar or the Temple: as when a man, by a vow, would dedicate this or that for sacrifice, or to buy wood, salt, wine, &c. for the altar: or for the reparation of the Temple, &c. A vow of obligation or prohibition was, when a man bound himself by a vow from this or that thing, which was lawful in itself; as, that he would not eat, that he would not put on, that he would not do this or that, &c.

2. This went for a noted axiom among them, All epithets of vows are as the vows themselves. They added certain short forms, by which they signified a vow, and which carried with it the force of a vow, as if the thing were spoken out in a larger periphrasis: as for example, "If one should say to his neighbour, Konem, Konah, Kones, behold, these are epithets of a thing devoted unto sacred uses."

The word Konem, Rambam thus explains; Let it be upon me as a thing devoted. So also R. Nissim, Konem, Koneh, are words of devoting.

We produced before, at chapter 5:33, some forms of oaths, which were only Assertive: these under our hands are Votive also. In the place from Beracoth just now alleged, one saith, Let the wine be 'Konem,' which I shall taste, for wine is hard to the bowels: that is, Let the wine which I taste be as devoted wine: as though he had said, I vow that I will not taste wine. "To which others answered, Is not old wine good for the bowels? Then he held his peace."

III. But above all such like forms of vowing, the word Corban, was plainest of all; which openly speaks a thing devoted and dedicated to sacred use. And the reader of those tracts which we have mentioned shall observe these forms frequently to occur. Let it be 'Corban,' whereby I am profitable to thee; and, Let it be 'Konem,' whereby I am profitable to thee. Which words sound the very same thing, unless I am very much mistaken, with the words before us, "Let it be Corban, or a gift, by which whatsoever thou mayest be profited by me."

Which words that they may be more clearly understood, and that the plain and full sense of the place may be discovered, let these things be considered:

First, That the word a gift is rather to be rendered, Let it be a gift, than It is a gift. For Konem and Corban, as we have noted, signified not 'It is' as something devoted, but 'Let it be' as something devoted. and He, of whom we had mention before...meant not, The wine which I shall taste is as something devoted, but Let whatsoever wine I shall taste be as something devoted: that is, To me let all wine be devoted, and not to be tasted.

Secondly, This form of speech A gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, does neither argue, that he who thus spake devoted his goods to sacred uses, nor obliged him (according to the doctrine of the scribes) to devote them; but only restrained him by an obligation from that thing, for the denying of which he used such a form; that is, from helping him by his goods, to whom he thus spake. He might help others with his wealth, but him he might not.

Thirdly, The words are brought in as though they were pronounced with indignation; as if, when the needy father required food from his son, he should answer in anger and with contempt, Let it be as a thing devoted, whatsoever of mine may profit thee. But now, things that were devoted were not to be laid out upon common uses.

Fourthly, Christ not only cites the law, 'Honour thy father and mother,' but adds this also, He that curseth father or mother. But now there was no cursing here at all; if the son spoke truly and modestly, and as the thing was, namely, that all his estate was devoted before.

Fifthly, Therefore, although these words should have been spoken by the son irreverently, wrathfully, and inhumanly, towards his father, yet such was the folly, together with the impiety, of the traditional doctrine in this case, which pronounced the son so obliged by these his words, that it was lawful by no means to succour his needy father. He was not at all bound by these words to dedicate his estate to sacred uses; but not to help his father he was inviolably bound. O excellent doctrine and charity!

Sixthly, The words of the verse, therefore, may thus be rendered, without any addition put between, which many interpreters do: Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, Let it be a [devoted] gift, in whatsoever thou mayest be helped by me: then let him not honour his father and mother at all.

[Defileth the man.] Or, maketh him common;...because they esteemed defiled men for common and vulgar men: on the contrary, a religious man among them is a singular man...

[With unwashen hands.] He saith not with unclean hands, but unwashen; because, as we said before, they were bound to wash, although they were not conscious that their hands were unclean. In Mark it is with common or defiled hands, Mark 7:2; which seem to be called by the Talmudists impure hands, merely because not washed. Judge from that which is said in the tract Challah: "A cake is owing out of that dough which they knead with the juice of fruits: and it is eaten with unclean hands."

[A woman of Canaan.] In Mark it is, A Greek woman, a Syrophoenician by nation, chapter 7:26.

I. Of Canaan. It is worthy observing, that the Holy Bible, reckoning up the seven nations, which were to be destroyed by the Israelites, names the Perizzites, who were not at all recited among the sons of Canaan, Genesis 10; and the Canaanites as a particular nation, when all the seven, indeed, were Canaanites. See Deuteronomy 7:1, Joshua 9:1, 11:3, Judges 3:5, &c.

The reason of the latter (with which our business is) is to be fetched thence, that Canaan himself inhabited a peculiar part of that (northern) country, with his first-born sons, Sidon and Heth: and thence the name of Canaanites was put upon that particular progeny, distinguished from all his other sons; and that country was peculiarly called by the name of 'Canaan,' distinctly from all the rest of the land of Canaan. Hence Jabin, the king of Hazor, is called the 'king of Canaan,' Judges 4:2, and the kings of Tyre and Sidon, if I mistake not, are called 'the kings of the Hittites,' 1 Kings 10:29.

II. A Greek woman, a Syrophoenician Although Judea, and almost the whole world, had now a long while stooped under the yoke of the Romans, yet the memory of the Syro-Grecian kingdom, and the name of the nation, was not yet vanished. And that is worthy to be noted, In the captivity, they compute the years only from the kingdom of the Greeks. They said before, "That the Romans, for a hundred and fourscore years, ruled over the Jews before the destruction of the Temple"; and yet they do not compute the times to that destruction by the years of the Romans, but by the years of the Greeks. Let the Jews themselves well consider this, and the Christians with them, who reckon the Roman for the fourth monarchy in Daniel.

Therefore that woman that is here spoken of (to reduce all into a short conclusion) was a Syro-Grecian by nation, a Phoenician in respect of her habitation, and from thence called a woman of Canaan.

[To the dogs.] By this title the Jews, out of spite and contempt, disgraced the Gentiles, whose first care it was to hate, to mock, and to curse, all beside themselves. The nations of the world [that is, the heathen] are likened to dogs. From the common speech of the nation, rather than from his own sense, our Saviour uses this expression, to whom 'the Gentiles' were not so hateful, and whose custom was to speak with the vulgar.

This ignominious name, like a stone cast at the heathen, at length fell upon their own heads; and that by the hand and justice of God directing it: for although they out of pride and contempt fixed that disgraceful name upon the Gentiles, according to their very just desert, the Holy Spirit recoiled it upon themselves. See Psalm 59:6; Philippians 3:2; Revelation 22:15, &c.

[He gave thanks and brake.] See here the tract Beracoth, where it is discoursed of the manner of giving thanks when many ate together: Three who eat together ought to give thanks together: that is, one gave thanks for the rest (as the Gloss writes) "in the plural number, saying, Let us give thanks." So when there were ten, or a hundred, or a thousand or more, one gave thanks for all, and they answered after him Amen, or some words which he had recited.

The former part of this chapter acquaints us with a great contest between our Saviour and the Pharisees, about their traditions and old customs, which they valued more than the commandments of God; they accused the disciples with eating bread with unwashed hands, which, though it were in itself but a decent custom, the Pharisees made it a religious rite; for which reason our Saviour and his disciples would not observe it.

Whence we learn, that what is in itself and may without offence be done as a civil custom, ought to be discountenanced and opposed when men require it of us as a religious act, or place religion in it. The Pharisees placed so much religion in washing their hands before meat, that they looked upon it as highly criminal to neglect it as to lie with a whore. One of them being in prison, and not having water enough to drink and to wash his hands too, chose rather to die with thirst, than to trangress the tradition of the elders.

Observe here, 1. The heavy charge which our Saviour brings in against the Pharisees; namely, for violating an express command of God, and preferring their own traditions before it: you make void the commandments of God by your traditions.

Observe, 2. The command which our Saviour instances in, as violated by them; it is the fifth commandment, which requires children to relieve their parents in necessity. Now, though the Pharisees did not deny this in plain terms, yet they made an exception from it, which if children had a mind, rendered it void and useless. For the Pharisees taught, that in case any would give a gift to the temple, which gift they called corban, and of which they themselves had a great share; that then children were discharged from making further provision for their poor, or impotent parents; and might say unto them after this manner, that which thou askest for thy supply, is given to God, and therefore I cannot relieve thee. So that covetous and graceless children looked upon it as the most frugal way, once for all to fine to the temple, rather than pay the constant rent of daily relief to their poor parents.

Learn, that no duty, gift, or offering to God, is accepted, where the duty of charity is neglected. It is more acceptable to God to refresh the hearts of his saints, who are the living temples of the Holy Ghost, than to adorn material temples with gold and silver.

Our Saviour reproves the hypocritical Pharisees for the same things:

1. That they preferred human traditions before the divine precepts.

2. That by their human traditions they made void the worship of God. It is God's undoubted prerogative to prescribe all the parts of his own worship; and whoever presumes to add thereunto, they worship him in vain.

Our Saviour farther shews, that all this proceeded from the insincerity of their hearts: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Whence learn, 1. That the removing the heart far from God in worship, is a great sin, and an high degree of hypocrisy.

2. That whatever outward shew and profession of religion men make, if their hearts be not right with God, and what they do proceeds not from an inward principle of love and obedience to God, they are under the reign and power of hypocrisy. Ye hypocrites, in vain do ye worship me.

Learn, 3. That we must not be forward, from Christ's example, to pronounce men hypocrites; because we have neither that authority nor knowledge of the heart which Christ had, to authorize us so to do.

Christ here called the Pharisees hypocrites,

1. Because they placed holiness and religion in ceremonies of human invention.

2. Because being so superstitiously careful to avoid bodily pollutions, they left their hearts within; full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Our blessed Saviour leaving the Pharisees with some dislike, applies himself to the multitude, and shews them the true spring and original fountain of all spiritual pollution and uncleanness; namely, the filthiness and impurity of man's heart and nature, which boiling in the heart, the scum runs out at the mouth: thereby informing the multitude, that not that which is eaten, but that which is spoken, defiles a man: not the meat eaten with the mouth, but the wickedness of the heart vented by the mouth, pollutes a person in God's account.

Observe here, 1. How the disciples wonder that our Saviour did so little regard the displeasure of the Pharisees: Knowest thou not that the Pharisees were offended? Although nothing vexed the Pharisees more than the discovery of their false doctrine before the multitude, yet our Saviour did not stick to detect their errors, and to declare the truth, let the effects of their displeasure be what they would: sinful man-pleasing is fruitless and endless.

2. Observe, our Lord's answer, which shews a double reason why he thus slighted the offence taken by the Pharisees.

1. He compares the Pharisees' doctrine and tradition to noisome weeds in the church, planted there, not by God, but themselves; and consequently shall certainly be rooted up. In matters of religion, if men will act according to the dictates of their own fancies, and not walk by the rule of God's word, they may please themselves, perhaps, but they can never please their Maker. Divine institution is the only sure rule of religious worship.

2. Christ compares the Pharisees themselves to blind guides; They are blind leaders of the blind; leaders and followers both blind, who will certainly and suddenly fall into the ditch of temporal and eternal destruction.

Learn, 1. That ignorant, erroneous and unfaithful ministers, are the heaviest judgments that can befall a people.

2. That the following of such teachers and blind guides will be no excuse to people another day, much less free them from the danger of eternal destruction.

The disciples desiring the interpretation of the foregoing parable, our Saviour gives it them; but with all expostulates with them, that they did not understand a thing so obvious and plain: Are ye yet without understanding? As if he had said, "Have ye sat thus long under my ministerial teaching, and enjoyed the benefit of my company and conversation, and are yet no farther proficients in knowledge?"

Whence learn, that our Lord expects a proficiency in knowledge from us, answerable to the opportunities and means of knowledge enjoyed by us.

Next, he gives them the sense and signification of the parable; telling them, that it is out of a sinful heart that all sin proceeds; the heart is the cage or nest, which is full of these unclean birds, and from whence they take their flight. Though the occasions of sin are from without, yet the source and origin of sin is from within.

Learn, that the heart of man is the sink and seed-plat of all sin, and the fountain of all pollution; the life could not be so bad, if the heart were not worse; all the irregularity of our lives flows from the impurity of our hearts and natures.

Observe here, the constant employment of our Saviour, He went about doing good, from place to place. In the borders of Tyre and Sidon he finds a faithful woman of the race of the Canaanites, who becomes an humble supplicant to Christ, while the Jews neglected so great a salvation. Yea, she not only speaks, but cries unto him. Were we duly affected with our spiritual wants, we could speak to God in no other language than that of cries and tears; nothing but cries can pierce heaven.

Observe, 2. Though all Israel could not example the faith of this Canaanite, yet was her daughter tormented with a devil.

Learn, that neither truth, nor strength of faith; can secure us either against Satan's inward temptations, or outward vexations; and consequently, the worst of bodily afflictions are no sufficient proof of divine displeaure.

Observe, 3. The daughter did not come to Christ for herself, but the mother for her. Perhaps the child was not sensible of its own misery, but the good mother feels both the child's sorrow, and her own.

True goodness teaches us to appropriate the afflictions of others to ourselves; it causes us to bear their griefs, and to sympathize with them in their sorrows.

Strange! That a miserable supplicant should cry and sue, whilst the God of mercy is speechless. What! is the fountain of mercy dried up? O Saviour! we have oft found cause to wonder at thy words, but never till now at thy silence.

Learn hence, that Christ doth sometimes delay to return an answer to a well qualified prayer. Sometimes his people do not pray earnestly enough; sometimes they pray too earnestly, for some outward and temporal mercy; sometimes the mercy they pray for is not good for them, or it may be it is not yet good for them. Let us not then judge of God's hearing prayer by his present answer.

Observe, when our Saviour doth answer, he gives not one word of comfort, but rather a repulse. Christ has often-times love in his heart to his people, when they can read none in his countenance, nor gather it from his discourse.

Observe, the answer itself, Christ says not, I am to sent unto the lost sheep of the house of Adam, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The Jews are compared unto sheep, the Gentiles unto dogs. Christ insinuates, that though they were a lost sheep of Adam, yet not being one of the lost sheep of Israel, he could do nothing for her. It was a common saying among the Jews, "That the nations of the world were likened to dogs, whereas they were God's sons and daughters."

Yet hath not this poor woman done: Christ's former silence, and his present denial, cannot silence her. She comes, she worships, she cries, Lord help me. O what an undaunted grace is the grace of faith! It has a strong heart, and a bold forehead, peremptory denials cannot dismay it. This woman will not despond, though her prayer of faith, from the knees of humility, succeed not.

Observe here, the seeming severity of Christ to this poor woman; he calls her not a woman but a dog: and as it were spurns her from his feet with an harsh repulse. Did ever so severe a word drop from those mild lips? What shall we say? Is the lamb of God turned a lion? That a woman in distress, imploring pity, yea, a good woman, and an humble supplicant, should be thus rated out of Christ's presence for a dog!

Learn hence, that Christ puts the strongest faith of his own children upon the severest trials; the trial had never been so sharp, if her faith had not been so strong. Usually, where God gives much grace, he tries grace much.

Observe, how her humility grants all, her patience overcomes all, she meekly desires to possess the dog's place; not to crowd to the table, but to creep under it, and to partake of the crumbs of mercy that fall from thence. Indeed she shewed one of the best qualities of a dog, in keeping her hold where she had once fastened; not letting go, or giving over, until she had gotten what she desired.

Learn hence, that nothing is so pleasing unto Christ, as to see his people following him with faith and importunity, when he seems to withdraw from them.

The disciples observing her behaviour, might have been ready to say, O woman, great is thy patience, great is thy humility: but says Christ, Great is thy faith: he sees the root, we the branches. Nothing but faith could thus temper the heart, thus strengthen the soul, thus charm the tongue. O powerful grace of faith, which Christ himself could no longer withstand, but cries out as a person overcome by the prevalency of it; O woman, great is thy faith.

Note, that no grace ever goes away from Christ uncrowned: though we may wait long for mercy, yet the hand of faith never knocked in vain at the door of heaven. Mercy is as surely ours, as if we had it, if we have but faith and patience to wait for it. This good woman found it so to her unspeakable comfort; and the same shall we find in the exercise of the same grace.

Question. But how doth this poor woman's faith appear to be great faith?

Answer. Because having no promise to rely upon, and suffering so many repulses with seeming contempt, she still retained a good hope of Christ's kindness and mercy.

Learn hence, 1. That the faith of those who depending on God's goodness, do place an humble confidence in God, and are not by great temptations or discouragements removed from that their confidence; such faith is deservedly stiled great faith.

2. That the faith of believing Gentiles was not only praise-worthy and well-pleasing to God, but more excellent and better pleasing than that of the Jews, to whom the promises did belong.

Observe here, 1. The charity,

2. The faith of the multitude, in bringing the blind, the deaf, and the dumb to Christ their charity in lending eyes to the blind, and a tongue to the dumb; who could neither come to Christ themselves, nor speak for themselves. Every man has a tongue to speak for himself, happy is he that has a tongue to pray and intercede for others: this charity did the people exercise here.

Observe also their faith; they laid the lame and blind down at Jesus' feet, relying upon his power and believing his willingness to help and heal them.

Observe farther, The effect of this miracle upon the multitude; it was two-fold:

1. They were struck with admiration and wonder, to see such cures wrought as exceeded the course of nature, and the power of art.

2. They glorified the God of Israel; that is, they acknowledged it to be a wonderful work of the power and mercy wrought by that God whom Israel worshipped.

Whence we learn, That the miraculous works of Christ, which he wrought before the multitude, were obvious to their sense; and did constrain the beholders (if not blinded with pharisaical obstinacy) to acknowledge the power of God communicated to Christ, and to praise him for it: The multitude marvelled and glorified God!

Here we have the second miracle of Christ's compassionate feeding the hungry multitude. In Matt 14:15-21 we read of five thousand fed with five loaves and two fishes; here Christ feeds four thousand with seven loaves and a few small fishes.

Where observe, That Christ had fewest, when he had most provision; when he had seven loaves, he fed but four thousand; when he had five loaves, he fed five thousand. Thus the wisdom and power of Christ is glorified by him as he pleases. The feeding of one thousand with one loaf, was as true a miracle as the feeding seven thousand. Our Saviour did put forth the power of his godhead in working miracles, after what manner seemed best to his own wisdom.

Observe farther, A double action performed by our Saviour.

1. He gave thanks: that is, he prayed for a blessing upon the food. Teaching us our duty, That if the Son of God did look up to heaven, and bless his food, we should not sit down to our food as a beast to his fodder, without craving a blessing upon it.

The next action was, He gave to his disciples.

But why did he distribute the loaves by the hands of his disciples?

Answ. Because the disciples questioned, through the weakness of their faith, whether such a multitude as four thousand could be fed with so small a provision as seven loaves.

Now our Saviour, to convince them how easily he could do that thing which they had judged impossible, distributes the bread by them: making use of their own eyes and hands, for their conviction and satisfaction.

Thus Christ, to shame the unbelief of his disciples, makes them not only spectators but actors in that work which they judged impossible to be effected.

They did all eat, not a crumb or a bit, but to fulness and satisfaction; yet seven baskets remain; answering the number of the loaves, as the twelve baskets in the former miracle answered to the twelve apostles: in both, more is left than was at first set on: it is hard to say, which was the greater miracle, the miraculous eating, or miraculous leaving. If we consider what they eat, we may justly wonder that they left anything; if what they left that they eat anything. (Dr. Fuller.)

Observe lastly, Christ would not have these fragments lost but gatherd up; the great housekeeper of the world will not allow the loss of his orts. O how dreadful will the account of those be, who have the large and plentiful estates to answer for as lost, being spent upon their lusts in riot and excess! Dr. Fuller

We have in these verses a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and certain scribes and Pharisees. The subject of it may seem, at first sight, of little interest in modern days; but it is not so in reality. The principles of the Pharisees are principles that never die. There are truths laid down here which are of deep importance.

We learn for one thing that hypocrites generally attach great importance to mere outward things in religion.

The complaint of the scribes and Pharisees in this place is a striking case in point. They brought an accusation to our Lord against his disciples, but what was its nature? It was not that they were covetous or self-righteous. It was not that they were untruthful or uncharitable. It was not that they had broken any part of the law of God. But they transgressed the traditions of the elders. They did not wash their hands when they ate bread!” They did not observe a rule of merely human authority, which some old Jew had invented! This was the head and front of their offense!

Do we see nothing of the spirit of the Pharisees in the present day? Unhappily we see only too much. There are thousands of professing Christians who seem to care nothing about the religion of their neighbors provided that it agrees in outward matters with their own. Does their neighbor worship according to their particular form? Can he repeat their shibboleth, and talk a little about their favorite doctrines? If he can, they are satisfied, though there is no evidence that he is converted. If he cannot, they are always finding fault, and cannot speak peaceably of him, though he may be serving Christ better than themselves. Let us beware of this spirit: it is the very essence of hypocrisy. Let our principle be, “The kingdom of God is not a meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.”  (Romans 14:17 ).

We learn for another thing from these verses the great danger of attempting to add anything to the Word of God. Whenever a man takes upon him to make additions to the Scriptures, he is likely to end with valuing his own additions above Scripture itself.

We see this point brought out most strikingly in our Lord’s answer to the charge of the Pharisees against his disciples. He says, “Why do ye also transgress the command of God by your traditions?” He strikes boldly at the whole system of adding anything as needful to salvation to God’s perfect Word. He exposes the mischievous tendency of the system by an example. He shows how the vaunted traditions of the Pharisees were actually destroying the authority of the fifth commandment. In short, he establishes the great truth, which ought never to be forgotten, that there is an inherent tendency in all traditions to make “the word of God of none effect.” The authors of these traditions may have meant no such thing; their intentions may have been pure. But that there is a tendency in all religious institutions of mere human authority to usurp the authority of God’s Word is evidently the doctrine of Christ. It is a solemn remark of Bucers, that “a man is rarely to be found who pays an excessive attention to human inventions in religion who does not put more trust in them than in the grace of God.”

And have we not seen melancholy proof of this truth in the history of the church of Christ? Unhappily we have seen only too much. As Baxter says, “Men think God’s laws too many and too strict, and yet make more of their own, and are precise for keeping them.” Have we never read how some have exalted canons, rubrics, and ecclesiastical laws above the Word of God, and have punished disobedience to them with far greater severity than open sins like drunkenness and swearing? Have we never heard of the extravagant importance which the Church of Rome attaches to monastic vows, and vows of celibacy, and keeping feasts and fasts, insomuch that she seems to place them far above family duties, and the Ten Commandments? Have we never heard of people who make more ado about eating flesh in Lent than about gross impurity of life, or murder? Have we never observed in our own land, how many seem to make adherence to episcopacy the weightiest matter in Christianity, and to regard “churchmanship,” as they call it, as far outweighing repentance, faith, holiness and the graces of the Spirit? These are questions which can only receive one sorrowful answer. The spirit of the Pharisees still lives, after 1800 years: the word of God of none effect by traditions” is to be found among Christians, as well as among Jews: the tendency practically to exalt human inventions above God’s Word is still fearfully prevalent. May we watch against it and be on our guard! May we remember that no tradition or man made institution in religion can ever excuse the neglect of relative duties, or justify disobedience to any plain commandment of God’s Word.

We learn in the last place, from these verses that the religious worship which God desires is the worship of the heart. We find our Lord establishing this by a quotation from Isaiah: “This people draweth near to me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”

The heart is the principal thing in the relation of husband and wife, of friend and friend, of parent and child. The heart must be the principal point to which we attend in all the relations between God and our souls. What is the first thing we need in order to be Christians? A new heart. What is the sacrifice God asks us to bring to him? A broken and contrite heart. What is the true circumcision? The circumcision of the heart. What is genuine obedience? To obey from the heart. What is saving faith? To believe with the heart. Where ought Christ to dwell? To dwell in our hearts by faith.What is the chief request that Wisdom makes to everyone? “My son, give me thine heart”

Let us leave the passage with honest self-inquiry as to the state of our own hearts. Let us settle it in our minds that all formal worship of God, whether in public or private, is utterly in vain so long as our “hearts are far from” him. The bended knee, the bowed head, the loud Amen, the daily chapter, the regular attendance at the Lord’s table, are all useless and unprofitable so long as our affections are nailed to sin, or pleasure, or money, or the world. The question of our Lord must yet be answered satisfactorily, before we can be saved. He says to everyone, “Lovest thou me?” ( ).

There are two striking sayings of the Lord Jesus in this passage. One respects false doctrine: the other respects the human heart. Both of them deserve the closest attention.

Respecting false doctrine, our Lord declares that it is a duty to oppose it, that its final destruction is sure, and that its teachers ought to be forsaken. He says, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone.”

It is clear, from examination of the passage, that the disciples were surprised at our Lord’s strong language about the Pharisees and their traditions. They had probably been accustomed from their youth to regard the Pharisees as the wisest and best of men. They were startled to hear their Master denouncing them as hypocrites, and charging them with transgressing the commandment of God. “Knowest thou,” they said, “that the Pharisees were offended?” To this question we are indebted for our Lord’s explanatory declaration, a declaration which perhaps has never received the notice it deserves.

The plain meaning of our Lord’s words is that false doctrine like that of the Pharisees was a plant to which no mercy should be shown. It was a “plant which his heavenly Father had not planted,” and a plant which it was a duty to “root up,” whatever offense it might cause. To spare it was no charity, because it was injurious to the souls of men. It mattered nothing that those who planted it were high in office, or learned: if it contradicted the Word of God it ought to be opposed, refuted and rejected. His disciples must therefore understand that it was right to resist all teaching that was unscriptural, and to “let alone” and forsake all instructors who persisted in it. Sooner or later they would find that all false doctrine will be completely overthrown and put to shame, and that nothing shall stand but that which is built on the Word of God.

There are lessons of deep wisdom in this saying of our Lord, which serve to throw light on the duty of many a professing Christian. Let us mark them well, and see what they are. It was practical obedience to this saying which produced the blessed Protestant Reformation. Its lessons deserve close attention.

Do we not see here the duty of boldness in resisting false teaching? Beyond doubt we do. No fear of giving offense, no dread of ecclesiastical censure, should make us hold our peace when God’s truth is in peril. If we are true followers of our Lord, we ought to be outspeaking, unflinching witnesses against error. “Truth,” says Musculus, “must not be suppressed because men are wicked and blind.”

Do we not see again the duty of forsaking false teachers if they will not give up their delusions? Beyond doubt we do. No false delicacy, no mock humility should make us shrink from leaving the ministrations of any minister who contradicts God’s Word. It is at our peril if we submit to unscriptural teaching: our blood will be on our own heads. To use the words of Whitby, “It never can be right to follow the blind into the ditch.”

Do we not see in the last place, the duty of patience, when we see false teaching abound? Beyond doubt we do. We may take comfort in the thought that it will not stand long: God himself will defend the cause of his own truth; sooner or later every heresy “shall be rooted up.” We are not to fight with carnal weapons, but wait, and preach, and protest, and pray. Sooner or later, as Wycliffe said, “the truth shall prevail.”

Respecting heart of man our Lord declares in these verses that it is the true source of all sin and defilement. The Pharisees taught that holiness depended on meats and drinks; on bodily washings and purifications. They held that all who observed their traditions on these matters were pure and clean in God’s sight, and that all who neglected them were impure and unclean. Our Lord overthrew this miserable doctrine by showing his disciples that the real fountain of all defilement was not without a man, but within. “Out of the heart,” he says, “proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses,blasphemies; these are the things which defile a man.’ ” He that would serve God aright needs something far more important than bodily washings. He must seek to have a “clean heart.”

What an awful picture we have here of human nature, and drawn too by one who “knew what was in man;” What a fearful catalogue this is of the contents of our own bosoms! What a melancholy list of seeds of evil our Lord has exposed, lying deep down within every one of us and ready at any time to start into active life! What can the proud and self-righteous say, when they read such a passage as this? This is no sketch of the heart of a robber or murderer: it is the true and faithful account of the hearts of all mankind. May God grant that we may ponder it well and learn wisdom!

Let it be a settled resolution with us that in all our religion the state of our hearts shall be the main thing. Let it not content us to go to church and observe the forms of religion: let us look far deeper than this, and desire to have a right heart in the sight of God. (Acts ) The right heart is a heart sprinkled with the blood of Christ, and renewed by the Holy Ghost, and purified by faith. Never let us rest till we find within the witness of the Spirit, that God has created in us a clean heart, and made all things new.( Ps. 51:10 2 Cor 5:17).

Finally, let it be a settled resolution with us to “keep” our hearts with all diligence all the days of our lives. (Prov.4:23) Even after renewal they are weak: even after putting on the new man they are deceitful. Let us never forget that our chief danger is from within. The world and the devil combined, cannot do us so much harm as our own hearts will, if we do not watch and pray. Happy is he who daily remembers the words of Solomon: “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.” ( Proverbs 28:26 )

Another of our Lord’s miracles is recorded in these verses:the circumstances which attend it are peculiarly full of interest; let us take them in order, and see what they are. Every word in these narratives is rich in instruction.

We see in the first place, that true faith may sometimes be found where it might have been least expected.

A Canaanite woman cries to our Lord for help, on behalf of her daughter. “Have mercy on me, she says O Lord thou son of David!” she says. Such a prayer would have showed great faith had she lived in Bethany or Jerusalem; but when we find that she came from the “coasts of Tyre and Sidon”, such a prayer may well fill us with surprise. It ought to teach us that it is grace, not place, which makes people believers. We may live in a prophet’s family, like Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, and yet continue impenitent, unbelieving and fond of the world. We may dwell in the midst of superstition and dark idolatry, like the little maid in Naaman’s house, and yet be faithful witnesses for God and his Christ. Let us not despair of anyone’s soul merely because his lot is cast in an unfavorable position. It is possible to dwell in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, and yet sit down in the kingdom of God.

We see in the second place, that affliction sometimes proves a blessing to a person’s soul.

The Canaanite mother, no doubt, had been sorely tried. She had seen her darling child vexed with a devil, and been unable to relieve her; but yet that trouble brought her to Christ, and taught her to pray. Without it she might have lived and died in careless ignorance, and never seen Jesus at all. Surely it was good for her that she was afflicted ( Psalm 119:71 ).

Let us mark this well. There is nothing which shows our ignorance so much as our impatience under trouble. We forget that every cross is a message from God, and intended to do us good in the end. Trials are intended to make us think—to wean us from the world—to send us to the Bible—to drive us to our knees. Health is a good thing; but sickness is far better, if it leads us to God. Prosperity is a great mercy; but adversity is a greater one if it brings us to Christ. Anything, anything is better than living in carelessness and dying in sin. Better a thousand times be afflicted like the Canaanite mother and, like her, flee to Christ, than live at ease like the rich “fool” and die at last without Christ and without hope.(Luke 12:20)

We see in the third place, that Christ’s people are often less gracious and compassionate than Christ himself.

The woman about whom we are reading found small favor with our Lord’s disciples. Perhaps they regarded an inhabitant of the coasts of Tyre and Sidon as unworthy of their Master’s help. At any rate they said, “Send her away.”

There is only too much of this spirit among many who profess and call themselves believers. They are apt to discourage inquirers after Christ, instead of helping them forward. They are too ready to doubt the reality of a beginner’s grace because it is small, and to treat him as the disciples treated Saul when he first came to Jerusalem after his conversion, “they believed not that he was a disciple.” ( Acts 9:26 ). Let us beware of giving way to this spirit: let us seek to have more of the mind that was in Christ. Like him, let us be gentle and kind and encouraging in all our treatment of those who are seeking to be saved: above all, let us tell men continually that they must not judge Christ by Christians. Let us assure them that there is far more in that gracious Master than there is in the best of his servants. Peter and James and John may say to the afflicted soul, “Send her away,” but such a word never came from the lips of Christ. He may sometimes keep us long waiting, as he did this woman, but he will never send us empty away.

We see in the last place, what encouragement there is to persevere in prayer, both for ourselves and others.

It is hard to conceive a more striking illustration of this truth than we have in this passage. The prayer of this afflicted mother at first seemed entirely unnoticed: Jesus “answered her not a word.” on. The saying which by and by fell from our Lord’s lips sounded discouraging: “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of theIsrael.” Yet she prayed on: “Lord, help me!” The second saying of our Lord was even less encouraging than the first: “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs.” deferred” did not make her “heart sick” ( Proverbs 13:12 ). Even then she was not silenced: even then she finds a plea for some “crumbs” of mercy to be granted to her. And her importunity obtained at length a gracious reward: “ O Woman, great is thy faith! Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” That promise never yet was broken: “Seek and ye will find” ( Matthew 7:7 ).

Let us remember this history when we pray for ourselves. We are sometimes tempted to think that we get no good by our prayers, and that we may as well give them up altogether. Let us resist the temptation: it comes from the devil. Let us believe, and pray on. Against our besetting sins, against the spirit of the world, against the wiles of the devil, let us pray on and not faint. For strength to do duty, for grace to bear our trials, for comfort in every trouble, let us continue in prayer. Let us be sure that no time is so well spent in every day as that which we spend upon our knees. Jesus hears us, and in his own good time will give an answer.

Let us remember this history when we intercede for others. Have we children whose conversion we desire? Have we relations and friends about whose salvation we are anxious? Let us follow the example of this Canaanite woman, and lay the state of their souls before Christ. Let us name their names before him night and day, and never rest till we have an answer. We may have to wait many a long year: we may seem to pray in vain, and intercede without profit; but let us never give up while life lasts. Let us believe that Jesus has not changed, and that he who heard the Canaanite mother, and granted her request will also hear us, and one day give us an answer of peace.

The beginning of this passage contains three points which deserve our special attention. For the present let us dwell exclusively on them.

In the first place, let us remark how much more pains people take about the relief of their bodily diseases than about their souls. We read that “ great multitudes came to Jesus having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed and many others.” Many of them, no doubt, had journeyed many miles, andgone through great fatigues. Nothing is so difficult and troublesome as to move sick people. But the hope of being healed was in sight: such hope is everything to a sick man.

We know little of human nature if we wonder at the conduct of these people. We need not wonder at all. They felt that health was the greatest of earthly blessings; they felt that pain was the hardest of all trials to bear. There is no arguing against sense. A man feels his strength failing; he sees his body wasting and his face becoming pale; he is sensible that his appetite is leaving him: he knows, in short, that he is ill, and needs a physician. Show him a physician within reach, who is said never to fail in working cures, and he will go to him without delay.

Let us, however, not forget that our souls are far more diseased than our bodies, and let us learn a lesson from the conduct of these people. Our souls are afflicted with a malady far more deep-seated, far more complicated, far more hard to cure than any ailment that flesh is heir to. They are in fact plague-stricken by sin. They must be healed, and healed effectually, or perish everlastingly. Do we really know this? Do we feel it? Are we alive to our spiritual disease? Alas, there is but one answer to these questions! The bulk of mankind do not feel it at all. Their eyes are blinded. They are utterly insensible to their danger. For bodily health they crowd the waiting-rooms of doctors; for bodily health they take long journeys to find purer air; but for their souls’ health they take no thought at all. Happy indeed is that man or woman who has found out his soul’s disease! Such an one will never rest till he has found Jesus. Troubles will seem nothing to him. Life, life, eternal life is at stake! He will “count all things loss” that he may win Christ and be healed. ( Philippians 3:8 ).

In the second place, let us mark the marvelous ease and power with which our Lord healed all who were brought to him. We read that “the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk and the blind to see; and they glorified the God of Israel”

Behold in these words a lively emblem of our Lord Jesus Christ’s power to heal sin-diseased souls. There is no ailment of heart that he cannot cure. There is no form of spiritual complaint that he cannot overcome. The fever of lust, the palsy of the love of the world, the slow consumption of indolence and sloth, the heart-disease of unbelief, all, all give way when he sends forth his Spirit on anyone of the children of men. He can put a new song in a sinner’s mouth, and make him speak with love of that Gospel which he once ridiculed and blasphemed. He can open the eyes of a man’s understanding and make him see the kingdom of God; he can open the ears of a man, and make him willing to hear his voice and to follow him whersoever he goeth; he can give power to a man who once walked in the broad way that leadeth unto destruction to walk in the way of life; he can make hands that were once instruments of sin, serve him and do his will. The time of miracles is not yet passed. Every conversion is a miracle. Have we ever seen a real instance of conversion? Let us know that we saw in it the hand of Christ. We should have seen nothing really greater if we had seen our Lord making the dumb to speak and the lame to walk, when he was on earth.

Would we know what to do if we desire to be saved? Do we feel soul-sick and want a cure? We must just go to Christ by faith, and apply to him for relief. He has not changed: 1800 years have made no difference in him. High at the right hand of God, he is still the Great Physician. He still “receiveth sinners.” ( Luke 15:2 ). He is still mightyto heal.

In the third place, let us remark the abundant compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ. We read that “He called his disciples and said, ‘I have compassion on the multitude.’ A great crowd of men and women is always a solemn sight. It should stir our hearts to feel that each is a dying sinner, and each has a soul to be saved. None ever seems to have felt so much when he saw a crowd, as Christ.

It is a curious and striking fact, that of all the feelings experienced by our Lord when upon earth, there is none so often mentioned as “compassion.” His joy, his sorrow, his thankfulness, his anger, his wonder, his zeal, all are occasionally recorded. But none of these feelings are so frequently mentioned as “compassion.” The Holy Spirit seems to point out to us that this was the distinguishing feature of his character, and the predominant feeling of his mind when he was among men. Nine times, over to say nothing of expressions in parables, nine times over Spirit has caused that word “compassion” to be written in the Gospels.

There is something very touching and instructivein this circumstance. Nothing is written by chance in the Word of God: there is a special reason for the selection of every single expression. That word “compassion,” no doubt, was specially chosen for our profit.

It ought to encourage all who are hesitating about beginning to walk in God’s ways. Let them remember that their Saviour is full of “compassion.” He will receive them graciously; he will forgive them freely; he will remember their former iniquities no more; he will supply all their need abundantly. Let them not be afraid. Christ’s mercy is a deep well of which no one ever found the bottom.

It ought to comfort the saints and servants of the Lord when they feel weary. Let them call to mind that Jesus is “full of compassion.” He knows what a world it is in which they live; he knows the body of a man and all its frailties; he knows the devices of their enemy, the devil. And the Lord pities his people: let them not be cast down. They may feel that weakness, failure and imperfection are stamped on all they do; but let them not forget that word which says, “His compassions fail not.” ( Lamentations 3:22 ).

The Triall and Triumph of Faith. SERMON. I. Mar. 7.24. And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and went into an house, and would that no man should know it, but he could not be hid. Matth. 15.21. Then Jesus went thence, and came into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. V. 22. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cryed unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David, for my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil. Mar. 7.25. For a certain woman whose young (little daughter) had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. V. 26. (The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by Nation) and she besought him, that hee would cast forth the Devil out of her daughter. THis Text being with childe of Free-Grace, holdeth forth to us a Miracle, of note; and because Christ is in the work, in an eminent manner, and there is here also much of Christs new creation, and a floor planted and watered by Christs own hand, a strong faith in a tryed woman, it requireth the bending of our heart to attention: for to any seeking Iesus Christ, this Text cryeth, Come and see. The scope order, & contents of the Text. The words for their scope, drive at the wakening of beleevers, in Praying (when an answer is not given at the first) to a fixed and resolved lying, and dying at Christs door, by continuing in Prayer, while the King come out and open, and answer the desire of the hungry and poor. 2. For the subject, they are a History of a rare Miracle, wrought by Christ, in casting forth a Devil out of the Daughter of a Woman of Canaan; and for Christ to throw the Devill out of a Canaanite, was very like the white Banner of Christs Love displayed to the Nations, and the Kings Royall Standard set up to gather in the Heathen under his colours. The parts of the Miracle are, 1. The place where it was wrought, Math. 15.21. 2. The parties on whom, the Mother and the possessed Daughter: she is described by her Nation. 3. The impulsive cause, she hearing, came, and prayed to Iesus for her little Daughter: In which there is a Dialogue between Christ and the Woman, containing Christs trying of her. 1. With no answer. 2. With a refusal. 3. With the reproach of a dog. 4. Her instancy of Faith. 1. In crying till the Disciples interposed themselves. 2. Her going on in adoring. 3. Praying. 4. Arguing by Faith, with Christ, that she had some interest in Christ, though amongst the dogs; yet withall (as Grace hath no evil eye) not envying because the morning market of Christ, and the high Table was the Jews due, as the Kings Children; so she might be amongst the dogs, to eat the crumbs under Christs Table, knowing that the very refuse of Christ, is more excellent then ten worlds. 4. The Miracle it self wrought by the womans faith, in which we have Christs heightning of her Faith. 2. The granting of her desire. 3. The measure of Christs bounty, as thou wilt. 4. The healing of her Daughter. Mark saith, that the woman came to Christ in a house, Matthew seemeth to say, that she came to him in the way,Mathew & Mark reconciled. as these words do make good: send her away, for she cryeth after us. Augustine thinketh, that the woman first came to Christ, while he was in the house, and desired to be hid, either because he did not (for offending the Jews) openly offer himself to the Gentiles, having forbidden his Disciples to go to the Samaritans, or because he would have his glory hid for a time, or rather of purpose he did hide himself from the woman, that her faith might finde him out, and then refusing to answer the woman in the house, Properties of Christs Love. she still followeth him in the way, and cryeth after him as Matthew saith. For Christs Love is, 1. Liberal, but yet it must be suited, and Christ though he sell not his Love, for the penny worth of our sweating and paines; yet must we dig low for such a gold-mine as Christ. 2. Christs Love is wise, he holdeth us knocking, while our desire be love-sick for him, and knoweth that delayes raiseth and heighteth the market and rate of Christ; we under-rate any thing that is at our elbow: should Christ throw himself in our bosome and lap, while we are in a morning sleep, he should not have the marrow and flower of our esteem: its good there be some fire in us meeting with water, while we seek after Christ. 3. His love must not onely lead the heart, but also draw;3. Why Christ s[illegible: 1 letter]spendeth the fruits of his love. violence in love is most taking, and delayes of enjoying so lovely a thing as Christ, breedeth violence in our affections; and suspension of presence, oyleth the wheels of love, desire, joy: want of Christ is a wing to the soul. Interpreters ask what woman she was? Matthew saith, a Canaanite, not of any Gracious blood; What Woman this was. a Syrophenician, for Syrophenicia was in the border between Palestine and Syria; and it was now inhabited by the Reliques of the Canaanites; a Greek not by birth, but because of the Greek tonge & Rites broght thither by Alexander, and the succeding Kings of Syria: All the Gentiles go under the name of Greeks in Scripture Language, as Rom. 1.14▪ Gal. 3.28. 1 Cor. 1.22, 24. not because they are all Greeks, by nation and blood; but because Conquest, Language, and customes stand for blood and birth; however it standeth as no blemish in Christs Compt-Book, who was your Father, whether an Ammorite, or an Hittite, so ye come to him, he asketh not whose you are, so you be his; nor who is your Father, so you will be his Brother, and be of his house. Mar. 7.24. And from thence he arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. Christ wearied of Judea, had bin grieved in spirit with the Hypocrisie of the Pharisees, and the provocation of that stiff-necked people. He was chased away to the prophane Pagans: The arte of the wise contexture of providence in black & white, faire and foul mixed in one for beauties sake. The hardning of the Jews maketh way to Christs first and young love, laid upon the Gentiles: Christ doth but draw by a lap of the curtain of Separation, and look through to one beleeving Heathen; the King openeth one little window, and holdeth out his face, in one glimpse, to the woman of Canaan, so Christs works of deep providence, are free mercy, and pure Justice interwoven, making one web: He departeth from the Jews, and setteth his face and heart on the Gentiles; consider the art of providence here; 1. The Devill sometime shapeth, Two sides in providence. and our wise Lord seweth: Babylon killeth, God maketh alive: Sin, Hell, and Death, are made a Chariot to carry on the Lords excellent work. 2. The providence of God hath two sides, one black and sad, another white and joyfull: Heresie taketh strength and is green before the Sun, Gods clearing of necessary and seasonable Truths, is a fair side of that same providence. Adams first sin was, the Devill and Hell digging a hole through the comely and beautiful frame of the Creation of God, and that is the dark side of providence; but the flower of Jesse springing up, to take away sin, and to paint out to Men and Angels, the glory of a Heaven and a new world of Free-grace, that is a lightsome side of providence. Christ scourged, Christ in a case, that he cannot command a cup of water: Christ dying, shamed, forsaken, is black: But Christ in that same work, redeeming the Captives of Hell, opening to sinners forfeited Paradice, that is fair and white: Joseph weeping in the prison for no fault, is foul and sad, but Joseph brought out to reign as half a King, to keep alive the Church of God in great Famine, is joyfull and Glorious: The Apostles whipped, imprisoned, killed all the day long, are sad and heavy, but sewed with this, that God causeth them alwayes to Triumph, and sow the savour of the knowledge of Christ; and Paul riding on his iron Chains and exalting CHRIST in the Gospell, through the Court of bloody Nero, maketh up a fair comely contexture of Divine Providence. 3. God in all his works now when he raineth from Heaven a sad showr of blood on the three Kingdoms, hath his one foot on Justice, that wrath may fill to the brim the cup of Malignants, Prelats, and Papists, and his other foot on mercy, to wash away the filth of the Daughter of Zion, and to purge the blood of Ierusalem in the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgement, and by the spirit of burning. And this is Gods way and ordinarie path-rode, Psal. 25.10. and in one and the same motion, God can walk both to the East, and to the West, and to the North, and the South. It is our fault that we look upon Gods wayes and works, by halfes and pieces,Use. We erre in looking on Gods ways by halfs, & on the black & sad side onely. and so we see often nothing but the black side, and the dark part of the Moon; we mistake all, when we look upon mens works by parts, an house in the building lying in an hundred pieces, here timber, here a rafter, there a spar, there a stone, in another place half a window, in another place the side of a door: theres no beauty, no face of an house here; have patience a little,Simile. and see them all by art compact[illegible: 1 letter]d together in order, and you'l see a fair building:Simile. when a painter draweth the half of a man, the one side of his head, one eye, the left arm, shoulder and leg, and hath not drawn the other side, nor filled up with colours all the members, parts, limbs, in its full proportion, its not like a man: So do we look on Gods works, by halfes and parts, and we see him blouding his people, scattering Parliaments, chasing away Nobles and Prelats, as not willing they should have a finger in laying one stone of his house; yet do we not see, that in this dispensation, the other half of Gods work makes it a fair piece. God is washing away the blood and filth of his Church, removing these from the work, who shall crosse it. In bloudy Wars, Malignant Souldiers ripping up women with childe, waste, spoil, kill; yet are they but purging Sions tin, brasse and lead, and such reprobate mettall as themselves; Jesuits and false Teachers, are but Gods snuffers, to occasion the clearing and snuffing of the lamps of the tabernacle, Mark. 7 2[illegible: 1 letter]. and make truth more naked and obvious.

SERMON II. And he went into a house, and would that no man should know it. THis will, according to which it is said, He would that no man should know it, was his humane will, according to which the Lord Iesus was a man as we are, Two, wills in Christ. yet without sin; which was not alway fulfilled; for his Divine will, being backed with omnipotency, can never be resisted: It overcometh all, and can be resisted by none. Consider what a Christ we have, one who as God, hath a standing will that cannot fall, Christ took a humane will to stoop to God in al things. Esa. 14.24. He doth all his pleasure: His pleasure and his work are commensurable, Esa. 46.10, 11. Psal. 135.6. Psal. 115.3. Yet this Lord did stoop so low as to take to himself mans will to submit to God and Law. And see how Christ for our instruction is content, that God should break his will and lay it below providence, Mat. 26.39. O so little and low as great Iesus Christ is, all is come to this, O my father, remove the cup; Neverthelesse, not as I will, but as thou wilt: Christ and his Father, hath but one will between them both, Ioh. 5.30. I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father that sent me, Rom. 15.3. For even Christ pleased not himself. Its a signe of conformity with Christ, when we have a will so mortified, as it doth lye levell with Gods providence. Aarons sons are killed, and that by God immediatly from heaven with fire, a judgement very hell-like, Levit. 10.3. And Aaron held his peace, a will lying in the dust under Gods feet, so as I can say (Let his will, whose I am, enact to throw me in Hell, he shall have my vote) is very like the Mother-rule of all sanctified wills, even like Christs plyable will: There is no iron sinew in Christs will, it was easily broken; the top of Gods finger with one touch, broke Christs will, Heb. 10.9. Loe I come to do thy will, O God. O! but there is a hard stone in our will, The strength of corrupt will. the stony heart is the stony will; Hell cannot break the Rock and the Adamant, and the Flint in our will, 1 Sam. 8.19. Nay but we will have a King; Whether God will or no, Jer. 18.12. Gods will standeth in the peoples way, bidding them return, they answer: There is no hope but we will walk after our own divices. Hell, vengeance, omnipotency, crossed Pharaohs will, but it would neither bow nor break, Exod. 9.27 But the Lord hardned Pharaohs heart, that he would not let the people go. There be two things in our will,2. Things in our will, 1. the fram of it, 2. the goodnesse of it. 1. The naturall frame and constitution of it. 2. The goodnesse of it. The will of Angells and of sinlesse Adam, is not essentially good, for then Angells could never have turned Devils; therefore the constitution of the will needeth supervenient goodnesse and confirming grace, even when will is at its best. Grace, Grace now is the only oyl to our Wheeles. Christ hath taken the Castle, both in-works, and out-works, when he hath taken the will, the proudest enemie that Christ hath out of Hell: When Saul renders his will, he renders his weapon; this is mortification. When Christ runneth away with your will; as Christ was like a man that had not a mans will; so Saul, Act. 9.6. Trembling and astonished, said, Lord what wilt thou have me to doe? Its good when the Lord trampleth upon Ephraims fair neck, Hos. 10.11. There is no goodnesse in our will now, but what it hath from Grace, and to turn the will from ill to good, is no more natures work, then we can turn the wind from the East, There's a necessity of renewing the will. to the West: when the wheels of the clock are broken and rusted, it cannot go: When the birds wing is broken it cannot flie: When there is a stone in the sprent, and in-work of the lock, the key cannot open the door. Christ must oyl the wheels of misordered will, and heal them, and remove the stone, and infuse Grace (which is wings to the bird) if not, the motions of will are all hell-ward. But he could not be hid, for a certain woman, &c. Christ sometime would be hid, because he hath a spirit above the peoples windy aire, and their Hosanna; its a spirit of straw, naughty and base, that is burnt up with that which hindered Themistocles to sleep. Honour me before the people, was cold comfort to Saul, when the Prophet told him, God had rejected him. But Christ desired not to be hid from this woman, he was seeking her, God hideth himself, faith findeth him out. and yet he flyeth from her: Christ in this is such a flyer as would gladly have a pursuer. 2. Faith findeth Christ out when he is h[illegible: 1 letter]d, Esa. 45.15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self: But Faith seeth God under his mask, and through the cloud; and therefore Faith addeth, O God of Israel the Saviour: Thou hidest thy self O God from Israel, but Israel findeth thee. ver. 17. Israel shall be saved in the Lord, with an everlasting salvation. God casteth a cloud of anger about himself, he maketh darknesse his Pavilion, and will not look out; yet Iob seeth God, and findeth him out many hundred miles, chap. 19.26. Yet in my flesh I shall see God. 3. Reason, Sense, nay, Angels seeing Christ between two theeves dying, and going out of this world bleeding to death, naked, forsaken of friend and lover, they may wonder and say; O Lord, what dost thou here: Yet the Faith of the Theef found him there, as a King, who had the keys of Paradice, and he said in Faith, Lord, remember me when thou comest to thy Kingdom, Luk 23.42. 4. Faith seeth him as a witnesse, and a record in Heaven, Iob 16. ver. 19.20, even when God cleaveth Jobs reins asunder, and powreth out his gall upon the ground, v. 13. Believe then that Christ glowneth that he may kiss, that he cuts that he may cure, that he maketh the living believers grave before his eyes, and hath no mind to bury him alive: He breatheth the smoak and the heat of the Furnace of Hell on the soul, when Peace, Grace, and Heaven is in his heart, he breaketh the hallow of Iacobs thigh, so as hee must go halting all his dayes; and its his purpose to blesse him. Whereas wee should walk by Faith, we walk much even in our spirituall walk, by feeling and sense; we have these errors in our Faith, we make not the word of promise the rule of our Faith, but only Gods Dispensation: The dispensation of God not Scripture, nor a rule of Faith. Now Gods Dispensation is spotlesse and innocent, and white; yet it is not Scripture to me, nor all that Dispensation and Providence seemeth to speak, the Word of God: Ram-horns speaketh not taking of Towns in an ordinary providence as spear and shield, and a hoast of fighting men doth. Killed all the day long, and estimated as sheep for the slaughter, speaketh not to me that Gods people are more then conquerours through him that loved us, Rom. 8.36, 37. our Faith in reference to Dispensation, is to do two things. To believe in general, though Dispensation be rough, stormy, black; yet Christ is fair, sweet, gracious; and, that Hell and Death are servants to Gods Dispensation, toward the children of God: Abraham must kill Isaack; yet in Isaack as in the promised [illegible: 2 letters]ed, all the Nations of the earth are blessed, Israel is foiled, and falleth before the men of Ai; yet, Israel shall be saved by the Lord: Judah shall go into Captivity, but the dead bones shal live again, read the promise in generall, engraved upon the Dispensation of God: garments are roll'd in blood in Scotland and England: The wheels of Christs Chariot, in this Reformation, go with a slow pace; the Prince is averse to Peace, many Worthies are killed, a forraign Nation cometh against us: yet all worketh for the best to those that love God. 2. Hope biddeth us to await the Lords event: We see Gods work, it cometh to our senses, but the event that God bringeth out of his work, lyeth under ground, Dispensation is as a woman travelling in birth, and crying out for pain, but she shall be delivered of two men Children: Mercy to the people of God, Justice to Babylon: wait on while the woman bring forth, though you see not the Children. We trust possession of Christ by sense, more then wee do right and Law through Faith. 2. We trust possession in our part, more then Law and the fidelity of the promise on Gods part; feeling is of more credit to us then Faith, sense is surer to us then the word of Faith; many weak ones beleeve not life Eternall; because they feel it not; Heaven is a thing unseen, and they finde no Consolation and Comfort, and so are disquieted: If we knew that beleeving is a bargaining and a buying, we should see the weaknesse of many; should any buy a field of Land, & refuse to tell down the money, except the party should lay all the Ridges, Acres, Medows, and Mountains on the buyers shoulders, that he might carry them home to his house, he should be incredulously unjust: If any should buy a Ship, and think it no bargain at all, except he might carry away the Ship on his back, should not this make him a ridiculous Merchant? Gods Law of Faith, Christs concluded atonement, is better and surer then your feeling; all that sense and comfort saith, is not Canonick Scripture, it is Adultery to seek a signe; because we cannot rest on our Husbands word.

SERMON III. Quest. BVt cannot Christ be hid? Ans. Not of himself: How CHRIST and his grace can not bee hid. Its hard to hide a great fire, or to cast a covering upon sweet odours that they smell not: Christs Name is as a sweet oyntment powred out, he is a Mountain of spices, and hee's a strong savour of Heaven, and of the higher Paradice: You may hide the man that he shal not see the Sun; but you cannot cast a garment over the body of the Sun, and hide day-light. From which it appeareth that Christ cannot be hid. 1. In his Cause and Truth;1. He cannot be hid in his Cause. the Gospell is scourged and imprisoned when the Apostles are so served; yet it cometh to light and filleth Jerusalem, and filleth all the world. What was done to hide Christ? when he and his Gospel is buryed under a great stone, yet his fame goeth abroad; Death is no covering to Christ, Papists burn all the Books of Protestants, they kill and slay the Witnesses; Antiochus and the persecuting Emperours, throw all the Bibles in the fire; but this Truth cannot be hid, it Triumpheth: As soon pull down Jesus from his Royall seat at the right hand of God: as Babylon, Prelats, Papists, Malignants, in these three Kingdoms, can extinguish the People and Truth of Christ. 2. Beleevers cannot hide and dissemble a good or an ill condition in the soul;2. In a good or ill spirituall condition The welbeloved is away, and the Churches bed cannot keep her: All the Watchmen, all the streets, all the Daughters of Jerusalem; yea, Heaven, and Christ must hear of it, Cant. 3.1, 2, 3. Cant. 5.6, 7, 8. Mary Magdalens bed, and a mornings sleep, and the Company of Angels and Apostles cannot dry her cheeks, Woman what ayles thee? (saith the Angel) O she weepeth; O what ayleth me? They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: O Apostles, Where is he? O Sir, Angell, tell me if you saw him? O Grave,! O Death! Shew me, is my Lord with you? The Love of Christ is no Hypocrite: I grant some can for a time put a fair face on it; when Christ is absent; but most of the Saints look as a Bird fallen from the Raven, as a Lamb fallen out of the Lions mouth, as one too soon out of bed in the morning; O sick of Love! O shew him! I charge you tell him, Watchmen, Daughters of Jerusalem, that I am sick of Love: Love is a paining, feavorous, tormenting sicknesse: Grace cannot put on a laughing mask, when sweet Jesus is hidden: Love hath no art to conceal sorrow, the countenance of David, Psal. 42.5▪ is sick: There's death in his face, when God is not the light of his countenance. 3. The joy of his presence cannot be hid, she cannot but tell and cry out,3. In the joy of his presence. O Fair! O White Day! He is come again, Cant. 3.4. It was but a little that I passed from him, but I found him whom my soul loved. She numbred all the miles she Travelled while her Lord was absent: Joy will speak, its not dumb, Cant. 7.9. The roofe of thy mouth (is) like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak, Mat. 9.15, Can the Children of the Bedchamber mourne. as long as the Bridegroom is with them? (i. e.) they cannot choose but rejoyce. 4. Grace in a sincere Professor, and CHRIST cannot be hid,4. In a sincere profession. there came a good fair breath with a blast of a sweet west-wind of Heaven on Joseph of Arimathea, the time was ill, Christ was dead; and he can dissemble no longer, Mar. 15.43. [non-Latin text not transcribed], with much daring and boldnesse he went into Pilat with a Petition: I beseech you my Lord Governour, let me but have this Jesus his dead body: There was some fire of Heaven in this bold profession; What would this be thought of, to see a Noble and Honourable Lord-Judge with a dead and Crucified mans Body in his armes? But Faith knoweth no blushing: Grace cannot be ashamed: there was a straight charge laid on the Apostles, Preach no more in the name of Jesus, Act. 4.13. Peter and John, with a [non-Latin text not transcribed], boldly say, vers. 20. We cannot but speak the things wee have heard and seen: Lay as heavy weights as death, burning quick, sawing asunder, on the sincerity of Faith in the Martyrs, it must up the Mountain. Davids Grace, Psal. 39.1. was kept in as with a Mussell put upon the mouths of Beasts:Vatab. an. in Psal. 39 1. it was as coals of fire in his heart, and he behoved to speak even before the wicked; I beleeved, therefore I spake, Psal. 116.10. 5. When Ieremiah layeth unlawfull bands on himself,5. To speak no more in the Name of the Lord; In the bearing down of the stirrings of a renowed conscience, there is a spirit of Prophesie lying on him, he is not Lord of his own choice, Ier. 20.9. But his word was in my heart, as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay: There's a Majesty of Grace on the Conscience of the Child of God, that must break out in holy duties; though temptation should hide Christ in his Grace, tempted Ioseph is over-awed with this, Gen. 39.9. How can I then do this great wickednesse, and sin against God? This awsome Majesty of the Grace of Gods fear, causeth Ioseph see nothing in Harlotry but pure unmixed guiltinesse against God; there's an over mastering apprehension of Christs love, 2 Cor. 5.14. that constraineth Paul to out the Love of Christ, in dedicating himself to the service of the Gospell. Though Paul would not have preached: yet he had a sum to pay, Rom. 1.14. I am Debtor both to the Greeks and the Barbarians, both to the wise and unwise. Grace awed him, as a Debt layeth fetters on an ingenious minde, he cannot but out his free and honest mind in paying what he oweth. 6. In deserious. 6. Gods Desertion cannot so hide and over-cloud Christ; but against sense the Childe of God must beleeve; yea, and pray in Faith, Ps▪ 22.1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 2. O my God I cry by day. Though sin over-cloud Christ, and David fall in Adultery and blood, there's a seed of Christ, that must cast out blossoms, he cannot but repent and sorrow. Gods Decree of grace in the execution of it, may be broken in a link by some great sin, but Christ cannot but soader the chain, and raise the fallen sinner. Use.It shall be usefull then for the Saints, when the spirit cometh in his stirrings, We are to be obsequious & yeelding to the breathings of Gods spirit. and impetuous acts, to co-operate with him, and to answer his wind-blowing: Its good to hoyse up sail and make out, when a fair wind and a strong tide calleth: sometime Grace maketh the heart as a hot Iron, its good then to smite with the hammer: When your spirit is Docile, and there cometh a gale of Christs sweet West-wind and rusheth in, with a warmnesse of heart, in a praying disposition, to retire to a corner and powre out the soul before the Lord, as we are to take Christ at his word, so are we to take Christs spirit at his work: He knocketh, knock thou with him: His fingers make a stirring upon the handles of the bar, and drop down pure myrhe: Let thy heart make a stirring with his fingers also. I grant, wind maketh sailing, and all the powers on Earth cannot make wind; yet when God maketh wind, the Sea-men may draw sails and lance forth: God preventeth in all these, the spirit beateth fire out of our slint, we are to lay to a match and receive, reach in the heart under the stirrings of Free-grace, obey dispositions of Grace as God himself; Oi[illegible: 1 letter] hearts must be variously suitable to the various operations of the spirit. when the Sun riseth the Birds may sing; but their singing is no cause of the Sun rising. 2. Its no truth of God that some teach, that the justified in Christ are of duty always tied to one and the same constant act of rejoycing with out any mixture of sadnesse and sorrow, for so they cannot, 1. Obey and follow the various impressions of the Lords absence and presence, of Christs Sea ebbing and flowing, of his shining and smiling, and his lowring and frowning. 2. The Faith of a justified condition, doth not root out all affections, nay not Love, Faith, desire and joy, if there be sin remaining in the justified, there's place of sadnesse, for fear, for sorrow: for the scumme of affections are removed by Christ, not the affections themselves. 3. Christ for meer triall sometimes, for sin other times, doth cover himself with a cloud, and withdraw the sense of his favour: and its a cursed joy, that is on foot, when the Lord hideth his face. The Love of Christ must be sick and sad: I mean the Lover, when the beloved is under a cloud: It is not the new world with the Regenerate man here nor a Land where there's nothing but all Summer, all Sun, neither night, nor clouds, nor Rain, nor Storm, that is the condition of the second Paradice, of the better Adam. 4. Its a just and an innocent sorrow, to be grieved at that which grieveth the Holy spirit, and when the Lyon roareth, all the Beasts of the field are afraid. Grace maketh not Iob a stock, nor Christ a man who cannot weep. And behold a Woman of Canaan: And a certain Woman. Math. 15 Mark 7 Of the Woman, 1. But one person of all Tyrus and Sidon came to him. 2. She was a Syrophenician by Nation. 3. Her condition, She had a Daughter vexed with a Devill. 4. With an unclean Devill. 5. The nearer occasion She heard of him. 6. She adored. 7. She prayed, and so way is made to the conference between Christ and her: And to the Triall and Miracle. A certain Woman. There is but one of all Tyrus and Sidon who came to Christ. Grace falls on few. 1. It beseemeth the mercy of the good shepherd, to leave ninety and nine sheep in the Wildernesse, and go after one which is lost, Luke 15.4. And when all is done (alas) he hath but one of an whole hundred. Christ hath not the tithe of mankinde: He maketh a Journey while he is wearied and thirsty through Samaria; yea, and wanteth his dinner for one Woman at that draught of his net, and thinketh he dineth like a King, and above, if he save one, Ioh. 4.33, 34. O sweet husbands word, Jer. 3.14. I am married to you, and I will take you, one of a citie and two of a Tribe, and I will bring you to Zion. Christ taketh sinners not by dozens, not by thousands (its but once in all the word, Act. 2. that three Thousand are converted at once) but by one's and two's. Though Israel be as the sand of the Sea, yet a Remnant shall but bee saved, [non-Latin text not transcribed], Rom. 9.27. Esa. 10.22. The Reliques and Refuse shall be saved only. 2. Common Love scarce amounteth to Grace; because Grace is separative, and singleth out one of many, all graced persons are priviledged persons, Heaven is a house of chosen and priveledged ones; there's no common stones in the New Jerusalem, Grace is a rare choice piece. but all precious stones, the foundations Saphirs, the windows Agats and Carbuncles, all the Borders of pleasant stones, Esa. 54.11, 12. 3. Christs way lyeth so, of two grinding at the mil, of two in the field together, of two in one bed: Christ wil have but one; Christ often wil not have both husband and wife, both Father and Son; but the one Brother, Iacob, not Esau: of a whole house, Christ cometh to the Devils fire side, and chuseth one, and draweth him out, and leaveth all the Family to the devil. 4. Christ knoweth them well whom he chuseth: Grace is a rare peece of the choise and the floor of the love of Heaven, there bee many common stones, not many Pearls, not many Diamonds and Saphirs. The multitude be all Arminians from the womb, every Heresie is a peece of the old Adams wanton wit; thousands go to Hell, black Hereticks and Heterodox; as touching the Doctrine of themselves, every man hath Grace, if you believe himself; Vnusquisque est in eâ heresi, every man taketh Heaven for his home and heritage; Dogs think to rest in Christs bosome, men naturally believe, though they be but up and down with Christ; yet Christ doth so bear them at goodwill, Grace not Universall & common to all. as to give Grace and Glory. Obj. 1. Gods Love is not infinite, if it bee limited to a few. Ans. This should conclude, that there be an infinite number of Men and Angels to whom Gods Love to Salvation is betrothed in affection:Obj. 1. but his love is infinite in its Act, not in its Object: The way of carrying on his love is infinite. Obj. 2. To ascribe Gods not loving of men, Obj. 2 to Gods disposition, heart, will, and pleasure, and not to our defects, is blasphemy. Ans. The Lord ascribeth his having mercy, and his hardning to his own Free-will, Rom. 9.17. Exod. 33.19. and his love is as free as his mercy, and by this means Gods first love to us should arise from our love preventing his; contrary to his own word, Deut. 7.7. Eph. 2.3, 4. Tit. 3.3. 2 Tim. 1.9. and man should be the first lover of the two, the creature then putteth the Lord in his debt, and giveth first to God, and God cannot but recompence, Esa. 40.13, 14. Rom. 11.34, 35. now its no shame for us to live and dye in the debt of Christ: The Heaven of Angels and men is an house of the debtors of Christ Eternally engaged to him; and shall stand in his Debt-book ages without end. Obj. 3. Infinite goodnesse may as soon cease to be, as not be good to all, Obj. 3 or withhold mercy from any. Ans. Every being of Reprobate Men and Devils is a fruit of Gods goodness, but of Free-goodnesse; else God should cease to be, if he should turn his Creatures to nothing, for he should cease to be good to things without himself, if these were all turned to their poor mother-Nothing. 2. Mercy floweth not from God essentially, especially the mercy of Conversion, Remission of sins. Eternall life, but of mer Gracc; for then God could not be God, and deny these favours to Reprobats: Freedome of mercy and salvation is as infinitely sweet and admirable in God, as mercy and salvation it self. Obj. 4. Obj. 4. But God is so essentially good to all, as he must communicate his goodnesse by way of Justice, in order to free obedience, and that is life Eternal to those who freely beleeve and obey. Ans. But the great Enemy of Grace, Ja. Arminius teacheth us, that all the freedom of Grace, Rom. 9. is resolved in the free pleasure of God, in which he freely and without hire, purposed to reward Faith, not the works of the Law with life Eternall; whereas it was free to him to keep another order, if so it shuld seem good to him, and by this means God is yet freely, and by an act of pure grace not essentially good to all, even in communicating his goodnesse, by way of Justice: For what God doth by necessity of his nature and essence, that he canot but do, but sure it is, by no necessity of nature, doth the Lord reward works, faith, or any obedience in us with the Crown of life Eternal: He may give heaven freely without our Obedience at all, as he giveth the first Grace freely, Eze. 16.6, 7, 8. Rom. 5.10. Ephes. 2.3, 4, But this is surer, the fewer have Grace, Grace is the more Grace, and the more like it selfe and free. Obj. 5. Obj. 5. But I have a good heart to GOD. Ans. A quiet heart sleeping in a false peace, is a bad heart, most of sinners give their souls to the Devil by theft, they think they are sailing to heaven, and know nothing till they shoare, sleeping in the land of Death, Matth. 7.21, 22, 23. Luk. 16.27, 28. Obj. 6. Why, But God hath bestowed on me, Obj. 6. many favours and riches in this world. Ans. Gods Grace is not graven on gold, it should be but the Logick of a beast, if the slaughter Oxe should say, The Master favoureth me more then any Oxe in the stall: I am free of the yoak which is upon the neck of others, and my pasture is fatter then theirs. Obj. 7. The Saints love me. Ans. The Saints can mis-father their love,Obj. 7. and love where God loveth not. Obj. 8. All the world loveth me. Ans. Obj. 8 You are the liker to be a step-childe of Jerusalem and of Heaven; for, The world loveth its own, Ioh. 15.19. better it were to have the world a step-Mother, then to be no other, but to lye in such a womb, and suck such breasts. Obj. 9. I believe life Eternall. Ans. Obj. 9 That Faith is with childe of Heaven, but see it be not a false Birth; few or none come to age, and none clothed in white and Crowned, but they were jealous of their Faith, and feared their own wayes: Naturall men stand aloof from Hell and Wrath.

