these two things 1. First it receiv's the way of this life into the soul which is the putting away of guilt and curs which Adam's sin contracted and that is pardon forgiveness Secondly it receiv's therewith and at once the actual and reall properties and nature of God to inhere and dwell in the soul Now the spirit of Regeneration by this promise work 's three distinct Acts and steps in the soul First Conception Secondly Quickning Thirdly Birth By conception I mean the least step to this life by which the soul retain's and keep 's this seed of life suffer's it not to pass away and bee spilt as in hypocrites but digest's and hold's the promise to it self till it have bred its longings after this life Conceptions provoke longings of the appetite lusting after a kinde of alteration of spiritual appetite and a desire after this life This is that Esay meane's Cap. 55. 4. Incline your hearts and hearken unto mee That is Bee so affected with this promise of life that yee do incline toward it and make to it that yee walk in God's way appointed to bring you to it Bee affected seriously with the excellencie of this life and the happie change which God offer 's you that your souls do diligently ensue it in the means That it stirr's the soul to mourn for so long liveing a dead life and resisting the offer 's of life and resting in a shew of a fals conception It doth long after this exceeding great priveledg to bee partaker of the nature and life of God It use's all means which God hath appaointed with all earnestness of soul restless till it obtain it The second work is the quickning power of the Spirit of promise whereby the Lord infuseth this life of God into the Soul which is nothing els save the soul 's breaking through the manifold struglings and strifes which self and unbelief do work within her self doth obey the voice and command of the promise that so it may live The third work of the Spirit is the birth of this speritual life When the Soul com's out of the womb into the light that is discover's her self to be alive and apprehend's as I may say her own life and that God hath begotten her to himself which is the highest step and decree of life which is bred in her The poor soul haveing received the life of God into her by her weak and poor faith scarce felt and perceived yet by the secret power of the Spirit growe's from degree to degree That although shee hath no other life at the birth than in the quickning Yet this life is more apparent and sensible every day then other till at last the Spirit fall in travel and bring forth Christ formed in the Soul so that the soul appear's to herself and to others to live and to believ becaus now shee is in the light perfected and brought forth So that appear's in the operations and works of the new Creature Vse I. Let it bee a terror to all such as being void of this life of God as unregenerate ones are Eph. 4 yet walk as alive merrie and jollie in the death of their corruption Thus was Paul Rom. 7. alive to sin ere the Law came and who but hee till the killing letter came and slew him and made him pull in his horns To all Counterfeits who adorn their dead carcasses with the ornaments of religion Duties of life and worship of God they will bee full of but the life of duties faith to apprehend the Lord Jesus for restoring of themselvs to the life of duties and of obedience they care not for Oh! rest not in any iuferior base life when the Lord offer 's thee true spiritual life Abhor all fals colors of life duties and performances when there is no substance Vse II. Learn here the price of faith It 's that whereby the soul live's here the life of God a life better then a Princes without it Vse III. Pray for the Spirit of the Lord Jesus his Resurrection by which the soul is regenerated to his new birth 1 Pet. 1. 5. and never lin till by the Word and Baptism hee hath inspired thy soul with this life of Regeneration Vse IV. Trie thy self about this birth and bee not cozened by Satan Bee content to resign up the best hopes thou hast of life heer so that the Lord would give thee sound marks of true life True life is a life of hope of Eternal life yea lively hope it rejoiceth under the hope of it It is a clensing life and purifie's the soul It is a noble precious life and will not pollute it self with dead carrion It is a waitting patient life under crosses because the upshot of it is hid with Christ in God IV. Is Justification which is contrarie to the state of guilt and curs by sin And by this benefit the soul obtain's an estate of quietness and peace towards God And that by a cleering and acquitting her at his Tribunal as if shee had never offended fully and perfectly Which I add for a difference between justificaton and sanctification the former is an whole purging us from all our sins as Saint John Ep. 1. Cap. 1. 7. speak's The other a purging us in part of which read Heb. 9. 14. For purging is from guilt and curs and that must bee perfect by imputation for els how should sinful flesh stand before a perfect God The latter is from the Dominion and Rule of it which in this life is imperfect The issue and effect of justification is peace and quiet of soul a most peculiar blessing contrarie to those garboils and horrors which the conscience felt being under wrath as also to that rotten peace which the unconvinced conscience walked with through error Either one or other of these is the estate of all injustified ones Hence the holie Ghost never cease's to magnifie this benefit as Esay 57. I create the fruit of the lips peace to him that is neer and afar off It 's a work onely belonging to God and above the first Creation for heer peace is made of a contrarie even war The Lord is the onely former of the conscience and therefore it 's a work equal to God's power to create peace in it and to restore it being lost is far greater hee was anointed Esay 61. to that purpose to preach glad tideiugs of peace Rom. 10. 15. to the meek For look how one sufficient witness in a Court may by his verdict settle a man's whole estate upon him and recover his right So the Lord Jesus by his blood bear's witness that our sin and curs is gone settleing Pardon and Salvation upon us decideing the question and making peace And in this sens wee read Heb. 12. That the blood of the Covenant speak's better things then the blood of Abel That cried in Cain's conscience nothing save revenge and horror but this crieth peace The like is that which I Pet. 3. 20.
