its corrupt and carnal state to a state of real and true holiness though imperfect in this life the mind renewed in saving-knowledg the will renewed by being subdued and made pliable to the will of God the affections renewed by being spiritualized or fixed upon spiritual good objects and so the memory conscience phancy c. as also the life because in this change a man becomes a new man The particular parts of which sanctification are 1. Mortification or a Believers being dead unto sin i. e. in his inclinations thoughts cares affections endeavours all which were before lively and strong towards sin 2. Vivification or a living unto righteousness i. e. being holy in all manner of conversation A. 36. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from Justification Adoption and Sanctification are assurance of Gods love peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost increase of grace and perseverance therein unto the end To. 1. Hom. ix p. 2. All those therefore have great cause to be full of joy that be joined to Christ with true faith stedfast hope and perfect charity and not to fear death nor everlasting damnation But rather contrariwise their godly conversation in this life and belief in Christ cleaving continually to his mercies should make them so long sore after that life that remaineth for them undoubtedly after this bodily death To. 2. Hom. xij Released from the burden of sin justified through faith in his blood and finally received up into everlasting glory there to reign with him for ever Expl. 36. By this first priviledg of assurance we are to understand not meerly a believers probable guess or conjecture or his hope and expectation to be saved but an infallible certainty or that which is called in Scripture the full assurance of faith concerning the love of God and the believers eternal salvation which certainty is built 1. Upon the infallible certainty of Gods promise to save those who do believe or accept of Christ as he is tendered in the Gospel 2. Upon the unquestionable evidence of the truth and reality of those graces unto which the promise of salvation is made 3. Upon the necessary connexion which there is betwixt the means and the end betwixt true and saving-grace and salvation it self 4. And upon the sure testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with the spirit or conscience of this or that particular believer by name that he is a Child of God Concerning which assurance these three things are to be noted 1. That there may be a true saving-faith where there is not the full assurance of faith It doth belong to a believer only but not to every believer 2. That it is every believers duty to look after this assurance to use his utmost endeavours to make his Calling and Election sure 3. Though this assurance may be darkened diminished and interrupted through sin or temptation yet it is ever accompanied with so much secret support to the soul as that it does keep the soul from total and final despair And so there is room left still for the second benefit sc. peace of conscience in which there is 1. Something privative sc. a very comfortable freedom not perfect and universal from that which Divines call trouble of mind arising from the apprehension of guilt and of the wrath of God and though in one who has this assurance the peace of his mind may be disturbed yet it is but disturbed and not absolutely lost as the peace of a State is not lost by every tumult whereby it is disturbed 2. There is something positive in this peace sc. that sweet calm and satisfaction which there is in the mind upon the attaining of this assurance Third benefit sc. Ioy in the Holy Ghost sc. a joy springing up in the soul from the comfort and certainty of his testimony and for the sweetness of his presence Fourthly growth of grace If not so observably in the leaf and fruit yet in the root like a plant in winter Perseverance in grace Not depending upon the mutability of mans will but upon the immutability of Gods decree and purpose to save the believer upon the unchangeableness of the Fathers love upon the purchase merit and intercession of the Son upon the abiding presence of the Holy Ghost together with the victorious efficacy of his grace in the soul and upon the stability of the Covenant of grace which is ordered in all things and sure A. 37. The Souls of Believers are at their death made perfect in holiness and do immediately pass into glory and their bodies being still united to Christ do rest in their Graves till the Resurrection Artic. xxij The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons is vainly feigned and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God Hom. vij Of Prayer p. 3. The soul of man passing out of the Body goeth straightways either to Heaven or else to Hell whereof the one needeth no prayer and the other is without redemption The Scripture doth acknowledg but two places after this life the one proper to the elect and blessed of God the other the reprobate and damned souls Expl. 37. At death Believers are made perfect in holiness 1. Negatively i. e. they sin no more from that very moment but are freed from sin for ever 2. Positively 1. The image of God is then perfect in the believers soul and the full bent of his will is to do the will of God as the Angels do it in heaven perfectly and without all reluctancy 2. It doth immediately enter into eternal life when it leaves the body and not into any middle state as that of Purgatory 3. Their bodies though separated from their souls for a time yet they do still remain unseparated from Christ and therefore do remain under his care whilst they sleep in