that are baptised into Christ haue put on Christ euen to this end that so they might become sonnes yea heires of God and fellow heires with our Sauiour himselfe It teacheth vs also that we should indeuour to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace hauing the same loue being of one accord and of one iudgement no man seeking his owne but euery man one anothers wealth seeing that we are one bodie in Christ and euerie one one anothers members as we are all by one sacrament of baptisme coupled vnto one head which is Christ and ioyned together too in one â—ody which is his Church It representeth vnto vs also thus much that we being baptised into Christs death shall by the power thereof die vnto sinne and that by the vertue of his rising againe we should walke in newnes of life Lastly that wee shall be raysed vp at the last day out of the dust of the earth and meete the Lord in the ayre and dwell with him for euer and euer The Lords supper sealeth vnto our consciences that Christ is that liuing bread which came downe from heauen of which whosoeuer truely eateth shall liue for euer because he doth not nourish vs to death for that is contrarie to his nature nor for a time because he liueth for euer and cannot die and such are the effects that flowe from him but vnto euerlasting life Also it setteth out vnto vs Christs death and passion with the benefits we reape therby and namely the remission and forgiuenes of our sinnes because as he neuer did any thing in vaine so much lesse died fruitlessely but that hee might purchase for vs eternal peace with God through the worke of our reconciliation with him Further it preacheth vnto vs that Iesus Christ himselfe God and man with all his spirituall and heauenly treasures is fully and wholie giuen vs by the Father that in him and through him taken hold of by faith we may bee fully nourished in the inward and outward man to the hope of euerlasting life It doth also confirme vnto vs the mystical vnion which is betwixt Christ and his Church hee dwelling in our hearts by faith and we thereby made members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Lastly it teacheth vs what vnitie and loue ought to be amongst vs because that thereby wee that are many are one bread and one bodie in as much as wee are all partakers of one bread To the worthy receiuing of this sacrament there is necessarilie required an earnest examination and true tryall of our selues which chiefely consisteth as I take it in effectuall stedfast faith and hartie repentance towards God and vnfained loue towards men Faith is a certaine perswasion and stedfast assurance which euery true christian man ought to haue that God the Father loueth him for Iesus Christ his Sonnes sake hee by the meanes of that faith particularly applying vnto himselfe all Gods promises specially those that concerne forgiuenes of sinnes and eternall saluation made vnto vs in the same his sonne Iesus Christ in whom all his promises are yea and amen Repentance is an earnest hatred of all manner of sinne inward outward past present or to come all proceeding from a right and reuerent feare of Gods eternall Maiestie which worketh so farre in vs that it maketh vs to forsake our selues and to striue to the mortification of our corruption to the ende wee may wholy giue ouer our selues to bee altogether gouerned by the holy Spirit of God in the seruice of his Maiestie Loue containeth in it not onely a sound affection to our brethren and friends but also the vnfained reconciliation of our selues vnto those whom wee haue offended and a readie forgiuing of others the offences they haue coÌ„mitted against vs euen as willingly gladly freely as we would the Lord should forgiue vs for his Christs sake That faith that is outwardly wrought in vs by Gods word and confirmed by the partaking of the holy Sacraments is not an idle vaine or dead faith but stedfast vnfained and working by loue yeelding foorth the fruites of blessed obedience not according to the darknesse and corruption of our owne will lusts and affections for they euermore rebell against God Neither according to mens manners and examples because they are no sufficient warrants for our conuersation nor yet after the customes and fashions of this present euill world for we are forbidden to fashion our selues thereby but according to that good perfect and acceptable will of God set foorth and commaunded vnto vs in his law which is and must be alwaies a light vnto our feete and a lanterne vnto our paths and is indeed the onely true sufficient aâ—d right rule of all righteousnesse and well doing This large volume of Gods will plentifully and plainly reuealed in the Canonicall Scriptures of the old and new Testament God the Father hath in great mercie for our weaknesse sake abridged into two tables containing ten Commandements Wherein wee are specially to marke these two things First that it is the minde of the Law-giuer in commanding good things