SERMON IV. The Woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by Nation. MUch woe is denounced by the Prophets against Tyrus and Sidon: yet sweet Jesus draweth by the curtain, and openeth a window of the partition, and saveth this Woman: Loe here Christ planting in the wildernesse, the Cedar, the Shittah tree, the Mirttle, the Oyle tree, Grace falleth often on the Most graceles. Esa. 41.19. and here, Esa. 55.13. is fulfilled: And in stead of the thorn, (what better are Sidonians then thornes?) shall come up the Firre tree, and in stead of the Bryar shall come up the Mirtle tree; and no praise to the ground, but to the good husband-man. And it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign, that shall not be cut off. Christ then can make & frame a fair Heaven out of an ugly Hell, and out of the knottiest timber he can make vessels of mercy for service in the high Pallace of glory. Grace maketh a great change. 1. What are they all, who are now glorified? The fairest face that standeth before the throne of Redeemed ones, was once inked and blacked with sin;1. Reas. you should not know Paul now with a Crown of a King on his head; he looketh not now like a Blasphemer, a Persecuter, an injurious person. The woman that had once seven Devils in her, is a Marie Magdalen far changed; and Grace made the change. 2. Grace is a new world, Heb. 2.5.2. The Land of Grace hath two Summers in one year, Esa. 33.24. The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick, the people that dwell therein, shall be forgiven their iniquity. Ioh. 11.26. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never dye. They are not mortall men that are in Grace, there's neither sicknesse nor death in that Land. 3. We say of such a Physician, he hath cured diseases that never man could, hee cured stark death; then you may commit your body to him, he is a tryed Physician,3. 1 Tim. 1.16. Christ hath made a rare copy, a curious samplar of mercy of the Apostle Paul ▪ For in him he hath shewn all long-suffering, for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe in him to life Eternall: Heaven is a house full of miracles; yea, of spectacles and Images of Free-Grace; you may intrust your soul with all its diseases to Christ, he hath given many rare proofs of his tried art of Grace, he hath made many black limbs of Hell, fair Saints in Heaven; such a man, such an Artificier threw down an old dungeon of clay and made it up a fair Palace of Gold. Obj. But what am I? a lump of unrepenting guiltinesse and sin, Obj. to such a vessel of mercy as holy Paul, and repenting Mary Magdalen? Ans. Grace as its in God, and fitnesse to receive Grace in us, is just alike to all. There was no more reason why Paul should obtain mercy, then why thou, or any other sinner like thee, should obtain mercy; there's alike reason for me to have noble and broad thoughts of the rich Grace of Christ; There's alike reason for Grace on our Lords p[illegible: 1 letter]rt, to the vilest of men as to Moses Daniel, Paul. as for Abraham, Moses, David, all the Prophets, and Apostles, to beleeve: There was no greater ransom given by Christ to buy Faith and Free-grace for Noah, Job, and Daniel, to Moses and Samuel, then to poor and sinfull me; its one cause, one ransome, one Free-love. If there had a Nobler and worthier Redeemer died for Moses and Paul then for you and me: And another Heaven and a freer Grace purchased to them, then to me; I should have been discouraged, Grace is Grace to thee as to meek Moses, The same Free-Grace that wee have here, we have it in Heaven. Christ is Christ to thee as to beleeving Abraham: And farther, The same Grace that is here, is in Heaven; 1. As Faith that is freely given us is the Conquest of the new heir Jesus Christ, Joh. 6.44. Phil. 1.29. Eph. 1.3. So are all Christs Braclets about our neck in Heaven, and the Garland of Glory, the Free-grace of God; its the same day-light when the Sun breaketh forth out of the East, and at noon-day in the highest Meridian; though we change places when we dye, we change not [illegible: 1 letter]usbands. 2. We stand here by Free-gra[illegible: 2 letters], [illegible: 1 word], 5.2. Repentance and Remission of sins are freely given heer to Israel by the exalted Prince Christ Jesus, Act. 5.31. Our tears are bought with that common ransome; so the high Innes of the Royall Court of Heaven, is a free and open house, and no bill put upon the Inhabitants; neither Fine, nor Stent, nor Excise, nor Assessment, nor Taxation, all is upon the Royall charges of the Prince of the Kings of the earth; there's no more hire, merit, wages, In Heaven wee reigne by Grace, as here we serve and doe war. or fees there then here, the income of glory for Eternitie, and the life-rent of ages of blessednesse, is all the good will of him which sitteth on the Throne. Every apple of the tree of life is grace, every sip, every drop of the Sea and Ri[illegible: 1 letter]ver of life, is the purchase of the blood of the Lamb that is in the mids of them. 3. They be as poor without Christ who are there, as we are, Glory is Grace, and their dependency for ages of ages, is that, Rev. 7.17. That the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne, does feed them, and lead them unto living Fountaines of waters, and God wipeth all teares away from their eyes: Then they cannot walk there alone, but as the Lamb leadeth them; and if Christ were not there, or if he should take Grace, Glory, and all his own Jewels and Ornaments from Moses, and Enoch, there should remain no more there but poor nature: As good Angels do therefore not fall, because in Christ the head of Angels they are confirmed; and if they lacked this confirming Grace they might yet fall, and become Apostate Devils; so the glorified in Heaven, do therefore stand, and are confirmed in the inheritance, not by Free-will there, more then here, but by immediate dependence of Grace on the Lamb, whom they follow whethersoever he goeth: Grace then for kinde, is as good as Heaven: Glory, glory to our ransome-payer. 3. Her little daughter was vexed, (she saith) [non-Latin text not transcribed] she is exceedingly devilled,Math. 15. or grievously tormented with a devill: Then observe that common punishments of sin and sad afflictions doth follow justified persons, The Justified in Christ are corrected for sin. as well as the wicked; for it was a sad burthen to the mother, that the Devill had such a dominion over her daughter; yet the Text cleareth, that she was a justified person, as her instancy of praying, adoring, and great Faith, even prevailing over Christ, under sad trialls, do manifestly evidence; and we see the reasons that the Scripture alledgeth: 1. That the gold of precious Faith, and the upright mettall therein, may be seen, 1 Pet. 1.7. Afflictions are the servants and Pursevants of the accusing Law, sent out to cause us lay hold by Faith on peace made, and pardon purchased in Christ: The hot furnace is the work-house of Christ, The furnace, the work-house of the grace of Christ in that fire he taketh away the scum, the drosse, the refuse of the true mettall, that Faith may be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearance of Jesus Christ: 2. Afflictions drive us to seeek God, they being Gods fire-men, and his hired labourers, sent to break the clods, and to plow Christs land, that he may sow heaven there, but Christ must bring new earth to the soyle: In prosperity we come to God, but in a common way, as the grave man came to the Theater, Martial ad Catonem: Cur in theatrū, Cato severe, venisti? An ideo tantim venems, u: exires? only that he might go out again; but in trouble the Saints do more then come, they make a friendly visit when they come: also the prayers of the Saints in prosperity, are but Summer prayers, slow, lazie, and alas, too formall; in trouble they rain out prayers, or cast them out in con-naturall violence; as a fountain doth cast out waters, both these are in one well expressed, by the Prophet, Isa. 26.16. Lord in trouble they have visited thee, they powr out a prayer, when thy chastening hand is on them; Vatablus expoundeth [non-Latin text not transcribed] Malmad, A murmuring or prayer which trouble powreth out: the Chaldee Paraphrast turneth it silentium, silence, because the conscience weakened is silent; it is a Prophesie, what Gods fire doth effectuate, which you have Hos. 5.15. In their affliction they will seek me early. 3. We must be made like Christ, in the Crosse, and the Crown, 2 Tim. 2.12. and conform to him, Rom. 8.29. Christ the corner stone, though there was no sin in him, yet before he was made the chief corner stone, he was by death hammered, Act. 4.10.11, 12. And much more, the stroakes and smiting of the Crosse must knock downe all the superfluity of naughtinesse, and every height, till by smoothing and chipping, the childe of God be made a stone in breadth, length, proportion, smoothnesse, some way conforme to the first Copy, and to Christ the samplar-stone. There is a fourth reason, but its a controverted one, the justified person may be afflicted for sin, some teach that this is Popery to affirme, that the justified bear the punishment of their sin, because Christ only was wounded for our iniquity, and did bear in his own body our sins on the Tree, therefore (say they) respect seemeth to be had (as one speaketh) to sin, M. after Towns Assertion of grace, pag. 112 113. Ans. to D. Taylor. not principally, but secundarily and occasionally, not as it offendeth God, (who by that one sacrifice is for ever pacified, Heb. 10.14. Mat. 3. but as it offendeth and diseaseth the minds of the faithfull; not that afflictions simply, properly, and immeditly do ease quiet, and cure the conscience (for their naturall effect is to deject and terrifie, as appendixes of the Law) but that they awaken and stir up our dulnesse to a lively apprehension of Christs Righteousnesse, and so while God as a Father correcteth for sin, sin hath not properly with God the nature of sin, which is an offence of Divine justice; How Antinomians judge sins to be corrected in the justified. But is considered as a disease troubling his childe, which in love, and in pity he seeketh to make riddance of, in manner aforesaid, and not in anger and displeasure. Its true, Papists hold, that when God forgiveth sin in David, he forgiveth not the punishment; How Papists judge sins oo be pun[illegible: 1 letter]shed in the justified. for David is punished with the sword on his house for that same sin; but it is known that this doctrine is a too-fal and Pillar to underprop the Chamber in Hell, which they call Purgatory; and that their meaning is, that punishment inflicted on a justified person, is a punishment satisfactory to the justice of God; that so they may make the merits of the Saints suffering to ride up as a collateral sharer with the high & noble blood of the killed Lamb of God, who onely satisfactorily, taketh away the sins of the world: This we disclaim: But on the other hand, we hold that there is another justice in God, then that legall, and sin-revenging justice, which Christs sufferings hath expiated and fully satisfied, both in regard of Gods acceptation, and of the intrinsecall worth of the death of him, who was God the Prince of life: And this other justice, is also the justice of an offended Father correcting though in mercy (and so it is a mixt justice) the sins of the Saints as sins: 1. Because the sins of the Saints are not only the offending of divine revenging justice, but also a wrong done against this mixt justice, and against the mercy and kindnesse of God, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8, 9. Exod. 20.1, 2. Psal. 81.6, 7, 10, 11 Psal. 78, 11, 12, 13, 42, 53, 54, 55, 56. Deut. 32.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Amos. 3.2. That God punisheth pardoned sins in the justified proved by seven Arguments And therefore God doth punish, in his own, sins as sins. 2. 1 Cor. 11. Those who are not to perish with the world are for this cause (because they eat and drink unworthily) sick and punished with death, v. 30, 32, 33. It is clear against the Text, that Mr. Towne saith, That a justified person having the least measure of Faith, cannot eat & drink unworthily, the smallest Faith maketh them worthy, and so those who in that Text did eat unworthily, did but dally with the Gospel, and never actually put on Christ. But Faith doth no more hinder a justified person to receive the Lords Supper unworthily, then it doth hinder him to commit adultery, or incest, or to kill; and whosoever should come to the Lords Table, under these sins, without repenting, should Eat and Drink unworthily, and such a sin may a believer according to Gods heart (as David was) commit; and there is great oddes between being unworthy, and eating unworthily, all believers of themselves are unworthy of Christ and Salvation, but being in Christ by Faith, they are counted worthy, and yet they may Eat and Drink unworthily; but Mr. Townes sense seemeth to carry, That a justified person cannot sin, nor Eat and Drink unworthily, because Faith maketh him worthy; and if so, the way of Grace is a wanton merry way; the justified are freed from the Law, and from any danger of sinning. 3. Nothing more evident then that David was punished according to the rule of that mixed and fatherly justice, which keeps a due proportion between the sin, and the punishment: his sin was to cut off Vriahs house out of Israel, God sendeth the sword against his house all his dayes, he took another mans wife secretly, and did commit filthinesse with her, the Lord took his wives before the Sun, and gave them to Absolon, who defiled his bed: Here's justice (though I grant mixed with mercy) sword for sword, bed for bed, 2 Sam. 12. Eli honoured his sons more then God, suffered them to profane Priesthood and Sacrifices; justice rooted out his sons from Priesthood and Sacrifices: Hezekiah out of his pride shewed all his Treasures, and all that was in his house to the King of Babylons Messengers; and justice measured out the like to him, all that was in his house, and all his treasures were carried away as a spoile to Babylon. 4. Ezek. 9.6. Slay old and young—begin at my sanctuary, Luk. 1.20. And behold thou shalt be dumb—because thou believest not my word. The Church of God In terminis saith so much, Lamen. 1.18. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against his Commandment: 14. The yoke of my transgression is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck. ch. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sin. 40. Let us search and try our wayes, and turn again to the Lord, Isa. 42.24. Who gave Jacob for a spoil, & Israel to the Robbers? did not the Lord against whom we have sinned? Mica. 7.9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned, 2 Kin. 24.20. For through the anger of the Lord it came to passe in Ierusalem and Iudah, untill he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babylon. Its not of weight that is brought to take off the force of these pregnant Scriptures: The Church consisting of mixed persons, good and bad, elect, and reprobate (say they) is according to the wicked party punished in justice, but not the believing party: But I answer, all Iudah good and and ill, Ieremiah, Daniel, and all the holy seed were involved with the perverse and obstinate Idolaters, in the same common calamity of a sad captivity, and it was not the ill figs, and stiffe-necked Idolaters, that did confesse the Lords Righteousnes, and their own Rebellion against the Lord, nor did the wicked party enter in a Triall of their wayes, and acknowledge that the unregenerate man only suffereth for his sins, nor did any of that side, with patience, hope, and silence, bear the indignation of the Lord, it was the true Church, Gods Iacob, the meek of the earth, that did thus stoop to Gods correction, and yet these same were punished for their sins, as they acknowledge, Lam. 1.18. Mic. 7.9. 5. This is also against the Covenant and threatnings thereof, Lev. 26.21. And if ye walk contrary to me, and will not hearken to me, I will bring seven times more plagues on you, to vers. 41. If then (in their heavy afflictions) their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity. 42. Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob, Psal. 89.30. If his children forsake my Law, and walk not in my judgements, &c. 32. Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, & their iniquitie with stripes. 33. Neverthelesse, my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him, &c. Nothing more evident, then that these that are in the Covenant of Grace, from whom God cannot remove the sure mercies of David, are visited for their iniquities with temporall Rods. 6. It is against Gods anger and displeasure at the sins of his own children, for God is really angry at his own childrens sins, and why then doth he not punish them for their sins? Exod. 4.14. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses. Deut. 1.37. Also the Lord was angry with me for your sake: And the story sheweth, because Moses sanctified not the Lord at the waters of Meribah, God would not suffer him to set his foot in the holy Land. 2 Chr. 11.9. God was angry with Solomon, Deut. 1.20 The Lord was very angry with Aaron, 2 Chro. 19.2. The Prophet Jehu said to Jehosaphat that good King, There is wrath upon thee from the Lord, Isa. 60.10. For in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour, I have had mercy on thee. 7. The contrary error is founded upon two other errors, that all afflictions, are subservient Officers, and Sergeants to the Law, and so they are signes of Gods wrath, as is the Law, and as Beleevers are freed from the ruling power of the Law, so also from the Rod. But this is false, for Gods rod of it self, is neither a signe of revenging justice, nor of free mercy; but it taketh its nature and specification, from the intention and minde of God; all these externalls fall alike, to Elect and Reprobate: The repenting Theefe, and the blaspheming Theefe are under the same Rod of God, both die a violent death: wicked Ahab, and good Josiah are both killed in War: the Botches, and Agues threatned in the Law, Deut. 28.60. are upon Job, chap. 2. v. 7. What maketh then the same Rod to be a work of revenging justice in the Reprobate, and of justice mixed and temperd with mercy and fatherly kindnesse in the other? Certainly, Gods pleasure and wise intention, punishing for different ends, varieth the nature of the rods, so as an intention to take satisfactory vengeance on the Reprobate, specifieth his Rod, and maketh it punishment of black wrath, of salt, and unmixed justice on him, and this intention is an essentiall ingredient in satisfactory punishment. God writeth and ingraveth upon the tooth-ake of a Reprobate, a parcell of Hell; and he stampeth upon burning-quick, racking, and tortering, the ingraving of Heaven, of mercy, and loving kindnesse in the Beleever: bastard Crosses, and lawfully begotten afflictions have the same Father, but not the same Mother: 2. If the Patrons of this error could make Gods rod as A[illegible: 1 letter]bitrary, as they fancy the duties of the teaching, and ruling Law of God to be, they should cry down all Crosses, and send all the justified persons to heaven, with a Passe, securing them from all afflicton in the way to heaven, and so Christ should bring his many children to glory with dry faces, and whole skins; whereas Christ himself passed to heaven with the tear in his eye, and a bruised soul. The other error is, that Christ hath made a full atonement for sin, and fully satisfied justice for all that are justified in his blood, and therefore they cannot be punished for sin themselves: But 1. There is more in the conclusion then in the premises: Ergo, the justified cannot suffer satisfactory punishment for sin, either in whole, or part; this is most true, no mans garments were ever dyed with on drop of red satisfactory vengeance for sin, Christ hath alone trode this Vine-presse, and of all the Nations, there was none with him: but yet it no wayes followeth, that the regenerate doth not suffer punishment for sin, according to the rule of another mixed and tempered justice: 2. If this Argument from Christs suffering, have nerves, it shall conclude, that the Elect before they be justified, are never punished for sin, more then beleeving Saints are; yea that God is not displeased with Abrahams Idolatry before his conversion, nor with Manassehs blood, nor with Sauls persecution, because Christ payed justice for sins of Elect persons committed before justification, as for sins committed after justification. We can fetch no conclusion of a bad condition from affliction.Use 1. Its a part of tendernesse of Conscience in the Regenerate to be too applicatory of the Law and of wrath: Rules to be observed in affliction. I am afflicted above all others, therefore God is angry with me, and I am cast off by God, Its a bad consequence, there be some Rules to be observed in affliction;1. Rule. 1. We are not either to over-argue, or to under-argue, neither to faint, nor dispise, Heb. 12. Conscience is too quick-sighted after illumination, and too dull-sighted before: The reasons why we argue from afflictions to Gods hatred, are; 1. There's a Conscience of a Conscience in the beleever, that is, even in an inlightned Conscience; there is some ill Conscience, to deem ill of God, Psal. 31.22. For I said in my hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes. This is a hasty Conscience, as we say, Such a one is a hasty man, and soon saddled, easily provoked to anger; this is a Conscience soon provoked to anger.2. 2. We have not that love and charity to God, that we have to some Friend; we have such a love to some dear Friend, that all his blacks are white, his seeming injuries to us, do not provoke us; we say (I can beleeve no evill of such a man) and we over-shoot our selves in an over-charge and surfet of charity, which proceedeth from a Superplus and dominion of Love to a creature: We are in the other extremity to God and Jesus Christ: Sense of affliction cooleth our Love, and we cannot extend charity so far to our Lord, as when we see he dealeth hardly with us, to keep the other ear without prejudice, free from the report that affliction, and the sense of affliction maketh. 3. The flesh joyneth with affliction against God, affliction whispereth wrath, justice, sin;3. and the flesh saith, That is very true: For flesh hateth God, and so must slander his Dispensation: Ahab could not but slander Micaiah, he never Prophesieth good (saith he) to me. Is not Gods Truth good? Surely, every word of Prophesie is like gold seven times tried: The reason of the slander is given by himself: I hate him. The other extremity is, that we under-argue in affliction; as 1. We say, Its not the Lord: the Philistims doubted whither God had sent the Emrods on them, for keeping the Ark captive, or if chance had done it: its grace to father the crosse right. 2. We look seldome spiritually on the crosse, a carnall eye upon a crosse is a plague, Esa. 42.23. Gods anger set him on fire round about, and he knew not, and it burned him, and he laid it not to heart. Its strange that Gods fire should burn a man: and yet he neither seeth nor feeleth fire: Why? there's something of God in the crosse, that the carnall eye cannot see: because as Zophar saith, Job 20.26. A fire not blown shall consume him: Some make it (and not without reason) a fire that hath no noise of bellows or wind to make it take fire, and to flame up, some are burnt, and they neither hear nor see; there's a white powder that burneth and maketh no noise or sound; a dumb rod is twice a rod, we scarce see what God is doing in this War, we are smitten of God in the dark; and so wicked men never do come lawfully out of affliction, they see not God, nor sin, and for that cometh not out of prison by the Kings keyes, but they break the Goal, and leap out at a window; the Land is to see all the circumstances of this bloody War in these three Kingdoms. Use 2.We are to put a difference between Gods afflicting one man, and a whole Church: Now, God hath his fire in our Sion, and we wonder that Wars have lyen on Germanie twenty six years, and that for divers years the sword hath been on us in these Kingdoms. A Land or a Nation must be longer in the fire then one particular person. 1. There be many vessels to be melted, a fire for an afternoon, or a war for a morning, of a day, or a week, cannot do it. Seven dayes sicknesse of a dying Childe, putteth David to go softly and in sackcloth: Years are little enough to humble proud Scotland, and England. God humbled Israel 400. years and above in Aegypt, and kept them forty years in the Wildernesse, and Judah must lye smoaking in the Furnace seventy years. 2. One Temple was forty six years a building, God hath taken eighty years to Reform England, and many years to Reform Scotland, and the Temple is not builded yet; give to our Lord time, hope, and wait on. 3. Babylon is a great Cedar that cannot fall at the first stroak, its not a work of one day or a year, to bring that Princes, the Lady of Nations from Her Throne of glory, to sit in the dust, and take the Milstones and grinde meal.

SERMON V. VExed with a Devil. Satan worketh as a naturall agent, without moderation. [non-Latin text not transcribed] She is Devilled, that is, fully possessed: The malice of the Devill is a naturall agent, and worketh as intently and bently as he can, as agens maximum quod sic, the fire putteth forth all its strength in burning, the Sun heateth and inlightneth as vehemently as it can: A Milstone fallen from the sphere of the Moon down to the earth, useth no moderation or abetment in its motion: The malice of Hell being let loose, it worketh mischief by nature, not by will. Satans possession is full, Peter saith to Ananias, Acts 5.3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye against the Holy Ghost? As there is a fulnes of God, Eph. 3.19. so there's a fulnesse of the Devil, as Rom. 1.29. being filled with all unrighteousnesse. It is no wonder that Cavaliers and Malignants work as their Father, the nature of the Father is in the son, modus operandi sequitur modum essendi, the manner of working, is sutable to the nature of the worker, hel works like Hell, Ier. 3.5. Behold thou hast spoken, and done evil as thou couldst, Esa. 5.18. They draw sin and iniquity, not with a rush or a threed, but with [illegible: 1 letter]ords of vanity, and with a cart rope, Mic. 7.3. They do evil with both hands earnestly. All that malice and Hell could do of cruelty to young & old, to women & sucking infants, hath been done in Ireland and England: The Devil in his element is twice a Devil, he is in his own when he formeth and actuateth bloodie instruments, and he aboundeth in his own sphere; Satans malice, its alone, is great, and a sinners wrath is heavier then stones and sand: but when they are conjoyned (as united force is stronger) who can stand before them? Christs Lambs have been preserved amidst Devils and men, since the Creation, amongst Wolves, by no humane power and strength. Observe, That all that came to Christ have been forced through some one necessity or other, either a leaprous body, blind eyes, a palsey, a bloody issue, a withered arme, or a dying son, and that some have been brought to Christ, at least their Parents or Friends have come to Christ through reason of bodily possession by the Devil; but we read of none that came through reason of the Devil's spirituall possessing of them, Spiritual [illegible: 1 word] chase [illegible: 1 letter]ew or none to Christ. either by themselves or others. 1. There is much flesh and much nature in us, and so much sense and little spirit, and little of God; a blinde eye will chase thee to Christ, a soul under the Prince of darknesse will not. 2. We are all body, and life, and time; but we are not all Soul, and Spirit, and Eternity: Heaven is far from being the master Element in us. 3. Misplaced love is much, Ioh. 8.44. Ye are of your Father the Devil, saith Christ to the Jews; every childe loveth the Father. Why? And men love not the Devil; doth not every wretch through natures instinct, abhor the Devil? Is not this the Mother-devotion of any wretch that knoweth nothing of God from the womb? God save me from the Devil, and all his works, How men naturally love the Devil. I have nothing to do with that fowl spirit. Its true, There's a physicall hatred of the Devil; as he is a spirit, an Angel and the Pursevant of divine justice, inflicting evil of punishment on all men naturally; but there's in all men an inbred morall love of the Devil, as he is a fallen spirit, tempting to sin; here every prisoner loveth this keeper, like loveth like, broken men and Bankrupt flee together to Woods and Mountains; an Out-law loveth an Out-law, Fowls of a feather flock together, the Devil and sinfull men are both broken men, and Out-laws of Heaven, and of one blood; wicked men are, 1 Ioh. 3.10. The children of the Devil, they have that naturall relation of Father and Son: There's of the Devils seed in sinners, there's a spirituall concupiscence in Devils, to lust against Gods Image and Glory, and Satan findeth his own seed in us by nature, to wit, concupiscence, a stem, a sprouting, and childe of the house of Hell. It were good we knew our own misery, the man resolveth a prisoner has a sweet life, who loveth his own chains because made of gold, and hateth them not because chains, and falleth to Paint the walls of his Dungeon, and to put up Hangings in his Prison, and will but over-gild with gold his Iron Fetters: Oh! are we not in love with our own Dungeon of sin? and do we not bear a kinde love to our Father the Devill? We bring in provision for the flesh, and nourish the Old man, as old as since Adam-first sinned: Alas, we never saw our Father in the face, we love the Devill as the Devill fallen in sin, but we see him not as a Devill, but only under the embroderies of golden and silken temptations, we sow to the flesh, we Inne our Crop to the Devill, but we know not our Land-lord; and because sense and flesh is nearer to us then God, we desire more the Liberties of State, free commerce, and peace with the King, then Christs Liberties, the power, and purity of the Gospel, that we may negotiate with Heaven, and have peace with God. Vnclean spirit] This is the quality of this Devil: Satan how an uncleane Spirit. An unclean Devil. Now whether he be called so, because he tempted the Maid to some prodigious acts of uncleannesse, or because in generall he tempteth to uncleannesse of sins; so as uncleannesse is but a generall Epithet of all the Devils; I professe my ignorance, how ever all devils have this general name, unclean spirits, because of their spirituall uncleannesse: Its certain, Devils are, 1. Black, now they being fallen in a smoky Hell, and kept under the power and chains of darknesse, they are but lumps of black Hell, and darknesse, whereas they are created fair Angels: 1. Truth is the fairest thing that is, obedience to God is truth, Ioh. 3.21. Sin is the most ugly, and deformed thing in the world: and therefore sinners can have no communion with God, while they be washed: 2. Devils were once pure and clean spirits, their understandings were made clear, to see God and his beauty; now these fair spirits are darkned, for their fellow-Angels who sinned not, are yet Seraphims, and Lamps of light, and these Angels (saith Christ, Mat. 18.10.) Do alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven. Then the more Grace of Christ, the more clearnesse of saving knowledge and sound reason; Grace maketh more solid wisdom then Art or Learning; by this David excelled all his Teachers, and the Ancient ones: In Satans fools the right principle of wisdom is extinguished; the Prophet spake it of States-men, or rather State fools, Jer. 8.9. Lo they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdome is in them? As there be pollutions of the flesh, so are there pollutions of the minde and spirit, 2 Tim. 3.8. Men of corrupt minde, Its true wisdom, to know GOD savingly. are men of rotten mindes; false opinions of God are rottennesse in the understanding. 1 Tim. 1.7. The spirit of a sound minde, vers. 13. Hold fast the form of sound words: There are some words that come from a sick minde, as Tit. 1.13. The Apostle holdeth forth, that there be some sick of the Faith, as there be some sound of the Faith, Prov. 2.7. The Lord giveth sound wisdome [non-Latin text not transcribed] its Essence and being: Tushija, Pagnin, Substantiam: R. Levi, reservabit rectis id quod est; Ra. David saith, Because wisdom and the Law of God is an abiding, and (as Aben Ezra saith) A living thing that endureth to eternity; whereas indeed humane wisdome, and false opinions of God, are passing-away things, the lye liveth not a long age: wisdom is a Tree of Life, Psal, 119.80. Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes: [non-Latin text not transcribed] perfect, wanting nothing, a fool wanteth the best part of his heart: State-wisdom, not lying levell to Christs ends, but commensurated with carnall projects, is but folly. Hearing of him] What had she heard? that Jesus was the Son of God, Art. 5 Mark 7 the Messiah of Israel, and could, and was willing to heal her daughter: two things are here observable, hearing of Christ drew her to Christ: 2. Its good to border with Christ, and to be near hand to him: There is a necessity that we hear of Christ, before we come to him. This is Gods way, Rom. 10. Faith cometh by hearing: Christ is not in us from the womb, Faith is not a flower that groweth out of such a sowre and cold ground as nature; its a stem and a birth of heaven: 2. None can come to Christ, except they heer a good report of him. How shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? Those who come aright to Christ, must have noble, high, long, deep, and broad thoughts of Iesus, What hearing bringeth souls to Christ. and know the Gospel. Now what is the Gospel? Nothing but a good report of Christ; you must hear a Gospel-report of Christ, ere you come to him: Ill principled thoughts of Christ keepeth many from him, 1 Kin. 8.42. Strangers shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand. Christ was to be heard by the deaf Gentiles, Is. 29.18. In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book: We hear, and we hear not, because the Lord wakeneth not the ear, morning by morning, that we may hear as the learned: Many hear, but they have not the learned ear, nor the ear of such as have heard and learned of the Father: Many hear of Christ, a voice, and no more but a voice, they know not that Prophesie, Isa. 30.21. Thine ears shall hear a word behinde thee, saying, This is the way walk ye in it: There's another vice in our hearing men do not hear, that they may hear, Isa. 42.18. Hear ye deaf, and behold ye blinde, that ye may see: That is, hear that ye may hear, see that ye may see: the Lord giveth Grace, that he may give Grace, and we are to receive Grace, that we may receive Grace: Grace is the only reward of Grace: 3. We hear, and we hear not; we see, but we have no reflect-act upon our seeing: Many open their ears to Christ, but they hear not, they want a spirituall faculty of observing, Esa. 42.20. Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ear, but he heareth not. 4. Many put Christ in an ear without a bottome, or in ear with a hole in its bottom; we hear of Christ, Heb. 2. but we are as leaking and running-out vessels, Esa. 42.23. Who among you will give ear to this, and hear for the time to come? Physicians give their three causes of Deafnesse: 1. When there's a carnosity on the Tympanum auris, Three vices in hearing. the drum, this is Extrinsicall, the world is another lover, and the care of it, and that hindereth hearing. 2. When the organ of hearing is hurt and distempered, as a lame hand cannot apprehend: now when there be false fancies, & principles contrary to the Gospel in the heart, the ear cannot hear. 3. When there is abundance of humors in the brain, and they raise a noise, and tumult in tympano, in the drum, and hinder sounds to be heard. When Pride, and Principles of Sensuality and vain pleasures make a noise within, that neither Christ knocking, nor his voice without can be heard, men are deaf. But why do we not hear and see Christ revealing himself in his wayes and works? Reason would say,Simile. If Hell and Judgement were before our eyes, we should hear and come to Christ: Suppose we saw with our eyes for twenty or thirty yeers together, a great furnace of fire, of the quantity of the whole earth, and saw there, Cain, Judas, Ahitophel, Saul, and all the damned, as lumps of red fire, and they boyling and louping for pain in a dungeon of everlasting brimstone, and the black and terrible devils with long and sharp-tooth'd whips of Scorpions, lashing out scourges on them; and if we saw there our Neighbours, Brethren, Sisters, yea our dear Children, Wives, Fathers and Mothers, A sight of Hell should not work Faith without Graces efficacious action. swimming and sinking in that black Lake, and heard the yelling, shouting, crying of our young ones and fathers, blaspheming the spotlesse Justice of God; if we saw this, while we are living here on Earth, we should not dare to offend the Majesty of God, but should hear, come to Christ, and believe and be saved. But the truth is, If we believe not Moses and the Prophets, neither should we believe for this, because we see with our eyes, and hear with our ears, even while we are in this life daily, pieces and little parcels of Hell, for we see and hear daily some tumbling in their blood, thousands cut down of our Brethren, Children, Fathers, Malefactors hanged and quartered, Death in every house: These, these be little hells, and little coals and sparkles of the great fire of hell, and certain Documents to us, that there is a Hell. Yet we neither hear nor come to Christ. Nay, suppose a Preacher come from Hel to the rich Gluttons five brethren, Luk. 16. and should bring with him all the lashes, and print of the whips of Satans Scorpions, on back and side, on thighs, arms and legs; and though he should bring up to us out of hell, ten thousand damned, and bring with him the fire, the red coals of the Fury of God, every coal as great as a mountain, and offer them all to our eyes and ears & senses, such is the power of our deafnesse and blindnes, that we should not believe: For when many little hells work so little by length of time, this one great hell should never bring us to hear, and come to Christ. See how little we are affected with the blood of so many thousands of our own flesh in the three Kingdoms: Alas! our senses are confined within time. Its good to border neer to Christ. The other thing observable, is, That it is good to be neer the place where Christ is. It was advantage, that the woman dwelt upon the borders of the Land where Christ was; Its good for the poor to be a Neighbour beside the rich, and for the thirsty to take up house and dwell at the Fountain, and for the sick to border with the Physician. O love the ground that Christ walketh on; To be born in Sion is an honour, Psal 87.6. because there the Lord dwelleth. Its a blessing to hear and see Christ, Mat. 13.16. we do not weigh, nor duely esteem what a favour it is, that Christ walketh in the midst of the golden Candlesticks, that the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land; its ours, to build him a pallace of Silver. For the sixth Article, which is, Her adoring of Christ; it shall be spoken of in another place: I hasten therefore to her Prayer.

SERMON VI. IN her Prayer, as it is expressed by Matthew, we have, 1. The maner of it, She cryed. 2. The compellation or party to whom, she prayeth, O Lord, thou son of David. 3. The Petition, Have mercy on me. 4. The Reason, For my daughter is vexed with a Devil. She cryed: The poor woman prayed (as we say) with good will, with a bent affection. Why is crying used in praying? Had it not been more modesty to speak to this soul-redeeming Saviour, who heareth sometimes before we pray, then to cry out and shout? For the Disciples do after complain, that She cryeth so after them: Was Christ so difficile, to be intreated? The reasons of crying; are, 1. Want cannot blush; the pinching necessity of the Saints, is not tyed to the law of Modesty: Hunger cannot be ashamed, Psal. 55.2. I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise, saith David, and Ezekiah, Esa. 38.14. Like a Crane, or a Swallow, Crying in Prayer necessary. so did I chatter; I did mourn as a Dove, Job 30.28. I went mourning without the Sun; I stood up (and) I cryed in the congregation. 2. Though God hear Prayer onely as Prayer offered in Christ, not because very fervent; yet fervour is a heavenly ingredient in Prayer; an arrow drawn with full strength, hath a speedier issue; therefore the Prayers of the Saints are expressed by crying in Scripture, Ps. 22.2. O my God, I cry by day, and thou hearest not, Ps. 55.17. At noon wil I pray, and cry aloud, Ps 18.6. In my distresse I cryed to the Lord, Ps. 88.13. Vnto thee have I cryed, O Lord, Ps. 130.1. Out of the depths have I cryed, Jon. 2.2. Out of the belly of Hell, I cryed, Psal. 28.1. Vnto thee will I cry, O Lord, my Rock: Yea it goeth to somewhat more then crying, Job. 19.7. I cry out of wrong, but am not heard, Lam. 3.8. Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my Prayers: He who may teach us all to pray, sweet Jesus, Heb. 5.7. In the days of his flesh offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, he prayed with war shouts: 3. And these prayers are so prevalent, that God answereth them, Psal. 34.6. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard and saved him from all his fears, Ps. 18.6. My cry came before him, even to his ears: the cry addeth wings to the prayer, As a speedy Post sent to Court upon life and death, Ps. 22.5. Our fathers cryed unto thee, and were delivered, Psal. 34.17. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth: We all know the Parable of the poor Widow, and the unrighteous judge; if the oppressed be not delivered, Christ and his Father, and Heaven, shall hear of it: hence, 4. Importunity in praying, I will not let thee go (saith Iacob to his Lord) till thou blesse me: So James calleth it, chap. 5. v. 16. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Prayer possessed with a spi[illegible: 1 letter]it, but a good spirit-Prayer, steeled with fervor of spirit, so fervent that David is like the Post, who layeth by three horses as breathlesse; his heart, his throat, his eyes, Ps. 69.3. I am wearie of my crying, my throat is dried, mine eyes fail, while I wait for my God: 5. There is violence offered to God, in fervent prayer, Exod. 32.10. Moses is answered, when he is wrestling with God by Prayer, for the people, Now therefore let me alone, that my anger may wax hot against them: Let me alone, is a word, of putting violent hands in any: there be bones and sinews in such prayers, by them the King is held in his Galleries, Cant. 7.5. Object. Obj. 1. Praying sometime wanteth words, so as groaning goeth for Prayer. But if so be that prayers must bee fervent, even to vocal crying and shouting, then I cannot pray, who am often so confounded, that I cannot speak one word. Ans. So was the servant of God, in a Spirituall kind of praying, in uttering the Psal. 77. when he saith v. 4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking, I am so troubled that I cannot speak; yea groaning goeth for praying to God, Psal. 102.20. The Lord looked down from heaven, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, Rom. 8.26. The spirit intercedeth for us, [non-Latin text not transcribed] with sighes that none can speak. Faith doth sigh prayers to heaven, Christ receiveth sighs in his censure for Prayer: words are but the body, the garment,Obj. 2. How many other expressions, beside vocal prayer, go under the worth of prayer in Gods accompt. the outside of Prayer, sighs are neerer the heart-work, a dumb beggar getteth an almes at Christs gates, even by making signes, when his tongue cannot plead for him, and the rather because he is dumb. Object. 2. I have not so much as a voice to utter to God; and Christ saith, Cant. 2.14. Cause me hear thy voice. Ans. Yea, but some other thing hath a voice beside the tongue, Psal. 6.8. The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping: Tears have a tongue, and Grammar, and language, that our Father knoweth. Babes have no prayers for the breast, but weeping, the mother can read hunger on weeping. Object. 3. But I am often so as I cannot weep, weeping is peculiar to a man as laughing is, Obj. 3. Some affections in p[illegible: 1 letter]ayer are greater and above weeping. and spirituall weeping is peculiar to the renewed man. Ans. Vehemencie of affection doth often move weeping, so as it is but spilt weeping that we can attain hence, Ezechiah can but chatter as a crane, and a swallow, and moan as a dove, Is. 38.14. Sorrow keepeth not alway the Roadway, weeping is but the scabberd of sorrow, and there's often more sorrow where there is little or no weeping, there's most of fire, where there is least smoak. Obj. 4. Looking up to heaven goeth for praying. Object. 4. But I have neither weeping one way or other, ordinary, nor marred. Ans. Looking up to heaven, lifting up of the eyes, goeth for Prayer also in Gods Books, Psal. 5.3. My Prayer will I direct to thee, and I will look up, Isa. 48.14. Mine eyes fail with looking upward, Psal. 69.3. Because, 1. Prayer is a pouring out of the soul to God, and Faith will come out at the eye, in lieu of another door, often affections break out at the window, when the door is closed as smoak venteth at the window, when the Chimney refuseth passage; Steven lookt up to Heaven, Act. 7.55. He sent a Post, a greedy, pittifull, and hungry look up to Christ, out at the window, at the neerest passage, to tel a poor friend was coming up to him: 2. I would wish no more, if I were in Hell, but to send a long-look up to Heaven; there be many love looks of the Saints, lying up before the Throne, in the bosome of Christ: the twinkling of thy eyes in Prayer are not lost to Christ; elie Stevens look, Davids look should not be registred so many hundred years in Christs written Testament. Object. 5. Alas, I have no eyes to look up; Obj. 5. Breathing goeth for praying. the Publican, Luk. 18. looked down to the earth, and what senses Spirituall have I to send after Christ. Ans. There's life going in and out at thy nostrils: Breathing is praying, and taken off our hand, as crying in Prayer, Lam. 3.56. Thou hast heard my voice, hide not thy ear at my breathing, at my cry. Object. 6. I have but a heard heart to offer to God in Prayer, and what can I say then, Obj. 6. Wherein is that least in which praeyer may be conserved. wanting all praying disposition? Ans. 1. Therefore pray, that you may pray: 2. The very aspect, and naked presence of a deed spirit, when there is a little vocall praying, its acceptable to God; or if an overwhelmed heart refuseth to come, its best to go and tell Christ, and request him to come and fetch the heart himself: 3. Little of day light cometh before the Sun, the best half of it is under ground, Ro. 8.23. We our selves groan within our selves; All is here transacted in our own heart, the soul cryeth, O when will my Father come, and fetch his children? When shall the Spousely in her Husbands bosome? 4. If Christs eye but look on a hard heart it will melt it: 5. I shew heer the Minimum quod sic, the smallest of Prayer, in which the life and essence of Prayer may breath and live: Now Prayer being a powring out of the soul to God, much of the affections of love, desire, longing, joy, Faith, sorrow, fear, boldnesse, comes along with prayer out to God, and the heart is put in Christs bosome, and its neither up nor down to the essenc of sincere praying; whether the soul come out in words, in groans, or in long-looks, or in sighing, or in powring out tears to God, Job 16.20. or in breathing. Obj. 7.Object. 7. What shall be done with half praying, and words without sense? Ans. This is the woman of Canaans case, Piscator observeth an Elepsis of the word or Particle [non-Latin text not transcribed] or (because) or (for) Have mercy on me, my daughter is vexed, she should have said, because my daughter is vexed: But the minde is hasty, that she lets slip words: so are broken Prayers set down in Scripture, as Prayers, Psal. 116.1. I love, because the Lord hath heard my voice: There's nothing in the Hebrew but one word, Broken Prayers a[illegible: 1 letter]e Prayers. [non-Latin text not transcribed] I love, but he sheweth not whom he loveth; its a broken word, because as Ambrose saith, He loved the most desireable thing: I have love (he would say) but its centure and bed is only God, Psal. 6.3. My soul is sore vexed, but thou, O Lord, how long? That is a broken speech also, Psal. 109.4. For my love they were my enemies, in the Hebrew its [non-Latin text not transcribed] Vani Tephilla, at ego oratio: But I prayer; or, I was all Prayer, as if I in soul and body had been made of Prayer. The reasons of broken Prayers, are often; 1. The hastinesse of the affections, not the hastinesse alwayes of unbelief, Esa. 28.16. But often of Faith, 2 Pet. 3.10. Love and longing for Christ have Eagles wings, and love flyeth, when words do but creep as a Snail: 2. It cometh from a delique in the affections (they are broken as a too high bended Bow) that there's a swooning and delique of words; every part of a supplication to a Prince is not a supplication: a poor man out of fear may speak Non-sense, and broken words that cannot be understood by the Prince, but non-sense in Prayer, when sorrow, blacknesse and a dark overwhelmed spirit dictateth words, are well known in, and have a good sence to God; therefore to speak morally, The Lord knoweth nonsense in a broken Spirit to be good sense. Prayer being Gods fire, as every part of fire, is fire: so here every broken Parcell of Prayer, is Prayer; so the Forlorne son forgot the half of his Prayers, he resolved to say, Luk. 15.19. Make me as one of thy hired servants; but v. 21. He prayeth no such thing, and yet his Father fell on his neck and kissed him; a Plant is a tree in the potency, an infant man, seeds of saving grace, are saving grace; prayer is often in the bowels and womb of a sigh; though it come not out, yet God heareth it as a Prayer, Rom. 8.27. And he that scarcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God, Psal. 10.17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Desires have no sound with men, so as they come to the ear, but with God they have a sound as Prayers have: Then when others cannot know what a groan meaneth, God knoweth what is under the lap of a sigh, because his Spirit made the sigh: he first made the Prayer as an intercessor, and then as God heareth it: he is within praying, and without hearing. Object. 8. But are all my cryings in Prayer works of the Spirit? Obj. 8. Ans. The flesh may come in and joine in Prayer, and some things may be said in haste, not in Faith, as in that Prayer, Ps ▪ 77.9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Nor is that of Jeremiahs to be put in Christs golden censure to be presented to the Father, Jer. 15.18. Wilt thou be altogether to me as a Liar, and as waters that fail? nor that of Job 13.24. Wherefore holdest thou me for thy enemy? Christ washeth sinners in his blood, but he washeth not sin: he advocateth for the man that prayeth to have him accepted, but not for the upstarts and boylings of corruption, and the flesh that are mixed with our Prayer, to have them made white: Christ rejecteth these things in prayer that are essentially ill, but he washeth the prayer, and causeth the Father accept it. There be so many other things that are a powring out of the soul in prayer, as groaning, sighing, looking up to heaven, breathing, weeping, that it cannot be imagined how far short printed and read prayers cometh of vehement praying; for you cannot put sighs, groans, tears, breathing, and such heart messengers down in a printed Book, nor can paper and ink lay your heart in all its sweet affections out before God, the Service-book then must be toothlesse and spiritlesse talk.

SERMON VII. SOn of David, O Lord, thou son of David:] In this compellation, consider why Christ is called the son of David, never the son of Adam ▪ never the son of Abraham? Its true, he is called frequently the Son of man, but never when any prayeth to him: and he is reckoned in his Genealogy, Davids son, Abrahams son, the son of Adam; but the son of David is his ordinary stile when prayers are directed to him in the days of his flesh. The Reasons are, 1. Christ had a speciall relation to Abraham being his seed, but more speciall to David, Because the Covenant was in a speciall maner established with David as a King, and the first King in whose hand the Church, the feeding thereof as Gods own flock, was as Gods depositum and pawn laid down; the Lord established the Covenant of Grace with David, and his son Solomon, who was to build him a house, and promised to him an Eternall Kingdom, and Grace, and perseverance in Grace, and that by a sure Covenant, the sure mercies ef David, Esa. 55.3. 2 Sam. 7.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. 1 Chron. 22.9, 10. 2 Sam. 23.5 Yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure, for (this is) all my salvation, and all my desire, Psal. 89.3. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant. 4. Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy Throne to all generations, vers. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37. Gabriel the Angel speaketh the same to Zacharias, Luk 1.32.33 So vers 68, 69. Acts 13.34, 35, 36, 37. Acts 2.30 Now it was necessary that Christ the Messiah should lineally descend of a King: Why Christ is frequently called the son of David, not the son of Adam, &c. Abraham was not a King, Adam was not formally a king by covenant as David was. 2. Christ changeth names with David, as he never did with any man: Christ is never called Abraham, but Ezek. 34.23, 24. David my servant shall be a Prince among them, Hos. 3.5. They shall seek the Lord their God, and David their King: 3. David entred to a Typicall Throne against the heart of Jew and Gentile, Psal. 2.1.2. And so did Christ, Acts 4.25, 26. And did feed the people of God in the midst of many enemies, Psal. 110.1, 2. And so did Christ, Acts 2.34, 35, 36. Not so Abraham, he was a befriended man in a strange Land. That which I aime at is this, The Covenant. Christ a King by Covenant. by the received Divinity of the Jews, and of the Gentiles who knew God, Christ was a King by the Covenant of Grace, and the speciall party of the new Covenant, as was David. This may be made more evident, if we enquire a little in the Covenant: 1. What it is: 2. Who be the parties. 3. What promises. 4. What condition. 5. What properties. 6. Some uses, with all Brevity: The Covenant is here a joynt and mutuall bargain between two, What the Crvenant of Grace is, and what things are in it. according to which they promise freely such and such things each to other; hence God and man made up a solemn bargain in Christ: 2. They both consent: Christ forced not his Spouse to marry against her will, nor was God forced to make a covenant. Love and Grace was that which lead Christs hand at the pen, in signing the covenant with his blood. 3. As a cluster of Stars maketh a constellation, a body of Branches a Tree, so a masse of Promises concurreth in this Covenant. Where ever Christ is, clusters of Divine Promises groweth out of him, as the Motes, Rayes, and Beams from the Sun, and a family (as it were) and a society of Branches out of a Tree. 4. There is here giving and receiving; Christ offereth and giveth, such and such favours, we receive all by beleeving, except the grace of Faith, which cannot be received by Faith, but by free favour and grace without us in God: Grace first and last was all our happinesse; If there had not been a Saviour (to borrow that expression) made all of Grace, grace it self, we could never have had dealing with God. Parties in the Covenant. 2. The parties of the Covenant are, God and Man; Oh how sweet! that such a Potter, and such a former of all things should come in terms of Bargaining with such clay, as is guilty before him! Now the parties heer, on the one part, is GOD; on the other, The Mediator Christ, and the children that the Lord gave him. Observe, 1. In the covenant of Nature and Works: God and his friend Adam were parties contracting: And in the second covenant, God and his fellow Christ, and all his are parties; a covenant of Peace cannot be between an Enemy and an Enemy as they are such; those who were Enemies, must lay down wrath ere they enter into covenant; contraries as contraries cannot be united: God being the sole author of this covenant, did lay aside enmity first; Love must first send out love, as fire must cast out heat: Its true, this covenant is made with sinners, (as God made the covenant of nature with Adam ▪ yet righteous) but an Union covenant wise could never have been, except God had in a manner bowed to us, and grace proved out of measure gracious. Christ h[illegible: 2 letters]h a seven fold relation in the Covenant of Grace. Christ is the party here; so Christ hath a seven fold relation: 1. As he is more then a creature, he is the Covenant it self: 2. As he dealeth between the parties, he is the Messenger of the Covenant: 3. As he saw and heard, and testifieth all, he is the Witnesse of the Covenant: 4. As he undertaketh for the parties at variance, he is the Surety of the Covenant: 5. As he standeth between the contrary parties, he is the Mediator of the Covenant: 6. As he signeth the Covenant, and closeth all the Articles; he is the Testator of the Covenant: 7. As he is a side or the half of the Covenant; he is the Party contracting in the Covenant. For the first, Isa. 42.6.1. Christ the Covenant it self. I gave thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, Isa. 49.8. I will preserve thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people: Christ, God and man, is all the Covenant: 1. Because he is given to fulfill the Covenant on both sides: 2. He is the Covenant, In abstracto, he is very Peace and Reconciliation it self, Mic. 5.5. And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come unto our Land: 2. Christ the Messenger of the Covenant. As fire is hot for it self, and all things hot for it, and by participation: so thou art in so far in Covenant with Christ, as thou hast any thing of Christ, want Christ and want Peace and the Covenant. 2. Mal. 3.1. The Lord whom ye seek, Christ as Messenger of the Covenant, maketh report to us of his Fathers [illegible: 1 letter]il. shall suddenly come to his Temple, even the Messenger or Angel of the Covenant whom ye delight in: Christ travelleth with tidings between the parties: 1. He reporteth of God to us, that its his fathers will that we be saved, Joh. 6.39. 2. Christ reporteth of himself, for it setteth Christ, to be a Broker for Christ;2. Of himse[illegible: 1 letter]f. and wisdom to cry in the streets (who will have me) Prov 1.21, 22. Prov. 9.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. It became the Lord Jesus to praise himself, Joh. 6.48. Joh. 8.12. I am that bread of life, I am the light of the world, Joh. 10.9. I am the door, v. 11. I am the good Shepherd: 3. Of his father to us. 4. Of us to the father. 3. He praiseth his Father, Joh. 15. My Father is the good Husband-man. 4. He suiteth us in marriage, and commendeth his Father, and our father in law: You marry me, dear souls, O but my Father is a great person, Joh. 14.2. In my Fathers house are many dwelling places: 2. He commendeth us to the Father, a Messenger making peace will do all this, Joh. 17.8. They have received thy words, and have known surely, that I came out from thee, and they have beleeved that thou didst send me. 25. O Righteous Father, the world have not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me: Ministers cannot speak of Christ and his father, as he can do himself: O come hear Christ speak of Christ, and of his Father, and of heaven, for for he saw all: O sweet beleever, Christ giveth thee a good report in heaven, the Father and the Son are speaking of thee behinde-backs; A good report in Heaven is of much esteem; Christ spake more good of thee then thou art all worth; He telleth over again Ephraims prayers behinde his back, Jer. 30.18. O woe to thee, Christ is telling black tidings of thee in Heaven, Such a man will not beleeve in me, he hateth me, and my cause, and my people: Christ cannot lye of any man. 3. Christ is an Eye-witnesse of the Covenant, and heard and saw all;3. Christ the witnesse of the Covenant. the whole Covenant was a bloudy act, acted upon his person, Isa. 55.4. Behold I have given him for a witnesse to the people, Rev. 1.5. The faithfull witnesse, Rev. 3.14. The Amen, Christ witnesseth especially 4. things. the faithfull and true witnesse. The Covenant saith, 1. The Son of man came to seek, and to save the lost, Luke 19.10. Amen, saith Christ, I can witnesse that to be true. 2. Christ dyed and rose again for sinners; Amen, saith the witnesse, Joh. 1.18. I was dead, and behold I live for evermore, Amen. Christ putteth his Seal to that; This is a true and faithfull saying, That Christ Jesus came into the world to die for sinners. I can swear that is true, saith Christ. 3. The world shall have an end (saith the Covenant) and time shal be no more. By him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven and earth, (saith this Angel-witnesse; Rev. 10.6.) that is most true. Time shall be no more. Its a controversie to the world, if Eternity be comming: Christ endeth the controversie with an oath. 4. Christ shall judge the world, and all shall bow to me. This Amen of God, saith that's true, Rom. 14.11. For as it is written, as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me. The Covenant of Works had a promise; but because it was, 1. Conditionall. 2. To be broken and done away, it had no oath of God as this hath. O doubting soul, thou sayest that thy salvation is not sure. Why? And its a sworn Article of the Covenant, thou hast Christs great Oath on it: Alas, God loveth not me: hast thou the Son? thou hast a true Testimony, its not so; and Pro. 14.5. A faithfull Witnesse will not lie: Christ has cause to remember that thou art saved, he beareth the marks of it in his body: Athiest! thou sayest who knoweth there's a heaven and hell? Why, the Witnesse of the Covenant saith, I was in both, and saw both. 4 Christ the Surety of the covenant 4. Heb. 7.22. Christ is the surety of the better Covenant: And in this the Father is surety for Christ, if he undertake for David, and Hezekiah, Psal. 119.122. Isa. 38.14. Far more for his own Son; God hath given his word for Christ, he shall do the work, Isa. 52.13. Behold my righteous servant shall deal prudently, Isa. 50.9. Behold the Lord God will help me, and again, the Son is Surety to the Father; And the great undertaker, that God shall fulfill his part of the Covenant, that the Father shall give a Kingdom to his flock, Luke 12.32. Joh. 6.37 38, Christ a Surety. 39. 1. Christ as a Surety for us, hath payed a ransome for us. 2. Giveth a new heart to his fellow-confederats. 3. And is ingaged to lose none of them, Ioh. 17.12. But raise them up at the last day, Joh. 6.39. If we could surrender ou[illegible: 1 letter] selves to Christs undertaking, and get once [illegible: 1 letter] word that he is become good to the Father for us, all were well, woe to him who is that loose man, as he has not Christ under an Act, and band of Surety, that he shall keep him to the day of God: we make loose bargains in the behalf of our souls. 5. As Christ standeth between the two Parties,5. Christ is the mediator of the Covenant. he is the great Lord Mediator of the new Covenant, Heb. 12.24. 1. Substantially, our Text calleth him Lord the Son of David, by condition of nature, he hath something of God, as being true God, and something of man as sharing with us, hence is he Mediator by Office, and layeth his hands on both parties; Christ hath a threefold relation as a mediator As a days man doth, Job 9.33. In which he hath a threefold relation: 1. Of a friend to both, he hath Gods heart for man to be gracious, and satisfie mercy, and a mans heart for God to satisfie justice: 2. Of a reconciler to make two one, to bring down God to a Treaty of Peace, to take him off Law, and high demands of Law, which sought personall satisfaction of us, and in his body to bring us up to God, by a ransome payed, and by giving us faith to draw near to his Father; so he may say Sister and Spouse, come up now to my Father, and your Father, to my God, and your God; and Father come down to my Brethren, my kindred and flesh: 3. He is a common servant to both: Gods servant, Christ Gods servant, and our servant, and smitten of both. in a hard piece of service as ever was, Isa. 52.13. Isa. 42.1. Behold my servant, Isa. 53.11. My righteous servant; yea and our servant, Mat. 20.28. He came not to be served, but to serve, and give his life a ransome for many: Alas, both parties did smite him, Isa. 53.10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, Rom. 8.32. God spared not his own Son, and the other party his own, smote him, Mat. 21.38. This is the heire come let us kill him (say they) and seize on the inheritance: This was cold incouragement to sweet Jesus: if it had been referred to us, for shame we could not have asked God to be a suffering Mediator for us, there's more love in Christ then Angels and men could fathom in their conceptions. 6. Christ confirmed & sealed the Testament. 6. The Covenant is the Testament of our dead friend Jesus, he died to confirme the Testament, Heb. 9.16.17. Every blood could not seal the Covenant, Christs blood as dying sealed the everlasting Covenant, Heb. 13.20. It both expiated the sins of the Covenanters, and also brought back the great Shepheard of the sheep from death; For Christ having once paid blood and died, it was free to the Surety to come out of prison, when he had paid the sum. 7. The seventh relation of Christ maketh way to the parties,7. Christ the principal confederate party of the Covenant. and here Christ cometh under a double consideration, one as God; so he is one with the Father and spirit, and the Lord and the Author of the Covenant. 2. As Mediator, and so he is on our side of the Covenant; Then is the Covenant made with Christ and all his heirs, and assignes principally with Christ, and with Abrahams nature in him, but personally with believers: 1. The Scripture saith so, Gal. 3.16. The Promise (or Covenant) is made to Abraham and to his seed, he saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. The Covenant made with Christ personally Gal 3 16. Proved from reasons out of the Text. I grant, Beza, Piscator, and many expound Christ, for mysticall Christ; for (say they) it cannot be meant of Christ personally, for so it should fight with the scope of Paul, who proveth the Promise of life eternall to be made to all believers: 2. It should follow that life eternall is given to Christ only, but with leave this is not sure, for the truth is, the promise is neither made to Christs person singly considered, nor to Christ Mysticall; For 1. The promise is made to Christ in whom the Covenant was confirmed, v. 17. 2. In whom the Nations were blessed, 14. 3. In whom we receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith. 14. Who was made a curse for us, ver. 13. Now not any of these can agree to Christ Mysticall, Christ Mysticall did not confirm the Covenant, nor give the Spirit, nor was he made a curse, but Christ Mediator is he, to whom the Promises are made, and in him to all his heirs and kindred; not simply in his person, but as a publike person and Mediator. A Covenant between the Father and the Son, pr[illegible: 1 letter] ved. 1. Because the Scripture saith to Abraham, and to his seed; that is, Christ was the Covenant made; and these words of the Covenant, Ps. 89.26. He shall cry to me, thou art my Father, my God, &c. are expounded, Heb. 1.5. And again I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a son, and Joh. 20.17. Go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, to my God, and to your God: So Christ the heir of all things, and the second heirs under him, are all but one confederate-Family. 2. The covenant made with David and his seed, and the Fathers, is fulfilled to Christ and his seed, Act. 13.34, 35. As concerning that, he raised him up from the dead, no more to see corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. 3. As the covenant of nature and works was made with Adam, and all his, and there were not two covenants; so here, the better covenant coming in the place of the former, is made with the second Adam and his children, Rom. 5.18, 19. 1 Cor. 15.20, &c. 4. All that serveth to make a covenant are here, 1. God demandeth of his son, that he lay down his life; and for his labour he promiseth, that he shall see his seed, and God shall give him many children, Isa. 53.10. 2. The son consenteth to lay down his life, and saith, Here am I to do thy will, thou hast given me a body: This is the formality of a covenant, when Christ consenteth to the condition. Now this covenant was manifested in time between the Father and the Son, but it was transacted from eternity. This is comfortable, that the Father and Christ transacted a Bargain from eternity, concerning thee by Name. There was communing between the Father and Son concerning thy heaven, Father, what shall be given to thy Justice to ransom such a one, Iohn, Anna, &c. And Christ from eternity did binde for such a person, he shall believe in time. The Redemption of Sinners, is not a work of yesterday, or a businesse of chance, it was well advised, and in infinite wisdom contrived, therefore put not Christ to be challenged of his ingagement, by refusing the Gospel, when thou believest thou makest Christs word good; he that believeth not, maketh God a liar, though in another sense; and for ought he knoweth, even in this, that he frustrateth Christs undertaking in the covenant; Men believe the Gospel to be a cunningly devised Fable, 2 Pet. 1.16. The Father and Christ are both in this businesse; Heaven, Hell, Justice, Mercy, Souls, and deep Wisdom, are all in this rare piece, and yet men think more of a Farm, and an Oxe, Luke 14.18.19. and of a Pin in the State, or a Straw, or of the bones of a crazy livelyhood, or a House. 3. Touching the Promises, 1. There is no good thing, but it is ours by free promise, Of the promises and not by simple donation only; this covenant turns over Heaven, Earth, Sea, Land, Bread, garments, sleep, the World, Life, Death, into free grace; yea it maketh Sin and crosses, golden Sins and crosses by accident, through the acts of supernaturall providence toward us, 1 Cor. 3.21. Rom. 8.28. working on and about our sins. 2. All good cometh to us now, not immediatly, but through the hands of a free Redeemer; and though he be a man who redeemed us, yet because he is God, there is more of God, and Heaven, and free Love, in all our good things, then if we received them immediatly from God, as Ravens have their food from God, without a Mediator, and devils have their being only by creature-right, not by covenant-right. Now for the promises, they flow from God to us, but all along they fall first on Christ; they are of two sorts, Two sorts of promises. 1. Some only given to Christ, not to us; as the Name above all names to be adored, and set at the right hand of God, is properly promised to Christ, Angels share not with him in this Chaire, Phil. 2.9.10. Heb. 1.5.13. There is promised to Christ a seed a willing people, the ends of the earth for his inheritance, Isa. 53.10. Psal. 110.2. Psal. 2.8, 9. Christs locks and his hair are bushy and thick. Cant. 5.11. He is not bald, nor gray hair'd, but he hath a seed like the Stars for multitude that no man can number, Rev. 7.9. but all those hairs grow out of a head of gold; and his off-spring of children is as numerous as the dew of the morning dawning, Psal. 110.3. Mica. 5.7. though the devils locks be more numerous; but its wofull, that Christ and his children standing upon Mount Sion, being a huge Army, and a pleasant sight, yet thou art none of that numerous house, all round about thee, are graced of him, and thou livest and diest in the house, but lay not in the womb of the morning, and shall not abide in the house with the sons. But there be other promises which go along with Christ and his seed, and these of two sorts, Generall, speciall: generall, the Mother Promise, I will be thy God, is made both to Christ, Psal. 89.26. He shall cry to me thou art my Father, my God, Joh. 20.17. Psal. 22.1. Jer. 32.38. Zach. 13.9. And to us (I will be your God) how sweet is it, that Christ having God to his Father by eternall birth-right, would take a new Covenant-right to God for our cause? Oh what a honour it is to be within the Covenant with the first heir? Quest. But why are all the promises inclosed in this one, I'le be your God? Ans. 1. Because as Christ hath Covenant-right to the Promises, Christ took a new Covenant-right to GOD. by this Mother right, that God is his God by covenant, so we first must have God under the relation of a God made ours in a Covenant, a Father, a Husband, and then by Law, all his are ours. Five sorts of promises made to Christ, and by proportion to us in him. 2. Christ God is more then grace, pardon, holinesse, then created glory, as the Husband is excellenter then his Marriage Robe, Bracelets, Rings; and we are to lay our love and faith principally upon the Father and the Son, more then all created graces; the Well and Fountain of Life is of more excellency then the streams, and the Tree of Life then the Apples of the Tree of Life: Christ himself, the objective happinesse, is far above a created and formall beatitude, which issueth from him, as the whole is excellenter then the part, the cause then the effect. Speciall Promises are made first to Christ, and then by proportion to us; and they be these, 1. God promiseth to grace his Son above his fellows, that he may die and suffer, and merit to us grace answerable to this: A new heart, and a new spirit, Jer. 32.39. Ezek. 36.26.27. For out of his fulnesse we receive, and grace for grace, Joh. 1.16. 2. Justification is promised to Christ, not personall, as if he needed a pardon for sin, but of his Cause, there is a cautionary or Surety-righteousnesse due to the Surety when he hath paid the debt of the broken man, and commeth out of prison free by Law, so he came out of the Grave for our righteousnesse, but having first the righteousnesse of his Cause, in his own person, Isaiah 50.8. He is neer that justifieth me (saith Christ) who shall contend with me? 1 Tim. 3.16. Justified in the Spirit. So have we Justification of our persons, and Remission in his blood, Eph. 1.7. and that by Covenant, Jer. 31.32.33. 3. Victory and dominion is promised to Christ, Psal. 110.1.2. Psal. 89.21. &c. 1 Cor. 15.25. He must raign till he put all his Enemies under his feet, and victory over all our Enemies is promised to us, Iohn 16.33. and 14.30. Rom. 6.14.15. Gal. 3.13. Col. 2.14.15. 4. The Kingdom and glory is sought by Christ, Ioh. 17.5. from his Father; then he had a word of Promise from his Father for it, Philip. 2.9.10 and we have that also, Luke 12.32. Ioh. 17.24. Ioh. 14.1.2.3. 5. Christ had a word of Promise, when he went down to the grave, as some Favourite by Law goeth to Prison, but hath in his bosome from his Prince, a Bill of Grace, that within three dayes he shall come out to enjoy all his wonted Honours and Court, Psal. 16.10.11. so have we the like, Ioh. 11.26. & 6.38.39.

SERMON VIII. THe condition of the covenant is Faith: holiness and sanctification is the condition of Covenanters,4. The conditio[illegible: 1 letter] of the covenant. Gal. 4.21.22.23.24. Rom. 10.4.5.6.7. This do was the condition of the Covenant of Works: This beleeve, is the condition of this Covenant; because Faith sendeth a person out of himself, and taketh him off his own bottom, that in Christ he may have his righteousnesse: works is a more selfy condition, and giveth therefore, 2. lesse glory to God: Faith holdeth forth God in Christ in the most lively and lovely properties of Free-grace, mercy, love transcendent; hence a believer as such cannot possibly glory in himself; all that Faith hath, is by way of receiving, and begging wise. But some teach, that this Covenant hath no condition at all:Object. Dr. Crisp Christ alone exalted, Ser. 6. pag. 160. So Dr. Crispe and other Libertines; For this is an everlasting Covenant, Man is not now so confirmed in grace, but he may fail in beleeving, and so soon as the Condition faileth, the Covenant faileth, as we see in the first Covenant. Ans. 1. That we have no confirming grace to establish us to the day of Christ, is to teach with some Familists, that There is no grace in sound Believers, Rise raign & Ruine of Antino[illegible: 1 letter] Families Er. 16. p. 4. different in kinde and nature, from that grace which is in many Hypocrites. Yea, but the pure in spirit are blessed, and shall see God, Hypocrites are not so. And what else is this but the Kings Road way to the Apostacy of the Saints, if believers have not Christ for their undertaker to bring them to glory? Libertines deny all conditions of the covenant of Grace. To intercede for them, Heb. 2.10. Luk. 22.32.33. 2. And though they believe not at the first hour, yet this Gospel-Covenant is not frustrated, even if poor souls beleeve at the eleventh hour; the former Covenant leaveth sinners for the first breach with out remedy, or hope of life, by the tenour of the Law, not so this Covenant. Christ knocketh while his locks be wet with night rain. Obj. 2.Object. 2. (I will put my Law in your inward parts) is no condition to be performed by us, but by God only, and so all the tie lieth upon God, if God do not this as he promiseth, Ier. 31. Must not the fault or failing be his who is tied in a covenant to perform his part, The new covenant hath conditions to be performed by us. & doth it not? Now this God promiseth, Ier. 31. Heb. 8.10. Ezek. 36.26.27. Ans. Either doth God promise to give us Faith, and to cause us to walk in his wayes, Ezek. 36.26.27. and to circumcise our hearts to love the Lord. Deut. 30.6. which Arminians deny, contrary to the clear day-light of Scripture, or then, when ever we sin who are under the Covenant of Grace, by committing and acting works of the flesh, and omitting to beleeve, pray, praise, humble our souls for sin, God is to be blamed, who worketh not in us by his efficacious Grace to will and to do, as he hath promised, Phil. 2.13. Ezek. 36.26.27. and the regenerate cannot sin at all, because its the Lords fault (God avert blasphemy) that we sin, for for without his giving of a new heart, and his efficacious moving us to walk in his way (to which God is tyed by Covenant, Ezek. 36.27. Deut. 30.6.) We cannot chuse but sin; hence they teach we are not obliged to pray, nor do we sin in not beleeving, in not praying, when the breath of the wind of the Holy Ghost doth not blow, and act us to those holy duties. Rise, raign of Antinomian Er. 22. page 5▪ Hence also it is taught, That none are exhorted to beleeve, but such whom we know to be the elect of God, or to have his spirit in them effectually working Obj. 3. To do any thing in conscience to a commandement is to be under the Law, Obj. 3. and contrary to the Covenant of Grace, ib. Er. 33. Ans. The Law of Grace or Gospel hath Commandements, as Rom. 6.12. Let not sin raign therefore in your mortall bodies, And this is backed with a reason taken from the promise of Grace, v. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you: A two fold Dominion of gracious and supernaturall acts. for you are not under the Law, but under Grace, so Phil. 2.12. Work out &c. for vers. 13. Its God who worketh in you, Though we have no Physicall dominion over the assisting grace of God so as I can forceably command the winde of the Spirit to blow, when I please, yet have we a certain Morall Dominion by vertue of an Evangelick promise, so as faith is to have influence in all acts of sanctification, & to look to the promise of assistance, which he who cannot lie hath promised, though he be not tied to my time and manner of working; yet do I sin in not praying, and in not believing, even when his wind bloweth not: Gods liberty and freedom of grace doth not destroy the Law of either works, or grace, and free me from a duty. Object. 4. Beleeving and obedience of Faith, is but a consequent of the Covenant, Obj. 4 not an antecedent, so I must beleeve upon other grounds, but not in way of the condition of the Covenant, for in that tenour I am to do nothing. Ans. The Apostle, Rom. 10. Expresly distinguisheth between the righteousnesse of the Law, vers. 5. Which requireth doing as a condition; and the righteousnesse of faith, ver. 6. Which requireth believing, ver. 10. and Gal. 5.5. We through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesse through Faith: nor can any have claim to the Covenant but such as beleeve. Object. 5. The covenant is Gods love to man, to take him to himself, Obj. 5 and that before the children do good or ill, Crispe 16.167. and to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. Ans. The covenant is a fruit and effect of Gods love, but it is not formally Gods love, for because God loved Israel, therefore did he enter in covenant with them, Deut. 7.7, 8. Ezech. 16.8. and Arminians expound, that of Iacobs imbracing of the covenant by Faith, and of Esaus rejecting of it through unbelief: Whereas Paul speaketh of Iacob and Esau, as they lay stated in the eye and view of God from eternity, ere they were borne, and had as yet neither done good nor ill: Now the covenant of Grace or Gospel manifested to Iacob and Esau, is not eternall, but proposed to them after they are borne, and when the offer of Christ in the Gospel is made, and how could Esau ere he was born refuse the Gospel, except you say he did evil before he did evil? which is non-sense: 2. Paul saith plainly, To him that believeth is the work reckoned. Object. 6. Our act of believing is a work, and no work can be a condition of the covenant of Grace; yea Christ alone justifieth, Obj. 6. Crispe 16.168 faith is not Christ, nor any partner with him in the worke; yea we are justified before we believe, and Faith only serveth for the manifestation of justification to our conscience, for we believe no lie, when we believe we are justified, but a truth, then it must be true that we are justified, before we believe. Ans. 1. We are not justified before we believe. Christ alone as the meritorious cause justifieth, and his imputed righteousnesse as the formall cause; and this way Christ alone justifieth the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles and all believers, ere they be born, but this is but the fountain ready to wash: but believe it, Christ washeth not, while we be foul, he clotheth us not, while we be naked, he giveth not eye-salve, while we be blinde, nor gold while we be poor, nor is his name our righteousnesse, while we be sinners: 1. Men not born cannot be the object of actuall righteousnesse, the unborn childe needeth no actual application of Christs eye-salve, of his gold and righteousnesse; now justification is a real favour applyed to us in time, just as sanctification in the new birth, 1 Cor. 6.11. And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified; then they were sometimes not washed: 2. Poverty putteth beauty, worth, and a high price on Christ; sense of sin saith, O what can I give for precious Iesus Christ? But his Father cannot sell him. 2. Yet is Faith a palsie hand under Christ to receive him, Ioh. 1.11. Its an Evangelick act, and not a meer passion, but of grace deputed to be a receiver, a certain Inne keeper to lodge Christ; and so Christ his alone doth not justi[illegible: 1 letter]ie us, being meer Patients, this is not to put Faith in the chair and Throne of Estate with Christ, Faith giveth glory to Christ, and taketh Grace as an almes, but taketh no glory from him, Rom. 4.20. But he was strong in the Faith giving glory to God: We cannot be justified before we believe: 1. We are damned before we believe, he that believeth not is condemned already, Iohn 3.2. He that is justified is glorified, Rom. 8.30. and saved, Mar. 16.16. 3. We are borne, and by nature the sons of wrath, Ephes. 2.2. We our selves were sometime disobedient, &c. But he hath saved us: v. 7. That being justified by his Grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternall life, Rom. 7. Paul maketh clearly two different times and States of the Saints, on v. 5. When we were in the flesh, and the motions of sins which were by the Law did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death, then our first husband the law was living, and we under a mother and father that begat children to death, and so we were justified: v. 6. But now we are delivered from the Law, and Rom. 6.14. Yea are not under the Law, but under Grace, when Christ our second husband marrieth the widow freed from her first husband the Law, then are we under grace and justified, and then new Lord, new Law: 4. By Faith we are only united to Christ, possessed of him, Christ dwelling in us, Ephes. 3.17. Living in me by Faith, Joh 11.26. Gal. 2.20. Receiving Christ, Ioh. 1.11. Having Christ, 1 Joh. 5.12. Married to Christ, Eph. 5.32. Eating and drinking Christ by Faith, Joh. 6.35, 47, 45. Coming to him as to a living stone, 1 Pet. 2.4. Abiding in him as branches in the Tree, Joh. 15.4, 5. Now if we were justified before we believe, we should have a Union by the vitall act of Faith, before we be justified, and so we should live before we live, and be new creatures, while we are yet in the State of sin, and heirs of wrath: 5. This justification without Faith casteth loose the covenant. Rise and Reign of Anti. er. 38. p. 7. ib Err. 48. p. 9. I will be your God: But here a condition. God is not bound and we free, therefore this is the other part: And ye shall be my people: Now it is taught by Libertines: That there can be no closing with Christ in a promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed, and that conditionall promises are legall: Its true if the word (condition) be taken in a wrong sence; the promises are not conditionall; For, 1. Arminians take a condition for a free act, A condition taken in a threefold notion. which we absolutely may perform by free-will, not acted by the predeterminating grace of Christ, so Jurists take the word, but this maketh men Lords of Heaven and Hell, and putteth the keys of life and death over to absolute contingency: 2. Conditions have a Popish sence, for doing that which by some merit moveth God to give to men wages for work, and so promises are not conditionall: But Libertines deny all conditions: But taking condition for any qualification wrought in us by the power of the saving Grace of God: Christ promiseth soul ease but upon a condition which (I grant) his Grace worketh that the soul be sin-sick for Christ; and he offereth wine and milk, Isa. 55.1. And the water of life freely, Rev. 22.17. Upon condition, that you buy without money; no purse is Christs Grace-Market, no hire and sence of wretchednesse, is a hire for Christ, Its not a proper condition by way of strict Wages & work when we are said to be justified & saved upon condition of Faith. Rise and Reign, Err. 36. p. 7. and the truth is, its an unproper condition, if a father promise Lands to a son so he will pay him a thousand Crowns for the Lands, and if the Father of Free-grace can only, and doth give him the thousand Crowns also, the payment is most unproperly a hire or a condition, and we may well say the whole bargain is pure Grace; for both wages and work is Free-grace; but the ground of Libertines is fleshly lazinesse, and to sin, be[illegible: 1 letter]cause Grace aboundeth; for they print it, that all the activity of a Believer is to sin: So to be[illegible: 1 letter]lieve must be sin; to run the ways of Gods commandments, with a heart inlarged by Grace, must be no action of Grace, but an action of the flesh. 6. Paul in the Epistle to the Romans, to the Galatians, taketh for granted, that justification is a work done in time, transient on us, not an immanent, and eternall action remaining either in God from eternity, or performed by Christ on the Crosse before we believe; and so never taketh on him to prove that we are justified before, we either do the works of the Law, or believe in Iesus Christ: but that we are justified by Faith, which certainly is an act performed by a regenerate person, for a new creature only can perform the works of the new creature, and Faith is not the naked manifestation of our justification, so as we are justified before we have Faith; satisfaction is indeed given to justice by Christ on the Crosse, for all our sins before we believe, and before any justified person who lived these fifteen hundred years be born; but alas, that is not justification, but only the meritorious cause of it, that is, as if one should say this wall is white since the creation of the world, though this very day only it was whited, because whitenesse was in the world since the creation; justification is a forinsecall sentence in time pronounced in the Gospel, and applied to me now, and never while the instant now that I believe; its not formally an act of the understanding to know a truth concerning my self, but its an heart-adherance of the affections to Christ as the saviour of sinners; at the presence of which a sentance of free absolution is pronounced: Suppose the Prince have it in his minde to pardon twenty Malefactors, his grace is the cause why they are pardoned, yet are they never in Law Pardoned, so as they can in Law plead immunity, while they can produce their Princes Royall sealed Pardon. 5. The properties of the Covenant I call: 1. The freedom of it consisting in persons:5. The properties of the Covenant: 2. Causes: 3. Time: 4. Manner of dispensation: 1. Men, and not condemned, Angels are capable of this covenant: 2. Amongst men some Nations,1. Freedom in regard not others, Psal. 147.19, 20. 3. So many, not any other: 4. The Father, not the Son, the poor, not alwayes Kings; the Fool, not the wise man;1. Of Persons. the husband, not the wife, not these who were bidden to the Supper, but beggers, halt, withered, lame. 2. Causes, 2.Of Causes. in the first covenant there was Grace not deserving, and therefore now as the Law is propounded, it is a Pursevant of Grace, and the Gospels servant to stand at Christs and the Believers back, as an attending servant: 2. Yea mercy unto thousands, toward those who have but Evangelick love to Christ, cometh into the Law, Christ having (in a sort) married the two Covenants: 3. I am the Lord thy God, Exod. 20. Is Grace standing at the entry of the door, to these that are under the Law, to bring them out, but in the Gospell all is unmixed Grace: 1. Not personall obedience is my heaven, but I stand still, and another doth all that may merit glory: Christ saith, Do ye but stand still, behold me, and see, friends, my garments rolled in blood; I bind for you, only consent, put your hand to the Pen, but I am the only undertaker to fight it out for you: 3. For time, the first breach of the Law is wrath;3.Of time. and no place by Law for repentance, but here come to Christ, who will, and when you will, after thou hast plaid the Harlot with many lovers: bring Hell and sins red as scarlet and crimson, come and be washen, come at the eleventh hour and welcome; fall and rise again in Christ; run away, and come home again and repent.4.Of manner of dispensation. 4. The maner is: 1. That so much as would have bought ten thousand worlds of men and devils, was given for so many only, an infinite superplus of love, so (as I may say) Christ did more then love us. Aegypt and Aethiopia was not given for our ransom.2. Property of the Covenant Eterna[illegible: 2 letters]. 2 A sure and eternall Covenant, bottom'd upon infinite love: Why may not the link be broken, and the sheep pluckt out of his hand? Why the Father that gave them to me, is greater then all. Where dwelleth he? In what Heaven? Who is stronger then the Father? The covenant with night and day, is naturall, and cannot fail; confirming Grace in the second Adam is more connaturall: 3. Well ordered Christ keeping his place,3. Well ordered. the Father his place, Faith its place, the sinner his place. 6.1. Vse· All without this covenant are miserable;1. Use. Christ undertaketh not for them: The Lord dealeth with them by Law, read Deut. 28. Lev. 26. Al without the covenant are under the curse of the Law. Job 20. chap. 18. and 27. They have bread, but its not sure, not so the beleever, Isa. 33.16. His bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure: The beleever has all by the free holding of Grace, his bread by covenant, his sleep by promise, safety from the sword, to lie down, and no man shall make them afraid by covenant; his land is tilled by the Covenant of Grace, Ezek. 36.34. The man not in this covenant hath all by tenour of the condemning Law, the weapon of Steel shall go through bones and liver, by vertue of the curses of the Law. 2. Use.2. Men never try their standing, whether they be under the first husband of the Law, Men try not if they be in covenant with God. or if they be married to the better husband Christ, and under Grace, where art thou O sinner, in Christ or no? They live at random, and by chance not knowing that the two covenants hath influence on eternity, a man is judged according to his state, rather then his actions. 3. No state so stable and sure,3. Use. as the covenant of Grace. They are stable & sure, and cannot fail. Christ is surety for the believer that he fall not away: Christ honour is ingaged, he shall not have shame of his Tutory, Isa. 50.7. I know I shall not be ashamed, saith Christ: Its his honour to raise me when I fall. 4. We may use arguments of Faith, challenging God, Jer. 31.18. Turn thou me, 4. Use. We may plead Mercy from the covenant and I shall be turned: why, For thou art the Lord my God, The Covenant is Faiths Magna Charta, the grand mother-promise, all prayers must be bottomed on this, Jer. 14.21. Do not abhor us: Why, vers. 22. Art not thou he the Lord God, Isaiah 64.9. Remember not our iniquity for ever, behold, see we beseech thee: Why, we are all thy people; every one doth for its own, the Prince for his own People, the Father for his own children; yea, the damme for her own young ones, the Shepherd for his own sheep, and God for his own in covenant with him; an offensive, and defensive covenant of Peace and War taketh in the believer, and all that serveth him, the stones of the field, Job 5.23. and in covenant with the horse thou ridest on, that it shall not cast thee, and crush thee; in covenant with the sword, with the Canon and Musket, with the Spear and Bow: yea, with Death as a Boat to carry thee over the water to thy fathers Land: So the Covenant, I'le blesse them that blesse thee, and curse them that curse thee, Isa. 54.16. I have created the water to destroy: Creation is a work of omnipotency only, no creature can do it. Then fire cannot consume, water cannot drown the Saints, except by a dispensation of the Lord. 5. Christ is not fastned as a loose nail, or as one broken or rotten wedge in the covenant: 5. Use. He is there as a nail in a sure place, Zach. 10.4. Isa. 22 23. Hang all the vessells of the Fathers house on Christ: He cannot break; O sweet! we are given to the Surety of the covenant, Ioh. 17.3. Son answer for him, thy life for his life, thy glory for his glory; and render account of him, when the Kingdom shall be given up to the Father: Adam was surety in the first covenant, and so it fell out, free-will holdeth all sure in the Arminian Covenant. 6. Use.6. In desertion, to swim upon the covenant keepeth from sinking; so Christ in his sad and black hour, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

SERMON IX. O Lord thou Son of David] The one word (O Lord) holdeth forth Christs Godhead, the other (Son of David) holdeth forth his Man-hood; Here's the perfection of our Mediator, in that he is the substantiall Covenant, and Emanuel, God with us, Christ God and man and our faith and comfort there in. or God us in a personall union; the substantiall marriage and aliance between the two houses of Heaven and Earth; God and clay: 2. He is not ashamed to call them brethren, Heb. 2.11. And why would he take part of flesh and blood, but because he would be a child of our house, vers. 14. 3. He would be of blood to us, not only come to the sick, and to our bed side, but would lie down and be sick, taking on him sick clay, and be in that condition of clay, a worm and not a man, that he might pay our debts; and would borrow a mans heart and bowels to sigh for us, mans eyes to weep for us, his Spouses body, legs and arms to be pierced for us, our earth, our breath, our life and soul, that he might breath out his life for us, a mans tongue and soul to pray for us; and yet he would remain God, that he might perfume the obedience of a High Priest with heaven, and give to justice blood that chambered in the veins and body of God, in whom God had a personall lodging. 1. Vse, O what love!1. Use. Christ would not intrust our redemption to Angels, Christ immediate in the act of redeming us, & so sweeter. to millions of Angels, but he would come himself, and in person suffer, he would not give a low and a base price for us clay, he would buy us with a great ransom, so as he might over-buy us, and none could over-bid him in his market for souls; if there had been millions of moe believers, and many heavens without any new bargain, his blood should have bought them all, and all these many heavens should have smelled one Rose of Life; Christ should have been one and the same Tree of Life in them all; O we under-bid, and under-value that Prince of love, who did over-value us; we will not sell all we have to buy him, he sold all he had, and himself too, to buy us. 2. Vse. What an incomparable thing must the Mediator God-man be?2. Use. There's no fair creature, Christ incomparable. no excellent one, but there's a peece of nothing, and creature-basenesse, and creature-vanity in it, even a thing of blood to the mother-nothing of the creation of God; there is no Rose, but it hath a Brier growing out of it, except the Rose of Sharon, that flower of the field, not planted with hands, the Son without a Father (and who shall declare his generation?) A Rose that should smell, and cast out odours for a mile of earth, or for ten miles could draw to it many beholders, but if it should smell for the bounds of the half of the earth, it should be more admirable, the flower that sprang out of the root of Jesse, spreads his beauty, and the odours of his myrhe through heaven and earth; could the darknesse of hell stand and look on the face of the Sun, blacknesse of darknesse should be better seen; but convene all the little pieces of the Creation summon before Christ, faire Angels, all the Troops of the sin-lesse, glorified spirits, the broad skies, fair heavens, lightsome stars, all the delicious Roses, Flowers, Gardens, Medows, Forrests, Seas, Mountains, Birds, all the excellent Sons of Adam, as they should have been, in the world of innocency, and let them all stand in their highest excellency before Jesus Christ; the matchlesse and transcendent glory of that great All, should turn the worlds all into pure Nothing; what wonder then that this same Lord Jesus be the delight & heaven of all in it? Rev. 7.17. The Lamb hath his Throne in the midst thereof, Rev. 22.4. And they shall see his face: They do nothing else, but stare, gaze, & behold his face for ages, & are never satisfied with beholding; suppose they could wear out their eyes at the eye-holes in beholding God, they should still desire to see more. To see him face to face, hath a great deal more in it, then is expressed; words are short garments to the thing it self: Your now sinfull face to his holy face, your piece clay-face to his uncreated soul-delighting face is admirable. We do not praise Christ, and hold out his vertues to Men and Angels. The creatures, as the Heaven, Sun, Moon, are Gods debtors, and they owe him glory: but men who have understanding and tongues, are Gods Factors and Chamberlains to gather in the rent of glory and praise to God; the heavens do indeed declare the glory of God; Ps. 19.1. but they are but dumb Musitians, they are the Harp, which of it self can make no Musick; the creatures borrow mans mouth and tongue to speak what they have been thinking of God and his excellency these five thousand years; now all the glory of God, and the glory of the creatures are made new by Christ, Rev. 21.5. And made friends with God, Col 1.20. and are in a speciall manner in the Mediator Christ; he is, Heb. 1.3. [non-Latin text not transcribed] the irradiation or brightnesse of the glory, and the character or expresse image of his person: All creatures by Adams sin, lost their golden luster, and are now vanity-sick, like a woman travelling in birth, Rom. 8.22. All the creatures by sin did lesse objectively glorifie God, then they should have done, if sin had never been in the world, and so they were at a sort of variance and division with God: And it pleased, Col. 1.20. the Father in Christ [non-Latin text not transcribed] to make friendship between God and all things, that is to confirme Angels, to reconcile man, to restore the creatures to be more illustrious objects of his glory: now the in-come of the rents of glory is more due to Christ, and the debt the greater, in that Christ hath made all things new, and why should we not in the name of Sun, Moon, Earth, Heaven, which are all loosed from the arrestment of vanity by Christ, and in the name of Angels and of Saints redeemed, hold forth the praises & the glory of God in Christ? Pa[illegible: 1 letter], pay what you owe to Christ, O all creatures! but especially you redeemed ones. 3. Vse. 3. Use. If Christ the Mediator be so excellent a person we are to seek our life the Gospel-way in Christ; we often conceive Legall or Law-thoughts of Christ, when we conceive the Father just, severe, and Christ his Son to be more meek and mercifull; but the Text calleth him Lord, and so that same God with the Father; nor hath Christ more of Law, by dying to satisfie the Law, nor is he more mercifull then the Father, because he and the Father are one; there are not two infinite wills, two infinite mercies, one in the Father, another in the Son; but one will, one mercy in both, and we owe alike love and honour to both, though there be an order in loving God, and serving him through Christ. 4. Vse. Infinite love, and infinite majesty,4. Use. concur both in Christ; love and majesty in men, are often contrary to one another, and the one lesseneth the other; In Christ, the infinite God breatheth love in our flesh, 1. And we see but little of Christ, we know not well the Gospel-spirit, we rest much on duties to go civill Saints to Heaven; but the truth is, there be no Morall men and Civilians in Heaven, they be all deep in Christ who are there; we are strangers to Christ and believing. 2. The spirit of a redeemed one can hardly hate a redeemed one, or be bitter against them; Christ in one Saint, cannot be cruell to Christ in another Saint. 3. Christ cannot lose his love, or cast it away, the love of Christ is much for conquering hearts; his chariot is bottomed and paved with love; duties bottomed on Christs love, are spirituall; as the Father accepteth not duties, but in Christ, so cannot we perform them aright, when the principall and fountain cause is not the love of Christ, Ioh. 21.15. Use 5.5. Vse. The Ancient of dayes, the Father of Ages taketh a stile from his new House, The Son of Man; he hath an old House, from whence he is named, The Son of God; he must affect us, and his delight be with the sons of men, when he taketh a name from us, we should affect him, and affect a communion with him, and strive to have Christs new name, as he taketh our new name, The Son of man, of David. 2 Art. Son of David, have mercy on me:] The second Article of her prayer is conceived under the name of Mercy: To beleevers all temporal favours are spiritualized and watered with mer [illegible: 1 letter]ie. Why? Gods mercy is a spirituall favour: deliverance to her daughter, is but a temporary favour, that may befall a Reprobate: The Devil may be cast out of the Daughters body, and not out of the Mothers soul. Yea, but to the Believer, all temporall favours are spiritualized, and watered with mercy. 1. They are given as dipped in Christs bowels and mercy, wrapt about the temporary favour, Mar. 1.41. Jesus cured the Leper: but how? Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand and touched him: So is the building of the Temple given, but oyled with mercies, Zach. 1.16. Therefore thus saith the Lord, I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies; my House shall be builded in it. Epaphroditus recovered health, but with it, some of Gods heart and bowels also, Phil. 1.27. For indeed he was sick neer to death, but God had mercy on him, 2. The ground of it is Gods mercy; the two blinde men, Mat. 20.30. put this in their Bill, they cry, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. They will not have seeing eyes, but under the notion of mercy: David pained with sore sicknesse, as some think, or under some other rod of God, desireth to be healed, upon this ground, Psal. 6.2. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak. 3. Faith looketh to temporall favours,3. as Faith with a spirituall eye, as Christ and his merits goeth about them, Heb. 11.22. By faith, Joseph when he dyed made mention of the children of Israels departure. 23. By faith, Moses come to age, refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter. Why? and that was but a civill Honour. Moses his faith lookt at it in a spirituall manner. 4. That same ground that moveth God to give Christ, is enough to move him to give all other things with Christ; By what reason our Father as a Father giveth spirituall things by that same he giveth us all things. as by what right, even the right of a Son; a Father giveth the Inheritance to his Son, by that same he giveth him food, rayment, protection, physick; there be not two Parents here, but by one and the same covenant, Ezech. 36.25, 26. The Lord giveth to his people remission of sins: and v. 30. He multiplieth the fruit of the Trees, and removeth Famine. In the same spirituall capacity of sons we pray, that Our father would forgive us our sins, and give us our daily bread. Get Christ first, the great ship, and then all other things, the cock-boat saileth after him, with the same motion and wind: they be not two tides and two winds, that carry on the Ship and the Boat: Christ injoyed by Faith, traileth after him death, life, the world, things present, and things to come: if God give you Christ, in the same Charter all things are yours, because yee are Christs, and Christ Gods, 1 Corinth. 3.21. Christ watereth with his blessing all things, if all that a Saint hath be blessed, and every thing (to speak so) mercied, and christianed, even his basket & his dough, Deut. 28.5. His inheritance must be blessed, much more all Christs inheritance must be blessed, because he is the seed, the Spring, & abstract of blessings. Now Christ, Heb. 1.2. is appointed the heir of all things: then he is the heir of a draught of water, of brown bread, of a straw-bed on the earth, and hard stones to be the pillow: to the Saints, to the children of God, hell (to speak so) is heaven'd, sorrow joyed, poverty riched, death inlivened, dust and the grave animated and quickned with life and resurrection. God save me from a draught of water without Christ: peace and deliverance from the sword without Christ and the Gospel, are linked and chained to the curse of God; alas, if men have the single creature, they make no account how other things go: Give us Peace upon any terms (say they) you may have the earth, peace, and the creature, and the Devil to salt them to you with the curse of God. Judas had the bag at his girdle, but withall, the Devil in his heart, the creature wanteth life and blood without Christ. 2. All mercy, that is, graced mercy is to be sought in Iesus Christ; every mercy is mercy, because its in Christ, every stream is water, because its of the element of water: every thing in its own element and nature is most copious; water is no where so abundant as in the sea, so in Christ the great treasure of heaven, there is fulnesse, Ioh. 1.16. but Col. 1.18. Mercy originally in Christ and how There's a [non-Latin text not transcribed] a fulnesse in Christ, but 2. A [non-Latin text not transcribed], fulnesse, that fulnesse, that all fulnes. And 3. that all fulnesse is not in Christ, as a stranger in an Inne, coming in, and going out: but it pleased the Father [non-Latin text not transcribed] that it should dwell and remain in him; The grace and mercy that is in Christ must be sought, and no other, upon these grounds: 1. Its a speciall choice mercy that is in Christ, For 1. No person could serve Gods ends in such a way as Christ did, being so compleat as he is. [illegible: 1 letter]. God out of the deep of his wisdom found out such a Mediator, and so graced; Isaac should have been undutifull, if he had refused a wife of his fathers choosing, for both out of love and much wisdom he choosed her; now when God out of infinite love and deep wisdom hath chosen to us an husband, an head, such a head, such a Captaine, and Leader in whom there is such fulnesse, shall we refuse him, and shall we not seek the best things in him? Now Christ is a husband of Gods choosing, Isa. 42.1. Behold my chosen one in whom my soul delighteth: 2. Its not from God, that we now receive mercy immediately, but from Christ, God in the Mediator, though Grace and Mercy be every way free; yet now mercy is a flower that groweth in our land, in him who is our blood-friend; so now we have mercy by nature, as well as by good will, we must have it by an act of the man Christs will, and when our Writs are waxen old, why seek we not that which God hath laid by for us? Grace is more connaturall to us now, in that it is in the bosome of our brother, and ours by derivation. 3. There's a difference between mercy, and purchased mercy, its payed for mercy that we receive, and so more excellent then Angel mercy: As some waters that run through mettals, hath a more excellent vertue then those that spring from pure earth; mercy is so much the more desirable, that its a River issuing through that more then golden and precious Redeemer; and so to us its twice mercy, to the Angels its but once mercy: Even as the Bee gathers sweetnesse out of various and diverse flowers; yet its so composed, that the liquor resulting out of them all, hath not any particular taste from the sundry flowers, the Violet, the Pink, the Rose, the Woodbine, the Claver, but it tastes of hony only; so we all have meeting in Christ, Wife, Children, Houses, Lands; honour to the Saints have not their own naturall taste, but out of all there's in them a spirituall resultance of some heavenly composure of Christs sweetnesse, and are so sprinkled, and dipt in Grace and Mercy, that as fresh Rivers do borrow a new taste from the Sea, when they flow in to its bosome, so all earthly favours borrow a new smell and relish from the fountain Christ: What doe they say then, that teach that a man may have all Graces; yea, and poverty of spirit, and yet want Christ? As if these could be separated: he that believeth hath the son, Grace and Christ cannot be separated, Ephesians 1.2. Galatians 1.3. Iohn 1.11. These by-ways sunder souls and the foundation Christ.

