not to worship the blessed Angels for the good offices which they perform towards man and to unto them Not in any case for 1. They themselves refuse it Rev. 19. 10. 2. They are but Gods messengers and our fellow brethren 3. God is only to be worshipped Jud. 13. 16. Mat. 4. 10. Col. 2. 18. Thus much concerning the good Angels what are you to know concerning the evil ones First their sin or fall Secondly the evill offices they perform How many things are we to consider in their fall Two 1. The manner 2. The backsliding it self What must be considered in the manner Four things 1. They were created though good yet mutable so as they might fall 2. Being created mutable they were tryed whether they would fall or not 3. Being tryed they were forsaken of God and left to themselves 4. Being left to themselves they committed all sin even with greedinesse How many things must be considered in the fall it self Three 1. From whence they fel. 2. Whereunto they fell 3. The punishment God laid upon them for their fall From whence fell they First from their innocency and estate which God had set them in Job 4. 18. Joh. 8. 44. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude ver 6. Secondly from God and thereby from fulnesse of joy and perfection of happinesse Whereunto fell they God suffered them voluntarily and maliciously without any outward temptation to fall into that unpardonable sin of Apostasie and into the most grievous sins that could be committed What was the principall sin that the Angels committed Howsoever some think it was pride abusing the place of Isaiah 14. 13 14. which is meant of the King of Babylon others envy towards man as in the book of Wisdome 2. 24. others lying out of John 8. 44. yet it comprehended all these and more too being an utter falling away from God and that holy standing God placed them in especially to minister for mans good How commeth it to passe that the fall of Angels is without hope of restitution since Man is recovered after his fall The Devill committed the sin against the holy Ghost Matth. 12. 31. 1 John 5. 16. sinning wilfully and maliciously which is proved by his continuall dealing against God and therefore he shall never be restored Were there many Angels that did thus fall Yes as appeareth by Rev. 12. 7. Mat. 8. 30 31. where a legion possessed one man What punishments were laid upon the Angels for their fall First the fearful corruption of their nature from their first integrity and losse of Gods image so that they can never repent Secondly the casting of them out from the glory of heaven and the want of the comfortable presence of God for evermore 2 Pet. 2. 4. Thirdly a griefe and vexation at the prosperity of the Saints Fourthly a limitation of their power that they cannot doe what hurt they would Fifthly horrour and feare of the judgement of the great day whereunto they are reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude vers 6. Sixthly a more heavy torment after the day of judgement in hell fire where they are to feel the infinite wrath of God world without end Mat. 8. 29. Luke 8. 31. Mat. 25. 41. Apoc. 20. 10. Can the Devill work miracles and tell things to come No but God onely Mat. 4. 3. Esay 41. 23. What power have they to hurt man They have no more power then is under nature for above nature they cannot work and yet they can doe nothing by that power but what God appointeth not so much as the entring into hogges Matth. 8. 31. How are they affected towards man Very maliciously as their severall names given them doe declare What be those names First Satan because they mortally hate men Secondly Devill because they slanderously accuse them to God and man Job 1. 11. 2. 5. Rev. 12. 8 9 10. Thirdly the old Serpent for their subtile temptation Fourthly the great Dragon for their destroying of many Rev. 12. 8 9 How many of them doe attend upon every man Sometimes many upon one and one upon many What be the evill offices they perform against man Some are common to the godly with the wicked others are proper to the wicked alone Have they a like power over the godly and the wicked No for though God permitteth them often to try and exercise the godly 2 Sam. 1. compared with 1 Chron. 1. Eph. 6. 12. both in body and in mind as Satan afflicted Job both outwardly with grievous sores and inwardly with dreams and visions and sometimes buffeted Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. sometimes hindered him from his journey 1 Thess. 2. 18. yet he limiteth them and turneth their malice to the good of his children Luk. 22. 31. How manifold are the evill offices which they perform in common against the godly and the wicked Two-fold either such as respect the body and the things belonging thereunto or such as respect the soule How doe they hurt the body or the things belonging to the body They are permitted by God for mans sinne First to hurt the creature that should serve for our comfort as the Ayre Sea Trees c. Rev. 7. 2 3. Secondly to abuse the bodies both of men and beasts for the effecting of their wicked purposes Thirdly to delude the senses making men to beleeve things to be such as they are not as the Devill did by Jannes and Jambres in Egypt and by the witch of Endor Fourthly to inflict sicknesse and evills upon the bodies of men and to torment and pain them as in Job and the Egyptians Fiftly to strike some dumb Sixtly to enter into and really to possesse the bodies of men using them in most fearfull sort as Matth. 8. 16. 12. 28. Seventhly to inflict death upon the bodies both of men and beasts How doe they hurt the soule First by depriving some of the use of their reason by frensie and madnesse Secondly by troubling and tormenting some with griefe and vexation of soule Thirdly by abusing some with passions and melancholy fits as Saul 1 Sam. 16. 14. Fourthly by seducing others 1 King 22. 21 22. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Fiftly by manifold and fearfull temptations to sin and wickednesse Sixthly by prevailing in such temptations Seventhly by accusing before God those with whom they have so prevailed Eightly by hindring men from doing good things What are the offices of the evill Angels that respect the wicked alone First to rule and reign in them without controlment and to finish his work in them Secondly to murther and destroy them in this world and in the world to come to torment soule and body in hell for ever What use are we to make of this doctrine concerning the evill Angels First to tremble at the Lords severity towards them 2 Pet. 2. 4. and to be thankfull for his bounty and mercies towards our selves Psal. 8. 1. 4 5. Eph. 1. 3 4. Secondly to remember that if God spared
of him before he was how much more now he is What note you thereof That man hath not to boast of his antiquity all the creatures being made before him even to the vilest worm What is to be observed in his creation That here for the excellency of the work God is brought in as it were deliberating with himselfe the Father with the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and they with him the whole Trinity entring into a solemn counsell to make man after their Image Gen. 1. 26. which is not said of any other creature for whereas the other creatures were made suddenly man was as we shall see not so but with some space of time hitherto also belongeth that the Holy Ghost standeth longer upon his creation then upon the rest What learn you from hence That we should mark so much the more the wisdome and power of God in the creation of him thereby to imitate God in using most diligence about those things which are most excellent What parts doth he consist of Of two parts of a body and a soule Gen. 2. 7. Job 10. 11 12. Whereof was his body made Of the very dust of the earth Gen. 2. 7. in which respect the work of God in making him is set forth by a similitude of the potter which of his clay maketh his pots Rom. 9. 21. and the name of Adam is from hence in the Hebrew given unto man to put him in mind not to bee proud nor to desire to be like God which God foresaw he would doe through Satans temptations What learn you from hence That seeing it pleased God to make mans body more principally of the basest Element that thereby he would give man to understand of what base matter his body was framed that so hee might have occasion of being lowly and humble in his owne sight according as the Scripture it self directeth us to this instruction Gen. 18. 27. Jer. 2. 2. 29. What else learn you The absolute authority that God hath over man as the Potter hath over his pots and much more Rom. 9. 21. How was the soul made His soul was made a spirituall substance which God breathed into that frame of the earth to give it a life whereby man became a living soul Gen. 2. 7. Mal. 2. 15. Why is it called the breath of God Because God made it immediately not of any earthly matter as he did the body nor of any of the elements as he did the other creatures but of a spirituall matter whereby is signified the difference of the soul of man which was made a spirituall and divine or everlasting substance from the soul or life of beasts which commeth of the same matter whereof their bodies are made and therefore dieth with them whereas the soul of man commeth by Gods creation from without in which respect God is said to be the Father of our spirits Heb. 12. 9. and doth not rise as the soul of beasts doe of the temper of the elements but is created of God free from composition that it might be immortall and free from the corruption decay and death that all other creatures are subject unto and therefore as it had life in it self when it was joyned to the body so it retaineth life when it is separated from the body and liveth for ever What other proofs have you of the immortality of the soul besides the divine nature thereof Eccl. 12. 7. It is said that at death the dust shall return to the earth as it was and the spirit unto God who gave it Our Saviour Christ Luk. 23. 46. and his servant Stephen Acts 7. 59. at their death commend their souls unto God Luk. 23. 43. The theeves soul after separation from the body is received into Paradise Mat. 10. 28. The soul cannnot be killed by them that kill the body Psal. 49. 14 15. Mat. 22. 32. Rev. 6. 9. 7. 9. The guiltinesse of the Conscience and feare of punishment for sin proveth the same Otherwise all the comfort of Gods children were utterly dashed for if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 15. Why is it said that God breathed in his face or nostrils Gen. 2. 7. more then in any other part To put man in mind of his frailty whose breath is in his nostrils Esay 2. 22. Because the soul sheweth her faculties most plainly in the countenance both for outward senses and inward affections But is the head the seat of the soul It is thought that in regard of the essence of it all of it is over all and every part of the body as fire is in hot iron but howsoever the severall faculties thereof appear in the severall parts of the body yet the heart is to be accompted the speciall seat of the soul not only in regard of life being the first part of man that liveth and the last that dieth but for affections also and knowledge as appeareth by 1 Kings 3. 9. 12. Mat. 15. 18 19. Rom. 2. 15. 10. 10. 1 Pet. 3. 4. Is there many or one soul in man There is but one having those faculties in it of vegetation and sense that are called souls in plants and beasts What reason have you for this saying Otherwise there should be divers essentiall forms in man God breathed but one breathing though it be called the breathing of lives Gen. 2. 7. for the divers lives and faculties In all Scripture there is mention but of one soul in man Mat. 26. 38. Acts. 7. 59. When may the soul be truly said to come or be in the body of a child When in all essentiall parts it is a perfect body as Adams was when God gave him his soul. What be the faculties of the soul The Understanding under which is the Memory though it be rather one of the inward senses then one of the principall faculties of the soul and the Conscience The Will under which are the Affections So there be five speciall faculties What is meant by the image of God after which man was made Gen. 1. 26 27. Not any bodily shape as though God had a body like man but the divine state wherein his soul was created How many ways is the image of God taken in Scripture Either for Christ as Col. 1. 15. Heb. 1. 3. Joh. 12. 45. 14. 9. or for the glory of mans lively personage as Gen. 9. 6. or for his authority over the woman as 1 Cor. 11. 7. or for the perfection of his nature indued with reason and will rightly disposed in holinesse and righteousnesse wisdome and truth and accordingly framing all motions and actions both inward and outward Col. 3. 9 10. Eph. 4. 24. How is it here then to be taken It may be taken either strictly and properly or more largely and generally What is the strictest and most proper acception of it When it is taken for that integrity of nature which was
fall by sin from their first blessed estate Matth. 18. 18. Whence commeth this Not from their own nature which was subject to mutability but from Gods mercy for seeing those Angels are elect of God 1 Tim. 5. 21. it followeâ—h of necessity that they are kept and upholden only by his grace and mercy whereupon his election is grounded Now for the employment of these Angels what are you to note therein Their apparitions and the offices which they perform In how many sorts have Angels appeared In as divers as it pleased God to send them but specially in two namely in visions and true bodies What mean you by Visions Their appearing in some extraordinary sort to the mind and inward senses either in the night by dreams as to Joseph Matth. 2. 13. or in the day by some strange shows as they did to the Prophets Zach. 2. 3. How manifold was their apparition in body In the true bodies either of men or of other creatures What examples have you of their apparition in the bodies of men Gen. 19. 2. two Angels beside Christ appeared to Abraham so did two likewise to the Apostles Act. 1. 10. and Gabriel to the Virgin Mary Luk. 1. 26. Were these bodies of living men who had souls or bodies created upon occasion They were bodies extraordinarily created upon that occasion by God having no souls but the Angels to give them motions and after were dissolved by God to nothing having neither birth nor buriall Did they move from place to place in these bodies Yes and did many other actions proper to man the Angels appearing to Abraham did truly eat and drink though without need the Angels did truly speak and touch Lot pulling him but these actions were done by them in an extraordinary speedinesse and manner more then any man can doe Have Angels ever appeared in the bodies of other creatures Yes for therefore are they called Cherubims of creatures that have wings Satan spoke in the body of a serpent to Evah and so to the Heathen in sundry other creatures With what feeling did the godly finde the apparition of the Angels Many times with great fear and terror as may be seen in Daniel 7. 7 8 9 10 c. which was caused by the small glimpse of glory that God vouchsafed to them which man for his sin could not bear What learn we by that To know our misery and corruption and that in comparison of Gods appearing we should be ready to turn to dust How many are the Offices the good Angels perform Twofold First in respect of God Secondly in respect of the creatures How many are their duties concerning God Three 1. They doe continually praise and glorifie God in Heaven 2. They do always wait upon the Lord their God in heaven to expect what he would have them doe 3. They knowing his will doe put it in execution How manifold are their duties concerning the creatures Twofold either generall in respect of all the creatures or speciall in respect of man What is the generall dutie That they are the Instruments and Ministers of God for the administration and government of the whole world What are the Offices which they perform towards Man They are either in this life or in the life to come How manifold are the Offices which they perform towards man in this life Twofold either such as respect the godly the procuring of whose good is their speciall calling Heb. 1. 14. Mat. 4. 11. Ps. 104. 4. or such as respect the wicked How many good Angels hath every one attending upon him in this life hath he one alone or hath he many That is as the glory of God and the necessity of the Saints requireth sometimes there doe many attend upon one sometimes one upon many What are the good offices which the Angels perform towards the godly in this life They are used as Instruments 1. To bestow good things upon them 2. To keep them from evill How manifold are those good things which by the ministery of the Angels are bestowed upon the godly They partly concern the body partly the soul. What are the good things that concern the body 1. They are used as Instruments to bestow things needfull for the preservation of it and to bring necessary helps to men in their distress as to Elias and Hagar 2. They are appointed of God to be as a guard and garrison unto his children to comfort and defend them walking in their lawfull callings Psal. 34. 7. 91. 11. 3. They give an happy successe to them in the good things they go about Gen. 24. 7. 40. ver 4. They are appointed as watchmen over the Saints that by their presence they might keep their bodies in shamefastnesse holinesse and purity 1 Cor. 11. 10. What are the good things of the soul which the Lord doth bestow upon the Saints by the ministery of the good Angels 1. To reveal the will of God to them and to inform them in things which he would have done Act. 10. 5. 2. To stir up good motions in their hearts 3. To comfort them in sorrow as Christ was comforted being distressed in soul Luk. 22. 43 44. and Paul Acts 27. 23 24. 4. To rejoyce at the conversion of the Saints Luk. 15. 10. How manifold are the evill things from which the good Angels doe keep the godly They likewise doe partly concern the body partly the soul. What are the evils of the body They are either without or within us From what evils without us are we preserved by the ministery of the Angels 1. From those dangers that one man bringeth upon another 2. From those that they are subject unto by reason of wilde beasts 3. From those evils whereunto we are subject by reason of other creatures without life 4. They doe not only preserve the bodies of the Saints but also all things that are theirs as their goods wife children and families What are the evils within us from which the Angels doe keep us First sicknesse Secondly famine Thirdly death VVhat are the evils of the soule from which the Angels doe keep us From sin and that two ways 1. By their continual presence 2. By their power What are the actions which the good Angels perform towards wicked men in this life 1. They restrain and hinder them from many wicked things which they would bring to passe 2. They execute judgements upon the wicked and punish them for their sins committed 2 Kings 19. 35. Gen. 19. 11. What are the offices which the good Angels are to perform towards man after this life First they carry the souls of the godly being separated from the body with comfort into heaven as Lazarus Luk. 16. 22. and thrust the wicked into hell Secondly they wait upon Christ at the day of Judgement to gather all the faithfull unto him and to separate the wicked from among them Matth. 24. 31. 51. and to rejoyce at the sentence which he shall give Are we
