is exalted to sit at the Right hand of God which is a Name or honour which never the Angels nor Arch-Angels had This I prove from that passage of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews where it is said concerning Christ Who having purged our sinnes is sate down on the Right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being made so much better than the Angels as he hath by Inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they for to which of the Angels said he at any time Sit on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy Fooâ—-stoole Heb. 1.13 Thirdly He hath a Name above every Name because it is through this Name that the Name of God becomes a comfort unto us The Attributes of God are the Name of God Now without an Interest in Christ we shall have no comfort in any Attribute of God To a Christless sinner all the Attributes of God are against him as for instance 1. God is wise that 's the worse for a wicked man for he knows all that wickedness thine own heart is privy to and much more evil by thee Jer. 17.10 1 Joh. 3.20 than thine own heart knoweth 2. God is holy and therefore he must needs hate those that are Filthy Being of purer eyes than to behold iniquity 3. God is just and if the righteousness of Christ do not Skreen thee the wrath and vengeance of God must needs break out upon thee for thy guilt Hab. 1.13 4. God is Almighty and how shall the Potters Vessel endure the least touch of his hand how shall the chaffe stand before the Whirl-wind of his wrath how shall the stubble dwell with everlasting burnings and such are all Sinners out of Christ All the thoughts of God must needs be terrible to all those souls that are out of Christ But the Name of Christ is that which makes the Name of God a Sanctuary and strong Tower the face of God shines upon us in the face oâ— Jesus Christ Prov. 18.10 As Moses when he was hid in the Rock could with delight hear the Name of God proclaimed so how sweet 2 Cor. 5.6 â— Exod. 33.21 22. 1 Cor. 10.4 and lovely and comfortable are all the Attributes of God to all those that are in the Rock the Rock Christ Jesus 1. God is a wise God the more is my comfort Psal 73.24 Mat. 6.32 may a Believer say for he knows how to guide me he knows what I want and how to supply it 2. God is a holy God and that 's a comfortable Attribute for in Christ he is our sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 3. God is a mercâ—ful and gracious God so he is in himself but in Christ Jesus he is most merciful gracious and full of compassion to pity and pardon his children Even as a Father pitieth his Children Psal 103.13 so the Lord pitieth them that fear him 4. He is an Almighty God mighty in power and thus his Name Prov. 18.10 Rom. 8.31 through the Lord Jesus is a strong Tower the righteous fly unto it and finde succour and through Christ a believer can say If the Lord be for us it matters not who are against us 5. Lastly Even the Justice of God through the Lord Jesus Christ becomes an Attribute of comfortable Consideration for because God is just therefore he will not condemn those for whom Christ hath satisfied Rom. 8.1 Mal. 3.17 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus God will not condemn those that are in Christ but for his sake will spare them as one sparâ—th his Son that serves him And thus the Name of Christ is a Name above every Name because through his Name it is that the Name and Attributes of God become comfortable unto us Fourthly And Lastly The Name of Christ is a Name above every Name because his Name should be most precious and powerful in his Church throughout all Generations thus all the Assemblies of the Church should be in the Name of Christ Matth. 18.20 John 14.13 1 Cor. 5.4 they must meet in his Name all Prayers are to be made in the Name of Christ All Church-Censures are to be in his Name Mat. 28.19 Ministers must Preach and Administer the Sacraments in the Name of the Lord Jesus and thus he hath a Name above every Name 3. The third thing propounded is How are we to understand the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath given him a Name c. I answer This must be understood of Christ as Mediatour for so considered and so only he was capable of Exaltation 1. There are some that hold that Christ as God was exalted that now in Heaven the glory of the God-head which lay hid and was vailed in the Tabâ—rnacle of his flesh John 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is now exerted and so exalted But the manifestation of the Deity is no exaltation of the Deity When the Sun shines out of a dark night the ayre is illustrated but the light of the Sunne is not encreased The Lord Jesus was exalted in that Nature in which he was humbled and that is his Humane Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nyss As the Divine Nature could not suffer neither can it be exalted God being the highest cannot be exalted It was the Humane Nature of Christ that is thus exalted If we look upon the Divine Nature of Christ John 10.30 Phil. 2.6 Non nová indigeb at exaltatione à Patre qui aequalis erat Patri Calv. Non ea accepit Christus quae non prius habebat sed accepit ut homo quae habebat ut Deus Theod. In qua forma crucifixus e stin ipsa exaltatus est Aug. so he was one with the Father and equal to the Father and thus it must not be thought that Christ could be capable of Exaltation When God gave him a Name Theodoret excellently unfolds this great Mystery thus Christ saith he did not receive that which he had not before but he did receive that as man which from all eternity he had as God 2. But we answer that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Text hath Relation unto Christ as Mediatour God-man not as God so he could not be exalted at all nor as a meer man for so he could not be capable of so great Exaltation The Humane Nature of Christ being a Creature cannot be capable of Divine Worship or of sitting at the right hand of God But the Humane Nature of Christ by the personal inseparable union it hath to his Divine Nature is thus advanced Having finished the first particular of Christs Exaltation that God hath given him a Name above every Name I now proceed Secondly Another particular of Christs Exaltation is this That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow In the handling of which I will endeavour to resolve these Questions Quest 1. What are we to
thee Et tu fili Seventhly Wait and long for the perfecting of thy Adoption Rom. 8.23 Here below children cannot without impiety desire and long for the full inheritance Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos But it s otherwise with heavenly heires who could have no inheritance unlesse their Father lived who inherit the whole together with their Father yea their Father is their main inheritance all other Comforts being but accessory Use 4 4. Of Consolation to Gods children for the effectual application of which comfort two things are very considerable First The grounds of Consolation Secondly The tryals and discoveries of our filiation whereby we may be assured of our râ—ght to and interest in these comforts The general ground of Consolation is our filial priviledges Filial priviledges are which are more particularly 1. Fatherly affections which for tendernesse and vehemency are called mothers bowels Isa 49.15 As a Father God pities his children Psal 103.13 and spares them Mal. 3.17 Parents bowels yearn most towards their weakest Children and such a Father is Christ Matth. 12.20 We pity a Childe that is poysoned not so a Serpent to whom poyson is natural If thou favour not thy self in sin God will favour and pity thee because of thy very infirmities Hebr. 4.15 2. Fatherly provision God will never fall under the foule aspersion of being worse than an Infidel which he blames so much in unnatural Christians 1 Tim. 5.8 This priviledge Relates to the necessities of Gods Children It s well observed by a Modern Writer To have no necessity at all is Gods sole priviledge To have necessities immediately supplied is the happinesse of glorified Saints To have necessities mediately supplyed is the comfor of Saints on earth To have necessities without any supply is the misery of the damned Now Divine provision undertakes for all these supplies mediately here immediately hereafter Fatherly provisions are fourefold answerable to the proportionable wants of Children First for maintenance and God provides no lesse than all good things for his Children Psal 34.9 10. 1 Tim. 4.8 especially the best things Compare Matth. 7.11 Luk. 11.13 Secondly A calling Gods care extends to the particular calling of every one of his Children much more to their general calling 1 Cor. 7.20 Rom. 1.7 Thirdly Marriage their civil marriages are made in heaven Prov. 19.14 much more their spiritual match with Christ Joh. 17.6 9. Fourthly an inheritance Though their portion be not here below yet God gives them portion in things here below which sweetens and sanctifies all their enjoyments Gen. 33.5 But the best portion here is nothing to their heavenly inheritance 1 Pet. 1.4 3. Fatherly protection Deut. 32.6 10 11 12. which is ever seasonable for time sutable for kinde proportionable for degree universal against every danger and constant as long as danger threatneth immediate by God himself Isa 27.3 Or mediate by Creatures Ordinances Providences Comforts Crosses Graces Temptations c. 2 Cor. 12.7 4. Fatherly education with all requisites thereunto for which this Father alone can undertake as First Dociblenesse God alone can make his children apt to learn Secondly Teaching by precepts direction examples illumination manuduction exercise and inclination making them willing to learn Job 36.22 Thirdly Correction and that 1. By chastisements bodily or spiritual 2. By crossing their will and worldly designs 3. By teaching them to crosse their own wills Psal 94.12 This correction is a great branch of the Covenant Psal 89.30 34. All these priviledges God affords them gratis Children pay nothing for provision protection education c. Matth. 17.26 5. Fatherly Communion A Father is very familiar First With his little Children Secondly With his grown Children To assure us hereof God is pleased to take upon him a threefold Relation 1. Of a Friend 2. Of an Husband 3. Of a Father compare John 14.21 23. Revel 3.20 This for the grounds of Consolation which every one is ready to catch at but only children have a right unto This makes way for the last head and a grand case of conscience Namely How shall I make it out that I am a genuine Son and not a Bastard or Stranger In managing this discovery I shall mix together the tryals of both filiations by Regeneration and Adoption And first Sons are like their Father 1. Tryals of our sonship they are usually the Natural and Moral Pictures of their Parents This in its measure holds true of Gods Children who resemble their Father 1. In light Ephes 5.8 2. In love 1 John 4.7 3. In life Ephes 4.18 5.1 Secondly Children honour their Parents 2. Obedience is both a negative and affirmative tryal John 8.47 Mal. 1.6 and that 1. By Reverence 1 Pet. 1.17 2. By Obedience 1 Pet. 1.14 3. By pliablenesse Rom. 8.14 Slaves are driven but Children are led 4. By coming oft into and delighting in his presence Compare Job 1.6 Pâ—al 139.18 Thirdly We may know our Sonship by our spirit every Childe of God hath 1. A Spirit of faith and dependance 2 Cor. 4.13 2. A Spirit of prayer Rom. 8.15 The first cry after the New Birth is Abba Father Acts 9.11 God hath no Childe but can ask his heavenly Father blessing 3. A Spirit of Evidence Rom. 8.16 Ephes 1.13 14. 4.30 The Spirit alwayes witnesseth though his witnesse be not alwayes heard 4. A Spirit of liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 of liberty from the bondage of sin Satan the world and fear Joh. 8.32 Hebr. 2.15 of liberty to Christ and duty Psal 119.32 5. A Spirit of waiting Rom. 8.23 Sixthly and lastly A Spirit of love not only to God and his children 1 John 5.2 but also to our very enemies Mat. 5.44 45. Hence Gods Children like their Father are peace-makers Mat. 5.9 To conclude Art thou like God dost thou honour God as a Father hast thou the Spirit of God then mayst thou comfortably claime and enjoy all the forementioned priviledges and infinitely more than heart can conceive or tongue expresse Art thou covetous here is a treasure for thee Art thou ambitious here is the highest honour Art thou voluptuous here is an Ocean of pleasure Art thou in danger here is an Ark and Haven of security all these in the hand of filiation and that above any created desire or comprehension with infinite security to all eternity OF Saving Faith ACTS 16.31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved THe words are the satisfactory Answer of Paul and Silas to their Keepers serious demand to whose strictest care and custody they were committed by the Magistrates of Philippi upon the complaint of the covetous Masters of a gainful Servant-maid possessed with a spirit of Divination upon whom the Apostle wrought an undesired and displeasing cure after eminent Testimony born by her to them and their Doctrine God answereth their couragious singing in Prison by an earthquake shaking the foundations of the house and the stout heart of