SERMON X. MY daughter is grievously vexed with a Devill] Children, Parents spirituall affections▪ and duty to their chil. especially to mothers, whose affections are more weak and soft, are taking lovers, especially being parts and substantiall shadows of our self; yet four things are considerable in us to them: 1. So to hold, as we are willingly to let go, love them as creatures only; often the childe is the mothers daughter, and the mothers God: 2. We are to strive to have them freed from under the power of the Devill, as this woman doth; for they come into the world fuell for Hell: Parents make more accompt all their life to make gold, rather then grace, their childrens Patrimony and Legacy: 3. Look at them as May-flowres, as born to come and appear for a space in the element of death; so they sport, laugh, run, eat, drink, and glister like Comets in the Air, Simil. or flying Meteors in the Spheare of the Clouds, and often go down to the grave before their Parents: 4. Beware of selfinesse, for children are our self, and their sins white and innocent sins to us: Eli honoured his sons more then God, and God put a mark of wrath on his house. My daughter] Observe the rise of this passage of providence: Christ wearied of Judea came to the borders of Tyre and Sidon: 2. He went to a house to hide himself from her: 3. She heard of Christ: 4. The hard condition her daughter was in, tormented with a Devil; upon this God driveth her to Christ: 5. Christ is hereby declared to be the Saviour of the Gentiles: 6. An illustrious miracle is wrought; see a wise consociation of many acts of Providence; as one cluster of passages of the Art of wise omnipotency; as many herbs, and various sorts of flowres make up one pleasant, and well smelled Meadow; many Roses, Lillies, and the like, one sweet smelling Garden, in which these practicall considerations may have our thoughts for Rules. 1. Rule, Go not before God and Providence,1 Rule Practical Rules in observing passages of divine Providence. but follow him, prescription of such and such meanes to God and no other, is to stint omnipotency, and to limit the holy one of Ilrael: The true God tied to a forbidden Image, to receive glory, is made an Idol; so to fetter God to this mean, as if not free to work by other meanes, is Idolatrous. 2. Rule, 2 Rule We are neither to lead, nor stint Providence. The book of Providence is full both Page and Margin, God hath been adding to it sundry new Editions; and like children we are in love with the golden covering, the Ribbons, Filleting, and the Pictures in the Frontis-piece, but understand little of the Argument of Providence, Psal. 107.43. Who so is wise, and will observe these things, We are to observe God in his ways. even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord, Job 32.7. I said (saith Elihu) dayes (things of Providence) shall speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom: God is worthy to be Chronicled. 3 Rule Omnipotency not laid in pawn on any means, 3. Rule, God hath not laid his God-head and omnipotency in pawn, in the power of means, so as God useth meanes, because they are efficatious; but because he useth them they are efficacious: A Ram horn is as near of blood, to cause the walls of Jericho fall in Gods hand, as Engines of war; a straw is a spear to omnipotency. 4. His wayes are often contrary to our judgement,4 Rule God walketh not the way that wee imagine. we lie and wait the way to see God come upon the tops of mountains, but we are deceived, he cometh the lower way through the valleys: we thought omnipotence must change the Kings heart, ere such Brambles as Prelates be thrown over the hedge, but our King is himself, and omnipotence taketh another way; the Disciples thought that Christ would make them Kings and restore the Kingdom: Christ is dead and buried, and he goeth another low way, through deaths belly to make them Kings and Priests to God; Christ goeth away, there be great endeavours, and running through streets, Cities, walls: O streets saw you him, O broad wayes, saw you him whom my soul loveth? O dear watchmen, where is he? But they are all dumbe: Christ taketh a lower way, Cant. 3.4. It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth. 5. Rule, Slander not Gods wayes of Providence, with the reproach of confusion and disorder; to God all his works are good, Providence in its concatenation of decrees, actions, events, is a continued contexture going along from creation, to the day of Christs second appearance, and not a threed is here broken, all is fair and white. very good as were the works of creation. There is a long chain, and concatenation of Gods wayes, Counsells. Decrees, Actions, Events, Judgements, Mercies; and there is white, and black, good and evil, crooked and straight interwoven in this web, and the links of this chain, partly gold, partly brasse, iron and clay, and the threeds of his dispensation go along through the Patriarchs days, Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and are spun through the ages of Moses and the Church in Egypt, and the willdernes, and come through the times of the Kings of Israel and Iudah, and the captivities of the Church, and descend along through the gene[illegible: 1 letter]rations of Prophets; Christ, the Apostles, persecuting Emperors, and Martyrdomes of the witnesses of Jesus, slain by the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints, while the end of the threed, and last linke of the chain be tied to the very day of the marriage of the Lamb: now in this long contexture of divine Providence you see: 1. Not one threed broken, My father worketh hitherto, and I work, (saith Christ) providence hath no vacancy, but causes, events, actions, ways, are all bordered one upon another, by the wisdom of Providence, so that links are chained, and fettered to links, not by hazard or chance: 2. Though this web be woven of threeds of divers colours, black and white, comfortable and sad passages of Gods Providence, yet all maketh a fair order in this long way; Jacob weepeth for his dead child Joseph: Joseph rejoiceth to come out of the prison to reign; David danceth with all his might before the Ark: David weepeth sore for Absalon his sons miserable death: Iob washeth his steps with butter, and the Candle of the Almighty shineth on his head; and Iob defileth his horne in the dust, and lieth on ashes, and mourneth, all is beauty and order to God. 6. Rule. Put the frame of the spirit in Equilibrio, 6 Rule in a composed, stayed, indifferent serenity of mind looking to both sides, black and white, The Spirit is to be in an indifferency in all casts of providence. of Gods providence: so holy David was above his crosse, 2 Sam. 15.25, 26. If I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both the Ark and his habitation: But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee: behold here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good: He putteth his soul upon Gods two (ifs, if he save its good, if he destroy its good: Make sure this generall, Christ is mine: at that Anchor, in this harbour my vessell must ride: What ever wind blow in externals: Christ, died for me: If I live, its in Christ; if I die its to Christ; if I ride with Princes on horses, its good; if I go on foot with servants, it is good; if Christ hide his face and frown, its Christ, its good; if it be full Moon, and he over shadow the soul with rayes and beams of love and light, its also Christ, its also good. 7. In all things blesse Christ, let the desires below, Ier. 45.5. 7 Rule Low desired are best. Seekest thou great things for thy self? Seek them not, saith Ieremiah to Baruch: Its easier to adde to desires, then to substract, better the heart ascend from a Sallet of herbs to Wines, then compell thy spirit to descend and weep. 8. Faiths speculations to the worst and hardest, in point of resolution, is sweet:8 Rule Lie under Providence submissively in all. Iob putteth on a conclusion of faith, from black premises: suppose the Devil and Hell form the principles, Faith can make a conclusion of gold and of heaven: What if God should kill me? What though it were so? Yet I will trust in God, Job 13.15. What if he throw me in Hell? It were well resolved, I would out of the pit of Devils, cry, Hallelujah, praise the Lord in his justice,: What if the enemy in War prevail over me? What if I were brought from Scarlet to embrace the Dung hill? Faith can shape what Providence possibly may never sow: What if I be brought to the wheele, to the rack, to burning quick? 9. There's a mystery of Providence,9 Rule that we see not, we know not what God is doing with us, when he is binding us: as the Sheep hath no notion of death in its fancy, even when the knife is at its throat, so are we 10. Providence walketh long in uncertainties:10 Rul his way that ruleth, the world is in the clouds: Peace is within a step, yet cometh not full victory and deliverance neer, and the enemy is well nigh subdued: and the Lord turneth the Scales, and layeth us low again: life is within the eighth part of a span to Ahab, yet God so timeth and placeth vengeance, that the arrow of God must pitch on no place, but between the joynts of the harnesse, and Ahab is killed. 11 Rule 11. We are with all silence and quietnesse of spirit to submit to Gods ways, not to fret: believing can ease us, disputting cannot. 12 Rul 12. Its easier to see what is inflicted on us, then to see who inflicteth it: evil cometh, and we look no higher then the creature, as if the world created it self: so is this, when we dream that the creature moveth, and is not moved of God. 13. This is to be observed, that God ascendeth in all his course,13 Rul and Providence never goeth down the mount: when Ioseph goes down to the pit, to the Prison, God in his course of Providence is going up, & advancing the frame of beautifull Providence: for Iosephs going down, and his fall, is a higher step to Gods exalting of Ioseph; and saving his Church: Iudahs falling into captivity, is not Gods falling, but his advancing of the work to do them good in the latter end: Reformation goeth down, when obstructions and lets come in the way: but God worketh on; second causes move backward and miscarry, when omnipotency carrieth on the Lords work.

SERMON XI. Matth. 15.23. But he answered her not a word: And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she cryeth after us. 24. But he answered, and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, 25. Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. WE now enter into the Dialogue between the Woman and Christ: The first tryall is, The woman cryeth: But Christ answereth not a word: I shew first wherein the temptation standeth: 2. The reasons of it, Every temptation hath its taking power from the seeming goodnesse in it. and in what cases Christ answereth not: 3. Bring the uses; for the first, Gods temptations and Satans, and the flashes, agree in this, that all temptations are of one colour, to wit, white, and seeming good, even when the skin of temptations is black as Hell, yet there is white in it, as (Curse God and die, that thou maist be hidden in the grave from misery) the reason is, temptation were not temptation, if it had not a taking power to break in upon reason; this is clear in Satans temptations, he knowes man is a fallen and broken creature like himself, yet that there▪s reason left: and that must have a fair object, the first black apple must be good to the eye: so the Divell suiteth a wife ever in his whites, though if you would wash the Divell and the lie, the bones are alwayes black: Now this woman seeth that which she looked not for, and the affections must be stirred: Is this the Lord, the hearer of Prayers? 2. Is this he that biddeth us pray, and promiseth to hear? 3. Is this the meek Lamb of God, of whom its s[illegible: 1 letter]il, He shall carry the Lambs in his bosome, Esaaiah 42.11. And a bruised reed he shal not break, a smoaking Flax he shall not quench: He answereth me not one word: yea, he denyeth me to be his, as its hereafter, he reproacheth me with the name of a dog: nature would say, I repent that ever I came to him, let my daughter suffer twenty, one hundred, a Legion of Devils, I have done with Christ, I come no more at him: Reasons why this was a temptation to the woman. especially supposing what was true, that she had a great Faith: and Faith cannot be but loving and kind to Christ: What? my heart sadned and broken: my daughter vexed with a Divel! but oh alas, my Saviour answereth, not one word, sweet Iesus rejecteth me, how can I stand under so many Hells? He cureth all that cometh to him: I am the first that ever this King sent away with a sad heart, he casteth none away that cometh, he welcometh all, only he will not look on me poor and miserable? Oh what can I now do! You may know a mothers heart to her tormented childe, and a Believers bowels to a Saviour, here's a burden above a load: But why answereth he all sinners, but not one word to me? Ans. 1. Few or none are tempted, but the upshot of the temptation is to beget big apprehensions of the temptation: never was man in the condition I am in: Christ answereth the Divels when they cry, he wil not give me one look, one cast of his eye, not one halfe word: The temptation must represent Christ, as a non-such for rough dealing, and the tempted a non-such for misery: Elias must say, Temptations scop is to mak the tempted believe there is none like him. 1 Kin. 18.20. I, even I only, am left alone, and they seek my life, Ps. 22.4. Our fathers trusted is thee, they trusted in thee, and were delivered, vers. 6. But I am no body: But I am a worm and no man, Lam. 1.12. O passers by, hear behold, and see if there be any sorrow, like unto my sorrow! &c. 1 Cor. 4.9. We are made a theator, a spectacle to men and Angels: The temptation must put on the face of Hell to drive at this, to cause the childe of God put himself out of the Kalender and society of Gods children: hence, that (no there was never a soul since the world was, like me, I am my alone. 1. Christ once, first or last, must be no Christ,1. The non-answering of Christ is an answer. and God not God to the tempted, Hath he forgotten to be gracious? Psal. 77. A forgetting God, a changed God is not God; stick by this principle, Yet he is Christ, and my Christ too. 2. Its said, he answered her not a word: but its not said, he heard not one word: these two differ much: Christ often heareth when he doth not answer, his not answering is an Answer, and speaks this, pray on, go on, and cry) for the Lord holdeth his door fast bolted, not to keep out, but that you may knock and knock: prayer is to God, worship: to us, often, its but a servant upon meer necessity sent on a businesse: The father will cause his childe say over again, what he once heard him say, because he delighteth to hear him speak: so God heareth and layeth by him an answer for Ephraim, Jer. 31.18. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself; but Ephraim heard not, knew not that God told all Ephraims prayer over again behinde his back: 3. No answer from Christ is Hell to a Believer: but to kisse and embrace hell, because its Christs Hell, is a work of much acceptance: when you say, He pray, and die praying, though I be never heard, because praying is my dutie, and Gods glory: let me die in a dutie that glorifieth him. 4. Wrestling addeth strength to armes and body, praying and praying again strengthneth Faith: customary running, lengthneth the breath: By much praying faith is well breathed: Iacob is stronger in the morning, when he hath prayed a whole night, then at bed-time, Gen. 32.26. The Angel said, Let me go, for the day breaketh: And he said, I will not let thee go, till thou blesse me. Then in the dawning he hath prayed harder, and used his arms with greater violence then before, by this hunger groweth fatter, sense stronger; its here, Eat and be hungry, pray and desire more strongly to pray. Reasons of the Lords no[illegible: 1 letter] hearing prayer. 3. Reasons of Gods not hearing prayer are; 1. Superstitious and false worship, Isa. 16.12. Moab wearied of his high places, comes to his Sanctuary to pray, but prevaileth not. Wildfire cannot rost raw flesh. 2. God hears not sinners, Joh. 9.31. Let his prayer be sin, Psal. 109.7. Yea the prayers of Britain are not heard, nor their Solemn Fasts accepted; for iniquity hath separated between God and us, Es. 59.2. 3. God heareth not wh[illegible: 1 letter]n there's a heart-love to vanity. Psal. 66.18. Iob 35.15. 4. God heareth not Malignants, nor us, when many are heart-enemies to the Cause, Psal. 18.41. 5. He heareth not bloudy men, Es. 1.15. Now for the Saints, sense maketh non answering a mercifull judgement, its here as in riches: he is rich who thinketh himself rich, and desireth no more: So not to be answered is a plague: but to find you are not answered, and be sad for it, hath much of Christ: The Saints are heavier, because God answereth not, then because the mercy is denyed. How t[illegible: 1 letter] know that our prayers are answered. Quest. How shall we know we are answered? Answ, Hannah knew it by peace after prayer: 2. Paul knew it, by receiving new supply to bear the want of that he sought in prayer; he is answered that is more heavenly after prayer. 3. Liberty and boldnesse of Faith, is a sign of an answered prayer: The intercessor at the right hand of God, cannot lose his own work; his spirit groaneth in the Saints; doth not my head accept what I set my heart on work to do? Rom. 8.23, 26, 27. compared with Rev. 8.3. 4. We are heard and answered of God, We are heard when we are not heard: praying in Faith is alwayes heard even when the particular that we aske, is denyed. when we are not heard and answered of God. I pray for a temporall favour; victory to Gods people in this battle, they lose the day: Yet I am heard and answered, because I prayed for that victory, not under the notion of victory, but as linked with mercy to the Church and the honour of Christ: So the formall object of my prayers was a spirituall mercy to the Church, and the honour of Jesus Christ. Now the Lord by the losse of the day, hath shewen mercy on his people in humbling them, and glorifieth his Son, in preserving a fallen people: So he heareth that which is spirituall in my prayers; he is not to hear the errors of them. Christ putteth not drosse in his Censure of Gold. 5. We are heard when ever we ask in Faith; but let Faith reach no further then Gods will: when we make Gods will our rule, he will do his own will; if he do not my wil, its to be noted, That the creatures will, divided from Gods will, in things not necessary for Salvation, and Gods glory, is no part of Gods will, and no asking of Faith. Therefore, Faith frequently in the Psalms; prayeth, and answereth. Psal. 6. v. 4. compared with v. 9. Ps. 55.2. Attend unto me, & hear me, Faith in a prayer asketh & answereth it self. v. 19. God shall hear and afflict them, Ps. 57.1. Be mercifull unto me O God, &c. v. 3. He shall send from Heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up, Psal. 59. 1. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God. 2. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, v. 10. The God of mercy shall prevent me, The light of saving Faith, & the Propheticall light of the Prophets not different in nature & space. God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies, Psal. 60.1. O God thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, &c. But in the end, vers, 12. Through God we shall do valiantly. The prophecying of Faith is not dead with the Prophets. Faith seeth afar off as yet; to see things that God shall do, either by Himself, or by Angels, is an act of prophecy, and differeth not in nature from the propheticall light of the Prophets: now the light of Faith seeth as yet the same, to wit, that Christ shall raise the dead, and send his Angels to gather in his Wheat into his barne; especially hope of glory is Propheticall. 6. Patience to wait on, while the vision speak, is an answer. 7. Some letters require no answer, but are meer expressions of the desires of the friend; the generall Prayers of the Saints, that the Lord would gather in his elect, that Christ would come and marry the Bride, and consummate the Nuptials, do refer to a reall answer; when our Husband the King shall come in person at his second appearance. 1. Vse. You take it hard,1. Use▪ that you are not answered, The dearest not admitted into God at the first knock. and that Christs door is not opened at your first knock: David must knock, Ps. 22. 2. O my God I cry by day, and thou hearest not, and in the night season I am not silent. The Lords Church, Lam. 3.8. And when I cry and shout, he shuteth out my prayer. Sweet Iesus the Heire of all, prayed with teares and strong cries, once, O my father, againe, O my father, and the third time, O my father, ere he was heard. Wait on, dye praying, faint not. 2. Use.2. Vse. Its good to have the heart stored with sweet principles of Christ, when he heareth not at the first. Its Christ, he will answer. Its but Christs out-side that is unkinde.

SERMON XII. And his Disciples came and besought him, saying Send her away, &c. IN the Disciples we see little tendernesse, no more, but send her away, she troubleth us with crying ▪ forsooth they were sore slain, that their dainty ears were pained with the crying of a poor woman. Why? they say not, Dear master, her little daughter is tormented with the Divel, and thou her Saviour answerest her not one word; she cannot but break her heart: we pray thee Master, heal her daughter: Doct. Naturall men, or Christs Disciples, in so far as t[illegible: 1 letter]er[illegible: 1 letter] is flesh in them, understandeth not the mystery of sorrow, and fervour of affection in the Saints, crying to God in disertion, Naturall men, and the renewed in so far as there remaineth in them flesh are ignoran[illegible: 1 letter] of the mistery of an afflicted spirit. and not heard. 1. Naturall men jeer at Christ deserted, Psal 22.8. He trusted in the Lord, let him deliver him. Heavy was the spirit of the weeping Church, a captive woman at the rivers of Babylon; yet see they mock them; Sing us one of the songs of Sion. 2. Even the Saints in so far as they are unrenewed, are strangers to inward conflicts of souls praying, and not answered of God, the fainting and swooning Church, Cant. 5.6, 7. is pained; O dear watch men, saw you my Husband? Heavy was her spirit, but what then? v. 7. The watch-men, that went about the City found me, they smote me, they wounded me, the keepers of the walls took away my vail from me; in stead of binding up her wounds, they returned her buffets, and pulled her hair down about her ears. And the daughters of Ierusalem say to the sick sighing Church pained for the want of her Lord, v. 9. What is thy beloved more then another beloved, &c. Whereof is thy Christ made, of Gold? or is thy beloved more precious then all beloveds in the world? Troubled Hannah grieved in spirit, to Eli, is a drunken woman. The Angels finde Mary Magdalen weeping, they leave her weeping, they give her a doctrinall comfort; Woman why weepest thou, he is not here, he is risen again. 1. If a string in the conscience be broken, the Apostles that were with Magdalen cannot tye a knot on it again; If there be a rent in the heart, so as the two sides of the soul of the woman rent asunder, she poor woman still weepeth; O why speake you, O Angels to comfort me: they have taken away my Lord. Angels, what are you to me? And indeed they cannot sew up the womans rented heart. This is the Lords Prerogative, Peace of conscience is a work of Creation Esa. 57.19. I create the fruit of the lips, peace; I know no Creator but one, and I know̄ no Peace-Creator but one; Peace of conscience is Grace, Grace is made of pure nothing, and not made of nature: Pastors may speak of peace, but God speaketh peace to his people, Ps. 85.8. 2. There be some acts of nature, in which men have no hand; to bring Bread out of the earth, and Vines, men have a hand; but in raising Winds, in giving Rain, neither Kings, Armies of men, nor acts of Parliament have any influence; The tempering of the wheeles and motions of a distempered conscience is so high, and supernaturall a work, that Christ behoved to have the Spirit of the Lord on him above his fellowes, and must be sent with a special Commission to apply the sweet hands, the soft mercifull fingers of the Mediator, with the art of Heaven, Esa. 61.1. That I (saith he) [non-Latin text not transcribed], should as a Chyrurgian bind up with splints and bands the broken in heart, and comfort the mourners in Sion. There must 3. be some immediate action of Omnipotency, especially when he sets a Hoast of terrors, in battle array, against the soul, as is evident in Saul, in Iob, c. 16.13. His Archers compasse me round about: that is, no lesse then the soul is like a man, beset by enemies round about, so as there is no help in the creature, but he must die in the midst of them, Job 6.4. The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me: only the Lord of Hoasts, by an immediate action, raiseth these souldiers, the terrors of God, he only can calme them. What wonder then that Ministers, the Word, Comforts, Promises, Angels, Prophets, 1. Use. Apostles cannot bind up a broken heart, friends cannot, A Reason why its so hard to convince deserted ones of the comforts of the Spirit, and to bind them up. while a good word come from God; Its easie for us on the shore to cry to those tossed in the sea between death and life, Saile thus and thus; its nothing to speak good words to the sick, yet Angels have not skill of experience in this; the afflicted in minde are like infants that cannot tell their disease, they apprehend Hell, and its real hel to them. Many Ministers are but Horse physitians in this disease; wine and musick are vain remedies, there is need of a Creator of peace; she is frantick (say they) and its but a fit of a naturall melancholy and distraction. The Disciples are Physitians of no value to a soul crying, and not heard of Christ.2. Use. Oh Moses is a meek man, David a sweet singer, Christ sweete[illegible: 1 letter] to the diserted then all the world Job and his experience profitable; the Apostles Gods Instruments, the Virgin Mary is full of grace, the glorified desire the Church to be delivered, but they are all nothing to Jesus Christ; there is more in a piece of a corner of Christs heart (to speak so) then in Millions of worlds of Angels, and created comforts, when the conscience hath gotten a back-throw with the hand of the Almighty. ver. 2424. But he answered and said, I am not sent but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. In this answer two things are to be observed; 1. The temptation coming from Christ, denying he had any thing to do with this woman, I am not sent for her. 2. The matter of the temptation, containing Christs 1. sending: 2. to whom, To the house of Israel: 3. Under what notion, The sheep of the house of Israel: 4. what sort of sheep, The lost sheep. In the temptation consider, 1. who tempteth; 2. the nature of the temptation; for the former, Its Christ who tempteth. Hence these Positions; 1 Posit How God tempeth. 1. Pos. God tempeth no man to sin, Jam. 1.13. Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted, neither tempteth he any. 14. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust: God doth try, rather then tempt. 1. God cannot command sin. 2. He cannot actuate the crooked faculties to sin, as he that spurreth a Horse, putteth the horse to actuall motion: But the dislocated legge of the horse putteth in act the halting power of the horse. 3. He cannot infuse sinfull habits, which are as weights of Iron and Lead, to incline the soul to sin. 4. He cannot approve sin. Satan never tempteth, but upon practicall knowledge, either that the wheels may run down the mount, as he tempted Eve, Difference between God trying men, and Satan, the world & sin tempting men and upon that false perswasion tempted Christ to sin; or then he knoweth sin hath oyled the wheels and inclinations, and so casteth in Fire-brands, knowing that there's powder and firewood within us in our concupisence; he should not offer to be a Father to the brood of Hell, if he knew not that a seed and mother were within us: except Christ by grace cast water on our l[illegible: 1 letter]sts, and coole the furnace, wee conceive flames easily. 2. Pos. Neither Devils, nor men,2 Pos. A creature cannot put another creature to act sin, upon an intention to try his fellow-creature. nor our heart may, without sin, tempt or try the creature by putting it to do that which may prove sin, upon any intention to try, whether that creature shall obey God or not: Had Abraham coōmanded Isaac to kil Iacob his son, to try whither Isaac loved God, or no, it had been a sinful tempting of him. A creature cannot put his fellow-creatur upon the margin & border of death (such as all sin is) to try if the creature hath a good head that cannot be giddy. God may try duties by events, He is the Potter, we the Clay: but clay is limited to try events upon clay by duties only; and not by events duties. 3. Pos. Wanton and vain reason would say, Why did the wise Lord create such a Tree of Knowledge, the tasting whereof, 3 Pos. was the second death by Law, and that in Eves eye? Why did not God fortifie the first besieged Castle, Eves will and minde with grace, that the day should not have been the Divels? But, O vain man, is the potter holden to make a vessell of earth, In creatures actions and commandements, we must 1. know, Quis who commandeth 2. Quid, what hee comands. 3 Quare upon vhat Reason he commandeth But for Gods actions and commandements, its enough. Quis, who doth it, who commandeth it. If Jehovah, I am silent, and must obey. as strong as a vessel of Iron, or Brasse, that though it fall by no fault of the maker it shall not be broken? We may say to superiors of clay, yea to Angels, Who art thou that commandest? And beside we may say, What dost thou? and Why doest thou? and, What commandest thou another Gospel, or no? And we may take their will with a reserve; But we may know of God, Quis, who he is, that he is Jehovah. But we are not to inquire, quid and cur, Lord, Why doest thou this? or, Lord, What is it that thou commandest? The Agent here warrants the action, and all its motives; God infuseth wisdom and goodnesse in all his wayes, because they are his wayes; goodnesse is a stranger to what Angels and men do, except there be a safer Law for their doing, then their person. God must have absolute obedience, though he seeketh no blinde obedience; mens actions must be warranted, not only from the wisdom of the doer, but also from the nature of the deed; Gods actions have all, and abundance of goodnesse in them, from the Lord. Its enough to me what I suffer (I mean it ought to be enough) if ten Hells for one sin, if the absolute former of all things do it: we love to put law on God: whereas to examine mens commandements is religion, we take them upon trust: and to examine Gods ways is arrogancy: yet we must judge God. We see in permitting sin in bloods, in confusion, in the fall of Adam, more fairnesse, beauty, and glory in Christ Iesus, and his new Heaven, then we can see of blacknesse, of Hell, of sin in Divels, and in sin: possibly it should have been lawfull to the Creature, and to Angels to permit sin, so they could and would from thence raise a Gospel, an heaven of Free-grace. Now for temptations from God, we are to consider that they are all reason, all wisdome, all goodnesse. 1. Pos. Christ saith to the Disciples of her (it had been some comfort,1. Pos. if he had given her self but one word) I am not sent for this woman nor for any of her blood, and kindred: she is a Gentile, I am sent primarily for Jews. Hence Christ may in words, and to the apprehension of weak ones, say, I am not thy Saviour, thou art not any of my redeemed ones. Christ may give rough answers, when he hath a good minde; he put a hard word upon the Noble-man, Joh. 4. that came to him for his dying son: Ye (and all your nation) will not beleeve, except you see signes and wonders. Never any man saw and apprehended harder things of God then Ieremiah, chap. 15. vers. 18. Wilt thou be altogether to me as a lyer, and as waters that faile? 2. Posit. 2. Pos, How often doth the promises of the Gospell lye at a distance to us,4 Doubts of the tempted. and we have four doubts touching them; 1. They are not mine. In dispensation God dealeth otherwise with me, then with the rest: so David, Psal. 22.4. Our fathers trusted in thee, they trusted in thee, and thou deliveredst them; and why should he not deliver thee also? v. 6. alas, its not so: But I am a worme and no man, so Esa. 49.13. Sing O Heavens, be joyfull O Earth, and breake forth into singing, O Mountains. What is the matter, that the Skies and Stars are bidden sing Psalms? for God hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. Yea, but no mercy for me, v. 14. But Sion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me; whoever finde mercy, Gods dispensation saith, I shall finde none. 2 For unworthinesse and sin, I am uncapable of mercy; the forlorn son dare not believe his father will make him a son in his house: why? there is all his reason, Luke 15.18, 19. Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants, such was Peters reasoning; Lord depart from me, for I am a sinfull man. 3. I know not how the promises shall be made good to me, but Joseph had a word, that the Sunne, Moon, and eleven Stars should honour him, but how that could be performed he saw not; when he was sold as a slave, and that was far from honour, yet was he to believe his dream should be fulfilled: and so Abraham did adheare to the Promise, when God commandeth the Son of Promise to be killed, Heb. 11.19. accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. 4. I see not the time of the fulfilling the promise yet, Hab. 2.3. Though the Vision tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, and not tarry. We are to remember God can tryall his promise, in our seeming, through Hell, and the Divels black hands, (as he led Christ throgh Death, the Curse, and Hell) and yet fulfil them; when Christ is under a stone, and buried, the Gospell seems to be buried. 3. Posit. Christ is on both sides,3. Pos. he holdeth up, and throweth down, in one and the same act; he denyeth the woman to be his, and is on her side to grace her, to believe that he is hers. Christ putteth his childe away, and he desireth that his child should not be put away from him; he is for Jacob in his wrestling, and as if he were against him, saith, Let me alone. Christ here doth both hold, and draw; oppose, and defend at once. I am not sent] He doth not here deny the interests of the Gentiles in the Messiah, but his meaning is, I am not first and principally sent; 2. in the flesh, and personally as man for the Gentiles, to preach the Gospell to them, and to work Miracles for them, but principally as the Minister of Circumcision, to the Iewes; therefore Mat. 10. he forbiddeth his Disciples to go to the Samaritanes, but rather to preach to the house of Israel. First then a word of Christs sending, which includeth these three: 1. Designation. 2. Qualification. 3. Speciall Commission. 1▪ The Designation of Christ to his office. 1. The Designation was an act of Divine and voluntary dispensation, according to which the second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God, not the Father, not the Holy Ghost, was designed, and set apart to take on him our nature, place, and the Office of the Mediator to redeem us, in his own person: the Son was fittest to be the first, and originall samplar of sons, the Son by naturall generation was the most apt Person to be the perfect mould and patern of all the sons by the adoption of grace, How the Son is most fit to be our Mediator. Gal. 4.4. the substantial power of God is in the holy ghost, the personall rise and fountain of all the excellencies of God, was in the Father: and so though there was no unfitnesse in either to be our King, Priest, and Prophet: yet the love, grace, mercy, righteousnesse of God and his infinite wisdom dwelleth in the Son: O what a bargain of love that (to borrow the word) the lot of matchlesse love, and free grace fell upon the Son: Son, my onely begotten Son, thou must go down, Simil. empty thy self, and leave heaven, and go and bring up the fallen sons out of Hell ▪ Mankinde like a precious Ring of Glory fell off the Finger of God, being his Image; and was broken; the Son must stoop down, though it pain his back, to lift up the broken Iewell, and mend and restore it again, and set it as a seal on the heart of God: This was the rise of the Covenant from Eternity; that Christ gave his word as the prime Son, that all the derived sons should put their hands and hearts to the Pen, and signe and subscribe the Covenant of Grace; the Writs, Evidences, and Charters of our salvation were concluded, and passed the sign and seal of the Blessed Trinity, in Heaven from Eternity: The Gospell is not a yesterdayes fable, its an old counsell of infinite wisdome. 2. The Son was qualified:2. The qualification of Christ. 1. With a Passive aptitude (to speak so) to be a man, that hee might suffer: 2. He was graced with all active indowments, to be a Mediator; The groundwork of all was the grace of Union, the God-head dwelling bodily in him: 2. The sea of infused graces above all his fellows: to say nothing of what he learned by experience, being a Son put to School [non-Latin text not transcribed] he learned his lesson of obedience, with many stripes, though an innocent childe, Heb. 7. v. 8. Hence he came loaded with Grace and blessings for all the cursed sons. 3. All was nothing,3 Christs Commission. except this Ambassador of Heaven had also had a Commission for us: but he brought two Writs, two Books from Heaven: 1. He came as a flying Angel with the everlasting Gospel, to preach to the Nations: 2. The book of life also; in the former, were three acts of Law: So Christ is our Saviour both by nature, and by a Positive Law: Christ and Grace is Law: 1. Because of his place and birth, being our goel and neer[illegible: 1 letter]st kins man, he was more kind then any other here to redeem the sold inheritance: Its not properly grace that we are born, its an ast of free grace, that Christ was born CHRISTS nature in the womb was grace, its nothing but nature, and that bad enough, for us to be born: Christs mothers wombe was Grace: It was grace that the Son should be conceived, and born, and by this he had law to us: 2. Christs act of dying, was a speciall Law: Ioh. 10.18. This commandement received I of my Father, that I should lay down my life: 3. By his death and Resurrection, he is made a Prince by Law, and hath Law and authority to forgive sins, Acts 5.31. Mat. 9.6. And power to give life eternall, Ioh. 17.2. And rule all by a new Law in his new Kingdom, Mat. 28.8. Our heaven now is by Law, and a speciall Commission: But the Gospel is a Generall: he brought all Gods secrets from Heaven, and in his speciall Commission, Christ hath (as it were) private Instructions, Save such and such persons, not any other, not all Israel, but the lost sheep: Not the Goats; thers's a great mystery, how there be no double dealing in the Gospel, and two contrary wills in GOD. 1. Use.1. He offereth in the Gospel life to all so they believe, and God mindeth to work Faith, Gods hidden decree & his revealed will opened. and intendeth to bestow life on a few only; like a Kings Son coming to a Prison of condemned men, with offered Pardons to all, upon condition they accept of them; but yet he singleth out some, & perswadeth them to lay hold on the Fathers Grace; and by the head taketh them out, leaveth all the rest to justice: Yet is this no greater mystery then this, Many are called, but few are chosen: so Christs sending with his Commission, cometh under a twofold notion; one is, in the intention of the Euangel; A two-fold intention in the offer of the promises▪ the other is, in the intention of him who proposeth the Evangel to men: I mean Gods intention to give Faith and effectuall Grace. The former is nothing but Gods morall complacency of Grace, revealing an obligation, that all are to believe if they would be saved; and upon their own perill be it, if they refuse Christ. This is the heart and minde of Christ to persons, revealing two; 1. Mens dutie. 2. Gods Grace to give life Eternall to believers; but the latter is not a morall will in God only, but a reall physicall will (to speak so) according to the which Christ effectually, strongly layeth bands of love, cords of sweet inforcing Grace, to perswade the Soul to take Jesus Christ. Christ cometh to the minde under a higher apprehension, with his rainy and wet hair, knocking, and againe knocking, to shew his face in such soul redeeming beauty and excellency; as the soul must be taken Captive, subdued and overcome with the love of Christ: as the Spouse is so wrought on with the Beauty, Grace, Riches, Indowments of excellency, words of love of such an husband, that she is forc'd to say, I have no power, neither heart nor hand to refuse you. Now the former notion of the Gospel is enough to lay on the obligation of beleeving on all; so as though the Gospel reveal not Gods purpose of Election (that is only and formally revealed in, and by Gods efficacious working of Faith, called the inward calling) yet it saith this to all, You are all to beleeve no lesse then if there were not any Reprobated persons amongst you: If therefore any dispairing ones, as Cain, yea, and many weak ones refuse to beleeve on this ground, (Why shoald I beleeve the Gospel hath excepted me, it belongeth not to me, I am a Reprobate) they are deluded▪ for the Gospel formally revealeth, How and who are to believe the Decree of Reprobation concerning themselvs neither the Lords decree of Election, nor Reprobation; the embracing of the Gospel, and the finall rejection thereof, can speak to both these: but that is neither the Gospell voice, nor the Gospel spirit, that revealeth any such bad tidings. Its true, Satan may speak so, but Christ cometh once with good tidings to all, Elect and Reprobate: men do hereby buy a Plea against Christ, and force a quarrell upon him: the beleever breaketh first with Christ, before ever Christ breaketh with him: bad tidings are too soon true: I doubt if Reprobation be so far forth revealed to any, even to those that sin against the Holy Ghost, as they are to beleeve their owne impossibility to be saved. For though a man knew himself to be over score and past all remedy, he is obliged to beleeve the power of infinite mercy, to save him, and to hang by that threed in humility and adherence to Christ. 2. If Christ be sent for lost Israel, and say in the Gospel, Who will go with me? And say to thee, My Father the King sent me his own son, to bring thee up to his house: Why? But thou shouldst go: When old Jacob saw the Chariots [illegible: 1 letter]nd Messengers that Prince Joseph his own son, yet living, had sent to fetch him, His heart failed for joy: Seest thou the Chariot of Pharaoh paved with love: make then for the journey: the home we have here, is a taking lover: Why? But thou maist say, I cannot stay here, the King hath sent for me. Its a priviledging mercy that Christ is sent to the Iews first. Privileges of the Iews 9. reckned here.

SERMON XIII. OF Israel]. It was then a priviledged mercy that Christ was sen[illegible: 1 letter] to the Jews; 1. The Jew is the elder Brother, and the Native heir of Christ: Christ of their blood and house, Rom. 1.2, 3. Rom. 9.3. They were Christs first Bride. Alas, they killed their husband: there's a born Jew in Heaven, in soul and body: its sweet to have any relation to Christ. 2. The Catholick Covenant of Grace made with the great Sister the Church Universall, was first laid down in pawn in their hand; they put their hand first to the contract, in subscribing the marriage contract, Ier. 2.3. Israel was holy to the Lord, and the first fruits of his increase: O sweet! the fallen race of mankinde was Christs corn-field, and his wheat: The Jews were the first sheaf of the field, Deut. 7.6. They got Christs young love and (to speak so) the first handsell of Free Grace in a Church way. 3. Christ in the Iews flesh, (yet not excluding Ruth, Rahab, and other Gentiles of the Blood-Royall) acted the whole Gospel; a born Iew Redeemed the lost world, offered a sacrifice to God for sinners, a born Iew is heir of all things, is exalted, a Prince to guide and rule all, and shall judge Men and Angels: 4. The Lord Christ in the flesh was first offered to them, they had the first Gospel-love, Matth. 10.5, 6. Act. 13.46. 5. The Oracles of God was committed to them, Rom. 3.1. Rom. 9.4. The Testator Christ, his written will was in their keeping: 6. God was their first Crowned King. He gave Ethiopia, and Egypt and Zeba a ransom for them and was their Law-giver: 7. Every Male childe amongst the Jews, did bea[illegible: 1 letter] somewhat of Christ in his flesh, Col. 2.11. Whe[illegible: 1 letter] all the world was without Christ: 8. Their land was Christs by a speciall typicall right: God saith of it, Its my land; Christ was their Soveraigne Land-lord, and they the great Kings Free-holders: 9 The Lord never dwelt in a house made with hands, in a Temple as amongst them, having special respect to the true Temple, Iesus Christ, Ioh. 2.19. 1. Let us pray our Elder sister home to Christ, Cant. 8. They said,1. Use. We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts, what shall we doe for our sister in the day that she shall be spoken for? Now we have a greater sister: What shal we the Gentiles do for her? There's a day, When ten men shall take hold, out of all Nations, of the skirt of a Jew, saying, we will goe with you; we have heard that God is with you, Zach. 8.21. 2. It is the happinesse of our Land, The honour and priviledg of Britain. that we have a three-fold relation to Christ, I meane these two Nations, that we have avowed the Lord by a Nationall Testimony, and the Nations are the publick Martyrs and witnesses of Christ, in that they are made a field of blood, for no other quarrell, but because they desire to stand for Christ Truth, against Antichrist: sure in the intention of Papists now in Armes against us, there is no cause of War but this only. 2. That we have sworn that the Lord shal be our God, in a Solemn Covenant. 3. That we are honoured to build the Temple of the Lord, and reform Religion. O that we could see our debt and be thankfull. 3. The Iewes had the morning market of Christ, and they would not pay the rent of the Vineyard to the Lord thereof: we have the after noon of Christ, and know we what a mercy it is, that our beloved feedeth amongst the Lillies, till the day break, and the shadowes fly away, and that the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land? God for our abuse of the Gospel hath sent amongst us the bloody Pursevants, and Officers of his wrath, men skilfull to destroy; God is now in three Kingdomes, arresting the Carcases of men, we are owing much to God, he will now have husbands, and sons from us, and leggs, and armes of wounded and slain men from us, for that rent we owe to the Lord of the vineyard, for our contempt of the Gospell. Why the Redeemed are called the Sheep of Christ. Sheep] first a word of Sheep, then of lost sheep: I take no other reasons why the redeemed of the Lord are called sheep, then are obvious in Scripture. 1. The sheep are passive creatures, and can do little for themselves, so can believers in the work of their salvation: as 1 Reas. 1. They have not of themselves more knowledge of the saving way then sheep, and so cannot walk but as they are taught and led, How passive the redeemed are in the way to Heaven. Psal. 1[illegible: 1 letter]9.33. Teach me O Lord, Psal. 25.5. lead me in thy truth. Like a blinde man holding out his hand to his guide, so they, Psal. 5.8. Lord lead me in thy righteousnesse. 2. Its not common leading, but the leading of children learning to go by an hold, Hos. 11.1. When Ephraim was a childe, I loved him. 3. I taught Ephraim also to goe, taking them by their armes; but Ephraim like a childe knew not his leader: But they know not) saith the Lord) that I healed, them. 3. Leading may suppose some willingnesse, but we must be drawn, Ioh. 6.44. No man can come to me, except tht father draw him, Cant. 1.4. Draw me, we will run after thee. 4. There is a word of speciall grace, which is more then teaching, leading, drawing: and that is leaning, Cant. 8.5. Who is this, that cometh up from the wildernesse, leaning upon her beloved. 5. There is a word yet more, and that is bearing, Luke 15.5. when the good shepherd hath found the lost sheep, He layeth it on his shoulders with joy, Esa. 4[illegible: 1 letter].3. Hearken to me O house of Iacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are born, (by me) from the belly and carried from the gray haires: so also, Deut. 32.11. God beareth them on Eagles wings. Grace, grace is a noble Guide and Tutor. 2. The life of sheep is the most dependent life in the world,2. Rea. The Saints are most dependent creatures. no such dependent Creatures as sheep; all their happinesse is the goodnesse, care and wisdom of their shepherd: Wolves, Lyons, Leopards need none to watch over them: Briers and Thornes grow there alone, the Vine Tree, the noble Vine is a tender thing, and must be supported, Esa, 40.11. Christ must bear the weak Lambs in his bosome: the Shepherds bosome & his legs are the legs of the weak Lamb: even the habit of Grace is a creature, and no independent thing, and so in esse; in conserv[illegible: 1 letter] ri, in its creation, in its preservation, it dependeth on Christ: Grace is as the new-born Bird, its life is the heat and warmnesse of the body and wings of the Damme, its like a Chariot, though it have four wheels, yet it moveth only as drawen by the strength of Horses without it, its a Plough of timber only, that without Iron and Steel breaketh up no earth. The new Seed of God acteth as acted by God: hence repenting Ephraim, Ier. 31.18. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; renewed David is often at this, Quicken me, quicken me: the swooning Church, Cant. 2. Stay me with flagons, and comfort me with apples. 3. Rea. How know we Scripture to be the Word of God by a supernaturall instinct. 3. Sheep are docile creatures, Iohn 10.27. My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me There is a Controversie with Papists, how we know Scripture to be the Word of God: there is two things here considerable, one within, and another without. How knoweth the Lamb its mother amongst a thousand of the Flock? Naturall instinct teacheth it. From what Teacher or Art is it, that the Swallow buildeth its clay House and Nest, and every Bee knoweth its own cell and waxen House: so the instinct of Grace knoweth the voice of the Beloved amongst many voices, Cant. 2.8. and this discerning power is in the Subject. There is another power in the Object, of many thousand Millions of men, since the Creation, not one, in figure and shape, is altogether like another, some visible difference there i[illegible: 1 letter]: amongst many voices, no voice like mans tongue: amongst Millions of diverse Tongues of men, every voice hath an audable difference printed on it, by which its discerned from all other. To the new Creature, there is in Christs Word some character, some found of Heaven, that is in no voice in the world, but in his only, in Christ represented to a beleevers eye of Faith: there is a shape, and a stampe of Divine Majesty, no man knoweth it, but the beleever: and in Heaven and Earth, Christ hath not a Marrow like himself. Suppose there were an hundred counterfeit Moons, or fancied Suns in the Heaven, a naturall eye can discern the true Moon, and the naturall Sun from them all: the eye knoweth white not to be blacke, nor green. Christ offered to the eye of faith, stampeth on faiths eye, speces, little Images of Christ, that the soul dare go to Death, and to Hell with it: this, this only was Christ, and none other but he only. 4. Sheep are simple,4. Rea. Fancy leadeth not the Saints but faith. fancy leadeth them much, therefore they are straying creatures, Isa. 53.6. Psal. 119. vers. 176. 1 Pet. 2.25. there is nothing of the notion of death, or of another life in the fancy of Sheep, a mouth-full of green Grasse carrieth the sheep on upon a Pit: and the mouth and teeth of Lions and Wolves. Fancy is often the guide of weak Beleevers, rather then Faith; little care we by nature, what we shall be in the mixt Generation. Fancy and Nature cannot out-see time, nor see over, or beyond death: fair green-like hopes of gaine are to us hopes of reall good: we think we see two Moons in one heaven, there is a way good-seeming that deceiveth us: but black death is the night lodging of it. Alas, we are journying, and know not our night Innes, and where we shall lodge, when the Sun is going downe, poor soul where shall you be all night? Rise, Reign Ruine of Antino. error, 51 pag. 10. is, &c. 52.1. If Beleevers be such dependent creatures, what do Libertines and Antinomians teach us: That the soul need not go out to Christ, for fresh supply, but it is acted by the Spirit inhabiting and dwelling in us: also, that it is the way of the Law, not of the Gospel, that we act in the strength of Christ: both these are against the Gospel: The Saints need fresh supply of grace from Christ, though they have a habite & stock of grace within them, proved by six reasons. 1. We are commanded to pray, even the sons who in faith calleth God, Our Father which is in Heaven, lead us not into temptation, which God doth no other way then by giving us new supply of Grace to actuall resistance: and Christ wil have us to pray, Lord increase our faith, the virgins in love with Christ, pray Draw, us. Paul prayeth, that the God of peace would sanctifie the Thessalonians wholly, 1 The. 5.23. & for this he boweth his knee, that the believing Ephesians may be strengthned according to the riches of his glory, with might by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith, and that with all the Saints they may be able to comprehend the transcendent Love of God in Christ, Eph. 3.15, 16, 17, 18, 19. and that Author, Heb. 13.20, 21. That the God of peace may make the Saints perfect in every good work to do his will, working in them, that which is well pleasing in his sight. 2. Its against Christs intercession, whose it is to keep the faith of the Saints from failing, Luk. 22.32. and who finisheth our faith, Heb. 12.2. confirmeth us to the end, 1 Cor. 1.8. advocateth for new grace, 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. appeareth in the presence of God for us, Heb. 9.24. 3. This cannot stand with the promise of perseverance, made in the Covenant of Grace, Ier. 32.40, 41. Es. 59.21.24. Ezech. 36.27. Ioh. 6.39, 40. Ioh. 4.13, 14. Nor 4. with the faith of perswasion of perseverance, Rom. 8.38, 39. Jude v. 24.25. Psal. 6. 2 Tim. 4.18. and 5. This must infer either that the regenerate doe not, and cannot sin by not believing and persevering in faith, and perfecting holinesse in the fear of God, (which is blasphemy) or that the Saints may finally fall from Grace, or that the use of grace, and willing and doing in the Saints is not of, or from confirming and assisting grace. 6. This putteth our stock of Grace in our own hand, as if Christ did literally only reveale to us the way to Heaven, and leave it to our own free will to guide well or ill. And so we are to thank Christ for beginning in the spirit,1. Use▪ and to thank our selves that we go on, Grace & glory but one continued thread. and grow in grace, or end not in the flesh; Nay but Christs dispensation, in whose grace we are strong, Eph. 6.10. & can do all things▪ Phil. 4.13. is nothing but one continuate act of Free▪ grace, or a long cord or chain of dependency on Christ; yea, Grace is glory on the wheels; Its glory like wheat in the blade, in the way, in the fl[illegible: 1 letter]x and tendency to the ear and Harvest, depending on the continued aspect of the Summer Sun of Righteousnesse; In our progresse to heaven we are to have these considerations. the new creature is the iron in the fire, heaven in the moulding and framing, and under the hammer and tooles of Christ, and a Rose in the opening before it cast out its leaves, and in this we are to have these considerations. 1. Faith is leasurely to look to Christ, in bringing his work out of the mould and taking the new ship off the stocks,1. Consideration. as a perfected vessell: We conceive erroneously that Faith only eyeth Christ as pardoning; Faith bo[illegible: 1 letter]h active and passive. and that it hath no eye, no activity and influence on our owne gracious acts wrought in us by Christ; but Faith is an agent, as it is a patient, and joyneth with Christ and with Free-will to an active purifying of the heart: It beleeveth Heaven, and worketh Heaven. 2. We often go on imagining that we are in a way of back-sliding,2 Consider Desertion hath [illegible: 1 letter]eall advancing in the way to Heaven, in [illegible: 1 letter]1. particu- deserted souls not conscious of the reflect acts of beleeving, and longing for Christ think themselves Apostates, when they are advancing in their way▪ In great water-works, where there be a great multitude of wheels, the standing of some five or six, is the advancing of the work in other twenty, or forty wheels: In desertion some wheels are at a stand, and move not; as often acts of feeling, joy, self-delight in the actuall beholding of Christ, are at a stand; and then its thus: I said, I am cast out of his sight, yet other wheels are moving, as 1. Humble and base thoughts of himself. 2. Broad and large thoughts of Christ, and his grace. 3. Hunger and longing for Christ. 4. Self diffidence is much. 5. Care and love-sicknesse (Saw you him whom my soul loveth) is vehement. 6. Sense of sin, and of wants and spirituall poverty increaseth now. 7. Sense of the misery of the combate, is much more then before: O miserable man that I am, &c. 8. Believing under hope, and against hope, is strongest now. 9. There's more tendernesse and humble fear now then before. 10. A stronger resolution to entertain Christ more kindly, when he shal return again in his fulnesse of presence. 11. Sorrow, that remembring he said, My head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night, Cant. 5.6. Yet the sleeping soul kept him at the door. We are to adore that Dispensation who will have us not stepping one foot to Heaven,3 Consider. but upon Grace and upon Graces charges; he could make Saints to be sinlesse Angels: But what haste? We should then, not yet being habituated with glory, nor confirmed in Heaven, think little of Christ. If we be so dependent on Christ, we have not ended with all Law directions,2 Use. We are not freed from law directions. the Law standeth us yet in good use; I mean, when Christ hath made us and the Law friends, and hath removed the curse, and made the Beleever say, O how love I thy Law? Obj. Can you (saith M. Toun) separate the directing or commanding power of the Law, Obj. 1. Actuall condemnation may be separated from the Law. from the condemning power of the Law? can the Law speak to any but to those who are under the Law? Is it Law at all, if it condemn not? Ans. Actuall condemnation may well be separated from the Law: as a Lyon is a Lyon, and yet being chained, cannot actually devour. To condemn may well be removed from the Law, it could not condemn Adam before sin entred in the world; it cannot condemne the Holy, Elect, and sinlesse Angels; yet it had, and hath a commanding and obliging power to command and direct both; to condemn is accidentall to the Law, as the state of sin is accidentall to man. 2. The Law may speak by way of direction to Believers, but cannot speak to them by way of actuall condemnation, because Christ hath removed the curse. Obj. 2. Holinesse and walking in the way of holinesse contributeth not one jot to Salvation, Obj. 2. How works of holinesse conduce to Salvation. as causes, or as the way thereto, Christ hath done that perfectly. Ans. I pray you consider three things here; 1. The Will of Gad to save; yea, and to justifie the ungodly. 2. Ius, the Law right to righteousnesse and salvation. 3. Actuall salvation; Three things herein to be distinguished. Christs merits are neither cause, nor motive, nor condition moving God to will, to choose, or ordain persons for glory, this is an act of eternall election to glory, which is not from Christs merits: nor doth any externall work or condition, either good or evill in Iacob, or Esau, or in the surety Christ, move God to such an act of free libertie. Libertines are ignorant in so speaking; yea, faith is no condition, cause, or motive of such a will. 2. Christs merits, not faith, not holinesse in us, must be the cause of our Law-right to righteousnesse and glory: Christ, his alone gave the price of Redemption for us, no Garments were rolled in blood for a patent and right to Heaven, but his only: his alone trode the Wine-presse of Gods Wrath; in those two notions, works of holinesse have no footing in the work. But 3. as touching actuall salvation, the way to it is holinesse, without which none can see God. Its expresly commanded, Be ye holy, as I am holy, 1 Pet. 1.19, 20. and Rom. 6.21. But being now made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit into holinesse, and the end life everlasting, 2 Pet. 1.10. If ye doe these things ye shall never fall, for so an entrance shal be ministred unto you abundantly, unto the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Rev. 2.7. To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the Tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradice of God, Rev. 3.21. To him that overcometh wil I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set downe with my father on his Throne. They answer, overcoming is by faith. But I reply; Faith to Libertines is but a believing that Christ hath overcome in their person and place, for faith is no more to them a condition or way to salvation then good works: for Faith (say they) is not Christ; Christ only is the way to Heaven, but this were a vain promise, if overcoming were not: 1. A duty required of us in time, upon the performance whereof, we have an entrance made to life eternall. 2. If overcoming be but only believing, and so an act of the soul only; those to whom the promise is made, are to do no more but believe Christ hath overcome the persecuting world for them, and yield, and in profession deny the Faith, and accept of conditions of life, and so be foyled, and yet claim right to the promise, contrary to the intent of Christ, Rev. 2.13. who commendeth Pergamus for not denying the Faith. Now in all this, as the walking in the way to a fair Palace to dwell in it, in honour and happinesse, cannot be the price, the ransome; the sum given to buy right to that place, and to the honour and happinesse thereof, so neither can our walking in the way to glory bee the price of glory. Obj. 3. Obj. 3. But we are saved by Christs merits before we can do any good works then good works cometh not to perfect and make up salvation. Ans. So are we in regard of right of purchase, saved before we beleeve; yet that hindereth not, but faith is a way to salvation▪ 2. This concludeth that good works are no cause, or way, or meane of obtaining the right (jus) of purchase to Redemption, which we yeeld, but not that we are actually saved without walking in the way, called the way of holines which the uncleane shall not passe over, Esa. 35.8. Obj. 4. We are to do good works from the principle of the love of Christ constraining us, Obj. 4. We are to performe good works both from the principle of love and Law. not from the Law commanding, or directing us. Ans. 1. These are no way contrary, the Regenerate from both Principles are to walke in love and holinesse as Christ did; the Law directing is not abolished by Grace, or by love to Christ, and this is no other then the reasoning of old Libertines; Paul said, Rom. 7.6. Now we are delivered from the Law. O then said Libertines; We may sin, and fleshly walking shall not prejudge salvation, nor condemn us, v. 7. What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? God forbid, and Rom. 5.20. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: Then said the Libertine, chap. 6.1. What shall we then say? Shal we continue in sin that grace may abound. 2. God forbid, then the Law commandeth and directeth not to sin; and Christ and Grace being friends, speak with the same mouth, God forbid that we sin; we are not so freed from the commanding power of the Law, as that we sin not: when we do what is contrary to Gods law, we are so far under the Law, as not to sin, because the rule of Law is removed: nay, the Law backs a man while he come to Christ, and to glory; and Christ backs the Law, and saith, the Law forbiddeth you sin, I say Amen. Grace saith, sin not: and Christ also layeth new bands of love and obligation to thankfulnesse on us, not to sin, but removeth not the ancient bounds: Grace and condemnation are opposite but not Grace and the commanding power of the Law. Obj. 5. The Law is a letter of death and bondage, Obj. 5. Of the letter both of Law & Gospel, divers errors of Libertines touching the point. and can never convert the soul, only the Gospel doth that, for in the Gospel, Grace is given to obey what is commanded: Therefore your Law-preachers lead men from the foundation Christ. Ans. 1. The Letter of Law without the spirit of Christ, cannot convert any, nor can the Letter of the Gospel, or Gospel-threatnings without the spirit of Grace convert any: both Law and Gospel separated from the spirit are alike in this; and neither Law nor Gospel according to this reasoning should be preached. Antinomians do in down right tearms teach this: for they say, 1. 39. That the due searching and knowledge of the Scriptures, Rise and rai[illegible: 3 letters]er. is not a safe and sure way of searching and finding Christ. The Word saith the contrary, Psal. 19.7, 8, 9. Act. 10.43. Rom. 3.21. Joh. 5.39. Luk. 1. 70.71. 2. er. 33. To do any thing by vertue of a commandement, is a Law way, not Gospel obe[illegible: 1 letter]dience. Contrary to Psal. 119.6.43, 44. v. 11. 2 Pet. 1.19, 20. 2 Tim. 3.16. 3. er. 74. All verball Covenants, and the word written is but a Covenant of Works, and taketh men off from Christ: And er. 7 the whole letter of the Scripture holdeth forth a Covenant of works. Er. 61. All Doctrines, Revelations, and spirits are to be tried by Christ, rather then by the Word. Those that go from the Sun must at length walk in darknesse. Anabaptists of old said, the Covenant of Grace was written in the inward parts, and in the heart, & therefore there was no need of word or ministery; But when Satan knocketh, his knock is dumb and speechlesse▪ he bringeth not the Word, and speaketh not according to the Law and Testimony; The Scriptures are not to be condemned because they profit nothing without the teaching of the spirit Because he is a dumb Devil: Christ bringeth the word with him. To all these, we can say no other, then that they condemn the Scriptures and the Preaching of the word; Because nothing can avail us to Salvation without the spirit. This is 1. to condemn the wisdom of our Lord, who hath appointed that Faith should come by hearing, and that the things that are written, are written, That we in believing, might have Eternal life, Ioh. 20.31. 2. Its to fetter the free operation of the spirit, whose winde bloweth when he listeth, to the preaching of the word, 3. Yea to make Christs Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and Intercession at the right hand of God, which all must be the marrow of the Evangel, things meerly legall, and things belonging to the Covenant of works; because all those without the Grace of the spirit, are meerly fruitless to many thousands. Obj. 6. But repentance in the New Testament, Obj. 6. Hen. Denne Doctor of Ioh. Baptists pa. 46, 47. Repentance is different from Faith, the contrary whereof Libertines teach. is nothing else but the change of the mind, and to be of another mind then to seek Righteousnesse by the works of the law; even to seek it in Christ alone; and mortification is but the apprehension of sin slain by Christ, and so Repentance is a part of Faith, though Repentance in the Old Testament, was to bewail sin and so sake it. Ans. But this is to dally with Christ, all mortification and dominion over our lusts that fighteth against mercy and justice, and the duties of the second Table, must be, by this means, an act of Faith, and the New light of Christ in the mind, believing our Righteousnesse to be in Christ: And so an act of Internall worship belonging to the first Table; then as the Scripture saith, The sinner is justified by Faith, apprehending Christs Righteousnes; so might we well say, that we are justified by Repentance and by mortification. 2. That Repentance layeth hold on Christs Righteousnesse. 3. That as to beleeve only without works doth justifie and save; so to repent only (that is to change the minde and apprehend Righteousnesse not in works, but in the Christ) without all holinesse and forsaking of sin should save us: But this is to acquit men from all duties of the second Table; yea, and of all the first Table, loving of God, Praying, Praising, hearing, &c. except only we are to beleeve: This is clear the way of the old Gnosticks, who placed all holinesse in meer knowledge and apprehension of Gods will, without love or obedience. 2. Repentance is sorrow according to God, Repentance the same in the Old & New Testament. 1 Cor. 7.9.10. Jam. 4.9. And eschewing evill and doing good, 1 Pet. 3.11. And the Crucifying of the old man, and the lusts thereof, as Fornication, Vncleannesse, Inordinate affection, evil Concupiscence, Covetousnesse, Col. 3.5. And these are commanded in the New Testament, as the very lesson of the Grace of God, Tit. 2.11. Its true in the Old Testament, the People were under Tutors and bondage; but that was in regard of the carnall commandement of Ceremonies, the cognizance of our bloody demerit held forth in bloody sacrifices. 2. In regard, lesse of Christ and the sweetnesse of the Gospel was then known, and the Law chased harder the guilty to Christ. But 1. Servile obedience through apprehension of legall terrors, was never commanded in the spirituall Law of God to the Jews, more then to us. 2. The Jews were not justified by the works of the Law more then we; but by Faith in Christ as well as we, Act. 15.11. Act. 10.42.43. Heb. 11. 1 Cor. 10.1, 2, 3. Yea, we are justified as David, and Abraham were, Rom· 4.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Yea, the Iews seeking of Righteousnesse by the works of the Law, is a stumbling at the stone laid in Zion, Rom. 9.31.32, 33. Yea, its blasphemy to say, Repentance in the Old Testament was a sorrow for sin, and a forsaking of it; as if under the New Testament we were Licensed to sin, and turn Grace into wantonnesse.

SERMON XIV. In what sense Christ came to save the lost. LOst sheep] Lost, is either understood of the common condition of all men, and so because all are the Hieres of wrath, Eph. 2. All have sinned, and commeth short of the glory of God, Rom. 3.23. and so are lost: But the Scripture intituleth men by that which they are in their own esteem, as Mat. 9.13. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to Repentance: this may seem to hold forth that there be some sinners, and some not sinners, but righteous, whereas none are righteous that sinneth not, Rom. 3.10. But God giveth to men the title which they give themselves, and so lost here, is such as are lost in their own esteem; for Christs intention in comming in the flesh, and dying is to seek and to save the lost, Luk. 19.10 In this sense, Mat. 9.13. and 1 Tim. 1.15. Christ came to save sinners, otherwise, all the house of Israel are lost, Jer. 50.6. My people have been lost sheep, Ezek. 3.4. Neither have ye sought that which was lost: Nor is this to be meant of the lost considered, as redemption is purchased, in this notion, Christ died for his enemies, Rom. 5.10. the just for the unjust, 1 Pet. 3.18. and so for the lost: But we are here lead to this, Those whom Christ immediately converteth are first lost. that these at whose salvation Christ hath a speciall ayme, and whom he actu[illegible: 1 letter]ally converteth are first sinners, And lost in their own eyes, as is clear, Mat. 9.13. 1 Tim. 1.15. Luk. 19.10. It is one thing to be lost, and a sinner, and another th[illegible: 1 letter]ng to be self-lost, as many are loaden who are not weary, and yet none are w[illegible: 1 letter]ary, but they be loaden. 1. All that Christ converteth are self-sinners too, but Christ converteth not all sinners. Hence Christ actually calleth and s[illegible: 1 letter]veth but those who are such and so prepared; A two fold preparation before converted. now there is a preparation of order, and a preparation of deserving: I cannot say, there are preparations in the converted▪ by way of deserving. Christ calleth not sinners because, or for, that they are sinners in their own sense, For he hath mercy on whom he will. 2. Nor are their preparations in the converted to which conversion is promised as a free reward of grace, which may be called morall preparations, there is no such promise in the word as this: Whosoever are wearied and lost in their own eyes, they shall be converted: yea 3. Its hard to affirm that all who are prepared with these preparations of order are infallibly converted; its like Judas, Cain, reputed themselves sinners, and had some law-work in their heart, and yet were never converted. But Gods ordinary way, is to bring men into Christ being first self lost, and self-condemned, and that upon these grounds that proveth Gods way of working to be successive: 1. Because conversion is a rationall work, Conversion is done by succession of foregoing preparations proved by foure Reasons. Reas. 1 and the Gospel is a morall instrument of conversion, therefore Christ here openeth a veine ere he give Physick; he first cutteth and then cureth, for though in the moment of formall conversion, men be patients, and can neither prevent Christ, nor co-operate with Christ, yet the whole work about conversion is not done in a moment; for men are not converted as the Lillies grow, which do not labour nor spin; there be some pangs in the new birth; nor are men converted as Simon carried Christs crosse, altogether against their will; they do hear and read the word freely: nor are men converted beside their knowledge, as Cajaphas prophecied: nor are we to think with Enthusiasts, that God doth all with one immediate rapt, as the Sun in its rise inlighteneth the air. The Gospel worketh morally as doth the Law; Reasons work not in a moment, as fire flaughts in the air: Christ putteth souls to weigh the bargain, to consider the field and the pearle, and then buy it: 2. Christs saving and calling the lost, is a new creation as well as a generation: A childe is not born in one day; saving Grace is not Physick that worketh the cure while the sick man is sleeping: Christ casteth the mettall in the fire ere he form the Vessell of mercy; he must cast down old work, ere he lay the new foundation: 3. Conversion is a Gospel blessing,3. Rea. and so must be wrought in a way suitable to the scope of the Gospel: Now the speciall intent of the Gospel is to bring men to put a high and rich price upon Christ, and this is one Gospel-offer: What thinkest thou of so excellent a one as Christ? What wouldst thou part with? What wouldst thou do or suffer for Christ? Now men cannot prize Christ, who have not found the terrors of the Law: So Paul finding himself the chief of sinners, and in that case saved, 1 Tim. 1.15. Must hug and embrace Christ, and burst out in a Psalm, v. 17. Now to the King eternall, immortall, invisible, the onely wise God, be honour and glory for ever, & ever: Amen. A sight of the Gallows, of the Ax, raiseth in the condemned mans heart, high thoghts of the Grace of a Pardoning Prince; to be a Tenant of Free-Grace is so sweet a free-holding that it must put a high Rate on Free Grace. 4. The Clay-organs and faculties of the soul working by them,4. Rea. cannot bear the too great violence of Legall terrors; for in reviving the Spirit, Isa. 57.16. If he should let out all his wrath, the souls should fail that he has made: Nor can they bear that God let out all his strength of love in one moment; rough or violent dealing should break Chrystall Glasses: Christ should break the needle, when he soweth a heart to himself, if he should put to all his strength; too swift motion of wheels may break the Mill; Christ must drive softly for a sight of the fourth part of the fire of Hell, and a sight of one chamber or one window of heaven is enough at once. 1. Its not enough to be fitted for the Physick, Sense of poverty fitteth for Christ. and not for the Physitian: The weary and laden are fit to be eased, but not fitted for Christ the Physitian▪ except they come to him and believe: Faith is a thing very suitable for Christ: Ho, every one that thirsteth, [illegible: 1 letter]ome ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come buy and eat, Isa. 55.1. It is true, in regard of all good deserving, moving God to have mercy on one, rather then another: Jerusalem and all converted are dying in their blood, and no eye pittying them, Ez. 16.6, 8. And therefore are none discouraged to come because of their wretched estate; that is to say, we cannot come, we have no money: But Christ inviteth these which have no money, & though Christ seem to exclude the woman from mercy, yet Christ in wisdom holdeth forth the promise here in that latitude of Free-Grace; while as he saith, he came for the lost sheep; that there is room for the woman, and all believing Gentiles to come in, and lay hold on the Covenant; Sense of wretchednesse and unbelief representeth Christ as too narrow, and contracteth and abridgeth the Promises, as if there were no place for thee, because thou art thus and thus sinfull. Obj. 1. The King putteth forth a generall Proclamation to all Theeves: Crisp. Ser. 7. pag. 208 209, 210. seq. Oh (saith one) but he may mean others but not me; Why? he means Theeves in generall, he accepteth none: why shouldst thou say not me, Christ belongeth to sinners as sinners, he receiveth sinners as sinners, Sinners as sinners, are not fit to receive Christ. yea he ascended on high to give gifts to the rebellious, therefore there's no qualification required in men, that believeth in Christ, no nor doth unbelief debar a man from Christ, it only excludeth him from the experimentall knowledge that Christ is his. Ans. 1. Its true, the Gospel excepteth no man from Pardon, and all that heareth the Gospel are to be wearied and loaden, and to receive Christ by faith, as if God intended to save them: But the Promises of the Gospel are not simply Universall; as if God intended and purposed, that all and every one should be actually redeemed & saved in Christ, as Arminians teach, and so God accepteth in his own hidden Decree, not a few, though he reveal not in the Gospel who they are, yet he revealeth in the Gospel the generall, that Many are called, but few are chosen: How Christ belongeth to sinners, under the notion of sinners. And I grant there's no ground for any one man not to believe upon this ground, because some are reprobated from Eternity, and it may be I am one of those, for the contrary is as sure Logick; many are chosen to life Eternal, & it may be that I am one of those. 2. It is most untrue, that Christ belongeth to siners as siners, for then Christ shuld belong to all unbelievers, how obstinate so ever, even to those that sin against the Holy Ghost. Nay, Christ belongeth only to sinners elected to glory, as elected to glory in regard of Gods gracious purpose, and he belongeth only to believing sinners as believing, in regard of actuall Union with Christ, Eph. 3.17. Gal. 2.20. 3. Its false, that sinners as sinners doth receive Christ, for so Judas and all sinners should receive Christ: Now the Scripture sheweth that Believers only receive him, Joh. 1.12. Gal. 2.20. Eph. 3.17. 4. Its false that sinners as sinners believe in Christ. This way of Libertines is a broad way for Sorcerers, Theeves, Murtherers, Paricides, Idolaters, remaining in that damnable state to believe; whereas sinners as such, sinners thus and thus qualified, are to believe; that is humbled, wearied, and self-condemned sinners only are to believe, and come to Christ. Its true, all sinners are obliged to believe; but to believe after the order of Free-Grace; that is, that they be first self-lost and sick, and then be saved by the Physitian. I cannot but here mention some damnable errors of Libertines, Rise & Reign, &c. error, 33. contrary to this Truth of Christ; as this, That the spirit acts most in the Saints, when they endeavour least. 1. It may be by accident and through our abuse, who confide in our indeavours and works, How the Spirit acts most in the Sts. when they endeavour least. that Grace and the spirit will not flatter merits, which are too naturall to us; that God let a sweating wrestler who hath spent nights in Prayer, and is carefull in all means, and abundant in the work of the Lord: See and understand, that Free-Grace, not our indeavors, leadeth us on to Heaven: Better it is I be conscious to my self that I am Christs debtor, not debtor to my self. 2. That we see self to be wretched, and that self loveth to share and to divide the glory with Free-grace. 3. That Christ reserveth the flowing of his tide, and the blowing of his wind to his own Free grace, Ioh. 3.8. And that Grace in its filling the sailes is not in the Sea-mans power. But this error is the Daughter of another more damnable: that is, Error 43 The marrow of Libertinisme, to neglect sanctification, and wallow in fleshly lusts. That the activitie and efficacy of Christs death, is to kill all activitie of Graces in his members, that Christ may be all in all. This I take to be the marrow of fleshly Libertinisme, that not only the Regenerate cannot sin; but they ought to sin that Grace may abound; and that Christ died for this end, that we should live in sin, the contrary of which is said, 1 Ioh. 3.8. That Christ died that he might destroy the works of the Devil, that is sin. Now the not stirring up of the Grace of Christ in us, is a grievous sin, 1 Tim. 4.14. 1 Cor. 15.10. Yea he, 1 Pet. 2.24. Bear our sins on the Tree that being dead to sins, should live unto righteousnesse, Rom. 6.4. That we should walk in newnes of life, Christs death maketh us active in duties of holinesse. And Gal. 1.4. Christ gave himself for us, that he might deliver us from this present evill world, according to the will of God and our Father. And 1 Pet. 1 18. We are not redeemed from our vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers, by any corruptible thing, &c. This maketh good that which is the up-shot of all the Antinomian-Doctrine, that Christ is so our sanctification, that there is neither Law nor Gospel which requireth of us that we be holy. Hence their fifth Errour; Vnsavory speeches, Er. 5. Here is a great stir about graces, and looking to hearts, but give me Christ, I seek not for graces, nor promises, nor sanctification, tell me not of meditation & duties, but tell me of Christ. So Christ hath not only suffered for us all that he should suffer, so as its sacriledge to adde to his sufferings our own; and the like sacriledge it is for us to be holy, and to adde any of our active holinesse to his active obedience. So Master Towne saith, All our obedience as its the work of the Spirit, Towne Ans. to D. Tailor, pag. 23. its passive, and truly called the fruit of the spirit, Gal. 5.22. and so its an entire work, and undefiled, every way correspondent to the mind of the efficient, and Author, which is the Law and Rule he worketh by: Rise p. 7 but as it is actively our obedience, so its very imperfect, and polluted: yea, simply considered, its a menstruous cloth and dung; Vnsavory speeches, Er. [illegible: 1 letter]. p. 19. and their 36. Error, is, All the activity of a believer is to act to sin; so we can do nothing but sin, and we are to do nothing, nay, not obliged to pray, but when the Spirit moveth us, and that is the work of the Spirit: we are in it meer Patients: so Er. 4. saith, How Christ keepeth us from sin. If Christ will let me sin, let him look to it, upon his honour be it. Indeed, it standeth upon the honour of him who has promised to keep us spotlesse untill the day of Christ, and Christ is so an ingaged Advocate to intercede for the Saints, when they sin, that the redeemed of the Lord fall not away, but be presented spotlesse before the Lord in the day of Christ: But what is all this to annull, 1. All action of grace, and to sooth men up in a lazie dead faith? 2. To take away all commandments of duties so frequent in the word of grace, which teacheth us to deny all ungodlinesse, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world: Tit. 1.11. 3. To make an opposition between Christ and his grace, the fountain and the stream? Ioh. 1.16. Tit. 1.14. 1 Joh. 3.8. Obj. If the actions of grace be all turned upon this axle-tree of Gods gracious will, what can I do, when I am indisposed to do good? Ans. If this be a rationall question, then is no man condemned, because he believeth not in the only begotten Son of God, contrary to Ioh. 3.18, 36. For Reprobates are finally indisposed to believe. 2. Indisposition is our sin that we should be humbled for, and Inke water cannot wash a blacked cloth, sin excuseth not sin.