2. 8. and for the discovery of sin and punishment due thereto Deut. 27. 26. Rom. 1. 31. 3. 20. What then doth the Law now require of us All such duties as were required of Adam in his innocency Levit. 18. 5. and all such as are required since by reason of his fall Deut. 27. 26. binding us to eternall death for our least defect therein Declare now out of that which hath been said what the Covenant of works is It is a conditionall Covenant between God and man whereby on the one side God commandeth the perfection of godlinesse and righteousnesse and promiseth that he will be our God if we keep all his Commandements and on the other side man bindeth himselfe to perform intire and perfect obedience to Gods Law by that strength wherewith God hath endued him by the nature of his first creation What was done in this Covenant on Gods part There was his Law backed with promises and threatnings and unto them were added outward seales What was the summe of this Law Doe this and thou shalt live if thou dost it not thou shalt dye the death What is meant by Doe this Keep all my Commandements in thought word and deed What is meant by life promised to those that should keep all the Commandements The reward of blessednesse and everlasting life Levit. 18. 5. Luke 10. 28. What is meant by death threatned to those that should transgresse In this world the curse of God and death with manifold miseries both of body and soule and where this curse is not taken away everlasting death both of body and soule in the world to come Deut. 27. 26. 29. 19. 20. 32. 22. Levit. 26. Deut. 28. What were the outward seales added hereunto The two trees planted by God for that purpose in the midst of the garden Gen. 2. 9. 3. 3. that Adam before and in the sight of them might resort to some speciall places to serve God in and might by the sight of them be put in mind of those things whereof they were signs and seales What did the tree of life serve for It sealed up happinesse life and glory unto man upon condition of obedience that by tasting thereof which no doubt according to the manner of Sacramentall signes was a tree of marvellous comfort and restoring he might be assured he should live in Paradise for ever if he stood obedient to Gods Commandements Gen. 2. 9. Prov. 3. 18. Revel 2. 7. Was this tree able to give everlasting life to man or otherwise why did God after the fall shut man from it It was no more able to give everlasting life then the bodily eating of any other Sacrament but Adam having by sin lost that which was signified hereby God would have him debarred from the use of the Sacrament What did the tree of the knowledge of good and evill serve for Both for triall of obedience and also for a warning of their mutability and of what would follow upon sin so sealing death and damnation in case of disobedience not as though the tree was able to give any knowledge but that by tasting of it contrary to Gods command they should have experimentall knowledge of evill in themselves which before they had of good only and by wofull experience should learn what difference there was between knowing and serving God in their integrity and being ignorant of him by their sin Gen. 2. 17. What was done in this Covenant on mans part Man did promise by that power which he had received to keep the whole law binding himself over to punishment in case he did not obey In what state is man to be considered under this Covenant In a twofold estate 1. Of Innocency 2. Of Corruption and misery What things are you to note in the innocent estate of man First the place where he was seated Secondly the happy and glorious estate he there enjoyed both in soul and body Where did God place man when he created him In a most glorious pleasant and comfortable Garden which is called Paradise or the Garden of Eden for pleasantnesse Gen. 2. 8. What doth the Scripture teach concerning it The place where it was and the commodities thereof Where and in what part of the world was it In Asia neer the meeting of Euphrates and Tygris those two famous Rivers What commodities had it All the principall creatures of God did adorn it and therefore it is said to be more extraordinarily then the rest of the world planted by God There are set down also the precious stones thereof under the Sardonyx pure metals under the gold precious woods under the Bdelium and so all other living things and growing creatures that it might be as it were a shop furnished for man to see in and learn by it Gods Wisdome Power and Majesty Doth this place now continue The place remaineth but the beauty and commodities be partly by the Floud partly by mans sin for which the whole earth is cursed almost abolished though as may be observed out of good Authors it is a very fruitfull place still What happinesse did man enjoy thus placed in Paradise It was partly inward partly outward Wherein did the inward appear First in his wonderfull knowledge whereby he made use of all the creatures of God as the greatest Philosopher that ever was Secondly in that holy and heavenly image of God of which Adam had the use and comfort before his fall it shining in him without tainture or blemish and he thereby being without all sin or punishment of sin Thirdly in the full fruition and assurance of the favourable and blissefull presence of his Creator Matth. 5. 8. Psal. 17. 15. and his heavenly company and conference with God without all fear as a subject with his Prince Gen. 3. 8. Fourthly in his joyfull serving God together with absolute contentment in himself Gen. 2. 25. Wherein did the outward appear First in having so comely perfect and glorious a body in which there was no infirmity pain nor shame though naked Gen. 2. 25. Secondly in his dominion over all the creatures that submitted themselves and did service unto him to whom also as their Lord he gave their originall names Gen. 2. 19 20. Thirdly in the comfortable state and sense not of Paradise alone but of all the world round about him having neither storm winter nor extremity in any creature What employment had man in this estate A twofold employment the first outward to till and dresse the Garden Gen. 2. 15. the other spirituall to worship and serve God his Creator and to procure his own everlasting blessednesse whereto he was fitted with freedome of will and ability for perfect obedience unto God according to the tenor of the Covenant of works What use are we to make of the knowledge of mans happinesse before his fall First to admire and praise the great goodnesse and favour of God in so dealing with man a clod of the earth Secondly
as most men think it to be What breaches of the first Commandement may be observed in this transgression First infidelity whereby they doubted of Gods love towards them and of the truth of his word Secondly contempt of God in disregarding his threatnings and crediting the word of Satan Gods enemy and theirs Thirdly hainous ingratitude and unthankfulnesse against God for all his benefits in that they would not be beholding unto him for that excellent condition of their creation in respect whereof they ought unto him all fealty but would needs be his equall Fourthly curiosity in affecting greater wisdome then God had endued them withall by vertue of their creation and a greater measure of knowledge then hee thought fit to reveale unto them Fiftly intolerable pride and ambition not onely desiring to be better then God made them but also to be equall in knowledge to God himselfe and aspiring to the highest estate due to their Creatour How did our first parents break the second Commandement Eve by embracing the word of the Devill and preferring it before the word of God Adam by hearkning to the voyce of his wife rather then to the voyce of the Almighty Gen. 3. 17. What were the breach of the third First presumption in venturing to dispute of Gods truth and to enter in communication with Gods enemy or a beast who appeared unto them touching the word of God with whom no such conference ought to have been entertained Secondly reproachfull blasphemy by subscribing to the sayings of the Devill in which he charged God with lying and envying their good estate Thirdly superstitious conceit of the fruit of the tree imagining it to have that vertue which God never put into it as if by the eating thereof such knowledge might be gotten as Satan perswaded Fourthly want of that zeale in Adam for the glory of God which he ought to have shewed against his wife when hee understood shee had transgressed Gods Commandements How was the fourth Commandement broken In that the Sabbath was made a time to conferre with Satan in matters tending to the high dishonour of God If it be true that on that day man fell into this transgression as some not improbably have conjectured for at the conclusion of the sixth day all things remained yet very good Gen. 1. 31. and God blessed the seventh day Gen. 2. 3. Now it is very likely Satan would take the first advantage that possibly he could to entrap them before they were strengthened by longer experience and by partaking of the Sacrament of the tree of life whereof it appeareth by Gen. 3. 22. that they had not yet eaten and so from the very beginning of man became a manslayer John 8. 44. Shew briefly the grounds of the breach of the Commandements of the second table in the transgression of our first parents The fifth was broken Eve giving too little to her husband in attempting a matter of so great weight without his privity and Adam giving too much to his wife in obeying her voyce rather then the Commandement of God and for pleasing of her not caring to displease God Gen. 3. 17. The sixth by this act they threw themselves and all their posterity into condemnation and death both of body and soule The seventh though nothing direct against this Commandement yet herein appeared the root of those evill affections which are here condemned as not bridling the lust and wandring desire of the eyes as also the inordinate appetite of the tast Gen. 3. 6. in lusting for and eating that onely fruit which God forbad not being satisfied with all the other fruits in the garden The eighth first laying hands upon that which was none of their own but by a speciall reservation kept from them Secondly discontent with their present estate and covetous desire of that which they had not The ninth judging otherwise then the truth was of the vertue of the tree Gen. 3. 6. and receiving a false accusation against God himselfe The tenth by entertaining in their minds Satans suggestions and evill concupiscence appearing in the first motions leading to the forenamed sinnes Thus much of our first parents sinne and the causes thereof Now let us come to the effects of the same shew therefore what followed in them immediately upon this transgression Three fruits were most manifest namely guiltinesse of conscience shame of face and feare of Gods presence Did any punishment follow upon this sinne Sinne guiltinesse and punishment doe naturally follow one upon another otherwise the threatning that at what time soever they did transgresse Gods Commandement they should certainly dye should not have taken effect Declare how that threatning took effect They were dead in sinne which is more fearfull then the death of the body as that which is a separation from the favour of God for there came upon them the decay of Gods glorious image in all the faculties of their soule and also a corruption of the powers of their body from being so fit instruments to serve the soule as God made them and this in them is signified by nakednes Gen. 3. 7. And in their children called originall sin Then there issued from thence a streame of actuall sinnes in the whole course of their life which appeared in Adam even upon his fall by his flying from Gods presence and affirming that it was his nakednesse that made him flye his excusing of his sin and laying it on the woman c. By sin an entrie being made for death Rom. 5. 12. they became subject to the separating of the soul from the body which is bodily death and of both from God which is spirituall death signified by expelling them out of Paradise and debarring them of the sacramentall tree of life Gen. 3. 22. c. And thus by the just sentence of God being for their sin delivered into the power both of corporall and of eternall death they were already entred upon death and hell to which they should have proceeded untill it had been accomplished both in body and soule in hell with the Devill and his Angels for ever if the Lord had not looked upon them in the blessed Seed For the fuller understanding of the things that immediatly followed the transgression of our first parents let us consider more particularly what is recorded in the 3d. ch of Gen. And first shew what is meant by that in v. 7. that their eyes were opened they saw themselves naked were they not naked before and having the eye sharper then after the fall must they not needs see they were naked It is true howbeit their nakednesse before the fall was comely yea more comely then the comeliest apparell we can put on being clad with the robe of innocency from the top of the head unto the sole of the foot wherefore by nakednesse he meaneth a shamefull nakednesse both of soule and body as the Scripture speaketh elsewhere Rev. 3. 17 18. Exod. 32. 25. What
2 Cor. 4. 4. Heb. 2. 14. Luke 11. 21 22. How may a man know whether Satan be his God or no He may know it by this if he give obedience to him in his heart and expresse it in his conversation And how shall a man perceive this obedience If he take delight in the evill motions that Satan puts into his heart and doth fulfill the lusts of the Devil Joh. 8. 44. 1 Joh. 3. 8. What is that slavery whereby a man is in bondage to the flesh A necessity of sinning but without constraint untill he be born again by the grace of God Mat. 12. 33 34 35. If we sin necessarily and cannot but sin then it seemeth we are not to be blamed Yes the necessity of sin doth not exempt us from sin but only constraint What punishments are inflicted upon sinfull man after this life A twofold death Which is the first death Bodily death in the severall kindes namely the separation of the soul from the body Gen. 3. 19. Eccl. 12. 7. Rom. 5. 12. Wherein consisteth the second death 1. In an everlasting separation of the whole man from the favourable presence and comfortable fellowship of Gods most glorious Majesty in whose countenance is fulnesse of joy 2. Perpetuall imprisonment in the company of the Devill and Reprobates damned in hell 3. The most heavy wrath of God and unspeakable torments to be endured in hell fire world without end 2 Thess. 1. 9. How doth this death seize upon man 1. After this life is ended the soule of the wicked immediately is sent unto hell there to be tormented unto the day of Judgement Luk. 16. 22 23. 2. At the day of Judgement the body being joyned to the soule againe both shall be tormented in hell everlastingly Matth. 10. 28. so much also the more as they have had more freedome from pain of body and anguish of soule and losse of outward things in this life Is the punishment of all sins alike No for as the guilt increaseth so doth the punishment and as the smallest sin cannot escape Gods hand so as we heap sins he will heap his judgements John 19. 11. Mat. 11. 20 21 22 23 24. But God is mercifull He is indeed full of mercy but he is also full of righteousnesse which must fully be discharged or else we cannot be partakers of his mercy Cannot we by our own power make satisfaction for our sins and deliver our selves from the wrath of God We cannot by any meanes but rather from day to day increase our debt for we are all by nature the sons of wrath and not able so much as to think a good thought therefore unable to appease the infinite wrath of God conceived against our sins Could any other creature in heaven or earth which is onely a creature perform this for us No none at all for first God will not punish that in another creature which is due to be paid by man Secondly none that is onely a creature can abide the wrath of God against sinne and deliver others from the same Thirdly none can be our Saviour but God Could man by his own wisdome devise any thing whereby he might be saved No for the wisdom of man can devise nothing but that which may make a further separation betwixt God and him VVhat then shall become of man-kind is there no hope of salvation shall all perish then surely is a man of all creatures most miserable when a dog or a toad die all their misery is ended but when a man dieth there is the beginning of his woe It were so indeed if there were no meanes of deliverance but God in his infinite wisdome and mercy hath found out that which the wisdome of man could not and provided a Saviour for mankind How then is man delivered from this sinfull miserable estate Sinne is repressed and misery asswaged by many meanes naturall and civill but they are not removed nor man restored but onely by a new Covenant the old being not now able to give life unto any by reason of the infirmity of our flesh VVhy is the former Covenant of works called the old Because we not onely cannot doe it but through the perversenesse of our nature and not by the fault of the Law it maketh our old man of sin elder and we more hasting to destruction How are they convinced that seek righteousnesse by this Covenant Because thereby they make God unjust and that he should thus give the Kingdome of heaven to wicked men as to those that cannot fulfill the Law Seeing the nature of a Covenant is to reconcile and joyne those together that are at variance as we see in the example of Abraham and Abimelech Laban and Jacob why is this called a Covenant that can make no reconciliation betwixt God and us Although it be not able to reconcile us yet doth it make way for reconciliation by another Covenant neither is it meet strictly to bind Gods Covenant with men to the same Lawes that the Covenants of one man with another are bound unto For amongst men the weaker seeketh reconciliation at the hand of the mightier Luk. 14. 31 32. But God neither able to be hurt or benefitted by us seeketh unto us for peace 2 Cor. 5. 20. VVhether of these two Covenants must be first in use The Law to shew us first our duty what we should doe Secondly our sin and the punishment due thereunto How is that other Covenant called whereby we are reconciled unto God and recovered out of the state of sin and death The new Covenant so called because by it we are renued the Covenant of grace of promise of life and salvation the new Testament the Gospell c. Ier. 31. 31 32. Rom. 3. 23 24. What is the Covenant of grace Gods second contract with man-kind after the fall for restoring of him into his favour and to the estate of happinesse by the meanes of a Mediatour Gal. 3. 21 22. and it containeth the free promises of God made unto us in Jesus Christ without any respect of our deservings VVho made this Covenant God alone for properly man hath no more power to make a spirituall Covenant in his naturall estate then before his creation he had to promise obedience How are they convinced by the giving of this second Covenant which seek righteousnesse in the Law or old Covenant Because thereby they make God unwise that would enter into a new and second Covenant if the former had been sufficient Heb. 8. 7. When was this Covenant of Grace first plighted between God and man Immediately after his fall in Paradise in that promise given concerning the womans seed Gen. 3. 15. God in unspeakeable mercy propounding the remedy before he pronounced sentence of Judgment Was it once only published It was sundry wayes declared in all ages partly by ordinary means and partly by Prophets extraordinarily sent and directed by God What is the foundation of this Covenant The meer
