to know the meer common sins which everie one may read in great letters running and through eas seek no further becaus indeed knowledg in not their aim but their policie to avoid the shame of gross ignorance 6. Self-love by which hee is loath to bee informed in truths his partialitie and subtiltie which suffer's him not to bear such truths as are like to oppose his personal pretious and beloved evils whereby hee is loath to hear of any sins save other mens not his own 7. Errors of our own conceit of sound righteousness to wit that wee have served God well both in shunning of sin or doing dutie when wee have been drawn to it onely by forrein compulsion or outward occasions The Law enlighten's us in the discerning actual sins both in themselvs and in their Penalties 1. In themselvs sundry waies 1. By her authoritie in commanding setting up herself in the conscience the most privie chamber of the Soul this no law of man can do 2. By her harmonie consent and coherence this no man can see except enlightned Jam. 2. 10. bee that break 's one is culpable of all As hee that break 's one Link of a golden chain breake 's the coherence As hee that break 's his neighbors fence trespasse's him as well as if hee ranged over all his ground because the bond is broken 3. By her royaltie That as a King is not prescribed against by the qualitie of any Subject offending why hee may not hold him guiltie So in this no person is accepted of God in this kinde This royal law is impartial it will shew a Queen her sports as well as a poor woman 4. By her integritie and soundness that is it open's sin to the soul in one kinde as well as the other Such is the corruption of Adam that it will suffer much of the bodie of sin to vanish in the survey But where God enlighten's hee discover's sin in all her sexes male and female strong and weak remembred and forgotten ignorance and knowledg in a word one and other for want of which many a Soul never com's to the bar of God's conviction This rule shew's the difference of these First sins of Omission are passings by and balking of som dutie behooving to bee don whether against or without knowledg Secondly sins of Commission are actual doings of som evill in thought word and deed against the revealed will of God whether wee bee convinced or not convinced convinced thereof to bee sin as to work upon the Sabbath to speak vainly to nourish base thoughes Thirdly sins of Knowledg are transgressions of the Law of God against a mans conscience and the check of it whether greater or smaller as when Shimei paised Jordan against his own covenant or when a man goeth against his own light Sins of Ignorance are when a man transgresseth but yet not knowing his sin to bee sin as Abimelech coveting of Sarah Paul's persecuteing the Church 4. Sins of weakness or Presumption differ onely from sins of knowledg in the intention of him that sinneth Not each sin of knowledg amounteth to a sin of presumption though all presumption must need 's bee a sin against knowledg Sin of presumption then is a sin of knowledg committed with an high hand Sin of weakness is a sinning against such knowledg as yet is prevented in her work through accident as either inabilitie of grace to stick to knowledg or through timerousness and fear although dalliance and wantonness bee absent and though conscience bee present to accuse 5ly Sins of presumption it self are not all one for som are onely presumptuous in act as David's adulterie and murther others are total when a man is totally and finally carried in a presumptuous stream of habited sinning This trencheth most horribly against the patience and long-suffering of Grace it self and commonly drawe's impenitencie of spirit upon it self which cannot repent when it would 6ly A just fruit of this dalliance with grace habitually is that total and final Desertion of God's spirit giveing over the presumptuous heart to such a sinning against grace as at last despiteth that grace which it hath so long slighted as the Gnat which burneth it self in the candle and this is called sinning against the holy Ghost differing from habited Presumption in this That in that a man sinneth against the grace of the Spirit but in this a man despiteth the Spirit of Grace it self 5. By her extent it is a great piece of the light of the law to extend it self in the soul to all parts and degrees of sin 1. in her Spiritualness teaching us not to rest onely in open gross moral offences but to go to spiritual wickedness 2. In her inquisition and search it dare and can go to any part of the whole man and fetch out any poyson out of any corner 3. in her aggravateing power whereby shee inlarge's sin by her circumstances causing it thereby to seem the more odious and setting the wors colors upon it as becaus such a person committed it a publick man against such light when hee needed not from meer malignitie of Spirit in the mid'st of blessings against mercie gospel vowes covenant c. 4 in her puritie the law doth not go tell the Soul of each sin but set's the mirror of God's pureness before her that shee may according thereto discern and judg of sin good and bad true and evil These are helps to serv the work of the law in convinceing not to forestall the work of the Spirit she more sound light the soul hath the better Howbeit God is free to work in what way and measure hâ—e pleas II. The law discover's sin by the Penalties The Lord take's away all distinction of venial and mortal sin from a man present's himself to him in his full justice of revenging all sin without exception tell 's the Soul deferring of punishment is no remoovall of it that all sins deserv all punishments that the least cost the Lord Jesus his blood and hee that beleev's it not shall pay for it in hell there is no lying hid from God's eye no shift or evasion besides faith and repentance The Lord discover's Original sin to the soul many waies 1. By the special terms of his Word the Lord is in no one thing so emphatical as in the names hee give 's to this poyson Hee call's it the old man the flesh lust concupiscence the law of the members the law of sin reigning in the members the bodie of death and the like 2. By comparison For when the Soul hath had the view of actual sins before as most irksom and now com's to see greater abominations then these as the Lord tell 's Ezek. Chap. 8. 15. Oh! how out of meature sinful seem's it to the soul how doth shee crie out miserable man for mark thus shee speak's although actual sins were enough to sink mee into miserie yet I see they were but evil in respect of their part
dgnitie And the truth is from the slender esteem of sin com's that base esteem of Christ with many ARTIC IV. The whole race of mankinde is guiltie of Adam's sin AS a Leprosie it hath over-spread the whole nature of mankinde all sorts sexes state and degrees without exception Rom. 5. 18. All the sin all the penalties of sin belonging to Adam himself belong to us no man is exempted from this mass of corruption That first actual sin of Adam and Eve in eating the forbidden fruit is conveyed and made over to us then original then actual then penalties all hanging each upon another as the lesser boats tied to the greater ship So then although wee did not individually and personally see talk with the Serpent put forth our hands and put the fruit into our mouth yet did wee eat it as well as hee why becaus Adam's sin was the sin of nature not of a person As God would have imputed Adam's integritie to us if hee had stood therein so might hee impute his sin And thus by partakeing with him in the act wee also partake with him in all the consequents of sin and penalties following Vse I. This should teach us when wee see what a lump of mortalitie it hath leavened to lie down with horror under the hugeness of it and to feel it crush our souls yet more sensibly How deadlie a poison is in the sin of Adam which could not bee wash't out in so many hundred generations Nay the stain of it is as fresh and will bee to the world's end as at the first and the fruits much fouler It 's a true speech Old Adam is not as other old men crazie with old age but his age