The Trial and Triumph of Faith, Sermon 24

The Trial and Triumph of Faith · Sermon 24

p. 384SERMON 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, p. 385even 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 p. 386the 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 …adding of the spirit, and a rubbing off of some letters or Characters p. 387of 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…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 p. 388new 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 p. 389too 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 p. 390sensitive 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,foreign 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? p. 391v. 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 p. 392in 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 p. 393nature 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 p. 394not 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 p. 395his 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 p. 396weepeth 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 p. 397a 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.Prov 1 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.

p. 398Den. Ser Grace, mercy, p. 33.34. Pro. 2. Confesse of the Belgick Armi. Christ loveth the persons of the Elect & hateth their sinsProv 22. 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.Prov 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…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 p. 399my 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, & p. 400by 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 p. 401touching 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 p. 402one 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 p. 403over 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 vsus, 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, p. 404but 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, p. 405in 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.Prov 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 p. 406first 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, p. 407not 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. 1Because 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 p. 408heart as a seal, Cant. 8.6. so fair, as her beauty ravisheth the heart of Christ; now Christ nameth 2things 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 p. 409of 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 p. 410they 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…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 p. 411imputeth, 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 p. 412present 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, p. 413was 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 3actually, 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 onelyonly 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 4slain only in Gods purpose, then are we no more justified and pardoned from eternity, and so before p. 414we 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 p. 415slain 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 onelyonly 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 …n every moment of time to rejoice, as he is never to sorrow for sin, nor to confesse sin, because …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…y, sins are not at all, but removed in Christ. 2. It …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, …nd that Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes …nd Galatians, does contend with justiciaries, …ow these who were from eternity justified, shall come to know and apprehend, for their …wn peace, joy, and consolation, that they were …ustified, and elected to glory; whether men …ay know this by faith in Christ, or by the p. 416works 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 p. 417curse, 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 p. 418other 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 p. 419Master 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 …ffect, not a cause of infinite love. 3. What …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 …art, is a change of his outward dispensation, not …f his inward affections: Fury is not in me, he …ith himself, Isa. 27.4. He cannot wax hot and …ry in the Acts of his spotlesse and holy will; p. 420Reconciliation 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.Prov 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 p. 421this 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.Heb 12:141 Cor 6John 3:3 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.Prov 8 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 …oughly both at once: 1. His love consisteth …ot in a taking his Church into his bosome, and … continuall, and never interrupted laying of her …etween his breasts; yea, tempting floweth from p. 422the 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 p. 423Saint 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? p. 424When 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.