2. 13. 13. 18. Act. 10. 43. 13. 11. Luk. 16. 16. Joh. 1. 17. Heb. 11. 2. 8 9 10 11. 2 Cor. 3. 6 7 8. What call you the old Testament That which was delivered unto the Fathers to continue untill the fulnesse of time wherein by the comming of Christ it was to bee performed Heb. 1. 1. 9. 10. Act. 7. 44. 2 Cor. 3. 7. 11. What are the properties of this Ministery First the commandements of the Law were more largely and the promises of the Gospel more sparingly and darkly propounded the latter being more generally and obscurely delivered as the manifesting was the further off Secondly the promises of things to come were shadowed with a multitude of types and figures which when the truth should be exhibited were to vanish away Jer. 31. 31 32 33. Heb. 11. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 13. 18. Heb. 8. 13. 9. 1. 8 9 10. 2 Cor. 3. 11. 13. Gal. 4. 3 4. Col. 2. 16 17. What were the chiefest states and periods of this old Ministery The first from Adam to Abraham the second from Abraham to Christ. What were the speciall properties of the last of these two periods First it was more specially restrained unto a certaine Family and Nation Secondly it had with it solemne repetition and declaration of the first covenant of the Law Thirdly besides the ceremonies which were greatly inlarged under Moses it had Sacraments also added unto it Luk. 1. 54 55. Psal. 44. 19. 26. Rom. 9. 4. Act. 13. 17. Deut. 4. 1. 6 7 8. 37. 1. 6 7 8. 14. 2. 26. 18 19. Joh. 1. 16 17. Exod. 24. 7 8. Deut. 4. 12. Rom. 10. 5. Heb. 9. 1 2 3. Joh. 7. 22. What were the ordinary Sacraments of this Ministery The Sacrament of admission into the Church was circumcision instituted in the dayes of Abraham the other of continuall preservation and nourishment the Paschall Lambe instituted in time of Moses Exod. 12. 48. Act. 7. 8. Joh. 7. 22. Gen. 17. 9 10 Rom. 4. 11. Col 2. 11. Deut. 30. 6 7 8. Exod. 12. 3 4. Numb 9. 11 12. Deut. 16. 2. 1 Cor. 5. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 19 Joh. 9. 56. with Exod. 12. 46. What is the new administration of the Gospel That which is delivered unto us by Christ to continue unto the end of the world Joh. 1. 17. Heb. 1. 2. 2. 3 4. 3. 5 6. 1. Cor. 3. 11. What are the properties thereof First it is propounded indifferently to all people whether they bee Jewes or Gentiles and in that respect is Catholick or universall Secondly it is full of grace and truth bringing joyfull tydings unto mankinde that whatsoever was formerly promised of Christ is now accomplished and so in stead of the ancient types and shadows the things themselves with a large and cleere declaration of all the benefits of the Gospel are exhibited What bee the speciall points of the words of this ministery That Christ our Saviour whom God by his Prophets had promised to send into the world is come in the flesh and hath accomplished the work of our Redemption that hee was conceived of the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified and dyed upon the crosse that body and soule thus separated his body was laid in the grave and remained there under the power of death and his Soule went into the place appointed for the soules of the righteous namely Paradise the place of the blessed that the third day body and soule being joyned together againe hee rose from the dead and after ascended into Heaven where hee sitteth at the right hand of his Father untill such time as from thence hee shall come unto the last Judgement Rom. 1. 1. 2 3. Joh. 1. 14. 25. 19. 28. 30. Heb. 9. 12. 16. 18. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Luk. 1. 35. Matth. 1. 18 19 20 21 22 23. 27. 2. 26. ver ad 50. 12. 40. 27. 59. 60. Rom. 6. 9. Luk. 23. 43. 46 47. Matth. 16. 21. 28. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 4. 8. 6. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Mark 16. 19. Act. 1. 2 3. 10 11. Ephes. 4. 10. Heb. 1. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 3. What are the Sacraments of this Ministery The sacrament of admission into the Church is Baptisme which sealeth unto us our spirituall birth the other the sacrament of our continuall preservation is the Lords Supper which sealeth unto us our continuall nourishment What Sacraments bee there of the Covenant of Grace They bee of two sorts some of the Old Testament before Christs comming others of the New under Christ. What Sacraments were there of the Old Testament Besides divers extraordinarily given 1 Pet. 3. 20 21. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4. and serving but for a season there were two of ordinary and perpetuall use from their institution untill the comming of Christ to which those other may bee referred first Circumcision for entrance into the covenant of Grace Gen. 17. 10. Deut. 30. 6. secondly the Passeover for continuance and confirmation therein Exod. 12. 3. 1 Cor. 5. 7. To which two the two Sacraments of the new Testament answer How doe the Sacraments of the New Testament differ from those of the Old In respect not of the Author God the substance Christ or the receivers the people of God which are in both the same Rom. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 10. 2 3 4. but of continuance Matth. 28. 19 20. evidence 1 Cor. 11. 26. easie performance and efficacy in all which those of the New Testament have great preheminence 2 Cor. 3. 9. What Sacraments bee there of the New Testament Onely two to wit Baptisme succeeding in the place of Circumcision and the Supper of the Lord answering to the Passeover Rom. 4. 1. Gen. 17. 11 12. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3. 12 13. Matth. 26. 26. 28. 19. By the former wee have our admission into the true Church of God by the latter wee are nourished and preserved in the Church after our admission How may it appeare that there bee no more then two Sacraments of the New Testament First when the number of Sacraments were most necessary as under the Law they had but two wherefore wee need require no more 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3. Secondly having meat drink and cloathes wee ought therewith to bee content 1 Tim. 6. 8. now by the Sacrament of our entrance our spirituall cloathing is sealed unto us Gal. 3. 27. and by that of our growth is sealed our feeding 1 Cor. 10. 16. Thirdly those two seales assure us of all Gods graces as of our regeneration entrance and ingraffing into Christ so of our growth and continuance in him and therefore wee need no more 1 Cor. 12. 13. For there are as many Sacraments as there are things that need to bee betokened to us about our justification Now they bee two our birth in Christ and our nourishment after wee are born as in the bodily life
the glory of Christ. We read in the holy story that God took of the spirit which was upon Moses and gave it unto the seventy Elders that they might bear the burden of the people with him and that hee might not bear it as before hee had done himself alone It may bee his burden being thus lightned the abilities that were left him for government were not altogether so great as the necessity of his former imployment required them to have been and in that regard vvhat vvas given to his assistants might perhaps bee said to bee taken from him But wee are sure the case was otherwise in him of whom now wee speak unto whom God did not thus give the Spirit by measure And therefore although so many millions of beleevers doe continually receive this supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ yet neither is that fountain any way exhausted nor the plenitude of that well-spring of grace any whit impaired or diminished it being Gods pleasure That in him should all fulnesse dwell and that of his fulnesse all wee should receive grace for grace That as in the naturall generation there is such a correspondence in all parts betwixt the begetter and the Infant begotten that there is no member to bee seen in the Father but there is the like answerably to bee found in the Childe although in a farre lesse proportion so it falleth out in this spirituall that for every grace which in a most eminent manner is found in Christ a like grace will appeare in Gods Childe although in a far inferiour degree similitudes and likenesses being defined by the Logicians to bee comparisons made in quality and not in quantity Wee are yet further to take it into our consideration that by thus enlivening and fashioning us according to his own image Christs purpose was not to raise a seed unto himself dispersedly and distractedly but to gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad yea and to bring all unto one head by himselfe both them which are in Heaven and them which are on the Earth That as in the Tabernacle the vail divided between the Holy place and the most Holy but the curtaines which covered them both were so coupled together with the taches that it might still bee one Tabernacle so the Church Militant and Triumphant typified thereby though distant as farre the one from the other as Heaven is from Earth yet is made but one Tabernacle in Jesus Christ In whom all the building fifty framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord and in whom all of us are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit The bond of this mysticall union betwixt Christ and us as elsewhere hath more fully been declared is on his part that quickning Spirit which being in him as the Head is from thence diffused to the spirituall animation of all his Members and on our part Faith which is the prime act of life wrought in those who are capable of understanding by that same Spirit Both whereof must bee acknowledged to bee of so high a nature that none could possibly by such ligatures knit up so admirable a body but hee that was God Almighty And therefore although wee did suppose such a man might bee found who should perform the Law for us suffer the death that was due to our offence and overcome it yea and whose obedience and sufferings should be of such value that it were sufficient for the redemption of the whole world yet could it not be efficient to make us live by faith unlesse that Man had been able to send Gods Spirit to apply the same unto us Which as no bare Man or any other Creature whasoever can doe so for Faith wee are taught by S. Paul that it is the operation of God and a work of his power even of that same power wherewith Christ himself was raised from the dead Which is the ground of that prayer of his that the eyes of our understanding being enlightned wee might know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power which hee wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all Principality and Power and Might and every Name that is named not onely in this World but also in that to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to bee head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Yet was it fit also that this Head should bee of the same nature with the Body which is knit unto it and therefore that hee should so bee God as that hee might partake of our Flesh likewise For wee are members of his body saith the same Apostle of his flesh and of his bones And except yee eate the flesh of the Son of man saith our Saviour himself and drink his blood yee have no life in you Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and I in him Declaring thereby first that by this mysticall and supernaturall union wee are as truely conjoyned with him as the meate and drink wee take is with us when by the ordinary work of Nature it is converted into our own substance Secondly that this conjunction is immediately made with his humane nature Thirdly that the Lamb slaine that is Christ crucified hath by that death of his made his flesh broken and his blood powred out for us upon the Crosse to bee fit food for the spirituall nourishment of our soules and the very well-spring from whence by the power of his Godhead all life and grace is derived unto us Upon this ground it is that the Apostle telleth us that wee have boldnesse to enter into the Holyest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh That as in the Tabernacle there was no passing from the Holy to the most Holy place but by the vaile so now there is no passage to bee looked for from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant but by the flesh of him who hath said of himself I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by mee Jacob in his dream beheld a ladder set upon the Earth the top whereof reached to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending on it the Lord himself standing above it Of which vision none can give a better interpretation then hee who was prefigured therein gave unto Nathaniel Hereafter you shall see Heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Whence wee may well collect that the onely meanes whereby God standing
of God is to bee had partly by his Works namely so much as may serve to convince man and make him unexcusable Rom. 1. 19 20. Act. 14. 15. but most sufficiently by his Word contained in the holy Scriptures which therefore are called his Testimonies Psal. 119. 14. because they testifie of God Joh. 5. 39. what hee is and how hee will bee served of us Lastly that forasmuch as all that is writen in the Word of God is writen for our instruction and learning Rom. 15. 4. therefore we being prepared by true Prayer sanctified by Faith and seasoned with the Spirit of sobriety and humility may safely learn so much as is revealed in the Scripture for our profiting in the knowledge of God What is the first point of Religion that wee are taught in the Scriptures That there is a God Why doe you make this the first point Because the Scripture saith hee that commeth to God must beleeve that hee is Heb. 11. 6. Have any called this into question at any time Yea so saith the Prophet David but hee sheweth also that it was by wicked proud and foolish men Psal. 14. 1. whose lives were nothing else but abomination and corruption Psal. 10. 4. What pretence of reason might they have for this wicked imagination Because no man ever saw God yet by which foolish argument they may deny also that there is any wind or that man hath a soule for no man yet ever saw them But how come you to perswade your selfe that there is such a God Beside infinite testimonies of the Scriptures as Gen. 1. 1. Psal. 19. the common consent of all Nations approveth this Truth who rather worship any God or gods then none at all and though man by nature doth desire to bee exalted and in respect of himself despiseth all other creatures as Wood and Stone yet when a peece of wood is framed out like a man and set in the Temple and man conceiveth an opinion that it is a God hee falleth down and worshippeth it Esa. 44. 15. 17. How then commeth it to passe that the wicked say there is no God Psal. 14. 1. First though upon a sudden passion they may seem to say so as the Devill laboureth to tempt them yet their very Conscience after doth check them Secondly they deny rather Gods providence then his beeing as appeareth by Psal. 10. 4. 11. What other reasons have you to prove that there is a God Gods works of Creation and Providence both ordinary and extraordinary For first the glorious frame of the World the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and all that is in them must needs argue that their Maker was God Rom. 1. 19 20. Act. 14. 17. Zach. 12. 1. it being evident that the world could not bee made by the Creatures that are in it neither could it make it self as when a man comes into a strange Countrie and sees faire and sumptuous buildings and findes no body there but birds and beasts hee will not imagine that either birds or beasts reared those buildings but hee presently conceives that some men either are or have been there The Creation of the Soule of man indued with Reason and Conscience doth specially prove the same Zach. 12. 1. The preserving of things Created together with the wonderfull and orderly government of the world Day and Night Sommer and Winter c. manifestly convince the same For example Bread is no better in it self then Earth yet man is preserved by Bread and if hee eate Earth hee dyeth the reason whereof must bee attributed to the blessing of God giving to the one force and power to nourish more then to the other By the order of causes even the heathen men have found out that there must bee a God seeing that of every effect there must needs be a Cause untill we come to the first Cause which is the universall Cause of the being of all things and is caused of none If we shall observe in Gods Works an infinite multitude a wonderfull variety Psal. 104. 24. as amongst so many millions of men never a one like another in the compasse of the face a most constant order a seemly agreement and an endlesse continuance or pleasant intercourse of things comming and going and what exceeding Majesty is in them we must needs attribute these things to a God The consciences of wicked men after sin are perplexed with feare of being punished by some supreme Judge who disliketh and detesteth dishonest things and exerciseth judgements upon the mind which maketh the most ungodly miscreants will they nill they to acknowledge and tremble at him c. Rom. 2. 15. Esa. 33. 14. 57. 20 21. 66. 24. Psal. 14. 5. 53. 5. for a man that commits any sin as murder fornication adultery blasphemy c. albeit he conceale the matter never so close Gen. 38. 10. 13 14. that no man living know of it yet oftentimes he hath a griping in his conscience and feares the very flashing of hell fire which is a strong reason to shew that there is a God before whose Judgement seat he must answer for his fact There is a devill that suggesteth a temptation against God into the mindes of men and sometimes also really possesseth their bodies which is a sufficient argument to prove that there is a God The death of the wicked with Gods apparent Judgements upon them besides the terrour of their conscience and the dreadfull punishment executed even in this world upon many Atheists that have laboured to deny it Psal. 58. 10 11. prove that there is a God this is Davids argument Psal. 9. 16. The same appeareth by the rewards of the godly and the mercifull preservation of those the trust in God above and against naturall means By the wonderfull miracles which God hath wrought for his Church By the foretelling of things to come so many thousand yeers before they were accomplished By the divers revelations he hath made of himself to men as to Adam Noah Moses c. This ground being now laid that there is a God what doth Christian Religion teach us concerning him It informeth us first concerning his nature Act. 8. 12. Secondly concerning his Kingdom and that respectively as they have relation one to the other Act. 28. 23. What is to been known concerning his nature First vvhat his Essence is secondly to whom or what persons it doth belong In the first he is considered in his unity in the second in the Trinity the former whereof in the Hebrew tongue is noted by the singular name of Jehovah betokening the simplicity of Essence the latter by the plurall term of Elohim importing a distinction of Persons in the God-head Can wee understand what the Essence of God is Very imperfectly for all nature is not able to teach us what God is in himself neither can man in nature comprehend him Job 36. 26. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Why is not all nature able to teach
