the Earth did quake the Rocks did rend the Graves were opened the Veil of the Temple was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom to signifie that the great High-Priest having offered himself by the eternal Spirit without spot was entring with his own Blood into the Holy Place of Heaven to obtain eternal Redemption and the expiation of mans sin for ever The very frame of Heaven and Earth seem'd to be shaken in the time of this great suffering men were astonished women wept many beat their breasts the Centurion who had the charge of this execution was convinced that the party executed was the Son of God Our blessed Saviour suffered this death with unparallell'd patience meekness he laid down his life willingly in obedience to his heavenly Father and out of love and a longing desire of sinful mans salvation No man could take it from him till the hour was come and he was willing to part with it because he as a Priest and general head and representative of mankind offered his life unto his heavenly Father as supreme Judge as a ransom for sinful man therefore his death was the greatest Sacrifice and the highest piece of service and obedience that ever was performed and was so highly accepted of God that it made him propitious satisfied his Justice merited his favour to sinful man made his sin pardonable and his salvation possible upon fairest terms whil'st he was by his own blood entring the sacrary of heaven his side is pierced and out of the same issue water and blood His body is taken from the Cross decently interred in a new Sepulchre where never any man was laid before his soul abides for a time separate and under the power of death and his humiliation did continue till the Resurrection and by his burial he hallows the grave to all believers By this Humiliation thus finished the foundation of our eternal salvation is laid and a way prepared and opened for a passage into heavens Kingdom I believe that Jesus Christ who was thus humbled who suffered cruel pains and was delivered to death for our transgressions was raised for our justification and so to communicate the mercies merited by his death converts us and procures the actuall remission of all the sins of such as repent and believe in him and by his life saves such as he had reconciled by his death He that did rise was the very same who died upon the Cross and the same body and soul which were separated by Death were united again by Resurrection as man he was raised as God he raised himself he rose never to die again but to live for evermore The time was the third day according to the predictions and prefigurations of old and the decree of God's eternal wisdom God did not suffer his Holy One to see corruption The manner of this Resurrection was glorious God then shook the Earth sent from Heaven an Angel appearing in great glory who terrified the Guard rouls away the stone which closed up the Sepulchre and made way for Christs Disciples to come freely and see that he was not there The Graves were opened divers of the Saints raised and appear'd in the holy City Death was conquered and divers of his Captives rescued out of his hands This his Resurrection was made manifest by testimony of Angels and of divers others who saw him spake with him and were assured of it he appears unto many and that many times and especially to the eleven Apostles who saw him heard him did eat and drink with him touched him with their hands To these he unfolds the Mysteries of his Kingdom gives them commission to go into all Nations and commands them to stay at Jerusalem till they received the Holy Ghost according to the promise of his Father God by thus raising him did manifest that he had accepted his Sufferings and Death as a full propitiation of the sins of men and by saying Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee made him universal King and Priest fully consecrated for ever He rose as head and representative of mankind especially of his Church and became not only the pattern but the first fruits and cause of our Resurrection so that as in Adam dying all died so in Him rising we shall all be made alive first to newness of life then to eternal glory The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead shall raise us from the death of sin unto newness of life and raise our bodies to immortality forty days he stays on Earth to comfort his Disciples strengthen their Faith make evident his Resurrection and give orders for the administration of his future Kingdom then he ascends from Mount Olivet in a Cloud up into the Heaven of Heavens Men and Angels being witnesses according to a former Vision that one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came unto the ancient of days and that the Angels brought him peace before him He ascended that he might fulfill all things send down the Holy Ghost enjoy full joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for ever make intercession for his Saints prepare eternal blessed mansions for them raise up their thoughts and affections to that heavenly estate he had merited and prepared for them that where he is our hearts might be also and that he might receive a place at his Fathers right hand so it was prophesied of old that when the Son of man was brought before the ancient of days there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People and Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd For his Father said unto him Sit at my right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool and gave him a name above all names and set him far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come He was solemnly invested with a supreme universal power above all men and Angels established in his Kingdom confirmed by Oath in his everlasting Priesthood sent down the holy Ghost the Gospel the rod of his power went out of Zion he reigned in the midst of his enemies and many thousands did willingly submit unto him and his people for number were like drops of dew which fall from the womb of the morning When all things are fulfilled all enemies subdued the number of his Saints finished he will come from Heaven to determine of the final estate of men and Angels and judg both quick and dead And then he will deliver up his Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all I believe that the Holy Ghost which is One God with the Father and the Son and is the Spirit of the Father and the Son by whom all things in Heaven and
is represented the universal and supreme and efficient cause of all things out of himself the Scriptures inform us of 3 things His Wisdom contriving All things His Will decreeing All things His Power effecting All things For God beholding himself and his Almighty power and knowing that he could do many great and glorious things out of himself and that nothing was impossible to him did before the foundation of the world exercise 1. His Wisdom in contriving all things he was pleased to effect 2â— His will in decreeing them according to his Wisdom 3. His power in effecting all things he had decreed In his Wisdom contriving we have the true Idea and model of all things in his Will decreeing the certain and unmoveable foundation of the future existence Thus all things being prepared before hand by the counsel of his will when he thought good he issues out of himself with his Almighty executive power and begins to effect what he had thus contrived and decreed And the works effected are two 1. Creation 2. Providence 1. Creation whereby he made and that by himself alone this vast stately magnificent and stupendious pile and Fabrick of Heaven and Earth and all the hosts thereof which in all Nations in all times and places proclaims his glory and his eternal power and Godhead The stuff and matter was nothing the workmanship most curious the work it self wonderful the beauty was pure and glorious and the order excellent and far above all expressions of the tongue of man The principal and most noble creatures amongst all the rest were Men and Angels immortal intellectual and free creatures created holy and righteous and capable of Eternity felicity when God finished this great work and saw that all every thing that he had made was very good he ceaseth from this work of Creation and kept his Sabbath which was a rest not from all working but only from this first for he did not leave his creatures to themselves but took care of all and every one and continued to work though in another kind and is working still For saith Christ Jo. 