preached that there was so many offers made and yet thou wouldest none of him Therefore consider this and say not nay alas such conditions are required on my part as I cannot performe them for beloved there is nothing required on thy part but sincerity Indeed that is required thou must not thinke when thou art matched to thy husband to live as if thou wert a maid still thou must not thinke to match with thy husband and to live as thou list thou must not thinke to sweare still and follow the lust of uncleanenesse still and to follow thy drunkennesse and good fellowship still thou must not thinke to match with the Lord Iesus and breake the Sabbath and neglect holy duties and violate thy conscience thou must know that all thy old cloathing as I said before must be put off and not onely so but thy nailes must be pared that is those thoughts that thou reckonest lesse sinnes vaine thoughts idle thoughts negligent performance of holy duties or whatsoever is of that nature these nailes must be pared there must be a sincere heart to resolve to doe all this But so much for those second sort of men that will not beleeve there is such a pardon that yet cannot think the Lord Iesus is willing to match with them and to passe by the great sinnes that they have committed But now for the third sort which is indeed of the greatest company of men for wee finde not so many men doubt whether they shall be forgiven or no but though they know there is a pardon and that the Lord will match with them yet they are willing to live as they did they are not willing to come under his subjection to live by his Lawes Now besides consider what is the cause of this what keepes men off from this First you shall find one great generall cause is Inconfideration this is the fault of young men that have a thousand vanities in their heads and never thinke of matching with Christ and of their spirituall estate And not of them onely but of others too who as they are held off by pleasures so others by businesse as appeares in those invited to the marriage one went about his merchandize another to his Oxen and never considered they never tooke to heart this their inviting to the marriage consider that in Deut. 32. 27. When Moses had made an exhortation that they should not receive the strange Gods of the people but come into covenant and be marryed to him for that is the scope of the Chapter threatning withall that when they should provoke him to jealousy he would provoke them saith he Oh that you were wise to consider your latter end as if he should say this is the cause that you come not in and keep not close to the Lord Oh that you were wise to consider for it is a mans wisedome to consider this for a wise man stands as one upon the top of an high hill or a rocke and so he lookes round about him and sees all events before they come whereas a foole is taken unawares by death he is arrested and judgement comes upon him on the sudden as a snare therefore I say thou must consider And yet this is the usuall case of men they go on in a secure sleepe in sinning whilst death and judgement breaks in upon them which by consideration might be prevented Therfore if you aske me what you must consider I say consider if this bee not thy case as it is of many men many owe more then they are worth more then they know how to pay now if they would but consider their case and but cast up their accounts it may be they might seeke out for a match to discharge all but they neglect it and are secure an arrest comes on them and they are cast into prison and now it is too late Therfore I say to every man of you consider thy debts thy sinnes yea consider those sinnes thou thinkest are past so many yeares since that ly still and thou hearest no more of them I say consider them and bring them to mind and consider what a sleping sinne is You may see it in the case of Ioab when hee had committed those foule murthers of Abner and Amasa the Lord let it sleepe for a time and Ioab was secure but you see in due season he having not sued out his pardon the arrest came upon him and Solomon slew him And such was the case of the sin of Shemei that he committed against David it lay a sleepe for a time Such was the case of Iosephs brethren in that they did against Ioseph many yeares together it lay quiet when it awakened they saw what it was with anguish Therefore consider what a sleeping sinne is the forgetfulnesse of which maketh men secure Men commit sins and they are in health and forget them and so not considering their debts they regard not this match and goe not about it There is another part of security wherewith men are involved and that is they thinke they have matched already with Iesus Christ they thinke they are in an estate good enough and to come now to make a change of it they think strict precisenesse and more then needs And this one thing keepes many thousands off from matching that they thinke their debts are paid that they are in good estate and they thinke that they are under covert But to answer it in a word I wish thee to consider those plaine places of Scripture Gal. 5. 