after a man hath been enlightned with it and felt a taste thereof manifested in outward action by some blasphemous oppugning the truth of set hatred because it is the truth What are you to consider in this sin The nature thereof and the deadlinesse of the same What note you in the nature The reason why it is so called and the quality thereof Why is it called the sin against the holy Ghost Not because it is committed against the third Person only for it is committed against all three but because it is committed against the light of knowledge with which the holy Ghost hath enlightned the heart of him that committed it and that of set malice for every one that sinneth against his knowledge may be said to sin against the holy Ghost as Ananias and Sapphira were said to doe Act. 5. 3. But that is not this great sin of malice resisting the truth because it is the truth but of infirmity What qualities and properties hath this great sin First it must be in him that hath known the truth and after falleth away Heb. 6. 5. therefore Infidels and Heathens doe not sin this sinne neither any that are ignorant though maliciously they blaspheme the truth Secondly it must be done of set malice because it is the truth as the Pharises did Mat. 12. 31. Heb. 6. 6. Therefore Peter that cursed himself and denyed that he knew Christ to save his life did not sinne this sin nor Paul that did persecute him doing it of ignorance Thirdly it must be against God himself directly his Son Christ Jesus Mat. 12. 31. Heb. 6. 6. Therefore it is not any particular breach of the second Table nor a slip against any speciall sin of the first Can these qualities at any time befall the elect or children of God No and therefore they that feel in themselves the testimony of their election need not fear their falling into this sin nor despair VVhat is the deadlinesse of this sin above other sins First God hath pronounced it shall never be pardoned not because God is not able to pardon it but because he hath said he will not forgive it Secondly this sin is commanded not to be prayed for when persons are known to be guilty of it 1 Joh. 5. 16. whereas we are bound to pray for all other persons Thirdly this is the ordinary and first sin of the Devill and therefore is he never received into mercy no more then those that are guilty of it Thus much of the sinne against the holy Ghost Shew now the differences of actuall sins in regard of the degrees attained Some are only sins but others are wickednesses and some beastlinesses or devilishnesses for though originall sin be equall in all Adams children yet actuall sins be not equall but one much greater then another Are not sins well divided into Veniall and Mortall None are Veniall of their own nature but only to the faithful they are so made by the mercy of God in Christ. Doe all naturall men alike commit all these kinds of sin No for though all are alike disposed unto all manner of evill Rom. 7. 14. having in their corrupt nature the seeds of every sin yet doth God for the good of humane society restrain many from notorious crimes by fear of shame and punishment desire of honour and reward c. Rom. 13. 3 4 5. How doth God employ men in this state of sin First he guideth them partly by the light of nature Rom. 2. 14 15. Joh. 1. 9. and partly by common graces of the Spirit Esa. 44. 28. unto many actions profitable for humane society and for the outward service of God Secondly he over-ruleth their evill and sinful actions so that thereby they bring to passe nothing but what his hand and counsell had before determined for his own glory Act. 3. 16. 4. 27 28. What are the things that generally follow sin They are two Guilt and punishment both which doe most duly wait upon sin to enter with it and cannot by any force or cunning of man or Angel be holden from entring upon the person that sin hath already entred upon both likewise doe increase as the sinne increaseth What is the guilt of sin It is the merit and desert of sin which is as it were an obligation to the punishment and wrath of God whereby we become subject to Gods debt or danger that is to condemnation Rom. 2. 15. 3. 9. 10. 19. For every man by reason of his sin is continually subject to the curse of God Gal. 3. 10. and is in as great danger of everlasting damnation as the Traitour apprehended is in danger of hanging drawing and quartering Is there any evill in the guilt before the punishment be executed Very much for it worketh unquietnesse in the mind as when a man is bound in an obligation upon a great forfeiture that very obligation it self disquieteth him especially if he be not able to pay it as we are not And yet more because where other debts have a day set for payment we know not whether the Lord will demand by punishment his debt this day before to morrow What learn you from this That sith men doe shun by all means to be in other mens debt or danger as also the Apostle exhorteth Rom. 13. 8. Owe nothing to any man and Solomon also counselleth in the matter of suretiship Prov. 6. 1 2 3 4 5. we should more warily take heed that we plunge not ourselves over head and ears in the Lords debt for if it be a terrible thing to be bound to any man in stature Staple or Merchant or recognizance much more to God who will be paid to the uttermost farthing How else may the hurt and evill of the guilt of sinne be set forth unto us It is compared to a stroake that lighteth upon the heart and soul of a man where the wound is more dangerous then when it is in the body Gen. 44. 16. 1 Sam. 24. 4 5 6. and so it is also a sting or a bite worse then of a viper as that which bringeth death Have you yet wherewith to set forth the evill of the guilt It seemeth when the Lord said to Cain if he sin against his brother his sin lyeth at the door Gen. 4. 7. that he compareth the guilt to a dog that is always snarling and barking against us which is confirmed by the Apostle who attributeth a mouth to his desert of sin to accuse us Rom. 2. 15. What is the effect of this guilt of Conscience It causeth a man to flie when none pursueth and to be afraid of the fall of a leaf Prov. 28. 1. Levit. 26. 36. VVhen a man doth not know whether he doth sin or no how can he be smitten or bitten or barked at or flie for feare therefore against all this evill ignorance seemeth to be a safe remedy No verily for whether we know it or no his guilt remaineth as
a debt is a debt though a man knoweth it not and it is by so much the more dangerous as not knowing it he will never be carefull to discharge it till the Lords arrest be upon his back when his knowledge will doe him no good VVe may see many which heap sinne upon sinne and know also that they sinne and yet for all that cease not to make good cheer and make their hearts merry The countenance doth not alwayes speake truth so that sometimes under a countenance in shew merry there are stings and pricks in the Conscience Rom. 2. 15. which yet is oftentimes benummed and sometimes through hypocrisie it is seared as it were with a hot iron 1 Tim. 4. 2. but the Lord will find a time to awaken and revive it by laying all his sinnes before his face Psal. 50. 21. VVhen it is known what is the remedy of it It were wisdome not to suffer our guilt to run long on the score but reckon with our selves every night ere we lie down to sleep and look back to the doings of the day that in those things which are well done we may be thankefull and comfort our own hearts and in that which passeth otherwise from us we may call for mercy and have the sweeter sleep for if Solomon willeth us in that case of debt by suretyship to humble our selves to our Creditor and not to take rest untill we have freed our selves Prov. 6. 1 2 3 4 5 6. much more ought we to haste the humbling our selves unto God sith the bloud of Christ is the onely sacrifice for sinne Is the guilt of sin in all men alike No for as the sin encreaseth so doth the guilt both in regard of the greatnesse and of the number of our sins as appears out of Ezra 9. 6. where as sin is said to be gone above their heads so the guilt to reach up to the heavens VVhen the sin is gone and past is not the guilt also gone and past Christ taketh away both the guilt and the sin of the godly except originall sin which continueth during life but in the wicked when the act of sin is gone the guilt remaineth always as the strong savour of garlick when the garlick is eaten or as the scarre of a wound or the mark of a burning when the wound or burning is past VVhat is contrary to the guilt of sin The testimony of a good Conscience which is a perpetuall joy and comfort yea and a heaven to him that hath walked carefully in Gods obedience as the other is a torment of hell So much of the guilt what is the punishment It is the wages of sin sent for the guilt Rom. 6. 23. namely the wrath and curse of God by whose just sentence man for his sinne is delivered into the power both of bodily and spirituall death begun here and to be accomplished in the life to come Gen. 2. 17. John 3. 18 19. 5. 24. 28. 29. Lamen 3. 36. Esa. 64. 5 6. Rom. 6. 12. Gal. 3. 10. VVhat do you understand by bodily and spirituall death By the one I understand the separation of the soule from the body with all personall miseries and evils that attend thereon or make way thereto by the other the finall separation of both from God together with present spirituall bondage and all forerunners of damnation Are all the particular punishments expressed in the word which shall come for sin They cannot wholly be laid down they be so manifold and so divers and therefore it is said they shall come written and unwritten Deut. 29. 20. 28. 61. Against whom are these punishments addressed Against the whole estate of him that sinneth For whereas executions upon obligations unto men are so directed as they can charge either the person alone or his goods and lands alone so as if the Creditor fall upon the one he freeth the other as if he fall upon the person he cannot proceed further then unto his body the execution which goeth out from God for the obligation of sin is extended to the whole estate of the sinner both to the things belonging unto him and likewise to his own person VVhat be the punishments that extend to the things belonging to him Calamities upon his family wife children servants friends goods and good name the losse and curse of all these and unhappy and miserable posterity Matth. 15. 22. Psalme 109. 12. hinderances in goods Deuter. 28. in name ignominy and reproach Matth. 7. 12. Job 18. 17. Prov. 10. 7. losse of friends acquaintance c. What are the judgements executed upon his person They are executed either in this life or in the life to come What punishments are inflicted in this life They be partly outward partly inward What be the outward punishments 1. His want of dominion over the creatures and the enmity of the creatures against him calamities by fire water beasts or other means disorder in the world in summer winter heaven earth and all creatures 2. Shame for the nakednesse of body 3. All hunger in extremity thirst nakednesse penury poverty of estate and want of bodily necessaries 4. Wearinesse in following his calling with sweat of his browes with trouble and irksomnesse Gen. 3. 19. 5. Outward shame and infamy 6. Servitude 7. Losse of limbs or of the use of his senses deformities in body 8. Weaknesse of beeing want of sleep pains of body aches soars sicknesses and diseases of all sorts Deut. 28. Mat. 9. 2. even to the itch which few make accompt of therby to feel the anger of God and punishment of sin hither is to be referred pain in Child-bearing Gen. 3. 16. What be the inward punishments in this life 1. Sorrow and anguish of soul for these plagues and the like 2. Madnesse frenzy and foolishnesse 3. Blindnesse and distemper of the soul when God striketh it with an ignorant spirit with want of judgement to discern between good and bad with forgetfulnesse of holy things or hardnesse of heart Eph. 4. 17 18 19. which although for the time they be least felt yet are they more fearfull and dangerous then those whereof the sense is presently sharp 4. Terrour and vexation of spirit driving into hell guiltinesse and horrour of Conscience the fury of a despairing soul beginning even in this life to feel hell torments Deut. 28. 28. Heb. 10. 27. Esa. 33. 14. 5. Strangenesse and alienation from God 6. Spirituall bondage whereby sinfull man is become subject to the lust of the flesh the curse of the Law the rule of Satan and the custome of the world yea even blessings are cursed Malac. 2. 2. and prosperity causeth ruine Psal. 69. 22. In what sort is man in bondage unto Satan Both soul and body is under the power of the Prince of darknesse whereby man becommeth the slave of the Devil and hath him to reign in his heart as his God till Christ deliver him Col. 1. 13. Ephes. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 26.
naturall Son of God How is he said to be conceived by the Holy Ghost Because the holy Ghost by his incomprehensible power wrought his conception supernaturally which Fathers doe naturally in the begetting of their children not that any of the substance of the Holy Ghost which is indivisible came to his generation in the womb of the Virgin Why is he called the Word John 1. 1. As for other reasons declared in the doctrine of the Trinity so also because he is he whom the Father promised to Adam Abraham and all the holy Patriarchs to make his promises of salvation sure unto them as a man that hath ones word thinketh himself sure of the matter that is promised Why is the Word said to have been in the beginning Joh. 1. 1. Not because he began then to be but that then he was and therefore is from all eternity What gather you of this that he is the Wisdome of God That our Saviour is from everlasting as wel as his Father for it were an horrible thing to think that there were a time when God wanted Wisdome Why is he called the Character or Image of his Father Because God by him hath made himselfe manifest to the world in the Creation and especially in the Redemption of it What learn you from hence That whosoever seeketh to come to the knowledge of God must come to it by Christ. How is the Godhead of Christ proved Not onely by abundant testimonies of Scripture Esa. 7. 14. 9. 6. 25. 9. John 1. 1. 20. 28. Rom. 9. 5. 1 Joh. 5. 20. But also by his miracles especially in the raising of himselfe from death Rom. 1. 4. together with the continuance and conquest of the Gospell Acts 5. 39. and that not by carnall power or policie but onely by the power of his Spirit Zach. 4. 6. and patient suffering of his Saints Rev. 12. 11. Why was it requisite that our Saviour should be God Because first none can satisfie for sin nor be a Saviour of soules but God alone Psal. 49. 7. 1. Thess. 1. 10. For no creature though never so good is worthy to redeem another mans sin which deserveth everlasting punishment Secondly the satisfaction for our sins must be infinitely meritorious otherwise it cannot satisfie the infinite wrath of God that was offended therefore that the work of our Redemption might be such it was necessary our Saviour should be God to the end his obedience and sufferings might bee of an infinite price and worth Acts 20. 28. Heb. 9. 14. Thirdly No finite creature was able to abide and overcome the infinite wrath of God and the sufferings due unto us for our sins Therefore must our Saviour be God that he might abide the burthen of Gods wrath in his flesh sustaining and upholding the man-hood by his divine power and so might get again and restore to us the righteousnesse and life which we have lost Fourthly our Saviour must vanquish all the enemies of our salvation and overcome Satan Hell Death and Damnation which no creature could ever doe Rom. 1. 4. Heb. 2. 14. Fifthly he must also give efficacie to his satisfaction raising us up from the death of sin and putting us in possession of eternall life Sixthly he must give us his Spirit and by it seale these graces to our soules and renew our corrupt nature which only God can doe What comfort have we then by this that Christ is God Hereby we are sure that he is able to save by reconciling us to the Father And what by this that he is the Sonne That uniting us unto himselfe he may make us children unto his heavenly Father Heb. 2. 10. Being God before all worlds how became he man He took to himselfe a true body and a reasonable soule being conceived in time by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin MARY Heb. 1. 6. Joh. 1. 14. Matth. 1. 18. 20. Luk. 1. 31 32. 2. 7. and so became very man like unto us in all things even in our infirmities sin onely excepted Heb. 5. 7. In which respect he hath the name of the Sonne of man given unto him Matth. 26. 24. because he was of the nature of man according to the flesh and the Sonne of David Mat. 9. 27. because he sprang of the linage and stock of David How doth it appeare that he was true man Besides manifold predictions and cleare testimonies of Scripture Gen. 3. 15. Heb. 2. 17. 1 Tim. 2. 5 c. it is abundantly proved by plentifull experiments especially by his partaking of humane infirmities his Conception Birth Life and Death 1 Pet. 3. 18. Joh. 4. 6 7. Luk. 1. 31. 2. 7. Heb. 2. 9. 14 15. How by his Conception Because according to the flesh he was made of a woman and formed of her onely substance she continuing still a pure Virgin by the power of the most High Rom. 1. 3. Gal. 4. 4. Luk. 1. 34 35. Why is he said to be born Mat. 2. 1. To assure us of his true humanity even by his infancie and infirmitie Luk. 2. 7. Why was he born of a Virgin Luk. 1. 27. That he might be holy and without sin the naturall course of originall corruption being prevented because he came not by naturall propagation What learn you from hence That God is faithful as well as merciful ever making good his word by his work in due season Luk. 1. 20. 45. Act. 3. 18. 24. Why is there mention of the Virgin by her name Mary Luc. 1. 27. For more certainty of his birth and linage Mat. 1. 16. Heb. 7. 14. 2 Tim. 2. 8. as also to acquaint us with his great humility in so great poverty Luk. 2. 24. compared with Lev. 12. 8. What gather you from hence The marvellous grace of Christ who being rich for our sakes became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8. 9. Did he not passe through the Virgin Mary as some say like as saffron passeth through a bag and water through a Pipe or Conduit God forbid he was made of the seed of David and was a plant of the root of Jesse for he took humane nature of the Virgin and so the Word was made flesh If he was only made flesh it would seem that the Godhead served instead of a soul unto him Flesh is here taken according to the use of Scripture for the whole man both body and soul otherwise our Saviour should not have been a perfect man and our souls must have perished everlastingly except his soul had satisfied for them Was not the Godhead turned into flesh seeing it is said he was made flesh In no wise no more then he was turned into sin or into a curse because it is said He was made sin and made a curse for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. Gal. 3. 13. If the Godhead be not changed into the Manhood is it not at least mingled with it Nothing lesse for then he should be
hath first redeemed us from the power of darknesse Col. 1. 13. namely that wofull and cursed estate which we had justly brought upon our selves by reason of our sins Secondly translated us into his own kingdome and glory Col. 1. 12 13. 1 Cor. 2. 9. a far more glorious and excellent estate then ever our first parents had in Paradise How hath Christ wrought this Redemption Having taken our nature upon him he hath in the same as a surety in our stead made full satisfaction to God his Father by paying all our debts and so hath set us free Heb. 7. 22. What is this debt which we owe to God that he hath paid for us This debt is twofold one is that perfect obedience which we owe unto God in regard of that excellent estate in which we were created Deut. 12. 32. The other is the punishment due unto us for our sins in transgressing and breaking Gods Covenants which is the curse of God and everlasting death Deut. 27. 26. Rom. 6. 23. Mat. 5. 17. Gal. 3. 13. 4. 4 5. 2 Cor. 5. 21. All which is contained in the law of God which is the hand-writing between God and us concerning the old Covenant Col. 2. 15. How was our Saviour to make satisfaction for this our debt 1. By performing that perfect obedience which we did owe. 2. By suffering that punishment due unto us for our sins that so he might put out the hand-writing between God and us and set us free What then be the parts of Christs obedience and satisfaction His sufferings and his righteousnesse Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 2. 24. for it was requisite that he should first pay all our debt and satisfie Gods justice Esa. 53. 5 6. Job 33. 24. by a price of infinite value 1 Tim. 2. 6. 2ly Purchase and merit for us Gods favour Eph 1. 6. and kingdome by a most absolute and perfect obedience Rom. 5. 19. By his suffering he was to merit unto us the forgivenesse of our sins and by his fulfilling the law he was to merit unto us righteousnesse both which are necessarily required for our Justification But how can one save so many Because the Manhood being joyned to the Godhead it maketh the passion and righteousnesse of Christ of infinite merit and so we are justified by a Man that is God How hath Christ made satisfaction for our sins by his suffering He endured most grievous torments both of body and soul offering up himself unto God his Father as a Sacrifice propitiatory for all our sinnes 2 Cor. 5. 21. In this oblation who was the Priest or Sacrificer None but Christ Heb. 5. 5 6. and that as he was both God and man VVho was the sacrifice Christ himself as he was man consisting of body and soul. VVhat was the Altar upon which he was offered Christ as he was God was the Altar on which he sacrificed himself Heb. 9. 14. 13. 10. Rev. 8. 3. How often was he offered Never but once Heb. 9. 28. VVhereunto was he offered Unto the shame pain torment and all miseries which are due unto us for our sins he suffering whatsoever we should have suffered and by those grievous sufferings making payment for our sins Esa. ch 53. Mat. 26. 28. VVhat profit commeth by this sacrifice By his most painfull sufferings he hath satisfied for the sins of the whole world of his elect Esa. 53. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 1 John 2. 2. and appeased the wrath of his Father so that hereby we receive at onement and reconciliation with God our sins are taken away and we are freed from all those punishments of body and soul which our sins have deserved Heb. 9. 26. How commeth it then that Christ having borne the punishment of our sins the godly are yet in this world so often afflicted for them with grievous torments both of body and soul and that for the most part more then the ungodly The sufferings of the godly are not by desert any satisfaction for their sins in any part but being sanctified in the most holy sufferings of Christ they are medicines against sin neither is their affliction properly a punishment but a fatherly correction and chastisement in the world that they should not perish with the world whereas the wicked the longer they are spared and the lesse they are punished in this life their danger is the greater for God reserveth their punishment for the life to come What gather you of this That we should not grudge at the prosperity of the wicked when we are in trouble for as the sheep and kine are put in full pastures to be prepared to the Shambles so they the more they receive in this life the neerer and the heavier is their destruction in the life which is to come Jer. 12. 3. What are the more generall things which he suffered in this life Infirmities in his flesh indignities from the world and temptations from the Devill Mat. 4. 2. Joh. 4. 6 7. 8. 48. 52. Luc. 4. 2. Hitherto belong those manifold calamities which he did undergoe poverty hunger thirst wearinesse reproach c. What benefits doe the godly reap hereby All the calamities and crosses that befall them in this life are sanctified and sweetned to them so that now they are not punishments of sin but chastisements of a mercifull Father What are the more speciall things which he suffered at or upon his death The weight of Gods wrath the terrours of death sorrows of his soul and torments of his body Esa. 53. 4. 10. Mat. 26. 37 38. Luc. 22. 44. Mat. 26. 67. What learn you hence To admire and imitate the love of Christ who being the Son of God became a man of sorrows even for the good of his utter enemies Eph. 5. 2. 1 Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 7 8. What did our Saviour Christ suffer in soul He drank the full cup of Gods wrath filled unto him for our sakes the whole wrath of God due to the sin of man being poured forth upon him Mat. 26. 27 28. Luc. 22. 44. Rev. 19. 15. Joh. 12. 2. Esa 53. 5. and therefore in soul he did abide most unspeakable vexations horrible griefs painfull troubles fear of mind feeling as it were the very pangs of hell into which both before and most of all when he hanged upon the Crosse he was cast which caused him before his bodily passion so grievously to complain What benefit and comfort receive you by this Hereby we have our souls everlastingly freed from Gods eternall wrath and herein are comforted because in all our grievous temptations and assaults we may stay and make sure our selves by this that Christ hath delivered us from the sorrowfull griefs and pains of hell Now for our Saviours bodily sufferings why is it said that he suffered under Pontius Pilate 1 Tim. 6. 13. For the truth of the story and fulfilling of his own prophecy foretelling his suffering under a forain