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work For he did exercise his power in preserving and ordering all things created Hence the works Of Preservation Of Ordination 1. He preserveth supporteth all things made and continues their being so long as he will have them to enjoy their being substance vertues For by him all things do subsist If he either withhold his hand or stretch out to destroy them they perish and cease to be what they were 2. Because all things were made in an excellent order and had their ends for which they were created therefore he doth not only preserve them but directs every thing unto its end The principal subject of this Ordination are Men and Angels and especially Men and in the Ordination of men the principal work of all was Redemption which God before the world did decree and in the beginning of the world upon the fall of man did promise and in fulness of time issued out of himself by his eternal word made flesh to redeem man performed And so we come unto the second part of our Saviours Creed infolded in the word Son For as we have the most glorious being of God his eternal acting upon himself with the great and excellent works of Creation and providence implyed in the word Father so we must understand by this word Son God the word made flesh redeeming sinful man In this part of providence the Scriptures inform us 1. Of the person Redeemed 2. Of the party Redeeming 3. Of the work of Redemption 1. The party redeemed is sinful man who being tempted by the Devil sinned and fell into a miserable condition yet God pitied him and entertained thoughts of his deliverance and did chuse one who was mighty to save 2. The party redeeming was the word made flesh anointed with the Holy Ghost so that for his person he was the eternal word and Son of God for his Natures nited in one person and eternally distinct which were his Godhead and his Manhood for his Offices they are three for he was made a Prophet a Priest a King who as man was coceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary This was the way whereby the word was made flesh 3. The work of Redemption which was begun in his humiliation and accomplished by his exaltation For the Scriptures tell us that it was the will of God according to the contrivance of his wisdom that his eternal Son made flesh should so humble himself in this flesh assumed as to become a servant and in that low estate be obedient unto death the death of the Cross which he suffered with greatest patience in obedience to his heavenly Fathers command for to expiate the sin of man This he did as a Priest sacrificing himself unto God the supreme Judge and by this offering he so pleased God and was so much accepted as that by his own blood he entred the holy place of heaven and obtained eternal Redemption purged the conscience from dead works and confirmed the new covenant for ever By this Bloody sacrifice of his Consecration he satisfied divine justice and merited all mercies necessary for the eternal salvation of man That this Redemption might be complete he that was humbled so low was advanced as high and the degrees of this advancement and exaltation were 1. His Resurrection 2. His Ascension into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God to exercise all power in heaven and earth till all enemies be subdued and then he shall come to the universal judgment of the quick and the dead When Christ was set at the right hand of God and confirmed in his everlasting Priesthood the Scriptures inform us that to make his sacrifice and death effectual and communicate the blessings which he thereby had merited he first sends down from heaven the holy Ghost God from the beginning and the first promise of a Redeemer issued out of Eternity to sanctifie sinful man but when the great high Priest had offered his great sacrifice and rose again and was established in his Throne at his right hand this spirit was poured out in great abundance upon all flesh reveals the Gospel makes it effectual upon the hearts of men converts them by faith ingrafts them into Christ upon his intercession regenerates them sanctifies adopts them raiseth them up at the last day makes them fully holy and fills them with eternal joy before the face and Throne of God for ever All this is to be understood in the last word of this Creed the Holy Ghost who is thus represented to us in the Scriptures of God Sect. 3. Yet here it s to be observed 1. That though Creation and Providence be attributed and as it were appropriated unto the Father yet the Father doth neither create nor preserve nor govern the world but by the Son by the Holy Ghost 2. That
world Amen CHAP. I. Of Christ's Universal Power Section 1 THese are the words of our blessed Saviour which he spake unto his Apostles and Disciples when after his Resurrection he was ready to ascend into Heaven for they pre-suppose Man's Sin Christ's Suffering and his Resurrection Man by sin had made himself miserable and liable to temporal and eternal death yet God was willing to deliver him Sin and Satan cast him down yet God in his abundant mercy was pleased to raise him up again The way which his eternal Wisdom had contrived to effect this great deliverance was strange wonderful his only begotten Son even that word which was God and by which he made the world must be made flesh and assume the nature of man and in that nature must take upon him the form of a servant be obedient unto death the death of the Cross rise again and be advanced to the highest pitch of glory so that the means of mans salvation are the humiliation and exaltation of the Son of God By his humiliation and sacrifice of himself he expiates mans sin satisfies Divine Justice and merits all mercies and blessings necessary for the full and eternal happiness of man By his exaltation he makes his sufferings effectual and communicates the benefits he had merited for we read That he was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. To be delivered for our offences was his humiliation unto death for our sins to render them pardonable To be raised again for our justification was his exaltation for the obtaining of actual remission his humiliation begins his exaltation consummates our salvation For being advanced to the right hand of his Father he sends down the Holy Ghost reveals the Gospel causeth it to be preached to all Nations and by his Word and Spirit converts man and plants the heavenly vertue of Faith in his heart and upon Conversion and Faith makes intercession in Heaven and procures his actual pardon reconciliation with his God and in the end the enjoyment of eternal glory so that without his humiliation man is not savable and without his exaltation he is not actually saved And thus we must understand that of the same Apostle For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10. where we must observe That the death of Christ is his humiliation his life is his exaltation 2. That reconciliation is ascribed to his death salvation to his life For the Death and Blood of Christ was the propitiation for our sins and the foundation of our reconciliation the life and exaltation of Christ by his Word and Spirit converting us and making intercession for us is the cause of actual salvation Sect. 2. As in the two former Chapters we may read of Christs suffering death and humiliation whereby he mirited incomparable mercies and blessings so in this we read of his resurrection and the manner how he will apply and communicate his blessings and that is by a commission and power received and a commission and power given for the subject of the words are a two-fold commission The first granted by God to Christ The second by Christ to his Apostles These agree in some things differ in others 1. They agree as commissions giving great power 2. As expressing an unspeakable love unto and a tender care of sinful man 3 As issuing from the supream and universal Lord. 4. As tending to the same end mans eternal salvation yet they differ in these things 1. The former commission is granted by God immediately to Christ the latter is granted from God by Christ unto the Apostles 2. The former is the cause of the latter the latter an effect of the former 3. By the former Christ receives an universal power in heaven and earth and by the latter the Apostles receive only a limited power on earth Sect. 3. I will not say much of the first commission expressed in these words Ver. 18. All power in heaven and earth is given unto me Wherein he signifies that he had large power and it was given him where we must consider 1. Power given 2. The party to whom it was given 3. The donor or the Donation of it from the Donour In the power we may observe 1. The nature and quality of it 2. The measure of it 1. For the nature and quality of it it is spiritual and divine for Christ said My kingdom is not of this world John 18. 36. That is it s no secular power like that of the Princes of the world it s far more excellent and above it in respect of the subjects the laws the judgments the end thereof The subjects besides Angels are men considered in a spiritual notion and as capable of an eternal estate The Laws also are spiritual and bind not only Angels but the immortal souls and consciences of men Such are the judgments which determine and accord not only temporal but eternal punishments and rewards The end in respect of all loyal and obedient subjects is eternal peace and felicity for God gave Christ power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as he had given him John 17. 2. 2. The measure of this power is extensive and intensive Extensive in respect of the territory which is very large even the whole world whereof there be two parts heaven and earth so that it extends to all places and all things and so is universal yet the principal subjects are Angels in heaven and men on earth both intellectual and immortal creatures Intensive for its all power one may have some power or all power on earth and none in heaven or some or all power in heaven and none on earth but this is all power in heaven all power on earth all power on both so that Christ is over all persons in all causes supream Governour without any created superiour without any competitour without any partner it s all in the highest degree invested and inherent in one This is concernig the power 2. The person invested with it is Christ For all power saith he is given to me it was not given to any Angel or Angels nor to any Monarch or Monarchs of the world but to Jesus of Nazareth a man nearer to God then any of the Princes of the earth or any Principalities and Powers of heaven one more beloved of God and who had done a greater service than any other for he had humbled himself at his Fathers command so low as to be a servant and a servant obedient unto the death of the Cross therefore he and none other was thus highly exalted and received a name above every name 3. The Donour was God the Father As none but Christ was capable none was worthy of this transcendent power according to that universal acknowledgment of Saints and Angels Rev. 5 10. The Lamb slain