is renewed in every new generation as the father in the son This should take away all prideing our selvs in our brats beeing the generation of vipers Vse II. It should make us tremble to think that wee have put into them a leaven which Grace it it self will never thorowly purge them of in this world Vse III. It sharply reprov's such as soder up this fearfull ruine by any outward accomplishment which make's them glorious in the eie of man and so blinde themselvs willingly from seeing their abomination before God Vse IV. It teache's that if God exempt any from this leaven and infection they must count it a peculiar grace for hee is tied to none Vse V. Let all Pharisees learn to take this razor and cut the comb of their own conceitedness when one and the same miserie shall bee laid upon the proudest hypocrite and the prophanest Publican when one hell and judgment belong's to both Oh what ground of self-denial and humiliation ought this to bee ARTIC V. There is no possibilitie for man of himself to escape this miserie HEe is uncapable of any way offered him therefore much less able to embrace it Nothing in nature art education nothing of worth or congruitie nothing from self or other men or Angels to help out of this desperate ruine Vse I. This should quite sink the heart of a proud Sinner Hopeless miserie should make an helpless Soul lying panting at the mercie of a Savior and gasping for breath that if there bee no more for her out of herself then within her shee may give over all And while shee see 's no hope in herself shee may despair in herself Those that com to Christ must bee wholly beaten out of all holds and those strong holds of self-hopes and self-loves either of meer nature or mix't with som help supernatural Give now up all weapons and say If it bee thus Lord thou hast overcom I am bereft of all and I must stand to the mercie of a Conpueror I have nothing to merit or help mee it remaine's now that utter miserie provoke mercie at the hands of a merciful GOD with whom the fatherless shall finde it Vse II. It quasheth all Popish pride and arrogancie all Pelagian conceit of the remnant of Free-Will in us towards our own Recoverie Man is as truly blinde as in a dungeon of darkness Though light bee offred hee is as impotent to see it as unable to procure it in the want of it Vse III. It teacheth what a mysterie Grace is When grace finde's a man it doth prevent him even as the light com's upon the Drunkard in the depth of his snorting and Surfet Oh the sweet peace the Sinner finde's in his miserie As Israel made their bondage ease so wee hell it self our heaven by custom Wee add delusions to our blindeness and senslesness by fals errors of our own and others Nothing can work the Soul to humiliation save wofull experience when all is too late ARTIC VI. The convincing Ministerie of the Moral Law reveale's our miserie THe Apostle 1 Tim. 1. 5. divide's the work of the Law into two sorts 1. One upon the righteous as an eternal pattern and direction of righteousness 2. As it is a meanes to convince the ungodly and to reveal to them their sinfull and cursed condition The Law work 's two things in particular 1. Know ledg 2 Conviction The Law first searche's the Soul it 's the Candle of the LORD and pierce's the bowels of the Spirit those secret windeings and corners shifts and evasions of it bee they never so colorable and subtil The Lord hath given it authoritie over the Conscience as his own Bailief to hunt out and discern sin in the colors in the kindes of it open secret thoughts affections yea concupiscence not the bare letter of the Law but the Spirit And the conscience of the unregenerate being once thus stirred is as the light of the Law to bring God into each privie part That most holie and wise God who first contrived the Law put the light of his own pure majestie into it and enabled it to discover sin to the Soul not as other lawes to speak to the ear but the conscience And as light so conviction also both are put into the law by the same God whose fingers wrote it The Law discover's not the unbelief of the Gospel for it is a model of the righteousness of creätion in which there is no need of faith therefore it onely reveale's those sins which make us guiltie without a remedie thatt might drive us to seek a remedie The Law discover's all sort of sin Actual and Original and the curs that lie's upon us And this it doth 1. by dispersing those mists of ignorance that suffer not the light to enter 2. By removing the bars against it which are chiefly these 1. Prejudice against the light the meanes of light and instruments of light which hinder's them from Knowledg 2. Custom in darkness they have lived as their fore-fathers and don well enough 3. Hardness of heart and purpose to to live in their lusts still 4. Woful bluntness of edg and bluntness of Spirit by which they make themselvs uncapable of Knowledg 5. Generalness or slightness by which they pleas themselves
nill shee shee shall not onely almost but altogether bee convinced Now to bring the light and the soul close together is the great wisdom of the Spirit in the Ministerie of the Law Somtimes hee first insinuate's into the heart by slight or cunning and trap's the soul ere it bee aware in his net Thus Nathan came upon David Somtimes hee take's the soul napping in the mid'st and her sin while the sent is fresh thus hee deal't with Saul Somtimes by contesting with conscience and urging her to speak truth upon experience 2. By violence and necessitie when no other cours will serv This the Lord doth by threats apart and somtimes by the addition of som works convince Thus God deal't with Saul and with Achan Somtimes the Lord is fain to circumvent a Sinner in his own cours and to bring forth the long-concealed marks of his sin to his face bidding him denie it if hee dare Thus Tamar deal't with Juda. Somtimes by crosses so was Manasses taken in the bushes So the Prodigal Somtimes by patience and long-suffering and thus Saul in a pang was convinced of David's innocencie Vse I. Of sad mourning for the daies wee are in in which this spirit of the Law seem's to bee lost even as the Ark and Ephod were in the daies of the second Temple Oh! it is heavie to ponder how few consciences are rouzed up and gastred from their dregs under Ministeries of 7 10 20 yeers continuance but still the same men and change no color Vse II. Of Admonition both to Ministers and people First to Ministers that they pray and strive for the Spirit of conviction It 's God's gift and one chief part is to bee Ministers of the Spirit not of the Letter The manner of of our dispensation is more then our voice and as much as our matter Secondly to people They must bee warned to shake off their lets of conviction Let the righteouus smite you it shall bee as a balm Thus Abigail was welcom to David Self-love is an Adder which will not hear the voice of the Charmer The sweetness of usurie pleasure lawful libertie eas will bee as a Delilah to keep off the least conviction of the law Vse III. Examin thy self about this weightie work of the law that thou maiest hope to go on more safely Try it by these markes 1. By the love of a convinceing Ministerie and loathing of the contrarie 2. A cleering of God and the righteousness of his law call thy self the Slave sold under sin As hee to Achan give glorie to God Hugg the Chirurgeon that lanceth thee 3. Shame and confusion for sin The Publican durst not look up 4. By thy thanks to God for this merciful work 5. Bee thou under this confusion till God rais thee up Let rottenness enter into thy bones that peace may bee in the day of trouble Crust not over thy sore Wax not wearie of this work of God as most do 6. Let it end in the true consternation of Soul and terror for thy sin Thus far of conviction of judgment II. The second work of conviction is of the whole Soul called Terror and Bondage For when the former work of conviction hath prevailed it work 's thus that such a Soul is under an arrest and seeing it self this sinner this cursed one hee is thereby killed and the Spirit brought into terror and bondage Rom. 7. Paul saith When the Law came I