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
Passive Obedience His Passive Obedience is his whole humiliation both in the abasement and sufferings of his whole life through the which hee was one smitten of God and humbled yea a man of sorrows and especially that one main suffering upon the cross whereby hee emptied himself most thorowly and yeelded himself a sacrifice most freely to the wrath of his Father by his death that thereby sin with all her penalties inward outward and eternal with that power which the law and all enemies hell and death had thereby over us might bee abolished justice appeased and righteousness and life obtained Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 13 24. 1 Pet. 1. 19. The Passive Obedience stand's in two things 1. The Preparation thereunto 2. The Passion it self 1. The Preparation stood in two things partly the condition hee undertook partly the antecedent suffering of his life For the first it was a willing putting of his neck into the collar of subjection emptying himself of his glorie so far as being the Lord of all to com into the fashion of a servant in which respect hee refused no tearms but despised all shame Phil. 2. 4 5 6. Heb. 12. 2. 3. 2ly Haveing subjected himself to bee a meet object of suffering and sorrow hee became indeed a man of sorrowes through his whole life and therefore hee concealed his glorie further than it made for the discharge of his office of Mediator as a Prophet or a King for then hee step't out of his baseness See Matth. 21. 12. Luke 13. 32. 2. The Passion it self considered two waies 1. In the Parts of it 2. In the moderation of it For the Parts first hee endured the forsaking of his dearest disciples taken by his own servant Judas to suffer intolerable indignities c. Secondly to bee put to the shameful death of the Cross Thirdly to these add the greatest of all both in the Garden and upon the Cross the most bitter cup of wrath which hee drank from the hand of his Father which made him in an agonie to sweat drops of blood and to pray that that cup might pass from him and to crie out My God why hast thou forsaken mee The Moderation of it appeared in this that in all this abasement yet that measure was imposed and no more which suited to the dignitie of the person suffering and to such an one as by suffering merited and could not bee overcom by suffering Hence it was that wee had intermission of all his agonies and fears c. Vse I. The doctrine whereof may affoard us a sweet meditation concerning the excellencie of the grace of the gospel purchased by this satisfaction which will appear by a comparison of the Work of Creation with the Work of Redemption The former was a solemn work when the eternal Word made man according to his own image But when the same eternal Word create's man the second time a few words will not serv but God himself must emptie himself of his fulness and glorie No other price will serv turn but the Actual fulfilling all righteousness and the shedding of his heart-blood At this work not onely men but Angels stand and wonder Oh! that the view of this might ravish our souls with the worth of grace to say The least dram of Grace is more worth then the whole work of Nature If the breath of Creation were such a thing what is Regeneration that cost not a breath but so great a Workmanship of this Active and Passive satisfaction Vse II. Let us abhor the conceit of such Sectaries as imagine there was no necessitie at all of any such price-paying to justice it 's an horrible derogation to Scripture and to the wisdom of God and savoreth of a prophane and audacious spirit rather let it present to us the hideous nature of sin and justice if sin in our selvs will not break our hearts let it break them in the view of Christ broken by them Oh! unspeakable love to be willing to bee pierced by murderers that they might escape to say Oh Father here is the suretie lay no debt or punishment on these debtors I have taken all upon mee if thou wilt needs have the uttermost powr out thy wrath upon him that can satisfie not upon them that cannot trie whether there bee any drop of mourning in thee by this due sight of sin and justice and say O Lord if I were left to bee my own satisfier if thou shouldest have said to Christ as once to Moses Them that sin against mee I will punish of thee I will require nothing oh how terrible had our condition been Vse III. Let this Doctrine consute First all Sectaries who teach that Christ had no guilt cast upon him by justice that Christ suffred nothing in his soul from God's Wrath. Let us abhor such novelties and know if Christ suffred no more the the malice of man there remaineih a necessitie of a second suffering for us from justice Let us beware while wee go about to mince and lessen the sufferings of Christ wee dstroy the truth of a Mediator and bereav the soul of that which should uphold her conflict with justice Secondly Let it teach us to abhor the opinion of those Lutherans who teach that wee must bee possessed wtth the verie self-same righteousness wherewith Christ obeyed and suffered and this they imagine to bee the matter of our justification and that els God cannot in justice acquit us But thus they make Christ serv for no other ends but to make us becom our own Mediator and to destroy his own Thirdly it confute's those Sectaries who affirm God seeeth no sin in any of his if hee have once imputed Christ's righteousness to them This error arise's from not-distinguishing these two Imputation of perfect righteousness and perfect imputeing or accepting of imputed righteousness No man is justified without the former but our faith failing in the acceptance must needs bee looked on by God I confess hee see 's no sin but hee pardon 's it to his in Christ upon faith and repentance but hee punishe's it for their good in mercie Again what if wee grant God see 's no sin in them in respect of their justification Is therefore their Sanctification perfect Why then did David's Adulterie displeas the Lord or why do wee pray forgive us our Debts or why saith our Savior say When all is don yee are unprofitable Fourthly it confute's all such as cut off the active obedience of Christ from the satisfaction as they cut the garments of David's servants by the middle It may bee granted them that the passive is the more immediate consummation of the satisfaction but to exclude the active is most audacious Vse IV. To teach all God's people to abhor the slaverie of hypocrites who if they could shun Hell would never care for Rightousness God's people although they could sin unseen and unpunished yet would loath it They take as deep thought for God as for their own
