excellency of Gods Gifts 7. If our Works should merit Christ should not be a perfect Savior nor Heaven purchased for us by his Blood onely which now to affirm is To Crucifie him worse then the Jews did Good Works cannot justifie us for these Reasons viz. 1. Because our best works yea the works of the Saints are not perfectly good and pure and that for these Reasons viz. 1. We do many things we should not and omit many things we should do 2. We mingle evil with the good we should do or we do good but we do it ill The thing done may be good but not the maner of doing it 3. The Saints which do good works do many things which are sins in themselves and so deserve to be outed of Gods favor Deut. 27.26 4. Because there is not that degree of Goodness in these good works that proceed from the Saints which ought to be or as God requireth 2. Though they were perfect yet are they due and debt so that we cannot satisfie by them 3. They are Temporary and bear not proportion with Eternal Blessings 4. They are Effects of Justification therefore no Cause thereof 5. They are excluded that we might not have whereof to glory 6. If they were part of our Justification our Consciences should be destitute of stable and certain Comfort 7. Christ should have dyed in vain and have risen in vain not to our Justification if we could have been justified by Works That justifying Faith which is required in every good work hath a double use in the causing thereof 1. It gives the beginning to a good work renewing the Minde Will and Affections of the worker whence the work proceedeth as pure water from a cleansed Fountain 2. It covereth the wants that be in good works for the best work done by man in this life is imperfect but hereby both the person of the worker is accepted and the imperfection of his work covered in the sight of God All these are excluded from being good works viz. 1. Which are sins in themselves and repugnant to Gods Law and his VVill revealed in his most sacred VVord 2. VVhich are not repugnant to the Law neither in themselves good or evil but which may yet by an accident be made good or evil 3. VVhich are good in themselves and commanded by God but yet are made sins by an accident in that they are unlawfully done or not as they ought to be How the works of the Regenerate and Unregenerate differ viz. 1. The works of the Unregenerate proceed not from Faith as those of the Regenerate do 2. The works of the Unregenerate are not joyned with an inward Obedience and therefore are done dissemblingly and are meer Hypocrisie but it is far otherwise with the Regenerate 3. As the works of the Unregenerate proceed not from the right cause so are they not referred to the chief end which is Gods Glory but in both these the works of the Regenerate are rightly and truly qualified Though the works of the most Regenerate yea his best works are good onely in part not perfectly because he is not wholly Spirit and no Flesh yet God approves of them And therefore we must again consider Good VVorks two ways viz. 1. In themselves as they are compared with the Law and the rigor thereof and so they are sins because they answer not to that perfection which the Law requireth for there be two degrees of Sin viz. 1. Rebellions which are Actions flatly against the Law 2. Defects when a man doth those things the Law commandeth but faileth in the maner of doing and so mans best works are sins 2. As they are done by a person Regenerate and reconciled to God in Christ and so God accepts of them for in Christ the wants of them are covered The Benefit of putting and keeping on the Holy Spiritual Brest-plate of Righteousness which is Good VVorks viz. 1. It keepeth us from being mortally wounded for so long as we retain a true purpose and faithful endeavor answerable thereto we shall never give our selves over to commit sin and iniquity 2. It bringeth great Assurance of our Effectual Calling and Spiritual Union with Christ yea even of our Election and Salvation Eph. 1.4 1 Joh. 2.29 3. It procureth us a good name in Gods Church while we live 2 Cor. 8.18 and a blessed Memory after we are dead Prov. 10.7 4. It confirmeth the Truth of Religion and so it may be a means to win such as are without 1 Pet. 3.1 to strengthen those that stand 1 Thess 1.6 7. and to stir up all to an holy emulation 2 Cor. 9.2 5. It doth highly honor God and occasion others to glorifie him Mat. 5.16 That we may be moved to the doing of Good Works and to live righteously observe here the blessed fruit and issue thereof as it is declared in Scripture viz. 1. Generally that the Lord loveth Righteousness Psal 11.7 that verily there is a Reward for the Righteous Psal 58.11 that Blessings are on the head of the Righteous c. Prov. 10.6 2. Particularly for the Righteous person himself viz. 1. In this Life the eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous Psal 34.15 God will grant their desire Prov. 10.24 he delivereth them out of all trouble Psal 34.19 they shall never be forsaken Psal 37.25 they shall flourish like a Palm-tree Psal 92.12 c. 2. At their Death when they have hope Prov. 14.32 and are taken from the evil to come Isa 57.1 3. After Death their Memorial shall be blessed Prov. 10.7 in everlasting remembrance Psal 112.6 4. At the Resurrection they shall go into Life Eternal Mat. 25.46 They shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Matth. 11.43 5. For their Posterity The Generation of the Righteous shall be blessed Psal 112.2 Their seed shall not beg their bread c. Psa 37.25 XIII REpentance is a constant turning from all sin unto God or an inward sorrowing and continually mourning for sin joyned with Faith and Humiliation and both inward and outward amendment It is an aversion or turning from all a mans sins and a reversion or turning again unto God with all our Hearts Or Repentance is an unfained sorrow for and hatred of sin with an earnest Love of Righteousness by the which we are continually stirred up to abhor our Vices and are moved to do good Works not for fear of punishment or hope of reward but for that love we bear towards God that with a joyful heart we are moved to his Obedience and with grief go astray from his Commandments A Godly sorrow whereby a man is grieved for his sins because they are sins is the beginning of Repentance and indeed for substance it is Repentance it self So a desire to repent and believe in a touched Heart and Conscience is Faith and Repentance it self though not in Nature yet in Gods acceptation for in them that have Grace God accepteth the will for the
Oath which he swore to your fathers Deut. 7.7 8. And in Mat. 7.23 Christ saith of some I never knew you yet speaking of others he saith I know my sheep Joh. 10.14 And again I know whom I have chosen Joh. 13.18 and Paul saith The Lord knoweth who are his From which places we may safely gather That the Lord puts a difference betwixt man and man Angel and Angel acknowledging some to be his own and denying the same of others If God himself had not avouched this in his Word no man might have taught it but being here plainly propounded it is with all reverence to be acknowledged and received whereof no other Reason can be given but Gods good pleasure alone Mat. 11.25 26. For Jacob hath he loved and Esau hath he hated neither did this difference come from their works either good or evil for this difference God put between them before either of them had done good or evil but it is wholly ascribed to the Will of God who will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9. Neither must this seem strange unto us for we permit unto men to use their own discretion in their own Affairs and can we think it unreasonable in the Creator to use his touching his Creature Thus our whole Salvation is of Gods Free-grace which in Christ is the Fountain from whence it floweth yea it is the Beginning Continuance and Ending of our Salvation So that as for any foreseen Faith and Good-works they are not causes of our Election but fruits and effects thereof for what Faith or Good-works could be foreseen in the Sons of Wrath born dead in Sins God chose us not because he knew we would believe hereafter but to the end we should believe that is that he might bestow upon us Faith and so save us in his Son Eph. 1.4 Tit. 1.1 Acts 13.48 and Faith is the gift of God to us and the work of God in us Joh. 6.29 44. And if Faith foreseen were the cause of Election then Infidelity foreseen were the cause of Reprobation which is false because then all Mankinde should be reprobated and rejected forasmuch as the whole Mass of Mankinde sinned and God could foresee nothing in it as of it self but Incredulity and Unbelief Neither is our Election of Merit which is a work undue to which we are not bound making the Reward and Recompence that was not due to be due but all we can do is due unto God for our Spiritual life is called a Debt unto him both in respect of Creation Redemption and Glorification therefore neither is our Salvation of Merit but of Gods own Free-grace Neither is our Election of any Free-will in us to good for there is not any cooperation as the bold Papists affirm of mans Free-will with Gods Free-grace in the first act of our Conversion but God does all and we nothing in good things save as Instruments for God worketh both the will and the deed he preventeth us with his Grace prepareth us by his Word enclineth us by his Spirit and worketh both the beginning and ending of our Salvation For Election Vocation Faith Adoption Justification Sanctification and Eternal Glorification are never separated in the Salvation of any man but like inseparable Companions go hand in hand Now the Elect regenerated and once come unto the Church of the Saints may sometimes fall from it but they can never forsake it wholly because they never so fall as to become the Enemies of God and the Church nor finally because they persist not in this Apostacy but at length return to Repentance Thus was it with David and Peter Lastly the Notes of Election are Vocation Justification Sanctification and all they who are elected unto Salvation if they come unto the years of discretion are called outwardly by Gods Word and inwardly by his Spirit Of this Election Christ Jesus is the Foundation 1 Thess 5.9 The Decree thereof is that Book of Life wherein are written the Names of the Elect Rev. 20.12 2 Tim. 2.19 And the execution of this Decree is an Action by which God even as he purposed with himself worketh all those things effectually which he decreed for the Salvation of the Elect For they whom God elected to this end that they should inherit Eternal Life were also elected to those subordinate means whereby as by steps they might attain this end and without which it were impossible to obtain it Rom. 8.29 30. Election is twofold 1. Eternal whereby God out of the Lump and Mass of Mankinde hath before all Worlds chosen out some to life Eternal 2. Temporal 1. To some certain Office Joh. 6.70 chosen to the Apostleship All such are not Redeemed by Christ 2. Out of the World into the Church Joh. 15.19 Such are Redeemed by Christ Of Eternal Election 1. The Efficient Cause is the everlasting Purpose of God Rom. 9.11 2. The Material Cause is the Blood of Christ 1 Tim. 1.18 19 20. 3. The Final Cause or End why both God the Father hath loved and Christ for his Elect hath suffered is the Glory of God and Salvation of man Eph. 1.5 6. Rom. 8.29 The chief effects of Election are 1. Justification by Faith in this life and Glorification in the life to come 2. A Conformity to the Image of Christ in suffering here and enjoying glory hereafter Indeed the Effect of our Election is the whole Work of our Salvation and all the Degrees of our Redemption viz. 1. The Creation and Gathering of the Church 2. The sending and giving of Christ the Mediator and his Sacrifice 3. The effectual Calling of Men to his Knowledge 4. Faith Justification Regeneration and Good-works 5. Raising unto Glory Glorification and Eternal Life The means whereby to come to the Assurance of our Election as it is set down in the 2 Pet. 1. viz. 1. Faith to put our sole trust and confidence in God onely 2. Vertue an upright doing of the Works of the Moral Law 3. Knowledge whereby to carry our selves warily before men 4. Temperance in natural Appetite in Meat Drink Apparel c. 5. Patience a moderation of sorrow in enduring Affliction 6. Godliness whereby we Worship God in the Duties of the First Table 7. Brotherly Kindeness to embrace Gods Church and the Members thereof 8. Love whereby we are well-affected to all men even to our Enemies The three principal grounds of Assurance of Salvation in the First of John 1. He that hath communion of fellowship with God in Christ may be undoubtedly assured of his Salvation 1 Joh 5.11 2. He that is the Adopted Son of God shall be saved 1 Joh. 3.2 3. They that are assured of the love of God to them in particular may also be certainly assured of their Salvation 1 Joh. 4.9 From the Doctrine of Election follow two weighty Points to be known and believed viz. 1. That the Promise of Remission of Sins and Everlasting Life in the Messias is
