governing and over ruling their inclinations and actions and that both good and evil Under this head I shall first shew how the Providence of God is exercised upon the good inclinations and actions of men and Secondly How 't is exercised about sin and evil For the First of these observe these Rules 1. God assists and co-operates with men in the doing of all good * Aristotle doth in his Ethicks acknowlâ—dge that for a man to have a Soul virtuously inclin'd is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of God Tuâ—ly in his Second Book De Natura deorum sayes Nemo vir magnus sine aliquo afflatu divino unquam suit And the Learned among Christians say Orsus bonae voluntatis sunt Deo Voluntas tum libera est quando per gratiam est liberata he works in him both to will and to do that which is good Phil. 2.13 'T is from God that men have any heart or will or power to do any thing pleasing in his sight But Gods co-operating with and assisting man in the doing of good is not in any thing more remarkable then in the coversion of a sinner He savingly inlightens the mind he freely bowes and inclines the will he circumcises the heart as we find Deut. 30.6 he gives a new heart as 't is Jer. 24.7 He takes away the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh he puts a new Spirit with them as 't is Ezek. 11.29 2. As to sin and evil God neither is nor possibly can be the Author or Approver of it Yet his Providence is exercised about it as may appear by these particulars 1. He permits sin Without his permission and sufferance it could not be in the World God is so good that he would never permit sin but that being Omnipotent he knows how to bring good out of it Now he may be said to permit sin in these respects First By way of Negation not giving grace to prevent it which he is not bound to do being a Debtor to no man or by not giving a People softning means or by denying his blessing on the means Deut. 29.4 Moses says of the hardned Israelites Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day God is said to harden says Austin when he saftens not and to blind when he enlightns not He doth it not by imparting evil or wickedness but by not imparting grace 2. By way of privation by withdrawing upon provocation the restraining grace before given Time was when Pharaoh had a restraint upon him and while that lasted there were no violent hands laid upon Moses or Aaron by whose ministry all the Plagues were brought upon him But this is no sooner withdrawn from him but his cruelty vents it self and Moses is threatned with death if he came again into his presence 3. By presenting Objects which mans corruption makes a bad use of Thus Psalm 78 from 27 to 31. The Israelities abused their Quails which God so mercifully gave them to the pampering of their lusts and so brought his wrath upon them 4. By delivering them up to Satan to be by him blinded and misled because they refused to be guided by the good Spirit and word of God Thus John 13.2 We read that the Devil put it into Judas his heart to betray his Lord and Master 5. By delivering them up to their own lusts Psal 81.11.12 God sayes my People would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of mee So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels 6. By way of punishment One sin is very often the punishment of another Thus Pharaoh when he saw that the Rain and Hail and the Thunders were ceased he sinned yet more and hardned his heart he and his Servants Exod. 9.34 And Austin speaks very pertinently to this purpose Expedit superbo ut incidat in peccatum God often suffers a proud man to fall into a shamefull sin to punish his pride and to bring him to a sober sence of himself 2. God limits sin and sets bounds to it Psalm 76.10 Surely the wrath of men shall praise thee the remainder of wrath thou wilt restrain Thus Gen. 31.42 He with-held Laban from his wicked purpose of hurting Jacob. He that sets bounds to the Sea sets bounds also to the sins of men 3. He makes sin it self serve to his own glory and so over-rules it that he brings good out of it Thus the unnatural usage which Joseph received from his Brethren God ordered to his high advancement and his Family's preservation Thus the Jews malice in persecuting the Disciples and sending them out of Jerusalem by Gods over-ruling tended to the propagating and dispersing of the Gospel Having thus shewed the extent of the Divine Providence to the several Beings in the World it remains now that I speak something of his special Providence which he exercises in a more singular way over his Church and People Which will plainly appear if we consider these particulars 1. Sometimes he hinders and prevents evil intended against them And this he does sometimes by weak means sometimes by strange means and sometimes without means See a remarkable instance of this 2 Chron. 14. from 9. to the 14. An Army of a Thousand Thousand Aethiopians came out against Asa and Verse the 11th he cried unto the Lord saying Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with few we have no power help us O Lord our God for we trust in thee and in thy name we go against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man prevail against thee So the Lord smote the Aethiopians before Asa and before Judah and they were overthrown Thus also 2 Chron 20. When the Children of Moab Ammon and Mount Seir came against Jehâ—shaphat he proclaimed a Fast and cried unto the Lord. Vers 12. O our God we have no might against this great Company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee Then upon Jahaziel came the Spirit of the Lord and he said unto the King and the People Be not afraid by reason of this great Multitude for the Battle is not yours but Gods To morrow go down against them you shall not need to fight in this Battle set your selves stand ye still and see the Salvation of the Lord. For the Lord will be with you And Jehoshaphat said unto the People believe in the Lord so shall ye be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper This done the Lord immediately sent a Spirit of division or strife among their enemies whereby those Nations falling out among themselves destroyed one another and sheathed their Swords in one anothers bowels See also to this purpose the whole 124 Psalm 2. Sometimes he moderates and takes off the rage of Enemies and makes them of Enemies to become Friends Thus when Esau
A SUPPLEMENT TO Knowledge AND PRACTICE Wherein the main things necessary to be known and believed in order to Salvation are more fully explained and several new Directions given for the promoting of real Holiness both of Heart and Life To which is added a serious Disswasive from some of the reigning and customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkenness Vncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice Idleness By Samuel Cradock B. D. late Rector of North-Cadbury in Somerset-Shire Useful for the Instruction of private Families Quod de Scripturis authoritatem non habet pari facilitate rejicitur qua accipitur Hieron LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1679. To the INHABITANTS of NORTH-CADBURY in SOMERSETSHIRE My Loving Friends SOme years since when I stood in the Relation of a Pastor to you I wrote my Book of Knowledge and Practice aiming therein more especially at your benefit Which Treatise I hope through the Lords blessing hath been of some use to you I have since thought that it would not be a service unacceptable to you to add by way of Supplement a more full explication of the Main Principles of the Christian Faith and some Further Directions for regulating of your Practice and to send them unto you to supply my Personal absence God only knows whether I shall ever see your Faces again in this World Providence having fixed my Habitation at so great a distance from you However my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that you may be saved and if this poor Book may in any measure contribute thereunto I shall heartily rejoyce The holy Apostles no doubt in writing their Epistles aimed at the Spiritual good of the Church in general yet we may well suppose that those particular Churches to whom their Epistles were directed read them with more especial regard and possibly reaped more signal benefits by them than others did So though I design these instructions for your Spiritual good and benefit of all those into whose hands they shall come Yet I hope they shall be more especially minded and regarded by you to whom they are particularly directed and in contemplation of whose necessities and with an aim at whose benefit they were particularly framed I know many of you are such of whom the Apostle speaks Heb. 5.12 Who have need that one teach you the first Principles of the Oracles of God and have need of milk and not of strong meat I should be glad to have you all rightly instructed in the main fundamentals of Christianity and that not for your sakes only but for my own that I may give up my account with joy and not with grief Heb. 13.17 But yet I must tell you that it is not enough to save any of you that you are of the true Religion except you be true to it and live agreeably thereunto God hath indeed made sufficient provision by the obedience and death of his Son to save Mankind But you must earnestly leg of God to inable you to do your part which is unfeignedly to repent of all your sins savingly to believe in Christ and to accept him for your Lord and Saviour and to deliver up your souls to him that you may be pardoned through the infinite merit of his active and passive obedience and sanctified by his Spirit and inabled by his grace to lead a holy and good life And as I earnestly desire you all to have an especial care of your own Souls so do I with some importunity intreat all that are Parents or Masters of Families among you that they would take great care to instruct their children and servants in the main Principles of the Christian Religion I have often thought that if ever real Piety and Christianity flourish in England more must he done by Parents and Masters in instructing those under their care than is now ordinarily done I hope this short Treatise may with the blessing of God something assist and help you in performing that part of your duty May the God of all grace lead you and guide you in ways of truth and holiness and inable you to live in love and peace one with another And though I should never see you again in this life yet may the Father of Mercies through his infinite goodness grant that I may meet your Souls in Heaven This is the earnest desire and prayer of him who was once your unworthy Pastor and is still your very loving and affectionate friend Wickham brook Novemb. 