jurisdiction and authority Mat. 20. 19. Joh. 18. 31 32. as likewise to teach us that he appeared willingly and of his own accord before a mortall Judge of whom he was pronounced innocent and yet by the same he was condemned What comfort have you hereof That my Saviour thus suffering not any whit for his own sins but wholly for mine and for other mens sins before an earthly Judge I shall be discharged before the heavenly Judgement seat What did he chiefly suffer under Pontius Pilate He was apprehended accused arraigned mocked scourged condemned and crucified Mat. 26. 27. and 28. chapters What learn you here That he that knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Did Christ suffer these things willingly as he suffered them innocently Yes he laid down his life meekly as the sheep doth his fleece before the shearer being obedient even unto the death Luc. 23. 41. 1 Pet. 2. 22. Esa. 53. 7. Phil. 2. 8. Heb. 5. 8. Vnto what death was he so obedient Even unto the most reproachfull painfull and dreadfull death the death of the Crosse Mat. 27. 30. 38. Phil. 2. 8. Why was Christ put unto this death of the Crosse Because it was not a common death but such a death as was accursed both of God and man that so he being made a curse for us he might redeem us from a curse due unto us Deut. 21. 23. Gal. 3. 13. What comfort have you by this I am comforted in this because I am delivered from the curse which I have deserved by the breach of the law and shall obtain the blessing due unto him for keeping of the same Why was it requisite that our Saviours soul should be separated from his body Because we were all dead that so he might be the death of death for us 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Heb. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. for by sin death came into the world and therefore the Justice of God could not have been satisfied for our sins unlesse death had been joyned with his sufferings How could the death and sufferings of Christ which were but for a short time be a full satisfaction for us which have deserved eternall death Although they were not everlasting yet in regard of the worthinesse of the person who suffered them they were equivalent to everlasting torments forasmuch as not a bare man nor an Angel did suffer them but the eternall Son of God though not in his Godhead but in our nature which he assumed his person Majesty Deity Goodnesse Justice Righteousnesse being every way infinite and eternall made that which he suffered of no lesse force and value then eternall torments upon others yea even upon all the world besides For even as the death of a Prince being but a man and a sinfull man is of more reckoning then the death of an Army of other men because he is the Prince much more shall the death and sufferings of the Son of God the Prince of all Princes not finite but every way infinite and without sin much more I say shall that be of more reckoning with his Father then the sufferings of all the world and the time of his sufferings of more value for the worthinesse of his person then if all the men in the world had suffered for ever and ever What use are we to make of Christs death and passion 1. The consideration hereof may bring us to a sound perswasion and feeling of our sins because they have deserved so grievous a punishment as either the death of the Son of God or hell fire 2. Hereby we reap unspeakable comfort forasmuch as by his stripes we are healed by his bloud washed by his sacrifice God is satisfied and by his death we are saved and redeemed 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rev. 1. 5. Heb. 10. 10. 12. Rom. 5. 8 9 10. 3. We learn from hence to die to our sins and to live henceforth unto him that hath dyed for us Rom. 6. 2. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 15. What befell our Saviour after his soule was separated from his body He was buried Act. 13. 29 30. and went to Hades or as we commonly speak descended into hell Act. 2. 31. Why was it needfull that Christ should be buried 1. To assure us more fully that he was truly dead Mat. 27. 59 60. 94 65 66. Act. 2. 29. 2. That even in the grave the very fortresse of death he might loose the sorrows and bands of death Act. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 55. What is meant by his descending into Hell Not that he went to the place of the damned but that he went absolutely unto the estate of the dead Rom. 10. 7. Eph. 4. 9. What doe you call the estate of the dead That departing this life he went in his soul into heaven Luc. 23. 43. and was in his body under the very power and dominion of death for a season Acts 2. 24. Heb. 2. 14. Rom. 6. 9. What comfort have you by Christs death buriall and lying under the power of death 1. I am comforted because my sinnes are fully discharged in his death and so buried that they shall never come into remembrance 2. My comfort is the more because by the vertue of his death and buriall sin shall be killed in me and buried so that henceforth it shall have no power to reign over me 3. I need not to fear death seeing that sin which is the sting of death is taken away by the death of Christ and that now death is made unto me an entrance into his life Hitherto of his sufferings what is the other part of his satisfaction His perfect righteousnesse whereby he did that which we were not able to doe and absolutely fulfilled the whole law of God for us Ps. 40. 7 8. Rom. 3. 19. 5. 19. Why was it necessary that Christ should as well fulfill the Law as suffer for us Because as by his sufferings he took away our unrighteousnesse and freed us from the punishment due to us for our sins so by performing for us absolute obedience to the whole law of God he hath merited our righteousnesse making us just and holy in the sight of God and purchased eternall happinesse for us in the life to come 2 Cor. 5. 21. Gal. 4. 4 5. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 8. 3 4. For as we are made unrighteous by Adams sinne so are we made fully and wholly righteous being justified by a man that is God How manifold is the righteousnesse of our Saviour Two-fold Originall Actuall VVhat is his originall righteousnesse The perfect integrity and purenesse of his humane nature which in himselfe was without all guile and the least staine of corruption Heb. 7. 26. Being very man how could he be without sin The course of naturall corruption was prevented because he was not begotten after the ordinary course by man but was conceived in the
to bewail the losse of that happy estate with blaming our selves for our sin in Adam Thirdly to learn how grievous a thing sinne is in Gods sight that procured man this dolefull change Fourthly to labour and gasp to be heirs of the heavenly Paradise purchased for the elect by Christ by which we shall eat of the Tree of life Rev. 2. 7. Thus far of the state of innocency what is the state of corruption and misery The fearfull condition whereinto in Adam all mankind fell Eccles. 7. 29. by transgressing and violating that Covenant of works which God made with him at the beginning For man continued not in his integrity but presently transgressed that holy law which was given unto him willingly revolting from Gods command through Satans temptation into many sinnes by eating the forbidden fruit and so by the disobedience of one sin reigned unto death and death went over all Rom. 5. 12. 18. What are we then to consider herein First Adams fall Secondly the wretched estate he threw all his posterity into In what place of Scripture is the History of Adams fall handled In the third Chapter of Genesis the six former verses whereof setteth out the transgression of our first parents which was the original of all other transgressions the rest of the Chapter declareth at large the things that followed immediately upon this transgression How was the way made unto this fall of man By Gods permission Satans temptation mans carelesnesse and infirmity in yeelding thereunto What action had God in this businesse He permitted the fall of man not by instilling into him any evill Jam. 1. 13. 1 John 2. 16. or taking from him any ability unto good But first suffering Satan to assail him 2 Sam. 24. 1. with 1 Chron. 21. 1. Secondly leaving man to the liberty and mutability of his own will and not hindring his fall by supply of further grace 2 Chro. 32. 31. Was then God no cause of the fall of our first Parents None at all but as hath been said having created them holy he left them to themselves to fall if they would or stand if they would in respect of their ability as a staffe put on an end right doth fall without the furtherance of the man that setteth it right yet came it to passe not only by the permission of God but also by his secret Decree thereby to make way for the manifestation of his Power Justice and Mercy for being able to bring good out of evill as light out of darknesse he ordereth in his great Wisdome the fall of man to the setting out of the glory both of his mercy in those that shall be saved in Christ and of his Justice in those that shall perish for their sins Rom. 11. 32. yet without wrong to any being not bound to his creature to uphold him by his grace from falling Rom. 11. 35. What hand had Satan in procuring the fall of man Being himself fallen upon a proud envious and murtherous mind he deceived our first parents by tempting them to sinne to the end he might bring them into the like estate with himself and as in this respect he is said to have been a murtherer from the beginning Joh. 8. 44. so doth he ever since seek to do what hurt he can to mankind moving them still to sin against God and labouring to bring them to damnation What doe you observe herein His envy of Gods glory and mans happinesse together with his hatred and malice against mankind whom as a murtherer doth his enemy he hateth and laboureth to destroy What gather you from this attempt of his against our first parents in the state of Innocency That Satan is most busie to assail them in whom the image of God in knowledge and holinesse doth appear not labouring much about those which either lie in ignorance or have no conscience of walking according to knowledge as those that are his already What Instrument did Satan use in tempting man He used the Serpent as an Instrument to deceive the woman and the woman for an Instrument to tempt the man Gen. 3. 1. 2 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 14. Why did he use those outward Instruments and not rather tempt their fancy and affection inwardly It seemeth that in their integrity he could not have that advantage against them in those things whereunto they were made subject by their fall Why did he chuse rather to speak by a Serpent then by any other Beast Because it was the fittest that God permitted him and wisest of all the beasts of the earth especially possessed by him to deceive man Gen. 3. 1. It was of all other beasts the subtillest and fittest to creep into the Garden unseen of Adam who was to keep the beasts out of it and to remain there without being espyed of him and creep out again when he had done his feat If there were craft before the fall then it seemeth there was sinne Craft in beasts is not sin although the word here used signifyeth a nimblenesse and slinesse to turn and wind it self any way in which respect it seemeth the Devill chose this beast before any other What learn you from thence That the Devill to work his mischief is exceedingly cunning to make his choice of his Instruments according to the kind of evill he will solicite unto Matth. 7. 15. 2 Cor. 11. 13 14. 1 Tim. 2. 14. But wee doe not see that hee commeth any more in the body of Serpents He may and in the body of any other beast which the Lord will permit him to come in Howbeit our case in this is more dangerous then that of our first parents for now he useth commonly for Instruments men like unto us and familiar with us which he could not doe before the fall Eph. 6. 12. Rev. 2. 10. Why did Satan assail the woman rather then the man Because she was the weaker vessel which is his continuall practice where the hedge is low there to goe over Luk. 5. 30. Mar. 2. 16. Mat. 9. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 6. and might afterwards be a fitter means to deceive and draw on her husband What are we to consider in his tempting of the woman First the time which he chose to set upon her Secondly the manner of the temptation What note you of the time First that it was immediately or not long after the placing of them in that happy estate which teacheth how malicious the wicked one is who if he could let would not suffer us to enjoy any comfort either of this life or of that to come so much as one poor day Secondly that he came unto her when she was some space removed from her husband that hee that should have helped her from and against his wiles might not be present to heare their conference whence we learn that the absence of wives from their husbands who should be a strength unto them is dangerous especially that we absent not our selves from the means