any is in us The third thing is the instrument by which Union is begot in the soul and that is on our parts faith on the Lord's part the Spirit of life in Christ conveied by the promise and baptism The fourth thing is the effect of this Union even in habiting and dwelling of the Spirit in that soul which is becom one with himself so that now God in Christ by the Spirit is that to the soul which before her lusts were all in all Lord and King light and defence heaven and happiness Vse I. It is a terror to all hang-byes and time-servers who have it at their tongues end they are Gods and they bee saved how few soever they are But they cannot proov it by any ingrafting or union The old stock appear's in them no planting into a new no life of grace no Chirst to bee theirs no bringging to God by his flesh and the union of it to God no promise to fasten upon by which they may com no Spirit of God to bee between them and to unite both as the spirits Knit the bodie and soul in one Vse II. All you that will needs claim it by union Trie your selvs about it if yee bee united to God then hath the Lord chased you from your wandring vagaries and old haunts and brought you back like the prodigal Vse III. It 's use of thankfulss and comfort to all God's people 1. Of thanks for who art thou that the Lord should thus unite himself to such a lump of earth and sin Secondly comfort against all thy bad inmates and lusts which disquiet thee and make thee rather a Stie of uncleanness rather then an Hous of God Bee of good cheer the Lord esteem's thee not by these necessarie inmates but by the voluntarie Keep out them and the Lord will look upon his pearls not thy dung-hill Vse IV. It is to teach us both what dignitie and what dutie lie's upon God's people in this respect of their union The dignitie must needs bee great to bee one with God for by this means all his and our things are common hee suffer's in and with us in all our crosses Hee is honored or reproached in all our obedience or disobedience wee stand not nor fall to our selvs but to him Secondly it 's to teach us our dutie viz. To bee sensible of this union continually wheresoever wee becom A wife that honor 's her husband will so carrie her self that her husband may not bee impeached by any unseemly carriage idle looks speeches or liberties shee look's at his credit whose shee is Such a narrow eie should this union with the Lord work in us That his honor and name should bee the mark wee shoot at and look what wee think would jarr with his affections trench upon his glorie that wee should cut off III Regeneration The order of Gods working whereof is this First the word present's to the soul her loss of God not in a few beams or raies of his but his whole divine nature life and beeing Secondly it present's hereby the succession of miserie upon this loss and that most deserved all the curses wooes and penalties written in the law are written also and engraven by the finger of God's convinceing Spirit upon this person as a book written all over within and without Thirdly the Lord present's this soul with her fearful condition in this respect viz. that dangerous eas and quiet which the deluded soul lie's in in the midst of all this privation of God A most miserable spectacle to behold a creature miserable and yet thinking it self posse'st of all rich cloathed and furnish't with all necessaries Fourthly where the Lord will regenerate to a new life hee bring 's the soul to the sens of her lofs by the light of his law shineing as in a dark place as the light in the morning discover's to a man robbed in the night of his treasure at once what a case hee is left in and sease's it with a spirit of miserie and beggerie really ignorant now what to do wringing his hands and saying What shall becom of mee how shal I live and pass my life how shall I avoid the pinch of beggerie the shame of an undon man and the sorrowes that will ensue I say when once the Lord saveingly work 's this for els it may vanish hee doth in season present the soul with the newes of second life to prevent utter sinkeing and staie's the heart thereby Hee shewe's it that as lost and forlorn as shee is yet there is a way to restore her to her former integritie again Now as touching this way the Lord 1. First enlighten's the Soul in it 2. Secondly applie's and fasten's it upon the same 1. Hee enlighten's it in two kindes First about the Order of this way Secondly about the way it self Touching the Order of it hee tell 's her that forasmuch as shee once had this image of God creäted in her and hath wilfully lost it therefore before hee can restore her to it the second time his justice which is wronged by her sin and hath justly accursed her for it must first bee satisfied and the soul must apprehend this satisfaction to herself as her own and by this means her guiltiness and curs must bee washed off and removed out of his way For otherwise how can hee and the corrupt soul bee brought together What communion can there bee between sin and pureness Secondly Hee enlighten's the soul in the way it self To wit that in his wisdom and love hee hath granted his own Son true God and the nature which was offended to suffer the imputation of guilt and the death which it procureth in the nature and for the nature of guiltie man and by this suffering hee satisfied justice to the full so that hereby the way which sin had shut up might stand and lie open for the restoring of the poor lost soul to her former nature and life of God again Haveing thus enlightned the soul about this way hee then applie's it to the soul And that by a second and closer work of his grace For first hee applie's this work of Regeneration by the instrument of his word and promise which is as a seed of Regeneration cast into the womb of the soul by hearing it preached As Saint James saith Of his good will begate hee us by his word of truth This word carrieth with it a forming power of the second birth even a creating of God in the soul again Secondly the efficient caus is the Spirit of Regeneration taking this word and casting it into the soul and there hatching and cherishing the same till it have formed Christ therein who is the second Adam the true way and life that quickning Spirit And thirdly hee effect's this in the soul by the power of Faith which receiv's this seed of the word and this quickning of the spirit and possesseth the soul therewith Onely note this that Faith doth
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