6. 1678. SAM CRADOCK The CONTENTS of the FIRST PART CHAP. I. Of God SECT 1. Of the Nature of God and his Divine Attributes page 1. SECT 2. Of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Divine Essence page 18. SECT 3. Of the works of God page 31. 1. Creation where Of good Angels page 32. Of evil Angels page 40. 2. Particular page 48. CHAP. 2. Of Man Page 62 SECT 1. Of the happy State wherein Man was created and the Covenant of Works made with him in that State p. 62. SECT 2. Of his Fall and the consequents thereof p. 66 SECT 3. Of the Covenant of Grace made with Man immediately after his Fall which shews the only way of his recovery to be by Jesus Christ p. 73 CHAP. 3. Of Jesus Christ Page 80 SECT 1. Of his Titles which in the Creed are four 1. Jesus p. 80 2. Christ where of his three Offices Prophet p. 83 Priest p. 86 King p. 88 3. His only Son p. 91 4. Our Lord p. 93 SECT 2. Of his Natures Divine and Humane p. 95 SECT 3. Of his birth p. 96 SECT 4. Of his Life p. 100 Here a short and methodical History of our Saviours Life is exhibited and the particular Times in which he instituted Baptism and the Sacrament of his Supper are pointed at Vpon both which Sacraments there are distinct discourses added at the end SECT 5. Of his Death and Burial p. 137 SECT 6. Of that Article in the Creed He descended into Hell page 131 SECT 7. Of his Resurrection and ten several appearings after it in the space of forty dayes he continued on the earth p. 143 SECT 8. Of his Ascention and sitting on Gods right hand p. 149 SECT 9. Of his coming to judg the World p. 154 CHAP. 3. SECT 1. Of the Holy Ghost p. 162 SECT 2. Of the Catholick Church 166 SECT 3. Of Communion of Saints p. 175 SECT 4. Of forgiveness of sins p. 178 SECT 5. Of the Resurrection of the body p. 193 SECT 6. Of Life everlasting Of Baptism p. 200 Of the Lords Supper p. 205 Of the Lords Prayer p. 220 The second part contains a serious disswasive from some of the reigning and customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkennness Vncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice Idleness ERRATA IN page 267 after the eighth Direction add Ninthly Take heed of saying â—s
made man after his own Image I come now Secondly to shew what Laws he gave him The Law given to Adam in innocency was tâ—â—fold 1. Naturall which was written or imprinted upon his Soul in his first Creation 2. Positive given as is probable by some external discovery or revelation and imposed on man to try whether he would be obedient to his Creator or no. The Law of Nature as subjected in mans mind consists in certain practical Notions or Rules about good and evil right and wrong true and false just and unjust honest and dishonest And mans will was dispos'd and inclin'd to conform to the Dictates of this Law So that these Natural Laws by which Man was to be governed and which were at first stamped on his Soul were such as were exceeding agreeable to his Reason and sutable to the inclinations of his will and not at all contradicted or opposed by any principle within him which might make him doubtful about his duty or disincline him to the performance of it So that Adam in innocency was indued with sufficient ability to conform to the whole Law of God both Natural and Positive He was furnished with particular Principles inclining him to comply with whatsoever the Law of Nature prescribed and with a general Principle disposing him to yield obedience to whatsoever any positive Law as the declared will of God should injoin Thus much of the Law of Nature I come now to shew what positive Law God gave Adam in innocency Of the Covenant of Works God having placed our first Parents in Paradise besides the Law of Nature which he wrote on their hearts he gave them also a positive command to assert his right and dominion over them as their Creator that they might be obliged to do something because it was their Creators will as well as other things because they appeared in their own Nature reasonable and fit to be done Something 's God commands because they are in themselves and in their own Nature just and fit to be done and other things are therefore fit to be done because God commands them God therefore gave Adam a positive Law as a test or proof of his obedience and to try him how he would behave himself towards his Maker Gen. 2.16 17. And the Lord God commanded the man saying of every Tree of the Garden thou mayest freely eat but of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof of thou shalt surely die In these words is contained the Covenant that God made with man at first and which is commonly called the Covenant of Works or Covenant of Nature being made with man in the time of his innocent Nature And this is contradistinguished to the Covenant of Grace which was made with man after the Fall of which we shall speak more afterwards Now a Covenant between God and man is not to be considered as between man and man where consent is mutually requisite For man was bound to accept the terms God offered him being in themselves exceeding reasonable God is an absolute Lord and hath full power in his hands to give and impose what Laws he pleases on his Creatures and to require what duties and impose what conditions he sees good and man is bound to accept and submit unto the Law or Covenant so propounded and imposed And in a dutiful performance of the conditions on his part required he may expect the benefits promised Here therefore it will be requisite 1. To shew that this was a Covenant 2. To shew the Nature of it Now that the command included in a Covenant may appear 1. Because God promises Adam life if he obey As if he should have said Till the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely live So much must needs be included 2. He threatens him with death if he disobeyed In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye 3. We find our first Parents did so understand it by Eve's words to the Serpent Gen. 3.2 3. The woman said unto the Serpent We may eat of the fruit of the Trees in the Garden But of the fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden God hath said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye die 4. He appointed the Tree of life as a Sacrament * Erat homini in lignis aliis alimentum in hoc vâ—ro Sacramentum Aug. de Gen. or Symbol of this Covenant Gen. 2.9 Which Tree did signifie to them that they should always enjoy that happy estate in which they were made upon condition of their obedience viz. A most blessed life free from all misery and flowing with all manner of good things that were agreeable to the Soul and Body of man in that perfect state Having thus shewed that those words Gen. 2.16 17. contained a Covenant we come now to consider 1. The Nature and Tenour of this Covenant And for the clearing of that let us observe these particulars 1. The great honour that God put upon man by entring into Covenant with him 'T is a great honour to a mean man to have a King enter into Covenant with him How much greater honour is it unto Man to have the great God of Heaven and Earth to enter into Covenant with him 2. Observe the great goodness of God in laying upon man no harder a command then the forbearing of one Tree which he must needs judge easie and reasonable 3. Obâ—erve Mans great advantage by this Covenant Before this God had not engaged himself to man to continue him in that happy estate in which he had made him Nothing hindred but he might have annihilated him But by this Covenant God freely bound himself and gave man a right to expect the things promised in this Covenant God now promises to continue mans life and happiness if man continued his obedience 4. Under this Covenant man was furnished with sufficient ability to stand but was left in the hand of his own counsel He was left in a mutable state he might stand or he might fall 5. Observe Gods great care of man in arming his mutable will against falling both by promises and threatnings He encourages him to obedience by the reward promised he deters him from disobedience by the danger threatned What greater good could man expect than what was here promised What greater evil could he fear than what was here threatned 6. This Covenant required on mans part perfect personal and perpetual obedience as the condition of it It required perfect obedience to the moral Law stamped on mans heart and to this pâ—sitive precept which God had given him A curse and death was to be the wâ—ges of the least transgression thereof But if he were obedient he might expect a reward answerable to his works and thereupon it was called a Covenant of works 7. Under the Covenâ—â—t man had no need of a Mediator Till man
