spiritually Bone of each others Bone and Flesh of each others Flesh Ephes 5.25 to vers 33. ¶ We maintain our Communion with Christ not only by Eating with him Joh. 6.53 to ver 57. but also by Eating of him ¶ God the Father calls us into Fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Ephes 3.12 ¶ Christ is said to dwell in our Hearts by Faith and by his Spirit also for he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Heb. 3.14 This our fellowship and Communion with Christ is evidenced by our Perseverance in Grace firmly to the End This our Fellowship with Jesus Christ is confirmed by the Sacraments 1. He that is Baptized into Christ hath put on Christ Gal. 3.27 2. By the Supper which is therefore called the Communion because the Saints gather together in that as the highest act of their Fellowship with the Lord and with one another 1 Cor. 10.16 The Bread that we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ The Cup that we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Children of God walking in the light have thereby fellowship with Christ and one with another 1 Joh 1.7 As Christ is God and Man in one Person so we have fellowship with him in both Natures 1. In his Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 2. In his Humane Nature Heb. 2.14 Partaking with him in the same Flesh and Blood ¶ In the Spirit He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Rom. 8.11 There is one Body and one Spirit Eph. 4.4 ¶ In Afflictions Phil. 3.10 That I may know the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death ¶ We have Communion with Christ in Glory Rom. 8.17 18. If so be we suffer with him that we may be glorified together Who shall change our vile Body and fashion it like to his glorious Body So Joh. 17.21 22 23 24. ¶ In all good things Wisdom Righteousness Redemption Faith 1 Cor. 1.30 Repentance Regeneration Adoption Justification Sanctification and Spiritual Liberty All these are Benefits and high blessings communicated from the Father by the Spirit through the Purchase and Merit of Jesus Christ See that place it is very Pregnant 2 Cor. 5.17 and apposite 1. He tells you We know Christ no more after the Flesh Because that Dispensation is over we are now under the dispensation of the Spirit 2. Therefore If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature 3. Our Communion with Christ is not hereby lost but advanced Higher if any be in Christ he is a new Creature In Christ still and a New Creature by Christs Spirit working in us all new things and working out all old 4. All this is the Work of God in us and for us by the Son reconciling us and the Spirit perfecting us in the Ministry of Reconciliation ver 18 19.5 All this arose from Love ver 14. the Root of the Communion of Saints with the Blessed Trinity 6. As ye have heard founded in Union expressed in a Communication of all good things by Christ our Head and Husband with Reciprocation and returns of Love on our part in all the Acts of it by intire and Sincere Obedience also in mutual Interchanges of Dutyes respecting our fellow-members of the same Body This is so fully set forth by the Apostle Paul according to the Grace of God given to him that I need say no more about it but commend the reading of that whole Chapter to you 1 Cor. 12. from ver the 4th to the end I fear this Relation and Fellowship is little minded with the Dutyes of it by many that yet think themselves in the Body and presume of the Priviledges of it Mark these few things for your help 1. The differences of Gifts and Administrations Offices and Services in the Body Spiritual as in the Body Natural vers 4. 12. 2. All these coming from one Spirit and one Head Jesus Christ the Fountain Head of all ver 13. 3. That all these Gifts and Graces are divided to every member as the Lord pleaseth for the same use and end to profit withall without Schism without a conceit of self-sufficiency and unconcernedness for others ver 7. 11. 4. All this called Christ to shew the near and Blessed Communion of Saints ver 12. XVIII The last Means I shall name to you is in the words immediately following my Text Vers 21. in the same verse Which doubtless the Holy Ghost points us to as an Effectual means to keep our seives in the Love of God Reason 1. Because it is the Highest Act of Gods Love to us to bestow Eternal Life on us 2. The Lord that hath provided Eternal Life for us will have us alwayes walk in Expectation of it Gen. 49.18 Tit. 2.13 3. We have no Ground at all to expect Eternal Life from God without keeping our selves in the Love of God Rom. 8.23 compared with the last verse 4. We keep our selves in Gods Love by being found in such a State and in such a Way as leads to Life which is chiefly Faith and Obedience 5. Such as are found out of this Way and State are not Children but Strangers and Enemies therefore have no Reason to expect an Inheritance they have no Title nor Right to it Now a Son that 's Heir apparent by Adoption in Christ to such an Estate of Eternal Life in Heaven he will not only be alwayes in Expectation of it but will judge himself bound to study all the wayes he can possibly do to please God to keep in his Love and favour and withall fear and take heed of forfeiting the Love of God 1. Because it is an Act of Mercy and free Grace it is not a Debt or any thing thou canst challenge the Lord Jesus is sole purchaser Text. Rom. 6. ult The Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. If we look for all as an Act of Mercy it will keep the Soul humble Jam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 and thankful Such a frame of Soul the Lord loves and favours Micah 6.8 2 Cor. 4.18 chap. 5.1 3. The Prospect of Eternal Life will keep us from being much enamoured with this Life which is Vain and Sinful and Sorrowful and Transient 4. The Prospect of a better Life will make us prepare for it 1 Tim. 6.12 Rev. 21.2 Phil. 3.12 13 14. and lay hold on it 2 Pet. 11.12 13 14. By Watchfulness as the wise Virgins Math. 25.4 10. By Constancy in our course and race 1 Tim. 6.19 By casting away every Clog Heb. 12.1 2. 5. Because all Creatures wait for this Glory and are Rom. 8.19 in earnest Expectation of it 6. Because all Saints have ever lived up to it 1 Thes 4. ult Heb. 4.1 9 Heb. 6.19 20. this is the Haven of their rest here they cast Anchor with this they comfort themselves for this they groan