died Meaning in spirit and in conscience That self of jollitie eas and securitie which sin affoarded was nip't and quash't and in stead of it a sad item given to the soul takeing away the taste of her morsels mixing the gall of Asps with her drink and stinging her as an Adder and stabbing her to the heart as a sword for her convinced villanies Yea and none more then this bodie of death which still dogg's her and wound 's her as fast as shee lick's herself whole with all duties or abstinences and works and shifts prooving her a slave sold under miserie and shewing her by nature a world of sin and wo to bear down all her moralitie hypocrisie And yet this terror is not grace but in the Elect a seed of it This work in Scripture is called the Spirit of fear or bondage not bondage to sin but by it whereby as they who are prisoners under chaines do lie in sorrow and horror without escape and hope so do these Their spirit is enslaved to fear their conscience to guilt accusation to the whip of wrath and justice yea crush't down to hell by the torment of such a spirit as cannot sustain it self for the restless anguish thereof but abide's and hang 's between earth and hell This Legal terror is explained by the consideration of three things especially 1. The difference 2. The nature effects and end of it 3. The extremities or abuse of it I. By differencing of it from the former conviction The work of enlightning cast's out ignorance the work of convincing resist's deadness and insensibleness But this third of consternation and terror resist's that pride and jollitie of a sinner over-bearing himself and lifting up himself in his sin without check or remors And this later is of all other the most proper work of the last to tame and beat down the loftie heart of man setting up a law to it self to walk as it listeth without law or fear It is as Leviathan pulling down all children of pride II. By the nature effects and end of it Touching the nature of it It is a presenting more or less of the wrath and penalties due to sin unto the whole man by the conscience for the casting of it down at the feet of God First it 's a presenting for the dead bare letter of the ten Commandements cannot do this by any magical power no it 's the powerful ministerie of the Law which can do it Although in appearance it bee weak yet God setting it on work with the authoritie of his spirit with power to carrie his errand into the soul it shal bee able without fear or flatterie to do it and to do that which no law of Princes can effect even to flait and gaster the Conscience Secondly it doth present the wrath and penalties of sin especially Till these com sin is at peace This wrath I say in the peanalties of it temporal spiritual and eternal the law present's to a sinful soul Thirdly unto the whole man by the conscience for as the law is the worker so the conscience is the immediate object of this wrath God hath made it the lawes object created it with a merveilous power of sensibleness above all parts to record and to apprehend all sin and wrath for it It exceed's the apprehension of any the tendrest part when it is stung with an Adder scalded with water or oyl burnt with fire cut with a sword The sens of conscience seazed with this wrath of God is unspeakable and cannot bee
at this wisdom which most fitly to the soul's condition doth even work by contraries life out of death and order out of confusion and descant not by carnal reason against it 3ly In all the ministerie of the Word let the Minister and people of God still fix their eie upon the scope of God moving onwards with him and going even pace with his ordinance for the effecting of his own ends and the glorie of his grace in our salvation III. The extremities and abuses of this legal work The extremities are two 1. Legal presumption 2. Final despair 1. Touching the first it is called Legal becaus there is another and a more dangerous one by the Gospel This presumption is twofold One this when the sinner waxe's bold and venturous to shake off this yoak of the law before his spirit bee convinced and cast down this sin made Adam and all us cursed even presumption against threats The second is when the consternation of the law seazing without addition of the Gospel cause 's the soul to wax confident of it's own welfare becaus it hath been humbled and perhaps hold's som impression of it still not dareing to resist her light But this is rare and where it is dangerous for it 's a sign that the heart is secretly fals 2. The second extremitie is Despair offending as much on the left hand thorow the excess of terror Thus Saul and Judas And it commonly growe's from the first Satan never seeking more to poison with presumption and dalliance with the law then where hee meane's to snare with the contrarie of Despair Doubtless it is the sin of the damned to live in the perpetual despair of releas and in perswasion that Grace is unable to do them good Vse I. Learn wee dailie to root this cursed root of bitterness out of us by two things ensuing First a Spirit of Humilitie and Fear to keep our selvs under the bondage of of our School-master rather then to affect the libertie of presumers and in so doing to beseech the Lord to proportion out our stripes according to our strength and to keep our despair within the compass of our selvs and any thing in us but to be far from the least thought of enlargeing our baseness above the infiniteness of mercie Secondly to nourish in our hearts above all those meditations of mercie and grace in Christ which may set us upon a rock above our-selvs and all fearful distrust and carrie us in the stream thereof with holy irresistableness Frequent holy and loveing thoughts of God are the surest remedies against this hideous monster The abuse of the Law is double First on the right hand many abuse it when they nourish themselvs in a needless bondage whereas they know they are in case to hearken after the remedie and will not pretending they have not been cast down or troubled enough What madness is this to nourish a diseas against Physick or to think that our trouble pleaseth God or to think that to bee of substance of Grace which onely is for preparation to it Secondly on the left hand those who do far wors abuse this doctrine who beeing wearie of terror and bondage assoon as they fall into it cast with themselvs how they may shake it off pretending that this is no estate to serv God in and so they return som to their sport and pastimes som to their pleasures som to their profits som to their old companions Let these know that the cours they take is violent and much like to them who to stop the crie of their infants put into the brazen bellie of Moloch did oppress their own ears with the nois of pipes and tabret Obj. Paul Rom. 7. 7. saith When the Law came sin revived how then is terror the law's work Answ Both may stand together in one unregenerate man according to divers parts For when the law had slain conscience then concupiscence revived and wee must distinguish between the natural work of the law and the accidental Terror is the proper work of it and when it 's wrought it is as it ought to bee but when rebellion ariseth it 's otherwise then ought to bee When the Sun ariseth and sweeten's the earth it work 's properly when it drawe's up the noysom stench of a dunghill to poyson the air it 's accidental coming from the loathsomness of the dunghill So when sin rebel's shee doth her kinde yet this rebellion shall not hinder the killing power of it It shall rather encreas it for when the soul come's to see how loathsom sin hath made her this make's her conclude her self out of measure woofull by sin and out of measure sinfull And when rebellion begin's to bee tamed the heart growe's more and more under fear although nothing hinder why both may not at one time bee together Onely in the bad commonly it encreaseth till it hath cast out all terror and strengthen's the jollitie of sin In the godly the Lord will inlarge terror and conviction so far that rebellion shall not stand it out but stoop with confusion under the power of it Paul by Sin mean's Original sin bodie