made namely that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head Gen. 3.15 And therefore Christ is said Rev. 13.8 to be a Lamb slain from the beginning that is in Gods Decree So that the Fathers that lived before he was offered injoyed the benefit of his Death and Sufferings They were saved merito pretii praestandi as we are saved merito pretii praestiti And of this Priesthood of our Saviour there is no end in regard of the virtue and efficacy of it And thus we see how Christ was our Priest and how he made atonement for our sins by his perfect obedience and sufferings His Person God-man was the Priest The Sacrifice was his humanity the Lamb of God without blemish The Altar which consecrated this Sacrifice and added merit to the sufferings of his humanity was his God-head And thus he made himself a Sacrifice for our sins Three things Christ hath done for us as our Priest 1. He hath obeyed the Law perfectly 2. He hath offered up himself a Sacrifice for our sins 3. He now lives to make intercession for us From all that hath been said we should learn these lessons 1. That Christs active and passive obedience is of sufficient value worth and merit to satisfie Gods Justice for all our sins For in that he voluntarily took on him our humane nature and so voluntarily put himself under the obligation of the Law his very active obedience becomes meritorious 2. That Christ did intend his obedience and sufferings for this end and purpose 3. That God has accepted of what Christ has done and suffered as a sufficient price for our Redemption 4. We should learn from hence highly to prize Christs Sacrifice 'T is the great relief we have against sin He has made satisfaction to Divine Justice so that God is now reconcilable to fallen Man in and through him 5. This should teach us to have a great care of our precious souls The great price paid to ransom them should teach us their worth We are wont to be exceeding careful to keep things that cost dear Never any thing cost more than the soul 6. Seeing Christ was Crucified for our sins we should learn from him to crucifie sin in our selves Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts 7. Seeing Christ suffered so much for us we should be content yea ready to suffer for him when ever he calls us to it 8. From the consideration of Christs intercession and the constancy and prevalency of it we should encourage our selves to go to God in and through him for help in all our needs He is a powerful advocate 9. The Consideration of Christs oblation of himself once for us and his continual intercession still performed in heaven for us should inflame our hearts with intire love to him He deserves our best our most inlarged affections We can never love him enough I come now to Christs third Office 3. Christ was a King Christ was a King God speaking of his Son Psal 2.6 says I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Zech. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee He is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a colt the fole of an Asse This is applied to our Saviour Mat. 21.5 The Prophet Isaiah fully attests this Isa 9.6 7. For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counseller the mighty God the everlasting Father The Prince of Peace Of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and of his Kingdome shall he sit to order it and to establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even for ever the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this And Luke 1.33 'T is said of Him He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end To which we may add Rev. 17.14 These shall make War with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Now there is a twofold Kingdom belonging to Christ 1. Regnum Essentiale an essential Kingdom which belongs to him as God 2. Regnum Vicarium or a deputatory Kingdom and dominion which God gave him as Mediator This Kingdom Christ administers and his Kingly Office he executes several ways and by several royal Acts. 1. By gathering to himself a People out of the several Kingdoms and Nations of the Earth and making them willing by infusing his grace into their hearts to submit unto him 2. By giving them Laws by which they are to walk 3. By appointing to them Officers and Censures Eph. 4.11 And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers V. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ And so for censures and discipline he has appointed how an offending Brother should be dealt with 1. He should be privately admonished then in the presence of two or three And if he shall neglect to hear them then they must tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church then he must be unto them as an Heathen man and a Publican Mat. 18.15 16 17. 4. By restraining and curbing and subduing His and His Churches enemies Particularly 1. Sin that it shall not have dominion over those that are His. 2. The World with its baits and allurements 3. Satan delivering them from his temptations and wiles 4. Wicked and ungodly men Thus he executed his Kingly power in bringing destruction upon the Jews by the Roman Armies and that destruction is called his coming in his Kingdom Mat. 16.28 Verily I say unto you There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom 5. Death it self 1 Cor. 15. He will despoil the Grave and make it give up all its Captives By judging the quick and dead at the last day And then this his Mediatory Kingdom He will render up to his Father 1 Cor. 15.24 Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power 6. By supporting those that truly believe in him in all their afflictions here 7. By rewarding them in a most royal manner hereafter And thus much of the several ways whereby our Saviour executes his Kingly Office Now as to the quality of his Kingdom we are to know it is not of this World it is a Spiritual Kingdom John 18.36 Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this World if my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered
to the Jews But now is my Kingdom not from hence Rom. 14.17 For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and jâ—y in the Holy Ghost In the Kingdom of Christ 1. The King is Spiritual the Lord from Heaven 2. The Subjects are Spiritual those that are regenerated 3. The Laws are Spiritual reaching the inward man 4. The Priviledges are Spiritual Justification Adoption Sanctification Glorification Now Christ's solemn inauguration into this His Kingly Office was at his Ascention into Heaven and sitting on the right hand of the Father Not but that he was a King by right before but he entred on the ful and publick execution of this his office when God raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places far above all Principalities and Powers Eph. 1.20 21. Then He whose name is the word of God had on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.13 16. Let us now consider what improvement we ought to make of this Article that Christ is a King 1. If Christ be a King we should daily pray that his Kingdâ—m may come that is His Kingdom of Grace into the hearts of men We should all earnestly desire and pray that he may reign in our hearts and the hearts of others by his holy Spirit 2. This may shew us the blessedness of those that are his Subjects They are under a powerful Protector 3. We should all examine our selves whether his Kingdom beset up in us or no. Christ is sometimes called the Head of the Church Eph. 1.22 23. Let us seriously consider whether we are guided and governed by him as the members of the body are by the Head and whether we do receive life and influence from him 4. If Christ be a King then we may assure our selves that he is able to defend his Church and subdue the enemies of it though they be never so strong or subtil 5. If Christ be a King then we should acknowledge his Soveraignty The Apostle tells us Phil. 2.10 11. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father To bow at the name of Jesus is to confess his Soveraignty to submit to his power and to humble our selves before him 6. If Christ be a King We should pray that the Kingdoms contrary to his Kingdom may be subverted viz. the Kingdom of Sin Satan and Anti-Christ And thus much of Christs three-fold Office We come now to speak of the third Title given him in the antient Creed which is His only Son Christ is the only Son of God Thus Nathanael the true Israelite makes his confession of him John 1.49 Rabbi thou art the Son of God thou art King of Israel Thus Martha expresses her Faith concerning him John 11.27 I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God which should come into the World This was the famous confession of Peter John 6.69 His only Son We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God Mat. 16.16 And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God And the Gospel of John was written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God John 20.31 Now Christ is so the Son of God as no other is or was or ever can be He is his only Son his only begotten Son This I shall further explain by these particulars following 2 Our Saviour had a real being and existence before his conception here on Earth and distinct from that being which he assumed here John 8.58 Before Abraham was I am Yea he had a Being before the Flood 1 Pet. 3.18 19. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the Just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickned in the Spirit By which also he went and preached to the Spirits now in prison who were disobedient in the days of Noah Yea he had a being before the World began for the World was made by him so the Apostle tells us Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds Col. 1.17 He is before all things and by him all things consist 2. The being which he had before his conception was not a created being but the Divine Essence he was truly God John 17.5 And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was See more in the third Section of the first Chapter 3. The Divine Essence which he hath was eternally communicated to him from the Father who was always Father as well as always God And this is called his Eternal Generation And therefore he is called the only begotten Son of God John 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And thus he is distinguished from the Holy Ghost who proceeds from the Father and the Son and from the Adopted Sons of God being his Eternal Son by eternal and ineffable Emanation Joh. 7.29 I know him that sent me says Christ for I am from him Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Bâ—t some will possibly here object God the Father says of Christ Psal 2.7 Act. 13.30 33. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee To which we answer God speaks not there of Christs Generation but of the manifestation of it which was accomplished at the time of his Resurrection by which he was mightily declared to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 And though he was then declar'd to be so yet his Generation was Eternal The Grave is as the Womb of the Earth Christ when he was raised from the dead was as it were begotten to a new life and on this account God who now raised him is stiled his Father But some will further Object Christ is called The first Born of every Creature Col. 1.15 How can he then be the Eternal Son of God I answer he is call'd The first born of every Creature because he was begotten of God as the Son of his love antecedently to all other Emanations from him and before any thing was framed or created by him And thus much for the Explication of this Article Let us now consider what improvement we should make of it 1. This should shew us the excellency and dignity of the Person of the Messias and should assure us of the infinite value of his active and passive obedience As our offences are aggravated