that is the Body and Blood of Christ are really exhibited and communicated unto the Souls of Believers as the outward Signs are unto their bodily Senses the Signs becoming thereby Sacramentally unto us what the things signified are in themselves and are therefore called by their Names Herein there is a peculiar exercise of Faith and a peculiar paricipation of Christ such as are in no other Ordinance whatever Yea the Actings of Faith with respect unto the Sacramental Vnion and Relation between the Signs and Things signified by vertue of divine Institution and Promise is the principal Use and Exercise of it herein 4. There is a peculiar Exercise of Faith in the Reception of Christ as his Body and Blood are tendred and exhibited unto us in the outward Signs of them For though they do not contain carnally the Flesh and Blood of Christ in them nor are turned into them yet they really exhibit Christ unto them that believe in the participation of them Faith is the Grace that makes the Soul to receive Christ and whereby it doth actually receive him To as maâ—y as received him even to as many that believe in his Name John 1.12 And it receives him according as he is propos'd and exhibited unto us in the Declaration and Promise of the Gospel wherein he is proposed it receives him by the gracious Assent of the Mind unto this Truth the choice of him cleaving and trusting unto him with the Will Heart and Affection for all the Ends of his Person and Offices as the Mediator between God and man and in the Sacramental Mysterious Proposal of him his Body and Blood that is in the efficacy of his Death and Sacrifice in this Ordinance of worship Faith acts the whole Soul in the Reception of him unto all the especial Ends for which he is exhibited unto us in this way and manner What these Ends are which give force and efficacy unto the actings of Faith herein this is not a proper place to declare I have mentioned these things because it is the great Plea of the Papists at this day in behalf of their Transubstantiation That if we reject their oral or carnal manducation of the Flesh of Christ and drinking of his Blood there cannot be assigned a way of the participation of Christ in the receiving of him in this Sacrament distinct from that which is done in the Preaching of the Word But hereby as we shall see they only declare their ignorance of this heavenly Mystery But of this blessed intimate Communion with Christ participation of him in the Divine Institution of worship Believers have Experience unto their satisfaction and ineâ—â—able Joy They find him to be the spiritual food of their Souls by which they are nourished unto eternal Life by a spiritual incorporation with him They discern the Truth of this Mystery and have experience of its Power Howbeit men growing carnal and being destitute of Spiritual Light with the wisdom of Faith utterly lost all Experience of any Communion with Christ and participation of him in this Sacrament on the Principles of Gospel-Truth they could find nothing in it no Power no Efficacy nothing that should answer the great and glorious things spoken of it nor was it possible they should For indeed there is nothing in it but unto Faith as the Light of the Sun is nothing to them that have no eyes a Dog and a Staff are of more use to a blind man than the Sun nor is the most melodious Musick any thing to them that are deaf yet notwithstanding this loss of spiritual Experience they retained the Notion of Truth that there must be a peculiar participation of Christ in this Sacrament distinct from all other ways and means of the same Grace Here the Wits of men were hard put to it to find out an Image of this spiritual Communion whereof in their minds they could have no Experience yet they fashioned one by degrees and after they had greatned the Mystery in words and expressions whereof they knew nothing in its power to answer unto what was to be set up in the room of it until they brought forth the horrid Monster of Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass for hereby they provided that all those things which are spiritual in this Communion should be turned into and acted in things carnal Bread shall be the Body of Christ carnally the Mouth shall be Faith the Teeth shall be the Exercise the Belly shall be the Heart and the Priest shall offer Christ unto God A Viler Image was never invented and there is nothing of Faith required herein it is all but a fortifying of Imagination against all Sense and Reason Because there is a singular Mystery in the Sacramental Vnion that is between the external Signs and the things signified whence the one is called by the Name of the other as the Bread is called the Body of Christ which Faith discerns in the Exhibition and Receiving of it they have invented for a Representation hereof such a prodigious Imagination of the real Conversion or Transubstantiation of the Substance of the Bread and Wine into the Substance of the Body and Blood of Christ as overthrows all Faith Reason and Sence also And in the room of that Holy Reverence of Christ himself in his Institution of this Ordinance in the Mystical Exhibition of himself unto the Souls of Believers in the demonstration of his Love Grace and Sufferings for them they have set up a