contrarietie of Spirit unto it Jo. 14. 4. and 5. 14. Psal 5. 15. Rom. 7. 23. propension to any sin and unaptness to any good 2. So for the penalties a seed of utter impenitâ—nciâ— disobedience obstinacie apostasie excommunication from God From this fountain proceeded both actual sins and actual penaltiâ—s Sins of commission omission ignorance presumption inward habits as hypocrisie earthliness ignorance error prophaneness unthankfulness hardness of heart Outward acts impiousness unrighteousness intemperancie and the like So penalties actual as the impuritie and curs of conception and birth the loss of the right and dominion of the creatures the curs on God's blessings hellish terrors diseases povertie discredit imprisonment fear of death guiltiness of judgment and utter miserie of loss and sens in hell Such a penaltie upon Adam's nature as made it truly miserable in stead of beeing truly happie This miserie hath two branches 1. The miserie of sin 2. The miserie of punishment 1. Miserie of sin is either of the root Original or the branches Actual sin both makeing the Soul truly though not equally miserable The miserie of Original sin standeth in two things 1. Original guilt 2. Original stain or pollution both being the fountains of all actual guilt and pollution of conscience Original guilt is that privitie and reflection of conscience whereby hee told himself continnally that hee had fallen and therefore must die the death in each kinde of it bodie and Soul This perpetual Alarum of conscience in his nature was the first part of his finfull miserie And to say the truth what miserie is like to this to bee ever on the rack of a man 's own spirit suggesting and boading him sad things to com for his sin threatning him with perpetual ruine Original stain or pollution is set forth either in the whole or in the parts Touching the whole the holy Ghost expresseth it by the word Death for as death is the resolution of nature so is this death of the Soul a total abolishment and corruption of that blessed frame of creätion in Minde by light in Will by holiness Touching the parts in the minde there is a death of all pure light and knowledg in the will of subjection in the affections of direction to the right objects in the conscience of all welfare and pureness in the spirits senses and members there is a death of that abilitie and serviceableness to the Soul in good things and a proneness and tickling to bee imploied profanely and unholily To conclude there is a death of the Person in respect of that right and sovereigntie over the creatures with a slavish proneness rather to idolize them both in the worship of som and the love or use of others a declenfion from God and a revolt to the base creature as Eve did to the forbidden fruit The miserie of Actual sin is the depravedness of death of all the operations flowing from the soul within or the bodie without 11. The miserie of punishment stand's in the manifold penalties both of soul and bodie In the Soul first an aversness from God an uncapableness of admitting of any meanes to draw the Soul out of miserie to any better estate a spirit of resisting and opposition to any such a proneness to bee riveted more and more deeply into this wo with less or less feeling or believing it Touching the bodie what languors and diseases are incident to it what povertie baseness beggerie and want to the estate what reproach to the name and credit aspersions slanders dishonors what miserie in familie Church and Common-wealth Crosses streights pursuits losses forfeits death of friends imprisonment bad tideings famin war pestilence and a thousand waies for him to go wofullie out who came but one way into the World besides grief of minde melancholie passions and distempers of the spirit bad conscience ill marriage lewd children ill success ruine of estate and at last a miserable death and yet the upshot of all is worst after viz. a final separation from GOD and loss of his eternal presence with the sens of unutterable intolerable unavoidable wrath of God in Hell upon the whole man for ever without the least hope of help or redress in or from himself Vse I. To consute the Papists who denie this death of nature and say there bee left in the unregenerate such abilities and devotions as may congruously dispose God to pardon them and by som help of grace merit also full forgiveness It likewise reprov's natural Papilts who doat upon their civil moral or religious duties except yee also denie your selvs and behold the miseries of your natures yee will fare wors in time even by your righteousness then if ye had none For why do not ye graff upon a rotten stock and guild a rotten post So also such as commend men's natures saying oh such are so sweetly natur'd courteous loving milde and harmless that there is but little between them and heaven alas how many of those sweet creatures are as bitter enemies to God's grace as friends to civilitie and fair carriage And also such as defend their passions by their nature saying it 's my nature to bee so hot I have soon don fool think'st thou thy nature is more excusable then thy passion Men think the Minister should onely reproov gross sins but should not bee bitter against infirmities oh God would fain draw thee from the open to the secret sins of thy heart least thy freedom from the gorsser should destroy thee Vse II. This should caus thee to look upward and to gage the greatness of Christ's love which could sinde in his heart to satisfie for such a miserie to fetch happiness out of the depth of it The height depth of mercie cannot bee sounded till thou take measure of it by the depth of miserie Little sin to forgive will make Christ little loved Lett us not lessen and mince our sins in hope of more easie pardon but if wee should magnifie the grace of Christ lett us first magnifie and enlarge our sin to the uttermost if Christ see that wee rather hope in our small sin then his great grace wee are dead men The way to get pardon is to equal his price to all our miserie That love that would rather satisfie for all then any should condemn mee is of infinite dimensions Vse III. This should caus us to wonder at the goodness of Gods dispensation of this miserie that both in the sin and in the penaltie it should bee so mitigated by the providence of that God who for universal ends restraineth the force and violence of this miserie Let us acknowledg the singular patience of God to dispens so mercifully with man all save hell being meer indulgence of mercie Vse IV. It teacheth us to judg aright of sin to count our selvs miserable by it to judg of it not by the matter or act of it but by the villanie of it against the majestie of God his crown and
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