14. from 1. to 15. 40. By the Parable of a great Supper and the excuses of those that were invited to shift off coming he upbraids the Jews with their ingratitude and foretells their rejection and the calling of the Gentiles Luke 14. from 15. to 25. 41. He shews that he that will be his Disciple must deny himself and all that is dear to him and must consider before hand what it may cost him as he that intends to build a Tower or as a King that intends to wage war with another King must do lest with shame he revolt from him afterwards and become altogether unprofitable like Salt that hath lost its Savour Luke 14. from 25. to 36. 42. The Pharisees murmur that he coversed with sinners Hereupon he shews Gods tender care of the recovery of lost sinners by three eminent Parables First Of the lost Sheep Secondly Of the lost Groat Thirdly Of the lost Son Luke 15. whole Chapter 43. By the Parable of the cunning though unjust Steward he teaches them to make friends to themselves of the unrighteous Mammon and to be faithful in a right imploying their Temporal Riches He exhorts them also to take heed of serving Mammon or setting their hearts on Riches He reproves the Pharisees for their Pride Hypocrisie and affectation of the opinion of men He shews that the Sacrifices prescribed by the Ceremonial Law Typified and prefigured him and that the Prophets Prophesied of him until John came who declared him to be actually come in the flesh and began the Evangelical Ministry He declares the permanent Authority of the Moral Law which was by the Pharisees violated particularly in the Seventh Commandment By the Parabolical History of Dives and Lazarus he shews the different estate of the Godly Poor and the unmerciful Rich in the other World Luke 16. from 1. to 32. 44. He teaches his Disciples to take heed of giving occasion of offence and scandal and to forgive those that trespass against them who are sorry for their offence how oft soever they have offended Luke 17. from 1. to 5. 45. The Disciples hereupon pray for the increase of their Faith that they may depend on him for power to perform this and his other injunctions Upon this occasion he describes the power of Faith and by the Parable of a servant coming from the service of the Field and setting himself to other services after he declares that a man doth not merit of God by doing his duty Luke 17. from 5. to 11. 46. He healeth ten Lepers whereof but one returns to give him thanks Luke 17. from 11. to 20. 47. He shews that his Kingdom comes not with observation or outward pomp He sorewarns them of the days of Tribulation that would come on that Nation after his departure out of this World He describes this his coming to execute vengeance on those obdurate Jews viz. That it should be suddenly would surprize them in their deep security as it was in the days of Noah Lot That there would be much of God's providence seen in rescuing some fr m that calamity wherein others would fall Luke 17. from 20. to 38. 48. He incourages his Disciples to fervency importunity and perseverance in prayer from the Parable of an importunate Widow prevailing with an unjust Judge Luke 18. from 1. to 9. 49. By a Parable of a Pharisee and a Publican he teaches that God hears and justifies the penitent sinner and not those which rely on their own righteousness Luke 18. from 9. to 15. 50. He now crosses Jordan and there teaches and heals Mat. 19.1.2 Mark 10. to 1. 51. He answereth the Pharisees question concerning divorce that the Married may not part but in case of Adultery He sheweth the gift of continence is not given to all Mat. 19. from 3. to 13. Mark 10. from 2. to 13. 52. He commands that little Children should be brought unto him and blesseth them Mat. 19. from 3. to 16. Mark 10. from 13. to 17. Luke 18. from 15. to 18. 53. He answers a rich young man who desireth to know of him what he must do to inherit Eternal life and gives him a special command to go and sell all and give to the poor to try him and convince him of his secret covetousness who thereupon departs very sorrowful Upon this he teaches how hard it is for a rich covetous man who trusts in his riches to be saved He promises them who leave all for his sake both Temporal and Eternal recompences And to his Apostles who had done this he promises high favours at the day of Judgment viz. That they shall sit upon Twelve Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel Yet he cautions them to be humble minded and to look to it that they persevere for many that are last shall be first and first shall be last Mat. 19. from 16. to 31. Mark 10. from 17. to 32. Luke 18. from 18. to 31. Luke 22. from 28. to 31. 54. Under the Parable of an Housholder hiring Labourers at several hours of the day into his Vineyard he sheweth that all ought to be Labourers that God doth freely both call and reward that none ought to have any confidence in their own works but a low estimation of themselves and of whatever they do or suffer for him Mat. 20. from 1. to 17. 55. Lazarus is now sick at Bethany and Jesus is sent for to him but for the present goeth not that he might die and so God might be the more glorified in raising him to life again John 11 from 1. to 7. 56. He acquaints his Disciples now a Third time that he should suffer death and rise again the Third day they thereupon diswade him from going into Judea but he tells them as long as his day lasted Providence would secure him from danger Mat. 20. from 17. to 20. Mark 10. from 32. to 35. John 11. from 7. to 11. Luke 18. from 31. to 35. 57. He gives answer to the request of James and John Zebedees Children desiring that they might sit one on his right hand the other on his left in his Kingdom He exhorts them to prepare for sufferings and the Cross and commands all of them to be humble minded and not to seek after dignity and preheminence one above another remembring that their Office was a Ministry and service not a Lordship or Dominion and to imitate his example who came not to be ministred unto but to minister Mat. 20. from 20. to 29. Mark 10. from 35. to 46. Luke 22. from 24. to 28. 58. He now sets forward towards Bethany for the raising of Lazarus who was dead His way lying through Jerico when he came nigh the City he cured a blind-man Zacheus gets up into a Sycamore Tree to see him He invites himself to Zacheus's House who gladly receives him and testifies his repentance by restitution and is comforted by him By the Parable of a Nobleman going into a far Countrey to receive for
himself a Kingdom and to return and delivering Ten Pounds to his Ten Servants to imploy and improve in his absence He shews he was not now presently as they thought to enter upon a Temporal Kingdom but to die and suffer and so go to Heaven and then to return again in an eminent manner In the mean time they ought to imploy the Talents he had intrusted them with for his service and he would reward their diligence He cures Two other blind men whereof one was Bartimeus as he goes out of the City Luke 18. from 35. to the end Luke 19. from 1. to 28. Mat. 20. from 29. to 35. Mark 10. from 46. to 53. 59. He now approacheth to Bethany where Martha meets him with whom he speaketh of the Resurrection of her Brother and all Believers Mary comes out to him also He weepeth and goeth to the grave and finds Lazarus four days buried he prays to his Father and raiseth him to life again whereupon many believe in him others go and tell it to the Chief Priests John 11. from 11. to 47. 60. The Chief Priests and Pharisees call a Council and consult upon the matter Caiaphas unwittingly prophesies of the fruit of Christs death Here they conclude * This is the First Council at which the Jews determined to put our Saviour to death he shall be put to death but to avoid their fury for the present he withdrew himself privately unto Ephraim John 11. from 47. to 55. 61. He is inquired for at Jerusalem by those that came up sometime before the Feast to purifie themselves John 11. from 55. to the end 62. Six days before the Passeover he is entertained at a Supper at Bethany by Simon the Leper where Lazarus fate at Supper with him Mary pours a box of precious oyntment on his head and feet wiping them with the hairs of her head For this she is blamed and repined at by Judas but defended by Christ Many Jews resort thither to see Lazarus newly raised wherefore the Chief Priests seek to put him to death also John 12. from 1. to 12. Mat. 26. from 6. to 14. Mark 14. from 3. The great week Dominica Palmarum to 10. 63. On the first day of the week now commonly called Palm-Sunday he sets out with his Disciples for Jerusalem He sends two of his Disciples for an Asse which the owner lets them have and being set thereon he rides towards the City The people spread their Garments in the way and cry Hosanna When he was come to the descent of the Mount of Olives many from the City met him with branches of Palm-tree in their hands The Pharisees speak to him to silence the People and to forbid them to make such acknowledgments to him He answers that if they should hold their peace the very stones would cry out Then coming within the view of the City he burst out into tears at the consideration of their obstinacy and their ruine that would ensue thereupon He rides into the City in this triumphant manner The Pharisees are inraged hereat Luke 19. from 28. to 45. John 12. from 12. to 20. Mat. 21. from 1.12 Mark 11. from 1. to 11. 64. He goes directly to the Temple He drives the buyers and sellers See §. 1. of the third part of our Saviours life out of it He heals the blind and lame that were brought to him He justifies the Children crying Hosanna and teaches in the Temple Luke 19. from 45. to 49. Mat. 21. from 12. to 17. Mark 11. from 15. to 20. 