24. Whosoever is in Christ hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and that in 2 Cor. 5. 17. Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature old things are passed away all things are become new and that Iam. 2. 10. If a man faile but in one point willingly and constantly hee is guilty of the breach of the whole law in Ezech. 18. 10 c. The new translation doth not so well expresse it as the old If hee beget a Sonne if hee doe any of these things though not all if hee beget a Sonne that is atheife or a shedder of bloud if hee doe one of these things if not all but either hee eate upon the mountaines or have defiled his neighbours wife or have oppressed the poore c. if he have done but one of these hee shall dye the death his bloud shall be upon his head Not to name more I say out of this I gather that he that allowes himselfe in the least sin he that respects not all the Commandements and the least small particle in them that man is not yet matched with the Lord Iesus and therefore doe not deceive your selves with vaine words to thinke that these excluding signes and markes and rules that wee give are inventions of our owne that wee are too strict beyond our Commission Beloved this plaine Word by which you shall bee judged at the last
this is a common case and so it is in this spirituall match when men come to looke upon the Lord they doe not like the Lord well if this be thy case if it be thus with thee the Lord will not be so much as a suter to thee hee counts thee an enemy There is an antipathy betweene the Lord and many there is an enmity but you must know in this there is a two-fold enmity one out of ignorance as Paul sayes he I was a Blasphemer and a persecutor but now I am received to mercy because I did it ignorantly through unbeleife If hee had knowne the Lord hee would not have persecuted him But secondly there is also a wilfull enmity against the Lord they know the Lord and yet they doe not like him But these men will deny this and say this is not the cause they come not in whatsoever is the cause Well doe not deceive thy selfe if thou love the Lord thou wilt love his Image thou wilt love his children which are his Image If thou hatest those that beare his Image thou hatest the Lord himselfe And therefore doe not deceive thy selfe if thou bearest a secret hatred and dislike of that strictnesse and holinesse that is in the Saints if thou hast an inward grudge to that which is Gods Image thou hatest God himselfe But perhaps thou wilt say I hate him because he is an hypocrite if hee were the child of God I would love him but I hate his hypocrisie But take heede that when thou strikest an hypocrite a Saint lyes not a bleeding so also when a man lyeth under a sharp and powerfull Ministery and thou bearest hatred and dislike of it thou hatest the Lord himselfe whose ordinance it is This was the case of the Iewes when the Apostles had shewed them the Lord Iesus and they saw all was rejected what followed we have no more to say to you Christ would no longer be a suter to them Seing ye reject us and will not receive this word of salvation loe now we turne to the Gentiles and those that will receive us And therefore brethren take heed of disliking the Lord when he comes a suter to you doe not lay false aspersions upon him and his wayes and children doe not beleeve false aspersions laid upon him by others as those that were sent to spye Canaan they brought up evill reports of that Land what followed not onely they were excluded out of the Land but also all those that beleeved them Now thus we have shewed you the match and given you some tryals to know whether you are matched with Christ or no as also what may stirre you up to accept this match if yee finde upon examination that ye are not matched with him also the impediments that keepe men off from the match that if any of them be your case ye may remove it But brethren all this can doe nothing to procure this match this will not worke upon you except the Lord be his owne spokse-man to winne your love hee it is that must winne you