wretched Image of an Idolatrous Adoration and Worship of the Host as they call it to the Ruine of the Souls of men And whereas the Lord Jesus Christ by once offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified appointing this Ordinance for the Remembrance of it having lost that spiritual Light whereby they might discern the efficacy of that one Offering so long since accomplished in the application of it by this Ordinance unto the actual perfecting of the Church they have erected a new Image of it in a pretended daily Repetition of the same Sacrifice wherein they profess to offer Christ again for the sins of the living and the dead unto the overthrow of the principal foundation of Faith and Religion All these Abominations arose from the loss of an Experience of that spiritual Communion with Christ and the participation of him by Faith which there is in this Ordinance by divine Institution This cast the thoughts of men on Invention of these Images to suit the general Notion of Truth unto the Superstition of their carnal minds Nor is it ordinarily possible to retrieve them from these infatuations unless God be pleased to communicate unto them that Spiritual Light whereby they may discern the Glory of this Heavenly Mystery and have an Experience of the Exhibition of Christ unto the Souls of Believers therein without these from innumerable prejudices and inflamed affections toward their Idols they will not only abide in their darkness against all means of
causes There 's a Necessity of these things while we are in the World and we need variety of them more than for present use e. g. Childhood and Age are helpless and need greater supplies there 's difference between Sickness and Health and we must provide for both and is not this very plausible Whereas did but Persons consider how many Superfluities shroud themselves under the wing of Necessaries and how Persons love to be at their own finding rather than Gods thô there 's no comparison between them as Israel Numb 11.5 We Remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the Cucumbers and the Melons and the Leeks and the Onions and the Garlick and now our Soul is dryed away there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our Eyes They preferred the Food which the Egyptians gave their Slaves before Manna which if the Inhabitants of the upper World needed food were fit for them We would not onely have Mercies but we would be humour'd in the Circumstances of 'em Rachel must presently have Children or she 'l be weary of her Life whereas she might have learnt from her own Husband and Grand-father that those Children of patiently believing Parents were the greatest Blessings that came from teeming Prayers and Barren Wombs but she considers not this she must have Children or dye Well God so far gratifies her she shall have Children but that which she reckoned would be the greatest Comfort of her Life proved to be her death The flattery of worldly things prevails with many The Grandeur of the World that pleaseth the Eye the Esteem of the World that pleaseth the Fancy whereas would but these Persons consider all things of the World appear better at a distance than we find them near at hand I dare confidently make this offer and without imposing upon God any thing indecent peremptorily assure you God will make it good That if you can but give any one instance of any one Person made happy satisfyingly happy by any worldly enjoyment you shall be the second I grant many are through Grace contented with a little pittance of the World but where dwelt the man that was ever yet contented meerly with the World The wealth of the World promiseth Satisfaction a Eccl. 10.19 Money answereth all things but b ch 5.10 he that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase The pleasures of the World promise refreshment to relieve us of all our cares but instead of it c Eccl. 2.11 they are all Vanity and Vexation of Spirit The Honours of the World promise quiet and contentment but d Psal 73.18 19. surely they are set in slippery places as upon a Pinnacle whence though they do not presently fall yet they are utterly consumed with terrors of falling In short e Psal 49.20 man that is in honour and understandeth not how to honour God with it is like the Beasts that perish degrades himself into a Beast and the time is at hand when he would count it a greater happiness than ever he shall obtain if his Soul and Body might die together like a Beast Experience is beyond Speculation we see others grow great they fare better and go finer and are more esteemed in the World every one respects them and if he but grow Rich he must presently be the best in the Parish whereas those that are low and mean in the World they are despised thô never so well qualified This thou speak'st upon thine own Observation thou canst name the Persons and the places whence thou hast this experience Very well thou takest this for a demonstration that there is such a thing as an Earthly happiness Hold a little be but intreated to push the Observation a little further and consider impartially how loth thou wouldst be to take up with that for thy Happiness which thou so much admirest Single out any one of those thou accountest most happy in their outward enjoyments and be sure thou art as thoroughly acquainted with all the circumstances of his Condition as thou art with thine own and then sit down and seriously consider Is this the Person whose happiness thou admirest View him inside and outside and tell me wouldst thou have his Condition and all the Circumstances of it 'T is true he is great in the World but wouldst thou have all his cares and fears his restless Nights and troublesome Dayes wouldst thou have just his qualifications of mind that half-wittedness that makes him ridiculous his peevish