65. Certain Religious Greeks desire to see him They speak to Philip about it Being brought into his presence he speaks to them of his death and the fruit of it by the Parable or Similitude of a grain of Wheat which is not lost when it is sown but springeth up with increase He sheweth that all that will be his Disciples must follow him in suffering and not think their life to dear to lay down for him He prayes unto his Father and is answered by Thunder and with it a voice from Heaven he tells them that that voice came not for his sake alone to comfort him but to testifie to them that he was the true Messias He goes on to declare the glorious fruits of his death as particularly the delivering the World from the usurping power of Satan and the drawing all sorts of persons to believe on him after he hath been lifted up on the Cross He shews that his suffering death in his state of Humiliation and yet abiding for ever in his state of Exaltation may well stand together He exhorts them to walk in the light whilst they have it testifying that he himself is the light of the World The consequent of this was that though the Jews generally continued blinded and hardned as was fore-told by Esaiah yet some of the Rulers believed in him but durst not openly confess him In fine he shews the benefits of Faith and mischiefs of Vnbelief John 12. from 20. to the end 66. Having thus spent the day at night he goes with his Apostles to lodg at Bethany Mat. 21.17 Mark 11.11 67. Next morning viz. Munday Munday he sets forth with them for Jerusalem again and cursed the barren Fig-tree by the way and then goes to the Temple and teaches there and at night returns with his company to Bethany again Mat. 21.18 19. Mark 11. from 12. to 15. Luke 21.37 38. 68. Next morning viz. Tuseday Tuesday coming again with his Apostles to the City in the way they observed that the Fig-tree which the day before he had cursed was now quite withered Hereupon he discourses of the power of Faith in prayer and exhorts them to forgive such as have done them any wrong Mark 11. from 20. to 27. Mat. 21. from 20. to 23. 69. He goes again to the Temple and teacheth there The Chief Priests and Scribes ask him by what authority he did these things He answers them by propounding to them a question concerning the Baptism of John He convinceth them of their disobedience by the Parable of the two Sons and shews them that Publicans and Harlots imbrace the Gospel before them for all their fair profession He threatens their ruine by the Parable of a Lord of a Vineyard whose Servants and Son were abused and slain by the Husbandmen By the Parable of the Marriage of the Kings Son to which the guests invited refused to come and therefore others were invited in their stead among which one appeared without a Wedding Garment c. He declares the rejection of the Jews the calling of the Gentiles and shews that some do joyn themselves to the Church in Hypocrisie Mark 11. from 27. to 34. Mat. 21. from 23. to the end Mark 12. from 1. to 13. Luke 20. from 1. to 20. Mat. 22. from 1. to 15. 70. He gives an answer to the question of the Pharisees and Herodians whether they might pay tribute to
Caesar or no. Then he answers the question of the Sadduces concerning a Woman that had seven Husbands and proves to them the Resurrection of the Dead He answers a Doctor of the Law demanding of him which is the great Commandment and tells him he is not far from the Kingdom of God He then propounds a question to the Pharisees how the Messiah could be Davids Son whom David himself calls Lord but they could not answer him Mat. 22. from 15. to the end Mark 12. from 13. to 28. Luke 20. from 20. to 45. 71. He now begins a severe commination against the Scribes and Pharisees exhorting his hearers to follow what they should rightly teach them out of Moses and the Prophets but not their example and works He describes their Hypocrisie and Ambition in making broad their Phylacteries and fringes of their Garments in loving salutations in publick places and to be called Rabbi He admonishes his hearers to take heed thereof and to study Humility He denounceth eight woes against the Scribes and Pharisees 1. Because they shut Heaven against men 2. Devoured Widows houses 3. Made bad Proselytes 4. Taught perversely to swear by the Temple Altar and Heaven 5. Tythed small matters and neglected the weightier matters of the Law 6. Made clean the out-side but not the heart 7. Were like whited Sepulchres 8. Repaired the Sepulchres of the old Prophets and sought to kill the new Then complaining of the stiff-neckedness of the City of Jerusalem He foretells her destruction Mat. 23. whole Chapter Mark 12. from 38. to 41. Luke 20. from 45. to 48. 72. He commendeth the poor Widows gift of two mites which she cast into the Treasury of the Temple Mark 12. from 41. to the end Luke 21. from 1. to 5. 73. Going now out of the Temple into which he never entred again he foretells the destruction thereof Being come to Mount Olivet he foretells the grievous calamities that should befall the Jews before the Temple and Cities destruction and gives them Signs that should sometime before precede it as the arising of false Christs Wars and rumors of Wars Famines and Pestilence and Earthquakes and fearful sights and signs from Heaven Great persecutions against those that professed him The arising of many false Prophets and Heretical teachers The spreading of the Gospel among all the chief and principal Nations in those parts of the World Then he gives them signs that should immediately precede it Namely the begirting the City by the Roman Army at which time the Prophecy of Daniel should be fulfilled The arising of false Christs and false Prophets that should be so cunning that they should deceive if it were possible the very Elect. He now comes to describe the destruction it self which he sets forth as the destruction of the whole World of which it was to be a Type For the precise time when this destruction should be he tells them they must not expect to have it revealed to them it being hid from men and Angels yea and from himself also as man Yet two things he acquaints them with 1. That this Judgment would come suddenly and unexpectedly on the Jews as destruction did on the old World 2. See §. 47. of this part That the Providence of God would much appear in the rescuing of some out of that calamity in which others will fall He exhorts them to watch and pray that they may be accounted worthy to escape those calamities by the Parable of good servants expecting the coming of their Master and because the time of his coming is uncertain he presseth them again to a diligent watchfulness by the Parable of an Housholder watching against the coming of a Thief Mat. 24. whole Chapter Mark 13. whole Chapter Luke 21. from 5. to 37. 74. By the Parable of five wise and five foolish Virgins he again exhorts them to watchfulness against his coming and by the Parable of Servants which had each of them received Talents from their Lord to trade withal he exhorteth to a faithful improvement of the gifts which God had given to every one Then he comes to describe his last coming to Judgment and how he will distinguish his â—heep from the Goats and give and execute Sentence upon them both Mat. 25. whole Chapter 75. Having thus Preached his Prophetick Sermon on Mount Olivet he comes to Bethany and suppeth there Rising from Supper he girded himself and washed his Disciples feet Peter at first refused to admit of it but afterward suffered it He teacheth them hereby his spiritual washing of them and exhorts them to imitate this example of his Humility and to be serviceable one to another He complains of and detects the Traytor Judas whom he discovereth to John by giving him a sop After which the Devil entred into him and he went forth Our Saviour comforts himself against his near approaching death with this consideration that God should be glorified thereby He exhorts his Disciples to mutual Love Peter promises he will lay down his life for him but Christ telleth him he will deny him thrice John 13. whole Chapter 76. Wednesday Wednesday On this day the Chief Priest and Elders met in Caiaphas's House and hold the second Council how they might take Jesus and put him to death Whilst they were thus consulting Judas comes to them and offers to betray him to them They bargain with him for thirty pieces of silver to do it which he having accepted returns to his Master at Bethany Mat. 26. from 1. to 6. and from 14. to 17. Mark 14.1 2. and 10 11. Luke 22. from 1. to 7. 77. Thursday Thursday Our Saviour now sendeth Peter and John to Jerusalem to prepare the Passeover for him and his Disciples and directs them by a special token to follow a man that would lead them to a great Chamber ready furnished which they accordingly do and having provided all things for the present Supper return to him again Matth. 26. from 17. to 20. Mark 14. from 12. to 17. Luke 22. from 7 to 14. 78. Being now ready to go with his Apostles to eat the Passeover which he was to eat that night he comforts them concerning his going away from them to the Father seeing he went to prepare Mansions for them at his Fathers house He declares to Thomas that he is the way the truth and the life and to Philip that he that seeth him seeth the Father He promiseth his Apostles that they should do great Miracles and obtain what they shall pray for in his name That they shall receive the Comforter the Hâ—ly Ghost and not be left Orphans He exhorts them to love him and keep his Commandments promising his and his Fathers abode with them and that the Holy Ghost should bring all things necessary to their remembrance He leaveth his peace with them and declareth that they ought to rejoyce because he goeth to the Father He sheweth his willingness to obey his Father even in suffering
