People under a C G. This covenant God made with Abraham viz To be a God to Him and his Seed †Gen. 17.7 And renewed it with Them Behold the Blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with YOV * EXO 24.8 The blood of the C W is a saying of a Strange Sound except you mean the blood of the Breach of that covenant i e the blood of the Offender which is Execution not Salvation I will commune with thee from above the Mercy Seat from between the two Cherubims of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel †Exo. 25.22 The faces of the Cherubims looked toward the Mercy Seat * Ver. 20. to signifie the desire of Angels to look into this mystery of Grace and Life for man †1 Pet. 1.12 after God that cannot Lie had said Man must die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This covenant Verbally was made with all Abraham's seed Indefinitely but Virtually and Efficaciously so as to secure life Eternally it respected a Secret Distinction and Vein of Election for they are not all Israel which are of Israel * Rom. 9.6 but the children of the Promise are counted for the Seed †Ver. 8. God is LORD of ALL * Mat. 11.25 but to These he is a GOD God is not the GOD of the Dead but of the Living †Ch. 22.32 They that did Beleeve were not under a C W and Cured but under a C G and Blessed with faithfull Abraham * Gal. 3.9 And the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was 430 years after cannot disanull †Ver. 17. To our purpose is the Preface to the Ten commandments viz I am the Lord thy God which cannot Be by a C W. It is not Do this and I will be thy God but I am thy God therefore Do this * Deu. 5.15 Fath. God saith If ye keep my Covenant Object 1 then ye shall be a Peculiar treasure unto me †Exo. 19.5 Min. So Jesus saith He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father * Joh. 14.21 In such sayings God speaks as a Father to children to draw to Duty q d Do So and I will Love thee The childs love is not the Cause but the Effect not the Root but the Fruit of the fathers love to the child we love Him because he first loved Vs †1 Joh. 4.19 To a people under a C G the Law on Mount Sinai was delivered as on Mount Sion in the hand of a Mediatour * Gal. 3.19 without whom God had nothing to speak to man but Death N B. From his Right hand i e where Christ sitteth and Then virtually sat went a fiery law Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A fire of law For them not Against them and how Formidable and Fiery soever yet it was a fruit of Gods love yea he Loved the people †Deu. 33.2 3. Fath. Not against them say you Object 2 Paul saith it was against them and so took out of the way by Christ * Col. 2.14 Min. He speaks of the C L which to disobey was death †Lev. 23.29 30. The M L as a C W is against all men under it as well since Christ's death as before And as a C W it was taken away Before Christ's death as well as Since for them that beleeve And as a rule of life it never was against any man since nor before It was and is against Sin but it 's For man if God be for him Fath. You say the law on Mount Sinai was delivered as on Mount Sion Object 3 Paul opposeth them one to the other and speaketh of one as Dreadfull of the other as Comfortable * Heb. 12.18 22. Min. Paul sheweth what you See not viz that the ministry of the Gospel on Mount Sion is attended with more terrour than the Law on Mount Sinai was e g. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God 〈◊〉 * Ver. 15. lest there be any fornicatour or prophane person as Esau c †Ver. 16. why so for ye are not come to the mount that might be touched c * Ver. 18. which was very terrible but ye are come to Mount Sion c †Ver. 22. what then See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him who speaketh from Heaven * Ver. 25. Whose voice then shook the Earth but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the Earth onely but also Heaven †Ver. 26. He that despised Moses law died without mercy of how much Sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God * Heb. 10.28 29. The Gospel is glad tidings it 's Season is a day of Salvation but yet attended with a day of Vengeance for disobedience †Isa 61.2 without which what dread is in the Law Fath. Surely the Law was delivered to the Jews Object 4 as a C W. Min. The Ten Commandments contain the Matter and Words of the C W. And they were to acquaint Them and are to acquaint Us with the C W that All by Nature are Under that men may know what it is and not trust to Death for Life The Jews had been so long in Egyptian darknesse that Religion was