the name of Adam was comprehended the man and the woman for by mariage two are made one and Moses calleth both the man and the woman Adam Gen. 5. 2. and last of all the Apostle used the word here signifying both man and woman What reason is there that all their posterity should take part with them both in their fall and in the wofull effect thereof It seemeth not to stand with the Justice of God to punish us for the sin that we never did Our first parents by Gods appointment were to stand or fall in that triall not as singular persons only but also as the head and root of all mankind representing the persons of all that should descend from them by naturall generation and therefore for the understanding of the ground of our participation with Adams fall two things must be considered First that Adam was not a private man in this businesse but sustained the person of all mankind as he who had received grace and strength for himself and all his posterity and so lost the same for all For Adam received the promise of life for himself and us with this condition if he had stood but seeing he stood not he lost the promise of life both from himself and from us and as his felicity should have been ours if he had stood in it so was his transgression and misery ours So that as in the second Covenant the righteousnesse of the second Adam Christ Jesus the Mediatour is reckoned to those that are begotten of him by spirituall regeneration even those that beleeve in his name although they never did it so in the first Covenant the sinne of the first Adam who herein sustained a common person is reckoned to all the posterity that descend from him by carnall generation because they were in him and of him and one with him Rom. 5. 15 16 17 18 19. Secondly that we all who are descended from Adam by naturall generation were in his loyns and a part of him when he fell and so by the law of propagation and generation sinned in him and in him deserved eternall condemnation therefore as two Nations are said to be in the womb of Rebekah Gen. 25. 23. and Levi to have paid tithes to Melchisedec in the loins of Abraham Heb. 7. 9 10. who was not born some hundred years after so is it here Thus we see that as by the act of generation in leprous parents the parents Leprosie made the childrens and the slavish and villanous estate of the parents is communicated unto all the off-spring for a man being a slave his progeny unto the hundred generation unlesse they be manumitted shall be slaves even so the naturall man howsoever he thinketh himself free yet in truth he is sold under sin and is the very servant of corruption and in that state shall for ever remain unlesse the Son doe make him free Joh. 8. 33 34. 36. Rom. 6. 17. 19 20. 7. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 19. We see also that great Parsonages rebelling against the King do not only thereby hurt and disgrace themselves but also stain their whole bloud and lose their honour and Inheritance from themselves and from their children for by our Law a man being attainted of High treason the attaint of bloud reacheth to his posterity and his children as well as he lose the benefit of his Lands and Living for ever unlesse the King in favour restore them againe as God in his mercy hath done unto us Then it appeareth that by propagation from our last parents we are become partakers of the sin of our first parents Even so and for the same transgression of our first parents by the most righteous Judgement of God we are conceived in sin and born in iniquity and unto misery Ps. 51. 5. for men are not now born as Adam was created but death doth reign over them also that sinned not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam Rom. 5. 14. that is over infants who are born in sin not by imitation but by an inherent corruption of sin even as we see the young Serpents and Wolves that never stung men or devoured sheep are notwithstanding worthy to die because there are principles of hurtfulnesse and poysonsomnesse in them How is it shewn that babes new born into the world have sin In that they are afflicted sundrily which they bewray by their bitter cries and in that they comming out of the mothers womb goe straight into the grave What is then the naturall estate of man Every man is by nature dead in sin as a loathsome carrion or as a dead corps and lieth rotting and stinking in the grave having in him the seed of all sins Eph. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 6. For the fuller understanding of the state of sin and the consequents thereof declare first what sin is It is defined in one word 1 Joh. 3. 4. to be the transgression of the law namely a swerving from the law of God making the sinner guilty before God and liable to the curse of the law Gen. 4. 7. Seeing by the law sinne is and the law was not before Moses Rom. 5. 13. it seemeth there is no sin untill Moses When it is said the law was not before Moses it is to be understood of the law written in the Tables of stone by the finger of God and other laws Ceremoniall and Politicall written by Moses at the commandement of God for otherwise the law the Ceremoniall law excepted was written in the heart of man and for the decay therof through sin taught by those to whom that belonged from the fall unto Moses Is every breach of the Law of God sin Yea if it be no more but the least want of that God requireth Rom. 7. 7. Gal. 3. 10. And doth every sin the very least deserve the curse of God and everlasting death Yes verily because God is of infinite Majesty and dignity and therefore what so toucheth him deserveth endlesse wrath wherefore Purgatory and our owne satisfaction for small sinnes is vain How many sorts of sins are there Sin is either imputed or inherent the one without us and the other within us What is the sin Imputed Our sin in Adam in whom as we lived so also we sinned for in our first parents as hath been shewed every one of us did commit that first sinne which was the cause of all other and so we all are become subject to the imputation of Adams fall both for the trasgression and guiltinesse Rom. 5. 12. 18. 19. 1 Cor. 15. 22. What sins are Inherent in us They doe either defile our nature or our actions the one called Originall sin the other Actuall Col. 3. 9. For every one naturally descending from Adam beside the guilt of that first sin committed in Paradise first is conceived and born in original corruption Ps. 51. 5. Secondly living in this world sinneth also actually Gen. 6. 5. Esay 48. 8. yea of
2 Cor. 4. 4. Heb. 2. 14. Luke 11. 21 22. How may a man know whether Satan be his God or no He may know it by this if he give obedience to him in his heart and expresse it in his conversation And how shall a man perceive this obedience If he take delight in the evill motions that Satan puts into his heart and doth fulfill the lusts of the Devil Joh. 8. 44. 1 Joh. 3. 8. What is that slavery whereby a man is in bondage to the flesh A necessity of sinning but without constraint untill he be born again by the grace of God Mat. 12. 33 34 35. If we sin necessarily and cannot but sin then it seemeth we are not to be blamed Yes the necessity of sin doth not exempt us from sin but only constraint What punishments are inflicted upon sinfull man after this life A twofold death Which is the first death Bodily death in the severall kindes namely the separation of the soul from the body Gen. 3. 19. Eccl. 12. 7. Rom. 5. 12. Wherein consisteth the second death 1. In an everlasting separation of the whole man from the favourable presence and comfortable fellowship of Gods most glorious Majesty in whose countenance is fulnesse of joy 2. Perpetuall imprisonment in the company of the Devill and Reprobates damned in hell 3. The most heavy wrath of God and unspeakable torments to be endured in hell fire world without end 2 Thess. 1. 9. How doth this death seize upon man 1. After this life is ended the soule of the wicked immediately is sent unto hell there to be tormented unto the day of Judgement Luk. 16. 22 23. 2. At the day of Judgement the body being joyned to the soule againe both shall be tormented in hell everlastingly Matth. 10. 28. so much also the more as they have had more freedome from pain of body and anguish of soule and losse of outward things in this life Is the punishment of all sins alike No for as the guilt increaseth so doth the punishment and as the smallest sin cannot escape Gods hand so as we heap sins he will heap his judgements John 19. 11. Mat. 11. 20 21 22 23 24. But God is mercifull He is indeed full of mercy but he is also full of righteousnesse which must fully be discharged or else we cannot be partakers of his mercy Cannot we by our own power make satisfaction for our sins and deliver our selves from the wrath of God We cannot by any meanes but rather from day to day increase our debt for we are all by nature the sons of wrath and not able so much as to think a good thought therefore unable to appease the infinite wrath of God conceived against our sins Could any other creature in heaven or earth which is onely a creature perform this for us No none at all for first God will not punish that in another creature which is due to be paid by man Secondly none that is onely a creature can abide the wrath of God against sinne and deliver others from the same Thirdly none can be our Saviour but God Could man by his own wisdome devise any thing whereby he might be saved No for the wisdom of man can devise nothing but that which may make a further separation betwixt God and him VVhat then shall become of man-kind is there no hope of salvation shall all perish then surely is a man of all creatures most miserable when a dog or a toad die all their misery is ended but when a man dieth there is the beginning of his woe It were so indeed if there were no meanes of deliverance but God in his infinite wisdome and mercy hath found out that which the wisdome of man could not and provided a Saviour for mankind How then is man delivered from this sinfull miserable estate Sinne is repressed and misery asswaged by many meanes naturall and civill but they are not removed nor man restored but onely by a new Covenant the old being not now able to give life unto any by reason of the infirmity of our flesh VVhy is the former Covenant of works called the old Because we not onely cannot doe it but through the perversenesse of our nature and not by the fault of the Law it maketh our old man of sin elder and we more hasting to destruction How are they convinced that seek righteousnesse by this Covenant Because thereby they make God unjust and that he should thus give the Kingdome of heaven to wicked men as to those that cannot fulfill the Law Seeing the nature of a Covenant is to reconcile and joyne those together that are at variance as we see in the example of Abraham and Abimelech Laban and Jacob why is this called a Covenant that can make no reconciliation betwixt God and us Although it be not able to reconcile us yet doth it make way for reconciliation by another Covenant neither is it meet strictly to bind Gods Covenant with men to the same Lawes that the Covenants of one man with another are bound unto For amongst men the weaker seeketh reconciliation at the hand of the mightier Luk. 14. 31 32. But God neither able to be hurt or benefitted by us seeketh unto us for peace 2 Cor. 5. 20. VVhether of these two Covenants must be first in use The Law to shew us first our duty what we should doe Secondly our sin and the punishment due thereunto How is that other Covenant called whereby we are reconciled unto God and recovered out of the state of sin and death The new Covenant so called because by it we are renued the Covenant of grace of promise of life and salvation the new Testament the Gospell c. Ier. 31. 31 32. Rom. 3. 23 24. What is the Covenant of grace Gods second contract with man-kind after the fall for restoring of him into his favour and to the estate of happinesse by the meanes of a Mediatour Gal. 3. 21 22. and it containeth the free promises of God made unto us in Jesus Christ without any respect of our deservings VVho made this Covenant God alone for properly man hath no more power to make a spirituall Covenant in his naturall estate then before his creation he had to promise obedience How are they convinced by the giving of this second Covenant which seek righteousnesse in the Law or old Covenant Because thereby they make God unwise that would enter into a new and second Covenant if the former had been sufficient Heb. 8. 7. When was this Covenant of Grace first plighted between God and man Immediately after his fall in Paradise in that promise given concerning the womans seed Gen. 3. 15. God in unspeakeable mercy propounding the remedy before he pronounced sentence of Judgment Was it once only published It was sundry wayes declared in all ages partly by ordinary means and partly by Prophets extraordinarily sent and directed by God What is the foundation of this Covenant The meer
mercy of God in Christ whereby grace reigneth unto life through the obedience of one which is Jesus Christ. Rom. 5. 21. For there being three persons of the Trinity the Father sent his Son to accomplish the work of our Redemption and both of them send the Holy Ghost to work saving grace in our hearts and apply unto our soules the holinesse purchased by the Son of God What is promised therein The favour of God and everlasting salvation with the means thereof as Christ and in him Conversion Justification and Sanctification What is the condition on mans part The gift being most free on Gods part nothing is required on mans part but the receiving of grace offered which is done in those that are of capacity by Faith in Christ John 1. 12. 14 15. Acts 16. 31. whence followeth new obedience whereby the faithfull walk worthy of the grace received and this also is by Gods grace What then is the summe of the Covenant of grace That God will be our God and give us life everlasting in Christ if we receive him being freely by his Father offered unto us Jer. 31. 33. Acts. 16. 30 31. John 1. 12. How doth this Covenant differ from that of works Much every way for first in many points the Law may be conceived by reason but the Gospell in all points is farre above the reach of mans reason Secondly the Law commandeth to doe good and giveth no strength but the Gospell enableth us to doe good the Holy Ghost writing the Law in our hearts Jer. 31. 33. and assuring us of the promise that revealeth this gift Thirdly the Law promised life onely the Gospell righteousnesse also Fourthly the Law required perfect obedience the Gospell the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 3. 21. Fifthly the Law revealeth sin rebuketh us for it and leaveth us in it but the Gospell doth reveale unto us the remission of sins and freeth us from the punishment belonging thereunto Sixthly the Law is the ministery of wrath condemnation and death the Gospell is the ministery of grace Justification and life Seventhly the Law was grounded on mans own righteousnesse requiring of every man in his own person perfect obedience Deut. 27. 26. and in default for satisfaction everlasting punishment Ezek. 18. 14. Gal. 3. 10. 12. but the Gospell is grounded on the righteousnesse of Christ admitting payment and performance by another in behalfe of so many as receive it Gal. 3. 13 14. And thus this Covenant abolisheth not but is the accomplishment and establishment of the former Rom. 3. 31. 10. 4. Wherein doe they agree They agree in this that they be both of God and declare one kind of righteousnesse though they differ in offering it unto us What is that one kind of righteousnesse It is the perfect love of God and of our neighbour What thing doth follow upon this That the severe Law pronounceth all the faithfull righteous forasmuch as they have in Christ all that the Law doth aske But yet those remaine transgressors of the Law They are transgressors in themselves and yet righteous in Christ and in their inward man they love righteousnesse and hate sin What are we to consider in the Covenant of Grace The condition 1. Of the Mediatour 2. And then of the rest of mankind In the former consisteth the foundation of this Covenant The performance whereof dependeth on Christ Jesus Acts 10. 