suffered for our Salvation descended into Hell rose again the third day from the Dead And Ruffinus tells us that though the Oriental and Roman Creeds had not these words in them that Christ descended into Hell yet they had the sense of them in the word Buried By which it appears that the first intention of putting these words into the Creed was to express the burial of our Saviour and the descent of his body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locus invisiâ—â—lis sic â—eddidit vâ—tus Iâ—enai interpâ—â—s into an invisible place namely the Grave The Aquileian Creed is the first that we read of that mentioned both his burial and descent into Hell But Ruffinus thinks they intended by both expressions one and the same thing though others by mistake as it seems did from the latter expression conclude that our Saviours Soul did actually and locally descend into Hell But we have shewed before what little ground there is for that opinion But there are some who by Christs descent into Hell will not allow should be meant his burial only for then say they there will be a tautology in the Creed which that in so short a symbol the composers of it would be guilty of is hard to imagine Others therefore to obviate that objection say by his descent into Hell is not to be understood his burial but his continuance under the power of death for some time though it was very short For death had no long dominion over him Rom. 6.9 This I acknowledg to be a true and safe sense But that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie a permansion or continuance for some time in the state of the dead does not to me appear However let every pious and judicious person follow his own Judgment herein especially seeing as the learned Vossius tells us The Fathers did not hold this descent of Christ into Hell for an Article of Faith Patres hoc dogma de descensu animae Christi non habuere pro capite sive ut nunc loqui solemus pro articulo fidei Vnde id videas prope in omnibus symbolis omitti ut in ipsius synodi Nicenae symbolo ubi profecto non praeteriissent si dogma hoc agnovissent Quippe eo nihil magis valuisset ad refellendum Arrium siquidem is negabat Christum habuisse animam ac Divinitatem ei pro anima fuisse aiebat Nec hujus meminit confessio fidei synodi Illyricae nec meminere Concilia duo Occumenica Constantinopolitanum Chalcedonense Sic ergo statuimus Orientales per descensum Christi ad inferos primitus intellexisse id quod Occidentales vocarunt Sepulturam Et errore quodam factum esse ut cum prius qui unum dicerent alterum praeterirent ambo postea caeperint conjungi Sane temporibus Ruffini id est circa annum quadringentesimum ipsa ecclesia Romana erat contenta meminisse solius sepulturae Aquileiensis vero Ecclesia habuit quidem utrumque in symbolo suo sed si ex Ruffini mente judicandum unum idemque ambobus significari arbitrabatur Ruffini verba in expositione symboli haec sunt Sciendum est quod in Ecclesiae Romanae symbolo non habetur additum descendit ad inferna sed neque Orientis in Ecclesiis habetur hic sermo Vis tamen verbi eadem videtur esse in eo quod sepultus est Errore etiam illa duo conjungi judicium est doctissimi Schindleri sic in Lexico suo scribentis in voce Sheol Sheol significat Sepulchrum Gen. 44.29 deducetis canos meos i. e. canitiem meam vel me canum ex senectute in Sheol id est in terram quatenus est mortuorum receptaculum 1 Reg. 2. v. 6. 9. Neque sinito canitiem ejus descendere cum pace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ubi Gehennam non possumus intelligere nec enim hec poena a Judice terreno infligitur sed plane sign atur Sepulchrum statusque mortuorum SECT VII Of our Saviours Resurrection The third day he rose again from the Dead OUr blessed Lord and Saviour as we have shewed was crucified put to death and buried We come now to shew that the third day after his burial He rose again from the Dead And here several particulars will fall under our consideration 1. We shall shew That it was prophesied of the Messias that he should rise from the dead 2. That Jesus our Lord did so rise as was foretold 3. We shall produce the proofs of his Resurrection 4. We shall shew the principal cause of his Resurrection 5. The time 6. The ends for which he arose I begin with the First namely that Christs Resurrection was prophesied of and foretold And this may appear from Acts 2.31 Where the Apostle shews us that David seeing this before spake of the Resurrection of Christ that his Soul was not left in Hell neither did his flesh see corruption Christ himself did foretell it Mat. 17.22.23 The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men and they shall kill him and the third day he shall be raised again And John 2.19 Destroy this Temple viz. of my Body and in three days I will raise it up Christ had so plainly and so often foretold his Resurrection that the Chief Priests and Pharisees could say to Pilate Sir we remember that this Deceiver said while he was yet alive after three days I will rise again And the Apostle Paul professes Acts 26.23 that he said no other things then what Moses and the Prophets did say should come viz. that Christ should suffer and that he should rise from the Dead And as Christs Resurrection was prophesied of so it was typified and prefigured 1. By Isaac Gen. 22. who was bound and laid on the Altar and as good as dead in his Fathers account yet Abraham received him from the dead again in a figure Heb. 11.19 that is in a figure of Christs Resurrection 2. By Jonas Matth. 12.40 as Jonas was three days and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the Son of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth 2. Jesus Christ our Lord did so rise as was foretold The Lord of Life was buried on that day on which he was Crucified and his body was in the grave some part of that day and all the next day and some part of the day following And very early on the first day of the week he arose The Apostles to whom he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs gave witness of his Resurrection Acts 1.3 He being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God And our Saviour himself after his Resurrection said to his Apostles Luke 24.39 40. Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have
and when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feet 3. For a further proof of his Resurrection let us consider the manner of it and his several Appearings after it 1. Very early on the first day of the week with a great Earthquake our Lord arose and an Angel descending rolled away the stone and sate thereon The watchmen are frighted away 2. Mary Magdalen Joanna Mary the mother of James with others come to the Sepulchre with spices prepared to embalm him The Angel speaks to them not to be affraid but to come and see where Jesus had been laid but was now risen He bids them go tell his Disciples that in Galilee they should see him 3. The women go and tell the same to the Disciples but their words seemed to them as idle tales 4. Peter and John run to the Sepulchre and see the linnen cloaths in which Jesus was wrapped but his body was not there They return home wondring but Mary Magdalen still stayed there weeping and looking back she saw Jesus yet thought it had been the Gardner but upon his speaking to her she discerned that it was He. This was his first appearing after his Resurrection 1. Appearing She goes to imbrace his feet which he forbids but sends her to tell his Disciples whom he calls his Brethren which she accordingly does but they believe her not The other women run to the Sepulchre to try if they likewise could see him and being there told by the Angel that he was risen Christ meets them in the way and sayes All-Hail and sends them to his Brethren to tell them they should meet him in Galilee 2. Appearing This is his second appearing The affrighted watchmen who had fled into the City and had acquainted the Chief Priests with all that had hapned have money given them to say that his Disciples stole him away while we slept But how miserable a fiction was this For if they had stoln his body away which yet they did not could they have put life into it 3. Appearing And we see our Saviour is alive again His third appearing was to the Disciples that were going to Emaus His fourth was to Simon Peter 4. Appear His fifth appearing was to his Disciples met together Thomas being absent 5. Appear Here he shews them his pierced hands and side See these things morefully set down in the 8th Ch. of the 6th Book of my Harmony and eats a piece of a broiled fish and an honey-comb with them bids them tarry at Jerusalem till the gifts of the Holy Ghost should be poured forth upon them He gives them a new Commission and breaths on them saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost adding whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained Thus he appeared five times on the day of his Resurrection His sixth appearing was to his Disciples on the eighth day after his Resurrection 6. Appâ—ar being the first day of the Week Thomas being present whom he condescends so far to satisfie that he cries out my Lord and my God 7. Appear His seventh appearing was to several of his Disciples at the Sea of Tyberias as they were fishing he helpeth them to a great draught of Fish having before caught nothing whereby they knew him Peter casts himself into the Sea to swim unto him The other Disciples come to him by boat He eats with them bread and fish He asks Peter thrice whether he loved him and commands him to feed his Sheep He foretelleth him of his future sufferings and reproves him for his Question concerning John 8. Appear His eighth appearing was on a Mountain in Galilee to above five hundred at once Where he gives commission to his Disciples to go and teach all Nations and baptize the Converted And promises that not only many shall be converted to the Faith but that miraculous gifts of the Holy-Ghost shall be conferred on them that believe as casting out Devils speaking with tongues c. and that he will be with them and their successors to the end of the World â— Appear His ninth appearing was to James His tenth and last was on the fortieth day after his Resurrection 10. Appear At which time having commanded them to wait at Jerusalem for the descending of the Holy Ghost upon them and answered their question whether he would restore the Kingdom to Israel at that time or no He led them forth to Mount Olivet and there lifting up his hands and blessing them he was carried up into Heaven a Cloud receiving him out of their sight Two Angels appearing to them assure them that he will so come to Judgment as they had seen him go to Heaven And thus much for our Saviours several appearings after his Resurrection Fourthly Let us consider how our Saviour arose The principal cause of his Resurrection was God himself For no other power then that which is Omnipotent can raise the dead as the Apostle intimates Acts 2.32 This Jesus hath God raised up Eph. 1.19 20. according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places This great work is attributed to the Father but not to him alone For to whomsoever that infinite power doth belong by which Christ was raised That Person must be acknowledged to have raised him The Son of God therefore being of the same essence and consequently of the same power with the Father and the same being true also of the Holy Ghost we must accordingly acknowledge that the Father Son and Holy Ghost raised up Christ from the dead John 2.19 21. Jesus said unto them destroy this Temple and in three-days I will raise it up he spake of the temple of his body So that not only God the Father raised the Son but also God the Son raised himself by the power of his Divinity which was never separated after his incarnation either from his Body or his Soul 5. Let us consider the time when he arose viz. on the third day from his passion This was foretold of the Messias not only that he should rise again but that he should arise the third day after his death it was typified by Jonas as we shewed before Our Saviour did rise properly on the third day after his death and he was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth synecdochically the whole time or space of three dayes being put for a part of it Our Saviour rose the first day of the Week and his Resurrection being so eminent a declaration that he had fully accomplished the work of our Redemption from thence the Sabbath was changed to that day Acts 20.7 And upon the first day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them 1 Cor. 16.1 As I have Ordained in the Churches of Galatia