SERMON XV. 25. Then came she and worshipped him; saying, 8. Necessary duties required of a believer under desolution. Lord help me] CHrist had denyed her to be His, but she wil not deny but Christ is hers; See how a Believer is to carry himself toward Christ deserting, frowning. Christ first answered her not one word: 2. He gave an Answer, but to the Disciples, not to the woman; O dreadful, Christ refuseth to give her one word, that may go between her, and Hell, and dispair: 3. The Answer that he giveth, is sadder and heavier then no Answer; its as much, As woman, I have nothing to do with thee; I quit my part of thee; Yet she is patient: 2. She believeth: 3. She waiteth on a better answer: 4. She continueth in praying: 5. Her love is not abetted, she cometh and adoreth: 6▪ Acknowledgeth her own misery: Lord help me; And putteth Christ as God in his own room to be adored: 7. She taketh Christ aright up, and seeth the temptation to be a temptation: 8. She runneth to Christ; she came nearer to him, and runneth not from him; she claimeth to Christ, though Christ had cast her off. 1. Patience. 1. Patient submission to God under desertion is sweet: What though I saw no reason why I cry and shout, and God answereth not: 1. His comforts and his answers are his own free-graces; he may doe with his own, what he thinks good, and grace is no debt: Hear O Lord for thy own sake, Dan. 9.19. 2. Infinite Soveraignty may lay silence upon all hearts; good Hezekiah, Isa. 38.15. What shall I say? he hath spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: It is an act of heaven, I bear it with silence. 2. She believeth, Isa. 50.11. There's a high and noble Commandment laid upon the sad spirit: He that walketh in darknesse, and seeth no light, let him trust in the name of the Lord▪ & stay upon his God: 2. Fill the field with faith, double or frequent acts of Faith, Psal. 22.1. My God, my God; why hast thou forsaken me? Two faiths, are a double breast-work against the Forts of Hell. 3. In the greatest extremity believe,2. Faith even as David in the borders of Hell, Psal. 23.4 Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; its a Litote, I will believe good: its a cold and a dark shadow to walk at deaths right side, Job 13.15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: See Steven dying and believing both at once, Christs very dead corps and his grave in a sort believing, Ps. 16.9. My flesh also shall rest in hope: How sweet to take Faiths back-band, subscribed by Gods own hand into the cold grave with thee, as Christ did, vers. 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave: 4. Faith saith, sense is a Lier▪ Fancy, sense, the flesh will say, Job 16.13. His Archers compassed me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare, and poureth out my gall on the ground: but Faith saith, ver. 19. I have a friend in Heaven: Also now my witnesse is in heaven, Job 19.11. Sense maketh a lie of God: He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and taketh me for his enemy: No, Iob, thou art the friend of God: see how his Faith cometh above the water, ver. 25. I know that my friend by blood, or my Redeemer liveth, 3. Hope which prophecieth glad things at midnight &c. 3. She waiteth on in hope, and took not the first nor second answer: Hope is long breath't, and at mid-night proph[illegible: 1 letter]sieth good of God, Mic. 7.9. Though I fall, I shall rise again, Jonah 2.4. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight, yet I will look toward thy holy Temple: Theres a seed of heaven in hope, Iob 13. When God did hide his face from him, ver. 24. Yet ver. 16. He also shall be my salvation: There is a negative, and over-clouded hope in the soul at the saddest time; the believer dares not say Christ will never come again: if he say it, its in hot blood, and in haste, and he wil take his word again, Isa. 8.17. 4. She continueth in praying: She cryed, Lord, 4. Prayer. Son of David, have mercy on me: she has no Answer; she cryeth again, while the Disciples are troubled with her shouts: she getteth a worse answer then no answer, yet she cometh and prayeth; we know the holy wilfulnesse of Jacob, Gen. 32.26. I will not let thee go till thou blesse me: rain calmeth the stormy wind, to vent out words in a sad time, is the way of Gods children, Psal. 88.7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me: 9. My eye mourneth by reason of my affliction: And what then? Lord I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands to thee, Psal. 22.2. Christ in the borders of Hell prayed, and prayed again, and died praying. 5. She hath still love to Christ, and is not put from the duty of adoring, 1 Pet. 1.8.5. Love to God. Whom having not seen, yet ye love: The deserted soul seeth little, there must be love to Christ, where there is 1. Faith in the dark; Faith is with child of Love: 2. Where the believer is willing, that his pain, & his hel, may be matter of praising of God, Ps. 77.13. Who is so great a God as our God: The Church was then deserted, as the Psal. cleareth. 6. She putteth Christ in his Chair of State, and adoreth him: the deserted soul saith,6. Acquiting of God and exalting of him. bee what I will, he is Iehovah the Lord; confession is good in saddest desertion, Iob 7.20. I have sinned, what shall I do to thee, O preserver of man? Lam. 1.17. The seed of Iacob is in a hard case before God, and under wrath, v. 12, 13, 14. Yet v. 16. The Lord is righteous for I have sinned: This maketh the soul charitable of God, how sad so ever the dispensation be. 7. She seeth it is a triall,7 A sight of the temptation as a temptation. as is clear by her instant persuing after Christ, after many repulses: Its great mercy that God cometh not behinde backs, and striketh not in the dark, Psal. 77.10. And I said, this is my infirmity; he gathereth his scattered thoughts, & taketh himself in the temptation: Its mercy 1. To see the temptation in the face; some lie under a dumb & a deaf temptation, that wanteth all the five senses: Cain is murthered in the dark at midnight with the temptation, & he knoweth not what it meaneth: 2. Gods immediate hand is more to be looked at, then any other temptation: 3. Hence the conscience is timerous and traverseth its wayes under the Triall; when a night Traveller dare not trust the ground he walketh on, he is in a sad condition; he is under two evils, and hath neither comfort nor confidence, Isa. 50. He that walketh in darknesse, and hath no light (but some glimmering of star light, or half moon under the earth, and knoweth not the ground he walketh in) Let him trust in the name of the Lord. 8. She runneth not away from Christ under desertion:8. Running into Christ. But 1. She cometh to him, its a question what deserted souls shall do in that case: See 2. that you run not from Christ; it was a desertion that Saul was under, and a sad one we read of, but he maketh [illegible: 3 letters]fession of his condition to the Devil, a sad word, 1 Sam. 28.15. I am sore distressed, there[illegible: 1 letter]s a heavy and lamentable reason given, why the Philistines make War against me: Why? That is not much, they make War alwayes against the people of God; Nay, but here is the marrow and the soul of all vengeance, God is departed from me: Why? Foolish man, What availeth it thee to tell the Devil God is departed from thee; Judas was under a totall desertion; he went not to Christ, but to the murtherers of Christ to open his wound: I have sinned, Fool, say that to the Saviour of sinners, the Church deserted, Cant. 1. & 5. betaketh her self to Christ, and searcheth him out, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? Its a bad token, when men conceiving themselves to be in calamity, maketh lies amd policy their refuge. Obj. But it is a greater sin to go to Christ, being in a state of sin: To run from Christ in desertion is two deaths; to flee in to him, though unprepared, at worst is but one death & a little one. What have I to do to go to him whom I have offended so highly? Ans. To run from Christ under desertion, is two deaths. 1. Desertion is one, and if reall, the saddest hell out of hell. 2. To flee from Christ and life is another death; now to come to him, though he should kill thee for thy presumption, is but one death, and a little one in comparison of the other, and one little death is rather to be chosen, then two great deaths. 2. Consider how living a death it is to be killed doing a duty, and aiming to flee in to Christ; better die by Christs own hand (if so it must be) as by another: and better be buried, and lie dead at his feet, as to run away from him in a heavy desertion: if the believer must die, its better his grave to be made under the Throne, and under the feet of Jesus Christ, as to die in a state of strangenesse, and alienation from Christ, not daring to come nigh him: all the deserted ones that we read of did flee in to himself, Psal. 34. Psal. 88. Psal. 39. Job 13.15. Isa. 38. 2. Its good to claime him as thy God, though he should deny thee, and creep into him, though he should throw thee out of his sight: Better kisse the sword that killeth thee, and be slaine with his own hand, as cast away thy confidence. 25. But she came and worshipped.] An heavier temptation cannot befall a soul tender of Christs love, Its a blessed mark when a temptation chaceth not a soul from a duty in 3. cases illustrated. then to cry to God, and not be answered, and to cry and receive a flat and downright renouncing of the poor supplicant; yet this doth not thrust her from a duty, she commeth and worshippeth, and prayeth. Its a blessed mark when a temptation thrusteth not off a soul from a duty: and 1. when the danger and sad triall is seen, its good to go on. Christ knew before, he should suffer, and when they would apprehend him, yet he went to the garden to spend a piece of the night in prayer. It was told Paul by Agabus, if he went to Ierusalem the Jews should binde him, and deliver him to the Gentiles; it was his duty to go, thither he professeth he will go, Act. 21.13. What mean ye to weep, and break my heart, I am ready not onely to be bound, but to die for the name of Iesus: dying could not thrust him from a duty. Esther ran the hazard of death to go in to the King: yet conscience of a duty calling, she goeth on in faith; If I perish, I perish. 2. In the act of suffering: Christ on the Crosse prayeth, and converteth the Thief: Paul, with an iron chain upon his body, preacheth Christ before Agrippa and his enemies, and preaching Christ was the crime: Paul and Silas with bloudy souldiers must sing Psalms in the stocks. 3. Indefinitely, after the triall, and when the temptation is on, yet the Saints go on, Psal. 44 17. All this is come on us, there is the temptation: the duty, Yet we have not forgotten thee, neither dealt falsely in thy Covenant, Ps. 119.23. Princes did speak against me, there is a temptation: yet here is a duty: But thy servant did meditate on thy Statutes, vers. 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation, but I hope in thy Word, vers. 110. The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I erred not from thy Precepts, ver. 157. Many are my persecuters, and mine enemies, yet do I not decline from thy Testimonies, Psal. 109.3. They fought against me without cause, vers. 4. For my love they were my adversaries, but I gave my self to prayer. 1. Its a sign of a sweet humbled servant, who can take a buffet,1. To go on in duties under a temptation speaketh thre[illegible: 1 letter] good signes▪ and yet go about his Masters service; and when a soul can passe thorow fire and water to be at a duty; for then the conscience of the dutie hath more prevailing power to act obedience, then the salt and bitternesse of the temptation hath force to subdue and vanquish the Spirit; its like Grace hath the day, and better of Corruption. 2. It argueth a soul well watched and kept from the incursion of a house sin, and a home-bred corruption: for the temptation setteth on the nearest corruption, as fire kindleth the nearest powder, and dry timber; and so goeth along, Ps. 18.18. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: vers. 23. I was upright before him, and I kept my self from mine iniquity. The Devill hath a friend within us; now there be degrees of friends, some nearer of blood then other some, the mans own predominant is the dearer friend to Satan, then any other sin; if pride be the predominant, its so Satan his first-born, he agents his businesse by pride. 3. So it may argue, that the soul steeled and fortified with grace, taketh occasion from the sinfulnesse of the temptation, and the edge of it, to be more zealous and active in duties. David scoffed at by Michol, said, Ile be more vile yet: so Psal. 22.7. All that see me laugh me to scorn, they shoot out the lip, they shake the head: 8. He trusted in the Lord, &c. See here a heavy temptation, but his faith diggeth deeper, to the first experience of Gods goodnesse: vers. 9. But thou art he that took me out of the womb, &c. As the Church mocked with this, Sing us one of the songs of Zion, Psal. 137. raiseth an higher esteem of Zion, because Z[illegible: 1 letter]ons songs are scoffed at: Vers. 5. Let them mock Zion as they list. But if I forget Zion, then vers. 6. I pray God my tongue may cleave to the roof of my mouth: So the Theef hearing Christ blasphemed, and railed on by his fellow, doth take more boldnesse to extoll him as a King; Lord, remember me, when thou comest to thy Kingdome: Grace appeareth the more gracious and active that it hath an adversary; contraries in nature, as fire and water, put forth their greatest strength, when they actually conflict together. Vse 1. Antinomians turn grace in a temptation, and then cast off all duties,1 Use. as Christ has pardoned all sin, his righteousnesse imputed, is mine: what do you speak to me of Law-duties? The way that cryeth down duties and sanctification, is not the way of grace; grace is an innocent thing, and will not take men off from duties, grace destroyeth not obedience: Christ has made faith a friend to the Law; the death of Christ destroyeth not graces activity in duties: Its true, grace trusted in, becomes our selfe, not grace; and self cannot storm heaven, and take Christ by violence; grace, though near of kindred to Christ, as it is received in us, is but a creature, and so may be made an Idoll, when we trust in it, and seek not Christ first, and before created grace: but beleeving and doing are bloud-friends, Joh. 11.26. Vse 2. This would be heeded,2 Use. that in difficulties and straits, we keep from wicked wayes, and being tempted, that we strive to come near the forerunners way: it was peculiar to Christ to be angry, and not to sin: to be like us, in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin, Heb. 4.14. with this difference, Christ was tempted, but cannot sin: the Saints tempted, but dare not sin. The Law of God honeyed with the love of Christ, hath a Majestie and power to keep from sin: So Christ made under the Law for us, Isa. 53.7. was oppressed, he was afflicted, (oppression will make a sinfull man mad) but it could not work upon Christ: He was oppressed, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a Lambe to the slaughter: So all Christs followers did, they are tempted, but grace putteth a power of tendernesse on them. Joseph tempted, saith, Gen. 39.9. How can I do this great wickednesse, and sin against God. David is reproached by Shimei, but he dares not avenge himself. Iob heavily, as any man, tempted. yet Iob 1.22. In all this Iob sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. I deny not, but the temptation doth sometime obtaine half a consent: Nabal tempted David, so that he resolved to be avenged. 2. It will leave a bleck and a crook behinde it in some, for their whole life: Peter shall be all his life known to be one that once forsware his Lord. But this is fearfull, when men both creat temptations, by defending a bad cause, (as holy men may have an unholy cause) and then can finde no way to carry it out, but by crooked policie, and calumnies. We are now pursued by Malignants with an unjust war: to embrace peace upon any dishonourable tearms to Christ, is to desert a duty for fear of a temptation: On the other side, to refuse an offer of peace, because many innocent persons have been killed, is also a yeelding to a temptation; for by war we kill many moe innocent ones, and its against the Lords counsel, Psal. 34.14. Seek peace: that is, as much as we are not to be patients only, but agents, even when we are wronged, in seeking peace. But what if peace flee from me? I confesse, that is a temptation, then saith the Lord, follow after it; the word [non-Latin text not transcribed] Daresh, is [non-Latin text not transcribed] Heb. 12.14. the Syrocha[illegible: 1 letter]d: is, run after peace: compell peace, and force it, as men follow an enemy, Rom. 14.19. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Let us pursue after things of peace. Vse 3. See the sweet use of faith under a sad temptation;3. Use. faith traffiqueth with Christ and heaven in the dark, upon plain trust and credit, without seeing any surety or pawn, Joh. 20.29. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have beleeved: And the reason is, because faith is sinewed and boned with spirituall courage; so as to keep a barred city against hell, yea, and to stand under impossibilities; and here's a weak woman, though not as a woman, yet as a beleever, standing out against him, who is, Isa, 9.6. The mighty God, the father of ages, the Prince of peace. Faith only standeth out, and overcometh the sword, the world, and all afflictions, 1 Joh. 5.4. This is our victory, whereby one man overcometh the great and vast world.

SERMON XVI. Vers. 26. Mat. 15▪ But he answered, and said, it is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to cast it to whelps. 27. And she said, Truth Lord, yet the whelps eat of the crums that fall from the Masters Table. 28. And Jesus answered, and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt: and her daughter was made whole from that very houre. 30. Mark 7, And when she came to her house, she found the devill gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. THe dispute between Christ and the woman goeth on: Christ bringeth a strong reason, vers. 26. why he should not heal he[illegible: 1 letter] daughter; because she, and all her nation, not being in Covenant with God, as are the Jews the Church of God, are but dogs, and profane, and unworthy of Christ, which is the bread ordained for the children. Nationall sins may occurre to the consciences of the child of God in his approach to God. When Christ humbleth, he may put us in remembrance of our nation, and nationall sins, Isa. 51.1. Look to the Rock whence ye were hewen, and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged—I alone called Abraham, he was an Idolater, Hos. 9.10. I found Israel like grapes in the wildernesse, they should have been wild grapes rotten in the wildernesse, had I not put them in my basket, Ezek. 16.2. Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abomination. How? Make them know the stock they came of. 3. And say, thus saith the Lord unto Jerusalem, Thy birth, and thy nativity, is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite. When the Jews was to offer the first fruits to the Lord, Deu. 26.5. And thou shalt speak, and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and went down to Egypt to sojourn there. Thus the forgetting of what we are by nature, addeth to our guiltinesse, Eze. 16.22. And in all thine abominations, and thy whoredoms, thou hast not remembred the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked, and bare, (and wast) polluted in thy blood: So the Ephesians must be told how unfit they were by nature for Christ; being the very work-house, and shop of the Devill, in which he wrought, Eph. 2.1, 2, 3. Nationall sins hath influence in their guilt and contagion on beleevers: 1. When they mourn not for them, Gods displeasure should be our sorrow: 2. When they stand not in the gap to turn away wrath, Ez. 22.30. There were, Isa. 59. Godly men that departed from ill, v. 15. But Gods quarrell was, that there was no intercessor: in Fasting, beleevers, though pardoned, may have on them a burden of the sins of three nations, and be involved in that same wrath with them: Nationall repentance is required of every one, no lesse then personall Repentance: who sorrows for the blood of Malignants and Rebels? for their oaths, mocking, scoffing, Massing; The sins of the Land, Idolatry, Superstitious dayes, vain Ceremonies, &c. have influence on a believers conscience in his approach to God. But we are here to consider, that Christ doth two great and contrary works at once: 1. He humbleth the believing woman, in reproaching her as a prophane Dog, unworthy of the childrens bread, that the Will may be more broken for beleeving: And 2. He tryeth and tempteth her, to see if she can, by reproaches be taken off from Christ. A broken will is a broken heart; for will is the iron sinew in the heart; decourt merit and conceit of any good in thy self, but the uncleannesse of a dog: And 2. break will, that that proud thing may fall in two peeces at Christs feet: And 3. Beleeve, stick by thy point, that though a Dog, yet thou art one of Christs Dogs, and then all is well: The best way to break the will; is 1. to offer Hell, and the coals of everlasting burning to it; yea, and when the soul is humbled, to humble it more: Christ knew, that this woman was lying in the dust, but he will have her below the dust when he tryeth her with such a humbling temptation; Many think the troubled conscience should not be further humbled: They say, (There is nothing for such a soul but the honey and sweetnesse of consolations in the Gospel) Nay, but often that which troubleth them, is subtile, & invisible pride; he'll not beleeve for want of self-worthinesse: Oh I dare not rest on Christ, nor apply the Promises, because of my sinfull unworthinesse: Now if this be humility, its the proudest humility in the world, A subtile humble pride, the disease of weake ones who dare not apply the promises. Sense of free grace humbleth exceedingly. for the soul thus troubled, saith, I am not good enough, nor rich enough for Christ and his fine gold: and the truth is, he is not a good enough Papist to give a ransome of self-worth, for that great ransome of bloud, which cannot be bought: but though thou shouldst buy Christ, the Father will not sell him: Christ is disposed to a sinner, as a f[illegible: 1 letter]ee gift, not as a wage or a hire: There is a difference between down-casting, and saving-humiliation; down casting may exceed measure in the too much apprehension of the Law-curses, and may be conjoyned with much pride, and self-love: But right and saving humiliation, conjoyned with Faith, cannot over passe bounds; it ariseth often from the sense of grace, rather then from the Law; God giveth grace to the humble, and he giveth humility to the gracious, under the sense of rich grace, 1 Tim. 1.15. Eph. 3.8. Tit. 3.3, 4, 5. 2 Tim. 1.9. Nothing humbleth us more then an opinion of the power and excellency of grace: Grace known & apprehended in its worth, layeth down proud nature on the earth, 1 Cor. 15.9.10. Christs Grace was Christs Accomt-book to Paul; But by the grace of God, I am that I am: A borrowed garment, though of silke, will make a wise man humble; many sins pardoned made much love to Christ, and much humility in the woman, Luke 7.44. And made her lay head and hair, yea, and heart also, under the soles of Christs feet; no doubt she thought basely of her self, and her hair, remembring that grace put these feet to a sad and tiresome journey, to come in the world to seek the lost, & to be pierced with nails for her: There's courtesie in free grace, being the marrow and flower of unhired love, to kill high thoughts of a self destroying sinner. Observe also, that not to dare to come to Christ, and believe and pray, because of unworthinesse, such as is in Dogs that are without the new City, Rev. 22.15. Is but a very temptation: And Christ under the notion of tempting and trying, offereth that to the woman, that she was too daring and bold, being a Dog, to presume to ask for the childrens bread; hence have we to consider how farre the conscience of sinne ought to stand in our way toward Christ; hence these considerations: 1. Conscience of sin is to humble any, that is, to make out for Christ, Act. 9. (Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?) Spoken by Christ, brought Paul down off his high horse, How far forth conscience of wretchednesse can hinder any to come to Christ, and how it is a temptation. and laid his soul on the dust, Rom. 3.19. Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God: Its a speech taken from a malefactor Arraigned and pannelled upon his head: When the judge Objecteth, What say you? this and this Treason is witnessed against you: Alas, the poor man standeth speechlesse, and dumb, his mouth is stopped, Ezek. 16.63. That thou maist remember (thy old shame) and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame: Christ then hath the sinners neck under his Axe: What justice and Law may do, that Christ may do: The Captive taken in war, may be killed, by the Law of Wars, if he refuse to submit: 2. No sin is unpardonable Treason, but the sin against the holy Ghost, and finall impenitence: The Gospel is a Treaty of Peace, between parties in war, none are excepted but these two: 3. But what then, if a soul come to this; I have either sinned against the holy Ghost, or certainly am upon the borders of it; because Christ knocked long, and a year ago, or a long time from this, I remember of his farewell rap: When Christ knocking, took his last good-night with this word; he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and said he would never come again: I grant, an ill conscience can speak prophecy, Exod. 10.28, 29. So Pharaoh did Prophesie, and Cain also, Gen. 4.13, 14. But 2. I can yeeld that there be some farewell knockings of Christ, after which Christ is never seen or heard at the door of some mens hearts, Acts 13.46. Paul speaketh so to the Jews: But seeing you put (the Gospel) from you, and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life, lo we turn to the Gentiles: The like is Christs language to them, Joh. 8.21. Then said Jesus to them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins; whether I go, ye cannot come. I doubt if any can sin the sin against the holy Ghost, and the sinner onely and no other complain of it; that sin breaketh out in prodigious Acts of wickednesse▪ as blood and persecution: Though it were true, that you were upon the borders of Hell, yet the Gospel, though it except you from actuall mercy, yet not from the duty of believing and comming to Christ; and though such think, and imagine that they believe Christ is able to save and redeem them, only they doubt of his will; yet the truth is, the doubt of unbelief is more of the power of mercy and infinite Grace in Christ, then of his will; and my reason is, that whosoever believeth, Joh. 3.33. hath set to his seal that God is true, and 1 Ioh. 5.10. He that believeth not God, hath made him a Liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son: Now it is not Gods Testimony, nor any Gospel-Truth, that such as sin against the holy Ghost shall be pardoned; yea, the contrary is said, Mat. 12.31, 32. Yet these that sin against the holy Ghost are condemned, for unbelief, as all other unbelievers are, Ioh. 3.18, 36. Then such as fall in this sin, though they say, Who ever doubteth if God will save him, doubteth also if he can save. Infinite mercy can pardon them, but infinite mercy will not pardon them; should not bely God, by unbelieving these truths, for they are Gospel-truths; then must the unbelief of those that sin against the Holy Ghost put a lie upon some Gospel-truth, and this can be only on the power of infinite mercy; and so they must say, Christ cannot save, though he would, for there's a power of Christ in mercie, no lesse then a will. If F. Spira go for a despairing Reprobate (which I dare not averre) yet when he said, he believed Christ was able to save him, but he doubted of his will; he must not be so understood, as if it were so indeed: Unbelievers know not all the mysterious turnings of lying & self deceiving unbelief. Unbelief may lie to men of it self, when it dare belie the worth of that soul-redeeming ransome of Christs blood; if he that sinneth against the holy Ghost, could believe the power of infinite mercy, he should also believe the will and inclination of infinite mercy, for the power of mercy is the very power of a mercifull will. I shall not then be afraid that soul is lost, which hath high and capacious apprehensions of the worth, value, dignity and power of that dear ransome, and of infinite mercy. Its faith to believe this Gospel-truth, which is, Heb. 7.25. That Christ is able to save to the utmost all those that come to him: if I believe soundly what free grace can do, I believe also soundly what free grace will do. Its true, Christ can save many, whom he never will save; but the faith of the power of mercie, and of his will to save, is of a far other consideration. 4. It must then be the prevailing of a temptation, not to dare to come to Christ, because I am a dog, and unworthy. 1. Because sin is no porter put to watch the door of Christs house of free-grace, Sin keepeth not the door of Christ to hold out sinners. mercy keepeth the keys; sin may object my evill deserving, but it cannot object Christs rich deserving. 2. That which maketh me unworthy, and gracelesse, and unfit to be saved, may make Christ worthy, and gracious to save; my sin may be Christs rich grace. Though sin maketh me unworthy of Christ▪ yet it maketh me a fit passive object for the Physitian Christ to work on; and maketh not Christ unworthy to save. If I feel sin, it then saith, Thou art the very person by name that Christ seeketh. Therefore is the sense of sin required as a condition in all that cometh to Christ, whether it be before conversion, or after conversion, when acts of faith are renewed. Obj. But we finde by experience, that true poverty of spirit, Rise, reign & ruine of Antino. error 17. pag. 4. and sense of sinfull wretchednesse, doth kill and destroy any sight of guilt and wickednesse in my self; if I rightly see Christ, I shall not also see any unworthinesse in my self. Answ. This experience is not warranted by the word of truth. These may well consist together: 1. That felt and apprehended wretchednesse of a sinner, may stand with a sight of Christs riches of grace, is as evident, as the felt pain of the sting of the fiery Scorpion, Sense of my own sinfull condition and a sight of the Excellency of Christ and his grace may stand together. may stand with looking up to the brazen Serpent, and being saved: yea, when the poor man, Mark 9.24. said, Lord, I believe, help my unbeleefe; he both was sensible of faith, and unbeleefe. 2. Yea, the converted may well see grace and holinesse in himself, (else how shall he be thankfull to Christ the giver) and also see Christ, and beleeve his righteousnesse? for holy walking commeth under a threefold consideration: 1. As a duty. 2. As a mean ordained of God that we should walk in, Eph. 2.10. 3. As a promise, Holy walking may bee felt by the believer in himself, and Christs excellency also. Holiness considered 1. as a Duty. 2. As a mean. 3. As a promise. or a thing promised in the new Covenant: and in this threefold consideration, we may know how far we may build our peace upon any duties, as upon evidences of our state of grace; 1. as holy walking is a duty coming from us, its no ground of true peace, beleevers often seek in themselves what they should seek in Christ; this is naturall merit; often we argue from the measure of obedience to deny grace altogether; this is a false way, especially its a false way of logick, to argue Negatively, from want of such & such a measure of obedience, to deny you are in Christ; how we may argue Affirmatively, we shall hear hereafter. 2. The dutie is Christs mean, not injoyned in a strict Law-way, but in a Gospel-way, as the commandement is oiled with a Gospel-spirit of love: Law and love are not contrary, as Antinomians do imagine; Christ has united, not only persons, but also graces and vertues. This way the duty is a mean, and a way, not to the right of salvation, but to the actuall possession of it; and as it is, or standeth stated before us in the letter of the Gospel, in a Morall commanding, or a Doctrinall, or directing way, without the efficacy of grace, it can be nothing but a Doctrinall-mean, no more then the Law-way is; for all Gospel-precepts without grace, are as little available to us, as the Law: But in the third Notion, holy walking as performed by that efficacious grace promised in the Covenant of grace; is an Argument on which we may build our peace, not as a cause, or a merit-deserving peace, but as a grace threeded upon the free promise of God: August. DEUS coronat innobis non nostra merita, sed sua dona. How we collect peace in our spiritual state by holy walking. so the Saints have builded upon their sincere walking, as on a fruit of the Covenant of Grace promised to us, Jer. 31.33. Jer. 32. for so duties speak the mercies promised in the Covenant, 38. And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever: See Ezech. 36.27. Isa. 54.13. Upon this ground Ezekiah pleadeth with God, when he heard the sentence of death, Isa. 38.3. Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight: And David putteth his faith upon this, as a gracious fruit of grace promised in the Covenant of Grace: So David pleadeth, and in faith, Psal. 86.2. Preserve my soul; here is a prayer in faith, and upon what ground, for I am holy. Now this would seem Pharisaicall, and merit-like, if holinesse did not relate to the free promise of the Covenant of Grace, in which God hath promised, and tyed himself by Covenant, to make his own children holy; and also is resolved upon a proposition of the covenant of grace. God hath both promised to cause his covenanted ones walk before him in truth, as did Ezekiah, as we have it, Ezek. 36.27. and he has promised to save and deliver the upright in heart: as is clear, Ps. 50.23. Ps. 34.15. 1 Pet. 3.12. Ps. 145.18, 19. So all the peace we can collect, for our comfort, from holy walking is resolved on a promise of free-grace, and the duty as performed by the grace of the covenant, may and doth lead us to the promise, & so no wise from Christ but to Christ. Holy walking, is a faithfull witnesse: and a true witnesse may lead any accused man to Law-right: holinesse may lead me to the promise, and that is good Law-right: if we cannot gather any assurance of our spirituall estate from holy duties in us, such as are universall obedience, sincerity in keeping closse to Christ, and love to the Saints, because they may deceive us, and may be in Hypocrites, as Doctor Crispe saith, then may faith also deceive us, for there be as many kindes of false faiths, as there be of counterfeit loves to the Saints: and there is somewhat of Christ peculiar to the regenerate in their love, obedience, and sincerity, which they may discern to be a saving Character, and badge of Christ, no lesse then in faith: 2. But here's the mystery, neither faith, nor any thing inherent in us, can yeeld us certainty that we are in Christ, or any peace with God, in regard all grace, all evidences of our good estate is without us in Christ, inherent holinesse and duties are but fancies; When we then refuse the comforts of God, and Peace from holy walking, as its thred, and linked to the Promise, we refuse Christ; especially, under desertion, wee bid Christ look away from us; and there's a wilfulnesse of unbelieving sorrow, so that Rachel will not be comforted: But when we refuse Christs comforts, we refuse himself; she who refuseth to accept of a Bracelet, or of a Gold-ring from him who s[illegible: 1 letter]iteth her in marriage, she refuseth both his love, and himself, in that she refuseth his love-token. Christ a great housholder. The Priviledges of the children of the house. Observe also, that Christ bringeth himself in, as a great House-holder in the Gospel: in his house there be divers children, servants, Dogs, and the house is broad, and open to all that comes: There's bread in our Fathers house for all: What bread? A great Marriage Supper: here's a Kings Son Married, Matth. 22. Luk. 14 and many excellent dainties, and all dainties is Christ the marrow of the Gospel that bread of life, Iohn 6.48. I am that bread of life: he was the wheat, Ioh. 12.24. That dieth and rotteth in the earth, and then taketh life, and bringeth forth fruit: he is the wheat that suffered the Winter Frosts and storms, rain and windes, and went through the milstones of Gods wrath, and was bruised for our iniquities, Isa. 53.5. For it pleased the Lord to bruise him: ver. 10. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Dakeo, is Contundere, Christ the bread of life. to grinde us in a Morter, or Mill: and he went through the Oven and Fierie furnace of the anger of God, before he could be bread for the Kings table & the children. 2. Every bread is not the bread of children: Christ is not a loaf, nor a Feast, for the man that wanteth his wedding-garment: such a friend was never invited to the banquet, Matth. 22.11.12. and of those that loaths Christ, and loveth their lusts better then him, Christ saith, Luk. 14.24 None of these men that were bidden shall taste of my supper: The children are parts of the house, and are more then children, heirs, even joynt heires with the eldest heir Christ, Communion between the children and the first heir, Christ in five particulars. Rom. 8.17. 1. Because Christ and the younger heirs divideth Heaven (to speak so) between them, and 1. the spirit that raised Christ from the dead, Rom. 8.11. dwelleth in them: 2. They have one GOD, and one Father CHRIST, and we are Fathers Children, Joh. 20.17. Go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God and your God: 3. We must be together in one place, all the children must be in one house together, Ioh. 17.24. Ioh. 14.3. And if I go (its not an if) of doubting) And prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto my self, that where I am, there ye may be also, Joh. 12.26. And where I am, there shall also my servant be: 4. On Resurrection, Ioh. 14.19. Because I live, ye shall live also, 1 Cor. 15.23. Every believer is raised in Christ, but in order, Every man in his own order, Christ first, as the first fruits: 5. One Heaven and one Kingdom: and one Throne, Luk. 22.29. Rev. 3.21. 2. There be great oddes between the spirit or minde of an heir, The Spirit of an heir and of a servant different. or a son, and a servant: the heire will do much for the birth-right, take his life from him, ere you take his Heritage from him: Esaws face dryed, he weeped no more, when his father blessed him with the dew of Heaven, and the fatnesse of the earth: a servant will not contend to be an heire: 3. Joh. 8.35. The servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son abideth ever: The sons reward is all hope; as some courtiers attend Princes upon hopes; servants have hand-payment, and present wages, everie Professor trie his spirit, and nature, if the spirit bend toward the inheritance and Heaven-ward its right: see who looketh to the last year of Nonage and minority, and hath not an eye and heart on time: theirs a latent hope in all troubles in sons, as in a Kings heire in a farre Country where he is not known, not honoured as one of a Princes blood, but neglected, injured: yea, in want and necessity, yet when he casteth his eye upon his over-sea hope, it cometh home to his heart with ease, One day I shall be a King, in honour, and wealth: 2. Try the free and ingenuous spirit of a son toward the Father, there's not a nature or an instinct in the servant, nor such an inward principle toward the lord of the house, as in a son; blood and nature is strong and prevalent, blood-bonds, nature-relations are mighty, Mark 7.27. But Jesus said unto her, let the children first be filled: Christ denied not, but the woman and the Gentiles have a right to the bread of Christs house, only Grace must keep an order; let the Jews first have the loaf broken to them, and then let the Gentiles have the by-board, or the second Table of Christ; hence observe Christs wise attempterating of the temptation in these particulars: 1. That temptations are measured by grans and scruples to the Saints; there's a seed of comfort and hope in Christs glowning and frownings; he would say, There's a seed of hope and comfort in the hardest desertions of the Saints. when the children are filled with bread first, then you that are dogs shall also have your portion of the childrens bread; there is a kisse and bowels of compassion under the lap of that covering and cloak of wrath, with which he is covered, for in wrath he remembers mercy, and moderateth anger; Fury is not in me, Is. 27.4. 2. Gospel trials and temptations are for a mercifull end, that Paul may not be puffed up, or as he saith, 2 Cor. 12.7. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Lest I should be like a Meteor, lifted up in the air above measure, 2 Corinth. 1.9. But wee had the sentence of death in our selves (as condemned malefactors) that we should not trust in our selves: 3. God will not have them above our strength; but the burden and the back are proportioned, 1 Cor. 10 13. Its good that we know Christ breweth or mixeth our cup; he can Sugar the salt and bitter wine with mercy, there is no desertion of the Saints that we read of, but there's as much of Christ in it, as giveth it some taste and smell of heaven: Heaven is stamped upon the hell of the Saints, life is written on their death; their grave and dead corps are hot, and doth breath out life, and glory, their ashes and dust smell of immortality and resurrection to life: Even when Christ is gone from the Church, he leaveth a pawn or a pledge behinde him, as love-sicknesse for the want of him, Cant. 3. and 5. When Christ is nothing but an empty grave, and he himself is away yet weeping for the want of him, without care of Angels or Apostles, when the beloved himself is gone is somewhat of Christ; yea, he sendeth before a Messenger to tell that the King himself is comming, as in a great summer drouth, little drops goeth before the great shower, to make good report that the earth shall be refreshed; 1. longings for him: 2. waiting after him: 3. Christ in you seeking after Christ are Messengers of heaven sent before to dresse and adorne the lodging for the Prince, who is on his journey comming to thee.

SERMON XVII. 27. And she saith truth, Lord,Grace maketh quicknes and wittines heavenly reasoning. yet the whelps eat of the crums that fall from the Masters table. OBserve 1. The womans witty answer by retortion in great quickness by concession of the conclusion, and granting she was a Dog, she borroweth the Argument, & taketh it from Christs mouth to prove her question: She Argueth from the temptation: Let me be a Dog, so I be a Dog under Christs feet at his Table: The Spirit of the Lord shal mak him of an excellent faculty of smelling. Forerius his breathing or smelling of things shal be in the fear of the Lord. Wisedoms Schollers are not fools: Grace is a witty and understanding Spirit, ripe and sharp; so its said of Christ, Isa. 11.3. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Vatablus: Odorari facit illum Forerius respirare ejus erit in timore Domini. Grace has a sagacity to smell things excellently; so Prov. 1.4 The wisdom of God in the Proverbs giveth subtilty to the simple; Vatablus ductilibus calliditatem, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Petaim, à Rad. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Aquila, [non-Latin text not transcribed] such as may easily be milked, and flattered, and perswaded: in young ones, reason sleepeth, affection ruleth all: and [non-Latin text not transcribed] Gnarma, the 70. [non-Latin text not transcribed] quicknesse in all things: and the other word, [non-Latin text not transcribed] rendered Discretion, its Thoughtfulnesse: grace furnisheth the soul with quick, sharp, deep thoughts, to know a Divel, & an Angel; Heaven, & hell; and that stollen waters are not sweet, Heb. 5.14. They have [non-Latin text not transcribed] their spirituall senses are as wrestlers experienced, or as learned Scholers in Universities, acquainted with the knowledge of good and ill. 2. Faith is thus pregnant, as to draw saving conclusions from hard principles, and to exstract the spirit of the promises. Christ came to save sinners: then saith Paul, to save me: for 1 Tim. 1.15. I am the chief of these sinners, and though a temptations language be the language of hell and unbelief; as thus, Thou art a sinner, a lost and a condemned one, and therefore hast nothing to do with Christ: Faith argueth the language of Heaven, and the Gospell from this: I am a sinner, and a lost one, but one of Christs sinners, and one of Christs lost ones, and for that same very cause, I belong to Christ. 3. Faith contradicteth Christ temp[illegible: 1 letter]ing but humbly and modestly. 3. Faith doth here contradict the temptation, and modestly refute Christ, if Christ say, Thou art a transgressor from the womb: Ans. I confesse Lord, But Christ died for transgressors: 2. If he say, Thou art under a curse: Ans. With a distinction, Its too true Lord: So I am by nature, But Christ was made a curse for me: 3. If he say, Thou hast holden me at the door: I confesse Lord it is so; But if Christ say, I came not for thee, thou art a Dog, to such belongeth not Christ the bread of children: you may then Answer, O Lord, with all reverence to thy holy Majesty: Its not so, I am thine, thou didst come for me, the bread belongeth to me: When a sinner dare not dispute his actions with Christ, yet he may dispute his estate: The Saints may dispute their state with Christ, when they dare not dispute their actions. The state of Son-ship is not sin, and therefore we must adhere to this, as Christ did, when he was tempted; If thou be the Son of God, &c. He refused to yeeld that, if then Christ himself should say, Thou art a Reprobate, expound it as a temptation; far more if Satan, if conscience, if the world say it: you are not to acknowledge these to be Heralds sent to proclaime Gods secrets; Job would not believe his friends in this: Then to be tempted, to deny your son-ship and claim in Christ may be your temptation, not your sin; injections of coals to try, may come immediately from God, as well as from Satan: 2. It is good (say Antinomians) To lay the Saints under a Covenant of works, Er. 66. We are to ac[illegible: 2 letters]p[illegible: 1 letter] submissively of a wakened conscienc but not to seek a storming conscienc because it doth this good, to make us make sure our evidences, that Christ is ours: yea some desire a wakened conscience, that the terrors of God may chase them to Christ: But 1. that is a murmuring at Gods dispensation: Let Christ tutour me as he thinketh good, he hath seven eyes I have but one, and that too dimme: 2. We are not to make sad, whom God hath not made sad, Eze. 13.22. Nor to make a lie of Grace: Nor 3. To usurpe the Devils office, to accuse a brother, far lesse your self. Truth Lord, the Dogs] Behold where humility sitteth: 1. Christ cannot put humility lower, it sitteth in the dust, Luk. 15.19. I am not worthy to be called thy son: True humility & its way in seven particulars. O great Paul ▪ What is lesse then nothing, and lesse then the least of all? Eph. 3.8. Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints, is this grace given, 1 Tim. 1.13. I was a persecuter, a blasphemer: Christ cannot put humility lower. 1 Cor. 15.9. I am the least of the Apostles; humility is no daring grace, it dare scarce seek to be a door keeper in heaven; it setteth it self in hell: 2. Though humility be well born, & of kin to sweet Iesus, who is lowly and meek: Yet Christ, and Christ only is humilities free-hold: The humble soul knoweth no Land-lord but Christ, Humility knoweth no Land-lord, but Christ and free grace. and is only Graces humble Tenant: there is none to him but the Lord Jesus with his rich ransom of blood, 1 Tim. 1.16, 17. So there is much humility in heaven: if it were possible that tears could be in heaven▪ the humble Saints that are there should not see Christ reach out a Crown to set on their head, but they should weep and hold away their head; yea, the glorified are ashamed to bear a crown of glory on their head, when they look Christ on the face, and so cannot but cast down their crownes before the Throne, Rev. 4.10. 3. All the Saints truly humbled cry up Christ, and down themselves: and in their own books are farre from Christ as any, Matth. 8.8, 9. I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed; yea, we gather from Jobs pleading, chap. 14. that humble Saints think not themselves only below grace and mercy, but also below the glory of justice and wrath, Job 14.2. Humilty as it extolleth Christ so it thinketh the party not onely below grace and merey, but also below the justice and wrath of God. Man fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not: 3. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me unto judgement with thee? 4. Who can bring a clean thing, out of an unclean one? Not one: he would say, I am not only frail by condition of nature being a shadow of clay, v. 1, 2. But also by birth, sinfull and unclean, by reason of sin originall: I am therefore a party unworthy of the anger of God; as a Beggar is not worthy of the wrath of the Emperour, or a worm of the indignation of an Angel: 4. Any man is nearer God then the humble soul, in his own eyes, Psal. 22.24. Our fathers trusted in thee, &c. Humility putteth all men above it self. 6. I am a worme and no man: Because humility is a soul smoothed, and lying levell with it self, no higher then God hath set it, Ps. 131.1. I do not exercise my self in great matters, or in things too high for me: The proud soul hath feathers broader then his nest: 5. The humble soul is a door-neighbour to Grace: None so capable of Grace as the humble man▪ Christ is near a casten-down mourner in Zion; to give him beauty for ashes, the garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse, Isa. 61.3. Christ hath a Napkin for the wet face of a humbled sinner. Christ the Chirurgion of souls hath a wheel to set in joynt the broken heart, Isa. 61.1. There's a Saviours hand in heaven to wheel in an ill-boned soul on earth, Ps. 51.8. O what consolation: Christ doth both seek and save the self-lost soul, Luke 19.10. The Lamb one of the lowliest and meekest creatures hath a bed beside the heart, and in the bosome of Christ, Isa. 40.11. He shall carry the Lambs in his bosome; yea, he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth, the poor also, and him that hath no helper, Ps. 72.12. The Lord giveth more grace, he resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble, Grace upon grace is for the humble, Jam. 4.6. 6. The humble cannot complain of Gods dispensation, The humble man cannot complain of Gods dispensation. 1 Sam. 15.26. Humble David, But, if the Lord say, I have no delight in thee, behold here am I, let him do to me, as seemeth good to him: That I am not fettered with the Prince of darknes, is the debt of grace on me: then that you are any thing lesse then timber and fire-wood, Many [illegible: 1 letter]ich [illegible: 1 word] conferred on the humble soul. for Tophet, put it up in Christs compt, and strike sail to Christ, and stoop to him. 7. Yet is the hope of the humble green at the root, it shall not be as a broken tree, Ps. 9.18. 1. Because God shall save the humble, Job 22.29. 2. And hear his desire, Psa. 10.17. 3. Revive his spirit ▪ Isa. 57.15. 4. Beautifie him with salvation, Ps. 149.4. 5. Honour him, Prov. 15.33. 6. Satisfie him, Psal. 22.26. 7. Guide him i[illegible: 1 letter] judgment, Ps. 25.9. 8. Encrease his joy, Isa. 29.19. 9. Blesse him, Mat. 5.5. and give him a sure inheritance: None can extoll Crace as the humble soul, 1 Cor. 15.10. Not I, but the grace of God in me, 1 Cor. 4. I have written that ye be not puffed up for one against another: 7. For who maketh to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? 1 Cor. 1.27, 28, 29. Then because thou art litle in thine own eies, put not thy self out of graces writing, for God putteth thee in: Grace is mercy given for nothing, and the promise is made to the humble: In the judgment of sense, How we are to esteem every man better then our self in the judgement of sense, not of charity alwayes, far lesse of verity. every one is to esteem another better then himself, Phil. 2.3. Peter is to have a deeper sense of his own sinfull condition, then of the sinfull condition of Judas the Traitor; Though Peter being graced of God, owe more charity to himself then to Iudas; when Judas is a known Traitor, yet should not humility decline to that extream, as to weaken Faith, and to say, because I am unworthy of pardon, therefore its presumption to believe pardon of sins. Beware of Pride, the Elephants neck and knees that cannot bow, God must break: God knoweth the proud afar off, 3. Use. Pride hateful to God. Psal. 138.6. the word [non-Latin text not transcribed] Gavoah is the high man, the Scripture word, Iam. 4.6. is [non-Latin text not transcribed] the proud man is an appearance, not a reall thing, and an appearance more then enough: the Phrase importeth two: 1. Its borrowed from men, who see things near hand, before they see things afar off, and so more of their eyes is fixed on that which is near hand, and so its more delighted in; we see things a far off with lesse delight to the sense. Lorinus, Quasi in transitu videre, and with contempt. The humble man lieth near Gods eye, the proud man is further from his eye, and seen in the by, and with contempt by God. 2. A man seeth his enemy a far off, and loveth not to come near to him; God hath an old quarrell against pride, as one of the oldest enemies born in heaven, in the breast of the fallen Angels, and thrown out of heaven, and it seeketh to be up at its own element, and countrey, where it was born, as proud men are climbing and aspiring creatures: But God a far off, resisteth the proud, and denieth grace, or any thing of heaven, to the proud Pharisee. When God first seeth a proud man, he saith, Behold my enemy: the lowly man is Christs friend. 4. Though the woman be a dog in her own eyes,4. Use. Graces lowliness in taking notice of sinners. and so a sinner; See, O sinner, rich mercy, that Christ should admit of dogs to his Kingdom: O Grace, that Christ should black his fair hands (to speak so) in washing foul and defiled dogs: How unworthy sinners, and so foul sinners, that they should be under Christs table, and eat his bread within the Kings house: What a motion of free mercy, that Christ should lay his fair, spotlesse and chast love upon so black, defiled and whorish souls? O what a favour, that Christ maketh the Leopard and Ethiopian white for heaven? These two go together, Rev. 1.5. Who has loved us, and washed us: Humble sinners have high thoughts of free-grace; stand not afar off, come near, be washed, for fr[illegible: 1 letter]e-grace is not proud, when grace refuseth not dogs; salvation must be a flour planted without hands, that groweth only out of the heart of Christ. Take humble thoughts of your selves, and noble and high thoughts of excellent Jesus to heaven with you: A curse upon the creatures proud merits, if you make price with Christ, and compound with everlasting grace, you shame the glory of the Ransom-payer. Its no shame to die in Christs debt, all the Angels the Cedars of heaven are below Christ; Angels and Saints shall be Christs debters for eternity of ages, and so long as God is God, sinners shall be in graces compt-book. The truely humble is the most thankfull soul that is,5. Use. unthankfulnesse is one of the sins of the age we live in: it floweth from 1. Contemning and despising Gods instruments: The valour of Jeph[illegible: 1 letter]ah is no mercy to Israel, because the Elders hate and despise a bastard, Judg. 11.1, 2, 6. The curing of Naamans leprosie is not looked on as a mercy: Why? washing in Jordan must do it, and there be better Rivers in his own land, in Damascus: Not only God, but all his instruments, that he worketh by, must be eye-sweet to us, and carry God and omnipotency on their foreheads, else the mercy is no mercy to us. 2. Mercies cease to be mercies when they are smoaked and blacked with our apprehensions; David, 2 Sam. c. 18. and 19. receiveth a great victory and is established on his Throne, which had been reeling and staggering of late, but there's one sad circumstance in that victory, his dear son Absalom was killed, and the mercy no mercy in Davids apprehension; Would God I had died for Absolom: so a little crosse can wash away the sense of a great mercy: The want of a draught of cold water, strangles the thankfull memory of Gods wonders done for his peoples deliverance out of Egypt, and his dividing the Red-sea. What a price would the godly in England have put on the removall of that which indeed was but a Masse-book, and the burdensome Ceremonies, within these few years? But because this mercy is not moulded and shapen according to the opinion of many, with such and such a Reformation, and Church-government, I am affraid there's fretting in too many, in stead of the return of praise: and hating of these, for whom they did someties pray; God grant that the sufferings of the Land, and this unnaturall blood-shed may be near an end: except the Land be further humbled, I fear the end of evils is not yet come. This is a directing of the Spirit of the Lord, to teach God how to shape and floor his mercies toward us. Is it not fitting there be water in our wine, and a thorne in our Rose? Shall God draw the lineaments and proportion of his favours after the measure of my foot? Shall the Almighty be instructed to regulate his wayes of supernaturall providence, according to the frame of our apprehensions? O, he is a wise Lord, and wonderfull in counsell: Every mercy cannot be overlaid with Saphires and precious stones, nor must all our deliverances drop sweet smelling-Myrrhe. God knoweth when, and how to levell and smooth all his favours, and remove all their knots, in a sweet proportion, to the main and principal end, the salvation of his own: There is a crook in our best desires, and a rule cannot admit of a crook, even in relation to the creature, far lesse to him who doth all things after the counsell of his own will. Truely Lord, the Dogs] See and consider this woman, whose faith was great, as Christ saith, and so was justified: she confesseth, Doct. A justified soul is to confesse sin and to be sorry for it. Confession of sins made by the justified proveth to be a duty. and esteemeth her self a Dog, and so an unworthy and prophane person. Doct. A justified beleever is to confesse his sins, to have a sense and sorrow for them, though they be pardoned. The word is clear for both confession, and sorrow for sin: though Antinomians make it a work of the flesh in the justified person, either to confesse sin, or to sorrow for it, or to crave pardon for it: For confession there is commandment, practice, promise, Num. 5.6. Speak unto the children of Israel, when a man or a woman shal commit any sin that men commit to do a trespasse against the Lord, and that person be guilty. Then they shall confess their sin, that they have done: This is not a duty of the unconverted onely, but tying all the children of Israel, men and women, Jam. 5.16. Confesse your faults one to another: Now its not confession to men only, as if they were sins only before men, which the justified person committeth, and not sins in the Court of heaven before God, as Libertines teach therefore it is added, Confesse — and pray one for another, that ye may be healed, for the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Then justified persons are to pray for pardon of sins confessed. I take it to be a precept, that as many as say, Our Father, to God in prayer, should also say, Forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sin against us; and so pardon of sins, by a justified person, and a son of God, is to be asked when we pray for Daily bread, and the comming of Christs Kingdome, Hos. 14.2. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord, say unto him, Take away all iniquity: This must be a confession, that a people turned to the Lord are in their iniquities. 2. This is set down as a commendable practice, Exra 10.1. Ezra confessed and weeped, Neh. 9.1, 2. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquity of their fathers. Dan. 9.4. I prayed unto the Lord, & made my confession. So David, 2 Sam 12.13. I have sinned against the Lord. Isa. 64.5. the Church confesseth, Thou art wroth, for we have sinned—6. But we are all as an unclean thing. Isa. 59.12. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testifie against us, Job 7.20. I have sinned against thee, O preserver of man. Psal. 40.12. My sins are more in number then the hairs of my head. Jer. 14.7. Our iniquities testifie against us — our backslidings are many. Its a vain shift to say, The Church prayeth and confesseth in name of the wicked party, not in name of the justified ones; for as many as were afflicted, confesseth their sins, for the which the hand of God was upon them; now Gods hand was upon all: Daniel and Jeremiah, were carried away captive: yea, the whole seed of Iacob, Isa. 42.24, 25. Isa. 64.5, 6, 7. and Ieremiah, Lament. 1.16. in name of the whole captive Church, saith, The Lord is righteous, for I have sinned. 3. There is a promise made to these that confesse: Pro. 28.13. Who so confesseth and forsaketh their sins, shall have mercy. Ps. 32.3. When I kept silence, (and confessed not) my bones waxed old, &c. Vers. 5. I said I wil confesse my transgression unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. And this is not an old Testament-spirit onely, for the same promise is, 1 Joh. 1.8, 9. If we confesse our sins, he is faithfull and just to forgive, Lev. 26.40. If they shall confesse their iniquity, 42. Then will I remember my covenant with Iacob. 3. Not to confesse, is holden forth as a guiltinesse. Jer. 2.35. Yet thou saidst, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me, behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned: Its a token of impenitencie, Jer. 8.6. No man repented him of his wickednesse, saying, what have I done? 2. Mourning for sin warranted to those who are pardoned.2. Ephraim, Gods dear child, is brought in, as commended of God, and the Lord telleth over again Ephraims prayers and sorrowing for sin, Ier. 31.18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, &c. We have a precept for it in the New Testament, Iam. 4.9. Be afflicted and mourn and weep: Let your laughter bee turned to mourning, and your joy to heavinesse, 10. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Now there is better reason to mourn for sin, because they did lust, war, and were contentious, then because there was afflictions on them. Nature will cause any cry, when punishment is on them; but not nature, but Grace, not the flesh, but the spirit causeth men sorrow for sin as sin, Lev. 26.41. If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity, 42. Then I will remember my Covenant with Iacob. 2. To mourn for sin is a grace promised under the New Test. Za. 12.10. And I will poure upon the house of David, and upon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem, the spirit of Grace and supplication, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn as one mourneth for his onely begotten son. 3. Those for whom the consolations of Christ are ordained, are the mourners in Zion; But the consolations of Christ, are not for legal mourners, and such as are weary and laden for sin, and yet never cometh to Christ, nor believeth: If we are not to mourn for sin, because pardoned the pardoned sin being no sin, neither are we to eschew the committing of sin, because it is also no sin before it be committed, being pardoned (as Libertines teach) from eternity. there's no promise made to such mourners as Cain and Judas were. Can we say that God promiseth Grace and mercy to any acts of the flesh, or of unbelief? 4. Its a mark of a conscience in a right frame, to be affected with the sense of the least sin as David was one in whose conscience there remained the character of a stripe, when he but cut the lap of Sauls Robe, 1 Sa. 24.5. And when wicked men sin, their conscience is past feeling, Eph. 4.19. And seared with an hot iron, 1 Tim. 4.2. It is not an argument of Faith, apprehending sin pardoned, not to mourn for sin and confesse it; for if this be a good argument, that if we being justified, cannot but out of unbelief, sorrow for a sin that before God is no sin, as it is, Jer. 50.20. Fully removed and taken away, Joh. 1.29. Mic. 7.19. Cast in the depths of the Sea, (as Libertines argue) for then (say they) we were both to believe, that that sin remaineth and maketh the justified person lyable to Eternal wrath, and so to sorrow for it, as sin before God; and also to believe that it is taken away, and maketh the person not liable to Eternal wrath, which are contradictory. If this (I say) were a good Argument, then were we not to eschew evill, and to be averse to the acting of sin, before it be committed; for by the Doctrine of Antino. All sins, even ere they be committed, yea from Eternity (say some) are as fully taken away & pardoned, as after they be committed, and as when we do now believe and repent; For if we were to have a will averse to the acting of sin, before it be committed, it must be upon this ground, that it is sin before God, and not taken away by Christs death, else we should not abstain from it as sin; but this is a false ground to Antinomians, and inconsistent with the object of faith, which is to beleeve this truth, that all sins past, present, and to come, are equally removed, pardoned, yea, and in Christ taken away, as if they never had been: and so sorrow for sin committed, being an act of the sanctified will displeased with sin, if it be unlawfull, the will of the justified person is not to be displeased with it, ere it be committed; but by the contrary, if he is not to be displeased with sin commited, but rather to will its commission; not to sorrow for it, because he beleeveth its pardoned, and in Gods Court its no sin to him, being in Christ; by the same ground, ere it be committed, in Gods Court its no sin; and so, neither can he be displeased with it, ere it be committed, but may also will it, and beleeve its pardoned, and he ought to have no act of remorse, nor reluctance of conscience, which is Gods Solicitour, before the committing of it: For how is it not equally an act of the flesh and unbeleef to fear sin to be committed as not pardoned in Christ, as to fear sin already committed as not pardoned? 2. If it be a lie and an act of unbeleef for any justified person to say, (Lord I have sinned) O God, thou knowest my foolishnesse, and my sins are not hid from thee) as justified David saith, Psal. 69.5. in regard all his sins are pardoned, and the man in faith, contrary to the sense of his weak flesh, is to beleeve that they are all taken away. Upon the same pretended ground of faith, he is to say, (Lord, I shall never sin, though I am to commit adultery, and to murther innocent Uriah to morrow, yet thou, O God, neither to morrow, nor at any time, dost see my foolishnesse and sins) because the sins to come are equally removed, and taken away in the free justification of grace, as the sins already past. Master Eaton saith, To hold, Honey comb of justification. 371 that when GOD hath justified both us and our works, God yet seeth us in the imperfection of our sanctification, is another evident mark of an hypocrite, that was never yet truly humbled for the imperfection of his sanctification— But these imperfections of our sanctification are left in us to our sense and feeling, that they may be healed in our justification: And hee bringeth, pag. 375. diverse Reasons to prove, That we are not both righteous in the sight of God, and yet sinners in our selves. Dec. 5. sess. Let me answer, That Antinomians in this joyn hands with the Councell of Trent, who curse us Protestants, because we say, The guilt of originall sin is taken away in Baptisme, but that sin, and that which is essentially sin, dwelleth in us, while we are here, as the sad complaints of justified Saints do testifie, as Chemnitius observeth: Chemnitius exa. Con. Tri· pag. 94. Libertines conspire with Papists in the Doctrine of justification. yea, Andradius saith, as Antinomians do, that we put blasphemy upon Christ his merits and grace, as if he could not in a moment wash us perfectly from all sin: And what Arguments Papists in this Point use, the same doth Eaton and Antinomians use also; yea, but justified Job saith, cap. 9.30. If I wash my self with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean; 31. Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own cloaths shall abhorr[illegible: 1 letter] me. Job 40.4 Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? This Job after he was by Gods pen declared an upright man, saith of his own wayes, in his sufferings: And David, a justified man, faith, Psal. 143.2. Enter not in judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified; yet Job and David were no hypocrites.