Fish of the Sea 4. That have all as Substance Life Sense and Reason as Man Every Creature is good 1. Partly by Creation as Sun Moon Water Earth Meat Drink c. 2. Partly by Ordination Thus the Evil Conscience Hell and Death are good because they are ordained of God for the execution of his Justice though in themselves and to us they are evil In Creatures there is a twofold goodness viz. 1. A general and natural goodness whereby God accepted and approved all Creatures 2. A more special and moral goodness Revealed in the Moral Law Or thus 1. Uncreated which is God himself being absolutely and perfectly good 2. Created whereby the Creature is made good being the fruit of that goodness which is essentially in God What the Image of God in man is viz. 1. The Soul it self together with the faculties thereof endewed with Reason and Will 2. In the Soul Wisdom and Knowledge of God his Will and Works even such as God requireth of us 3. A conformity with the Law of God or Holiness and Righteousness under which are comprehended the heart and all affections 4. Felicity without misery and corruption perfect Blessedness joy and abundance of all good things and glory wherewith the Nature of man was adorned 5. The Rule and Dominion of man over the creatures The remnants of the Image of God in man viz. 1. The Incorporeal Substance of the Soul together with the Powers thereof 2. Many Motions as of those things which we know by Sense as are Natural Principles some Motions also of God his Will and Works 3. Some prints of Vertues and an ableness concerning outward discipline and behavior 4. The Fruition of many good things 5. The Dominion also over the creatures is not wholly lost God hath preserved those Remnants of his Image in us for these Reasons viz. 1. That they might be a Testimony of the Bounty of God towards those who were not worthy of it 2. That God might use them to the restoring of his Image in Man 3. That they might leave the Reprobate without excuse The Repairing of the Image of God in us is the work of all three Persons and is in this maner viz. 1. The Father restoreth it by his Son 2. The Son by the Holy Ghost immediately regenerating us 2 Cor. 3.18 3. The Holy Ghost by the Word the Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 4. In this Life it is onely begun in the chosen augmented to their lives end and perfected in the end as concerning the Soul but as concerning the whole man at the Resurrection The use of the doctrine of mans creation viz. 1. We must know That man was created without sin lest God be imagined the Author of sin 2. Whereas mans body was fashioned of clay let us think of our frailty to abhor Pride 3. Seeing Gods workmanship in man is so admirable let us not make it a Sty of Devils 4. Seeing God would have Mankinde consist of two Sexes let each have his due place and honor 5. Since man was created the Image of God let his glory be acknowledged and let it not be made the Image of Satan 6. Since Gods Image in man is impaired by sin let us bewail the greatness of this unthankfulness 7. Seeing the glory restored us by Christ exceeds our loss by Adam let us much the more exceed in thankfulness profit and encrease in godliness 8. Seeing the creatures were created for mans use let us use them as the Creator hath commanded and not abuse them to the satisfying of our Lusts 9. Seeing the Soul is created more excellent then the Body let our chiefest care be for the good of our Souls 10. Seeing the end and blessedness of man is the participation and communicating of God his Knowledge and Worship let us thither refer all our life and actions to the glory of our Creator 11. Seeing part of Mankinde are vessels of Wrath let us magnifie the goodness of God that we are vessels of Mercy 12. That we may learn and begin these things in this life tender and help forward the common Society and Salvation of others for which we are born 13. Since we were created higher then other creatures little lower then Angels let us shew forth this excellency by an answerable holiness IV. REdemption is a Deliverance from our Sins by the Imputation of the Pains and Suffering of the due punishment thereof in the person of our Mediator For Redemption is ascribed unto the Son because he is that person which executeth the Fathers will concerning the Redeeming of Mankinde and doth immediately perform the Work of our Redemption for the Son onely was sent into the Flesh and hath paid the Ransom or Price for our sins not the Father nor the Spirit Now Christ is called the Redeemer of all Mankinde not because all are actually Redeemed by him but because no man is Redeemed by any other but Christ onely the meaning is he is the onely Redeemer of all men who attain this great benefit of Redeemption and Salvation Or he Redeemed all men that is in regard of the Sufficiency of that he did and suffered for his Passion being suitable to his Person his dying was more then equivalent to all the Worlds perishing everlastingly in Hell So that wicked men and unbelievers are not hereby secured but more justly and deeply damned as treading under foot the Son of God and prophaning his Blood For though Redemption be virtually Universal yet the Faithful onely have their part in it being ineffectual to them as have not the grace of God to receive it Thus the Sun giveth light generally to all the World yet are there many particular persons that enjoy it not But all that are eternally chosen out of the World into the Church and continue using the means of Salvation are Redeemed it is otherwise in respect of all chosen temporally to a certain Office in the Church as it was with Judas Thus Christ in his Passion and Death offereth himself to all but is given onely to the Elect to all by the Preaching of the Gospel but he is the Savior onely of the Faithful Rom. 1.16 Now the cause that moved God to send this Redeemer was not any foreseen Faith or worthiness of man nor any merit or desert by good Works nor any inherent Righteousness in us but the Free-grace and Favor of God his own Infinite and Incomprehensible love and goodness Redemption is twofold viz. 1. Corporal such as that of the Israelites from Egypt 2. Spiritual which is understood of our deliverance by Christ typified in the former Redemption may be four ways viz. 1. When the Captive is sent away freely and voluntarily Sin and the Devil would never let us go so 2. When one Captive is exchanged for another No creature could be an exchange for man 3. By a violent taking away of the Captive by force Thus onely man was not delivered 4. By paying a Ransom
proceed not from Faith Yet shall the common actions of our Calling be reckoned Good Works if they come from Faith and Love if they be done as to the Lord and so he will accept them and for this cause the good purposes in many are naught because they have not Faith for their ground Good Works are the Fruit of Sanctification they go not before Justification but they follow after a man is justified For first by Grace we are justified and being justified we perform Good Works for man cannot do any work that is good and godly being not yet Regenerate but when he is prevented by the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit by the Holy Ghost then he may do good Works and the best Works before the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasing to God forasmuch as they spring not of Faith yea before Justification they have the Nature of Sin Now here we must know that good Works are in a kinde necessary to Salvation yet not as Causes thereof either efficient or helping any way but onely as an evidence whereby we may know that we are in the way to Salvation For Faith is necessary and good Works are the Tokens and Fruits of Faith and so are necessary also In a Good Work 1. The End thereof must be the glory of God which chiefly consists in Fear Obedience Thankfulness 2. The Action it self in its own Nature must be just and warrantable 3. The Circumstances honest and seasonable proportioned to the justness of the Work it self 4. The Means direct and lawful and approveable in the sight of God 5. The Fountain the Heart sincere and sanctified In the doing of every good Work acceptable to God these Rules are to be observed viz. 1. The person of the Doer must be acceptable to God by a justifying Faith 2. The Word of God must be thy warrant for the doing of the Work 3. The Actions end must be Gods glory 4. The Work must be done in Faith because in wel-doing a man must testifie his Fidelity to God we must be sure perswaded out of Gods Word that the things we do are approved of God for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin 5. Love is necessary in every good Work we go about for Faith worketh by Love 6. Service to man is required in our good Works for the end of mans Life is in his Calling to serve man and by that to serve God Col. 3.24 7. Our good Works must be done within the compass of Callings 8. Patience is necessary in every good Work that we faint not in wel-doing In every good Work there must beatwofold Faith viz. 1. Justifying Faith whereby the person doing the Work must be reconciled to God and stand before God a true Member of Christ without which it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and therefore is chiefly necessary 2. General Faith whereby a man believes that the Work he doth is pleasing unto God Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14.23 Whereunto are required both the Word of God commanding the Work and prescribing the maner of doing it and also a promise of Blessing upon the doing of it As things may be said to be good in a double respect 1. Good in themselves alone as Almsdeeds done by a wicked man 2. Good in themselves and the Doer as the Prayers of any true Believers So there are two sorts of good Works viz. 1. Those which God in his Word hath directly commanded as parts of his Worship such as are Prayer Thanksgiving receiving the Sacraments hearing the Word c. 2. Actions indifferent sanctified by the Word and Prayer and done to Gods glory being performed after the maner and to the end God hath commanded them The Ends of a good Work are manifold viz. 1. The honor and glory of God the Work being done in Humility whereby a man esteemeth himself to be but a voluntary and reasonable Instrument of God therein and also done in simplicity or singleness of Heart whereby a man in doing a good Work intendeth simply and directly to honor and please God without all by-respects to his own praise or the pleasing of men 2. The testification of our Thankfulness to God who hath redeemed us by Christ 3. To edifie our Brethren thereby and that they also may glorifie God 4. To exercise and increase our Faith and Repentance 5. To escape the destruction of the wicked and to obtain the reward of the Righteous 6. To be answerable to our Calling in doing the duties thereof 7. To pay the Debt which we owe unto God for we are his Debtors as we are his Creatures his Servants his Children and his Redeemed by Christ God accepts of good works in us divers ways 1. In that he pardons the faults thereof 2. In that he approves his own good Work in us 3. In that he doth give unto us the Doers of them a Crown of Righteousness Provided 1. That before the Work go Reconciliation of the Person to God in Christ 2. That in doing the Work the right Matter and Maner be observed 3. That after the Work is done we beg pardon for the defects thereof There be three Opinions touching the Necessity of good Works viz. 1. Of the Papists who hold them necessary as causes of our Salvation and Justification This is most false and a preposterous Opinion 2. Of some Protestants who hold them necessary though not as principal causes yet as conservant causes of our Salvation but the truth is they are no causes of Salvation neither Efficient Principal nor Conservant nor yet Material Formal or Final 3. That good Works are necessary not as causes of Salvation or Justification but as inseparable consequents of saving Faith in Christ whereby we are justified and saved or as a way is necessary to the going to a place And this Opinion is the truth for Works any way made causes of Salvation or Justification do nullifie Grace The Motives which cause wicked men sometimes to do Works fair in shew and outwardly good and to abstain from evil Actions viz. 1. Because some naturally be not given to the vices which they leave 2. Others because they be restrained by a slavish fear of Gods Justice or else for that they dream to deserve something at the hands of God 3. Others for fear of Laws or lest they should hinder thereby their prosperity 4. Because their Lusts do sometimes strive as the winds so as that which is the stronger prevaileth over the rest and bridleth them from breaking into action No man can do a work properly meritorious as the bold Papists affirm and that for these Reasons viz. 1. Because the doer of a Work that may be meritorious must do it by himself and not by another for the praise is his by whom he doth it and not his own but man in himself hath not power to will that which is good much less to do it least of