Obedience Disobedience Punishments and Rewards of the obedience of the blessed Angels and their Confirmation in a state of holiness and bliss of the fall of the rest and the wrath of God upon them and their irrecoverable misery Sect. 5. The second general Head and Topick iâ— that of the Son who redeems us The particulars considerable under this Heaâ— are 1. The party Redeemed 2. The Redeemer 3. The work of Redemption 1. To that of the party redeemed which is man as sinful and guilty we may reduce such places as inform us of the first Laws both Moral and Positive which God gave man upon his creation of mans obedience and comfortable condition and his hope of future happiness of the fall and first sin of man of Satans temptation and temptation and sin in general what it is what the aggravations or attenuations thereof what the consequents especially shame fear guilt punishment of the derivation of sin and death unto all mankind from Adam the root and head of all his posterity and of the sad condition of man in respect of the first sin upon which an inevitable ruine had followed if God had not prevented it 2. The Redeemer and hither refer such places as speak how God decreed and promised a Redeemer and Saviour and all the Prophesies Predictions Types Shadows of him such as inform us of his person as he is the eternal Word and Son of God of his God-head Manhood united and the eternal distinction of both of his Offices Sacerdotal Prophetical Regal of his Conception Birth Life of his Doctrine Miracles holy life and excellent vertues and the whole history of the same as delivered by the Evangelists 3. His work of Redemption which hath two parts Humiliation Exaltation In his Humiliation we have his low estate suffering To that of his low estate may be reduced the Scriptures which speak of the poverty and meanness of his Birth as he was born in stable and laid in a manger of the poverty and mean condition of his Parents his Circumcision Presentation in the Temple his Infirmities as Hunger Thirst Weariniss and the like which were without sin and his mortality To that of his suffering refer the Texts concerning his Persecutions dangers from the Contempt malice envy jealousie of Herod first then of the Pharisees Scribes Priests Rulers of the Jews of his Agony Judas treachery Peters denial and principally such as represent unto us his death upon the Cross and his continuing under the power of death for a time and in these sufferings of his Pains Cries Tears Complaints and inward sorrows of his Meekness Patience Humility Charity Hope of glory Considence in his Father of his obedience to the great command to suffer so many indigninities such shame and curse that by his death he might make propitiation for the sin of man and such as speak of this death as a sacrifice propitiatory offered unto God as supreme Judge offended by our sins and that out of dearest love unto us and a longing desire to save us of the eternal vertue and efficacy of the sacrifice so highly accepted of God and the rare effects of the same both mediate and immediate of the prodigies which fell out in the time of his passion and at his death of the Prophesies fulfilled in this humilitation even to the casting lots upon his seamless Coat the piercing of his side and the not breaking of a bone His exaltation follows in his Resurrection Ascension Session at the right hand of God Coming to judgment To this Head of Resurrection may be reduced such Texts as spake of the Prodigies falling out near unto the same the distinct time the manner the manifestation of it the persons to whom the time where the places where he was manifested his abode upon earth for forty days his converse with his Disciples his instruction given his commission granted to the Apostles who saw him The use which is to be made of this Doctrine to that of his Ascension may be reduced such places as speak of the time when of the places from which and to which he ascended the persons both Men and Angels who beheld it of the end of this part of this exaltatioâ— which was to be confirmed in his everlasting Kingdom and Priesthood and to exercise his power which he received more solemnly upon his Resurrection and to receive fulness of joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for evermore to make intercession for such aâ— come to God by him and to prepare eternal mansions for his Saints and so be fully blessed for ever To that of his sitting at the right hand of God refer those places which speak oâ— the super-eminency of his power above all men and Angels and all creatures of his being the head of the Church the administrator general of Gods spiritual kingdom of the exercise of this power and the wonderful effects thereof in heaven and earth and his abode in the place of glory and the continuance of his reign untill all enemies be subdued To that of his coming to Judgment refer such Scriptures as speak of the place from whence he comes the manner of his coming in the glory of the Father in flaming fire with the attendance of all the holy Angels the burning of the world the Archangel sounding his Trumpet the Resurrection whereby death the last enemy is destroyed the parties to be judged their summons appearance discovery of all their works even the secrets of their hearts the sentence of him the universal Judge the execution of the same in eternal punishments and rewards the delivering of the Kingdom up unto his Father Sect. 6. The third and last Head is concerning the holy Ghost in which we must observe 1. The Holy Ghost himself Vocation Justification Glorification 2. The effects of this Holy Ghost in respect of the Churches To the first reduce such places as inform us of his Divine Nature Properties perfections and the Worship due unto him of his relation to the Father and the Son of his working with them and from them of his apparitions of his resting upon Christ of the several Names and Titles given him As for the effects and works of this Spirit we must know that he with the Father and the Son is the universal cause of all things for the Father and the Son doth all things by his Spirit yet the Creed takes notice in this place only of those works and operations which tend to the eternal salvation of man The first whereof is Vocation To this Head refer all Scriptures which speak of the condition of man to be called as being blind ignorant senseless perverse guilty not thinking of any danger not desiring not seeking any remedy yet redeemed and by Redemption made saveable For Redemption found man in no capacity of salvation vocation finds the foundation of his salvation laid To this Topick also bring such places as speak of preventing grace and the
means of Conversion of the Word Sacraments Sabbaths Ministery of Information and Instruction Promises Threatnings Conmands Reproofs Exhortation good Examples Afflictions and many other things used by God in the vocation the power of the spirit accompanying these means and working upon the heart of the sight and sence of sin of godly sorrow fear hope prayers tears hearkning unto the word receiving it into the heart longing after Christ some beginning of comfort faith and conversion To this place also reduce the Scriptures which speak of the contrary as God passing by a people and denying them the means of conversion of such as to whom the means is vouchsafed yet they refuse to receive them despise them blaspheme rebel persecute Gods messengers and seek the abolition of Gods Laws and Kingdom Of such as seem to receive these means yet do not use them or if they use them yet not diligently and aright but are like to the high way the stony or the thorny ground Such places as speak of impenitency hardness of heart unbelief neglecting the day of Visitation unfruitfulness under the means of Salvation Hypocrisie Apostacy all neglect or resistence of any motives unto repentance deferring the time of conversion after conviction and falling off from any resolutions to repent or any degree of grace To that of Justification which presupposeth not only Gods mercy and Christs merit but also the sinners Repentance Conversion and sincere faith may be reduced all Scriptures which speak of Christs Intercession Remission Regeneration Reconciliation Adoption Manifestation of Gods special love hope of glory a right unto eternal life peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost freedom from condemnation removal of judgements the earnest and first fruits of the spirit abiding in us the guardance of Angels near communion with God Gods special care of the justified the turning of every thing to their good mortification of sin sanctification continued good works heavenly affections divine vertues patience and perseverance in Hearts Afflictions Persecutions Martyrdom Conflicts with sin Satan the world fastings falls recoveries increase of heavenly vertues longing desires to be with Christ watching praying providing for removal hence and the last account comfortable death conveyance into Abraham's bosom the secure expectation of the Resurrection freedom from all sin misery temptation and troubles of this life To this Head must be referred all such Scriptures as speak of the contrary as of Gods desertion after disobedience to his heavenly call withdrawing the light of the Gospel taking away his blessed spirit leaving the parties thus deserted to the power of Satan delivering them up to a reprobate mind security in sin despair terrours of conscience loss of all the former mercies and graces or rather a dinial of them exemplary judgments as forerunners of eternal destruction abiding under Gods eternal displeasure a cursed death and a reservation of the parts thus dead unto final condemnation and that sad condition till that time To the last of Glorification refer such places as speak of the universal Resurrection of the power and spirit of God raising us the manner of this Resurrection the nature and excellent qualities of the body raised as being immortal uncorruptible glorious spiritual and like the body of Christ our final Justification and glorious reward of ejoyment of the blessed presence of God and Jesus Christ our full and final Sanctification by the spirit our Society with Saints and Angels our spiritual glorious pleasant Paradice our full