66. last Then we and all they shall see they were but in a fooles paradise and a deluding dreame 4. No peace No not with Gods creatures base or glorious these being ready prest to harme and hurt them if the Lord command or permit God being against them who can have peace with them Rom. 8. 31. 5. No peace Much lesse with the Lord For as Iehâ— could have no peace with Ioram so long as the whoredomes c. 2 Reg. 9. 22. What peace can they have with God so long as their impieties are so many As out of this society there is no peace so in this there is perfect peace Isa 26. 3. Peace they have with Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Rom. 5. 1. With glorious Angels these being their guard with good men Marc. 9. 50. Yea oft with enemies Prov. 16. 7. With heaven earth creatures crosses and their owne consciences What though they have afflictions in the world yet have they peace in Christ Ioh. 16. 33. And be it they not onely have trouble without but temptations within yet are they free from the force power and poyson of them which workes damnation in the wicked These things being so me thinkes all of you should use your best and utmost endeavours to have part and interest in this goodfellowship it being of all societies the sweetest surest most glorious most rich most joyfull and peacefull so that we may say of this as the Psalmist doth of the City of God Psal 8â— 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee O blessed society Yea such glorious wealth beauty victories prophesies presence promises and performances that being advisedly apprehended are of force to instigate and induce each soule enlivened by the Spirit of Grace to applaud with an holy admiration Psal 84. 1. this blissefull association and say How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord Christ Iesus To desire with earnest ardency wish for with unsatiable longings and say Psal 84. 2. My soule longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God and with the same sweet singing Psalmist magnifie the sumptuous magnificence of this assembly saying Blessed are they that dwell in this house Verse 4. One day in these courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a doorekeeper in this society then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Ver. 10. CHAP. V. Vse 4. Of Consolation to such who have fellowship with Christ. ALL you who are stubborne refractary and inexorable bedlam Belials who will not have this man raigne Vse 4. Consolation over you who will not be inoculated and inserted into this society of such ineffable glory unspeakable beauty and other inestimable transcendent excellencies stand by behold and view with admiration the glory and magnificence of this society and as Titus when he had seene the remainder of the Sanctum Sanctorum said Now I well perceive that this is none other then the house of God and the dwelling of the God of heaven Neither was it for nought that the Iewes stood so earnestly in the defence thereof For great is the glory of this Temple So when you have seene the splendent glory and transcendent beatitudes of this unparalel'd society do you speake out and say we well perceive that this connexion is no other then the communion with God the dwelling of the God of heaven neither is it for nought that such precise practising Protestants stand so earnestly in defence of it for great is the glory of this conjunction But do not presume to meddle with or lay hold upon it so as to apply it to your selves so long as you proceed in your exorbitant disorders This holy thing is not to be given to dogs these pearles are not to be cast before swine neither must any Cananite enter into this fellowship with the Lord Iesus But all you who already are annexed to and you who desire with unchangeable longings and laborious endeavours to conglutinate your selves to the Lord Iesus draw neare with attentive harkening That I may edge and keene your obtuse and blunt endeavours to cleave more closely to and pursue more eagerly this desireable society that I may hearten and incourage you against the many oppositions you are to encounter with in this your warring pilgrimage that I may make gladsome your soules and spirits I have words of comfort and consolation to speake unto you We have fellowship with Gods Sonne Iesus Christ and he is Wonderfull to save us Counsellour to advise us Mighty God to deliver us Everlasting Father to care and provide for us A Prince of peace to quiet our consciences and Governour for our defence Isa 9. 6. 