43. 3. 24. Rom. 1. 3. 4. To the latter belongeth the application thereof for salvation unto all that will receive it 2 Cor. 5. 20. Mat. 6. 33. When was the Mediatour given 1. If we regard Gods decree from all eternity Eph. 1. 4. 2. If the vertue and efficacie of his Mediation as soon as need was even from the beginning of the world Rev. 13. 8. 3. If his manifestation in the flesh in fulnesse of time Gal. 4. 4. 1 Tim. 2. 6. from whence we reckon now 1643. yeares Who is this Mediatour between God and man Jesus Luk. 2. 11. Mat. 1. 21. 1 Tim. 2. 5. the Son of the Virgin Mary the promised Messias or Christ whom the Fathers expected the Prophets foretold John 1. 45. 8. 56. Whose life death Resurrection Ascension the Evangelists describe Joh. 1. 1. Act. 1. 1. Whose word preached unto this day subdueth the world 1 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. Finally whom wee look for from heaven to bee the Judge of quick and dead Acts 10. 42. What doe the Scriptures teach us touching Christ our Mediatour Two things first his person Joh. 1. 14. 3. 33. Secondly his office Esa. 61. 1 2. Luk. 4. 18. What is his Person The second Person in the Godhead made man John 1. 14. What have we to consider herein First the distinction of the two natures Secondly the hypostaticall or personall union of both into one Immanuell What be those two natures thus wonderfully united in one person First his divine nature or Godhead which maketh the person Secondly his humane nature or Manhood which subsisteth and hath his existence in the person of the Godhead and so we beleeve our Saviour to be both the Son of God and the son of man Gal. 4. 4. Luk. 1. 31 32. Rom. 1. 3 4. 9. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Mat. 26. 24. What say you of him touching his Godhead I beleeve that he is the only begotten Son of the most high and eternall God his Father His Word Wisdome Character and Image begotten of his substance before all worlds God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made finally God coessentiall coeternall and coequall with the Father and the Holy Ghost Why call you him the onely begotten Sonne of God Because he is the alone Son of God by nature even the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth John 1. 14. 3. 18. For though others be the Sons of God by Creation as Adam was and the Angels Job 1. 6. Others by Adoption and Regeneration as the Saints and the man Christ Jesus in another respect by hypostaticall union yet none is his Son by naturall generation but the same Christ Jesus and that in regard of his Godhead not of his Manhood according to the Apostle who saith that he is without Father according to his Manhood and without Mother according to his Godhead Heb. 7. 3. But it seemeth that he is called the Sonne of God in respect of the generation of his humane nature wherein it is said that the Holy Ghost did that which Fathers doe in the naturall generation especially seeing he is therefore said to be the Sonne of the Highest Luk. 1. 35. He is the naturall Sonne of God onely in regard of the eternall generation otherwise there should be two Sonnes one of the Father and another of the Holy Ghost but he is therefore called the Sonne of the Highest for that none could be so conceived by the Holy Ghost but he that is the
speakings Prov. 12. 18. yet men in authority may use such tearmes as the sinne of those with whom they deale doth deserve What use are you to make of all this That according to the counsell of Saint Paul we see that no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers Ephes. 4. 29. that our speech be alwayes gracious seasoned with salt that we may know how we ought to answer every man Col. 4. 6. For as flesh in Summer if it be not poudred with salt will smell so will it be with them that have not their hearts seasoned with the word of truth And thence for want of care proceed angry wrathfull and loathsome speeches against our brother which are in the Scripture compared to Iuniper coales which burne most fiercely Psal. 120. 4. or to the pricking of a sword or a razor which cutteth most sharply Prov. 12. 18. Psal. 52. 2. Whereupon the tongue is by Saint James said to be an unruly evill set on fire of Hell Jam. 3. 6 8. We ought therefore to governe our tongues by the Word of God and take heed of vile speeches So much of our Gestures and our Words what is required in our deeds 1. That we doe good to our Neighbours so far as our power and calling will suffer 2. That we visit and comfort him in sicknesse and affliction Mat. 25. 36. Jam. 1. 27. 3. That we give meat drinke and cloth to the poore and needy 4. That we give reliefe to the distressed and succour to the oppressed Iob 29. 15 c. 5. That we foresee and prevent mischiefs before they come 6. That we rescue our Neighbour from danger and defend him with our hands if we can if we may What be the contrary sins forbidden 1. Oppression and cruelty in withdrawing the meanes of life Iam. 5. 4. as by usury and by letting out of land so that men cannot live by it c. 2. Not looking unto the sicke and those that be in distresse 3. Neglect of Hospitality especially to the poore which by the Commandement of God must be provided for 4. Not preventing mischiefe and turning away all stroaks from our Neighbours so much as in us lieth 5. Extremity and Cruelty in punishing where the correction is excessive Deut. 25. 3. 2 Cor. 11. 29. or is not inflicted in love of Iustice Deut. 16. 19 20. 6. All angry and despitefull striking how little soever it be 7. Fighting smiting wounding or maiming of the body of our brother or neighbour Iam. 4. 1. Lev. 24. 19 20. 8. The indangering or taking away of his life How is this done Either directly or indirectly How indirectly 1. When one defendeth himselfe with injury or purpose of revenge or to hurt his adversary and not onely to save himselfe Rom. 12. 21. Exod. 22. 2 3. 2. When women with childe either by mis-diet or streine by reaching violent exercise riding by Coach or otherwise and much more by dancing either hurt the fruit of their wombe or altogether miscarry 3. When children begotten in Fornication or Adultery are committed to them to keep which have no care of them 4. When those to whom it appertaineth doe not punish the breach of this Commandement Num. 35 31 32. Prov. 17. 15. 5. Keeping of harmfull beasts Exod. 21. 29. 6. All dangerous pastimes 7. When things are so made that men may take harme by them or such care is not had of them that ought to be as when the high-wayes and bridges are not mended or when staires are so made that they are like to hurt either children servants or others when Wells and Ditches or any such like dangerous places are not covered or fenced Exodus 21. 33. whereunto belongeth that the Lord commanded the Israelites to have Battlements upon their houses Deut. 22. 8. How directly When a man without a Calling doth actually take away the life of his brother Gen. 9. 6. otherwise then in case of publick Iustice Iohn 7. 19. just warre Deut 20. 12 13. or necessary defence Exod. 22. 2. How many sorts of this direct killing are there Three First Chance-medly Secondly Man-slaughter Thirdly Wilfull murther What is that which we call Chance-medley When it is simply against our will and we thinke nothing of it as he which felleth a tree and his Axe head falleth and hurteth and killeth a man Deut 19 4 5 which is the least sinne of the three and by mans Law deserveth not death and therefore by the Law of Moses in this case the benefit of Sanctuary was granted Exod. 21. 13. But how appeareth it to be a sinne at all 1. Because by the Law of Moses the party that committeth this â—act was to lose his liberty untill the death of the high Priest to signifie that he could not bee freed from the guilt thereof but by the death of Iesus Christ the great high Priest 2. Because it is a fruit of the sin of our first Parents who if they had stood in that integrity wherein God created them such an act as this should never have happened 3. Because there is some impudency in him that doth it and want of consideration What should this teach us To take heed of all occasions that may make us guilty of this sin What doe you account Man-slaughter When one killeth another in his owne defence whereunto also may be added If one should kill a man at unawares in hurling stones to no use Or if a drunkard in reeling should fell another whereof he should dye for this is different from that which commeth by chance-medley when a man is imployed in a good and lawfull worke What thinke you of killing one another and challenges to the field It deserveth death by the law of God and man What is wilfull Murther When a man advisedly wittingly and maliciously doth slay or poyson his Neighbour which is a sin of a high nature and at no hand by the Magistrate to be pardoned because thereby the Land is defiled Gen. 9. 5 6. Hos. 4. 2 3. Numb 35. 31 33 34. Deut. 21. 2 7 8 9. What reasons are there to set out the detestation of this sin 1. If a man deface the Image of a Prince he is severely punished how much more if he deface the Image of God Gen. 9. 6. 2. By the law of Moses if a beast an unreasonable creature had killed a man it should be slaine and the flesh of it though otherwise cleane was not to be eaten Exod. 21. 28. 3. By the same law if this sin goe unpunished God will require it at the place where it was committed and at the Magistrates hands Numb 35. 33. Hitherto of the duties of this Commandement belonging to the person of our Neighbour while he is alive What are they after his death They either concerne himselfe or those that pertaine to him What are the duties
unlawfull They who have no Calling are unprofitable burdens to the Common-wealth and like pernicious humours in the body Who are these First sturdy beggers and rogues who can worke and will not but live upon other mens labours which kinde of people are not to be suffered in a Common-wealth For though we shall have the poore alwayes Deut. 15. 11. Mat. 26. 11. yet there ought to be no beggers and inordinate walkers who eate labour not 2 Thes. 3. 10 12. Secondly idle and superfluous Gentlemen who having no Calling spend all their time in pleasure hunting hawking revelling gaming c. Thirdly such as thrust themselves into such Callings for which they are altogether unfit and so steale the rewards and profits of it to which they have no right What are unlawfull Callings Those that have no warrant out of Gods Word or the Lawes of the Land as those that live by unlawfull Arts as Whores Bawdes Deut. 23. 17 18. Witches Wizards Deut. 18. 11 12. Stage-playes Beare-wards Gamesters and the like What is opposed to lawfull labour in our Callings An idle life which as it is condemned in the seventh Commandement as being a cause and incentive of lust so here as a companion and cause of theft Eph. 4. 28. Prov. 18. 9. For sloth causeth beggery and this stealing Prov. 6. 11. 28. 19. 30. 9. What are the kinds of unjust getting out of Contract They are two 1. Theft 2. Rapine or Robbery Lev. 19. 13. Both which men may commit either as principals or accessaries What is Theft The fraudulent taking of another mans goods against the knowledge or the will of the owner which is the sin that is chiefly forbidden in this Commandement and comprehendeth under it all the rest which is a great sin strictly forbidden by God Lev. 19. 11. and severely punished Zach. 5. 3 4. 1 Cor. 6. 10. and by our Lawes also made Capitall What are the kinds of Theft They are either Domesticall and in the Family or out of the Family Thefts in the Family are either of the wife or children or of servants What is the Theft of the Wife When she purloineth her Husbands goods either without his knowledge or against his will For howsoever she have a right unto them in respect of use yet the propriety belongeth only to the Husband What is the Theft of the Children When they take away their Parents goods either without their privity or against their will For howsoever Children thinke this to be no Theft yet Salomon saith otherwise Proverbs 28. 24. Whoso robbeth his Father or his Mother and saith it is no transgression the same is the companion of a destroyer What is the Theft of Servants When they are unfaithfull or wastfull unfaithfull when as they purloine their Masters goods John 12. 6. Tit. 2. 10. or are idle and negligent in their service or run away from them as did Onesimus Philem. 12. or give away their goods without their knowledge and consent though it be to good uses Wastfull when as they wastfully and riotously consume their Masters substance How is Theft that is committed out of the Family distinguished It is either of goods or of persons of goods either common and sacred and those either private or publick Private are such goods as belong to private men whether it be Cattell money or any thing that is money worth What is the Theft of publick things When things are stollen which belong to the publick State or Body of the Common-wealth which is more hainous and capitall then that which is committed against a private man And in this kinde inclosures of Commons are to be reputed as theft Prov. 23. 10 11. What is the Theft of sacred things When things consecrated to an holy and sacred use are purloined and embezeled the which we usually call Sacriledge As when the utensils and instruments of divine Worship are stollen when the Lands or Tythes devoted unto God for the maintenance of his Ministers are imbased withheld or taken away Mal. 3. 8. In which kind the chiefe offenders are corrupt Patrons who having only the right of presentation of fit persons doe incroach upon part of the Tythes or sell Church-Livings for money and also Proprietaries who seise upon Church-Livings devoted ro the maintenance of the Ministry and convert them to their owne proper and private use And finally the Court Harpies who seise upon the Revenues of the Church by preferring of unworthy idle and ambitious men What doe you thinke of this sin That it is most hainous seeing such as commit it rob God himselfe Mal. 3. 8. and thereby bring his heavy curse upon them vers 9. As we see in the example of Achan Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar Ananias Sapphira and the rest What is the Theft of Persons It is an hainous sin punished by the Law of God with death Exod. 21. 16. Deu. 24. 7. As being so much worse then the theft of goods as the persons of men are better then they Mat. 6 25. And this is committed by such as steale men or children to sell them for slaves and by lustfull or covetous wooers who steale mens daughters to make them their wives You have spoken of Theft properly so called VVhat is the other kind which is more improper Rapine which is a violent taking away of another mans goods which is done either for his profit who taketh or to his losse from whom it is taken And the former is committed under the pretext of Authority and legall power or else without it The former are publick theeves of which Salomon speaketh Prov. 21. 7. which are worse then common theeves and shall be more severely punished Wisd. 6. 6. because their sin is aggravated by the abusing of their Authority and because commonly violence and cruelty is joyned with it Zeph. 3. 3. Ezek. 22. 27. Mica 3. 2 3. Esa. 3. 14 15. What is this Theft called Oppression and Extortion when a man spoyleth his neighbour under colour of Law as Ahab and Jezabel did Naboth 1 Kings 21. What is that Rapine which is committed without any pretext of Authoritie It is either in Warre or in Peace In Warre either by Land when Souldiers being not content with their pay doe spoyle and plunder not onely their enemies but also their friends Deut. 2. 5 6. Luke 3. 14. Or by sea when as Pirats they rob and spoyle all they meet with and can master What is that Rapine which is exercised on the Land It is either robbery by the high-way Luke 10. 30. John 18. and last verse or Burglary when as they break open houses that they may rob the inhabitants Are there no other to be esteemed Theeves but those onely who act theft themselves Yes They also who are accessaries Psal. 50. 18. and doe consent to the theft of others And these thefts are common to all or proper to Superiours The former is committed before with or after the theft How