of thy Father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now Christ told the Sadducees that God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22.32 God so stiling himself their God sheweth that their souls did still live though separated from their bodies and also that their bodies should be raised again and both souls and bodies being re-united should live for ever * Deus est Deus Abrahae sâ—il totius God is the God of the whole man and not a part only And thus much for the proof of this Article out of the old Testament But the new Testament doth more clearly assert this Doctrine life and immortality being in a more evident manner brought to light by the Gospel as the Apostle tells us 2 Tim. 1.10 To give some few places of many that might be brought for the proof hereof Matth. 25.46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into life eternal John 3.16 36. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Mark 10.30 But he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time and in the world to come eternal life John 12.25 He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal 1 Thes 4.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens John 17.27 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Having thus shewed that everlasting life is plainly asserted both in the old and new Testament I come now to shew that there are three degrees of this everlasting life held forth to us in the Scriptures 1. There is a life eternal Initial which is the life of grace John 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life that is hath it begun in him hath the earnest of it in his Soul 2. There is a Partial life eternal which is the life which belongeth to the Soul when it is separated from the body 'T is the happiness which the souls of the Righteous enjoy between the time of death and the day of Judgment The Scripture is abundant in asserting this kind of life eternal which the separated soul injoys in the other world Eccles 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it Matth 10.28 Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell Luke 12.4 Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear Fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say fear him Heb. 12.23 To the general assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect Luke 23.43 Our Saviour said to the penitent Thief To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luke 23.46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commit my Spirit and having said thus he gave up the Ghost Acts 7.59 And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Phil. 1.23 For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to he with Christ which is far better 1 Pet. 3.19 By which also he went and preached to the Spirits now in Prison Rev. 6.9 10. And when he had opened the fifth Seal I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the Testimony which they held And they cried with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and revenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth 3. There is a life eternal Perfectional which shall be conferred on the Saints after the re-union of their Souls and Bodies Matth. 25.34 46. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World Then shall the Righteous go into life eternal Now this perfectional life everlasting which will be the portion of the Saints at the last day is such a life as shall be free from all evil and full of all good 1. Free from the evil of sin The Souls of the Just shall then be made perfect 2. The evil of temptation There was a Tempter in Paradise there will be none in Heaven 3. The evil of affliction All tears shall be wiped from your eyes Rev. 7.17 2. This life shall be full of all good 1. Their Vnderstandings shall have a clear knowledge sight and vision of God 2. Their Wills shall be perfected and adorned with an absolute and indefective holiness 3. Their Affections shall be set right with an unalterable regularity 4. They shall injoy an uninterrupted communion with God 5. They shall be blessed in their company 6. And lastly They shall have this blessedness secured to them without fear of ever losing it or being deprived of it But though the Saints shall enjoy such an eternal life in bliss as we have before described yet it shall not be so with the wicked Eternal life in misery will be their portion They shall be tormented 1. With the pain of loss 2. With the pain of sense 3. With the worm of Conscience a tormenting reflection on their former folly 4. With despair of ever coming out of that woful misery which is the very Hell of Hell But of these things I have spoken more largely in the former Treatise pag. 130. It remaines therefore now that I shew what improvement we are to make of this Article and then I shall shut up this discourse 1. We may from hence learn how inexcusable they are who hazard and expose their souls and bodies to eternal torments for a short satisfaction of their bruitish lusts 2. We should consider that there is no concern we have in the World that should lie so near our hearts as the making our peace with God upon sure and safe grounds 3. From hence we may learn how highly we ought to prize the blood of Christ and his undertaking by which alone we can escape the wrath that is to come 4. It may shew us how we ought to pity those who are running on in a full carreer
by Baptism is called the blood of Sprinkling Heb. 12.24 1 Pet. 1.2 And sprinkling comes nearer the baptism mentioned in the old Testament than dipping doth For the Children of Israels passing under the Cloud and through the red-Sea 1 Cor. 10.2 is called a baptizing And surely they were not dipped in the Cloud but only sprinkled with it that is with some drops that fell from it nor dipped in the red-Sea as the Aegyptians were who were drowed therein but only touched it with their feet or else possibly some drops from the waves of it might be blown upon them by the wind But against this some object that place Rom. 6.4 Buried with him in Baptism Answ Our Baptism shews our communion with Christ in his death it being a sign and representation of Christs blood shed and consequently of his death and burial and should mind us that in conformity to him we should die unto sin But we must not press Metaphors too far else as Christ lay three dayes and three nights in the Grave so we must lie under water which if it were practised would quickly end this controversie Besides our pouring water on the person baptized resembling in a sort the pouring dust or earth on a dead body may be a representation of Burial also But we must not as I said strain resemblances too far Besides we do not find that our Saviour and the Apostles continued every circumstance that was in use in the first institution of the Sacrament of the Passover As particularly they were at first injoyned to sprinkle their door-posts with the blood of the lamb and to eat it with their loins girt and staves in their hands as people in haste ready to march out of Egypt But this and other circumstances we do not find observed by our Saviour or his Apostles in their eating the Passover Therefore some circumstances may be varied according to Christian prudence provided we keep close to the main of the institution and the ends of it To conclude this particular baptizing is any kind of religious washing or sprinkling in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost duly performed by a person rightly qualified for it And what Mr. Perkins sayes in this matter is considerable viz. that if we were to baptize a converted Pagan or Turk of ripe years in a hot Countrey mark that we might baptize him by dipping And so much of the outward part The inward part of Baptism or the spiritual mysteries hereby signified are these two 1. The blood of Christ sprinkled upon the Soul for the washing away the guilt of sin and procuring remission and justification to the person baptized 2. The grace of Christ poured into the Soul purging out the power and dominion of sin by regeneration and sanctification 3. We come now to consider the excellent ends and uses of Baptism 1. Baptism as it has reference to God is a sign or solemn rite signifying the washing away of the guilt of our sins in Christs blood and the Sanctifying our natures by his holy Spirit And is a Seal to confirm it to us as circumcision was to the Jews Rom. 4.11 Into whose place it succeeds as we shall shew anon 2. Baptism as it has reference to us is a solemn dedicating and and consecrating us to the sincere worship and service of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost 1. 'T is a dedicating and consecrating us to God the Father as our Creator that we should obey him as our rightful Lord love him and depend on him as the fountain of our happiness preferring his favour before any thing else in the world 2. 'T is a dedicating us to Christ that we should believe in him and accept him as our Saviour and Redeemer expecting to be saved only by his merits righteousness and intercession 3. 'T is a dedicating us to the Holy Ghost that we should accept him as our guide sanctifier and comforter that by him we may be freed from the dominion of sin have the image of God repaired in us be led into all saving truths and guided in the wayes of godliness and comforted with a sence of Gods love in Christ and hope of eternal glory 3. 