almost rooted out of Heart and Life †Jos 24.14 and so needed to have a Rowsing Lecture read in their Ears But that ever God did since mans fall deliver the Law as a C W for man to be Saved by it is Quite besides the Book contrary to the Gospel a Weaknesse and a Shame for a man who hath a Bible in his house once to Imagine Fath. God saith Object 5 Keep my Statutes which if a man Do he shall live in them * Lev. 18.5 Min. For one to think from any such Text that Ever man was saved by Works savours of Grosse ignorance of the C W. This covenant requires a man to be as perfectly Righteous as Jesus himself was and if a man Once sin though he Never sin more there is no More to be said he can Never be saved by that covenant If then Eternal life be in this Text intended †Lev. 18.5 the law of Faith is included by which a person must be justified to live Eternally And then by Evangelical obedience to the Law he shall live 1 Temporally for Godlinesse hath the promise of the life that now is * 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Spiritually for the Righteous shall flourish †Psal 92.12 as the Body by it's Food for God deals out his Heavenly bread in a way of Duty But by defect in Duty some die Temporally in Body * 1 Cor. 11.30 and many
Essence and Being from everlasting to everlasting thou art GOD †Psal 90.2 His Infinitenesse in his Attributes viz Wisdom Knowledge Power Mercy Justice That He is the Only Wise GOD Omniscient Omnipresent Omnipotent That God doth at Once and Alway Know all See all Hear all That he is in every Place and can doe whatever he Please in Heaven and Earth and Hell Second Doc 2. Of Crea tion Teach them to know God to be the Wonderfull Creatour of the Whole Creation viz Heaven Earth Sea Hell And of every creature in them And all for his Pleasure †Rev. 4.11 And that God upholds the Whole Creation by his Uncreated Power And provides for Men Beasts Birds Fishes Fouls Flies And learn your Children to remember GOD as a Creatour not as a Father in a State of Nature And themselves as Creatures not Children of God before they be Born of God Third Doc 3. Of Mans First State Teach them to know the Holy and Happy Condition God made Man in at First And the Covenant God made with man And how Man was to continue in that Condition by vertue of his Obedidience to that Covenant And how all Man-kind were to Stand and Fall In and With ADAM Fourth Doc 4. Mans Fall Teach them to know Mans Fall 1 INTO Original Sin by Satans Subtilty And his Fall 2 BY Original Sin From a Paradise a Palace a Pure State into a Dungeon and Deluge of Wo. The Principal Effects of which Fall are Filth Guilt The Filth of Sin hath spoiled Man of the Image of GOD Impressed the Image of the DEVILL upon him And deprived Man of his Interest in GOD. He was With God in Paradise but being Drove out he is Without God in the World * Eph. 2.12 It hath Debased him He was made but little lower than the ANGELS Sin hath debased Man to a Hog a Dog a DEVIL Sad effects of Sin Sin hath so Darkned mans Soul that GOD only who is light can Illuminate it It hath so Deadned and Killed him that none but the Living GOD can Quicken him It hath so Defiled him that neither Fire nor Water can Cleanse him The Flood of Water that washt away a World of Sinners washt not away One Sin The Fire that shall burn up a World of Sinners and burn them down to Hell and burn them there for Ever shall Never burn away One Sin 2 Guilt Adam's Guilt is imputed to All. All guilty of Eternal Death by One mans Sin Simile As when the Head of a mans body plots Treason the whole Body Hangs for it So of Adam the Head and his posterity the Body if Pardon prevent not Fift Teach them to know Actual Sin viz. To know what IS Sin Doc 5. Actual Sin And to know what Sin IS 1 The tranSgression of the Law that IS Sin †1 Jo. 3.4 Transgression is a going beyond the Bounds of the Law Or doing any thing Contrary to the Command in Deed Word or Thought This is Sin Here note the danger of Smal sins Little sins lead to Greater Smal Sin dangerous The thief Little thought his Thest would by degrees bring him to the Gallows when he began with a Pin a Point and a Peny As little do men think such Small Sins will bring them to Hell Not only the Measure of sin but the Nature of sin is Damnable if the Measure be Never so Small the Soul that sinneth shall Dic †Ezek. 18.4 If so what doe Thousands and Millions amount to A Fly is a Smal Creature yet Swarms destroyed Egypt * Ex. 8.24 A drop of Water is a Smal Matter but drops enough Drowned the World A threed is a Smal Thing yet enough twisted together