that they must be sanctified before he perfect them he addeth a proofe by which these two things are cleared First that to perfect there signifies to forgive sinnes or to justifie Secondly that this doctrine of the priority of sanctification is agreeable to the description of the second covenant Jer. 31. 33. That by perfecting he meanes justifying or pardoning of sinnes 't is apparent by v. 17. their sins and iniquities will I remember no more which must needes be acknowledged to be that part of the testimony that belongs to that part of the proposition to be proved by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath perfected for ever the former part of the testimony belongs to the latter part of the proposition as being an expression of sanctification which may farther thus appeare to perfect in this Author signifies to consecrate to preisthood c. 2. 10. 5. 9. 7. 28. that being applyed to us is a phrase to note boldnes or liberty to enter into the Holies v. 19. that againe to pray confidently to God which v. 18. is set to denote pardon of sinne and washing our hearts from an evill conscience i. e. from guilt of sinne v. 22. Which being premised the second thing most necessaryly followes that in Jeremy 31. 33. the tenure of the covenant sets Sanctification before Justification for saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he first said I will put my law into their hearts and put or write them in their thoughts or minds and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the saying of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also I will no more remember their sinnes nor their offences Many other Scripture-evidences might be added to this matter if it were needfull As for those that make Justification to be before Sanctification I hope and conceive they meane by sanctification that sanctified state the actuall performance and practice of our vowes of new life and our growth in grace and by our Justification that first act of pardon and then they say true but if they meane that our sinnes are pardoned before we convert to God and resolve new life and that the first grace enabling to do these is a consequent of God's having pardoned our sinnes this is a mistake which in effect excludes justification by faith which is that first Grace of receiving of Christ and resigning our hearts up to him and must be in order of nature precedent to our Justification or else can neither be condition nor instrument of it and besides this is apt to have an ill influence on practice and therefore I thought fit to prevent it The issue of all is that God will not pardon till we in heart reforme and amend he that forsaketh i. e. in hearty sincere resolution abandons the sinnes of the old man shall have mercy and none but he And then God will not continue this gracious favour of his but to those who make use of his assisting grace to persevere in these resolutions of forsaking so that the justification is still commensurate to the sanctification an act of justification upon an act of sanctification or a resolution of new life and a continuance of justification upon continuance of the sanctifyed estate S. But is not God first reconciled unto us before he gives us any grace to sanctifie us C. So farre reconciled he is as to give us grace and so farre as to make conditionall promises of salvation but not so as to give pardon or justifie actually for you know whom God justifies those he glorifies i. e. if they passe out of this life in a justified estate they are certainely glorified but you cannot imagine that God will glorify any who is not yet sanctified for without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. And therefore you will easily conclude that God justifies none who are unsanctified for if he did then supposing the person to dye in that instant it must follow either that the unsanctified man is glorified or the justified man not glorified Any thing else God may doe to the unsanctified man but either save him or doe somewhat on which saving infallibly followes and therefore give him Grace he may but till that Grace be received and treasured up in an honest heart he will never be throughly reconciled to him i. e. justify or save S. I pray then from these premises set me downe the order or method used by God in the saving of a sinner C. I will It is this 1. God gives his sonne to dye for him and satisfy for his sinnes so that though he be a sinner yet on condition of a new life he may be saved Then 2. In that death of Christ he strikes with him a New Covenant a Covenant of mercy and grace Then 3. According to that Covenant he sends his spirit and by the word and that annexed to it he calls the sinner powerfully to repentance If he answer to that call and awake and arise make his sincere faithfull resolutions of new life God then 4. Justifies accepts his person and pardon 's his sinnes past Then 5. gives him more grace assists him to doe as before he enabled to will to performe his good resolutions Then 6. upon continuance in that state in those performances till the houre of death he gives to him as to a faithfull servant a crowne of life S. The Good Lord he thus mercifull to me a sinner I blesse God and give you many thankes for these directions and shall be well pleased to continue you my debtor for the other particular you promised me till some farther time of leisure and so intermit your trouble a while LIB II. S. § 1 THe benefit I reaped by your last discourse hath not satisfied but raised my appetite to the more earnest importunate desire of what is yet behind the consideration of Christ's Sermon in the Mount Which I have heard commended for an abstract of Christian Philosophy an elevating of his Disciples beyond all other men in the world for the practice of virtue But I pray why did Christ when he preach't it leave the multitude below and goe up to a Mount accompanied with none but Disciples C. That he went up to the Mount was to intimate the matter of this Sermon to be the Christian law as you know the Jewish law was delivered in a Mount that of Sinai And that he would have no auditours but Disciples It was 1. Because the multitude followed him not for doctrines but for cures c. 4. 24 25. And therefore were not fit auditours of precepts 2. Because these precepts were of an elevated nature above all that ever any Law-giver gave before and therefore were to be dispensed onely to choise auditours 3. Because the lights and mysteries of Christianity are not wont to be abruptly dispensed but by degrees to them that have formerly made some progresse at least have delivered themselves up to Christ's Lectures entred into his Schoole i. e. to his Disciples S. What then