and members by himself hee mean's the powers of soul and bodie Sin was alive in point of her stilness peace and quietness without any distemper Paul was alive that is merrie jollie lustie secure without any fear Again note sin's death and Paul's life caused this deep consent between them both I say her quietness and his jollitie made them as close as buckle and thong For why Sin was glad to see Paul lustie and Paul was glad to see her quiet Thus it was between them ere the law came But how since oh quite contrary Sin revived Paul died How Sin perceiving the law resolved not to give over till it had divided her and Paul who had so long lived at peace together and traded with gain and pleasure each by other and to scour her hous of her guests whom shee so corrupted the minde the will affections conscience and members of Paul beeing the creation of God begin's to revive to bee no longer quiet as before when her trade prospered but to fret rage and bee unquiet On the other side Paul also seeing the law also to gaster him out of his wicked haunt what doth hee Die's is all amort forsake 's his old mistress Concupiscence and begin's to bee wearie of his trade Now what is it against Paul's dying that sin reviveth what is it against the guest's shame and dying to their trade that their old hostess rageth Rebellion is in her not in them they are ashamed and flaited though shee will know no law conscience and concupiscence are two things Three sorts of Rebellion 1. Natural 2. Penal 3. Mix't 1. Natural when the Word or Law com's so to the corrupt Soul that as yet it carrie's no power or authoritie over the soul with it but still the soul hold's her own for then so close is sin and
the soul they so consent that to bee parted from their filthie fellowship is even death to them both sin incorporateing herself into the soul that shee is as one with them that it is as easie for Sampson to part with Dalilah as these to bee sundred here therefore as both band in evill so do they conspire against all the lawes of God it is as eastie to rob a Bear of her whelps as these of her sinfull pleasures The Minister is to such as the Marshall in London is to Harlots an ey-sore a reproach a common wonderment This is the first rebellion in the unconvinced This is not here mean't 2. The second is Penal a fruit of this onely encreased by the just wrath of God upon the rebells whose chaines the Lord make's stronger Esay 28. 22. by how much the more they kick against the pricks I say when the Lord penally smite's them and suffer's them to encreas and fulfil the measure of their lusts to grow frozen in these dregs desperate in their lusts so that they finde no place of repenting See these texts Mat 23 32. 34. Act. 14 19. Act. 28. 27. Neither is this meant here 3. The third is mixt When rebellion is allayed with terror of conscience and not permitted to her self as wee know a thief in hold is one thing and at libertie is another This mixt terror is the accidental work of the Law working corruption to a rebellion and resistance that sin might bee odious and the soul more humbled To apply then the distinction I answer This objection hinder's not this truth That the proper work of the law is to cast down and embondage the guiltie soul Qu. How a troubled Conscience privie to much reviveing of corruption may discern that it cometh not from herself but from sin Ans This may bee discerned easily by many marks First from the work of the law that hath separated her from sin and that amitie which was between her and it This is no hard matter to prove if once the soul can say her old lusts and shee are divided by the law's terror How can shee then think that shee should rebell against the good law for working that which shee is glad of 2. It will will appear by this that whereas true rebellion must com from a free will and principle of the agent but that cannot bee conscience nor herself becaus shee is convinced by an over-ruleing law which hath killed her freedon therefore this rebellion is from sin 3. By this that rebellion where it is unconvinced doth not onely fret in respect of somwhat shee is denied but also at that which crosseth her for it self But in this legal rebellion when the soul is in chaines the scope of this is as much in respect of that which is denied as at the law simply 4. Trie it by this when rebellion com's from the soul it encrease's ordinarily but when from sin it decrease's becaus the Lord more and more weaken's her by terror of conscience Vse I. Let us from hence conceiv the woful estate of a wretch ere the law com's in terror to him hee and his sin are in a cursed league and commit hideous villanie together As Simeon and Levi sworn brethren My soul com no more into her counsel and consent how much better is the Law 's little-eas then such Libertie of hell Vse II. Let this teach God's Ministers of the law to plie their tools God hath put a weapon into their hand able if well urged to separate even sin and the soul do not suffer this law to perish for lack of execution Vse III. It confut'es the world's aspersion upon the powerfull ministerie of the Law they call it debate and raising up strife as I said but oh yee lyars wee do not envie your neighborly peace nor lawful consent but your close league in your lusts wee would divide you and your concupiscence that God might rule by that division whom yee barred out by your consent Vse IV. Beware of all such as nourish rebellion against the Law in the point of her holy pureness if this rebellion here bee odious under terror what is rebellion of sin and conscience jointly I mean wilful and wicked Beseech the Lord to use any means rather then such rebellion should be nourished in thee oh beg of God rather hee would divide thy sin and thee by the hardest courses then thou shouldest rebel against the Word for doing her office Cleer the Law and say it is holie I am the slave that is sold under sin Vse V. Let it bee exhortation to all such as God hath thus humbled to bless him that hee hath chosen to tame the soul by terror and stirring up of rebellion rather then to leav it to it self And let such bee comforted in all their fears of their own rebellious hearts against the Law of GOD that the rebellions committed under terror are none of hers but sin's work within her which shee abhor's Vse VI. Mean while let all such comfort themselvs in their rebellions of sin they are marks of Good signs of the battering of Satan's and sin's kingdom Sin would never so rage if shee were at as good peace as formerly Beware of closeing the second time with this harlot Beseech the Lord to nourish terro though it bee not grace yet it is a seed of it pray him for a time rather to quash rebellion then to suffer rebellion to destroy it And bee of good chear the Lord doth all this for good When hee hath cooled and rooted out rebellion hee will after a while root out terror also and in due time bring thy soul out of all her adversitie turning both into a sight of the promise and hope of the remedie And thus much for the use of this point and objection from rebellion The general use of the former point of Terror Vse I. It may teach us to esteem duly of sin according to her foul nature For must it not bee a foul odious thing which should bring in such confusion as to turn the law of God which was given for comfort of conscience and rule of life to becom the greatest terror and matter of vexation Vse II. To discover what sin is in her kinde when shee may act herself upon her own stage of ignorance Shee is an hideous monster Vse III. To all who would bee truly moulded by the truth thereof in the fear of God to look to themselvs and take in kindely and readily this point of the sword into the bosom of their soul that this spear may let out the water and blood of it I mean that quiet jollie and secure heart in sin which hold's it as with cords to bee content to bee slain and to go into captivitie Abhor then first to stand out in rebellion put up thy weapons and fight not against God whose naked arm is against thee Abhor secondly a dead blockish and sensual heart not affected nor moved with this voice