will Bind the Strongest Giant or Hang the Heaviest man on Earth Quid levius penna What is Lighter than a Feather yet enough of these Packed up together will break the Porters Back 2. What Sin IS To the Law and to the Testimony for Titles for it Six Titles of Sin Sin hath Six Titles to make men Flee from it 1 A Mire †2 Pet. 2.22 that makes a Soul like a Swine so wallowing 2 A Fire that consumes to Destruction * Job 31.12 of Goods Good Name Body Soul and all 3 A Sepulchre full of dead mens Bones and All uncleanness †Mat. 23.27 4 The Dogs Vomit * 2 Pet. 2.22 i e stinking Carrion that the Stomach of a Dog cannot endure 5 The Poyson of Asps †Ro. 3.13 Tell your Children an Oath a Lie a Wicked Word in the Mouth is worse than a Toad under the Tongue And Sin in the Heart is worse than Poyson in the Heart for that can but kill the Body 6 The Plague of the Heart * 1 K. 8.38 a Dreadful Disease If the Plague be in London a Year we think it a Long Time for such a Dismal Disease to Last and Wast But this Plague of SIn hath been in the World between five and six Thousand years A strange disease Few are ever Sick of it yet SO many Die of it that all the World cannot Sum up one Weekly Bill of Mortality Sin is Worse than Sorrow Some sorrow Kills Sin but Sin if not killed Kills the Soul Sin is worse than the DEVIL Sin can destroy a Soul without SATAN but Satan cannot destroy a Soul without Sin Sin is worse than Hell Hell is an Affliction and Contradiction to the Will of Man but Sin is a Contradiction to the Will of GOD. And a Burden which God sigheth under saying AH I will ease me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be comforted †Isa 1.24 implying a Grieving burden And a bitter burden Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with bitterness * Ho. 12.14 A pressing burden Behold I am Pressed under you †Am. 2.13 A breaking burden I am broken under your whorish heart * Ezek. 6.9 Which argues NO weakness in GOD but the Weight and Strength of Sin I know your Mighty Sins †Am. 5.12 Thus saith the Lord the Lord of Hosts the Mighty one of Israel AH I will ease me * Isa 1 24. N B. The Mighty One complains of the pressure of Sin Well may God say to Man Can Thy heart indure or can thy hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee †Ezek. 22.14 i e for Sin Seeing Sin is SO weighty Use and the Soul SO filthy Let noue be Proud of a beautiful Body Let not your Children be Proud if Pretty Take heed you doe not make their Hearts proud with proud Habits as some Professing Parents Prophanely doe lest God send the Smal Pocks or the Great Plague to pull Pride down to the Dust Beauty that is but Skin Deep will Soon be Blasted Fair Skins and Foul Souls are Frequently found together Many Hell black Souls dwell in Shining Shels but if
Excuse is Gods Great Charge This hath been thy Manner from thy Youth †Jer. 22.21 Sad Security And will a man clear himself with This Will he defend his Neck with the Edge of the Ax Save himself from being Drowned by leaping into the Sea From being Damned by leaping Head-long into Hell When God on his Throne brings this man to the Bar q d Come Sinner Thou hast broken my Law what Reason caust thou render why I should not Rend thee in Pieces Lord I Used to do So. What will this man mock God to his Face when Mighty Men cry Mountains fall on us and hide us from his Face But why do I talk to you for you cannot help it If you cannot you are under the Power of Sin that is a Sad Case But some Cannot because they Care not or Will not A carnall man Cannot Believe Repent these are the Supernatural Gifts of God But a carnal man Can Forbear many Sins if he Will. e g Suppose he that is Drunk must pay a Hundred pound or his Head He that Swareth an Oath Peril produces power Ten Pound or have his Tongue cut out And this by a Law the Penalty of which there is No Possibility of escaping Then mens Power to passe by an Ale-house and Bite in their Oaths would appear They that Cannot go in the Way of heaven because they Will not Shall not go into the Joy of heaven because GOD Will not When he that carnally cries I Sin I Cannot Help it shall cry LORD Lord Heaven GATE is Shut I cannot Enter then in effect will God reply I Cannot Help it I Must be Just Now in saying you Cannot help it when you Can instead of Repentance for Sin you adde Sin to Sin for this God adds Wo to Wo. To cover Sin with Sin is a Sad covering for Sin for which God covers Sorrow with Sorrow by adding Sorrow to Sorrow By this Plea you think to Palliate and Lessen sin That is the way to wash the Devils Face but you make it