it unreasonable for me to be tyred with receiving the largest favours that you have the patience and the charity to bestow upon me and to shew you that I have an appetite to the journey I shall not give you the least excuse of delay but put you in minde where it was that you promis'd to set out or begin your first stage and beseech you to god before me my guide and instructer first in the doctrine of the two Covenants to which purpose my ignorance makes it necessary for me to request your first helpe to tell me what a Covenant is C. § 1 A Covenant is a mutuall compact as we now consider it betwixt God and man consisting of mercies on Gods part made over to man and of conditions on mans part required by God S. It will then be necessary for me to demand first what you meane by the First Covenant C. I meane that which is supposed to be made with Adam assoone as he was created before his first sinne and with all mankinde in him S. What then was the mercy an Gods part made over to him in that Covenant C. It consisted of two parts one sort of things supposed before the Covenant absolutely given to him by God in his creation another promised and not given but upon condition S. What is that which was absolutely given C. 1. A law written in his heart teaching him the whole duty of man 2. A positive law of not eating the fruite of one tree in the garden all others but that one being freely allowed him by God 3. A perfect strength and ability bestowed on him to performe all that was required of him and by that a possibility to have lived for ever without ever sinning S. What is that which was promised on condition C. 1. Continuance of that light and that strength the one to direct the other to assist him in a persevering performance of that perfect obedience 2. A crowne of such performance assumption to eternall felicity S. What was the condition upon which the former of these was promised C. Walking in that light making use of that strength and therefore upon defailance in those two upon the first sinne that light was dimmed and that strength like Sampsons when his lockes were lost extremely weakned S. What was the condition upon which the Eternall felicity was promised C Exact unsinning perfect obedience proportioned to the measure of that strength and consequently upon the commission of the first sinne this crowne was forfeited Adam cast out of Paradise and condemned to death and so deprived both of eternity and felicity and from that houre to this there hath beene no man living Christ onely excepted who was God as well as man justifiable by that first covenant all having sinned and so coming short of the Glory of God promised in that covenant S. You have now given me a view of the first covenant and I shall not give my curiosity leave to importune you with more questions about it Onely if you please tell me what condition Adam and consequently mankinde were concluded under upon the defailance or breach of the condition required in that first covenant for I perceive Adam sinned and so brake that condition C. I have intimated that to you already and yet shall farther enlarge on it Upon the fall of Adam he and all mankinde forfeited that perfect light and perfect strength and became very defective and weake both in knowledge and ability of performing their duty to their Creatour and consequently were made utterly uncapable of ever receiving benefit by that first covenant It being just with God to withdraw that high degree of strength and grace when he saw so ill use made of it S. But why should God inflict that punishment upon all mankinde for or upon occasion of the sinne of that one man though he used his talent so very ill others of his posterity might have used it better and why should they all be so prejudged upon one mans miscarriage C. Many reasons may be rendred for this act of Gods and if they could not yet ought not his wisedome to be arraign'd at our tribunall or judged by us Now this is an act of his wisedom more then of distributive justice it being free for him to do what he will with his owne and such is his Grace and his Crowne But the most full satisfactory reason may be this because God intending to take the forfeiture of that first Covenant intended withall to make a second Covenant which should tend as much or more to the maine end the eternall felicity of mankinde as or then the first could have done And that you will acknowledge when you heare what this second covenant is S. I beseech you then what is the second Covenant and first with whom was it made C. It was made with the same Adam now after his fall in these words The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. and afterwards repeated more plainely to Abraham Gen. 22. 17. 18. S. But who is that Seed of the Woman C. The same that in the words spoken to Abraham is meant by Thy seed which the Apostle Gal. 3. 16. tells us is Christ S. What then is the first thing promised in that second Covenant C. The giving of Christ to take our nature upon him and so to become a kind of second Adam in that nature of ours to performe perfect unsinning obedience and so to be just according to the condition of the first Covenant and yet being faultlesse to undergoe a shamefull death voluntarily upon the Crosse to satisfy for the sinne of Adam and for all the sinnes of all mankinde to tast death for every man Heb. 2. 9. and this being the first thing all other parts of this Covenant are consequent and dependent on this and so this second Covenant was made in Christ sealed in his bloud as it was the custome of the Easterne Nations to seale all Covenants with bloud and so confirmed by him which is the meaning of those words 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen that is are verified which is the importance of Yea and confirmed which is meant by Amen into an immutability in or by Christ S. Well then What are the promises or mercies made over unto us in Christ by this second Covenant C. First a revelation of his will called the law of faith according to which we Christians ought to live and this is set downe as a part of that Covenant Heb. 8. 10 11. Secondly a promise of pardon or mercy to our unrighteousnesse and our sinnes and our iniquities v. 12. Thirdly the giving of grace or strength although not perfect or such as may enable us to live without ever sinning yet such as is sufficient to performe what is necessary now under this second Covenant in which respect it is said by S. Paul Rom 10. 8. that the