to forbid the contrarie euils and in forbidding euill things to commaund the contrarie good the Almightie therein meeting with mans corruption and the frowardnes of his heart who supposeth that if hee doe no euill though he lead an idle and vnprofitable life from goodnesse thinketh notwithstanding that hee hath performed his dutie Secondly that the Lord by his law mindeth to teach vs to bridle and subdue not onely the act of sinne as the Pharisies imagined nor the consent to the same in our hearts and affections alone as the Sorbonists and Popish schoole Diuines dreame aâ— this day but also the least lust and motion that may prick vs thereto or rise vp in our minde against the same We must know further that this law of God is obserued and broken inwardly and outwardly for the inward breaking or obseruing thereof because â—o man knoweth what is within man but â—he spirit of God and the spirit of man himâ—elfe euery man must be left vnto himâ—elfe and yet all are bound both by the â—ertue of Gods holy Commandement â—nd also by that excellent profession â—â—ter which they are named not onely â—eeply to enter into the consideration of themselues but also to know that they walke in his presence before whose eyes all things are naked and plaine Touching the outward breaking oâ— obseruing thereof wee must know that the breach of it is then done when any thing forbidden by that law is committed or any thing commanded by that law is left vndone and on the other side that obedience is then yeelded when any thing commanded by that law is performed or any thing forbidden by that law is left vnaccomplished For good reason is it whatsoeuer mans witte can cunningly dispute or
SVMMARIE AND SHORT MEDITATIONS touching sundry poynts of Christian Religion gathâ—â—â—â— by T. VV. and now publiâ—hâ—d for the edâ—â—â—cation anâ— profit of Goâ—s Saints Lord Iesus begin and make an end TO cloake sin seeing it runneth vp and downe in euâ—ry mans mouth that we are all sinfull is dangerous and damnable Dangerous because the holie Ghost saith he that hideth his sin shall â—ot prosper And damnable because it causâ—â—h men to lie weltring and wallowing in iniquitie without repentance But humblie and vnfainedlie to confâ—sse it is a readie way to obtaine paâ—don and forgiuenes of the same at the hands of Almightie God because the Scripture telleth vs that if wee acknowledge and forsake our sinnes wee shall finde fauour And againe If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and the blood of Iesuâ— Christ shall purge vs from all iniquitie We haue sundrie true and vnpartiall witnesses both within vs and without vs against our selues to proue this truth vnto vs that we are miserable sinners First the stinging testimonie of our own conscience which though we many times bleere and blot out yet doth it sundrie times tell vs yea almost euery day when wee rise vp and euery night when we lie downe wee haue done many things that wee ought not to haue done and haue omitted many things which we ought to haue done Secondly God himselfe who beside that in his infinite knowledge he is able to charge vs with a thousand transgressâ—ons for euery one that wee know by our selues or others is also greater than our heart and conscience to condemnâ— vs because he knoweth all things Yea this eternall God doth by his iudgements conuince vs to bee sinners whether they be generall or particular By the generall his wrath being made manifest from heauen against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of all men and against all the creatures themselues And by the particular whilest he manifesteth them either against some Nations as Israel Iuda c. or some Cities as Sodom Gomorrah Ierusalem c. or els priuate persons as Cain Ham Iudas and such like Beside these iudgements the Lord our God hath his blessed word which is pure and holy as himselfe to conuince vs of sinne which straightly chargeth vs first with the sinne and fall of our first parents Adam and Euah as guiltie therof vnto euerlasting condemnation Secondly with the sinne wherein we are conceiued and borne which we call originall sin which if we had no more vpon vs and in vs but that maketh vs the children of Gods wrath and displeasure Thirdly with the fruites of that originall sin which are all manner of disobediences inward and outward against Almightie God and our neighbours By al this we may see that al mouthes and hearts are iustly stopped and shut vp froÌ„ cleering themselues by thought word or otherwise and that all men are made subiect vnto the condemnation of God which that wee may the better feele it shall be good for vs first rightly to compare the horrible filthinesse that is in vs both outward and inward of bodie and soule with the wonderfull holinesse that is in God himselfe and he requireth of vs in his law Then to consider the greatnesse and notoriousnesse of our offences which may bee iustly aggrauated by looking into the qualities of the