Never the Whiter By this pretended Infirmity you expect the Benifit of Immunity but He that covereth his Sins shall not Prosper †Pro. 28.13 but Perish A young man in the Tavern seeing Diogenes fled farther In to be out of his Sight Nay said Diogenes the farther thou fleest In the more thou art In the Tavern And be sure your sin will find you Out * Nu. 32.23 You mean your children no hurt Suppose you were Sick of the Plague and should go among your Children and breath into their Mouths and I should cry out OH Mad Man what do you Mean Will you reply I mean no Hurt Fath. I confesse its very bad for Parents to use such words to Children I did not think there had been so much evil in such words as now I see there is I accept of Reproof for them Now having Corected me for my Carnal language I Pray proceed to the Second Head viz Correction for my Children and Direct Me to Corect Them Min. I will so Correction The word Correction comes of the Latin Correctio of Corrigo To make straight of Rego To rule as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Children are Crooked and Unruly i e they do not acord in Heart and Life with the Straight Line and Rule of Gods Word Fath. What am I to Correct my children For Min. For what God Corrects His children GOD corrects Man for Iniquity and Man must correct Children for the Same Fath. How am I to Correct my Children Min. Correction is twofold viz Verbal and Verberal i e with the Word and with the Rod. Fath. How with the Word Min. You must Rebuke Reprove and Chide your Children for their Faults Fath. I had need have some Direction in so Doing Min. In this General Head 1 Correction with Word viz Correction both with Word and Rod I shall omit that sevenfold order of Circumstance used under the First General Head And the Sum of So many of them as are to our Purpoe I shall Digest into a Rank of Directions ¶ 1 Do it Timely Direct 1. while Tender Take a twig of a years growth Simile and you may bend it which way you Will and straighten its crookedness at Ease But let it grow crooked many Years and it will Break before it will Bend. But you can neither Bend it nor Break it Parents from Children must their Vices Weed As they spring Up before they run to Seed ¶ 2 Do it Secretly Direct 2. and Sweetly Pills of Reproof for Children are to be given Secretly and in Sugar or Honey Gilded over with Gentleness Some Parents Rebukes are like Fools Bolts Simile Soon Shot Bolted out in Any bodies preence Read to the childs Discouragement †Col. 3.21 Grief and Disgrace And if a parent takes away a childs Good Name what hath it Left to Lose ¶ 3 Do it Proportionably Direct 3. to the Fault Reprove for Smal Faults with Soft Words As Mary when she suppos'd her Child was in Fault Son Why hast thou thus dealt with us behold thy Father and I have Sought thee Sorrowing * Lu. 2.48 To Cauterize and Cut a small swelling which a little Soft Sweet Oyntment will Asswage is Vanity and Cruelty There is that speaks like the piercings of a Sword but the tongue of the wise is health †Prov. 12.18 ¶ 4 Do it sometime more Pathetically Direct 4. as you see Cause e g What my SON and what the Son of my WOMB * Pro. 31.2 and give thy strength to Women and Wine So you What my SON and Curse Lie Steal My SON and a Swearer a Sabbath-breaker a Gamester a Foolish Jester If a man sin against the Lord WHO shall intreat for him †1 Sam. 2.25 If thou for sake him He will cast thee Off for EVER * 1 Chro. 28.9 ¶ 5 Do it somtime more Piercingly Direct 5. Accompany Sharp Words with a Cutting Countenance Eli reproved his Sons for their Great Sins with Solemn Words but not with Sharp Looks Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He frowned not on them †1 Sam. 3.13 He ware too Smooth a Brow for the work of Reproof for Such Sins The Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to look Dark frown and wrincle as when the moisture is gone In great grief the blood returns to the Heart for its relief and that makes the Face Pale as Death Eli wanted a suitable Sense of his Sons Sin to Sad and Horrifie his Heart and make his Face look dark as Death on them when their Death lay at Door What then I will Judge his house for Ever for the iniquity which He knoweth because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not Heb frowned not on them ¶ 6 Do it Scripturally 6 Direct Oppose their Sin against GOD with Gods Word against their Sin