now to great ones whom this point much touche's let the promise of receiving you soke into your hearts If God justifie who shall condemn if hee reconcile and restore you to your blood your Sonship if hee vouchsafe your restitution to the inheritance of such as are sanctified by faith in him Who shall defeat you of it therefore com in receiv this Offer and God will bee your God yea your father yee shall walk in and out before him as his own with the confidence of sons hee shall guide you here till glorie Vse IV. This should exhort all God's people that they deceiv not themselvs in this great priveledg for fear that they forfeit the comforts of it Trie it first and then improov it a true son and danghter of God partake's of the sonship of Christ â—heir head The Angels worship't Christ the Son when hee was brought into the world and for his sake the Angels are Ministring Spirits for the good of us and of ours The Father acknowledg'd Christ saying This day have I hegotten thee So doth God in him acknowledg thee for his childe and himself thy father The Father made Christ the Heir of all things and all things which thy father hath are thine as thou art Christ's Christ was pittied and heard by the Father in that hee feared and thy father will bee afflicted with thee in all thy afflictions Christ was faithful in all God's hous as a Son fulfilling all rightegusness If thou bee a son what save thy faithful fear and obedience should proov it The Lord Jesus beeing the Lord of all yet denied all even to a Pillow to lean his head on and an Hole to hide himself in And thou if a son shalt and wilt denie thy self and take up thy Cross and learn obedience by his suffering despise the world and count all dung to win his acceptance Briefly if a son thou art an heir of God and co-heir of Christ Whatever is wanting here shall bee supplied in heaven and yet here thou shalt partake all the good things of God For why Whom doth a father provide for but for his children whose is all that hee hath save theirs Again if a son then thou knowest the way to the throne of grace even to the Father in the Mediation of Christ and there canst with the spirit of a son groan at least un-utterable desires to the Lord that thou maiest bee once free from bondage to this bodie of death from unbelief from an unsavorie heart from worldliness from the error of the wicked and this sinful world and the like Oh! with humble confidence thou wilt make kown thy request to God and that in secret such as none but thy self can bee privie to and will improov this libertie when strangers and slaves shall not dare to com neer These few trie and if thou finde the Spirit of Adoption to bee a stranger lin not till the Lord have created it if hee have don it stand fast in this priveledg and maintain it by thy awe and fear of thy Father not least hee should cast thee off again but becaus beeing once a Son thou shalt never bee dispossessed either of thy right here or thine inheritance hereafter VII Benefit Redemption Redemption is opposite to two things First Thraldom and slaverie to sin and so to all enemies who by sin strove to hold the Soul under fear and bondage Secondly to the sting and dint of all such crosses as sin hath brought into the world as the tokens of God's displeasure for it The first Redemption set's the soul at libertie from all that servitude and tyrannie it buy'es out and restore's the soul to the libertie of released and ransomed ones maketh it free onely to righteousnes and that for ever From hence issues's an heart enlarged to God so fearing him as fearing nothing els Hence secondly floweth a right to the Protection and Providence of God And lastly to these two may bee added freedom to God's service to finde it an easie yoke and a light burden yea to count it our happiness to denie our own wills becaus bodies and souls are bought with a price that wee should not bee at our own but at his will that dearly bought us 1 Cor. 5. 15. Christ hath bought and redeemed us I. From Sin 2. From all our Enemies Satan the Law bondage under Cerimonies Death Wrath and Hell unto freedom of Righteousness The conclusion of the Doctrine is That Redemption is a peculiar benefit wherewith Christ is offered to the Soul Vse I. Terror to all that lie yet in their state of Unregeneracie in what degree soever it bee more or less who either count this slaverie to bee freedom or els live in it as if they were free men and fear nothing Know yee that till the Law hath left you under the Spirit of this Bondage to count your selvs as yee are and lie under this estate as sensible of it and in your selvs past hope Cain's and Judase's case is not more wosul then yours Vse II. It 's Instruction to all sorts to make them behold their natural condition as in a glass Sin is no such tame and harmless beast as you imagin Nothing but this blood of Christ is able to ransom you For sin hath set the door open to all to Satan and all enemies wrath hell law conscience and death to have their wills on us So that an infinite strength it needed to deliver us Vse III. This should teach all who would not bee slaves to proov their redemption by the marks of it First all truly redeemed ones of the Lord see sigh under and are wearie of this their bondage desirous to bee freed from it Secondly the offer of this Redemption in Christ is precious to them both the purchaser the offer of it and the purchase it self Thirdly they cleav to the promise that seeing the Lord will have it so they embrace and chuse it and believ if the Son make them free they shall bee free indeed Vse IV. This should exhort us all that are redeemed to true libertie to understand wherein it consists and apply our selves duly therto True it is that wee are adopted sons to the frrdom of children but we are redeemed also to the libertie of service wee are not made free from the law in point of obedience but serv in holiness and fear to delight in the law in the inner man Temporal Redemption stand's in three things 1. Either in God's saveing his from afflictions 2. Or his susteining them in and under them 4. Or his delivering them out of them and that either in part or finally They are all three expressed in the 63. of Esay vers 9. by name The First The Angel of his presence Christ as vers 1. saved them and bare them on his wings continually The second In all their afflictions hee was afflicted that is succoured and upheld them The third In his pittie and mercie hee redeemed them that is delivered
but now I see a bodie of all parts and members a King in his throne I see now my self cursed double and trebble 3. By the properties of Original sin as 1. It is eminently sinfull it 's more sin then other sins Whatsoever is in any of them is here more notoriously whatsover filth and base qualitie may bee spied in all or any sin is here more singularly as light and heat is in our fire or the air or the Moon but eminently in the Sun the first subject and seat of it All the poyson of actual evils is seated in the Original after whose copie they write and therefore Original is greatest as the seed which in her power contain's thirtie-sold 2. Predominantly both in respect of fulness and force For fulness it hath all sin under it and in it as the perfect bodie hath all the members 't is the fewell of the fire of sinful acts For force Paul call's a Law Princes rule strongly by their lawes they are as a soul wholly and en each part nothing so forcible there is a necessitie in a law it break 's down and carrie's all before it 3. Perpetually Wee say the King hath a perpetual patrimonie that is not alienable so hath a Sinner by his original sin Hee may fail in his spending-money as in his policie and strength and industrie to oppress to defile his bodie but his stock and patrimonie never fail's If it bee so in the best of God's servants Luther himself little molested with covetousness yet hee had this Stock still within how much more is it true of each sinner 4. It is an Over-flowing sin and natural Fire and water are ill masters but they burn and over-flow naturally It please's us becaus it is natural and hath a self-perswasion which carrie's it