Humours which make him a burden to himself and others Wouldst thou have just his temper of Body To be alwayes sickly or conceited to be so He can't eat this nor digest that nor relish any thing as do meaner Persons Those Relations that should be the greatest Comfort of his Life hanker after his Death His Children upon one account or other almost break his Heart his Servants are vexatious his Business distracting or his idleness wearisome Whereas perhaps his next Neighbour that hath scarce bread to eat hath a quieter frame of Mind a better temper of Body a better Stomach better Digestion better Health more Comfort in Relations and longer Life to enjoy all these than him thou countest the Worlds darling think of this before thou concludest for an earthly Happiness The restlesness of the Mind of man upon so many disappointments makes him eager after any thing that promiseth Satisfaction he hath experience of the uneasiness of his present Condition and none of that which flatters him So that he becomes like one that hath been long sick who is willing to try every Medicine that every Visitant commends never considering how he heightens his disease by the use of false Remedies e. g. Shouldst thou take medicines proper for an Erysipelas to cure a Dropsie or Medicines for the Stone to cure a Consumption thô those Medicines would not presently kill thee they would never Cure thee but thou must still complain of disappointments and be worse and worse instead of having any amendment Do not deceive your selves one Vanity will never cure another Satan will not be wanting to set in with all the other cheats the Inclinations of the Flesh the flatteries of the World and the various pleadings of carnal Reason Satan you may be sure will do what 's possible to be done to entangle the Soul in a fools Paradise or plunge it into inextricable difficulties especially when he hath a good second as in this Case thô one might rationally think there should need no more to fright him to his watch then to assure him the hand of Satan is in all this Suspect him in every thing he cannot be thy Friend he cannot make any one motion for thy good where he seems to do so 't is to do thee greater mischief Thus have I jumbled together something of what may be said both with real and seeming weight for empty reasonings weigh most with empty
industry bless thee in thy Basket and thy store bless God for it and as you but now heard labour to honour God with what thou hast but covet not inordinately these things Heb. 13.5 Be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee 3. Seeing Providence hath placed you in that condition which is truly most eligible labour to answer it and evidence it to be so by your proficiency and progress in Holiness and Godliness I suppose thee at present to be in the way of Life if you be not whatever your Condition is whether in a poor rich or middle Estateâ— let me say to thee as the Angel said to Lot Gen. 19.17 Escape for thy life look not behind thee neither stay thou in all the Plain escape to the Mountain the Rock Christ Jesus lest thou be consumed But if thou art got into Christ then let me say As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord Col. 2.7 so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and stablished in the Faith c. And remember thou in thy Condition hast fewer Hinderances and Temptations and more Helps and advantages from the very worldly condition that God hath set thee in Up and be doing and the Lord be with thee Quest How may we Graciously improve those Doctrines and Providences which transcend our Understandings SERMON XVIII ROM XI XXXIII Oh the Depths of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out IN this Chapter the Apostle discoursing about the great Point of Election and Reprobation comes to an Instance in Gods wonderful Providence towards Jew and Gentile The Jews who were formerly Gods People are now under Unbelief and the Gentile a stranger to his Covenant hath now obtained Mercy This Doctrine and Providence of God both together doth fill the Apostle with Admiration and this Admiration breaks out into these words Oh the Depths of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out In this Text therefore we have exemplified our Subject in hand thus There are Doctrines and Providences which transcend our Vnderstandings Wherefore I shall first offer some Demonstrations by proposing to you some of those Doctrines and some of those Providences and then shall come to shew How they may be graciously Improved I will begin with the Doctrines 1. That there are some Doctrines contained in the sacred Scripture which transcend the largest create Capacity will with much conviction appear to any that will with any intention of mind fix their thoughts on those Doctrines which I single out and insist on 'T is true there are some Doctrines so plainly reveal'd in Scripture that he that runs may read 'em especially such as do principally concern Salvation but even these contain in them somewhat extraordinary and surprizing there are some necessary Points so plainly revealed in Holy Writ that to be acquainted with and believe the Scriptures and yet not believe the Truth of these is impossible but then there are also other Points which as they are not very clearly reveal'd so they are so deep and profound that the framing distinct Conceptions of them is beyond our reach Though we may be satisfied that 't is a Truth yet we cannot comprehend how it should be there is somewhat that lies deep out of our view which after the utmost study cannot be found out Not that Gospel-Truths contradâ—ct our soundest reasonings but do transcend them There is a great difference between these two viz. a Contradicting and a Transcending our Reason What contradicts our Reason is not it cannot be received by