Baptism succeeds Col. 2.11 12. 2. The Jews practice in a faithful observance of this Ordinance as of Abraham Zachary Elizabeth Joseph and Mary 3. The practice of the Christians who believing were themselves and their whole houshold Baptized Acts 16.15 33. under which whole houshold children might probably be comprised 4. Christ embracing and blessing such children as were brought to him and rebuking those that would have kept them from him Mat. 19.13 5. Gods promise made to them Gen. 17.7 Acts 2.39 as the seal for confirmation whereof God offereth Baptism 6. The right they have to Gods Kingdom Mat. 19.14 Baptism is an evidence of that their right 7. The constant continued custom of the true Catholick Church which ever since the Apostles time hath afforded the Sacrament of Baptism to children Touching the necessity of Baptisms we must know that things are said to be necessary two ways 1. Absolutely so as the thing cannot possibly be without it thus Baptism is not absolutely necessary as a cause for then should it be equal to Gods Covenant Christs Blood and the work of the Spirit 2. By consequence so as according to that course and order which God hath set down things may not well be without them Thus Baptism is by consequence and that in a double respect 1. In regard of Gods Ordinance 2. In regard of our need thereof by reason of our dulness in conceiving things Spiritual of our weakness in believing things invisible To this Sacrament of Baptism the Papists attribute too much making it a plain Idol by their opinion 1. Of the necessity thereof in such degree as that they hold if any dye unbaptized he cannot be saved 2. Of the efficacy thereof in such degree as they hold it giveth grace by the work it self thereby equalling it to the very blood of Christ taking away the peculiar work of the Spirit and the use of the grace thereby The differences of Circumcision and Baptism viz. 1. In Rites for the same are not the Rites of Circumcision and Baptism 2. Circumcision promised grace for the Messias to come Baptism for the Messias exhibited 3. Circumcision had a promise of a corporal benefit a testimony that God would give a certain place for the Church in the Land of Canaan until the coming of the Messias Baptism hath no promise in particular of any temporal benefit other then what flows from the influence of a a general promise made to godliness 1 Tim. 4.8 4. Circumcision did binde to the observing of the whole Law Ceremonial Judicial and Moral Baptism bindeth us onely to faith and amendment of life that is to observe onely the Moral Law 5. Circumcision was instituted for the Israelites Baptism was instituted for all Nations that are desirous and willing to come unto the society of the Church 6. Circumcision was to continue until the coming of the Messias Baptism shall continue until the end of the world Baptism and Circumcision agree thus 1. In the chief and principal end whereas in both is sealed the Promise of Grace by Christ which is always one and the same 2. By both of them is wrought our receiving into the Church 3. By both is signified Regeneration ye are circumcised in Christ with Circumcision made without hands For as Circumcision in the old Law was a token how the corrupt and carnal affections of the minde should be subdued and that the Lord required not so much an outward of the body as an inward circumcision of the heart Deut. 18.16 30. Acts 7.51 So Baptism telleth us that being once dead unto sin we are to live unto righteousness that all we that have been Baptized unto Jesus Christ have been Baptized unto his death c. and must walk in newness of life c. Rom. 6.3 For we have put on Christ by Baptism Gal. 3.26 The Reasons why Christ was circumcised 1. That he might signifie that he was also a member of that circumcised people 2. That he might shew that he received and took our sins on himself that he might satisfie for them 3. That he might testifie that he did entirely and fully fulfil the Law on our behalf 4. The circumcision of Christ was a part also of his humiliation and suffering Reasons why circumcision is abolished viz. 1. Because the thing signified which was the Messias is exhibited 2. Because circumcision was instituted for the severing of the Jews from all other Nations but now the Church that difference being abolished is collected and gathered out of all Nations The chief and proper ends of the institution of Baptism viz. 1. That it should be a mark whereby the Church may be discerned from all other Nations and Sects which is as it were gathered by the Word and Baptism 2. To be a confirmation of our faith that is a testification that Christ washeth us with his blood that he bestoweth on us Remission of sins Justification and Regeneration or To be the sealing of God and also the sealing or obsignation of the Promise of Grace and a testimony of Gods will that he giveth us these gifts at this present and will give them ever henceforward 3. To be a testification of our duty towards God and a binding of us and the Church to the knowledge and worship of God into whose Name we are Baptized we binde our selves in Baptism to thankfulness namely to Faith that is to receive the promised benefits with faith and then withal unto repentance and amendment of life 4. To be a signification or an advertisement unto us of the Cross and of the preservation of the Church therein and deliverance thereof from it Mat. 20.22 In regard whereof Baptism is compared unto the flood for as in that general Deluge some were shut into the Ark the rest of mankinde perishing so in the Church they who cleave unto Christ although they be pressed with calamities yet at length in their appointed time they are delivered 5. To signifie the unity of the Church for Baptism is a binding of the members of the Church among themselves to mutual love because when it severeth and distinguisheth the members of the Church from others it doth also joyn and unite them among themselves 6. To be a Token and Symbole of our receiving and entrance into the Church Hither appertain all those places in Scripture in which those who were become Christians are said to have been presently Baptized 7. To be a means of preserving and propagating the Doctrine of the free Promise through the death of Christ that the Baptized may have occasion to teach and learn who is the Author and what is the meaning or signification of Baptism The Type of Baptism was Noahs Ark born up by the waters wherein the Church which then was in Noahs family was saved 1 Pet. 3.21 And though Baptism be a mark of the true Church yet may not the Papists thereby challenge theirs to be the true Church for Baptism severed from the true preaching of the
3. That we might be advertised of the fulfilling of the Prophesie Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah c. 4. For that his innocency might appear he was not to be privily taken away by the Jews nor to be drawn to death by tumult or disorderly In the sufferings Death Passion of Christ these things are specially to be considered 1. The History it self of Christs Passion agreeing with Gods Sacred Oracles and Prophesies 2. The cause of his Sufferings 3. The fruit or effects of Christs Passion 4. His example that we are also to enter into eternal life and heavenly glory by death as did Christ 5. The due Meditation in the whole The History of Christs passion runs thus 1. They apprehend him as they would a Varlet that had done some outrage coming unto him with swords and staves in the night time 2. They carry him first to one High Priest then to another then to Pilate then to Herod and back again to Pilate amongst whom he is mocked laughed at scornfully intreated and buffeted questioned withal spitted on and crowned with Thorns 3. They compel him to carry his heavy Cross till he nigh fainted under the burthen being without all pity and compassion towards him 4. Though they could not charge him justly with any fault at all worthy the least punishment insomuch as Pilate that Heathen Judge would have acquitted him yet they cryed out Crucifie him Crucifie him and had rather one Barabbas a Traytor and a Murtherer should be released then he 5. They hung him up between two Thieves the most harmless and innocent man in the world is numbred amongst the wicked and evil doers 6. Not content to pierce his hands and feet with nails by fastning him to the Cross but like hard-hearted wretches they gave him vinegar mingled with gall to drink in his great heat and thirst and upbraided him with scoffs when he was on departure 7. Not astonished at the wonderful darkness The renting of the Temples vail The opening of Graves The coming forth of the Dead their malice expired not with him but even after he was dead they pierced him with a spear even to the heart Joh. 19.34 In the cause of Christs Death and Passion consider these four 1. The object moving that is Mans Misery and the Devils Tyranny 2. The efficient cause 1. Impellent Internal being the love of God towards his creatures 2. The Obedient which was the very Son of God obedient to his Father 3. The Instrumental as the Devil the Scribes Pharisees and the rest 3. The Formal cause being the Passion it self historized by the Evangelists 4. The Final cause 1. That God might be glorified for his Justice and Mercy 2. That Salvation might be purchased for Man who was lost by reason of sin 3. That Christ might destroy the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. The fruit or effect of Christs Death is twofold 1. General Christ by his Passion conquered The Devil whom he hath bound Hell which he hath spoiled Death which he overcame The World which he despised The Punishment which he hath suffered Heaven which he hath opened 2. Special 1. Obedience is performed to God 2. The Devil is vanquished 3. Man is freed from sin and justified 4. An Equalification of Jew and Gentile 5. Death is disannulled The Meditation of our Saviors Passion consists chiefly in these six particulars viz. 1. How great was the Wrath of God for sin which could not be appeased but by the death of his onely begotten Son 2. How infinite was the Mercy of God the Father who would rather his Son should undergo the most ignominious death then that Man his creature should perish 3. How unconceiveable was the Love of the Son of God who for Mans sake took upon himself the wrath of his Father 4. We must apply the Merit of Christs Passion to our selves by faith his Obedience being made our Righteousness whereby through faith we appear to God not as sinners but justified 5. What the Lot of the Righteous is in this world who must suffer with him that they may be glorified with him Rom. 6. 6. That our future life may be formed into a better mould Rom. 6. being dead unto sin by the power and efficacy of his death The Reasons why Christ suffered so ignominious a death 1. That we might know the curse due for our sins to have layen upon him and so should be stirred up to the greater thankfulness considering how detestable a thing sin is that it should call for so ignominious a death 2. That it might be an exasperating of the punishment and so we so much the more confirmed in a true faith 3. That the Truth might answer to the Types and Figures and so we might know that they are all fulfilled in Christ The causes of Christs Burial viz. 1. That we might know that he was dead indeed 2. That the last part of his Humiliation whereby he did debase himself for our sakes might be accomplished 3. A certain Type was thereby to be fulfilled it was foretold by the Type of Jonas 4. He would be Buried that we might not be afraid of the grave but might know that our Head Christ Jesus had laid open the way unto us by Death and the Grave to celestial Glory 5. That we might know how we are indeed delivered from death for in his Death a testimony and record whereof is his Burial consisteth our Salvation 6. That it might be manifest That he was able indeed to rise again and that his Resurrection was not imaginary but the real and true Resurrection of a reviving corps 7. That we being Spiritually dead that is to sin might rest from sin The duties required of us to set forth our Faith in Christ crucified are these viz. 1. Godly sorrow in bewailing our sins the onely cause of these great sufferings of our dear Savior 2. The mortification of our fleshly members and sinful concupiscences and that for three special causes 1. By continuing in sin we make our selves accessary's of Christs death 2. Because all such as unto whom Christs death is effectual to do away their sins are conformable unto him in his Death and Burial 3. Because no man following the trade of sin can be Christs Disciple 3. Patience and joy in suffering any thing for Christs sake and the Gospel and that chiefly for two causes 1. By suffering we are made like unto him Mat. 10.25 2. Because in suffering for his Truth he doth grace us forasmuch as he doth take us for his Martyrs and Witnesses 4. To remain unterrified with the pangs and approaching of death unto us because Christ in dying overcame death and took away the sting thereof 5. For this infinite love of Christ toward us to love him most earnestly again and all his members the Faithful for his sake That Christ descended into Hell all found Christians acknowledge but in the interpretation of this Article there is not that