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
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
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
wel-fare Shall a beleever rest in his pardon more then in the righteousness of God which may make them accepted and beloved No the Liverie they wear is The Lord our Rightousness Vse V. Let this rais the price of the Lord Jusus's love in the hearts of all his children the more cost the more love Vse VI. How should it teach us to abhor all enemies of the Cross Vse VII If this death of the Lord Jesus bee our satisfaction and the freedom from sin and curs our pardon peace and heaven where is the dwelling of our hearts upon it the delight of our souls in it how is it that each base shadow of joy can affect us when this cannot if our hope were here onely in Christ of all others wee were most miserable Nothing here can keep thee from miserie what is then thy happiness This satisfaction onely Let it bee all in all to thee the seasoning of thy blessings supplie of all wants Vse VIII Especially let the chief stream of this point's use bee this First to all Ministers to teach it and the people to applie it to themselvs in all their fears yea the greatest agonie yea death it self Whatsoever thou foregoest hold this Stand with open face and hold this mirror to poor finners that they may behold the LORD our Righteousness Secondly to all People Consider yee who have truly felt that Serpent of the Law sting yee mortally in the other part com applie the remedie in this look upon this brazen Serpent and live and first I say feel the strength Secondly take hold of it and make peace for the former Know without a promise from God there is no peace unto you and promise there can bee none without satisfaction This is the strength of an offer and a promise Anger abide's in God without this price and thou art but as the bush and drie stubble before it Bee assured then no promise speak's to thy soul and to thy heart except it hath this strength of Christ in whom each one is Yea and Amen Hence com's all wrath to bee turned into love and this will make God willing to offer and faithful to perform els not That bottomless depth of mercie in thy Judg and Enemie cannot bee gaged without this bucket by this thou maiest reach it Again as this is sufficient strenth so it is that onely which can redeem thee Hee redeemed us not with pearls but with the precious blood of the Lamb Wilt thou go to thy duties performances grace Alas they have no blood of expiation in them all these will say satisfaction is not in mee where then surely here onely Vse IX If so abandon all and cling to this onely Take hold of this sufficient and onely sufficient strength as the Prophet bid's thee Whatever enemie pursue thee at the heels this is thy refuge that here thou maiest have strong consolation in all fears against all enemies fearest thou the sins of thy youth or age The Lord Jesus was conceived in the Womb that the infant Elect which never saw light migt bee saved by him Youth notwithstanding her disobediene age for all her rebellion might bee forgiven Do thy moral sins of murther stealth uncleanness swearing distress thee This Lord Jesus fulfilled all righteousness for thee Do thy spiritual wickednesses oprress thee an unbelieving secure hard heart by the contempt of the gospel The Lord Jesus suffered the powring out of his blood to break the heart of those that pierced him upon the Cross Art thou poor Thy satisfier was so Rich Hee was the Lord of all Are thy sins great Hee died for Noah's drunkenness Lot's incests David's adulterie Small Lo even thy least vain word cost him his life-blood But perhaps not som sins but perhaps sin it self and the bodie of death trouble 's thee Hee was made sin that knew none Oh! then whatsoever sin can say yet go on to the throne of grace as Heb. 4. 16. and look to finde mercie in time of need Doth the Divell gates of Hell Conscience or the Justice of GOD threaten thee They cannot save for sin if they do thy conscience hath her answer to God against all And so plead this thy pardon to the Lord. Say thus Oh Father even thou cuttest off thy plea in giving this price in accepting it in offring of it to mee J Lord am here before thee pinched and damned by my sin if thou doest reckon it to mee Oh! Lord I put this blessed price beetween mee and wrath Lord have no power to denie it mee Even I if I were left with an Orphan's estate could not keep it from him Lord I am fatherless my orphan's stock is in thy keeping thou took'st it to bestow it Lord let my Soul have strong consolation in her seeking refuge to thee becaus this price warrant 's mee VI. Branch The Conquest of Christ Hee overcame all enemies rose again from the dead and gave a full beeing to the merit of his satisfaction Conceiv of it in three estates of Christ 1. Before his death Though the Lord Jesus was not exempt from mortalitie and infirmitie but subject to all through our sin yet hee conquered in suffering for he endured no more then himself pleased 2. At his death Although our Mediator must needs drink that cup which his Father gave him yet hee was a conqueror then too and above any enemy 3. After death when they had got his dead bodie into the grave hee resumed his bodie and soul again and gave them another blow wors then all hee rose again conquered their malice never more to bee conquered to die no more Act. 2. 24. Rom. 1. 3. Vse I. This inform's us of the assurance which a poor soul under a condition of grace may take to it self in pleading her part in this satisfaction For by his conquest hee sent his Church into a lively possession of all his merits Let us therefore com with the assurance of faith to the throne of grace Heb. 10. 22. saying Lord give the poor needing servant the fruit of the Lord Jesus his obedience the power of his conquest the full efficacie of his redemption Oh let us not want the strength of this perswasion but press it and say Lord I com to thee in the merit of a Christ not dead but alive a Conqueror that made good to mee all his sufferings by his victorie and gave all his enemies a dead blow when they looked all to have overthrown him Vse II. Sundrie consolations Touching Faith how many are the fears that a poor soul hath that shee shall never bee able to believ Within herself what weakness forgetfulness melancholy guilt of conscience through corruption and dead heart slavish and fearful presumptuous hardned by the deceit of sin unworthiness neglect of the season of grace this bodie of death opposing all savor of goodness and so even death of bodie make 's them afraid they may die ere they believ So without them what temptations against