Children or else you do nothing Some parents think if they whip a way their Own Anger though not the Childs Humour the work is Done There is a little Pleasure for the parents Passion performed Read and the poor child Put into a Passion †Eph. 6.4 in both which some Service for SATAN is done and That is all So much for this Rank of Directions Now If you have any Objections against Rod Correction bring them Forth Fath. I perceive by these two Last Directions Object 1 against Rod Correction if my Children commit Great Faults they must be Sorely Whipt But I have such a tender Love and Pitie to my Children that I cannot sind in my heart so to whip them I know not what miserie they may endure when I am Dead and I do not intend to Torment them while I Live Min. I like not such Love I am not pleased with such Pitie Love Pitie do you call it Fath. Yes What else should I call it Min. Hatred and Cruelty Fath. That is Very Strange Min. And it is Very True Fath. I believe not Such Truth Min. Will you refer it to the GOD of Truth and believe Him Fath. God forbid I should refuse that Min. Then hear the Answer of GOD. Jehovah He that spareth the Rod Hateth his Son but he that Loveth him chasteneth him Betimes †Pro. 13.24 Min. So now I hope you will believe it's Truth Fath. I dare not deny it but I understand not how it's hatred and Cruetly Min. The Proverb will partly prove it viz Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child Foolish Pitie spoils the Citie By sparing the Rod you choose rather to have your Child howl for ever in Hell under Gods Wrath than to cry a little under a mans Rod. This pitiful Pity to the Body is Cruelty both to Body and Soul And it makes a Man rather a Paricide than a Parent Fath. But may not I forbear when my child cryes Grievously Object 2 and Grieves me Min. No no Let not thy soul spare for his Crying * Pro. 19.19 The Rod signifies Nothing without Smart Your love is such that you would fain deal ill with your Child and ill requite your Father also N B God did not spare his Only Son for his Strong Crying and Tears viz O my Father if it be Possible let this cup passe from me †Mat. 26.39 Father Save me from this hour * Joh. 12.27 From which he delivered him Not but delivered him Up to the Crused Death of the Crosse for your sake And you will not Whip Your Son with a Rod that cuts not Skin Deep for his sake They that will not Correct a son at Gods Command are very unlike to Kill a son at Gods Command †Gen. 22. as Abraham offer'd to do his Son his Only Son Isaac whom he loved Fath. When I go to whip my child for a fault he Cries and Begs Object 3 and Promises to do so no More and then I think I do well to spare him Min. And does he keep his promises Fath. I consesse he fails me in that Min. Why do you trust him then Fath. Because I hope he will be better next Time Min. Now you turn Child This is a very Cheat. And what a Shame is it for a Man to be Cheated by a Child and by his Own whom he Knows hath Deceived him This will encourage a child to do Any thing for he will think it's but Crying a little when the Rod comes and promising to do so no More and my Father will Spare me and I shall come off Clear And this will learn a Child to set Light by his Father and So will he come under that Curse †Deu. 27.16 Faith If I whip my Children Object 4 it makes them take Gods name in Vain by crying O Lord Lord O God so I think I had better let them alone Min. That Cry is an Accident and not your Intent And you leave Off because they give you cause to go On for they are to be whipt for that Cry And it is a sign they want good government But take heed you do not pretend Piety when you intend foolish Pity or pretend Conscience when you intend Negligence Faith But one of my children hath such Passions Object 5 and Fits when Crossed or Whipt that I fear it will die Quite away Min. Fear not its Dying in doing your Duty But let us hear the Answer of GOD to this Critical Case Jehovah Withhold not Correction from the Child for if thou beat him with the Rod he shall not Die * Pro. 23.13 Min. So I hope That fear is removed Fath. But how may I understand this he shall not die Min. Thus. 1 He shall not die under the Rod Correction shall not Kill 2 He shall not die as a Malefactor by the hand of the Magistrate For want of the Parents Rod some come to the Magistrates Sword i e the Gallows 3 He shall not die an Eternal Death Thou shalt beat him with the Rod and shalt deliver his Soul from Hell †Pro. 23.14 Through Gods blessing Correction shall Issue in the Childs Conversion Fath. A man cannot Convert a child by all the Instruction Object 6 and Correction in the World Min. By the same Argument all Ministers Living may leave Preaching But who would be thus deceive by SATAN To make