SERMON XVIII. NAy, give me leave to say, that Antinomians make justification and free grace their Common-place of Divinity, as if they only had seen the visions of the Almighty, and no other, but they are utterly ignorant thereof; for they confound and mix what the Word distinguisheth, How sins are removed in justification, and how not. because justification is onely a removall of sin by a Law way, so that in Law it cannot actually condemn, Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, [non-Latin text not transcribed], he saith not, [non-Latin text not transcribed], nothing that deserveth condemnation; Nihil condemnabile: So that in Law, all obligation to externall punishment, called Reatus personae, the guiltinesse of the sinner is removed, and he shall never be condemned for sin, because Christ did bear that guilt for him; hence we say, in this regard its blasphemy to say, that tears of sinners do wash away sin, that sorrow for sin, and fasting, pacifieth, or removeth Gods wrath; for my part I never used such Popish and unsavory speeches. Papists do, and we must distinguish between the lax Rhetorick, and the strict Divinity of fathers. But 2. Justification is not an abolition of sin in its reall essence, & Physicall indwelling. Justified Paul sigheth and cryeth, Rom. 7.14. I am carnall, sold under sin. 18. I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good. 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death: Now if the sense of the corrupt flesh make these complaints in Job, David, Paul, and if sinfull flesh opposite to faith, apprehending the just contrary in Christ who justifieth the sinner, That there remaineth that which is formally sin in the justified, and that sin dwelleth in the regenerated is proved by 5. Arguments dwell not in us; Then 1. David, Job, Paul, did lie in these confessions; for to speak contrary to the language of justifying faith, must be a lie. 2. They were not really carnall, and sold under sin, but onely according to the sinfull doubting and apprehension of the flesh: Pauls crying out of the body of sin, was an irrationall, fleshly, and hypocriticall complaint. 3. We are not to grow in the grace of sanctification, and abstinence from yeelding to the motions of the flesh, because if there be no sinfull imperfections in our sanctification, we are not to grow in grace really, but only in the false and hypocriticall apprehension of the flesh. 4. If God see nothing of sin in the saints after their justification, then there can be no sin in them after justification, and so the justified cannot sin, except they may sin, and yet God cannot see them sin contrary to Ps. 69.5. Ps. 139.1, 2, 3. Yet Iohn saith, even of himself, and of those who have an Advocate in heaven, 1 Ioh. 2.1. That if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us, 1 Joh. 1.8. Now he cannot speak of men as considered in the state of nature and unjustified, because to answer a doubt of weak consciences who said; oh if we have sin, then are we eternally lost and condemned: he answereth, 1. the justified are to confesse, v. 9. and God is faithfull to forgive: 2. He answereth, 1 Iohn 2.1. If we sin, we have an advocate with the Father. 5. It must inevitably follow that Christ commanding these who have a Father in heaven to pray (forgive us our sins) commandeth them daily to pray out of a fleshly doubting, not from the Spirit of Faith; I had rather say with Scripture, that all the justified Saints must take down their Top-Sail, and go to heaven halting, and that they carry their bolts and fetters of indwelling [illegible: 1 word] through the field of Free-Grace, even to the gates of glory, Christ daily washing and renewing Pardons, and we daily defiling, to the end that grace may be grace. 6. Yea, the Scripture is most clear, Sinne dwelling in us after wee are justified. that the fairest face that is now shining in glory, was once even in the Kingdom of Grace, and in the state of justification; blacked with sin, and sin-burnt by reason of sin dwelling in them, 1 Kin. 8.46. For there is no man that sinneth not. This is a black put on the faces of all men dwelling on the earth, amongst which you must reckon justified, and pardoned souls, Eccles. 7. v. 20. For there is not a just man upon earth, thr[illegible: 1 letter] doth good, and sinneth not: Then there's a Thorne in our fairest Rose, Davids Sun shines not so bright, but there's a cloud going over it; in every justified mans good he doth, in every sacrifice he offereth, there's some dung; The sun hath looked on him; Augustine had the same controversie, but on another ground with Julian, who also of old, conceited that justified souls were free of inherent sin, as Libertins now teach, but Augustine saith alway, That sinne dwelleth in the regenerate, but it is not imputed, and concupiscence after Baptism is removed: Non ut non sit, sed ut non imputetur: Not that it is not, but that in the Court of justice it is not reckoned on our score: by which it is more then evident that justification is not such an abolition of sin, in its ro[illegible: 2 letters] and essence, as shall be in the state of glory, [illegible: 1 letter]hen root and branch shall be abolished, A two fold removal of sin, one Moral or Legall in justification, another Physicall in our sanctification. and not only shall justification free us, as it doth in this life from all Law-guilt, and obligation to wrath, which is but Actus Secundus, the second Act of sin, the effect, not the essence of sin, but also sanctification being perfected, all indwelling of sin shall be removed; sin in the justified hath but house-room, and stayeth within the walls as a Captive, an Underling, a servant, it hath not the keyes of the house to command all, nor the Scepter to rule: All the keys are upon Christs shoulder, far lesse hath it a Law-power to condemne, therefore saith Augustine [illegible: 1 letter]xcellently, Cont. Iulian, lib. 6. c. 5. Sanat vit[illegible: 1 letter]atum à reatu statim, ab infirmitate paulatim: God healeth the sinner from his guiltinesse (its a Law word, and a Law cure) presently, but from his infirmity by degrees, by little and little, and Gregory, Moral. lib. 29. c. 2. Quid in hac vita omnes, qui veritatem sequimur, nisi aurora sumus? aurora enim noctem praeteriisse nunciat, nec tamen diei claritatem illa satis ostendit, sed dum illam pellit, & hanc suscipit, lucem tenebris per mixtam tenet, sic nos quedam jam quae lucis sunt agimus, & tamen in quibusdam adhuc tenebrarum reliquiis non caremus: The holiest in this life, is but the dawning of the morning, we are half night, half day, Prov. 20. v. 19. Who can say I have made my heart pure, I am clean from sin? [non-Latin text not transcribed] Who can say I have a clean heart, and not lie? Libertines can say it, in a higher manner then Papists, who acknowledge that venialls, little sins, & motes are in us always in this life, but it may be this is the Old Testament-Spirit that speaketh, as they say; but the Apostle, Rom. 3. applyeth the Psalm 14. that stoppeth all mouths of the world, as so many guilty malefactors at the high bar of heaven, and he proveth that no flesh, not David nor the holiest on earth can be justified by works, either done by the strength of nature, or by the help of grace: now if there be no indwelling sin in the justified person, we answer not Papists and Pelagians, who say, That we are justified by works done by the help and aid of Grace after regeneration, but not by the works that we perform by the strength of nature; for if there be no indwelling sin in the regenerated; all their good works must be perfect and sinlesse, and can draw no contagion from an impure heart, because if there be no indwelling sin, and no imperfect sanctification in us (as Master Eaton saith, its hypocrisie so to think or say) how can an impure heart defile these works, that are done by the aid of Grace? for that which is not, hath no operations at all; if there be no contagious fountain, and no indwelling sin, but root and branch be removed in justification, then such a fountain cannot defile the actions, Jam. 3.2. In many things we offend all [non-Latin text not transcribed], a Metaphor from travellers walking on stony or slippery ground, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? If this was but the flesh and unbelief that made this complaint, then the combat between the flesh and the Spirit, shall come from the flesh; now the conflict of two contraries, such as are the flesh and the Spirit, is not from the one more then the other, but equally from both; the conflict between fire and water, is neither from the fire only, nor from the water only, but from both, yoking together; yea, certain it is, that the flesh cannot, and doth not complain of its own motions against the spirit, sin cannot complain of sin, its the renewed part that complaineth of the stirrings and motions of the unrenewed part: Satan is not divided against Satan, nor sin against sin; Its true, the sins of the Justified are said to be sought, and not found, Jer. 50.20. And our transgressions are said to be blotted out, and blotted out as a thick cloud, and to be remembred no more, Isa. 43.25. Is. 44.22. Psal. 51.1. And to be subdued, and cast in the depths of the Sea, Mic. 7.19. and we washed, Rev. 1.5. Psa. 51.2. And made whiter then the snow: 7. And Christs Church is so undefiled, so fair as the Moon, clear as the Sun, Cant. 5.2. c. 6.10. That Christ himself giveth a testimony of her, Cant. 4.7. Thou art all fair my love, there is no spot in thee; all which are true in a Law-sense, and in Legall and Morall Freedom from sin, in regard the sins of the justified and washed in Christs blood, shall no more be charged upon them to their condemnation, then if they had never committed any sins at all, and as if their sins were no sins to witnesse against them in judgement, they being cloathed with Christs white and spotlesse righteousnesse; for they are in their actuall guilt, as touching the Law-sting and power, as no sins, no debts, but oblitrated in the Book of Gods accompt, and as a blotted out cloud, which is no cloud, in which regard they must be white & fair whom Christ washeth: I professe it is sweet to be dipped in the new fountain opened to the house of David, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem, for sin and for uncleannesse, and under the sweet and fair hand of the Mediator, that he might wash us; I know he should not be ashamed of his labour, but should make fair and white work. But in regard of the inherent root, essence, and formall being of sin, the saints are not freed and delivered from sin, but these same sins, though broken in their dominion to command as Tyrants, and removed and taken away, The difference between the removal of sin in justification, and its removall in sanctification. Quod actualem reatum eternae mortis. in their Law demerite and guilt, yet do remain and dwell in the Saints, while they are here in this life; and these two removals of sin differ much, the former is a Law-removall of sin, not the removall of the essence and being of sin, the other removall is a Physicall removall in root and branch; and therefore done by degrees according to the measure of begun sanctification, and shall never be perfect in this life, while that habit of sanctification which is contrary to sin Physically considered, shall be introduced, and the person perfected in glory: whereas the former removall is so perfect, as the person is made spot-lesse and whiter then snow: which two removals of sin, may be thus illustrated, there is a man defiled with leprosie in his bodie, this is a Physicall contagion, the same man is condemned to die for a high point of treason against the State & Prince, this is a Law-contagion: The Physitian cureth him of his Leprosie by a Physicall expulsion of the disease but by degrees, & by little and little, and maketh at length his skin as the skin of a young childe. The Prince and State sendeth to him a free pardon of his Treason, Simile and he is at once perfectly acquitted from his guilt, but the Princes Pardon doth not Physically, and really expell out of his person the shame, the inherent blot and infamy of his foul and treacherous disloyalty that he committed against Prince and State, so as this pardon should transubstantiate and change him by a Physicall transmutation in a person as innocent and blamelesse, as any the most loyall subject of the Kingdom, the pardon putteth only upon him a Law-change, and a Morall immunity and freedom from a shamefull death; and Christs pardon in like manner doth remove a Law-obligation to eternal death, so as there's no condemnation to the man, but it removeth not the inherent and Physicall blot, nor the reall obliquity between his foul sin, and the spirituall Law of God; nor doth it make him perfectly sinlesse and holy as if he had never sinned, as Antinomians dream; Simile so the justification of the Saints is like the free acquitting of a broken man, that hath borrowed thousands, and is unable to pay, the cancelling of his Bill, freeth him in Law, from paying the sums, but doth in no case make him a man that never borrowed mony; nor doth it free him from that inherent blot of unjustice, in regard of which he is a broken man, who hath wasted his neighbours goods; but perfected sanctification expelleth sin in his essence, being root and branch in its dominion, Lordly power indwelling, so that it is no more: and this is like the expelling of night-darknesse out of the whole body of the Air, by the presence of the Sun diffusing its beams and light, from East to West, and North and South: I grant the habit of sanctification perfected in glory doth not make it a false proposition, that such a pardoned and washed Saint never sinned, for Factum infectum, fieri non potest: What is done can never be undone; that were a speaking contradiction, but it putteth the man in that State that he is as free of the indwelling of the body of sin, and perfectly holy, as the body of the Aire at Noon-day is free of darknesse, and qualified with inherent light; now Antinomians cannot endure (especially Master Eaton their chiefe leader) that we say that sanctification is unperfect in this life, or that the indwelling of sin can consist with free justification and remission of sins in Christs blood: But let us turn our eyes a little toward the wisdom of Gods free dispensation, to scan the reasons why our Lord will have justified Saints to go halting to heaven. 1. He can at our first conversion make us Glorified and perfected Saints; but its his wisdom to take a time and succession to perfect his Saints, Seven reasons, why sin dwelleth in the godly after they are justified by Grace. he took about thirty and three years on earth for the work of our Redemption, and would for three dayes lodge in the grave, as it were a neighbour to our Father corruption, and the worm our brother and sister, Job. 17.14 (Though he saw no corruption, Psal. 16.10. He hath been dressing up the high Palace of Glory, his Fathers house, these sixteen hundred years, if he be pleased to take moneths and years to the work of the applying of purchased Redemption; whereas he might and could have done it in one instant, as he created light out of darknesse with one word; we are to be silent, his wisedom in so doing is sufficient for us, the second heaven, and the new light in the redeemed soul is done by continuing acts of omnipotency, the first heaven was sooner made; shall it seem hard to us, that our midnight, and our full noon-day-light of grace are not existant in one instant together? We are to wait on in patience, and not to fret that we cannot at our first conversion pray out of us the indwelling body of sin, and sigh out the weight and sin that doth so hardly beset us, Heb. 12.1. God is wise who will have our day to break and dawn by degrees, and our shadows to flee away; and our Sun to arise to Noon-day-light, through length of time, if a creature, yea, the most excellent of created Angels should but sit at the helme of this great world to Rule & Govern all things but for forty and eight hours, the Sun should not rise in due time, the wals and covering of the great building of the world should fall, the Globe of the world, and of the whole earth should reele to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, all should go to confusion; and so if we had a world of Grace of our own carving, and had it in our wise choise to go from the first moment of our New-birth to heaven, without sin, we should lose our selves by the way, and take on new debt, that should require the new and fresh crucifying of the Lord of Glory: we should be no better Tutors, Governours, and Lords to our selves, then Adam and the Angels that fell: The weight of a Saints Heaven and Hell upon his own clay-shoulders is a Heaven put to a great hazard, or rather to a remedilesse losse: I shall easily grant that its sure that my heaven be upon Christs shoulders. 2. Grace worketh suitably to the nature of the Patients, the Vessell would be prepared with the frequent sense of Grace, before Christ powre in it the habite of Glory, its fit we see and feel the shaping and sewing of every piece of the wedding garment, and the framing▪ moulding and fitting of the Crown of Glory for the head of the Citizen of Heaven; yea, the repeated sense and frequent experiences of Grace in the ups and downs in the way, the falls and risings again of the Traveller, the Revolutions and changes of the spirituall condition, the new Moon, the darkned Moon, the full Moon in the spirits ebbing and flowing, raiseth in the heart of Saints, in their way to the Country a rank smell of that fairest Rose and Lillie of Sharon, Jesus Christ, the delight of men, and Angels; that as Travellers at night talk of their foul way and of the praises of their Guide; and Battell being ended, Souldiers number their wounds, extoll the valour, skill, and courage of their Leader and Captain; so the Glorified Souldiers may take loads of experiences of free-Grace to Heaven with them, and there speak of their way and their country, and of the praises of him, who hath Redeemed them out of all Nations, Tongues, and Languages: The half drowned man shaketh his head, and dryeth his garments before the Sun in the Shoare with joy and comfort: The impressions of the kisses of the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, are the deeper, that the frequent experiences of Grace have been many; much dirty and dangerous way, and the lively and hearty welcome of Glory suiteth well together. 3. As there is much; yea, an exceeding weight of Glory in heaven, so its convenient that the way to Heaven be strewed and covered with Roses of renewed acts of free-grace, and Christs repeated expressions of new pardon, one expression coming after another; that since the Saints pray dayly forgive us our sins, it is in the wisdom of God fitting, that as Glory in heaven is one continued act of happinesse for all eternity, so the Grace that maketh the old and sinfull man a new creature, should be one continued act of Grace; and as many streams and rivers are one water, and one spring in the fountain, and many lines one, in the center; and thousands of generations of men, are but one man, in the first father Adam; so multiplied acts of Grace in the Saints, from the first moment of their conversion, to the period, and first hour of their glorification are but one fountain Grace in God, revealed in the Mediator, Christ: and there can be no reason why our first conversion should be free Grace, and the perseverance of the Saints in Grace, and all their steps in the way should not also be grace: Grace is not only singly in the Saints, but Grace and peace must be multiplyed on them. 4. The standing and prorogated intercession and advocation of Jesus Christ, every day, upon occasion of new committed sins, 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. and the golden Altar that hath been hot these 1600. yeers, Rev. 8.3, 4. with the fresh prayers of the Saints, must have a daily use, so long as Christ is in the Office of the great, true, and exalted high Priest, now passed into the holy of Holiest; and better it is that Christ act Grace again and again, in heaven, as we sin again and again, on earth, then that the act of our high Priests intercession had been all but one act on the Cross, and the way to heaven was made long, and falls there must be in the way, to the end that I might lodge many nights and moneths by the way, with my guide Christ, and my expences and charges in the way might be free-Grace. 5. Faith hath its work in our graduall mortification, wee beleeve that Christ shall perfect what he hath begun, so it was needfull that Winter, and moneths of Spring and Summer go before our harvest and reaping of the fruits of the tree of life. 6. Christ works in the lower kingdom, as making the higher kingdom the copy and samplar of his working, now its most sutable for flowers and roses, that must be transplanted to grow up in the high garden beside the tree of life, and to blossome out glory for all eternity, that they grow for a time in the land of Grace, that they may take kindly with the soil: so the lower and higher gardens of Glory and Grace differ not in nature, what groweth in the one, can wel grow in the other; they cannot suit with the happinesse of that land, except they have experienced the holinesse of continued Grace in this land, and Christ maketh storms of sin to blow upon his young heirs for their Winter, God keeping life at the root, that they may be fitter for an eternally green flourishing Summer of Glorie; and when Christ consecrated himself through many afflictions, that he might be an heir suitable for Glory, he being brought through fire and water, hot and cold, and many changes to heaven, and so came to eternall happinesse through many yeers continued holinesse; it was not fit that Christ, who was to make heirs like his rule and samplar, should bring them to glory with a leap and a step, from a justified condition, to a glorified estate, without an intervening progresse in sanctification and holinesse; Christ understandeth well the fundamentall Laws of the higher City, the new Jerusalem; the frame of the government of that kingdom, is that none be received as free Citizens of Glory, but such as have served Apprentices, Minors, little children, under Tutors to Grace, and the way of holinesse; he is of too short standing, who cometh hot and smoking out from his lusts, a justified sinner, to step immediatly into Glory, and so here is a stranger welcomed to heaven from hell; a childe of Satan, playing at the Devils fire side yesterday, or the last hour, now this day, this same very hour, must be inrolled amongst those who walketh with the Lamb, in white: Some Souldiers, I grant, are advanced to be high Commanders, Per saltum, by a leap; but its for some piece of rare service to the Prince and State: and its like, the repenting Theef, in few hours space, had been in three severall Kingdoms, in the state of Nature, the Kingdom of Darknesse, and the Kingdome of Grace, and that day with Christ in Paradise. But this is (I conceive) rare: and give me leave to say, Princes at their Coronation do some extraordinary acts of Grace, by priviledge of the new Crown, that they may hansell the new Throne with acts of Mercy: Christ was now in an act of pure, unmixed Grace actually and formally redeeming the lost world, on the Crosse, and was now this day crowned by his Mother the Church, and installed King-Redeemer of Saints, and therefore would hansell Paradise with a sinner, by a priviledge of matchlesse Grace; there is but one example of it in all the Scripture. 7. The way to heaven is sweeter, that it should be here, Nulla dies sine Linea, that every day and hour that we sin (as every hour we contract new debt) Christs free Grace might have its daily flux, the fountain opened to the house of David daily running, renewed forgiveness going along with this day, our daily bread: hence these noble acts of Grace. 1. Every sin, the least omission by Law, is hell, Deut. 27.26. Gal. 3.10. two sins, must be two hells; seven sins, seven hells; then multiplied sins, to the number of the hairs of Davids head, Psal. 40.12. and not sins only, but innumerable iniquities must cause the account of Christs free Grace to swell and arise to a deliverance from two, from seven, from innumerable hells. O Grace every day, every hour! So then the Rebell brought nine times a day, twenty times a day, for the space of fourty yeers, by his Princes Grace from under the ax: how fair and sweet are the multiplied pardons, and reprivals of Grace, to speak so? Here is multitudes of multiplied redemptions, here is plenteous redemption: I defile every hour, Christ washeth; I fal, Grace raiseth me; I come this day, this morning, under the reverence of Justice, Grace pardoneth me; and so along, while Grace put me into heaven: The Lambs Book of life containeth not onely the names of those who are ordained for that blessed end of eternall life, but also the means leading to the end; then here are written all the sins, al[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 letter]he pardons of free Grace since the first Adam sinned: O, but the Book of life must be a huge Volume! O, how large, and broad, and long must the Accompts of the Grace of Christ be? 2, We are not saved, compleatly, because justified; but Rom. 8.23. We are expectants of the Divinity of immediate vision, & groan within our selves, waiting for the Adoption, the Redemption of our body: v. 24. and are saved by hope. In regard of Title, we are saved compleatly: but in another sense we are but Lords and Kings in Title only; we are far from the Lands, Rents, Crown, and our fathers house, and so are not saved while our feet stand within the streets of the new Jerusalem. 3. In this consideration, we sigh in our fetters and bolts, and sin remaineth in us, for our exercise and humiliation, that we may have an habituall ingagement to Iesus Christ and his Grace; that soul loveth much, to whom much is forgiven;Obj. 1. How sins past present, and to come, are pardoned in justifica. Asse. 1. D. Abb. in Thō. Diatriben. de intercis. justif. c. 4. p. 92. and especially, when in sense and frequent experiences, much and multiplied backslidings are forgiven. Obj. 1. But justification is one indivisible act of Grace, pardoning all sins, past, present, and to come, and is not a successive and continued act, in progresse alwayes, such as is sanctification; for we are but once justified. I answer by these following Assertions: Asser. 1. There is a double Notion of justification, as D. Abbot teacheth us: There is a universall, and prop[illegible: 3 letters]y so called, justification: There is a partiall and unproperly so called, justification: or give me leave to say: There is a justification of the person, of the estate; or a justification repeated, or rather a reiterated remission: I doubt if it be called a justification. There is a twofold consideration of justification, but not two justifications, far lesse are there not many. The former justification doth include: 1. The Act of Atonement, made by Christ on the Crosse, for all the sins of all the Elect of God, past, present and to come: this Act is not tyed to believing, nor are we properly justified in regard of this Act. But, 2. There is a justification formall, of which Paul speaketh, Rom. 3. and 4. and Gal. 3, 4, and 5. Chapters, which goeth along in order of cause, time, and a required condition of apprehending Christs righteousnesse: and this justification of the person, while he believeth, is but once done, and that when the believer doth first lay hold on Christ and righteousnesse, imputed in his blood. There is, 3. A remission, and taking away of sin: Now according to these are we to consider of doing away sin, in a threefold Notion: for though justification essentially include remission and pardon of sin,Ass. 2. Sins in three diverse respects are taken away, according to the Scriptures▪ yet every remission doth not include justification, properly so called. Asser. 2. This threefold taking away of sins, I clear from the Scripture: 1. Christ taketh away our sins on the Crosse, causatively, and by way of merit, while as he suffereth for our sins on the Crosse: So, Joh. 1.29. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. 1 Cor. 5.21. He was made sin for us. Col. 2.14. Christ blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances, that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the Crosse. 1 Pet. 2.24. Who, his own self bare our sins on the tree. Isa. 53.10. He made his soul an offering for sin. This Atonement of blood was typified in Aaaron, who Lev. 16.20, 21. was to lay both his hands on the head of the Live-goat, and to confesse the sins of the people, and did translate them off from the people; so as the Goat was to bear upon him all their iniquities, unto a land not inhabited, v. 22. Now this was the paying of a ransome for us, and a legall translation of the eternall punishment of our sins; but it is not justification, nor ever called justification: there is a sort of imputation of sin to Christ here, and a summe paid for me: but, with leave, Christs satisfaction performed on the Cross for sin, is not formall justification. no formall imputation, no forinsecall, and no personall Law-reckoning to me, who am not yet born, far lesse cited before a Tribunall, and absolved from sin: when Christ had compleatly paid this summe, Christ was justified Legally, as a publike person, and all his seed fundamentally, meritoriously, causatively, but not in their persons. There is a second removall of sin, and that is when the beleever is justified by faith: Paul, Rom. 4.6. Even as David (saith he) also describeth the blessednesse of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works: 7. (saying) Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered: 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin: This is the blessednesse of a man born, living, beleeving: Now we say unproperly, the heirs of a King not born are blessed; Non entis nulla sunt accidentia. So if Christs removall of sins on the Crosse, were justification, all Christs seed, and we believers of the Gentiles, who were not then born, when Christ died, should be blessed, and justified before we be born. Now in this which is formally the justification of the believing sinner, the believers person is accepted, reconciled, justified, and really translated by a Law-change, from one state to another. There is a change in justification. I mean not, that there is a Physicall infusion of a new habit of sanctification, and an expulsion of an old habit, as Papists teach, confounding regeneration, or sanctification, with justification. But there is a reall change of the state of the person, 1 Cor. 6.11. And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified &c. then they were sometime not justified. 2. There is here a reall removall of all sins, and a pardon and relaxation from the eternall punishment of all sins; as well of sins to come, and not yet committed, as of sins past, present, and already committed; so as sins not yet committed, shall no more involve the believer in the punishment of eternall wrath then sins past, or present. Yet 3. the sins not committed, though virtually pardoned, How sins not committed are remitted and pardoned. (with correction and submission) are not formally pardoned: that which is not sin at all, but only in a naked potency it must be pardoned only in that notion that it is a sin, and not first formally remitted, and then afterward committed; yet it is paid for, and the person freed from all actuall condemnation for it: but with all, conditionally, and virtually, so he believe in Christ, and renew his repentance, which graces God shall infallibly give him, because the calling and gifts of God are without repentance: And of this third removall of sin, is that Petition that Christ hath taught justified persons to ask of God: Forgive us our sins, as we forgive them that sin against us: And Nathan saith to David, 2 Sam. 12.13. The Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die. David, before he contracted this horrible guilt of murther and adultery, was a man according to Gods own heart, and so his person was justified; this way God daily taketh away sin, Rom. 1.17. For therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith: Now the life of faith justifying, is not one single act of faith, such as is at ou[illegible: 1 letter] first personall, relative and universall absolution; but the believer liveth by renewed and often repeated acts of faith; such as is, To walk from faith to faith: The least faith, even the Minimum quod sic, doth justifie, but the Gospel requireth a growth in faith. In this sense remission is a continued and one prorogated act of free grace, from our first moment of believing, to the day of putting the crown on our head. If any object that I am contrary to my self, in that I sometimes did write, that justification is a plenary Pardon in one indivisible act of all sins, past, present, and to come, and therefore sin cannot be oftner then once Pardoned: If I should answer that the knowledge we have, especially in so supernaturall a mystery, is but the twilight or the day-Stars glimmering of sinfull men, it might suffice, but I judge that I speak nothing contrary to that. Asser. 3. For two formall justifications of a Beleever I utterly deny,Ass. 3. There is but one justification of a believer. which is that which Arminians presse not a little; yea, and the justification of the person, and his acceptance in Gods favour is but one act: I never fall from that acceptance once being in Court and Grace. I illustrate it thus: There's a Catholick Pardon in a Statute of Parliament, Simile for Grace to all Traitors, and that for Treasons past, and also to come, upon condition, that after new Treasons committed, they addresse themselves to the Publike Register of the State, and cause insert their names in the blank of that Act of Grace Printed, and in the keeping of some Officer of State; now though any one be Pardoned at his first lapse fully, if he fail again, and again, and yet perform the condition prescribed in Law; we cannot say, he hath obtained twenty, a hundred; yea, as many severall pardons of Grace, as he hath failed against King and State, its but one publike Act of Grace made use of severall times: so here in the Gospel there is a written Act of the Grace of God in Iesus Christ; Remission to all under the Treason of sin against the Royall Crown and glory of the most High, the Supreame Law-Giver, and that to the acceptation of the person of the Traitor in full favour, when he shall have in his conscience the transumpt or transcript of it at first, and also for Grace and Pardon of all after-slips and sins against the glory of the Redemer (so he sin not against the only flower of the Prerogative-Royall, the operation of the Holy Ghost in a speciall manner) upon condition he walk from Faith to Faith,Obj. 2. There's a difference between pardon of sin in the [illegible: 1 letter]ustification of the person, and in the repeated sense of the pardon of sins after committed. and renew his addresse to Christ the great Lord of the Rolls, who keepeth the Book of life; now I cannot see here many Pardons of Grace, but only the double Extract or Copy of the first Act of Free-Grace. Obj. 2. But the sins pardoned to the Justified person after the first justification of his person, were never pardoned before, and they are now pardoned, therefore there must be two justifications: Ans. They were virtually pardoned, and so, as he shall never come to condemnation for any sins past, or to come, but the man now standeth Justus in curia, justified in the Court, whereas before his first beleeving, God looked at him as a judge doth at a guilty person, whose person he absolveth from all punishment, because his surety hath given a ransom for him, and he holdeth forth that ransom to the Judge, but the man in all his after faults is so far forth a sinner, as that which he hath done, though he be a justified David, displeaseth the Lord, 2 Sam. 11.27. And in so far is he pardoned; but God now looketh on him, as a Father on an offending Son; and this Son doth not hold forth a new ransome to God, but onely renew the former: nor doth it infer a new acceptance of his person, that he had not before: 3. Nor place in God any new love of free complacency and good will, but only a further manifestation thereof, and a greater measure of the love of benevolence: 4. It is the same Act of Free-Grace that God putteth forth in pardoning his son now fallen in sin, and in accepting his person at first. 2. Its the same ransome of Christs atonement of his dear blood, that his Faith layeth hold on now, as before. 3. The pardon of this sin committed by a justified son, is not the freeing of him from the eternall punishment of this sin, as if he had been under eternall wrath for it before; for at his first beleeving, when his person was accepted, he was fully and freely pardoned and freed from all the obligation to eternall wrath, that all or any of his sins past, present, or to come might subject him unto, but it is the renewing of the certainty of the sufficiency of Christs ransom, as applyed to take away that sin in particular, and that by a renewed Act of Faith; now the renewed apprehension of the Grace of God in the same ransom of blood for righteousnesse in Christ, as applied to this new guiltinesse, maketh not a new forinsecall and Law-act, but doth only apply the Lords first Act of Grace to this particular sin; Iustifying saith is some other thing then the sense of justification passed, for I may know that I am justified by works of Grace as by witnesse yet I am not justified by works. nor do I mean that Faith for Remission of sins committed after a soul is in the state of justification is nothing else but a meer reflect Act, by which we apprehend, and know the first acceptance of a sinner to righteousnesse; for it is a direct Act, apprehending the former grace of a sufficient ransom, as applied to this new contracted guiltinesse; for the sinner is condemned for unbelief, Joh. 3.18, 36. And because he believeth not, he is lyable to the wrath of God; now he is not condemned, because he doth not to his own sense know, feel and apply the Remission of sins and satisfaction purchased in Christs blood for him, because then he should be condemned, because he doth not believe a lie, for there was never any such Remission purchased for him; he is condemned, not for want of sense and actuall knowledge of any such pardon, but for want of confiding on Christ, as on him who hath made a sufficient atonement for all that believeth, and so justifying Faith is some other thing then the sense of purchased Pardon of sins. Object. 3. Then may I, Ob. 3. with the like boldnesse believe the Remission of these sins that I am to commit; and so sin boldly, because I am perswaded they cannot prevail to condemne me eternally, as I may with boldnesse believe the Remission of sins already committed. Ans. There is a boldnesse of faith: And 2. a sinfull boldnes: In regard of boldnesse of faith, I am to believe the sufficiency of that unvaluable ransome, that it cannot be more or lesse, nor intended or remitted, but doth lie under the eye of justice; and equally accepted of God as able to remove the eternall guilt of all sins, past, present, as also of those to come; but it were sinfull boldnesse to commit sin, because Christ hath payed for it, its a motive to the contrary, not to live to our selves, but to him that died for us, because Christ bare our sins on his own body, on the Tree, 1 Pet. 3.24. 1 Pet. 1.18. Gal. 1.4. Rom. 6.1, 2, 3, 4. 1 Pet. 4.1, 2. For though I be perswaded there is no fear of eternall wrath in sins to be committed, for my faith beleeveth freedom from that, in regard of all sins; there be other stronger motives to eschew sin, then fear of Hell, even fear of violating infinite love and mercy; there's a more prevailing, and efficacious power in apprehended love to keep from sin (it being saving grace) then in fear of Hell, which of it self is no grace: 2. Fear of punishment of sin as sin, is to keep from sin, How fear of Hell o[illegible: 1 letter] the reward of life eternall hath influence in our not sinning and holy walking Obje. though it be not fear of eternall punishent; the eternity of punishment is no wayes essentiall to punishment: Libertines close remove this motive, who will have no sin as sin in Gods Court, punished in the beleever: Its not punished in Order to satisfaction of justice, but it followeth not that its not punishable as sin. Obj. It is mercenary and peculiar to hirelings to abstain from sin for fear of stripes, or to serve God Intuitu mercedis, for hope of reward. Ans. To abstain from sin, for fear of punishment, as the only and greatest evil (whereas the ill of sin is far greater, and so more to be feared) is mercenary: indeed, we teach that no man should upon that fear abstain from sin: 2. To serve God for hope of Heaven, as a created good to our selves, separated in the intention from God himself and holinesse, is peculiar to hirelings, but not to serve God simply for heaven, Moses did it, Heb. 11.25, 26. Its Christs Argument in stirring up his Disciples to suffer for righteousnesse, Matth. 5.12. For great is your reward i[illegible: 1 letter] Heaven, And its no lesse mercenary which Libertins teach that to serve God for actual hire, in hand already purchased; to wit, for deliverance from Hell, and a purchased Redemption, then what we teach, that we may serve God for hope of good to come, if the intention in both be not steeled with grace, and free of selfinesse.

SERMON XIX. Obj. BVt the Gospel from the Law of love, not the Law it self, Obj. Denne Doctrine of Iohn Baptist. p. 43. forbid [illegible: 1 letter]eth the believer to sin, neither teach we (say they) that the Gospel maketh sin to be no sin, but it onely maketh it to be no more my sin, but Christs, and counted on his score, who was wounded for my iniquities, and was my surety, and therefore his payment is my payment, so as we have no more conscience of sins. Ans. Its true, the Gospel speaketh no contradictions, and maketh not sin to be no sin, Christ is so made the sinner in suffering for sin, as there remaineth no sin in the, sinner once pardoned as Antinomians teach. Crispe, Ser. vol. 2. Ser. 3. p. 91 92 93. or Davids adultery not to be a violation of the seventh Commandement: indeed, it maketh Peters deniall of Christ not to be Peters sin, in a legall and forinsecall way, but that Peter believing in Christ, who justifieth the ungodly, shal not be condemned for that, nor for any other sin, that, and all his other sins with that, are counted upon Christs score. But the deniall of Christ, in another relation, is the sin of Peter only; to wit, according to the Physicall inherencie of it, in that it proceeded from Peters lust, and body of sin dwelling in him, and not any way from Christ Jesus, and in that its against Christs expresse commandement, who charged Peter to confesse his Lord and Master. But Antinomians, and by name D. Crisp, teach us, that not onely the guilt of sin, but sin it self, really, and inherently, was laid upon Christ, in regard Christ was not by way of sup[illegible: 1 letter]position onely, or imagination counted the sinner, but made sin: And 2. In regard, not onely the guilt of sin, but sin it self was laid upo[illegible: 1 letter] Christ, for saith D. Crispe, the guilt of sin an[illegible: 1 letter] sin it self are all one. Gen. 42.21. When Josep[illegible: 1 letter] brethren were accused for Spies, they say, we ar[illegible: 1 letter] guilty concerning our brother, in that we sa[illegible: 1 letter] the anguish of his soul, when he besought us and we would not hear. Reuben expoundeth the mea[illegible: 1 letter]ning, vers. 22. Did not I say to you, sin not against the lad? But you would not hearken unto me, and therefore, behold, we are guilty. What is that? We did sin against the childe. To be guilty therefore, and to commit a sin, is all one, they are but two words expressing the same thing. 2. Suppose a malefactor be asked, Guilty, or no[illegible: 1 letter] guilty? He answers, Not guilty: What doth he mean? He means, he hath not done the fact that was laid to his charge. When the Jurie is asked, Guilty, or not guilty? The Jury saith Guilty. What do they mean? Do they mean any thing in respect of punishment? No: The Jury hath nothing to do with that, but onely in matter of Fact; that is, whether the fact be done or not done—It had been extream unjustice to punish Christ, if sin had not been on him, and if he had been at his Araignment compleat and absolutely innocent, even as if a Iudge should hang a man, though there were nothing found against him. — Man is a broken debter, and Christ a surety: Ser. 4 p. 108, 109 God is content to take Christs [illegible: 2 letters]ngle bond, and looketh for no other pay-master [illegible: 1 letter]ut Christ: sin was really translated upon Christ, [illegible: 1 letter]lse it was false that the Lord laid on him the [illegible: 1 letter]niquities of us all; yea, by this transaction of [illegible: 1 letter]in, Christ doth now become, or did become, when [illegible: 1 letter]ur sins were laid on him, as really and truely [illegible: 1 letter]he person that had all these sins, as those men who did commit them really and truly had themselves—So Christ was made sin it self, we are made righteousnesse in him, this is no imagination: But as we are actuall and reall sinners in Adam, so here is a reall act, God doth really passe over sin upon Christ, still keeping this fast, that Christ acted no sin; so that in respect of the act, not one sin of the believer is Christs: but in respect of transaction, in respect of passing of accompts from one head to another, in respect of that, there is reality of making of Christ to be sin,— If a Iudge will think such a man to be a malefactour, & by reason of his thoughts that he is a malefactor, he will actually hang this man; Is there any justice in such an act? If God will but suppose Christ to have sinne upon him, and knows that he hath it not, but others have the sins upon them: and upon this supposition wil execute Christ: What wil you cal this? Isa. 53. He shall bear the sins of many: Doth a man bear a thing on him in a way of supposition? Or, where there is bearing, is there not reall weight? The Lamb of God taketh away the sins of the world, Joh. 1.29. Can it sink in a reasonable person, that a thing should be taken a[illegible: 1 letter]way, and yet be left behinde? It is a flat contradiction: if a man be to receive money at such [illegible: 1 letter] place, and he doth take this money away wit[illegible: 1 letter] him, is the money left in the place where it was▪ when he hath taken it away? Although I ha[illegible: 2 letters] searched the Scripture as narrowly as possibly I may, yet this I finde, that throughout th[illegible: 1 letter] whole Scripture, there is not one Scripture tha[illegible: 1 letter] speaketh of imputing our sins to Christ: but still the holy Ghost speaketh of sin not imputed to us, and of righteousnesse imputed to us. Let me answer: That in all this you shal find Grace turned unto wantonnesse, in all this man[illegible: 1 letter] Sermons there is not one word to stir up to the duties of sanctification and holines, but there i[illegible: 1 letter] much in these words, and severall other passages of his two little Volumes of Sermons, to depresse, and cry down holinesse and walking with God. I shall therefore say a little on this, and deliver truth shortly in these positions: Sin so laid on Christ, as that it leaveth not off to bee our sinne. Posit. 1. No believers sin is so counted upon Christs score, as that it leaveth off to be the believers sin, according to its Physicall and real indwelling: Its true▪ it is Christs sin by Law-imputation, and legall obligation to satisfactory punishment, and onely laid upon Christ in that Notion: yet its so the believers sin, as he is to mourn for this very thing, that Christ was pierced, and crucified, to remove the guilt, and the obligation to satisfactory punishment. Zac. 12.10. And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his onely son. Yea, its so the believers sin, even when he believeth that his originall corruption is pardoned, yet it dwelleth in him, having the compleat essence and being of sin; so as if he should say, he had no sin, and nothing in him contrary to the holy Law of God; he should deceive himself, and the truth should not be in him, 1 Joh. 1.8. Yea, let him be a Paul, Not under the Law, but being dead to the Law, Rom. 7.6. as touching all actuall obligation, to eternall death: yet in regard of the reall essence of sin, and proper contrariety that sin hath to Gods righteous Law, he cryeth out, ver. 14. For we know that the Law is spirituall, but I am carnall, and sold under sin, 17. Now it is no more I, (sanctified and pardoned I, who am in Christ, Rom. 8.1. dead to the Law, Rom. 7.6. freed from condemnation) that do sinne, but sin that dwelleth in me. If there were no sinfull I (to speak so) and no corrupt self in Paul, which breaketh out into sin, and this indwelling sin were as really in its essence, and its being removed, and taken close out of Paul, as money taken really out of a place, is no more left in that place, then if it had never been there: surely, then justified Saints were as clean as these, who are up before the Throne, clothed in white: and when Paul saith, It is no more I that do sin, but sin that dwelleth in me: he should speak contradictions, and say, It is no more I that do sin, but it is I that do sin: there should be in justified Paul, No Law in his members, warring against the Law of his minde: as he saith, Rom. 7.23. No body of death leading him captive to the Law of sin, vers. 2[illegible: 1 letter]. and making him wretched, vers. 24. No flesh lusting against the spirit, hindering the regenerated to do the good that they would: as Paul speaketh, Gal. 5.17. There should be no members on earth to be crucified, as it is, Col. 3.5. No old man to be put off, no corruption, no deceitfull lusts in us to bee abated; as we are charged, Eph. 4.22, 23. No fleshly lusts in us, which warreth against the soul: as, 1 Pet. 2.11. No weight, no sin that doth so easily beset us, to be laid aside by the regenerated and justified, who are to run their race with patience, contrary to the Spirit of God, speaking the contrary, Heb. 12.1, 2. Yea, there shall be no originall sin remaining in the justified person which can be named sin, nothing in them lusting against the spirit, nothing to be mortified, crucified, resisted, nothing to [illegible: 1 letter]e work for the grace of God, nothing to be a field and plat of ground to be laboured on by the spirit, by faith, nothing to be the seed and rise of humiliation, the sinner may go to heaven, and be nothing in Christs debt, to help him against indwelling sin, for that ghuest is so taken away, as money that was in a place, and is every penny really removed to another place: yea, its a flat contradiction (say Antinomians) to be a pardoned soul, and yet to have sin dwelling in the soul. Positi. 2. The guilt of sin, and sin it self, are not one and the same thing, Pos. 2. The guilt of sin, & sin in it self, are not one and the same thing. but far different things; that I may prove the point, let the tearms be considered. There be two things in sin very considerable: 1. Macula, the blot, defilement, and blacknesse of sin; which, I conceive, is nothing but the absence and privation of that moral[illegible: 1 letter] rectitude, the want of that whitenesse, innocencie, and righteousnesse which the holy and clean Law of the Lord requireth to be in the actions, inclinations & powers of the soul of a reasonable creature. An inherent sinful blot in sin & the debt & guilt of sin. 2. There is the guilt of sin; that is somewhat which issueth from this blot and blacknesse of sin; according to which the person is liable and obnoxious to eternall punishment: this is the debt of sin, the Law-obligation to satisfaction passive for sin; just as there be two things in debt, so these two are in sin: for when a man borroweth money, and profusely and lavishly spendeth it, this is unjustice against his brother, in matter of his goods, and a breach of the eighth Commandment: Again, this breach in relation to policie to the Magistrate, and the Law of the land, putteth this broken man under another relation, that he is formally a debter, and so it is just, that he either pay the money, or suffer for this act of unjustice, and satisfie the Law of the fifth Commandment: which is, that he satisfie the Law, and the Magistrate, the publike Father, tutor of a wronged and oppressed brother. Now here be two things in debt:2. things in debt, as in sin. 1. An unjust thing; a hurting of our brother in his goods: this is a blot, and a thing privatively contrary to justice. 2. A just thing, a guilt, a just debt, according to which it is most just, that the broken man either pay or suffer: Now these two, as all contraries do, Faciunt numerum, they make a number; as just and unjust must be two things, and two contrary things: I know there be cavils, and subtilties of School-men, touching the blot, or Macula peccati, and Reatus, the guilt of sin; but this is the naked truth which I have declared. Some say the blot of sin is that uncleannesse of sin which is washed away by the blood of the Lord Jesus, and this is nothing but the very guilt of sin, which is wholly removed in Justification. But I easily answer: The blot of sin hath divers relations, and these contrary one to another: As, 1. There is the blot of sin in relation to the holy Law, as it is a privation of the rectitude and holinesse that the spirituall Law requireth; and it is formally sin, and not the guilt of sin; in which consideration, as nothing removeth blindnesse, The blot of sinne 2. wayes considered, but seeing eyes; or deafnes[illegible: 1 letter]e, but hearing ears; so nothing, formally removeth sin, but only the perfect habit of accomplished sanctification; and so the blot of sin, Macula, is not that which is formally removed in justification, but only in perfected sanctification. 2. The blot of sin in relation to God, as offended and injured, putteth on the habit of guilt, and so it is washed away in the Fountain opened to the house of David, and formally removed in justification, but now it is not formally considered as sin, but according to that which is accidentall in sin; to wit, obligation to punishment, which may be, and is removed from sin, the true essence and nature of sin being saved whole and intire: Hence sin hath divers considerations: 1. As sin is contrary to the righteousnesse and holinesse of the Law, it is formally sin, and this essentiall form, and life of sin remaineth in us while we live sin being in an act of dying, or a passion rather to be crucified, and in the way to its grave and perfect destruction, which shall be, when Glory shall grow up out of the stalk of Grace, and sanctification shall be perfected; for Grace is the bud, Glory the fruit; Grace the Spring and Summer, Glory the Harvest. 2. As sin is a blacknesse contrary to the innocency that the Law requireth, and as it blotteth and defileth the soul, it is a Macula, a spot, a filthy and deformed thing, abasing the creature, making the creature black, crooked, defiled, like the skin of the Ethiopian, or spotted like the Leopard, Jer. 13.23. 3. As sin is a blot that maketh the creature unpure, unclean, and contrary and hatefull to God, so it is a blot and unclean thing to God, and that two wayes: 1. As it is contrary to Gods holy Law, its formally sin, as is before said: 2. As it offendeth and injureth God in his honour and glory of supream Authority, to command what is just & holy, it is an offence, and a provocation, Isa. 3.8. Psal. 78.17. A displeasing of God, 1 Cor. 10.5. 2 Sam. 11.27. A grieving of him and his spirit, Eph. 4.30. Gen. 6.6. Psal. 95.10. A tempting of God, Psal. 77.18. Psal. 95.9. Act. 15.10. A wearying of the Lord and a making him to serve, Isa. 43.24. Isa. 7.15. A loading of the Lord, Isa. 1.24. A pressing of the Lord, as a Cart is pressed under a heavy load of sheaves, Amos 2.13. and so is punished with everlasting punishment: A twofold guilt in sin one of the fault▪ & intrisecall another of the punishment and extrinsecall Hence there is a twofold guilt, one Fundamentall, potentiall, reatus culpae; the guilt of sin as sin, this is all one with sin▪ being the very essence, soul, and formall being of sin, and this guilt of sin you cannot remove from sin, so as sin shall remain sin, take this away, and you take away sin it self: But this is removed in sanctification as perfected, not in justification, as all the Arguments of Doctor Crispe go along in their strength to prove that the guilt of sin, Reatus culpae, the fundamentall guilt of sin, and sin it self are all one: so we shall yeeld all to him, but with no gaine to his bad cause: [non-Latin text not transcribed] For Josephs brethren say, Gen. 42.22. Truly we sinned, Verè peccantes, nos super fratrem nostrum; or were guilty against our brother: This is nothing, but we trespassed against our brother; this is not spoken so much of guilt, as of sin it self: and the Malefactor, saying, he is not guilty, meaneth of fundamentall guilt, or the guilt of sin, and that he hath not committed the crime charged upon him. But there is another guilt in sin, called Reatus poenae, reatus personae, reatus actualis, Reasons why sin and the guilt of sin cannot be the same. the guilt or obligation to punishment, the actuall guilt, or actuall obligation of the person, who hath sinned to punishment; and this guilt is a thing far different from sin it self, and is separable from sin, and may be, and is removed from sin without the destruction of the essence of sin, and is fully removed in justification: Now that this guilt is different from sin: I prove, 1. Because, that which our blessed Surety took upon him for our cause, without taking to him any thing which is essentiall in sin, such as is, to be a Sinner like us, to do violence, to be justly accused of sin, that is different from sin: But Christ took on him the guilt of our sin; that is, the actuall obligation to be punished for sin, while as he bare our sins in his own body on the Tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. And was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, and did bear on him the chastisement of our Peace, Isa. 53.5. And died for our offences, Rom. 4.25. Rom. 5.6. And this punishment Christ could not have born except by Law he had obliged himself as our surety to pay our debts, Heb. 10.4.5. 6.7.8. and 7.22. Now that in all his life and sufferings he did no violence, committed no sin, nor touched any contagion of sinne in his own person is evident, because he was holy▪ harmlesse, undefiled, and separated from sinners, Heb. 7.26. Heb. 4.15. Isa. 53.9. The Proposition is sure, for if Christ was so made sin, and punished for sin, and liable to suffer for sin, and yet had not any sinfull or blame-worthy, guilt on him, then that guilt of the person by which any is liable to punishment for sin, is some other thing then sin, and the blame-worthy guilt that is in sin; forasmuch, as they are really separated▪ the one being in Christ and the other not being in him, nay nor could it be in him. 2. The cause cannot be one & the same with the effect, nor the subject and fundament one with the adjunct, and that which resulteth from the fundament. But sin is the cause, fundament and subject, from which, guilt or actuall obligation to punishment issueth, because therefore is the sinner under guilt-personall, and actuall obligation to punishment, because he hath sinned, and is under the guilt of transgression, as he is therefore in Law and justice a guilt-debter to suffer evill of punishment, because against Law and justice he is a bad deserving sinner, in doing against, and so by a (reatus culpae) a sin-guilt, hath transgressed a Law; for all evill of punishment, is a daughter which lay in the womb of the evill of sin; and the guilt of the latter ill of punishment must flow from the former; to wit, from the ill of sin; so, to be guilty, or obliged to eternall punishment, is a fruit, and result or consequent of the fundamentall and intrinsecall guilt of sin. 3. An unjust and sinfull deviation from the holy will of God revealed in his Law, and hatefull to, and punishable by God, cannot be one and the same thing with that which is just, and agreeable to the just and holy will of God; but sin it self, in its formall being, is a deviation from the holy will of God revealed in his Law; sin being defined by John, A transgression of the Law, and is hatefull to, and punishable by the Lord: But the guilt of sin, of which we now speak, is nothing but the demerit, and actuall obligation to eternall punishment, and is no unjust thing, no transgression of Gods will revealed in his Law: yea, the demerit of sin is a most just thing, and the actuall obligation to punishment is most just, and holy, and agreeable to Gods just will, and obligation to punishment can neither be punishable, nor hatefull to God; yea, it is just with God that the sinner be under Law-obligation, to eat the fruits of the tree of his own planting, to have his teeth set on edge with the sowre grapes that he eat himself. 4. He that borroweth money, and profusely and lavishly spendeth it, is in that a transgressor against the eighth Cōmandement, he committeth an act of unjustice against his brother; now this act of unjustice cannot formally or intrinsecally be the sin or sinfull guilt of the innocent surety; no Law of God, or man can make actions evill and sinfull, that are Physically, inherently, intrinsecally, really the unjust actions of the doer, the formall sin, or intrinsecall and fundamentall sinfull guilt of another man, who in that action is innocent, and is not a member, an hand or a foot of the man that committed that fault, which I speak for; the sons of Adam, who intrinsecally sinned in Adam, and by Gods Supream will were made a part of Adam: yet the surety is formally made a debter, and by Law obliged to pay the debt, and its an act of justice that he pay the debt, his promise to the creditour maketh him a debter, but his promise to the creditour putteth no act of injustice in lavishly spending his neighbours goods on him, for in that he is innocent, and cannot be charged morally, as a faulty and a broken bankrupt, the fruit and effect of the broken mans unjustice doth only lie upon him, in regard of his promise. There be three brethren born of the same parents, Adam, John, Thomas; suppose we then that the Law of the city or kingdom is so, that one brother may die for his brother, John murdereth Thomas traiterously, under trust; by Law then John ought to die; the elder brother Adam, out of love, interposeth himself to the Judge to die for his younger brother John; in this case Adam by Law ought to die, and he is in Law reputed and counted the murderer, but truely, not morally, not intrinsecally, for he can be reproached formally, with no act of treacherous dealing, as if under trust he had stabbed his brother, for he did no such act; if shame by accident accompany his publike laying down of his life, its morally no reproach, no intrinsecall blot to him; yea, that Adam dieth for John the murderer, it is through his own free consent an act of extream love, in relation to the judge it is a most just act, and in Law only, in imputation and legall account, he is the murtherer. But poor soul he never thought, nor acted any treachery or cruelty against his brother. 3. Hence this Position: Christ was made sin,3. Pos. or imputed the sinner, and died for us sinners: The second Adam, the first begotten amongst many brethren suffered for his younger brethren, and so, by free consenting to be our Surety and die for us, Psal. 40.6, 7, 8. Heb. 10.5, 6, 7. Joh. 10.17, 18. Joh. 14.31. Matth 26.46. Mark 14.42. Ioh. 18.7, 8. He was made by Law account, sin for us, as the sinner, Ioh. 15.13. 2 Cor. 5.21. to die for us. Rom. 4.25. And the Lord said upon him the iniquities of us all, Isa. 53.6. 1 Pet. 2.24, 25. But I judge it blasphemy to say: By this transaction of sin upon Christ, Christ doth now become, or did become, when our sins were laid on him, as really and truely the person that did all these sins, as these men who did commit them really, and truely had these sins on themselves: Christ not intrinsecally the sinner. For the Elect Believers i[illegible: 1 letter] Christ were intrinsecally, formally, inherently adulterers, murtherers, disobedient, serving divers lusts. Tit. 3.3. Dead in sins and trespasses, by nature the children of wrath. Eph. 2.1. And in their own persons acted all these Acts of wickednesse, so as sin doth formally denominate them sinners; as whitenesse in snow, in milke, in the wall denominateth all these white: But Christ never is, never was intrinsecally, formally, inherently the Adulterer, a disobedient person, nor is sin personally in Christ, to denominate him as really and intrinsecally a sinner as David, Isaiah, Peter, Paul for whom he died, for He did never violence, neither was there any deceit in his mouth, Isa. 53.9. There was no fundamentall guilt, nor any bad deserving in him: How then was he a sinner, or made sin for us? I answer, by meer imputation, and Law-account, and no other way: But the Libertine saith, it were the greatest unjustice in the world to punish Christ, If sin had not been on him really; If he had been at his Arraignment compleat and absolutely Innocent; and if only in Imagination, and by a lying supposition, which wanteth all reality in the thing, God should put Christ to death for these sins, that he knoweth Christ to be free of; this were, as if a Iudge should hang a Malefactor, whom in conscience he knew to be free from all sin, and could find nothing against him. But I answer, Law-imputation is a most reall thing, and no imagion, nor any lying supposition, Imputation of sin no imagination nor lie. as a mam that is surety for his broken brother who hath wasted the creditors goods, is truely su[illegible: 1 letter]ety and really the debter, and his obligation to pay for his broken friend is reall, and most just upon two grounds: 1. That he gave faith and promise, and Writ and Seal, that his friend failing, he should pay: 2. The Creditor accepted him as a reall Law-debtor and Pay-master in that case, [illegible: 1 letter]nd yet the surety in his person did neither borrow the money, nor lavishly wast it, and he hath in his person neither conscience nor guilt of unjustice toward his brother, and in regard of personall contagion of sinfull guilt, Christ was compleatly and absolutely innocent in his Arraignment, as one that neither acted sin, nor could be the formall subject of sin, in whom the blot of it was intrinsecally, or really inherent: But in regard that Christ was willing to strike hands with God, and to plight his faith and soul in pawn, and did willingly signe with his hand, an act of cautionary as our surety, Psa. 40. v. 6, 7, 8. Heb. 10 3 4.5.6.7, 8.9.10. And the Lord accepted him as Surety, and laid our sins on him, Isa. 56.6. 2 Cor. 5.21. Joh. 3.19. Rom. 3.2. He was made sin, that is, he was made a debtor, and a Law-paymaster so constituted by his own & his Fathers will; so that God did no act of unjustice in punishing Christ nor was he in law absolutely innocent, but nocent and guilty▪ that is to say, in regard of his Law place, or Law-condition, he was by imputation liable and obnoxious to actual satisfaction & punishment for our sins; yet he was Debitor factus, non intrinsecè, debitor legaliter, non personaliter, debitor ratione conditionis & officii, non ratione personae, A sinner, a debtor by imputation, a debtor by Law, by place, by office, and served himself Heir to our sins, and the miseries following sin; Now he was not in imagination, and in a false and a lying supposition, made sin, imputation is not a lye; But as Truely and Really, a Reall Law-deed, as Iudah offered himself Surety for Benjamin, and was in Law, and really a Bondman to Ioseph, and might have so been dealt with as a reall slave, if he had plighted himself in stead of Benjamin; and the Surety by the words of his own mouth, and by his Covenant and Promise is really and truely insnared, as a true and reall debtor in Law; as a Roe is really in the hand of the Hunter; and a Bird in the Fowlers Net, being once caught and in hands, Prov. 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. He is no debtor by imagination, he is not supposed to be what he is not indeed by the Law of God and nature and all Lawes, Promissum cadit in reale debitum, A mans promise fetcheth him within the Law-compasse of a reall debtor: So Christ was under Baile and a Law. Act of Surety by his own Act, his own word of Promise and Covenant: Thou hast given me a body, I have taken the debts & sins of my poor brethren on me; crave me Lord, as only paymaster, Lo here am I, to do thy will, Psal. 40.6, 7, 8. Heb. 10.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Ioh. 10.18. Now there are but these two in sin, 1. The Act committed against the Law of God: 2. The debt and obligation to punishment is clear; and though Doctor Crispe deny that sin was imputed to Christ at least; he cannot see, or read it in all the Scripture, yet he granteth the thing it self: But I prove both the one and the other: And 1. That Christ committed and did no Act, nor deed against Law, for which he should be intrinsecally and inherently the sinner, is clear; Reasons proving that Christ was not intrinsecally and formally the sinner. because that holy thing Iesus being God-man could not sin, nor did he ever any violence or deceit, Isa. 53.9. Heb. 4.15. and chap. 8. ver. 26.2. The inherent vitiositie, and sinfull blot of sin, which followeth upon the Physicall Act of sin, being once done and committed by David, Peter, and all the Elect of God, cannot come out by a reall transmigration, and true and Physical derivation or removall from one Agent & Subject to another, to inhere in, and denominate another subject, the same whitenesse in number that was in milk cannot remove out of it, and reside and dwell in another subject; its a principle of nature, Idem numero accidens non migrat è subjecto in subjectum: No Law in the world▪ no Covenant, no transaction imaginable can effectuate this, that the reall wickednesse once committed by David should really and truly remove out of him, and go in, and reside in, and denominate the man Christ a wicked person; its an everlasting contradiction, That the treacherous murthering of innocent Vriah, should remove out of him into the son of David, Iesus Christ, and denominate him the murtherer of Vriah, so as the same murther can be said to be committed by David only, and not by David onely, but by the man Christ: It must then be a lie, a dream, and palpable untruth to make Iesus Christ intrinsecally the sinner, and murtherer; Judge then if this Doctrine be of God, which Dr. Crispe right down hath asserted to the world in Print, Ser. 3. Vol. 2. pag. 84. God made Christ a transgressor — No transgressor in the world, was such a transgressor as Christ was, pag. 88. You will never have quietnesse of Spirit in respect of sin, till you have received this principle, That it is iniquity it self, that the Lord hath laid on Christ: Now when I say with the Prophet, It is iniquity it self that the Lord hath laid on Christ, I mean as the Prophet doth, it is the fault or the transgression it self; and to speak more fully, that erring, and straying like sheep: that very erring, and straying, and transgressing is passed off from thee, and laid upon Christ: To speak it more plainly, Hast thou been an Idolater? Hast thou been a blasphemer? Hast thou been a despiser of Gods word, and a trampler upon him? Hast thou been a prophaner of his Name and Ordinances? Hast thou been a murtherer, an adulterer, a theefe, a Liar, a drunkard? Reckon up what thou canst against thy self: if thou h[illegible: 1 letter]st part in the Lord Christ, all these transgressions of thine, become actually the transgressions of Christ, and so cease to be thine, and thou ceasest to be a transgressour from that time they were laid upon Christ, to the last hour of thy life— Mark it well, Christ himself is not so compleatly Righteous, but we are as Righteous as he was, nor we so compleatly sinfull, but Christ became, being made sin, as compleatly sinfull as we: Nay more, the Righteousnes that Christ hath with the Father, we are the same Righteousnesse, for we are made the Righteousnesse of God: that very sinfulnesse that wee were, Christ is made that very sinfulnes before God. Ans. 1. No Scripture calleth Christ the Thief, the Murtherer, the Adulterer, the Idolater, God avert from pious hearts, such blasphemies; he may by a figure be called sin, and be said to be made sin for us: but that is by meer imputation: as if you would say, The surety is the broken and riotous waster: all that have com, mon sense know this to be a figurative & unproper speech, that is, he is in Law liable to pay the debts of the broken waster; and the Law-guilt, and Law-obligation, that was in the broken man is transferred on him by his own promise: But no man in his right wits can say, that the broken man is as intrinsecally just, as sober a manager of his goods, as free from all intrinsecall fault and sin of unjustice and breach of the eighth Commandement, as the innocent surety; no sober wit can say, that the unjustice and injury done by the broken man to his brother, and against the eighth Commandement, Thou shalt not steal, Is nothing formally, but the very just and reall deed that the surety hath taken upon him; and that the surety is as guilty with the same very fault and sin of wastry, that is inherent in the broken bankrupt, as the bankrupt himself; and it is as great blasphemy to say Christ is as guilty, and as inherently faulty, and no lesse a transgressour of the sixth and seventh Commandement, by killing Vriah, and deflouring Bathsheba, then ever David was, and that David was as free from the inherent Fundamental guilt of these sins from Eternity (for Libertines will needs have our sins from Eternity to lie on Christ, and our persons before all time justified) as Christ himself is. 1. God made Christ sin, God made not David to murther Vriah: Then Christ must be one way a sinner, David another way, the one by imputation, the other by real inherency. 2. David was intrinsecally a transgressour of a Law: Christ not so. 3. David was washed and pardoned in the blood of Christ, Christ not so: What righteousnes of Christ is made ours. Then Davids Righteousnesse is but borrowed, and Christs Righteousnesse his own: 2. There is an essentiall Righteousnesse that Christ hath with the Father, and it is communicable neither to men nor Angell, no more then God can communicate with the creature any other of his essentiall attributes, such as are infinite Justice, infinite Mercy, infinit Grace, Holinesse, Goodnesse, Omnipotency, Eternity, Immensity. It is only the cautionary, the surety R[illegible: 1 letter]ghteousnesse of Christ God that is made ours, The believer how Righteous as Christ, how not. and that we are as compleatly righteous as Christ, is Divinity not borrowed from the Fountain of the holy Scriptures; But the mans own dream, for the broken debtor is never so righteous as the surety, except in this sense, he is aequè, but not aequaliter, he is righteous as the surety who has payed the sum for him, in regard that the Creditor can no more in Law, charge him with the sum, then he can in Law, charge the surety, who hath compleatly paid it; so are we in Christ freed from the guilt of eternall wrath, in that the Lord can no more in Law charge sin to actuall condemnation on the Believer, then he can put Christ to death again, or give a new ransom for us, but this is but formally a righteousnesse, in regard of freedom from the punishment of sin: But as I have said, the surety is more righteous simply, in regard the Surety never broke faith to the Creditor; the broken debtor hath broken to him: 2. The Surety never injured the Creditor by unjustice done against the eighth Commandement, but the broken man hath failed in this: But I would be resolved what truth can be in those, Prov. 20.9. Who can say I have made my heart clean? Job. 14.5. Who can bring a clean thing out of an un clean? No not one, Eccl. 7.20. There is not a just man upon earth, that doth good and sinneth not, Joh. 1.8. If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us: If we be compleatly as righteous as Christ; and if, as Crispe divines, all the Idolatry, Thefts, murthers of the Redeemed: Become actually the transgressions of Christ[illegible: 1 letter], and so cease to be the transgressions of the sinners, from that time they were laid upon Christ to the hour of their death: Can he determine the time when persecuting Sauls blasphemies, and bloody outrages to the Saints were laid upon Christ? I conceive he will say from Eternity, they were laid upon Christ, and ere he believed; certainly this was an untruth then: Saul made havock of the Church, even when he did make havock of the Church, and ere he believed; for if Saul persecuting, and all the Elect unconverted, yet disobedient, and boiling in their lusts, be as righteous as Christ all their life; It is most false that ever they were dead in sin, or some times disobedient: If it be said, The Elect considered in themselves and in nature are sinners, but considered as men in Christ, they are as righteous as Christ: it helpeth not, for we must not dream of, and fancy considerations, that hath no reality and truth in them; for all now born since our Lord died, I am perswaded, by the Doctrine of Antinomians, were never, nor can they be reall and true objects of this consideration; For from that time that their sins were laid upon Christ to the last hour of their life, they are as righteous as Christ, and so washed and justified; Now their sins were laid upon Christ, as some Libertines say, from eternity, as others, from that day that he died on the Crosse: 2. Sins taken away by Christs blood, saith Dr. Crispe, are no sins of the Saints: Christ did take them away, and bear their weight, even in the fault and sin it self, and not the guilt only, and not by supposition or meer imputation only, and that from eternity: But when Antinomians confesse, that Christ acted no sin, so that in respect of the Act (the sinfull act against the Law of God must be here understood) not one sin of the Believers is Christs, but only in respect of passing accounts from one head to another: This is all the truth we here plead for; because the Act (or somewhat answerable to that) done against the Spirituall Law of God is sin it self, and essentially sin; if this was never upon Christ, then sin it self was never upon Christ: now there is no other thing remaining in sin but the debt, guilt or obligation of sin that can be laid on Christ, and the truth is, the Scripture expoundeth the laying our sins upon Christ, to be nothing but God punishing Christ for our sins, as Isa. 5 3.4. The cause and formall reason, why Christ did bear our griefs, and carry our sorrowes is ver. 6. Because the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all, and is so expounded, 1 Pet. 2. Whereas it is said, ver. 21. that Christ suffered for us, and an objection is removed, vers. 22. Why should he suffer? Did he sin? the Apostle answereth by concession of the Antecedent, and by denying the consequence, vers. 22. He did no sin (personally) neither was guile found in his mouth: But it followeth not that he should not suffer legally, and for others the punishment due to them; so his sufferings is expounded, v. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree: Now how did Christ bear our sins? On the Tree; that is, by suffering, and Gal. 3. Paul evidently distinguisheth between two sorts of persons that are cursed; the sinners that abide not in all that is written in the Law to do them, v. 10. These are intrinsecally, and in their person cursed, as being sinners in their person; and so the intrinsecall objects of divine hatred, and a curse and abominable to God. Yea, but Christ was also cursed▪ But how? Not intrinsecally; God is never said to hate his Son Christ, nor to abhor him, as he doth sin which personally resideth in the man who acteth sin in his own person: Therefore the Lords forsaking of Christ his Son, is not an intrinsecall detesting, or a morall abhorring of Christ; but an extrinsecall, a penall, or a judiciall suspending of the beams and rayes (as Cyrill saith) or the overclouding of his favour, in the comfortable shining on the soul of his own sin: and it is not said that Christ was cursed, but only, vers. 13. [non-Latin text not transcribed], He was made a curse for us, that is, the fruits and effects of Gods curse, the punishment due to sinners, even that satisfactory, and penall curse and punishment, which infinit Justice requireth, was laid upon Christ, while as he died upon the Crosse, and suffered the effects of Gods wrath upon his soul for our sins: Then he must be the sinner, only by Imputation, except Antinomians show to us, how a person is made sin, or accounted the sinner? And yet is neither a sinner by inherent and personall acting of sin: nor yet by Law-imputation: And truely, its bad Divinity for Dr. Crispe to say, as we are actuall and reall sinners in Adam, so here God passeth really sin over upon Christ, for we sinned intrinsecally in Adam, as parts, as members, as being in his loynes, and we are thence, by nature the children of wrath, Eph. 2. But it is blasphemy to say, that our blessed Saviour sinned intrinsecally in us, as part or member of the Redeemed, or that he is a son of Gods wrath for sin intrinsecally inherent in him, as it is in us. Farther, Christs bearing of our iniquities is an obvious Hebraisme, and all one with the bearing, not of the intrinsecall and fundamentall guilt of sin; but of the extrinsecall guilt, or debt and punishment of sin: So, Exod. 28.38. A Mitre shall be on Aarons forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, Heb. [non-Latin text not transcribed], Venasa signifieth to carry, or as the 70. turn it, [non-Latin text not transcribed], Aaron shall take away, or, bear the punishment of the violation of the holy things: Moses saith to Aarons sons, Lev. 10.17. God hath given you the sin offering, to bear the iniquity of the congregation. [non-Latin text not transcribed], Aaron and his sonnes did bear the sins of the people as types of Christ, not by an intrinsecall guilt put on them, but by meer imputation, Lev. 16.22. And the Goat shal bear upon him all the iniquities of the children of Israel unto a Land not inhabited. The Priest prayed that the sins, that is, the punishment of the sins of the people might be laid on the Goat, Numb. 18.1. Aaron and his sons are to bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary, that is, the punishment of their iniquity, in that they were punished, if any of the Sanctuary polluted the holy things of God, Lev. 5.1. The witness who seeth and heareth a swearing, and doth not utter it, he shall bear his iniquity; that is, saith Vatablus, and all the interpreters, The punishment of his iniquity, Ezech. 18.19. Yet say ye Why doth not the Son bear the iniquity of the Father, ver. 20. The soul that sinneth shall die, the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father? Ezech. 23.35. Because thou hast forgotten me —bear thou also thy lewdnesse and thy whoredome: In the same very sense, Christ, Heb. 9.28. was once offered to bear the sins of many, 1 Pet. 2.24. He did bear our sins on his body on the Tree, Isa. 53.12. He did bear the sins of many; he did bear heavy punishment, death and the wrath of God, for the sins of many: the word [non-Latin text not transcribed] Sabal, is to bear a burden as a Porter, v. 6. The Lord laid the iniquity of us all on him. Heb. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Hifgang, The word signifieth to fall on any with violence, and to kill him; as Gideon fell on the Princes of Midian, and ver. 7. He was oppressed, he was afflicted, yet opened he not his mouth. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Niggas its not in the Hebrew. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Niggash, per [non-Latin text not transcribed] Adductus oblatus. Arias Mont. readeth it [non-Latin text not transcribed] Niggas, with the point on the left side of [non-Latin text not transcribed] not [non-Latin text not transcribed]. So Cyrillus, and it is, he was exacted, or payment of violence sought of him: Pagnan, multatus, Christ was put to a fine, condemned to pay an amercement, or forfeit, or Christ was pursued as pay-master and surety for us: The Father pursued Christs band, that he should now at the appointed day, tell down the sum, the great ransom-money of his life for sinners who were broken men. Justice gave in a broad and large claim against Jesus Christ, in which were written all the sins of the elect; And Christ opened not his mouth, but was dumb as a Lamb, led to the shambles, and his silence was as much, as Lord, I grant, I yeeld to all the accounts in this sad claim: you will not confesse your guiltinesse, O sinners in Christ! Nor take with riots, murthers, oaths, and all your sins: But the surety Christ was craved, and all your accompts demanded of him, and he confessed debt, and granted all, v. 12. He was numbred: So [non-Latin text not transcribed] Minna, he was reputed, and written up in the compt amongst theeves: this was meer imputation, he was not a wicked man indeed: And consider how; v. 3. He is called, despised and rejected of men, Christ in himself and intrinsecally was the glory, the flower, the Prince of men, even at his lowest, he must then be abased below all men, in regard of imputation, and that penall degrading of Christ; so as it is said of him, he was [non-Latin text not transcribed] Chadal ishim, which is, as Vatablus expoundeth it, so contemptible a man, that men would not admit him in company of men, Aria. Mont. desiit viris; others expound it, Cessatio virorum: Jerome novissimus virorum. Sanctius saith, he was not numbred amongst men, he was so despised, that he was the lowest among the lowest of men, or the minimum quod sic of men, as it is, Ps. 22.6. A worm, no man, no body, not in the classe or rank of men: He was in himself, the mighty God, the Prince of peace, more then above men and Angels, the chief of the kindred of men, the fairest among the sons of men, even at his lowest; but in regard of his low condition, he was made the off-scouring or the drosse or refuse of all men, as if not a Christianed creature. When our Divines say, Christ took our place, & we have his condition, How Christ is to our place. Christ was made us, and made the sinner; It is true, only in a legall sense, as we say, the advocate is the client, or the guilty man; Because the advocate beareth his name and person, and what the accused man could in Law say before the Judge in his own defence, that the advocate saith for him; the advocate saith, I cannot in Law die for this crime, for such Reasons: So the surety in Law or in a legall substitution, is the broken man: the surety saith, The debt is mine, all the wants, all the poverty, all the debts and burdens of my broken friend, be on me, and the rich surety having paid all, can say, I have paid all, I am in Law free, my friend and surety hath done all, and paid all for me; and that is as good in foro, in the Court of justice, as if I had paid in my own person all; for the truth is, there be not two debts and two bonds, and two sums, nor two debtors, the broken man, and the Surety are in Law but one person, one party adebted, which of them pay, it is all one to Law and justice: it is all one sum they owe: The Beleever in Christ is put in Christs Law-place, and Christ by Law is put in his place; Christ made Surety, saith: I am the sinner, O justice, all my broken friends wants, all their debts be upon me, my life for their life, my soul for my brethrens souls, my glory, my heaven for my kinsmens glory and heaven: The Lawes bloody Band was the curse of God upon the sinner, upon the debtor: Christ changed bands and obligations with us, and putteth out our name, and putteth in his own name in the bloody Band; and where the Law readeth, the curse of God upon the debtor: Christ is Assigned to this Band, and the Gospel readeth it, the curse of God upon the rich Surety, Gal. 3.13. Hear then the boldnesse of Faith: Now then there's no condemnation to those that are in Jesus Christ: What challenges Satan or conscience can make against the Believer (for justice being put to silence by Christ, maketh none) hear an answer: I was condemned, I was judged, I was crucified for sin, when my Surety Christ was condemned, judged and crucified for my sins: and what would you have more of a man then his life? it was a mans life and soul, my life that my surety offered up to God for sin, and I have payed all, because my surety hath payed all. And the truth is, it is not two debts, one that the believer owes to Gods justice, & another that Christ paid: But the debt that Christ payed is our very debt & sins which he did bear on his own body on the tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. But though it be true in a legal sense, that the surety is the broken man; yet it is true, only in regard of the Law punishment, or Malum poenae, the ill of punishment, that is laid upon him: For I take Dr Crisps words from his own pen; Suppose (saith he) a Malefactor should be asked, Guilty, or not guilty? He answereth, Not guilty. What doth he mean? He meaneth he hath not done the Fact that was laid to his charge: Then not to do the Fact of sin, to Dr. Crispe, is not to be guilty: Now I assume, But Jesus Christ did never any sinfull fact, as he also confesseth, then Christ was punished for sin, and yet was never guilty of sin, this must be the greatest unjustice in the world to punish a man for sin, altogether free of the guilt of sin; except Antinomians distinguish with us, between sinfull guilt, and penall guilt, called Reatus culpae, and Reatus poenae, or Reatus personae, seu potentialis, and Reatus formalis, seu actualis, they shall never expede themselves. Now though it be true, that in Law the Debtor and the Surety be both one Legall person, How the Debtor and the Surety be one in Law, & not intrinsecally one. yet intrinsecally they are not one, the broken Debtor as such may be an unjust man, and the Surety a faithfull and just man; so that the surety, as a satisfying Surety, removeth only the punishment due to the Debtor for his unjustice; but he removeth not formally unjustice, except he be such a Surety as Christ, who can both pay the debt, & so remove the ill of punishment, and also infuse holinesse, and sanctifie and remove the evill of sin; hence in justification formally, Christ only taketh away the punishment of everlasting fire, and eternall condemnation due to sin; but he removeth not sin it self; sin it self is removed in sanctification, and by degrees; justification taketh the sting out of the Serpent, but doth not formally kill the Serpent; the Serpent is killed by another act of Grace, by infused and perfected sanctification; justification is a forinsecall and a Legall Act, and removeth the power of the Law, which involveth the sinner in a curse: Now the strength or the Legall sting of sin is the Law, 1 Cor. 15.56. So we may judge how false this divinity is, which Dr. Crispe asserteth: You will never (saith he) have quietnesse of spirit in respect of sinne, till you have received this principle, that it is not the guilt of Iniquitie only, but Iniquity it self that the Lord laid on Christ; For it is true, quietnesse and Peace of Faith with God floweth from justification, Romanes 5.1. And the assurance that Christ hath pardoned sin, and hath removed the penall guilt, the punishment of Eternall condemnation from sin, but that the conscience should be quiet; that is, that it should not have also a care to believe that Christ wil sanctifie throughly, and perfect his good work in us, is most false; for though a soul be justified and freed from the guilt of Eternall punishment, and so the spirit is no more to be afraid and disquieted for Eternall wrath and Hell, which should never have been feared as the greatest evill, in regard that sin as sin is more to be feared then Hell as Hell; yet there be two other acts of disquietnesse of spirit laudable and commendable, even in the Saints after they are justified; and the guilt of [illegible: 1 letter]ternall punishment removed; as, 1. The believer is to have a holy Anxiety and care of spirit (I do not call it a troubled conscience) to improve his faith in believing that Christ will perfect what he hath begun. 2. He is to bee grieved that sin dwelleth in him, and to groan and cry as a captive in fetters, out of the sense of his wretched estate, as Paul doth, Rom. 7.23, 24. Antinomians will have the justified to be so quiet in spirit, as if Christ had removed sin in root and branch, buds and stump; whereas only the Eternall punishment and fear of Eternall condemnation is removed in justification: But there is a worse thing remaining in sin after this, and more to be feared, and a more reall and rationall ground of disquietnesse of spirit; and that is the fundamentall, intrinsecall, and sinfull guilt of sin, which Christ never took on him, and is not removed in justification; but only in the graduall and successive perfection of sanctification, and so being justified, I am to be secure and to enjoy a sound Peace, and quietnesse of spirit, A perplexed conscienc is lawfully consistent with a justified sinners condition in freedome from Eternall wrath: But yet am I to be disquieted, grieved, yea, to sorrow that such a Ghuest as sin lodgeth in me, and with me; even as an ingenuous and honest hearted debtor, is to rejoyce and be glad in the goodnesse and grace of his gracious surety who hath payed his debt, and never to fear that the Law or Justice can go against him to Arrest and imprison him, for that debt which is now compleatly paid by his surety: But if the surety gave his back-bond to pay him service of love, and service of sorrow, and remorse for his unjustice and sinfull lavishing of his Neighbours goods, which did necessitate his loving surety to hurt himself, and be at a great losse for him▪ he owes to his surety the debt of love, and disquietnesse of spirit, in so far, as the blot of his wastry, and the shame of his riotous youth, lyeth on him all his dayes: Antinomians conceive, that there ought to be no disquietnesse of spirit, no remorse, no trouble of minde, but that which hath its rise and spring from sins apprehended as not pardoned, and from the fear of Eternall punishment, to be inflicted for these sins: and it is true, that such a troubled and perplexed soul which is once in the state of justification, is but the issue and brood of unbelief, and ariseth from the flesh prevailing over the spirit in such sorrow: yea, or if confession of sinne arise from this spring of servile and slavish fear, it is not a work of Faith, except that a conditionall fear of Eternall wrath; A conditionall fear of wrath eternal in the justified. If a David fallen in Adultery and treacherous murther, or a Peter overtaken with a denying of his Saviour before men, shall not renew his Repentance and Faith in CHRIST, is required in all the justified for the perfecting of their salvation, and finall perseverance: But there is another remorse and sorrow according to God, required in all the justified; and it is this, that though they are not to fear condemation with a legall fear, so as to distrust God, An absolute fear of Eternall wrath, not required in the justified; yet sorrow, grief & trouble of mind for the indwelling of sin is required. and be afraid of Eternall wrath; yet he who is ransomed by Christ, though he can never recompense the Free-grace, nor pay a satisfactory ransome for so great and rich a love, he is under a back-bond, or a re-obligation of love, service, and obedience to him that ransomed him: And this Law of love and thankfulnesse is not, as Libert[illegible: 2 letters]es, and others conceive, a Positive and simply supernaturall Gospel-obligation; for the Law of both nature and Nations, require that the Captive be thankfull to the ransom payer: I grant that the particular Commandments are Positive and supernaturall; so the justified is obliged by this back-Bond, and Gospel re-obligation to confesse sin dwelling in him, to groan, and sigh and sorrow under it, to be troubled and grieved in spirit, for sin as sin dwelling in his members, and rebelling against the Law of his mind; and keeping him in bondage, to walk humbly, and softly all his days; by reason of the running Issue of sin, and to strive by all means to walk worthy of Christ; and this in the generall is the Law of Nature, from which Christ hath in no sort exempted us, Matth. 7.12. 1 Cor. 11.14. Eph. 5.28, 29. Now as a man having fallen from a high place upon a Rock, and hath broken bones of Thighs and Legs though he be cured and can walk abroad, yet all his days he halt[illegible: 1 letter]th in his walking; or like one that is cured of an extream Feaver, Tertian, at such and such seasons, some fits of the disease recurreth: yet is he not to doubt of the fidelity and love of the Chirurgion and Physician, who have really cured him, in so far as he is in capacity in this life to be cured, and therefore as he is to walk warily, and with circumspection all his days, caring for his crazed body, so is he to be thankfull to those who recovered him, and may be sad and heavy now and then; that by his own folly and temerity, he hurt his body: for even sins pardoned, as concerning their eternall guilt, by our Soveraign Physician Christ in justification, lay a law on us to serve our Physician Christ in these Positive Commandments of obedience, love, sorrow, softnesse of spirit, with a care to sin no more, though we must needs halt, and slip all our days, yet not so to sorrow, as to cal in doubt the reality of Pardoning Grace.