joys eternal pleasure unspeakable content freedom from all sin temptation sorrow songs of praise and the certainty and security of the continuance and perpetuity of full bliss Here also must come in those parts of Gods word which speak of the contrary as of the resurrection of such as are designed to eternal death upon their final impenitency of the immortality of their bodies that they may eternally suffer in body and soul their appearance before the dreadful Judge their condemnation their ejection out of Gods blessed presence into utter darkness and unquenchable fire their society with the Devil and his Angels their everlasting and intollerable sorrows and pains and the certainty of the continuance thereof without any hope of ease intermission deliverance Sect. 7. After that I have first declared the substance of the Scripture abridged in the Creed and secondly given some directions how to reduce the principal particular places of the word of God unto the heads of the Creed I now proceed to reduce the former particulars into the form of a Confession in this manner I believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost who is only One Infinite Incomprehensible Eternal infinitely and eternally Wise Just Holy Powerful Glorious and every way Perfect and perfectly knows and loves himself from everlasting and is blessed in himself unto all eternity I believe that this One Glorious God did by his wisdom contrive and by his will decree to do many things out of himself and when he thought good he issued out with his Almighty Power to effect those things which he had before contrived and first he created Heaven and Earth and all things therein and the most glorious place which he made was the Heaven of heavens and the most excellent creatures were Men and Angels intellectual immortal free capable of Laws and of an eternal estate Man for his body was created of the dust of the earth and by the breath of God became a living soul and he was sanctified by the holy Spirit endued with heavenly gifts and virtues whereby he was righteous and holy and like unto his God and capable of eternal bliss tho his present estate was not immutable he might stand he might fall When this great work was finished by his Word Spirit without any pre-existent stuff any assistant any tool or instrument he continued by his Almighty power to support and preserve all things which do subsist by that word whereby they were created at the first By creation he manifested his eternal power and God-head became the absolute surpreme and universal Lord of all things and so continues by his preservation I believe that as he preserves all things created so he orders all things preserved in such a manner as that a Sparrow falls not to the ground without his will And as he created all things in an excellent order and gave them their inclinations power moving and tending to some end so he by his wonderful Wisdom directs every thing unto its several end and all things to the supream which is the manifestation of his glory In this ordination the government of his most noble creatures Men and Angels which he orders by certain Laws and Judgements unto an eternal estate as most excellent and wonderful to both he gave certain laws which they were able to observe and upon the observation they might certainly expect a confirmation in that blessed estate for which they were created many of the Angels sinned and were
irrecoverably lost and are delivered into chains of darkness reserved for the judgment of the great day Man received Laws both moral and positive by which he was bound to perform perfect and perpetual obedience or else to suffer death yet man being tempted by the Devil fell and by one man sin entered into the world and by sin death and death passed over all men in that all men have sinned This was the just judgment of God who cursed the Serpent and the Devil punished man and woman yet promised them a Saviour the seed of the woman who should break the Serpents head and take away his kingdom and power over mankind This was the judgment of the supream Lord whereby many of the Angels continuing obedientin the day of their great trial were confirmed in an estate of holiness and bliss the apostate wretches were condemned to eternal death and so fell as never to rise again yet man had hope of recovery because God by his infinite mercy was willing to prevent his eternal ruine I believe that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life This Son who is our Redeemer is that word whereby all things in Heaven and Earth even the Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions of Heaven were created who is the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person This word issued out of Eternity and in fulness of time was made flesh dwelt amongst men who saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of Grace Truth So that he is truly God and truly Man in whom conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary we have One Person Two Natures eternally distinct and inseparably united He was conceived at Nazareth bornat Bethlehem saved in Egypt from bloody Herod and brought up in the place of his conception and his very birth was matter of joy and melody to the Angels of Heaven This Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ promised of old the seed of the Woman of Abraham of David according to the flesh and was anointed with the Holy Ghost above his fellows and was made King Priest and Prophet above all other Kings Priests and Prophets that he might govern us by his Power direct and teach us by his Wisdom and sanctifie us for ever by his own Sacrifice first offered for sinful men and then pleaded in Heaven 〈…〉 s all penitent Believers I believe that Jesus Christ the Word made flesh did humble himself very low took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient unto death the death of the Cross and both in life and death did manifest his Divine excellency and glorifie his heavenly Father In the day of his humiliation he did hunger thirst fast pray weep and took upon him the infirmities of man yet without sin and was mortal His conversation was holy and spotless and was so ordered that both in life and death he was a Mirrour of all heavenly Virtues His Doctrine whereby he revealed the Mysteries of Heavens Kingdom was pure and full of profoundest Wisdom and of sovereign power to save mens souls and his words such as never man spake and were confirm'd by signs and wonders and glorious miracles by which he declared himself to be the Son of the living God He by himself his Apostles and other assistants whom he had chosen and qualified for this work began to gather Disciples and lay the foundation of his everlasting Kingdom yet notwithstanding these so many Divine excellencies he suffers many indignities from his unworthy and ungrateful Brethren whom he loved above all other People in the world though he was a Son yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered For many did not believe in him many were offended with him The ambitious covetous corrupt hypocritical High-Priests Rulers Scribes Pharisees Sadduces being discovered unto the people and by him reproved for their sins and deserted by many of the people did envy him hate him persecute him revile him blaspheme him and designed his death which they often and many ways attempted and in the end prevailed In the last night of his mortal life on earth after the eating of the Passover the institution of the Sacrament of his blessed body and blood his consolatory speech unto his Disciples his heavenly prayer he enters into the fatal place and garden where his greatest sufferings began Then upon his serious consideration and lively apprehension of the bitter Cup he was to drink and the fearful passion and tempattion now at hand he falls into a grievous and extreme Agony wherein with earnest prayers tears and loud cries he desires his heavenly Father to spare him and to let the Cup pass from him yet so that he wholly resigns himself unto his will He desires his Disciples especially three of them to watch with him and to pray for an hour yet they fail him he falls upon the ground deprecates the Cup three several times sweats drops as it were of bloud and at length an Angel was sent from heaven to comfort the Lords of Angels so deeply was he humbled so greatly was he afflicted so much was he difcomforted while he prepares himself to encounter the powers of Hell and expiate the sin of man This woful fit was no sooner passed over but he is betrayed into the hands of sinners apprehended bound brought before the Council accused condemned as a plasphemer worthy of death and so the judg of Men and Angels was judged he is hoodwink't buffeted blasphemed spit upon and most fearfully aboused and being formerly betrayed by s and now with cursing swearing and forswearing denyed by S. Peter and forsaken of all his Disciples As for this he is brought before Pilate falsly charged with heinous crimes yet justified as having done nothing worthy of death The Judge is afraid to condem him willing to release him scourgeth him and at the importuniy of his bloudy enemies he at length condems him to the cruel cursed ignominious death of the Cross and delivers him to the Souldiers who deride him abuse him torment him and lead him to the place of execution There he is stripped crucified endures open shame cruel pains revilings bitter taunts from the High-Priests the People the Malefactors crucified with him and the Souldiers yet he reviles not again nor threatens but in respect of wrong received he is silent and dumb as the sheep before the shearer prays for his enemies provides for his disconsolate Mother comforts such as do bewail him and foretells their future misery In the height of his passion he cries out such was the extremity My God my God why hast thou forsaken me commends his Spirit into his Fathers hands and so dies This suffering and death was such as never any before it never any after it like unto it So much was signified at that time when the Heavens were darkned