unto the Lord and when provoked by others it is to return to the Lord their God Hosea 14.1 and when God calleth and chargeth their Repentance with hypocrisie it is with this complaint They cryed but nat unto me and they returned but not unto the most High Hosea 7.14 16. The Gospel penitent turneth not from sin to sin as do the profane nor from sinful rudenesse to common civility or only moral honesty as do the civil honest man but unto piety acts of Religion unto God God is the sole object of his affection and adoration the true penitent is prostrate at the feet of God as him only that pardoneth iniquity transgression and sin And pliable to the pleasure of God as him only that hath prerogative over him the whole man soul and body is bent for God and pursueth communion with and conformity to God not only doth Repentance turn us from what is grievous and contrary to God but unto that which is agreeable and acceptable God the minde returneth from the devising of evil to the review of the minde and will of God Psal 1. v. 1 2. from sitting in the seat of the scorneful unto meditating on the Law of God night and day his earnest out-cry is Lord Acts 9.6 what wouldest thou have me to do for he is transformed in the spirit of his minde to prove what is the good and acceptable will of the Lord Rom. 12.3 and full well knoweth it is life eternal to know God 1 Pet. 2.2 and Jesus Christ and therefore having once tasted that the Lord is gracious he as a new-born babe desireth the sincere milk of the Word Gods Word is his great delight and beautiful in his eyes are their feet that bring glad tydings from Zion Rom. 10.15 The will and affections return from all evil unto a resolution and ready acceptance of the good and acceptable will of God not only doth the Gospel penitent pray Wherein I have done amiss do thou shew it me I will do so no more but also speak Lord for thy servant heareth for it is wholly resolved into the will of God approving what is good prizing every act of worship and purposing an exact observance of it sincerely praying Let thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven and accounting it his meat and drink to do the will of God his desires and affections run out to God and God alone there is nothing in all the earth to be compared with God nor any in heaven acceptable to the soul besides God Psal 73.25 The Lord becomes his very dread and delight he rejoyceth in the Lord and continually feareth before him such are his affections now towards God that he can leave all to follow him father mother sisters brethren wife children lands houses nay life it self becomes nothing in respect of God A Gospel penitent stands convinced that if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 And if any man love any thing better than Christ he is not worthy of him Matth. 10.37 and so he accounteth all things drosse and dung in comparison of Christ Phil. 3.7 The Lord is his chiefest among ten thousand his all in all and so his outward man is ready in the utmost of endeavours to do the will of God he is wholly resigned to Divine pleasure to do or suffer any thing God shall not enjoyne what his attempts and utmost industry shall not be to performe or inflict what he shall not in patience and silent submission endure Repentance is no other than the obedience of faith 1 Pet. 1.2 the penitent Romans do obey from the heart the forme of sound words unto them delivered or as the Greek bears it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which they are delivered as in a mold which leaves its shape and impression on that which passed through it Rom. 6.17 For the stony heart removed the Law of God is imprinted in the soul the Spirit of Repentance maketh us walk in Gods way Ezek. 3.26 and to do his Statutes The command of God carrieth the truly penitent contrary to the commands of men nay corrupt dictates of their own soul J seph dare not sin against God for all Potiphars possession nor Daniel slack his devotion for fear of a Lyons Den nay it is irksome to a penitent Peter to be once and again provoked to obedience as half angry he cannot but cry out John 21.17 Why Lord thou knowest I love thee he is ready to execute Divine prescription against the utmost of opposition he never desireth other Apology than whether we obey God or man judge ye for Christ is exalted to be Lord and King to give Repentance c. Not only doth he believe but is also ready to suffer for the sake of Christ he is contented to be at Gods carving as unworthy any thing under sharpest sorrows he is dumb Psal 39.9 and openeth not his mouth because God did it in saddest disasters he complains not because he hath sinned against the Lord 2 Sam. 16.10 let Shimey curse him he is quiet nay grieved at the instigations of revenge for that God hath bid Shimey curse in all his actions and enjoyments he is awed by and argueth not against God However he may with Hezekiah slip and fall in his life time yet the support of his soul at death is Lord Remember I have walked before thee with an upright and perfect heart and have done that which was right in thine eyes Isa 38.3 And with Paul he may finde a Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his minde yet can thank God that with his minde he serves the Law of God Rom. 7.25 So that true Gospel Repentance doth not only convince and cast down but change and convert a sinner sense of and sorrow for sin as committed against God are necessary and essential parts but not the whole or formality of Repentance no that is a turning from sin all sin unto God only untâ— a God it indulgeth not the least iniquity nor taketh up short of the Lord it stayeth not with Jehu at the extirpation of Baal but with Hezekiah and Josiah Rest reth the Passeover the worship of the Lord and that is the fourth thing considerable in the nature of Repentance Conclusion 5 The fifth and last conclusion is Confession of sin and prayer for its pardon are constant concomitants of true Repentance The true penitent is not only the sinner of sense but of hope and therefore a suppâ—iant at the Throne of Grace prostrate at the foot-stool of mercy confessing sin and suing for pardon freely accusing and fully condemning it self before God every penitent soul comes to God like Benhadad to the King of Israel wiâ—h an Halter about his Neck praying Forgive us our trespasses David is no sooner brought to Repentance by Nathan but he is brought on his knees before the Lord with an I havâ—
should be rewardable and punishable accordingly in a state that should be everlasting and unchangeable The liberty therefore of the Viators and the Comprehensors Gibieuf well distinguishes into inchoata or consummabilis Gibieuf de libertate Dei creatur ae and perfecta or consummata the former such as Adams was at his Creation the latter such as is the state of Angels and Saints in glory and as his would have been had he held out and persisted innocent through the intended time of tryal It was therefore no strange thing that man should be created defectible 't was as little strange that a defectible creature should deficere For the manner of that defection whether errour of the understanding preceded or inconsideration only and a neglect of its office with the great difficulties some imagine herein I wave discourse about them judging that advice good and sober for to consider how sinne may be gotten out of the world then how it came in Though 't is most probable there was in the instant of temptation a meere suspension of the understandings act not as previous to the sinne but as a part of it and thereupon a sudden precipitation of will Estius in scil as Estius doth well determine 6. Man being created mutable as to his holinesse must needs be so as to his happinesse too And that both upon a legal account for the Law had determined that if he did sinne he must dye and also upon a natural for it was not possible that his soul being once depraved by sinne the powers of it vitiated their order each to other and towards their objects broken and interrupted there should remaine a disposition and aptitude to converse with the highest good The Use follows which shall be only in certain practical Inferences that will issue from these truths partly considered singly and severally partly together and in conjunction From the first 1. Did God create man upright as hath been shewn then how little reason had man to sinne how little reason had he to desert God to be weary of his first estate Could Gods making him his making him upright be a reason why he should sinne against him was his directing his heart and the natural course of his affections towards himself a reason why he should forsake him what was there in his state that should make it grievous to him was his duty too much for him God made him upright so that every part of it was connatural to him was his priviledge too little he knew and loved and enjoyed the highest and infinite good O think then how unreasonable and disingenuous a thing sin was that a creature that was nothing but a few houres ago now a reasonable being capable of God! yet sin Urge your hearts with this we are too apt to think our selves unconcerned in Adams sin we look upon our selves too abstractly we should remember we are Members of a Community and it should be grievous to us to think that our species hath dealt so unkindly and unworthily with God and besides do not we sinne daily after the similitude of Adams transgression and is not sin as unreasonable and unjust a thing as ever 2. Was our primitive state so good and happy how justly may we reflect and look back towards our first state how fitly might we take up Jobs words Job 29.2 4 5 14 20. O that I were as in months past As in the dayes of my youth When the Almighty was yet with me When I put on righteousnesse and it cloathed me When my glory was fresh in me c. With what sadnesse may we call to minde the things that are past and the beginnings of Ancient time when there was no stain upon our natures no cloud upon our minds no pollution upon our hearts when with pure and undefiled souls we could embrace and rest and rejoyce in the eternal and incomprehensible good when we remember these things do not our bowels turn are not our souls poured out within us From the second 1. Did man so voluntarily ruine himself how unlikely is he now to be his own saviour he that was a self-destroyer from the beginning that ruined himself as soon as God had made him is he likely now to save himself is it easier for him to recover his station than to have kept it or hath he improved himself by sinning and gain'd strength by his fall for a more difficult undertaking is he grown better natur'd towards himself and his God than he was at first 2. How little reason hath he to blame God though he finally perish what would he have had God to have done more to prevent it he gave his Law to direct him his threatning to warn him his promise for his encouragement was evidently implyed his nature was sufficiently disposed to improve and comport with all these yet he sins is God to be charg'd with this sins upon no necessity with no pretence but that he must be seeking out inventions trying experiments assaying to better his state as plainly despising the Law suspecting the truth envying the greatnesse asserting and aspiring to the Soveraignty and Godhead of his Maker Had we any of us a minde to contend with God about this matter how would we order our cause how would we state our quarrel if we complain that we should be condemn'd and ruin'd all in one man that is to complain that we are Adams children A childe might as well complain that he is the sonne of a Beggar or a Traytor and charge it as injustice upon the Prince or Law of the Land that he is not born to a Patrimony this is a misery to him but no man will say it is a wrong And can it be said we are wrong'd by the common Ruler of the world that we do not inherit from our father the righteousnesse and felicity we had wilfully lost long before we were his children If we think it hard we should be tyed to termes we never consented to Might not an heire as well quarrel with the Magistrate that he suffers him to become liable to his fathers debts and to lie in prison if he have not to pay But besides who can imagine but we should have consented had all man-kind been at that time existent in innocency together i. e. Let the case be stated thus suppose Adam our common Parent to have had all his children together with him before the Lord while the Covenant of Works was not as yet made and while as yet God was not under any engagment to the children of men Let it be supposed that he did propound it to the whole race of man-kind together that he would capitulate with their common Parent on their behalf according to the termes of that first Covenant if he stood they should stand if he fall they must all fall with him Let it be considered that if this had not been consented to God might without the least colour of exception being
take off the veile from the Text in a short explication By one man and him we may consider 1. His name Adam and this comprehends his person sex and kind 2. His order he was the first man 1 Cor. 15.45 3. His person in the individual And so Original sin properly is not derived from the proximate Parents but the prime-parent 4. His nature Adam was one non tantum in individuo sed in specie one comprehending the whole root representing the whole stock the seed and generation of man-kind so Adam is taken for the species of man Sinne The Apostle here speaks of sin not sins as if he would precisely determine it of that one root of sin distinct from those many following fruits this sin hath been the Original the incentive the cause of all sinne this sinne stained the world Entered into the world viz. by propagation sin entered like death Now death is actually propagated as he said scio me genuisse mortalem I know I beget a dying child a child subject to death sinne entered not by example but generation The World By the world we must not understand terrenam corpâ—ralem vitam the pleasure and delights of the world for the Saints are crucified to the world in this sense Gal 6.14 and so Original sin should not seize on believers Nor 2. In locum mundi for as Pareus observes the Angels first sinned and sin first entred by them into the place of the world Nor 3. In Paradisum into Paradise for sin was first committed by Eve in Paradise But 4. We must understand the inhabitants of the world Vniversum genus humanum all man-kind Martyr Gorranus as Mart. Gor. And death by sinne The query among Divines is what this death is Some suppose the death of the body as Ambrose some the death of the soul as the Pelagians but as Haymo observes mors animae corporis in omnes pertranstit the death both of soul and body passed on all for as Origen saith Orig. Mors corporalis umbra est spiritualis the death of the body is only the shadow of the death of the soul so that by death in the Text we must necessarily understand the death of soul and body with all the antecedents and consequents of both Willet sicknesse weaknesse corruption guilt horrour despair Death passed upon all men Corporal death on all the most holy most flourishing most probable to live spiritual and eternal death on all men in the sentence not in the execution Rom. 3.19 the sentence is reversed the execution for ever forborn to believers For all have sinned For the opening of this I shall only give you the glance of Musculus In Adam omnes fuimus in lumbis ejus c. we were all in the loynes of offending Adam from that masse we sprung and therefore as Levi paid tythes in the loyns of Abraham Hebrews 7.9 10. so it is no wonder if we being in the loyns of Adam are found sinners in him Doct. Now the mournful truth that the Text presents us with is this viz. That our first Parent by his transgression hath left an unhappy portion of sinne and death to all his posterity thus much the Text expresseth thus much it confirms we have this unwelcome entail from our first Parent Concerning death I shall not dilate because the shade of death doth alwayes accompany the body of sin but I shall only insist on that part of our portion sin We are entituled to Adams sinne 'T is a derivation from the root to the branches as poyson is carried from the fountain to the Cistern as the children of Traytours have their blood tainted with their fathers Treason and the children of Bond-slaves are born in their Fathers condition Omnes in Adamo peccaverunt Aug. quia omnes unus ille fuerunt Aug. All were entangled in Adams sin because all were folded up in Adams person And the same Father in another place Traxit reatum homo quia unus erat cum illo à quo traxit Man drew down guilt upon himself because he was one with him from whom he drew it Greg. And it is an excellent observation of Gregory Genus humanum in parente primo velut in radice putruit Man-kind putrified in the first parent as in a root Adam is as the poysoned root and the clusters are envenomed because the root was poysoned had Adam stood and preserved his perfection his glory as a royalty had descended to his seed to man-kind but by his offence forfeiting his beauty and contracting on himself both guilt and an universal loathsomenesse both losse and loathsomnesse he transmits to his posterity and it is upon his breath that every child that comes into the world sucks in poyson with his first breach and is no sooner a living creature than a deformed sinner This truth we find early confirmed in the world so Adam begat Seth according to his own likeness Gen. 5.3 non ad similitudinem Dei sed ad similitudinem sui Brockman and it is very considerable the Original phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his image in his likeness the word is as it were redoubled to set the greater brand upon corrupt nature in his image nay in his likeness And to shew the necessity of our drawing corruptness from Adam holy Job expresses it by a quick and smart interrogation Job 14.4 Nay th s truth David seems to bedue with tears and deplore with sighs Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me In the times of the Gospel this spot is more clearly discernable and from whence we received the contagion Rom. 5.19 By God we are creatures by Adam we are sinners so that Text By one mans disobedience many were made sinners And so most remarkably 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have borne the image of the earthly c. Nor is that gloss of Cyprian upon the place to be over-passed Imaginem terreni portavimus Cypr. peccandi propensâ—â—nem mortem imaginem caelestis portemus constantiam in sanctitate instaurationem ex morte corruptione ad vitam immortalitatem i. e. We have borne the image of the earthly Adam a propensity to sin and death let us bear the image of the heavenly a constancy in holiness and instauration from death and corruption to life and immortality I shall only adde one Scripture more Ephes 2.3 We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Now there are three things which are considerable for the dispatch of the doctrinal part of the Text. 1. To demonstrate more particularly the transmission of Adams sin to us Now Adams sin is transmitted to posterity two wayes 1. By imputation 2. By inhaesion the guilt and the stain of his sin is propagated to all his posterity Particle 1 1. The sin of Adam is derived to us by way of imputation and that upon a double demonstration may be evidenced