Men are like dead men when wee speake to them but if Christ speake not by his Spirit they are dead still it is hee that must shew you your debt and your danger and the beauty and excellency of your husband and must remove the impediments And seeing that now you are to receive Christ offered in the Sacrament this point may be a great helpe to strengthen your faith When a man promises to match with one this helpes well forward to the match but when the man is in the Church and offers himselfe to match with thee then wee cannot choose but beleeve it Hee that eateth and drinketh this unworthily he is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord therefore doe not take it hand over head but examine whether thou standest in need of Christ canst thou set a price upon him as the cheifest thing thou wantest The great match is made in Baptisme this is but the renewing of the Nuptials and new Actes of taking and receiving Christ. Consider then if thou have matcht with Christ before else if thou comest hither this is a great provocation to the Lord for that which is required of thee now is that thou take Christ with more willingnesse still that thou come with more desires and longing after the Lord Iesus or else thou dost receive unworthily Consider every time thou comest of what need thou standest in of Christ and in this thing thou must take some paines with thy heart every time thou comest to see more need thou standest in of Christ and also examine strictly what thou hast done amisse and worke thy heart to unfained sorrow and make up all breaches before thou comest as thou dost with men which is a very commendable thing and if thou have any request to put up to him this is a speciall day of hearing Whatsoever jewell thou wouldst have to beautifie thy selfe that is whatsoever graces thou wantest to beautifie thy soule what change of rayment thou wouldst weare to adorne thy conversation what temptation hath long haunted thee thou canst not be rid of aske of thy husband now upon this day this is the marriage day this is a faire opportunity to aske any thing of thy husband aske thy husband now he will not deny thee nay whatsoever thou wantest for this life for thy body aske it now for all is thine whatsoever thou desirest any gift for soule or body whatsoever it be that thou wouldest have him to take from thee that hurts thee or whatsoever thou wouldest have him give thee to doe thee good aske it I dare be bold to say he will not deny thee for if Herod because of his oath would not deny the daugh ter of Herodias even to the halfe of the Kingdome dost thou thinke that thy husband will deny thee any thing that hath given himselfe to thee hath he given thee the great and dost thou thinke that he will deny thee the lesse if it be good for thee if he doe deny thee it is because it is not convenient or else thou dost not aske it in due time or else he will give thee a better thing THE CHURCHES CARIAGE OR DVTY DELIVERED IN SUNDRY Sermons at Lincolnes Inne By the late learned and Reverend Divine IOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majesty Master of Immanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne Published by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas Ball B ◠in Divinity EPHES. 5. 33. Let the wife see that she reverence her husband 2 COR. 11. 2. For I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you a chast virgin to Christ. LONDON Printed by R. Badger for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes-head-Alley in Pater noster-Row THE CHVRCHES CARIAGE EPHES. 5. 22. 23. 24. Wives submit your selves unto your owne husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband
passe in the night Wee finde sometimes the dore shut upon us in a course which we would enter into sometimes he sets our conscience upon us to expostulate with us even as the Angell did with Hagar when she fled from her mistresse Gen. 16. 