readiness their Collections for the Saints in the first day of the week is exprest in 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 2. That this is a most eminent duty of the Sabbath is manifest Math. 12. 6 7 8. 3. The first day of the week was either a common and indifferent day or a special and holy day if a common and indifferent day then the Apostle ought not to make that to be necessary by imposing an Injunction and Command upon it which God hath made indifferent hence ought not to have ordered and by order commanded them to attend such a work of mercy in the first day of the week if that day were but a common and indifferent day this would be to esteem one common day above another contrary to his own doctrine Rom. 14. 1 5. and therefore it was because the first day of the week was the holy day a Christian Sabbath by divine Institution Quest How do you prove this in the third place Answ Because it was the usual practice of the Apostles and Disciples in the primitive times and of the Witnesses of Christ in all Ages since that time to assemble in the first day of the week for divine worship and this was not because it would be more expedient time for them but because it is the day of the Christian Sabbath Thus we read in Acts 20. 7. 1. Of the assembling of the Disciples not only some few but of the generality of them it is spoken in the general 2. They assembled to break bread it is not meant of a love Feast that was unlawful in a publick Church-meeting 1 Cor. 11. 34. but is to be understood of the Lords Supper neither was it to hear Paul preach but it is said they came together to break bread and Paul preached so that he took this season to preach to them 3. It was their usual practice to assemble for divine worship in this day and therefore it is said when they came together and thus of Christians in all Ages since the primitive time 4. Their meeting in the first day of the week was either because it was a more expedient time for them then some other day or because it was a special day and the Christian Sabbath not because it was more expedient for them if the seventh day was kept as a Sabbath how could it be expedient or lawful to defer administring the Sacrament on the seventh day and to meet again the next day Quest Doth not the change of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day abolish the fourth Command Answ In no wise for the Reason of the seventh dayes being taken away and a Reason of the same kind but of a greater degree for the first day of the week being come in the place of it the fourth Command by this means in the scope of it is established 1. The Reason why the seventh day was sanctified was because God rested from the works of Creation but this rest was spoyled by the sin of man and the Lord repented that he had made man and other Creatures cursed for the sin of man Gen. 6. 6 7. consequently the reason for the Sabbath day was taken away 2. A reason of the same kind but of a greater degree for the first day of the week came in the place of the former for Christ had wrought a new Creation by his death 2 Cor. 5. 15 17. and as he is the first born of every Creature by whom all things consist and that by the blood of his Cross he might reconcile all things to himself whether things in Earth or in Heaven 1 Col. 15 16 17. but this of a greater degree for this new Creation is a greater work then the first Creation Christ's work as Redeemer is greater then the work of Creation Eph. 1. 20 21. Rev. 4. 9 10 11. 3. The fourth Command by this means is established in the scope of it for 1. The change of the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first day stands upon the same ground and bottom upon which the seventh day was sanctified namely because of the Lords resting from his works of Creation but behold he resteth from the works of the new Creation and by which a restoration of that which was spoyled by mans sin 2. The change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day doth most admirably attain the end God intended in sanctifying a Sabbath 1. God intended his glory in the works of Creation but by the Christian Sabbath he hath the glory of his works of Creation and Redemption a greater glory then the former 2. God intended the good of man Mark 2. 27 28. 1. In respect of mans body Deut. 5. 