it to establish merit The Socinian to overthrow the satisfaction of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ And the Anabaptist to subvert the precious Ordinance of Infant Baptisme as was before hinted But that this truth may leave off its mourning as to us let us be carefull in the application and improvement of it which may be diversly Vse 1 Use 1. Let this check those who pride themselves in their noble descent that they are of a worthy family of an elder house of a noble lineage their Scutchion is blazond with more than ordinary honour these should do well to look back a little further and observe what their great Progenitour Adam left them nothing but poverty shame and guilt and this would make them wrap the silver Star in Cypres and cover their honour with mourning this would put a half Moon into their Scutchion and clip the Plumes of their boast Indeed a noble descent it may be our priviledge it must not be our pride such vain-glorious persons should sometimes think of their first Parents Adam left them nothing but a stock not of glory but of sinne to trade with Vse 2 2. Let our losse by the first Adam be an incentive to us to pursue advantage in the second Adam Musculus observes Muscul this is one of the general uses we should make of this doctrine ut gratiam Christi eò subnixiùs ambiamus i. e. That we should be the more importunate in our pursuits after the grace of Christ rags and wants bring beggars to the door we are bankrupts in the first let us look after an estate in the second Adam the first Adam hath betrayed us let us study that the second may betroth us that our forfeiture in the first may be abundantly repaired in our felicity by the second Adams fall should make us more sensible to rise by Christ Vse 3 3. Let us see what a miserable piece of Pageantry a gaudy sinner is you see happily what he hath received by his immediate parents but you do not see what he hath received from his first parent you see his rich apparel his fair complexion his full estate his great attendance his splendid pomp but ye do not see those Mountains of guilt that lie upon him those waves of corruption which rowle up and down in the dead Sea of his corrupted nature ye observe not the unhappy portion that Adam left him his immediate parents may leave him the heir of an Estate but his first Parent left him the heire of Condemnation Vse 4 4. Let this truth be the plumb-line to measure out the length the depth the breadth and heighth of the love of Christ in the work of our Redemption and of that work that Christ is pleased to work in the heart of every believer how much sin must he remove sin imputed upon the account of Adam besides the manifold accessions of his own and what blood must quench that hell of sin within Peter Mart. as Peter Martyr well observes Commendat malitia hujus peccati dignitatem satisfactionis acceptae per Christum The knowledge of original sin puts a glosse upon the satisfaction of Christ The work of Christ upon the soul receives its admirable rarity from the full knowledge of our sin by Adam Vse 5 5. Let us not triumph over our inferiour afflicted and distressed brother that Providence hath bruised with its frowns and stroaks and happily cast down in the dust Adam left him and thee an equal portion of sin and misery so that all the distinction arises not from thy dignity but from Gods pity and if God hath had more compassion for thee wilt thou have more scorn for thy brother Gods pity should not be food for thy pride Adam left thee as large an enditement as him as corrupt a nature as him as great a losse of original beauty and perfection as him and shall the opening of Gods hand to thee procure the lifting up of thy heel against him you and your despised brother were both co-heirs of original sin Adam divided that portion exactly between you Vse 6 6. Let us see the nature of sin one sin of Adam can subject the whole world to pollution and destruction As we see the scorching Sun doth not only dry up a Field but bring a drough upon the whole Land sin is of a poysonous and propagating nature if ye would view sin in its native and real deformity look on it in the glasse of Adams fall Adam falls and his whole posterity feel the bruise one man saith the Text is sufficient to bring sin into the world sin like chain-shot it can cut off many as well as one how should this raise our holy zeale against sinne and how should we arme our selves with holy resolutions against this ruinous evil sin is a ball of poyson that can destroy a world Vse 7 7. Let all Parents be cautionated by the example of our first Parent Adam he propagated dea h to his posterity Oh that Parents would study as instruments to propagate life to their posterity he propagated sin let us study to propagate holinesse to our children I mean instrumentally as moral not as natural instruments Adams fall should be every Parents Alarum Our first Parent unravel'd the happinesse of his seed let us that are Parents endeavour to build up the felicity of our issue sinful Parents that are miscarrying copies to their children and serve to poyson the creature of their own generation they are indeed the true children of Adam they are in some sense like Sampson Job 16.30 that will destroy others with themselves But let Adams example be our caution his folly our warning piece sometimes shipwracks make them that follow more cautelous and let us study to imitate the second not the first Adam this ruines his off-spring but the other saves his seed and issue The forgetfulnesse of Adam might put bowels into every Parent towards the souls of their children Now there are three ways for Parents to preserve their Families which Adam left to ruine 1. By their holy pattern Fathers are the childrens Looking-glsses for to dresse themselves by we know the old Aphorisme Ducimur Exemplis we are guided and led by Examples we more follow Copy than Command children will more minde the mothers Conversation than the Ministers instruction let us study to build up our Families by a holy life Adams sin ruin'd his issue let our holy Conversation preserve our issue and though Adam were our common Parent let him not be our authentick pattern 2. By their watchful care When Adam sinned he more minded his sense than his seed to please the one than to preserve the other Let Adams neglect of his posterity move us to a greater watchfulnesse over ours we are often very solicitous to make our children rich in gold let us be more solicitous to make them rich in grace Not so much that they may be rich in Fields as in faith let us
Parents be leprous or infected with some other disease not to be named they entail their malady as well as their nature upon their unhappy off-spring Nothing can exceed the vertue of its cause which is the ground of our Saviours assertion John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh It is very remarkable that the like phrase is not used when Scripture speaks of Adams begetting Cain or Abel though both these were begotten in Adams likenesse too because Abel being to dye without issue and all Cains progeny to be drowned by the flood it is noted the rather of Seth by whom all mankind hath hitherto been continued in the world that he from whom as well as from Adam we all came was begat in Adams own image that into which by sin he had transformed himself and not in that likenesse which was Gods in which God at first made him Nay though the Parents be regenerated yet their children by nature are altogether defiled because they beget children as they are men not as they are holy men though the Parent be circumcised the childe brings into the world an uncircumcised foreskin with it as the purest wheat that is cast into the Field comes up with husks and stalks I might adde that the holiest men upon earth are but holy in part they have a dark side as well as a light side and proles as conclusio sequitur deteriorem partem their children are like to what they were by nature and cannot without the same Almighty mercy be like what they are through grace witnesse Josiah's and Hezekiah's children but there are too many sad Evidences of this amongst us daily Arg. 2. From the Redemption of man by Christ Our second Argument for to prove our corruption by nature the Apostle furnishes us with 2 Cor. 5.14 If Christ dyed for all then were all dead And the stresse we lay upon it it will very well bear for what need all that are saved to be saved by Christ if in themselves they are not ruined Destruction is first asserted to be from our selves and then it follows but from me is your health is not Christ made to all those that shall come to heaven and happinesse wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Does not his death satisfie for their debts his Spirit sanctifie their hearts Thus none go unto the Father but by him and whosâ—ever would but see the Kingdome of God must be borne again John 3.3 This very reason St. Austin urges concerning children I shall give this Arg. de verbis Domini serm 8. and some larger passages in English that I might not overmuch entangle the thred of my discourse Whosoever sayes that infancy hath nothing from which Jesus should save us he denies Christ to be a Jesus to infants baptized in his Name for what is a Jesus Jesus is by intâ—rpretation a Saviour a Saviour is a Jesus those which he does not save be ause they have nothing that he should save them from or cure in them he is not to them a Jesus Now if your hearts can endure that Christ should not be a Jesus to such I know not whither your faith can be sound c. Thirdly Scripture Ordinances prove this corruption to be in us for else what need their institution to take it from us Third argument is taken from Ordinances Sacraments c. If there be no pollution in the foreskin why was Circumcision appointed to do it away if we have no filth what needs baptismal washing and if we may borrow light from any shadows of the Ceremonial Law why should women be so long unclean and need solemne purification after their child-birth if the fruit of their womb had been so immaculate and pure as some would make us believe 'T is true the Virgin Mary offer'd though she brought forth a holy Childe Isa 53.11 but he was by imputation sinne for we know he bare in Gods account our iniquities Saint Austin upon the bringing of Children unto Christ August serm 36. In Evangel secund Lucam observes this also Children sayes he are brought to be touched to whom are they brought to be touched but to the Physitian if they come to a Saviour they come to be cured and presently after he addes video reatum I see there is guilt in them Another passage of his I shall the willinglier quote because many that oppose this truth pretend much to reverence antiquity De verbis Apostoli serm 8. Wherefore dost thou say this childe or this person is sound and hath no disease why then dost thou runne to the Physitian with him art not afraid lest he should say unto thee Take him away that is sound The Sonne of man came not but to seek and to save that which was lost why didst thou bring him unto me if he were not lost Lib. 1. And in his tract against Julian the Pelagian the same father quotes several that were his predecessors in the maintaining of this very truth as Irenaeus Cyprian Hilary Ambrose c. but I proceed because we have heard a greater than all these God himself so abundantly attesting of it This corruption shews it self by its effects if we be so spiritually foolish Fourth argument The sad effects prove it as not to believe there is such impurity in us from any other Arguments produc'd for the proof of it experience may be our Mistresse to teach it 1. The miserable effects 1. Experiences of multitude of miseries that flow from it This is that Pandora's box which the Heathens so much talk of out of which all manner of mischiefs flow abroad in the world Why do we come into the world crying rather than laughing but as a sad Omen of the world of evils we are ever after here to meet with De Civitate Dei lib. 21. cap. 14. But if there were no sin there would be no suffering in those tender yeares And what have these sheep done When I see a childe lying bound hand and foot in its swadling clouts skreaming and crying out I cann't believe but God and nature would never have dealt so hardly with it so noble a creature especially if guilt had not procur'd these bonds and miseries nay methinks they speak its desert to be bound hand and foot for ever to be speechlesse for ever and to be cast too unlesse infinite mercy prevent where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for ever And all these things Scripture makes only the products of sin that only is the fruitful Parent of all evils Wherefore does a living man so much as complaine 't is for the punishment of his sinne Lam. 3.39 Death which raigned over all Rom. 5.14 is the wages of sinne Rom. 6.23 Nay of that sin too which is communicated to man-kinde by Adams fall 1 Cor. 15.21 22. By man came death death is not of Gods making but of mans of our sinnes