the grave so that he will not lose any one member of them A. 38. At the Resurrection Believers being raised up in Glory shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment and made perfectly blessed in full enjoying of God to all Eternity To. 2. Hom. xiv The truth of this most Christian Article of the resurrection which is the ground and foundation of our whole Religion O most comfortable word evermore to be born in remembrance he dyed saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 15. to put away sin he rose again to endow us with righteousness by his resurrection hath he purchased life and victory for us opened the gates of heaven to enter into life everlasting to enjoy an inheritance immortal that never shall perish which is laid up in heaven for them that are kept by the power of God through faith set with himself among the heavenly Citizens above If thou hast received Christ in true faith with repentance of heart and full purpose of amendment thou hast received him for an everlasting
man perfectly innocent or free from sin since the fall Now that state of perfection which our first Parents lost and we in them did consist 1. In their conformity to God or in having his image stampt upon them in knowledg righteousness and holiness 2. In their perfect capacity and fitness to enjoy God their Creator 2 dly That the sin whereby they fell was direct disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit whether an Apple or whatever else and that against a particular positive express Precept thou shalt not eat of it which sin of theirs was a big-belly'd sin and carried in it 1. Pride and Ambition to be as Gods in the Devils sense i. e. in knowledg or know as much as God himself 2. Ingratitude for their priviledg and liberty to eat of all other trees of the Garden 3. Infidelity not giving that credit and belief to God which he did to Satan 4. This forbidden tree was the Seal of the Covenant of life and therefore to eat of it was to tear off the Seal A. 16. The Covenant being made with Adam not only for himself but for his Posterity all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation sinned in him and fell with him in his first transgression Homil. xij The judgment of everlasting death fell not only on him but also on his posterity and children for ever so that the whole brood of Adams flesh should sustain the self-same fall and punishment which their fore-father by his offence most fully had deserved Exp. 16. We have here two things to be considered 1 That Adam was not only the root of all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation he being the first that God created of that species but also the representative of mankind and did as a publick person stand for all his posterity in that Covenant of life which God made personally with him hence that common phrase that we were all in his loyns i. e. naturally as descending from him and legally as represented by him Not but that we were also in the loyns of Eve but that man being first created and of the more noble Sex is principally taken notice of both in the Covenant and in the Transgression For 2 dly we are here to observe that all mankind Christ the Son of God only excepted did sin in Adam By one sin entred into the world upon all for as much as all have sinned Some explain this by the example of Levi who is said to pay tythes in Abraham though Levi was not born some hundred years after Abraham did thus pay tythes So all Adams posterity which proceed from him in the ordinary course of nature may be said as well to sin in Adam though some of them might not be born some hundreds or thousands of years after him We know that the bonds and compacts of Parents may reach the Children else they could not be liable nor capable of enjoying their estates to pay their debts and the treason of the Parent doth legally taint the Son till it please the Prince to take it off And then further as the righteousness of Christ the second Adam and his obedience is imputed to all that believe so the disobedience of the first Adam is reckoned to the score of all his posterity because they were legally in him and one with him when he sinned A. 17. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery Homil. ii p. 1. Iob having in himself great experience of the miserable and sinful estate of man doth open the same to the world Chap. 14. Expl. 17. In this A. 't is observable that the fall did not only put our first Parents actually under misery but it did instate all his posterity in misery and did entail sin upon them as Ancestors do entail their Lands upon their posterity and if the second Adam had not by an act of infinite grace and wisdom cut off this entail in the behalf of believers all mankind must for ever have continued not only heirs and children of wrath as we are all by nature but also actually under the wrath of God for ever For this was all the estate that our first Parents left to their posterity sc. sin and misery A. 18. The sinfulness of that estate whereunto man fell consists in the guilt of Adams first sin the want of original righteousness and the corruption of his whole nature which is commonly called original sin together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it Artic. IX Original or birth-sin is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is ingendred of the off-spring of Adam whereby man is very far gone from original Righteousness and is of his own nature inclin'd to evil Expl. 18. There are four Particulars in this A. which do all suppose that Adam sin'd as a common Representative of all Mankind As 1. That the guilt of that single act of