23. And first that it doe not admit any evill concupiscence Secondly that if it be admitted it be not retained And this care must be taken both when wee be awake that we keep our mindes intent unto lawfull and good things Matth. 12. 44. And when we goe to sleep that by hearty prayer we commend them to Gods keeping But what if the heart have admitted evill concupiscences We must strive and fight against them and never be at rest untill we have cast them out and extinguished them What further is required to the conserving of the heart in purity In the third place we must observe our sences that they doe not bring into our mindes such objects as being apprehended will stirre up in us evill concupiscence Gen. 3. 6. 6. 2. Josh. 7. 21. 2 Sam. 11. 2. Matth. 5. 28. Job 31. Psal. 119. 37. What are the speciall meanes to suppresse or take away the concupiscence of the eyes First we must mortifie selfe-love and not seek our owne but every man anothers wealth 1 Cor. 10. 24. Secondly we must pull out the eyes of envy Thirdly we must labour after contentation Phil. 4. 11. And to this end consider First how many want those good things which thou enjoyest who are farre more worthy of them Secondly thine owne unworthinesse of the least of Gods benefits Thirdly meditate on Gods providence and fatherly care who provideth all things necessary for thy good and salvation What doe you learne from this Commandement thus expounded That it is most impossible for any man to keep it For who can say that his heart is cleane from the first motions of sinne and concupiscence that goe before consent Prov. 20. 9. To what purpose serveth the knowledge of this impossibility To humble us in the sight and sense of our sinnes which have made us subject to the wrath of God and the curse of the Law that so despairing in our owne merits we may be driven out of our selves and with more ardent desire flye unto the mercies of God in the satisfaction and obedience of Iesus Christ. What other use are we to make of it That being by Christ freed from the curse of the Law we study and endeavour to conforme our selves our soules and lives according to the prescript rule of this holy and most perfect law Matth. 5. 48. and that mortifying the flesh with all the carnall concupiscences and lusts of it we be dayly more and more renewed unto the Image of God in all holinesse and righteousnesse and walke worthy of our high calling as it becommeth Saints Eph. 4. 1. Hitherto we have treated of the rule and square of our Sanctification viz. The ten Commandements Now wherein is the effect or exercise of Sanctification seene IN unfeigned repentance and new obedience springing from thence For the fruits of Sanctification are First inward vertues whereby all the powers of the minde are rightly ordered Secondly the exercise of the same by putting those heavenly and sanctified abilities to holy use and service If then the exercise of Sanctification be first seen in repentance what is repentance An inward and true sorrow for sinne especially that we have offended so gracious a God and so loving a father together with a setled purpose of heart and a carefull endeavour to leave all our sinnes and to live a Christian life according to all Gods Commandements Psalme 119. 57. 212. Or a turning of our selves to God whereby wee crucifie and kill the corruptions of our nature and reforme our selves in the inward man according to Gods will What is it to crucifie the corruption of our nature It is freely and with all our heart to be sorry that we have angred God with it and with our other sinnes and every day more and more to hate it and them and to flye from them How is this wrought in us It is wrought in us partly by the threatning of the Law and the feare of Gods judgements but especially increased by feeling the fruit of Christ his death whereby we have power to hate sin and to leave it For when the sinner is once humbled with the terrours of the Law he flyeth to the comforts of the Gospell and he there seeth in Christ Crucified not onely the mercy of God discharging him of all his sinnes but also how deep the wounds of sin are wherewith he hath pierced his Saviour Zach. 12. 10. and how severe the wrath of God is against sin even to the slaughtering of his owne Son and hence 1 Peter 4. 1. commeth he to hate his sins Psalme 97. 10. as God hateth them and to look backe thereon with godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 10. resolving for ever after to forsake them all How is the reformation of our selves newnesse of life wrought in us Onely by the promise of the Gospel whereby we feele the fruit of the rising again of Christ. What doth ensue hereof Hereby we are raised up into a new life having the Law written in our hearts and so reforme our selves Wherein then doth repentance properly consist In a thorough changing of our purpose and desires from the evill which Gods Word rebuketh in us to the good which it requireth of us Rom. 12. 1 2. Esa. 1. 16 17. What is required in respect of the evil we turne from First knowledge of the evill then a condemning of the same together with a judging of our selves for it and then with godly sorrow for that which is past a hatred of it for ever and all this because it is sin and displeaseth our God What is required in regard of the good we turne unto First a knowledge and approbation of good to be done with a purpose of heart to doe it then an earnest love of the same shewed by care desire and endevour Can men repent of themselves or when they list No for it is the gift of God given unto them that are born againe Is it sufficient once to have repented No we must continue it alwayes in disposition and renew it also in act as occasion is given by our transgressions and Gods displeasure for there is none of Gods Saints but alwayes carrying this corruption about them they sometimes fall and are farre from that perfection and goodnesse which the Lord requireth and therefore stand in need of repentance so long as they live When then is this repentance to be practised of us The practice of repentance ought to be continually an abhorring of evill and cleaving unto that which is good Rom. 12. 9. for as much time as remaineth in the flesh after our conversion 1 Pet. 4. 2 3. yet at times there ought to be a more speciall practice and renewing thereof as after grievous falls Psal. 51. in feare of eminent judgements Amos 4. 12. Gen. 33. 2 3 c. or when we would fit our selves to receive speciall mercies Gen. 35. 2 3 c. In what manner must the especiall practice of repentance in such
the confirmation thereof or a reason of the perswasion that they are forgiven What is the summe of this Petition That we may be justified and be at peace with God that God giving us a true knowledge and feeling of our sins would forgive us freely for his Sons sake and make us daily assured of the forgivenesse of our sins as we are privy to our selves of the forgivenesse of those trespasses which men have offended us by Job 33. 24. Psal. 35. 3. Jer. 14. 7. Col. 3. 13. What is meant here by debts The comparison is drawne from debters which are not able to pay their creditors to whom all we are compared for that we have all sinned Therefore by debts we must understand sins as Saint Luke expoundeth the metaphor and that not in themselves as breaches of the Law of God for who would say that we owe and are to pay sin unto God but with respect to the punishment and satisfaction due to Gods justice for the offence of sin For our debt being properly obedience whereto we are bound under penalty of all the curses of the Law especially eternall death Rom. 8 12. 13. 18. Gal. 5. 3. we all in Adam forfeited that bond wherby the penalty became our debt and is daily increased in us all by sinning Luke 13. 4. Mat. 18. 24 c. Rom. 6. 23. What learne you from hence Here hence two things are implyed One a franke and humble confession that we have sinned both originally and actually Another that there is no power in us to make satisfaction for our sins What use is there of Confession Great for that we have naturally a senselesnesse of sin or else being convinced thereof we are ready to lessen it and make it light the contrary whereof appeareth in the children of God 1 John 1. 8 9. Psal. 32. 3 4. Prov. 28 13. Job 31. 33. 1 Sam. 15. 19 20. Psal. 51. 3 4 5 6. Acts 22. 3 4 5. 1 Tim. 1. 13 15. How can a man confesse his sins being not knowne and without number Those that are knowne we must expresly confesse and the other that are unknowne and cannot be reckoned generally Psal. 19. 12. How appeareth it that we are not able to pay this debt Because by the Law as an obligation every one being bound to keep it wholly and continually Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. so that the breach thereof even once and in the least point maketh us debtors presently as having forfeited our obligation there is no man that can either avoid the breach of it or when he hath broken it make amends unto God for it considering that whatsoever he doth after the breach is both imperfectly done and if it were perfect yet it is due by the obligation of the Law and therefore cannot goe for paiment no more then a man can pay one debt with another What doth it draw with it that causeth it to be so impossible to be satisfied The reward of it which is everlasting death both of body and soule Rom. 6. 23. the greatnesse and also number whereof is declared by the parable of ten thousand talents which no man is able to pay being not able to satisfie so much as one farthing But are we not able to satisfie some part of it as a man in great debt is sometime able to make some satisfaction especially if hee have day given him No and therefore we are compared to a child new borne red with bloud and not able to wash himselfe nor to help himself Ezek. 16. 4 5. And to captives close shut up in prison and fetters kept by a strong one Luke 4. 18. Matth. 12. 29. so that there is as small likelihood of our deliverance out of the power of Satan as that a poore Lamb should deliver it selfe from the gripes and pawes of a Lion What is the meanes to free us from this debt By this petition Christ teacheth us that being pressed with the burden of our sin we should flee unto the mercy of God and to entreat him for the forgivenesse of our debt Matth. 11. 28. Esa. 55. 1. even the cancelling of our obligation that in Law it be not available against us In which respect the preaching of the Gospel is compared to the yeare of Iubile when no man might demand his debt of his Brother Luke 4. 19. How shall we obtaine this at Gods hands By the onely blood and suffering of Christ as the onely ransome for sin contrary to the Papists who confessing that originall sinne is taken away by Christ in Baptisme doe teach that we must make part of our satisfaction for our actuall sin and therefore some of them whip themselves as if their bloud might satisfie for sinne which is abominable to think What doe you then understand here by forgivenesse Such remission as may agree with Gods justice which will not endure him to be a loser wherefore it is forgivenesse of us by taking paiment of another Job 33. 24. even of our surety Iesus Christ in our behalfe 1 John 2. 2. What meane you by saying Vs and Ours We include with our selves in this petition as many as are in Christ enabled by a true faith to lay hold on him and to plead his paiment and satisfaction Psal. 130. 7 8. 51. 18. Doe we here pray for the sinnes of this day as before for the bread of this day Not onely for them but also for all that ever we have done at all times before to the end that we might be the further confirmed in the assurance of the remission of all our sins What is further to be considered in this Petition That as in the former by Bread more was understood so here under one part of our Iustification to wit the remission or not imputation of sins unto death by meanes of the satisfaction of Christs sufferings we doe also conceive the other part which is the imputation of his holinesse unto life eternall as implyed under the former and inseparably annexed thereto For as Christ hath taken away our sins by suffering so he hath also cloathed us with his righteousnesse by fulfilling of the Law for us Dan. 9. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 21. What doe we then aske of God in this Petition Six things viz. 1. Grace feelingly to know and frankly and tremblingly to confesse without excuse or extenuation the great debt of our sins Psal. 51. 3. and our utter inability to satisfie for the same or for the least part thereof Psal. 103. 3. 142. 2. 2. That God would bestow upon us Christ Iesus and for his sake remove out of his sight all our sins and the guilt and punishment due unto us for the same 3. The power of saving faith Luke 17. 5. to lay hold on the meritorious sufferings and obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ unto our full Iustification Esa. 53. 5. 4. The Spirit of prayer that with griefe and sorrow for our sins wee may crave pardon for our