How the conscience is freed from sin, to wit from the Law obligation to actual condemnation, but not fr[illegible: 1 letter]m incurring the displeasur of God by breach of a Law, if the beleever shall sin.SERMON XX. YEa, the Law from the highest bended love, even from love with all the whole soul, and all its strength, Matth. 22. forbiddeth all sin, no lesse then the Gospel of love, which Gospel doth spiritualize the Law to the beleever, but not abolish it: the Gospel addeth a new argument of Gospel-love, because Christ hath died for me, therefore I'le keep the same Law of God, I was under before, only now I fear no[illegible: 1 letter] actuall condemnation which is accidentall to the Law, for Christ and the confirmed Angels keep the Law, as a rule of life, yet without any fear of actual condemnation; Nor doth the Gospel more make Davids adultery, not to be against the seventh Commandment to David, then it maketh the Israelites spoyling of the Egyptians of their Earings & Iewels, to be no breach of the eight Commandment: The Grace of Christ doth Priviledge the Believer from condemnation, which condemnation is a meer accident, which doth go and come without hurting the essence of the Law, and its commanding and eternall Morall-directing power: The Law saith (do and live) theres no exception of this, its the will of God eternall; as God is eternall, and obligeth us in Heaven, and for ever, Rev. 22.5. But this (if you doe not, you shall die) hath a large exception; Christ my son shall die for you, and this (if you keep not the Law, you are condemned) to the believer is abolished, and when we are Rom. 7. said to be freed from our first husband, as the woman is freed by Law from her dead husband, and may without sin marry another, and we not under the Law, the word (Law) is taken only for the Law, as given to the sinner: Now the Law should have been Law, though sin had never been, and is Law to the Elect Angels who never sinned, and that is only the Law, under the notion of that sad office of eternall condemnation; the Law could never have been Law, except it had promised eternall life to those who do the Law: but it both is, and should have been Law to believers in Jesus Christ, to the Elect Angels, and yet it doth not, it cannot actually condemn them. But that the Gospel maketh Adultery to be no sin to Believers, is a blasphemous Assertion: Then commit Adultery, murther, whore, steel; O Believer! these are not sins to thee, but Christs sins, not thine: O turn nor the grace of God into wantonnesse: The Believer hath no conscience of sins: that is, he in conscience is not to fear everlasting condemnation, that is most true, because Christ hath delivered him from that wrath to come, Rom. 8.1. Ioh. 5.24. Faith of eternall life by Jesus Christ cannot consist with fear of eternall condemnation, for then with a legall, and an Evangelick Faith, one person should be obliged to believe things contradictory, and yet both Faiths oblige us to give credence and assent: But that the Believer hath no conscience of sin, that is, that he is to believe theres nothing in him that is sin, is to believe a lie, 1 Joh. 1.8, 9, That he is to confesse no sin, and to be grieved in conscience for no sin, and to sorrow for no sin; that he is to be wearied and laden with no sin, that he is to groan under the burden of no sin, as failing against the love of him that gave a ransom for him; this is a blasphemous dedolencie of conscience, yea, of a conscience past feeling. Beloved in the Lord, The Gospel forbiddeth sorrow, fear, and Agony of conscience in a Believer, apprehending eternall wrath, such a one once truly believing in Christ as the Saviour of sinners, and his Saviour, and now believing the contrary, must believe that his Lord is really changed, that he hath forgotten to be mercifull, that he hath falsified, and altered his his Covenant, Oath and Promise: this were to make God a Liar; But the Gospel forbiddeth not, but commandeth that the justified person sorrow for sin; yea, it commandeth carefulnesse to forbear clearing of the offender, as being in Christ, and desiring to flee to Christ; indignation against himself, in not forgiving himself, fear of offending love and Law in Christ, vehement desire to have peace confirmed, zeal for God, revenge to afflict the soul, 2 Cor. 7.10.11. And in this sense its blasphemy to say that the Gospel taketh away all conscience of sin: Believers humbled for sin, are to be taken off all Law-thoughts, and fear of eternall condemnation, and all thoughts that sorrow is a Penance and satisfactory to offended justice; as we are ready to conceit of our Evangelick rejoicing and holiest works: But they are to sorrow for offended love; for the body of sin breaking out in scandals, I may then have peace with God, in the assurance of remission and removall of eternall wrath; and yet not have peace with my own conscience: 1. Because I may be perswaded that God in Christ hath forgiven me; yet am I not to forgive my self: 2. I am to beleeve that in Christ I am delivered from eternall wra[illegible: 1 letter]h, and justified in Christ; and yet to sorrow that I have sinned against Christs love: 3. I may have peace, sense of peace, and Pardon in Christ, and yea a necessary disquietnesse, sorrow, and tears, that I should have been so unthankfull to so lovely a Redeemer: so Christ doth commend the womans tears, as a sign of love, and of the sense of many sins pardoned, Luke 7.44. I may believe the remission of these same very sinnes, which I am to confesse, and for which I am to be sorrowfull. Thou gavest me no water for my feet: But she hath washed my feet with tears: yet many sins were forgiven her, v. 47. Hence, I may 1. Beleeve the Remission of that sin, for which I am to sorrow, and for the Remission of which I am to pray, and which I am to confesse: Nathan said to David, thy sin is pardoned: yet the Spirit of God after that both confessed, sorrowed, prayed for pardon in David: 2. We may comfort those that mourn for sin, from assurance of Pardon, and yet exhort them to be humbled and afflicted in spirit, and to confesse, sorrow, and pray for Pardon; so Antinomians rejoicing evermore after justification, without sorrow, remorse, down-casting for sin at all, is but fleshly wantonnesse: I may have and ought to have a disquieted spirit, and no peace with my self, and yet peace with God, even as the Sea after a storme, and when the winds are gone and the Aire is calmed, hath yet a raging and great motion, by reason of wind inclosed in the bowels of the Sea, and after the cool of a mighty Feaver, yet are the humours in the body stirred and distempered. But we are hence led to finde out resolution for divers cases of consciences after justification. Eight cases of conscience resolved from the former doctrine. 1. Many dare not question their state of justification, & so are freed from the storms of apprehended wrath, arising from the guilt of sin: yet there is another storm, within the bowels of the Sea, arising from the indwelling of the body of guilt, the storm before justification is lesse free, lesse ingenuous, more servile, as looking to that Eternall wrath, hanging over the soul for unpardoned sin: this is more free, and is a peaceable, a gracious, and heavenly storm raised, not for sin unpardoned, & the Eternal punishment thereof: but for sin as sin, as indwelling, not for the penall guilt and the sting of Hell in sin, but for the sinfull guilt and the wounding of Christ. 2. Its unpossible this latter storme can be in the soul, till the sentence of justification be pronounced; as none can have the moved bowels of a son, for the offence of a Father, till he be a son. 2. Another case is, that many have an absolute, loose, and laxe peace and calmnesse, great confidence of deliverance from Eternall wrath; and so of a supposed pardon, whose peace is convinced to be but a base outside, and meer paintry and fairding because there is in them no storm for sin as sin, and for the over-motions of boiling lusts; no tendernesse to walk spiritually. A Faith that eateth out the bottome and bowels of conscience, of declining sin and walking with God: is the justification of the Antinomians, of the old Gnosticks, of the naturall men: all our professors are cured, none or few are healed. 3. Full assurance that Christ hath delivered Paul from condemnation: yea, so full and reall, as produceth thanksgiving and triumphing in Christ, Rom. 7.25. Rom. 8.1, 2. may, and doth consist with complaints and outcryes of a wretched condition, for the indwelling of the body of sin, Rom. 7.14, 15, 16.23, 24. Then the justified that are whole, not sick, not pained, are yet in their sins, and not justified, what ever Antinomians say on the contrary. 4. The flesh in the justified cannot complain of indwelling sin; but the flesh mixt with some life of Christ, may raise a false Alaram of sins not pardoned, which are really pardoned; some false grief may and often hath its rise from a false and imaginary ground, as a sanctified soul may praise God through occasion of a lying report of the victory of the Church of God, when there is no such matter; a sanctified child may spiritually mourn for the supposed death of his Father, or that he hath offended his Father according to the flesh, when his Father is neither dead, nor offended at all: So gracious affections, as gracious, may work spiritually upon supposed and false grounds when there is no cause; as that the soul hath grieved his heavenly Father, and that he is displeased, when it is not so. 5. Sin indwelling is a greater evill, then the feared evill of ten hells; and therefore there is more cause of sorrow for sin, confession, disquietnesse of spirit, after justification then before; because sin the only true object of fear and disquietnesse of spirit, is both a ghuest dwelling in the soul, and is more really and distinctly apprehended as a spirituall evil, after the light of faith hath shown us the sinfulnesse of sin, then ever it was discovered to be before. 6. I doubt, if justified souls are to be refuted in their complaints and fears for the indwelling of sin, providing, they fear not eternall wrath, which fear is contrary to faith; and so they fear not, and sorrow not, for that God hath changed the Court, and the wind of his love turned in the contrary air, and he hath forgotten to be mercifull. 7. Faith chargeth us to believe that Grace shall at length finally subdue sin, and as boatmen labour with oars to promove their course in sailing, even when the wind, sails and tide are doing somewhat to promove the course; so doth faith, which purifieth the heart, set the soul on work to perfect holinesse in the fear of God, and believeth also, that God shall work both to will and to do. Its not then good Physick for many exercised in conscience, especially after their first conversion, to apply only the honey and sweetnesse of consolations of the Gospel, as if there were not any need of humiliation and sorrow for sin: Yet it is to be cleared, How we are to-sorrow for pardoned sins. that 1. Sorrow for sin is no satisfaction for sin; for the pride of merit is crafty, and can creep in at a smal hole. We think there is no repentance where there be no tears, & God of purpose withholdeth tears, as knowing when water goes out, wind cometh in. 2. They are tenderly to be bound up, and comforted, in whom sin riseth up with a witnesse. O what pity, and humble on-looking should be here? For a hell of pain in the body is nothing, wheels, racks, whips, hot irons, breaking of bones is nothing; but half a hell in the spirit, is a whole hell. The upper hell, the grave, to Ezekiah is like to swallow him up, when dipped in the lower hell, and covered with the apprehension of wrath. O sweet Jesus! what a mercy that thou swallowed up all hels to believers, and calmed the sea of hell. Vse. If in Justification, sins be blotted out, cast in the depths of the Sea, Use. 1. To be justified is a state of happiness most desireable. and removed, as if they never had been, the state of Justification must be a condition of sound blessednesse, the most desireable life in the world, Ro. 4.6. Even as David also describeth the blessednesse of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works. 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. For consider 1. What an Act of Grace it is in a Prince to take a condemned malefactour from under the ax, the rack, the wheel, and so many hours torture, before he end his miserable life. Or, 2. Suppose he were condemned to be tortured leisurely, Simile and his life continued and prorogated, that bones, sinues, lights, joynts might be pained for twenty or thirty years; so much of his flesh cut off every day, such a bone broken, and by Art the bone cured again, and the flesh restored, that he might for thirty years space, every day be dying, and yet never die. Or, 3. Imagine a man could be kept alive in torment in this case, from sleep, ease, food, clothing, 500. years, or a 1000. years, and boiling all the time in a cauldron full of melted lead; & say the soul could dwell in a body under the rack, the wheel, the lashes and scourges of Scorpions, and whips of iron, the man bleeding, crying, in the act of dying for pain, gnawing his tongue, for ten hundred years; now suppose a mighty Prince, by an act of free grace, could and would deliver this man from all this pain and torture, and give him a life in perfect health, in ten hundred Paradises of joy, pleasure, worldly happinesse, and a day all the thousand years without a night, a summer all this time, without cloud, storm, winter, all the honour, acclamations, love, and service of a world of men and Angels, cloath this man with all the most compleat delights, perfections, and vertues of minde and body, set him ten thousand degrees of elevation, to the top of all imaginable happinesse, above Solomon in his highest Royalty, or Adam in his first innocencie, or Angels in their most transcendent glory and happinesse. Yea, 4. In our conception we may extend the former misery and pain, and all this happines to the length of ten thousand years, this should be thought incomparably the highest act of grace and love, that any creature could extend to his fellow-creature: And yet all this were but a shadow of Grace, in comparison of the love and rich Grace of God in Christ, in the justification of a sinner. 2. Consider, we are freed from the guilt of sin in justification: Now this is the eternall debt of sin, that remaineth after sin, To be justified is a state of solid felicity, in regard of the eternall debt of sin. that none can wash away but Christ, and that this remaineth after sin is acted. 2. That it remaineth for eternity. 3. That it is a misery we are onely in justification delivered from, is cleare in Scripture: 1. Because sin is a debt: After the borrowed money is spent and gone, somewhat in Law and justice remaineth, and this is debt or obligation to make payment to the Creditour. 2. So the Scripture speaketh, Jer. 2.22. For though thou wash thee with Nitre, and take thee much sope, yet thy iniquity is marked before me. Borith, is an hearb that Fullers use for washing and purging, yet is sin such a Leopard-spot, that no Art, no industry of of the creature can remove it, Jer. 17.1. The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, it is graven upon the table of their heart, and the horns of your Altars. There is writ remaining after sin is acted. 2. Writ written with a pen of iron, and diamond, to endure for eternity. 3. Not written onely, but ingraved, and indented upon the conscience, 1 Sam. 24.5. When David rent the rob of Saul, his heart smote him, so that it left a hole, or the mark of the stripe behinde it; as when a burning iron is put on the face of an evill-doer, it leaveth behinde it a brand, or a stigma. 2. This is terrible, that this brand is eternall; as the Prophet prayeth, Psal. 109.14. Let the iniquities of his fathers be remembred with the Lord: and let not the sin of his mother be botted out. 15. Let them be before the Lord continually. O dreadfull! The sins of wicked men shal stand up in heaven before the justice of God, so long as God shal live, and that is for ever and ever: So the Lord sweareth, By the excellency of Jacob; That is, by himself, Amos 8.7. Surely, I will never forget any of their works, Joh. 10.8. All that ever came before me, all that came not in by me, the Door, and the Way, they are [non-Latin text not transcribed], Theeves and Robbers. The false Prophets, many of them were dead, yet being dead (saith Christ) this day, they are, in regard of guilt, Theeves and Robbers. To this day, above sixteen hundred years the Jews are guilty murderers; though their fathers who slew the Lord of glory, be dead: This day Cain is a murderer, Judas a traitour, and shall be so long as GOD shall live, and be GOD: Now without shedding of Christs blood, there is no remission of sins, Heb. 9.22. To be delivered from eternall debt, and intituled to an eternall Kingdom, is a life most desireable, & maketh the sinner to stand in the books of Christ, as the eternally ingaged debtor of Grace. Young Heirs, know your blessednesse aright: sinners under eternall debt; you laugh, sport, rejoice: and you are firebrands of wrath: you go singing, and shaking, and tinckling your bolts and fetters of black and unmixed vengeance: Alas, how can you sleep? How can you laugh and sing? Eat the crums.] The dogs desire but the least, The smalest and worst things of Christ are incomparably above the most excellent things on earth. and (to speak so) the refuse of Christ. Doct. The meanest, and worst things of Christ (to speak so) are incomparably to be desired above all things. 1. Any thing of Christ is desirable; but to lay hold on the skirt of a Jew, Zac. 10.23. Because Christ that is with him is good. Yea, the dust of Zion is a thing that the servants of God take pleasure in, Psal. 102.14. The dust and stones of Zion, are not like the earth; and the mules of the holy grave, as Papists fondly dream, and are but earth; but because the Lord Christ dwelleth there, therefore are they desirable. The people carried their old harps to Babylon with them, and Iosephs bones must be carried out of Egypt to Canaan: Why Canaan was Christs land, his dwelling: Why, but we are to love the ground that Christs feet treadeth on. This I say not, that I judge it holy earth, that is Popish superstition; but that such is Christs excellencie, that any thing that hath the poorest relation to him, is desirable for him. 2. A poor woman, Luke 7. sought no more of him, but to wash the feet of Christ, and kisse them: Another woman, Matth. 9.21. If I may but touch the border of his garment, I shal be whole. Mary Magdalen sought but to have her arms filled with his dead body, Joh. 20.15. She saith, weeping, to the Gardiner, as she supposed; Sir, if thou hast born him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I wil take him away. To Joseph of Arimathea, his bloody winding sheet, and his dead, and ho [illegible: 1 letter]ed, and torn body in his arms, are sweet. Christs Clay is Silver, and his Brasse Gold. 3. Christs [illegible: 1 letter]harpest rebukes are sweet oyl; the wounds [illegible: 1 letter]nd the holes that the sweet Mediatour maketh [illegible: 1 word] the soul, when he smiteth with the rod of his [illegible: 1 letter]outh, are with child of comforts, he rebuked [illegible: 1 letter]ot the Serpent, as not minding salvation to Sa [illegible: 1 letter]an, but rebuked Evah, intending the promised [illegible: 2 letters]od for her. O what sweetnesse of love is that [illegible: 2 letters]pression? Jer. 31.20. For since I spake against Ephraim, I do earnestly remember him, I will [illegible: 1 word] have mercy on him, saith the Lord. Then rebuking of Ephraim, which is called; speaking against him is dipt in mercy, Hos. 11.7. My people are bent to back-sliding; this is a rebuke sharp enough: yet he chides himself friends with the people, v. 8. How shall I give thee up; O Ephraim, mine heart is turned within me. Here is kissing, and love wrapped about rebuks[illegible: 1 letter] so Jer. 3.1. Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; but see mercy: Yet return to me, saith the Lord. 4. His black and sowre Crosse is sweet and honied with comfort, his dead Body a bundle of myrrhe, Cant. 1.13. The smell of which is strong, and fragrant, and sweateth out precious gum rejoycing in tribulations, Rom. 5.3. Count it joy, all joy, when ye fall in divers temptations, Jam. 1.2. The Eagles smell heaven in the crosse, and Christ in it, Gal. 6.14. Yea, the refuse and the worst of Christs crosse, the shame and the reproaches of Christ, are sweeter and choicer to Moses, then the Treasures, Riches, yea, then the Kingdome of Egypt, and the glory of it, Heb. 11. ver. 26, 27. yea, the shame and blushing on Christs fair face, Heb. 12.2. which he suffered under the Crosse, is fairer then Rubies, and Gold, and hath the colour of the Heaven of Heavens. Nebuchadnezzar hath more pain & torment in persecuting, Dan. 4.19. then the three children had in being persecuted: There's pain and fury in active persecution: He was full of fury, and the form of his visage changed; but there is joy unspeakable and glorious in passive persecution. Christs sanctified crosse droppeth honey, 1 Pet. 1.6. 5. Christs glownings and sad desertions, though to the believer, they be death and hell: yet have much of heaven in them: So Psal. 30.7. Thou turnedst away thy face, and I was troubled, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Niuhal, I was troubled like a withered flower that loseth sap and vigor: So, Exod. 15.15. The Dukes of Edom, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Niuhaln, were amazed; yet at that time David prayed, cryed, and was heard, ver. 8, 9, 10. The sweetest communion that Christ seeketh of us on earth is prayer, Cant. 2.14. and Cant. 5. Desertion is death it self, and a death to the soul. 6. I opened to my beloved, and my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone; And what was the Churches case? My soul went forth from me. The Arabick▪ My soul departed, I died, So is death described by the like phrase, Gen. 35.18. Rachels soul was in departing, for she died: And when men are stricken with sudden fear, the heart is said to goe out: So, Gen. 42.28. The soul of Josephs brethren departed, that is, they were extreamly amazed, When they found their money in their sacks. The like was the case of the Church when CHRIST departed, she died for sorrow, the soul departed from the soul, because her Lord and beloved was gone: Yet even that death, that soul-hell in the want of Christ was a Heaven, it was a sweet and comfortable season, then hath she a commuion with him, in a most heavenly manner. 1. Asking at the watchmen for him. 2. In binding sad charges on the Daughters of Jerusalem, to commend her to God by prayer. 3. Then was she sick of Love for him. 4. Then fell she out in that large Love rapture, in a most heavenly praise of him, in all his vertues, My welbeloved is white and ruddy, and the chief amongst ten thousand, &c. Here then the Hell, that Christ throweth the Saints in, in their Desertions, is their heaven. 6. The meanest and lowest relation with Christ, is honour: John Baptist placeth an honour, in unloosing the Latchets of his shooes, and thinketh to bear his shooes is more honour then he deserveth, Joh. 1.27. David a great Prophet appointed to be a King: O if I might be so near the Lord, as to be a door-keeper in his house, Ps. 84.10. He putteth a happinesse on the Sparrow, and the Swallow, that may build their nests beside the Lords Altar: Then the fragments and crums that his dogs eateth, must be the dainties of heaven, What must Christ himself be in excellencie when the worst things of Christ are so desireable. and Christs water the wine of heaven. Now if any the lowest thing of Christ, the Morsell of his dogs be desireable; how sweet must himself be, if the parings of his bread be sweet? What must the great loafe Christ himself be? Christ himself is so taking a Lover, he hath a face that would ravish love out of Devils, so they had Grace to see his beauty; he could lead captive all hearts in hell, with the lovelines of his countenance, which is white and ruddy, and pleasant as Lebanon, if they had eyes to behold him. O he himself is an unknown Lover; he hath neither brim nor bottome, his Gospel is the unsearchable riches of Christ; his Gospel is but a creature; How unsearchable must he himself be? The wise man, Prov. 30.4. putteth a riddle upon all the wisest on the earth, Solomon & all: What is his name? We know neither name nor thing, Isa. 53.8. Who shall preach his generation? O what a mercy [illegible: 1 letter] that he will give sinners leave to love him? Or honour us so much that we may lay our black and spotted love, on so lovely and fair a Saviour? That such an infinite and desireable love as Christs Love, should come (to borrow that expression) within the sides of thy love and heart, is a wonder; Alas, its a narrow circle and not capacious to contain him and his love, that passeth knowledge, Eph. 3.19. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. It over passeth and transcendeth far the narrow comprehension of created knowledge either of men or Angels. To seek Grace is desireable; but suppose any person were a Masse, and nothing but composed of pure Grace, and yet want Christ himself, he should be but a broken lamed creature; put a soul in heaven, and let him be hated of Christ (if that were possible) Heaven should be Hell. Imagine devils were standing with their black chains of darknesse, even up in the Heaven of Heavens, and the Plague of being hated of Christ on their soul, and that they could see him that sitteth on the Throne, and somewhat of the Rayes and Beames of that fulness of God that is in Christ; yet should Devils still be Devils, they wanting Christ the heaven of Angels and glorified men. What a flower? What a Rose of love and light must CHRIST be, The excellencie of Christ farther illustrated who filleth with smell, light, beautie, the four sides, East and West, South and North of the Heaven of Heavens, and his glory? Suppose in the hour of our last farewell to time, all creatures void of Reason, Heavens, Stars, Light, Air, Earth, Sea, dry Land, Birds, Fishes, Beasts, were in a capacity to love us, and they with Men and Angels, should let out upon us the fulnesse; yea, the Sea of all their love (as its a sweet thing to be lovely and desireable to many) yet this were nothing to him who is, Cant. 5.16. All desires, or all loves: So Vatablus rendereth it, Christus est totus desideria: He is a Masse of love, and love it self; lovely in the womb, the ancient of dayes became young for me; lovely in the Crosse, even when despised and numbred with theeves; lovely in the grave, lovely at the right hand of God, lovely in his second appearance in glory: yea, all desirable, Cant. 6.10. his countenance white and ruddy, 11. his head, a golden head; his headship and government desirable; his locks bushie and black; his counsels deep, various, unsearchable; his eyes as Doves, chaste, pure, and can behold no iniquity; his cheeks, or two sides of his face, as a bed of spice, and sweet smelling flowers: his face manly, comely as Lebanon: his lips like Lillies, dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe: his Gospel smelleth of heaven: his hands pure, his works holy, fair, as Gold-rings set with Beril: his belly, or breast and bowels, as bright Yvory overlaid with Saphires: that is, his breast and belly, that containeth his bowels, his heart and affections, are as Yvory, bright and glorious: and Yvory overlaid, covered and adorned with Saphires, that are precious stones of a sea-blue, and heavenly colour, because his bowels and inward affections are full of love, tendernesse of mercy, and the compassion of his heart, most heavenly: his legs are pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his wayes and government like marble-pillars, upright, white, pure, and set on gold, solid, firm, stable, that Christ cannot slip or fall: his Scepter a Scepter of righteousnesse, and his Kingdom eternall, and cannot be shaken: his countenance as the mountain Lebanon, his person eminent, goodly, high, great, tall, fruitfull as Cedars: his mouth most sweet, his words and testimonies as honey, or the honey comb: yea, [illegible: 1 letter]ll creatures are weak, and Christ strong: all [illegible: 2 letters]se, he precious: all empty, he full: all black, [illegible: 1 letter]e fair: all foolish and vain, he wise, and the [illegible: 2 letters]ly Counseller, deep in his counsels and wayes. The speciall Evangelick sin that we are guilty of, The high esteem of Christ in foure grounds. is unbelief, Joh. 16.9. and this floweth from a low estimation that we have of Christ, and therefore these considerations are to be weighed in our estimation of Christ. 1. The wisdom or folly of any man is most seen in the estimative faculty, for it denominateth a man wise; many are great Judges, and learned, as the Magicians of Chaldea, and Philosophers, who know wonders, hidden things, and causes of things, and yet are not wise, but fools, Rom. 1.21. and vain in their imaginations, because there is a great defect in their estimative faculty, in the choice of a God, ver. 22.23. the practicall mind is blinded, and they chuse darknesse for light, evill for good, a creature for their God. By faith, Moses, when he was come to age, Heb. 11.25. refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter; and chose, rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. And how is his faith made faith? And how is it evident, that he was not a raw, ignorant and foolish childe when he made the choise? But a man ripe, come to years, and so as wise as he was old: It is proved, because his estimative faculty was right, v. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt. He is a wise man, who maketh a wise choise, and for thi[illegible: 1 letter] cause Esau is called, Heb. 12.26. [non-Latin text not transcribed], a profane man, from [non-Latin text not transcribed] confudit, he had not wise[illegible: 1 letter]dom to put a difference between the excellency of the birth-right, and a morsell of meat; so Ezech. 22.8. [non-Latin text not transcribed], is to confound Gods Sabbath with another day: A profane wicked man hath not wisdome to esteem God and Christ above the creature, but confoundeth the one with the other. 2. Our esteem of Christ is to be pure, chaste, spirituall, and so to work purely; that is, the formall reason why we esteem of Christ, must be because he is Christ, and not because Summer goeth with Christ; nay, not because he comforteth, but because he is God, the Redeemer, and Mediatour; its a chaste love, and a chaste esteem, if the wife chuse to love her husband, because he is her husband, as the sense esteemeth white to be white under the notion of such a colour. The operation of every faculty is most pure, and kindly, when it is carried toward its object, according to its formall reason, without any mixture of other respects, extraneous and by-reasons, are more whorish, lesse con-naturall, not so chaste; there is some wax in our honey, and this we should take heed unto; the elective power is a tender piece of the soul. 3. Estimation produceth love, even the love of Christ; and love is a great Favourite, and is much at Court, and dwelleth constantly with the King; to be much with Christ, especially in secret, late and early, and to give much time to converse with Christ, speaketh much love▪ and the love of Christ is of the same bignesse and quantity with Grace, for Grace and Love keep proportion one with another. 4. He who duely esteemeth Christ, is a noble bidder, and so a noble and liberall buyer, he outbiddeth Esau. What is pottage to Christ? He overbiddeth Iudas: What is silver to Christ? Phil. 3.8 Yea, [non-Latin text not transcribed], all things is the greatest count can be cast up; for it includeth all prices, all summes, it taketh in heaven, as its a created thing: Then, all things, the vast and huge Globle and Cirle of the capacious world, and all excellencies within its bosome or belly; nations, all nations; Angels, all Angels; Gold, all Gold; Jewels, all Jewels: Honour and delights, all honour, all delights, and every all beside, lieth before Christ, as feathers, dung, shadows, nothing: To wash a sinner, is the eminencie of love, and the highest esteem of him; But, O what a mercy, that Christ should defile his precious, sinlesse, Royall, and Princely blood, by dipping in such a loathsome, foul, and deformed creature as a sinner is, Rev. 1.5. Dogs eat the crums.] Here be degrees of persons, and things, in our Fathers house: Children, and dogs: yet dogs which the Lord of the house owneth: here is a high table, and bread: and a by-board, or an after-table, and crums for dogs: here be persons of honour, Kings sons cloathed in Scarlet, and sitting with the King at dinner, when his Spikenard sendeth forth a smell; and here be some under the table, at the feet of Christ, waiting to receive the little drops of the great honey-comb of rich grace, that falleth from him: Follow Christ, and grace shall fall from him; his steps drop fatnesse, especially in his Palace, 1 Joh. 2.12.13.14. There be in our Lords house little children, babes; there be in it also experienced ancient Fathers (for Grace hath gray haires for wisedom, not for weaknesse:) there be strong men also: Christ was once a little stone, but he grew a great mountain that filled the whole earth: yea, and the heaven too: Christ is a growing childe: In Christs lower firmament, there be stars of the first and second magnitude: and in his house, vessels of great, and of small quantity, cups and flagons, Isa. 22.24. yet all are fastened upon the Golden-nail, Jesus Christ. 2. All are in the way, the plants all growing, but one is a grain of mustard seed, and a rose not broken out to the flower, and another is a great tree: its morning, and but the glimmering of the rayes of the day-star in one, and its high Sun, perfect day, near the noon-day with another: Strong father Abraham, mighty in believing, was once a babe on the breasts, that could neither creep, nor stand, nor walk. The love of Christ in its first rise, is a drop of dew that came out of the womb of the morning, the mother in one night brought forth an hoste, an innumerable millions of such babes, and covered the face of the earth with them. But this drop of dew groweth to a Sea that swelleth up above hell and the grave, Cant. 8.6, 7. It is more then all the floods and seas of the earth, and floateth up to the Heaven of Heavens, and up, and in, it must be upon Christ, 1 Pet. 1.8. Ye see not Christ, yet ye love him. It overfloweth Christ and taketh him, and ravisheth his heart: It is a strong chain that bindeth Christ, when the grave, sin, death, devils, could not bind him, Can. 4.9. Act. 2.24. 3. Christs way of administration, is a growing way, his Kingdom is not a standing, nor a sitting, nor a sleeping Kingdome: But its walking, and posting. Thy Kingdome come. An increasing Kingdom, a growing peace, Isa. 9.7. Of the increase of his Government and peace (there shall be) no end: In regard of duration even in heaven, there shall be a growing of his Kingdom: There's not yesterday, and to morrow, and the next year in heaven: yet there's a negative increase, glory and peace shal ascend in continuance and never come to an height: the Sun never decline, the long day of Christs glory and peace shall never end. Christ is saying even now, Father, I must have all my children up with me, that where I am, there they may be also: And therefore the head draws up to him now a finger, then a toe: now an arm, then a leg: he hath been these sixteen hundred years since his Ascension, drawing up by death, whole Churches, the Saints at Corinth, at Rom[illegible: 1 letter], at Philippi: The seven Candlesticks, and the seven Stars of Asia, are long ago up above Orion, and the seven Stars: and are now shining up before the Throne: This consecrated Captain of our Salvation, will not sleep till his Fathers house be filled, till all the numerous ofspring, and the Generations of the first born, be up under on roof with their Father. Heaven is a growing Family, the Lord of the house hath been gathering his flocks into the fair fields of the Land of Praises, ever since the first Abel died; and all down along, the believers were gathered to their Fathers. 1. Vse is, that we despise not the day of smal things; Gods beginning of great works is smal. What could be said of a poor womans throwing of a stool at the man who did first read the new Service Book in Edenburgh? It was not looked at as any eminent passage of Divine Providence; yet it grew till it came up to Armies of men, the shaking of three Kingdomes, the sound of the Trumpet, the voice of the Alarm, the lifting up of the Lords Standart, destruction upon destruction, garments rowled in blood, and goeth on in strength, that the vengeance of the Lord, and the vengeance of his Temple, may pursue the Land of Graven Images, and awake the Kings of the Earth to rise in Battle against the great Whore Babylon, that the Jews may return to their Messiah, and Israel, and Judah ask the way to Zio[illegible: 1 letter], with their faces thitherward, weeping as they go: that the Forces of the Gentiles, and the Kingdoms of the world, may become the Kingdoms of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ. And this act of a despised woman▪ was one of the first steps of Omnipotencie; God then began to open the mouth of the Viall of his wrath, to let out a little drop of vengeance upon the seat of the Beast, and ever since the right arme of the Lord awaking, hath been in action, and in a growing Battle against all that Worshipped the Beast, and received his mark on their right hand, and their forehead; and who knoweth but Christ is in an act of conquering, to create a new thing on the earth, and subdue the people to himself. Omnipotencie can derive a Sea, a world of noble and glorious works from as smal a Fountain as a straw, a ram-horn, yea, Jawbone of a dead Asse. God can put forth omnipotencie in all its flowers and golden branches of over-powering and incomparable excellencies, upon meer Nothing, the winde is an empty unsolid thing, the Sea a fluid and soft, and ebbing creature; yet the wind is Gods chariot, he rideth on it, and the Sea his walk, his paths are in the great waters. 2. Vse. A crum that falleth from Christs Table, hath in it the nature of bread, some weak ones complain, O I have not the heart of God like David, nor the strong faith of Abraham to offer my son to death for Christ, nor the burning fire of the zeal of Moses, to wish my name may be razed out of the Book of life, that the Lord may be glorified; nor the high esteem of Christ, to judge all but losse & dung for Jesus Christ, as Paul did. But what if Christ set the whole loafe before the children, is it not well? If thou lie but under Christs feet, to have the crums of mercy that slippeth through the fingers of Christ? The lowest room in heaven, even behinde the door is heaven. 1. There's a minimum quod sic, the lowest measure, or grain of saving Grace, and its saving Grace; a drop of dew is water, no lesse then the great Globe and Sphere of the whole element of water is water, a glimmering of morn-dawning light is light, and of the same nature with the noon-light, that is in the great body of the Sun, the motion of a childe newly formed in the belly, is an act of life; no lesse then the walking and breathing of a man of thirty years of age in his flower and highest vigour of life; the first stirrings of the new birth, are the workings and operations of the holy Ghost, and the love of God even now shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost, shall remaine the same in nature, with us in heaven, 1 Cor. 13.8, 9, 10. 2. Christ doth own the bruised reed, and the smoaking flax, so far forth, as not to crush the one, nor to quench the other, and can with tender cautelousnesse of compassion, stoop, and with his arm go between the lambe on the margin and brink of Hell, as to save it from falling down headlong over the brow of the Mountain; he, Ps. 147.3, Healeth the broken in heart, and as a Chyrurgion (so Vatablus expoundeth it) bindeth up their wounds, and putteth the broken bones in their native place again; and whereas young ones are easily affrighted, yea, and distracted with fear, when sudden cryes and hideous War-shouts surpriseth them; Christ affrighteth not weak consciences with shouts, to put poor tender souls out of their wits, with the shouts of Armies of the terrours of Hell in the conscience: yea, Isa. 42.2. The meek Lord Jesus shall not cry, nor lift up (a shout) nor cause his voice be heard in the street. O what bowels! What stirrings, and boylings, and wrestlings of a pained heart touched with sorrow, are in Christ Jesus? When he saw the people scattered as sheep having no sheapherd, [non-Latin text not transcribed] He was bowelled in heart, Math 9.36. his bowels were moved with compassion for them. O how sweet! That thy sinfull weaknesse should be sorrow and pain to the bowels & heart of Jesus Christ: so as infirmity is your sin, and Christs pitty and compassion: can the Father see the childe sweat, wrestle under an over-load while his back be near broken, and he cry, I am gone, and his bowels not be moved to pitty, and his hands not stretched out to help? Were not the bowels and heart of that Mother made of a piece of the nether Milstone, had she not sucked the Milk and breasts of a Tyger, and seemed rather to be the Whelp of a Lyon, then a woman, who should see her young childe drowned and wrestling with the water, and crying for her help, and yet she should not stir, nor be moved in heart, nor run to help? This is but a shadow of the compassion that is in that heart dwelling in a body personally united to the blessed Godhead in Jesus Christ. We should have tender hearts toward weak ones; considering, 1. That Christ cannot disinherit a son for weaknesse. 2. Love is not broken with a straw, or a little infirmity. 3. All the vessels of Christs house, are not of one size. 4. Some mens infirmities are as transparant Christall, easily seen through; others have infirmities under their garments. 5. We shal see many in heaven, whom we judged to be cast-awayes, while they lived with us on earth. 6. Many go to Heaven with you, and you hear not the sound of their feet in their journey.

SERMON XXI. Then Iesus answered and said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith, &c.The prevalency of instant Prayer, in 8. acts put forth upon God. THis is the last passage of the Text, containing a commendation of the Woman, given to her by Christ in her face. 2. An answer according to her desire. 3. The effect of her praying with instancy and pressing importunity of Faith: The Devil is cast out of her Daughter. Christ acknowledgeth here: That Instancy of praying in Faith, will overcome God, and Satan and all the saddest Temptations that can befall the Childe of God. Hence observe what acts of efficacious power instant and earnest praier putteth forth upon God, and how the clay-creature doth work upon, and prevail with the great Potter and former of all things. 1. Prayer is a Messenger and a swift and winged post dispatched up to Court, Psal. 5.3. David sent away this post early in the morning, with morning wings: My voice shalt thou hear in the morning: The post is himself, for the word is, [non-Latin text not transcribed] I will addresse my person as in battle array, Iob 33.5. Set thy self in order before me, (and) stand up, saith Elihu to Iob. Or, I will addresse my words, Iob 32.14. Now he hath not directed his words against me: the Seventy render it [non-Latin text not transcribed], and David sent himself to Heaven, not only as a post, but (as the word [non-Latin text not transcribed] A[illegible: 1 letter]sappeh soundeth) I will look up, or, espie, as one that keepeth watch and ward, waiting for an answer from God, as the word is, Habbak 2.1. and Psal. 18.6. In my distresse I called upon the Lord,— and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 2. Prayer putteth a challenge upon God, for his Covenants sake and his Promise; that is, greater boldnesse then to speak to God and wait on, Isa. 63.18. Our Adversaries have troden down thy Sanctuary, 19. We are thine, thou never barest rule over them, they were not called by thy Name, Lam. 2.20. Behold, O Lord, and consider, to whom thou hast done this, Isa. 63.17. O Lord, why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes? And hardened out heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants sake, the Tribes of thine inheritance. Hence is there an holy chiding with God, Psal. 22.2. O my God, I [illegible: 1 letter]ry in the day time, and thou hearest not, and in the night season, and am not silent: Psal. 13.1. How long wilt thou forget me, (O Lord) for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 3. It putteth God to great straights, and suffering even to the moving of his soul, Jer. 31. When God heareth Ephraim bemoaning himself in Prayer: it putteth God to a sort of pinch and condolency, ver. 20. Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my pleasant Childe? For since I [illegible: 1 letter]ake against him, I do earnestly remember him [illegible: 1 letter]ill, therefore my bowels are troubled for him. [illegible: 1 word] Isaac an earthly Father moved, and his heart [illegible: 1 letter]ent and torn with the weeping and tears of Esa[illegible: 1 letter] his son, so as he must confer some blessing upon him; far more must the bowels of our father infinite in mercy be turned within him, at the weeping and tears of a praying and crying Church. 4. When God seemeth to sleep, in regard that his work and the wheels of his providence are at a stand, prayer awaketh God, and putteth him on action, Psal. 7.6. Arise O Lord in thine anger, lift up thy self because of the rage of mine enemies; awake for the judgement thou hast commanded, Psal. 44.23. Awake, Why sleepest thou O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever. Both the words [non-Latin text not transcribed] Gnurah, and [non-Latin text not transcribed] Hakitsa, signifieth to awake out of sleep: So prayer putteth God on noble acts of omnipotencie, as to bow the Heavens and come down, Isa. 64.1. To shake, & put on work all creatures in Heaven and Earth, for the saving of one poor man, Psal. 18. As when the sick childe cryeth for pain, all the sons and servants, yea, the Father of the house and Mother, are set on work, and put to business for his health. Hence when David prayed, Psal 18. vers. 6, 7. The earth shook, the foundations of the Hills were moved, for the Lord was wrath, smoak and fiery coales went out of his mouth, he bowed the Heavens and came down, he rode upon a Cherub, and did flye upon the wings of the wind. So it did put the LORD to divide the Red-Sea, to break the Prison doors and Iron chaines to deliver Peter, Paul and Silas. 5. It acteth so upon God, that it putteth the Crown upon Christs head, and hightneth the footstool of his throne; so much doth that Prayer (Thy Kingdom come) hold forth, and that last prayer of the Church, Rev. 22. which the Spirit & the Bride uttereth; Even so come Lord Jesus, is a hastning of that glorious Mariage day, when the Bride, the Lambs wife, shall be married on Jesus Christ & a ripening of the glory of God, & of Christ the King and head Mystical of his body the Church. The Glory of infinite Justice, and saving Grace in the Redemption of men, is like a fair Rose, but inclosed within its green leaves in this life: But when Christ shall appear, this Rose shall be opened and cast out in bredth, its fair and beautifull leaves to be seen and smelled openly by men and Angels. In very deed, this prayer (Even so, come Lord Jesus) is summons for the last Judgment, for the full manifestation of the highest glory of Christ in the finall & consummate illustration of Free-grace, and mercy in the compleat Redemption of all the Prisoners of hope, onely for the Declaration of the supream Judges Glory, who shall then do execution on Satan, his Angels, Antichrist, and all slaves of hell; so that though prayer made not the world; yet it may unmake it, and set up a new Heaven and a new earth. 6. Prayer is a binding of God, that he cannot depart, and layeth chains on his hands, and buildeth a wall or an hedge of thornes in his way that he cannot destroy his people, Isa. 64.7. And there is none that calleth upon thy Name, and stirreth up himself to take hold of thee. [non-Latin text not transcribed] There is none to lay hands on thee, Ezec. 22.30. And I sought for a man amongst them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap (or in the rupture made by war) before me for the Land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. If a Moses or a Samuel should intercede by prayer that the Lord would spare the Land, his prayer should be an hedge or a wall to stand in the way of Justice, to hinder the Lord to destroy his people. 7. Prayer is a Heavenly violence to God, expressed in divers powerfull expressions, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. as, 1. Isa. 62.6, 7. The faithfull watchmen pray and cry to God so hard, that they give the Lord no rest, no silence, while he establish Jerusalem. 2. Praying is a sort of striving with the Lord, Rom. 15.30. I beseech you, — strive with me, in prayers to God for me. 3. Jacob by prayer wrestled with the Lord; and the Lord, as if he had been straightned, saith, Gen. 32. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Send me away, dismisse me. And Jacob said, I will not dismisse thee till thou blesse me: Which is well expounded by Hosea, chap. 12.4. Jacob had a Princely power over the Angel, and prevailed, he wept, and made supplication to him, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Is a Prince, or as many render it, Rectus fuit cum Deo, or, Directus fuit, vel prosperum successum habuit, Which may note either a Princedome in prayer over God, which is the true reason of the name Israel; or as others think, he stood right up, and his prayer did not bow nor was broken, when a Temptation lay on him as heavy as a Milstone, even when the Lord said he would depart from him, yet he prevailed under that weight: So, Exod. 32.10. When Moses was praying for the people: The Lord said to Moses, Let me alone, that I may destroy them. The Chalde translate it, Ex. 32▪ 10. Leave off thy prayer before me. All which tendeth to this, That Prayer is a Prince, and a mighty wrestling prevailing King, that hath strong bones, and strong armes to be victorious with God. We know the Parable of the Widow, Luke 18. Who by importunity obtained of the unjust Judge, that he should avenge her of her Adversary. The scope of which Parable is, that prayers without fainting, putteth such a labour and a trouble upon God, that he must hear and answer the desires of his Children: So doth the Lord resemble himself to a master of a Family gone to bed with his Children, who yet being wearied by the knocking of his Neighbour, cannot choose but rise in the night, and lend him bread to strangers come to his house. 8. Some also say that prayer commandeth God, as Isa. 45.11. Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hand command ye me: which place though it may well bear another interpretation, yet is this not beside the scope of the Text; for sure it is, that God hath laid a sort of Law on himself in regard of his binding promise, to hear the Prayers of his children: And that he cometh down from the Throne of his Soveraignty to submit himself to his own promise of hearing Prayers, Psal. 34.15. Psal. 65.2. Psal. 145.18.19. Mat. 7.7.8. Joh. 14.13.14. Vse 1. If Prayer prevail over God and Christ, even to the overcoming of the Devil: then much more will a praying people prevail over Hell, and Malignants; it were wisdom then for Malignants to yeeld and strike Sail to these, who can by Prayer set Omnipotencie on work, and ingage the strength of Israel against them. Amalek had omnipotency against them, and a harder party then spears, and bowes, and Armed men; in that praying Moses was against them: The third Psalm was a strong peece against Absalom and Ahitophel, and all that conspired against David: Christs Prayers for the perfecting of his own Body, and gathering in his first-born, include i[illegible: 1 letter] them a Curse upon all those that hinder the gathering in of his flock: Wo to the enemies then against whom our Intercessor prayeth curses: The Prayers of Christ against his enemies, shall blast them and their Counsels, and all their War undertakings. Vse 2. Some are discouraged, they can neither fight for Christ, nor do any thing to promote this Cause, as wanting strength of body, and means: Nay, but if thou canst pray thou dost set the whole wheels of Omnipotency on work, for the building of the Lords house, in which regard the Prayer of a sick and poor man shall do more in War for the Cause of God, then twenty thousand men: It was not Ahasuerus, nor the grace that Esther found in the eyes of the King, that saved the whole Church of the Iews from destruction, but the Prayers of Esther and her maids. Its true, an Angel broght Peter out of Prison, Act. 12. But what stirred that wheel in Heaven, vers. 5. Here's the Cause, Prayer was made without ceasing to God for Peter by the Church: Quod est causa causae est etiam causa causati: Prayer, Prayer can put a reeling and tottering on King and Court, Pope, Prelate, and Babylon; we are to pray the King of the bottomlesse pit, the man of sin, the graven Images of Apostate Rome out of the world: Prayer can yoke all the swords in Europe against the Whore: every one who hath the Spirit of Adoption, though poor and rejected of men, by prayer have powerfull influence on all the Nations of the earth, on all Europe, on the ends of the earth, on the hearts of the Jews, on Turkes and Indians: Prayer can reach as far as Omnipotency, accompanied by the wise decree of our Lord: And the poorest Girle or Maid that can pray, doth lend a strong lift to heighten the footstool of Christs Royall Throne; children and poor Maids by Prayer, may put the Crown on Christs head, and hold up his Throne, and may store and increase heaven by praying, Thy Kingdome come, and inlarge Hell, and fill the pits with the dead bodies of Christs enemies, and may by prayer binde Kings in Fetters, chaine up and confine Devils, subdue Kingdoms. Great is thy Faith] For the clearing of these words; we are to consider three points: 1. What Faith is: 2. What a great Faith is: 3. Why he saith thy Faith, appropriating it to the woman. Five things to betreated on concerning Faith. Now of Faith, I shall speak, 1. A word of preparations for Faith: 2. Of the grounds and necessary motives to Faith: 3. Of the Ingredients of Faith: 4. Of the sinners warrants to believe: 5. Of divers sorts of false, and ill rooted Faiths. 1. There be some preparations which go before Faith:1. There is a preparation going before faith 1. Faith is a seed of heaven, it is not sowen by the good husbandman in unplowed, and in Fallow ground, Christ soweth not amongst thornes? we are builded on the Faith, stones are hewen, rubbish removed before one stone be laid: 2. Every act of Grace in God, is an act of Omnipotency, and so requireth not time or succession; God might have set up the frame of the world in all its fulnesse, with lesse then one thought, or act of his will put forth by Omnipotency: yet did our Lord subject the acts of creating the first world to the rule of time, and to a circle of evening and morning, nights and dayes, so doth the Lord set up a new world of Faith, in a soul void of Faith by degrees: There's a time when there's neither perfect night, nor perfect day: but the twilight of the morning, and God not withstanding created the morning no lesse then the noon day Sun? There's a half Summer, and a half Spring in the close of the Spring which God made. The Embrio, or birth not yet animated, is neither seed onely, nor a man-child only; so is a Convert in his first framing, neither perfectly untamed corruption, because there's a crack and a throw in the iron sinew of the neck; nor is he a thorow child of light, but as we say, in the dead-throw, in the place of breaking forth of children, as Hosea speaketh: A child with his head come forth of the womb and no more, and so half born only; so is the Convert while he is in the making, not taken off Christs wheels; half in the borders of hell, and looking a far off at the Suburbs of Heaven, not far from the Kingdom of Heaven. But 2. This bridge over the water between the kingdom of darknesse, There's no necessary and intrinsecall connexion between preparations going before faith & faith. and the state of saving Grace, hath no necessary connexion with that Kingdom of the Son of Gods love, but such as it hath from the sole and meer decree of the free Election of Grace, and therefore many Reprobates may enter the Bridge, and never go along to the other Banke of the River: God breaketh the Bridge, this being the very division and parting of these two unsearchable wayes of Election and Reprobation, yet so as the sin in cutting the bridge is the guilt of the Reprobate man: As many births die in the breaking forth out of the womb, divers Roses in the Bud are blasted and never see harvest, through the fault of the seed, not of the Sun. Affections going before conversion and following after defer specificality. 3. Its true, the new creation and life of God, is vertually Seminaliter in these preparations, as the seed is a tree in hope, the blossome an apple, the foundation a Palace in its beginning; so half a desire in the Non-converted is love sicknesse for Christ in the seed, legall humiliation is in hope Evangelick Repentance and mortification: But as the seed and the growing tree differ not gradually only, but in nature & specifically; as a thing without life is not of that same nature and essence with a creature that hath a vegetative life and groweth, so the preparatory good affections of desire, hunger sorrow, humiliation going before conversion, differ specifically from those renewed affections which follow after: The former being acts of Grace, but not of saving grace, which goeth along with the decree of Election of Grace, and of like Latitude with it, the latter being the native and connaturall fruits of the Spirit, of which the Apostle speaketh, Gal. 5.22.23. In which regard no man is morally and in regard of a divine promise such as this (Do this, and this, and God shall bestow on you the Grace of conversion) fitter and in a nearer disposition to conversion then another. All are alike unfit for conversion. 1. Because, we read not of any such promise in the Gospel. 2. Because, amongst things void of life, all are equally void of life, and there's here no degrees of more or lesse life, no intention, no remission or flacking of the degrees of life; for even as an Ape or an Horse, are as equally no men, as stones and dead earth are no men, though an Ape or an Horse have life common to them with men, which stones and earth have not; yet they are equally as destitute of reason and an intellectual life which is the only life of a man as a man, as stones and earth are. So Saul only humbled by the terrours of the Law, and sick of half raw desires of Christ, is no lesse yet a creature void of the life of God, then when he was in the highest pitch of obstinacy, spitting out blood and murthers on the face of that Lord Jesus whom he persecuted; and in this regard, conversion is no lesse pure Grace every way free to Saul humbled, and so having only half a thirst and desire of Christ, then if he were yet in the feaver of his highest blasphemie, thirsting after the blood of the Saints. 4. Yet are the Saints thus prepared and humbled, but not converted Materially, Physically, Some nearer conversion then others are or as it were passively nearer Christ, and in relation to Gods Eternall Election of Grace, who maketh this a step relative to his Eternall love, they are under the reach of Christs love, and at the Elbow of the right arm of the Father, who draweth souls to the son, Joh. 6.44. And in the Gospel-bounds and fields or lists of Free-grace, as the height and rage of a feaver, is near a cool and a return to health, and yet most contrary to health, and the utmost flowing of the sea, when its at the remotest score of the coast, is a disposition to an ebbing, though most contrary to a low ebbe; so are the humbled souls, who have some lame and mained estimative power of light, to put half a price on Christ, and finds apprehended sin, the mouth, throat, and out entry of hell in that case most contrary to Christ. A fish within that circle of the water that the net casteth, is no lesse living in its own element of water, then if it were in the bosome of the Ocean, some hundreth miles distant from fisher or net, yet is it in a near disposition to be catched. For grounds of Faith to lead us on to beleeving: Three grounds and motives of believing Consider, 1. two words, Col. 1.27. spoken of the object of Faith. 1. Its named, The riches of the glory of this mystery amongst the Gentiles. 2. Which is (saith Paul) Christ in you the hope of glory. Now Faith leadeth us to a Mystery that none knoweth, but such as are the intimate friends of Christ, and are put upon all Christs secret Cabinet-Counsels. 2. Glory is so taking a lover, that it will deprive a naturall man of his sleep; but the Glory of a Kingdome revealed in the Gospel, is the flower, marrow and spirits of all glory imaginable. 3. What is riches of glory? Glory & Christ the hope of glory, strong motives to believe Eph. 3.8. That I should preach, [non-Latin text not transcribed], the gold mine of the riches of the glory of Christ, so deep that none can finde them out, and so large, that when they are found out, Men and Angels shall not finde their bottome. O what foldings and turnings, and inextricable windings or glory are lapped up in Christ? Yea. Treasures, all Treasures, are in him, Col. 2.3. So it is called, 2 Cor. 4.17. [non-Latin text not transcribed], a weight of glory. But 2. a weight Eternall, a weight aged, and full of ages of glory. 3. An exceeding great weight, and not that only. But 4. a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, no Oratour in the Greek Tongue, hath any so superlative expression, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Do but weigh how weighty precious Jesus Christ is, how heavy & how massie and ponderous the Crown is, and what millions of Diamonds, Rubies, Saphires, and precious Stones do shine, and cast out rayes and beams of pure and unmixed Glory out of his Crown? What smiles and kisses breathing out Glory, on thy now sinfull face, shall come out of Christ. Now the light of Faith even as a lantern or a day-star, in a cloudy dawning, leadeth thee up to this. 2. Christ in you the hope of glory. How in them? By Faith, Eph. 3.17. Christ the hope of glory, is Christ the glory hoped for, by a figure; that is, Faith putteth Christ and Heaven in you by hope: So in the believer there is Christ, the Lamb, the Throne, the glorified Angels, and sinlesse and blessed Musitians, that stand in a circle about the Throne, praising him that liveth for ever. All these are in the believer by Faith, and in him is Heaven, the Tree of Life, the higher Paradice, the river of water of life; unto all these Faith intituleth the Soul, and they be all nothing to Christ the hope of Glory: Even the only begotten Son and Heir of a King, is called the hope of his house, the only hope of his house, but in regard the Heires of mortall Kings are mortall, the house is weak, and standeth but upon one foot, when he hath but one mortall Heir: Now its the infinite perfection of God, that he can have but one Son who is infinite, and the same Eternall and Immortall God with the Father, and that he cannot die. So Christ standeth the only hope of the house of Heaven; a King by hope, the King of hope; and all hope of the Captives and Sons of hope; and all the Glory of his Fathers house hangeth upon him. Christ hath all the Heirs upon his shoulder, and Faith investeth the believer to all this power and Glory.2. Faiths object the marrow of Gods attributs to speak so. 2. Faith must be so much the more precious, that it layeth hold for its possession on God, and on the Garland, Marrow, (if any comparison here can stand) and Flower of all Gods attributes, the Righteousnesse of Christ. 2. The Free-grace of God, the most taking, heart-ravishing attribute in God, and most suitable to our sinfull condition. 3. The high and deep love of God, and love which dwelleth in, and with, the noble and excellent blood that satisfieth infinite Justice; There is no such Glory by any act of obedience tendered to God by Adam in his innocent condition; or by Angels which never sinned. 3. There is as great a necessity of Faith, as of Life; Faith a Catholicke Grace required in our actions naturall & civill, as well as spirituall. for the justified man must live by faith: There's no Grace so Catholick, it being of necessity interwoven in all our actions, as they fall under morall consideration; not only in supernaturall actions, but also in all our naturall and civil actions, in so far as they must be spiritualized in relation to Gods honour, 1 Cor. 10.31. So as Joshuah, Baruch, Sampson, David, did fight Battels, kill men, subdue Kingdoms by Faith, Heb. 11.32, 33. So must the Souldier now fight, by that same Faith, and so are the Saints, to eat, drink, sleep, journey, buy, sell, by Faith: We are not to put on Faith as a Cloak, or an upper Garment when we go to the streets, Fields, or Church, and then lay it aside in the house, at Table, or in bed: yea, the renewed man is not to eat and sleep, because the light of reason and the Law of nature teacheth him so to do, or the convenience of a calling; for then all those actions shall be resolved in the same principles and formall reason of morall performance of them, in the believer, as in the Carnall man, in whom a naturall spirit is stirsman; and then we do but in these actions, Walk in the light of our own fire, and the sparks that we our selves have kindled, and shall not see to go to bed, but lye down in sorrow, Isaiah 50.11. But we are to set Faith as the Plummet and line to Regulate these actions to doe them. 1. Because hee who hath bought us with a price, commandeth us by the light of nature. 2. And the light of Faith is to moderate us in eating, drinking, sleeping, according to Christian sobriety, in the measure of the action. 3. Faith teacheth us not to eat, that we may eat, or for an naturall or civill end. Grace hightneth the naturall intention, to a supernaturall end, and to do all these for God and his service 1 Cor. 10.31. And whatsoever we do (though but civil service as servants to earthly masters in a civill calling, in trading in arts) we are to do all as to the Lord, not unto men, Col. 3.23. Then Christ acting & moving by the light of Faith, is the formal reason and principle in which lastly and formally (ultimate) all our actions are resolved. 2. Look of how much worth and price thy soul is; of as great necessity is Faith, except thou wouldst look for the Gospel-vengeance, the day or the ages of Eternall vengeance at Christs appearance, 2 Thes. 1.8. Isa. 61.2. Ioh. 3.18.36. chap. 8.24. But if it be so that Faith is required in all that I do, the businesse of Salvation (may some say) is hard and difficill work: Where shall I have Faith for every stirring of my foot? I Answer, as all our actions, except where Imagination is Principle of the act, must be deliberate, and so the actions of a rational man, so must they be morall; now there is no morality in a man, who is a citizen of the Church, but the morality of faith, Christianity is a toilsome and operous work. for its a duty laid upon every one within the visible Church that all his actions morall be watred and lustered with Faith: And the truth is, the work of our salvation being compared to sailing, Heb. 6.19. and to fighting, 2 Tim. 4.7. 2 Tim. 2.3, 4. Its very like a ship, which requireth many hands and much attentive carefulness in the owner and sailors: Now the Mast is hurt, then somewhat wanting in the Deck, now the Helm is faulty, then the Cords are to be repaired, or the Anchor is broken, or she taketh in under-water, or the Sail is torn, or the motion slow: There's charges to the owner, and much work to all hands, and how many things are required to a huge body of an Army? So many thousand men must be lyable to so many thousand wants: Some are sick, some wounded, some a dying, some hungry, some naked, some fall off the Army, and are catched by the enemy, some be faint, some too bold, and precipitate, yea, Armour, Houses, Bread, Drink Fire, Tents, Physitions Workmen, Mattocks Spades, Bridges, Lathers, Horses, Engines of War, Art and Skill▪ Medicine, Councell▪ Courage, Intelligence, and a thousand things of this kinde are requisite; And seldome is an Army, but there be some one inconvenient or other in this needy and cumbersome huge body. And when is the businesse of Salvation not at a stand, one way or other? Is there not either on piece or other, the shield of Faith, or the Anchor of Hope, or the Brestplate of righteousnes, or some the like, broken or faulty? Is not our guide, who hath seven eyes, ten times a day cumbered with us? Must not Christ soader our broken Weapons? Sow our torn sails? Repair one breach or other in us? In a thousand the like, Faith is to improve the Free-grace, the omnipotence, the unchangeable love of Christ, to promove his own work, and to work in us to will, and to do, according to his good pleasure, Phil. 2.13. Now for the ingredients of Faith: 1. There be in us,3. The ingredients of Faith 6. in number. 2 Cor. 10.5. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Great Forts raised against the light of Faith. These natural discourses in the mind, that are great works and heights, strong holds builded against Christ. The prime faculty reason, the discoursive power [non-Latin text not transcribed] that thinketh she hath wit enough against Christ, and to keep the man out of all danger of eternall salvation, over toppeth and out-groweth all Gospel-truths, Christ must over-power carnall, fate, rank, and heady souldiers, called thoughts, every thought, [non-Latin text not transcribed] and so kill some that will not be taken, and led captive other thoughts to the obedience of Faith. Reason is a predominant bone in it self: The carnall minde neither will, no[illegible: 1 letter] can keep rank as an obedient souldier, under the Law of God, Rom. 8.7. Its much for fine, silken, and golden reason to say to Christ, Lord, Prov, 30.2. There's more of a beast in me, then of a man, I have not the understanding of a man. The learned, the schoolmen seldome beleeve; except gray haired wit turn a childe, and go to school again to learn from Christ the new art of beleeving; for there was never an act of unbeleef in any, but it grew out of this proud and rank stalke of a lofty wit; Therefore Christ breaks out a new window in the soul, and brings in a new sun, that flesh and blood never saw, nor heard of before, Mat. 16.17. 2. Faith hath low and creeping affections to the creature; But when the affections are big with childe of the creature, as, 1. They are strained and swelled in their acts, Faith is no faith but a delusion, the rich man speaketh with all his heart, and with good will of his full barns, and its clear, he had neither Faith nor Hope toward eternity, Luke 12. v. 19.20. For every word being (as we say) of the length of a cubit, a foot and a half, Luke 12.18. He casteth forth words of pulling down, building greater houses, and scraping in all; his goods are, [non-Latin text not transcribed], my goods, all my births and bowels, and all my good things; For he had no other good things, and there's no apostrophe in the words, he speaketh them with their full sound, and we speak with good will these things that we tell to our soul. Faith hath but half words and half affections [illegible: 3 letters]ching the world, half acts or broken acts in [illegible: 1 word] affections, closing with the creature, smell [illegible: 1 word] a Faith with child of [illegible: 2 letters]ernity; to make the excellency of the creature a matter of meer opinion, to reckon the worlds witchcrafts of lust, gain, glory, but uncertain and topick arguments to conclude a God-head and a golden heaven in the creature, is the height of the wisdom of Faith: So Paul, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ. O then (may some say) Paul, you are a dead man: He saith no. Neverthelesse I live, but I live the life of Faith, For Christ liveth in me. All his motions toward the creature were half dead, like the vitall motions of a crucified man half out of the world, and his acts of Faith were lively and vitall, and high tuned, like the highest note in the musick song. Faith cannot break and violently rent in sunder the two sides of the affections, with too violent and intense acts of love, joy, fear, desire, sorrow, as these are terminated upon the creature: Its true, Faith clippeth nothing from the outmost and most superlative pitch of the love of God, of desire, fear, sorrow, joy, as they act upon God; but addeth wind to the sails in that flux of the souls way toward God. Faith turneth all our acts which are terminated on the creature, to half acts. But Faith moderateth and lesseneth all these in relation to the creature, so the Faith which hath its direct aspect toward eternity, and looketh on the shortnesse of sliding away time, and the trans[illegible: 1 letter]ent wheeling away o[illegible: 1 letter] the poor figure of this world, 1 Cor. 7. v. 29.31 turneth all these acts into but half a face on th[illegible: 1 letter] creature, and into leasurely and leaden motions or to half non-acts, as if made up of heavenl[illegible: 1 letter] contradictions, v. 29, 30, 31. Having wives, having no wives: Weeping, no weeping; Rejoicing, no rejoicing; Buying, no possessing; Vsing the world, not using the world. When the Saints throng through the presse and croud of the creatures (for the world is a bushie and rank wood) thorns take hold of their garments, and retard them in their way: Faith looseth their garments, & riddeth them of such thornie friends, as are too kind to them in their journy: who diggeth for Iron and Tin in the earth with mattocks of Gold? What wise man would make a Web of cloth of gold, a net to catch fish? Expences should over-grow gains: There's much of the mettall of heaven in the soul: Faith would forbid us to wear out the threds of this immortall spirit, such as are love, joy, fear, sorrow, upon peeces of corruptible clay? Alas, is it Faiths light that setteth men a work, to make the soul a golden-needle, and the precious powers and affections thereof, threds of silver to sow together peeces of sackcloth, and old rotten rags? What better, I pray you, is the finest of the web in the whole systeme of creation? Certainly the heavens must be a thred of better wool then the clay-earth, yet if you should break your immortal spirit, and bend all the acts to the highest extent of your affections, to conquer thousands of Acres of ground in the Heavens, and intitle your soul to that inheritance, as to your onely patrimonie without Christ; Faiths day-light should discover to you, that this finest part of that web of Creation, with which you desire to cloth your precious soul, is but base wool and rotten thred, and though beautifull and well dyed to the eye; yet, Psal. 102.26. The heavens, even all of them shall wax old like a garment: And the wisdome of Faith knoweth a shop where there's a more excellent suit of clothes for the soul, 2 Cor. 5.1, 2. And a more precious peece of the Heaven to dwell in, even a House which is from Heaven, with which you shall bee clothed: When life shall eat up death and mortality. 2. The creatures are below the affections of the believer, and his affections conquer them, as having the vantage of the mount above all the creatures. So Paul maketh an elegant contrariety, Phil. 3.19, 20. Between those, whose heart, senses, minde, findeth neither smell, taste, nor wisedome, but in earthly things; (for [non-Latin text not transcribed] to minde things of the earth, importeth all these) and those who by Faith look to Heaven and dwell there: And the temporaries heart is below the world, and the creatures are up in the mount above him. So, Mat. 13. v. 7.22. The thorns or cares of riches have the fore-start of the earth, and sap above Faith, or the good seed: For the seed was cast in the earth, when the thorns had been there before, and had the vantage of the season, and the soil both. The first love is often strongest. The Martyrs, Heb. 11.35. had poor and weak thoughts of this life, and would not accept and welcome life and deliverance from death; but had strong acts of Faith and love toward a better resurrection. Its a souls strong Faith that bringeth him to nil admirari; and to wonder at nothing. Never to love much, nor fear much, nor sorrow much, nor joy much, nor weep much, nor laugh much, nor hope much, nor dispaire much, when the creature is the object of all these acts; there is nothing great, not the worlds All things (or their [non-Latin text not transcribed] to him who is possessed with that Righteousnes which is of God, by Faith, Phil. 3.8, 9. Men that talketh with good will, and all their heart, of their learning, books, of their own Acts, good Works, Wisdom, Court, Honour, valour in War, Flocks, Lands, Gold, Moneys, Children, Friends, Travels, are to Examine, If Faith be not a chaste thing, and that acts of whoredome with the creature and of believing in Christ, are scarce consistent. Let your affections move toward the creature, without sound of feet. 3. There must be self-forsaking in believing. 1. An affirming, and an (ay) to grace, is a negation and deniall to it self, 1 Cor. 15.10. I laboured more abundantly then they all; Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me: To deny that you are Christs, or that you have any grace, (if Christ have any thing of his in you) is not self-deniall, but grace deniall, and God-deniall, deny the work of the spirit, and deny himself. Its a saying of humility, Cant. 1.5. I am black, and of Faith, but comely as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. And Cant. 5.1. I slept, but my heart waked. Its Faith to hold fast your state of adoption: Lord, I am thine. 2. When our self maketh a suit to self, and putteth in a bill to the flesh. O pitie thy self. Rejoice, O young man in thy youth. Its self-renouncing to deny this request to the flesh: And Faith only can give an answer to self-declining the crosse. He that denieth me before men, him will I deny before my Father and his holy Angels (saith Christ.) And another answer Faith giveth, Rom. 8.12. I am not debtor to thee, O flesh. I owe thee nothing. And its Faiths word of answer, Eccles. 11.9. But know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement. 3. Faith putteth the soul in that condition, that self may be plucked from self, without great violence, as an apple full of the tree, and of harvest-sap, is with a small motion pluckt off the stalk, Act. 21.13. I am ready [non-Latin text not transcribed], I have my self in readinesse, not only to be bound, but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Certainly Faith saw here more in Jesus of excellency and sweetnesse, then there could be of bitternes in bonds and death to self. 4. There's a deniall of the creature, and a bill of defiance sent to all the lovers of the world, when Ephraim is brought to this act of believing, Hos. 14.3. For in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy. Then its said, Ashur shall not save us: We will not ride upon horses. That creature that we trust on, we ride upon it, as Israel did upon the horses of Assyria and Aegypt. But in this regard, Faith dismounteth the believer, and abaseth him to walk on foot. All the creatures are ships to the believer without a bottome: They are empty and weak: David forbiddeth us to ride on a Prince, Psal. 146.3, 4. For that horse shall faint, and fall to clay. God alloweth Scotland to help England, but will not have the souls of his children in England to ride upon an Army of another Nation, and to trust in them for salvation. To make fire, is not so proper to fire, To give light, not so kindly to the Sun, as salvation is Gods only due, and therefore let England in this walk on foot, and trust in the Lord. 5. The fifth ingredient also in Faith, is, that its bottomed upon the sense and pain of a lost condition. Poverty is the nearest capacity of believing. This is Faiths method, Be condemned, and be saved. Be hanged, and be pardoned. Be sick, and be healed, Mat. 9.13. Jam. 4.7, 8. Mat. 11.28. Luke 19.10. Faith is a floor of Christs only planting, yet it groweth out of no soil, but out of the margin and bank of the lake of fire and brimstone, in regard there be none so fit for Christ and Heaven, as those who are self-sick, and self-condemned to Hell. This is a foundation to Christ, that because the man is broken, and has not bread; therefore he must be sold, and Christ must buy him, and take him home to his fireside, and clothe him, and feed him. The chased man, pursued upon death and life, who hath not a way for life, but one nick of a rock; if he misse that, he is a dead man, had he a hundred lives. So is the believer pursued for blood, there is but one City of refuge in Heaven, or out of Heaven; this is only, only Jesus Christ the great rock. And it is true, its in a manner forced Faith, and forced love cast upon Christ upon a great venture; yet we may make necessity here the greatest vertue, or the highest grace, and that is to come to Christ. Satan doth but ride upon the weaknesse of many, proving, that they are not worthy of Christ, which is the way of a Sophist, to prove an evident truth that cannot be denied. But there's no greater vantage can be had against Sin and Satan then this; because I am unworthy of Christ, and out of measure sinfull, and I finde it is so, (Satan and conscience teaching me that truth, to bring me on a false conclusion) therefore ought I, therefore must I come to Christ unworthy as I am. For free-grace is moved from within it self from Gods good will, only without any motion or action from sin, to put it self forth upon the sinner; to the end, that sin being exceeding sinfull, Grace may be abundantly Grace; and no thanks to Satan for suggesting a true principle (Thou art unworthy of Christ) to promove a false conclusion, (Therefore thou art not to come to Christ) for the contrary arguing is, Gospel-logick. Satans reasoning should be good, if there were no way but the law to give life. But because there is a Saviour, a Gospel, and a new and living way to Heaven: The contrary arguing is, the sinners life and happinesse. 6. The sixt Ingredient in Faith is, Faith hath five notes of difference in closing with the promise. that the sinner can lay hold on the Promise. 1. Not simply, but with relation to the precept; for presumptuous souls plunge in their foul souls in fair and precious promises, and this is the Faith of Antinomians, for the promise is not holden forth to sinners as sinners, but as to such sinners, for we make Faith to be an act of a sinner humbled, wearied, laden, poor, self-condemned; now these be not all sinners, but only some kinde of sinners. Antinomians make faith an act of a lofty Pharisee, of one vilde person, applying with an immediate touch, immediato contactu, his hot boiling, & smoking lusts to Christs wounds, blood, merits, without any conscience of a precedent Commandement, that the person thus beleeving, should be humbled, wearied, loaden, grieved for sin. I confess this is hasty hot work, and maketh Faith a stride, or one single step; but its a wanton, fleshly, and a presumptuous immediate work to lay hold on the promises of mercy and be saved: This is the absolute and loose Faith, that Papists and Arminians slandereth our Doctrine withall, because we reject all foregoing merits, good works, congruous dispositions, preparations moving God to convert this man, because he hath such preparations; and to reject and to leave another man to his own hardnesse of heart, because he hath no such payment in hand, by which he may redeem and buy conversion, and the grace of Effectuall calling; especially, they building all upon a Babel of their own brick and clay, that free-will in all acts of obedience before or after conversion, is absolutely indifferent to do, or not do; to obey, or not obey; to choose Heaven and life, hell or death, as it pleaseth, as being free and loosed from all Praedetermination, and fore-going motion, acting or bowing of the will, comming either from Gods naturall or his efficacious or supernaturall Providence. And so the Papist and Arminian on the one extremity, inthroneth nature, and extolleth proud merit, and abaseth Christ and Free-grace: The Familist, Libertine, and Antinomian, on a contrary extremity and opposition, turn man into a block, and make him a meer patient in the way to Heaven; and under pretence of exalting Christ and Free-grace, set up the flesh, liberty, licence, loosenesse on the throne, and make the way to heaven on the other extremity as broad, as to comply with all presumptuous proud fleshly men, walking after their lusts, and yet (as they dream) believing in Christ. 2. The soul seeth Christ in all his beauty, excellency, treasures of Free-grace lapped up with the curtain of many precious promises; now the naturall man knowing the literall meaning and sense of the promises, seeth in them but words of gold, and things a far off; and in truth, taketh heaven to be a beautifull and golden phancy; and the Gospel-promises, a shower of pretious Rubies, Saphirs, Diamonds, fallen out of the clouds only in a night dream; and therefore jeers and scoffs at the day of judgment and at heaven and hell, 2 Pet. 3.1, 2, 3. For can every capacity smell and taste the unsearchable riches of Christ, the fulnesse of God in the womb of the promises, by meditating on them, and sending them, in their sweetnesse and heavenly excellency, down to the affections to embrace them? No, it cannot be, that words and sounds, and syllables, can so work upon a natural spirit: If you show not to a buyer pretious and rare commodities, and bring them not before the sun, he shall never be taken so with things hidden in your coffers, as to be in love with them, and to sell all he hath and buy them; Preachers cannot, nay, its not in their power to make the natural spirit see the beauty of Christ; Paul Preacheth it, but the Gospel is hidden from the blinded man, 2 Cor. 4.3. If I cannot Communicate light, far lesse can I infuse love in the soul of a lost man. 3. Literall knowledge of Christ, is not in the power of naturall men; but laying down this ground, that a Pharisee lend eyes and ears to Christ and his miracles; Literall knowledge worketh as a naturall agent. The light of the Gospel worketh as a naturall agent; for make open windows in a house, whether the indweller will or he will not, the fun shall dart in day light upon the house, Joh. 7.28. Then cryed Jesus in the Temple, as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am. And there is a covering upon the spirituall senses and faculties of the soul of naturall men, that though eyes, and ears, and mind, and soul be opened; yet its as unpossible for the naturall spirit, or the Preacher to remove that covering, as to remove a Mountain, it being as heavy as a Mountain: And therefore there be three bad signes in a naturall spirit: 1. His light, which is but literall, is a burden to him, it but vexeth him to know Christ, and if a beam of light fall in on the apple of the eye of a natural conscience, its a throne between the bone and the flesh, the man shall not sleep, and yet he is not sick. I doubt if either Achitophel, or Iudas wakened with their light could sleep. 2. Though a promise should dispute and argue Christ in at the door of the natural mans soul, as the Gospel by way of arguing may doe much, Ioh. 7.28. Ioh. 12.37. Heb. 11.1. The word of the Gospel being a rationall, convincing Syllogisme, as Christ saith, Ioh. 15.24. But now they have both seen, and hated both me and my Father. Yet men may see the principles and the conclusion, and hate and practically suspend the assent from the conclusion. 3. Conversion is feared as a great danger by naturall men, lest the promises put them on the pain and the main mill of godlinesse. For men do flee nothing but that which they apprehend as evil, dangerous, and so the true object of fear. Now when Faelix and Agrippa were both upon the wheels, I cannot say that Conversion formally was begun; yet materially it was, the one trembled, and so was afraid, and fled, and did put Paul away till another time; then he saw the danger of Grace, Act. 24. vers. 25, 26. The other saith, he was half a Christian; (but it was the poorest half) and he arose and went aside, Act. 26.28.30.31. The naturall spirit may be convinced by the promises, and have the pap in his mouth, but dare not milk out the sap and sweetnesse of the promises, Matth. 13.15. Their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. So is it▪ Isa. 6.10. In which words conversion is feared as an evil, as is clear: So one wretch said, hee was once in danger to be catched, when a Puritan Preacher (as he said) was Preaching with Divine power & evidence of the spirit of God. 4 The true believers soul hath influence on the promises, to act upon them, to draw comfort out of them, Ps. 119.92. Vnlesse thy Law had been my delight, I should have perished in mine affliction, ver. 81. My soul fainteth for thy Salvation: (But) I hope in thy word, And there's a reciprocation of Actions here; the word acteth upon the soul again, Psal. 119.50. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickned mee. A dead Faith is like a dead hand, a living hand may lay hold on a dead hand: but there's no reciprocation of actions here, the dead hand cannot lay hold on the living hand: so the living wife may kisse, and embrace the dead husband, but there can come no reciprocall act of life from the dead husband to her, nor can he kisse and embrace her: The promise may act upon the naturall spirit, to move and affect him, but he can put forth no vitall act upon the promise to embrace it, or lay hold upon the promise: But the promise acteth upon the Believer to quicken him, and he again putteth forth an act of life to embrace the promise, and putteth forth on it, some act of vitall heat, to adhere & cleave to, and with warmnesse of heart to love it; and here the case is as when the living hand layeth hold on the living hand, they warm one another mutually, according to that which Paul saith, Phil. 3.12. But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus: Here be two living things, Christ, and believing Paul acting mutually one upon another, there's a heart and a life upon each side. 5. Faith under fainting and great straits can so improve the promise as to put an holy and modest challenge upon God, so Psal. 119.49. afflicted David saith, Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope, and the Church, Ier. 14.21. Do not abhor us for thy names sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy Covenant with us; and the Lord commandeth that this challenge be put on him, Isa. 43.26. Put me in remembrance, let us plead together; then he giveth faith leave to plead on the contrary with God; naturall spirits faint, and cannot so far own the promise, as to plead with God by their right and just claime to the promise: Now the fourth point concerning faith, is what grounds and Warrants the sinner hath to believe. 4. Its an ordinary challenge made by Satan, The 4. point concerning faith to wit the warants of believing. conscience, and the Arminian, since Christ died not for all and every one of mankinde; and all are not chosen to life eternall, but only those, on whom the Lord is pleased, according to the free decree of Election to confer the grace of believing. What warrant can the unworthy sinner have to believe, and to own the merits of Christ? For he knoweth nothing of the Election, or Reprobation that are hidden in Gods eternall minde: for Answer, The warrants & claim of a sinner why he should believe. 1. Its no presumption in me to believe in Christ before I know whither I be chosen to salvation or not, for nothing can hinder me in this case to believe, save only presumption as the adversaries say, but it is not presumption, because presumption is when the soul is lifted up, and Towred like an high building, as the word is, Hab. 2.4. And therefore the lifted up man, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Gnophel, is he that hideth himself in a high Castle;Gnuphela femininum est intextu, est enallage generum. as every unbelieving presumptuous soul hath his own Castle, the unbeliever hath either one Ophel, or high Tower or other, either the King, friends, riches or his own wisdome, for his God on which he resteth, beside the God that the Scripture recommendeth to us as our onely rock and soul confidence: All men on earth live, and do all morall actions, even when they go on in a wicked life, as slaves of Hell, to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse, upon some ground of faith, though a most false and counterfeit Faith, that they shall prosper by evil doing, and that sin shall make them happy, so Psalm 10.3. The wicked man, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Praiseth the wicked man, then he must believe that wickedness maketh men praise worthy, and this belief is but presumptuous confiding, and resting on a Tower of his own building: Now to beleeve in Christ, though the decree of Election be not revealed to me, is no presumption; for I am not obliged, before I beleeve, to know that I am elected to Glory: It being one of Gods secrets not revealed in the Word, but made manifest to me, After I beleeve, and am sealed unto the day of Redemption: and therefore in a humble resting on Christ, though the soul know not his Election, which is not revealed in the word in that condition there can be no Pride nor presumption; for he is self wise, and presumptuous, who intrudeth into those things that he hath not seen, Col. 2.18. knoweth not that which God hath revealed, and so which he ought to know; now the believer ought not to know, that he is elected to glory; he yet being an unbeleever, so his knowledge cannot deviate from a rule which doth not oblige to conformity therewith as with a Rule; the Pourtract of Caesar doth not erre from the samplar, because it is not like a Bull or a Horse, because neither a Bull nor a Horse is the due samplar. 2. To warrant an unworthy humble sinner to beleeve there's no need of a positive Warrant, or of a voice to say (thou art elected to glory, therefore believe) the word is near thee in thy mouth; yea there is a commandement laid upon the humbled sinner (Come O weary and loaden sinner to Christ, and be eased) Now when the wind bloweth sweetly and fair upon an humbled siner, who is elected to glory, there goeth the Spirit of the Gospel along with this Commandement; and the word of Commandment, and the spirit united in one, acteth and worketh so upon the soul, that the humbled sinner cannot be deluded and led on a rock of presumption; for this spirit joyneth and closeth with his spirit, and he as one of Christs sheep, knoweth this to be the voice of Christ. I grant when the same command of faith cometh to the ears of a Reprobate, he may upon a false ground believe, or rather presume: he neither being rightly humbled, and fitted for Christ, nor can the Reprobate know and discern the wind of the spirit, breathing with the command, and acting upon his spirit, because that winde neither can, nor doth breath upon any Reprobate, and there is no need of any positive Warrant to ascertain a child of God to believe, beside the commandment of Faith in lived and quickned with the spirit going along with it, for that command so quickned doth put such a reall stamp of an evident testimony, that he hath claime to Christ, on whom the spirit and the command doth so act, that he seeketh no more any other evidence to prove his claim to Christ, then the Lamb needeth any evidence to prove, that of ten hundred sheep, this only that offereth to it her paps and milk must be its dam or mother, and none of the rest of the flock: But how do I know that it is the spirit that goeth along with the Commandment of believing? It may be a delusion. Ans. Beside that, a deluding spirit for the most part, doth not go every way along with the word: If this spirit keep Gods order, to work upon the humbled & self-dispairing sinner, who is willing to receive Christ upon his own condition, it is not like to a deluding spirit; for if the word of commandment to believe, and the spirit agree in one, it cannot be a delusion, phancie leadeth no man to Faith. 2. When objects of life work upon life, they cannot deceive, especially all the senses, Hearing, Seeing, Tasting, Feeling, Smelling: the excellency and sweetnesse of Christ, going along with the word, cannot be delusion; a man may imagine that he seeth and heareth, and yet his senses may be deceived: but that all the senses, especially all the spirituall senses, and that a man imagineth that he liveth a naturall life and is dead, is rare. 3. Faith can stand upon one foot, even on a generall word; hence this is a Gospel word in the Prophets which requireth Faith, Turn to the Lord for he is mercifull, Jer. 3.12. Joel 2.13. Jon. 4.2. And because a generall promise received with heart-adherence and confidence giveth glory to God: and if it be holden forth to an humbled soul who is now within the lists and bounds of Grace, and for any thing that the person thus laden with sin knoweth on the contrary (for the secrets of Election and Reprobation belongeth to the Lord) Christ mindeth and intendeth to him Salvation, therefore he is to believe. 4. This would be considered, that unbelief breaketh with Christ first, before Christ break with the unbeliever; and the Elect of God findeth no more, nor any higher favour in the kinde of externall means, to open the Lambs Book of life, which is sealed and closed with Gods own hand, then the Commandement of believing. Now when our Lord maketh offer of the Kingdom of sons to slaves, and casteth his Jewell of Christ offered in the Gospel in the lap and bosome of a Bastard, what ever be the Lords secret Decree and purpose in so doing; The Bastard is to take God at his word, and to catch the opportunity of Gods love in so far, and if he do it not, the Gospel-offer to the Reprobate being a treaty of peace, then the treaty breaketh off first upon his side; for Christ cometh within a mile of mercy to meet the sinner, and the sinner cometh not the fourth part of a mile, yea, not half a step of love and thankfull obedience to meet Christ, and so Christ killeth the unbeliever with the sweetnesse of the preventing courtesie of offered mercy. 5. But if the sinner be wearied, and loaden, and seeth, though through a cloud only, Christ only must help and save, if not, he is utterly and eternally lost: What is there upon Christs part to hinder thee to beleeve? O guilty wretch! O (saith he) I fear Christ only offereth himself to me, but he mindeth no salvation to me? Ans. Is not this to raise an evill report and slander on the Holy One of Israel? For Christs offer is really an offer, and in so far, its reall love, though it cannot infer the love of Election to glory; yet the totall deniall of this offer, openeth up the black seal of Reprobation to heathens without the Church; and therefore its love to thee, if thou be humbled for sin. 2. And have half an eye to the unsearchable riches of Gospel mercy. 3. And be self-condemned. 4. And have half a desire of Christ; thou mayst expound love by love, and lay hold on the promise and be saved: An errour of humble love to Christ is no errour. That which is next, The fifth point of false Faith. and the use of all. Grace essential to Faith. Diverse sorts of people who cannot have Faith. is a word of the Essentiall principle of true Faith, and that is a proportionable measure of grace, Phil. 1.29. required in Faith: men naturally imagine that faith is a work of nature; hence that speech of a multitude of Atheists (I believe all my dayes, I believe night and day) But they never believe at all, who think and say, they believe alwayes. The Jewes asserted that they believed Moses alwayes, and so oppose themselves to the man altogether, born in sin, Joh. 9. ver. 28, 29. compared with v. 34. But Christ told them, they neither believed the Messiah, nor Moses, chap. 5. ver. 35, 36, 37. Nature worketh alwayes alike, and without intermission or freedome. The Floods alwayes move, the Fountain alwayes cast out streams, the fire alwayes burneth, the Lamb alwayes fleeth from the Wolf; but the winde of the spirit, doth not alwayes enact the soul to believe; they are not in an ill case who wrestle with unbelief, and find the heart and take it, in the wayes of doubting and terrours, as feeling that believing is a motion up the mount, and somewhat violent; facill and connaturall acts cannot be supernaturall acts of Faith: Its no bad sign to complain of a low ebbe Sea, and of neither Moon light, nor starre light. 2. Its unpossible they can submit to give the glory of believing to God, in whose heart there's a rotten principle destructive of Faith, and that is an ambitious humour of seeking glory from men, Joh. 5.44. Little Faith there's in Kings Courts, Faith dwelleth not in a high Spirit. 3. Such as take Religion by the hand upon false and bastard motives, as the Summer of the Gospel, and fame, ease, gain, honour, cannot believe: A thorny Faith is no Faith, Matth. 13.22. A Carnall mans Faith must be true to its own principles, and must lye levell with externalls, so as Court, ease, the world and its sweet adjuncts, are a measuring line to a rotten rooted Faith, neither longer nor broader then time, it goeth not one span length within the lists of Eternity. 4. Phancy cannot be Faith; such as have not Gospel knowledge of Christ, cannot believe; but must do as the Traveller, who unaware setteth his foot on a Serpent in the way, and suddenly starteth backward, six steps for one, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Joh. 6.66. So do they that phancy all the Gospel to be a carnal or a Morall discourse. 5. Those cannot have Faith, in whose heart the Gospel lyeth above ground, Devils and sin having made the heart hard like the Summer streets, Mat. 13.19. with daily treading and walking on them. A stony Faith, or a Faith that groweth out of a stone, cannot be a saving Faith: There[illegible: 1 letter]s a heart that is a daily walk, in which the Devil (as it were) aireth himself. 6. If Christ have given the last knock at the door, and all in-passages be closed up, and heart-inspirations gone, there can be no more any sort of faith there, Eph. 4.19. 2 Tim. 4.2. The heart is like a dried up arm in some, all the oil in the bones are spent. 7. Loose walking with greedinesse, argues that hell hath taken fire on the out-works of the soul. Hell in the hands and tongue as in the out-wheels, must argue hell and unbelief in the heart and the in-wheels. 1. Loose believers go to Heaven by miracles, I dare go to Hell for a man if such an one go to Heaven, who liveth prophanely, and saith, he hath a good heart within: 2. The going in waies of blood, Extortion, Covetous, Idolatrie, belyeth the decree of election to Glory. Grace leadeth no man to the East, with his face and motion close to the West. 3. This way of working by contraries, is not Gods way: God can work by contraries, but he will not have us to work by contraries. There's some heaven of holinesse in the court-gate to the Heaven of happinesse. 8. Faith over-looketh time, Heb. 11.10. Abraham looked for another City. Faith in Moses was great with childe of heaven, v. 25 He had an eye to the recompence of reward. Eternity of Glory, is the birth of Faith. Oh! we look not to the declining of our sun, its high afternoon, of our peece of day, eleven houres is gone, and the twelfth hour is on the wheels, & I see not my own gray haires; Its upon the margin and borders of night, and I know not where to lodge. We are like the man, swimming through broad waters, and he knoweth not what is before him, he swimmeth thorow deeper and deeper parts of the river, and at length, a cramp and a stitch cometh on arms and leggs, and he sinketh to the bottom and drowns: We swim through dayes, weeks, moneths, yeers, winters, and are daily deeper in time; while at length death bereave us of strength of leggs & arms, and we sin[illegible: 1 letter] over head and ears in Eternitie. Oh! Who like the sleepy man, is loosing his clothes, and putting off the garments of darknesse, and would gladly sleep with Christ? Men are close buttoned, and like day-men, when its dark night. Its fearfull to ly down with our day clothes, Job 20.11. Sin is a sad winding sheet: Oh! what believer faith, I would have a suit of clothes for the high Court and Thron to be an Essay, to see how a suit of glorie would become me? Thus much for Faith.