18 Hagar Sarahs maid sayes he whence commest thou and whither wilt thou goeâ— returne to thy dame and humble thy selfe under her hands As if he should have said Hagar thinke with thy selfe who thou art Sarahs maid it was her pride caused her to runne away she thought to have beene mistresse and because she could not beare the rough usage of her mistresse she had forgotten her place therefore the Angell calls her Sarahs maid and bids her Goe and humble thy selfe under her hands and likewise sayes he consider whence thou comest from the godliest family in all the world and consider whither thou goest to them that know not God that are strangers and aliens from the common wealth of Israel and therefore returne unto thy Dame So the Lord sometimes sets our consciences to expostulate with us why doe you refuse such a course and why doe you take such a course and it shewes us the cause of our errings as here the Angell did Hagar for pride of heart was the cause of her flying from her mistresse therefore the Angell sayes Hagar Sarahs maid goe and returne unto thy mistresse and humble thy selfe under her hands doe not as Iohanan did when he sent to aske counsell of the Lord whether he should goe into Egypt or no resolve aforehand what thou wilt doe he set downe with himselfe that whatsoever the Lord had said hee would goe downe into Egypt So it is with many though they aske counsell of the Lord by prayer their hearts are set upon a course and will not be taken off Take heed of this stiffenesse of disposition and frowardnesse of spirit which is a frequent cause and a cause of much misguidance immens actions and resigne thy selfe to the Lord and seeke counsell in the uprightnesse and plainenesse of thy heart this resignation of our selves to the Lord is the way to be directed upon all occasions Now to work your heart to this consider that the way God leads thee to how improbable soever it seemes it wil be the best and safest way for thee Many would goe the contrary way As Lot when the Lord would have him flee to the mountaine he would goe to Zoar against Gods counsell and you see what came of it So David for the numbring of the people though better counsell was given him by Ioab But hee was set upon it he would doe it and see what came of it So Iosiah would fight with Pharoah-Necho though better counsell was sent him from the Lord to passe by him and let him alone see what came of it Therfore take heed of this stiffenesse of affection and wilfulnesse and stubbornenesse of Spirit The Lord may sometime give way to thy mind but it is in judgement not in mercy the thing which thou hast a mind to it may be brought to passe but it had beene better for thee to want it as it had beene for Balaam but hee would needs goe up to Balaac and therefore the Lord bad him goe in his anger seeing hee would not be staid He deales with us as Elisha did with those 2. King 2. 15. That would goe to seeke the body of Eliah they had many denyals but yet they were instant with him so that in the end he bad them goe and they went and lost their labour for they found him not In all cases of difficulty learne to seeke counsell of the Lord. These conditions observed you shall have the use of this priviledge Another use is this let every man learne from hence to be the glory of Christ. How is this drawn from thence you will say If you looke into that place in the 1 Corin. 11. 7. See how it followes upon it Christ is the head of every man and the man is the womans head as is before in the Chapter what followes upon that in the seventh verse he sayes the man is the image and glory of God and the woman is the glory of the man The meaning is this when thou dost consider that the Lord is thy husband and thy head thou must thinke of this with thy selfe and every time thou findst that passage in Scripture it should put thee in mind to cary thy selfe so as thou mayst be the glory of the Lord that is thou must take heed of standing on thine owne bottome and seeking glory to thy selfe and of shining with thine owne beames seeking any selfe-excellency but as it is in the civill law Mulier coruscat radiis mariti the woman must shine with the beames of the man that is she must chalenge nothing as her owne but every thing shee seekes or stands for it is in the name of her husband therefore whatever thou hast beene or ever thou hast sought honour to thy selfe and applause and to be thought some body in the world yet now thinke thus with thy selfe I am the Lords now I must give him all the praise and cary my selfe so that all my excellency may reflect upon him And this also that we are members is also argument enough for it What can the members doe there is agility in them to doe many actions but where have they all their vigour is it not from the head So all the wit and learning thou hast those excellencies thou hast whence hast thou them are they not from Christ the members doe that they do but in an instrumentall manner so dost thou what ever thou dost Therefore consider this and say heartily it is not I that doe this or that but the grace of God in me I doe but actus agere it is the influence of my head Christ hath wrought it by me as Paul said that phrase is to be marked which is used in Galat. 