'T is a solemn ingaging us to renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh as the three great enemies of God and our Souls They are all expressed in Ephes 2. v. 28. and 3. in times past ye walked according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the power of the air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of disobedience Among whom we also had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as others 4. 'T is an enrolling us into Christs family the visible Church to walk in union and holy communion with the members thereof 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free 5. 'T is an obligation or bond of obedience engaging us to perform the precepts of the Gospel We are thereby engaged to repent of our sins to believe in Christ to endeavour to be holy in all manner of conversation and to take up our cross when our Saviour calls us to it As the Apostle speaks to the Galathians Gal. 5.3 I testify to every one that is circumcised that he is debtor to the whole Law So say I to every one that is baptized he is a debtor to the whole Gospel and bound to observe the precepts of it And so much of the excellent ends and uses of Baptism I come now to the fourth particular to consider who are the persons who ought to be baptized Those are to be Baptized who are converted to the Faith of Christ whether Jews or Gentiles and the Children of one or both Christian Parents The former part of this po is granted by all But there are some who doubt of the latter sition That I may therefore more clearly prove the right of infants of Christian Parents to baptism I shall first lay down some rules which it will be requisite for us to observe in this matter 1. There are many great truths couched and comprehended in the Scriptures which are not plainly and in so many words expressed and whatsoever may be rightly deduced by necessary and unavoidable consequence from Scripture is Scripture and binding to us Our Saviour Mat. 22.31 proved the Resurrection of the dead against the Sadducees not by express Scripture but by consequence and deduction from Scripture See Sect. 6. concerning life everlasting 2. Those truths which are more plainly revealed in the Old Testament are more sparingly mentioned in the New and those that are more darkly mentioned in the Old are more clearly revealed in the New There is much said of the priviledges of children in the Old Testament and particularly of their right to the
such discourse as is very profitable and then they will not be only testifications of civility and respect from one friend to another but a great advantage and improvement to them many wayes 5. Immoderate and too long sports games and recreations Indeed some fiting recreation may be needfull to him who has wearied himself in honest labour He that mowes must sometimes whet his sythe and he that travails must sometimes bait And therefore recreations that are lawful moderate and seasonable and conduce to the refreshment of nature and fitting us more for our business are very allowable but too much and too long recreation is a most prodigal expence of time Nay there are some who labour hard and take great pains at their sports and recreations who are very idle in their due work And what a folly is this to be so active and labourious about their pleasures and to neglect their main business 6. Vain impertinent and ungoverned thoughts are a great consumption of time especially in melancholy persons But this also I touched before 7. Reading of vain and corrupting books such as Play-books c. is another great waster of precious time Surely we should not imploy our time in reading any books but such as tend to make us either wiser or better or more useful not in such as tend to the depraving and corrupting of our minds Such wasters therefore of precious time as these are should be carefully avoided by us And so much of the sixth Direction 7. Consider how exceeding comfortable the review of time well spent will be when you come to dye What a strong cordial is it to a departing soul when he can say with the blessed Apostle I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at his appearing 2 Tim. 3.7 8. Or with Hezekiah Esay 38.3 Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight 'T was once said by a holy man in this Nation that if any uncomfortable Passion could betide a Saint in Heaven it would be that he had spent his time no better nor had done God more service here And therefore the pious and renowned Vsher cryed out on his Death-bed Lord pardon my omissions But as the review of our time well spent and imployed will be exceeding comfortable to us at our dying hour so the contrary must needs be exceeding cutting O how do people wish then they had spent their time Which of these two accounts do you think will then be most comfortable Item so much of my time spent in Ale-houses Taverns in idle company in pleasures and pastimes in foolish mirth and jollity c. or so much of my time spent in fervent prayer to God and praising of him so much in hearing his word in meditation in self-examination in pious discourse c. 'T is hardly possible for voluptuous persons who have their minds filled with vanity pleasure to imagine what a different sense they will have of things when they come to dye from what they have now and how precious that time will then appear to them which they made so little account of before They will then begin to see their folly as they say Moles have their eyes opened just before they die And as Hagar sat down and wept when her water was spent Gen. 21.15 So these people will then weep and howl when their time is gone and can never be recalled And so much for the direction as to the manner how we should redeem time 6. I come now in the last place to shew who are the Persons that should especially be perswaded to the practice of this duty 1. Those that are young They should take heed of Satans grand delusion who will perswade them if he can that 't is too soon for them as yet to think of improving their time and if they should do so now they will lose their prime time of pleasure But I shall refer them to my directions to the young in my book of knowledge and practice for the answering such suggestions They should consider how many great advantages will accrue to them if they now improve their time well Hereby they will prevent many sins and sorrows hereby they will come to some eminency of knowledge grace and spiritual experience hereby they will do God more service in their lives and their joyes and comforts will be greater when they come to be old and their death will be more comfortable and their reward in Heaven much greater 2. Those who have lost much time before If a traveller hath loitered in the morning he had need spur up and ride hard in the remaining part of the day lest the night overtake him and so disable him from accomplishing his journey They that have lost much precious time in the former part of their life had need use double diligence in well improving of it afterwards 3. The sick and aged They ought to look upon their Sun as setting and their glass as almost run out And therefore if ever they will bestir themselves to secure to themselves a happy eternity they must do it now 4. Those that at present enjoy more then ordinary Spiritual helps and advantages for the good of their souls or such opportunities as they have not before met with As when God casts them into a good Family or vouchsafes to them the help of some faithful Minister or the example of some exemplary Christians whose help they had not before Those to whom God vouchsafes such advantages should especially be careful to improve them remembring that opportunity is the quintescence of time A man may have a great deal of time and yet but few opportunities to effect an important business and 't is the character of a wise man to make a right improvement of the opportunities vouch-safed to him 5. Those that are in any office of Magistracy or Ministry whereby they have an especial opportunity of doing good to many They should be very careful to improve this season for it will not alwayes last If therefore thou art a Magistrate consider thou hast now a great opportunity to encourage Piety Vertue and Honesty and to beat down Sin Vice and Wickedness Do what thou canst for God while thy Magistracy lasts If thou art a Minister Preach the word faithfully in season and out of season Exhort Reprove Rebuke with all long-suffering and patience strive to win as many souls to Christ as thou canst Thou knowest not how soon thy mouth may be stopped And I may make the like address to others also If thou art rich distribute and communicate to the poor whilst thou hast an estate possibly it may be taken from thee and then thou canst not do it If thou art a Parent or a Master of a Family do good to the souls of those under thy care while thou hast time Remember that both thy life and their lives are uncertain and thou knowest not how long thâ—u mayest have opportunity to do it 6. The Ignorant They that have been hitherto ignorant should consider they must get knowledge if they intend to be saved for without the knowledge of the main fundamental Principles of the Christian Religion how is it possible they should be good Christians or know what God requires of them in order to their Salvation 7. Those that have been lately recovered from any dangerous sickness They should remember that God has renewed the lease of their life which possibly both themselves and their friends thought expiring They should remember the resolutions and promises which they then made to God and possibly to others in their sickness It is said of the Mariners that were in the Ship out of which Jonah was cast that when the Sea ceased from raging and all was safe that the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a Sacrifice to the Lord and made vows Jonah 1.16 Observe they made vows after their deliverance Many make vows in their danger that are little careful to perform them when the danger is over But let all those that love their Souls be careful to perform the vows they made to God in their sicknesses and distresses And so much of this last particular namely the persons who ought especially to be perswaded to the practice of this duty FINIS