1. Be it you are infirme and weake yet have you fellowship with Iesus Christ such a Child which will make you strong 2. Be it you are servants yet have you fellowship with Iesus Christ a Sonne to make and keepe you free 1. Are you confounded in conscience beholding the grim and ghastly lookes of your many bloudy and crimson sinnes formerly acted or intended Consolate your selves with this you have fellowship with him who is wonderfull to quiet all 2. Are you at your wits end being void of counsell Behold how you have fellowship with Christ Iesus a present Counsellour to advise and direct you 3. Are you feeble yea ready to despaire in regard of your inability and lack of strength to withstand the fierie darts and fierce assaults of Sathan that authour of evill to undergo the many great and grievous pressures of disgracefull ignominious reproches slaunderous calumniations and other malicious usages you meet with in this world animate your drooping and dismaid spirits with this you have fellowship with Christ a Mighty God so that you shal be able to do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you 4. Are you fearefull of death that dismall parter of soules and bodies Comfort your selves with this you have fellowship with Christ an everlasting Father who hath provided so graciously for you that your death is not a perishing but a parting for a time yea such that although there be a painefull parting betweene your soules and bodies yet there shal be a most gladsome and joyfull meeting 5. Are you afraid of Gods judgements Behold your fellowship with Gods Sonne the Prince of peace 6. Are you dismaid with any evill Consider how you have fellowship with him who is Governour of all for your defence Feare not therefore What Not God not his judgements not man not sinne I say not so 1. Gods judgements and threatnings are to be feared 2 Cor. 5. 11. Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord such who feared Gods judgements were comforted Isa 66. 5. Yea the very Aegyptians who feared the threats escaped them Exod. 9. 20. They are to be feared therefore although not so as to think to be overwhelmed by them or that God doth not love us 2. Man is to be feared although not simply for himselfe
For truly our fellowship is with the father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ CHAP. II. Doct. 3. Saints have fellowship with the Father Doct. 3 AS the Saints have fellowship one with another so have they also communion with the Lord of glory or with the father our fellowship with the Father Ioh. 14. 23. We will make our abode with him 1 Cor. 14. 25. That God is in you 1 Ioh 4. 12. 13. If we God dwelleth in us we dwell in him and he in us ver 16. dwelleth in God and God in him Reason 1 Those who are link'd unto the Lord in the nearest and most intimate ties and bonds of society have fellowship with the Lord of glory or the Father But all the Saints of God are link'd unto the Lord in the nearest and most intimate ties of society Therefore The latter proposition I make evident thus Those who are link'd unto the Lord in the ties of servants which are the greatest favourites of friends who are best beloved are link'd to the Lord in the most intimate ties of society But al the saints of God are link'd unto the Lord in the tie of 1. Servants which are the greatest favourites The Lord is pleased to grace them with this title of being his servants Isa 44. 1 2. Iacob my servant Iob 1. 8 my servant Iob Num. 12. 7. my servant Moses is not so Let none object and say Is it any honour to be a servant for it 's a title of the greatest dignity to be stiled Gods servant Or if so is there sociall communion betwixt Master and Servant For there is intimate society betwixt Masters and beloved favourites though servants Witnesse the sociable association of Ionathan and David 1. Sam. 20. yet was David his servant ver 7 8. Witnesse the friendly fellowship twixt David and Hushai â— Sam. 15. 37. 16 17. yet was he his servant 15. â—4 16. 19. and Witnesse these servants of God who are his greatest favorites Exod. 4. 23. Let my sonne goe that he may serve mee yea so deare and tender in his sight are they that he would not have the least hurt or violence offered to them Psal 105. 15. touch not mine annointed esteeming them his speciall treasure iewels Mal. 3. 17. and the apple of his eye Zach. 2. 8. 2. Friends Isa 47. 8. the seed of Abraham my friend 2. Chron. 20. 7. and gav'st it to the seed of Abraham thy friend Cant. 5. 1. Eate O friends drinke yea drinke abundantly O beloved Iam 2. 23. called the friend of God Can any fellowship be more firmely cemented or intimately indeerd then that of Viservet animae dunidium meae lib. 1 Odâ— 3. friends surely no. The Poet Horace wishing a prosperous journey for his friend Virgill calleth him halfe his soule Saint Augustine bewailing the death of his friend Hebridius saith he thought his soule and the soule of his friend had bene 〈◊〉 ego sensi ani 〈◊〉 â—â— animam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in daâ—buâ— corporibâ—â— c. lib. 4. Cons cap. 6. but one For I thought that my soule and the soule of my friend had beene but one soule in two bodies he therefore being dead life was dreadfull to me because I desired to live no longer yet therefore I feared to die least he should wholly die And the sacred Scripture affirmeth that a friend is as a mans owne soule Deut. 13. 6. that he loves at all times Prov. 17. 