2. Hee that was mighty by Peter in the Apostleship over the circumcision was also mighty by me towards the Gentiles The Apostle doth not say that he or Peter was able to doe any thing but ascribeth all to the Lord. So thou shouldest thinke with thy selfe never say I have done such a thing or brought such a thing to passe or such an excellent performance hath come from me but say the Lord hath done such a thing by me In other things you doe it when you see an instrument well plaid on you commend not that but him that useth it that is the case of every man wee are but the Lords instruments he is mighty by us wee are but acted by the Lord. If Christ be the Head thou must seeke his glory this the Lord is jealous of Sacrilege God will not take at the hand of any man he will not be robd of his time the Sabbath or any thing else but of all other he can least away with this theft robbing him of his
from Christ to his members that workes upon their hearts and wils as the head doth on the members There is a force that infinuates it selfe from Christ unto them that moves them to obedience Members they are not moved by argumentation by reasons and arguments but by a certaine force that comes from the head and from a propensnesse that is in them so those that are Christs are not moved by reasons simply to obedience My meaning is not that reasons are excluded for they have motives and arguments to move them as well as others but that is not all there is a proclivitive planted in them that makes them obedient to their Head CHRIST IESUS Consider those words Rom. 6. 13. Wherefore give up your members as weapons of Righteousnesse unto God that is so soone as a man is dead to sinne and made alive to Christ consider now you are made members of another body have another head and therfore as the members are obedient to the Head and ready to doe what ever that will have them do so be you ready to doe what ever Christ commands As when the Head would have a thing done the members do it willingly without any reluctancy consider whether thy obedience be of that nature other men are drawne to it by outward motives from the force of Arguments and Reasons but they want this inward propensnesse to bee guided by Christ as the members are guided by the Head Lastly consider whether thou seek thy selfe or the good and advantage of others For look what being a man hath what state or condition in the Church what frame of spirit within such are his desires So long as a man is not a member but alone so long he seekes the perfection of himselfe as alone but being a member he seekes his good as he is a fellow member with the rest his condition is altered there comes another spirit into him that gives him the disposition of a member and the well-being of a member is not to be alone but to be knit to the other members and to be knit together with them to the Head The Characters of a member are first to be sociable it is not the property of a member to bee alone if thou bee knit unto Christ thou canst not want fellowship with Christians with the members of Christ. As a member of the body if there be any disjoynture made it seekes to be knit again so every one that is a member cannot endure to want the fellowship of Christ if a cloud come betwixt Christ and him hee cannot rest till hee be made one with him againe or of the rest of the Saints which are his fellow members Secondly another disposition of a member is to be usefull and serviceable to the body and the rest of the members as the hand the eye and the eare in its place So it is with every one that is a member of this body whereas before he sought himselfe and considered what did redound to himselfe what profit or credit now the case is altered and his thoughts are How shall I doe any thing which may glorifie my Head and advantage my fellow members How shall I bee usefull to God and man Lastly a member is compassionate hath a fellow-feeling of what befales any of the rest of the members it weepes with them that weepe c that is it useth to bee affected with the good or with the evill that concernes the body of the Church or any member of it and this is a natular disposition that followes the nature of all members and the spirit that is in them As Saint Paul sayes who is offended and I burne not with griefe and sorrow for it I feele twinges when others are hurt Consider how thou art affected with the case of the Church whether thou finde bowels of compassion in thee and art able to take their cause to heart and is thy heart stirred in thee accordingly as thou seest it goe well or ill with the Church If so thou hast the dispositions of a member and then Christ is thy head and all the promises made to the body of Christ the Church belong to thee otherwise thou hast no interest in him FINIS THE TABLE A Acquaintance ACquaintance with God how it is gotten part 1 page 179. Affections Affections moderated by humiliation 1 91 Affections what 1 120 Affections shew what is our utmost end 1. 