that is he is a person equal to God in Power and Glory by whom the Father worketh immediately or to sit at Gods right hand is to raign in equal Power and Glory with the Father for Christ doth all things likewise as doth the Father and is endued with the same Power with the Father which also he exerciseth He is that person Omnipotent by which the Father governeth all things immediately but especially by which he defendeth the Church against her Enemies and this indeed is the proper meaning of Christs session at the right hand of the Father How Christ rose again 1. He rose by his own power even by his Godhead John 2.19 2. He being truly God and Man rose according to that Nature according to which he suffered Luke 24.39 3. He did rise truly and indeed so that his soul did truly and indeed return into his body 4. He rose the third day as it was foreshadowed in Jonas Why Christ rose again 1. In respect of the Prophesies which were uttered of him Psal 16.10 Mat. 17.23 2. He rose for his Fathers and his own Glory Rom. 1.4 3. For the worthiness and power of the person that rose being Author of life it self 4. In respect of the Office of the person which rose his Meadiatorship 5. He rose for us and that in three respects 1. For our Justification Rom. 4.25 2. For our Regeneration 3. For our Salvation and Glorification In the Resurrection of Christ observe these 2 things viz. 1. His victory and triumph over Death and Hell 1. He declareth himself to be very God rising again by his Divine Power 2. By his Resurrection he subjecteth to himself all things both in Heaven and Earth 3. He manifested himself to be that blessed Seed that had broken the Head of the Serpent that is had overcome the Kingdom of Satan 2. The fruit and benefit which accrews unto us by it viz. 1. Thereby we know him to be the Messias in whom the Prophesies were fulfilled 2. We are confirmed and warranted by Christs Resurrection 1. Of his Merit that he hath fully and perfectly satisfied for our sins 2. Of the application of his Benefits which could not have been bestowed if he had not risen 3. The Gift whereby we are justified he vanquished Death that he might make us partakers of that Righteousness which he had gotten us by his death 1 Cor. 15.16 Rom. 4.25 4. The Gift of the Holy Ghost by whom Christ regenerateth us and giveth us eternal life 5. The Vertue which is conveyed into all Believers enabling them to rise from sin 6. A President or Seal of newness of life we are also stirred up by his power to a new life Rom. 6.4 7. Our continued Preservation by his perpetual and applyed Righteousness 8. The Resurrection of our Head Christ is a cause and pledge unto us of our glorious Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 Rom. 8.11 9. The consummation and perfecting of all his benefits and the final glorifying of his Church For what causes the Resurrection of our Bodies is the fruit of Christs Resurrection 1. Because Christ is our Head and we his Members 2. Because he hath abolished our sin the cause of death 3. Because as the first Adam received blessings for all and lost them all so the second Adam received gifts for others and communicates them with us 4. Because the same Spirit dwelleth in us which is in Christ Rom. 8.11 5. Because Christ is Man for by Man came the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.21 But here take notice That there are other causes for which the wicked shall rise again even the just Judgement of God whereby he hath appointed them to eternal pains for the same thing may have more effects and diverse causes as it relates to several respects The Duties arising from our Faith in Christ touching his Resurrection 1. To live as those that be at peace with God for as he dyed for our sins so he rose again for our Justification Rom. 5.25 and being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 2. To rise up to newness of life The Signs of which spiritual life are chiefly these four viz. 1. An heavenly minde Col. 3.1 2. An holy and innocent life Ephes 4.24 3. Greater joy in the Grace of God through Jesus Christ then in any thing either of pleasure or profit in this world Phil. 3.8 4. Growth and encrease in Sanctification 1 Pet. 3.18 In Christs Ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father consider these three things viz. 1. His Command to his Apostles at his Ascension whereby the glad tidings of his Resurrection and Ascension was not to be confined within Judea 2. The Consequents thereof 1. He opened for us a way to heaven before shut up by our sins 2. Being now gone into Heaven is yet present with us even to the end of the world 3. We have au advocate with the Father 4. That now sitting at the right hand of the Father he hath so established his Kingdom as the Gates of Hell in vain oppose it 3. The Use hereof That we being conversant here upon Earth should have our conversation in Heaven whence we expect the return of our Judge Why Christ ascended viz. 1. For his own and his Fathers glory 1. For he was to have a celestial Kingdom Eph. 4.10 2. It was meet that the Head should be glorified with excellency of gifts above all the blessed as being Members of that Head 2. In respect of us 1. That he might gloriously make Intercession for us by his vertue efficacy and will 2. That we might also ascend and be assured of our Ascension John 14.2 3. That he might send the Holy Ghost and by him gather comfort and defend his Church from the Devil and all her Enemies unto the worlds end John 16.7 The benefit we receive by Christs Ascension viz. 1. He maketh Intercession to his Father in Heaven for us 1 John 2.1 2. And this his Intercession signifieth 1. The perpetual vertue and strength of Christs Sacrifice 2. Both wills in Christ both Humane and Divine propitious and favorable to us whereby he will that for his Sacrifice we be received of his Father 3. The Assent of his Father approving this his Sons will and accepting the value of of his Sacrifice as our sins Ransom 2. Our Glorification or Ascension for seeing Christ our Head is ascended we are certain that we also shall ascend into Heaven as being his Members having a sure pledge that he who is our Head will lift up us his Members John 14.2 3. He sendeth us his Spirit in stead of a pledge between him and us John 14.16 4. It is a Testimony 1. That our sins are fully pardoned us who do believe 2. That Christ is indeed Conqueror of Death Sin and the Devil 3. That we shall never be left destitute of comfort 4. That Christ will for ever defend us What the right hand of God signifieth 1. The Omnipotency or
by fire at the execution of this Judgement there shall be a change of this present state and a purifying of the creatures but not a consuming of them 4. This change shall come suddenly 5. There shall be a casting of the wicked into everlasting pains and an advancing of the godly into everlasting happiness and glory Why God would have us certain of the last judgment viz. 1. In respect of his glory that we may be able to refute Epicures who account this heavenly doctrine of the divine Judgment to come for a fable 2. For our comfort that amidst our evils and miseries we may know there shall come a time when we shall be delivered from this corruption and rottenness 3. That we may retain and keep our selves in the fear of God and our duty and that others also may be reclaimed from evil 4. That the wicked may be left excuseless for they are warned sufficiently that they should be ready at every season For what Reasons God would not have us certain of the time of the last Judgement 1. That he might exercise our faith and patience 2. That he might bridle our curiosity 3. That he might keep us in his fear in godliness and in exercising of our duty Why God deferreth the last Judgment 1. To exercise Faith Patience Hope and Prayer in the godly 2. That all the Elect may be gathered unto the Church 3. That he might grant unto all a time and space of Repentance as at this time and that he might leave the wicked without excuse Rom. 2.4 There are a certain sort of people that superstitiously sit up all night at certain times of the year fondly conceiting that Christ will come to Judgement on one of these nights but such most grosly erre and that these four ways especially 1. In that they prescribe certain set times for Christs coming whereas no man knoweth it Mat. 24.36 42. 2. In that they conceit he shall come in the night from that Text Luke 17.34 which is uncertain the night being there taken as a part for the whole by the figure Synecdoche and he calleth it the Day Luke 17.30 3. In that they imagine That they which are asleep when Christ cometh cannot be well prepared to meet him whereas Repentance maketh the soul prepared at all times 4. In that they interpret the Precept of Watching to bodily watching of the Eye whereas it is not meant of that onely but of the heart also This Judgement shall be in the end of the world whereof there are three parts The one before the Law another under the Law the third under the Gospel or under Christ which is called The end of the world The end of days The last time because there shall not be so long space between Christs first coming and his second as was from the beginning of the world unto his first coming But of that day Christ himself as Man knoweth not Mark 13.32 Tremble O Earth Tremble and be afraid Behold the Son of God he that was laid At first in Swathing-bands then in a shrowd Comes with Thousands of Angels in a Cloud To judge both Quick and Dead Silence Who may Language the Joy or Horror of that Day When all from Adam shall be chang'd or rise To meet their Judge or Savior in the Skies To hear the Sentence of Eternal Rest Or that which is too sad to be express'd §. 8. I believe in the Holy Ghost WHich is as much to say As I acknowledge the Holy Ghost to be God and so confess him to be one with the Father and the Son also I acknowledge his Office of Sanctifying and making holy the people of God And as I depend upon God the Father as my Creator and daily Protector and upon God the Son as my Redeemer and daily Mediator so I depend upon God the Holy Ghost as my Comforter and the worker of Grace and all Vertue in me being of my self a lump of Sin and mass of Corruption yet I acknowledge not three Gods but one God a Trinity of persons in Unity of Godhead So that the Holy Ghost is the third person of the true and onely Godhead proceeding from the Father and the Son and Coeternal Coequal and Consubstantial with the Father and the Son and is sent from both into the hearts of the Elec◠to sanctifie them unto eternal life And though extraordinary Revelations are ceased yet the Holy Ghost in and by the Word revealeth some things unto men for which cause he is called and that truly The Spirit of Revelation Now that the Holy Ghost is very and eternal God appears from his creating of all things Gen. 1.2 Psal 104.24 29 30. And Christians are to be Baptized in the Name of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 as well as of the Father and the Son As God he chooseth assigneth and sendeth forth men for the Ministery of the Gospel Acts 13.2 4. As God he decreeth Orders for his Church and People Acts 15.28 As God he is to be invocated and prayed unto as well as the Father and the Son 2 Cor. 13.13 The Holy Ghost is of one Substance Majesty and Glory with the Father and the Son for these three the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost are one 1 Joh. 5.7 who proceedeth from the Father and the Son for the Father sendeth the Comforter in the Name of the Son Joh. 14.16 and the Son sendeth the Comforter the Spirit of Truth from the Father Joh. 15.26 And whereas we believe the Holy Ghost to have proceeded from the Father and the Son understand Proceeding is here a communication of the Divine Essence whereby the third person onely of the Godhead receiveth from the Father and the Son as the Spirit from him whose Spirit it is the same whole Essence which the Father and the Son have and retain Of God the Holy Ghost three things are to be considered by us viz. 1. What the Holy Ghost is viz. of the same Essence with the Father and the Son a distinct person proceeding from both 2. The Office of the Holy Ghost which doth sanctifie us many ways 1. Because he is the key of all heavenly Treasures illuminating our understanding to receive the Mystery of Faith 2. Because he is the Earnest of the Promises 3. Because he is the Seal wherewith the Truth of the Divine Promises is signed and sealed in our mindes 4. Because he is the Minister of Truth guiding us in the way of all Truth 5. Because he is the Author of light expelling the darkness gathered by sin 6. Because he is the Fountain of Wisdom and Understanding 7. Because he is the water that purgeth us from all filth consecrating us into the Holy Temple of God fertilizing us to bring forth the fruits of Righteousness 8. Because he is the Fire that purgeth away the corruption of our mindes enflaming our hearts with the love of Righteousness 3. Our Faith in the Holy Ghost 1. That we believe in God the