to our weaknesse 3. What miserable men they are that refuse the Sacraments Repeat the principall ends for which God hath instituted the Sacraments To help our insight as cleare glasses to releeve our memories as lasting monuments and to confirme our faith as most certain seales and pledges from whence they become our bonds of obedience and the markes and badges of our profession so the ends for which they are appointed are these foure 1. The clearing of our knowledge 2. The helping of our memories 3. The strengthening of our faith 4. The quickning of our obedience How may we more clearly consider of those things which are ministred in the Sacraments By considering distinctly the things given and received and the persons giving and receiving What are the things given and received They are partly outward and partly inward What are the outward The visible creatures ordained for signes and figures of Christ as under the time of the Gospel Water Bread and Wine Why hath God made choice of these creatures Both in respect they are for their naturall properties most fit to represent the spirituall things as also for that they are most generally used of all Nations of the world What are we to learne from hence The wonderfull wisdome of God that hath chosen base and common things for so high and singular mysteries whereas he might have chosen things more rare and of greater price to set out such excellent benefits as are offered to us in the Sacraments wherein there is great difference between the time of the Law and of the Gospel What are the inward things The invisible and spirituall graces namely Christ with all his benefits What learne you of this Not to stick to the outward elements but to lift up our hearts unto God accounting the elements as a Ladder whereby to climb up to those celestiall things which they represent So much of the things what are the persons The Giver and Receiver How many Givers are there Two the outward giving the outward and the inward giving the inward things Who is the inward giver God himself even the holy Trinity God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost What are the actions of God in a Sacrament They are principally two 1. To offer and reach forth Christ and his graces 2. To apply them to the hearts of the faithfull Communicant Who are the outward Givers The Ministers especially representing unto us the Lord whose Stewards they are 1 Cor. 4. 1. What is the Ministers office herein To consecrate the elements and then to distribute them Wherein consisteth the consecration of the elements Partly in declaring the institution of the Sacraments and partly in going before the Congregation in prayer unto God First in praising God who hath ordained such means for the reliefe of our weaknesse Then in suing to God that he would be pleased to make those meanes effectuall for which end they were ordained Is not the substance changed of the elements by this consecration No verily onely the use is altered in that they are separated from a common to a holy use which change and alteration continueth onely while the action is in hand Doth the Minister with the signe give the thing signified also No he onely dispenseth the signes but it is God that giveth and dispenseth the things signified Matth. 3. 11. Is God alwayes present to give the thing signified to all them that the Minister giveth the signe No not to all for some in receiving the signes receive together with them their owne judgement 1 Cor. 11 29. yet he is alwayes ready to give the thing signified to all those that are fit to receive the Sacraments and to such persons the signes and things signified are alwayes conjoyned Who are the persons that are to receive the Sacraments All Christians that are prepared thereunto Is there any speciall preparation required to the receiving of the Sacraments Yes verily for seeing men ought to come with preparation to the hearing of the Word alone they ought much more to come when the Sacraments are administred also wherein God doth offer himselfe more familiarly and visibly to us What is the preparation that is required in them that come to receive the Sacraments There is required in those that are of yeares of discretion to a worthy participation of the Sacraments knowledge faith and feeling both in the Law and in the Gospel Seeing no man is able to attaine to the knowledge of the Law and the Gospel perfectly much lesse the simple and common people tell me how farre is this knowledge faith and feeling necessary First concerning the Law it is necessary that the receiver of the Sacraments be able to understand and beleeve the common corruption of all men both in the bitter root of originall sinne and in the poysoned fruits thereof together with the curse of everlasting death due thereunto and that he be able to apply both these that is the sinne and wages thereof to himselfe Secondly concerning the Gospel that he be able in some measure to understand the Covenant of Grace which God in Christ hath made with the sons of men and then that by faith he be able in some measure to apply the same to himself VVhat ariseth from this knowledge faith and feeling to a further preparation thereunto A true and earnest desire to be made partaker of the Sacraments with a conscionable care to performe speciall duties in and after the action of receiving VVhat duties in the action of receiving are to be performed First a grave and reverent behaviour befitting such holy Mysteries Secondly an attentive heedfulnesse in comparing the outward signes and actions in the Sacraments with the inward and spirituall things which they betoken VVhat duties are to bee performed after the partaking of the Sacraments If we have a sense and feeling of the gracious work of God by them we are to rejoice with thanksgiving if not we are to enter into judgment with our selves and to humble our selves for our want thereof And though we ought to be humbled if we feel not the work of God in us in or after the Sacraments as that which argueth want of preparation before or attention in receiving of them yet ought we not therefore to be altogether dismayed for as the sick man feeleth not the nourishment of his meat because of his malady and yet notwithstanding is nourished so it is in such faithfull ones as doe not so sensibly feel the working of God in and by the Sacraments through the weaknesse of their faith and although wee cannot feele it immediately yet after by the fruites thereof wee shall bee able to discern of our profiting thereby Hath the administration of the Gospel been alwaies after the same manner For substance it alwayes hath been the same but in regard of the manner proper to certain times it is distinguished into two kindes the Old and the New Heb. 11.
is of good report whatsoever is praise-worthy c. As for baptisme of Infants it is sufficiently warranted by reasons of Scripture though not by example Obj. 2. They object that it is by Tradition and not by Scripture that we know such and such Books to be Scripture Though new beginners doe first learn it from the faithfull yet afterwards they know it upon grounds of Scripture as an ignorant man may be told of the Kings Coin but it is not the telling but the Kings stamp that maketh it currant and good Coin Obj. 3. It is objected that it was by Tradition and not by Scripture that Stephen knew Moses to be 40 years old when he left Pharaoh Acts 7. 23. That Luke knew a great part of the Genealogie of Christ Luk. 3. That Jude knew Satans striving for Moses body Jude v. 9. and the Prophesie of Enoch ver 5. 14. That Paul knew Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3. 8. and the saying of Christ that it is more blessed to give then to receive Acts 20. 35. Such particular Histories or speeches might be received from hand to hand but no different Doctrine from that which was written Obj. 4. The Apostles testimony is objected 1 Cor. 15. 3. 2 Thess. 2. 15. Hold the traditions which you have been taught whether by word or our Epistle He meaneth the doctrine he delivered unto them which was nothing different from that which is contained in the Scriptures The Scriptures you say are a rule and a line but are they not as the Church of Rome imagineth like a rule of lead which may be bowed every way at mens pleasures They are as a rule of steel that is firm and changeth not Matth. 5. 18. Psal. 19. 9. for seeing they are sufficient to make us wise unto salvation as is before proved it followeth of necessity that there is a most certain rule of faith for instruction both of faith and works to be learned out of them by ordinary means of reading prayer study the gifts of tongues and other sciences to which God promiseth the assistance of his grace Joh. 5. 39. Jam. 1. 5. And this sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God written as the example of Christ our generall Captain sheweth Mat. 4. is delivered unto us by the holy Ghost both to defend our faith and to overcome all our spirituall enemies which are the Devil and his instruments false Prophets Hereticks Schismaticks and such like Eph. 6. 17. Therefore the holy Scriptures are not as a nose of wax or a leaden rule as some Papists have blasphemed that they may be so writhen every way by impudent Hereticks but that their folly and madnesse as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3. 9. may be made manifest to all men Are the Scriptures then plain and easie to be understood There are some hard things in the Scripture that have proper relation to the time in which the Scripture was written or uttered or which are prophesies of things to be fulfilled hereafter which if we never understand we shall be never the worse for the attaining of everlasting salvation there are other things in Scripture belonging to the saving knowledge of God all which are dark and difficult unto those whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 5. Joh. 8. 43. but unto such as are by grace enlightened and made willing to understand Psal. 119. 18. howsoever somethings remain obscure 2 Pet. 3. 16. to exercise their diligence yet the fundamentall Doctrine of faith and precepts of life are all plain and perspicuous for all Doctrine necessary to be known unto eternall salvation is set forth in the Scriptures most clearly and plainly even to the capacity and understanding of the simple and unlearned so far is it that the Scriptures should be dangerous to be read of the Lay folks as Papists hold How prove you this which you have said Deut. 30. 10. 11 c. Moses taketh heaven and earth to witnesse that in the Law which he had written he hath set forth life and death and that they can make no excuse of difficulty or obscurity This Commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off c. which Paul also Rom. 10. 16. applieth to the Gospel Psalm 19. 8. the Prophet David testifieth that the Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimonies of the Lord are true giving wisdome to the simple and Psalme 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lampe or Candle unto my feet and a Light unto my pathes Prov. 1. 4. It giveth subtilty to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discertion and Prov. 8. 9. All the words of wisdome are plain to them that will understand Esa. 45. 19. The Lord saith I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth I have not said in vain to the seed of Jacob Seek mee 2 Cor. 4. 3. Paul saith If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost c. 2 Pet. 1. 19. S. Peter commendeth Christians for taking heed to the word of the Prophets as unto a light that shineth in a dark place c. The Scripture is our Fathers Letter to us and his last will to shew us what inheritance he leaveth us but friends write Letters and Fathers their wils plain It were to accuse God of cruelty or desire of mans destruction for to say that he should make the means of their salvation hurtfull unto them Women and children have read the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 15. Saint Paul affirmeth that Timothy was nourished up in the Scriptures from his infancy namely by his Grandmother Lois and his Mother Eunice whence the same Apostle commendeth chap. 1. 5. If little children are capable of the Scriptures by the small understanding they have and lesse judgement there is none so grosse which hath the understanding of a man but may profit by it comming in the fear of God and invocation of his name Obj. 1. But here the Papists have many things to object against you to prove that the Scriptures are darke and hard to be understood and First that the matters contained in them are Divine high and beyond mans reason as the Trinity the Creation of nothing c. These matters indeed are above humane reason and therefore are we to bring faith to beleeve them not humane reason to comprehend them but they are delivered in Scripture in as plain tearms as such matter can be Obj. 2. Peter saith that something in Pauls Epistles be hard and wrested by men 2 Pet. 3. 16. First he saith not that all Pauls Epistles are hard but something in them which we grant Secondly they are the wicked and unsetled in knowledge that wrest them as the Gluttons and Drunkards abuse meat and drink Obj. 3. If Scriptures were not dark what need so many Commentaries upon them and why are they