us but what transcends may yea in many cases must be entertained and embraced That what contradicts our Reason is not to be received nor can it be a part of true Religion is manifest in that whatever is so has nothing of Reason in it 't is unreasonable and rather suted unto the nature of Brutes than unto that of Men which is Rational True Religion is designed for the regulation of the Rational Powers in their Actings and Exercises and therefore must be somewhat agreeable unto Reason and not what is contrary unto it What is contrary unto Reason must be rejected and by no means embraced as a part thereof In like manner all Contradictions must be exploded as unreasonable God lays no man under the Oligation of believing what cannot possibly be true and our soundest Reason assures us that to believe Contradictions is to believe what cannot be true But though what is contrary to Reason must not be received as an Article of our Creed yet what transcends it may What is above our Capacities may be true and from God though what is contrary unto our Reason is not true nor can be from God On this Distinction I do the rather insist as well to obviate what is suggested by Papists and others who receive for Articles of their Faith what is contrary unto right Reason as to anticipate the Socinians Objections who will believe nothing that transcends our scanty and narrow Capacities That this may be the more plain and convincing before I proceed to shew what are some of those Mysterious Doctrines which transcend our Intellects I will acquaint the Reader with some Notions received by many which being contrary unto our clearest and surest Reasonings are not to be improved but rejected I 'll mention but some 1. Transubstantiation 2. Merit quod Justitiam commutativam And 3. A Physical transition of Sins actually inherent in us from us unto Christ and of Christ's Righteousness unto us All which are to be rejected as Notions contrary to our Reason I. Transubstantiation A Doctrine asserted by the Papists to be contained in Holy Writ but really not so By Transubstantiation is meant the turning of the Elements in the Lords Supper into the very Substance of Christ's Body Though the Accidents which are proper unto Bread and Wine distinguishing them from every other Being be there yet the Substance of Bread and Wine the only Subject of the proper Accidents is not there That is 1. The Proper Accidents of Bread and Wine are Common unto these Subjects and a Humane Body which is a Contradiction 2. These Accidents namely the Colour and Taste of Bread c. whose whole Existence is Inexistence in a Subject do exist even when they do not inexist namely when they pass from the Bread unto Christ's Body Moreover the Body of Christ is asserted to be bodily under these Accidents even when there is not any one Accident proper unto an Humane Body These and many other Contradictions must be received as true if you will with the Papists put the Doctrine of Transubstantiation into your Creed But as this Conceit of theirs has not the least countenance of Scripture so 't is contrary unto our Reason as well as Common
Sence and to be rejected as unsound and false as well as absurd and unreasonable II. Merit quoad Justitiam commutativam There are among the Papists a considerable number who assert that there may be a meriting somewhat of God according to the Rules of Commutative Justice That there may be a meriting somewhat of God according to the Rule of Justice we grant for Jesus Christ merited much of God but this Merit was not according to the Rule of Commutative Justice but of Distributive Justice Merit as to Commutative Justice does necessarily include in it the passing of somewhat over unto God unto which God had no Right antecedent unto this Transaction But God is an absolute Lord and Sovereign who has a Right unto all things Jesus Christ himself as Man is Gods Propriety and all that Jesus Christ could give must be considered as Christ's either as he is God or as he is Man Whatever belongs to him as God is God's and as he is Man whatever he has 't is God's for which Reason Jesus Christ himself is not excepted when 't is said by the Apostle Rom. 11.35 Who has first given unto him and it shall be recompensed unto him again Who As if it had been said There is none no not one not Jesus Christ himself could give first unto God could give that unto God unto which God had not antecedently to that Gift a Right that is so to give unto God as to pass over a new Right unto God for which God should be under the Obligation of recompensing it Commutative Righteousness is inconsistent with the absolute Sovereignty and Dominion of God whence it must be acknowledged that either God is not the absolute Sovereign and Lord of the Universe which if not he is not God or there is no such thing as Commutative Righteousness in God and that Christ himself much less Man could not merit of God any thing according to the Rule of Commutative Righteousness That Christ merited according to Distributive Justice is asserted by all sound Protestants and by Vasquez and other Papists yea and that Adam in Innocency according to the tenor of that Law there given him might by rendring the required perfect Obedience have merited the promised Reward i. e. the merit would have been of such efficacy that God could not have remained just and not have given out the reward of Life is also granted But a Merit as to Commutative Justice contains in it an Implication when spoken of God for in plain English 't is to say That the Absolute Sovereign is not Absolute Sovereign However this Notion is embraced by some Papists who do not only â—â—â—y That Commutative Justice is in God but that according to the Rule of Commutative Justice man may merit of God the which is the more absurd as it supposes that man can give