17. and stickes closer then a brother Prov. 18 24. If all the love of Pylades and Orestes Damon and Pythias Pyramus and Thisbe Scipio and Lelius and of all other renowned heathen friends unheard of or recorded If the most melting affectionatenesâ—e of Ionathan and David David and Hushai Augustine and Hebriaius and all other the dearest friends prophane and pious could possibly inhabit within any two created beings yet might there not be so much as any comparison betwixt such an imagined friendship and this reall of Gods to his Saints For for these his friends sakes it is that there is a continued course of summer winter that the world enioyes the comfortable aspect of all his excellent creatures that the world is not wholy consumed in the twinckling of an eye 2. Cor. 10 6. yea for them he gave his owne Sonne to suffer a shamefull death to them he gives his sanctifying Spirit and for them he reserves an everlasting crowne of glory Reason 2 He who takes that as done to himselfe which is done to the Saints hath fellowship with them But the Lord of heaven and earth takes that as done to himselfe which is done to the Saints Witnesse that sweet straine in the heavenly hymne of Moses the man of God Deut. 32. 10. He kept him as the apple of his eye Witnesse that faithfull petition of Israels sweet singer Psal 17. 8. Keepe me as the apple of thine eye Witnesse the Prophets reason of Gods heavy judgement upon the nations which spoiled his Church Zach. 2. 8. For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Witnesse that consolatory saying of our Saviour Math. 10. 40. He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Witnesse that heavenly speech of Christ Iesus to that enraged persecutor of Gods people Why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4. And witnesse that irreversible and irrevocable sentence of the most upright Iudge of men and Angels at the last and dreadfull day of judgement Math. 25. 40. 45. You did it to me You did it not to me Therefore they have fellowship c. 3. Those who are joyned to the Lord with an undissoluble bond of an everlasting love which can never be broken have fellowship with God But the Saints are joyned to the Lord with an indissoluble bond of an everlasting love which can never be broken Ieremiah 31. 3. I have loved thee with an euerlasting love hence is it that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them Math. 16. 18. So he loveth them that nothing can separate them from the love of God Rom. 8. 39. So that they are sealed with the Spirit of God unto the day of redemption Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30 So that he hath purposed with an unchangeable decree to have them saved 4. Those who dwell each in other have fellowshippe one with another But the Lord of heaven and earth and the Saints dwell each in other 1 Ioh. 4. 12. 13. 15. 16. 1 Ioh. 3. 24. Ioh. 14. 23. CHAP. III. Vse 1. Comforting the Saints from this fellowship Vse 1 THis inestimable transcendent consociation affoordeth copious matter of consolation to every true-hearted Nathaniel 1. Against Bellarmines unsound and uncomfortable doctrine Consol â— Tom. 4. de ustificat lib 3. cap. 14. pag. 897. c. of finall and totall falling from grace the love and favour of God It 's possible I know for these goodfellowes to fall in part and for a time from some graces some measure of grace
out-cries against all such who question their society with God they having ever in a readinesse Lord Lord. At what time soever c. They are men of good meaning although they are not bookish They have a sure beliefe in God They love God above all and their neighbour as themselves God they hope did not make them to damne them all men are sinners as well as themselves They hope to be saved before or as soone as the strictest Saint-seeming Puritanes of them all These and such like traditionary conceipts being in their shallow apprehensions sufficient to quiet their guilty consciences from ever accusing them to put to silence and make mute those cutting conclusions and peremptory propositions of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Neither fornicators c. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. An Antidote sufficient to counterpoyse against the poysonfull venome of their infectious impieties A paimeâ—t equivalent to countervaile the numberlesse debts of their hainous enormities And graces availeable to equalize them with the Saints and annexe them firmely to this Divine Society which is with the Father Yet I humbly intreate and beseech yea I charge and command in the name of the Lord Iehouah all you who either hope for have or hunger after this Coelestiall Society to have no fellowship with the fruitlesse works of darknesse to forsake and flee from sinne and iniquity Sinne is darknesse Rom. 13. 12. Cast off the workes of Mot. 1. darknesse Eph. 5. 11. Fruitlesse workes of darknesse 1 Thes 5. 4. Not in darknesse Darknesse it is in respect of its author who is the Prince of darknesse 2. Of its fountaine the darke heart of man 3. Of the nature of the nature of its author he hates the light 4. Of the time wherein done the night 1 Thes 5. 7. Of its fruits eternall darknesse Wicked men are walkers in darknesse 1 Ioh. 1. 