jurisdiction and authority Mat. 20. 19. Joh. 18. 31 32. as likewise to teach us that he appeared willingly and of his own accord before a mortall Judge of whom he was pronounced innocent and yet by the same he was condemned What comfort have you hereof That my Saviour thus suffering not any whit for his own sins but wholly for mine and for other mens sins before an earthly Judge I shall be discharged before the heavenly Judgement seat What did he chiefly suffer under Pontius Pilate He was apprehended accused arraigned mocked scourged condemned and crucified Mat. 26. 27. and 28. chapters What learn you here That he that knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Did Christ suffer these things willingly as he suffered them innocently Yes he laid down his life meekly as the sheep doth his fleece before the shearer being obedient even unto the death Luc. 23. 41. 1 Pet. 2. 22. Esa. 53. 7. Phil. 2. 8. Heb. 5. 8. Vnto what death was he so obedient Even unto the most reproachfull painfull and dreadfull death the death of the Crosse Mat. 27. 30. 38. Phil. 2. 8. Why was Christ put unto this death of the Crosse Because it was not a common death but such a death as was accursed both of God and man that so he being made a curse for us he might redeem us from a curse due unto us Deut. 21. 23. Gal. 3. 13. What comfort have you by this I am comforted in this because I am delivered from the curse which I have deserved by the breach of the law and shall obtain the blessing due unto him for keeping of the same Why was it requisite that our Saviours soul should be separated from his body Because we were all dead that so he might be the death of death for us 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Heb. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. for by sin death came into the world and therefore the Justice of God could not have been satisfied for our sins unlesse death had been joyned with his sufferings How could the death and sufferings of Christ which were but for a short time be a full satisfaction for us which have deserved eternall death Although they were not everlasting yet in regard of the worthinesse of the person who suffered them they were equivalent to everlasting torments forasmuch as not a bare man nor an Angel did suffer them but the eternall Son of God though not in his Godhead but in our nature which he assumed his person Majesty Deity Goodnesse Justice Righteousnesse being every way infinite and eternall made that which he suffered of no lesse force and value then eternall torments upon others yea even upon all the world besides For even as the death of a Prince being but a man and a sinfull man is of more reckoning then the death of an Army of other men because he is the Prince much more shall the death and sufferings of the Son of God the Prince of all Princes not finite but every way infinite and without sin much more I say shall that be of more reckoning with his Father then the sufferings of all the world and the time of his sufferings of more value for the worthinesse of his person then if all the men in the world had suffered for ever and ever What use are we to make of Christs death and passion 1. The consideration hereof may bring us to a sound perswasion and feeling of our sins because they have deserved so grievous a punishment as either the death of the Son of God or hell fire 2. Hereby we reap unspeakable comfort forasmuch as by his stripes we are healed by his bloud washed by his sacrifice God is satisfied and by his death we are saved and redeemed 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rev. 1. 5. Heb. 10. 10. 12. Rom. 5. 8 9 10. 3. We learn from hence to die to our sins and to live henceforth unto him that hath dyed for us Rom. 6. 2. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 15. What befell our Saviour after his soule was separated from his body He was buried Act. 13. 29 30. and went to Hades or as we commonly speak descended into hell Act. 2. 31. Why was it needfull that Christ should be buried 1. To assure us more fully that he was truly dead Mat. 27. 59 60. 94 65 66. Act. 2. 29. 2. That even in the grave the very fortresse of death he might loose the sorrows and bands of death Act. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 55. What is meant by his descending into Hell Not that he went to the place of the damned but that he went absolutely unto the estate of the dead Rom. 10. 7. Eph. 4. 9. What doe you call the estate of the dead That departing this life he went in his soul into heaven Luc. 23. 43. and was in his body under the very power and dominion of death for a season Acts 2. 24. Heb. 2. 14. Rom. 6. 9. What comfort have you by Christs death buriall and lying under the power of death 1. I am comforted because my sinnes are fully discharged in his death and so buried that they shall never come into remembrance 2. My comfort is the more because by the vertue of his death and buriall sin shall be killed in me and buried so that henceforth it shall have no power to reign over me 3. I need not to fear death seeing that sin which is the sting of death is taken away by the death of Christ and that now death is made unto me an entrance into his life Hitherto of his sufferings what is the other part of his satisfaction His perfect righteousnesse whereby he did that which we were not able to doe and absolutely fulfilled the whole law of God for us Ps. 40. 7 8. Rom. 3. 19. 5. 19. Why was it necessary that Christ should as well fulfill the Law as suffer for us Because as by his sufferings he took away our unrighteousnesse and freed us from the punishment due to us for our sins so by performing for us absolute obedience to the whole law of God he hath merited our righteousnesse making us just and holy in the sight of God and purchased eternall happinesse for us in the life to come 2 Cor. 5. 21. Gal. 4. 4 5. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 8. 3 4. For as we are made unrighteous by Adams sinne so are we made fully and wholly righteous being justified by a man that is God How manifold is the righteousnesse of our Saviour Two-fold Originall Actuall VVhat is his originall righteousnesse The perfect integrity and purenesse of his humane nature which in himselfe was without all guile and the least staine of corruption Heb. 7. 26. Being very man how could he be without sin The course of naturall corruption was prevented because he was not begotten after the ordinary course by man but was conceived in the
the world Esa. 9. 7. What fruit receive we by the Kingly office of our Saviour Christ By it all the treasures brought in by his Priestly and Propheticall office are dealt to us continually For from it all the means of applying and making effectuall unto us Christ and all his benefits doe come yea without it all the actions of his other offices are to us void fruitlesse and of none effect What comfort have we by this Hereby we are assured that by his Kingly power we shall finally overcome the flesh the world the devill death and hell To whom will this blessed King communicate the means of salvation He offereth them to many and they are sufficient to save all mankind but all shall not be saved thereby because by faith they will not receive them Matth. 20. 16. Joh. 1. 11. 1 Joh. 2. 2. Are not the Faithfull in some sort also made partakers of this honor of his Kingdome Yes verily For they are made Kings to rule and subdue their stirring and rebellious affections and to tread Satan under their feet Rom. 6. 12. 16. 20. Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. You have spoken of the two natures and three offices of our Saviour Shew now in what state did Christ God and man perform this three-fold office In a two-fold estate 1. Of abasement and humiliation Phi. 2. 7 8. 2. Of advancement and exaltation Ph. 2. 9. Col. 2. 15. Eph. 1. 20 21. In the former he abased himself by his sufferings for sin whereof we have heard largely in the declaration of his Priesthood In the latter he obtained a most glorious victory and triumphed over sin thereby fulfilling his Priesthood and making way to his Kingdome What was his estate of Humiliation It was the base condition of a servant whereto he humbled himself from his Conception to his Crosse and so untill the time of his resurrection Phil. 2. 7 8. Wherein did this base estate of the Son of God consist In his Conception Gestation and Birth and in his Life diversly as in his Poverty Hunger Thirst Wearinesse and other Humiliations even unto death of which heretofore hath been spoken What learn you from this that Christ first suffered many things before he could enter into his Glory Luk. 24. 26. 46. That the way to reign with Christ is first to suffer with him and such as bear the Crosse constantly shall wear the Crown eternally Rom. 8. 17 18. 2 Tim. 2. 12. 4. 8. James 1. 12. What is his estate of Exaltation His glorious condition Phil. 2. 9. Heb. 2. 9. beginning at the instant of his Resurrection Acts 2. 24 31 36. and comprehending his Ascension Eph. 4. 8. Acts 2. 34. Heb. 9. 24 25. Sitting at the right hand of God his Father Psal. 110. 1 2 5 6. Mark 16. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 22. and the second comming in glory to judge the world Mat. 25. 31. What is the first degree of this estate His glorious Resurrection for after he had in his manhood suffered for us he did in the third day rise again by his own power from the dead Eph. 1. 19. Luc. 24. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 4. What it needfull that Christ being dead should rise again Yes it was for his own glory and our good Acts 2. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. How for his glory That being formerly abased as a servant and crucified as a sinner he might thus be declared to be the Son of God and exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour Phil. 2. 7. Luc. 23. 33. Esay 53. 12. Rom. 1. 4. Act. 5. 30 31. How for our good That having paid the price of our redemption by his death we might have good assurance of our full Justification by his life 1 Pet. 1. 19. Acts 20. 28. Rom. 4. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 17. What speciall comfort ariseth from this that the Lord of life is risen from death 1. It assureth me that his righteousnesse shall be imputed unto me for my perfect Justification that he that had the power of death is destroyed Heb. 2. 14. his works dissolved 1 Joh. 3. 8. and that all our misery is swallowed up in Christs victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. 2. It comforteth me because it doth from day to day raise me up to righteousnesse and newnesse of life in this present world 3. It ministreth unto me a comfortable hope that I shall rise again in the last day from bodily death What fruits then are we to shew from the vertue of his resurrection We are to stand up from the dead to awake to righteousnesse to live unto God and dying in him or for him to look for life again from him Eph. 5. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 34. Rom. 6. 4. 11. Phil. 3. 20. 1 Thes. 4. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 22. Col. 3. 4. Why is Christ said to raise himself To let us know that as he had power to lay down his life so he had also to take it up again Joh. 10. 18. What gather you hence That being Lord both of quick and dead he can and will both quicken our souls here to the life of grace and raise our bodies hereafter to the life of glory Rom. 14. 9. John 5. 21. Phil. 3. 21. Why did he rise the third day Because the bands of death could no longer hold him this being the time that he had appointed and the day that best served for his glorious resurrection Act. 2. 24. Mat. 20. 17. 12. 40. Why did he not rise before the third day Lest rising so presently upon his death his enemies might take occasion of cavill that he was not dead Mat. 27. 63 64. 28. 13 14. And why would he not put it off untill the fourth day Lest the faith of his Disciples should have been weakned and their hearts too much cast down and discouraged Mat. 28. 1. Luc. 24. 21. What gather you hence That as the Lord setteth down the tearm of our durance so doth he chuse the fittest time of our deliverance Rev. 2. 10. Mat. 12. 40. Dan. 11. 35. Hosea 6. 2. What is the second degree of his Exaltation His Ascension Mark 16. 19. Ephes. 4. 8 9. For we beleeve that Christ in his humane nature the Apostles looking on ascended into heaven What assurance have you of Christs Ascension The evidence of the Word the testimony of heavenly Angels and holy men Luc. 24. 51. Acts 1. 9. Wherefore did Christ ascend into heaven Because he had finished his Fathers work on earth Joh. 17. 3 4 5. and that being exalted in our nature he might consecrate a way prepare a place Joh. 14. 2 3. and appear in the presence of God to make intercession for us Heb. 4. 29. 9. 24. VVhat benefits did he bestow upon his Church at his Ascension He triumphed over his enemies gave gifts to his friends and taking with him a pledge of our flesh he sent and left with us the earnest of his Spirit Eph. 4. 8. Heb. 10. 12. 20. 2
it is a judiciall sentence opposed to condemnation Rom. 8. 34 35. Who shall lay any thing saith Paul to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth who shall condemn Now as to condemn is not the putting any evill into the nature of the party condemned but the pronouncing of his person guilty and the binding him over unto punishment so justifying is the Judges pronouncing the Law to be satisfied and the man discharged and quitted from guilt and judgement Thus God imputing the righteousnesse of Christ to a sinner doth not account his sins unto him but interests him in a state of as full and perfect freedom and acceptance as if he had never sinned or had himselfe fully satisfied For though there is a power purging the corruption of sin which followeth upon justification yet it is carefully to be distinguished from it as we shall further shew hereafter This for the name of Justification but now for the thing it selfe what is the matter first of our justification The matter of justification or that righteousnesse whereby a sinner stands justified in Gods sight is not any righteousnesse inherent in his own person and performed by him but a perfect righteousnesse inherent in Christ and performed for him What righteousnesse of Christ is it whereby a sinner is justified Not the essentiall righteousnesse of his divine nature but First the absolute integrity of our humane nature which in him our head was without guile Heb. 7. 6. Secondly the perfect obedience which in that humane nature of ours he performed unto the whole law of God both by doing whatsoever was required of us Mat. 3. 15. and by suffering whatsoever was deserved by our sins 1 Pet. 2. 24. for he was made sin and a curse for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him What is the forme or being cause of our justification and that which makes this righteousnesse so really ours that it doth justifie us The gracious imputation of God the Father accounting his Sons righteousnesse unto the sinner and by that accounting making it his to all effects as if he himselfe had performed it But how can Christs righteousnesse be accompted ours is it not as absurd to say that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse as that a man should be wise with the wisdom of another or live and be in health by the life and health of another No doubtlesse because this righteousnesse is in Christ not as in a person severed from us but as in the head of the Church the second Adam from whom therefore it is communicated unto all who being united as members unto him doe lay claim thereunto and apply it unto themselves Rom. 5. 19. Rom. 10. 4. For if the sin of Adam were of force to condemn us all because we were in his loynes he being the head of our common nature why then should it seem strange that the righteousnesse of our Saviour Christ both God and man should be availeable to justifie those that are interessed in him especially considering that we have a more strict conjunction in the Spirit with him then ever we had in nature with Adam And though it be not fit to measure heavenly things by the yard of reason yet it is not unreasonable that a man owing a thousand pound and not being able to pay it his creditor may be satisfied by one of his friends If Christ have paid our debt how are we then freely justified by grace It is of grace that Christ is given unto us and also that his righteousnesse apprehended by faith is accounted ours It is true that the justification of a sinner considering the case as it is between the Father and Christ no man dare call it free no the price of our Redemption was the deepest purchase that the world ever heard of but what ever it cost Christ it cost us nothing and so to us it is freely of grace from Christ yea and to us it is freely grace from God the Father too not because he acquits us without a full satisfaction to his Justice or accepts that for perfect righteousnesse which is not perfect righteousnes but because he receives full satisfaction from the hands of a surety and that surety being his own Son when as he might have challenged the uttermost farthing at our hands which were the principals and then there had been no possibility for us to have been delivered What gather you from this doctrine of Justification by Christs righteousnesse 1. To condemn the proud opinion of Papists who seek Justification by their owne workes and righteousnesse inherent in themselves whereas though being accepted we must in thankfulnesse doe all we can for God yet when all is done we must acknowledge our selves unprofitable servants the onely matter of our joy and triumph both in life and death must be the imputation of Christs righteousnes not our persons nor the best actions of the holiest men dare appeare in Gods presence but in his name and merit who consecrates all the Lords Jesus 2. We may here take notice that there is no comfort to a Christian soule like that which floweth from this Well of salvation this sweet doctrine of Justification 1. Here we have assurance of the sufficiencie of our Redemption that soule must be throughly acquited that is stated in such a righteousnesse that debt must be fully discharged that hath such a price laid down for it our sinnes though never so great cannot weigh down his righteousnesse and merit Rom. 8. 33. and God having accepted his Sons righteousnes for us will not hold us any longer trespassers but he disables his own Justice from making any further demand 2. Hence there is nothing comes upon the Saints from Gods revenging Justice but all our corrections are medicinall from Gods Fatherly love to purge out that sin out of our nature which he hath already pardoned to our persons 3. Lastly this doctrine may be great comfort to weak Christians in the midst of their troublesome imperfections and sense of their weak measures of Sanctification To consider that the righteousnesse that is inherent in themselves is not the matter of their Justification or that which must appear before Gods presence to be pleaded the righteousnesse of Christ is compleat and perfect that is our main joy and crown of rejoycing to be found in Christ not having our own righteousnesse but that which is in him and made ours by Gods gracious account But how is this great benefit of Justification applyed unto us and apprehended by us This is done on our part by faith alone and that not considered as a vertue inherent in us working by love but only as an instrument or hand of the soule stretched forth to lay hold on the Lord our righteousnesse Rom. 5. 1. 10 10. Jer. 23. 6. So that faith justifieth onely Relatively in respect of the object which it fasteneth on to wit the righteousnesse of Christ by which