Sacraments of the New Testament look at Christ as already come having shed his blood and finished the work of Redemption and require â—aith in him under that notion and in that respect As it differs from the former by this that it 's a Sacrament of the New Testament so in this particular it agrees with the Eucharist so that from hence we may describe a Sacrament of the New Testament to be a Rite instituted by Christ to confirm the Covenant of Grace in the blood of Christ already shed wherein we may observe 1. The blood of Christ shed 2. A Covenant confirmed in and by this blood of Christ and Sacrifice already offered 3. A confirmation of this Covenant made between God and particular persons by these holy Rites Sect. 3. Baptism as it is 1. a Sacrament 2. a Sacrament of the New Testament so 3. it is the initiating Sacrament of the New Testament For there are but two Sacraments of the Gospel instituted by Christ and this is the first in order and first to be administred it presupposeth the party to be baptized as an Alien and not yet solemnly admitted into the Church and Kingdom of God though he may be prepared for this admission and incorporation In respect of this initiation it differs from the Eucharist which cannot lawfully be administred to any but such as are members of the Church and incorporated already For as under the Law no stranger might be admitted to the Passover so under the Gospel no unbaptized person may come unto the Lords Table This is the reason why this Rite is called the Laver of Regeneration the Sacrament of our New Birth and of our ingrafting into Christ And as we are but once born so we are but once baptized for this Sacrament once rightly administred is not to be reiterated whereas the Eucharist being a Sacrament of our spiritual nourishment and growth is often to be celebrated Sect. 4. Thus you have heard that Baptism is an initiating Sacrament of the New Testament it remains that I inform you of the particular Rite of Initiation which is by washing with water In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost For this is the instruction and command of our Saviour in this Commission in these words Baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. where we have three things to be considered 1. Water the Element 2. Washing with water the Action 3. Washing in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost the words 1. Water in it self is a natural substance and a liquid Element granted unto mankind as a special blessing and to be used according to several virtues thereof for several ends one end is washing and cleansing bodies and other things that are â—ullied or defiled and this according to the purging and cleansing virtue thereof This Water according to this natural virtue was singled out by a Divine Institution and determination for an higher end and that is to signifie and confirm a spiritual cleansing And though some make this in Baptism to be a sign of Christ's blood which hath a power to cleanse and purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God yet in this Sacrament it rather signifies the Holy Ghost which sanctifies and regenerates the Church Therefore our Saviour saith 3. 5. Verily verily except a man be born of the Spirit and Water he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God In this respect Baptism is said to be the Laver of Regeneration by the renewing of the Holy Ghost which God shed on us abundantly Tit. 3. 5 6. In both which places the Spirit is assimilated to Water as washing cleansing renewing yet here it 's to be noted that the Spirit doth not renew and cleanse us but by virtue of Christ's blood which merited the renovation and purification of the soul. For if Christ's blood had not been shed the Spirit had never been given to sanctifie us Sect. 5. The action is Washing expressed in this word Baptize which word as you heard before signifies to wash and that often washing is the use and application of this Elemement for to cleanse which may be done many ways as by plunging the thing to be washed into the water wholly or by dipping or by pouring water upon it and sometimes by sprinkling for many things under the Law were cleansed by sprinkling of water or blood This action for this end implies the party to be baptized as polluted with sin and so unfit to have communion with God and to be admitted into his heavenly Kingdom Therefore he must be renewed purified and regenerated and that by the Holy Ghost ingrafting him into Christ and planting him into the similitude of Christs death and Resurrection thence we have two parts of this Regeneration 1. Remission 2. Sanctification in sanctification a death unto sin and a life unto righteousness In some kind of washing the death and Resurrection of Christ and also a death unto sin and a life unto righteousness were more clearly represented yet there is hardly any kind of washing but doth in some measure resemble these things But we must not in this Sacrament stand upon the more perfect or imperfect representation of the spiritual part thereof The principal thing visible sensible is washing cleansing the principal thing signified is the sanctification and purging of the soul and conscience Sect. 6. The words are In the name of the Father c. Where we must observe 1. That to be baptized in the name into the name unto the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy Ghost are the same 2. That as the name of Christ and Christ are often the same so the name of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost 3. That though Father Son and Holy Ghost are three and some ways distinct yet they are but one and the same God 4. That the Baptism in this name presupposeth the party to be baptized to have professed his faith in and his obedience unto the name of God the Father and the Son and Holy Ghost that his sins may be forgiven and that he may attain eternal life according to the promise of the Covenant on Gods part so that the Covenant is actually made between God and the party to be baptized These things premised the meaning is that in the name and person of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost baptize thee in this water and by this solemn rite admit thee to be one of Gods people a subject of his blessed Kingdom of grace to enjoy all the priviledges thereof and assure thee of the performance of the promises of the Covenant according to the profession and promise thou hast made and by this same rite solemnly bind thee to make good the profession and perform the vows which thou hast made unto God the Father who hath made thee and God the Son
will desire endeavour and intend the observation of all these commandments from the heart and soul that in obedience to Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us it will repent and grieve for disobedience and speedily return sincerely to God Redeemer seek for pardon in the name of Christ and pray for the Spirit of sanctification to renew us more and more Sect. 8. In the next place after these natural and supernatural morals follow the ceremonials of the New Testament which are Baptism and the Lords Supper Of Baptism I have spoken at large it remains therefore that I further add something concerning the Eucharist which is a Sacrament of the New Testament as Baptism is and follows it because as that is a Sacrament of our initiation and regeneration so this is of our continuance in Christ and the Church and of our spiritual nourishment and increase In this as in Baptism we may observe 1. The Elements or Signs 2. The Actions 3. The Words In Baptism the sensible Sign and Element was single and only one which was Water but in this Sacrament we have two 1. Bread 2. Wine Both these presupposing life in them who use them are great blessings of God given to continue and preserve the same and were singled out and determined by Christ to be used in this Sacrament to signifie the spiritual food and repast of our souls and by these two in his heavenly discourse concerning the meat that perisheth not but endureth to everlasting life did represent unto his hearers the food of life which came down from Heaven whereby sinful men live for ever Bread did signifie his Flesh and Body which he gave and offered for the life of the world and Wine did signifie his Blood And as Bread must be eaten and Wine must be drank that we may live thereby so by a divine Faith we must eat his Flesh and drink his Blood that we may live for ever In this respect this Sacrament agrees with the Eucharistical Offerings and Sacrificial Feasts wherein the Sacrifice was first slain and offered to God and then part of it given to men to eat and drink before God in his Sanctuary Christs Body was the Sacrifice and was crucified slain and offered upon the Cross and in this Sacrament given and received for our spiritual food The Bread and Wine signifie his Body the breaking of the Bread pouring out the Wine signifie his Death and Sacrifice the eating of this Bread and the drinking of this Wine the participation of those spiritual and heavenly Blessings which he merited by his Sacrifice Death and Passion 2. The Actions are according to some Consecration Distribution Participation Yet may be reduced to two the 1. Of Administration the 2. Of Participation The Administration which in this Commission is proper to the Minister of the Gospel is performed in Consecrating or blessing Breaking and pouring out Distribution The Participation is Taking Eating Drinking 1. The Consecration is by word and prayer thanksgiving and petition 2. The breaking of the Bread pouring out of the Wine do serve not only for the better distribution but also to signifie the Death and Sacrifice of Christ offering himself for our sins 3. The distribution it self puts us in mind of God's giving us the benefit of his passion unto our eternal Salvation for as in death he was given for us so in this Sacrament he is given unto us 4. The taking eating drinking signifies our receiving by Faith first of Christ himself then of all his benefits 5. The words are such as our Saviour used at the first Institution and Administration of this Sacrament in the distribution of the Bread and the Cup. 1. The words used in giving the Bread are Take eat this is my body given broken for you do this in remembrance of me In them we may observe 1. The body of Christ. 