we presently fall a committing the contrary Vice Hope is a sure and certain expectation of Everlasting Life Hope freely to be given for Christs sake and of a mitigation or asswagement of present evils and of a deverance from the same evils of this life and an expectation and looking for all Blessings necessary unto Salvation according to the Counsel and Will of God which Hope springeth from Faith for it is an expectation of such good things to come as God hath promised and Faith believed In expectation especially consisteth the very nature of Hope Rom. 8.24 If we hope we wait The proper object of Hope consisteth in good things herein it differeth from Fear These good things are not past nor present but to come neither are nor have been seen for Hope which is seen is no hope Rom. 8.23 They are such good things as God hath promised for true Hope is termed The Hope of the Gospel Col. 1.23 And such as Faith believeth for Faith is the ground of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 And By Faith we wait Gal. 5.5 Faith is the Mother Hope the Daughter Faith brings forth Hope and Hope nourisheth Faith for except a man hopes and waits for that which he believes his Faith will soon decay and according to the quality and quantity of Faith is the quality and quantity of Hope Thus Hope distinguisheth the Faith of Christians from the Faith of Devils and Reprobates and from Temporary Faith A man hath never Faith to believe but he hath Hope which makes him expect what he believes yet true Hope may be mingled with Fear for if there be nothing but Hope it is a sign that Hope is not good This lively Hope makes us labor for the accomplishment of what we believe it keeps our heads above the waves of Adversity without which of all men a Christian is most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 it being simply and absolutely necessary to Salvation for where no Hope is there is no Faith And as it is true That no man can hope except he first believe the Promises so it is as true That Faith is necessarily upheld and nourished by Hope Faith is Hopes Foundation Hope Faiths Nourishment Faith believes the Promises Hope waits for the fulfilling of them Faith believeth and is perswaded of life Eternal Hope looketh when it shall be revealed for this cause Paul saith We are saved by Hope Rom. 8.24 The Love of God is a holy Disposition of the heart arising from Faith Love whereby we cleave to the Lord with a purpose of heart to serve him and to please him in all things which Love is so Necessary to Salvation as he that hath it not is in a cursed and damnable condition he is not in Christ if he do not love for there is a tye between all these Faith Repentance Love therefore they are used promiscuously And indeed if we Love not God we rob him for he bought us to be his that is to love him otherwise we rob God of our selves Now the way to Love God is To pray earnestly to acknowledge the power of the Holy Ghost to go to him and say Lord of my self I am not able to do it This acknowledgement of the power of the Holy Ghost is the way to prevail for unless the Holy Ghost kindle this fire of Love in us from Heaven we shall no more have it then cold water is able to heat it self Though the Preachers speak with the tongues of Angels yet shall we not be brought to love the Lord till he shew himself to us till he opens the cloud and shews us the Light of his countenance It was Moses his Prayer Shew me thy Glory that is thy Excellency which is exceeding glorious Moses asked not this to no purpose to satisfie his fancy for then the Lord would not have heard him but that by the better knowing the Lord he might love him the more for a principal means to the love of God is the knowledge of God and indeed therefore we love him not because we know him not This is the reason the Angels and the Saints love him most because they know him most and why in heaven when we shall be present with him shall we love him so abundantly but because we shall then know him face to face The Fear of God Fear is To acknowledge the infinite Anger of God towards sin his great Power to punish sin his Wisdom and Justice and that Right and Dominion which he hath over all Creatures which Fear is a great part of the Worship of God and one infallible Sign of the true Religion for that Religion is true wherein God is truly worshipped and that is but one and in it onely men shall be saved Which true Christian Religion is a Spiritual Band whereby men in a certain holy Reconciliation are made one with God and are kept in his Love and Fear that at length they may be made partakers of his heavenly Glory and of blessed Life And though all grant that to be the true Religion which hath been delivered by God himself yet which may be that Religion delivered from above will never be agreed on amongst men till our Lord Jesus returning to Judgement decide the Controversie Now we must not understand this Fear to be a servile Fear arising from a knowledge and an accusing of sin and from a feeling of Gods Judgement and Anger against sin and is a shunning and hatred of God and Punishment not of sin and is so much the greater how much the more certain expectation there is of everlasting Damnation and how much the greater despair there is of the Grace and Mercy of God But the Fear required in this Commandment is a Filial Fear such as Sons bear towards their Parents who are sorry for the anger and displeasure of their Father and yet notwithstanding are always perswaded of the love and minde of their Father towards them So that the Fear of God in the Regenerate in this life is an acknowledging of sin and the wrath of God and an earnest grief for the sins committed for the offending of God and for those calamities which by reason of sin both we and others sustain with an earnest desire of avoiding those evils by reason of the knowledge of that Mercy which is shewed unto us through Christ Mat. 10.28 Thus God alone is the proper object of Fear for what fear is due to man is due to him onely in and for the Lord whose Image he beareth more eminently by vertue of some Authority or Dignity pertaining to him which is to be feared And the extent of this Filial Fear of God is so large as without it other holy Duties cannot be well performed yea the whole Worship of God is often comprised under it Thus Mat. 4.10 Christ expresseth the Text Deut. 6.13 And thus Mat. 15.9 Christ expresseth the Text Isa 29.13 The Vices contrary to the Vertues in general contained in this Commandment
yet be a sound true and saving Faith it is not the difference of degrees and measure that takes away the nature of it For Faith in regard of the extent of it admits degrees not because the Habit is encreased but because the Revelations and Objects are more and therefore those poor Christians that are yet ignorant may have a true habit and as true a Grace in the heart And though a man be more conversant in the Scripture knows more then they hath more Revelations and in that sense though he hath a greater Faith then the other yet the other hath a like precious Faith with him in regard of that Grace Nor do Infirmities break the Covenant betwixt God and those that have once taken Christ and have true Faith though in the least degree Now in Taking Christ the stronger the Will is by how much stronger Assent the Minde and Understanding gives to those Truths which concern Justification delivered in the Scripture And we must labor to believe hard things like Abraham or easie things propounded with slender Arguments like Nathaniel for if we believe in difficult cases God will make us with facility to believe them another time We must labor for the extent of Faith for the multitude of Revelations to be filled full of Faith as Barnabas is said to be and this is by studying the Word much for therein will God reveal this This Faith is the Mother of all Sanctifying Graces for by it we are ingrafted into Christ and so live the life of Faith the life of God the fruits of Faith are almost infinite for all the several and distinct branches of Piety and Charity if they be rightly performed are fruits of Faith And where there is a true Faith there is a secret perswasion wrought in the heart whereby God assures us that he is ours and we are his for we may know and be assured that Christ dyed for us and Redeemed us in particular if we can finde in our selves that we have true Faith in Christ and true Repentance for all sins And we may be assured of our Vocation if through the Mystery of the Word seconded and made powerful by Gods Spirit we are quite altered and changed from our former evil lives and have attained unto Faith and Repentance And we may be further assured That we are Redeemed and are the children of God if we finde that we have the Spirit of God dwelling in us which if we want we are none of Gods which if we have it will appear by the fruits of the Spirit in us for as Exercise begets Health and we are made fit by Health for Exercise or as Acts beget Habits and Habits are means to exercise those Acts so Assurance grounded upon the Promise enableth enlargeth and encreaseth Sanctification and Sanctification encreaseth Assurance but first see Faith and then the other as fruits of it Now Faith is wrought in us thus The Spirit comes and shews Christ to us and not onely the profit we have by him but the beauty and excellency of him it shews us what Grace is and makes us love it and then shews us Mercy Out of this we come to long after Christ and to say I would I had him Now to this work he addes a second Christ comes and tells a man I will have thee he comes and shews himself discovers himself and speaks plainly to him I am willing to marry thee Now the longing Soul hearing those glad tidings embraces the motion and the work is done We may know whether this Faith be wrought in us by reflecting upon our own hearts and considering what actions have passed through it for the works of Faith are manifest And we must use Faith in comforting our selves for whatsoever Christ hath by Nature we have it by Grace when we have Faith if he be a Son we are Sons if he be an Heir we are Heirs c. yea Faith makes a man regardless of all earthly things Those that have Faith are able to use it of themselves but many have it that do not use it and though God doth work in us all the work of Faith as it is received yet know He doth not work in us onely but by us he makes us Instruments yea we shall be called to an account for the Talent of Faith if we have it and use it not and if we use it not we shall have little enough oâ— it for the using of it is that which strengthneth Faith and makes it effectual Now that we are saved by Faith appears from these places of Scripture Joh. 3.16 Rom. 1.16 3.28 Eph. 2.8 Mark 16.16 Rev. 21.8 2 Thess 2.11 12. Gal. 3.7 9. Luke 7.50 Yet know That a man is not saved by Faith simply as it is Faith for it doth not in its own nature merit Salvation but it is said to save us in respect of its Object which is Christ not as it is a gift quality or property but as it is an Instrument to apprehend and apply this Object so that we are saved by Faith as an Instrument not for Faith as a Cause So Faith alone is said to justifie us but that Faith which is alone without other Graces doth not justifie us neither were ever any justified by Faith without Works For Faith is not onely a Perswasion that our sins are forgiven but also a thorough Repenting that our sins may be forgiven not onely a Perswasion that the Promises are true but a Holiness of living that we may have a share in those Promises not onely a Perswasion that the Scripture is true but an Obedience to Gods Will revealed therein not onely a Perswasion that Christ dyed for my sins but also such an uprightness of walking as that I crucifie him not again by my Lusts for Faith doth not onely work a good meaning in us but it doth work power in us to do good and to mortifie our affections for where Christ dwells indeed he gives power against sin and that by his Spirit and where the Understanding is fully convinced the Will and Affections follow Faith and the Desire of satisfying Lusts cannot stand together and he that trusts not God for Earthly things cannot trust him for matters of Salvation for if we have Faith in the main we will have it in particular cases We are said to Believe three maner of ways viz. 1. We believe one God that is we believe that there is a God 2. We believe God that is that God is true touching his Promises These two ways Infidels yea the Devils believe and tremble 3. We believe in God that is according to those Promises to put our whole trust and hope in God In the Doctrine of the Church mention is made of four sorts of Faith 1. Historical when men believe the Bibles History This saves not James 2.19 2. Temporary when men believe onely for a time neither doth this save 3. Miraculous proceeding from special Revelation which is now out of use