6. Yea such wayes of darknesse that I am altogether ignorant whereunto to resemble it Should I paralell it with Cimerean darknesse that no whit comparable it being occasioned by the farre distance of the Sunne from that place and people and so but naturall an absence of light naturall this by the absence of the splendent rayes of the rich and radiant graces of the Sunne of righteousnesse therefore a spirituall darknesse containing the fearefull estate of unbeleevers in this world Or with that Aegyptian plague of darknesse which was palpable There is no comparison by that their bodily eyes were blinded by this of the soule 2 Cor. 4. 4. That was but for a short time of continuance this otherwise That kept them from mooving this hoodwinks and infatuates them so that although they go yet whither they know not 1 Ioh. 2. 11. But in God is no darknesse at all 1 Ioh. 1. 5. Sinne is death Math. 8. 22. Let the dead burie their dead Eph. 2. 12. Dead in trespasses and sinnes 5. 14. Arise from the dead 1 Tim 5. 6. Dead while she lives 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Passed from death Well may sinne be called death 1. It deserving death 2. Causing death Rom. 5. 12. 3. Being odious to a living soule as death to a living man 4. Bitter as death 5. It disabling the soule from well-doing And 6. destroying as death But God is life 1 Ioh. 1. 2. Is it a grounded axiome Omne dissimile est in sociabile That every dissimilitude is insociable Do we all know that light and darknesse can never accord but the one is ever a privation of the other Doth experience daily declare unto us that there is not the least society betwixt living and dead bodies although of the most intimate confederates Although the one a most compassionate mother the other an entirely affected child Yea although of the lovingest mates that ever were linked in the sacred bonds of conjugall society But the living as disjoyned from the dead parts them away by a speedy interring them in the earth And is it possible think for God and sin twixt whom there is the greatest repugnancy to accord Can any so much as dreame of yet dreames are but dreames having fellowship with those fruitlesse workes of darknesse which are dead works yea death it selfe and with the Lord of light and life Sinne doth inkindle the wrathfull indignation of the irefull sinne-revenging God making him so sore displeased that he threw downe Angels from his heavenly habitations into that infernall lake of endlesse woe exil'd our first parents out of Eden that Paradise of God brake up the fountaines of the great deepe and opened the floud-gates of heaven and destroyed all flesh wherein was the breath of life those few excepted which were in the Arke Destroyed utterly Sodome The Lake Sodome 180 furlongs which is 22. miles of ours in length â—50 in bredth which is 18. of our miles as some say some more Ios Weissenbig It hath no out-let or disburdening Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim with fire and brimstone from heaven In a word sinne is that which provokes the Lord to send upon a people or person his numberlesse and insupportable plagues and punishments hence come noysome beasts hence dolefull captivities hence destroying pestilences hence famine so tragicall yea all other greater or lesser temporall tortures Hence blindnesse of mind hardnesse of heart pertinacious obstinacy finall impenitency yea all those endlesse easelesse hopelesse helplesse torments of eternall damnation where their worme never dyeth and their fire is not quenched of which those other are but vaunt-courers or fore-runners And can we have fellowship with God except we abandon iniquity thinke we Sinne is that traiterous Iudas corrupt Pilate perfidious perjurers bloud-thirsty Iewes and torturing executioners yea as the thornes whips nailes mockings buffettings spittings and speare wherewith the head backe and cheekes so tender and lovely were bloudily and barbarously gored the harmelesse innocency derided and calumniated yea the hearts bloud of the Sonne of God more worth then millions of worlds spilt upon the earth This is that which grieves despights and quencheth the Spirit of God And can we perswade our selves of having fellowship with the Father if we delight in sinne which crucifies the Sonne and grieves if not wholly quencheth and despighteth the Holy Ghost Sinne transformes men into monsters making them Scorpions Ezek. 2. 6. Vipers Math. 3. 7. Cokatrices and Spiders Isa 59. 5. Dogges swine and such like foule and filthy creatures Ignatius saith I sight valiantly with beasts in Assyria even 〈…〉 to Rome not that I am devoured by bruit beasts For these as you know God willing â—â—ared Daniel But of beasts bearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom that cruell beast doth 〈◊〉 which doth daily sting and wound me St. Chrysostome saith Sometimes he calleth them 〈◊〉 for their sawâ—inesse and violence sometimes horses for their lust sometimes asses for their sottishnesse and ignorance sometimes lions and libards for their ravening end covetousnesse of having sometimes also aspes for their guile oftentimes serpents and vâ—pers for their secret