disobedience which Adam was guilty of is very justly imputed to all the degenerate and sinful race of Adam for that Covenant which was made with him being made with us also in him when he transgressed by eating the forbidden fruit we his posterity are to be looked upon as Accessaries and consenting to the fact and when he thus sinned it was as much as if all his posterity had sinned in their own persons 2 The want of original righteousness or the want of power and ability to do the will of God which man had by Creation for God made man upright that is in a capacity and with ability to do the whole will of God which ability was not taken away from man till he had foolishly and wilfully thrown it away 3. The corruption of the whole nature of man and that in every mothers child of us the Child Iesus only excepted For every one of us may truly say with David one by one Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me It being impossible that a clean thing should come out of an unclean Now because this corruption of nature is the fountain of all manner of sin both in thought word and deed therefore it is called original sin And then 4. All those corrupt streams which do proceed from this corrupt fountain are called actual sins by which I understand any action of a man whether it be an internal action of the mind and soul or external of the body which is not conformable to the Law of God as also the neglect and omission of any action whether internal or external which the Law requires A. 19. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God are under his wrath and curse and so made liable to all miseries in this life to death it self and to the pains of hell for ever Homil. xij As in Adam all men universally sinned so in Adam all men universally received the reward of their sin i.
to us and not to him but only as he was our Surety and all this that we might receive the adoption of Sons who deserved not to be called Servants That he who was Heir of all things and made this great house the World should be so unfurnisht with houshold goods as to have no better Cradle than a Manger 3. In his life he humbled himself to the infirmities of our nature as hunger cold nakedness poverty c. to undergo with admirable patience the unkindnesses and forsakings of his friends the reproaches indignities and persecutions of his enemies yea and to be tempted by that great enemy of mankind the Devil 4. In his death that he should dye at all who is the Author of natural spiritual and eternal life and besides could he not if he would have translated himself from earth to heaven as Enoch was translated without dying at all but then that the King of Glory should dye the â—ost shameful death that of the Cross and in the basest company betwixt two Theeves 5 After death in having his body laid in the earth who had before made the heavens and laid the foundation of the earth And last of all that he should continue under the power of death the grave for three days who could if he would within less than three moments yea in less time than a moment have raised his body from the grave O incomprehensible humiliation and that which should fill us all with grateful and astonishing admiration at it that all this was for sinful man A. 28. Christs Exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day in ascending up into heaven and sitting at the right hand of God the Father and in coming to judg the world at the last day Artic. IV. Christ did truly rise again from death and took again his body with flesh bones and all things appertaining to the perfection of mans nature wherewith he ascended into heaven and there sitteth until he return to judg all men at the last day To. 2. Hom. xiv After this world Judg as well of the living as of the dead to give reward to the good and judgment to the evil Hom. xvij p. 3. By him hath Almighty God decreed to dissolve the world to call all before him to judg both the quick and the dead and finally by him shall he condemn the wicked to eternal fire in hell and give the good eternal life and set them assuredly in presence with him in heaven for ever more Expl. 28. Christ is here exalted 1 st In his resurrection and here 1. The glory of his power was exalted for he raised himself by his own Almighty power and thereby declared himself to be the Son of God 2. The glory of his truth for he raised himself as he had foretold within three days 3. The glory of his authority for he rose as a publick person and thereby declared himself Head of the Church 4. The glory of his mercy for he rose again for our justification for if he had not received a discharge from his Father and had he not been released from the prison of the grave it would have been an evidence against us that our debt was not paid 2 dly He was exalted by his ascension 1. If we consider the manner of it it was with glorious triumph over hell and death 2. His ascension was into heaven namely into the heaven of heavens that which is called Paradise and the third Heaven whether Enoch and Elias went 3. In his bounty and grace he ascended that he might give gifts to men 3 dly Exalted in his sitting c. for his Session at the right hand of the Father doth declare him to be supreme Head of the Church 4 thly In judging the world he will be exalted 1. In his authority 2. In his righteousness A. 29. We are made partakers of the Redemption purchased by Christ by the effectual application of it to us by his holy Spirit Artic. xvij They which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God viz. Election be called according to Gods purpose working in due season they through grace obey the calling