in the last words is called sin As to the first of these Original sin spoken to more particularly 1. As our old man 1. Why call'd man Original sinne is represented to us under our old man and that not without special reason whither we lay the emphasis upon Old or Man We will first enquire why it is call'd Man not our old understanding or affections c. only but our old Man And I will only give you these two reasons for it Mr. Burgesse to omit others which are given by that learned Authour who hath writ so fully on this subject 1. Because this sin runs parallel with our being men 1. It attends us whilst men or partaking of mans nature in this world This sin and our nature in us are twins in life and death they live and dye together we shall not cease to be sinful before we cease to be men Our whole Fabrick is so overspread with this leprosie that it can never be sufficiently cleans'd till it be wholly taken down It s strength indeed is abated it does not rule in a child of God as formerly nay it 's deaths wound is received it is crucified or fastened upon the Crosse as my text hath it yet it will not totally expire but with our latest breath it can be no more wholly parted with Gerrhard then our very soul it self Quod natura nobis inest deponi non potest Whatsoever is in us by nature will stick by us till the dissolution of nature 2. This sin is call'd man because it hath overspread the whole man 2. It overspreads the whole man that as the subjectum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is every man in a natural way propagated from Adam it may be said of every such one he is guilty of this sin he is infected with this Original sinne So the subjectum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the subject unto which this sin adheres and in which it is is every part of every man It is not in this spiritual malady as in corporal where the head akes many times when the heart is hail the Foot is wounded when the hand is whole but by this soul distemper every man is a very hospital of spiritual diseases neque manus neque pâ—s neither hand nor foot neither head nor heart is as it should be or does as it should do And because this is so material to our present purpose I will shew 1. It infects the soul in its chiefest faculties 1. That this sin cleaves to the soul and 2. It infects the very body also 1. The understanding First It hath overspread the soul and that in its most noble faculties I mean those two which do so much advance man above the common sort of creatures Reason and Will understanding and affections the highest and inmost powers poor man hath are suprized by it This sin appeares in the mind the eye of the soul 't is dim-sighted in natural things 't is quite out as to spiritual truths 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God What those things of the Spirit are the Context tells us no other than the plainest truths of the Gospel nay he counts these foolishnesse Those things which are the wisdome of God the product of infinite wisdome he slights and disesteems and no wonder for he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned Spiritual truths as such are no more within the cognizance of the natural eye of the soul than spiritual substances are within the view of the eye of the body There is none that understandeth Rom. 3.11 If Peter and some few other here and there in the world may be recepted no thanks to them but to the Father who hath reveal'd these things unto them Mat. 11.25 Certainly did we know the things of God more we should love them better Good when discover'd is attractive if a child prefers an apple before a piece of gold it is because he does not know the difference and when the children of men prefer themselves or any creature else before God the reason is they do not know they do not consider And hence it is that in our spiritual recovery the eyes are anointed with eye-salve Christ came to open the eyes of the blinde and his Spirit is a Spirit of illumination and revelation Luke 4.18 Revel 3.18 ult Believers were darknesse but now they are light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 What needs St. Paul to have prayed so earnestly that the eyes of the Ephesians understanding might be enlightned if they of themselves had not been blinde Ephes 1.18 The will is distemper'd with tâ—is sin also 2. The will is perverted with it it hath not seized only upon the head but upon the heart The imagination of the thought of mans heart is evil and only evil Gen. 6.5 Gen. 21.17 Jer. 9. I forbear glossing upon those places hence it is that there is so little love unto or desire after heavenly things can any man give a reason which he will not be ashamed of at that great day why he loves God no more What iniquity have ye found in me Non amo nec possum dicere quare says the Lord. As the Elements have their proper principles of motion gravity and levity whereby they tend to that place in the Universe that best suits them and sensitive creatures have their wings or feet to carry them towards those objects which are most convenient for them so God hath endued rational creatures with a will and affections to carry them forth towards the enjoying of himself who only is the Center of their happinesse and without whom they can never be at rest But does the will of man by nature do him this good office to carry him unto God as his only blisse why then do we see and hear of so many that are in the search of other things not once to be named with God how many are there of whom it may be said God was never thus to be sure in all their thoughts like the Israelites they are scattered up and down gathering straw nay drosse and dung in the Apostles sense is frequently preferr'd before Jesus Christ How many may sadly say as that good man Quantum Mercator pro lucro c. I have not done so much for my God as the Merchant doth daily for his gain or the Hunts-man for his game and yet what gain or pleasure is comparable to our enjoying of and communion with God but further 2. The body is not free from it The body bears a part with the soul in this sore evil 't is comparatively I confesse but a small part for it can according to its nature bear no greater Our Apostle speaks of sinne reigning in our body Rom. 6.12 Every member of our body is ready to act in a sinne to be an instrument of unrighteousnesse ver 13. a servant to uncleanness ver
to the root of it that is in thy heart if thou cuttest but the branches off and for a while refrainest only the outward acts of sin upon the next temptation or occasion they will grow the faster as Rivers that have for some time been kept up by Banks run the more violently after they have broken them down 2. To confession of and humiliation for it 2. Be perswaded to make confession of and be humbled for this sin this original sin some think that Moses who was the penman of Psalme 90. ver 8. understood those words of this sin Thou hast set my secret sins in the light of thy countenance Remember this corruption though never so deeply hid in thy heart with all the parts of it is as perfectly seen by God as if it were set in the light of his countenance which is a thousand times brighter than the Sun in all its glory We read of Ahabs mourning as well as of Davids and of Judas's repenting as well as of Pauls and why were not Ahabs and Judas's sorrow accepted as well as the others O e remarkable difference I will observe in them Ahab that we read of mourned only for the judgement denounced and Judas repented only of the outward act committed but neither of their tears or sorrow went to the root to bewaile the Original of all this their impiety which we have seen Paul did and we know David practis'd Psal 51.5 He sayes not only Deliver me from blâ—od-guiltinesse but I was conceiv'd in sin c. and that is as well matter of his sorrow as the other Possibly you would think much if I should recommend Austines example to you who confessed he had need of mercy not only to pardon those sins which he had committed but for those sins which if grace had not restrained him he should have committed and certainly we owe as much to this soul-physitian for preventing those diseases which otherwise we should have faln into as we owe him for recovering of us out of those diseases which we did fall into nay plures sunt gratiae privativae quam positivae thus too And therefore let me bespeak Gods dearest children in the words of the Prophet to Babylon Isa 47.1 Come sit in the dust Gods own inheritance is as a speckled bird as he complaines Jer. 12.8 Oh be not Ingrati gratiae Unthankful to grace You have heard a sad parallel between Adam and you but Oh that you might be like Adam in one thing more Sensus peccati conscientiae stimulus c. Ger. when he had sinn'd 't is said his eyes were opened Gen. 3.7 by which some understand that God gave him a sight of his sin awakened his conscience so that he saw from what blisse and into what misery by sin he was now cast He thus by lamentable experience understood good and evil Oh that your consciences were awakened that your eyes were opened too I shall pray for you as the Prophet did for his servant and afterwards for the Syrians that came to take him Lord open the eyes of these men 2 King 6.17 20. I am sure the more grace ye have the more sense of this sin you will have also Paul a Christian complains of it though Paul a Pharisee did not If ye have been prevailed with by the other exhortations ye will yield up your selves to the power of this 3. Exhortation Look out for remedy and help against it Did you but understand your condition by reason of this sin and were humbled for it you would engage all that you could against it First then In your selves Set your selves against this sin in your own hearts Thou canst not be a man after Gods own heart till thy heart be cleansed and made like unto God A true Christian takes more care to get rid of the evil than to rejoyce in the good that is in him though both be a duty being it is better not to see a friend which we know will do us no hurt then not to see an enemy which unseen will certainly kill us When Elisha would cure the waters of Jericho 2 King 2.21 he did not cast salt into the pots or dishes that might take it up but into the spring that sent it forth Labour to get thy heart which is the spring and issue of life or death season'd with grace Means to be used Blessed be God there are meanes to cure you of this evil 1. Faith in Christ Cast the wood of his Crosse into these bitter waters he was circumcised yet had no filthy foreskin of his own but of ours to do away 'T was our filth that was washed off in his Baptisme 2. The in-being of the Spirit of Christ prevails against the in-dwelling of sin Behold I have shewn you a mystery if ye would not all die and that eternally ye must all be changed 3. Prayer is a means in order to this David Paul others were troubled with this evil and they pray'd go thou and do likewise Let it be thy daily prayer Armado homine meipso libera me Domine From the evil one my self good Lord deliver me thou complainest of bad times oh complain more of a bad heart The flood came upon the whole world not so much for their actual abominations though great as for their heart-corruptions Gen. 6.5 Gen. 8.21 If we ever be owhelmed with sufferings it is for th s Abomination in chief Oppose thy self against this sin in thy relations weaken the Kingdome of Satan everywhere 2. In our relations childlen especially especially in thy children If their head-ake you pity them and enquire after remedies for them alas spiritually every part is distempered they are blind lame poor naked and what not that speaks misery Oh hard-hearted Parents that have not once gone to the heavenly Physitian for their poor children 't is usually said venenati non patiuntur inducias they that are poyson'd must not be dallyed with but presently some antidote if I may so call it given them They do but pledge you in this cup of deadly wine and will ye not the rather be instrumental to help them to the cure being ye have help'd them to the disease Wherefore do ye think your ch ldren came into the world in such a piteous manner what do they cry for Vox naturae clamantis c. the Naturalist will tell you 't is out of want that some body might cloath them feed them care for them c. But a Christian will tell you God hath given them bitter teares and cryes to lament their spiritual necessities and to beg spiritual remedyes Their insignificant voice signifies thus much whil'st they are yet dumb Nihil aliud faciunt nisi deprecantur they speak aloud in their manner Oh carry us to the Laver of regeneration let us be washed in the fountaine set open for sinne c. Surely God who hath not caused their tender
is wrath in Domestique relations And wrath as terribly mixeth in Publick Relations Ministers preach not oversee not are not ensamples to the flock have not experience nor ability or care rightly to divide the Word of truth and muzzle the gain-sayer Misled themselves and mislead others c. Magistrates mind not the things of Christ are tight and vigilant over the good indulgent to the evil Beare the sword in vaine c. Such vials there is much wrath poured through 5. Upon the holy things of God and of his people Ours come not with acceptance to God The Lords not with savour closenesse authority c. to us The very book of the Covenant needs sprinkling Heb. 9.19 The Law which is pure and clean Psal 19.8 9. is made a killing letter 2 Cor. 3.7 The Gospel which is the grace of God bringing salvation Tit. 2.11 is made a savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 the Lords Supper an eating and drinking judgmsnt to our selves 1 Cor. 11.29 and Christ himself is made for falling Luke 2.34 and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence 1 Pet. 2.8 without Christs blood taking away sin the very book of grace had never been opened Rev. 5.4 and though the choicest in it self being opened would never have been useful unto us and sorer wrath cannot be than to curse our very blessings Mal. 2.2 and the very means of grace that they shall be uselesse and for judgment 6. Upon the whole man the person is under the effects of wrath 1. Inslaved to the Divel This is plain 1. From the Scriptures Else converting gracâ— could not a Col. 1.13 deliver from the power of darknesse nor men be said when b 2 Tim. 2.26 God gives repentance to recover themselves out of the snare of the Divel that were taken captive by him at his will 2. From the likenesse of mans work with Satans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men of a Trade are ordinarily of a company together but here the rule failes not 1 Joh. 