14. that it may rest a seventh part of the week this end is as well attained in the first day of the week as on the seventh day 2. In respect of mans Soul Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. that the Soul of man may have a solemn time for the worship of God but to do this in remembrance of the work of Redemption is more for the Soul 's good of man then to do it in remembrance of the work of Creation so the sanctifying of the first day of the week for this end is more for the good of the Soul of man then to sanctifie the seventh day 3. Hence it is no abolishing of the fourth Command but a fulfilling and establishing it as the second Command requireth that the means of worship those only which God appointeth should be observed he instituted to her means of worship to the Jews then now in Gospel times and other means of worship in the Gospel dayes then before Christs coming yet both they and we by virtue of the second Command were required to attend the means of worship and the change of means of worship from that which it was before Gospel times doth not cause any change of the second Command So the fourth Command requireth to sanctifie that Sabbath which God appointeth When God required the seventh day it was to be sanctifyed by virtue of the fourth Command and since he hath required the first day day of the week it ought to be kept by virtue of the fourth Command and yet no change of the fourth Command Will any be so bold to say that God himself could not change the day seeing the Sabbath was appointed for man and the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. ult Hitherto of love to God next of love to man Quest What is that love to man the Law requireth Answ The Law requireth to love thy Neighbour as thy self for the sake of God and this containeth all the duties of the second Table Math. 22. 39. Jam. 3. 9. Quest What doth the fifth Command require Answ The fifth Command requireth to preserve the honour of thy Neighbour and therefore to behave thy self reverently to Superiours honour being due to them above thy self respectively to equals honour being
disorder and Communion is by union and union is by the uniting means Qu. What Attributes shine forth in the Apostacy of man Answ The holiness and Justice and yet the mercy of God in gentleness and bounty to fallen man do shine forth in or by occasion of mans Apostacy 1. The holiness of God which is that whereby he cannot approve of any but those who do agree with him to advance him as he is most glorious hence he distasted man and abhorred man Hab. 1. 13. 2. His Justice inclined to give every one his due 1. Remunerative in rewarding him who doth well Rom. 4. 4. 2. Vindictive in punishing him who doth evil Rom. 2. 9. and the degrees of this 1. The Sentence called Judgement 2. The Execution of it Eccl. 8. 11. the degrees of this first if more mild called anger if more sharp called wrath and fury Deut. 29. 23. 3. His mercy inclined to succour the undeserving hence first gentleness inclined to spare a sinner in bearing called patience if long his long sufferance 2 Chron. 11. 36. 15 16. 2. His bounty inclined to afford supplies to the undeserving Rom. 2. 4. Man suffers Gods displeasure for sin but this man through his weakness can not bear and therefore breaks under it and cannot satisfy and therefore it is just he should alwayes suffer Quest What is the Anastacy of Man Answ The Anastacy of man is that whereby the mercy of God recovereth some sinners out of a state of sin death into a state of grace and life by the redemption of the Son of God whose work it is to reconcile God and man as he is Priest and man to God as he is a Prophet and King and by his Spirit sent to apply this Redemption 1. The Anastacy of man is his recovery out of a state of sin and death into a state of grace and life Eph. 2. 1. 2. This proceeds from the mercy of God whereby he is inclined to succour the miserable and the undeserving and therefore this is done for his own Names sake Isai 43. 25. The parts of this are Redemption Application 1. Redemption which is a payment of a just price to divine Justice and thereby satisfaction 1. God governs man as he is a reasonable creature 2. Hence according to Justice 3. Hence if man had obeyed he should have been rewarded with life but he having disobeyed he cannot live without just satisfaction made Rom. 5. 17. Concerning Redemption we may consider the person and his work 1. The person who is the Redeemer the Son of God 1. God and man at variance the Father in special the person offended man by his sin having made a breach upon the work of Creation in which work the Fathers manner of working did shine forth as we heard in the Efficiency of God hence it was not meet for him to mediate 2. This work is propounded to the Son of God and he accepts it and his manner of working doth especially shine forth in this who is the second divine person and this is the second great work and he worketh from the Father by the Spirit 1 Tim. 2. 6. Acts 4. 12. 2. His first work to reconcile God to man as a Priest Heb. 2. 17. 2. To reconcile man to God first as a Prophet making known the way of life Luk. 4. 18. 2. As a King dispensing life with a Kingly Authority Psal 110. 1 2 3. And by his Spirit sent to apply this Redemption Joh. 16. 