men Proud he will suggest great matters by Doing To make men neglect their Duty Satans deceit he will suggest their Doing will come All to Nothing All the Education in the World cannot Save a child But when by Neglect a child is Lost the same Satan will suggest if the Parents Duty had been Performed the Child had been Savewd 2 Though You cannot Convert your children GOD can Convert them By you And make you Instruments in their Regeneration as well as in their Generation In their Second Birth as well as in the First If you Will not be Instruments in Gods hand Tell him so If you Will Do your Part and leave God to do His. The endeavour and Care belongs to You the Cure belongs to GOD. 3 Though you cannot Convert vert them you can Restrain them For want of This god threatned to Judge Eli's house for Ever 4 this Restraint will prevent much Trouble if God convert them by Other means Trouble for Sin at Conversion from it accords with the Measure of-Sin in the Commission of it The Greater sin Before conversion the Greater sorrow At and After conversion the Parent blames the Preacher for the Childs Terrour when the fault is in the Father and Mother 5 If your Children should Never be Converted but for Ever Damned this Restraint will prevent much Torment 6 And God will be Glorified by your Service You will be Instruments of his glory And shall be Rewarded though Israel be not Gathered * Isa 49.3 4 5. Fath. But I see no good Object 7 whipping and
Christ was preached to them not only Ceremonially but also Doctrinally but yet Mystically He was called a Rod a Branch †Isa 11.1 Water Wine Milk * Ch. 55.1 a Fountain †Zec. 13.1 this was mystical Doctrine their ignorance of which is sometime bewailed Ah Lord God! they say of me Doth he not speak Parables * Ezek. 20.49 N B The Gospel to the Jews was like an inestimable treasure in a dark gay Glasse Simile overlaid with fair Flowers painted with Pictures to signifie the Substance within but they like children were apter to eye the Out-side than the Inside The Gospel to Us is like the same treasure in a Clear glasse Simile plain without gays and pictures so that we can see the inside Simile Or it 's like the same treasure in an open earthen vessel or Shell as the word signifies †2 Cor. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testa A Shell Moses put a vail over his Face and when Moses is read the vail is upon their Heart i e their minds were blinded * Ch. 3.13 Hence little Faith much Fear darknesse and dread dwell together Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me †Isa 49.14 they would conclude it from a crosse Providence e g The Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour and Gideon said Oh my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all This befallen us but now the Lord hath forsaken us * Judg. 6.12 13. Thus subject were they to slavish fear and a spirit of bondage But we being under a clear Gospel have much light light and joy are joyned together †Ps 97.11 peace cometh by the knowledge of God * 2 Pet. 1.2 If a fearful child meets his father in the Dark Simile he dreads him as Death for thinks he that man will Kill me but if he meet him in the Light he runs into his Arms. Hence Christians under clear Gospel light are said to have the Spirit of Adoption crying Abba Father †Rom. 8.15 i e Father Father child-like with much freedom from fear This is called the Spirit of the Son God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father * Gal. 4.6 The excellency of which Spirit appears in this viz it acts a Soul to own God as a Father under the most Dismal dispensation like the Spirit of the Son under the Fathers wrath crying My God my God though as forsaken in that dismal Dooms-day of his Death which made the air Dark and the earth Quake Howbeit some Persons at Times did Act faith very Nobly under the Law also e g When death is at the Door if Esther the Queen will not speak a word to the King for life Noble Acts. yet Mordecai will beleeve Deliverance shall arise for the Jews from another place †Est 4.14 David will not fear when his Sins compasse him about * Ps 49.5 nor when all Nations compasse him about like Bees †Psal 118.10 nor if the Earth be removed and the Mountains into the midst of the Sea * Ps 46.2 If Gods Zeal Strength Bowels Mercies and all are restrained yet Evangelical Isaiah will say to God Doubtlesse thou art our Father †Isa 63.15 16. Shadrach Meshach and Abed-nego will believe in their God in the very Face of the furious King and at the Mouth of the Seven-fold fiery furnace * Dan. 3.16 And Daniel will