In using all powerfull meanes to convert or turn i e. to bring all mankind to repentance S. What be those meanes C. First the communicating that spirit to us whereby he raised up Jesus from the dead Rom. 8. 11. Secondly sending the Holy Ghost to convince the world of sinne and righteousnesse and of judgement that is appointing a succession of Ministers to the end of the world to worke in mens hearts a cordiall subjection to that doctrine which at Christs preaching on earth was not beleived Thirdly the giving of grace inspiring of that strength into all humble Christian hearts that may enable them to get victory over sinne Fourthly his interceding with God for us which you know is the peculiar office of the Preist as he promised he would for Saint Peter that his faith faile not that is that God will give us the grace of perseverance which intercession of his being now with power and authority all power is given to me saith Christ is all one in effect with the actuall donation of that grace and as a crowne of this followes another kind of blessing actuall bestowing of heaven upon such blessed persevering children of his Father S. What is required of us in answer to this part of his Office C. First to seeke and pray for grace to descend towards us through this conduit of conveyance Secondly to receive it when it thus flowes with humble gratefull hearts Thirdly to count grace the greatest blessing in the world Fourthly to make use of it to the end designed by Christ not to pride or wantonnesse or contempt of our meaner brethren but to the converting and reforming of our lives And fifthly to looke for no finall benefit pardon of sinnes or eternall salvation from that Preist either as suffering or satisfying for us but upon the good use of his grace which will engage us to walke painfully here and to approach humbly to receive our reward the crowne not of our workes but Gods graces hereafter S. What is the second part of Christs Melchizedek-Preisthood C. Blessing or praising God for ever in heaven for his goodnesse his mercy his grace towards us poore sinfull enemies of his in giving us the victory over our so bitter adversaries sin Satan death hell by the bloud of the Lamb and the power of his Grace S. What is our part in this businesse C. To follow this precentor of ours in blessing magnifying that God of all grace and never yeilding to those enemies which he hath died to purchase and given us power to resist overcome S. I doe already discerne the influence of this Office thus explained upon our lives yet if you please give me your direction and opinion what is the maine practicall doctrine emergent from this Office of Christ especially as it consists in blessing C. This is it that from hence we learne how farre forth we may expect justification and salvation from the sufferings of Christ no farther it appeares than we are wrought on by his renewing and sanctifying and assisting grace this being the very end of his giving himselfe for us not that absolutely or presently we might be acquitted and saved but that he might redeeme us from all iniquity from the reigning power aswell as guilt and that impartially of all iniquity and purify unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Tit. 2. 14. without which acquisition of purity and zeale of good workes in us as in a peculiar people Christ failes of his aime and designe in dying for us he is deprived of that reward of his sufferings which is mentioned Is 53. 10. The seeing of his seed the having the pleasure of the Lord which is said to be our sanctification 1 Thes 4. 3. prosper in his hand the seeing of the travaile of his soule v. 1. dividing his portion with the great and the spoile with the strong v. 12. that is rescuing men out of the power of sinne to amendment of life and to holinesse which is the crowne and reward of his pouring out his soule to death and making intercession for the transgressours And if he faile of his hope much more shall we of ours after all that Christ hath done and suffered the impenitent unreformed fiduciary shall perish And what can you imagine more obligatory to good life then this S. I acknowledge the truth of what you say to be very convincing and shall thinke my selfe bound in charity to my poore tottering soule no longer to flatter and foole my selfe with such vaine hope that Christs active and passive obedience shall be imputed to me unlesse I am by his blessing thus qualified to receive this benefit from his death Yet now I thinke of it if Christs active obedience may be imputed to me then what need have I of obeying my selfe If the righteousnesse that was in him by never sinning be reckoned to me what need I any other initiall imperfect inherent righteousnesse or holinesse of my owne this is to me a scruple yet not answered by you C I confesse it is for I have had no occasion to mention that active obedience of Christ it being no part of his Preistly Office And now if you will have my opinion of it I conceive it cleare that Christs active obedience is not imputed unto any other person For first if his active righteousnesse were imputed to me then by that I should be reckoned of and accepted by God as if I had fulfilled the whole law and never sinned and then I should have no need that Christ should suffer for my sinnes and so this would exclude all possibility of having Christs passive obedience imputed to me For what imaginable reason could be given why I should suffer for sinne or any other surety for mee if by some former act I am accounted to have performed perfect unsinning obedience at least have the benefit of that obedience performed by that surety of mine and accepted for me Secondly the truth is cleare that Christs active obedience was required in his person as a necessary qualification to make it possible for him to suffer or satisfy for us for had he not performed active obedience that is had any guile beene found in his mouth or heart had he ever sinned he must have suffered for himselfe and could no more have made satisfaction for us then one of us sinners can now doe for another From both which reason 't is cleare that Christs active obedience will not supply the place of ours or make ours lesse necessary and consequently that our renewed obedience and sanctification is still most indispensably required though mixed with much of weakenesse ignorance frailties recidivations to make us capable of pardon of sinne or salvation which sure is the intimation of those places which impute our Justification rather to the Resurrection of Christ and the consequents of that the subsequent acts of his Preisthood heretofore mentioned then to his death Such are Rom. 8. 34. It