that concerne himselfe 1. Friends and Neighbours should see that his body be honestly buried and Funerals decently performed Gen. 23. 4 19. 25. 9. 1 Sam. 25. 1. Psal. 79. 3. Rom. 11. 9. 2. Moderate mourning is to be used for him Eccles. 12. 7. 1 Thes. 4. 13. 3. We are to report well of him as he hath deserved 4. We are to judge the best of him What is that which concerneth those that belong to him To provide for his wife children and posterity that he may live in them Ruth 2. 20. 2 Sam. 9. 7. So much of the respect which we owe unto our Neighbours Is it not required also that we should shew mercifulnesse unto our beasts Yes A righteous man is to regard the life of his beast Prov. 12. 10. and all hard usage of the creatures of God is forbidden Deut. 22. 6 7. and 25. 4. yet not so much in regard of them 1 Cor. 9. 9 10. as that thereby the Lord would traine us forward to shew mercy to our Neighbour For it being unlawfull to use the dumbe creatures cruelly it is much more unlawfull to use men so What are the breakers of this Commandement to expect The Apostle Iames teacheth that when he saith Iudgement without mercy shall be upon those that are mercilesse Iames 2. 13. Of how many sorts are those judgements They either concerne this life or that which is to come What be those that concerne this life 1. Severe punishments by the Law are to be inflicted upon the body as limbe for limbe eye for eye hand for hand tooth for tooth wound for wound bloud for bloud life for life Exod. 21. 23. Iudg. 1. 5 6 7. although it were a beast if it were knowne to be a striker Exodus 21. 28. 2. Short life Psal. 55. 23. bloud-thirsty men that live not out halfe their dayes 3. Magistrates that should punish murtherers if they spare them their lives are in danger to goe for the offender as Achabs did for Benhadads 1 Kings 20. 42. David was exceedingly punished for sparing bloud-thirsty men such as was his son Absalom and not punishing them 2 Sam. 13. 28 29. 14. 33. 16. 11. 4. God threatneth that hee will not onely revenge the bloud of the slaine upon the murtherer himselfe but also upon his issue and posterity in unrecoverable diseases 2 Sam. 3. 29. What is the punishment that concerneth the life to come 1. That their prayers are not heard Esay 1. 15. 1 Tim. 2. 8. 2. Everlasting death both of body and soule in the bottomlesse pit of Hell and as the degrees of sinne are so shall the punishment be What meanes are we to use for furthering us to the obedience of this Commandement It behoveth us to consider that first all men are made in the Image of God Gen. 9. 6. and of one bloud with us Acts 17. 26. and all Christians in the Image of Christ also in whom we are all one body 1 Cor. 12. 17. 2. God hath appointed the Magistrate also to punish proportionably every offender in this kinde Gen. 9. 6. Lev. 24. 20 21. Yea himselfe also extraordinarily bringing murtherers to light and punishment Gen. 4. 9. Prov. 28. 17. Acts 28. 4. VVhat must we avoyd as hindrances to the obedience of this Commandement 1. The false opinion of the world in placing manhood in revenge aud bloud-shed Gen. 4. 23 24. 2. The company of furious and unmercifull men Proverbs 22. 24 25. 3. Greedy desire of gaine Prov. 1. 19. Mic. 3. 3. 4. Pride Prov. 13. 10. 5. Riot and drunkennesse Prov. 23. 29. Hitherto of the generall duties that belong to the person of man contained in the sixt Commandement what followeth The duties which we owe to man in regard of the things which belong unto him the first whereof concerneth those that bee most deare unto him namely his family and his wife especially who is nearest unto him and as himselfe being one flesh with him In respect whereof temperance and chastity is required in the next Commandement What are the words of the seventh Commandement Thou shalt not commit Adultery Exod. 20. 14. What is comprehended under this name of Adultery All sins of that sort committed either in the body or in the mind of persons whether married or unmarried are signified by this name to signifie the vilenesse of the breach of this Commandement What then is the meaning and scope of this Commandement That all uncleannesse and impurity be avoided and chastity by all meanes preserved 2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Thes. 4. 3 4 5. What is here forbidden All impurity uncleannes together with all means and provocations to lust What is here required All purity honest behaviour continent and chaste usage towards our selves and towards our Neighbours 1 Thes. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 34. What are the speciall breaches of this Commandement They are either inward or outward What is the inward The unchastity and dishonesty of the mind with all filthy imaginations and inordinate lusts Mat. 5. 28. Col. 3. 5. What are the speciall branches of this inward impurity 1. The desire of strange flesh with resolution to have it if he could Col. 3. 5. 1 Thes. 4. 5. For to lust after a strange woman with consent of heart is forbidden in this Mat. 5. 28. as lust without consent is in the last Commandement Not that the bare affection is of it selfe a sin being rightly directed to a true and good object but the abuse of the affection the right subject manner and measure being not observed 2. Inward boiling and burning in affection whereby godly motions as with a fire are burnt up and a mans mind is so carried away that he is hindered in all other things belonging to his Calling This is an high degree of corruption which if it be not restrained will breake forth into further mischief Jam. 1. 15. And therfore we are earnestly to pray to God against it if we can no otherwise prevaile we must use the remedy of Marriage prescribed by God himselfe For it is better to marry then to burne 1 Cor. 7. 9. 3. Evill thoughts and cogitations in the mind arising from foolish and vaine talke but first and principally from our owne concupiscence when a man suffers as it were his soule to be trampled under foot with impure imaginations Jam. 1. 14 15. 4. Iealousie in the mind betwixt two persons upon no just occasion or good ground which is contrary to that entire love and affection which a man should have towards his wife Numb 5. What is the inward vertue here commended The virginity and constancy of the mind and the chastity and purity of the heart 1 Cor. 7. 34. 1 Thes. 4. 3 4. 5. 23. What is the outward breach of this Commandement Such uncleannes as being once seated in the mind after sheweth it selfe outwardly Wherein doth it shew it selfe Either in things that belong to the body
all his works even in his ordaining of some to eternall life and other some to everlasting destruction That his infinite justice and infinite mercy over all his creatures but especially over his Church may be reverenced and adored by all men but especially by my selfe That the name of God may be reverently and holily used of all men but especially of my selfe That when the glory of God commeth in question between my selfe and any thing that belongeth unto me I may preferre that unto this Finally that God would vouchsafe to plant and encrease in me and others such graces whereby his name may be glorified What are those graces for which we pray here in particular 1. Knowledge of God Psalme 100. 3. 67. 2. That God would give us the knowledge of himselfe his Word and Works for we cannot glorifie his name unlesse we know it 2. Beliefe of his Word that wee and others may sanctifie God in believing his Word how unlike soever Iohn 3. 33. Wherefore Moses and Aaron are said not to have sanctified the name of God because they beleeved not Numb 20. 12. Contrariwise Abraham glorified God in beleeving Rom. 4. 20. 3. Fearing the Lord alone and not men That the Lord be our feare Esa. 8. 12 13. 1 Pet. 3. 14 18. 4. Humility for our selves and others without which wee cannot glorifie God as it is meet Psalme 115. 1. 2 Sam 7. 18. Psal. 8. 4 5. 144. 3. Luke 1. 48. 5. Patience arising from thence whereby wee doe willingly submit our selves unto the correcting hand of God as Eli 1 Sam. 3. 18. Hezekiah Esa. 39. 8. 6. Thankfulnesse that we may praise him for his benefits more particularly where we are to hallow Gods name as well by praising it for the benefits we have received as for his wonderfull works in the Creation and government of the world the Church especially 7. Lips opened and tongues tuned to speak of him with reverence Psal. 51. 15. 44. 1. 45. 1. 8. A life so ordered that men may say he is a holy God who by his grace maketh us an holy people Matth. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Tit. 2. 10. That according as we know the vertues of our good God so the fruits of them may appeare in ours and all good peoples lives that so his name may be honoured and praised and he may get glory by the godly conversation of us and others VVhat doe we pray against in this Petition We pray against all ignorance of holy things we should know Hos. 8. 12. and against infidelity and want of good works whereby God wants of his glory we pray against all lofty and high things that hinder that God onely cannot be exalted Esa. 2. 11 12 13 14 15 16. especially the pride of our hearts which we are to confesse and lament Prov. 8. 13. Against all false religion and prophanenesse impatience unthankfulnesse Rom. 1. 21 c. those tongue-wormes of swearing blasphemy and unreverent speaking of God Exod. 20. 7. Esa. 2. 11 12 13 14 15. Prov. 8. 13. together with all wickednesse and ungodlinesse whereby Gods Name is dishonoured In a word we pray that God would remove and root out of our hearts tongues and lives all such vices by and for which his name is dishonoured especially an evill and scandalous life for which the name of God and his religion is evill spoken of in the world Rom. 2. 23 24. What doth this teach us Our dulnesse is hereby condemned who by nature are so ill-disposed to glorifie God and to use his name holily and reverently What is to be considered in the second Petition Let thy Kingdome come Matth. 6. 10. Luke 11. 2. One of the meanes how to have the name of God sanctified which is a dependance of the former Petition What is the summe of this Petition That God may reigne in our hearts and not sinne and that the Kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ both by the inward working of his Spirit and also by the outward meanes may be enlarged dayly untill it bee perfected at the comming of Christ to judgement that the Kingdome of sinne and Satan being more and more abolished Acts 26. 18. Col. 1. 13. Christ may now reigne in our hearts by grace Col. 3. 15 16. and we with him for ever in glory 2 Tim. 2. 12. What is meant here by Kingdome That government which our Saviour Christ exerciseth first in the world then in the last day both in the whole Church and in every member thereof For by the Kingdome of God wee must understand here not so much that univerall soveraignty which as Creator he exerciseth over all creatures disposing them all to their proper ends for his glory Esa. 5. 6. Psal. 95. 3 c. as the spirituall regiment Psalme 110. 2. 1 Cor. 15. 25. of the Church and of all things for the good of the Church wherein God hath appointed Christ to be the King Psalme 2. 6. Hos. 3. 5. the Saints his Subjects Rev. 15. 3. the Word his Law Job 22. 22. the Angels and all creatures his servants Heb. 1. 6 the Ministers his Heralds and Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5. 20. Finally the Devills kingdome Matth. 12. 26. that is wicked Angels and men enemies to the Kingdome of Christ Luke 19. 27. his foot-stoole Psalme 110. 1. How is this Kingdome said to come 1. In regard of the meanes where the word of the Kingdome is published Matth. 12. 28. 13. 19. Marke 4. 15. 2. In regard of efficacy where from the heart obedience is yeelded Rom. 6. 17. 3. In regard of perfection it hath these degrees 1. Increase of grace in the time of this life Matth. 13. 18. 2. The translation of blessed soules into heaven in the moment of death Luke 23. 42 43. 3. Finally the full redemption of glorification of the Saints in soule and body in the life to come Matth. 25. 34. VVhat doe we then desire concerning the kingdome of God in this Petition We pray either for that he exerciseth in this world or for that hee exerciseth in the world to come called the kingdome of glory How many sorts are there in that kingdome he exerciseth in this world Two First that he exerciseth over all men and other creatures called kingdome of power Secondly that he exerciseth over all the Church called the kingdome of grace What desire we of God concerning the government he exerciseth over all Creatures That he would governe all the creatures both in the naturall course of things and in the civill and domesticall government of men yea in the rule of Devils themselves in such sort as they may serve for the good of his Church Psal. 97. 1. Mat. 6. 13. John 17. 2. What desire we concerning his government in the Church That it may be here in this world inlarged and that it may be accomplished in the last day Psalme 112. 6. Isa. 62. 7. What doe we desire for the
the confirmation thereof or a reason of the perswasion that they are forgiven What is the summe of this Petition That we may be justified and be at peace with God that God giving us a true knowledge and feeling of our sins would forgive us freely for his Sons sake and make us daily assured of the forgivenesse of our sins as we are privy to our selves of the forgivenesse of those trespasses which men have offended us by Job 33. 24. Psal. 35. 3. Jer. 14. 7. Col. 3. 13. What is meant here by debts The comparison is drawne from debters which are not able to pay their creditors to whom all we are compared for that we have all sinned Therefore by debts we must understand sins as Saint Luke expoundeth the metaphor and that not in themselves as breaches of the Law of God for who would say that we owe and are to pay sin unto God but with respect to the punishment and satisfaction due to Gods justice for the offence of sin For our debt being properly obedience whereto we are bound under penalty of all the curses of the Law especially eternall death Rom. 8 12. 13. 18. Gal. 5. 3. we all in Adam forfeited that bond wherby the penalty became our debt and is daily increased in us all by sinning Luke 13. 4. Mat. 18. 24 c. Rom. 6. 23. What learne you from hence Here hence two things are implyed One a franke and humble confession that we have sinned both originally and actually Another that there is no power in us to make satisfaction for our sins What use is there of Confession Great for that we have naturally a senselesnesse of sin or else being convinced thereof we are ready to lessen it and make it light the contrary whereof appeareth in the children of God 1 John 1. 8 9. Psal. 32. 3 4. Prov. 28 13. Job 31. 33. 1 Sam. 15. 19 20. Psal. 51. 3 4 5 6. Acts 22. 3 4 5. 1 Tim. 1. 13 15. How can a man confesse his sins being not knowne and without number Those that are knowne we must expresly confesse and the other that are unknowne and cannot be reckoned generally Psal. 19. 12. How appeareth it that we are not able to pay this debt Because by the Law as an obligation every one being bound to keep it wholly and continually Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. so that the breach thereof even once and in the least point maketh us debtors presently as having forfeited our obligation there is no man that can either avoid the breach of it or when he hath broken it make amends unto God for it considering that whatsoever he doth after the breach is both imperfectly done and if it were perfect yet it is due by the obligation of the Law and therefore cannot goe for paiment no more then a man can pay one debt with another What doth it draw with it that causeth it to be so impossible to be satisfied The reward of it which is everlasting death both of body and soule Rom. 6. 23. the greatnesse and also number whereof is declared by the parable of ten thousand talents which no man is able to pay being not able to satisfie so much as one farthing But are we not able to satisfie some part of it as a man in great debt is sometime able to make some satisfaction especially if hee have day given him No and therefore we are compared to a child new borne red with bloud and not able to wash himselfe nor to help himself Ezek. 16. 4 5. And to captives close shut up in prison and fetters kept by a strong one Luke 4. 18. Matth. 12. 29. so that there is as small likelihood of our deliverance out of the power of Satan as that a poore Lamb should deliver it selfe from the gripes and pawes of a Lion What is the meanes to free us from this debt By this petition Christ teacheth us that being pressed with the burden of our sin we should flee unto the mercy of God and to entreat him for the forgivenesse of our debt Matth. 11. 28. Esa. 55. 1. even the cancelling of our obligation that in Law it be not available against us In which respect the preaching of the Gospel is compared to the yeare of Iubile when no man might demand his debt of his Brother Luke 4. 19. How shall we obtaine this at Gods hands By the onely blood and suffering of Christ as the onely ransome for sin contrary to the Papists who confessing that originall sinne is taken away by Christ in Baptisme doe teach that we must make part of our satisfaction for our actuall sin and therefore some of them whip themselves as if their bloud might satisfie for sinne which is abominable to think What doe you then understand here by forgivenesse Such remission as may agree with Gods justice which will not endure him to be a loser wherefore it is forgivenesse of us by taking paiment of another Job 33. 24. even of our surety Iesus Christ in our behalfe 1 John 2. 2. What meane you by saying Vs and Ours We include with our selves in this petition as many as are in Christ enabled by a true faith to lay hold on him and to plead his paiment and satisfaction Psal. 130. 7 8. 51. 18. Doe we here pray for the sinnes of this day as before for the bread of this day Not onely for them but also for all that ever we have done at all times before to the end that we might be the further confirmed in the assurance of the remission of all our sins What is further to be considered in this Petition That as in the former by Bread more was understood so here under one part of our Iustification to wit the remission or not imputation of sins unto death by meanes of the satisfaction of Christs sufferings we doe also conceive the other part which is the imputation of his holinesse unto life eternall as implyed under the former and inseparably annexed thereto For as Christ hath taken away our sins by suffering so he hath also cloathed us with his righteousnesse by fulfilling of the Law for us Dan. 9. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 21. What doe we then aske of God in this Petition Six things viz. 1. Grace feelingly to know and frankly and tremblingly to confesse without excuse or extenuation the great debt of our sins Psal. 51. 3. and our utter inability to satisfie for the same or for the least part thereof Psal. 103. 3. 142. 2. 2. That God would bestow upon us Christ Iesus and for his sake remove out of his sight all our sins and the guilt and punishment due unto us for the same 3. The power of saving faith Luke 17. 5. to lay hold on the meritorious sufferings and obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ unto our full Iustification Esa. 53. 5. 4. The Spirit of prayer that with griefe and sorrow for our sins wee may crave pardon for our