2. The offering of this body 3. The giving of it unto Communicants 1. The body of Christ was the Sacrifice or thing to be sacrificed 2. The giving and breaking this for us signifies the offering of this Sacrifice unto God for to expiate the sins of man 3. The commanding of man to take c. signifies God's promise and readiness for to give Christ sacrificed with all his benefits commanding and by command binding man to take This is the mystical hidden matter of this part of the Sacrament In the outward sensible matter is 1. Bread to signifie the body of Christ. 2. This Bread broken to signifie the offering of this body 3. The taking and eating of this Bread to signifie the receiving of Christ sacrificed into our hearts by Faith 4. The manner and end of this receiving which is expressed in the words Do this in remembrance of me In these words we have 1. The Death and Passion of Christ. 2. The Covenant 3. The sealing and confirmation of the Covenant 1. The Death of Christ and the Redemption by this death is expressed in these words My body given broken for you 2. The Covenant which consists of a Promise a Precept The promise is implyed in the words Take eat this is my body the precept expressed in these words Do this in remembrance of me To take and eat is an action of the body to take and eat in remembrance of Christ is an action of the soul The promise offers remission of sin the precept requires Faith and remembrance of Christ's Death the principal object of this Faith 3. The Covenant is sealed and confirmed on Gods part of giving thâ— bread upon condition of remembrance of Christs death or mans part by taking and eating in remembrance of Christ so that the bread blessed broken given taken eaten in remembrance of Christ is a signe and a feal 2. The words used in giving the Cup are This cup is the New Testament in my blood this do as often as ye drink it in remembrance of me Thus Luke and Paul Drink ye all of it for this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for the remission of the sins of many Thus Matthew where we have many things observable and amongst others these 1. The blood of Christ shed 2. The remission of sins 3. The New Testament 4. The Cup. 5. The drinking of it in remembrance of Christ. 1. The Blood of Christ shed and the Body of Christ broken and given are nothing else but the Death of Christ which he suffered upon the Cross for the expiation of our sins whereby Gods justice was satisfied his wrath appeased sin made justly pardonable and man savable This unspotted blood of Christ the great High Priest was of infinite value the great ransome whereby heaven gates were opened and eternal life merited 2. The end of this blood shed and this cruel cursed and ignominous death was the actual remission of the sins of many even of all such as should believe in him The shedding of this purest blood accepted of God made sin
pardonable the belief in this blood-shed and accepted obtains actual remission For God was so just that he would not pardon any sin without effusion of this blood and yet so merciful that for an inconsideration of the same believed on by guilty man on Earth and pleaded by Christ in heaven he will fully and for ever pardon sin and justifie the guilty 3. The Testament is the Covenant which is so called because in some respect it 's like a Testament which is confirmed and made effectual by the death of the Testatour so the Covenant being grounded upon the death of Christ whereby he became mediatour of the same is confirmed by the blood and death of Christ and is made eternally effectual It 's called the New Testament or Covenant to distinguish it from the Old which was also confirmed with blood Exod. 24. And is a Covenant not of works and strict justice but of faith and Gods mercy and it s said to be the New Covenant in this blood because confirmed by this blood and to be the New Covenant in this blood and the blood of the New Covenant are the same For both signifie the Confirmation of it by Christs Blood 4. We have the Cup that is the Wine contained in the Cup which signifies the Blood of Christ shed for the Remission of sins and puts us in mind of Christs Death and Blood shed and it s given and taken to confirm the Covenant renewed between God and the Communicant 5. The Communicants are commanded to drink of this Cup in remembrance of Christs Blood shed for the remission of sin And by this command they are bound to drink and also to drink it in remembrance of Christ that so by faith they may receive Christ into their hearts for their spiritual life and comfort In this part we have as before in the former the Redemption the Covenant the fealing of the Covenant The Redemption was signified before by the bread broken and given and here by the Wine in the Cup poured out for both signifie but one and the same death and sacrifice of Redemption The Covenant as formerly hath a promise of remission of sins and a precept commanding to take and drink of the Cup in remembrance of his death And this remembrance presupposing knowledge and faith with sense of our sins is practical and effectual to stir up to love and thankfulness in an high degree For how can we remember and seriously consider the greatest love of our Saviour unto us his enemies his cruel sufferings for us and the incomparable blessings merited thereby and not be made sensible of our sins relie upon his sufferings love our enemies and be for ever thankful to our God! 3. The sealing of the Covenant in this part is like unto the former And here it 's to be observed that the Covenant is sealed and confirmed in this Sacrament two several times that God may more fully assure man that as by his Minister he gives both Bread and wine so certainly he will give Christ and all his benefits and continue constant in his Covenant and as certainly as he receives bread and eats it wine and drinks it in remembrance of Christ so certainly he shall receive remission of sins and eternal life by Christ. And by the Celebration of this Sacrament doth more deeply engage himself to God for to continue faithful in his Covenant unto the end Sect 9. Before I conclude this Doctrine of the Eucharist I will add some observations upon the same For 1. As Christ in Baptism contracted all Purifications Cleansings and Lustrations in the Law so in this he abridged all the Ilastical and Eucharistical sacrifices with their Meat-offerings Drink-offerings and sacrificial Feasts 2. The Author institutor and first efficient cause of this Sacrament is Christ the Son of God our Saviour 3. The subject and principal matter thereof is the death of Christ and the benefits procured thereby 4. The form is the use of the Elements with the words according to the first institution 5. The end is the continued remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ upon which depends our eternal salvation 6. This is one of the Laws of Christ which we are bound to observe till his coming to judgment as appears by these words Do this in remembrance of me 7. The dispensation of it belongs to the Minister of the Gospel for he that must baptize must administer the Eucharist and he that dispenseth the one must dispense the other Sacrament 8. The reason why this Sacrament is administred in two several Elements is more fully and distinctly to represent the death of Christ to signifie the plenty of food God hath prepared for our souls and the more strongly to confirm the Covenant 9. It 's to be celebrated not only once but often and is to be continued in the Church unto the worlds end 10. In it we have many points of Christian Doctrine concerning mans sin Gods love the Redemption the Covenant and therein of Gods promises mans duty as Repentance and Faith the benefits wereceive thereby and the Confirmation of the Covenant 11. In it we have many parts of Gods worship imployed as confession of sin profession of faith prayer charity thanksgiving and the whole Celebration of it is a piece of Divine Service 12. By receiving of this Sacrament we profess our Christianity our continuance in the Christian faith and in the Communion with the holy Catholick Church and the Renunciation of all other Religions 13. By the Doctrine of this Sacrament and the tenor of Christs commission we understand something of Church Discipline For as no man before he by the profession of his faith and promise of obedience manifest himself to be a Disciple can be baptized so no man except he appear to be baptized continue in the Christian faith keep Christs Commandments may be admitted to this Table neither may one grosly ignorant before he be instructed or guilty of scandal before he signifie his repentance and be absolved be received as a guest of this heavenly Feast They also who do neglect it when they are invited and have opportunity are unworthy Therefore besides the power which God gives unto the Minister it is fit that in every Church there should be some order established and some trusted with power to judge what persons are fit and worthy and who are not 14. No man can have benefit by this Sacrament but such as are truly penitent and believing of whom God can only judge and the Minister doing his duty according to his best judgment and the appearance of such as desire to communicate must refer all such as he admits to the judgment of God who alone knows the hearts of men And here it s to be noted that such as are habitually penitent and believing may so come unto the Sacrament as that they may offend God because not actually prepared at such a time Sect. 10. The last work to be done for to close up