is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us which last words referre peculiarly to that act of this his Preist-hood in blessing or interceding for us and Rom. 4. 25. who was delivered to death for our offences and was raised againe for our justification The Death of Christ not justifying any who hath not his part in his Resurrection S. I perceive this theme of Christs Priesthood to be a rich mine of Christian knowledge every scruple of mine opening so large a field of matter before you I shall satisfy my selfe with this competency which you have afforded me I beseech God I may be able to digest it into kindly juice that I may grow thereby Please you now to proceed to the third and last Office of Christ that of a Prophet C. I shall and promise you not to exercise your patience so largely in that as in the former S. Wherein doth his Propheticke Office consist In foretelling what things should happen to his Church C. No that is not the notion we have now of a Prophet although that he hath also done in some measure as farre as is usefull for us S. What other notion have you of a Prophet C. The same that the Apostle hath of prophecying 1 Cor. 11. 4. 14. 6. S. What is that C. Interpreting or making knowne the will of God to us S. Wherein did Christ doe that C. In his Sermons but especially that on the Mount telling us on what termes blessednesse is now to be had under the Gospell and revealing some commands of God which before were either not at all or so obscurely revealed in the Old Testament that men thought not themselves obliged to such obedience Besides this the Propheticke Office was exercised in ordeining ceremonies and discipline for his Church the use of the Sacraments and the power of the keyes that is the Censures of the Church S. What else belongs to his Propheticke Office C. Whatsoever else he revealed concerning the Essence and Attributes of God concerning the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles and whatsoever other divine truth he revealed to his auditours either in parables or plaine enuntiations S. What are we to returne to this Office of his C. Our willing full assent never doubting of the truth of any affirmation of his a ready obedience to his institutions and commands neither despising nor neglecting the use of what he hath thought fit to prescribe us and subduing carnall proud reason to the obedience of faith S. You have gone before mee through the names and offices of Christ severally Is there any influence on practice that all of them jointly may be thought to have over and above what from the severals you have shewed me C. I shall commend onely one consideration to you for this purpose that Christ being an union of these three Offices is a Iesus or Saviour finally to none but those who receive him under all his three Offices uniformly into their hearts S. § 3 The Lord grant that I may doe so that I may be not a little way or a partiall unsincere but a true Christian What hinders but that you now proceed according to your method prpoosed to the particulars of the third ranke the Theologicall graces and Christian virtues C. I shall if your patience and appetite continue to you S. To begin then with the first what is Faith C. There is not any one word in nature which hath more significations then this hath in the Word of God especially in the New Testament It sometimes signifies the acknowledgment of the true God in opposition to Heathenisme sometimes the Christian Religion in opposition to Indaisme sometimes the beleeving the power of Christ to heale diseases sometimes the beleeving that he is the promised Messias sometimes fidelity or faithfulnesse sometimes a resolution of conscience concerning the lawfulnesse of any thing sometimes a reliance affiance or dependance on Christ either for temporall or spirituall matters sometimes beleeving the truth of all divine revelations sometimes obedience to Gods commands in the Evangelicall not legall sence sometime the doctrine of the Gospell in opposition to the law of Moses sometimes 't is an aggregate of all other graces sometimes the condition of the second Covenant in opposition to the first and other sences of it also there are distinguishable by the contexture and the matter treated of where the word is used S. I shall not be so importunate as to expect you should travaile with mee through every of these severals but shall confine your trouble to that which seemes most necessary for me to know more particularly As first which of all these is the notion of that Faith which is the Theologicall Grace distinct from Hope and Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13 C. It is there the assenting to or beleeving the whole word of God particularly the Gospell and in that the commands and threates and promises of that word especially the promises This you will acknowledge if you looke on v. 12. of that Chapter and there observe and consider that Vision in the next life is the perfecting of that Faith in this life or that Faith here is turned into Vision there as hope into enjoying for this argues Faith here to be this assent to those things which here come to us by hearing and are so beleeved by adherence or darke enigmaticall knowledge but hereafter are seene or known demonstratively or face to face Hence is it that Faith is defined by the Apostle Heb. 11. 1. the ground or foundation of things hoped for the conviction or being convinced or assured of things which we doe not see The foundation on which all hope is built for I must first beleeve the promise before I can hope the performance of it on right grounds and the being convinced of the truth of those things for which there is no other demonstration but onely the word and promise of God and yet upon that an inclination to beleeve them as assuredly as if I had the greatest evidence in the world S. I cannot but desire one trouble more from you in this matter what kind of Faith was the Faith of Abraham which is so much spoken of in the New Testament Ro. 4. Gal. 3. Heb. 11. Ja. 2. and seemes to be meant as the patterne by which our Faith should be cut out and upon which both he was and we may expect to be justified C. I cannot but commend the seasonablenesse of the question before I answer it for certainly you have pitch't upon that which is the onely sure foundation ground-worke of all true knowledge and resolution in this matter Abraham being the Father of the Faithfull in whom that grace was most eminent very highly commended and rewarded in the Scripture and like whom we must be if ever we expect to approve