smoothly unsuspiciously and by priveledg It is my nature to smite when I am angry it 's my nature to bee soon hot it 's therefore the more dangerous and cursed 5. The bondage of it It binde's up the Soul in death hardness insensibleness incapableness of any good aversness to all meanes of grace 6. The unlimitedness of it Not onely an utter impotencie to any present obedience urged by the Law but so rooted a languor as reject's whatsoever God might impose Vse I. Touching the sin of ignorance bless God that hath freed us from the darkness and corruption of Poperie whose principles do for ever keep Souls far from the possibilitie of sound knowledg of their natural estate eitther by actual or original sin Beware likewise of nuzzeling thy self in places under ignorance or to abide ignorant under the use of meanes bring not God a sacrifice which want's this eie of knowledg of thy sin Vse II. Admonition to all sinners to go to work aright to get sound knowledg of their estate Consult not with dead teachers go not to blinde guides to such as thy self to deceivers Consult not with thy wits and carnal wisdom thy corrupt hopes blinde devotions Refuse no informations for fear of losing thy libertie in sin Vse III. Exhortation to all that would bee kindely convicted to com to the light for sound information of sin The want of this will bee a flaw for ever in thy Religion They who never knew themselvs never were humbled ones nor beleevers Discourage none for measure That light which make's all manifest is enough bee it never so little if sound Vse IV. Every one ought willingly to open himself and the door of his conscience and the light of this law coming into it Although the law hath no Christ in it yet the maker of it useth it as a School-master to him Grace begin's at the root of enlightning examine thy self in thy uprightness therein Vse V. This layeth open the unspeakable justice of God in suffring such darkness to spead over the world for so many ages and still in many nations who sit in the Valley of death Vse VI. This may teach us how deep a blindeness is cast upon the Soul in point of discerning her own sin and danger Nothing is further off then the reflex of her own corruption upon conscience nothing more tedious then to bee informed of sin in the kinde Hee that com's to tell us what wee are is our deadly enemie Vse VII This should teach both Ministers and people to loath all Generalities and to learn the Law in the true sens and the thorough enlightning of it Thus much of the first work of the law i e. knowledg of sin as sin II. The second work of the Law is Conviction and this is twofold I. Simple conviction viz. of the judgment 2. Conviction with terror viz. of the whole Soul or whole man When once the soul is thorowly enlightned if the law proceed in her work shee com's to apply her light to this convincing of the soul and first by causing the conscience to join against itself and to say thou art the man Again by a due yeelding of the soul to lie under the bondage and fear of punishment belonging to such a sinners wofull estate 1. This work of the Law viz. Conviction of the judgment is the second work of the Ministerie of the Law by the efficacie whereof the soul beleev's herself to bee that which shee knowe's to wit this sinful and cursed one A most powerful work yet no other then the poor Minister of God enabled by the authoritie of the Law may and doth perform The Law effect's this conviction by removeing three letts 1. Deadness of spirit 2. Sloth and eas 3. Subtiltie and hollowness And contrarily put 's a quickuing and a diligent and plain consent to the light into the soul 1. Deadness of Spirit Love of lusts and custom therein with delight doth defile and besot the powers of the minde that as one busie in his game doth not listen to a sad tale so neither doth this minde to the end of the law in enlightning 2. Loos incogitancie and carelesness by which men run up and down with light as the dog with his chain broken loos So doth a sloathful heart even cut 's its own throat 3. The worst of the three Subtiltie and slyness when men pretend they have received the light to believ it but they lie and their fals hearts are defiled with som secret root of bitterness which will not suffer them to bee plain Now the Mnisterie of the Law grapple's with these by jogging the soul and not suffring her to bee any of these but beeing more forcible in setting the Word home to the soul and breaking open that lock which will not shoot of it self And this it doth many waies 1. By entring into a solemn judicious cours with the soul and by applying the light to her by particular evidence-giveing in against her that shee is this childe of death When the Lord meane's to go thorowly to work hee will suffer no lust no sloth nor falshood to keep off the soul from her light but will shee
uttered by man In this it is differenced first from the ignorant erroneous and superstitious conscience not fearing at all or fearing amiss Secondly defiled conscience dallying with God half convinced and half whole Thirdly seared and hardned conscience which by long rebellion and resistance of the law hath got the masterie of the law and is waxen sensless and useless forgetting her offices Fourthly The act of the law in all this is to cast down the soul at the feet of God For there is in nature an intolerable bearing up a mans self in his estate a prideing of himself boldness boasting of sin Hee is so far from beeing ashamed that till the law com home to him thus bee is alive Rom. 7. 9. that is jollie jocand merrie as the fool that cast's arrowes darts and saith Am I not in sport A Sinner's crown is not his bare sin in corners and by stealth that is his wo his law but his crown is his libertie of spirit in it to do what hee list to run ride talk practice to drink swear lie and couzen and no man controll him Now this jollitie and boldness and pride in sin the Lord in his ministerie of the law resist's and that hee doth when hee pull's the sinner upon his knees cast's his crown in the dirt dismount's him as hee did Saul from his Palfrey Acts 9. and the desperate Jaylor in his profaneness and crueltie Acts 16. 27. And those killers of Christ Act. 2. saying Lord what wilt thou have mee to do Oh then hath wrath seazed upon the soul when it hath killed this jollitie and let out this pleurisie out of it And hence it is called the Sacrificeing-knife sharper then any two-edged sword the killing letter that which slew Paul not by mortification but by shedding the blood and bowels of sins jollitie to the ground The effects of this terror are usually three 1. Stoopping in a cours of evill This differ's from the effect of providence whereby the Lord doth limit the number and measure of sin in the wicked for the preservation of peace and civil societie For though that bee a divine work yet it is not the immediate work of the law but either a Providence without a word or els by the general power of the word restraiing sin but this is a special kinde of restraint issueing from the work of the law for the good of the soul so restrained And it is a loathsomness of the soul findeing no joy in old courses beholding them with repenting and irking of thoughts wishing them undon and abhorring to return to them through the terror of conscience beeing under this whip of the law 2. The second effect is shakeing of a rotten peace scil fals secure peace which it take's to herself when God debar's her of all sound peace Esay 57. ult A sinners life is his rotten peace both without a law and with or under a law by sumdrie practice and colors viz. 1. By nuzling himself under flattering meanes 2. Withdrawing from stirring ones 3. Holding off conviction with obstinate error or faneness and coloring with half yeelding and and shew of consent the heart being rotten 3. The third effect of the law is the spirit of bondage The Lord aime's by this to hold and keep the soul whom hee will save from all revolt to former lusts and liberties The spirit of bondage is the frame of a fearful heart held under slaverie and chaines of the law from all escapeing As wee say such a man hath the spirit of mirth or covetousness in which hee is rooted So the Woman is said to have a spit of infirmitie when her diseas had so prevailed over her that shee was crazed by ha bit So the Spirit of bondage Gal. 4. 