pray in charity and love towards others 7. As he is Almighty and Almerciful in Christ in whom he hath promised all things we must pray in greatest confidence 8. Because our necessity is great and we seek great and necessary things from him so we must be instant importunate wrastle with him and not let him be quiet till he hear help and bless us Sect. 3. In the body of the prayer we must observe the Method and excellent order to which he hath reduced all matters to be prayed for To understand this we must consider that he hath made two general heads and parts of petition the 1. Of supplication the 2. Of deprecation In the former we petition for all good we can justly desire In the latter we seek deliverance from all evil where unto we are subject The good we pray for is spiritual or temporal the spiritual respects Gods glory in 1. Hollowed be thy name or our spiritual happiness in the coming of his Kingdom 2. In doing of his will Temporal good we pray for when we say Give us this day our daily Bread Deliverance from evil is two fold either from sin or affliction The evil of sin is either guilt of sin past or temptation to sin in time to come The former we seek in these words Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trepass against us The latter in these Lead us not into Temptation Deliverance from evil we pray for when we say Deliver us from evil Sect. 4. We begin our petitions with these words Hallowed be thy Name where by name we must understand the excellent Majesty and supream Dominion of God our heavenly Father in respect of which all honour glory power and praise are due to him and ought to be ascribed unto him by men and Angels for ever yet all this doth not make him more glorious and excellent then he is in himself for what can be added to that which is infinite This excellency and supream dominion we profess to believe in the first Article of our Creed and promise to acknowledge in the first commandment of the moral Law And here we pray for the universal acknowledgment in the first Petition for such must be our respect to him as that above all things his name may be glorified therefore in these words we pray that his name and supream excellency may be manifested more and more both by his Ordinary and Extraordinary works of creation and providence and also by his blessed word especially by the Gospel of Christ. â— That being manifested to us and to all others it may be more and more clearly known 3. That being known we and all others may acknowledge it and submit with all our hearts to him as supream Lord and that he may be glorified in the eternal destruction of such as will not honour him as supream Lord. In these words we pray against all Atheism Idolalatry Profaneness Rebellion Apostasie and the usurpation of divine power 2. We pray Thy Kingdom come where we have 1. A kingdom 2. The coming of it 3. A petition for the coming of it Gods Kingdom is two-fold 1. Universal and general over all 2. Special over men The latter here is meant this second Kingdom respects Men as sinful and ready to perish yet as having some hope of Salvation by the Redemption of Jesus Christ therefore it s the kingdom of God Redeemer looking upon Man as first redeemed and so ordinable unto everlasting salvation for sinful Mans happiness begins in Gods love which moved him to give Christ to death for the Expiation of our sins for this was the laying the foundation of Eternal Life The coming of this Kingdom is the exercise of his power to make redemption effectual for then this kingdom comes to any person or persons when God Redeemer begins to reign by his Word and Spirit and by them calls men to repentance and faith The end where at this government aims is the ruine of all enemies and the eternal peace of all such as shall submit unto his power and continue to be loyal and obedient subjects Thus God did alwayes reign since the first promise of Christ made unto Adam but this reign advanced and became more glorious after that Christ was â—et at the right hand of God sent down the Holy Ghost revealed the Gospel and it shall be consummate when all enemies shall be subdued and Gods chosen Saints fully and for ever glorified Some make two degrees of this Government the first of grace and the second of glory The one begins with our first conversation the other with the resurrection In this petition therefore we do not seek of God the coming of Christ nor the conquest of Sin and Satan upon the Cross nor of death by his resurrection nor his exaltation to the right hand of God nor the beginning of his reign for all these are past But we pray that our heavenly Father would 1. Send his Ministers with the Gospel and the power of his Spirit into all nations who sit in darkness and the shadow of death and contrive the means of conversion to all people who enjoy them and in particular to us 2. That he would make these means effectual to the conversion of many 3. That he would justifie sanctifie adopt all such as are converted 4. That he would do these things more and more till he hath subdued all sin in them 5. That he would hasten to subdue death the last enemy by the resurrection and the last change of mortal bodies 6. That all enemies being conquered he may reign perfectly and that when Christ hath delivered up the kingdom God may be all in all his Saints and give them perfect holiness full joy and peace everlasting 7. That he would by degrees and at last totally and finally destroy all the power of Satan Sin Death wicked Men which oppose our Salvation and Eternal Peace The principal thing desired is first eternal life then all means which conduce unto the end The principal effect of this Government is destruction of Rebels and Enemies and the conversion and salvation of his People To this head may be referred all Petitions for the ruine of Babylon and Antichrist persecuting Enemies both open and secret for good Magistrates Ministers and Governours in Church and State for powerful preaching of the Gospel for good discipline and due administration of the Sacraments and here is to be observed that the more his Kingdom comes the more his name is hallowed and glorified 3. Yet because no man can enjoy the benefits peace and priviledges of any Kingdom tho never so excellent except he will submit unto the power of the Prince observe his Laws and do his will therefore that we may attain to the eternal peace and felicity of this Kingdom we pray that the will of our heavenly Father may be done where we have 1. The will of God 2. The doing of it 3. The manner or pattern of doing 4.
our wants defects and imperfections be many and our corruptions what by nature what by custom be great yet they are some ways from our selves And we make our selves guilty by consent so that our hearts are the chiefest subject and also either the sole or principal or accessary causes of our sins This consent appears by our continuance in them or return unto them and that especially when we contrary to the light of nature the law of God and other means and motives of repentance walk according to the imaginations and lusts of our hearts Therefore we must say Our trespasses that we may charge our selves and justifie God 3. The Forgiveness of Sins the freeing of the party sinning from the sad and woful consequents of sin and especially from the guilt and so from the punishment in this respect its called remission or absolution loosing because pardon takes away the obligation unto penalty This act of forgivness presupposeth first that sin is pardonable and that without any violation or breach of justice yet according to the rules of Gods proceeding with sinful man this cannot be without satisfaction made unto divine justice Therefore God to signifie that he was just and hated sin yet willing to shew mercy to the sinner required the bloody sacrifice of his dearest Son to be offered without spot unto his eternal Majesty before he would grant that any sin of man should be pardonable and this blood must be pleaded by Christ in heaven before he would actually pardon any Neither would this blood-shed pleaded be accepted for any but such as were penitent and believing and did rely upon this satisfaction and intercession And this freedom from guilt doth not leave the party pardoned under the dominion of sin which is the greatest penalty but is alwaies joyned with sanctification of the divine Spirit without which remission is to little purpose because the root of sin remains and will be a cause of new sin which will make man punishable again when man is thus pardoned and purified the greatest cause of shame of fear of grief is taken away Gods wrath averted the sinner reconciled adopted and in a state of salvation of peace and joy in hope of everlasting life There is no sin but is pardonable in respect of Christ death Gods mercy and the general promise yet upon impenitency and unbelief no sin not the least shall actually be pardoned There are some sins so hainous and so directly contrary to the blood of Christ and the holy Spirit and no benefit can be expected from the blood nor any hope of repentance to be wrought by that Spirit which was never promised to renew such persons These are sins to death for which we must not pray By forgiveness we are freed from the eternal punishment by way of prevention from present punishment lying upon us by way of removal 4. The party which can forgive and to whom we sue for pardon is God yet as atoned and propitiated by the blood of Christ. This is proper unto him for as he is the supreme Law-giver so he is the supreme Judge whose peremptory sentence is irrevocable from him lies no appeal who only knows the hearts of men seeking pardon who alone can free not only from temporal but eternal punishments and can execute his sentence to the full which none else can do He may make use of men to declare his sentence and apply his promises