cause all things about the Tabernacle to be made according to the pattern given him in the Mount other some things are commanded and set down with condition as when Christ said Marke 10. 17. 19. If thou wilt inherit eternall life keep the Commandements and the Law saith Doe this and this if thou wilt live and these are propounded conditionally to all as well the elect as the reprobate God his absolute will is always one and the same And are they propounded to both after one sort No not so for although they be given to the elect with condition yet the will of God to them is absolute for Gods will simply is that all his elect shall be saved if not always yet at the last and because of their own strength they cannot doe the Commandements of God therefore God doth give them strength by his Spirit and because by this strength they cannot doe Gods will perfectly therefore it is fulfilled for them by Christ which is made theirs by faith and in whom God doth accept their broken and imperfect obedience as if it were whole and perfect But as for the wicked and reprobates it is not so with them for although God doth give them a law to obey and doth promise them life if they doe obey it yet his will to them is not so absolute that they shall keep it neither shall they obtain the promises either in themselves or in Christ. But doth not God mock and delude the Reprobate when he willeth them in his law to doe this and that which yet is not his will to be done No he doth not delude them for although he doth not shew what he will absolutely have done of them which is properly his will indeed yet by his law he doth teach what is their duty and the duty of all men adding moreover that whosoever shall neglect and fail in this their duty he sinneth grievously against God and is guilty of death Can you make this plain by some instance or example or any Parable in the Scripture Yea it is manifest in the Parable of the Kings supper and the bidden guests they which were first bidden and came not were not deluded by the King because he signified unto them what he liked and what was their duty but yet he did not command that they should be compelled to come in as the two sorts which were bidden afterwards where we see that the Kings will was not alike in bidding the first as it was in the second for in calling the latter sort his will was absolute that they should come indeed and so caused that they did come but to the first he onely signified what he liked if they had done it How doe you apply this to the matter in question I apply it thus as it cannot be said that the first bidden guests were mocked by the King although his will was not so absolute for their comming as it was in calling and commanding the second sort of guests so it cannot be said that God doth delude and mock the Reprobate in giving them a law to obey although it be not his absolute will that they should come and obey the law for it is sufficient to leave them without excuse that they know what is acceptable to God and what is their duty to God who hath absolute authority and power over them and over all Obj. God commandeth Pharaoh to let Israel goe and yet his will was to the contrary therefore there were two contrary wils in God one revealed the other concealed It followeth not for the will of God was one onely and most constant and that was that Israel should not be sent away by Pharaoh and so that was fulfilled as for the Commandement given to Pharaoh it was a doctrine to teach Pharaoh what he must have done if he would avoid so many plagues and yet shewed him his duty and what was just and right to be done but it was no testimony of the absolute will of God Whether doth God will evill or sin or no Before we can answer to this question we must consider of three things How many ways sin may be considered How many things are to be considered in sin How many ways one may be said to will a thing Go to then shew first how many ways sin is to be considered Sin is to be considered three ways As it is of it self sin and striving against the law of God As it is a punishment of sin that went before for God doth oftentimes punish one sin with another As it is the cause of more sin following Rom. 1. 26. for one sin doth beget another as one Devil calleth seven Devils 2 Thess. 2. 11. Now declare how many things you doe consider in sin In every sin there be three things The action and that is either inward or outward the action which we call inward is threefold either of the mind as evill thoughts or of the heart as evil affections and desires or of the will as an evill choice or consent to sin The actions which we call outward are the actions or work of the senses fighting against the law of God The second thing in every sin is the deformity or corruption of the action that is when the action doth decline from the rule of Gods law and this properly is sin or the form of sin The third thing in every sinne is the offence or guiltinesse thereof whereby the party offending is bound to undergoe punishment this guiltinesse and obligation whereby we are bound to undergoe the penalty of sin hath its foundation in sin it self but it ariseth from the justice of God Rom. 6. 23. who in his justice rewardeth sin with death as justice indeed giveth to every one his due Now come you to your third point and shew how many ways one is said to will a thing We are said to will a thing two ways either properly for it self or improperly for another end What mean you by a proper willing of a thing We doe will a thing properly for it self or for it own sake when the thing which we will or desire is of its own nature to be wished and desired as for the body health food apparell and such like or for the soul faith repentance patience c. We doe will a thing improperly when the thing which we will is not of it self to be wished but yet we will have it for some good that may come thereof as for example we will the cutting off some member of the body not because of it self it is to be wished but for the health of the body which doth follow that cutting What difference is there between these two wils There is great difference for those things which we will properly we love approve them we encline unto them we delight in them but that which is known of it self to be evill our will is not caried unto that with love and liking but doth decline from it
2. 8. and for the discovery of sin and punishment due thereto Deut. 27. 26. Rom. 1. 31. 3. 20. What then doth the Law now require of us All such duties as were required of Adam in his innocency Levit. 18. 5. and all such as are required since by reason of his fall Deut. 27. 26. binding us to eternall death for our least defect therein Declare now out of that which hath been said what the Covenant of works is It is a conditionall Covenant between God and man whereby on the one side God commandeth the perfection of godlinesse and righteousnesse and promiseth that he will be our God if we keep all his Commandements and on the other side man bindeth himselfe to perform intire and perfect obedience to Gods Law by that strength wherewith God hath endued him by the nature of his first creation What was done in this Covenant on Gods part There was his Law backed with promises and threatnings and unto them were added outward seales What was the summe of this Law Doe this and thou shalt live if thou dost it not thou shalt dye the death What is meant by Doe this Keep all my Commandements in thought word and deed What is meant by life promised to those that should keep all the Commandements The reward of blessednesse and everlasting life Levit. 18. 5. Luke 10. 28. What is meant by death threatned to those that should transgresse In this world the curse of God and death with manifold miseries both of body and soule and where this curse is not taken away everlasting death both of body and soule in the world to come Deut. 27. 26. 29. 19. 20. 32. 22. Levit. 26. Deut. 28. What were the outward seales added hereunto The two trees planted by God for that purpose in the midst of the garden Gen. 2. 9. 3. 3. that Adam before and in the sight of them might resort to some speciall places to serve God in and might by the sight of them be put in mind of those things whereof they were signs and seales What did the tree of life serve for It sealed up happinesse life and glory unto man upon condition of obedience that by tasting thereof which no doubt according to the manner of Sacramentall signes was a tree of marvellous comfort and restoring he might be assured he should live in Paradise for ever if he stood obedient to Gods Commandements Gen. 2. 9. Prov. 3. 18. Revel 2. 7. Was this tree able to give everlasting life to man or otherwise why did God after the fall shut man from it It was no more able to give everlasting life then the bodily eating of any other Sacrament but Adam having by sin lost that which was signified hereby God would have him debarred from the use of the Sacrament What did the tree of the knowledge of good and evill serve for Both for triall of obedience and also for a warning of their mutability and of what would follow upon sin so sealing death and damnation in case of disobedience not as though the tree was able to give any knowledge but that by tasting of it contrary to Gods command they should have experimentall knowledge of evill in themselves which before they had of good only and by wofull experience should learn what difference there was between knowing and serving God in their integrity and being ignorant of him by their sin Gen. 2. 17. What was done in this Covenant on mans part Man did promise by that power which he had received to keep the whole law binding himself over to punishment in case he did not obey In what state is man to be considered under this Covenant In a twofold estate 1. Of Innocency 2. Of Corruption and misery What things are you to note in the innocent estate of man First the place where he was seated Secondly the happy and glorious estate he there enjoyed both in soul and body Where did God place man when he created him In a most glorious pleasant and comfortable Garden which is called Paradise or the Garden of Eden for pleasantnesse Gen. 2. 8. What doth the Scripture teach concerning it The place where it was and the commodities thereof Where and in what part of the world was it In Asia neer the meeting of Euphrates and Tygris those two famous Rivers What commodities had it All the principall creatures of God did adorn it and therefore it is said to be more extraordinarily then the rest of the world planted by God There are set down also the precious stones thereof under the Sardonyx pure metals under the gold precious woods under the Bdelium and so all other living things and growing creatures that it might be as it were a shop furnished for man to see in and learn by it Gods Wisdome Power and Majesty Doth this place now continue The place remaineth but the beauty and commodities be partly by the Floud partly by mans sin for which the whole earth is cursed almost abolished though as may be observed out of good Authors it is a very fruitfull place still What happinesse did man enjoy thus placed in Paradise It was partly inward partly outward Wherein did the inward appear First in his wonderfull knowledge whereby he made use of all the creatures of God as the greatest Philosopher that ever was Secondly in that holy and heavenly image of God of which Adam had the use and comfort before his fall it shining in him without tainture or blemish and he thereby being without all sin or punishment of sin Thirdly in the full fruition and assurance of the favourable and blissefull presence of his Creator Matth. 5. 8. Psal. 17. 15. and his heavenly company and conference with God without all fear as a subject with his Prince Gen. 3. 8. Fourthly in his joyfull serving God together with absolute contentment in himself Gen. 2. 25. Wherein did the outward appear First in having so comely perfect and glorious a body in which there was no infirmity pain nor shame though naked Gen. 2. 25. Secondly in his dominion over all the creatures that submitted themselves and did service unto him to whom also as their Lord he gave their originall names Gen. 2. 19 20. Thirdly in the comfortable state and sense not of Paradise alone but of all the world round about him having neither storm winter nor extremity in any creature What employment had man in this estate A twofold employment the first outward to till and dresse the Garden Gen. 2. 15. the other spirituall to worship and serve God his Creator and to procure his own everlasting blessednesse whereto he was fitted with freedome of will and ability for perfect obedience unto God according to the tenor of the Covenant of works What use are we to make of the knowledge of mans happinesse before his fall First to admire and praise the great goodnesse and favour of God in so dealing with man a clod of the earth Secondly
pondered Isa. 28. 17. Gal. 6. 16. 3. Because they only are commended for a holy and righteous life who have framed it according to the Word Luc. 1. 6. and all others secluded Isa. 8. 19 20. Mat. 22. 29. 4. Because nothing can be counted holy and righteous which God doth not so accompt and that in his Word so as he only is righteous and maketh this or that to be holy and righteous So his Word only sheweth us what that is which he so accompteth and therefore it is called his holy Word holy Scriptures righteous Laws c. Deut. 4. 8. VVhat mean you here by the holy Word of God Both the Law and the Gospel the Old Testament the New How is the Gospel a rule of obedience being the rule of faith As the Law requireth obedience Jam. 12. 1. so the Gospel directeth the faithful how to perform it 1 Tim. 1. 9 10 11. only with difference 1. Of the manner the Law propounding God to be worshipped of us in himself as our Creator the Gospel in Christ as our Saviour 2. Of the end The Law requiring all duties as for the procurement of our own salvation The Gospel in way of thankfulnesse for salvation in Christ already bestowed 1 Thess. 5. 18. 3. Of the effect the Law like Pharaoh that required brick but allowed no straw demanding obedience but vouchsafing no assistance supposing man as in the state of Creation The Gospel both offering and conferring to the regenerate that which it requireth Rom. 10. 5 6. 8. for it both requireth and confirmeth faith unto the Elect and that not only as a hand to lay hold on Christ but also as a chief vertue working by love in all parts of obedience without which even the Gospel is a Law that is a killing letter 2 Cor. 3. 6. to the unregenerate and with which the Law becommeth as it were Gospel to the regenerate even a law of liberty Jam. 1. 25. 2. 12. For as the Law saveth us not without the Gospel so the Gospel saveth us not without the Law Doth not the Gospel add other Precepts or Counsels to those of the Law Not any other in substance of action but only reneweth and enforceth those of the Law 1 Joh. 2. 7 8. and specifieth some duties as of faith in the Messias of the Sacraments c. which have their generall ground from the Law As for those that are propounded in form of counsell and doe concern things indifferent they are not therefore arbitrary courses Rev. 3. 18. of higher perfection much lesse meritorious of greater glory but as they are applyed with due circumstances necessary precepts referred to some or other Commandement of the Law the neglecting whereof excludeth from the kingdome of God VVhat is that law which with the direction of the Gospel is the rule of Sanctification The Morall law or law of nature engraven by God himself first in the heart of man in his Creation after in Tables of stone in the days of Moses and so published and committed to the Church for all ages as the royall Law for obedience to God our King Jam. 2. 