and Paul 6. In Pleasures as in Moses when he left Pharaohs Court 7. In case of Provision for Posterity 8. In matters of daily imployment The Titles given to true Faith viz. 1. It is called the Faith of the Elect Tit. 1.1 for none but the Elect have it and all the Elect have it at one time or another when once they have it they never utterly and totally lose it 2. It is called Saving Faith because it bringeth us to Salvation Eph. 2.8 3. It is called Justifying Faith because it is that means or Instrument which Gods Spirit worketh in us whereby we apply unto our selves Jesus Christ in and by whom we are justified Rom. 3.28 4. It is called Sanctifying Faith because by it God purifieth our hearts Acts 15.9 How far the sense of Faith may be lost in men 1. It may be so covered over and smothered as it may not be discerned they may for a time have no Assurance of it 2. All the joy and comfort of it wherewith they were formerly upheld may be clean taken away and they even faint for want of it 3. No fruits thereof may appear they may be as Trees in winter little conscience of any duty dull in hearing Gods Word cold in Prayer nothing remaining but a formal Profession if that 4. Their Consciences may prove a very Rack a grievous Torture and Torment unto them 5. They may think it is like to be recovered with a wet finger with a light sigh or a groan but they may call cry and roar again and again before they be heard 6. And when they recover it it may be they shall never attain to that measure which once they had or if to that measure of the thing it self yet not of the joy and comfort of it They may carry the grief of this their Fall to their graves The difference between Faith and Presumption viz. 1. Faith driveth a man out of himself and casts himself wholly on Christ Presumption makes him boast of himself and makes him self-conceited 2. Faith resteth on a sure ground even Gods Word Presumption relieth onely on a mans surmise and meer conjecture 3. Faith is joyned with the use of the means Presumption not onely carelesly neglecteth but arrogantly contemneth all means 4. Faith is wrought by degrees as first by Knowledge then by Grief after by desire Presumption is a sudden apprehension of the minde 5. Faith makes a man work out his Salvation with a holy jealousie yea with fear and trembling Presumption is over-bold 6. Faith makes a man depart from all iniquity and keep a clear Conscience Presumption is accompanied with much pollution 7. Faith is most sure in time of Tryal then the strength of it is most manifested Presumption maketh greatest flourish when there is least danger 8. Faith continueth unto the end and never quite falleth away Presumption is subject to decay totally and finally Motives to labor for and to grow in Faith 1. Without it whatsoever we do is sin Rom. 14.23 2. We cannot please God in any one action without Faith Heb. 11.6 3. We cannot hear Gods Word with profit except we have Faith Heb. 11.6 4. We cannot Pray without this Faith Jam. 1.6 5. We cannot Receive the Benefit of the Lords Supper without it 6. We cannot be saved without it Mark 16.16 7. We must grow in Faith because we need more strength daily and daily meet with greater Assaults 8. We shall hereby grow in joy and gain the favor and love of God the more 9. We shall the more prevail in Prayer 10. By growing in Faith we shal bring the more glory to God The means of getting Faith are twofold 1. Outward which are either such as both work and strengthen Faith as the Word of God or onely such as strengthen it as the Sacraments 2. Inward or rather the Cause which is the Sanctifying Spirit of God who softneth quickneth openeth our hearts making them to bring forth the blessed fruit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 1 Cor. 2.4 5. The way to obtain and encrease Faith viz. 1. To be vigilant Hearers and to continue Hearers of Gods Word Rom. 10.17 2. To labor for a good Conscience and to keep it when we have it 1 Tim. 1.19 3. Godly effectual and fervent Prayer to God for it Luke 17.5 4. The worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which though it doth not confer Faith ex opere operato yet it confirms and strengthens it 1 Cor. 11.25 26. 5. That to our uttermost power we use and well imploy that ability whatsoever it be that we have by nature or by special gift 6. That we resist not any motion of Gods Spirit like the rebellious Jews nor put off from us the Promises of the Gospel as if they belonged not to us and think our selves unworthy of eternal life The true desire of the heart after Christ which worketh Faith may be known 1. By the Cause which is the Gospel and nothing but it can do it because by it alone is Christ revealed and offered 2. By the Order which followeth upon grief for sin and despair of succor in our selves or others 3. By the Quality for it is an hearty and true desire an inward desire of the Soul and also a vehement and earnest desire greater then the desire of any other thing can be 4. By the Fruits as a conscionable care in using and fervent Prayer for blessing the means of Faith 5. By the Continuance of it which raiseth up and preserveth an appetite after Christ even after we have tasted him The Fruits Effects Signs of Effectual Faith 1. It purifies the heart and sanctifies the person therefore Faith and Repentance are put together a purged and sanctified heart renewed in Soul and Body Acts 15.9 2. The Spirit of Prayer 3. Peace in the heart that which passeth all understanding Peace of Conscience or Joy resting on God Rom. 5.1 4. To hold out in cleaving to Christ Constancy and perseverance in Christ unto the end Jude 20.21 5. The Concomitants of it which are Love Hope Joy Humility 6. The justifying of us before God 7. Our whole Conversion which followeth Faith and beginneth at the same time with Faith 8. The fruits of Conversion and Repentance even good works 9. Increase of Spiritual and Corporal gifts 10. Justification Regeneration and all the benefits purchased by the blood of Christ 11. It is an effect of Election none have it but the Elect Acts 13.48 Tit. 1.1 12. The continual working of it for true Faith is never idle Gal. 5.6 13. Hearing of the Word with joy and practising it Joh. 10.27 14. A striving against Doubt Distrust Despair of Gods Mercy if we have not attained a full perswasion And this is acceptable to God Isa 42.3 The principal effects of Faith whereby it may be best proved may be drawn to these two Heads 1. A quiet Conscience whence proceedeth 1. A holy Security of minde having peace with God
not lawful for them to work by themselves and so the Law of God should be deluded The Cattel also was commanded to Rest whose Rest had no respect or consideration of Gods Worship but was commanded onely in respect of men and that for these two Reasons especially 1. That all occasion of laboring might be cut off by forbidding the labor or use of their Beasts 2. That also they sparing bruit Beasts might learn how greatly God will have regard to be had of mercy and favorableness towards men It was the Seventh day that God consecrated to Divine Service for these Reasons 1. That by the Example of his own Rest as a most forcible and effectual Argument he might exhort men to the imitation thereof 2. That this Rest of the Seventh day might be a Monument of the Creation then finished by God and of his perpetual preservation and governing of his Work ever since that day unto his own glory and the Safety of his chosen In this consecration God requireth these two things most especially viz. 1. That on the Sabbath day there be not onely a private serving of God as on other days but also a publike serving of him in the Church 2. That on that day all other labors should give place both to the private and publike Worship of God which on other days every one doth exercise according to his Vocation and Calling Now here we must know That there is a threefold difference of forbidding works and sins viz. 1. Labors are forbidden but in respect onely as they hinder the Ministery of the Church or as they give offence to our Neighbor 2. Labors are forbidden onely to be used on the Sabbath day sins at all times 3. The ceasing from labors is a Type of ceasing from sins which is the thing signified by that Type The Institution of the Sabbath in Paradice consisteth of two parts 1. A Blessing God did bless it in regard of himself because he kept it in his own person 2. Sanctification he hallowed it also in regard of Man by commanding it to be sanctified or kept in performance of holy Duties Thus two things are requir'd in a Sabbath 1. A Rest which consisteth in a ceasing from labor 2. A Sanctification of that Rest to an holy use This is the Sabbath of the New Testament The Sabbath was commanded of God for two causes viz. 1. Declarative considered in two respects 1. By that bodily Rest the Lord meant to warn the people of Israel to abstain and rest from their own works being carnal and defiled that they might suffer the Holy Ghost to work in them so that it was a Type or shadow of our Regeneration 2. That circumstance served to signifie the Everlasting Rest of the Kingdom of Heaven which was as it were part of the former 2. The other end of bodily Rest is That we may wait upon the Ministery of the Church meditate upon Gods Works diligently apply our selves to the love of our Neighbors and the instruction of our Families The former end was taken away by the coming of Christ This latter remaineth and is perpetual There are likewise two things to be considered in the Sabbath viz. 1. The things Ceremonial and Temporary As the Jews might not begin a Journey on the Sabbath day Exod. 16.29 nor kindle a fire thereon Exod. 35.3 nor carry a burthen Jer. 17.21 2. The things Moral and Perpetual As that there should be a day of Rest that this day should be sanctified and that this holy Rest should be observed in a Seventh day The Sabbath signifieth a Quietness or Rest or ceasing from labor for these Reasons viz. 1. Because God rested on that day 2. Because it is an Image of the Spiritual Rest to come 3. Because we also and our Families and our Cattel are to rest and cease from our works on that day that God may then shew and exercise his works in us Again there is a threefold consideration to be had of the Sabbath viz. 1. Legal commanded in Exod. 20.8 which is for the exercise of 1. Faith 1. To meditate on Gods Works 2. To beg a blessing on our Endeavors 3. To Exercise our selves in Prayer 2. Charity 1. To the Poor 2. To our Servants and laboring creatures 2. Spiritual that the Old man with all his corruptions may be rooted out and the New man may be made perfect 3. Celestial wherein both in Soul and Body we shall rest from the labors and incumbrances of this present life Likewise there are three degrees of the Sabbath not unlike these of the Sacraments viz. 1. External and Elementary in which as touching the outward celebration both good and evil men communicate together 2. Internal and Spiritual whereof the Elect onely and the Faithful do participate 3. Of Perfection and Consummation which onely remains for ever whereunto we ascend by the second and for which the Faithful do earnestly contend The Sanctification of the Sabbath is twofold viz. 1. Publike which is the solemn performance of Spiritual works tending to the publike Worship of God As 1. The Reading Hearing and Preaching of Gods Word 2. The Administration of the Sacraments according to Gods Institution 3. Publike Prayer by the Minister the Congregation in minde firmly assenting thereto 4. Collections for the Poor for such as want and may command our Charity 2. Private which is done apart from the Congregation still to Gods glory as 1. That every man in the beginning of the Sabbath in the Morning do privately prepare himself by Prayer to the publike service that followeth Also by examination and humbling of himself before God in respect of his particular sins Eccl. 4.27 2. Reading or hearing the Word of God and godly Books diligently Isa 35.16 3. That when the Congregation is dissolved we spend the rest of the Sabbath in Meditation and conference of the Word before Preached of the works and creatures of God Acts 17.11 4. That we visit the afflicted both in minde and body privately exercising our selves in the works of Charity and Mercy Neh. 8.12 5. That to Gods glory we shut up the Sabbath with Prayer and Thanksgiving Hence appears That the general parts of sanctifying the Sabbath are these which we are to remember and practice as often as the Sabbath comes even to the end of the world 1. Rightly and truly to teach and instruct the Church concerning God and his Will 2. Rightly to administer the Sacraments according to Gods divine Institution and so accordingly to use the same 3. Diligently to frequent the publike Assemblies of the Church and there attentively to give ear unto the heavenly Doctrine plainly opened and delivered and afterward diligently to meditate thereon and to examine it Acts 17.11 4. Publike Invocation of God whereby we joyn our Confession Thanksgiving Prayers and desires with the Church 5. To give Alms that is to perform the duties of Love and Charity thereby shewing our obedience to the Doctrine Neh. 8.10 6. The