be freely justified c. Expl. 29. In this A. is plainly laid before us the manner how and means whereby all that Christ has done and suffered for sinners as Mediator and all that he is now doing in heaven for them doth become effectual to the compleat redemption and eternal salvation of all true Christians sc. by the real and actual application of all this unto them For though Christ the great Physitian of value has made the healing Plaister of his Blood sufficiently broad enough both to cover and to cure all the wounds that sin hath made in all the men in the world yet the far greater part of the world do dye and perish of their wounds because they will not suffer this soveraign Plaister to be apply'd to them in the sound preaching of the Gospel neither will they abide to have their wounds searched in order to cure Now for the manner how and the means whereby this Plaister is apply'd I answer 1. It is outwardly by the Ministers of the Gospel unto all those that do believe as when they preach this Doctrine that whosoever believeth shall be saved 2. Inwardly by the Holy Spirit who does not only lay on the Plaister in a work of conviction but doth make it become effectually healing in a work of conversion and sanctification For the means see the next A. A. 30. The Spirit applieth to us the Redemption purchased by Christ by working faith in us and thereby uniting us to Christ in our Effectual Calling Homil. II. Of the Passion As it profiteth a man nothing to have Sâ—lve unless it be well-applied to the part infected so the death of Christ shall stand us in no force unless we apply it to our selves as God hath appointed Almighty God commonly worketh by means and in this thing he hath also ordained a certain mean whereby we may take fruit and profit to our Souls health Homil. xvi p. 2. The Holy Ghost is a Spiritual and Divine Substance the Third person in the Trinity distinct from the Father and the Son and yet proceeding from them both doth regenerate which the more it is hid from our understanding the more it ought to move all men to wonder at the secret and mighty working of Gods holy Spirit which is within us For it is the Holy Ghost and no other thing that doth quicken the minds of men stirring up good and godly motions in their hearts which are agreeable to the will and commandment of God such as otherwise of their crooked and perverse nature they should never have Who is the only worker of our sanctification and maketh us new in Christ. Expl. 30. Here we have the particular means or instrument which the Holy Spirit makes use of for the
gage or pledg of thy salvation Rising with him by our faith we shall have our bodies likewise raised again from death to have them glorified in immortality and joined to his glorious body having in the mean while his holy Spirit in our hearts as a seal and pledg of our everlasting inheritance Expl. 38. At the resurrection of a Believer 1. There is a re-union of a soul which is free from corruption or sin to a glorified body that is incorruptible 2. These two parts being thus re-united in the very same individual person to whom they did belong before death will be actually capable at the resurrection of all that eternal bliss which Christ hath purchased and prepared for them 3. Then Christ will openly acknowledg own and approve every true Christian to be a part of his body mystical and that before his Father and all the holy Angels 4. The Believer then shall receive his general discharge and acquitment in a most solemn publick and triumphant manner from all manner of guilt whatsoever so as that none shall be able to lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect For though a Believer does receive his private discharge from all his sins at his death and as it were under the privy Seal yet his discharge is ratified confirmed and as it were enter'd into the publick Records at the day of Judgment CHAP. II. Of things to be done in the Ten Commandments with a short Explanation of 46 A. from 38 to 85. A. 39. THE duty which God requireth of man is obedience to his revealed Will. To. 1. Hom. V. The good works God hath commanded his people to walk in are such as he hath commanded in the holy Scripture and not such works as men have studied out of their own brain of a blind zeal and devotion without the word of God And by mistaking the nature of good works man hath most highly displeased God and hath gone from his Will and Commandments To. 2. Hom. X. p. 3. Mark diligently what his Will is you should do and with all your endeavour apply your selves to follow the same Expl. 39. By obedience to the revealed Will of God we are in the general to understand the conformity of our wills affections words and actions to the preceptive or commanding Will of God for all this is comprehended in that one Scripture Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man It is the will of Gods command which doth declare and require what is our duty but as for the secret will of Gods eternal purpose though it be a rule to himself whereby he acts yet it neither is nor can be the rule of our actions because not known to us nor indeed curiously to be enquired after nor is it barely the revelation of Gods will that makes it our duty to observe it but the revelation of it to this very end and purpose that man do willingly conform to it A. 40. The Rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the Moral Law To. 2. Hom. X. Let us esteem the holy Table of Gods Word appointed by him to instruct us in all necessary works so that we may be perfect before him in the whole course of our life To. 1. Hom. 1. p. 3. Such hath been the corrupt