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Divel that is by doing the same work discovers himself of communion with and in thraldome to him The first finders of a Craft are Fathers and Successors and Imitators in the Craft are called children Gen. 4.20 we naturally and freely do the Divels work John 8.44 The lusts of your Father ye will do and have no minde to the Lords work nor can brook the same to be done circumspectly and exactly by others Acts 13.10 Thou child of the Divel enemy of all righteousness 3. From the community of principles the very mind and will of Satan is engraven upon our spirits and expresse themselves inefficacy and obstinacy of sinning These principles are Satans image instead of Gods 4. From the natural mans subjection to the guidance of Satan regenerate persons are led by the Spirit but Satan filleth the hearts of natural men He had possession of Judas his heart and by a piece of mony rides deeper into him and prevails to engage him to betray Christ This is a lamentable branch of the natural mans misery 2. He is banished and separated from God both from conformity to and communion with him and doth electively banish and cast himself forth of the Lords presence This appears 1. From the former point viz. mans fellowship with Satan there cannot be fellowship with God and with Satan together These communions are inconsistent in the same Spirit at the same time in a reigning intense degree 2. From Gods end and his Apostles and Ministers in the writing explanation and application of the Scripture 1 John 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. Were this fellowship already in the state of nature there needed not this means of rebringing into fellowship with God Defiers of the evil one with their mouths are not the lesse in league with him in their hearts 3. From the language of the carnal heart Job 21.14 Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thee This they speak internally and the desire of their souls is to be rid of God notions of God are a saplesse and burdensome piece of knowledge Rom. 1.18 They did not like to retain God in their knowledge To banish our selves is the heighth of mans sin and folly and to be banished the heighth of the Lords wrath and of mans misery Now do we know what a man loseth in the losse of God that is impossible for any created understanding to conceive The world is a Dungeâ—n without the Sun the body a carrion without the soul but neither so necessary as God is to the soul A taste of the goodnesse of God made the world and the lives of the Martyrs nothing to them Psal 30.5 In thy favour is life Psal 63.3 Thy loving kindnesse is better than life The very heaven of heaven lies in the enjoyment of God and the hell of hell in the losse of him The losse of him is the losse of the Fountain from which all kinde of good doth or can come The losse of the cause is the losse of all the effects of all the blessed affections influences and promises of God The losse of all those blessed hopes that fill the soul with joy unspeakable and full of glory No prayer praises faith love fear or any spark of other grace are to be found in truth upon the hearth of that heart Now the person in league with the Devil and banished from and without God in the world must needs be miserable and accursed 3. He is discontented and unprofitable in every condition Rom. 3.12 They are altogether become unprofitable The Holy Ghost makes a natural man of no more use than rotten things which we cast forth to the dunghill for their unprofitablenesse This is a dreadful ruine that a creature so excellent should become unprofitable to others and very far from comfort to himself in any condition The wife having all for use and the husbands heart hath nothing because not the authority dominion and disposition which is proper to the husband Israel have bread and quailes from heaven and water from the Rock that followed them a table everywise furnished for need and for delight and yet grumble because not meat for their lusts Many have all things very good and the wisdome of heaven could not carve fitter and better things and yet all not good enough Let sin creep in and Adam will not be content in Paradise or the Apostate Angels in heaven but leave their own habitation Go from God and take thy leave and farewell of contentment and satisfaction 4. He is grown a Wolf and Devil to his brethren Biting and devouring Gal. 5.15 tearing pulling catching at advantage flying upon the necks of the weaker Men execute much of the wrath of God in these feuds among themselves so that the Caution is
and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God and Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven It so farre transcends the capacity of humane reason that reason cannot so much as approve of it Gerhard Alting when it was revealed without inward illumination and perswasion of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 2.9 10 14 15. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned but he that is spiritual judgeth all things and hereupon it is called the Nâ—w Covenant not in respect of the time that it had no being before the incarnation of Christ but in respect of the knowledge of it the knowledge of the Legal Covenant was born with us and it was fore-known to nature but the Gospel-Covenant was whoâ—ly new revealed from the bosome of the Father it was administred by new Officers confirmed by new Sacraments let into the hearts of people by new pourings out of the Spirit therefore the Apostle prayes Ephes 1.17 18. * Maccovius That the God of oâ—r Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints God would never have instituted the Legal Covenant but for the Gospels sake Galat. 3.24 Wherâ—fore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ The Law was a sharp School-master by meanes whereof the refractory and contumacious minds of the Jewish people might be tamed for Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to evâ—ry one that believeth 2. The Gospel-Covenant is better than the Legal in respect of the manner of it the Law was a Doctrine of works commanding and prescribing what we should be and what we should do Gal. 3.12 And the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them But now the Gospel requires faith in Christ for righteousnesse and salvation Rom. 3.21 But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested therefore saith Augustine faith obtaines what the Law commands we have no help from the Law * Gerhard the condition of the Law is simply impossible it finds us sinners and leaves no place for repentance * Camero and notwithstanding the sprinkling of Gospel that there was with the Law yet it was but obscure And that shall be the next particular 3. The Gospel-Covenant is better than the Legal in respect of the manner of holding forth Christ in it though the Gospel is one and the same whereby all Saints are saved in all times for there was not one way of salvation then and another since Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Yet the Doctrine of the Gospel was more obscure in the Old Testament Umbratili per se inefficaci ceremoniarum observatione c. Amyrald partly through Prophesies of things a great way off and partly through types Christ was wrapt up in shadowes and figures in the Gospel the body of those shadowes and the truth of those types is exhibited the Land of Canaan was a type of heaven Israel according to the flesh was a type of Israel according to the Spirit the spirit of bondage of the spirit of Adoption the blood of the Sacrifices of the blood of Christ the glory of divine grace was reserved for Christs coming they had at most but starre-light before Christs coming * When Christ first came it was but day-break with them Christ was at first but as a morning starre 2 Pet. 1.19 though soon after he was as the sun in the firmament Mal. 4.2 The Apostle saith Heb. 10.1 The Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things and in this respect it was that the Apostle saith the Gospel was promised to the Fathers but perform'd to us Rom. 1.1 2. It was hid to them and revealed to us Rom. 16.25 26. and not only by fulfilling of Prophesies which we may see by the comparing of Scripture but by the Spirit Ephes 3.5 The mystery of Christ in other ages was not made known unto the Sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit They had but a poor discovery of Christ but we have the riches of this mystery made known unto us Col. 1.26 27 * Alting The old Covenant leads to Christ but 'tis a great way about the Gospel Covenant goeth directly to him their Ceremonies were numerous bâ—rdensome and obscure those things that represent Christ to us are few easie and cleare * Synops pur Theol. 4. The Gospel-Covenant is the better Covenant in respect of the form of it the promises are better promises the promises of the Law are conditional and require perfect obedience Lev. 18.5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgements which if a man do he shall live in them the condition you see is impossible Beloved 'pray ' mistake not there is expresse mention of eternal life in the Old Testament Isa 45.17 Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlâ—sting life and some to shame and everlasting contemp and that the Law cannot save us that is accidental in respect of our dâ—filement with sin and our weaknesse that we cannot fulfill the condition Rom. 7.12 The law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good and it is the Word of life Acts 7.38 Who received the lively Oracles to give unto us and the Apostle brings in Abraham and David for examples of Justification by faith Rom. 4.6 13. but yet their promises were chiefly temporal we have the promise of temporal good things in the New Testament as well as they in the Old only with the exception of the Cross Mark 19.29 30. Verily I say unto you There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or fathers or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions that was the exception with persecution
God my God why hast thou forsaken me Now then seeing God being naturally gracious and perfectly righteous cannot will not be displeased with any without cause and Christ had in himself no cause There was nothing in him Joh. 14.30 and as you read he alwayes did those things which pleased him It remains therefore that the cause of this displeasure and of Chrsts death was our sins laid upon him and our peace to be procured by him And that brings in the 2. Head which is the procuring or meritorious cause of Christs death the guilt of our sins laid on him brought death upon him as the just punishment of them And this is written with so much clearness that he that runs may read it It is observed of the Ancient Writers of the Church That those of them which lived before the Pelagian heresie was raised spoke more darkly and doubtfully and carelesly in those things not being ob iged to stand much upon their Guard when they had no enemy in view and having to do with enemies of a contrary make while they avoided one extream 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it often happened they ran too near the other But in this point the Apostles who Writ so long before Socinus had a being have Written with as much perspicuity against that heresie as if they had lived to see the accomplishment of that Monster the conception whereof some of them saw in those Primitive Hereticks Two things are written with a Sun-beam 1. That Christ died for our good as the final cause Dan. 9.26 The Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself 2. That he died for our sins as the deserving cause Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered viz. unto death for our offences not only upon the occasion of our sins as the Socinians gloss it but for the merit of our sins To suffer for sin alwayes implies sin to be the meritorious cause of it 1 Kings 14.16 He shall give up Israel because of the sins of Jeroboam Deut. 24.16 The Father shall not be put to death for the children but every man shall be put to death for his own sin And many other places there are to the same purpose And it is sufficient to confirm any judicious man in this Truth to read the miserable evasions which the Socinians use to shift off the force of this Argument which as time will not give me leave to mention so they are neither fit for this nor worthy of any Assembly This is plain that Christ died for our sinnes and to stop all holes the holy Ghost useth various prepositions if one be more emphatical than another all shall concur to assert this truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.18 And that all these should signifie the final cause or occasion only and never the meritorious cause when a man hath put out his eyes or God hath taken away the Scripture and other Greek Authours too he may believe it but very hardly before I shall strengthen this Argument with this consideration That Christ is said to bear our sinnes which is so evident that Crellius that Master-builder of the Socinian Fabrick confesseth That for the most part to beare sins is to endure the punishments due to sin And he said no more than he was forced to by the invincible clearness of Scripture-expressions Lev. 5.1 7.18 20.17 Notorious Offenders it is said of them They shall beare their iniquity It is said of Christ not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Socinians say may signifie to take away iniquity albeit a Learned man layeth down this assertion That it never signifies to take away sin as Socinus would have it but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to beare upon his shoulders as a Porter beares a Burden but never to take away Isaiah 53.4 He hath borne our griefs and carâ—yed our sorrows Object Which is one of the most plausible Arguments they have in this cause But Mat. 8.16 17. where Christ took away diseases which he did not bear it is said the saying of Esaias was fulfilled therein Answ To omit those many Answers given by others of which see Brinsleys one only Mediatour and Calovius his excellent discourse De satisfactione Christi in his Socinismus prostigatus A Scripture is said to be fulfilled either wholly or in part Now then you must know that although it be a truth which we conclude against the Papists That there are no more than one of literal and co-ordinate senses of every place of Scripture yet there may be divers of several kindes one subordinate to another and one typified by another and one accommodated to another And when any one of these senses are accomplished that Scripture is said to be fulfilled though indeed but one piece and parcel of it be fulfilled Thus the fulfilling of the same Scripture is applied to the spiritual preservation of the Apostles John 17.12 and to the temporal preservation of them John 18.9 And as it were false and fallacious reasoning for any man to infer that Christs keeping of his Apostles cannot be understood spiritually of keeping them in his Name and keeping them from Apostacy as it is said John 17.12 because John 18.9 it is said to be fulfilled in a rescue of them from a temporal destruction but rather it must be said it was fulfilled both wayes and the one was subordinate to the other and typified in the other So is it in this case This place in Isaiah that it may appeare to be exactly a parallel case was fulfilled two wayes The one expressed 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body upon the Tree The other in this Matth. 8.17 In the former is expressed the cause Christs bearing the burden of our sinnes upon his shoulders In the latter the effâ—ct Christs taking off the Burden or part of that Burden of sin from our shoulders or from the shoulders of those diseased persons for it was laid upon his shoulders that it might be taken off from us So that Matthew rightly tells us that Isaiah was fulfilled and that the cause did appeare by the effect as by the dawning of the day we see the approach of the Sun And this may serve for the untying of that hard knot which I had almost said is the only thing of moment the Socinians have in this Controversie But to return Isa 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed If it were lawful for the highest Antisocinian in the world to coyne a Scripture for his purpose he could not devise a place of a more favourable aspect to his cause than this And Ver. 6. The Lord hath plac'd on him the iniquity of us all But indeed the Arguments which might be drawn out of this one Chapter Isa 53. might