that unto God which is of a value proportionable to Eternal Life although Eternal Life as 't is to endure infinitely includes in it somewhat of an infinite Excellency such is the Nature of Commutative Justice as to stick to an Arithmetical proportion in adjusting the Value of things commuted which cannot be by man in this case unless there were somewhat of Infinity in what he gives unto God However notwithstanding the ridiculousness as well as falseness of the Notion there are many among the Papists if we may believe Arriaga who assert it 'T is true Vasquez explodes it with an Essay to evince that the Papists generally reject it but Arriaga a later Jesuit freely rebukes Vasquez affirming that commutative righteousness is in God and may be found to be between God and man and that this is generally received in the Church of Rome for says he This is the Opinion of Suarez Valentia Granadus who introduces Medina and Alvarez to agree with him in this Point Hurtado de Mendoza Ragusa Tannerus and Albertinus and Molina also who though he expresses himself with Caution in one place yet elsewhere doth freely enough own it besides Capreolus and the Thomists generally says Arriaga do agree with him in this and that therefore Vasquez is greatly to be blamed for affirming that so many were of the contrary Opinion whereas this about Merit quoad Justitiam commutativam has many more Authorities than Vasquez could produce for his Sence of it In fine Arriaga corrects Vasquez's Mistake in saying that Hosius and Sotus were against Commutative Righteousness and then proceeds to an Attempt of demonstrating the Truth of this Doctrine By this 't is apparent That if we may believe Arriago the Papists generally assert Merit according to Commutative Justice in which Sence 't is mostly oppugned by the Protestant Writers as a ridiculous Doctrine The which from what has been already suggested has been manifested But seeing this Doctrine contradicts our Reason our Endeavours must not be how to improve it we must immediately reject it as false and unreasonable III. There are some who call themselves Protestants and who seem to be zealous Asserters of Imputed Righteousness who being ignorant of the Gospel-Notion do assert That those very Sins which actually inhered in the Elect did pass from them unto Christ and that the Righteousness of Christ which actually inhered in him passes from him unto the Elect. But this is a Notion as contrary unto our Reasons as that of Transubstantiation it being as impossible that Our Sins or Christ's Righteousness which are Accidents Inhering in Subjects should pass from Us to Christ or from Christ to Us as the Accidents of Bread and Wine should pass from the Substance of Bread and Wine and inhere in Christ's Body These Notions then I reject as False and Contrary unto Reason But there are other Doctrines reveal'd in Scripture which transcend our largest capacities There are I must acknowledg many momentous and important points which though clearly enough reveal'd and in themselves not very hard to be understood yet because either obscurely or after a perplexed manner handled by some are listed among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the Apostle Peter makes some mention which by the unlearned are abused to their own hurt even when by the more judicious they are clearly understood and â—eadily embrac'd However 't is as certain that there are other Doctrines which bearing the Characters of infinite Wisdom on 'em are so grand and august that they transcend the most enlarged Understandings Of the Truth of these Doctrines we may be fully assured but yet cannot fully comprehend the whole of 'em we may know enough to raise our admiration but cannot frame any adequate conceptions of them These Doctrines are many and may be distinctly considered either as they have reference more immediately unto the Nature and Being of God his Acts both immanent and transient and consequently the modes of Operation or as they have a special aspect on those profound and mysterious Transactions about the carrying on fall'n mans Salvation in a way adjusted to the Glory of all the
2. which of them may be uncovered without shame seeing that some as the hands the face the feet may be naked without sin to our selves or offence to others To which I answer 1. That the use of the parts and their destinated ends are to be well considered in this case The use of the Face is chiefly to distinguish 1. the Sex the Male from the Female 2. the Individuals one person from another the use of the hands is that they may be instruments for work business and all manual operations 2. That to cover or muffle up those parts ordinarily whose ends and use requires to be uncovered is to cross Gods end and design and by consequence sinful 3. That to uncover those parts promiscuously and expose them ordinarily to open view for which there can be no such good ends and uses assigned is sinful For the general Law of God must always take place where the special use of a particular part requires not the contrary 4. And therefore all Apparel or fashions of Apparel which expose those parts to view of which exposing God and Nature have assigned no use is sinful 'T is true I confess our first Parents in that hasty provision which they made against their shame took care only for Aprons but God who had adequate conceptions of their wants and what was necessary to supply them of the Rule of Decency and what would fully answer it provided for them coats that so the whole body except as before excepted might be cover'd and its shame concealed § 2. Another end of Apparel was to defend the body 1. from the ordinary injuries of unseasonable seasons 2. the common inconveniencies of labour and travel 3. the emergent accidents that might befall them in their Pilgrimage For the