do the like in the lions den †Ch. 6. And some did Noble acts by faith a Catalogue of which we have upon record * Heb. 11. ¶ 6 The Jews were under the M L as pointing at Christ to Come to justifie by blood not then in Being e g If a man sin against any of the ten commandments of the Lord and his sin come to his knowledge by the law is this knowledge of sin and by it is the Conscience troubled he shall bring his Sin-offering a Kid of the goats a Male without blemish and kill it and his sin shall be forgiven him †Lev. 4. Thus the M L by its Scourge sent the Sinner to the C L the Sacrifice and Type of Christ and the Type pointed to Christ himself then to come for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them †1 Cor. 10.4 Before faith came i e faith in Christ actually crucified we were kept under the Law shut up to the faith which should afterwards be revealed * Gal. 3.23 i e when Christ the Object of faith should be revealed as manifest in the Flesh and So believed on in the world †1 Tim. 3.16 faith in Christ actually crucified Christ was Virtually crucified from the foundation of the World And under the Law they were Virtually redeemed from the Curse of the Law but not Actually redeemed but when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law Actually to redeem them that were under the law * Gal. 4.4 5 ¶ 7 The Jews were under many and great Promises of temporal Blessings annexed to their obedience to the Law even a full land flowing with Milk and Honey the glory of all Lands †Ezek. 20 6. Thus we are not under the Law as the Jews were Of the great judgments they were under the execution of for their Disobedience to the M L I say nothing but they happened to them for Ensamples or Types and they are written for OVR admonition upon whom the Ends of the world are Come * 1 Cor. 10.11 ¶ N B A threefold Affirmation Under the Ministry of the Gospel the C W requires as perfect obedience of them that are under it as it did under the ministry of the Law 2 Under the ministry of the Gospel there is as high a degree of Holiness required of justified Persons as there was under the ministry of the Law It 's a Mad mistake to think the Law requires obedience to the law A mad mistake but the Gospel requires no obedience to the law 3 Under the Ministry of the Gospel the Law is to be preached to prick the Heart and prepare for Christ as Peter did by charging the Jews with the Murder of Jesus †Act. 2.36 37. They that say Nay in effect say Peter Paul Jesus himself James and John whom he Surnamed the sons of Thunder * Mar. 3.17 were all a company of Dunces in their Doctrine Therefore to say Before Christs death the Jews were all by nature under the law as a C W A 3 fold Folly but we are all freed from it since Christs death under the Gospel Or 2 They in a State of nature or in a justified State were under the law for a rule of life but not we Or 3 They were under the law to humble and prepare them for Christ but not we these are false foolish
would make us tremble to see persons come to Sermons as if they came for Shows and appear on Galleries as if they were on a Stage in Smithfield Fair to act a part in a play And how is it possible these painted persons should be reproved by a preacher who appears in a Pulpit in a monstrous Periwig a Crown of Pride N B If these persons preach not pride Down their hearers go down to Hell if they do at all attempt it it 's impudence in them and so it is to speak any word in the name of God †Ps 50.16 O what a Shame is it for a man to pretend to have the spirit of God and yet go as if destitute of the dictates of Nature for doth not even nature it Self teach you that if a man have long hair it is a Shame unto him * 1 Cor. 11.14 A shame if it be his Own which God and nature have given him much more it it be another mans hair which comes not from God nor nature but Art that coins a man for the Court or makes him liker a Courtier than a Preacher Scripture phrase Gods word in such a mans mouth is as a Jewel of Gold in a Swines Snout †Pr. 11.22 Simile And in handling it such do Swine-like musle a Pearl up and down the Mire The lip of the Leper was to be covered * Lev. 13.45 and the unclean spirit was to hold his peace †Mar. 1.25 Brethren to these in iniquity are such Ministers who suffer their Wives and Daughters to go like Ladies of honour as if they came from a Court to wait on a Queen or were of Madam Guins Gang though maintained byu the Congregation ¶ But O how perillous is Pride or Sin in such persons The perill of pride when the Priests were to go into the Tabernacle