He that hath promised pardon to the penitent hath not promised repentance to the presumptuous sinner Thus Austin was converted with a Tolle lege Take up the book and read the Book was the New Testament the place he opened was the Epistle to the Romans where he first cast his eye upon the thirteenth Chapter the words these not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse c. This stroke him home But the most ordinary means of our Effectual Calling is the Preaching of the Word which though the world account foolishness 1 Cor. 1.18 An esse sibi cum Christo videtur Qui adversus sacerdotes Christi facit Cyprian de unit Ec. Edit Goul. Sect. 15. 1 Cor. 4 15. is the power of God unto Salvation And though by other means men may be called yet seldom or never any are called that neglect and contemn this God delights to honour his own Ordinances and to credit and encourage his Ministers and because he is pleased to make use of the Word they Preach as seed therefore it it his Will and pleasure that his people should own and reverence them as their Fathers In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel and therefore I am confident they can have no good evidences of their Christian Calling that secretly despise openly revile secretly undermine openly oppugne the Ministerial Calling Christ will not own them as his Children that refuse to honour his Ministers as their Fathers He that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10.16 So much for answer to the fifth Question Question 6. What is the end of this Call What but that which is the end of all things the glory of God what but that which should be the end that all men should aime at the salvation of their souls Here we may see the glory of Gods free grace and mercy the immutabilitie of his purposes the holiness of his nature in that he makes us fit for communion with himself before he admits us to it Col. 1. the wisdom of his Counsels and last of all the exceeding greatness of his Power For though the Effectual Calling of a soul be no miracle yet there is as much power manifested in it as in any miracle that Christ wrought yea as in all the miracles which he wrought if they be put together For here the blind eyes and deaf ears are opened the withered hands and lame legs are restored the bloody issue stanched the Leper cleansed Legions of Devils cast out the dead soul raised to walk before God in the Land of the Living In a word the water is turned into wine the water of contrition into the Wine of sweetest spiritual Consolation Question 7. When is the time that God calls As the persons are chosen so the time is appointed called therefore the acceptable yeare of the Lord the accepted time the day of visitation the day of Salvation What hour of the day God will please to call any person in is to us uncertain this only is certain that we must be call'd within the compass of this present life or else we shall never be call'd There 's no Preaching to souls in the Prison of Hell no constituting of Churches there if the Spirit of God be not our Purgatory fire here in vain shall we look for any other hereafter Thus briefly of the seventh Question Question 8. What are the Properties of this Call 2 Tim. 1.9 First It is a Holy Calling holy is the Authour of it holy are the means of it holy are the ends of it holy are the Subjects of it God is the Authour the Word is the means holiness it self the end none but holy men the Subjects I cannot but wonder at the impudence of profane men that they should call themselves Christians that they should call God Father that they should call Christ Saviour if they be Christians where is the savour of those precious oyntments those special graces that run down from the head unto all his members and give the only just reason why we should be denominated Christians I wonder the meer civil person can sleep so securely with his short covering he boasts of a righteousness and is a meer stranger to holiness he separates those things which God hath perfectly and inseparably united Holinesse and Righteousnesse God hath so knit and coupled together To serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1. that he reckons no service performed to him where either of these is wanting It is a part of our Righteousnesse to be holy in our converse with God It is a part of our Holinesse to be Righteous in our converse with men Therefore I shall adde the deceitful hypocrite unto the deceived equillist the one drawing as near to God with his external righteousness as the other doth with his pretended Holinesse both stand at a distance from him he beholds them afar off and though he hath Called them to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 yet they are not Saints by an Effectual Calling Phil. 3.14 Hebr. 3.1 Secondly It is an high and heavenly Calling a learned Critick supposeth that the Apostle in bestowing this Epitath high upon our Calling Grotius Dr. Hammond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alludeth unto the Olympick games an allusion which indeed he much delighteth in throughout all his Epistles there the Master a Ruler of the game who was also the Keeper and Bestower of the prize stood upon the higher ground called to those that were engaged to that noble exercise to begin the Race proportionably unto this Christians having a Race set before them Hebr. 12.1 which they must run with patience at the call of their great Director who utters his voice from heaven unto their hearts they first start so that the Calling is high because we are Called from on high but this is not all for besides that it is an high way though it be no common way that we are Called to run in all the exercises and employments that a Christian is Called to they are exceeding high such as are the service of God the mortification of lusts the fighting against principalities and powâ—rs of darkness the trampling upon all the gilded glisterring vanities of this world such are the denial of a mans self the taking up the Crosse daily the following of Christ and the shewing forth all his vertues that hath called us such are warme devotions spiritual meditations fervent supplications holy breathings and aspirings after communion with the ever blessed God in a conscientious use of his Ordinances all these are employments too high for those that are skild in nothing else but Satans and the Worlds Drudgery too high for any but those that are endued with grace and power from on high to perform them Yet farther this Calling is high not only in regard of the Director and the Race but in regard of the prize as the reward that we shall receive from the righteous Judge What is
both meer supererogations of an infinitely glorious person And first for his active Riâ—hteousnesse iâ— stood in his obedience to the Ceremonial and Moral Laws 1. His obedience to the Ceremonial Law was a meer supererogation for the substance to comply with the shadows the Antitype to do homage to its owâ— types besides he submitted to those very Ordinances whose end and institution supposeth guilt and whâ—se Nature argues them designed only for the use of sinners what foreskin of impurity had he to be cut off in circumcâ—sion what filth to be washt awâ—y in baptism did the holy childe Jesus defile his mothers womb as common mortals do that are conceiv'd in sin and brought forth in iniquity And yet he was circumcised and baptized and his mother offered for her purification Luke 1.21 22. ch 3.21 No imaginable obligation lay on him to these submissions being to him meer ciphers wholly insignificant 2. His obedience to the Moral Law Although it must be granted that as man it was his duty Gal. 4.4 yet was it not his duty to become man True a creatures homage was due from him when a creature a servants work when in the form of a servant but the whole was free and arbitrary because his entring into that state was so for what but his own infinite love could ever move the eternal Word to pitch his Tent in our Nature what obligation lay on the Heir of all things to take the form of a servant who bound the eternal Son of God to become in the fulnesse of time the Son of man And as his active righteousnesse so secondly his passive too was a meer supererogation for his Almighty Fathers Holy All-seeing Eye could never espy the least iniquity in him to punish what had the Divine Justice to do with him for he was a sinlesse person he suffered not for himself Dan. 9.26 No for us 2 Cor. 5.21 And therefore since no obligation lay on him to do what he did or to suffer what he suffered he may impute the merit both of the one and the other to whomsoever and upon what termes soever he and his Father please But before I come to consider the termes upon which Christs satisfaction is applied I must answer some questions and clear the scruples in the way Object 1 1. What is become of the Law of that first Covenant made with Adam in Paradise Gen. 2.17 repeated again to the Jews Deut 27.26 The sum of which you have fully expressed Ezek. 18.4 The soul that sinneth it shall dye I answer It is not executed nor abrogated but released or dispensed with First it is not fully executed for there is no condemnation to them that re in Christ Jesus c. Rom. 8.1 Secondly It â—s not abrogated for it is in part executed upon Believers they are liable to the first or natural death which is the wages of sin although the second death hath no power over them besides all manner of chastisements and afflictions Psal 89.30 31 32. And also that Law is totally executed upon finally impenitent unbelievers over whom not the first only but the second death also hath power 2 Thess 1.8 For he that believeth not is condemned already John 3.18 That is the Gospel finds him and every one in a state of condemnation but those who believe it proclaims deliverance to those who through unbelief reject it judging themselves unworthy of everlasting life see Acts 13.46 it leaves such as it found them viz. under the condemnation of the Old Covenant since they refuse the pardoning mercy of the New Thirdly I answer therefore positively that the first Covenant is released and dispensed with by super-inducing a New Covenant of Grace over it that whosoever closeth with and comes into the terms of the New should be exempted from the rigour and extremity i. e. from the eternal condemnation of the Old Joh. 3.16 It is not said He that believes shall not be sick shall not be afflicted shall not dye No but he shall not perish Thus you see the Covenant of Works as to its execution upon such as are in the Covenant of Grace is in the chief part restrained but yet in some part inflicted They never shall complain under the eternal and destructive yet they do complain under the temporal and corrective punishment of their sinnes Lam. 3.39 Yet more particularly for the clearer understanding of this we must consider that the first Covenant lays a double obligation on sinful man First In reference to what is past and here it requires satisfaction and reparation from us for our sin in breaking it And secondly In reference to the future after such satisfaction and amends made it requires perfect conformity still as at first absolute obedience to all Gods commands being the eternal debt of the reasonable creature to that God that made it in his own Image if therefore we could which hath already been proved to be impossible ever have satisfied Gods injur'd Law for our past breach the Law would still have come upon us for future exact conformity to pay the residue of that eternal debt and its language would be Sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee as a Felon though butn't in the hand is yet bound to live honestly for the future at his peril Now the New Covenant of Grace relieves us as to both these cases and dispences with the rigor of the Law As to the first It comforts us with the good news that the Son of God hath satisfied his Fathers Justice and if we believe but in him God will accept of us as if we had satisfied in our own persons The case the Law leaves us in is well expressed Isa 33.14 Hebr. 10.31 But the relief the Gospel brings us in St. Pauls language Rom. 8.33 34. You have both together excellently Ezek. 33.10 11. As to the second Obligation the New Covenant dispenseth with the rigor of that too for woe to a justified and pardoned person if he must lose all again upon the least defailance therefore the Gospel proclaims pardon of sin upon repentance and acceptance of sincere endeavours to obey him Gods language now is Sinners be but in good earnest do but love me heartily and my ways let me but see a childe-like ingenuity in you and I will put down your upright though imperfect performances in the book of my remembrance Mal. 3.16 and blot out your transgressions when repented of out of the book of my remembrance Mandata Dei tanquam facta reputantur Aug. Retr l. 1. quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur Thus doth the candor of the Gospel dispence with the rigor of the Law God deals not with us as an Aegyptian task-master but as a Father with his children whom he loves Christs yoke is easie his burden light Object 2 If any doubt how it stands with Gods veracity and immutability having once declared that the soul that sinneth shall dye to contradict it by declaring