inclination of man ever superstitiously given to make new honouring of God of his own head and then to have more affection and devotion to keep that than to search out Gods holy Commandments and to keep them Which we should know to separate or sever Gods Commandments from the commandments of men In keeping the Commandments of God standeth the pure principal right honour of God and which wrought in faith God hath ordained to be the right trade and pathway to heaven Expl. 40. When it is here said that the Moral Law was at first i. e. in a state of innocency revealed to man i. e. to our first Parents in Paradise we are not to understand that this revelation was visible to the eye as afterwards the writing of it was in two Tables of Stone nor to be heard by the ear as when it was first given by God in Mount Sinai But it was at first revealed inwardly i. e. it was imprinted in the hearts and minds of our first Parents except that positive prohibition of eating the forbidden fruit yet being in a great part blotted out was afterwards written in two Tables of Stone A. 41. The Moral Law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments Ham. V. Christ rehearsing the Commandments declared that the Laws of God be the very way that doth lead to everlasting life and not the Traditions and Laws of men So that the works of the Moral Commandments of God be the very true works of Faith which lead to the blessed life to come To. 2. Hom. II. Containing the immutable Law and Ordinances of God in no age or time to be altered nor of any persons of any Nation of any age to be disobey'd Expl. 41. By a Law in the general we are to understand the Will of the Lawgiver requiring duty But here by the Moral Law we are to understand 1. More generally the revealed Will of God of what man is to believe and do in order to salvation 2. More particularly the Decalogue which is the sum of all Moral Laws which are scattered up and down in the Scripture And this Decalogue or Ten Words or Ten Commandments may be called Moral 1. Because of the universality of it for the Decalogue doth oblige all mankind it being that very Law for substance which was written in very legible Characters in the heart of Adam and is not quite blotted out of the minds of the veryest Gentiles in the world 2. It doth oblige at all times 3. The whole man for it requires as well the internal obedience of the soul and all its powers and faculties as outward obedience of the body A. 42. The sum of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul with all our strength and with all our mind and our neighbour as our selves Hom. 5. p. 3. Mark diligently what Gods will is that you should do and with all your endeavour apply your selves to follow the same 〈◊〉 You must have assured faith in God and give your selves wholly unto him love him in prosperity and adversity and dread to offend him ever more Then for his sake love all men Cast in your mind how you may do good unto all men to your power and hurt no man Expl. 42. The sum of these Ten Commandments or Ten Words we may take in one Word and 't is Love for Love is the fulfilling of the Law and this Love is threefold 1. To God and this must be in the highest degree or more than we are to love either our selves or neighbours yea this later love in
will be a means to come to a distinct sight of your own vileness and sinfulness as also if you are renewed how you ought to walk but that you can never merit Gods favour by the best works of the Law Yet you ought mightily to oppose the first motions and risings of any corruption in your hearts and carefully to avoid all such occasions as are likely to give advantages to those corruptions and betray you into their hands Mal. 4.4 Iam. 1.23 Rom. 7.7 Gal. 3.10 22. Iam. 2.10 3.2 1.25 Mat. 5.18 19. 1 Tim. 1.8 Rom. 4.2 Gal. 2.16 Luk. 17.10 Iam. 1.14 4.7 1 Thes. 5.22 Mat. 13.37 Mat. 26.41 7 Hereupon Enter into your Closets be convinc'd of sigh and mourn over your own impotency inability and unwillingness to come to Christ till you are effectually drawn Alas you find by comparing your selves with the Law that you are neither able nor willing of your selves to keep the Commandments but do daily break them in thought word and deed yea and with aggravating circumstances in the sight of God deserving his wrath and curse both in this and the future world Which may make you sit down and bemoan your low estate and cry out What shall we do to be saved Then Ioh. 6.44 45 65. 5.40 1 King 8.46 Ecclss. 7.20 Prov. 20.9 Col. 1.21 Gal. 5.17 2 Cor. 10.5 Isa. 46.8 Act. 2.37 16.30 8 Look up to Christ by an eye of faith trust to him alone and repent of your sinfulness which keeps you from God Consider him who hath satisfied Divine Justice as he is offered in the promises and give credit unto them which are in him Yea and Amen Put your affiance in him alone who is the Saviour for acceptance of your persons remission of your sins and obtaining of eternal life God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself your great great concern then is to receive him who saves his people from their sins resign up your selves unto him as Mediatour and through him unto God Be sorrowful after a godly sort for all that which offends him which is not only an outward forbearance of sin but a particular inward loathing and hatred of all sin as sin striving against it and endeavouring to mortifie it Act. 6.31 2.38 3.19 1 Ioh. 5.13 Phil. 3.7 8 9. Ioh. 3.14 15. 