165 Affections of Gods children resist sin 1 216 Affections subiect to Christ 2 117 Afflict Afflictions God Afflicts his owne people 1 3 Afflictions doe not alway follow sin 1 6 Examples of Gods Afflicting his people 1 8 Not to thinke strange th t God afflicts his children 1. 19 God slow to afflict 1 21 God sustaines his people in affliction Ibid God brings his people thorow affliction 1 25 Afflictions needfull 1 29 Difference of men in Affliction 1 31 Afflictions why sent of God Ibid. Afflictions removed in due time 1 34 Humiliation wrought by afflictions 1 80 To bee humble in afflictions 1 123 To iudge of our state by the issue of afflictions 1 288 In what case God afflicts his people 1 290 Apostacy Apostacie the ground of it 1 90 Ashamed Men ashamed of the power of religion 1 60 Assurance Assurance not to bee weakned by daily failings 1 122 269 Avoid Afflictions sent not to be avoided 1 33 B. Benefits COnsideration of the benefits by Christ what they serve for 2 37 Best Subjection to Christ best for us 2 115 Blaspheme God afflicts his people that his name bee not blasphemed 1 4 Boldnesse Boldnesse to got to Christ 2 22 C. Calling DIligence in our calling a meanes to humble us 1 130 Christ. Humiliation makes us cleave to Christ 1 88 99 The Church married to Christ 2 1 Motives to take Christ 2 23 Benefits by Christ. 2 27 Impediments that keepe from Christ 2 38 Church Comfort concerning the afflictions of the Church 1 63 Choose Choosing Choosing God the way to happinesse 1 42 Motives to choose God 1 43 God chooseth his people 1 48 See God Compassion God hath Compassion of his people in affliction 1 20 Confession Confession of sin required in fasting 1 38 Conscience Conscience of good men fight against sinne 1 215 Consent Difference in mens consent 1 210 Consent in our marriage to Christ 2 2 12 Consent how it is wrought 2 3 Consent what it is 2 4 Caution concerning our consent 2 13 Errour in mens consent 2 15 Constancy Constancy caused by humiliation 1 73 Constancy in good duties 1 129 Constancy in fighting against sin 1 218 Contempt Want of feare a signe of contempt 1 14 Content Contentment wrought by humiliation 1 92 Covenant Covenant renewed in fasting 1. 39 Freenesse of Gods covenant 1 263 D Death SInne at the last brings forth death 1 285 Deferre Dangerous to deferre comming to Christ 2 67 Discourage Ground not to bee discouraged in afflictions 1 32 Difficulty
Difficulty of leaving sin what it should teach us 1 229 Difficulty of a Christian course 1 230 Disobedience Disobedience to all others to obey Christ 1 112 E. End AFfliction of Gods people turned to good in the end 1 26 End of actions double 1 158 To make God our chiefe end Ibid. How to know wee make God our end 1 62 Enmity Enmity double 2 69 Errour Errour the cause of it 2 63 Excellency Excellency of Christ a motive to take him 1 26 F. Fase HVmiliation makes us seeke Gods face 1 87 To seeke Gods face what 1 132 How to know wee seeke Gods face 1 155 Benefit of seeking Gods face 1 183 Faith Faith growes from humiliation 1 101 Faith what 1 102 Impediments to faith 1 268 Fast. Double performance of a fast 1 38 Feare Feare the nature of it 1 7 Feare the want of it provokes God 1 13 Feare of the creature a snare 1 15 Feare of God how to bring our hearts to it 1 16 Feare the object of it 1 138 Feare in those that are out of Christ 2 25 Fellowship Fellowship of the Saints 2 97 Forgivenesse Means of conveighing forgivenesse 1 260. Who excluded from the promise of forgivenesse 1 263. Promise of forgivenesse brings men to God 1 273. How to be perswaded of God's readinesse to forgive sins 1 274 Danger of refusing the promises of forgivenesse 1 277 G Garment VVEdding garment what 2 21 Glory The wife the glory of the husband how 2 53 Humble men give God glory 1 113 Christians how they are the glory of Christ 1 33 God To choose the Lord for our God 1 41 Grace Grace to be stirred up 1 248 To stirre up grace what Ibid. Guide Christ a guide 2 80 How Christ guides those that are his 2 119 Necessity of Christ to bee our guide 2 122 We are unable to guide our selves 2 126 Guiding double 2 129 H. Hard. TWo things make the law of Christ hard 2 60 Hatred Hatred of sin 1 195 Hatred of sin what 1 196 Head Christ the Head of his Church 2 78 To choose Christ for our Head 2 93 Heart God fashions the heart of his people in afflictions 1 23 Heart to bee kept in good temper 1 40 Hardnesse of heart the cause of it 1 56 Searching the heart a meanes to humble us 1 128 Turning to God with the whole heart 1 191 A Christian fights against sin with his whole heart 1 215 God softeneth the heart 2 44 Helpe Promises of Gods helpe 1 57 Holinesse Holinesse what 1 150 Nature of holinesse 1 151 Double holinesse required 1 152 Humble Humiliation To humble our selves after wee have sinned 1. 