remission of sinnes how and by whom wherein every sincere Christian may behold clearely the unparalel'd love of Christ Iesus freeing him by his owne painefull passion from the guilt and guerdon the due desert and dominion the power and punishment of his sinnes 5. Let it be upon the inheritance which is incorruptible undefiled not fading away reserved in the heavens c. And I think it wil be granted without contradiction that such like meditations make the godly soule to leape for joy 6. Let it be upon dismall death and mouldring mortality even this will comfort the heavenly minded soule loving the appearing of Christ longing after the same with the Bride in the Revelation certifying him that these miseries are but momentany and that this miserable mortality shal be swallowed up of glorious immortality 7. Let it be of the judgements of God denounced or inflicted upon others or upon himselfe even these contemplations want not matter of consolation to that soule which considereth Gods infinite love sending no greater he deserving the extreamest enabling him to make a good use of them and to beare them christianly This I suppose is a commodious and profitable necessary and warrantable Christian not Iewish resolution to abstaine from those worldly and wanton words workes and thoughts and to be wholly imployed and that delightfully in those holy and heavenly contemplations communications and actions And that I may stirre you up to put in practice this so laudable sweet and profitable resolution to those former reasons and motives I have intermingled in my former passages give me leave to adde these following reasonings and pious arguings 1. Is the Lords Day the queene of dayes yea the Lords market day for our soules wherein we are to buy Isa 55. 2. without money or mony worth the heavenly and celestiall bread water wine and milk of Gods sacred Word and saving graces the golden gifts and precious merits of Christ to inrich our faith Rev. 3. 18. The eye-salve of true wisdome and the Spirit of light to illuminate our spirituall blindnesse and the white raiment of Christs righteousnesse that we may be clothed and that the shame of our nakednesse do not appeare and shall we passe it away in wanton delights in fruitlesse and hurtfull discourses in distrustfull and distracting musings or in needlesse and dunghill actions And not rather spend this Day in buying such peerelesse traffique not onely in the publique assemblies but also before and after the same by Divine contemplations heavenly communications fervent and faithfull prayer and other such like pious Lords Dayes practices 2. Is this the Lords Day not mine his Holy Day no common or prophane one therefore to be sanctified therefore to be kept holy and shall we shew such intolerable ingratitude as to deny so small use of time to him that gives to us so much and so large use of time 3. Is it a matter of duty and not of curtesie of charge and not of choice of allegiance and not of liberty of necessity and not of indifferency not permitted but commanded to sanctifie the Lords Day and keepe it as holy as we can and shall not wee use our utmost endeavour to doe the same 4. Do those who conscionably sanctifie the Lords Day imitate the prime and purest examples walking in those paths which have beene traced out by David Nehemiah and such like ones by Iesus Christ such a Sonne such a Saviour by the Lord Iehovah who rested the seventh Day from his worke of creation although as easie to him as to speake and cause it to be created And shall we be drawne into unwarranted courses or omit necessary pious duties upon Gods Day because many who are great Schollers good Preachers great men the wealthiest in our parish and many honest men make no bones of worldly discoursings unneedful actions nor are very forward in those other substantiall duties Learning they may have wisdome greatnesse yea goodnesse yet may their example be erroneous no sufficient patterne for imitation in many things we offend all yea and good St. Paul would be followed no otherwise then he followed Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. Be it they be wise or wealthy honourable or honest who give or take liberty yet sure we are we take the surest and safest course yea the most commodious and comfortable having Gods precept for our warrant and his example for our encouragement Powerfull they may be but he is omnipotent wise they may be but he is wisdome it selfe honest they may be he goodnesse it selfe 5. Since the Lords Day is a blessed Day so called either 1. Because it is instituted to Gods service 2. Or because the Lord gave it a singular priviledge to be a Day of rest and holinesse a Day of delight and heavenly feasting to the world 3. Or because the Lord doth blesse more effectually all such who conscionably keepe it holy on that Day then any other so that then they enjoy after an extraordinary manner this transcendently sweet and lovely fellowship with the Father We for our parts will alienate and estrange our soules tongues and bodies so farre forth as in us lieth from such workes such words and thoughts which withdraw the mind from God and endeavour to spend those little parcels of time which remaine to us exempt from the publique assemblies of the Saints and the doing of some few necessary actions in Divine contemplations Christian communications such pious and holy actions that so the Lord may suppe with us and we with him Rev. 3. 