7. is to bee one sold to it that cannot get out Vse I. Of Admonition to beware wee rest not in this servile estate For it differ's from true fear as much as from true libertie for 1. True filial fear is a load-stone to attract the soul to God this rather of it self drive's from God 2. This fear hath a respect to sin as the occasion onely to punishment as a caus as the slave look's not at sloth but at the whip But true filial fear look's at sin as the proper caus of fear but at punishment as the occasion 3. True fear soften's this rather harden's and imbitter's the heart Examples in Josiah and Ahab 4. It hath excess in it both for the constant assault of it without all intermission in all places duties and occasions and also for the dangerous inconveniences it bring 's after it oftentimes hinder's all fitness of spirit both to dutie and in dutie and defile's all 5. It differ's from true filial fear as doth the fear of an harlot and a loyal wife the one fear's danger and hurt from her husband the other reverence's him for love Vse II. Let none stumble at it for although it bee no better in it self yet the Lord can moderate correct it and guide it so that it shall bee a special medicine to prepare the heart for that which lightness and giddiness would disable it from attaineing God's End in setting thus his law on work is to make way for a sinners reconciliation which otherwise were not possible to work Assoon catch an hare with a taber as a wilde wilful sinner by the charm of the Gospel This appeare's sundrie waies 1. By this meanes God joine's all wholesom doctrine together For it is not his purpose to leave the soul in this case to seek out of herself after eas seeing it 's not in her power But hee himself will have his Minister to join all doctrines together in the order of Catechism both of remedie and miserie in their due order 2. By this consternation hee doth trie and wearie the spirits as in a Labyrinth working them to an utter hopelesness in themselvs to bee better that in such a case the least inkling of mercie might bee as newes out of a far country 3. That by the hear-say of it their hearts might bee raised up to make serious inquisition after it and not to perish in their miserie When the Prodigal was brought to husks at the trough then and never till then the notion of a father pierced him really Vse I First observ how God prevent's a sinner by his wisedom For what is all the complaint of a poor soul when the promise is offred Oh it 's true if I were loaden I doubt not of eas thou liest against thy self thou doest doubt of eas by the promise for of the former thou canst not doubt haveing been enlightned cast down and convinced by the law That then which is the more easie to grant the Lord work 's first as a part of the condition of Grace that is to bee loden that when the harder com's to bee urged that is Faith then the condition already wrought might bee readie to comfort the poor soul 2ly Wonder thetefore
moral Law Gal. 3. 13. that immoderate impost of doing all according to the full matter manner and measure so that now the Law is qualified and is onely required of us as the obedience of faith and accounted unto us as full as if wee would wholy fulfill it 3. And especially hee hath rid us from that woful penaltie of Curs more heavie then all Gal. 3. 13. even eternal death of soul and bodie which throughout our life enthralled us Hebr. 2. 15. and that by his blood Gal. 4. 5. Further Hee hath taken away that strength of sin whereby the Law did excite and provoke sin in us so that now it provoke's to righteousness 4. Hee hath remooved that unwelcomness of our persons whereby all that came from us was irksom to God and made both us and our service accepted 5. Hee doth by his intercession procure acceptance still for us II. As a King two waies 1. Hee strengthen's and establisheth all those ties bands of obedience due to himself from us that the more freed we are from bondage the more wee may bee tied to the libertie of this royal law of his setting up his throne in the soul more fully thereby upon better prerogative To this end pertain's that Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to all that believ Meaning that the Law is fully satisfied in her scope of perfect obedience by Christ seeing faith in him hath obteined a full acceptance of obedience as if it were legally perfect 2. Hee doth by his Kingdom infuse strength into us to obey the Law incline's our wits thereunto make's it to us actually as Christ found it to himself and hath made to us even perfect freedom III. As a Prophet two waies 1. By a declareing work which is a witnessing to the soul that hee is the true Lord and commander of his people Esay 55. 4. that hee rule 's by his Law as by his Scepter that all his Priesthood and merit end 's in his Kingdom and obedience that it is his honor that all knees bow to him and that they kiss the Son that hee is object of it through whom the Father is honored that true libertie stand's not in haveing our will but in putting on this yoke and who so doth otherwise deceiv's himself 2. By his revealing work by this hee direct's the soul and set's the steps of it in peace by this hee use's his Law to bee a lively finger to point our dutie for everie occasion and to frame the soul to draw his Law to every need and use in the life according to that 1 Joh. 2. 20. Yee have an unction from the Holy One who telleth you all things Esay 30. 31. Their ears shall hear a voice behinde them saying This is the way walk in it This is a revealing with direction by which the soul see 's the use of Christ in every commandement and is led on by him as her Guide thereby as if an Oracle should speak from Heaven Esa 55. A leader and commander to his people ver 4. Directions themselvs concern either God himself in the first Table as his inward worship of fear confidence and setting him up to bee our God alone in the first Or our outward reasonable service and worship of him in pure manner in the second Or our faithfull abearing of our selvs in all holiness in such actions of common life as are not immediate worship in the third for I refer oathes and vows to the second which I desire the wise Reader to think of or the set day of our worship upon one day of seven since the eighth day was turned into God's day or the Christian Sabbath and that in the fourth Or els our neighbor and our selvs in the other Six Subjection to all Superioritie in the fifth Maintaining his precious life as being better then all that follow in the sixth Of his Chastitie in the seventh His Estate in the eighth His Name in the ninth The tenth forbidding not onely that concupiscence which reache's to the detriment of our neighbor but under that as most sensible to us all that wicked propension and bent of nature before actual sin whereby originally wee are prone to all injustice and impietie and intemperance Rules of direction for the clear understanding of the LAW 1. That all the Laws of Christ must bee understood to bee of another manner of force and autoritie than the Laws of men even the greatest for they are limited with exception in all kindes and do but reach to the outward man and penalties thereof But these do reach to the conscience and they binde the inner man 2. Let us know that his commands are not idle things and arbitrarie which wee may obey at our courtesie or if not yet God is as a weak King for whom his subjects are too strong as Joab and Abishai for David but real Laws from an autoritie that both know's offenders and can punish them yea which accurseth all transgressors and will not hold them guiltless 3. Observ that the commands of the second Table are the Edicts of the same God whose the First are Jam. 12. 