6.29 47. Act. 13.38 39. Isa. 28.12 Prov. 3.5 2 Cor. 5.19 Ioh. 1.12 Rom. 5.11 17. Mat. 1.21 Zach. 12.10 c. Act. 5.31 Psal. 119.104 97.10 Iam. 4.8 9 10. Act. 8.22 Col. 3.5 9 Be careful to observe the institutions of Christ and all his Ordinances as he hath prescrib'd Hear Read Receive the Sacraments as he hath appointed waiting for the Spirit who makes all means effectual Oh! delight to meet God in publick Ordinances and give up your selves to be ruled and directed by him therein And therefore take a very especial care for the due observance of the Lords-day which is appointed for the more solemn worshipping of God and the benefit of man to refresh him with heavenly things This you should spend in the Lords-work and not in worldly pleasures or profits I can assure you the Author of this Explanation did make great conscience hereof and express'd much distaste of those who did sleight or prophane it The last Sermons he preach'd were to urge a due observance of the Lords-day And on the Lords-day-morning a little before he departed hence He told us He was going to keep a Sabbath in heaven and here strangers did not intermeddle with his joy Mat. 28. ult Isa. 63.5 Psal. 19.8 Ioh. 5.39 Act. 26.18 Rom. 10.13 1 Cor. 3.7 12.13 Ier. 31.31 c. Col. 3.16 Mark 16.16 Luk. 22.19 20. Mark 2.27 Isa. 56.6 58.13 10 And lastly Be much in prayer to God through Christ in the Spirit which indeed should go before accompany and follow after daily mercies other duties and enjoyments You should constantly perform this Duty with all intention of mind and heartiness both in publick and your Families at all praying-seasons and more especially in secret which if you rightly do from a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned according to the Rule to measure our requests by to the honour of God in the Name of his beloved Son will keep up the life of Religion and be prevalent for a blessing upon all you take in hand and enjoy Mat. 26.41 42. Col. 4.1 Phil. 4.6 Mat. 6.6 Ioh. 15.16 16.23 26. Psal. 66.18 1 Ioh. 5.14 Heb. 4.16 Rom. 8.26 27. Psal. 92.1 2. 50.15 Thus My Friends I have as briefly as I could laid before you these Ten Directions to help you in your Christian practice agreeable to the materials more largely spoken to in the Book it self I earnestly intreat you to work them upon your hearts and set in heartily to practise by the prudent use of these Helps I have unto them affixed Texts of Scripture which do abundantly prove them It may be some of you will not only turn to them in your Bibles and read therein the proofs confirming each direction grounded for the main upon the Articles as these are upon Scripture but will take the pains to write out the Scriptures at large in a Paper-book as they fall under the general heads which would be a notable means to imprint them in your minds and deeply affect your hearts with the things and engage you to do as God in his word requires That you may all consent to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to godliness Fear God and keep his Commandments Be happy in knowing and doing of these things is that I aim at And believe it Friends If I my self do not in some measure endeavour through Christ enstrengthening me to live agreeable to these Directions I have now given to you I must expect the wrath of God should abide upon me And if you remain heedless and careless after you have received or rejected this Token of my love to your Souls it will be a Witness against you But Beloved I am perswaded better things of you That the God of Heaven may make you all wise unto salvation and bless these and all other endeavours for your spiritual temporal and eternal welfare is the unfeigned Prayer of Your Friend and Remembrancer from and unto God Ri. Adams Aug. 3. 1675. To the Reader Christian Reader TO promote that knowledg without which the mind is not good and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord I acknowledg my self to lye under the greatest obligations In order whereunto considering the necessity and usefulness of instructing souls distinctly in the Principles of Christian Doctrine i. e. those fundamental Truths on which life or death doth depend and wherein the very essentials and vitals of Christianity do consist and having by me this short and easie Explanation of those Catechetical Articles of Religion most generally received amongst us I thought good to publish it More especially
for the sakes of some in a remote Corner whose souls welfare I greatly desire where they want those helps some others enjoy many are poor others unacquainted with or loth to buy good books and where this particularly for the sake of the Author who drew his first breath there may likely be received with greater kindness and read with better care I am not ignorant that others have done well before both formerly and lately in oâ—e and another way for the explication of these common but greatest matters collected out of Holy Scripture and laid together in a small room by men of skill in the truest method that the weak may soon understand and remember them which I heartily rejoice in Yet had I been more timely considerate enough this might have appeared abroad e're some of those larger and much commended were published However now it cannot be unseasonable in this debauching age to contribute a further aid for the sound principling of hopeful youth Here likely will be some advantage either for matter or manner suggested which others have not took notice of for the opening or evidencing of Truth and recommending particulars as at one sight to our prospect Besides some may receive satisfaction and take pleasure to see here the Harmony and fair agreement of these Principles with those our Forefathers zealously profess'd to hold at the beginning of our Reformation from Popery in King Edward the Sixths and Queen Elizabeths days 'T is plain