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 air, 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,1 and yet he flieth from her: Christ in this is such a flyer as would gladly have a pursuer. 2. Faith findeth Christ out when he is h•d, Esa. 45.15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self: But Faith seeth God §1under his mask, and through the cloud; and §2therefore 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 darkness his Pavilion, and will not look out; yet Job 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 thieves §3dying, 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 Thief found him there, as a King, who had the keys of Paradise, and he said in Faith, Lord, remember me when ⟨p. 12⟩§4thou comest to thy Kingdom, Luk 23.42. 4. Faith seeth him as a witness, and a record in Heaven, Job 16. ver. 19.20, even when God cleaveth Jobs reins asunder, and poureth 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 smoke 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 Jacobs thigh, so as he must go halting all his days; and its his purpose to bless him. Whereas we should walk by Faith, we walk much even in our spiritual 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:2 Now Gods Dispensation is spotless and innocent, and white;
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,1 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•d, Esa. 45.15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self: But Faith seeth God §1under his mask, and through the cloud; and §2therefore 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 §3dying, 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 ⟨p. 12⟩§4thou 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:
- 1God hideth himself, faith findeth him out.
- 2The dispensation of God not Scripture, nor a rule of Faith.