8. Why did God write that law in Tables of stone Partly to signifie the perpetuall use and continuance of them to the end of the world Partly to shew the stony hardnesse of our hearts in which this law was to be written and to declare how hard it is to bring us to obedience of them VVhy did none but God write this Law in Tables of stone Because none but God can write his Law in our hearts How was this Law delivered To shew the gloriousnesse of it God delivered it in fire for the Mountain burned the Trumpet sounded the people fled and Moses himself trembled What did this signifie to them and teach us 1. That without Christ the Law is but death 2. That we should be very careful to perform obedience to the same Did God give no other law but the Morall law onely Yes he added the Ceremoniall and Judiciall laws as speciall explications and applications of the law Morall unto that present Church and people the Israelites What was the Ceremoniall law That law which did set down orders for direction in rites of outward worship shadowing the grace of the Gospel Heb. 10. 1 c. Are we bound to keep and observe those laws No for the substance being now exhibited those shadows are utterly abolished by the death of Christ and therefore the use of them now would be a kind of denyall of his death What call you the Judiciall law That wherein God appointed a form of Politique and Civill government of the Common-wealth of the Jews which therefore is ceased with the dissolution of that State for which it was ordained saving only in the common equity Is this law utterly revoked and abolished by Christ No for he came not to overturn any good government of the Common-wealth much lesse that which was appointed by God himself May not Christian Magistrates then swerve any thing from those laws of government which were set down by Moses In some circumstances they may but in the generall equity and substance they may not What Judiciall laws are immutably to be observed now of Christian Magistrates Those which have reasons annexed unto thē specially those wherin God hath appointed death for the punishment of hainous offences VVhat is the Morall law That which commandeth the perfection of godlinesse righteousnesse and directeth us in our duties to God and man Deut. 5. 32. 12. 32. Are we not delivered from this law by the means of Christ From the burthen of the law exacting in our own persons perfect obedience from the curse of that law due unto disobedience we are delivered by Christ Gal. 3. 10 11 12 13. But from the Commandment as a rule of life we are not freed Jam. 2. 8. but contrariwise are inclined disposed by his free Spirit to the willing obedience therof Ps. 51. 12. 119. 32. 45. 1 Joh. 5. 3. To what end serveth the Law First it is a Glasse to discover our filthinesse and to shew us our sinnes and the punishment thereof that thereby we may be driven unto Christ to be purged by him Gal. 3. 24. Rom. 3. 20. 27. For it layeth open all the parts of our misery both sinfulnesse accursednesse and impotency or unablenesse to relieve our selves so whipping us and chasing us to Christ that in him we may finde deliverance Secondly when we are come to Christ and feele our selves saved by him it is a guide to direct us in the way we have to walke in all our life after Matth. 5. 17. Luke 1. 6. Deut. 6. 6. For after the Law hath brought us to Christ the feeling of the love of God within us maketh us to strive towards the obedience of it and then it is a rule to direct us how to behave our selves in
It is also called habituall concupiscence which is nothing else but an evill inclination and pronenesse to the transgression of Gods Law which by corrupt Nature is bred with us How is it called in the Scriptures The old man Ephes. 4. 22 Coloss. 3. 9. Sin inhabiting and dwelling in us the Law of sin the Law of the members warring against the Law of the mind the flesh the encompassing sin c. Rom. 7. 23. Gal. 5. 17 24. Heb. 12. 1. Is this to be reputed sinne Yes and a great sin as may appeare by these reasons First because it defileth and corrupteth the whole man soule and body with all their faculties powers and parts as the minde will memory heart affections appetite with all the members of the body which it maketh to be the instruments of evill Secondly it polluteth all our words and works and maketh them all repugnant to the Law of God Thirdly it is the root and fountaine of all our actuall sins from which they grow and spring Fourthly because it continually warreth against the spirit and choaketh and quencheth the good motions of it Gal. 5. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Fifthly because it maketh a man the slave of sinne and Satan Rom. 7. 14 23. Sixthly because it joyneth with the Devill and the World and betrayeth us to their tentations Eph. 2. 2 3. Seventhly because it is an uncurable evill seeing it so hangeth upon us that we cannot shake it off Heb. 12. 2. Eighthly because it is but the more irritated by the Law of God which should suppresse it Rom. 7. 8. Lastly because it maketh us children of wrath and liable to everlasting condemnation although dying in childhood we should never commit any actuall transgression For death and damnation raigned even over them which had not sinned after the similitude of Adam that is by actuall transgression Rom. 5. 14. But doth this Commandement extend to the prohibition of Originall sin in the whole body and all the parts of it No for it forbiddeth sins committed against our Neighbours only like all other Commandements of the second Table as appeareth by the words themselves and the Apostles epitomizing of this whole Table in those words Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Rom. 13. 9. And therefore all originall injustice wicked inclinations thoughts and affections are here only forbidden as they respect our neighbours and are opposite to charity but as they respect God and are repugnant to the love of him they are forbidden in the first Table What are actuall Concupiscences They are evill motions which are repugnant to charity What are the kinds of them They are either such as are vaine and unprofitable or such as are hurtfull and pernicious How are they unprofitable So farre forth as they fasten mens minds to earthly things and thereby withdraw them from heavenly In what respects are they hurtfull First because they are instruments of sin as they are fit objects to every sin in its kinde For if any objects are offered to the minde or senses which self-love causeth them to thinke to be profitable pleasant and desireable concupiscence presently apprehendeth and catcheth at them to satisfie worldly lusts Secondly They choake the seed of the Word in the hearts of carnall men Mar. 4. 19. Thirdly They make men insatiable knowing no end or measure in pursuing worldly things Fourthly They cast men headlong in whom they raigne into sin Eph. 2. 3. and give them up to vile lusts and a reprobate mind Rom. 1. 24. Psal. 81. 12. Fifthly They fight against the soule and if they overcome bring it to destruction 1 Pet. 2. 11. How many wayes are these motions evill Two wayes either in respect of the phantasie and cogitations of the minde or in respect of the affections and imaginations of the heart When are the thoughts evill Then and so far forth as they sollicite and encline us unto evill Why doe men thinke that thoughts are free and not to be charged upon men or called to account Foolish men thinke and say so but the Scriptures say otherwise and affirme them to be sins Prov. 24. 9. as being repugnant to charity 1 Cor. 13. 5. and therefore forbid them Deut. 15. 9. injoyne us to confesse them and to crave pardon for them Isa. 55. 7. Acts 8. 22. and though we sleight them yet God taketh notice of them Psal. 94. 11. 1 Chron. 28. 9. Ezek. 11. 5. Psal. 139. 2. yea he hateth evill thoughts as abominable Prov. 15. 26. Zach. 8. 17. and severely punisheth them as we see in the example of the old world Gen. 6. 5. and 8. 21. How are these evill thoughts injected Either by Satan or else arise from originall concupiscence and both of them either waking or sleeping How are they injected by Satan Either immediately by himselfe 1 Chron. 21. 1. John 13. 2. Luke 9. 46 47. or mediately by his instruments as of old by the serpent And that he may the more easily insinuate into his minde whom he tempteth he often suborneth those that are nearest and dearest unto us to be his instruments as we see in the example of Jobs wife and Peter Iob 2. 9. Math. 16. 23. But are these tentations to be reputed our sins Not if we repell and extinguish them as fire in water for Christ himselfe was tempted yet without sin Heb. 4. 15. But if we admit them and doe not presently reject them they infect our minds and hearts with their poison and become our sins How else doe evill thoughts arise in us From our naturall corruption and habituall concupiscence Luke 24. 38. Gen. 6. 5. Math. 15. 19. 2 Cor. 3. 5. And these thoughts arise in us either waking or sleeping How are these motions evill in respect of the affections of the heart These though they have not the consent of the will to act them yet are they sinfull in respect of the sins which arise from them of which also they are the first degrees as we see in the first boyling of anger in the heart and of lust and uncleane motions which proceed from the defect of that charity and purity which God requireth in us and afterwards produce the acts of murther and fornication when the will consenteth unto them Mat. 5. 22 28. Are there no degrees of these evill affections and perturbations of the heart Yes for they are to be considered either in their first beginnings as they are the first motions of concupiscence by which the minde is first withdrawne from its rectitude and then the heart suddenly affected Or else when by the pleasure and delight in those first motions they are tickled and inticed to retaine them still that they may enjoy a greater and more full measure of delight What followeth this pleasure thus retained and continued in the mind and heart Consent to the acting of the sin which in Gods sight is all one with the sin it selfe seeing he reputeth the will for the deed
hath both made and sanctified were not as fit as the skin of a Beast which the Artificer hath tanned and sewed 3. They must moreover according to the Commandement of Christ eat and drink the Bread and Wine not laying or hanging it up or worshipping it as the papists doe 4. Lastly they must use thanksgiving offering up themselves both souls and bodies as a sacrifice of thanks Rom. 12. 1. in which regard this Sacrament is called the Eucharist What is to be done after the action 1. We must by and by use joyfull thanksgiving with prayer and meditation being so comforted in heart in the favour of God towards us that we be ready with a feeling joy to sing a Psalme unto the Lord Matth. 26. 30. 2. We must continually endeavour to finde an increase of our faith in Christ love to God and all his Saints power to subdue sin and practice obedience with all other sanctifying and saving graces 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. 11 21. Col. 2 6 7. 2 Pet. 3. 18. For a true believer shall feele in himself after the receiving of the Sacrament an encrease of faith and sanctification a further deading of the old man and so a greater measure of dying unto sin a further strength of the new man and so a greater care to live in newnesse of life and to walk the more strongly and steadily in the wayes of God all the dayes of his life this being a Sacrament not of our incorporation as Baptisme but of our growth which albeit one cannot alwayes discerne immediately after the action yet between that and the next Communion it may be easily espied in our service towards God and men What if a man after the receiving of the Sacrament never find any such thing in himself He may well suspect himself whether he did ever repent or not and therefore is to use means to come to sound faith repentance For the Lord is not usually wanting to his ordinances if men prepare their hearts to meet him in them If we receive no good no refreshment at this spirituall feast if God send us away empty either it is because we have no right unto his mercies being not in Christ and so not accepted or because some secret unmortified lust remaineth in us like Achans wedge of gold so some beloved sin either not seen or not sufficiently sorrowed for and resolved against lyeth glowing in the heart which causeth God to frown upon our services like a dead flye causeth the ointment to stink therfore in this case a man should descend into himself make a more strict search into his conscience that he may againe come before the Lord with more humilty and better preparednesse and God will reveale himself in due time to every one who unfainedly seeketh after him in his ordinances So much of the Sacraments What are the Censures They are the judgements of the Church for ratification of the threates of the Gospell against the abusers of the Word and Sacraments What doe these Censures profit the Church of God Very much for by them the godly having strayed from the course of sincerity are through obedience brought home againe But the wicked are hardened by them through disobedience whereof it is that the wicked are properly said to be punished the godly only chastened and corrected But it seemeth that corrections rather belong to Magistrates then to Ministers The Magistrates by the Lawes of the Common-wealth punish some by death others by other torments and some by purse which belongeth not to the Minister who hath to doe only with the soule And these spiritual censures are of as necessary use in the Church both to help the godly and to restrain and root out the wicked out of the Church as those penall Lawes of the Magistrate in the Common-wealth They therefore who upon this pretence that God forceth no man to come unto him suppose the censures to be unprofitable are like unto children that will have no rod in the house Whereby doth the necessity of Censures appeare Easily for sith in the Church of God there be of all sorts as in a net cast into the sea which catcheth good and bad It is impossible without correction to keep good order in the Church especially to restraine the wicked hypocrites from offending and thereby slandering their profession If then there were no hypocrites there were no use of Censures Not so but the serve most of all for them that make no conscience of their calling For the best man that is having some sparkes of his naturall corruption remaining unregenerate may fall and offend and therefore must be chastened by the Church But this is the difference the godly falling by infirmity by correction doe amend but the wicked offending purposely by punishment are hardened What is to be gathered of this That sith censures are as needfull in the Church as the rod in the house or the Magistrates sword in the Common-wealth for offendors yea and of so much more use as these are for the body and this life and the other for the soule and life to come they that set themselves against them care not what disorder there be in the Church but seek to exempt themselves from punishment that they might doe what they list and make the Gospel a covert for all their wickednesse who are like to them in the second Psalme that would not beare the yoake of Government So much for the use and necessity of Censures What is the doctrine of them especially delivered In the 18 chapter of Saint Matthew from the 15 verse to the 20. where both their institution and ratification is laid downe For first our Saviour declareth the degrees of the censures ordained for such as are called brethren which are generally corrections according to the greatnesse of the offences and then treateth of their power and authority What is to be observed in the degrees of the censures That the censures be according to the offences as if the offence be private the censure thereof must be private wherein the censurer is to deale circumspectly 1. That he know the offence 2. That he admonish the offender secretly 3. That he do it in love convincing his offence so to be by the Word of God What further duty is required of us in this case 1. That we runne not to others to slander the offenders which Moses forbiddeth Levit. 19. 16. 2. Not to keep the injury in minde of purpose afterwards to revenge it 3. Not to deale roughly with one under pretence of seeking the glory of God 4. Not to despise the offender but by all means to seek his amendment Who are to be admonished openly in the Church Those that sin openly What if they will not amend by admonitionâ— Then they are by suspension to be barred for a time from some exercises of Religion and if by that they will not amend then they are by excommunication to be cut