from a view of what is here annexed and presented to us as attesting these several Aphorisms or Propositions that the Articles and Homilies of the English Church under the particulars speak the same things These then are such Institutions of a Christian man as are consonant to Holy Writ the sober and wholesome Doctrines of those Protestants who liv'd in these Kingdoms before us and I hope will find entertainment with our posterity when we go to rest with our Fathers For I suppose it is easie to discern through all disingenuous aspersions that whoever drew them up in our age and by what warrant they are so far from being Novelties to Reformed English men that they materially had in the former age the Authority of a Convocation and an Act of Parliament Be sure the most learned and godly Primate Usher soon after their first publication did highly value them thus digested by several learned Divines in the order they be here explain'd And another very reverend and holy person yet alive in the Confession of his Faith printed twenty years ago cap. 2. S. 3. did declare He heartily approv'd of this Form of sound words and of all therein contain'd affirming that He took it for the best Catechism that ever he saw and the A. s contained for a most excellent sum of the Christian Faith and Doctrine and a fit Test to try the Orthodoxness even of Teachers themselves Such Testimonies might perhaps occasion this labour in the Explanation of them Which I do here present to you as the Author lest it penn'd for his own private use in his Catechetical teaching of those committed to him I liked not to make any addition or alteration though had he liv'd and ever thought of publishing it as it is not unlikely he might have done for the same charitable use it is now design'd no question but it would have been all better proportion'd enlarg'd and alter'd yea and if needful put into a more comely dress This I conceive was the only draught of it which I the rather intimate that if any defects or mistakes be found in this Explanatory Comment there may be no unkind reflection made upon him who went to Heaven some time since And whiles upon Earth shew'd himself both in the University and elsewhere to be one of good learning and true holiness a fervent preacher and real practiser of the Duties herein explain'd and particularly of so sweet and peaceful temper that his moderation was known unto all those who did familiarly converse with him There be other Notes of his with these left to my disposal and some of those practical Sermons upon some Texts of Scripture on which I find not any in the late printed Catalogues or but few to have treated which as they are desired earnestly by some so if they are by more thought useful may in time come abroad This such as it is will I hope be no disparagement to him that is gone but give us to understand he had clear Notions of the main points of Religion which he made his own business and which if they peculiarly young ones into whose hands it shall come be inclin'd cordially to embrace by the heedful reading and perusing hereof it will help to perpetuate the memory of the just deceased and be matter of rejoicing to his surviving Brother who is really desirous to serve you in love R. A. Aug. 2. 1675. In the Principles of Religion are considerable the I. End Gods glory and mans happiness A. 1. C. I. II. Means or Rule Scripture A. 2. requiring A. 3. I. Faith concerning God in his Essence A. 4 5. Subsistence A. 6. Operations which are his Decrees or purposes A. 7. the execution of them by Creation respecting All A. 9 11. Providence respecting Man A. 10 12. Man Created by God A. 13. Faln by sin describ'd in general A. 14. special from its act A 15. subject A. 16. effects sinfulness A. 17 18. misery A. 19. Restored by Grace where of the Covenant of Grace A. 20. Redeemer who is described A. 21. who became man A. 22. who executeth offices A. 23. of Priest A. 24. of Prophet A. 25. of King A. 26. both in his state of Humiliation A. 27. both in his state of Exaltation A. 28. Participation of the benefits of Redemption by the Spirit A. 29. in effectual Calling A. 30. where of the Nature of it A. 31. Benefits A. 32. in this life primarily Justification A. 33. Adoption A. 34. Sanctification A. 35. secondarily Assurance c. A. 36. at death A. 37. resurrection A. 38. II. Obedience to Gods revealed Will A. 39. C II. In the Law summ'd up in the Ten Commandments A. 40 41 42. wherein of The Preface A. 43 44. The Precepts I. A. 45 46 47. II. A. 48 49 50 51 52. III. A. 53 54 55 56. IV. A. 57 58 59 60 61 62. V. A. 63 64 65 66. VI. A. 67 68 69. VII A. 70 71 72. VIII A. 73 74 75. IX A. 76 77 78. X. A. 79 80 81. Mans impotency to perform this Duty A. 82 83 84. Gospel requiring and enjoining C. III. Graces A. 85. Faith A. 86. Repentance A. 87. Ordinances A. 88. Word How effectual A. 89. read heard A. 90. Sacraments How effectual A. 91. Describ'd A. 92. Divided A. 93. Baptism What A. 94. To whom A. 95. Lords Supper What A. 96. How received A. 97. Prayer described A. 98. C. IV. ruled by the Lords Prayer where in the Preface A. 100.