20. We feasting him with the fruit of our true repentance 2. With our faith beleeving and applying the Word and promises of God 3. By serving God faithfully giving up our soules and bodies holy and acceptable sacrifices to him he feasting us in his Word and Sacraments That so he may dwell in us and we in him and to conclude that we may obtaine if still we want communion with God or get if already we have a more perfect and full assurance of our fellowship with the Father CHAP. XIII The eight Meanes and Duty Chusing the things which please God What those things be Diverse chusers Which are best HAve we or desire we fellowship with the Father Shew 8. Meanes Duty it and seeke it by chusing the thing which pleaseth the Lord This chusing being both a marke and meanes of mans communion with the Father Isa 56. 4. Where and who is he that would not be a chuser might the choice tend to his reall and seeming contentment With what greedy graspings would some possesse mountaines of gold silver pearles and precious stones and worlds of wealth With what enraged bloudy and implacable cruelty would some bathe their hands and glad their hearts in the last groanings and effusion of the most warme and in most hearts bloud of their enemies How would some ingrosse kingdome after kingdome yea one world after another How would some plunge themselves into a bottomlesse Ocean of voluptuous delights
yokes and interessed to haue right and part in many priuiledges and prerogatives even so in this your spirituall supernaturall and heavenly liberty 1. By meanes of your justification you have freedome 1. From sinne Rom. 6. 7. 22. from sinne i. e. the dominion and reigne of sinne ver 14. the guilt of sin 8. 33. and the condemnation or punishment due unto it Rom. 8. 1. 2. From the unsupportable yoke of the whole ceremoniall law Col. 2. 16 17 c. 3. From the thraldome of the divell Luke 1. 71. 74. Col. 1. 13. 4 From the morall law viz. in regard of 1. the curse it denounced there being no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. 2. the justification it proposeth Rom. 3. 28. and 3. the rigour of obedience it requireth so that you are not under the law Rom. 6. 14. or the rigorous exaction of the law you are delivered from the law 7. 6. or that perfect obedience the law in rigour requires to salvation 2. By meanes of your sanctification you have freedome from the power and dominion of sinne although not perfectly and wholy yet in part and in all the powers and faculties of your soules senses and members So that your minds have freedome from the power of darknesse your wills from the power of disobedience your hearts from the power of deadnesse your affections from the power of pollution and corruption and your bodies from that power of sinne whereby they were made weapons of unrighteousnesse Rom. 8. 2. You are priviledged by this your liberty 1. To serve the Lord of glory in righteousnesse and holinesse Luk. 1. 74. 2. To use Gods creatures these not being uncleane of themselves Rom. 14. 14. and being pure to the pure Titus 1. 15. 3. To use or not to use things indifferent keeping our selves within the bounds of charity and edification Rom. 14. 19. 4. To come to God by Christ in prayer Rom. 5. 2. Ephes 3. 12. 5 And you shall have a full and perfect deliverance from the very corruption of sinne and of the grave too and from all misery Rom. 8. 21. Ephes 1. 14. and a free entrance into those heavenly habitations when you die Heb. 10. 19. This is that liberty which Christ Iesus procured you by his precious merit and the efficacie of his spirit This is a liberty of such extraordinarie worthinesse that men and Angels are unable to conceive or expresse the transcendent dignity of the same Are naturall civill and corporall liberties so much doted on and desired that men will purchase them with long and hard service and bondage yea with great summes of money Acts 22. 28. and of such consequence that they freed Paul from the whip Acts 22. 