discharge in the least measure His surety therefore being to satisfie in his stead none will bee found fit to undertake such a payment but he who is both God and Man Man it is fit he should bee because Man was the party that by the articles of the first Covenant was tyed to this obedience and it was requisite that as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man likewise many should be made righteous Again if our Mediatour were onely God he could have performed no obedience the Godhead being free from all manner of subjection and if he were a bare man although he had been as perfect as Adam in his integrity or the Angels themselves yet being left unto himselfe amidst all the temptations of Satan and this wicked world he should be subject to fall as they were or if he should hold out as the elect Angels did that must have been ascribed to the grace and favour of an other whereas the giving of strict satisfaction to Gods justice was the thing required in this behalf But now being God as well as Man he by his own eternall Spirit preserved himself without spot presenting a far more satisfactory obedience unto God then could have possibly been performed by Adam in his integrity For beside the infinite difference that was betwixt both their Persons which maketh the actions of the one beyond all comparison to exceed the worth and value of the other we know that Adam was not able to make himselfe holy but what holinesse he had he received from him who created him according to his owne image so that whatsoever obedience Adam had performed God should have eaten but of the fruit of the vineyard which himselfe had planted and of his own would all that have been which could be given unto him But Christ did himself sanctifie that humane nature which he assumed according to his own saying Joh. 17. 19. For their sakes I sanctifie my self and so out of his own peculiar store did he bring forth those precious treasures of holy obedience which for the satisfaction of our debt he was pleased to tender unto his Father Againe if Adam had done all things which were commanded him hee must for all that have said I am an unprofitable servant I have done that which was my duty to doe whereas in the voluntary obedience which Christ subjected himself unto the case stood far otherwise True it is that if we respect him in his humane nature his Father is greater then he and he is his Fathers servant yet in that he said and most truly said that God was his Father the Jews did rightly infer from thence that he thereby made himself equall with God and the Lord of Hosts himselfe hath proclaimed him to bee the man that is his fellow Being such a man therefore and so highly born by the priviledge of his birth-right hee might have claimed an exemption from the ordinary service whereunto all other men are tyed and by being the Kings Son have freed himself from the payment of that tribute which was to be exacted at the hands of Strangers When the Father brought this his first-begotten into the world he said Let all the Angels of God worship him and at the very instant wherein the Son advanced our nature into the highest pitch of dignitie by admitting it into the unity of his sacred Person that nature so assumed was worthy to be crowned with all glory and honour and he in that nature might then have set himself down at the right hand of the throne of God tyed to no other subjection then now he is or hereafter shall be when after the end of this world he shall have delivered up the kingdome to God the Father For then also in regard of his assumed nature he shall be subject unto him that put all other things under him Thus the Son of God if he had minded onely his own things might at the very first have attained unto the joy that was set before him but looking on the things of others he chose rather to come by a tedious way and wearisome journey unto it not challenging the priviledge of a Son but taking upon him the form of a mean servant Whereupon in the dayes of his flesh hee did not serve as an honourable Commander in the Lords host but as an ordinary soldier he made himself of no reputation for the time as it were emptying himself of his high state and dignity hee humbled himself and became obedient untill his death being content all his life long to be made under the Law yea so farre that as he was sent in the likenesse of sinfull flesh so he disdained not to subject himself unto that Law which properly did concern sinfull flesh And therefore howsoever Circumcision was by right appliable onely unto such as were dead in their sins and the uncircumcision of their flesh yet he in whom there was no body of the sins of the flesh to be put off submitted himself notwithstanding thereunto not onely to testifie his communion with the Fathers of the old Testament but also by this means to tender unto his Father a bond signed with his own bloud whereby he made himself in our behalf a debtor unto the whole Law For I testifie saith the Apostle to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to the whole Law In like manner Baptisme appertained properly unto such as were defiled and had need to have their sins washed away and therefore when all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem went out unto John they were all baptized of him in the river Jordan confessing their sinnes Among the rest came our Saviour also but the Baptist considering that he had need to be baptized by Christ and Christ no need at all to be baptized by him refused to give way unto that action as altogether unbefitting the state of that immaculate Lambe of God who was to take away the sinne of the World Yet did our Mediatour submit himself to that ordinance of God also not onely to testifie his communion with the Christians of the new Testaments but especially which is the reason yeelded by himselfe because it became him thus to fulfill all righteousnesse And so having fulfilled all righteousnesse whereunto the meanest man was tyed in the days of his pilgrimage which was more then he needed to have undergone if he had respected only himself the works which he performed were truly workes of supererogation which might be put upon the account of them whose debt hee undertook to discharge and being performed by the Person of the Son of God must in that respect not onely be equivalent but infinitely over-value the obedience of Adam and all his posterity although they had remained in their integrity and continued untill this houre instantly serving God day
the glory of Christ. We read in the holy story that God took of the spirit which was upon Moses and gave it unto the seventy Elders that they might bear the burden of the people with him and that hee might not bear it as before hee had done himself alone It may bee his burden being thus lightned the abilities that were left him for government were not altogether so great as the necessity of his former imployment required them to have been and in that regard vvhat vvas given to his assistants might perhaps bee said to bee taken from him But wee are sure the case was otherwise in him of whom now wee speak unto whom God did not thus give the Spirit by measure And therefore although so many millions of beleevers doe continually receive this supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ yet neither is that fountain any way exhausted nor the plenitude of that well-spring of grace any whit impaired or diminished it being Gods pleasure That in him should all fulnesse dwell and that of his fulnesse all wee should receive grace for grace That as in the naturall generation there is such a correspondence in all parts betwixt the begetter and the Infant begotten that there is no member to bee seen in the Father but there is the like answerably to bee found in the Childe although in a farre lesse proportion so it falleth out in this spirituall that for every grace which in a most eminent manner is found in Christ a like grace will appeare in Gods Childe although in a far inferiour degree similitudes and likenesses being defined by the Logicians to bee comparisons made in quality and not in quantity Wee are yet further to take it into our consideration that by thus enlivening and fashioning us according to his own image Christs purpose was not to raise a seed unto himself dispersedly and distractedly but to gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad yea and to bring all unto one head by himselfe both them which are in Heaven and them which are on the Earth That as in the Tabernacle the vail divided between the Holy place and the most Holy but the curtaines which covered them both were so coupled together with the taches that it might still bee one Tabernacle so the Church Militant and Triumphant typified thereby though distant as farre the one from the other as Heaven is from Earth yet is made but one Tabernacle in Jesus Christ In whom all the building fifty framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord and in whom all of us are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit The bond of this mysticall union betwixt Christ and us as elsewhere hath more fully been declared is on his part that quickning Spirit which being in him as the Head is from thence diffused to the spirituall animation of all his Members and on our part Faith which is the prime act of life wrought in those who are capable of understanding by that same Spirit Both whereof must bee acknowledged to bee of so high a nature that none could possibly by such ligatures knit up so admirable a body but hee that was God Almighty And therefore although wee did suppose such a man might bee found who should perform the Law for us suffer the death that was due to our offence and overcome it yea and whose obedience and sufferings should be of such value that it were sufficient for the redemption of the whole world yet could it not be efficient to make us live by faith unlesse that Man had been able to send Gods Spirit to apply the same unto us Which as no bare Man or any other Creature whasoever can doe so for Faith wee are taught by S. Paul that it is the operation of God and a work of his power even of that same power wherewith Christ himself was raised from the dead Which is the ground of that prayer of his that the eyes of our understanding being enlightned wee might know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power which hee wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all Principality and Power and Might and every Name that is named not onely in this World but also in that to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to bee head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Yet was it fit also that this Head should bee of the same nature with the Body which is knit unto it and therefore that hee should so bee God as that hee might partake of our Flesh likewise For wee are members of his body saith the same Apostle of his flesh and of his bones And except yee eate the flesh of the Son of man saith our Saviour himself and drink his blood yee have no life in you Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and I in him Declaring thereby first that by this mysticall and supernaturall union wee are as truely conjoyned with him as the meate and drink wee take is with us when by the ordinary work of Nature it is converted into our own substance Secondly that this conjunction is immediately made with his humane nature Thirdly that the Lamb slaine that is Christ crucified hath by that death of his made his flesh broken and his blood powred out for us upon the Crosse to bee fit food for the spirituall nourishment of our soules and the very well-spring from whence by the power of his Godhead all life and grace is derived unto us Upon this ground it is that the Apostle telleth us that wee have boldnesse to enter into the Holyest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh That as in the Tabernacle there was no passing from the Holy to the most Holy place but by the vaile so now there is no passage to bee looked for from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant but by the flesh of him who hath said of himself I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by mee Jacob in his dream beheld a ladder set upon the Earth the top whereof reached to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending on it the Lord himself standing above it Of which vision none can give a better interpretation then hee who was prefigured therein gave unto Nathaniel Hereafter you shall see Heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Whence wee may well collect that the onely meanes whereby God standing