53 Humiliation double Ibid. 134 Way to humiliation 1 55 Humiliation wrought by the Spirit 1 58 Without humiliation no mercy 1. 66 Necessity of humiliation 1 67 69. 75 Humiliation what 1. 77 78 116. 121 Ingredients in humiliation 1. 82 Difference of humiliation 1 84 Two things accompanying humiliation 1 89 Ends of humiliation 1 99 Meanes of humiliation 1 103 The Lord is mercifull to the humble 1 112 Meanes to humble the heart 1 128 How to know wee are humbled 1 131 God reveales his secrets to the humble 1. 136 God leaves sin in men to humble them 1. 240 All sins forgiven to the humble 1 254 I Iealousie Iealousie what 1 4 Idlenesse Idlenesse a sin 1. 198 Illumination Illumination in turning to God 1 192 Indeavour Indeavour accepted of God 1 56 Inconsideration Inconsideration hinders men from comming to Christ. 2 53 Influence To draw influence from Christ. 2 95 Ioy. Ioy what 1 43 Iudgement Iudgements caused by the sinnes of the Saints 1. 11 Iudgements of God of three sorts 1 279 Calamities removed in Iudgement 1 287 Iustice. Iustice of God in forgiving sinne 1 259 L Law Humiliation wrought by the Law 1 79 Law what ibid. Vse of preaching the Law 1. 254 Liberty Liberty in sin hurtfull 2 32 Loose We loose nothing by subjection to Christ. 2 94 Lord. When our obedience is to the Lord. 2 110 Love God afflicts his people because he loves them 1 4 Love makes a man humble 1 54 Humiliation makes us love God 1 91 Love increased by humiliation 1 102 Lusting Lusting against sin in the regenerate 1 211 M. Marriage Consequents of our marriage with Christ. 2. 6 How to know we are married to Christ. 2 7 Measure To be afflicted in measure what 1 22 Meanes Meanes limitted by the end 1 163 Members How to know wee are Christs members 2 137 Law of the members what 1 226 Characters of Members of Christ. 2 140 Mercy Humiliation makes men seeke Mercy 1 70 Humiliation makes men give God the praise of his mercy 1 74 Not to forget God in the middest of his mercies 1 172 Might To doe Gods worke with all our might 1 166 Minde Law of the minde what 1 209 Miracle The offers of mercy confirmed by miracle 2 42 Moderate God Moderates the afflictions of his people 1 22 Mourning Mourning for sinne when it is effectuall 1 118 N. Name The Lords Name called upon his people 1 47 Not to pollute Gods Name 1 59 Nature Sin agreeable to our nature 1 225 Nearenesse Our nearenesse to God 1 51 Necessity Necessity we have of Christ. 2 23 Neede God afflicts us no more then Needs 2 29 Negligently To doe Gods worke negligently what 1 167 O Obedience Exhortation to obedience 1 49 Obedience from humiliation 1 76 114 Faith and obedience goe together 2 100 Triall of our estate from our obedience 2 103 Obedience universall required 2 107 Obedience constant 2 129 Obedience to Christ the manner of it 2 139 Observation Observation of the manner of sins fighting 1 250 Offend Wee must come to God though we have offended him 1 35 Omission Sins of Omission 1 202 Ordinances The end of Gods Ordinances 1 221 Opinion What opinion to have of our selves 1 155. 156 P. Pardon Who beleeve not the offer of pardon 2 39 Pardon offered to all 2 43 Pardon taken out what 2 45 The time of offering pardon 2 47 Peace Subjection to Christ brings peace 2 89 92 Persecution God a refuge in persecution 1 184 Person Person of Christ must first be looked to 2 21 Pleasant Sinne hard to be left because it is pleasant 1 224 Subjection to Christ pleasant 2 88 Prayer Prayer a meanes to get the feare of God 1 16 God fits his people to prayer 1 23 Humiliation makes a man pray 1 87 Want of prayer causeth want of assurance 1 270 Priests Humiliation makes us Priests to God 1 76 Present Presenting sins past a meanes to humble men 1 104 130 God present with them that seeke his face 1 183 Men thinke their present condition unalterable 1 292 Want of present comforts keepe men from Christ. 2 61 What Christians enjoy by Christ for the present 2 64 Pride Pride cause of disobedience 1 72 Profession Outward profession required 1 62 Promise Promise of mercy