By effectual vocation we are translated into a twofold state 1. Absolute namely a state of sanctification and glorification 2. Relative namely a state of Justification and Adoption in which last upon our believing we are by Gods gracious Sentence accepted into the number and have a right to all the Priviledges of the Sons of God Adoption then is our Relative state which puts no real worth in the Adopted though it presuppose an absolute state of holinesse and a double act 1. Of free grace on the Adopters part 2. Of faith on the part of the adopted From all hath been said about the Nature of Adoption note these following Corollaries Corollary 1. Hence it follows that Adoption presupposes effectual vocation Regeneration Faith Justification and Reconciliation which are as it were its secondary foundations compare Rom. 8.30 5. ver 1. 2. 2. Hence it follows that Believers expect heaven by a double Title Besides a Title of Marriage-Joynture 1. Of Redemption 2. Of Adoption See both together Rom. 8.23 3. This shews how Christ is applyed in Justification namely as a fountaine and garment how in Adoption namely as an elder Brother and Prince of Salvation Hebrews 2. ver 10 11 12. 4. Hence its evident our Sonship far excels Adams filiation He indeed was Gods Son by similitude and dependance but not by special union and communion with Christ the Natural Son of God as we now are Gal. 4. ver 4 5. 5. Hence we have the true reason why Gods Name is called upon us Jerem. 14.9 1 John 3.1 compare Gen. 48.5 6 16. as well as called upon by us 1 Pet. 1.17 6. This shews why we are in an especial manner of Gods Houshold Eph. 2.19 not as Bastards Sojourners Borders Hirelings Slaves Exod. 12.45 Judg. 11.1 2. Heb. 12.8 but as his honourable Servants his Spouse and his Adopted Children Compare 2 Sam. 9.7 11 13 Esther 2.7 Quest 2. Wherein doth Divine Adoption differ from and excell Humane adoption This Head is a powerful motive Answ 1. In its properties 2. In its Priviledges both which concurre in the substance but are distinguished here for Doctrines sake The Properties of Adoption are foure The properties of Adoption 1. It 's a precious Relation cost as much as our Redemption an infinite price compare 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Gal. 4.4 5. allude to Acts 22.28 with a great summe Christ obtain'd us this Freedome 2. It 's an high and honourable Relation Every Believer is an High-borne Person and as his Birth so his Adoption is high even as high as heaven John 1.12 13. It 's honourable to be the Son of a King much more to be the Son of God to be Gods Servant 2 Sam. 7.5 8. Witnesse Theodosius the Emperour much more to be Gods Son 1 John 3.1 The honour of Sonship ever rises or falls with the honour of Fatherhood This second property flows from the first That which is precious must needs be Honourable Isa 43.4 Whence the same word signifies both preciousnesse and honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compare Psal 45.9 3. It 's a free Relation It 's free 1. In an active sense making its subject free Gal. 4.7 A slave adopted is by that act made a Free man 2. In a passive sense and first as to the Adopter who is not moved by any thing in the Creature to bestow this high favour Ephes 1. ver 4 5. God adopts not out of necessity but liberty who can compel or necessitate him not out of indigency he had a Natural Son and many created Sons who were very like him and liking to him but out of redundancy of goodnesse 2. In a passive sense its free also as to the adopted without yea against their deservings We may all with shame take up the words of Mephibâ—sheth 2 Sam. 9.8 19.28 This property flows from the two former that must needs be freely given which is so precious and honourable None is worthy to be the Son of God but only the Natural Son of God He that cannot deserve a bit of bread much lesse can deserve this Divine Relation we deserve an hellish not an heavenly Sonship each of us being by Nature children of Belial 4. It 's a permanent Relation Once a child and for ever so John 8.35 A Servanr a created Son a Natural Son may sometimes be turned out of doors witnesse the Angels and Gen. 21.10 12. But an adopted Son is never cast off Psalme 89.26 30 33 34. and that upon the following accounts 1. From the freenesse of Adoption God chose them not for their well-deservings nor will he reject them for their â—ll-deservings if unworthinesse foreseen did not hinder the purpose of Adoption then unworthinesse present shall not hinder the compleating of Adoption and thus the fourth Property flows from the third 2. Divine immutability is engaged in the Covenant of grace of which Adoption is one great Branch Compare Rom. 9.4 11.29 Heb. 6.17 18. 3. If any thing unchild them it must be their Apostacy But 1. They can fall no further than their Father permits 2. Fall they never so foully he can mend and recover them as he pleaseth 3. He will never permit them to fall finally and totally Jer. 32.40 And what Parent would cast off a son had he this power over him We never cast off a childe unlesse incorrigible Deut. 21.18 19 20. but to our heavenly Father no childe is incorrigible The Priviledge of Adoption Likenesse to God 2. Divine Adoption differs from and excels humane in its Priviledges as well as in its Properties The General Priviledge is Likenesse to God All Gods adopted Children bear their Fathers Image as Gideons Brethren d d his And 1. In holinesse Judg. 8.18 They are like God 1. In holinesse 2. In dignity In holinesse as Christ beares their Natural so they bear his Spiritual Image Compare Heb. 2.7 Rom. 8.29 Their principles and actions prove them the children of their heavenly Father Matth. 5.45 This one truth unchilds most Professours who look not at holinesse as a Priviledge with Machiavels Prince they like the shew of virtue but fly virtue it self as a burthen Such bewray themselves to be Bastards but let genuine children remember that holinesse is not only a duty 1 Pet. 1.14 15 16. but also a prerogative Exod. 19.5 6. 1 Pet. 2.9 Many hope to be like God hereafter who affect not to be like him here but genuine Sons affect the one as well as they hope for the other 1 Joh. 3.2 3. The hope of the former will at farthest dye with themselves Job 8.13 14 15 11 20. 2. In dignity Next Gods adopted children are like him in Dignity This Dignity appeares Which appears 1. In their Titles 2. In their Offices 3. In their Dominion In their Titles they are called his treasure 1. In their titles Exod. 19.5 his jewels Mal. 3.17 his first-fruits and holinesse to
the Lord Jerem. 2.3 Heires Gal. 3.19 first-born Heires Heb. 12.23 compare Deutr. 21.16 yea joynt-heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 each of them having right to and possession of that Inheritance which hath no Corruption Succession Division 1. No corruption 1 Pet. 1.4 It 's not corrupted by outward principles as fire violence c. Nor by inward principles as sin and other taints which defile or prutribility as the best things here below are from their own or their subjects innate principles Isa 29.14 1 Pâ—t 1.18 compare James 5.2 2. It hath no Succession the Father and Children alwayes living upon the same Inheritance whence as Christs Priesthood so their inheritance is unchangeable Hebrews 7.24 3. It hath no Division for every Heire enjoyes the whole God being infinite and indivisible as every eye enjoyes the whole Sun c. Hence there will be no occasion of jealousie or quarrelling among the Brethren for let others have never so much I shall not have one jot the lesse To his Isaacs his Heires his Conquerours God gives his all not half with Ahashuerus and Herod but his whole Kingdome Compare Gen. 25.5 2 Chron. 21.3 Rev. 21.7 It 's otherwise with Heires and Wives here below because their interests are divisible Luke 12.13 Gen. 30.15 1 Sam. 1.6 7. Their Dignity appeares 2. In their high Offices 2. In their Offices Like Christ their Head they are Gods anointed ones 1 John 2.20 27. and that to a threefold Office Prophetical Priestly Kingly Psalme 105.15 Revel 1.6 Where the Prophetical Office is not mentioned probably upon this account because included in the Priestly Office The first-born in every Family were typical Kings Priests and Prophets Exodus 24.5 which therefore were the Birth-right of Reuben who by his sin forfeited the Government to Judah the Priest-hood to Levi and the double portion or inheritance to Joseph 1 Chron. 5.1 2. see Numb 3.45 But Gods adopted ones shall never forfeit their Unction 3. In their Dominion Their Dignity appeares 3. In their Dominion and this by five particulars 1. By their Ministers or attendance an heavenly Guard Heb. 1.14 2. By the extent of their property they are Lords of all 1 Cor. 3.21 23. Compare Psalme 8. Their Title is as good as large they holding all in Capite which is the worst Title among the Sons of men but the best among the Sonnes of God 3. By their Right and pure use of all Tit. 1.15 Job 5.24 4. By the benefit and advantage redounds to them out of all Rom. 8.28 There 's no creature but owes homage and payes Tribute to these Lords A Saint gets more good by other mens estates than the Possessours themselves The first-fruits and fat of all come to those who are the first fruits of God and of the Lamb. 5. By their immunities Kings children have great immunities Matth. 17.25 26. but Gods children have all immunities being priviledged from the hurt of every thing Luke 10.19 Rom. 8.35 38 39. Second branch of the doctrine This for the Explication of the first Branch of the Doctrine The second Branch is That every true Believer is a child of God by Regeneration Explication I shall first explain this Head then prove and apply both together Quest What is Regeneration Here I shall endeavour to open First The Name Secondly The Thing The Name The Name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's used but twice in the New Testament Matthew 19.28 Tit. 3.5 haply in several senses the one glorious the other gracious Yet both may very well be understood in a gracious sense and so in the former place Judas is excluded as having no hopes of a glorious Session because he wanted a gracious Regeneration It s Synonima's in Scripture are very Emphatical Thus it s called a quickening Ephes 2.1 a formation Gal. 4.19 a Birth John 3.3 8. a Baptizing Matth. 3.11 a renewing of the minde Rom. 12.2 a new heart and spirit Ezek. 36.26 that being renewed by saving knowledge this by saving grace a new creature which is the product of Omnipotency Gal. 6.15 2 Cor. 5.17 The new man it renewing the whole Ephes 4.24 and the Divine Nature in respect of its transcendent excellency 2 Pet. 1.4 For the thing it self Regeneration is taken 1. Absolutely The thing and so it 's really the same with effectual vocation both which are either active or passive that in Relation to the party Regenerating and calling this in reference to the party Regenerated and called 2. It 's taken Relatively and so it 's the foundation of our first Filiation or Sonship whereby we are begotten Sons Generation is the foundation as of humane so also of Divine Filiation and as by faith we are adopted Sons so by Regeneration we are begotten Sons Quest What is Regeneration Answ It 's the production of a new and spiritual being by the Introduction of a new and spiritual forme It s nature As therefore Isaac before generation was a non entitie in nature so every child of the promise before Regeneration is a non entity in grace 1 Cor. 13.2 Gal. 6.3 and as in Generation there is a formation or the introduction of a new forme which gives being distinction and operation so is it likewise in Regeneration Gal. 4.19 This forme is nothing else but truth of grace infused 3. As in nature the corruption of one thing is the Generation of another so in grace the corruption of the old man is the Generation of the New Rom. 6.4 6 11. And lastly as in natural Generation no forme is introduced but by various preparations and previous dispositions so in Regeneration much Legal and Evangelical preparation ushers in the New Birth which preparation consists especially in Conviction Illumination c. The Nature of Regeneration will appeare more distinctly by comparing it more particularly with natural Generation The termes of conveniency and 1. In the termes of conveniency or similitude 2. In the terms of difference or dissimilitude They agree 1. In the causes 2. In the manner of production 3. In the matter produced For the first in both there is 1. A principal cause and thus God is the Regenerate mans Father witnesse the Text Isa 6.9 Heb. 2.11 13. the Church is his Mother Gal. 4.26 27. 2. There are subordinate and instrumental causes such are Christs Ministers who are therefore sometimes called Fathers 1 Cor. 4.15 and sometimes Mothers Gal. 4.19 Compare 1 Thes 2.7 3. The constitutive cause a seed which is partly materialâ— namely the Word 1 Pet. 1.23 partly spiritual the influence and efficacy of the Holy Ghost John 3.5 without which the material seed or letter is ineffectual 2 Cor. 3.6 2. They agree 2. In the manner of production In both there is 1. A conception Christ spiritual as well as personal is ever conceived by the power and overshadowing of the Holy Ghost This holds true in other Generations Matth. 13.23
is singularly attributed to Christ because he purchased our Adoption as well as our Regeneration Ephes 1.5 Tit. 3.5 6. The third ground is Divine glory which is the end of all Gods Works much more of such gracious Dispensations as are Regeneration and Adoption Ephes 1.5 6. Isaiah 43.21 The fourth ground is encouragement unto faith by the favours and priviledges vouchsafed unto Believers 1 Tim. 1.16 And these are more implied than expressed in the Text yet flow naturally enough out of it Use 1 1. Of Information About the sad condition of all unbelievers by rule of contraries Are all Believers Gods children c Then no unbeliever is a childe of God either by Regeneration or Adoption Not by Regeneration as having no life of grace which initially infused is the new birth And hence every unbeliever is First A dead man as dead in Law Joh. 3.18 dead in sin Ephes 2.1 dead under wrath and curse Joh. 3.36 Gal. 3.10 compared with Gen. 2.17 dead in expectation and fear Hebr. 10.27 Whoever hath not a part in the second Birth shall be sure to have a part in the second Death Secondly Unbelievers being not children of God can expect nothing from God as a Father Now the state of unregeneracy excludes them from both filiations for unlesse God be a Father by Regeneration he will be no Father by Adoption Nor can unregenerate persons be children by Adoption because they have no faith Hence they are Orphans and so helplesse for God will be no Father to such fatherlesse Children But are they altogether fatherlesse No verily therefore Thirdly They have woful parents namely sin and disobedience Ephes 2.2 wrath and curse Ephes 2.3 2 Pet. 2 14. and lastly Satan Joh. 8.44 who is also their God 2 Cor. 4.4 as God is the Believers Father Oh miserable wretches as destitute of an heavenly Father and more miserable as the woful children of most hellish and cursed Parents who have nothing to make over to them but sin and cutse and that they will do with a vengeance Use 2 2. Of Humiliation And that not only for profane Esau's who despise their birthright nor only for barely nominal and foederal children Deut. 32.5 19. compared with 1 Cor. 7.14 but even for such as groundedly call God Father yet carry not themselves as children to such a Father They are children of the greatest wisest and most Ancient King allude to Isa 19.11 yet walk not up to their principles as Regenerate Sons nor up to their priviledges as Adopted Sons as is evident by the following particulars 1. They think not of rejoyce not glory not in nor walk up to the dignity of Divine filiation but are mean-spirited and sink almost at every difficulty Isa 49.14 15. the natural Son of God did not so 2. They are palpably worldly as if they had no Father to care for them no hope nor portion but in this life Jerem. 45.5 Matth. 6.28 30. That worldlinesse which reigns in Natural men tyrannizeth too often in Regenerate men 3. They behave not themselves as Brethren of Christ and as Children of one Father compare Hebr. 2.11 with Ephes 4. ver 3. to ver 6. Malach. 2.10 How do Brethren fall out by the way how great is their difference when the matter of difference is so little what quarrelling about the hedge when both agree about the inheritance We all professe to believe the holy Catholick Church yet minde not the Unity of the Church but rather the promoting of a party and faction in the Church to the shame of Religion the scandal of the weak who by reason of our differences are puzled which way to choose and the opening of the mouth of the enemy May we not justly feare as one notes well that the neglect of true Religion and true Catholick unity is making way for Atheisme or for Popish Catholick unity Exhort and 1. Unto strangers Use 3 3. Of Exhortation And first unto strangers secondly unto children For the first Art thou an Alien Oh never rest till thou get into a state of Sonship and to this end 1. Be convinced of thy Orphanhood and hellish Filiation 2. Make good thy effectual vocation justification and reconciliation this is done outwardly by consciencious attendance on the Ordinances inwardly by the spiritual Baptisme and faith Gal. 3. ver 25. to ver 29. 