it be aboundantly sufficient As for the having attempted the life of the husband which leades me to answer the last part of the objection I shall make no doubt to say this is not equall to the having committed adultery For first It appeares that though it was attemped yet it was not acted fot if it had that would have made a reall divorce indeed and the attempt 1. Is not so punishable as the act And 2. It may by repentance be repaired againe and the rest of the life be the more happy and comfortable with such a penitent wise and this very possibility is considerable and that that was the reason why the beleiving husband is advised not to put away the unbeleeving wife for he knowes not whether he may not convert and save the heathen wife by living with her hath place here also To this purpose I will tell you a story of a Master and Servant which you may accommodate to an husband and wife Les Digueirs after Constable of France had learn't that his man that served him in his chamber was corrupted to kill him being in his chamber with him and none else he gives him a sword and dagger in his hand and takes another himselfe then speakes thus to him You have beene my servant long and a gallant fellow why would you be so base as to undertake to kill me cowardly here be weapons let it be done like a man and so offered to fight with him The servant fell at his feete confessed his vile intention begged pardon promised unfeined reformation His Master pardoneth him continues him in place of daily trust in his chamber he never hath treacherous thought against him after So you see this crime may be repaired againe and no danger in not divorcing But then 2. If there were danger of being killed still yet may the inconvenience of living with one who hath beene false to the bed be beyond that Love is strong as death jealousy cruell as the grave the coles thereof are coles of fire which hath a most vehement flame saith Solomon And if that be thus caused what a hell is that mans life and that is farre worse then death especially then the meere danger of it and beside if she also have repented of her fornication and the husband be satisfied that she hath so yet the disgrace of having beene so used and perhaps the continuall presence of a base brat in the family will be yet more unsupportable then that possible danger of loosing a life For you see how ordinary it is for men to contemne their lives to endanger nay oft actually to loose them rather then part with reputation or any such trifling comfort of life on this maxime of the naturall mans that 't is better to dye then live miserably or infamously And though Christianity curbe that gallantry of the world yet still it commands us to contemne life when it cometh in competition with obedience to him which here it doth or may doe if Christ command as his words affirme he doth this not-divorcing for any kinde of cause but fornication The same might be said in divers other things where we are apt to interpose the excuse of extreme necessity i. e. danger of loosing our lives when we are not inclined to doe what God bids us doe Where 1. If we did thus dye it were martyrdome and that the greatest preferment of a Christian 2. Seeing 't is but danger and not certaine death we may well entrust our lives in Gods hands by doing what he bids us and thinke our lives safest when so ventur'd And so I have satisfied your scruples S. Other scruples in this matter of divorce I thinke I could make to you but I hope neither you nor I by the blessing of God shall ever have occasion to make use of the knowledge of such niceties § 8 I shall hasten you to that next period which conteines a prohibition so necessary to be instilled into young men least the sinne get in fashion and that roote so deepe in them that 't will not suddenly be weeded out and that is of Swearing Be pleased therefore after Christs method in delivering and yours formerly in expounding to tell me the meaning of the old Commandement which by the stile of the preface Ye have heard that it hath beene said to them of old time I collect to be the third of the ten Commandements C. The first part of it Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe is clearely the third Commandement but the latter part But shalt performe to the Lord thine oathes is taken out of other places of the law to explaine the meaning of the former and to expresse it to be as literally it sounds against perjury or non-performance of promissiory oathes S. But the third Commandement is in Exodus Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine is that no more then Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe C. No more undoubtedly if either Christ may judge who here saith so or the importance of the words in the originall be observed For to take or lift up the name of God is an Hebrew stile to sweare and the word vaine and false is all one as 1 the Hebrew writers generally acknowledge 2. that of idle word enforceth Matt. 12. 36. being there applyed to that not only vaine but false speech v. 24. He casts out Divells by the Prince of Divels 3. Because the very word that Exod. 20. 7. is rendred vaine in the third commandement is used Deut. 5. 18. in the ninth commandement for and is so rendred by us false witnesse and so Ps 24. 4. lifting up the soule unto vanity that phrase of lifting up the soule referring to that forme of swearing by the life is exprest in the next words sworne deceitfully By all which 't is cleare that to take Gods name in vaine is to forsweare ones selfe S. But is nothing else reducible to this old Commandement C. Swearing simply taken is not reducible for besides that the expresse words of Moses plainely permit it thou shalt sweare by his name Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. The fathers say plainely that to sweare under Moses was lawfull Yet perhaps foolish wanton sure prophane blasphemous using of God's name may be resolved to be there forbidden by reduction S. What then hath Christ superadded to the old Commandement C. A totall universall prohibition of swearing itselfe making that as unlawfull now as perjury was before S. Are no kind of oaths lawfull now to a Christian C. That you may discerne this matter clearely and distinctly you must marke two circumstances in our Saviour's Speech 1. That phrase v. 37. but but let your communication c. from whence one universall rule you may take that to sweare in ordinary communication or discourse or conversation is utterly unlawfull 2. You may apply our Saviour's prohibition to the particular matter of Moses his law forementioned and that was of