e. they became mortal and subject unto death having in themselves nothing but everlasting damnation both of body and soul. O what a miserable and woful state was this that the sin of one man should destroy and condemn all men that nothing in all the world might be lookt for but only pangs of death and pains of Hell Expl. 19. Concerning this A. 't is observable in the general That mans losses by the sall do reach as far as the guilt of that first disobedience whereby he fell namely to all mankind yet more particularly 1 st Adam lost and we in him and with him communion with God and the loss of this is a treble loss 1. Of Gods sweet and gracious presence and company and that in a most immediate manner as one friend is personally present with another 2. Of converse with God for whilst God and man were together in Paradise and man continued innocent their society was not like that of the Quakers in their Silent-Meetings but there would have continued such familiarity betwixt them as is betwixt two loving friends they would have walked together and talked together for if God did use that familiarity with Moses Exod. 33.11 since the fall much more would he have continued it with Adam and his posterity if they had never fal'n 3. From this sweet company and converse would have sprung up in the heart a continual satisfaction and delight to the soul of man for man yet continuing like God he could not but love him and delight himself in this sweet intercourse 2 dly The sinful posterity of Adam till interested in Christ are actually under the wrath of God for God is angry with the wicked every day and actually under the curse because under the Law not under Grace 3 dly Man in this state is continually liable to have the curse executed upon him every moment and has no protection at all either against the miseries of this life or the pains of hell A. 20. God having out of his meer good pleasure from all eternity elected some to everlasting life did enter into a Covenant of Grace to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer Artic. xvij Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laid he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them to everlasting salvation as vessels made unto honour Homil. xij Behold the goodness and tender mercy of God he ordained a new Covenant and made a sure promise thereof namely that he would send a Messias or a Mediator into the world which should make intercession and put himself as a stay between both Parties to pacifie the wrath and indignation conceiv'd against sin and to deliver man out of the miserable curse and cursed misery whereinto he was fal'n head-long by disobeying the will and commandment of the only Lord and Maker Expl. 20. In which A. we have 1 st Gods eternal purpose and absolute decree whereby he hath singled out or chosen some of mankind upon whom he is resolved to bestow eternal life and that out of his meer free grace without any foresight of faith obedience perseverance or any other condition as a cause or motive inducing him to make this choice nay the decree it self is not founded in the merits of Christ but purely in the love of God though as for all the blessed effects of this decree as reconciliation pardon justification adoption sanctification salvation c. are actually received and enjoyed by the elect only upon the consideration of the merits righteousness and satisfaction of Christ. Yet more distinctly and for order sake we may conceive of these two things in Gods decree of Election 1. Gods most wise design to advance the glory of his free-grace in bringing many sons to glory 2. That God of his free grace had singled and culled out a certain distinct number of persons for the enjoyment of this glory Now this very act of Gods picking and culling out those particular persons whom he designed to save is that we call very properly Election Neither did this grace of God only appear in making this choice and then in leaving his chosen ones to get eternal life and heaven as they could but 2 dly He did also pitch upon an effectual means or contrive a way whereby his chosen people should effectually and infallibly obtain eternal life and this was by entring into a Covenant of Grace with Christ the second Adam and the Mediator of the new Covenant and in Christ with all believers that whosoever should believe on the Son of God he would give unto them eternal life and that they should never enter into condemnation Hence I infer 1. That it is the free grace of God and not the free will of man that maketh one man to differ from another Paul from Iudas 2. That the praise and glory of this difference is to be ascribed not unto man but unto God Not unto us O Lord c. A. 21. The only Redeemer of Gods Elect is the Lord Jesus Christ who being the eternal Son of God became man and so was and continueth to be God and man in two distinct natures and one person for ever Artic. xviij They also are to be had accursed who presume to say that every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law and the light of Nature For the holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ whereby men must be saved Hom. x. p. 2. Reprobates perish through their own default Christ Jesus as he is a rising up to none other than those who are Gods Children by Adoption so is his word yea the holy Scripture the power of God to salvation to them only that do believe it Expl. 21. There are three things to be noted in this A. 1. That the Redeemer of Gods Elect is God as well as Man 2. Man as well as God 3. Both God and Man in one person 1. He is God for he is the Son of God not by Creation as Adam was nor by natural generation as we are all the Children of Adam but by eternal generation so as that God the Father who begat him was not before him in time And he was God that his Godhead might keep his humane nature from sinking under infinite wrath when he suffered for our sins that he might have power to raise himself from the grave and rescue himself out of the jaws of death that the dignity of his person might render his sufferings obedience intercession and satisfaction of infinite value and efficacy for the procuring of eternal life for his people and that