Church to meet in the day for feare of persecution Wherefore herein the laudable custome of the Church of administring it in the Morning when our wits and capacities are best is to be followed In which respect also there is some difference between this Sacrament and the Sacrament of Baptisme which may without any inconvenience be administred in the afternoone What is the fittest day for the Administration of this Sacrament The Lords day is the fitttest day for the administration of the Sacrament For although our Saviour Christ did administer it on another day for the reasons before declared yet he did not bid us so to doe But the Apostles example and religious practise herein is to be followed which did celebrate the Supper of the Lord on the Lords day So much of the time Now for the nature of this Sacrament how may it be knowne First by the matter and secondly by the forme of it What is the matter of the Supper of the Lord Partly outward as the elements of bread and wine partly inward as the body and bloud of Christ. For as many graines make but one loafe and many grapes but one cup of wine so I beleeve that those outward elements signifie Christ and him crucified with all the benefits of his death and passion even whole Christ with all the fruits of his mediation Mat. 26. 26 27. 1 Cor. 11. 24 25. Wherefore did the Lord make choice of Bread and Wine for the outward Elements of this Sacrament Because meaning to set forth our spirituall nourishment by them they are of all the meanes of our corporall nourishment the chiefest Psal. 104. Why did he not content himselfe with one of these only He tooke both that he might hereby shew how plentifull and assured redemption we have in Christ whom these doe represent Wherefore it is no marvell that the Papists in the prohibiting of the cup doe answerably teach our salvation to be neither wholly in Christ nor assuredly What Argument doe you observe in the institution of the Sacrament against this Robbery The foreseeing Spirit of Christ knowing the sacriledge that Popery would bring in for the robbing of the people of the use of the Cup hath prepared a preservative against it speaking here more fully of the cup which he did not of the bread Drinke ye all of this Mat. 26. 27. What Bread used our Saviour Christ Ordinary bread such as was used at the common Table at that time it was indeed unleavened bread but it was so because no other was then lawfull at the feast of the Passeover Are not the Bread and VVine changed into the body and bloud of Christ in the Sacrament No they are not changed in nature but in use 1 Cor. 10. 16. For the words of eating and drinking doe properly belong to the outward elements of bread and wine and by a borrowed speech doe improperly belong to the body and bloud of Christ to note unto us the communion we have with our Saviour Christ of whom we are as verily partakers by a lively faith as of the bread and wine by eating and drinking them And thus we say that these elements are changed in use because being seperated from a common use they are consecrate to signe and seale to us our spirituall nourishment and growth by the body and bloud of Christ Iesus Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 10 3 4. For as the Sacrament of Baptisme doth seale to us a spirituall regeneration so the Lords Supper a spirituall feeding and even as well the body and bloud of Christ is in Baptisme given us for cloathing as they are given in the Lords Supper for nourishment Therefore the bread and wine are not the true body and bloud of Christ but the signes and tokens of them as in Baptisme the water was onely a signe of Christs bloud not the bloud What further reason have you to overthrow the carnall presence of Christ in the Sacrament 1. If the bread were turned into Christ then there should bee two Christs one that giveth another that is given for our Saviour Christ gave the bread c. 2. If the bread be the very body of Christ there should then bee no signe of the thing signified and so no Sacrament Rom. 4. 11. Where their miserable shift that the whitenesse is the seale and signe is not worthy the answer 3. The wicked receiver might then eate and drinke Christs body and bloud as well as any true beleever Iohn 13. 2. 30. 4. The Minister cannot give the inward grace but the outward Element in the administration of the Sacrament Luke 3. 16. What reason was there to move our Saviour Christ to use such a borrowed speech in this so great a mysterie Because it is ordinary and usuall in the Scripture to give the name of the thing signed and signified to the signe as it is called the tree of life which was but a signe of life Gen. 2. 9. So in the Sacraments of the old Testament Circumcision is called the Covenant Gen. 17 10. that is the token of Covenant verse 11. Or the Lambe or Kid the Passeover whereof it was a signe onely Exo. 12. The selfe same manner of speech is also used in the new Testament of Baptisme called the new Birth taking away of sinnes whereof it is onely a seale So that unlesse the Lord would in this Sacrament have departed from the wisdome of the Spirit of God accustomably received he must needs here also tread in the same steps of a borrowed and figurative speech Howbeit it may seem that to have used a more proper speech would have been more meet for him being neare unto his death and more convenient for their understanding He did after his last Supper use as figurative speeches as this in the 14 15 16. of John and that without all danger of darknesse of speech there being often times more light in a borrowed then in a proper speech And a Trope of force must be yeelded when he saith that the cup is the new Testament It maketh further for the corporall presence that our Saviour Christ saith in his supper that his body was then broken and not that it should be broken after That is also usuall to the Scripture for further certainty to speak of things to come as of them that are present But there is nothing impossible unto God 1. The question is here not of the power but of the will of God what he will have done 2. God cannot doe those things in doing whereof he should contradict himselfe and therefore the Scripture feareth not without dis-honour to God to say that he cannot lye nor cannot deny himselfe Tit. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 13. Why is the cup called the cup of the New Testament Because it is a seale of the promise of God touching our salvation in Christ which being in old time under the Law shadowed by the shedding of bloud of beasts is now after a new manner accomplished in
the bloud of Christ himselfe Thus much of the matter of this Sacrament wherein consisteth the forme thereof Partly in the outward actions both of the Minister and of the receiver partly in the inward and spirituall things signified thereby these outward actions being a second seale set by the Lords owne hand unto his covenant What be the Sacramentall actions of the Minister in the Lords Supper Foure First to take the bread and wine into his hand and to separate it from ordinarie bread and wine What doth this signifie That God in his eternall decree hath separated Christ from all other men to be our Mediator and that he was set apart to that office and separated from sinners Exod. 12. 5. Heb. 7. 26. What is the second To blesse and consecrate the bread and wine by the Word and Prayer What doth that signifie That God in his due time sent Christ into the world and sanctified him furnishing him with all gifts needfull for a Mediator How are the Bread and Wine to be blessed and consecrated By doing that which at the first institution Christ did What is that 1. He declared the Doctrine of the mystery of the Sacrament unto his Apostles which received it by teaching the truth of that which these outward signes did signifie 2. He thanked his heavenly Father for that he had so loved the world that he gave him which was his only Son to die for it through the breaking of his most holy Body and the shedding his most precious bloud Also he gave him thanks for that he had ordained these outward elements to seale our spirituall nourishment in Christ. 3. By a trope of the chiefe part of Prayer which is Thanksgiving for the whole the Evangelist giveth to understand that our Saviour Christ sued to God his heavenly Father that his death in it selfe sufficient to save might by the working of his holy Spirit be effectuall to the elect and that those outward signes of bread and wine might through the operation of his holy Spirit be effectuall to the purposes they were ordained unto How shall it be knowne that he gave thanks and prayed for these things seeing there is no mention of these things in the Evangelists 1. The very matter it selfe that is handled doth guide us to the knowledge of these things 2. The like manner of speech in other places of Scripture where there being no mention what words he used yet must needs be granted that he gave thanks and prayed proportionably to the prayer and thanks here used For taking the Barley loaves and Fishes and giving thanks what can be understood but that he giving thanks to God that had given those creatures for their bodily nourishment prayed that he would blesse them and make them effectuall to that purpose and end Mat. 14. 14. and 15. 36. John 6. 11. And as it is not lawfull to eat and drinke the common meat and drinke without such prayer and thanksgiving so is it not lawfull to communicate these elements without thanksgiving and prayer So much for the second Action which the Minister indeed performeth with the Communicants but yet as chiefe in the action What is the third To breake the Bread and poure out the Wine What doth it signifie The passion and sufferings of Christ with all the torments he endured for our sins both in body and soule his blessed body being bruised and crucified his precious bloud shed trickling and streaming downe from him to all parts of the ground and his righteous soule powred out unto death Isa. 53. 5. 10. 12. Heb. 9. 14. That Christ himselfe of his owne accord offered his body to be broken and his bloud to be shed upon the Crosse And that as the Bread nourisheth not if it remaine whole and unbroken so there is no life for us in Christ but in as much as he died What is the fourth To give and distribute the Bread and VVine to the Receiver What doth that signifie That God giveth Christ and Christ himselfe to us That Christ Iesus with all his merits is offered to all sorts of Receivers and that God hath given him to the faithfull Receivers to feed their soules unto eternall life John 3. 14 15. 6. 50 51. What be the Sacramentall Actions of the Receivers They be two First to take the bread and wine offered by the Minister What doth that signifie The receiving of Christ into our soules with all his benefits by faith That they and only they have benefit by Christ crucified which thus apply Christ to themselves by a true and lively faith John 1. 12. What is the second To eat the bread and drinke the wine receiving them into the body and digesting them 1 Cor. 11. 26. VVhat doth that signifie Our uniting to Christ and enjoying of him that we must with delight apply Christ and his merits to all the necessities of our soules spiritually feeding upon him and groaning by him For the eating of the bread to strengthen our nature betokeneth the inward strengthening of our soules by grace through the merit of the breaking of Christs body for us and the drinking of the wine to cherish our bodies betokens that the bloud of Christ shed upon the Crosse and as it were drunke by faith cherisheth our soules And as God doth blesse these outward elements to preserve and strengthen the body of the receiver so Christ apprehended and received by faith doth nourish him and preserve both body and soule unto eternall life John 6. 50 51. 1 Cor. 10. 3. 11. 16 17. Is Christs body and bloud together with the outward elements received of all Communicants No for howsoever they be offered by God to all Matth. 26. 26. yet are they received by such alone as have the hand of faith to lay hold on Christ and these with the bread and wine doe spiritually receive Christ with all his saving graces As for the wicked and those that come without faith they receive onely the outward elements 1 Cor. 11. 27. and withall judgement and condemnation to themselves verse 29. So much for the matter and forme Shew now the speciall ends and uses for which the Lords Supper was ordained 1. To call to minde and renew the memory and vertue of Christs death 1 Cor. 11. 24. 2. To encrease our faith begotten by the Word preached and to confirme unto us our nourishment onely thereby by the means of Christs death 3. To encrease our love 4. To encrease our joy in the holy Ghost our peace of conscience our hope of eternall life and all other graces of God in us 5. To stirre us up with greater boldnesse to professe Christ then heretofore we had done 6. To quicken our hearts to all holy duties 7. To shew our thankfulnesse to God for his mercie bestowed upon us in Christ. 8. To make a difference betwixt our selves and the enemies of Christ. 9. To knit us more neere in good will one to
another 10. To preserve the publike Ministery of the Word and Prayer in Christian assemblies Who are to be partakers in this Sacrament All baptized who are of yeeres and sound judgement to discerne the Lords body ought to repaire to this Sacrament But those onely come worthily who professing the true faith have duely examined and prepared themselves Esa. 66. 23. 1 Cor. 11. 27 28. whereby all not of age and sound judgement are shut from his Sacrament which are not alwayes from the other of Baptisme May none be admitted by the Church to the Supper of the Lord but such as have these things in them which God requireth at their hands Yes those who having knowledge doe make profession of Religion and are found guilty of no great error or crime unrepented of What if any thrust themselves to the Lords Table who are ignorant or guilty of such crimes They are to be kept back by the discipline of the Church What is to be performed by every Christian that he may worthily partake of the Lords Supper There must be a carefull preparation before the action great heed in the whole action and a joyfull and thankfull cloze and shutting of it All which must be performed as well by the Minister as the people For there is great difference betwixt our Saviour Christ the first deliverer of this Sacrament and all other Ministers he having no battel of the Spirit and flesh in him but being always prepared unto every good worke had no need of these things but other Ministers have as much need thereof as the people How are we to prepare our selves to this Sacrament By due search and triall of our own soules whether we can finde in our selves the things which God doth require in worthy Communicants How may we performe that By fitting our mindes framing our hearts thereunto 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 11. 28 How may we sit our mindes By examining our wisdome and knowledge both of Gods will in generall and of the nature and use of this holy Sacrament in particular whether we can give a reason of the representation of Christ in bread and wine and bring the resemblance and difference of the proportion of the bread and wine with the body and bloud of Christ and of the eating and drinking of the elements with the partaking of the spirituall things Rom. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 10. 3. and 4. 16 17. How may our hearts be framed for the feeling of the vertue and power of this Sacrament 1. By weighing with our selves what need we have of it and what benefit we may reape by it 2. By examining of our faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 15. and repentance Heb. 10. 22. Iames 4. 8. attended with true love of God Zach. 12. 10. and of our brethren 1 Cor. 16. 14. 3. By servent invocation praying for a blessing upon this Ordinance of God Matth. 26 26. How may we finde what need we have of this Sacrament Partly by our wretched estate by nature and partly by our weak estate by grace What may we finde by our estate by nature That being prone to all evill we had need of this Sacrament to nourish and preserve the life of grace new begun which otherwise by our own corruption might dye or decay in us 1 Cor. 10. 16. What need have we of this Sacrament for reliefe of our weak estate by grace That being weak in understanding and feeble in memory we may by the signes of Bread and Wine have our understanding bettered and memory confirmed in the death of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 24 26. What further need may we finde of it That being fraile in faith and cold in love we may by the same creatures as by seales and pledges have our faith further strengthned and our love more enflamed to God and Gods children What benefit then may we reape by the Lords Supper We see already that the benefit is great this Sacrament being as a glasse for the mind a monument for the memory a support of faith a provocation to love a quickning to obedience and a signe and seal of all the mercies of God in Christ Iesus How must the heart be prepared to finde the power of this Sacrament for supply of these wants and obteining of these benefits The heart must be purged by repentance and purified by faith 1 Cor. 10. 14 16. 21. Acts 15. 9. How may the heart be purified by faith If I have not only knowledge what Christ hath done for his chosen but a full assurance that whatsoever he hath done he hath done it for me as well as for any other 1 Cor. 2. 2. Iohn 17. 3. Gal. 2. 20. What gather you hence That they onely are to present themselves at the Lords Table who after their baptisme are able to make a profession of the true faith and can finde that they truly believe in Christ seeing ignorant and unbelieving persons do rather eat and drink their own judgement than reap any benefit by this Sacrament 1 Cor. 11. 29 30 31. How may thy heart be purged by repentance If from my heart I do repent of my particular sins past and judge my selfe for them bewailing and forsaking them and frame the rest of my life according to Gods will 1 Cor. 11. 30 31. Gal. 6. 16. What learne you hence That it is dangerous for such as remaine in their old sins or after the Sacrament return unto them once to offer themselves to the Lords Table forasmuch as by this means they procure the wrath of God against them and those that belong unto them although not in condemnation in the world to come which the faithfull notwithstanding their unworthy receiving cannot come unto yet to fearefull plagues and judgements in this world It is not meet that we be free from all malice in our hearts when we come to the Lords Supper Yes it is for this Sacrament is a seal both of our conjunction with Christ and of our society one with another 1 Cor. 10. 17. and we must know that true repentance purgeth out malice amongst other sins and a sound faith worketh by love towards God and out Brethren Mat. 5. 22 23. Iames 1. 19 20 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1. Gal. 5. 6. So much for examination and preparation required before the action What is to be done by the communicant in the present action 1. They are to use reverent attention the better to apply the whole action harkning to the doctrine of the Sacrament delivered by the Minister joyning with him in his prayers making use of all the sacramentall actions and so commemorating the Lords death for the comfort and refreshing of their own souls 1 Cor. 11. 17. 26. 2. According as it is commanded all must take the Bread and Wine into their hands contrary to the superstition of divers which will have it thrust either into their mouthes or else take it with their gloves as if the hand of a Christian which God