but by begging of it yet God having in his providence designed the rich man to be his steward the wealthy mans barne to be the poore mans store-house no man is left destitute that is afforded this meanes 2. There being so many other meanes forenamed required of us to be instrumentall to Gods providence it will hardly be found that any man is left thus destitute who hath not first beene wanting to himselfe and so the whole matter imputable to his default and not to Gods 3. That if the utmost be supposed which is imaginable that some one be left so farre destitute as to come to starve yet may the promise of God remaine true and firme for that promise obligeth him not to eternize the life of any which being supposed that he should dye by famine is as reasonable and reconcileable with this promise which can extend no farther then that he will susteine us as long as he sees it fit for us to live but no longer as that he should dye by sword or pestilence and that death as supportable as many other diseases and deaths of the stone strangury dysentery c. 4. That suppose God doe thus destitute us yet our anxiety or sollicitude our using of unlawfull meanes can never be able to releive or secure us whatsoever we can in this case call to our releife God can curse and blast also and make it as unable to helpe us as the reed of Aegypt and though sometimes God permits unlawfull meanes to offer us helpe when lawfull faile us to make triall of us whether we will use them and distrust God or no who ought to be trusted and relied on though he kill us yet is it farre more ordinary for those who have fled to all manner of dishonest meanes of encreasing wealth to come to absolute beggery and distresse and contumelious ends then in any mans observation it will be found for the trusters in God to doe 5. Why may it not be thought and found true upon every mans selfe-examination that such destitution when ever it befalls a child of Gods is a punishment of some sinne which God in mercy sees fit to punish here and not in another world As particularly that of littlenesse of Faith in this matter as Peters sinking Mat. 14. 30. was a punishment of his feare and doubting and little Faith which some good men are so subject to and wheresoever it is found may expect to be punished being it selfe a sinne and conteining in it so many other sinnes 1. The sin of disobedience to Christs command here in his take no thought or you shall not take thought ver 31. Secondly the sinne of infidelity not trusting and so denying in actions at least Gods veracity the attribute wherein he cheifly glories giving him the lie as it were an affront and contumely to the almighty Thirdly the sin of worldly-mindednesse placing our care and affection on such base inferiour objects incurvation of the immortall soule to a thing so much below it and robbing God of his due that peculiar creature of his the heart so naturally his and moreover so importunately beg'd for by him Not to mention many other sinnes which constantly follow this sollicitude where 't is once entertained not as a transient passion but a Chronicall disease though not constantly the same as indevotion impatience unmercifullnesse cowardice worldly sorrow maligning of others c. S. Having thus largely explained the prohibition you may please to adde in one word what is the countrary Christian duty that is here commanded by Christ C. Praysing God for our present wealth and trusting him for the future S. What do you meane by the former C. Praysing him foure wayes 1. By acknowledging the receit 2. Vsing it and rejoycing in it 3. Ministring communicating to them that have not and 4. If any thing still remaine keeping it as instrumentall to Gods providence for the future laying up what God gives us to lay up S. What do you meane by the latter C. 1. Beleeving his promise 2. Obeying his directions in the use of his authorized meanes and none else And 3 referring the successe cheerefully to him and praying to him for it without doubting S. I conceive you have now done with the precept or doctrine which now I see how fitly it is annexed to the former matter of not serving of Mammon 1. As an answer to the Mammonists reason of serving Mammon that he may not be destitute the morrow 2. As an improvement of that exhortation to which it may be seasonably superadded but would never have entered or have beene admitted without that harbenger I beseech God to sinke it now unto my heart To which end I presume you will give me your assistance by proceeding to the second thing proposed from our saviours words here the Inforcements of it shewing how reasonable it is to be a observed by a Christian C. I shall proceed to that and give you the inforcements as they lie A first inforcement is the consideration of what God hath done to us allready 1. He hath given us life it selfe which is much more and a farre greater act of power and mercy then to give food for the continuing of that life 2. Given us the very body we take such care of and that much more againe then the raiment that must cloth it and those he hath given without any aide of ours without our use of direct or indirect meanes and therefore no doubt can provide sufficiently for the susteining of both and for his willingnesse to do it if we trust and rely on him those very former mercies of his are pawnes and pledges of it God saith a father by giving becomes our debtor Every mercyfrom so good a father comes forth twins a gift and a bond together a present payment and a future pawne a summe payed downe and an annuity made over the having bestowed favours the greatest obligations to continue them when we can begin with the Psalmist Ps 100. It is he that made us then we may as confidently go on we are his people and sheep c. and then O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving not only for past mercies but confidence of future also his mercy is everlasting c. A second inforcement is taken from the example of God's providence toward other creatures 1. For food from the foules of the aire 2. For rayment from the lillies of the field For food that those birds without any trade of husbandry of sowing or reaping c. are by the providence of God sufficiently susteined Nay of many birds it is observed they are fattest still in coldest and sharpest weather Nay that sort of birds that Saint Luke mentions Luke 12. 24. the ravens are a creature that if Job or the Psalmist may be beleived Job 38. 41. Ps 147. 9. hath more of the providence of God illustrious in it then any other Naturalists have observed of that creature that it exposeth