God and they Scriptures what enemies have they to darken and dull them their sences understandings and heart what enemies of the wicked have they without them III Husbands Wives to dismay them telling them that they cannot bee assured in this life of their salvation How do enemies affright them with malice threats big-looks disclain and scorn putting them in fear they shall never escape out of their claws In this varietie of affliction what is there to sustain them What is it which teacheth to kiss the rod take up their cross and bear the indignation of the Lord till hee plead their caus and bring forth their light Surely the strength of their Captain and Conqueror the Lord JESUS who hath told them In the world they shall have affliction but bee of good comfort I have overcom the world It 's hee that tell 's them till God's season of their suffering bee com so much so long and that very cross God hath ordeined for them no enemie shall do them hurt And when they do hee will make it tolerable and easie unto them do them good for their sakes that hurt them But above all they are made Conquerors and their chin is kept above water they fight under hope of victorie and say with the Church Micah 7. 8. Rejoice not over mee Oh mine enemie for when I am down I shall rise and when thou art fallen thy wound shall bee incurable Lastly it comfort 's them by faith in the conquest of our Lord Jesus against the power of death and the grave For as it was with their head hee could not bee held in it so with them their flesh rest's in hope of that triumph This conquest make's us happie in all our miserie For why Even by that verie death which is the last enemie and the gate of utter miserie to the wicked the Lord open's a door of full and final redemption to the faithful Their lowest ebb is the next step to the highest tide of their soul's happiness and final freedom from all sin sorrow and enemies Wee shall bee as much out of Gun-shot of them as the Lord Jesus himself was after his Conquest VII Branch Applying of Christ's Merit The Applying work of Christ's merit is that solemn part of his Mediation for the sake whereof hee forsook the earth and was exalted above all principalities and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father that by his intercession alwaies made for his Church hee might applie to all the members the power of this satsfaction that it might work faith in those that want it and confirm it in those that have it Therefore hee is called Advocate that the Church may enjoy the fruit of his death continually And as the ends hereof are many to wit to present the prayers of his people unto God to hold them close to his Father and keep them in his love to cover their dailie offences and continue their justification and acceptance to unite them one to another and to protect them from enemies so especially to bless the Ministerie of the Gospel for the breeding Faith in the souls of the Elect by the preaching of this his Blood and Death So that when wee see the prevailing power of the Word and Sacraments in the weak ministerie of flesh what shall wee asscribe unto it but the power of this applying work of our Advocate who convey's favor of life of brokenness of heart faith and regeneration thereby into the souls of his and in this respect hee is the key of his Fathers bosom and fountain to unlock and set it open beeing sealed before for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in Vse I. As it is singular for all uses to the Church in general and all the lively members thereof in all concernments of it whatsoever as acceptance of their praiers beeing perfumed with the sweet incens thereof protection of their persons safeguard against enemies sustentation of their souls in grace perseverance and the like so especially seeing by the blood of Jesus wee have a liveing way made unto us by his flesh let us draw neer with a pure heart in assurance of faith Oh! it should bee as a wel-spring of salvation for everie drie soul to com unto even in the greatest barrenness deadness and fear of heart that the merit of Christ should not belong unto it Therefore go not to the Word and Sacraments any more with a dead and sad heart as if there were nothing in them save an out-side of man's voice and efficacie to perswade behold Christ in them who by his applying power convey's into them strength savor persuasion and grace that his poor people may not hear his Word as a dead letter or receiv the Seals as dumb elements but as divine ordinances assisted with the Spirit of Christ and therefore able to breed faith in the soul and truly to carrie it into the stream of his satiafaction Deceiv not thy self in the condition of faith and assure thy self the Lord Jesus will give thee both meat and appetite the object of his righteousness and faith to believ it also Vse II. Let us bee exhorted to denie our own strength conceits hopes or fears and and as oft as wee go to the Word remember it is a word of reconciliation Vse III. Let all the faithful Ministers of God comfort themselvs in their weakness and defects of preaching in the little success of their labors of woful hardness of heart in their people The Lord Jesus by his spirit of intercession hold's them as his candle-sticks in his right hand hand and hee will uphold gospel ministerie and the power of both in the mid'st of their enemies and although they bee never so furious yet Mic. 2. 7. his spirit shall not bee streightned but his word shall still bee good to such as walk uprightly ARTIC III. GOD'S imputation of the merits of CHRIST'S righteousness to a sinful Soul is the formal caus of our justification IMputation doth import such an act of GOD the Father satisfied as doth take this righteousness and reckon it to the needing Soul as her own although it bee inherent in another to cast upon it an estate of as full and perfect freedom and acceptance as if it had never sinned or had fully satisfied for look how he dealt with our Suretie hee made him sin for us that is imputed it to him as his so doth hee take his righteousness and count it ours that it might bee really ours indeed This doctine of imputation is expressed by divers phrases in the Scripture By the tearm of not-imputeing sin and imputeing righteousness hee intimate's in how many respects Christ hath holpen us to wit both to forgiveness in the one beeing made sin for us and to acceptation in the other by cloatheing us with his righteousness yet so as by both Active and Passive righteousness jointly not severally considered By imputeing righteousness and imputeing faith for righneousness is mean't one thing Not that faith in