SERMON XXII. NOw a word of a strong and great Faith, and withall of a weak and fainting Faith. A great Faith. Ingredients of a strong Faith. 1. Strong Praying. For the most I go not from the Text, to find out the ingredients of a great Faith. 1. A strong, praying, and a crying a Faith, is a great Faith. So must Christs Faith have been, who prayed with strong cries and tears: Strong Faith maketh sore sides, in praying as this woman prayed with good will; there's an efficacious desire to be rid of a sinfull temptation, as Paul prayed thrice to be freed of the prick in the flesh. Their Faith is weak, who dare not pray against some Idoll sins: Or, 2. If they pray, its but gently, with a wish, not to be heard. 2. The womans crying, her instant pleading in Faith, yea 1. Above the Disciples care for her;2. Instant pleading yea, above Christs seeming glowmes, who denied her to be his, who reproached her as a dog, argueth great grace, great humility with strong adherence, and so great faith. 2. For Faith [illegible: 1 letter]aileth sometimes with a strong tide, and a fair wind; according as the Moone hath an aspect on the Sun, so is it ful, or not ful, when the wheels are set right to the Sun, the clock moveth and goeth right: Strength of grace, required in beleeving. The fairer and more clear sight that Faith hath of Christ, the stronger are the acts of Faith, it cannot bee denied but Faith hath a good, and an ill day: because grace is various, its no strong proof that its not grace. 3. To put Faith in all its parts, in light, in staying on Christ, in affiance, in adherance, in self-diffidence, in submissive assenting forth in all its acts, and to lift the soul all off the earth, requireth Christs high Spring-tide; its not easie to put all the powers that do act in Faith a float, especially because a strong faith is a great vessel, and therefore more of Christs tide is required for weighing Anchor, and lancing forth: The wings of a Sparrow should not raise an Eagle off the earth, the limbs of a Pismire could not suit with a Horse or an Eliphant, there is need of a strong winged soul to believe, especially against hope. 4. To believe Christ, when midnight speaketh blacknesse of wrath, requireth eyes and light of miracles; yea, its a greater work then the very miracles of Christ, Iohn 14.12. But especially when Christ is absent, its with the soul, as with a clock, in which the wheels are broken, the passes or weights are fallen down. Obj. 1.Obj. 1. But I aim and endeavour to believe, but can do nothing, and without his grace my violence to heaven is without fruit. Ans. 1. Its true, the Semipelagians halfing of the work of believing, and the glory of it between co operating grace and will, as if nature could divide the spoil with the grace of Christ, is damnable pride; but its Gods way to half the work between Christ within, in regard of the habit of grace, and Christ without, in regard of the assisting grace of God, Luke 15.20. While he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him; Christ rewardeth grace with grace. Christ rewardeth not natures aims with grace, nor doth he make gifts the work, and grace the hire, or natures labour the race, and grace the Garland: but he rewardeth grace with grace, and that of meer grace, Joh. 15.3. He hath in his Decree and Promise marshalled such and such acts of grace to stand beside others, and that by Covenant; and therefore believe, that you may believe; pray, that you may pray. Obj. 2. But who can act saving grace, Obj. 2. without the blowing of saving grace; I can no more do it, then I can command the West wind to blow when I list. Ans. I grant all, nor do I speak this to insinuate, that Free-will sitteth at the helm, or that Grace sleepeth, and Will waketh, the contrary is an evident truth: yet give me leave to say, there's ods between blowing of the winde, and making ready the sails: Though Sea-men cannot make wind, nor is it their fault to want wind, yet can they prepare the Sailes, and hoise them up to welcome the wind; we cannot create the breathings of the spirit, yet are we to misse these breathings; and this is a fitting of the Sails, and we are to join with the spirits breathings. Christ bindeth up the winds in his garment, so as if one look of faith, How grace beginneth all super[illegible: 1 letter]naturall works. or halfe a spirituall groane should ransom me from hell, I have it not in stock▪ therefore hath God ordered such a dispensation, that in all stirrings of grace, the first spring, Principium motus, the fountain-rise of calling Jesus Lord, shall be up in Heaven at the right hand of the Father, and the farre end of any gracious thought, is as far above me as the heart of Christ, who is in the Heaven of Heavens, is above the earth, though ye think nothing of it; and better Christ be my Steward, and that the Gospel be at the end of all acts of grace, as that Christ be Free wills debtor: More reason Christ be Creditor then debtor to his Redeemed ones: 2. I know the childe of God may be so far forth lazie, as that its his fault that the winde bloweth not; if we speak of a morall cause. 3. Its his part to joyne with the working of assisting grace, Col. 1.29. Whereunto I also labour, [non-Latin text not transcribed] striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. The Lord hath by free promise, laid holy bands on himself, to give predeterminating grace to his own children to persevere to the end, and to prevent Apostacy and hainous sins inconsistent with saving faith, 1 Cor. 1.8. Jude v. 24. Ier. 32.39, 40, 41. Isa. 54.10. Isa. 59.21.22. Luk. 2[illegible: 1 letter].32. 1 Ioh. 2.1.2. Yet so as he hath reserved a liberty to himself, to co-operate with them in particular acts as it shall be their sin not his withdrawing of Grace that maketh them guilty, to the end we may know we are in Graces debt, in all good and supernaturall Acts, so 2 Chron. 32.31 Ezechiah was tried of God in the businesse of the King of Babylons Ambassadors; that the King might see that he could not walk to heaven on clay legs, or by his own strength, and the reason is clear; God cannot make a Promise of contributing this bowing and predeterminating Grace, but in a way suitable to Free-grace. For God cannot change Grace unto naturall debt, it remaining grace, for so it should be Grace & no Grace, which is a contradiction: 2. The Lord hath reserved liberty to himself in this promise, that in this or this particular Act (the omission whereof may consist with perseverance in Grace) he may contribute his influence of Grace, or not contribute it; so David hath not actuall Grace at his will and nod, to eschew adultery, and murther as he pleaseth: Foure reasons why Grace in the work of faith must begin, and so begin, as we are guilty in not following. nor Peter to decline an evill hour, when he shall be tempted to forswear his Saviour Christ; nor hath Heman in his hand, Psal. 88. nor the deserted Church power, Psal. 77. to pray and believe, and rejoice in the salvation of God at the disposition of Free-will: But the key is up in the hands of the Kingly Intercessor, At the right hand of the Father that must open the heart; its far to fetch, as far as the Heaven of heavens, to make winde and sailing to Christ-ward; therefore, 3. Seasons of Acts of Grace to believe, to walk in any warmnesse of love to Christ and his members, are fruits of Royall Liberty and Free-Grace; who hath the key of the house of wine, to stay the soul with the Flaggons and Apples of love? Certainly, it is the King himself that taketh the Spouse into His banqueting House, Cant 2.4. And yet so as the omission of all supernaturall duties; yea, our lazinesse in the manner of doing, our failings and sins are imputed to our selves, and not to the not blowing of the wind of the holy spirit, nor to the want of the efficacious motion of the spirit, as Libertines teach, with Arminians; For we so sin through the want of the motions of efficacious Grace, as through the want of a Physicall, not of a morall cause, and so as we are most willing to want that influence, and so are guilty before the Lord: God hath reasons strong and convincing, why he worketh thus; 1. It setteth not Grace to work by ingagement; the spirit of the living creatures is within every wheel of Christ, that it must move from an inward principle; the motion of saving Grace, is Christs heart wheeled about by it self, and by no forraigne cause without it self: Love worketh as Love without bud or bribe from Men or Angels. Grace is both wages and work, the race and the gold to it self. 2. God delights to have men and Angels his debtors. Grace holdeth an open and a free Inne, with all the dainties that Christ can make, to all comers and goers, for nothing but thanks and heartily welcome: Grace maketh no gain of my work. The sweating of Angels, and of the Thousand Thousands that sing up the glory of Christ before the high Throne, is no income to Christs Rent: Grace should not be Grace, if it could Traffique, or buy, or sell with a creature. Angels and men stand in the Books of Free-grace for Millions of borrowed summes. Christs blood and deep love may be praised, but never recompenced: Christs love hath filled this world and the new Paradice with debtors; and Angels can neither read, nor sum, nor cast up the Accompts of Free-grace.3. Grace to the saints and on the saints but Glory is on them, not to them. 3. That we cannot be masters of one good act, without his preventing Grace evidenceth what nature is, and maketh Grace both my staffe and my convey in at Heavens Gates; Nature and Free-will must stoop and do homage to CHRIST. There's a Glory active, and a Glory passive, as there's also Grace active and passive, Free-will is active under Grace, and passive also, & therefore Grace and Mercy, is to the Saints, and upon the Saints; Nature emptieth its lamp upon the golden pipe, the rich Grace of the Mediatour, and Free-will moveth and runneth, but not but as moved, driven, and breathed upon by Free-grace: But as concerning Glory, it hath a more eminent and noble relation; Glory shall be on the Saints as a garment, as a Crown, for they shall be glorified: But no Glory to the Saints, but only, only to the Lamb, to the flower of the Glory of Glory, Jesus the Celebrious, Eminent, most high and adored Prince of the Kings of the earth; and therefore there's room and place left for sin and shame to Free-will in the busines of praedeterminating grace, that nature can but sigh and sin, and Grace sing and be spotlesse and innocent: Christ so draweth, as we sin in not being drawen; Christ so taketh and allureth, that it is our guilt that we are not taken and overcome with the smell of the Kings Oyntments: So is sin the field out of which springeth the Rose, the flower of free and unhired Grace: sin must go with us, as near to heaven as to the threshold of the gates, that the sinner may halt and crook▪ when he moveth his foot on the threshold stone of Glory; that so pardoning Grace may enter the new City with us. 4. The Lord will have us take to heaven with us, a Book of the Psalmes and Praises of Grace, that in that land we may extol and advance Free-grace, and may hold the Book in our hand all the way, and sigh and weep, and sing, and adore the Saviour of Free-grace, and may take Graces bill in our hand into Heaven with us: O how sweet to be Graces drowned and over burdened Debtor? Its good here to borrow much, and professe inability for Eternity, to pay, that heaven may be a house full of broken men, who have borrowed Millions from Christ, but can never repay more, then to read and sing the praises of Graces free. bill; and say, Glory, Glory to the Lamb, How there's a promise of bowing and paaedeterminating grace made to supernaturall acts; yet God reserveth his own liberty. 1. How. 2. When. 3. In what measure he doth co-operat that sitteth on the Throne for evermore: praising for ever in heaven, must be in liew of paying debt. 1. God is not behinde nor wanting to the gracious soul, for there's a promise of Grace here. 2. There is an intercession at hand, and that more mighty now then at Christs first ascension, and shall be more mighty when all Israel shall be converted. There is a stirring required in a gracious spirit, but with sense of natures weaknesse, so as he is to arise, and be doing, and the Lord shall be with him, and he is so to blow upon the coals, as if he could do his alone, though not without the Faith of Dependance upon an immediate acting from Heaven. Object. 3. But then Adam yet sinlesse was to believe weaknesse and sin in himself, before he sinned. Ans. Not so, but he was to have that which by Analogie answereth to sense of sin, that is a sinlesse consciousness and solicitude, Obj. 3. that if God should withdraw his stirring and predeterminating influence of corroborating him to will and to do, (you may call it Grace) he should fall, and that legs in Paradice without actuall assistance, could not actu secundo, bear the bulk and weight of Adams connaturall and constant walking with God, that Adam might know, before he was a debtor to justice, that he had need of mercy, or the free goodnesse of a surety, such as Jesus Christ, to prevent debt, no l[illegible: 1 letter]sse then to pay debt, even as Angels are debtors to Christ their head, Grace to Angels, necessary to prevent possible sins. for Redemption from all possible sinnes, no lesse then we are (though the degrees of altitude of Grace varieth much) the obliged underlings of such a bountifull Landlord, for Repemption from actuall misery. 3. Not to be broken with a temptation. 3. That is a great Faith, that is not broken with a Temptation. But 1. taketh strength from a Temptation; as some run more swiftly after a fall, that they may recompence their losse of time; and that is great Faith that argueth from a Temptation, as this woman doth. 2. That is Jobs great Faith, chap. 2.3. That he still holdeth fast his integrity: the word [non-Latin text not transcribed] Hazak, is to hold with strength and power, He keepeth fast and with violence his innocency: and Faith maketh him stronger then he was; the word is used, Psal. 147.13, For making stronger the Bars of Ports. And its Jobs praise, chap. 1.22. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God with folly. 3. Its a strong faith in this Woman, that, in a manner, Conquers Omnipotency by believing; yea, Satan, Winds, Fire from Heaven, Wife, Sabeans, yea, apprehended wrath cannot prevail with Job, to subdue his Faith; in all he standeth by this, Job 15.13▪ Though the Lord should slay me, Ile trust in him; Its great Faith to be at holding and drawing with God; and yet believe and pray, Hos 12.3. Gen. 32.26. And not let the Lord alone, nor give him any rest, Isa. 62.6, 7. till he answer as suppose thy prayers were never heard, and the Acts of believing were but Darts thrown at Heaven and the Throne without any effect; yet because Prayer and believing are acts of honouring God, though they never benefit thee; it argueth strong grace, and so great Faith, that it can be said, there be ten years, twenty years of reiterated Acts of Faith, and prayers of such a man lying up before the Throne, yea, in Christ the high Priests bosome; Let God make of my faith what he will, yet am I to believe: continued believing is Christs due, though it should never be to me gain of comfort or successe: that is a weak man who is thrown down on his back with a blast of wind, or made to stagger with the cast of a straw, or a feather: The temporary faith is in this seen to be soft, that its broken with persecution; When the sun riseth anone, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Mat. 13.21. He is offended and withereth quickly: some spirit of soft clay for a scrat with a Pin on his credit, casteth away all his confidence, dispaireth, and hangeth himself as Achitophel: such a Temptation would not once draw blood of a strong believer: Strawes & Feathers and Flax do quickly take fire, and are made ashes in a moment, but not so gold, theres bones and mettall in strong Faith: so the Martyrs Faith, that could not be broken with torments, is proved to be a great Faith, Heb. 11.35, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Their bodies were racked out as a drum, and beaten to death after racking, and they would not accept a deliverance: Why? Faith looked to a better resurrection: He who sweateth, panteth up the brow of the mount after Christ, and carrieth death on his back, must have this strong faith, that Christ is worthy of tortures: a strong faith can bear Hell on its shoulders, the Grave, and the sorrows of death, and not crack, nor be broken, Psal. 18.4, 5, 6. Psal. 116.3, 4. 4. Faith staying on God without light of comfort, strong. 4. That Faith is argued to be strong that hath no light of comfort, but walketh in darkness upon the Margin & borders of a hundred deaths, and yet stayes upon the Lord, Isa. 50.11. So this woman had no comfort, nor ground of sense of comfort from Christ, except rough answers, and reproaches, yet she believeth, and so must be strong in the Faith, Psal. 3.6. Davids Faith standeth straight without a crooke, when ten thousand deaths are round about him, and Psa. 23.4. He feareth no ill when he walks in the cold and dark valley of the shadow of black death: Heman, Psal. 88.7. Thy wrath lieth hard on me, thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves; Then in his sense, God could do no more to drown him, not waves, but all waves; all Gods waves was on him, and above him, yet ver. 9. Lord, I have called daily upon thee: then he believed daily: Hezekiahs comforts are at a hard pinch, Isa. 39.14. Mine eyes fail, with looking upward, O Lord, I am opressed; yet praying argueth beleeving, Lord undertake for me: We must think Christs sense of comforts was ebbe, and low when he wept, cried, Heb. 5.7. and was forsaken of God; yet then his faith is doubled, as the Cable of an Anchor is doubled, when the storme is more then ordinary, My God, my God: David chideth his cast down soul, when there's no glimpse of comfort with strong Faith, Psal. 42.11. Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him. In swimming well, the less naturall helps to hold up the chin and head, the greater wave, if the swimmer be carried strongly thorow, as it were in despight of the streame, there's the more art: Art may counter-value strength, and sometime wisedom is better then strength: The lesse comfort, if yet you believe at midnight, when the spirit is overwhelmed, the more is the art of believing: when an inward principle is weak, we help it with externalls: The fewer externals that faith needeth, the stronger it is within. That the child must be alured with rewards, as with Apples, a Penny or the like, it is because his sight and desire of the beauty and excellency of learning and Arts, is but weak or nothing at all: sense and comforts are external Subsidies and helps to Faith; and these that cannot believe, but upon feelings, and sense of the sweetness of comforts, are hence argued to have weak and broken inclinations and principles of Faith: the more freenesse and ingenuity of spirit that is in believing, the more strength of faith, for that is most connaturall that hath least need of hire: you need not give hire, reward, or buds to the Mothers affection to work upon her, and cause her to love her Childe: love can hardly be hired, nature is stronger then rewards or any externals: Comforts are but the hire of serving of God, and the results of beleeving in a sad condition. There be some cautions here that are considerable. 1. God leadeth some strong ones to heaven, whose affections are soft as Davids were, Ps. 35.13. and 119.25.28.136.53. Ps. 6.6. And yet Faith is strong, Ps. 22.1. God possibly immediatly working upon the assenting, or believing faculty, leaving the affections to their own native disposition. 2. God useth some priviledged dispensations, so as a strong Believer shal doubt upon no good ground, Ps. 116.11. God so disposing, that grace may appear to be grace, and the man but flesh. 3. Softnesse of affection, and light of comfort, may by accident concur with strong acts of beleeving: for with these, in many, there is little light, much Faith, and they should without these apples given to children, strongly beleeve, and God to confirm his own of meer indulgence sweetneth affections. Comforts are externals to Faith. But if God give comforts, ordinarily its a sort of indulgence of grace, or the grace of grace. Its true, rejoicing falleth under a Gospel-commandement, Phil. 4.4. yet so, as God hath not tied the sweet of the comfort of believing to believing, that you may know its strength of Faith that is the principle of strong Faith, as intense and strong habits maketh strong acts. God keepeth some in a sad condition all their life, who are experienced believers, and they never feel the comfort of faith, while the splendor of glory glance on their eyes; as one experienced believer kept under sadnesse and fear for eighteen years, at length came to this, I enjoy and rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious; But he lived not long after. Another living in sadnesse all his life▪ died with comforts admirable. And 3. let this be put as a case of Conscience, why diverse believing and joying much in Gods Salvation all their life, yet die in great conflicts, and to beholders with little expression of comfort and feeling? As divers of the Saints die. Certainly, God 1. Walketh in liberty here. 2. He would not have us to limit the breathings of the Holy Ghost, to jump with our hour of dying. 3. We may make an Idoll of a begun heaven, as if it were more excellent then Christ: To conclude, little evidence, much adherence, speaketh a strong Faith.

SERMON XXIII. THe Woman had no aparent evidences of believing; yet did she hang by one single thred of the word, of the mercies of the Son of David. Antonaclasis, [non-Latin text not transcribed] The more that the word of promise hath influence in beleeving, and the lesse of convincing reason and appearances, The more of the word & the lesse of reason the stronger Faith is. the greater Faith, Rom. 4. Abraham had a promise of a Son in whom the Nations of the world should be blessed: But 1. there was no appearance of this in nature. Abraham and Sarah at this time were between them: two hundred years old lacking one, and so no naturall hope of a childe. 2. He had but one promise for his Faith; we have twenty, an hundred, yet Rom. 4.18. He against hope, believed in hope. Its an elegant figure having a form of a contradiction, there was no hope, yet he had hope, 2. ver. 19. Not being weak in the Faith: then he was strong in the Faith, and gave glory to God, as it is, ver. 20.3. He staggered not through unbeleef, [non-Latin text not transcribed] then its an Argument of a weak Faith, to dispute according to the principles of naturall Logick with God, to go on upon Gods naked word without reasoning is a strong Faith, especially when the course of Providence saith the contrary. The word of promise is the mother and seed of faith, 1 Pet. 1.23. the more of the seed, the more of the birth: Wine that is separated from the mother doth sooner corrupt: that is strongest Faith that hath most of its seed and mother, that is, of the word of promise in it. Abraham had nothing on earth to sustain his Faith in killing his son, but only a naked Commandement of God, all other things were contrary to the Fact; yet is Faith strongest, when it standeth on its own bases and legs, and that is the word of Omnipotency, the word of Promise; other pillars of Faith are rotten and sandy foundations; Inspirations beside and without the word, are the naturall Faiths unwritten traditions: Every thing is strongest on its own pillars that God and Nature hath appointed for it: The earth hangeth by God and Natures statute in the mids of the Air, if the earth were up in the Orbe or Sphere of the Moon, it should not be so sure as it is now: And if the Sea, fountains, and floods were up in the clouds, they should not be so free from perishing, as they now are: Faith is seated most firmly on a word of him, who is able to perform what he hath said▪ Wicked men are seeking good in bloods, in wars, in the destruction of the Church, of the Reformation and Covenant of God; yet their actions are not seated on a word of promise; but on a threatning that destruction shall come on them as a whirle-wind, therefore is not the wicked mans bread sure, when the child of God hath bread, sleep, peace, immunity from the sword (in so far as the sword is a curse) and that by the Covenant of promise. This woman had one Gospel-word, mercy from the Messiah, Davids son. 6. That is a strong Faith which can forgo much for Christ, and the hope of Heaven.6 A faith that can forego much for Christ, i[illegible: 1 letter] a strong faith. Moses was strong in the Faith in this, who refused the Treasures of Aegypt, the Honour of a Princedome, and to be called, The son of Pharaohs Daughter, Heb. 11.26. For he had an eye [non-Latin text not transcribed] an Eagles look, and eye to heaven, to the recompence of reward. Abraham forgoeth country and inheritances for God, Heb. 11.9. By Faith he Sojourned in the Land of Promise, as in a strange Country, dwelling in Tabernacles. 1. He sojourned: 2. He played the Pilgrime: 3. He dwelt not in Castles and Cities, though the land was his by promise, and his grand son Jacob disposed of it in his Testament, Genes. 49.10. For he looked for a City which hath foundations: (to the strong faith, all Cities are bottomlesse except Heaven) Whose maker and builder is God: Now this Womans Faith is great in this; she looked for a Temporary deliverance from Satans power to her daughter, under the notion of one of the sure mercies of David, and that by Faith which inheriteth all the Promises: not to see beyond time and death, nor to see the gold at the races end fainteth the traveller, a sight of the fair city is as a draught of wine to the fainting traveller; it addeth legs and strength to him; heaven is down-ground, when Faith seeth it, it is (when sight faileth us) toylesome and up the mount: When Steven in a near distance heard the musick of heaven,7. Its a strong faith to pray and believe, when God seemeth to forbid praying. his countenance did shine, he did leap to be at it: I see Heaven open and Jesus, &c. 7. Its great Faith to pray, and persevere, and watch unto praying, as this woman did, when Christ seemeth to forbid to pray; as hee both reproached this woman in her praying, as if it had been but the crying of a Dog, and said hee was not sent for her: When the promise and Christ seem to look away from you, and to refuse you, yea, to forbid you to beleeve; then to beleeve is great Faith, actions in nature going on in strength, when contrary actions doth countermand them, must be carried with prevailing strength: Its strength of nature that the Palmtree groweth under great weights, its prevalency of nature that mighty Rivers when they swell over banks doth break over all oppositions: Satan hath a Commission to burne and slay; a strong Faith quencheth all his fierie darts, Eph. 6.16. Let me alone, (saith the Lord to Jacob, Gen. 32.25.26.) Pray no more; Iacobs strong faith doth meet with this cōmandment: thus, I will not let thee alone, I must pray on till thou blesse me: strong Faith beateth down misapprehensions of promises, or of Christ, and layeth hold on Christ under his maske of wrath, Lam. 3.9. And covered with a cloud. 8. Great boldnesse in the Faith,8. Great boldnesse argueth great faith. argueth great Faith; there be three things in Faith, in this Notion. 1. An agony, and a wrestling of Faith, Col. 1.29. which is a heavenly violence in believing. 2. To be carried with a great measure of perswasion and Plerophory, with full and hoised up sailes in beleeving, Col. 2.2. There's a rich assurance of Faith. 2. Not that only, but in abstracto, there's the riches of assurance. 3. There's all riches of assurance. 4. All riches of the full assurance of Faith: So strong prevailing light produceth a strong Faith; Alas, its but twilight of evidence that we have. 3. To be bold, and to put on a heavenly stoutnesse, and daring, in venturing with familiarity into the throne of Grace, is a strong Faith, Heb. 10.22. and Heb. 4.16. We are to come with liberty, and holy boldnesse to the Throne, as children to their father, so the Church with heavenly famlliarity, and the daring of Grace and Faith prayeth, Cant. 1.1. Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth: Johns leaning on Christs bosome is not familiarity of love only, but of Faith also; In whom we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by Faith, Eph. 3.12. Faith dare go into the Throne, and Heb. 10.19. To the holy of holies; Faith blusheth not. 9 To rejoice in tribulation is a strong Faith. 9. That which leadeth a man with Paul and Silas to sing Psalms in the stocks, in Prison, and in scourges, that is a strong Faith; Job is hence known to be strong in the Faith, because being made a most miserable man in regard of heavy afflictions, he could blesse God: A strong Faith prophecieth glad tidings out of the fire, out at the window of the Prison, and rejoyceth in bonds, Mic. 7.8.9. Isa. 52, 1, 2. and 54.1, 2, 3, 4. To glory in tribulation is an Argument of one justified by Faith, Rom. 5.1, 2, 3. And the greater gloriation of Christs chains and crosse, is a stronger reason to conclude a strong Faith. 10. To wait in patience for God all the day long,10. To wait on with long patience is an Argument of a strong faith. is an Argument of great Faith, Isa. 28.16. He that beleeveth shall not make hast; he shall not be confounded with shame (so the 70. traslateth it, and Paul after them, Rom. 9.33.) As those that fleeth from the enemy out of hastinesse, procured by base fear, which is a shame: I dare not say that the 70. readeth [non-Latin text not transcribed] festinet insted of [non-Latin text not transcribed] confundatur: but it proveth believing & a valorous keeping the field without flying, & so continued waiting on God, to be of kin to believing; and the longer the thred of hope be, though it were seventy years long, as Hab. 2.1.2. or though it were as long as a cable going between the earth and the heaven, up within the vail, Heb. 6.19. the stronger the faith must be; unbelief not being chained to Christ leapeth over board at first, as the wicked King said in the [illegible: 2 letters]st of unbelief, 2 King. 6.33. What should I wait any longer on the Lord? Faith is a grace for win [illegible: 1 letter]er to give God leisure to bring Summer in his own season; the reasons of our weaknes be two. [illegible: 1 word]. We see Israel & their dough on their shoulders wearied and tired, lately come out of the [illegible: 1 word]-Furnace, wandring without one foot of [illegible: 1 letter]eritage, fourty years in the wildernesse, and four hundred years in Egypt, Act. 7.6. This [illegible: 2 letters]keth like poverty, to believe the other my [illegible: 2 letters]ery in the other side or Page of Providence, [illegible: 1 word] Glory of dividing the Red-Sea, and of giving seven mighty Nations to his people, and their buildings, lands, vineyards, Gardens, is a strong Faith. 2. The furnace is a thing void of reason and art, and so knoweth little, that by it the Goldsmith maketh an excellent and comely vessell of Gold: Its great Faith to believe, that God by crooked instruments, and fire and sword shall refine a Church and erect a glorious building, and these Malignant instruments are as ignorant of the Art of divine Providence, as coals and fuell are of the Art and intention of the Gold-Smith, Mic. 4.12. Isa. 10.5, 6, 7. The Ax and the Saw knoweth nothing of Art, nor the Sword any thing of Justice. Prelates. Papists, Malignants in the three Kingdomes, understand nothing of Gods deep counsell upon themselves, in that God by a fire of their kindling, is burning themselves, and taking away the Tin and Brasse, and reprobate mettall, and refining the Spouse of Christ▪ they serve a great service, but know not the master of the work. 11. An humble Faith is a strong Faith. 11. An humble Faith, such as was in this woman is a great Faith: the more sins that are pardoned, as it inferreth the more love to Christ Luk. 7.47. So the unworthier a soul is in it self to believe pardon in Christ, argueth the greater Faith; it must be a greater Faith, to believe th[illegible: 1 letter] pardon of ten thousand talents, then to believ[illegible: 1 letter] the forgivenesse of five hundred pence: Christ esteemeth it the greatest faith in Israel, tha[illegible: 1 letter] the Centurion abaseth himself, as one unworthy to come under one roof with him, and that he exalteth Christ in his omnipotency to believe that he can command all diseases, at his nod, Math. 8.8, 9, 10. 12. A strong desire of a communion with Christ is an Argument of a strong Faith,12. A strong desire of a communion argueth a strong Faith. Rev. 22.20. Surely I come [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Quickly, faith answereth with a hearty desire: Amen, even so, Come Lord Jesus, and 2 Pet. 3.12. These two are conjoined, the one is a word of Faith, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Looking for: the other a word of earnest desire, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Hastning after (Stepha. votis accelerantes) the coming of the day of the Lord. Faith desireth an union with Christ, and a marriage union: The reason is, strong Faith cometh from strong love, and strong love, and strong coals of desiring to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, Phil. 1.23. Burneth in at Heavens door; love-sicknesse for glory goeth as high as the lowest step of the Throne that the Lamb Christ sitteth on; and its faith and love together, that desireth Christ to mend his pace, and saith, Cant. 8.14. Make haste, my beloved, and be as a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of spices. The fervor of love challengeth time, and the slow-moving wheels of yeers and moneths, and reckoneth an hour for a day, and a day for a yeer, Psal. 101.2. O when wilt thou come to me? So hope deferred is a childbirth pain, and a sicknesse of the soul, Prov. 13. 12. Faith with love cannot indure a morrow▪ Faith putteth Christ to posting, and leaping over mountains, and skipping over hils, Cant▪ 2.8. And addeth wings to him, to flee more quickly. Yet is there a caution here most considerable; Faith both walketh leisurely and with leaden feet, and moveth swiftly with Eagles wings: Faith, in regard of love and desire of union with God, is swift, and hath strong motions for an Union; Yea, a love-sicknesse to be at the top of the mount to be satiated with a feast of Christs enjoyed face; but in regard of a wise assurance that Gods time is fittest, it maketh no haste: So to wait on, and to haste may stand together, 2 Pet. 3.10. Strength of working by love, argueth a strong Faith. 13. Faith effectuall by, or with child of love and good works is a strong Faith, 1 Thes. 1.3. Remembering your work of Faith, Philem. v. 6. Faith effectuall. There be bones in a strong Faith: yea, sap and life. How many Thousands of Apples be there vertually in a Tree that beareth fruit, for thirty or fourty years together? So its said of Stephen, That he was full of faith and power, Act. 6.8. And Barnabas, Act 11.24. Full of the Holy Ghost, and of Faith. What is then a small Faith, or a weak Faith, is easily known. Rise, Reign, and ruine of Antinomians, Er. 32. pag. 6. 1. A Faith voyd of all doubting is not a weak Faith: Nor yet the strong Faith. Antinomians erre many wayes in this point. 1. After the revelation of the spirit, neither Devill nor sinne can make the soul to doubt (say they:) Yea, A great Faith is not free of boubtings. but the spirit of revelation was in Jeremiah, who doubted when he complained, Chap. 15. v. 18. to God of God, Wilt thou be to me altogether as a liar, and as waters that fail? Chap. 20.7, 8, 9. v. 14.15.16. Job doubted c. 13. v. 14. when he said, Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? And Asaph, Ps. 73.13. Heman, Ps. 88.13, 14, 15. And the Church, 77. Psal. Yet all these were sealed by the spirit unto the day of redemption. Declar. Remonstra[illegible: 1 letter]t. Exerrore, abreptione, aut obnubilatione mentis. 2. This is like the foul errour of the Arminians, who, with Socinians, hold that as there be three degrees of believers, 1. Some babes. 2. Some aged, so there is a third sort of truly perfect ones, who do not sin from the root of concupiscence, the combate between the flesh and the spirit now ceasing, only they sin through inadvertence or some errour, or over-clouding of their light, as Adam and the Angels sinned, there being no inward principle of corruption in them: Hence some Liber [illegible: 1 letter]ines say, These that are in Christ can no more sin, and not walk with God, then the sun can leave off to give light, or fire to cast heat, or a fountain to send out streams, in regard that the spirit acteth them to walk with God by such a necessary impulsion that destroyeth all freedom of will; and if they sin, they are not to be blamed, because the spirit moveth them not to abstinence from sin, and to holy walking. But Paul, a chosen vessel, and a strong believer, Rom. 7.14, 15, 16, 17, &c. Complaineth of the in-dwelling of sin, of his carnality, and the fleshes lusting against the spirit, and of his captivity under sin, which must argue his imperfect Faith, liable to the distemper of sinfull doubtings. Rise, Reign, and ruine Er. 20. pag. 4. It is also a great errour to say, that to call in question, whether God be my Father after, or upon the commission of some hainous sins, as murther, incest, &c. Doth prove a man to be in the covenant of works. Now there be sundry sorts of doubtings opposite to Faith. Diverse sorts of doubting opposit to Faith. In the renewed: There's 1. A naturall doubting; and as all Popery is naturall and carnall: so this strangenesse of affection by which men are unkind to Christ, and never perswaded of Gods favour in Jesus Christ, argueth the party to be under the law, and not in Christ. This doubting may, and doth in carnall men consist with presumption, and a morall false perswasion that naturall men have all of them, while their conscience be wakened; that they shall be saved. Why? I am not a Murtherer, a Sorcerer, &c. Why? Or how can God throw me into Hell? So its made up of reall lies and contradictions: Yet they have no divine certainty of Salvation. For ask a naturall man, Have you a full assurance of salvation, as you say, that you alwayes believe and doubt not? he shall be there at a stand, and answer; Who can have a full assurance? But I hope well, I believe well night and day. And so doubt Papists also, and they have a lie in their right hand, it cannot stand with Gods mercy or justice; since I am not this and this, to throw me into hell. So is unbelief a lie, Esa. 57.11. And of whom hast thou been afraid and feared, that thou hast lied and hast not remembered me? 2. There's an occasionall doubting that riseth by starts upon wicked men out of an evill conscience of sin, but it vanisheth as a cloud: as in Pharaohs confession, I and my people have sinned. This argueth a law-spirit, rising and falling a sleep again. 3. There's a finall doubting of despair, like the doom past on the condemned malefactor: as in Cain, Gen. 4.13.14. In Saul, 1 Sam. 28.15, 16. All these conclude men under the law, and the curse of it. But there's 4. A doubting in the believers, which though a sin, yet (if I might have leave to borrow the expression) is a godly sin: Not because it is not a sin indeed, Some doubting a sin, and a bad thing in it self yet Per accidens, and Ratione subjecti good sign and argueth Grace in the party. and so opposit to grace and godlinesse, but a gracious sin, Ratione subjecti, in regard of the person and adjuncts, it being a neighbour to saving Grace; and no reprobate can be capable of this sin, no more then Pagans, or flagitious and extreamly wicked men can be capable of the sinne against the Holy Ghost. So beggars are remotest from high and personall treason, because they have never that honour to come near the Kings Person. So Davids bones, not Sauls bones were broken, Ps. 51.10. Humbled bones. (For a humbled heart is called [non-Latin text not transcribed] Nidcheh.) Broken▪ and bruised with a fear of Gods wrath for sin. And the converted souls moisture is turned to the drought of summer, Psal. 32.3, 4. And his bones waxen old with roaring all the day, God withholding the joy of his salvation. This doubting befalleth never any reprobate under the law or covenant of works, and so though it be an ill thing, yet its a good sign, as out-breakings of boils in the body, are in themselves, diseases, infirmities, distempers and contrary to perfect health; yet they are often good signs and arguments of strength of life, and much vitall heat and healthinesse of constitution. That affections of the childe of God, under incest, murther, or other hainous sins be stirred, that sorrow be wakened and rise, when our Father is offended, and when our Lord frowneth and standeth behind the wall, and goeth away, is lawfull; yea it speaketh tendernesse of love, softnesse of heart, but that they be so far wakened as to doubt, and fear that the Lord be changed, that he hath forgotten to be mercifull, that is sinfull doubting, but doth no wayes conclude, that the person is under the Covenant of Works; but the contrary rather, that Grace sitteth and bordereth with this doubting. And so that the person is under Grace, not under the Law. Even where Faith is strong, it is not ever in the same temper. Health most vigorou[illegible: 1 letter] will vary in its degrees and decrease at times of [illegible: 1 span] and yet be strong and have much of life in it. Take the strong and experienced Christians life in its whole continued frame, and for the most part he hath the better of all temptations; but take him in a certain stage, or nick of providence when he is not himself, and he is below his ordinary strength, even in that wherein he excelleth. If a gracious temper of meeknesse like Christ was not the predominant element of grace in Moses, yet it was in a great measure in him, he bearing the name with him, who best knoweth names, and things, of the meekest man in the earth: Yet in that which was his flour, he proved weaker then himself, and spake unadvisedly with his lips. Our highest Graces may meet with an ill hour. Job by the testimony of the Holy Ghost is patient, Ye have heard of the patience of Job. And, Chap. 3. We have heard of the cursing passion of Job also. Believing is like sailing, which is not alwayes equall, Diverse sorts of weake faith. often strength of wind will blow the ship twenty miles backward. 2. The smallest measure of Faith. The minimum quod sic, is sincere adherence to Christ. Not that negative adherence simply, Negative adherence to Christ not sufficient to saving Faith. by which some one may say, I dare not for a world quit my part in Christ, or give up with him. Naturall spirits may have a naturall tendernesse, by which they dare not quit Christ, and give up with him. Yet there's no saving faith in naturall spirits, but there's in the beleever some positive adherence under, or with the negative, by which there's a power of love and kindnesse, making the soul to cleave to Christ: There may be great weaknesse with this, and great failings, and yet faith unfained. We have need of much charity to these that are weak in Faith. A reed, a broken reed may grow; and Christ will not break it. A buried believer is a believer; if Christ have a neer relation of blood to a peece of blew clay, and the dead corps of a believer; seeing in his flesh there's the seed and hope of a resurrection, as the seed and hope of harvest is in rotting, and dying grains of Wheat, sown in the cold earth, as is cleer, Psal. 16.9. 1 Cor. 15.42, 43, 44. Much more the relation of mercy remaineth in Christ, toward the wrestling, deserted, and self dead believer. Now this smallest measure of Faith, may consist, 1. With much ignorance of God, as it was with the believing Disciples, who continued with Christ in his temptations, confessed him, believed and adhered to him, when many went back, and departed from him, Luk. 22.28, 29. Mat. 16.16, 17. Joh. 6.66, 67, 68, 69. And yet were ignorant of great points of Faith, as of his death, Mat. 16.21.22. Of his resurrection, Joh. 20.9. 2. So there be great faintings and doubtings, when a storm ariseth, and the soul is a sinking, Mat. 8. v. 25, 26, 27. Mat. 14.3. Yet a little Faith is Faith. As touching a fainting Faith, its not alwayes a weak Faith that fainteth; strong and healthy bodies may have fevers, and deliquies. For the causes of fainting are, 1. The want of the influence of mercy, and of stirring or exciting Grace causeth fainting, 2 Cor. 4.1. As we are mercied, [non-Latin text not transcribed], we faint not; we degenerate not. It is in the bosome of Christ, and lieth about the bowels of our mercifull high Priest that keepeth from fainting: If our Intercessor pray not, we faint, Luke 22.32. I have prayed that thy Faith, [non-Latin text not transcribed] may not be ecclipsed. The moon is in a certain death, and soon in an ecclipse; So is Faith under fainting. 2. Fear of wrath may cause distraction and hanging of minde, and uncertainty, where there is strong Faith, Ps. 88.14.15. Compared with v. 8, 9. As apprehensions report of God, so are we affected in believing. Yet may it be collected from Mat. 10.19. In that hour it shall be given you, that Christ holdeth the head of a fainting believer. 3. The dependence of Faith will faint, when Christ withdraweth love, though he inflict no anger. The ingenuity of Grace gathereth fear from a cloud, though there be no storm. 3. A soul dead in himself, and that cannot put out Faith in acts, for want of light and comfort, is a weak Faith. A tree in winter is a living tree. There may be life where there's little stirring or motion. 4. That Faith that seemed smallest to the man himself, is sometime in it self greatest. 1. In sad desertions there's most of Faith, and least of sense of Faith, Psal. 22.1. 2. A suffering Faith may be small to the sufferer. Many of the Martyrs in their own sense were in a dead and unbelieving condition: A suffering Faith a strong Faith. Yet Christ is more commended for a suffering-faith then any, Heb. 12.1, 2, 3. In that he did run, indure the crosse for the glory that was before him. He saw heaven. And his Faith went through Hell, to be at Heaven. There is a high commendation put on the suffering Faith of these who were tryed with hands, imprisonment, sawn asunder, mocked, slain with the sword, Heb. 11.37, 38. Of whom the world was not worthy; This is not put upon the active and doing Faith, which is put upon the passive Faith, nor is so much said of these, who by Faith pulled down the walls of Jericho, of Gideon, Baruch, Sampson, and such as by Faith subdued Kingdoms. The reason is, suffering is a losse of being, and welbeing: These who by doing give away their evil being, for Christ, and crucifie their lusts for him, are dear to him: but such as die for Christ, they give away both being, and welbeing. Moses, & Paul, who in a manner were content to go to hel, with believing that Gods glory in saving the people of God was to be prefered to their eternal being, and well-being, behoved to have great Faith. 3. The Faith, Faith weak in regard of intension may bee strong in regard of extension. that is weak, in regard of intension of degrees, may be a great faith in regard of extension: the Children of God, whose life is the walk of Faith, 2 Cor. 5.7. May have but a small measure of Faith: Yet its a constant and well breathed Faith, good at the long race, that carrieth a soul through: In, 1. His naturall capacity to believe God will feed him: And, 2. In his civill relations, as a father, son, servant, magistrate. 3. In his spirituall condition, in the duties of the first table; in all which capacities we are to walk by Faith. Yea to eat, drink, sleep, to laugh, to weep, as concerning the ordering of all these Heaven-ward by Faith. All the Saints that go to Heaven believing, and ordering all these conditions by Faith, have not alwayes a Faith, as great as Abraham, as Moses. Weak leggs carry some through the earth many thousand miles; A sorry and small vessell in comparison of others, may sail about the Globe of the whole earth. The wings of a Sparrow or a Dove can carry these little birds, through as much Sea and Land, as the wings of an Eagle doth carry the Eagle. The lowest ebbe of a fainting Faith. But ere I go from this point, I crave leave to adde somewhat of the least and smallest measure of Faith. 2. Of the condition of the childe of God under it. Touching the former, I onely say, There is a degree of fire, and a coal so small, that lesse cannot be, the thing remaining, Fire having the nature, essence, and properties of fire. And when any is in a deliquium or swoun, the man hath life, but it is kept in narrow bounds, there is breathing onely. 2. Some vitall heat. 3. Some internall motion in the heart and vitall and animall spirits, but no more to prove life almost then the man is a dead corps, yet somewhat there is to difference him from dead clay: For friends will not bury a sounding man willingly and knowingly. So at the lowest condition of the weakest Faith that the believer is in, some fire and coal of love and Faith there is, and some smoaking, though little fire, and possibly we cannot give it a name. Yet if the just live by Faith, there must be some measure of Faith. 2. Some smoaking of love to Christ. 3. Some discerning of an ill condition. No man on earth in a sleep hath a reflect act to know that he sleepeth, no dead corps knoweth it self to be dead. Never sleeping man could say, nay, not Adam in his first sleep, when God formed the woman out of a rib of his side: Now I am sleeping. No man naturally dead can say, Now am I dead, and I lie amongst the worms and corruption. Death maketh no report of death: but the believer can say at his lowest condition, Cant. 5.1. I sleep but my heart waketh; and he who saith, Psal. 119. Lord quicken me, must say, Lord, I am dead; yet to say, Lord quicken me, and to feel and know deadnesse, are acts of the life of Grace. A Saint in this condition may love Christ through half a dream, and half sleeping, half waking, retain honourable thoughts of Christ, Job 13.15. Job 19.25, 26, 27. Some have said in hell they should love Christ. This truth is in it, that in such a pain and sad condition of suffering as the damned are in, (sin, despair, or Gods hating of them excepted) Saints can believe and love Christ, Psal. 22.1. at least desire to have leave to love Christ, for the evill of sinne may, the evill of punishment cannot quench the love of Christ, which is stronger then death, then hell, Cant. 8.6, 7. The soul at the lowest condition is like the man who hath ingaged his lands for so great a sum, as may be a Just price to buy the land, and so in effect he hath sold the land, but with a reversion, he keepeth the reversion, and so by Law within such a time he may redeem his morgaged inheritance. The weakest of believers at his lowest ebbe, keepeth the reversion of Christ: He may by some grievous sinne, be under such a terrible desertion, as to put the inheritance of Heaven to a too great hazard of being lost; and in appearance and in his own sense, and in the sense of many, all is gone; yet then to say nothing of the invisible chain of Gods unchangeable decree of Election, which the strongest armes of Devils and Hell cannot break; there is fire under the embers, What of Christ remaineth, in the lowest ebbe of a fainting Faith. sap and life in the root of the Oak tree: God saith of the bud of this Vine tree, though the man neither see nor hear it, destroy it not, for there is a blessing in it. As touching the second. The Question may be, What remaineth for him in this condition, to know his condition, or what can he do? I answer, 1. When Christ hath left his bed and is gone, he is to keep warm the seat that Christ was in; I do not say that the Church, Cant. 5.6. was at the lowest ebbe; yet a desertion there was and a sad one: But in this condition, she openeth her heart to Christ, I rose up to open to my beloved. 2. vers. 5. There be some droppings of Myrrhe from her hands, some sense of Christ. 3. I called him, but he answered me not; there remaineth a faculty of praying. 4. A love-sicknesse: hence it is evident in the lowest and ebbest condition of a fainting faith, there is something answerable to this, and this is to love the smell of Christ that he hath left behinde him, when he himself is gone; it is to desire to behold with love and longing the print of his feet, the chair of love that he sate in: hence though you feel no work of sanctification, his seat is kept by some spirituall meditations; as to consider, what a kinde of love it is, that Christ hath bestowed on sinners, for that he loved his own before he died for them, his love being the cause why he died for them; and still after, the purchased Redemption, he loveth them, and intercedeth for them up at the right hand of God; and this is as much as to say, Christ hath loved you, and repenteth not of his love: love made him die for you, and if it were to do again, he would die over again for you, Rom. 8.33, 34. 1 Tim. 3.16. And suppose we that there were need that CHRIST should die twice, or foure times, or an hundred or millions of times, and that he had ten thousand millions of lives, and that our sins should have required that he should first die for one believer, and then die again the second time for another, and then the third time for another: and so that hee must for every severall Elect person, have died a severall death; Love, love should have put him upon all these deaths willingly: and therefore if the beleever had ten loves, as many loves in one as there be Elected men and Angels, all had been too little for Christ; and when the believer hath been serving and praising up in the highest Temple as many millions of ages of years, (or a tract of Eternity answerable to that duration of ages) as the number of the sand on all the coasts in earth, of all the stars in Heaven, of all the flowers, hearbs, plants, leaves of trees that hath been, or shall be from the Creation of God, to the taking down of the workmanship of Heaven and earth; yet shal he be as much in Christs debt for this infinit love when that time is ended, as when he first opened his mouth in the first breathing out of praises in the state of glory. 2 He may turn over in his minde all the promises, and the literall revolution of them in the minde, though it be but a deed or act of the understanding and memory, may cast fire on the affections in which there resideth a habit of grace; though there be no fire in the bellows, yet blowing with the bellows, may waken up and kindle fire in the hearth where there is little: The habit of grace is often as sparks of fire on the hearth under the ashes, and may be kindled up and made a fire. 3. When Faith is weakest, and the soul under a winter and a dead eclipse; its fit to keep the heart in a passive frame of receiving of him again as to sorrow for sin, and to put to door unrepented sins; as when the King goeth abroad, sweep the Chamber for his return. Missing of Christ, longing for his return, inquisition for him, Watchmen, saw ye him? Love-sicknesse for him, putteth the soul in a sweet passive capacity to receive him again, Cant. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 4. When the Church is in bed sleeping, yet she is charged to open, Cant. 5.2. to weep at the noise of Christs knock; when you cannot rise is somewhat, a prisoner may stir his legs and cause the iron fetters tinckle, though he cannot get out; there is some strength when we are bidden, Heb. 12.12. Lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees: Motion will make fire. 5. Especially Christ sleepeth least, when his childe is in a high feaver: Love watcheth then most at the bed side.

SERMON XXIV. THY Faith] Faith is so Christs, as the fountain and the cause, that it is ours as agents moved and acted by Christ. Rise and Reigne, Er. 25. Hence its a foul errour to say, that there's no inherent Rightoousness in the Saints, and no graces in the souls of believers, but in Christ only: There's water, even the spirit powred on the dry ground, Isa. 44.3. A stock of grace is within the regenerate. Gods spirit put within us, Eze. 36.26, 27. The spirit of grace and of supplication powred on the house of David, Zach. 12.10. A well within the saints springing up to life everlasting, Our grace is not all, & wholly in Christ, subjectively, though it bee all from Christ effectively. Rise and Reigne, Er. 1. Joh. 4.14. The Father and the Son, through the operation of Grace, take up house in them, Jo. 14.23. Such a new stock and plant of Heaven set in them, as they have the Anointing dwelling in them, 1 Joh. 2.27. The seed of God abiding in them, 1 Joh. 3.9. Vnfained faith dwelling in Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.5. Grace in them as fire under ashes, 2 Tim. 1.6. And a new Divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. An inward man, 2 Cor. 4.16. Col. 1.27. Christ in you the hope of glory: Nor are the faculties of the soul and the workings thereof, in our conversion destroyed, as some say, as if the Holy Ghost should come in stead of these; for Christ taketh down old work, and maketh a new building for himself, but the stones are ours, the soul remaining in its powers and operations, the understanding and will remain, but opened, Luke 24.45. Joh. 21.18. Eph. 1.17.18. Eph. 4.23.24. The powers of the soul remaine whole in conversion. Christ removeth the rubbish, and the frowardnesse, and over-goldeth our stones, its our matter, and his workmanship. Hence we are agents, Grace teacheth no man to be lazie, for because all the morall actions of the renewed are commanded of God; if we by Grace were no agents in these, but meer Patients, and Christ and the Holy Ghost the only immediate agents, in the omitting of beleeving, praying, praising, hearing, in not doing all our naturall and civill actions for God, and in a spirituall way; yea, and in our forbearing to murther, whore, blaspheme, &c. (for by the Grace of Christ the Saints abstain from sin) we should not sin, all these wicked acts were to be imputed to the Grace of Christ and the Holy Ghost, which is blasphemy, and a flat turning of the Grace of God into wantonnesse: Now we are by Grace to be agents to purge our selves, 1 Joh. 3.3. to run with inlarged hearts in Gods way, Psal. 119.32. to stir up, and blow upon Grace under ashes, 2 Tim. 1.6. To walk in Christ as we have received him, Col. 2.6. To keep our selves in the love of God, Jud. 21. Vse. We are to be carefull of the stock, not to hurt or wast the stock of Grace, he who is spending on his stock, ere it be long shall have nothing; cast not water upon your own coal to quench the spirit or to grieve it. See what grows out of your stock? What income and crop of the fruits of the spirit shall return to Christ? The Lord demandeth of every child of God, what, and where is the stock, and where is the rent of Heaven? It is the vertue of the Merchant to increase the stock, and in all losses to strive to keep it whole. There is a wasting of the habit of Grace, which is a dangerous thing, Eph. 4.30. There is a [illegible: 1 letter]adding of the spirit, and a rubbing off of some letters or Characters of the broad Seal of the spirit which is forbidden; even as break some spaikes or Ax-tree of the wheels of a great work, and the mill or the horologue is at stand and can work nothing; beware that no wards of the Conscience be broken, for fear that the key of David that openeth the heart, fit them not, or suit not with the lock: David brake a ward and a sprint of the new heart by his Adultery and bloodshed, and therefore no Artificer but one only in Heaven, could put the lock in frame again, Psa. 51.10. The new creation is like a curious horologe made of Christall glasse, it must be warily and tenderly handled; the frame of the workmanship of the holy Ghost dwelling in us, 2 Tim. 1.14. must be kept from the least craze or throw in all the wheels and turnings thereof, yea the least mote must not rest on it. Quest. What must be done to keep in good temper the new Creation? Ans. 1. Beware to go to bed and sleep with a bone broken or disjointed in the inner man: Its good to be disquieted in spirit, as if there were an aking in the bones, after some g[illegible: 2 letters]at sin not repented nor bewailed: when Peter by denying his Lord, had rotted a bone or a joint of the new man in himself, he rested not well that night, he went out and wept bitterly, Mat. 26.57. Jeremiah made a rash and passionate vow to speak no more in the name of the Lord; but he could not sleep with that coal of fire in his bones, Jer. 20.9. 2. Put the keeping of the new Creature off your hand; make it a pawn committed to Christs keeping, 2 Tim. 1.12. let him answer for it; be not you under the burden of it your self. The habit of Grace and the man put under lock and key to Christ, is in sure keeping, consider what cometh of him, Jude ver. 24. This is a broken world, there be many loose-handed devils going abroad through the earth: there be robbers lying await in the way to heaven, to take the crown from us, Rev. 3.11. The believer who hath a stock of Grace, must be at holding and drawing with men and devils. Commit the keeping of your souls to the faithfull Creator: but be not you idle, do it in well-doing, 1 Pet. 4.19. 3. Deal kindely with Christ when you have him, break not with Christ if you would keep the habit of Grace safe, do nothing against your state; grieving of the Holy Ghost, is unworthy of the condition of a redeemed one; your place cannot consist with walking after the flesh: The Campe you are in cannot well bear compliance with the flesh; You have put on the Lord Iesus, Ro. 13. v. 14. You cannot lay in for, or victuall such a Castle as the flesh, for some exercise a providence, and lay in provision for the flesh. 4. To be doing good keepeth the habit of Grace in exercise, and in life also; for Grace is of the nature of life, and life is preserved by motion, and the frequent operations of life; yea, with this difference the naturall life may be worn out and consumed away with too frequent and violent labour and toil: This life is increased by assiduous walking with God, for Ioh. 15.2. Every branch that beareth fruit in Christ: My Father (saith he) purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Be it unto thee as thou wilt] Christ cannot long dissemble (to speak so) and keep up his love; he tryed this woman hardly; The tendernes of Christs affection and the strength thereof toward sinners. now he praiseth her in her face; Great is thy faith, and granteth her desire to the full; if there was such a brotherly and naturall compassion in Ioseph, Gen. 43.30. Iosephs bowels yerned they were hot, and Gen. 45.1. Joseph could not refrain himself, Vatablus noteth that the Hebrew word is, He could not do violence to himself; His love was like a hot Furnace, and it was like to make a captive of him, and to overcome him; now the man Christ hath the same heart, and bowels of a man, and I conceive as Christ was a man void of sin so the acts of naturall vertues, as to pitty the afflicted were stronger in him then in us, Christ strong in morall acts, and strongly moderate in acts naturall; the contrary of which is in natural men. sin blunteth naturall faculties, especially such as inclineth to acts laudable and good, such as are love, compassion to the miserable, and sin boweth, or rather breaketh naturall acts that are indifferent in their nature, and farther removed from mortality, and maketh them intense above nature, sin being a violent thing, so in natural men, there is little power in carnal reason over acts of generation, hunger, thirst, sleep, and such as have their rise from the sensitive soul: Christ having strength of sinless reason naturall far above, Adam was strong in the acts of the former kinde, and moderat in the other; especially being a high Priest that marcheth us in naturall passions, Heb. 4.15. Even in a Sympathie, and having these same passions that we have, He weeped over Jerusalem, Luk. 19. When they were crying Hosanna to him; and occasion of joy furnished to him, yet ver. 41.42 He wept over the City and spake words of compassion; but broken and imprisoned with sighing and sorrow: O if thou knew, even thou, &c. Now what compassion must be in him, when his affection had such an edge? Joseph is nothing to him, he having taken a mans heart to go along with the Saints to heaven, sighing, weeping, mourning, Tempted in all these, as we are, but without sin, Heb. 4.15. Now though there be no passions, as there's no infirmities in God; yet the flower, the blossome, the excellency of all these are infinitly in God, [non-Latin text not transcribed] he striketh & tryeth, and yet pittieth, Judg. 10. Israel cryeth to the Lord in their bondage, Arrias Monta. in Margine & angustiis affecta. Vatabl. & abreviata est anima ejus. he giveth them a hard answer, Go to the Gods (saith he) that ye have chosen, and let them deliver you; they still are in bondage, and weep upon him, v. 16. The Lords soul was grieved, Heb. Cut short for the miserie of Israel, so Jer. 31. Two evils befall Ephraim, one is, Gods correcting hand; another is, bemoaning and sorrow for sin, both are trials, but how doth God express himself toward Ephraim? v. 20. Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a son of consolations? so the Hebrew, Is he my dainty childe? for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him: Observe the income of Gods consolations, after sad and heavy tryals, Isa. 54.11. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and thy foundation with Saphires, Isa. 40.1. Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people saith our God: 2. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is accomplished: There is a violence of heavenly passion in Christs love, it will come out at length; tempted ones wait on, you shall see Christ as Christ in the end of the day; Christ is well worthy a dayes weeping, and a dayes waiting on; compassion strangled and inclosed in Christ must break out, it easeth Christs minde that his bowels of mercy findeth a vent; pitty kept within Gods bowels (to speak so) paineth him, it must come out, Hos. 11.8. Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. O how rude and inhumane hath sin made our nature! His love who died for us, brake Heaven and rent the two sides of the Firmament (as it were) asunder; our Lord descended, and was made a man in all things like us, except sin. But O the first, nay, the doubled summons of Christs love are not obeyed. Love cryeth, we are deaf; Christs love hunteth no other prey but our heart, and he cannot have it. After Christ hath tempted a soul, he must put it in his heart; its an ease and comfort to Christ, to ease and comfort the tempted: he is now trying Britain, and giving his Bride a cup of blood and tears to drink; But who knowes what bowels, what turnings of heart, what motions of compassion are in the man Christ now in Heaven? Those who shall live to see the Lord take his Bride in his armes and embrace her after these many temptations, that now your eyes seeth, shall subscribe to the truth of this, and those who finde Christs love-embracements, after Desertions know this. Should we suppose that there were in Christ but this one attribute of tender compassion toward his own tempted ones, it should make him altogether lovely to us: Christs motion of tender mercy as it were naturall. for the motion of tender mercy in Christ, upon the supposition of Free-love that he died for his own, is naturall, he having taken a mans heart to Heaven with him, and borrowed nature from us as our compassionate High-Priest, he cannot but pitty; mercy acteth as a naturall agent in him. Now suppose we that the mother were eternall, and her child eternall, but eternally weak; compassion should eternally flow from the mother to the child; suppose a fair rose to grow eternally, and the Summer Sun to shine near it eternally, and life and sap to keep it vigorous eternally, it should cast out a sweet smell, and offer its beauty to the eyes and senses eternally. In Jesus Christ the heart and tender bowels of the sweetest, mildest, and most compassionate nature of man, that God can possibly form, hath met with eternall and infinite mercy in God Christ, and to say nothing that mercy in Christ man hath been putting forth the sweet smelling acts of love, without tiring, summer, and winter, night and day, these sixteen hundred years, and that even now while you read this, he is casting out acts of love and mercy; an eternall High Priest could do no other thing for ever, but compassionate his own redeemed flesh. Mercy chuseth a lover freely, Jacob, not Esau; this man, not that man; the fool, not the wise man; the beggar, not the Prince: the servant, not the master: but having once made choice, it worketh necessarily and eternally. Christs love hath no vacation, no cessation: but when he tempteth, smiteth, afflicteth, trieth, Love and tender mercy worketh in the dark. Josephs bowels were upon action, and busie when his Brethren saw no such thing, even when he was accusing them as spies, and dealing roughly with them. When the sword of the Lord, drunken, swelled, and fatted with blood, is now raging in the three Kingdoms: mercy in our High Priest and his bowels are rouled within him, though we cannot see Christs inner side. It is like the place, Hebrews 4.15. is but an allusive Exposition of the rowled and moved bowels of GOD, Jeremiah 31.20. CHRIST is, Mercy worketh in secret under a bloody dispensation. as it were in Heaven burning and flaming in a passion of compassion toward his weak ones: he is not only touched, but pained with our infirmities, so the word doth bear; we shall not do well to make the tempted condition that either the Church or a soul is in, the rule of Gods love: Gods fiery dispensation in Zion, or in a soul, in the burning bush, speaketh not alwayes wrath, make not false Commentaries on Christs tempting dispensation: Hell is accidentall to the love of Christ, and cannot change it. Suppose Christs tender mercy were in the midst of the flames of Hell; yet there mercy should be mercy, and work as mercy, and not belie it self; never a rod of God upon any elect childe of God (save upon Christ only) did speak satisfactory vengeance for sin. Quest. Why? is not Christ now red in his apparell, and his garments dyed and dipped in blood, and hath he not put on vengeance as a garment in the three Kingdoms? Ans. Yes, and for the provocations of England, their unrepented Idolatry, superstition, vanity, pride, security, unthankfulnesse to God, who hath broken the rod of the oppressour, and delivered them from pressures of conscience under Episcopacy, a Masse-service, and burdensome ceremonies, and for the sins of the King, Queen, Court, Prelats, and Prophets, the persecuting and killing the witnesses of Christ in Queen Maries days, Iudgements on the kingdoms, except they repent. and in the late Prelats time, and the present unjustice, carelesse, and remisse minding Religion, and their labouring to spoile the Kingdome of Christ of that power that Christ hath given to his people of Church-discipline, and translating it to their Parliament, to make Church-discipline Parliament-discipline, confounding so the two kingdoms; their tolerating of blasphemous sects; some denying the Godhead of Christ, some his Kingly Office to sanctifie, govern his people; some his Priestly, some his Propheticall Office, and many other sins of Prophets, and people not repented of; and most of these sins, and many others, and especially the breach of the Covenant in Scotland; these two Kingdomes are to fear heavy judgements, and that their calamity is not yet at an end: But rather one wo is passed, but another cometh, Except these lands be humbled, and lie in the dust before the Lord: Yet in all this, the dispensation of God, though bloody, is but the Lord saying, as of old, so now to Britain, Isa. 1.25. And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy drosse, and take away all thy tin. 26. And I will restore thy Judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt be called the city of righteousnes, the faithfull city: 27. Zion shall be redeemed with judgement, and her converts with righteousnesse: 2. A rough dispensation of Christ cannot abide long rough to the Saints, A rough dispensation consistent with tenderness of love in our Lord. he must answer and ease the pain of the womans broken spirit; its a nights pain to Christ to cause the tears run down the cheeks of his Church all the night, he cannot but bring a day light of joy before the Suns ordinary time to rise, Ps. 30.5. Christ smiteth and weepeth for compassion both at once: Tender mercy in Christ moveth as much, if not more within then without: The mothers bowels are as much on work within, when the childe is but upon her breasts, and he is not capable to know a mother, as a mother, and love as love as ever; when the deserted is but new and hot come out of the second womb, and a babe born over again, yet in a spirituall Feaver, he is as much as ever in the bowels of Christ, though he be not in that case capable of the sense and actuall apprehension of Christ as Christ, and of the sense of Christs love as his love, Ier. 31.20. Since the time that I sufficiently talked with him in correcting him, or since the time of my sufficiency of speaking against him, in remembring him, I do remember him. I spake much in mine anger against him, and half against my will; I did chide him and scourge him, but my moved bowels, the stirrings of a compassionating heart, did contradict (in a manner) my rough correcting: my heart came out of me with every rough word, and stroke: The Sun and nature worketh long and many years under earth, in the generation of Gold and Silver ere we see gold and silver: God and his servant nature did us a pleasure & a great favour in that kind, in secret, down in the bowels of the earth, to make unseen and concealed provision for our purses, this secret love to us acted down in the dark is no love to us, while we find it, and see it, yet is nature in a mystery under a vail, sweating under earth to bring forth for us Mettals, Trees, Herbs, Flowers, corn for our service, but we see no harvest at that time: Christs bowels are sweating and as much labouring in childe-birth paine of compassion and love, and tender mercy toward us when we are in an Ague, and a fit of desertion, as at any time; but we are loved of Christ, and pittied, and we know no such thing: All Christs answers and words to this woman till now, were but interpretations and Proclamations of wrath, and rejecting of her, as not one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, a Dog under the Table, not a child of the house; love came never above ground till now; yet did Christs affection and love yern upon her all the time. Out of all this we collect: Christ may love persons, & yet his dispensation may be so rough, as that to their sense there is no ground of being assured that Christ loveth them, til he shall be pleased to manifest it: Hence we may gather these Propositions considerable for the Times. 1. Propos. Gods free and unhired love is the cause of our Redemption, Vocation, Pro. 1. Free love goeth before our Redemption. Sanctification, and eternall salvation; he loved us in our blood, and while we were polluted in our blood, Ezech. 16.6.8. When we were the lost world, Joh. 3.16. ungodly, Rom. 5.6. Enemies, ver. 10. He quickned us, called us, when dead in sinnes, Eph. 2.1. Without works, 2 Tim. 1.9. The bil of Grace is Christs welcome and pay nothing. Den. Ser Grace, mercy, p. 33.34. Pro. 2. Confesse of the Belgick Armi. Christ loveth the persons of the Elect & hateth their sins 2. Our Divines say God loveth the persons of the Elect, but hateth their sins, M. Denne offendeth at this, and so doth the Arminians with the same reason, if God hate the works of iniquity he cannot but hate the persons, and workers of iniquity also: Its true, the Lord hateth so the persons of the Elect for their sins; as he taketh vengeance of their sins on their Surety Christ, but this consisteth with the Lords loving of their persons to eternall salvation: The truth is, Gods affection ad intra of hatred and displeasure, never so passeth on the persons of the Elect, as on the persons of the Reprobate; he had thoughts of love and peace in secret, from eternity, to his own Elect, he did frame a Heaven, a Saviour for them, before all time. 3. Propos. Our Divines do rightly teach, that there is a twofold love in God; Pro. 3. Amor benevolentiae, A love of wel willing, which he did bear to them before the world was, A twofold love in God, one of good wil to the person, another of compla [illegible: 1 letter]ency to his own image in the person Ib. p. 35. & it is called the love of Election: Of this love, Rom. 9.13. Paul speaketh, I have loved Jacob and hated Esau: this is fountain love, the wel-head of all our salvation: There is another love called Amor complacentiae, A love of complacency, a love of justification (so M. Denne termeth it) which presupposeth faith: Without which its unpossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. of this Christ speaketh, Joh. 14.21. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my self to him, ver. 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him; so Christ the wisdom of God saith, I love them that love me, Pro. 8.17. And so Christ speaketh of his love to his redeemed and sanctified Spouse, Can. 4.9. Thou hast ravished my heart my sister, my Spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes, with one chain of thy neck: Holines and the image of God is the object of this love, not the cause nor any hire: it is not so properly love as the other. God rather loveth persons, desiring well and good to them, then things. Mr. Denne is not content with this distinction; and why: The love of Election, and the love of Justification (saith he) are not diverse loves, or divers degrees of love, but divers manifestations of one and the same infinite love; as when a Father hath conveyed an Inheritance to his son, here is no new love from the Father to the son, Obj. i. No new love in God. but a new manifestation of that love wherewith the Father loved the son before. Answ. Men should not take on them to refute they know not what; not any Protestant Divines ever taught, that there is a new love in God, or any new degree of love in God, that was not in him before: Arminians indeed tell us of new love, new desires, and of ebbing & flowing; love and hatred succeeding one to another in Gods minde, these Vorstian blasphemies we disclaim; it is indeed, one and the same simple and holy will of God, by which he loved Peter and John from eternity, and choosed them to salvation, & by which he so loveth them in time, as of Free-grace he bestoweth on them Faith, Holiness, Pardon in Christ, and followeth these with his love; and the former is called his love of good will to their person, ere they do good or ill: the latter his love of complacency to their State, and the Lords new workman-ship in them, as with the same love the husband chooseth such a one for his wife, and loveth her being now his married Spouse. Obj. 2. Men like those whom they love, and so doth God. Obj. 2. Denne, pag. 36. Ans. We grant all; these termes of Gods good loving, and good-liking, are chosen of Divines to expresse the thing. God loveth and liketh Jacob not Esau, from eternity, ere he believe or do good: but he doth not so love and like Jacob from eternity, to bestow Faith and the Image of the second Adam on him, while in time he hear the Word and be humbled for sin, and the truth is, the love of complacency is not a new act of Gods wil that ariseth in God in time, but the declaration of Gods love of good wil in this effect, that God is pleased to bestow faith & his beauty of holinesse which maketh the soul lovely to God, and it is rather the effect of eternall love, then love. And God hath a love of complacency toward the persons of the Elect, & love of good will (though not of chusing good will toward them) for their holiness, Cant. 4.9. Obj. 3. It is absurd that God should love the Elect vvith infinite love to chuse them to salvation, Obj. 3. Pag. 37. as touching their persons, and withall to hate them with an infinite batred, as workers of iniquity. Answ. It were absurd I grant, if Gods hatred to the Elect as sinners, were any immanent affection in God opposite to his love, by which he should be averse to their persons. But Gods hatred to the Elect, because they are sinners, is nothing but his displicency against sin (not against the person) so as he is to inflict satisfactory punishment on the surety Christ for their sin. A Father may so love his Prodigall Son, as to retain a purpose to make him Inheritor of a Kingdom (if he had a Crown for himself) and to pay his debts, and yet both hate and punish his profuse and lavish wasting of his goods. Mr. Denne would teach us how love and hatred toward sinners doth consist. Denne. Serm. Grace, mercy, & peace Pag 38, The Law (saith he) and the Gospel speak divers things, the one being the manifestation of Gods Justice, tells us what we are by nature; the other, the manifestation of Gods mercy, tells us what we are by Gods mercy in Jesus Christ. The Law curseth and condemneth the sinner, The Gospel blesseth and justifieth the ungodly. Ans. What is this else? But that which Mr Denne and other Antinomians condemn in us? How can one and the same unchangeable God curse condemn, and so hate sinners, as to punish them eternally, and yet blesse, justifie, and love to eternall salvation their persons, except they teach the same very thing which we do? For the Law and the Gospel are no more contrary one to another, then love to the persons of the Elect, and hatred and revenging justice to their sins: Pag. 38, 39. Mr. Denne would further clear the point thus; What ever wrath the Law speeketh it is to the sinner under the Law, although the elect are sinners in the judgment of the Law, sense, reason, yea oftentimes conscience, yet having their sins translated into the Son of God (in whom they are elected) they are righteous in Christ the Mediator. Ans. The Law speaketh wrath in regard of its reign and dominion to death to the elect not yet converted, What it is to be under the Law. and to the reprobate without exception of persons: but it cannot speak wrath to the believer though he be one that daily sins, and is under the Law: that is, under the rule of the Law: now to be under the Law to Paul, Rom. 6. and 7. is to be under the damnation of the Law: in which regard believers are not under the Law, but under the sweet reign of pardoning grace, yet are they under the Law as a Tutor, a guide, a rule: and that the rule and reign of the Law are different is evident, 1. because the ruling power of the Law is an essentiall ingredient of the Law, without the which the Law is not the Law: the reign or damnation of the Law agreeth to the Law by accident, in so far as man is a sinner, which is a state accidental to the law. 2. The Law is a rule, and hath a proper guidance and tutory over the confirmed Angels, and should have had over man if he had never sinned, but the Law can have no reign to death over the confirmed Angels, and man in that case, as the Iayler hath no power over the man, who was never an evil doer. 1. We are sinners in the judgement of Law, both sin dwelling in vs, and 2. the guilt of the Law lying on us to condemnation: But being once in Christ, and justified, we remain sinners, as touching the indwelling blot, but we are not sinners, as we are justified in Christ, as touching the Law-obligation to eternall condemnation, from which we are fully freed. But the justified and redeemed of Christ remain as formally and inherently sinners, as Milk is formally white, a Raven black: Justification removeth not the indwelling of sin, and so in regard of sense, reason, and conscience, we are sinners to our dying day, but not condemned sinners. M. Denne objecteth; We pray daily, forgive us our sins, then we are not righteous in Christ; he answereth, that Protestants say, Pag. 44. we begge greater certainty and assurance of forgivenesse; but not content with this answer, he addeth, When we pray for forgivenesse, we magnifie his grace, who hath freely given us forgivenesse, it were not folly to a condemned person, having receied a pardon, and being assured of it, to fall down and say, Pardon me my Lord the King. Ans. What Protestant Divines say in this, we acknowledge; but if we seek only a fuller certainty of forgivenesse in this Petition, and not also the application of the generall pardon, as appropriated to the sins we daily fall in; I see no other thing we seek, but a greater measure of faith to lay hold on remission: I should ask a warrant of Scripture to prove that forgiveness of sin signifieth assurance of the pardon of sin. 2. That to seek forgivenes daily is, to glorifie and magnifie him from whom we once received forgivenesse, is not to purpose, for that is a generall in all Petitions that we put up to God, no lesse then in this. 3. If a pardoned malefactor having assurance he were pardoned, should fall down and begge pardon of the King, and not rather tender him thanks and blessings, for a received pardon; I should believe he called in question the Kings favour; but should he every day, when he eateth bread, beg pardon from the King, as we beg daily forgivenesse, he might be charged with more then ordinary folly. Pap. 45, 46. Pag. 54. M. Denne; God loves us in blood (saith he) and pollution, as well before conversion, as after conversion: and though faith procure not Gods love and favour, yet it serveth us for other uses, that we may be sealed by believing, Eph. 1.13. and may thereby know the love of God. It is said, he that believeth not is damned, not because his believing doth alter or change his estate before God, but because God hath promised, that he will not only give us remission, but also faith for our consolation, and so faith becometh a note, and a mark of life everlasting, as finall infidelity is of eternall condemnation. Ans. 1. It is true God loveth the elect before conversion equally, as after conversion, in regard of that free love of election, that moved him to give his Son to death for them, Joh. 3.16. and to call them effectually, 2 Tim. 1.9. Eph. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. Tit. 3.3, 4. 4. Propos. It is a palpable untruth, Pro. 4. that the elect by believing in Christ, and being translated from death to life in their conversion to God, are equally loved of God, before conversion as after conversion, if we speak of Gods love of complacency, for though the inward affection and love of God, as it is an immanent and indwelling act in God, be eternall, and have not its rise in time, and be not like the love of man to man, which is like the Sea ebbing and flowing; or the Moon, How God loveth us before time & how he now loveth us in time. which admitteth of a cloudy and dark visage, and of an enlighted and full condition, yet as the same love of God is terminated upon sinfull men, or rather that which is called, the love of complacency, which is indeed the effect of Gods love; it is not every way one and the same after conversion and before; as it is the same fountain and spring that runneth in its streams toward the South, which by Art and industry of men may be made to run toward the North, the change is in the streams, not in the fountain, yet we say the fountain now runneth not Southward, as it did afore, but Northward: also give me leave to doubt, if these same very visible Sun beams, that did fall upon Adam and Eve, doth this Summer fall upon us, yet I doubt not but the same Sun that did shine the first six hours of the Creation, on the Garden of Paradice, shineth upon all our gardens and orchards that now are. So Gods love is one & the same toward the elect before time, and while they are wallowing in the state of sinfull and depraved nature; and now when they are changed in the spirits of their mind. But it may well be said that God loveth his Church, as washed, as fair, and spotlesse, Cant. 4.7. and that he doth now say of her, Cant. 4.10. How fair is thy love, my sister, my Spouse! how much better is thy love then wine, and the smell of thine ointments then all spices? whereas the Lord said before of her, Eze. 16.3. Thy birth and thy nativity is of the Land of Canaan, thy father was an Amorite, thy mother an Hittite. 4. As for thy nativity, in the day that thou wast born, thy Naevell was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee: thou wast not salted at all, nor swadled at all — 6. And when I possed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thy blood: I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live: and all this the Lord might speak to the same Church yet unconverted; and at that time the Lord could not utter that expression of love, to say to a bloudy and polluted Church as he doth, Can. 4.7. Thou art all fair, my love, there is not a spot in thee; now could it be said, that the Father and the son loveth such a Church, as such as loveth the Father, and keepeth the words of the Son, as it is, Ioh. 14.21.23. what the Church was not fair, not spotlesse; but filthy, polluted, not washed, not justified as yet; and though it be true, that faith procure not Gods love and favour (it is a calumnie that ever Protestant Divine taught any such thing) for the work of Gods eternall love in election to Glory, or his hatred in reprobation, is not the yesterday or the daies-birth of our faith, or our unbelief, yet that believing, or our effectual conversion maketh no alteration or change in our state before God, is a grosse untruth; Faith and conversion maketh indeed, No change of any state in the ancient of days, in the strength of Israel, who cannot lie or repent, and putteth not God from the State of a Reprobating or hating, or a not loving and choosing God, whereas before he was such, who did love and chuse us to salvation, (the Lord is our witnesse) we asserted the contrary doctrine of Free-grace against Arminians and Papists. 5. Prop. Our believing and conversion to God doth alter and change our state before God: By faith and conversion to God, our state is truely before God changed. 1. Because God esteemed an unbeliever that which he was; even an unbeliever, a child of wrath, one that is disobedient, serving divers lusts, a soul unwashed, polluted in his blood before his conversion to God; but being once converted and graced to believe, his state before God is altered and changed, even in the Court of Heaven, in the Lords Books he is another man, he goeth now for a fair and undefiled soul, the Church that was in a polluted, filthy, and miserable condition Ezek. 16.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Is now in Christs heart as a seal, Cant. 8.6. so fair, as her beauty ravisheth the heart of Christ; now Christ nameth things according to their nature: 2. The condition is so changed before God, that Hos. 1.10. It cometh to passe, That in the place, where it was said to them, ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, ye are the sons of the living God, 1 Pet. 2.10. Which in time past, were not a people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy: 3. The words of Scripture, that importeth a reall change, doth prove the same, as Col. 1.12. Who hath made us meet, or sufficiently qualified us, to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Christ is a qualified work▪ man, and changeth Hel, and the most untoward Timber of Hell, in Heaven and in a Vessell of glory: Its a vain thing, to dream that Christ hath no other esteem and warmnesse of heart to us when we are dead in sins and trespasses, and Posting as in a horse race after the Devil, who rideth, and acteth and breatheth in the children of disobedience, and when he hath raised and quickned us for his great love, and placed us in Heaven with Christ, Eph. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. And made us Kings and Priests unto God: Then the state of Hell and Death, should be the very state of Grace and Heaven before God: A new creature, 2 Cor. 5.17. Light in the Lord, Eph. 5.8. partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Renewed in the spirit of the mind, Eph. 4.23. Such as are begotten again, unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the Dead, 1 Pet. 1.3. Born again not of corruptible seed, 1 Pet. 1.23. Kings and Priests unto God, Rev. 1.5. A generation of Kings & Priests unto God, 1 Pet. 2.9. Must be in their state, some other thing then old creatures, then darknes, then unrenewed, uncircumcised old men, slaves of sin, persecutors, blasphemers, injurious persons: The Lord speaketh of a change great enough, Is. 43.4. Since thou wast precious in my sight; thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee, &c. Were the children of wrath from Eternity Honourable? No, were they more precious & honourable actually before God from eterernity, then the rest of the Nations? No, the contrary is evident, Ez. 16.3. Deu. 7.7, 8. Ps. 147.19, 20 Deu. 26.5. Certainly, if Faith or conversion to God (a special part of which is Faith) doth not alter the state of Believers before God, then are they Believers, and actually converted before God, and so justified from eternity? When were they then sinners? Never, Their sins were just no sins from Eternity, and blotted away as a cloud, as a thick cloud, as it is Isa. 44.22. And that from Eternity, and from Eternity sought and not found, because pardoned, Jerem. 5.20. no more remembred, Isaiah 43.25. now they were justified from Eternity, and ere they believe in him that justifieth the ungodly, no other ways then in Gods decree and eternall purpose; but the truth is, this is the principle, false and rotten pillar of all Libertinisme, which I evert thus; and they shall never be able to answer it, if faith be so far forth a manifestation of our justification before God, because justification was in the sight of God actually done from eternity, before all time; then are we never ungodly and actually sinners before God: For it is unpossible (say Antinomians) that God can both hate us, as ungodly, and love us as iustified in Christ; and it is vain, and non se[illegible: 1 letter]se (say they) that God loved the persons from eternity and hated the sins, or that he loved the elect with the love of election, or love of good▪ will, & did not also love them with the love of justification (this is their term not mine) or with the love of complacency, and his good liking to faith in them. Then (say I) from eternity the justified were never ungodly, never sinners, never the heirs of wrath, never such as served divers lusts, To be justified by faith is not barely to come to the knowledg that wee are justified before we believe, or from eternity. Serm. of grace, mercy & peace pa. 33, 34. and were disobedient, polluted in their own blood, which is down-right contrary to the word of truth. 2. Observe the Principle of Antinomians: We are not justified by faith (say the) How then? Because we are justified from eternity, only we are said by Paul to be justified by faith, in that by faith we come to the knowledge and assurance of the state of election, and of justification, and Gods Act of not imputing sin to us, which Acts were possed upon us from eternity, and before the children had done good or evill, Rom. 9.13. And observe the words of Mr. Hen. Denne to this purpose: I do beleeve (saith he) sin to be of that hideous nature, and the justice of God so perfect, that be cannot but hate the person, unto whom be imputeth, and upon whom be chargeth sin, if so be the person charged cannot give full, perfect, and present satisfaction; and yet will I not say, that the Son of God, upon whom all our iniquities were charged, was at any time, Filius Odii, a son of hatred (for the Father was eternally well-pleased with him) the reason is, that our sins were no sooner charged upon him, but that he had given full and perfect satisfaction, being the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world, Rev. 13.8. Answ. If God cannot but hate the person upon whom he chargeth sin, either God never charged our sins upon Christ: contrary to Scripture, Isa. 53.6. 1 Pet. 2.23, 24. 2 Cor. 5.21. or then he hated Christ, which no sound Divine dare say: Iustification not eternall. The payment and satisfaction which Christ made, cannot hinder Christ to hate sin, & so the person upon whom sin is (as Antinomians teach, while as they refuse this distinction) no more then the satisfaction that Christ made for sin, can hinder it self, or hinder Christ to die for sin; for if God should hate Christ, it should be satisfactory hatred, and penall. 2. I much wonder, if God from eternity charged sin upon his Son Christ (for the place he citeth, Rev. 13.8. and the judgement of Antinomians so expounding it, evinceth this to be his meaning) how Christ from eternity could give full, perfect, and present satisfaction to prevent the hatred of his Father, is not imaginable: indeed, when Christ gave satisfaction, I beleeve that it was full and perfect: but that Christ from eternity gave present satisfaction, and that to make us actually justified from all Eternity, is a Point no head can conceive, except Herod, Pilate, Iews & Gentiles, the Traitour Judas, and all who were wicked Actors in killing of Christ, be men uncreated, who had existence and being, and sinned from eternity; this lieth fairly for the eternall world of Aristotle; then surely faith doth not bring us to the knowledge, only of our state of justification, as passed, and done from eternity, as if election to glory, and the love of God therein, and justification, and that love, as manifested by faith, were two coeternal twins, both at once begotten from eternity. Sure I am, we are justified by faith; but sure I am, we are not elected and chosen to life eternall by faith: And if to be justified by faith, be as our Masters (though ignorantly) teach, nothing but this, that we come to the knowledge of our justification by faith, as by a sign, even as the day-star maketh not the Sun to rise, it being only a signe that the Sun shall rise, and that justification is as old a childe of free-love as election to life. Then say I, Paul might have taken the like pains to prove these Propositions: We are chosen to glory before the world was, by faith, and not by the good works of the Law: and this (men are reprobated from eternity by finall unbeleef.) For sure it is, that we come to the knowledge of our election to glory by beleeving; not to say, that Pauls large dispute with justiciaries, was not whether we know, and apprehend our own justification by the works of the Law, or by faith in Christ. 3. If Antinomians say, That Christ was slain for our sins from eternity, not actually, but only in Gods eternall purpose; and they must say, either he was the Lamb actually crucified for us from eternity (which is a new eternal world) & we are actually justified from eternity, and our sins imputed to Christ, and actually translated off us, and laid on him, and so our sins are actually pardoned from eternity: Or, then they must say, Christ was the Lambe slain from eternity, not actually, not really, but only in the decree and gracious purpose of God; now that is (I grant, sound Divinity) Christ died not from eternity, but God only decreed and purposed that in the fulnesse of time, he should die; But then it must follow, that God did not actually charge sin on Christ from eternity, and that Christ did not actually from eternity justifie the ungodly, but onely in his eternall purpose, he did justifie the ungodly: Then the ungodly are justified in time; and when is this time? I believe the word of God, that it is never while the poor soul believe; even as the sinner is condemned, and under wrath, but never while he mis-believe, and reject the Son of God. But 4. if the meaning (that Christ is the Lamb slain for our sins from eternity) be, that he is slain only in Gods purpose, then are we no more justified and pardoned from eternity, and so before we beleeve, then the world was created from eternity. Now in the Antinomian sense, as we are justified by faith, that is, we come to know that we were in Gods minde actually justified; Then it may be said, The world was created by faith: For Heb. 11.2. Through faith we understood that the world was created; and God laid our sins upon Christ by faith: and Christ died for us, and bare our sins, on his own body, on the tree, by faith: For, by faith, we come to know that God made the world; but because the knowledge and apprehension of the creation (may some say) is not a point serving for peace of conscience, and Christian consolation, which yet is false, (every point of saving faith is apt to breed peace and consolation) yet certainly we came to know and apprehend that God laid our sins upon Christ by faith, Isa. 53.6. and that Christ died for us, and bare our sins on his own body on the tree by faith, and by faith only, to our peace and consolation; and so, if justification by faith be nothing but the manifestation of Gods love to us in imputing our sins to Christ, and have no subordinat organicall act in our justification, but we be justified before we believe, and that from eternity, upon the very same ground, God created the world by faith, Christ died for our sins by faith. 5. Yea, in this sense the world must be created from eternity, and all things which fell out in time fell out in eternity, because as Christ was the Lamb slain from eternity, in Gods eternall purpose, so were all things, and the world created from eternity in Gods purpose and decree, but things that only have being in the decree of God, are not simply, nor have they any being at all; and therefore our free justification from eternity had no being, but only was to be, and actually is, when God giveth us faith to lay hold on the remission of our sins. Nor is it enough to say, That faith is only given for our joy and consolation, Faith is not onely given for our joy and consolation, also for our justification, but in our own soul, and before God. and not for the alteration and change of our state; that of unjustified we may be justified: For this layeth down these false grounds: 1. The believer is so [illegible: 1 letter]n every moment of time to rejoice, as he is never to sorrow for sin, nor to confesse sin, because [illegible: 1 letter]ins were pardoned from all eternity; but so, neither after a soul believe, nor before he believe, is he to confesse sins, or mourn for them; because both after and before, yea from eterni [illegible: 1 letter]y, sins are not at all, but removed in Christ. 2. It [illegible: 1 letter]ayeth down this ground, that we are justified no more by faith, then by the works done, by the saving grace of God after regeneration, [illegible: 1 letter]nd that Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes [illegible: 1 letter]nd Galatians, does contend with justiciaries, [illegible: 1 letter]ow these who were from eternity justified, shall come to know and apprehend, for their [illegible: 1 letter]wn peace, joy, and consolation, that they were [illegible: 1 letter]ustified, and elected to glory; whether men [illegible: 1 letter]ay know this by faith in Christ, or by the works of the Law. But 1. this is not the state of the question between Paul and the Justiciaries: For Rom. 3. Paul concludeth strongly, we are really and indeed changed from a state of sin, unto a state of justification, even before God; not because by keeping the Law we know we are justified, but because all have sinned, and are come short of the glory of God, and so are inherently wicked, abominable, doers of ill, and condemned therefore, before God, from Davids testimony, Psal. 14. Psal. 53. This Argument concludeth reall and intrinsecall condemnation, v. 19. not the knowledge of condemnation, nor the knowledge that we are not justified by the works of the Law, Rom. 4.2. Paul proveth, that we are justified as David and Abraham was: Now they are not said to be justified by faith, because they come by faith to the knowledge of their justification: for Abrahams righteousnesse, and the blessednesse of the justified man opposed to the curse of the Law, from which we are freed in justification, Gal. 3.10, 11, 12, 13. is the reall fruit of justification, and of believing in him that justifieth the ungodly, Rom. 4.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. But this blessednesse, and freedom from the curse of the Law, is not any fruit or effect, or consequent of our knowledge and apprehension of our justification in Christ: as if we were, before we believe, blessed and freed from the curse of the Law, because ever the Elect before they believe are under the curse, and are not blessed: 1. Because they are, before they believe, the children of wrath, Eph. 2.2. Ergo, They are under the curse: 2. Because Paul and the Elect, before they be under grace and belief, were under the Law, and so under wrath, Rom. 6.14, 15, 16, 17. Rom. 7.4. Wherefore my brethren, ye also are become dead to the Law, by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another. 5. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the Law, did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death: 6. But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held, we should serve in newnesse of spirit, and not in the oldnesse of the Letter: Hence it is clear that there was a time in which Paul and the Elect at Rome were servants of sin, Rom. 6.20, 21. Under the lusts and motions of sin, which work in their Members to bring forth fruit, that is sins to death eternall, Ro. 7.5. Ergo, They were then under the curse of the Law, and so far from blessednesse, and the servants of sin, Rom. 6.20. and persons in the flesh: But the case is changed, they are now not the servants of sin, but servants of righteousnesse, Rom. 6.22. Married to a new husband Iesus Christ, Rom. 7.4. Whence came this change of two contrary states; yea, and before God contrary? (for before God, it cannot be one state to be servants of sin, under the Law, and servants of God, and under Grace:) Certainly from Faith on our part, or some other grace in us; at least there must be something of grace, by which the alteration from a cursed estate, to a blessed estate is made; then faith is not a naked manifestation of the blessednesse of justification, to the which we was intitled before we believed, for before we believed, we was in a cursed estate: This also may be added, that if Faith be but a Declaration or manifestation, that we are justified before we believe; Paul had no reason to deny that we are justified; that is, that we know to our comfort, by works of holinesse that we are justified, for works of sanctification are evident witnesses that we are in Christ, and are justified, 2 Cor. 5.17. 1 Joh. 3.14. 1 Joh. 2.3. Jam. 2.24.25. 2 Pet. 1.10. 3. It layeth down this false ground, that grace is nothing in us, but a meer comfortable sense, and apprehension of Free-love, and Grace is conceived to be only and wholly in Christ, so that there is no inherent grace in the Believer, by which he is differenced from an unbeliever, sanctification and duties flowing from the habit of grace, are nothing but dreams of Legall men; Christ justifying the sinner is all and some in the Elect: strict and precise walking, conduce nothing to salvation: To think that it can do any thing in order to salvation is to worship (saith Mr. Denne) an angry deity. 2. To satisfie justice with our works, fasting, tears, duties. Therefore our 6. Pro. 6. Propos. Is, that it is a vain distinction of Master Denne, Theres no ground for two reconciliations in Scripture, one of mans reconciliation to God, another of Gods reconciliation to man. who would have a reconciliation of God to man, and of man to God. 1. Because we read that man is reconciled to God, Rom. 5.10. 2 Cor. 5.18, 19, 20. Col. 1.20, 21. Eph. 2.16. Man is the enemy, whereas in Adam he was a friend, and in Christ the second Adam he is made a friend: but that God is reconciled to man or changed toward his own Elect from an enemy and a God that hateth their persons into a friend and lover of them, I never read, if at any time God be said to be comforted toward his people, or eased, these are borrowed speeches: 2. Love of Election; yea, the love that putteth God on work to Redeem, Call, Justifie, Sanctifie the Elect is no love bought with hire; yea, the price of Redemption, which Christ gave for sinners, cannot buy eternall love; blood, and the blood of God shed cannot woodset ancient love, all the sins of Devils, of men cannot forfeit it, make sins, floods and seas, and ten thousand worlds of rivers, they cannot quench that eternall coal and flame in the brest of so free a Lover as God, in a word, Christs merites no cause, but an effect of Gods eternall love of Election. What reconciliation is properly. the shed blood of Christ is an [illegible: 1 letter]ffect, not a cause of infinite love. 3. What [illegible: 1 letter]hen, doth reconciliation place any new thing in God? No, Doth it turn him from an Hater to a Lover? No, Reconciliation active on the Lords [illegible: 1 letter]art, is a change of his outward dispensation, not [illegible: 1 letter]f his inward affections: Fury is not in me, he [illegible: 1 letter]ith himself, Isa. 27.4. He cannot wax hot and [illegible: 2 letters]ry in the Acts of his spotlesse and holy will; Reconciliation turneth not the heart, but the hand of the Lord, upon the little ones, as he speaketh, so that he cannot deal with or punish his elect, as otherways he would do: The Lords justice may be satisfied, his love cannot be budded, or hired, and the effect of justice, the inflicting of infinite wrath is diverted, as a River that runneth East hath been made to run West, and an issue of blood in one member of the body, hath been diverted to run at another channell: justice was to run through the Elect of God, in the due & legal punishing of the sinner (which yet is extraneous to the just and eternall will of God) but infinite wise mercy, caused that River to run in another veine, through the soul of Iesus Christ. 7. Propos. Joy of the holy Ghost is a fruit of the Kingdom of Grace, Pro. 7. Rom. 14.17. But not that joy spoken of, Ser. 2. Recon of man to God, pa. 16. Ioy of the holy Ghost without all sorrow, is no fruit of the Kingdome of God. Rev. 21.4. and Is. 35.10. Which excludeth all tears, death, sorrow, crying, all sighing, as Mr. Denne dreameth, so as joy can no more be separated from the Subjects of that kingdom then light from the Sun, heat from the fire, or ebbing and flowing can be stopped in waters (as he saith) far lesse is it true, that actuall love and obedience doth inseparably follow this condition, except we were made Angels when we are once justified; nor is the Kingdom of God spoken of, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. And the seeing of God, Heb. 12.14. The Kingdom, or state of Grace or the seeing of God in a vision of Faith, here in this life (but of the Kingdom of glory, and of the vision of God in the other life) as M. Denne expoundeth it, that he may elude all necessity, Serm. 1. Reconcil. pag. 85, 86, 87. of holinesse, but that which floweth from no obligation of any Law or Commandement of God: But which is in our power of love to perform, or not perform: if we perform it not, its no transgression of any Law of God. 1. M. Denne himself granteth. pag. 84. The seeing of GOD, Heb. 12.14. and the Kingdome of GOD, 1 Cor. 6. and Joh. 3.3. not meant of the kingdome of Grace. God is not like some nigardly man, who will not bid us welcome to his house, unlesse we bring our cost with us: Nor is holinesse required of us without Faith, and before we believe and enter Citizens of the kingdom of Grace: Nay, by this interpretation, 1 Cor. 6. We must be Justified and washed before we can inherit this Kingdom, v. 9, 10.11. But we are not to be washed and justified before we inherit the Kingdom of Grace, and before we believe; for so we should be justified and washed before we be justified and washed, and the like I say of the Kingdom of God, John 3.3. Pro. 8. How all acts of blood & rough dealing in Christ toward his people, become mercy & tender compassion. For it should follow that a man must be born again, ere he be born again, if he must be born again, ere he enter a subject of the Kingdom of Grace: Nay, not any such condition can go before mans reconciliation to God. Propos. 8. Christ can love dearly and tempt [illegible: 1 letter]oughly both at once: 1. His love consisteth [illegible: 1 letter]ot in a taking his Church into his bosome, and [illegible: 1 word] continuall, and never interrupted laying of her [illegible: 1 letter]etween his breasts; yea, tempting floweth from the love of God, nor is it any act of Justice; yea, to take vengeance on the inventions of his people (satisfying Justice he cannot exerce toward his Elect; yet a punishing and correcting Justice, he may, and doth put forth on them) but it hath its rise from love; all the wheels of Gods dispensation sweet or sower, are rowled upon this Axle ttee of Free-love, the bowels of Christ, act, move, and breath all dispensations to the Saints, through no other Pipe and Channel, but free and tender compassion, so as mercy is an immediate Actor; when the Lord is wasting his Church with bloody wars: And (which is wonderful) mercy is Christs armour-bearer, & Mercy immediatly killeth, even when death climbeth in at the windows, and enters into the house of the believer, either in a pestilence known to come from no creature, or second cause; or in the raging sword, when the carcasses of men fal as dung in the open field, & as the handful after the harvest men, and there be none to bury them, Jer. 9.21, 22. 2. Tempting mercy is wise mercy, it were not atempting mercy, if we saw all the secrets of love, & the reasons why the Lord buildeth Zion with blood; even the Elect, and beloved of God, though they be in Christs court they are not always upon his counsel, Joh. 13.7. Many are within the walls of the Palace, that are not in the Kings Parlour, and taken into his house of wine. The love of Christ hath its own mysteries, and unknown secrets, as why one Saint is led to heaven, and to mens eye, The Candlestick of the Almighty shineth on his Tabernacle, and he washeth his steps in oyl: he is rich, holy, prosperous; and another, no lesse dear to Christ, never laugheth while he be within the gates of heaven, but eateth the bread of sorrow all his dayes, his face never dryeth while he be in glory, is a secret of heaven. The love of Christ is often vailed and covered, and we know not what he meaneth; but he hasteth to shew mercy. Vse. This should make us very charitable of Christ when he frowneth, and covereth himself with a cloud, and very inclinable to pardon (if I may so speak) rough and bloody dispensations in Christ: He loveth, and he bloodeth, scourgeth, and giveth his own child a cup of gall and wormwood: Could we in silence believe its Christ with two garments on him at once, Christ clothed with love, wrapped in the unseen mystery of tendernes of compassion, and yet his upper garment is vengeance, and rowled in blood, we should kisse the edge of Christs bloody sword; so we are to believe: for Isa. 63.1. Christ at one time travelleth in the greatnesse of his strength, and speaketh in rigteousnesse, and is mighty to save: and at the same time his upper garment is blood: It is true, it is the blood of his enemies: but it is often the blood of the children of his own house and Sanctuary, Ezek. 9.6. 1 Pet. 4.17. And what more concerneth us then to keep our first love to Christ? When he multiplieth our widows in the three Kingdoms, as the sand of the sea, and bringeth against the mother of the young men, a spoiler at noon-day, Jer. 15.8. This woman stayed on her watch-tower, and now the vision speaketh mercy to her: Say they were injuries that Christ inflicteth (which is a blasphemous impossibility) yet it is Christ, it is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth good to you: The absolute liberty of the Potter closeth the mouth of the clay-vessell if it could speak, Rom. 9. That unbelief hath no reason to stomack and dispute against hells fire coming from him, who hath absolute dominion over us: As Devils, and wicked men burn in hell with eternall fretting against God for their pain, so, if it were possible, that the Elect and Regenerate were thrown into hell, they are to have eternall charity, and love to the holy and just Lord, and to beleeve his eternall love.