this while are not subject to this censure or danger And of this nature you may see in the New Testament these severalls Ia. 2. 20. O vaine man i. e. literally Racha Mat. 23. 17. The fooles and the blind spoken by Christ And againe v. 19. and Luk. 24. 25. Ye fooles c. and Gal. 3. 15. O foolish Galatians and v. 3. are yee so foolish Which is directly the other expression thou foole which now you will see and discerne easily if you consider the affection of the Speakers to be out of love not causelesse inordinate passion and so not liable to the censure in this text But then 3. There is little doubt but that all detraction censoriousnesse back biting whispering that so ordinary entertainment of the world to busy our selves when we meete together in speaking all the evill we know or perhaps know not of other men is a very great sinne here condemned by our Saviour and upon his advertisement timely to be turned out of our communication as being most constantly against the rule of doing as I would be done to no man living being pleased to be so used by others as the detractor useth others S. I beseech God to lay this to my heart that by his assistance I may be enabled to suppresse and mortify this inordinate passion that my nature hath such inclinations unto to that end to plant that meekenesse and patience and humility and charity in my heart that may turne out this unruly creature to arme me with that continuall vigilance over my selfe that it may not steale upon me unawares but especially to give me that power over my tongue that I may not fall into that greater condemnation But I see you have not yet done with this theme for before our Saviour proceeds to any other commandement I perceive he buildeth somewhat else on this foundation in the foure next verses Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the Altar c. Be pleased then to tell me 1. How that belongs to this matter And 2. what is the duty there prescribed C. For the dependance of that on the former or how it belongs to it you will easily discerne if you remember that old saying That repentance is the planke to rescue him that is cast away in the Ship-wracke Our Saviour had mentioned the danger of rash anger and contumelies c. And because through humane infirmity he supposes it possible that Disciples or Christians may thus miscarry he therefore addes the necessity of present repentance and satisfaction after it S. What is the duty there prescribed C. It is this 1. Being reconciled with the brother v. 14. and agreeing with the adversary v. 25. i. e. using all meanes to make my peace with him whom I have thus injured For the word be reconciled signifies not here to be pacified towards him for he is not here supposed to have injured thee for if he had the anger would not be causelesse but to pacify him to regaine his favour and thus the word is used in the Scripture dialect in other places confessing my rash anger and intemperate language and offering any way of satisfaction that he may forgive me and be reconciled to me which till he doe I am his debtor in his danger to attache me as it were to bring me before the Judge and he to deliver me to the Baily or Sergeant and he to cast me into prison c. i. e. This sinne of mine unretrived by repentance will lye very heavy upon my score and without satisfaction to the injured person will not be capable of mercy or pardon from Christ which danger is set to enforce the duty The second part of the duty is that the making this our peace is to be preferred before many other things which passe for more specious workes among us as particularly before voluntary oblations which are here meant by the gift brought to the Altar such as those of which the Law is given Lev. 1. 2. Not that the performance of this duty is to be preferred being a duty to my neighbour before piety or the duties of true Religion toward God but before the observation of outward rites sacrifices Oblations c. Mercy before sacrifice Mat. 9. 13. and 12. 7. And that those offerings that are brought to God with a heart full of wrath and hatred will never be acceptable to him Our prayer exprest 1 Tim. 2. 8. by lifting up of holy and cleane hands must be without wrath or else like the Fast Isa 58. 4. Ye fast for strife and for debate and the long prayers Isa 1. When the hands were full of bloud T' will be but a vaine oblation in Gods account like Cains when he resolved to kill his brother S. Is there any thing else you will commend to me out of these words before we part with them C. Yes 1. That the time immediate before the performing of any holy duty of prayer of oblation of fasting of receiving the Sacrament c. is the fittest and properst time to call our selves to account for all the trespasses and injuries we are guilty of toward God and men If thou bring thy gift and there remembrest v. 23. That it seemes a season of remembring 2. That though the not having made my peace with those whom I have offended make me unfit for any such Christian performance and so require me to deferre that till this be done yet can it not give me any excuse to leave that Christian performance undone but rather hasten my performance of the other that I may performe this also He that is not yet reconciled must not carry away his gift but leave it at the Altar v. 24. And goe and be reconciled and then come backe and offer his gift He that is not in charity or the like and so unfit to receive the Sacrament must not think it fit or lawfull for him to omit or neglect that receiving on that pretence or if he doe t' will be a double guilt but must hasten to recover himselfe to such a capacity that he may with cleane hands and heart thus come to Gods table whensoever he is thus called to it 3. That a penitent reconciled sinner may have as good confidence in his approaches to God as any Then come c. v. 24. 4. That the putting off or deferring of such businesses as these of reconciliation satisfaction c. 1. Is very dangerous And 2. The danger of them past reversing when it cometh upon us 5. That there is no way to prevent this but in time of life and health quickly instantly to doe it the next houre may possibly be too late Agree quickely whil'st thou art in the way v. 25. 6. That the punishment that expects such sinners is endlesse indeterminable the till thou hast paid v. 26. is not a limitation of time after which thou shalt come out any more then she had no children till she died is a marke or intimation of her having