11. and therefore in which the Lord take's himself as truly either honored or not as the first 4. The Law must bee alwaies understood according to the scope even as every other part of the Word as promises and threats Wee must not rest in the bare letter and so destroy the life and spirit of the Law Look what God aim's at under the grossest let us also aim at and both abhor each appearance of evil as well as the most odious and cleaving to good in the least as well as the greatest 5. Wee must conceiv the Commandements as importing no patch't or pieced obedience to one or a few charges but an entire and whole one as the coagmentation of the Laws of both Tables doth import Let us alway conceiv the scope of the Law to require integritie and all partiall service to bee a forfeit to the whole Law 6. The Laws of the former Table are generally to bee preferred to the duties of the Second yet with an exception that wee conceiv the rule upon equal tearms thus That the commands of the first rank in the former Table have precedencie over the second not each branch of the former above the second in their first rank It is generally more excellent that God have his due then man but not particularly for the neglect or contempt of a Sermon are not fouler sins then the murther of a man 7. Understand the Commandements to require at our hands the utmost of our wit device and courage to serv God 8. Let us observ the Commandements of God never cross each other if any such case occur as wherein one cannot stand with the the other let us know the one must alway yeeld to the other 9. Let us note this that duties of necessitie and mercie which cannot bee otherwise
don are to bee preferred to duties of pietie at that season as the Physician doth attend the Patient wee help the Ox out of the ditch rathen worship God first and suffer these to despair the whilest obedience in such cases is better then sacrifice and the omission of a duty is no contempt with God Vse I. This Doctine teacheth us to abhor the audaciousness of Popish and Heretical and Scismatical ones as forgetting this scope of God in establishing one eternal immutable and pure Rule of righteousness dare take upon them to controll this Law of God and to diminish it cutting off the Second and Tenth Commandements so that if they may prevail not the Moral Law but their Commands must bee our rules It is no wonder if theevs might have their will they would suffer no watches to bee kept or that deformed women lothe or break al true Glasses Let us so much the rather abhor them as odious enemies to God and under pretence of the Law of Libertie walk as lawless libertines and overthrow the Law of Conversation Vse II. Let us consider how dangerous a thing it is to worship God according to our own fancies and inventions It was a good speech of old They are the best Laws which give least power to the Judg. God will have no Judg to bee his Chancellor to make or interpret or change Laws hee know's our boldness and sacriledg in this kinde Vse III. If the Law bee the director of our Conversation Let it bee use of exhortation to all God's people to embrace it and to submit to this Scepter of Christ to establish his Law in our souls and to lift up him in the honor of our hearts who hath honored us w th his royal Law to bee our direction It is reported by Mr. Fox of one Crow a Seaman that beeing in Shipwrack and haveing cast all his tacklings and wares and five pounds of money into the Sea hee kept his New Testament about his neck so swimming upon his broken Mast and after four daies all his company being drowned yet hee was at length by passengers discovered and taken up all frozen numb'd and sterv'd but yet his Book hee held close to him If wee in the shipwracks of this World would keep our souls from wrack what cours should wee take Surely keep this Law to us close and not suffer it to depart from us lose money wares ship and all ere wee forego that least wee lose our conscience and disorder our conversation And in all our doubtful cases whether vows oaths marriages dealings with men entercours with God or any difficultie go to the Law and testimonie Esay 8. 20. for a resolution Vse VI. Let all that finde themselvs to com short of this platform I say let them live the life of faith in duties They that know a Command shall fear it Fear not him who when hee hath kill'd the bodie can go no surther But him fear whose will is righteousness and whose power is revenge yea who can cast both bodie and soul into hell God's people are taught Obedience from their youth up both to do and suffer without cavils distinctions or exceptions The first lesson they learned in the school of Christ was self-deniall and naked obeying the Promise That obedience to Christ hath taught them obedience to God the Father Christ hath made their yoke easie and burden light so that now they delight in the Law being made Christ's Law Vse V. This convince's all hypocrites obedience to the Law Alas It 's no direction for their lives they look at the Law still as a whip and bondage They dare not suffer themselvs to bee informed of the Law When they cannot resist it yet they are not convinced in conscience they think it bootless to obey Esa 58. Mal. 3. They wish the Law were according to their own scantling or els were not at all Hence all their life is nothing but a study to interpret the Laws of God with favor to their own corruption Vse VI. Let this teach us to live by faith for abilitie in Christ to all performances trust wee God upon a promise for each part of his cours to God men our selvs in solitariness company calling in Sabbaths subjection to superiors and common life Say thus Lord these duties are above mee I can do nothing to purpose enable mee to do what thou biddest and bid what thou wilt els the number and weight of them will tire and clog mee Thou hast eased me O Lord of the burden of Moses but still even in my libertie from Christ I carrie old Adam's burden about mee Therefore write these laws in my heart I beseech thee that I may delight in the Law in my inner man and that I may run thy commandements with cheerfulness ARTIC IV. The LORD hath given helps to his Church to uphold her in Obedience REad 2 Pet. 1. 3. Eph. 4. 11. Mat. ult Joh. 14. 26 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6 7. in which Scriptures wee have the order of this provision of God and that in four degrees 1. In our outward Ordinances themselvs as Preaching receiving the Sacraments c. 2. The Instrumens and lively organs serving to minister therein as Pastors Teachers Ministers of the Gospel 3. Gifts and Administrations vouchsafed unto them for the be better dispensing and officiciateing those services 4. The Spirit of God to assist and enable them to all these performances These helps are of 2 sorts Private or Publick both are Extraordinarie 1. Fasting 2. Thanksgiveing Ordinarie 3. The Word preached 4. Baptism 5. The Supper 6. Praier 7. Meditation 8. Conference 1. Fasting is a solemn ordinance of God attended with rest and abstinence wherein the Church lawfully assembled powre's out her self in affliction and supplication with importunitie for turning away of som great present or imminent sin danger 2. Thanksgiveing is a solemn ordinance of God wherein the Church lawfully assembled powre's out herself in praises and thanks for som rare blessings and deliverances And let this also bee understood of private in both extraordinarie kindes terms beeing observed 3. The Word preached is a publick eminent ordinance wherein the Minister lawfully deputed doth distinctly and soundly read the Word give the sens ground the doctrine and convinceingly applie it by instruction reproof confutation exhortation and admonition 4. Baptism is the former sacrament of the New Tastament wherein by due application of Water to the infant all Christ is sealed up to the soul for regeneration 5. The Sacrament of the Supper is the second in order in which by due giveing and receiving of bread and wine the Lord Jesus is wholy given and taken by the believing soul to bee nourished to eternal life 6. Praier is a lifting up of the heart to God in the name of Jesus Christ in confession and supplication for pardon of sin the granting of all good things and acknowledging of mercies already received with thankfulness 7 Meditation is a serious