29. exempt from diverse and sundry taxations and give right to many large and rich immunities Then how lovely and amiable how honourable and unconceavably excellent is this Christian liberty twixt which and that is no comparison For 1. What is freedome from the tormenting stone noysome plague or destroying pestilence in regard of freedome from sinne of all sicknesses the most dangerous because damnable if not cured most infectious polluting and stayning soules most odious to God Angels and good men and most difficult to cure onely Christs bloud being of force to heale this malady 2. What is freedome from the Turkish slavish bondage the Spanish miserably oppressing gallies and hellish tormenting inquisition and the Egyptian house of bondage in regard of freedome from the divell of all enemies the most cruell his bondage most uncomfortable and his torments most dreadfull being extreame painefull and horrible altogether helplesse and hopelesse easelesse and endlesse 3. What are the franchises of the most priviledg'd fraternities cities and incorporations the liberties of friends and Favourites of Kings and mighty Monarchs in comparison of this liberty of true Christians they being priviledg'd to have free accesse into the courts of heaven to the throne of grace to use Gods creatures to call God father to bee his friends and favourites and to passe from this vale of teares into those everlasting mansions of blissefull felicities Give me leave to suppose a poore forlorne contemned strumpet borne of the most vile and wretched parents in the whole world having nothing lovely or desireable in her but odious and abominable in all respects having a soule full of darknesse folly and madnesse a body altogether mis-shapen with blemishes and deformities and tortured with all kind of sicknesses and diseases from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head being to live all her time in the greatest bondage that may be imagined worse then the Turkish Spanish or Aegyptian thraldome and at the end of her life to be tormented with the most lingring and excruciating death did not the onely Sonne of the worlds supreme Monarch rescue and ransome her with the effusion of his owne hearts bloud who of his free favour and bounty towards this abject caitiffe without her desire or desert condescended to cast off his Princely robes and ornaments and vouchsafed to court and wooe this despised creature to joyne her selfe with him in the nearest tie of the matrimoniall knot and he for her sake will confront and confound all her enemies who so miserably oppresse her heale all her maladies which so cruelly vexe her with his owne bloud and give her instead of her shamefull deformities starre-like beauty instead of her deformed nakednesse Princely apparell instead of her aches dolours tumours and other dreadfull diseases health and sanity instead of her extreame beggery the riches of the whole world mirth instead of mourning and instead of her bondage to tyrants diseases and direfull death liberty and freedome from all enemies to come boldly to the Kings Court and to solace her selfe in the enjoyment of all his honours delights and profits yea to be married to the Kings Sonne and Heire and to be interessed in himselfe and whatsoever is his would not all conclude that the liberty of this imagined wretch was unparalel'd and unspeakable Behold more then I have imagined verified in all you who have fellowship with Christ Iesus Once you were more forlorne then this supposed creature being children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. And the Devill Ioh. 8. 44 Having nothing in you save sinne and wickednesse being dead in sinnes and trespasses Eph. 2. â— Slaves and bondmen to the Devill 2 Tim. 2. 16. Wearying your selves in his cruell and irksome service to be repayed with eternall death Rom. 6. 23. and everlasting torments had not the onely Sonne of the worlds Creatour taken pitie upon you who of his free favour and bounty left that heavenly habitation tooke upon him the forme of a servant vanquished the Devill death and hell delivered you from the dominion and raigne of sinne and the wrath of God due to your sinnes and everlasting damnation clothing your deformed soules with the rich and lovely robes of his owne righteousnesse healed your sicke soules
he is well pleased 7. By this imitation we the members shall please our Head we the subjects shall content our King we the sheepe shall delight our shepheard 8. By this conformity we are assured that we are predestinated Rom. 8 29. 9. And ascertained that we shall be glorified for if we beare the image of the earthly we shall beare the image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15. 49. 10. Be we followers of Christ who if we hunger is our Celestiall bread if we thirst is the water of life Be we as he was in this world this imitation being a forcible meanes to obtaine an infallible demonstration that we have and a necessary duty which we owe for this lovely and desireable fellowship with Gods Sonne Iesus Christ. CHAP. IX The second Marke and Duty Such must have faith who have fellowship with Christ DEsire we fellowship with Christ Iesus We must have 2. Marke Duty faith Not the worldlings fancied faith which he suckt from his mothers brest believing ever since he was borne Nor his painted fruitlesse faith he believing as well as the best yet abhorring or not loving or little or no whit regarding the Word preached prayer and other sanctified meanes whereby faith is begotten and increased He believing yet living prophanely or at the least onely civilly Which is not a true faith That faith which brings forth evill Hom. of sal E. 1. workes or no good workes is not a right pure and lively faith but a dead divellish counterfeit and fained faith They that Ibid. E. 1. continue in evill living have not true faith Lively faith is not without hope and trust in God nor without the love of God and of our neighbors nor without the feare of God nor without desire to heare Gods Word and to follow the same in eschewing evill Hom. of faith A 1. and doing gladly all good works But the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ Iam. 2. 