Spirit to Regenerate and Sanctifie us c. 2. He doth never cease to communicate his Love unto us it is never dry 3. He Loves us for our own good having no need of us he gets nought by it 4. He Redeems us from all sins gives us Faith and Repentance freely we deserve it not 5. He Dyed for us even when we were his very Enemies the Children of wrath 6. He Prevents us with his Grace when we sought not to him for it 7. He Bestows Temporal Favors and withholds present Afflictions from the Reprobate 8. He Prosecutes us with his Love unto the end and in the end gives us the Salvation of our Souls the end of our Faith The consideration of Gods Love must Teach us these Duties viz. 1. To beware of all sin whereby we do offend and displease our God who is so gracious unto us 2. To trust God with our Lives Healths Bodies Estates and all we have for Food Raiment and Protection in the sober use of all lawful means 3. To seek for help and succor from God in all distresses and want 4. To love so bountiful a God yea to enforce our hearts to all duties of love to him 5. To be thankful to God for all good things we enjoy for whatever good we have comes from him 6. We must labor continually in heart and life to walk worthy of the Lord and to please him in all things being fruitful in all good works Col. 1.10 The Duties required of such of us to whom Gods Love hath been specially manifested in raising us who before were weak and contemptible in the world to be Instruments of his Glory viz. 1. We must confess our selves miserable by Nature and no good thing in us to raise up our selves above others being no way better then others 2. We must consider That whatsoever we have it is Gods gift we have received at his hands it cometh down from above and therefore let us not glory as if we had not received it 1 Cor. 4.7 3. We must walk worthy of our Calling even of those Mercies which we have tasted and acknowledge our selves to be unworthy of them 4. We must be humble in our own eyes and not boast of any thing in our selves or in our own merits nor think our selves worthy to be regarded of him 5. If we be thankful for lesser Mercies we may be assured of greater and of fatter blessings 6. We must keep a Register of his blessings and so settle them in our hearts that we forget them not but may thereby be provoked to set forth his praise II. ELection is a Decree in which God according to the good pleasure of his Will hath certainly Chosen some men to Life Eternal in Christ and that for the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1.4 5. God Decree is that by which God hath necessarily and yet freely from all Eternity Isa 46.10 determined all things Howbeit the Decree of God is the first and Principal Cause of all things yet it doth not take away the nature and property of second Causes Eph. 1.12 Mat. 10.29 Rom. 9.2 but brings them into a certain order that is directeth them unto the determinate end whereupon the effect of things are contingent or necessary as the nature of the second Cause is When Christ was offered freely to every man and one received him and another rejected him then the Mystery of Election and Reprobation was Revealed The Reason why some received him being Because God gave them a heart which to the rest he gave not but in point of offering of Christ we must be general without having respect to Election So that Predestination is the Decree of God in as much as it concerns man by which God hath ordained all men to a certain and everlasting estate that is some to Salvation in his Son 1 Thess 5.9 others to condemnation for his own glory and their sins Rom. 9.22 Reprobation is Gods Decree in the which because it so pleased him he hath purposed to resuse some men by means of Adams Fall and their own Corruptions for the manifestation of his Justice Prov. 16.4 2 Cor. 13.5 Again Election is the eternal unchangeable free and most just Decree of God whereby he hath decreed to convert some to Christ to preserve and keep them in Faith and Repentance and by him to give them Eternal Life So Predestination is an Eternal Decree or Purpose of God in time causing effectual Grace in all those whom he hath Chosen and by this effectual Grace bringing them infallibly unto Glory Predestination being thus an immanent and eternal Act of Divine Understanding and Will cannot be conceived as dependent upon any foreseen Temporal Acts of mans Free-will for Election findeth or considereth all meer men in one and the self-same condition and it is the Grace prepared for them in Predestination which maketh the predestinate become holy and happy men They who will have God in his Divine Predestination to behold all men and elect those men consequently whom he considereth as believing and persevering in Faith and Holiness unto the last gasp are in an Error for our Election is not grounded upon any foreseen acts in us of Obeying Believing Persevering and the like but these acts are grounded upon our Election for whoever is predestinated to Salvation is also predestinated to the Grace of Believing Obeying and the like otherwise it were a conditional Predestination but there is none such for whoever is elected to Salvation is predestinated also to the means of Salvation God in his most gracious Decree of Election is as absolutely and certainly ordaining men unto Saving Grace as unto Everlasting Life and Glory And this Grace prepared for the Elect in Gods Eternal Predestination and bestowed upon them in the Temporal Dispensations so causeth their Belief Repentance Perseverance as that it imposeth no necessity or violent coaction upon the Wills of men but causeth their free and voluntary Endeavors All that are inwardly and effectually called are Elected but many are called onely outwardly few such are chosen Now that God hath chosen some and passed by others he is not at all cruel for he owed not his Grace to any but justly might have suffered all Mankinde to have perished That some are Elect and some Reprobate is known unto us in general but not in special whether this or that man be but of our own Election every of us not onely may but ought to be in special certain and assured whereof he may be by the effect which is Conversion that is true Faith and true Repentance Now if any one shall think that the Election of some before others in regard of Gods special Mercy came from this That God foresaw something in them which was not in the others let him hear what Moses saith to the Jews The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you for your multitude but because the Lord loved you and would keep the
And this way were we Redeemed by Christ for the Devil did hold us Captive by right for Sin till Christ paid his Blood Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Christ is said to Redeem us three ways viz. 1. Because he alone is both God and Man so is neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost which was necessary to the Work of our Redemption Acts 20.28 2. He alone was appointed of the Father to work our Redemption Heb. 3.2 3. In the Redeemer two things are required viz. 1. Power and ability to encounter and overcome the Enemy This power was in Christ 2. The right of Redemption which is twofold viz. 1. The Right of Propriety This Right Christ hath in us as True God it belonging to the whole Trinity 2. The Right of Propinquity and this Christ hath as True Man and this he hath alone Christ taketh away our sins three ways viz. 1. By Imputation whereby our sins become his and his Righteousness made ours 2 Cor. 5.21 2. By Expiation and Propitiation whereby he removed them out of the sight of God 1 Joh. 2.23 3. By Mortification thereby removing them from us in this life and in death by perfect Sanctification Or thus Christs Blood doth save us from all sin 1. By Expiation which is the satisfying of Gods Wrath due to sin by bearing the heavy burthen thereof Phil. 1.8 He laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 2. By Sanctification which is the virtual diffusing of his Blood in our hearts and in every corner thereof by the working of his Holy Spirit to the cleansing of them from sin so as it hath no more dominion over us Rom. 6.3 This Redemption by Christ is Eternal in two respects 1. In regard of Eternal Predestination which was before the Foundation of the world 2. In regard that the vertue of this Redemption doth extend it self from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof neither is there any other to be looked for In this doctrine of Redemption consider 1. Who are Redeemed and they onely the Elect of all sorts of people both before and since the coming of Christ 2. Who hath Redeemed us that is Christ alone the onely-Mediator between God and us as being the onely Head of the Church 3. That this Redemption is Spiritual from sin the cause of Death Eternal and from Satan the Author of Sin and all the ill consequents of sin 4. Onely by the Blood of Christ the onely purgation from sin 5. The cause moving Christ thus to Redeem us which was the riches of his Grace Christ Jesus hath made an Atonement between God and us by his Blood and is thereby become our Advocate and Redeemer 1. Because thereby God is well pleased and his wrath appeased so that he accounteth Christs Death as a full Price and sufficient Ransom paid for our sins Mat. 3.17 Eph. 5.2 2. Christ took the whole burthen of our sins upon his shoulders presenting himself before God in our person and offering us to God in his person So that he took upon him our Unrighteousness and imputed to us his Righteousness Isa 53.4 12. 3. There could otherwise be no Remission of sins So that it is the Blood of Christ in the Suffering of the Cross that purgeth away our sins Heb. 9.22 4. Nothing but the Death of Christ could quench the scorching wrath of God as a consuming fire kindled against us and countervail his severe Justice Heb. 9.5 In that Christ is said to be the lamb slain from the beginning of the world is signified 1. That he is in respect of the Application of his Merit a perpetual Sacrifice satisfactory although the slaying it self is at a certain time 2. He was slain typically from all Ages in Types and Figures which did shadow forth his Death to the life 3. He was slain from the beginning in his Members the Saints as Abel the Prophets c. 4. By the Eternal Decree of God the Father he should expiate the sins of the world The Doctrine of the Eternity of Christs Redemption is a threefold Use 1. Not to doubt of the Salvation of the Fathers in the Old Testament before Christ came 2. Not to Judge Censure or Condemn our Brethren 3. Not to despair of Gods Mercy The delivery we have by Christs Redemption is fourfold or Christ hath Redeemed us from a fourfold Bondage viz. 1. From the Bondage of Blindeness and Ignorance by the light of his holy Spirit Ezek. 18.2 Tit. 3.3 2. From the Bondage of Sin enduing us with a lively Faith and regenerating us From Sin which is the perfect both pardoning of Sin that it may not for ever be imputed and also abolishing of it in us by Regeneration or Newness of life which is begun here but to be perfected in the world to come 3. From the Bondage of Death and Corruption by the work of his Redemption Rom. 8.21 1 Cor. 15.54 From Death both from Desperation or the Feeling of Gods Wrath which being in the wicked here begun shall continue everlastingly and from Corporal Death and all Calamities and Miseries by our Resurrection and Glorification 4. From the Bondage of the Law by taking away the exaction and strict urging of perfect obedience Gal. 3.13 The use that we are to make of our Redemption 1. To hate loath and detest all sin whatsoever 2. To glorifie Christ both in Soul and in Body 3. To live wholly unto him not to our selves 4. To take heed of defiling our selves again with sin 5. To love Christ unfeignedly willingly perpetually 6. To live and walk as becometh those that are Redeemed The use that we are to make of the Freeness of Christs Redeeming us without any desert of ours viz. 1. Not to abuse Gods Mercy by Carnal Presumption 2. To accept of it and Repent more speedily 3. Never to Despair of this Mercy finally and totally 4. To give all possible Praise and Thanks for ever for this unspeakable Mercy V. VOcation is that General Calling whereby a man is called out of the world to be a Childe of God a Member of Christ and Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven This Calling belongs to every one within the compass of the Church not any one excepted for this General Calling is the Calling of Christianity which is common to all that live in the Church of God An effectual Calling or a Calling to Grace effectually is whereby a sinner being severed from the world is entertained into Gods Family Eph. 2.17 19. Now though all the Called are Members of Christ yet we must know That of the Members of Christ some are living some dying A living Member of Christ is every one Elected which being ingrafted by Faith and the Spirit into Christ doth feel and shew forth the power of Christ in him A dying or decaying Member is every one truly ingrafted into Christ who hath no feeling of the power and efficacy of the quickning Spirit in him he is like to a benumm'd Leg without Sense which indeed