2. Unto children Secondly If thou be a childe of God then 1. Evidence thy Sonship this is done by evidencing thy vocation 2 Pet. 1.10 and is necessary First In order to Gods glory Secondly In order to thy duty and comfort Thirdly In order to others conversion and edification neither of which will proceed to purpose without some comfortable evidence of thy filiation 2. Carry thy self as a child of God This will blow up the fire of grace light the candle of comfort and beam forth in thy conversation to the conviction conversion and edification of others To this end First Honour thy Father Directions Mal. 1.6 acknowledge and testifie his dignity and excellency This do 1. Negatively take heed of dishonouring God passively by omission What childe can see or hear his father wronged or converse needlesly with dishonourers of his father 2 Cor. 6.17 18. 2. Affirmatively dishonour not God actively by commission as David Peter and others did How many not only Bastards but genuine Children are either ashamed of or shame to their heavenly Father especially in evil company â—econdly Obey thy Father 1 Pet. 1.14 this flowes from the former and is part of the honour Children owe to their Parents Ephes 6.1 2. Colos 3.20 and much more we to our heavenly Father Hebr. 12.9 whose commands are all of them so holy equitable profitable compare 2 Kings 5.13 Thirdly Imitate thy Father Ephes 5.1 2. This flows from both the former and by it we do both honour and obey God Children are apt to follow their Parents in Naturals in Civils in Morals and if we be Gods children wee must walk not only with him but also like him 1 Joh. 4.17 2.6 Especially imitate God in endeavouring to bring many to glory Hebr. 2.10 Our imitation of God is a great part of our following the Lord Ephes 5.1 2. Fourthly Submit to his chastisements Hebr. 12.7 As afflictions piously born are evidences of our Sonship so the holy humble and fruitful bearing of them is our duty as Children Fifthly Depend universally upon Divine provision and protection casting all thy fears cares and burdens upon thy Father Matth. 6.25 1 Pet. 5.7 Psal 55.22 Faith is both the mother and nurse of Adoption Be not worse than thy own Child who can live without carking upon thy fatherly love and providence Sixthly Abound in filial affections as love delight and fear to offend thy Father Thy sin is exceedingly aggravated by the dâ—gnity of the party offended and offending as well as by Gods singular love to thee Lev. 4.3 13 22 27. 21.9 God may well say to
no lesse concerned in the second than the first Table of the Law If David sin against Bathsheba her chastity or Vriah his life yet he must confesse unto God Against the have I sinned and wrought this wickednesse in thy sight however the trespasse is against man the transgression is against God the sin which is committed against God is to be only confessed unto God not unto man but the sin which is committed against man must be confessed unto God and likewise unto men to God alwayes who can pardon the eternal punishment to men ordinarily as when the Church is scandalized or the particular person is offended and damnified James 5.16 and in this last case restitution must be added to our confession Luke 19. Zacheus like where we have wronged any we must make acknowledgement and reparation and in all offences to men when we come before God we must consider whether our brother hath ought against us Mat. 5.24 and go and be reconciled the God that binds men to forgive till seventy times seven times binds the offendor so often to return and say I have offended Luke 17.4 The auricular confession of the Papists is vanity superstition and evil but particular acknowledgements of sin to God and sometimes to men is duty indispensable in vain doth Saul say to Samuel I have sinned whilst he never seeks to God for the pardon 3. Confession of sin and prayer for pardon must be free and not extorted The natural not forced language of the penitent the confession of constraint falleth equally under suspicion with the unrequired accusations of malice both which are frequently false true repentance doth convince of the sinfulnesse of sin and constraine the soule to confesse it with candor ingenuity and freedome as weary of it as the stomach of nauseous matter that it naturally without any co-action casts up Confession springs from the Saints as Elihu his plea for God against Job I am full of matter the Spirit of the Lord constraineth me saith he to Job Job 32.18 19 20. The confession of the wicked is constrained and no longer doth he cry to God than he is under the cudgel of his judgements or on the Rack of his own conscience so Pharaoh his plagues and Judas his anxiety may extort an I have sinned however the children of God must be sometimes pinched and whipped into their complaints yet their cry is natural and confessions free and voluntary a ready eccho to the least reproof Psal 141.5 and desiring that the righteous may smite and God shew them their iniquity 4. Confession and supplication must not be more free than full not straitned any more than extorted sin must be confest not only in general and in the lump with a Lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners but in its particular species and parts as Israel We have forsaken the Lord and served Baal in Judg. 10.10 and we have to all our sins added this evil to ask us a King to go about to change our Government 1 Sam. 12.19 not only open known hainous and flagitious offences but even secret and particular lusts David bewails and confesseth not only his murther executed on Uriah but his self-revenge intended against Nabal and the very cutting off the lap of Sauls garment not only sin simply in it self but with all its aggravations of time place manner occasion sinne must be taken up by the roots and spread before God in all its branches In iniquity was I conceived in sin brought forth as well as against thee have I sinned In vaine doth Caine confesse his cruelty to Aâ—el and conceale his irreligion to God or Judas complaine of betraying innocent blâ—od whilst he makes no mention of his covetousnesse 5. Shame and sorrow must seize on the confessing suppliant for sinnes pardon Contrition of heart and confusion of face must be the result of confession dayes of atonement Lev. 23.27 28. were dayes of soul-affliction because of confession of sin Davids complaints makes him water his couch and mingle his bred with teares lying in the dust and renting of Garments were required from such as came to confesse iniquity the spirit of repentance is a spirit of mourning 6. Confession must be made with confidence and supplication in hope of pardon the true penitent is prostrate before God as a Father not as a Judge men may confesse and be hanged but the children of God cry with Shecaniah We have transgressed but yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 they pray in faith Father forgive us our trespasses not in feare mercy my Lord mercy Judas's confession was therefore false because fearful and flying to his own destruction not the innocent blood by him betrayed that he might have been saved we have shewed you the subject of repentance must be the believing sinner hopes of mercy puts halters on our necks confidence of pardon seats us in Gods Chair to condemne our selves the confessions of despair are the outcries of the damned in hell Thus then Beloved I have laid before you the true nature of true repentance I well know it is a common Theme and much Treated of but little practiced nay indeed little considered and understood How many pretenders are there among us that may yet ponder the nature of Gospel-repentance which if it be well understood will neither appeare to be so lightly come by nor sleightly performed as it is deemed we must know that every common repentance will not serve our turn unto the Remission of sin but that repentance which Christ gives is in respect of nature 1. A grace supernatural without the reach of mans arme or acquirement 2. Whereby the believing sinner apprehensive of his own guilt and Gods grace in and through Jesus Christ 3. Sensibly affected with and afflicted for his sin as committed against God under conviction and contrition for all his sin as sin 4. Doth return from sin all sin unto God and God only as his all in all 5. Freely confessing and frequently begging pardon for his iniquity Consider my Brethren this description of Repentance you have had unfolded and the nature of the grace discovered for it will be very useful to you as a touchstone of doctrine and practice for the confutation of all false notions about Repentance as that 1. Repentance is the result of nature and at mans command we may repent when we will as the Arminians teach but you must remember its supernatural 2. That pennance is a transient act of confession and self-castigation as the Papists teach you must know it is a grace or habit 3. That repentance is before faith and not the result of the Gospel and effect of the blood of Christ as some Divines suggest 4. That câ—nviction contrition and confession are not necessary to repentance as the Antinomians teach or sufficient repentance as the Legalist and Pharisee teach that a turning from sin to sin or at least not to God and
delighting in flowers and their Tulipomania dreame of such a Paradise A silly Countrey Woman coming upon the Exchange was so amazed at the view that she fell down and said She had oft heard of Heaven but never was in it before The voluptuous Epicure will have his a Poetical Heaven of Nectar and Ambrosia the ambitious an Heaven of honours and Gallantry But holy Abraham passed all these by * Heb. 11.10 looking for a City that had foundations The Kingdomes of the world want legs and foundations to stand upon and while men dream of such Paradises they do but build Castles in the ayre without any basis but imagination But look you for the new Heavens Isa 65.17 wherein dwells Righetousness get a Copy of grace in your hearts out of Scripture-Records the Court-Roles of Heaven and then you have * 1 Tim. 6.19 laid hold upon eternal life 'T is easie to be a Saint of the earth a State-Saint a designing Saint nay a Church-Saint but it must be a heavenly Saint one truly holy that is * Col. 1.12 meet to be partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Examine therefore what Authority and entertainment have the most searching truths and cutting Providences of God with you what spiritual wickednesse that never hurt your body Purie or Fame have you forsaken for Christ This sincere beauty of holinesse â—s able to make you Ornaments even to heaven it self 4. Is this Kingdome prepared for those that are Blessed of the Father Oh then labour to obtain your Fathers blessing though * Heb. 12.17 you seek it with teares Now the Father sayes Blessed are the pure the poor in heart the merciful they that pray for them which persecute them be careful not only * Mat. 25.4 to have oyle in your Lamps grace in your hearts but get your * Ver. 7. Lamps trimmed be upon your Watch * Ver. 13. for you know not what houre your Master comes Look how you improve your Talents what good you do in the world Remember it runnes thus in the last account I was an hungry you fed me naked you cloathed me in Prison you visited me and * Mat. 16.27 every man shall be rewarded according to his Works and the more you have of Heaven and Divine love here the more you shall have hereafter for one piece of it will lie in comfortable reflections upon what good we have done in the world though every one hath his * Mat. 20.9 peny that comes in at the Eleventh houre viz. all that is essential unto happinesse yet * 1 Cor. 15.41 one Starre differs from another in glory Art thou therefore in Authority use it for God Art rich alas * Prov. 23.5 riches make themselves wings and fly away Up then and be doing good and make thy self wings of thy Wealth for Heaven by all charitable expressions there is no way to lay your treasure up in Heaven but by laying it out here no way to lend God any thing but by giving to the poor How will hopes of Preferment nourish Conformity Tully tells us A Prince is to be fed with glory and drawn to worthy acts by the allurement of Honour and Renown Did but Christians feed more upon the Heritage of Jacob Isa 58.14 and their Immortal hopes they would act more for their immortal honour such Meditations do as the Philosopher sayes of speculations * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eâ—â— immortalize men and make them spiritual ones indeed or as Ambrose phraseth it carry them upwards as Birds of Paradise * Volucris in Spiritu factus Exod. 19.4 all upon Eagles Wings to soare on high Fifthly Will Christ say Come ye blessed c. then here is an Io triumphe over all the World Let it look as grim as it will upon thee yet Christ will smile though it gnash its teeth upon thee yet Christ will open his lips and * Cant. 1.2 kiss thee with the kisses of his mouth Lapides loquitur though the world speak words as hard as stones about Stephens ears yet Christ will speak comfortably If the World say Go Get you hence yet Christ will say Come if that say Go ye Cursed Christ will say Come ye Blessed Though men say Go ye Cursed Generation who are hated of all men yet Christ will say Come ye blessed of my Father They say Turn out Christ will say Turn in they cry Away from houses and lands and wives and children and all for Christs sake yet be not discouraged poor heart for Christ will recompence thee a hundred fold and thou shalt have a Kingdome for thy Cottage And when they have done all this they rejoyce that their Plot hath taken effect for they designed your ruine long ago I but Christs thoughts of love run higher yet Come blessed soul inherit the Kingdome prepared for thee from the foundation of the World The World may thrust thee out with both hands Christ will receive thee with both arms When Cyrus gave one of his friends a kisse another a wedge of gold he that had the gold envied him that had the kisse as a greater expression of his favour what if thou hast not the onions of Egypt if thou have the Quails and Manna in the Wildernesse Psal 17.14 if thou beest a man of G ds hand if thou beest one of his heart there is small ground to complain Upon all if an Epicurus was the best of the Philosophers without an Elysium If a Platonick lecture of the immortality of the soul made another cast his life away that he might enter upon that state If an Aristotle upon Euripus banks being not able to resolve himself of the cause of its motion dissolved himself by casting himself into the streame saying If I cannot take thee take thou me when we have such a glory as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what God hath * 1 Cor. 2.9 prepared for those that love him how shamefulâ—y are we run a ground if we cannot have a kinde of * Phil. 1.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 22.20 lust to be dissolved and when Christ holds this price in his hand and cryes Come ye blessed we do not answer Come Lord Jesus Come quickly THE Conclusion 2 TIM 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus AT the beginning of this Moneths Exercise I entred upon this Text and then resolv'd the matter contained therein into these four Doctrinal Observations 1. Evangelical words are sound words Or All Gospel-truth is of an healing nature 2. It is of great use and advantage both for Ministers and private Christians to have the main Fundamental truths of the Gospel collected and methodized into certain Models and Platforms 3. Such Forms and Models are very carefully and faithfully to be