still mai'st hear the word which is a favor for an Angel but that thou breathest in the aire or treadest upon the earth Thou objectest If thy hard heart were not so hideous upon thee thou couldst hope But I answer What hath caused it save thy self that wofull hardner which would get out of her fears by her own way and so hath dallied out the time and hardned thee But the promise tell 's thee if thou would'st trade with it thou should'st finde a contrarie effect Thou wilt say True if I were elected I might but I feel that I am not The promise will shew thee God's cords in thy dungeon and the robes which hee offer 's thee and will ask thee Dost thou not see mercie at the bottom At which end of the ladder would'st thou go up What hast thou to do with Election when the cords are so near thee or why would'st thou to heaven when the word is thy heart Thou wilt say Thou art most unworthie sinful and cursed and thy sin is ever before thee Yea it is so But why elsâ— should mercie offer it self save to the miserable Yea but then thou hast long continued a wretch and saped thy self in sin The promise will tell thee This objection from self-deceit as if thou might'st plead mercie if thy sins were smaller or thy self better whereas thy plea must bee the greatness of grace not the smalness of sin But my heart hath been hardned against mercie it self and dallied with it The promise will tell thee The Lord JESUS died for them that slew the Lord of life and for sins against the Gospel also Yea but thou saiest many have been converted since I began The Word will replie God hath all the hours in the day to work in if thou wilt attend him the eleventh as well as the seventh Thou wilt object If God had mean't mee good I should have felt it long since The Lord will tell thee so thou hast if thou wert not unthankful for it and rather delightest in descanting than believing Bee encouraged to hearken to the promise if thou would'st see all distempers drowned in the sea A second motive to believ may bee the heavie doom of unbelievers Their condemnation is of all others deservedly the fearfullest wors then the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar heat thrice hotter They had the Son of God in the mid'st of it with them therefore felt it not these contemn the Son of God they tread the blood of the Covenant under foot and count it a vain thing and count eternal life unworthy of them Therefore it shall consume them without consumption for ever If our Gospel bee hid it is so to them that perish The condemnation of the world is That they hated light that is not the light of the Law but of the Gospel the promise Hee that hath surfeited his bodie by intemperancie may die but hee that throw's the potion sent him the onely one which can cure him against the walls must needs die If they who despised Moses Law died how far greater judgment are those worthie of who sin and that finally against this Remedie can they resist the force of this Rock falling upon them and grindeing them to powder I deny not but even moral sins standing in relation to infidelitie either as causes Joh. 3. 19. or as effects 1 Tim 1. 13. are in themselvs damnable How much more unbelieving it self which make's them so Do not think this still stream is safe it 's the most deep and deadly gulf It oppose's the wisdom the counsel of God the depth of his riches of love the second love of mercie above the first creätion the providence of God's dispensation appointing this as the best way for redemption the direct way for the magnifyiug of his bottomless grace who could finde in his heart to love enmitie it felf and hate holiness in a sort that hee might love sinful enemies it resist's the omnipotent power of God in creäting man The second time of wors then nothing it disannul's his attributes his offer truth and faithfulness make 's God a lier chuse's a wors choice then Eve and Adam did hell before heaven and therefore deserv's to die that death which it hath chosen Oh! therefore judg of this sin by the spiritualness of it and prevent a treble hell by humble accepting and believing promise Lastly to conclude this doctrine should teach all God's people to keep their eies upon this Mirror of the Promise so closely till it transform them from glorie to glorie The least glimpse of mercie in the promise is glorious yet the Lord is not idle in his peoples hearts but that hee can reveal himself more clearly and gloriously to them day by day if they bee not in fault and lay barrs in his way For as the day from the dawning to noon-tide so the promise encreaseth in light where once the day-Star is risen The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith there is a spirit of the promise whereby God sealeth his people after they have once believed so that as Rom. 8. The Spirit fellow-witnesseth with us about our adoption our redemption our reconciliation all are ours wee are the Lord 's Many haveing got som flashes of hope by the Woâ—d rest there go no further wax waily wanton frothie thinking any of their own humors may well complie with the glad tidings of Heaven and so shake off their fears and turn grace into wantonness But if the true Spirit of the Promise were in them their Covenant would draw them to seek more assurance evidence and hold then before Therefore let us look to this work of the Spirit And to this end trie it by these few marks First such an heart growe's lower and lower in it self daily by how much grace growe's higher and the reproach of God in his fulness cause 's the soul to crie Depart from mee a sinful wretch It work 's not lightness Secondly such an heart hath much busied it self in and about the faithfulness of the promises that so the Lord may as by an earnest 2 Cor. 1. 22. give her his seal to assure her Thirdly shee feel's the priviledges accompanying pardon to bee hers and out-grow's her fears bondage doubts assaults temptations by the spirit of libertie peace joy thanks admiration c. Fourthly shee grow's in the seal of holiness as well as of assurance beeing more zealous fruitful upright hereby Fifthly shee covet's the use of Baptism appointed to seal her Sixthly shee grow's more real savorie setled more confident in praier and more lively in hope more readie to die more mortified in lusts more cheerfull and fruitful in communion of Saints THE THIRD PART ARTIC I. That hee who is in CHRIST is a new Creature THe Scripture expresseth this sundrie waies all tending to the same end all may bee reserred to these heads for either they look at the main principle of the Spirit of sanctification as when the tearms of renovation