said the holy Lord God They shall wash their hands and their feet that they Dis not and it shall be a Statute for Ever to them * Exo. 30.21 When the Priests sons were wicked in worship there went out Fire from the Lord and devoured them and they died before the Lord †Lev. 10.1 2. a prodigious plague If the Priests daughter did commit fornication she was doomed to the most dismal death viz to be burnt with fire * Lev. 21.9 when others did not die at all for fornication †Ex. 22.16 though they did for adultery * Lev. 20.10 These prodigious plagues shew how hatefull sin is in Such more than in others With such Ministers we may rank such Members who being Coached to their meetings suffer their Coachmen to sit at an Ale-house in Sermon-time and to sit drinking at the Table of Devils while they sit at the Lords Table AY Sir you can shake your Head and sit Silent but I must Speak these things stink up to Heaven The sins of professors of Religion make religion Stink in the nostrils of the prophane †Gen. 34 30. and make professors themselves stink in the nostrils of God * Isa 65.5 Let such preachers and professors take heed the Holy God who hates pride in a high degree do not speedily Spew them out of his mouth By reason of proud persons God may say to London Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom Pride c * Ezek. 16 49. PRIDE was one of the Engines that pulled down the fire of God from Heaven to burn them down to Hell A proud person is in a Perillous condition especially if a Preacher or a Professor But whosoever it be the higher in Pride the lower and farther from God the liker the Devil and the nearer Hell Yet a proud man is above God for God will have his will in nothing but what is good and just but a proud man will have his will right or wrong How can a proud person receive any grace from God Bernards Simile God is the Fountain his grace and mercy to man is the Stream as in a water-course the Stream can rise no higher than the Fountain from whence it comes so grace can rise no higher than God which a proud man is above N B Pride lifting up so high will let fall full low at last he that is above God will doubtlesse fall below the Devil ¶ Beware of World-likenesse Caution Likenesse in Christians to the world in Sin causes likenesse in Sorrow When the small Pox or the great Plague rages the Reason why God puts so little difference between the Egyptians and Israel is because Israel differs so little from Egypt They Live alike and Die alike Some professors promise themselves safety in Pestilence from this promise viz 1000 shall fall at thy side and 10000 at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee * Ps 91.7 but why because thou hast made the Lord the most high thy habitation †Ver. 9. this is a dwelling in God by a holy life It is a promise of preservation with a condition such expect it without why not Salvation too without believing Sir I see by your looks I have said more of preachers than hath pleased you but if persons will not be reproved and reformed when such a Plague of darknesse is approaching us from the Pit to prepare us or Ours for that place of torment we may write the Red Crosse on our doors Fath. Let than passe I spake only against Pride but I fear we have some who hear to Poor purpose besides such Proud persons Min. Now you talk of such hearers and put it into my head I tell you here are such Parcels as I could not have believed to be in London had I not heard and seen it eg ¶ 1 Some are pleased with their pure gospel 1 Sort of simple hearers without Law or Duty with faith without works Let a Minister tell them a story of Christ's benefits c they think All is their own Poor deluded creatures where is their Faith they must shew it by their Works if God may be Judge * Ja. 2.18 If their gospel Minister should preach duty so necessary and presse the power of godlinesse they would leave him for a Legal preacher not enduring such sound Doctrine for want of sound Hearts ¶ 2 Other judge of a Minister 2 Sort. by the multitude of his auditors being albe to give no other account of him than he who hasteth to some Hurly-burly or Tumult in the Street viz he runs because he sees others run before him If this be a rule to judge a Minister by we may cry up the Quakers and other who are unsound in Fundamentals for such have the great Assernablies ¶ 3 Other are taken with Tones 3 Sort. and Accents as if the life and power of Preaching lay in Points and Tittles for if a Sermon be Substantial yet if not Tonical it s to them a Toy Or let the same sounding Sermon be delivered