parties offending as Magistrates Ministers c. and the parties offended as Gods most excellent Maiesty and our deare brethren together with sundrie other circumstances of time place manner of doingâ— c. Thirdly to thinke vpon the multitude of our iniquities whicâ— are more in number than the haires of our head and being as the sand of the Sea both for multitude and weight are become as a burthen ouer heauie for vs to beare Lastly to weigh Gods fearfull iudgements both temporall and eternall which our sinnes haue deserued to bee powred forth vpon vs and for our terrifying are set down in his word and manifested in the world which are many indeed but chiefly these First his heauie hand lying sore vpon his creatures for our transgressions which should so much the more terrifie vs and humble vs indeed by how much themselues are subiect thereto not for any sinne of their own which they haue not but for our iniâ—uities Secondly the aduersities and afflictions of our life which are either bodily as sicknesses or spirituall as anguish of soule and torment of conscience which also the more heauily they are inflicted vpon vs the more mightily they sâ—ould cast vs downe and work vnderstanding in vs least otherwise God should haue iust cause to complaine that hee hath stricken vs in vaine Thirdly naturall death it selfe which is the parting asunder of the soule and the bodie for a time and was laid vpon our first parents and in them vpon vs as a part of that iust deserued punishment that they and we procured to our selues because we are all standing and falling together with them and in them And lastly the curse of the eternall God pronounced in his law vnto euerlasting condemnation both of bodie and soule without vnfained repentance and heartie turning to the Lord this most fitly sorting both for infinitnes and weight with our infinite and innumerable transgressions Whosoeuer feâ—leth himselfe in such a miserable case must of necessitie as other good men heretofore haue done vnlâ—sse hee will wittingly refuse comfort and willingly cast away himselfe seeke some both sure and speâ—die remedie least continuing in that lamenâ—able estate they bee swallowed vp of despaire and ouer much heauinesse If wee seeke to Angels and would worship them as some haue done heretofore they cannot stand vs in steed for howsoeuer they be excellent creatures yet they haue not that of themselues yea God should finde imperfection in theÌ„ if they were not maintained by his power and besides as they were not ordeined or created for such a purpose so they are iustly our enemies for sinne as whose nature is so pure that they cannot abide it and the armed souldiours of the Lord by his special appointment to our destruction for our vngodlines If we would looke to dead Saints as in time of superstition and Popery wee were taught and did as I feare me many men yet doe they cannot fitte vs any whit at all as well because the dead know nothing at all as also for that they themselues haue continually confessed of and against themselues that they haue alwaies stood in need of a Sauiour and if thâ—y could not saue themselues much lesse others If we cast our eies vpon men vnregenerated and yet liuing the scripture telleth vs there is none that doth good no not one nay thâ—y are all by nature the children of wrath and firebrands of condemnation not only vnapt and vnable to good workes for themselues but most fitte to all
receiued it sealeth vp the same in our hearts and frameth vs in this life to a new life worthie our calling by the which word also our sauiour Christ hath brought life and immortalitie to light which before seemed as it were to bee hidden in which respect it is called in sundry places of the new Testament a mystery or secret yea such a mystery or secret as was hidden since the world began This word must be first reuerentlie esteemed because if wee prize it not as we should it will grow into contempt Then faithfullie credited because otherwise our estimation and regard of it will do vs no good Lastly carefully receiued and profitably practised because these indeed are true testimonies of our reuerence and beliefe yea it must be reuerenced credited and receiued not as the word of a mortall man but as it is indeed the word of the eternall God First because of him that is the author thereof which is God onely good who besides that hee hath the fulnes of mercie in him to recompence our labour and loue that way hath also infinit power to reuenge the abuse or contempt of it in what sort soeuer or in whom soeuer Secondly because of the matter or matters rather that it propoundeth and setteth out vnto vs which are faith in the promises obedience to the preâ—cepts and reconciliation and agreeâ—ment betweene God and vs procureâ— for vs and purchased vnto vs in thâ— death of his dearely beloued Sonne Thirdly because of the persons whoâ— the Lord hath vsed in the publishiâ—â— and speaking of it who in times pasâ—â—â— were