Fall of Man had introduced excessive heats and colds They were driven out of Paradise to wander and work in a Wilderness now overgrown with briars thorns and thistles the early Fruits of the late Curse and Cloaths were assigned them in this exegency for a kind of defensive Armour Hence we read 1 Sam. 17.38 That Saul armed David with his own armour and he arm'd him with a coat of mail In the Hebrew it is Saul cloath'd David with his cloaths and he cloath'd him with a coat of mail And the word there used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of near cognation with that in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence therefore 1. Whatever modes of Apparel comply not with this gracious end of God in defending our bodies from those inconveniences are sinfully worn and used 2. That it is a horrid cruelty to our frail bodies to expose them to those injuries against which God has provided a remedy to gratifie pride or to humour any Vanity And however our Gallants hope to keep themselves warm and to shelter their sin under the skreen of their own foolish Proverb Pride feels no cold yet God has oftentimes made their sin to become their punishment whilst by an obstinate striving with the inconveniences of an ill-contrived Mode they have hazarded if not lost their Healths if not their Lives by a ridiculous Complement to some new fashion But how they will stand before the righteous Judgment-Seat of God when he shall arraign and try them as Guilty of Self-Murder in the great day of scrutiny they may do well timely to advise upon and consider § 3. To these I may add That when God made Man his first suit of Apparel he took measure of him by that Employment which he had cut out for him Man's assigned work was labour not to eat the bread of idleness but first to earn it in the sweat of his face which tho at first it was a Curse is by Grace converted into a Blessing And accordingly God so adapted and accommodated his cloaths to his body that they might not hinder readiness expedition industry diligence and perseverance in the works of his particular Calling Hence these things will be exceeding plain 1. That God having appointed Man to labour cannot be supposed to have made any provision for or given the least indulgence to idleness Intervals for rest to redintegrate the decay'd Spirits cessation for a season from hard labour God allows and Nature requires but exemption from a particular Calling or any dispensation for sloth in that Calling we find none 2. That God having suited cloathing in all its forms and shapes so to the body that they prejudice him not in the works of his particular Calling whatever fashions of Apparel do incommode him therein and render him unfit or less fit to discharge the duties of it are so far sinfully used 3. That therefore they who by unmerciful lacing girding bracing pinching themselves in uneasie garments can scarce breathe less eat and least of all labour do apparently offend against this end of God and it is but just that they who will not or create an impotency that they cannot work should not eat nor long breathe in the earth whereof they are unprofitable burdens Plato calls the Body the Prison of the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some have made the cloaths the Prison of the body wherein they are so cloyster'd so immured in the Cage and Little-ease of a pinching fashion that the body is made an unprofitable servant to the soul and both of them to God In the declining times of the Roman Commonwealth this vanity began to obtain and is smartly noted by the Comaedian as the folly of Mothers Quas matres student Demissis humeris esse vincto pectore ut graciles litent Tâ—rent eunuch Si quae est habitior paulò pugilem esse ajunt deducant cibum Jametsibona est Natura reddunt curaturâ Junceas But thus has Pride brought many to their Coffins who after an uneasie life spun out in more pain with doing nothing than they had found in labour after a few tedious days worn out in Asthma's Catarrhs Consumptions and Ptisicks could never get freedom from the confinement of their cloaths till their souls had procured a Gaol-delivery from their bodies However they cannot justly complain of Providence who gave them their option and left them to their own desires Rather to be out of the world than out of the fashion § 4. There is yet another end of Apparel viz. The adorning of the body And in this all our wanton Fashionists take sanctuary Out of which that I may force them or so far as is sober and moderate indulge them I shall first premise a few Observations and then lay down some Conclusions 1 Let these few things be premised 1. That Ornamentals strictly taken as distinct from useful garments do not come under the same appointment of God with necessary cloathing For 1. It is ordinarily sinful to wear no Apparel but not so to wear no such Ornaments 2. The necessity of Nature requires the one but no necessity or end of Nature requires the other Gods