children after death but a proposall of a sad payment which would never be done the paying of it would be a doing for ever S. I thanke you for these supernumerary meditations I hope they shall not be cast away upon me I shall detaine you no longer here but call upon you to proceed to the next period which I see to begin in like manner with a commandement of the old law Thou shalt not commit adultery and the same introduction to it which was to the former Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time which by what I before learn't of you I conclude should be to them of old time or to the ancient Jewes Exod. 20. 14. I shall propose 〈◊〉 more scruples in this matter but onely crave your directions for the maine what you conceive forbidden here in that old Commandement C. As in the former God by Moses restrained all the accursed issues of one kinde of sensuality so in this place of the other this of lust And naming the cheife kinde of breach that of Adultery i. e. lying carnally with a married woman he forbids also all other acts of uncleanenesse which are not conjugall Thus have some of the Jewes themselves interpreted the word and so in the Scripture and good Authors in common use adultery and fornication are taken promiscuously to signifie all manner of uncleanenesse Of which though some kinds seeme to have beene permitted the Jewes yet this permission is not to be conceived to extend any farther then the benefit of legall impunity not that they were lawfull or without turpitude Yea and that some kinds of them were by their law severely punished you shall see Deut. 22. But more severely by God himselfe as Numb 25. So that under the letter of that old Commandement are conteined not onely the knowne sinnes of adultery and fornication but all other kind of filthinesse mentioned Rom. 1. 24 26 27. v. 29. Where there are foure words which seem to conteine all sorts of it under them Fornication Villainy Immoderate desire Naughtinesse And so againe 2 Cor. 12. 21. Vncleanenesse fornication lasciviousnesse and Gal. 5. 19. Adultery fornication uncleanenesse lasciviousnesse and idolatry Which last word in that and other places seemes a word meant to conteine all such kinde of sinnes under it because they were so ordinary in the Idolatrous mysteries of the Heathens most of their rites and secrets of their religion being the practice of these filthy sinnes So Eph. 4. 19. 5. 3. in both which places as also before Rom. 1. 29. Col. 3. 5. The word there rendred Covetousnesse in the three latter and greedinesse in the first signifies that irregular desire and so those Heathenish sins which here also Col. 3. 5. are called Idolatry I would not give you any more particular account of these sinnes but desire God to fortify you with all care and vigilance against them grounded in a sence of hatred and detestation of them as of the greatest reproach to your nature greivance to the Spirit of God defamation of Christianity where ever they are to be found and the sinnes of such a nature that when they are once in any kinde indulged to they are apt to breake out into all the basenesse and vilenesse in the world and that in breife are called by Saint Peter abominable idolatrie 1 Pet. 4. 3. S. The Good Lord of all purity by the power of his sanctifying grace proserve me from all such taints to be a Temple for the Holy Ghost But what else is reducible to this Commandement of the law C. 1. All desires of these sins consented to although they break not out into act 2. All morose thoughts i. e. dwelling or insisting on that image or phansying of such uncleane matter with delectation 3. The feeding my lust with luxurious diet inflaming wines c. or other such fewell and accentives of it c. S. What now hath Christ added to this old prohibition C. You have it in these words That whosoever looketh after a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart S. What is the meaning of that C. That he that so lookes c. 1. Signifies his heart to be adulterous though himself be not either through want of opportunity c. 2. That he shall by Christ be censurable as the adulterer under the law S. But what is the full importance of looking on a woman to lust C. It is not to looke to that end that I may lust as some are willing to interpret here by this meanes making the looking sinfull onely in order to that end that lusting without designing of which they conceive the looking it selfe will be no fault but either to looke so long till I lust or else to satisfy my lust though not with the yeilding to the corporall pollution yet so farre as to feed my eye to gaze to dwell on the beauty of other women I shall give it you in the language of the Fathers who have thus interpreted it He that stands and lookes earnestly Theoph. He that makes it abusinesse to looke earnestly upon gallant bodies and beautifull faces that hunts after them and feeds his minde with the spectacle that nailes his eyes to handsome faces Chrys And againe Not he that desires that he may commit folly but lookes that he may desire And againe God hath given thee eyes that seeing the creatour thou mayest glorifie him and admire him As therefore there was an immoderation and fault in anger so in looking If saith he thou wilt looke and be delighted looke upon thine owne wife and love her continually but if thou lookest after other beauties thou dost both wrong her letting thy eyes rove otherwhere and thou wrongest her whom thou lookest on medling with her illegally For though thou touchest her not with thy hand yet with thy eyes thou doest To this Saint Peter referres 2 Pet. 2. 14. Eyes full of adultery there being an adulterous looke as well as an adulterous embrace the former forbidden by Christ as well as the latter by Moses S. I had not thought this prohibition of Christs had beene so severe but seeing it is the opinion of the ancient Fathers that the words are thus to be interpreted and that the feeding of the eye yeilding to satisfy that with unlawfull objects the beauty of any but our owne wives and the stirring up of fire within which is apt to be kindled by that meanes is here forbidden I shall no longer doubt of it but resolve and with Job make a Covenant with my eyes that I will not behold a maide i. e. please my selfe with the contemplation of her beauty and the Lord give me grace to make good this resolution But then if it be a fault thus to behold will it not be so also in the woman that is thus beheld as the patient in adultery sinnes as well as the agent