to such as by them being prepared may seem capable of pardon yet their sentence and absolution on earth is so far good and valid as he shall ratifie and make it effectual in heaven This absolution by some is said to be only declarative by others to be judicial yet if it be passed by vertue of their commission and according to the rules of that commission from Christ it s judicially declarative Therefore if man believe Christ plead the Church absolve and God justifie who can condemn who can lay any thing to our charge 5. The parties who being capable of remission upon their prayers shall obtain mercy are such as being conscious and sensible of their sins are grieved because they have offended God hate sin loath themselves are willing to amend their lives confess themselves guilty offer the sacrifice of an humble and contrite spirit rely upon the Death and Intercession of Christ the promise and mercy of God and are as willing to be merciful to their offending Brethren returning unto them as they desire God to be merciful unto them These and only these are they who shall be washed in the Blood of Christ and justified before the throne of God and being justified shall have peace with God and joy in the hope of glory In these words therefore we in all humility and godly sorrow confessing our sins and daily renewing our repentance do earnestly pray that God for Christs sake would forgive our many and grievous sins turn away his wrath receive us into favour look upon us as his children give us joy and comfort seal unto us a pardon by giving us his blessed Spirit of consolation and sanctification that so we being delivered from the terrours of conscience the accusations of the devil the danger of hell and fear of eternal death may magnifie his mercy and glorifie his name for evermore 6. We pray Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil This petition is against sin and respects it as to come and us as in danger to contract new guilt for as before so after our-penitent and believing Prayers made in this name of Christ we have obtained remission of sin past we may be tempted and overcom and so sin again therefore we pray to be delivered from temptation And here we must consider 1. What temptation is 2. What it is to be led into temptation 3. What we pray for in these words 4. What it is to be delivered from evil 1. To tempt in this place is taken in an ill sense and to tempt is to sollicite and perswade man to sin and disobey the just and good and holy Laws of God and seeing man is endued with understanding and free-will the way is to delude his understanding and pervert his will by representing that which is evil as good and that which is good as evil and by taking away the fear of punishment and promising some happiness to follow that so the understandding may assent to that which is false and the will consent to that which is evil Those suggestions are always false and contrary to the holy Scriptures and the thing perswaded unto is against the Laws of God which always should be the rule of our thoughts words and deeds So likewise the swasives and motives are contrary to the promises and the comminations of the word And if we be ignorant of the Scriptures depraved in our hearts or rash and inconsiderate the tempter will have great advantage against us The great tempter the devil that old subtle serpent who
wonders and glorifie thy name for ever and give all glory praise and thanks to thee that so all Atheists Idolaters prophane persons Apostates and rebellious wretches may be convinced or confounded 2. That thy name be the more hallowed and we sinful wretches eternally saved let thy Kingdom come that Christ at thy right hand may powerfully and gloriously reign till all his enemies be made his footstool O let thy word and spirit so mightily prevail that all Nations may be converted submit themselves to Christ their Saviour thy Church enlarged from Sea to Sea and from the river to the worlds-end till the number of thy Saints be finished and made perfect and thou mayest rule in our hearts till sin and the power of Satan be wholly and forever destroyed Raise up a continual supply of faithful and godly Ministers and good Kings and Magistrates which may be Defenders of the Faith and nursing Fathers to thy Church and pour down the gifts of thy Spirit in great plenty upon all flesh break in peices the power of Satan and all persecuting enemies let death the last enemy be destroyed make all thy Saints immortal and bless them with eternal joy and peace that so they may sing an eternal Hallelujah to thy name in the heaven of heavens where there shall be no sin no sorrow no pain but fulness of joy in thy presence and pleasures for evermore at thy right hand 3. That we may enjoy the priviledges and attain the eternal felicity of thy Kingdom we desire that thy will may be done on earth as it in heaven we do confess that by nature we are blind and ignorant and have no power to do thy heavenly will All our spiritual knowledge wisdom and power of obedience is from thee our God and the good spirit of Christ. Seeing therefore this is our condition as born of Adam and brought up in a wicked world and Christ hath given himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculier people zealous of good works we beseech thee open our eyes and enlighten our understanding that we may more clearly know thy heavenly Laws and sanctifie our hearts more and more that we may constantly and freely with joy and delight observe all thy holy and blessed Laws O raise up our thoughts and affections that we may seek that glorious and eternal estate which thou hath prepared for those that love thee and so renew our hearts that we may be zealous of thy glory mortifie sin bring forth the fruits of thy spirit abound in good works give good example unto others make our calling an Election sure manifest that we are born from Heaven that so following the example of thy blessed Angels and aiming at their perfection may in the end be partakers of eternal bliss together with them 4. Whil'st in this vale of tears we seek thy Kingdom and endeavour to do thy holy will we have need of many earthly comforts as food and raiment and such things as without which we cannot live we therefore pray thee give us this day our daily bread we acknowledge that we have neither life nor health nor a morsel of bread nor any place where to lay our heads but from thee our heavenly father Be pleased therefore out of our fatherly goodness to give us good government peace safety seasonable times a comfortable and competent Estate and a quiet enjoyment of the same If we should ask for superfluities dainties and abundance to spend them for to maintain our pride and seusual pleasures we confess it were just with thee not to hearken unto us thou mights justly deny them but we are contented with food and rayment and other necessaries and seek them from thee that we may without distraction seek thy heavenly Kingdom O pity the sick the poor the weak the widow and the fatherless the stranger and such as are in want and oppressed feed the hungry cloath the naked deliver poor captives and relieve thy persecuted and distressed Saints These mercies thou hast promised in order to our eternal happiness whil'st we are in this vale of tears until we come to our abiding city where we shall have no need of these things And we seek these at thy hands with hope to receive them because thou hast promised them yet we are resolved that howsoever thou shalt deal with us we will submit unto thy will and be contented 5. O heavenly Father tho' we should do thy will always and from our heart in all things yet we have often sinned and done evil in thy sight made our selves guilty and liable to eternal death and have great need of thy mercy in Jesus Christ therefore we pray thee forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us We do confess that both in the state of Nature of Grace we often offend thee and transgress thy holy laws and besides the guilt of the first sin which lies heavy upon us and our inbred corruption we are guilty of many actual transgressions And these have been committed not only out of ignorance or infirmity or upon surprizal or violence of temptation but many of them against knowledg and some of them are very hainous and of a crimson die some are publick some private som open some secret neither is this all but we harden our hearts in them against the light of thy Gospel the dictates of thy Spirit thy patience and long-suffering against thy mercies and deliverances against thy chastisements and many gracious invitations against thy dearest love and the bitter sufferings of our Saviour And these are the more hainous because committed by us who have received so many mercies enjoyed for a long time so many powerful means of conversion and have vowed better things O how much hath thou done to convert us and we are not converted how miserable have we made our selves what fearful punishments have we deserved Oh take away these stony hearts of ours give us hearts of flesh and make us sensible of our sins that we may loath our selves and that our hearts may inwardly bleed because we have offended thee so good a God Remember thy tender mercies the bitter sufferings of our Saviour and thy gracious promises in him unto poor sinners Shall he dye on earth and plead his blood in heaven and we confess our sins and yet not obtain mercy O pity spare forgive turn away thy wrath cast us not out of thy presence take not thy holy Spirit from us deny us not the joy of thy salvation And this mercy we desire with the greater hope because we desire to forsake our sins put our sole and whole confidence in our blessed Saviour and are willing to forgive and be reconciled to such as trespass against our selves 6. O Lord thou knoweth our frailty the great danger of temptation which is such that though we be sanctified and sin past pardoned yet we may fall into sin again and so contract