hath both made and sanctified were not as fit as the skin of a Beast which the Artificer hath tanned and sewed 3. They must moreover according to the Commandement of Christ eat and drink the Bread and Wine not laying or hanging it up or worshipping it as the papists doe 4. Lastly they must use thanksgiving offering up themselves both souls and bodies as a sacrifice of thanks Rom. 12. 1. in which regard this Sacrament is called the Eucharist What is to be done after the action 1. We must by and by use joyfull thanksgiving with prayer and meditation being so comforted in heart in the favour of God towards us that we be ready with a feeling joy to sing a Psalme unto the Lord Matth. 26. 30. 2. We must continually endeavour to finde an increase of our faith in Christ love to God and all his Saints power to subdue sin and practice obedience with all other sanctifying and saving graces 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. 11 21. Col. 2 6 7. 2 Pet. 3. 18. For a true believer shall feele in himself after the receiving of the Sacrament an encrease of faith and sanctification a further deading of the old man and so a greater measure of dying unto sin a further strength of the new man and so a greater care to live in newnesse of life and to walk the more strongly and steadily in the wayes of God all the dayes of his life this being a Sacrament not of our incorporation as Baptisme but of our growth which albeit one cannot alwayes discerne immediately after the action yet between that and the next Communion it may be easily espied in our service towards God and men What if a man after the receiving of the Sacrament never find any such thing in himself He may well suspect himself whether he did ever repent or not and therefore is to use means to come to sound faith repentance For the Lord is not usually wanting to his ordinances if men prepare their hearts to meet him in them If we receive no good no refreshment at this spirituall feast if God send us away empty either it is because we have no right unto his mercies being not in Christ and so not accepted or because some secret unmortified lust remaineth in us like Achans wedge of gold so some beloved sin either not seen or not sufficiently sorrowed for and resolved against lyeth glowing in the heart which causeth God to frown upon our services like a dead flye causeth the ointment to stink therfore in this case a man should descend into himself make a more strict search into his conscience that he may againe come before the Lord with more humilty and better preparednesse and God will reveale himself in due time to every one who unfainedly seeketh after him in his ordinances So much of the Sacraments What are the Censures They are the judgements of the Church for ratification of the threates of the Gospell against the abusers of the Word and Sacraments What doe these Censures profit the Church of God Very much for by them the godly having strayed from the course of sincerity are through obedience brought home againe But the wicked are hardened by them through disobedience whereof it is that the wicked are properly said to be punished the godly only chastened and corrected But it seemeth that corrections rather belong to Magistrates then to Ministers The Magistrates by the Lawes of the Common-wealth punish some by death others by other torments and some by purse which belongeth not to the Minister who hath to doe only with the soule And these spiritual censures are of as necessary use in the Church both to help the godly and to restrain and root out the wicked out of the Church as those penall Lawes of the Magistrate in the Common-wealth They therefore who upon this pretence that God forceth no man to come unto him suppose the censures to be unprofitable are like unto children that will have no rod in the house Whereby doth the necessity of Censures appeare Easily for sith in the Church of God there be of all sorts as in a net cast into the sea which catcheth good and bad It is impossible without correction to keep good order in the Church especially to restraine the wicked hypocrites from offending and thereby slandering their profession If then there were no hypocrites there were no use of Censures Not so but the serve most of all for them that make no conscience of their calling For the best man that is having some sparkes of his naturall corruption remaining unregenerate may fall and offend and therefore must be chastened by the Church But this is the difference the godly falling by infirmity by correction doe amend but the wicked offending purposely by punishment are hardened What is to be gathered of this That sith censures are as needfull in the Church as the rod in the house or the Magistrates sword in the Common-wealth for offendors yea and of so much more use as these are for the body and this life and the other for the soule and life to come they that set themselves against them care not what disorder there be in the Church but seek to exempt themselves from punishment that they might doe what they list and make the Gospel a covert for all their wickednesse who are like to them in the second Psalme that would not beare the yoake of Government So much for the use and necessity of Censures What is the doctrine of them especially delivered In the 18 chapter of Saint Matthew from the 15 verse to the 20. where both their institution and ratification is laid downe For first our Saviour declareth the degrees of the censures ordained for such as are called brethren which are generally corrections according to the greatnesse of the offences and then treateth of their power and authority What is to be observed in the degrees of the censures That the censures be according to the offences as if the offence be private the censure thereof must be private wherein the censurer is to deale circumspectly 1. That he know the offence 2. That he admonish the offender secretly 3. That he do it in love convincing his offence so to be by the Word of God What further duty is required of us in this case 1. That we runne not to others to slander the offenders which Moses forbiddeth Levit. 19. 16. 2. Not to keep the injury in minde of purpose afterwards to revenge it 3. Not to deale roughly with one under pretence of seeking the glory of God 4. Not to despise the offender but by all means to seek his amendment Who are to be admonished openly in the Church Those that sin openly What if they will not amend by admonitionâ— Then they are by suspension to be barred for a time from some exercises of Religion and if by that they will not amend then they are by excommunication to be cut
thing is gone for he hath neither the chiefe City nor the Tribune nor the Commandement of the people and therefore he can be no let to the Antichrists comming especially the Pope having gotten such an upper hand over him as to cause him to waite at his gate barefoot and to hold his stirrop What shall be the end of this Antichrist God shall confound him with the breath of his mouth that is with the preaching of his Word which serveth for another argument to prove the Pope to be Antichrist for whereas he had subdued Kingdomes and Empires under his feet he hath been of late mightily suppressed by the Word preached and not by outward force as other Potentates use to be What learne you of this The marvellous power of Gods Word to suppresse whatsoever riseth against it for if the mightiest cannot stand before it much lesse the smallest and therefore it is expressed by a mighty winde Acts 2. 23. which carrieth all before it and by fire which consumeth all and pierceth all And it declareth a marvellous easie victory against the enemies when it is said that with the breath of his mouth hee shall consume his enemies 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. What else shall be the overthrow of Antichrist The glorious appearance of the Son of God in the latter day What gather you of this That before the last day he shall not be utterly consumed whereof notwithstanding it followeth not that the head shall remaine till then for the Beast and the false Prophet shall be taken and cast into the fire before the latter day but some shall retaine a liking of him and his errors and superstitions even till the last day Hitherto of the head of this generall Apostasie what are the members of it They are first described by their end even a number of people that shall perish which accordeth with that name and property of the head the Destroyer or Son of perdition being truely verified in them in regard of the fearefull end he shall bring them to What is the use of this That as no poyson can take away the life of an elect so small occasions carry away such as are appointed to destruction How otherwise are these members of Antichrist described By this that they never loved the truth although they understood and professed it How should a man love the truth For the truthes sake not for vaine glory filthy delight or commodidities How appeareth it that men love the Word of God When they walke accordingly and keep faith in a good Conscience which some losing by their wicked life lost also their Faith that is their Religion 1 Tim. 1. 19. How is it to be understood that God giveth men up to strong delusions Because God is a just Iudge which by them either punisheth or correcteth former sinnes and especially the contempt of the Gospell in which regard even amongst us now some are cast into the sinke of Popery some into the Family of love some become Arians some Anabaptists at which are as it were divers Gaoles and Dungeons whereinto hee throweth those that are cold and carelesse Professors of the Gospell What learne you by this That they that imagine God favourable unto them notwithstanding their sinnes because their life or goods or honours are spared are foully deceived for when the Lord ceaseth to reprove any or to strive with them Rom. 1. 24 26. then doth he give them up into vanity of their own minds to do their wicked wills which is the greatest judgement and very usuall with God to doe What is our duty in such cases To pray unto the Lord to keep us from all errors but if for our triall and further hardning of others it please him to send errors amongst us that it would please him to preserve us in that danger that we taste not of that bait whereby Satan seeketh to catch us What other cause is there of sending these errors That those may be damned which believe not the truth for as God hath appointed them to damnation so betwixt his counsell in rejecting them and the finall effect of it there must be sin to bring the effect justly upon them What reason is annexed for their just damnation Because they rest in unrighteousnesse having their eares itching after errors which they drink in as the earth drinketh up water So that albeit they be powerfully sent of God in his judgement yet are they also greedily desired and affected of them Having spoken at large of the providence of God disposing of man in this world it followeth to speak of his providence concerning mankinde in the world to come How doth God then deale with men after this life He bringeth them all to judgement What is meant here by judgment The pronouncing or executing of the irrevocable sentence of absolution or condemnation How is that done Partly on every man in particular at the hour of his death Heb. 9. 27. but fully and generally upon all men at the second comming of Christ Acts 17. 31. The death of every one severally goeth immediately before the particular judgement the generall resurrection of all goeth before the finall judgement which shall be at the last day Must all men then die Yea all both good and bad Psal. 49. 10. Eccl. 2. 16. save that unto some namely such as shall be found alive at Christs comming a change shall be in stead of death as shall be shewed Death being the punishment of sinne how commeth it to passe that the righteous dye to whom all sinnes are forgiven Death indeed came on all mankinde by reason of sinne Rom. 5. 12. but yet it is not in all things the same to the godly and to the wicked for howsoever unto both it be the enemy of nature as the end of naturall life 1 Cor. 15. 26. Psal. 90. 3. Yet 1. unto the godly it is a token of Gods love unto the wicked of his anger Psal. 37. 37 38. Job 18. 13 14. 2. Vnto the godly it is a rest from labour and misery Apoc. 14. 13. the last enemy being now destroyed 1 Cor. 15. 26. unto the wicked it is the height of all worldly evils Luke 12. 20. 3. Vnto the godly it is the utter abolishing of sin and perfection of mortification Rom. 6. 7. unto the wicked it is the conquest of sinne and accomplishment of their spirituall captivity 4. Vnto the godly it is so far from being a separation from Christ that even the body severed from the soule and rotting in the grave is yet united to Christ and the soule freed from the body is with him in Paradise Luk. 23. 43. Phil. 2. 16. unto the wicked it is an utter cutting off from the favourable presence and fruition of God 5. Vnto the godly it is the beginning of heavenly glory unto the wicked it is the entrance into hellish and endlesse torments Luke 16. 22 23. How are men judged at the houre of death 1. God at that instant pronounceth and the conscience apprehendeth the sentence of blessing or cursing Heb. 9. 27. 2. The soule of
and night And thus for our main and principall debt of Obedience hath our Mediatour given satisfaction unto the Justice of his Father with good measure pressed down shaken together and running over But beside this we were lyable unto another debt which wee have incurred by our default and drawne upon our selves by way of forfeiture and nomine poenae For as Obedience is a due debt and Gods servants in regard thereof are truly debters so likewise is sinne a debt and sinners debters in regard of the penalty due for the default And as the payment of the debt which commeth nomine poenae dischargeth not the tenant afterwards from paying his yearly rent which of it self would have been due although no default had been committed so the due payment of the yearly rent after the default hath been made is no sufficient satisfaction for the penalty already incurred Therefore our surety who standeth chargeable with all our debts as he maketh payment for the one by his Active so must he make amends for the other by his Passive obedience he must first suffer and then enter into his glory For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect that is a perfect accomplisher of the worke which he had undertaken through sufferings The Godhead is of that infinite perfection that it cannot possibly be subject to any passion He therefore that had no other nature but the Godhead could not pay such a debt as this the discharge whereof consisted in suffering and dying It was also fit that Gods justice should have been satisfied in that nature which had transgressed and that the same nature should suffer the punishment that had committed the offence Forasmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Such and so great was the love of God the Father toward us he spared not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all and so transcendent was the love of the Son of God toward the sons of men that he desired not to be spared but rather then they should lie under the power of death was of himself most willing to suffer death for them which seeing in that infinite nature which by eternall generation hee received from his Father he could not doe he resolved in the appointed time to take unto himselfe a Mother and out of her substance to have a body framed unto himself wherein he might become obedient unto death even the death of the crosse for our redemption And therefore when hee commeth into the world he saith unto his Father A body hast thou fitted me Lo I come to doe thy will O God By the which will saith the Apostle wee are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Thus we see it was necessary for the satisfaction of this debt that our Mediatour should be Man but he that had no more in him then a Man could never be able to goe through with so great a work For if there should be found a Man as righteous as Adam was at his first creation who would be content to suffer for the offence of others his suffering possibly might serve for the redemption of one soul it could be no sufficient ransome for those innumerable multitudes that were to be redeemed to God out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Neither could any Man or Angel be able to hold out if a punishment equivalent to the endlesse sufferings of all the sinners in the world should at once bee laid upon him Yea the very powers of Christ himself upon whom the spirit of might did rest were so shaken in this sharp encounter that he who was the most accomplisht pattern of all fortitude stood sore amazed and with strong crying and tears prayed that if it were possible the houre might passe from him This man therefore being to offer one sacrifice for sins for ever to the burning of that sacrifice he must not onely bring the coals of his love as strong as death and as ardent as the fire which hath a most vehement flame but he must add thereunto those everlasting burnings also even the flames of his most glorious Deity and therefore through the eternall Spirit must he offer himself without spot unto God that hereby he might obtain for us an eternall redemption The bloud whereby the Church is purchased must bee Gods own bloud and to that end must the Lord of glory be crucified the Prince and author of life be killed he whose eternall generation no man can declare be cut off out of the land of the living and the man that is Gods own fellow be thus smitten according to that vvhich God himselfe foretold by his Prophet Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered The people of Israel we read did so value the life of David their King that they counted him to be worth tenne thousand of themselves how shall we then value of Davids Lord who is the blessed and onely Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords It was indeed our nature that suffered but he that suffered in that nature is over all God blessed for ever and for such a Person to have suffered but one houre was more then if all other persons had suffered ten thousand millions of years But put case also that the life of any other singular man might be equivalent to all the lives of whole mankind yet the laying down of that life would not be sufficient to doe the deed unlesse he that had power to lay it down had power likewise to take it up again For to be detained always in that prison from whence there is no comming out before the payment of the uttermost farthing is to lie always under execution and to quit the plea of that full payment of the debt wherein our surety stood engaged for us And therefore the Apostle upon that ground doth rightly conclude that if Christ be not raised our faith is vaine we are yet in our sinnes and consequently that as he must be delivered to death for our offences so he must be raised again for our justification Yea our Saviour himself knowing full well what he was to undergoe for our sakes told us before-hand that the Comforter whom hee would send unto us should convince the world that is fully satisfie the consciences of the sons of men