8 9 10 11. but of this afterwards The first being the Sufficiency the second the Efficiency of mans Anastacy or recovery Quest What in the first place ought to be considered concerning this work Answ We ought in the first place to consider the fitness of Christ to be a Redeemer for his two natures being personally united and yet remain the same in Essence and Essential properties and he was anointed that is called and furnished to this great work of Redemption To the performing of the work of a Redeemer we may consider first a fitness of Christ to redeem 2. The parts of Redemption First of his fitness to redeem appearing in his Incarnation and Vnction First his Incarnation the Son of God was made man in all things sin only excepted and the manner of his Subsistence 1. He was like to us Phil. 2. 7. 2. in all things Heb. 2. 17. 3. except sin he was without sin Heb. 4. 15. and the manner of the Subsistence of his humane nature for that subsists in his divine person in which we may consider the union of his natures and their Communion 1. Their union which is that whereby the Son of God assumed a humane nature to subsist inseperably in his own person 1. The person assuming was the Son of God Gal. 4. 4. hence it was God assumed a humane nature and yet not as God for then all the three persons had assumed 2. But the Son of God assumed mediately by his person 2. That which is assumed is a humane nature Soul and body hence 1. a twofold understanding Mark 13. 32. 2. A twofold will divine and humane accompanied with a natural desire of his safety Math. 26. 39. 3. And a twofold presence Omnipresent as God but not so as man 3. The assumption it self his humane nature did not subsist by its self for then it had been a person and then two persons mediating but there is but one Mediator â— Tim. 2. 5. 2. His humane nature subsisted in his person 1. It was sustained by it from the beginning of its Being and thus was related to the divine nature as an Effect or an Adjunct 2. It was filled with the divine nature Col. 2. 9. and thus the divine nature had a twofold respect of Subsistence one in the Godhead as he was the second person this was from Eternity another in the humane nature in time and yet but one Subsistence for this works no change in the divine nature only a relation is added to it 3. Subsisteth in it inseperably for if this union had been broken then no Mediator not God-man in one person hence when Soul and body were severed yet the divine nature preserved its union to both of them Acts 2. 31. 4. Hence assuming was no act of Christs Humiliation for 1. It was an act of his divine person and that cannot suffer 2. If it were an act of Humiliation it should be laid aside in the state of his Exaltation then the union of Christs natures should cease in heaven but this cannot be Thus of the union Next of the Communion of Christs natures only we must remember 1. Their Communion 2. But no Confusion 1. Their Communion which is personal for such is their union 1. Hence they co-operate to the same effect if the divine nature doth effect that to which the humane nature doth not concur then no work of God-man if the humane nature did that in which the divine did not concur then no act of the
publick life Answ Christ's Humiliation in his publick life was that whereby he entred into his publick life with baptisme and temptation and his course in it was a going about doing good in poverty and much labour preaching and working of miracles towards the conclusion prepared himself and his Disciples for his death 1. Christ entred into his publick life with Baptism Temptation 1. By Baptisme Mat. 3. 15. shewing himself to be the band of both the Covenants and that the Covenant of works and the covenant of grace were performed in and by him 2. By Temptation Mat. 4. the beginning of that Chap. shewing he was come upon his trial and should overcome and be able to succor the tempted 2. His course in his publick life in going about doing good Act. 10. 38. 1. in poverty 2 Cor. 8. 9. 2. In much labour 1. In preaching Luk. 4. 18. 2. Working Miracles of all sorts which was proper to Christ Mat. 11. 5 6 3. Towards the conclusion prepared himself and his Disciples for his death by his practice and his speech 1. His practice 1. His Example in giving such an excellent pattern of humility and love in washing his Disciples feet Joh. 13. 1. to the 18. 2. More especially in his Transfiguration Mat. 17. 2. And his Celebration of the Passover and abolishing of that thereby shewing he was the lamb to be offered up and appointing his Supper in the place of it Matth. 26. 17. 26. 2. By his speech 1. To God in prayer Joh. 12. 27. his most solemn prayer in Ioh. 17. 