new man new creature regeneration new birth are used or at the operation of this principle as when the tearms of repenting casting off the old man putting on the new purgeing forsakeing denying unrighteousness or lusts are used c. or els at som actual inward virtues as love fear obedience subjection and the like or at som outward performances as walking with God in all his commandements or departing from iniquitie or abhorring evil or cleaving to good ceasing to sin learning to do well or the like these all although in phrase differing yet in sens are all one and they import this That the Lord require's of all believers in Christ that their hearts bee renewed that they purge themselvs finish their sanctification fear him for his mercie walk with God order their conversaton aright all is one thing get one and get all but the holy Ghost doth include all in that golden sentence Hee that is in Christ is a new creature Four points here considerable 1. The Author of this regeneration or new creature the holy Ghost 2. The inward instrument of this author Faith 3. The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 4. The parts These four will proov the chief For as for the other which are taken for granted wee need not dwell much upon them to wit the seed whereof wee are begotten which is the Lord Jesus the immediate instrument used to beget the Word of God the seal by which the spirit assure's and convey's his Regeneration Baptism I. General The spirit of God is the Author of the new creature 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3 5 6. In this new creätion of nature and infusion of qualities the Spirit doth three works 1. By Perswadeing Hee draweth the soul to bee willing to take all Christ as hee is offered and to reject no part of him and succoreth the poor soul in her application of the offer and covenant of Peace 2. By Working The Spirit effect's that in the soul which the promise import's infuseing into her an habit of cleanliness and takeing away all her filthy rags 3. By Sealing The Spirit sealeth these to the Soul Matth. 3. 11. The Lord shall baptize with the holie Ghost and with fire What is that The verie divine gifts of Christ which as fire do purge and cleans our dross and bring forth our metal as pure and clean II. General The Inward instrument of this author Faith Faith saveing and effectual Act. 26. 8. Act. 13. 38. Rom. 5. 1. and 3. 25. Act. 15. both in regard of justification and sanctification Christ is not onely offered to the to bee for them in pardon but to bee in them to dwel to rule to command to exercise power over corruption and for government to bee as a soul in the bodie to act guide and bear sway in them as the branches in the Vine out of which they wither so that the promise offer 's Christ both for union of reconciliation and also communion and influence of grace Faith doth two things in the renewing of the soul First it work 's the heart to bee renewed by an argumentation See 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us becaus wee thus judg c. Mark faith judge's the matter aright and passeth a sound verdict upon it If Christ hath so loved us how should our souls earn towards him in all conformitie to his blessed nature Secondly by infusion shee is the tunnell of the Spirit to convey the renewing of the holy Ghost into the Soul III. General The subject wherein this regeneration is wrought the whole man 1 Thes 5. 23. viz. 1. Minde the renuing whereof is partly a pugeing of it from the corruption and penalties of it and chiefly a restitution of it to her integritie of light and soveraigntie 2. Will purgeing it from the sin and penalties of it and restoreing it to her integritie and subjection 3. Conscience clensing it from contagion and a restoreing of her to her integritie of faithfull record accuseing for evil and excuseing for good 4. The Bodie and members restoreing them to such integritie as that the senses do duly offer to the soul the objects of sens and the members becom faithful weapons of righteousness Howsoever the holy Ghost doth renew all yet the immediate and chief subject of his residence is the spirit of man IV. General The Parts which bee negative and affirmative the former a destroying of the old frame the later a setting up of the new which are the exercises of the inward graces of renovation Mortification and Vivification I. Concerning Mortification In general wee must conceiv that there is no principle nor yet seed of any in us to oppose corruption flesh lov's it self Satan doth not oppose himself It is the Lord Jesus who is this new man in the soul and who expelleth the old and his dominion In Particular This spirit of Christ mortifying worketh by steps in the soul and that 1. By knowledg of sin The soul conclude's it to bee a fearful thing which could rob the Lord Jesus of his life-blood 2. By power against it 3. By Subduing the remainder of corruption Sin shall not reign Yee are no more servants of sin Rom. 6. 6. 4. By the seal of Baptism Rom. 6. 3. Know yee not that as many as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death 5. By other ordinances viz. hearing praier watchfulness renewing of covenant c. 6. By the sweetness of Christ viz. liveing by faith and walking in uprightness It causeth that former base pleasure and sweet of sin to becom irksom Since the soul tasted Christ all other sinful pleasures becom like the book in the Prophet's bellie as wormwood 7. By applying Christ and his power against all sin in both parts both root and branches 8. By intercepting sins provision thereof Paul Rom. 13. ult oppose's these two putting on of Christ and takeing thought to make provision for our lusts 9. By remooving the strength of the Law The Law is called the strength of sin becaus of that itching and coveting propertie in sin to do that which is forbidden but the law in this point is made to a believer sweet and easie 10. By combat against sin Concerning Vivification As the death of Christ is the death of corruption so the life of Christ is a wel-spring of grace unto eternal life Vse I. If all believers bee new creatures what are those that are still old creatures and will take no other die such as boast they are no changelings are still the same men Secondly it is terror to revolters and returners to their old vomit and mire the later end of such is wors then the beginning Thirdly to hypocrites who still mask over the old man with a new cover of Christ but put not off the old Fourthly to prophane ones who think themselvs in verie good case if they can carrie their beloved lusts and corruptions closel and blear the eie of the