Congregation It is observed by Tertul. de Paenit that Sack is the same in Latin Greek and Hebrew to which we may add English also to shew all Nations are Sinners and need Repentance and Humiliation in Sack-cloth and Ashes and so Amen is the same in all Languages that all Nations might have the same Intelligible Language in their Devotions especially But the Papists will tell us that a Jewel is of equal value in an ignorant Clowns hand as it is off when in a Skilful Lapidaries a Petition to a Prince is of the same efficacy in ones hand who can neither write nor read as it is in a Scholars hand and all is true if God did not read hearts when Princes only read papers God required to be worshipped with an understanding Soul nay the Jesuits tell us the unlearned do merit and obtain more than they that understand because they have more humility and fervor But it is a strange humility and fervency to pass for a Grace which is not an Act of an intelligent Man 't is so far from Divine and Meritorious that it is not an humane Act. Cajetan more to the plain truth tells us that Organs which are a distraction to the intelligent Worshippers were yet retained to promote the unlearned Mens Devotions and Charms though not understood yet have power over Serpents and Devils so that Prayers and Praises in an unknown Language are with them Enchantments upon the only wise God and their Devotion is rather the breath of an Organ than the breathings and being filled with the Spirit 2. This informs us also that all publick administrations are to be in the matter of them intelligible as well as in the form of Language Ministers are not to use overstudied Phrases and singular Notions of their own Fancies which sometimes Men endeavour to pin upon their Auditors Prayer is putting the word and promises of God in suit and therefore plain Scriptural Pleadings are our best Arguments Any unintelligible or doubtful expressions do but lay a Stumbling-block in the way to hinder the hearers giving readily their Amen Therefore we must not only Pray with our own Spirits but with the Peoples understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 our Seal must be and can be only set to Gods Covenant his trust goes before our Amen So God promiseth to give his People Pastors after his own heart which shall feed them with knowledge and understanding without which our Sacrifices are but the offering up of Swines Flesh or cutting off a Dogs Neck 3. All the Congregation must be unanimous of one Heart Sence and Soul or else they can never meet and center in one Amen but are in separation when they are together The Apostle tells us that the variance of Husband and Wife causeth their Prayers to be hindred 1 Pet. 3.7 when Passion is up Devotion is down or very opposite like the Mountains of Blessing and Cursing or Samaria and Jerusalem or Anah and Peninnah scolding under the same Roof But the true Jerusalem is a City at unity with it self Psal 122.3 one Lord one Baptism one Bread one Body one Soul one Spirit one Heart one Faith and one Request viz. Zec. 14.9 that the Lord may be King over all the Earth that the Lord may be one and his Name one Which will be when God shall give his People one heart and one way that they may fear him for ever Jer. 32.39 then there shall be as many Taches as Loops and Sockets as Tenons and all the Tabernacle be one Ex. 36.13 as the Jews when they Sacrificed they compassed the Altar round so when they feasted they sate round 1 Sam. 16.11 this Symphony and Harmony when it obtains will make one Amen when Gods Praises and the Saints Prayers shall be all one which will be when Christs Prayer shall be answered John 17.11 Let them be one as thou and I am one all heart-burnings shall cease when all our Fire shall be only upon Gods Altar and unite in one pyramedal Flame aspiring and terminating in the pure Love of God 4. To all this there must come in diligent attention and intention of mind for else they cannot consent to all and every part and as a Man who is to set his Hand and Seal to an Indenture will hear all the Conditions that he may know what he bindes himself to so we being to Seal all the Prayers with our lips and heart Amen had need mind what we Seal to How do many Frisk and Air their thoughts in Vanities like a wanton Spanel from his Masters Walk and come in from this false sent to the Quest with full cry and a dirty Amen This only mocks Gods All-seeing Eye and Hypocritical Colludes with the Congregation And when we consider how few hold pace with every Petition The Fourth Toletan Counsel that made a Canon against any using Hallelujah in Lent might have forbidden Amens also in publick Congregations considering that Jejune attention and intention of mind which accompanies the Devotions of the generality But when all Societies shall be intelligent unanimous intent and affectionate they may ought and will say Amens with Hallelujahs too though Lenten-Cannon forbid both Use 3. Is of Caution to beware of all that which may hinder this powerful Amen 1. Then beware of all Sin deliberate Sins dead our Faith and Spirits in Prayer Quantum a praeceptis tantum ab auribus dei distamus Tertul. de Ora. Dom. We are always as much at a distance from Gods hearing us as we are from hearing his righteous precepts If we regard Iniquity in our hearts God will not say Amen to our Prayers nor can we do it in Faith How can any say Amen to Deut. 27.15 17. Cursed be he that worships Images or removes his neighbours Landmarks For an unholy Person to say hallowed be thy Name is to Pray God to Sanctifie himself upon him and he that cannot have Charity to forgive them that trespass against him while he Prays God to forgive his trespasses he doth interpretatively Pray that God would not forgive his Sins 2. Take heed of too much Business for that dusteth us with so many thoughts which not only choke the word but stifle our Prayers 1 Cor. 7.38 the Apostle would have them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without cares that they might serve the Lord without distraction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By these convulsive motions of distracting thoughts which pull us first on one hand then on the other the face of the Duty and the Soul is very distorted ill-favoured of an ill Scheme and Fashion all the Beauty of Duty is gone off nor can the Soul well sit close to the Lord and steady but sits tottering half on half off no setled Frame of Spirit can be maintained First one business then another comes and pulls us off to speak with us so as we are not at leasure to speak with God as Cypr. Epist 8. says it is strange we should think God should hear us when