2. His speech to his disciples in the 14 15 16. Chapters of John Quest What was the Death of Christ Answ Christ's death was the extream punishment he suffered first before his Crucifixion especially in his agony in the Garden and his being arrested by a band of men with Judas being arraigned he suffered extream ignominy by derision and whipping and the sentence of condemnation but principally his suffering the Crucifixion it self Christs death was the extream punishment he suffered before his Crucifixion especially in his Crucifixion 1. Before his Crucifixion 1. Before his arraignment 1. His Soul trouble especially his Agony in the garden Luk. 22. 44. 2. His being arrested by a band of men with Judas ver 47 and 52. 2. His being arraigned before civil and ecclesiastical Tribunal Luk. 22. 54. Thus Justice pursued our Surety Isai 53. 12. 3. Vpon his arraignment followed 1. His Extream ignominy by derision and scourging Mat. 26. 67. A Sentence of condemnation Mat. 26. 27. He was reproached as a Deceiver a false Prophet a Blasphemer and many other horrible crimes for he suffered for all sorts of sins Isai 53. 5. Quest What was Christs Crucifixion Answ Christs Crucifixion was that whereby he was lifted up and hanged upon a cross and so being made a curse languished to death and suffering both a bodily and spiritual death gave up the Ghost and his body continued in the grave three dayes 1. His Crucifixion is that whereby he was lifted up and hanged upon the cross Matth. 27. 35. 2. And thus was made a curse and languished to death Gal. 3. 13. hence the death he suffered was 1. A cursed death the hanging upon the cross being a Symbolum or sign of the curse 2. A most shamefull death hanged up between the heaven and the earth as if the heaven at present rejected him and as if the earth would not bear him 3. A most tormenting death in pain and languishing especially considering the perfection of his spirits and senses and consequently the pam he felt was the greater being perfectly sensible of pain 3. Suffering both a bodily and a spiritual death 1 A spiritual death wholly deprived â—â— the sense of the sweetness of the love of the Father and possessed with the sense of the contrary bitterness Mat. 27. 46. 2. Bodily death He gave up the Ghost Mat. 27. 50. 1. He was a Surety for sinners 2. Hence he was to suffer death 3. Hence must shed his heart blood 4. Hence wholly deprived of the life of joy and comfort in Soul and body 5. But yet not left to sin for that befals man because he is weak and breaks under the punishment of sin but Christ was able to endure the worst and extremity of the punishment The consequence of his death his body continued in the grave three dayes Luk 24. 7. 1. He had endured the punishment respecting sense when he said it is finished 2. Yet continued in the state of death 1. His body buryed 2. His Soul seperated from it though not suffering pain 3. The union of his Soul and likewise of his body continued unto his divine person that although they were severed one from another yet they remain united to his divine person Acts 2. 31. The second part of Redemption namely Christs Exaltation Quest What is Christs Exaltation Answ The Exaltation of Christ is his Tryumph over his and our Enemies the degrees of which are his Resurrection from the dead his ascension into Heaven his session at the right hand of the Father and at the end of the World his return in glory to be the Judge of the World 1. His Exaltation that is his Tryumph over his and our Enemies Acts 2. 35 36. Phil. 2. 8 9. 2. The degrees of which Exaltation 1. Before the end of the World 2. At the end of the world 1. Before the end of the world 1. His Resurrection his body raised Soul and body reunited and this done by his God-head Rom. 1. 4. and seen by his Disciples forty dayes Acts 1. 3. 2. His Ascension 1. His humane nature ascended into the highest Heavens by the power of his God-head Eph. 4. 10 11. his Disciples being witnesses Acts 1. 10 11 3. His session at the right hand of his Father which holds forth 1. His entertainment by his Father Psal 110. 1. having accepted him and put all things under him 1 Cor. 15. 21 22 27. 2. He well satisfied with his reward Psal 16. 11. 3. Hence his Intercession he presents his merits claimeth the performance of what was promised him respecting his glory and the good of his people Heb. 9. 24 25. 2. At the end of the World his return in glory to be the Judge of the World 1 Thes 4. 16 17. 1. In Christs humiliation the glory of Christs divine nature was hidden but not diminished in his Exaltation it is manifested but not augmented 2. His humane nature was really abased and really exalted enjoying the actings of the glory of his divine nature according to its manner and measure 3. When the day of Judgement is come and finisht he will deliver up his Kingdome to his Father as compleat and so to continue for ever but not so as to put an end to his Head-ship and Mediator-ship 1 Cor. 15. 24 28. 4. The degrees of his Exaltation are according to the degrees of his humiliation 1. Christ dyed and he rose again 2.