deed Also he that is grieved truly and unfainedly from his heart for one sin shall proportionably be grieved for all the sins that he knoweth to be in himself for in the most Regenerate there remain some unknown sins of which he cannot have a particular Repentance and yet they are not imputed when there is Repentance for known sins Thus David repented of his Murther and Adultery and yet afterward erring in judgement by reason of the corruption of the times lived to his death in the sin of Poligamy without any particular Repentance that we hear of so the Patriarchs but God in mercy received a general Repentance for the same provided we endeavor to finde out particular sins Now though Godly sorrow be the beginning of Repentance yet Repentance it self doth chiefly consist in a change of Life upon this Sorrow and this standeth in a constant purpose of the Minde and resolution of the Heart not to sin but in every thing to do the Will of God In this purpose stands the very nature of Repentance nor must it be several from Humiliation and Faith We cannot so much as think of our sins aright without grief of heart neither ought we to be grieved for this grief 2 Cor. 7.8 This Sorrow pleaseth God greatly and maketh glad the Angels in Heaven Luke 15.10 And bringeth the Mourners unto infinite joy and peace of Conscience Some there are that repent of their Repentance are sorry they have sorrowed for those sins they yet delight in This is the height of Impiety and that which filled the hardness of Pharaohs heart to the full nor were the Israelites themselves free there-from when their murmuring appetites lusted after the Flesh-pots of Egypt But he that indeed repents mourns that he hath not mourned repents that he hath not repented humbles himself because he hath not been humbled This is that which a man must do before he can truly repent of any particular sin whatsoever And such think it nay they know it to be impossible for them to repent enough Such are our Offences against the Eternal and Infinite Majesty of God as no man is so humbled for them as that he can say He need be humbled no more for them So that this is an undeniable Truth a general Rule without exception That whosoever is come to this pass to think he hath repented enough he is not in the account of Gods Word a true Convert or Penitent Could our life in length equal Methuselahs and our Repentance in an undiscontinued practice thereof equal our Life all this compared to the Infinity of the Majesty offended would come short to entitle it Long-lived An unintermitted Watchfulness fed and supported by a daily constant revolution of faithful Prayers is the pith of Repentance which is likely to prove so much the sounder by how much the more free and voluntary the performance thereof is for extorted and inforced Repentance though it often proves sound and good no doubt yet may not be always so the instrumental cause thereof hapning to be removed the Work may not go on Repent therefore for except we repent we shall all perish Luke 13.3 But if we judge our selves we shall not be judged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.31 Not as the custom is a seeming sad Confession of sin out of Formality not Conscience of Passion without remorse or of fear without change like Judas who confessed he had sinned in betraying innocent blood This is not to repent nor can we be said to be truly penitent when the Judgements upon us for sin grieve us more then the sins themselves And although whensoever an unrighteous man truly repenteth he shall be pardoned yet he cannot truly repent whensoever he will Beware therefore of deferring Repentance He that refuses to turn when God calleth him provokes God to refuse to turn to him when he calls upon God yea to give him over to the hardness of his heart and to assign him Belshazzers or the rich Fools death There are two parts of Repentance viz. 1. The Mortification of the Old man that is Of the Corruption which by reason of sin sticketh in us 2. The Resurrection of the New So there is a twofold consideration of Repentance 1. In respect of the beginning of Repentance as Contrition This is before Faith 2. In respect of the Act of it now the Act of Repentance followeth Faith The exercise of Repentance viz. 1. A constant turning from all sin unto God which hath two parts viz. 1. A purpose of heart and resolution never to sin more 2. A holy endeavor of performing the said resolution 2. A humble Confession 1. Of our sins not in word onely 2. Of our desert of punishment due for them 2. A continual inward grief and sorrow of heart for our sins not a worldly but a godly sorrow which consisteth of two parts 1. To be displeased with our selves for our sins 2. To have a bodily moving of the heart which often causeth crying and tears The former of these is necessary the latter is not simply necessary though it be commendable in whomsoever it is if it be in truth 4. A true inward Humiliation of the heart joyned with a true inward shame of all our sins whatsoever 5. An earnest begging of God in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ pardon for all our sins Grief of heart causing Repentance ariseth 1. From the Word of God whereby sin and Gods wrath for the same is discovered Acts 2.37 2. From Despair of all help in our selves or any other Creature Acts 16.30 3. From our wretchedness and vileness by reason of sin whereby God is offended and his wrath provoked as well as from our cursedness by reason of the punishment and fearful issue of sin Luke 15.18 What the grief is which is in the godly when they repent viz. 1. A grief both for sin past and present which is called Sorrow and also for sin to come which is called Fear 2. An hatred of sin committed both of present sin and sin to come 3. An averting from sin committed to Godliness 4. A flying from sin to come So the grief is in the heart the flying is in the will the averting is in the heart and will and it is an averting from evil unto good The effects of true spiritual grief viz. 1. Shame for evil which hath been done Jer. 31.19 Rom. 6.21 2. A true and thorow Resolution to enter into a new course of life 3. A renuing of grief so oft as occasion is offered True spiritual grief is never clean dried up because sin the cause of it is never quite taken away The true properties of sound repentance viz. 1. We must begin with our hearts to purge them of all corruptions and filthy lusts Ezek. 18.31 2. As we must turn unto God with the heart so with the whole and all the heart with all our soul Deut. 30.2 3. We must shake off all our sins as well one sin as another
46 b. Bible the Canonical Books thereof not perishable 6 a. Blood of Christ how it saves from sin 321 a b. Body the Metaphor thereof used in Scripture what it implieth 151 a. Bondage from the which Christ hath freed us is fourfold 322 a. Bread daily Bread what is meant thereby 98b Burial of Christ the Causes thereof 37 c. C CAlling twofold 150 c. Censure the evil of it and how many ways it may be committed 305 a. Censures of the Church threefold 379 c. Ceremonies Judaical oblige not Christians 16 a. Chastity twofold 289 b. Rules to preserve it ibid. c. 290 b. Children their Duties to Parents 263 c. Christ his Natures and Properties described 127 b c. the degrees of his Humiliation 127 a. also of his Exaltation ibid. Why called the First-born ibid. why called our Head ibid. 128 a. why called our Lord 127 Messias Christ or Anointed ibid. b. why called the Word 129 a. the Lamb from the c. 322 c. the Head of the Church 151 b. how said to be Present with us 157 b c. to what ends Anointed 128 b. his Royal Prophetick and Priestly Offices 128 129 his Theanthropeity and the use thereof 131 c. Church what it is to believe in the Holy Catholick Church 149 c. why called Catholick 150 a. The Church twofold Visible and Invisible ibid. b. 152 c. its Priviledges 151 c. Marks to know the true Church by 152 a. her Titles of Honor ibid. why called Holy ibid. b. her Properties ibid. why God permits it to be persecuted ibid. c. 153 a. 198 b. why the World hates it ibid. c. How the Church before Christs coming differs from the Church since his coming 154 a. how it differs from Common-weals ibid. b. her Office and Authority touching the Scripture ibid. how the Church may be said to erre ibid. c. what she may not do ibid. The Duties of Faith in the Holy Catholick Church 155 a. Circumcision why Abolished 46 c. why Christ was Circumcised ibid. b. Communion of Saints what 155 c. 156 c. Doctrine thereof 155 to 156. How we are said to have communion with God 157 c. the Signs of true Communion with God 158 a. 159 a. the Duty of the Saints by vertue of this Communion ibid. c. Conception of Christ by the Holy Ghost what 132 c. what it signifies 133 c. why he was conceived ibid. what it is to believe in Christ conceived 134 b c. Confession the Properties thereof 79 b. Christian Confession twofold 246 b. Caveats touching private Confession 225 c. Consubstantiation Reasons against it 57 b. Conversion what 337 Doctrine thereof ibid. to 343. Conversion twofold 341 c. how wrought 342 a b. The Object Subject Parts and Causes of Conversion ibid. b c. how is differs from false Repentance 343 a. Covenant betwixt God and Man twofold 330 a. Covetous how said to be Idolaters 309 a. Covetousness what 306 c. the Evils thereof 309 b. Remedies against it ibid. a. 110 b. Creation described 124 c. 125 a. 316 why God created the World 125 the Doctrine of the Creation ibid. b c. 316 to 319 the use of that Doctrine 119 b. Creatures four kindes thereof in the world 318 b. a twofold goodness in the Creature ibid. a. Creed why vulgarly called Apostolique 117 c. and why so framed ibid. Cross fourfold 198 c. a Cordial against fainting under it 200 a. 201 b. Cruelty the Properties thereof 278 b. Curse for Sin fourfold 19 c. D DEath of Christ why so ignominious 137 c. the Benefits thereby ibid. a. Debt a threefold Debt in Sin 105 a. Decalogue how divided 170 c. the Doctrine thereof 169 to 310 Rules how to expound it 171 c. 172 a b. Deity proved 119 c. 120 a. Deliverance how many ways God works it for his people 113 a. why God sometimes defers it 200 c. Descention of Christ into Hell what 135 c. the diversity of Opinions touching it 138 b c. Despair what 222 c c. Doctrine thereof ibid. to 226 threefold 225 a. Causes thereof ibid. b. Remedies against it 111 b. 225 c. 226 a b. Discipline what Ecclesiastical Discipline is 376 b. the nature of it how and by whom to be administred ibid. why and by whom Instituted 378 a. the Method thereof ibid. the Necessities thereof ibid. c. the Difference betwixt Church-Discipline and State-Government ibid. Distress of Minde the kindes thereof 224 b c. Doctrine how true Doctrine differs from other 153 c. Drunkenness Remedies against it 111 a. Duties the kindes thereof 271 a b. E EArth a twofold Right to it 272 c. Eating to the Lord what and how 374 b. Election what 313 Doctrine thereof ibid. to 316 kindes thereof 315 b. Effects thereof ibid. c. the way to obtain Assurance thereof 316 a. Envy twofold 281 c. why to be avoided ibid. Remedies against it ibid. Essence Divine what 2 b c. 3 b. how the Essence of God differs from the Essence of the Creature 4 a. Why the Difference of Essence and Person in the Trinity is necessary to be known ibid. b. Examination before Receiving the Lords Supper 49 c. to 53 b. Examiners three sorts of Examiners 53 a. Excommunication what 376 c. its parts 381 c. the Original thereof 377 a. how to be used ibid. b. of no force against the Childe of God ibid. c. Three Judgements in Excommunication 378 b. Observations thereon 379 b. Duties to be performed by and to the Excommunicate 380 a b. The fearful condition of Excommunicated persons ibid. c. the end and use of Excomunication 381 a b. with the use to be made thereof 382,383 Eyes Rules for the governing of them to avoid Adultery 289 a. F FAith what 174 b. Doctrine thereof 379 to 194 What the most Mysterious point of Faith 1 a. how many ways we may be said to Believe 183 b. Faith fourfold ibid. Historical Faith what ibid. c. Justifying Faith wherein it consists 184 a b. its Properties 186 c. Gods order in working Faith 184 c. how many ways Faith works 187 a b. how it admits Degrees 186 a. 238 c. 239 a. Effectual Faith what 187 wherein the effectualness of it consists 188 a. the Fruits Effects and Signs of Effectual Faith 192 b c. the Causes of uneffectual Faith 188 a. Faithless Works threefold 187 c. Tryal of Faith 50 b c. 51 c. Duties of Faith in Christ Crucified 138 a. how Faith and Hope differ 189 a. wherein they agree ibid. c. how Faith differs from Presumption 191 a. how Faith differs from Moral Honesty 238 b. the Degrees of Temporary Faith 239 b. Satans Engines to destroy Faith 188 c. Titles in Scripture given to Faith 190 c. how far the sense of Faith may be lost ibid. Motives to grow in Faith 191 b. Means to attain it ibid. c. The use of Faith in Prosperity 193 c. Faithful why called Saints 157 a. Fast what a Religious Fast is 369 a. 370 c. 371 a b. the several kindes thereof ibid. c. 372 a. Rules touching the same