SERMON XXV. Omnipotencie hath influence: 1. On Satan. 2 On diseases. 3. Stark Death. 4. On life it self. BE it unto thee as thou wilt.] [non-Latin text not transcribed] It[illegible: 1 letter] a word of Omnipotency, to create Being its spoken of Satan, and to Satan, Mark 9 25. Luk. 4.35. 2. None can speak to Leprosie, bu[illegible: 1 letter] Christ, Mat. 8.3. Luk. 4.39. Be thou clean. 3[illegible: 1 letter] Christ can speak to stark death, Joh. 11.43. an[illegible: 1 letter] Joh. 5.28. Jesus cryed with a loud voice, Laza[illegible: 1 letter]rus, come forth. 4. He can speak to life, In ab[illegible: 1 letter]stracto, Ezek. 37.9. Come from the four Winds, [illegible: 1 word] breath, and breathe upon these slain, 5. On Mother-nothing. 6. On all creatures &c. that they may live. 5. God can speak to Mother-nothing, as if Nothing had ears and reason, & could hear, Rom. 4.17. He calleth things that are not, as though they were: He did but nod upon Nothing, and out of Nothing there compeared before him, The great Hoste of heaven and earth, and all things in them, Psa. 33.9. 6. There is a Language of Providence by which every Being, as Being, hath a power-obedientiall to hear what God saith, and do it, Ion. 2.10. The Lord spake to the Fish, and it vomited out Ionah on the dry land. Mar. 4.39. And he arose, and rebuked the wind, [non-Latin text not transcribed] and said unto the sea, Peace, be still; and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm: What wise man can boast the Sea? What ears hath the sensless and [illegible: 1 letter]ifelesse waters? Yet they hear Christs language, they speak, Yonder standeth our Creator boa [illegible: 1 letter]ting us, and therefore we will obey, Isa. 50.2. Hear himself speak: Behold, at my rebuke, I dry up the Sea, Psa. 114. There is a question put upon the creatures, that they can well answer: ver. 5. What aileth thee, O thou Sea, that thou fleddest? Thou Iordan that thou wast driven backward? vers. 6. What ailed you, ye mountains, that ye skip [illegible: 1 letter]ed like Rams, and ye little hills like Lambs? Good reason saith the Spirit: vers. 7. Tremble thou [illegible: 1 letter]arth, at the presence of the Lord: Obedientiall power in the creature, what it is at the presence of the God of Iacob: This obedientiall power is not any quality created in the creature different from their being, for God may use any creature to infinite effects of omnipotency, and so there should be infinite created qualities in every finite creature. 2. This obedientiall power was in that Mother-nothing, out of which, God by an omnipotent act of creation, extracted all the hosts of creatures that now are; and its in that other Mother-nothing, yet objected to omnipotency, according to which God may create infinite moe worlds then now are, so it please him; its then nothing, but a non-repugnancy, to hear and obey God in these particulars: As, 1. Omnipotency of strong grace, can speak to sin, which none can do, but God, Ezek. 16.6. I said to thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live: This Mandate of omnipotent grace is spoken to Jerusalem, as hardened, and cold dead in sin, Eph. 5, 14. Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light: This is a Commandement of omnipotency, given out of sinfull rebellion: If Omnipotence say, See ye blind: hear, ye deaf: Grace is a King over sin, and omnipotency a mighty Conqueror: Rebellion cannot stand before the grace of God, could we resigne Rebellious and dead hearts to God, he should change them, though we be most unable to master them: 2. Meer-nothing is a servant to omnipotency: he sendeth his mandate, or statute of heaven, to meer-nothing, and Darknesse, as the Sergeant and Pursevant of GOD, must send out Light, by vertue of a creating Mandate, 2 Cor. 4.6. 3. Every creature is under the awe of Omnipotency, and dare not without (as it were) a written and signed Ordinance and Statute of the Almighty, exercise their naturall operations: As the Lord sendeth an awfull mandate to the Sea, and God saith, Do not ebbe and flow: and the sea is dried up at his rebuke, Psal. 77.16. The waters saw thee, O God, the Waters saw thee, they were afraid: So saith he: Winds, blow not: Seas, rage not: fire, burn not: Lyons, devor not: Sun, move not: Clouds, rain not: Devils, hurt not: Waters, overwhelm not: Sword, destroy not: and they all obey. 4. There is a power obedientiall, in creatures to be instruments that can be elevated above, and contrary to their nature to miracles, as clay to be a plaster to blinde eyes to make them see, whereas clay can put out seeing eyes: by this, Iron can swim. Peter walk in the Sea; yea, devils & men crossing Gods Morall wil, fulfill his eternall Counsell; according to that, Ps. 119.91. All are thy servants, Hell, Devils, Gavaliers, Malignants, Papists are Gods servants: 5. By this power, where as nature must have time and hours to work, yet nature followeth the swift pace of omnipotency: the Fever departeth from Peters mother in Law in an instant. 6. By this power creatures creep into nothing, when God commandeth them so to do: God putteth his arm to the Heaven, and shaketh it, and the Hangings, Pillars, Walls, plenishing of the house of Heaven and earth, [non-Latin text not transcribed] are all dissolved; all the old Tenants of the world, the Heavens which have sitten in Gods house 5000 years, at the first warning of their Almighty Land-lord must remove and retire into nothing, if God so command them. 1. Use. Omnipotency is (as it were) a servant to Faith. Vse 1. It is comfort, to the believer all things are possible; Faith hath omnipotency at its service, the sword and wars are gone, the enemies of the Lord broken, the Temple built, Babylon plagued at the nod of Faith, Devils cannot stand, when Christs Mandate chargeth them to fall. 2. Use. Vse 2. It is but little that we can do, let us have Hosts of men, we cannot have the victory: Let man be swift, yet the Race is not to the swift; let him be strong, Yet the battell is not to the strong; let him be wise and learned, Neither is bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, Eccles. 9.11. 1. The word of the Almighty is his deed also, Psal. 33.9. He spake, & it was done, he commanded, and it stood fast; [non-Latin text not transcribed] For he himself spake, and it was: The Lords word giveth being to things, by the contrary; mens deeds are nothing but words; so the lives, being, and actions of the Kings of Israel and Iudah, are called Dibre hajamim, [non-Latin text not transcribed] words of dayes: They are the acts and deeds of men living and dying, and compassed with dayes; for the deeds and acts of men are but words, they live and speak a little on earth and die, their acts are of as little worth, and reality as the airing out, and breathing forth of words: The greatest Prince maketh a sound for a time, as one that speaketh words, and then he is gone, and lyeth silent in the grave; Solomon did many acts, but they are called words only, 1 Kin. 11.41. And the rest of the acts of Solomon; Hebrew, [non-Latin text not transcribed] The rest of the words of Solomon, Are written in the Books of the Acts; Hebrew, Of the words of Solomon, 2 Kin. 21.25. And the rest of the words which Amon did, are written in the Book of the words of the days of the Kings of Judah. We use not properly to do, or act words, but to speak words; [non-Latin text not transcribed] but the holy Language maketh man and all his noble acts but words, and would expresse that he is a creature of no great action, and can say more, then he can do: Strong and mighty man is but a creature of words, he is a speaking body of clay, and can do but little. We boast much that this, and this we shall do, God hath a lock and a chain of Iron on all the creatures; Armies are not to be feared, the Lord smites the horse and the rider, & maketh war to cease unto the end of the earth, he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the Chariot in the fire, Psal. 46.9. Be not afraid of clay, Esay 51.12. Vse 3. If the Lords word create the being of things,3. Use. We worship a Dependent God then are we to conceive of him as of an Independent Soveraigne; we forget this, and worship a Dependent God: If I suffer the people to go to worship at Jerusalem (saith Jeroboam) I shall lose both life and Kingdom; God had promised the contrary to establish him and his Kingdom, so he would do what is right in the sight of the Lord, 1 Kin. 11.37, 38. But he believed that God in the fulfilling of his promise must depend upon the Calves set up at Dan and Bethel: So the Jews will have God in the preserving of their Kingdom and place, Joh. 11.48. to depend upon the sinfull murthering of the Lord of Glory; yea, we imagine that God cannot carry on the work of Reformation, except we comply with some sort of Antichristian Prelate: The King thinketh he cannot be a Monarch except he have a Prerogative to play the Tyrant, and his Throne must fall, except the Antichrist and blood, and unlawfull peace with the bloody Irish murtherers, and destroying of the Lords Redeemed flock in both Kingdoms, be the bloody Pillars of his Throne and Royall power: So God cannot save us, if France, Denmarke, Spain and Ireland come against these Kingdomes; we are so wasted, except we make a Peace dishonourable to Jesus Christ and his prerogative Royal; all this is to place God in a state of Dependency, we are too wickedly carefull how God shall acquit himself in his office of Governing the world; ere you or I were born, the Lord governed the world, and his Church without a miscarry (the Churches Heaven cannot be marr'd in Christs hand) and when we are rotten in the dust, he shall carry on all in righteousnesse and wisdom, but we take it ill, if we cannot have a providence as fair and eye-sweet, as white Paper, though indeed there be not one spot in Gods wayes; so Martha, Joh. 11.21. Lord if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But Christ-God in preserving lives, dependeth not on his own bodily presence here or there: Another complaineth God hath forgotten me, he is not my God. Why? Because I walk in darknes & have no light, nor any sense of his love. It is the black and dead hour of mid-night with me. So the Church argueth, Isa. 49.14.15. Psal. 77. v. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. But his unchangeable love depends not on the ebbing and flowing of your transient & up and down sense: in this, you worship a dependent God. There is no rule without God to regulate him, or yet to straighten him in his walking; we are not to misplace God, for though the God of Hosts hath purposed to stain [non-Latin text not transcribed] Lechallel, to cast a blot on, and prophane the pride of all glory, Isa. 23.9. and suffer Parliaments, Assemblies, Armies, Counsels of War, Statse-men, the Godly, the Princes, Judges, Pastors, men of Wisdom, Learning, Eloquence, parts, to miscarry in this great service against Babylon: it is to cry down the creatures garland, and the rose of their eminency, that when all spots of Sacriledge and Idol-confidence in men are washed off the work, the Lord only may be exalted. It is our wisdom to suffer God to be wise for us: yea, Antinomians will have Christ no independent Redeemer, but to them his grace shall not be perfect in pardoning, except all sin in root and branch be removed from the justified, and they made as sinless as Adam before his fall, and the Elect Angels: Yea, how many connexions of Providence do we spin and twist out of our own head? As how happy had we been, if the King had remained with the Parl. to countenance it? Yea, but rather how unhappy, for our Reformation had been as an untimely birth, if so it had been: How blessed should I have been saith another, if I had been rich and learned? Yea, rather you should have dishonoured God in that condition. The Catholick and mother sin is, God must be dependent, we independent. 4. Use. We have need of of the devil and other temptations for our humiliation 4. Vse. All of us have need of a Devil, one or other, to exercise and humble us: but we go wrong to work when we think to make good our party against the devil by our own strength. This woman yoked Christ and the devil together, and would not yoke with him her alone, and the successe is blessed: we go to dispute with temptations our selves by reason, you shal not dispute Satan to hell with all your Logick, nor can Policie, and State-wit calm the Prince of the bottomlesse pit, who is let loose now in these three Kingdoms to kill with the sword: The Horseman upon the Red and bloody Horse, and his footman Death are posting through the Kingdoms, more wrestling by prayer, the putting of Satan in Christs gripes, Isai. 57.19. by faith effectuall by love, and sincere humiliation should create peace, for peace is a work of Creation: there's but one onely can create, I mean God, by, or at the exercise of these graces should create peace: we lye bleeding and dying under our lusts, because Christ was not intrusted with mortification: if we gave in a bill of complaint against our devils, as this woman did, Christ should loose Satans works and help us. Be it unto thee] Faith obtaineth the most excellent favours, refined mercies, Immediate mercies, the sweetest mercies. and these are immediate favours, acts of immediate Omnipotency: Christ sent an immediate Post to the Devil, though in a remote place, (its an act of immediate creation) and Satan must be gone, no creature here interveneth; Its Christs [non-Latin text not transcribed], his Omnipotent (be it so) that doth the turn; its not Faith, its not a good Angel, expelling an evill one, nor one Devil beating another, nor the Disciples helping the woman, though they also did cast out Devils. The more immediate mercies be, the more love-expressions of God in them; the first roses, the first trees and plants that Gods own immediate art produced, and in which nature could not share, are the perfectest creatures, the rest of the creatures after the fal, come not near in goodnes & beauty to Gods first samplar, which are (as it were) the first Essays of Omnipotency: the greatest mercies are most immediate, these be sweet favours that come (as it were) hot and new, immediately from God himself: See it in all the excellent things that God giveth us, especiall in these four. 1. In Christ: 2. Grace: 3. Glory: 4. Comfort. Christ is Gods highest love gift: Now Christ the mediator, was given without any Medium, or any intervening Mediatour. God out of the meer bottom of Free love giveth Christ: The Lord Christ was not given by so much as request, or counsell of Men or Angels: Christ, Heb. 1.3. by himself purged our sins, 1 Tim. 2.6. He gave himself a ransome for all; 1 Pet. 2.24. Who his own self bare our sins, in his own body on the tree: he satisfied and payed in his own person: It was not a deputed work. God the Lord of life in proper person Redeemed us: Christs love to us was not deputy love, he loved us not by a Vicar: Christ is given freely, as a Redeemer is more essentially a gift of Free grace (to speak so) then the grace of faith which is given to those who hear & are humbled for sin. And Christ given to die for sinners, is a more immediate and pure gift of Grace then remission of sins and eternal life, which are given to us upon condition of Faith, whereas a Redeemer is given to die for us without any condition, thought, desire, any sweating or endeavour in man or Angel. 2. So is Grace given out of Grace, saving Grace is made out of nothing, not out of the potency of the matter. The new heart is a creation, and as its Grace, is framed without tools, agents, art, or service; Grace issueth immediately out of Christs heart, he hath no hire, no payment for it: non-payment, no money is Graces hire, 3. And Heaven is given, not by art, not by merit, not for sweating; But how? Luk. 12.32. Its the Fathers will. And Rev. 21.4. God shall wipe all tears from their eyes. Its the sweeter, that no napkin but his own immediate hand shall wipe my sinfull face. In heaven the vision of him that sitteth upon the Throne is immediate, the mirrour or looking-glasse of Word and Sacraments; being removed, there is, 1 Cor. 13.12. But a vision of God, face to face, Rev. 21.22. And I saw no Temple therein: If any should ask tidings, and say Iohn what sawest thou in that new City, was there any Temple, any Priest, any Prophets, any Candlesticks there? He should answer, O you know not what you speak: I saw no temple there; I saw a more glorious sight then all the temples of the earth; I saw the Lamb the King, in the midst of them; I saw Christ the fountain of Heaven, and though ye should know Moses, David, Paul, in glory, you shall be so taken with beholding the face of the Lamb for evermore in an immediate vision, The Lords action on us in glory immediate. that you find no [illegible: 1 letter]easure to look over your shoulder to Moses or any other: For the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb are the Temple of it; it must be sweeter, when the sweet immediate hand of Jesus Christ shal pluk the soul-delighting Roses of the high Garden, and hold them to your senses, with an immediate touch, so as you shall see, behold, smell and touch his hand with the rose, and when he shall put immediately in your mouth, the Apples of the Tree of life, and the King himself shal make himself (as it were) your Cup-bearer, for there shall be neither need of Pastor, Prophet, or of any Christian brother, but only Christ himself, to hold to your head A Cup of the water of life, Rev. 22.1, 2. And he shewed me a pure River of water of life, clear as Christal, proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb; be shewed me, which He? The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb, c. 2[illegible: 1 letter] 22. He that talked with me, who had a golden reed to measure the City, v. 15. & v. 10. He who carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me the great City, the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God; no created Angel could shew to John, The Bride the Lambs Wife; and what is that? He shewed me; He made me see; Is that but a naked cast of the eye, or a speculation? No, it is more, He himself who only reveals all the secrets of God, And measures the Temple with a golden Reed; He only gave me a drink of the water of life immediatly; for to see in the holy language, is to injoy, Heb. 12.14. Rev. 22.4. Jer. 17.6. Psal. 34.12. Iob 19.26. And then he shewed me, must be this in good sense, He, He the increated King himself made me, or caused me to injoy; Messengers carry love-Letters now, there's no need of love-Letters betweene the Lord Jesus, and the Bride the Lambs wife in this condition: certain it is, a draught of such water at the Wel-head must be sweetest: Then immediate comforts in a heavy condition must be sweetest also; as in heavy desertions, Word, Ministery, Pastors, Prayer, and Ordinances cannot raise up the Spirit: What doth the Lord else speak in this? No lesse then that mediation of means is but mediation of means; and Christ is Christ, means in a soul sicknesse: yea, Apostles, Angels, Watchmen fail: Immediate comforts in a sad condition sweetest. But Christ himself with his immediate action faileth not, Cant. 3.1.2.3. vers. 4. Joh. 20.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17. Christ himself immediately by himself will do in a moment, that which all means, all Ordinances, all sweatings, all indeavours cannot do: I do not now cry down means, and extol immediate inspirations; the latter I deny not in some cases, but I only compare means and Christ; and is not this an experience of some who are broght to the Margin, and black borders of Hel and dispairing, all Creature comforts having failed them, and they having received the Sentence of the second death: yet Christ cometh with an immediate glimpse, like a fire flaught in the air, which letteth the lost and bewildered Traveller in an extream dark night see a lodging at hand, whereas otherwise he should have fallen in a pit and lost himself? and in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the Lord having rebuked the winds and the stormy Tempests in the soul: there is a calm, and peace, Ps. 31.22. Jona 2.4. Christ is speedy, and swift as a Roe, his leap is but a stride over a whole mountain at once, over many mountains & hils, Can. 2.8. Especially in his immediats, when he cōforts by himself; he then maketh no use of a deputy-Sun to shine, or of borrowed light, the Sun himself riseth with his own immediate salvation, and his own immediate wings; and we see it was Christs immediate love, yea, comfort, because immediate carrieth with it the heat and smel of Christs own hand, it hath the immediate warmnesse of Christs bosom-consolation, Immediate mercies partake of immediate sweetnes from Christ the fountain. it was an act of tender mercy that came hot and smoking from the heart of Christ, the immediate coal of love smelling of the perfume of the hearth it came last from, and that was heaven, and the bowels of Christ; waters carried from a precious fountain in a vessel many hundred miles, are not so sweet as at the well head, because they are separated from the fountain, they lose much of their vertue; sometimes, it is so long since the Rose was plucked, that the colour and smell which it had, while it grew on its own stalk, is quite gone: Look how inferiour Art (which is but medicine for sick nature) is to nature in its beauty and strength, (as painted Physick can neither purge nor cure) so far are all means and Ordinances (being but the deputies of Christ) below Christ himself. What is Paul? What is Apollo? Put all the Prophets, all the Apostles, all the Patriarchs, all the chiefest of Saints in one floor, I confesse they should cast forth an excellent smell, like the utter borders of the garden of the high Paradise, but all their excellency should be mediate excellency, and but somewhat of Christ, but alas, as low, as very nothing to Christ, as the smallest drop of dew that sense can apprehend, to ten thousand worlds of seas, fountains & floods: We defraud our spirits of much sweetnesse, because we go no further in our desires then to creature-excellency, we rest on mediate comforts, because mediate; painted things do work but objectively; only a painted meadow casteth no smell, a painted tree bringeth forth no Apples; the comforts and sweetnesse of the creatures have somewhat of paintry in them in comparison of Jesus Christ; all reality and truth of excellency is in him: and we know God marreth the borrowed influence of means. Armies, Parliaments, Learning, and all miscarry; Therefore there was never a Reformation, nor a great work wrought on earth, but Omnipotency put forth many immediate Acts in it: The Lord would not be beholding to Moses, he himself divided the red Sea; he would not ingage himself to fountains and vine trees, but he gave them water out of the Rock; he would not borrow from the earth, and sowing, reaping, and plowing, bread, for his peoples food, he would give them the bread of Angels from heaven immediately: he would have no Engines at the taking of Jericho, the blowing of Rams horns was a signe, not a cause, God immediately cast down the walls; he would not have a sword drawn, nor a drop of blood shed in the peoples return from Babylon, but the Lord putteth an immediate impulsion upon the Spirit of Cyrus, [non-Latin text not transcribed] as if he had been in a dead sleep, and he being awaked by God only, sendeth the people away, and the Temple must be builded again: But how? Neither by King, nor Parliament, nor Armies, for Zach. 4.6. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord: When Babylon is to be destroyed (as the work is even now on the wheels in Britain) Rev. 18.21. A mighty Angel took up the great milstone, and threw it in the sea; though it be a Vision by comparison, yet it holdeth forth an immediate work of God in the ruine of Babylon; and Angels powre their vials on the Sea, God immediate in his most glorious works, and must be so in this great work now on the wheels, in these 3 Kingdoms. on the Sun, on the River Euphrates, to make for the destruction of Babylon, and in delivering of Lot Angels did work: God himself spake to Noah for making an Ark; although Angels be creatures, yet the Lords action by them is more immediate, then when he worketh by naturall causes; when the Judges scourge and imprison the Apostles, no man will speak for them, the immediate power of God doth it, the chains fall off legs and armes, immediate providence is a key also to open the prison doors, and they are saved: There is a bloody war at the taking of the Ark, and thirty thousand footmen of Israel killed, 1 Sam. 4.10, 11. But there is not a sword drawen when its rescued: The Ark cometh home, its alone Gods immediate providence driveth and acteth upon two milk kine to bring it home again, 1 Sam. 6.12, 13, 14. Who knoweth but when our strength of two Kingdoms hath failed us, the Lord shall make Kine to bring home his Kingdom and Reformation to our doors? were it possible that creatures could work salvation for us, and freedome from the sword, and sure peace in Scotland, England and Ireland, without God, or any subordination to him, let it be a deliverance from the creature only, it should be no deliverance, but a curse; that which maketh salvation to be salvation, is, that God hath a finger of power, and an influence of Free-grace in it: O but this putteth the lustre, sweetnesse and smell of Heaven on it, that it is the salvation of the Lord, Ex. 14.13. In regard of irresistable efficacy, and successe under causes, though chained to the influence of God, are but Idoll-causes, they lie as Cyphers, and do nothing, no more then a lame arm can master a sword: The Lord worketh all our works for us; and he is daily marring, and shal further mar our Armies, Parliaments, Counsels, undertakings, to the end that more of Christ may appear in these wars, then in other wars; some immediate power must close and crown this glorious work in Britain, God must be his alone, and appear his alone, and only Jehovah must be visible in the Mount, to the end that bleeding England, long afflicted Scotland, and wasted Ireland, may with one shout cry, Not unto us, O Lord Not unto us, but unto thy name be the glory, This discovereth the deceit of our confidence, The deceitfulnesse of our confidence, when God and the creature are joined in one work for when the Lord and the creature worketh together for our good, Asa, though his heart was perfect, possibly seeth not whether he trust on the Lord, or on the Physitian; and yet the Scripture saith, When he was diseased in his feet, there was a worse disease about his heart: for because he sought to the physitians, he is blamed: yet to seek to Physitians is lawfull, but the spirit of God blameth his seeking to the Physitians: and saith, 2 Chron. 16.12. He sought not the Lord in his sicknesse; and the reason is given [non-Latin text not transcribed] Because he was in the Physitians: So the Hebrew readeth it, [non-Latin text not transcribed] he is said, not to seek the Lord, not because he sought to the Physitians, for that had not been a sin, but because he was wholly, the whole man, soul and all in, or on the Physitians, [non-Latin text not transcribed] his care, paines and heart, was all on the Physitians; so also the Greek expresse great care and diligence by the like Phrase,Arias Monta. Qu[illegible: 1 letter]a in medicis 1 Tim. 4.15. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Give thy self to these things. Seldome do we seek to God and trust in him, when God and the creature are yoked together in a work that we are much bent upon, as in Wars, in a Reformation, yea, in a journey that the spirit is intent upon, but in trusting on God we interpose a folding and a ply of the creature between our soul confidence and the Lord, just as a pillow is put between the mans shoulder & a pressing burden, for fear the burden crush a bone; we are afraid we give God too much to do, or more then he is able to bear: When we sail, we seem to betrust our selves to the Lord and the Sea; but the truth is, often we trust more to the strong Ship, then to the Sea or the Lord. Our confidence shifteth it self from under the Lord, on upon the creature and the Arm of flesh, so we walk often in the strength of the Lord, as some walk upon Ice, they walk softly and timorously upon it, fearing it should break under them, they put no faith upon cracking and weak Ice: we are not daring and venturous in casting our selves and our burdens on the Lord. So in judgements, Davids choice fell upon the Pestilence rather then the Sword, Why? Gods hand is sweeter and softer then the devils, then the Malignants hard hand: Samuel is one of the best children, because he is given of God, and is a child of many prayers. Isaac the joyfull childe, Why? No thanks to nature, or to Sarahs dead womb for him, he is the son of an immediate promise, Free-grace is rather Isaacs Father and Mother then Abraham and Sarah; in ordinances a man speaketh, but if Christ himself would speak, O his Spikenard! O his own Perfume! O his own lips drop honey! O his own Lebanon-like countenance! Alas, we think Christ is not Christ, except the King help him; Religion is not Religion, except worldly throns bear it up; the Gospel is a very immediate thing: the Lilly amongst the thorns, is Christs Lilly; the Church stands more immediatly by Christ then any worldly thing doth. God maketh the earth to bud and bring forth her fruits: but the Son, the soil, the season of the year, and nature, are his under-servants; God watereth the earth but by clouds. Kings are indigent and very mediat and dependent creatures: they need Armies, Multitudes, Navies, Prelats, Babylon, Ireland, France, Spain, Denmark, Holland, Moneys, Friends, Parliaments; But Grace and the Gospel are more immediate, and lesse needy: The Gospel can live without all these.

SERMON XXVI. BE it unto thee as thou wilt] We see what power Christ hath over the devils: Christs power over Devils. Christ sent him invisible summons, Let Satan be gone, and he must be gone. It is a proper work of Christ to oppose Satan, Heb. 2.14, He took part of flesh and blood, [non-Latin text not transcribed], that he might make Satan unprofitable and idle, and fruitless, as the word is used, Luke 13.7. Why doth this fruitlesse tree keep the ground saplesse and barren? So is the word taken, to make a thing of no effect, Romanes 3.3. Things that make sport to children, as nuts, feathers, toyes, are called, things of infants to be put away, 1 Cor. 13.11. So hath Christ taken bones, and sap, and strength from the devil, and made him as fruitlesse, as the feathers that serveth to sport children, 1 Ioh. 3.8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, [non-Latin text not transcribed] that he might dissolve the works of the Devil: The word in Scripture, is ascribed to the casting down of a house, Ioh. 2.19. To the breaking of a ship, Act. 27.41. To the loosing any out of chains, Act. 22.30. The Truth is, Satans works of sin and Hell in the which he had involved the Redeemed world, was a prison house, and a castle of strength, and a strong war-ship, and many strong chains of sin and misery. Christ was manifested to break down and dissolve the house, to break his warship, and to set the captives at liberty, Isa. 61.1.2. Ioh. 14.30. And now cometh the Prince of this world, and hath nothing in me, he had much in Christ he had all his Redeemed ones by reason of sin; but Christ took all from him: Since Christ came in the play, and was master of the fields, Satan never did prosper: And consider how easily Christ doth it, with a meer word, Let it be; how was this, Christ sent an immediate mandate of Dominion, he hath an immediate operation upon these invisible spirits of darknesse; it is no matter how Christ do it, so it be done: Christ-God is a spirit & how a spirit acts upon a spirit, is to be believed, rather then searched: But Christ hath these relations to Satan. 1. As God to all creatures, Christ in four relations dominion over devils. and thus Satan is the workmanship of God as he is a spirit; so what ever partaketh of being, is the adequate and consummate effect of omnipotencie, I mean being either possible or actuall, and so the motions of Angels from place to place, and of Devils must be under a chain of Omnipotency, as all other things, motions, and actions of the creature are: Let Satan go whether he please, Christ traceth him. 2. Christ hath the relation of a Judge to Satan, and so he is tyed in an invisible chain of Justice: and as malefactors that are permited to goe abroad, but alwayes with attendance, so do Devils trail about with them everlasting chains of blacknesse of darknesse Iud. [illegible: 1 letter]. 6. Whether so ever the Devil go, Christ hath a keeper at his back. 3. Christ hath a relation of a conqueror to Satan, and Satan is his taken Captive, Col. 2.15. He cannot be loosed from under Christ, either by ransome, or change of prisoner with prisoner. 4. Christ as the heir of all things, beareth up all by his mighty word, Heb. 1.2, 3. And is he in whom all things consist, Col. 1.17. And so by reason that the world by a new gift of Redemption, is subjected to Iesus Christ, There is a speciall and particular Providence of Christ upon Satan: it concerneth the Redeemed not a little, that Christ keep a strong and watchfull guard upon the black camp out of which he hath Redeemed us, and that the seven eyes that are before the Throne take special notice of Hell, who come in, and come out, for there is deep counsel there against us: In this consideration Christ numbers all the footsteps of Devils: Satan hath not a generall warrant to tempt the Saints, but to every new act against Iob, chap. 1.12. and Iob 2, 6. against Peter, ere he can put him upon one single blast, to cast him but once through his sieve, Luk. 22.31. yea, against one sow, or a bristle of a sow, Mat. 8.31, 32. He must have a new signed Commission, Christs generall passe, that Satan be suffered as any other subject to passe through Christs bounds and Kingdome, is not enough. Vse. Its much for our faith and comfort, that our Mediatour is a God of Gods, a God above the God of this world a Prince more mighty then the Prince of the Air, who ruleth in the children of disobedience: Yea, now we have a greater Victory over Satan, then wee know: Satan is so totally routed, put off the fields, and Christ so strong, that the weakest of Saints is stronger then the world, & the spirit Satan that dwelleth in the world. Christs strength of faith is stronger then Adams strength of innocency, 1 Joh. 2.13, 14. 1 Joh. 5.5. The weakest measure of saving Grace, is stronger then the highest measure of malice in all hell: When Satan Tempteth you, fear him not, resist him in the Faith: but be watchfull, for he hath a Passe from Christ, else he could not come so far as the Court of Guard, to dally with the senses to hold out an Apple to Eve; a world of Kingdoms and glory to Christ: Satan hath a Warrand to bid, when he cannot buy; his Pass will bear him to go to the more inner works then the senses, even to the chamber of the fancy, to send a Trumpeter to the understanding: 1. Yea, Satan goeth no where without a Passe. to work mediatly upon the will and the heart of a Judas and to act, but in a way of distance, upon David to number the people; but a counterfeit Passe with a false subscription cannot permit Satan to go on in reall motions against the will; the chaine holdeth him back, there is a restraining link that all the powers in Hell cannot break: A Morall tie and link of the Law of nature in the breast of Devils, Satan can and doth daily break, Because he sinned from the beginning: but the other link of reall acting against the dominion of Providence is unpossible to the strongest of Devils, or of Creatures. 2. We our selves may put in execution, a conditionall Passe of the Devill, for certain it is, Satan could but knock at Eves door, and play the Orator or Sophist to delude minde and affections, but he could not make the Kings keyes (as we say) and violently break up the door, We often sign Satans conditionall passe. or force the will, but upon condition that Eve should consent to eat forbidden fruit, by necessity of divine justice, she must turn the first and oldest Devil in the flesh that ever was, to tempt Adam to sin, and to eat; and therefore if we be not carefull to resist, we may signe the Divels Passe of Providence, with our Morall consent; yeeld once to Satans first demand of the Treaty, and you shall see, you are insnared by a necessity of Gods spotlesse justice, who punisheth sin by sin, because you go one mile with the Devill to go with him two miles. Vse 2. If Christ at a nod have such a dominion over Devils, we are under Satans power in being tempted, more then we need: Certain it is, we improve not Christs power of dominion over Satan to the utmost; Christ can save, Heb. 7.25. [non-Latin text not transcribed] to the utmost, then he can sanctifie to the utmost, for Christ is a Saviour not only by merit, but also by efficacy, as our Divines hold against Socinians and Arminians, & therefore he should give actual strength against temptations; if we should not so carelesly improve that power Christ hath over Satan: I do not mean as Arminians do, that free-will, by order of nature beginneth, first, to resist Satan, & then Gods grace followeth, as a hand-maide, but I intend this, that because Peter is self-strong: & his flesh saith to Christ, that Christ is mistaken, and looketh beside the spirit of prophesie, for Mat. 26.35. He saith, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee: Belike if he had been diffident of his own strength, and watched and trusted in the strength of an intercessor, he should not have been deserted, so as to deny his Lord; we put not Christ to it, to put forth his omnipotency in every act, to save us, that wee yeeld not; I deny not, but there is a necessity in regard of Gods wise providence that the Saints must sin, and that they be passive vessels to carry the lustre, & hold forth the rayes and beams of pardoning Grace: Yet certain it is, there be hypotheticall connexions of supernaturall Providence in Gods eternall Decree, never put forth in action, because of our lazinesse: (As if God shal suffer Iob to be tempted, and he by grace sin not, as Job 1.22. The Lord shall also strengthen him when he is tempted the second time, not to sin) and (if Abraham be tempted to effer up his only Son for God, and if he yeeld obedience, God shall surely blesse him with the blessing of sanctification promised in the Covenant) as is clear Gen. 22.16.17. Heb. 6.12.13.14. For we see these connexions some times put forth in Asts: But other connexions are not put forth in Acts, Math. 11.21. Luke ▪ 16.31. 1 Sam. 23.12. Such as these (if David be tempted by Satan, he shall not resist, but shall number the people) (if Peter be tempted he shall not stand out in confessing his Master.) Certain it is, that as we come short of these comforts of a communion with God which we might injoy, by our loose walking; so upon the same reason we fall short of many victories over Satan which we might have if we should improve the dominion and Kingly power of Christ over that restles spirit. As thou wilt] As thou desirest: God maketh, of his free dispensation, a sanctified will and affection in prayer, the measure of his gifts to us; a word then 1. Of a sanctified will and affections: 2. How these are [illegible: 1 letter]he measure of Gods goodnesse toward us in these Positions. Posit. 1. A renued will is a renewed man. The soul is never renewed while the will be renewed: for the will is the heart of the heart, and the new heart is the new man, Ezek. 36.26. Deut. 30.6. For the heart is the King and Soveraign of obedience, Deut. 30.19. Posit. 2. All sanctified affections are threded upon the will; saving Grace can lodge no where but in the center of the heart, and that's the renewed will, presupposing new light in the mind; Grace taketh this first Castle. Posit. 3. Hence how many grains of sanctified will, as many grains of new obedience, so love is the fire of our obedience, and willingnesse the fa[illegible: 1 letter] of obedience, which is set on fire by love. Posit. 4. A civil will is not a sanctified wil, A civile wil is not a sanctified will. in some men the will is more Morall, lesse raging, then, the motions of it being lesse tumultuous, as in some carnal spirits the wheels go with lesse noise; all rivers make not alike action and stirring on their Banks, The yielding of the soul to God, and to his light a speciall note of a renewed will. but that taketh nothing from either their nature or deepnesse, or occasionall over-swelling. Posit. 5. The speciall mark of a sanctified wil, is, that its a broken thing, as it were fallen, in the midst, in two pieces, and yeelding to God and saving light, there was a sea of grace and saving light in Christ, no created will stooped to the light of a revealed Decree in such a submissive measure, in a Hel of fear, sorrow and anguish for an evil of punishment, more then any creature was able to bear, as he did; Neverthelesse, not my wil, but thy wil be done: Far more in other things of lesse pain should we suffer, especially in these, the wil is to stoop: 1. In opposing our lusts, as we would testifie that the proudest piece in us, the will, hath felt the influence of Christs death on it: That we no longer should live the rest of our time, to the lusts of men, 1 Pet. 4.2. But to the will of God, 1 Pet. 2.24. Rom. 6.6. The dominion of wil is the dominion of sin. 2. In that the soul speaketh out of the dust, and is put to silence before God, and sitteth alone, as Melancholicks do, Lam. 3.28, 29. A tamed man is broken in his will, in which the Pride of opposing God consisteth: Then Isa. 11.6. The wolfe dwelleth with the Lamb. 3. The subordination of the will to God is a great signe of a subdued spirit; nothing affecteth Independency more then the vain will, Psal. 37.7. Rest on the Lord, Heb. Be silent toward the Lord; Vatablus, Be quiet, Repine not as disobedient, neither answer again, Isa. 61.1. Christ is sent to bind up those that are broken in will or heart: the Hebrew will include both, Prov. 15.31. He that hearkeneth to reproof, getteth a heart, possesseth his, heart, so Vatablus, The meek spirit which in obedience submitteth to rebukes, [non-Latin text not transcribed] possesseth his heart, and possesseth his own will; now the contrary must bee in the undaunted man, his will and heart must have dominion over him, and his will must possesse him; as Prov. 17.18. [non-Latin text not transcribed] The unconverted man is a man wanting a heart and a will: a will not broken to God is as good as no will, and no heart at all, the broken heart is the heart to God, and the broken wil the wil. Posit. 6. The affections in their naturals be[illegible: 1 letter]ng corrupt, grace only maketh them pure, Affections sanctified especially desires. and when they are purest they are strongest; its most of the Element of the earth; that is, all earth, and wanteth all mixture of other Elements, that is most fire, that hath least of earth in it; that is finest gold that hath in it least of other mettals, least drosse, least oare: When affections are most steeled with Grace, The lesse mixture in the affections, the stronger are their operations. they have the least mixture in them; love having much of Grace, hath least of lust; zeal with much grace, hath least of the wild-fire of carnall wrath, and these are known by the swiftnesse of their motion toward their kindly objects; the more of earth in the body, the swifter is the motion downward toward the earth; fire worketh most as fire when it carrieth up in the Air, nothing but it self, or fiery sparks like it self, but when it ascendeth and carrieth up with it, houses, mountains and great loads of earth, the motion is the slower: Grace being essentiall to gracious affections, they run and move kindly, and swiftly, therefore is supernaturall love, strong as death, hard as the grave: In the Martyrs it was stronger then burning quick, then the wheels, racks, and the most exquisite torments; and Christs love was stronger then Hell: of all loves, that is the strongest that bringeth sicknes, swooning and death: Gracious love produceth love sicknesse, Cant. 2.5. Swooning, Cant. 5.6. the Martyrs have died to injoy him, and refused to accept of life: because of the love of a Union with him, Heb. 11.37. How many deserted souls come to this I die, if I injoy not Christ. Posit. 7. Its good that the affections be ballanced and loaden with Heavenly and spirituall lights: Lower vaults and under houses, send up smoak to the fair pictures that are in the higher houses: lusts dominion over light, maketh a misty and unbelieving mind: so when the light is carnall, and nothing but worldly policy, its like the highest house, which if ruinous and rainy, sendeth down rain and continuall droppings on the lower house. Minde and affections vitiate and corrupt one another. Mind & affections doe mutually and reciprocally vitiate one another. Grace in either, contributes much to the spirituality of the actions one of another: so the mockers of eternity and judgment, are ignorant, because they will be ignorant, 2 Pet. 3.5. And Elies sons will be abhominably lustfull in their affections, because they know not the Lord, and are ignorant of God, 1 Sam. 2.12. Mathew heareth and seeth Jesus, and he followeth him, Matth. 9.9. The more that Mary Magdalen followeth and loveth, the more she knoweth and seeth the excellency of Christ, Joh. 20. ver. 1.11.12.13.14. compared with ver. 17, 18. Posit. 8. When the desires are naturall, Desires spiritual, seek naturall things spiritually, desires carnall, seek spirituall things naturally then Heavenly objects are desired and sorrowed for in a naturall way. Balaam desires to die the death of the righteous: but Esau weepeth for the blessing in a carnall way: when the desires are spirituall, earthly objects are desired in a spirituall way: Even bread as it savoureth of Christ, Math. 6.9. compared with ver. 11.12. And so the woman seeketh deliverance to her Daughter, spiritually and with a great Faith. Posit. 9. The believer saith, if the creature will go along with me to my Fathers house, welcome: if not, What then? There I must lodge, though Gold refuse to go with me. See how God in a manner resigneth his own freedom in giving, God submitteth in a maner his liberality of Grace, to the measure of a sanctified will. and transferreth this honour on the womans desire: God keeps pace with a sanctified will in satisfying; when the will keeps pace with God in acting, longing and desiring. 1. He putteth Heaven upon the choice of a sanctified heart, Deu. 30.19. Choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live, Rev. 22.17. Whosoever will, let him take of the waters of life freely, Isa. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters. 2. Heaven is put upon the quality of the wil, and what it desires, Joh. 4.10. If thou knewst that gift of God, and who it is that sayes to thee, give me drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he should have given thee water of Life, Rev. 21.6. I will give unto him that thirsteth, of the Fountain of the water of life freely. There's an edge upon the word Fountain, for the Fountain and first spring of the water of life is above the streams; & this is promised to him that hath a heavenly and spirituall thirst for Christ. 3. God putteth himself and the measure or compasse of heaven, upon the measure and compass of the bensil and pitch of heavenly desires, Pro. 2.3. If thou cryest after knowledge, & liftest up thy voice for understanding, 4. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, & find the knowledge of God. There be four words here to expresse the bensill of the will and desire; we are to cry for wisdome, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Our affections in their acts and comprehension, are far below spirituall objects, Christ, heaven▪ &c. about which they act. the Chalde reads the other part of the ver. if thou call understanding thy mother; that the cry spoken in the former part, may be such a high cry as children use when they weep & cry after their Mother: The other word is, To give the voice to wisdom: The other two words do note sweating, digging in the bowels of the earth, casting up much earth to find a treasure of silver or gold, Ps. 81.10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fil it: Vatablus, Seek what thou wilt, and I wil grant it. Its a doubt if any man by inlarged desires, can put Gods giving goodnes to the utmost extent. 4. God maketh his fulnesse in giving, far beyond our narrownesse in seeking, Eph. 3.20. He is able to do (this is as much as he is willing to do, Rom. 11.23. Jud. v. 24.) exceeding abundantly above all that we ask, or think, according to the power that worketh in us: This is considerable, that when Christ shall put the Crown of incomparable glory on the head of the glorified soul there shall be thousand millions of moe Diamonds, Rubies, and Jewels of glory on that Diadem, then ever your thoughts or imaginations, could reach, and more weight of sweetness, delight, joy, and glory in a sight of God, then the seeing eye, the hearing ear, yea the vast understanding and heart, which can multiply and adde to former thoughts can be able to fathom 1 Cor. 2.9. When ye seek and ask Christ from the Father, you know not his weight and worth, when you shal injoy Christ immediately up at the wel head, this shal much fill the soul with admiration, I believed to see much in Christ, having some twilight & afternoon, or Moonlight glances of him down in the earth: But O blind I, narrow I could never have Faith, opinion, thought, or imagination to fathom the thousand thousand part of the worth, and incomparable excellencie I now see in him. More in Christ and heaven then our faith in this life can reach. You may over-think, and over-praise Paradice, Rome, Naples, the Isles where there be two Summers in one year, but you cannot over-think, or in your thoughts reach Christ, and the invisible things of God; only glorified thoughts, not thoughts graced only are comprehensive, in any due measure of God, of heaven. The glorified soul shal be a far wider & more capacious circle, the Diameter of it in length, many thousand cubits larger in mind, thoughts, glorified reason, will, heart, desires, love, joy, reverence, &c, then it is now: We would in seeking, asking, praying, in adoring God in Christ, inlarge our own desires, heart, will, and affections, broad and deep, that we may take in more of Christ: broad prayers flow from broad desires, narrow prayers from niggard and narrow hearts; we may collect the bignesse of a ship from the proportion and quantity of its bottom, in its new framing: If the bottom draw but to the proportion of a small vessell, which can indure no more but a pair of oares, the vessel cannot be five hundred Tun, or be able to bear 60. peeces of Ordnance: Prayer bottomed on deep and broad hunger, and extreame pain of love-sicknesse for Christ, and great pinching poverty of spirit, must be in proportion wide and deep: O but our vessels are narrow, & our affections ebbe and low, the ballance that weigheth Christ weak, it is as if we should labour to cast three or four great Mountains in a scale of a Merchants ordinary ballance: we are proportioned in our spiritual capacities but for drops of grace. Christ is disposed to give grace as a river; its too little to seek corn, wine, & oyl, from God, he is more willing to give great things, then small things, to ask a feather, a penny from a mighty Prince, when he saith, Ask what thou wilt, to the half of my Kingdom, and it shal be granted to thee, is the undervaluing of the greatnesse of his Royal magnificence. Ask what ye wil (saith Christ) of my Father in my name, and it shall be granted. Mens desires run upon removall of the Sword, Peace, Protection, Plenty, Traffiquing, peaceable Seas, Liberties of Parliament, Subjects, Peers, Cities: Little are mens desires improved in seeking Christ to dwel in the land, and that the Temple of the Lord be builded: all these suits are below both the goodnesse of the Lord, and spirituall capacity of sanctified affections. And God giveth to Carnall men, that which their soul lusteth after; but in his wrath.

SERMON XXVII. Mar. 7.30. And when she was come to her house, she found the Devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. BEcause I hast to an end, and shall not now refute the dream of Papists from this collecting the lawfulnesse of their bastard confirmation, and of confirming children, by the unhallowed blessing of the Prelate; only observe the case of the child; Mark saith, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Cast, in a violent manner, in a bed: for this is not to be a bed of rest and security, as some Papists collect, but to expresse how violent Satan is in his last farewell, as when he is to be cast out, Mark 9.20. When the possessed childe is brought to Jesus, and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming: The Devil and the unclean spirits are not thrown out of a person, or Land, but they must rage and foam: 1. The Lord saith, Zach. 13.2. I will cut off the names of Idols out of the land, 1. Sathan not cast out of a Land, or person, but by violence both to Satan & the party and they shal be no more remembred; and I will cause the prophets, and the unclean spirits to passe out of the land; But this cannot be done but with great violence, vers. 3. The father and the mother shall thrust through with a sword the false Prophet, even their own son ere he be put out of the land: The Devil will not be removed without blood, sweating and great violence; when the unclean spirits of men given to curious Arts, and the Idoll Diana is preached down in Ephesus, Acts 19.18. That whole great City was full of wrath, and they cry out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians: 19. And the whole City was filled with confusion: When Christ cometh to the Crown and the Throne; Jews and Gentiles, the Kings and Rulers of the earth, Herod and Pilate with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel are gathered together, Act. 4.25, 26, 27. The word, Psal. 2.1. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Rageshu, it is to make a great tumult, as a furious multitude gathered together, that maketh a noise as the noise of a troubled sea; therefore some, not without reason, say the sons of Zebedeus are called [non-Latin text not transcribed] Benairegesci, Sons of Thunder, Luke, Acts 2. useth the word after the 70. [non-Latin text not transcribed]: Which Budeus expoundeth of fierce and wilde horse; and certainlie Christ is Crowned upon Mount Zion with garments rowled in blood, this is a spoiling of, and a triumphing over principalities and powers, Christ dyed the black Crosse with red blood, when he performed this noble act of Redemption, Col. 2.14, 15. So when Christ entreth in any soul to dwell, there he must first binde the Devil▪ And then spoyle his house, Mat 12.29. What wonder is it, that multitudes of heresies and sects, and many blasphemous and false ways arise now, when the Lord is to build up Sion: Satan, when Christ is to saile, and his Kingdom a coming Kingdom (as we pray) raiseth up storms and winds in the broad Lake of Brimstone to drown the Church of God: Christ hath not fair weather when he goeth to Sea, Mat. 8.23, 24. Yet his journey is lawfull: When Christ is upon Acts of his Priesthood, and standeth at the great high Altar with his Censer of gold, to offer up the prayers of the Saints to God, he casteth fire with the same Censer down upon the earth, and there be then Thundrings, Lightnings, and Earthquakes; and hence followeth terrible judgements upon the earth, as hail, fire mingled with blood, and a mountain burning with fire, and the third part of the Sea becomes blood, and a clear burning star, like a Lampe, called Worm-wood, making the third part of the Waters bitter, doth fall from Heaven, which is as much as when Christ is upon Acts of mercy toward his people; pestilent Heresies of the Popish Clergy and others, darkneth the third part of the Sun and Moon; that is, of the light of the Gospel, Rev. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Even as when our Lord Jesus standeth to intercede for the people, and to pray for fallen Ierusalem, which is as a firebrand plukt out of the fire: Satan standeth at his right hand, his working hand to hinder him, Zach. 2.1.2.3. 2. This resolveth to many their state;2. Many are free of the Devil: I thank God (saith one) I know not Satan, nor any of his works: I have peace; Satan did never tare me, nor cause me to fall to the earth, nor doth he torment me: 1. False peace known. But this is a fearful condition: 1. It is an Argument of a false peace: When the strong man is within, the house is in peace: not to be tempted of the Devil, is the greatest temptation out of Hell; and if there be any choise of Devils, a raging and a roaring Devil is better then the calme and sleeping Devill: A roaring and a raging Devil is better then a calm and sleeping Devil. when the Devil is within, he sleepeth and is silent, and the house or soul he is in, is silent, and there is a Covenant with death and Hell, Isa. 28.15. Now Hell keepeth true to a naturall man for a time, Cessation of Armes between the soul and Satan is security for a time, but its not peace: The Devils warre is better then the Devils peace; Carnall hypocrisie is a dumbe and silent thing, but its terrible to be carried to Hell without any noise of feet: The wheels of Satans chariot are oiled with carnall rest, and they go without ratling and noise; the Devil carrieth few to hell with shouting, and crying, suspect dumb holines; when the Dog is kept out of doors, he howles to be in again; the Covenant of Satan to Eve (sin and you shall not die) standeth with all men by nature, till Jesus Christ break peace between us and Satan. 2. Contraries meeting, such as hot and dry fire,2. and cold and moist water, they conflict one with another, and where Satan findeth a sanctified heart, he tempteth with much importunity, as at one time, Christ findeth three mighty temptations, and he departeth from him onely, [non-Latin text not transcribed], for a little time: Luke 4.13. Where there's most of God and of Christ, there there's strong injections and Fire-brands cast in at the windows, as some of much faith hath bin tempted to doubt; Is there a Diety that ruleth all, and where is he? We see him not; Another is often assaulted with this, Is there a heaven for Saints? Is there a Hell for Devils and wicked men: we never spoke with a Messenger come from any of these two Countreys: A third is troubled with this: Such a businesse I have expede, whether God will or not: The flower of the soul, the high lamp of the light of the mind is frequently darkned with foggy and misty spirits, coming up from the bottomlesse pit, and darkning any beames and irradiations of light that cometh from the sun of righteousnes: Faith is more assaulted then any other grace: Satan shaketh other graces; but this is winnowed between Heaven and Earth, Luke 22.31, 32. Satans first Arrow shot at Christ, laboureth to put a terrible (if) upon his light: If thou be the Son of God. It is as much, as if God be God, if the Son of God be the Son of God: It is not the evidence and certainty of fundamentals, nor the strength of Grace that priviledgeth souls from Satans shafts; strength of saving light, putteth the Saints often under the Gun-shot of Satan, that he may finde a shot of them; there's only Law-surety against temptations up in Heaven, when you are over score out of time, within eternities lists never while then.3. 3. Not to be troubled thus, argueth a house not watched, the gates are open night and day, as the gates of Hell, that want key and lock; and the soul so secure, as the person seeth not what Devils come in, what go out: but the watch set by Gods fear, examineth all Messengers that cometh in, all motions, all suggestions, all Angels, white and black, all rises, falls, ebbings and flowings of love, joy, desire, fear, sorrow, come under search, and scrutinie, Whence come ye, from Heaven or Hell? Its time of War with the Saints in this life: And then all Cities keep watch, and strangers without a Passe are examined, searched and tryed, what correspondence they have with the enemy.4. Gods way of hardning & blinding, as its mystrious, so its silent and invisible. 4. Gods way of hardening by Satan is often mysterious, silent, dumbe and speaketh not, Joh. 9.39. For judgement I come into this world: But what a judgement? such as walketh in the dark, and killeth in a midnight sleep, That they that see may be made blinde: this judgement speaketh not. O terrible, God hath put out the mans two eyes; but how, or when, he cannot tell; the nerves and eye-strings of the mans soul are broken, but there was not a crack nor any noise heard, when God snapped them in two pieces. Christ came when the man was sleeping, & his Sergeant the Devil with him, and put his hand on his heart and gave the lock, the sprents, & wards of the heart a throw and a crook & all the keys in heaven and earth cannot shut or open his heart, and this was done without noise or pain, the man was never put to his bed for the businesse; the conveyance of the businesse was spirituall, but invisible: O sleeping world, awake out of your rotten and false peace: Oh, the Lord bindeth men, and they cry not: And the Devill bindeth many, and they cry not; Pharaoh knew not when his heart was hardned, the conscience saw it not, even as a stone groweth in the bladder without our sense of it: the businesse was transacted without one cry, or any witnesse: Carnall Hellish security is dumbe-born: Let my childe sleep (saith the Devill) and awake him not, till the heat of the Furnace of Hell melt away his false Peace: Why? but men may be deluded, having no bands in there death, as they lived deluded? Wrath and justice are moving to many souls sleeping in death, without noise of feet, the sword of God is crying to souls without any voice; the wheeles of the fiery chariots of Gods indignation are moving over slain men in Scotland and England without the ratling or prancing of the horses: O pitty, a Tempest, a Divell comes and steals away the mans soul, and his conscience out of him in the night, and he knoweth not: CHRIST saith, Silence, waken him not, while he be over ears in the Lake; and Satan saith, Waken him not while I bee sure of him; a dumbe judgement is twice a judgement. FINIS.