Prophets and holy men of Goâ— yet notwithstanding inspired by the spâ—â—rit of God But in this latter time he hath deliuered this trueth most fully vnto vs in the mouth of his owne sonne in whom are all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge hid And since that time by the blessed Apostles and Euangelists whom he sent abroad into all the world to preach the Gospell to all creatures And now in this last age of the world by the setled ministerie of ordinarie pastors and teachers Whom God doth vse not as though he were not able without them to work his own wil both in the sauing of them whom he hath made heires of life and in the condemning of the wicked but that hee might in their labours haue a more readie entrance by his word into mens hearts hee hauing appointed to season men by them and to inlighten their darke and ignorant hearts because they are the salt of the earth and light of the world indeede to season mens corâ—upt hearts and to deliuer them from the power of darknes and to translate them into the kingdome of his deare Sonne Who bring also with them the ambassage of peace and reconciliation God himselfe as it were by them intreating vs to be reconciled vnto his Maiestie And are indeede the effectuall inâ—â—â—â—â—ments of God for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edâ—fication of the bodie of Christ vntill wee all meete together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that we hencefoorth be no more children wauering and carried about with euerie winde of doctrine by deceit of men either others or our selues or by the exercised subtilties of our spirituall aduersaries Wherfore good reason is it that they that bring vs such glad and acceptable tidings of such good things taking continuall care for vs and watching for our soules should not onely bee reuerently esteemed as the ministers of Christ and disposers of Gods secrets but also religiously and louingly receiued because he that receiueth them receiueth God the Father and God the Sonne that hath sent them whereas on the other side whosoeuer doe contemne them thrust from them the blessed Godhead and refuse the meanes that the Lord hath ordained and sent abroad for their saluation The doctrine deliuered by these men specially the Gospel preached is a most liuely painting out of Christ before our eyes and as it were a visible crucifying of him in our sights who died for our sinnes and rose againe for our righteousnes And though they that perish count it foolishnes yet is it that mighty power of God vnto saluation and the excellent wisedome of the Lord by which it pleaseth him through the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue And it is that effectuall instrument whereby the Father of his owne good will begetteth vs againe vnto himselfe that we should be as the first fruits of his creatures being borne anew not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God which word endâ—reth for euer At our first receiuing of it it is sincere milke which as new borne babes we should long after that wee may grow vp thereby and come vnto Christ who is the liuing stone that wâ—â—â— our selues also as liuing stones may be made a spirituall house and a holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ. And when wee are passed the age of our infancie in Christ it is become our â—ound and stedfast meate wherewith the Lord continually feedeth vs in his family vntill that hauing laid downe thâ—â— our earthly house of this tabernacle we obtaine the building giuen vs of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens whose builder and framer is God The Lord knowing whereof we be made and remembring that we are but dust hath not only giueÌ„ vs his word to work faith in our hearts but hath also lâ—ft vs for the more strengthening and confirming of the same in the truth of his promises the vse of two holy Sacraments only and no more namely Baptisme and the Lords Supper both of them being instituted by him to whom alone indeede it belongeth to ordaine Sacraments â—n his Church because hee alone hath power to giue and worke the grace that is meant signified or set ouâ— thereby Baptisme witnesseth and pledgeth vnto vs diuers things as first that we are ingrafted into the bodie of Christs Church wherof Christ is the head from whom alone the bodie receiueth increase vnto the building vp of it selfe in holy loue Then that regeneration is begun in vs and wee become as it were new borne â—abes vnto God our heauenly Father the Lord sauing vs according to his mercie by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost It sealeth also vnto vs the forgiuenes and washing away of our sinnes in the sacrifice of Christs death water no more effectuallie taking away the spotts and filth of our flesh than Christs blood doth the guilt power and punishment of our sinnes And it pledgeth this vnto vs that wee are the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus because al