1. The faith of the Elect Titus 1. 1. That faith of which Salvian speakes Quid est igitur Fides opinor fideliter hominem Christo credere 1. fidelem esse hoc est fideliter Dei maiâ—data servare Salv. lib. 3. p. 60. saying What is faith therfore I think for a man faithfully to believe in Christ i. to be faithfull i. to observe Gods Commandements faithfully That faith 1. Which is of a growing and thriving nature from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. 2. That two-handed faith which by confidence the one holdeth the Lord and receiveth good and by love the other imbraceth the brethren and doth good Gal. 5. 6. 3. That faith which yeelds obedience to Gods Commandements even the most repugnant to flesh and bloud by this Abraham left his country and offered Isaac Heb. 11. 4. That faith which doth instrumentally justifie Rom. 5. 1. And sanctifie Acts 15. 9. This is the faith we must have if we would have interest in this happy association 1. By this faith we are built upon the foundation and coupled to the Corner-Stone Christ 2. By this faith we are married to our Husband 3. By this faith we are ingrafted into the Vine Christ Iesus Eph. â— 17. 4. 13. So that 1. As by the mortar the stones cleave to the foundation so by this faith which is like a strictive mortar we are cemented and united to Christ 2. As by the nerves or sinewes the parts receive sense motion yea and life from the head so by this faith we receive quickening and vitality from Christ as the members from the Head Ioh. 1. 16. Gal. 2. 20. 3. As by the true love-knot the husband and wife are made one flesh so by this faith we have spirituall familiarity with Christ as the wife with the husband Rom. 5. 1. Heb. 11. 6. Faith is the hand of the soule which applyeth the sacrifice M. Burton Truths triumph over Trent cap 7. pag 99. of Christ for sinne it is the hand which puts on the robes of the righteousnesse of Christ our elder Brother upon us Faith is the ligament or sinew which fasteneth and uniteth every faithfull member to the Head Christ Iesus Faith is the life of our lives Pag. 100. and the strength of our soules 1. This is that prevailing Champion which quencheth the fiery darts of Sathan Eph. 6. 16. Overcommeth the world 1 Ioh. 5. 4 5. Prevaileth with God and is overcome of nothing not by carnall sense not by humane reasons not by bitter tortures Heb. 11. 35 36 37. 2. This is the mother and fountaine of all good gifts the originall of justice beginning of devotion the head of sanctitie Fidet est origo institiae sanctitates caput devotionis principium Religionis fundamentum Chrysost Ser. de fide Tom. 4. pag. 574. A. M. Burton pag. 198. cap. 12. Pag. 201. and foundation of Religion Prayer is the proper worke of faith Rom. 10. 14. Confession to salvation is the speech of faith Rom. 10. 10. Good works of all sorts are the fruits of faith Faith gives life and being to every grace forasmuch as every grace is radically in faith because where faith is Christ is Holy faith is the foundation whereon all graces are built the ground whereon they grow 3. This is that so necessary grace that whosoever wants it 1. Hath no spirituall life with Christ the just living by faith Rom. 1. 17. And by the faith of the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. Neither is he a true Christian he wanting that whereby Christ dwels in the heart Eph. 3. 17. Neither can he do any good thing without this all being sinne Rom. 14. 23. And unpleasing to God Heb. 11. 6. 4. This is that which mounts and elevates a man into so high and honourable holy and happy condition that he hath such heavenly priviledges and transcendent prerogatives as to be Gods Sonne Iob. 1. 12. Christs and his Fathers friend to be a free Denison of heaven as to come to Christ to go to God to hasten to heaven to be inseparably inserted and indissolubly compacted into this incorporation with Iesus Christ of incomparable value and ineffable excellencies Is faith so preciously excellent 1. Why O you sonnes of men do you so much sleight it and neglect it 1. As not to labour at all for it 2. Or lesse then for temporary fading favours you 'le ride and run farre and neare toyle and travaile early and late for health and sanity of your bodies for increase and augmentation of your substance for food to eate and clothes to put on but so carelesly and negligently for this that were your endeavours no more earnest for bodily health death so dismall would soone smite you for food and rayment your tender backs and pampered bellies would quickly beshrow you for worldly wealth beggery so base would out of hand overtake you 3. Or more regardlesly then for any thing of base esteem in regard of it you take not cattell for your use at a venture but